Jujutsu Kaisen Didn’t Make Use of Its Biggest Strength, But the Sequel Can Change That

Warning: This article contains spoilers from the Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo manga! Gege Akutami’s hit Weekly Shonen Jump manga, Jujutsu Kaisen, is one of the most popular series of all time. The manga has already reached its conclusion in September 2024, but the popularity only keeps rising with the anime’s upcoming season and the new manga sequel, which was released in September this year. Written by Akutami and illustrated by Yuji Iwasaki, Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo is expected to have a short run of six months, but the manga has already captured fans’ hearts, who keep asking for more. Following new characters several decades into the future, the manga introduces new challenges, completely different from the ones the original cast faced.

While only a handful of series can match the popularity of the original series, fans have long realized it’s far from perfect. As much as Jujutsu Kaisen is loved, it also has certain aspects where it didn’t make full use of its best qualities, one of which includes character interactions. In any series, these interactions form a solid foundation to help understand the characters and their dynamics. When it comes to Jujutsu Kaisen, Akutami has a rather profound way of portraying emotions, interactions, and the clashes that make the story so unique. However, it also can’t be denied that one of the weakest aspects of JJK is the lack of such qualities, but Modulo is the perfect opportunity to change this.

Jujutsu Kaisen’s Character Interactions Are Sidelined Due to Intense Fights

As a battle Shonen, Jujutsu Kaisen relies too heavily on having the fights carry the story, so much so that some meaningful moments are often sidelined. This is especially true since the Shibuya Incident Arc, when the story takes a drastic turn as the sorcerers are unable to take a breather between the intense battles. The previous arcs had several fun and adorable moments, making viewers fall in love with the show before completely shifting the tone of the story. Unfortunately, because the plot moves at such a relentless pace, the series misses out on the chance to feature them building their relationships normally. As the stakes got higher, all that’s left are the crumbs of interactions between the fights, which aren’t nearly enough.

The final arc, which lasted for over a year, only had characters talking about battle strategies in the middle of the fight or in flashbacks. Character interactions are more important than most fans realize. While Shonen fans love the thrill of a battle, it’s also equally fun to see characters genuinely connect as they joke, argue, and confide in each other. In fact, including special moments could engage the readers more and even further elevate the stakes for them when the fights resume, so it would be easier to see them as people, not just “fighters” or “plot devices.”

Read Next

Jujutsu Kaisen Sequel Already Has Its Next Best Couple After Yuta and Maki

There needs to be at least a few meaningful connections before we understand the depth of what makes them attached to one another and rely on each other when it’s a matter of death. For example, it’s difficult to imagine the depth of brotherhood between Choso and Yuji when the latter had a difficult time accepting him initially. But somewhere along the way, the brothers grew closer. Unfortunately, the series completely skipped how the duo’s relationship evolved, and we just accepted that’s how things were supposed to turn out.

Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Requires Communication Between Characters More Than Ever

The entire premise of the sequel manga is about coexistence between humans and an alien race called Simurians. After everything the Simurians have been through, they plan to take refuge in Japan. However, the sheer number of the Simurians and their extraordinary powers cause a wave of unease among the sorcerers. This is why both sides have been striving to form a strategy that wouldn’t cause any friction between them. However, things don’t often turn out the way one can hope for. Several misunderstandings and bitter feelings are bound to get in the way, and it will take a lot of effort to finally achieve the peace everyone wants.

So far, Modulo has been focusing more on character interactions rather than fights, and it serves to build a strong foundation. Especially the conversation between Yuka and Cross, as well as the backstory of Cross and Maru, offers certain depth to the characters, which is exactly what fans want to see. The story is finally taking shape in Modulo, and without doubt, there will be action along the way, but the manga is already way ahead of the original story in terms of portraying the dynamics between characters.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!