Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 — A Masterclass in Shonen Storytelling

Let me be real with you: I didn't sleep well after watching the Shibuya Incident arc. Not because it was bad — because it was that good. The kind of good that sits heavy in your chest hours after the episode ends.

Season 2 of Jujutsu Kaisen is split into two parts, and both hit completely differently. The first half takes us back to Gojo's youth — a prequel that had no right being as emotional as it was. The second half? Pure chaos. The Shibuya Incident is arguably the most brutal, emotionally devastating arc in modern shonen anime.

The Hidden Inventory Arc — Before Everything Went Wrong

The season opens with young Gojo and Geto as best friends, assigned to protect a young girl named Riko Amanai. It sounds simple on paper. It's anything but.

What makes this arc work so well is the contrast. We already know how Geto's story ends — we've seen it in Season 1. So watching him here, still idealistic, still laughing with Gojo, knowing what's coming... it hurts in a very specific way.

MAPPA nailed the animation here too. The fight choreography was clean, the color palette felt distinct from the present-day timeline, and Gojo's Infinity ability finally got the visual treatment it deserved.

The Shibuya Incident — Nothing Will Ever Be the Same

I'll avoid major spoilers, but I have to say this: the Shibuya arc changes everything. Characters you've spent two seasons caring about face consequences that feel genuinely permanent. This isn't a "everyone survives and grows stronger" kind of arc.

The pacing is relentless. Episode after episode, the situation escalates, and just when you think things can't get worse — they do. It's exhausting in the best possible way.

Yuji's arc this season is particularly heavy. He's forced to confront the real cost of being a vessel for Sukuna, and watching him process that guilt is some of the best character writing in the series.

What MAPPA Did Right (and One Complaint)

The animation quality is mostly spectacular. The Gojo vs Toji fight from the Hidden Inventory arc is already considered one of the greatest animated sequences in shonen history — and honestly? That's not hyperbole.

My only real complaint is the episode pacing in the middle portion of Shibuya. A few episodes feel rushed, cramming important manga moments into tight windows. If you're an anime-only viewer you might not notice, but manga readers will feel it.

Final Verdict

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 is a must-watch, even if you've never seen the first season. It's emotionally devastating, visually stunning, and proof that shonen anime doesn't have to pull its punches to tell a great story.

If you're not caught up — what are you waiting for?

Score: 9.5/10