MANGA REVIEW | "Jujutsu Kaisen" - Volume Eleven
Jujutsu Kaisen takes a gamble in its eleventh volume. It’s an epic fight within Shibuya Station, with everyone’s favorite cool guy Satoru Gojo in hero mode. But then, his old frienemy Suguru pops by and does the unthinkable: he bests Gojo and captures him in a Prison Realm. That’s when the real trouble starts brewing.
With the powerful sorcerer stuck prisoner in another realm, the other curse users in the area have come out to play. Yuji, Megumi, and the rest of the sorcerers and sorcerers-in-training realize that without Gojo, humanity is in deep doo-doo. And thus, the plan to free him and stop the curse users running amuck is set into motion. However, because of the strengths of these curse users, a full-on strategy is nigh impossible to put together in a short amount of time.
This particular volume of Jujutsu Kaisen has author Gege Akutami taking the strongest card out of his deck, and locking it away from prying fingers. Midway through “The Shibuya Incident” arc, the series’s biggest player is now out of action, so readers now get a chance to see how well his teachings have trained his students and fellow sorcerer comrades. But we’ve seen Yuji and Megumi showcasing their strengths to the nth degree, so this should be an easy fight, right? Their fight with Awasaka, though, shows that they have a lot to learn, especially when it comes to teamwork and synergy.
It’s having Gojo sealed that gives these curse users the prime moment to strike. As a flashback shows, even at a very young age, Gojo showcased a deep welling of power that could wipe out curses with a bat of his eyes. Even if these curses find themselves fighting with Gojo’s disciples, their mentality is one with the confidence to get to victory. However, as we’ve learned in Jujutsu Kaisen, when the enemy gets too cocky, they’re bound to slip in glorious fashion!
Despite some of the back stories, this volume puts a bigger emphasis on the fights at hand. At first, the art work is slightly sloppier than usual, but it fits with the speed of the fight that’s happening. When it’s the other sorcerers’ turn to show their moves, the art becomes a lot cleaner and focused, perhaps to emphasize the level of concentration our heroes are placing on their targets. Nevertheless, even at its most rough, Akutami knows how to craft a badass battle for his readers to enjoy.
While we don’t know how long “The Shibuya Incident” will last, this volume of Jujutsu Kaisen can be seen as a turning point for both its heroes and villains. At first, it’s Mahito and Suguru that look to be at the top of the pedestal, only for Yuji and Megumi to show that this fight is far from over. While one can guess where this arc will end, the journey towards its conclusion is bound to be an exciting one. However, Akutami best free Gojo sooner rather than later; I reckon readers will be turned off by the lack of that handsome sorcerer.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Gabrielle Dyer of VIZ Media
