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A review by nere
Jujutsu Kaisen, Vol. 0 by Gege Akutami
dark
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
Sunday, November 7, 2021 (reread)
No spoilers.
Please know the inclusion of this volume in my favorites is meant to be a catch-all for the whole series. And maybe it’s a little premature to do this for a series that is still ongoing, so much so weekly chapters are still being released as we speak. But there’s little, I think, Akutami-sensei could do that could ruin this series for me. I suppose I have that much faith in them and that much faith in this story.
I know JJK is like literally a worldwide phenomenon, to the point the physical paperbacks of the manga are sold out everywhere and are impossible to get your hands on. Regardless, this ever-expanding, sprawling, infinite world still feels very personal to me. The characters are friends. Maybe that’s a weird thing to say about a story that is undeniably a tragedy at its core. (But the same could be said about Hamlet. Yes, I just compared Jujutsu Kaisen to Shakespeare. This is MY storygraph account and I can do whatever I choose.) I don’t think the Shakespeare comparison is entirely unwarranted though honestly. Both Akutami and the Bard explore themes of grief, friendship, power, and family dynamics. And just when you think you have a grasp on the story, you reread it and regain a whole new perspective and appreciation for the material.
And despite the intricate plots (and goddamn are they intricate), I am a character-driven reader first and foremost. And I can think of a few pieces of media that even BEGIN to rival the size of this cast. Let alone the effectiveness of which Akutami succeeds in actually making me care about any and all of these characters (except Mahito, all my boys hate Mahito).
Anyways if it isn’t absolutely and completely obvious, I love this tiny little series with its tiny little cast and its even tinier fanbase. I’m sickenly obsessed with this. And you should be too.
(And since Mappa doesn't want to do marketing for it, I WILL. The movie adaption of this volume is coming out December 24th, 2021 which will be a prequel to the anime which is available to stream on HBO Max, Crunchyroll, and Funimation. GO GO GO.)
Please know the inclusion of this volume in my favorites is meant to be a catch-all for the whole series. And maybe it’s a little premature to do this for a series that is still ongoing, so much so weekly chapters are still being released as we speak. But there’s little, I think, Akutami-sensei could do that could ruin this series for me. I suppose I have that much faith in them and that much faith in this story.
I know JJK is like literally a worldwide phenomenon, to the point the physical paperbacks of the manga are sold out everywhere and are impossible to get your hands on. Regardless, this ever-expanding, sprawling, infinite world still feels very personal to me. The characters are friends. Maybe that’s a weird thing to say about a story that is undeniably a tragedy at its core. (But the same could be said about Hamlet. Yes, I just compared Jujutsu Kaisen to Shakespeare. This is MY storygraph account and I can do whatever I choose.) I don’t think the Shakespeare comparison is entirely unwarranted though honestly. Both Akutami and the Bard explore themes of grief, friendship, power, and family dynamics. And just when you think you have a grasp on the story, you reread it and regain a whole new perspective and appreciation for the material.
And despite the intricate plots (and goddamn are they intricate), I am a character-driven reader first and foremost. And I can think of a few pieces of media that even BEGIN to rival the size of this cast. Let alone the effectiveness of which Akutami succeeds in actually making me care about any and all of these characters (except Mahito, all my boys hate Mahito).
Anyways if it isn’t absolutely and completely obvious, I love this tiny little series with its tiny little cast and its even tinier fanbase. I’m sickenly obsessed with this. And you should be too.
(And since Mappa doesn't want to do marketing for it, I WILL. The movie adaption of this volume is coming out December 24th, 2021 which will be a prequel to the anime which is available to stream on HBO Max, Crunchyroll, and Funimation. GO GO GO.)