Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
"October 31st arrives, and Geto Suguru's plan is in motion. A curtain is cast to trap civilians in Shibuya, with many of them begging for one man, Gojo Satoru! Multiple squads of sorcerers are dispatched to the scene. What mysteries lie within the Shibuya Curtain...?"
The Shibuya Incident Arc is the 8th arc in Jujutsu Kaisen, a manga series by Gege Akutami. This arc consists of chapters 79 - 136.
Here's the thing, this arc was absolutely WILD and would have been a 5-star read...if I hadn't spoiled pretty much everything already... I inadvertently ended up spoiling every single major thing that happened in this arc, which was my bad. Had I not done so, boy would I have been on the edge of my seat.
This arc is long and it is relentless. It certainly demonstrated why this series is considered one of the 'dark trio'.
Let's get into the details.
ART/WRITING
This arc is pretty much nonstop action, so if you love fight scenes this has it in spades. I always have issues when it comes to fight scenes in manga because it can be hard to follow and get the motion right. This did have moments like that but, on the other hand, there were some gorgeous full-page panels.
I also really liked the panels that used stark black shading, which is a style I have come to appreciate because it makes the page stand out.
PLOT
We start the arc off at a bit of an odd point, still wrapping up the last arc before catapulting itself back to the present after the events of the Death Painting Arc. A bit all over the place, but right off the bat the tone is set and it keeps going from there because there is not one moment of relief in this arc. Excuse my language, but shit pretty much hits the fan.
As I said, the best word to describe what happens is relentless. This goes from one fight straight into another, and you aren't given the time to process what happens. I can imagine other people who binged this just sitting there afterwards staring at a wall.
I don't really want to get into any more details because this is the kind of arc you need to go into blind (unlike myself who spoiled everything...).
WORLD-BUILDING
Because this arc is more action-forward, there is less room for world-building. We do get some new concepts in this though, with the introduction of simple and anti-domains. This does make sense considering the fact that a domain is a guarantee if you have the stronger one, but there had to be some way to outmaneuver it.
CHARACTERS
I feel like this is a huge turning point for Itadori (and all of the characters really). He is put through the wringer in this, and he isn't going to come out the same. Again though, I don't want to go into any more detail than I already have because a lot happens in this arc and I don't want to spoil anything.
There were some really impactful, and unexpected, moments between a series of characters in this though that did get me a bit emotional.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
I recommend that you cuddle up in bed and have a comforting drink beside you before delving into this. That is pretty much all you need to know about what you are about to get yourself into.
I cannot wait to see this animated. Though they might have to split it into two parts considering how long this arc is... I am hoping that they somehow can manage to get the budget to animate it really well too.
It goes without saying, there is going to be graphic violence in this arc, so prepare yourself.
Now, I am going to get into some spoilery thoughts I had while reading. If you don't want to be spoiled, you can stop reading now.
WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD - PROCEED WITH CAUTION
.
.
.
.
.
.
I feel bad for Mechamaru.
Sure the guy ended up technically betraying everyone, but he just wanted to be able to walk out into the sun and meet up with his friends in person
And he risked it knowing that they were gonna turn on him and try to, and successfully, kill him
They don't even show him dying which was odd
Gojo just stepping on people's heads to get by.
Oh hey, there's Choso, forgot that he is still in there.
Alright, Gojo smoked Hanami right away.
Oop, Itadori is triggered.
He ain't over what Mahito did to Junpei
Honestly, no one is cause his death came out of nowhere considering he was in the opening...
Curse: I bet you don't even know what kind of curse I am
Itadori: a grasshopper curse
Curse: he's smart!
Itadori: no it's just really obvious...
Grasshopper kind of giving me Beru vibes from Solo Leveling.
Mahito though lol, he just bounds off the train all excited.
Aaaand Gojo is toast.
Guess that is a pretty effective way to keep him occupied; show up in the body of his best friend who he killed himself
Oof, that stuck the emotions a bit.
My six eyes tell me you're Geto but my soul knows you're not
With Gojo stuck in the prison realm, is he aware of what is going on outside?
Like is he gonna come out, if he ever does, to just a bunch of people dead and then lose it?
Itadori calling for his Nanamin lol.
Gojo is concerningly calm about this.
He just goes ah well, I screwed up, but everyone is going to be fine
Like no, everyone is very much so not fine
You would think that him being the strongest would know that once he is out of the equation, a huge power vacuum is going to happen
Oh, Toji!
Who is that guy?
Nanami was seeing the other guy they went to school with but I don't think he's alive anymore
Yeah...I see it now...Mei Mei and her brother are weird...
How even old is the brother?
Inumaki arriving in style with his speaker for his 2-second appearance, because for some reason he ain't in this arc.
Choso wasted no time, just going straight for the kill once he sees Itadori.
Well, I did like squid guy until he evolved.
Toji just popping up out of nowhere to just smoke everyone and no one knows who he is.
Maki has seen the light.
Toji is exactly the kind of person, just less morally grey for now, she aspires to be
He went against the Zen'in family and is an absolute badass without even having cursed energy
Can you imagine if he was alive the entire time, like he would be an absolute force to be reckoned with.
Oh geez, Itadori just ate 11 fingers...
...What exactly is Sukuna's technique?
I also thought it was just slice-and-dice but I guess to be the kind of curses there is more to it
Hmm, well that is an interesting moment.
Sukuna telling Jogo to stand proud as he's strong and Jogo crying and neither of them knowing what was going on with them
So Sukuna put a damage radius that didn't include Megumi cause he got plans for him.
Poor Itadori is going to be traumatized, he keeps running straight into a fight only to see someone die.
Geez, Nanami got demolished.
Real sad we didn't get to see more of him before he got blown up
That is one hell of a panel though showing what was left of him
He was also half burnt to a crisp and was still moving around which...damn
So...is Nobara alive or not?
Todo has arrived to save his brother.
It's boogie woogie time
Out of everything in this, it is Miwa and Mechamaru that got me emotional.
Todo has a necklace with a picture of that idol on one side and another of Itadori on the other.
True form Mahito looks like a weird Mew Two Frieza from Dragonball.
Oh no, Todo lost a hand and can't boogie woogie anymore.
Choso just disappeared and the entire time he was in a corner by himself having existential thoughts.
Oh, Geto consumed Mahito...huh, not the way I thought he would go.
There goes Itadori getting revenge unless Geto uses him
Oh look, something I surprisingly didn't spoil.
Todo's mentor is here for some reason, and I honestly thought she was dead for some reason
Comments