Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Reviews: What Critics Are Saying

Megan Peters

03/17/2022 06:19 pm EDT

Jujutsu Kaisen has cemented its reputation as one of anime's top series, and the supernatural story has tons more to offer. Season two hasn't even gone live yet and already fans are clamoring for more sorcery and cursed spirits. It's lucky that Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is ready to hit theaters this weekend, and its reviews promise fans new and old will love the action-packed flick.

As you can see below, the reviews for Jujutsu Kaisen 0 are in, and they have little but praise for the film. The prequel is described as a delightfully violent and thrilling movie. Pieced together with gorgeous animation, the team behind Jujutsu Kaisen outdid itself with this movie, and ComicBook's own Nick Valdez seconds the sentiment in his own review.

"At its core, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is admittedly a story action anime fans have seen before. What makes it different from the rest, however, is that it condenses the traditional shonen journey into a theatrical experience that also provides an aesthetically pleasing viewing. It's approachable for newcomers and has some extra bits of fan service for those coming in from the TV anime. That means pretty much everybody can expect to have a great time, really," he writes.

If you want to watch Jujutsu Kaisen 0 yourself, you can catch up on it this weekend. Screenings begin on March 18 stateside, and you can find the first season of Jujutsu Kaisen streaming over on Crunchyroll to boot.

What do you think of Jujutsu Kaisen's anime so far? Will you be checking out its big movie in theaters? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.

IGN

"A common problem with movies based on shonen anime is that their status as non-canonical standalone adventures makes them inconsequential to the franchise and, therefore, devoid of stakes (I'm looking at you, My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission). Thankfully, that seems to be changing somewhat, between last year's Demon Slayer: Mugen Train acting as a continuation of the anime's first season and now, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 trying to have its cake and eat it too. This prequel film stands on its own enough to serve as an introduction to newcomers while providing necessary context to hardcore fans eager to see how certain characters fit into the next chapter of the story." – IGN

Polygon

"When it opened on Dec. 24, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 sold over 1 million tickets and earned more than 1 billion yen. Over the weekend, the prequel to the popular anime series Jujutsu Kaisen, based on the manga by Gege Akutami, nearly tripled its box office, giving the record-breaking Demon Slayer film a run for its money. This was no Christmas miracle. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 earns its success by doing what so many prequels fail at: telling a satisfying story that connects to and enhances the main series while also welcoming newcomers to the franchise." – Polygon

San Jose Mercury News

"A box-office sensation in Japan, this assuredly plotted animated adventure is spun from Japanese manga and is both thrilling and engrossing. A horrific accident kills Yuuta Okkostu's best friend Rika, but her presence in his life continues in the form of a monster protector with extreme anger management issues. Yuuta finds his tribe, so to speak, at a special school – not Hogwarts, you silly. But there's an evil force he must contend with, one that could lead to world domination/destruction. Animated with devilish glee and full of deep characters, "Jujutsu Kaisen O" is a thrilling high point in anime." – San Jose Mercury News

The Los Angeles Times

"The humor can get dark, as with the casually delivered "We're here to exorcise the curse and save the kids. Or retrieve them if they're dead." The animators enjoy depicting imaginative and extreme violence. If that's your thing (and if it isn't, why are you watching this movie?), "Jujutsu Kaisen 0" does not disappoint. And fans: Stick around through the credits." – The Los Angeles Times

The Guardian

"Just as Yuta slowly loses his shyness and sharpens his magical abilities, he and his new friends come face to face with the powerful trickster Suguru Geto, an ex-Jujutsu student with an evil plan to extinguish all non-sorcerers from the Earth. The gorgeous animation is at full throttle during this adrenaline-pumping showdown between good and evil, as a web of painstakingly detailed monsters of all kinds spring into gory action. Bolstered by an electrifying score, this cathartic ode to the triumph of love is a treat for ardent fans and newcomers alike." – The Guardian

The Wrap

"Your enjoyment of "Jujutsu Kaisen 0" probably depends on how much you like its action scenes, as fans know to expect given their presumed familiarity with not only the source manga, but also its genre's battle-focused conventions. The best set pieces in "Jujutsu Kaisen 0" – particularly Toge and Yuta's team-up fight, as well as the very ending of the climactic group brawl with Geto and his cursed minions – not only accurately represent the "Jujutsu Kaisen" anime series, but also, perhaps, offer newbie viewers enough information to decide if they want to read more into this sudsy and mostly ingratiating super-teen saga." – The Wrap

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