Another week where Jujutsu Kaisen decides to rip my heart out, stomp on it, and then giggle about it. Rude.
Jujutsu Kaisen‘s newest episode, “Right and Wrong, Part 2”, is an overpowered punch to the freaking gut that left me battered and bruised, much like the characters in this heartbreaking chapter. The sheer audacity of the show writers to do this. How. Dare.
SPOILER WARNING! I’m about to talk about the entire tragedy that is this episode.
This horrible, horrible sadness of an episode begins with a lovely flashback – the typical goodbye letter from the character to the fans. Nobara steps into the Shibuya mess to save lives, only to be met with the harsh reality that she’s entirely too late. But she should have gotten out of there too!
Back to the present, Yuji and Nobara face off against their respective Mahitos. Ooooooh, how much hatred I have for him right now. Nobara’s skills and attacks give Yuji an advantage from far away, but the Mahito clone she chases leads her underground, only to be met face-to-face with another Mahito and Yuji. The true emotional devastation comes when the clones cross paths, and the clone fighting Yuji touches Nobara, paving the way for an unforeseen, unforgivable, UNNECESSARY moment that follows.
Itadori will never be the same #JujutsuKaisen pic.twitter.com/1rNrJNB7pV
— JUJUTSU KAISEN EN (@Jujutsu_Kaisen_) December 1, 2023
This is where I literally paused the episode and told my partner I couldn’t continue. I knew what was coming, and I didn’t want to witness it. The poor little Nobara pin on my backpack, the keychain holding my house keys, and the little mini I have of her were all screaming in agony.
Much to my own disapproval, I continued to watch the episode.
At this point, the episode focuses on Nobara’s past life and her bond with her friend, Fumi. The nostalgic scenes of their secret base and the impact of their friend Saori on Nobara’s life paint a vivid picture of friendships that survived the test of time. As her story unravels, the weight of her past becomes palpable, especially with Saori discussing her attachment to Nobara in the present day.
The moment where I legitimately, legitimately screamed “NO” arrives as Nobara reflects on her life and, with a heavy heart, asks Yuji to tell everyone that she lived a good life. Veins appear on her face. Sparing us the gory details (at least they had the decency of not showing her die gruesomely), we see the view from behind her as her face explodes and she collapses on the floor in front of a completely mentally damaged Yuji.
The screen fades, leaving us with the haunting image of Nobara on the ground, most likely dead because this show hates me.
What hurts more about her death is a lingering sense that more could have been done with her in this arc. She was barely used at all. Her death leaves a void that, hopefully, the story will address in the episodes to come. The little, tiny hope of Nobara not being actually dead lingers with her lifeless body on the ground, in front of Yuji.
As the episode closes, we see the weight on Yuji’s shoulders intensify. The loss of innocent lives by his own willing and manipulated hand (thanks, Sukuna) and the death of two close friends (Nanami and Nobara) mark a turning point in his journey – one he will never be able to bounce back from. The impact on his character is bound to be profound, and it will be interesting to see how these traumatic experiences shape him in the episodes that follow, and how my sanity will continue to tank as JJK apparently kills off all my favorites.
These curses are lucky that my anime husband, the ever-amazing Gojo is locked in a time-out box. They’d all be dead in less than 2 seconds otherwise.
Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 episode 19, “Right and Wrong, Part 2”, is a heartbreaking one that combines intense emotion and action. The always-stunning visuals and high-quality animation continue to impress, making it a memorable but very painful episode.
As I buy tissue boxes in bulk and await the resolution of this insanely chaotic arc, the question remains: can Yuji overcome the relentless chaos Mahito has unleashed, and will Nobara find her way back into the narrative tapestry? And can Gojo come out to play now?
Tune into Crunchyroll next Thursday to find out, I suppose.