WARNING: SPOILERS FOR JUJUTSU KAISEN ANIME SEASON 2 SHIBUYA ARC
As great as the second season of the Jujutsu Kaisen anime was, it was unfinished, but the Blu-ray release will fix that with incredible extra scenes that were missing from the original cut. MAPPA’s animators were not given time to finish their work, especially for Sukuna’s most intense fight. Despite being unable to see all that was intended for Jujutsu Kaisen‘s adaptation of arguably its best arcs, season 2 thrilled fans, but the home release is even better.
Jujutsu Kaisen‘s season 2 anime adaptation of the Shibuya arc has yet to be released on physical media worldwide. Still, Japanese fans who’ve gotten a hold of the Blu-ray release were quick to make others worldwide jealous. Scenes from the release have been shared online by X users like kayn3_, with a shocking amount of improvements and extra scenes that were not in the original broadcast.
The Shibuya arc is home to several heavy contenders for best anime fights of 2023 with their fantastic animation and direction. Still, compared to the Blu-ray version of the scenes, great clashes like Sukuna vs. Mahoraga are even better because MAPPA’s talented animators were given more time to accomplish the vision intended for the beloved JJK anime.
Extra Shibuya Arc Scenes Make Already Great Fights Reach Higher Peaks
One of JJK season 2’s most memorable fights happened after the already intimidating King of Curses, Sukuna (possessing Yuji Itadori’s body), received another powered-up. Once he was adequately warmed up, and Megumi Fushiguro grew desperate enough to summon Mahoraga (the untamed and strongest shikigami in his clan’s arsenal), Sukuna decided to flex his skills against the undefeated monster. Now that MAPPA’s animators have been given more time, they have also flexed their talents and possibly redefined the definition of god-tier animation.
Sukuna’s battle against Mahoraga ravaged the already in-shambles city of Shibuya and the imagination of viewers. However, the Blu-ray version of the fight, which has completed, extended, and additional scenes not included in the television broadcast, has upgraded the already highly regarded anime. Moments like complex hand-to-hand combat, Mahoraga’s impressive mobility, and Sukuna’s cockiness are improved and featured in the revised episodes. Scenes that also gave some of this anime generation’s best animators the time to shine that their skills deserve.
JJK‘s anime brought on several talented artists to bring the manga to life, one being Vincent Chansard, who made a big name for himself in the anime community by working on stunning battles from beloved series like One Piece and Boruto. With the Blu-ray’s adjustments, his skills, combined with director/animator Hakuyu Go, made S2 episode #17 of JJK‘s one of the best in the series and possibly one of the most fantastic action anime episodes ever. Frankly, MAPPA should give its staff time to complete their work, even if it means delaying a new episode an extra week.
Undimmed Scenes Make JJK’s Anime Shine Even Brighter
A common practice for modern anime that is broadcast on television is that fast-paced action scenes are drastically dimmed. It’s a dramatic difference, especially compared to the vibrant, undimmed Blu-ray releases. The entirety of the artist’s color palette and sometimes even animation segments become more difficult to view when dimmed, and the Shibuya arc is filled with many epic fights that suffer from the dimming. Thankfully, the scenes shared on social media, by fans like DbsContents on X, highlight the differences, especially in the battle between the reanimated Toji and Dagon.
The reason for dimming anime for broadcast is to prevent seizures. Pokèmon anime is responsible for the controversial tactic because a particular episode in 1997 aired containing bright and repetitive visual effects that put hundreds of Japanese children in the hospital after it triggered seizures. Since then, a law has been put into place in Japan that forces anime production studios to use dimming during particularly colorful and fast-paced scenes. However, many physical media releases of anime remove the effect, allowing the fast and colorful battles to be viewed as intended.
JJK and other notable anime series like My Hero Academia and Boruto have large-scale battles where viewers have noticed and complained about dimming online. Besides Toji and Dagon’s battle, excessive dimming for moments like Yuji’s fight against the Grasshopper curse received backlash for the effect. It was particularly jarring to consistently switch from scenes that needed to be dimmed to ones that did not, ultimately making the fight challenging to follow and enjoy. Undimming those scenes helps make the physical release even more appealing to purchase for fans who wish to rewatch the anime’s best fights unaltered.
The Behind The Scenes Problems With JJK Season 2 and MAPPA
The studio behind the JJK anime, MAPPA, is rife with controversies that unfortunately overshadow its success, especially during the beloved anime’s second season. Animators were given unrealistic deadlines and were underpaid for the incredible work they produced under harsh conditions. While the studio continues to be highly respected by fans worldwide, the harsh conditions have pushed talented people, like Vincent Chansard, away from wanting to work with MAPPA again.
MAPPA’s harsh working conditions, particularly on JJK season 2, spurred many animators to meltdown on social media. Stressful amounts of overtime hours were required for staff to meet higher-ups’ deadlines. For a studio that released several wildly successful animes like Attack on Titan and Vinland Saga, one would assume the company would give its workers the resources and time to perform their best work. The Blu-ray releases prove how great the animators can be, but with more production time, the product would’ve been better, and staff would be more excited to return to work on MAPPA’s many ongoing series.
MAPPA’s Award-Winning Staff Deserve Better
Now that several months have passed since the final episode of JJK‘s season 2 aired, time and effort have been put into making Jujutsu Kaisen‘s home releases better than how they aired. Thankfully, the work of MAPPA’s talented production team has been highly recognized. Jujutsu Kaisen‘s season 2 earned many awards during Crunchyroll’s 2023 Anime Awards, including Anime of the Year and Best Director with Shota Goshozono’s work, who went through nightmarish conditions to accomplish wonders.
While the release date for the North American release of Jujutsu Kaisen‘s Shibuya arc Blu-ray is currently unknown, fans are eager to watch the peak anime season the way its staff intended. Hopefully, some of the funds the Blu-rays generate will go to the artists who make the content that creates so many smiles worldwide and inspire MAPPA’s higher-ups to give their staff a less stressful workplace as they craft season 3 of Jujutsu Kaisen.
Sources: kayn3_, v2TokyoGhost, DbsContents/X
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Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen is a supernatural action anime that follows high school student Yuuji Itadori as he battles against magical curses. After Yuji selflessly saves a classmate by taking a curse into his own body, he is discovered and trained by a powerful sorcerer named Satoru Gojo. Gojo, who also happens to be a faculty member at a high school, enrolls Yuji there to help him and other students prepare themselves against the supernatural forces that plague humanity.
