MANGA REVIEW | "Jujutsu Kaisen" - Volume Six
I won’t lie: reviewing Volume Five of Jujutsu Kaisen was a tough one. The Kyoto Sister-School Goodwill Event was presented in such a way that made it challenging to write in words. To be blunt, it was a volume you needed to read to realize just how badass it was! Fortunately, the sixth volume is slightly easier to talk about, although it does have some parts that are hard to put into writing!
With the event winding down, the Kyoto school is now focused on killing Itadori before the curse gets too strong. However, more curses appear, led by Mahito and its users. Differences are put to the side, as both the Kyoto and Tokyo schools do their best to wipe out the curses before they become meddlesome and deadly. Fortunately, the students have some neat tricks up their sleeves to get the job done.
There’s a science to how these curses are put to use, as they’re filled to the brim with stipulations. However, unlike Itadori, many of its users have been in the game long enough to know how to even use its weaker points to its advantage. A great example of this comes when Todo and Itadori face off against the Special Grade Cursed Spirit, which becomes a teachable experience for Itadori. They throw everything at the creature, using a scientific method to try to discover its Achille’s Heel.
Author Gege Akutami fortunately knows how to make these battles both exciting and fun, especially for the heroes of Jujutsu Kaisen. He can find a way to make even the toughest of guys have some sort of dorky means of bringing forth a great power. Such is the case of Todo, whose killer technique can be summoned by some groovy hand claps. And yet, before you can chuckle at its method, the end result replaces the laughs in your throat with pure awe.
Volume Six of Jujutsu Kaisen showcases the many strengths of this series. It’s off-the-wall, violent, and clever when it wants to be. The overall presentation that’s given to the readers makes a good argument on why Jujutsu Kaisen may be the new hot shonen manga big dog in the yard. So long as it avoids being neutered, Akutami’s series will have plenty of chances to spread its badassery across the fandom.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Gabrielle Dyer of VIZ Media
