Warning: Contains spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen season 2, episode #1.Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 has finally premiered, and it’s already blowing season 1 right out of the water. Jujutsu Kaisen was one of the biggest anime around from 2020 to 2021 thanks to its striking visuals and directing, and the goodwill it garnered even led to its prequel film, Jujutsu Kaisen 0, becoming one of the highest-grossing anime films of all time. Season 2 was an absolute certainty, and as such, the question on the minds of fans and critics alike was whether season 2 would be able to keep to the high standards set by season 1.
Following the season 2 premiere, it’s safe to say that Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 not only meets the standards set by season 1 but completely surpasses them in every regard. While there’s only one episode to go off of so far, everything shown in the season 2 premiere shows a level of craft and flare that makes season 1 look tame by comparison. Studio MAPPA has gained a reputation for striking cinematography and for how naturally they expand on the source material of their adaptations, and if this is anything to go off of, then Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 could be their best showing of that yet.
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2’s Visuals Have Never Looked Better
Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 initially saw some controversy over Shota Goshozono replacing Sunghoo Park as director and its new character designs courtesy of Sayaka Koiso, but those worries were all for naught. Goshozono’s directing style showcases incredibly creative cinematography, with the first half of the episode, in particular, taking full advantage of the medium to make everything look massive in scale and move impeccably smoothly. Koiso’s character designs further enhanced this with their increased simplicity, which allowed the characters to easily work with Goshozono’s fluid cinematography.
None of this, of course, is meant to criticize Jujutsu Kaisen season 1, by any means. Sunghoo Park did an amazing job with both season 1 and Jujutsu Kaisen 0, with both featuring striking visuals and cinematography, especially in the fight scenes. Park had already laid the groundwork for what was expected of Jujutsu Kaisen, and that allowed season 2’s team to take what was already done and enhance it even further. At the end of the day, it’s only because Jujutsu Kaisen season 1 was so good that the series was able to know what to do to make things even better with season 2.
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2’s Story Is A Bold Choice For The Series
Beyond the visuals and cinematography, Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 also deserves praise for its story. Rather than continue where season 1 left off, season 2 opens up with an arc centered around Gojo and Geto during their time as students at Jujutsu High, meaning that with Jujutsu Kaisen 0 taken into account, the anime has managed to keep going for two years without including the actual protagonist, Yuji. Granted, the manga did this, as well, but the fact that the series will push its protagonist to the sidelines for so long shows great confidence in its writing, and that sort of hook makes season 2’s opening all the more engaging.
This, of course, works to give Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 a completely different feel from season 1. Gojo’s energetic and narcissistic personality serves as a stark contrast to Yuji’s, and the energy he brings to the series almost makes season 2 feel like a different show in all the best ways. There’s only been one episode so far, but even that has provided a refreshingly new experience for the series that makes the long wait for season 2 more than worthwhile. All in all, Jujutsu Kaisen season 2’s premiere makes it clear that it’s already surpassed season 1, and with any luck, it will only keep getting better from here.
Jujutsu Kaisen releases new episodes Thursdays on Crunchyroll.