Jujutsu Kaisen 0 will premiere in TGV Cinemas across Malaysia starting from 10 March 2022.

Based on the hit Jujutsu Kaisen manga series, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 tells the story of a young isolated high school student named Yuta Okkotsu suffering from a curse from his late girlfriend who follows him everywhere. Upon meeting a sorcerer named Satoru Gojo, Yuta decides to follow him to his school, in order to control the power of the curse.

The Jujutsu Kaisen 0 movie is a prequel to the popular Jujutsu Kaisen anime series, both of which are produced and animated by studio MAPPA.

Our very own Alleef ‘ComicsLord’ Ashaari and Fitri Razif went to catch an early screening and here’s what they thought of the anime movie:

Alleef Ashaari: So, we just watched Jujutsu Kaisen 0 and it was a great time, indeed. The last time I felt like this coming out of an anime movie at the cinemas was Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba Mugen Train. I watched the first season of Jujutsu Kaisen, but I wasn’t such a big fan.

Watching Jujutsu Kaisen 0 made me want to re-watch the anime again. I know you’re a much bigger fan of the franchise than me, Fitri. What did you think?

Fitri Razif: I thought it was a pretty great adaptation to the one-shot that started it all. I was looking forward to seeing this for a while since I was excited to see how the movie’s protagonist, Okkotsu Yuta, would finally be like in animation.

What did you think about Yuta as a character compared to Itadori Yuji, because they’re very different people?

Alleef Ashaari: Frankly, I like Okkotsu Yuta more than Itadori Yuji, because I find him to be much more relatable. While Itadori Yuji acts more like a conventional happy-go-lucky always-positive shonen protagonist, Okkotsu Yuta starts off feeling suicidal and depressed, as well as suffering from anxiety issues since he was a kid.

I could relate to Yuta on a more personal level, and he’s a more realistic character as a result.

Fitri Razif: I definitely agree with you, it’s an interesting change of pace seeing how Yuta is the complete opposite of Itadori and how in the beginning he was very reluctant to be in this world while Itadori was all gung-ho from the start.

It provides a more realistic, grounded take which is usually what the series is known for, and seeing Yuta’s character evolve from a depressed coward into someone more confident with his abilities with actual goals was a great arc to see pan out.

Alleef Ashaari: Yeah, definitely. It’s like condensing and packing the journey of a shonen character’s entire journey into one movie, but it ultimately didn’t even feel rushed to me.

They gave Okkotsu Yuta just enough development to make it feel satisfying. However, some of the other characters feel a bit undercooked.

I don’t remember much of what happened in the anime and I could still understand what’s going on in Jujutsu Kaisen 0. I believe even those who have never watched the anime or read the manga can enjoy this movie.

Fitri Razif: I’m with you on that, I feel they covered his development pretty well, especially in regards to his relationship with Rika, his childhood friend who ends up becoming his ghost Stand basically.

They made Rika’s introduction and how much of an anomaly Yuta is unnervingly cool, like that scene where he steps into the classroom for the first time, much more so than in the manga. I still feel they used a little too many flashbacks though which I feel could’ve been used to flesh out the other side characters. What did you think about Rika, Alleef?

Alleef Ashaari: I feel like the flashbacks gave necessary context and emotional depth, but maybe that’s because I’m not familiar with the source material. However, yeah, I agree, a lot of the time used for those flashbacks could have been used to flesh out the supporting characters more, like Zenin Maki and the others.

As for Rika-chan, yeah, her relationship with Yuta formed the emotional crux of the movie and gave me even more reason to be invested in Yuta’s journey. I’d also like to point out how maybe Jujutsu Kaisen as a whole can be a gateway anime/manga for horror fans to jump into the medium.

Fitri Razif: I love how their relationship depended on Yuta basically flirting with Rika-chan to control her or having to calm her down like an overprotective girlfriend, which was a unique dynamic I haven’t seen before.

Rika’s voice was perfect to me, having this girl’s voice that was distorted into this monstrous sound and her overall design was great too, which was pretty minimalistic in the manga.

What did you think about the film’s villain, Suguru Geto?

The supporting characters.

Alleef Ashaari: I found Suguru Geto to be a charismatic and compelling villain. The problem with some anime movies in the past has been forgettable villains, but Jujutsu Kaisen 0 certainly doesn’t suffer from that problem. However, the other antagonists, the followers of Geto, were basically just there for window dressing and didn’t get much development. I guess there wasn’t enough time for that, considering it’s a movie.

Fitri Razif: Yeah, I loved Geto’s portrayal in this. Manga readers and anime watchers alike can be pleased to hear the film fleshes out the character even more than the source material. Originally, I always read his lines and personality from the manga as the straight-man to Gojo’s loudmouth outgoing goofball, but his character in this was pretty similar in that aspect but in a good way.

He’s charismatic, suave and pretty easy-going like Gojo, which was something I didn’t expect coming in. It’s an interesting parallel that puts some nice introspection to the overarching plot and character motivations. Plus, his motivations are really cool being essentially a sexy version of Voldermort.

Alleef Ashaari: A very sexy Voldemort, as if Gojo Satoru wasn’t attractive enough (*laughs*) Another highlight of Jujutsu Kaisen 0, I would say, are the amazing animation and visuals. Of course, MAPPA did an awesome job with the anime, but this movie is something else.

It’s a feast for the eyes, with epic fight scenes, so that’s another plus for newcomers wanting to jump into the franchise with this movie. Do yourselves a favour and watch Jujutsu Kaisen 0 at the cinemas. We need them to bring in more anime movies.

Fitri Razif: The animation was definitely a highlight. I love how the end fight essentially came down to one big Pokemon battle with kung-fu thrown into the mix. I do think the action kinda stagnated a little bit in the middle, particularly that mission with Yuta and Inumaki, but besides that everything was crisp and a spectacle to behold.

Finally getting to see Rika animated was awesome, she has a terrifying presence and how the movie showcases her strength cements Yuta as some anomaly pretty convincingly. Plus, we get to see some characters in action that we’ve barely seen fight properly, though I won’t say who.

Suguru Geto.

Alleef Ashaari: So, yeah, in a nutshell, this movie has some good stuff for fans of the franchise, but even newcomers, like myself, will be able to enjoy it. I’m not ashamed to say this, but one of the marks of a good anime or anime movie (in my opinion) is if it manages to make me emotional to the point of tears. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 definitely did that. P.S. Real men cry.

Fitri Razif: We’re both on the same page here, there were some heavy emotional moments that managed to reach me as a viewer pretty well. Besides that, as a personal fan of the manga, I feel that this adaptation does a great job at expanding the source material in the right ways to give it a fresher experience, which is what adaptations should be.

Alleef Ashaari: There you have it, folks! Catch Jujutsu Kaisen 0 at TGV Cinemas across Malaysia starting from 10 March 2022. Excuse me while I go re-watch the Jujutsu Kaisen anime on Netflix.

Final Score: 80/100