Jujutsu Kaisen Director’s Secret Influence on Manga’s Most Controversial Scene

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The climactic arc of the anime “Jujutsu Kaisen,” titled the Shinjuku Showdown, is the most debated and widely enjoyed segment of the series, and it’s challenging to dispute this assertion. This thrilling saga commences with a fierce battle between the mightiest characters, Gojo and Sukuna, an epic confrontation that fans have long awaited. After Sukuna seizes control of Megumi’s body and harnesses the power of all his twenty fingers, he believes he has the strength to vanquish the most potent sorcerer of contemporary times. The fight culminated in Chapter 236 with Gojo’s demise, leaving the fanbase in a state of disarray. Readers were perplexed following Chapter 235, where it was suggested that Gojo had emerged victorious from the battle. However, his sudden death caused some delay in acceptance among fans due to its abruptness.

In Chapter 236, Gojo encounters those he was deeply connected with in a post-life scenario depicted as an airport setting. Following his acceptance of defeat, he is presented with a choice between heading north or south. Choosing the north path signifies a longing for novel adventures and personal growth, while opting for the south suggests a preference to stay true to one’s identity. While it remains unclear what happens to Gojo after death, it seems he decided to go south. It is interesting to note that Gege Akutami, the creator of Jujutsu Kaisen, drew inspiration for the series from Season 2 director Shota Goshozono.

In Chapter 236 (Heading South), Gege was influenced by his conversations with Director Goshozono during anime season 2. This shows how the animated series can impact the original work. As for its final depiction, Gege carefully considered it beforehand.

— Lightning (@lightningclare) April 25, 2025

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Director Inspired a Pivotal Scene From Chapter 236

Following Sunghoo Park’s departure from MAPPA to set up his own studio, the reins for “Jujutsu Kaisen” Season 2 were passed to Shota Goshozono, who went on to win the Best Director Award from Crunchyroll. It turns out that Gege and Goshozono developed a strong rapport during the making of Season 2, and interestingly enough, each medium began to influence the other. As for current events, there’s an ongoing “Jujutsu Kaisen” Exhibition in Osaka, Japan, offering insights into the creation process of the manga, as well as Q&A sessions with author Gege Akutami.

One of the responses affirmed that Goshozono played a part in shaping the significant “Going South” sequence found in Chapter 236. As the Exhibition is exclusive to Japan and no official translations have been released, discussions about it are taking place on social media among fans, many of whom attended the event. @lightningclare, a well-respected translator within the community, often clarifies mistranslations and offers personal interpretations of intricate scenes.

During John Werry’s absence as he took a break from his duties as the English translator of JJK, Lightning, on their official X account, revealed that Gege was influenced by his conversations with him and Director Goshozono (anime season 2). This situation demonstrates how the current anime can impact the original work.

In regards to the outcome, Gege pondered over it extensively for quite some time. He was often troubled by whether it would be engaging or not, and that presenting the battle from beginning to end without complications might not accurately represent his intentions towards readers. Although the scene initially stirred up a significant amount of debate when it first appeared in the chapter, it’s now broadly accepted within the community. Chapter 236 is generally regarded as one of the finest, if not the best, chapters in the series, and the “Going South” sequence plays a crucial part in its success.

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2025-04-28 18:10