When the Japanese anime dark fantasy film Jujutsu Kaisen 0 released in Japan, it earned over $100 million in the domestic box office alone. And rightfully so. The film, which acts as a prequel to the anime series Jujutsu Kaisen, based on Gege Akutami’s manga, is all a prequel should be and more.
The manga is set in a world where negative human emotions manifest as ‘Cursed Energy’ which can then give birth to Curses or Cursed Spirits.
The premise is similar to that of the series– a young man comes to be in close proximity to a very powerful (special grade) Curse and at Satoru Goj0’s (Yuichi Nakamura) behest, joins the Tokyo Prefectural Jujustu High School.
While the series follows Yuji Itadori, an active and sporty jock even before training, Jujutsu Kaisen 0, directed by Sunghoo Park, is about his senior Yuta Okkotsu (who is briefly mentioned in the series when the seniors Maki Zenin, Toge Inumaki, and Panda are introduced).
Unlike Itadori (who is a vessel for one of the most powerful Curses ever, Ryomen Sukuna), Yuta (voiced by Megumi Ogata) is a meek and troubled kid. That is about where the differences in the prequel and the series end since Yuta proceeds to have a similar induction into the world of Jujutsu Sorcerers– who use their Cursed Energy to fight spirits and evil Curses. Maybe it’s more accurate to say that Itadori went through the same induction as Yuta.
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is an example of the power of anime to tell stories that exist so far off the realm of realism and yet manage to create an immersive environment for the story to flourish.
The story does an impeccable job of fleshing out Yuta’s past and exploring how he came to be attached to a Curse.
We find out that the Curse attached to Yuta is his childhood love Rika (Kana Hanazawa). Their relationship forms a great emotional core to the film while also shrouding the film in horror elements. Rika, who as a muscular, fang-bearing Curse is not the most terrifying entity in the film, still instills terror because of her mannerisms and her fierce need to protect Yuta (even if it’s against his will).
And every time she speaks to Yuta, often with a child-like innocence, it’s heart-wrenching. This juxtaposition of how terrifying Rika’s power is and who she was (and perhaps still is) as a ‘person’ is magnificent to watch. Jujutsu Kaisen 0, unlike many prequels, doesn’t come in with the expectation that every viewer has watched the show.
It’s a perfect film for diehard fans and also for people who might use it as an introduction to the anime or even the genre.
Like with the series, the action sequences are expertly crafted and leave the viewer satisfied and yet craving for more. It builds the action sequences and threats in a crescendo which ends in a powerful crash. On a personal note, the fight scenes involving Kento Nanami and Mei Mei are awe-inspiring and did elicit cheers from the theater audience.
Another notch in the belt for the film is the increased screen time it gives to the villain Suguru Geto (Takahiro Sakurai), who believes that only Jujutsu Sorcerers should exist in the world and all humans must perish. It’s interesting since Jujutsu Kaisen 0 fleshes out his motivations which remained largely unclear earlier, and Geto is such a cheeky and excellent antagonist.
The show provides interesting backstories to all the characters making it easier to understand their motivation and their goals. Delving deeper into the backstories of such a diverse group was understandable out of the purview of the film but it doesn enough to help newcomers understand.
If you loved Jujutsu Kaisen, you’ll love Jujutsu Kaisen 0 and if you loved the latter, start the series, what are you waiting for?
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 hit theatres in India on 30 June.
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