Warning! Contains spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, Episode 7!
Jujutsu KaisenThe Shibuya Incident arc finally begins with the latest episode and it’s truly terrifying. Of course, horror is nothing new to the franchise, which is based around monstrous curses and the eccentric witches who battle them. However, the Shibuya arc really leans into this angle in a way that previous arcs haven’t.
The ending of season 2, episode 7 features Geto and his cursed allies carrying out their final plan in Shibuya on Halloween. Initially, it just showed costumed civilians walking around the district having fun. But the episode created a sense of unease as some celebrants noticed a barrier starting to form separating Shibuya from the rest of the world. This is scary enough, but then people start getting sucked down into the subway station in what looks like a giant whirlpool. Several characters remark that this situation sounds like something out of a horror movie, and based on the presentation it certainly seems that way.
Jujutsu Kaisen’s Shibuya Incident is like something out of a horror movie
Of course this isn’t the first time Jujutsu Kaisen has delved into the horror genre. Many Curses resemble horror movie monsters, their cruelty and brutality far beyond what is commonly seen in Shonen series. Some even take inspiration from horror characters, with Mahito clearly taking inspiration from Frankenstein’s Monster and the hitherto underutilized Dagon seemingly partly based on Cthulhu’s design. Even non-special level curses can be terrifying, with distorted voices shouting twisted phrases regarding their origins. However, despite this, Jujutsu Kaisen has always had a darker feel for a shounen series than a horror anime.
The first scenes of the Shibuya Incident changed that classification. While there will certainly be battles later on in this arc, the series is currently focused on building tension through an uneasy atmosphere, which is what many horror stories strive to do. Additionally, Jujutsu Kaisen’s new OP also hints at some disturbing details lurking for the characters, with more indiscriminate carnage than before. This was demonstrated with the human vortex at the end of episode 7, which was shown almost as if through a POV shot to amplify how sudden and deadly it was.
Jujutsu Kaisen is about to get darker
While Jujutsu Kaisen is unlikely to become a full-fledged horror anime with Shibuya’s appearance, these scenes suggest that the show is about to get a lot darker. This probably isn’t too surprising given how dark Gojo’s Past arc was in the first part of the season. However, it is still likely to have a major impact Jujutsu Kaisen in the future and may also influence the tone of future Shounen manga.
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
