Jujutsu Kaisen: When Does A Death Become Earned?

It’s an important question to ask regarding any story like Jujutsu Kaisen, but the Shibuya Incident especially warrants asking this.

Highlights

• The impactful deaths in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 sparked debate on their purpose, leaving fans divided on their effectiveness in the narrative.
• The Shibuya Incident arc resulted in a staggering body count, with major characters meeting tragic ends that left a lasting impact on the plot.
• The differing reactions to Nanami and Nobara’s deaths highlight the complex nature of character deaths in storytelling and the challenge of balancing impact with audience expectations.

Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, now streaming on Crunchyroll.

A lot of people died in Season 2 of Jujutsu Kaisen and, as symbolic of the narrative’s ambition as these fatalities were, they were similarly the source of much discourse about their purpose. With some months passed since the book closed on the Shibuya Incident, the arc begs questioning when a character’s death is effective and “earned” versus cheap or even maybe disrespectful.

Spanning 58 chapters of the manga by Gege Akutami and 18 episodes of the anime by director Shota Goshozono, the Shibuya Incident is one of the most significant arcs in all of Jujutsu Kaisen. Per its name, it’s set in Tokyo’s Shibuya ward on Halloween night, when the antagonists create chaos to lure the strongest sorcerer of the modern era, Satoru Gojo, into a trap.

Related

Jujutsu Kaisen: Every Death In The Series (So Far)

Jujutsu Kaisen fans have witnessed the deaths of many characters.

A Staggering Body Count

Exact numbers have never been given, but counting the normal humans caught in the crossfire, it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume over 1000 people died, most of whom can be attributed to Sukuna. On its own, even this rough estimate is harrowing, but it only hits half as hard as it does because it was accompanied by the consistent deaths of major characters on both sides.

These ranged from jujutsu sorcerers – some of whom were a big deal in the story’s world, like Naobito Zenin – to cursed spirits like fan-favorite character Jogo. However, of these, two stand out: Kento Nanami and Nobara Kugisaki. Their deaths are notable not only for how quickly they follow one another but also for their impact on protagonist Yuji Itadori, to say nothing of the dramatic weight with which their deaths are presented.

A Difference in Reception

In the span of just two episodes, Yuji loses two of the people closest to him. The former was a teacher who helped him cope with the weight of his responsibilities as a sorcerer, and the latter was a classmate and dear friend with whom he shared one of his most glorious battles. Their deaths were both accompanied by mournful and heartfelt reflections on their lives and unfulfilled ambitions, yet the reactions to them differ greatly.

Nanami’s death at the hands of Mahito following his desperate battle against a wave of cursed spirits was received as a tragic but ultimately beautiful end to one of the series’ best characters. As he daydreamed about the beaches of Malaysia where he would have spent his retirement, the swells of Yoshimasu Terui’s score filled this gruesome end with as much dignity as possible.

In contrast, Nobara’s death was far more divisive. As Yuji battled Mahito, she battled a clone elsewhere that couldn’t use the same cursed technique. Then, as both of Mahito’s bodies retreated, they swapped places and his main body touched Nobara, activating his technique, Idle Transfiguration. After a lengthy flashback reflecting on the life she’d lived up to that point, she smiled at Yuji, told him “Life wasn’t so bad,” and succumbed to the cursed technique.

Why Were People So Upset?

These deaths share key similarities, from the person responsible for their ultimate end being Mahito to them dying somewhat content with their lives after leaving their mark. Sadness was the expected reaction and undoubtedly the goal, but people weren’t just sad about Nobara dying – they were angry about it, and it’s not too difficult to figure out why, either.

Firstly, this is a shōnen jump series, in which Nobara is one of the main trio, and she’s dead before even the second season has ended. It would be like if Sakura died in Naruto before they got to Shippuden. Secondly, Nobara’s death is another symptom of a larger criticism. For a series that has a lot of very strong female characters, many fans have taken issue with what has been done with them the longer the series has gone on.

In general, disgruntled fans questioned how necessary this death was, a criticism common of any story made popular by a high body count, in which it feels like “no character is safe.” There’s a lot to be said about the right and wrong way to kill off a character, but the simplest way to approach such a thing might be to ask whether the character fulfilled their role in the story. The trouble lies in figuring out what that role ultimately entails and how that’s conveyed to the audience.

When’s The Right Time To Kill A Character?

Their death can serve a narrative/thematic purpose, but the audience may not be fully privy to that until the story is over, when the work can be judged as a whole. More often, it seems like a character’s ultimate role lies at the intersection of the narrative’s ambitions and the audience’s expectations based on the genre and their prior investment.

As aforementioned, Nobara’s death is already quite a shock to the system by shōnen standards and viewers were likely expecting more from her. This isn’t to say that her death is bad because she had unmet potential. That could be said about any character that has died because, obviously, they could have done more if they were still alive. To be fair, though, one’s potential is not entirely irrelevant, either.

The Difference Between Nanami and Nobara’s Treatment

Nanami’s death felt earned because his thesis as a mentor figure was fulfilled, and he represented to Yuji a lesson about adulthood that is central to the story’s themes about life. It helped that he was a supporting character who already had plenty of cool moments to shine, and his final moments were executed with a lot of respect for the legacy he’d leave on the series.

Nobara’s death was similarly a celebration of life. Some might say that it was one too many, but its effect on Yuji arguably couldn’t have been achieved by anyone else. In contrast to the previous deaths, which horrified and angered Yuji, Nobara’s was the one that broke him. From a meta-textual standpoint, it works precisely because it didn’t seem like she could die. For Yuji to grow as a protagonist, he and the audience had to believe that there was no one left.

Was Her Death Earned?

But that only describes the purpose of her death, not Nobara herself, her role, and how her purpose was fulfilled, which will vary from viewer to viewer. Looking on the bright side, she certainly seemed to go out on a high note. She dealt a blow to Mahito so powerful that it affected his main body, saving Yuji from what felt like miles away. The much-loathed antagonist went so far as to call her a natural enemy, second only to Yuji.

Sadly, for many, this is too little, too late. For all of Jujutsu Kaisen‘s strengths, Nobara Kugisaki serves as a lesson that a well-earned death is one where the character’s ultimate role is not overshadowed by their unmet potential. Even if it was handled with appreciable care worthy of praise, it feels like it comes at the cost of something meaningful. It’s no surprise that fans continue to pray for her resurrection, even if it feels more unlikely with each passing chapter.

More

Jujutsu Kaisen: Yuki Tsukumo, Kenjaku, and How To Solve Cursed Energy

This story’s resolution will come down to what the characters choose to do with the power lying at its very center: cursed energy.

Jujutsu Kaisen

ActionSupernatural

Release Date

October 3, 2020

Seasons

2

Studio

MAPPA

Creator

Gege Akutami

Number of Episodes

47

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll

See at Amazon

Fuente: successacademy.edu.vn
Categorías: Anime