Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2

Episode 37

“Red Scale” is a great example of the kind of pacing and storytelling that I enjoy in a battle-focused storyline like Jujutsu Kaisen's's Shibuya Incident Arc. Outside of an incredibly brief opener that establishes that everyone's favorite linguistically-limited lad, Inumaki, is still around, this entire episode is about one thing, and one thing only: Having Yuji square off against the vengeful curse-spawn, Choso. The gang's battle against Choso's two brothers, Kezichu and Eso, was one of the most memorable clashes in the whole first season of the show, which means this battle has an extra sharp pair of teeth. Watching Nanami mess up ol' What's-His-Face-With-the-Sword-Hand last week was a good time, sure, but this fight means something. It may not end up as award-winning drama or anything, but this arc needs all of the emotional heft it can get, so we can start to balance out all of that style with just a teensy bit more substance.

Then again, with style this good…

Honestly, this is a challenging episode to review, because when it comes to things like characterization, theme, plot development, and all of the other story-bases criticisms that I could go into, there's not a whole lot to go into with “Red Scale” (and that isn't a bad thing!). There's one surprisingly effective character beat where Choso's rage grows exponentially when Yuji reveals that Choso's brothers spent their last moments alive in tears. Then there's the bonkers way that the fight concludes, but for the most part, the story of “Red Scale” is about rhythm, mood, violence, and spectacle. And it is glorious.

I try to avoid superlative statements such as “This is the best action scene that Jujutsu Kaisen has ever produced!” in these reviews, mostly because it would take a while for me to scrub back through every scene of this series to check if that is 100% true. Still, it should mean something when I say that, in the moment-to-moment experience of watching it, what we get in “Red Scale” at least feels like some of the coolest shit that JJK has ever committed to the screen. The “camera” is constantly in motion, and the character animation is fluid, crisp, and as dynamic as ever. Choso's blood powers combined with Yuji's up-close-and-personal style make for visually interesting and dynamic choreography, and the music is just as on point as any other element of the production (don't think I missed that reprise of the rock theme that punctuated the Kezichu/Eso fight!).

Point being, it's cool as hell, and a blast to watch. Outside of the built-in emotional stakes, the other thing that makes the fight so powerful is the fact that the entire episode is devoted to treating it as its mini-narrative. There are no distracting cutaways, no setups for B- or C-Plots that may be going on in the background and virtually no filler. Sure, there is still some unnecessary narration and exposition peppered throughout the scene that I am rarely a fan of, but even that couldn't distract from the sheer awesomeness of the artistry on display.

Also, we have to talk about the ending. Now, this could easily be another instance of “James Missed Out on a Crucial Bit of Expository Narrator or Whatever and Now He Doesn't Know What Is Going On”, but I can't possibly be the only one who was a little baffled that Yuji somehow managed to worm his way into the doujinshi-esque fake memories of an opponent to convince them that they are best friends…again?? I thought that maybe this was some sort of Sukuna trick, but that guy didn't seem to have any insider information on what was happening, so is this, like, Yuji's superpower or something? Don't get me wrong, it was well done, and I'm at least 70% percent certain that the show will explain what the hell just happened eventually, but still. What a wild way to end a wild episode.

Rating:

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

James is a writer with many thoughts and feelings about anime and other pop culture, which can also be found on Twitter, his blog, and his podcast.