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With the highly anticipated debut of Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 earlier this week, anime-only fans and manga readers are excitedly tuning into Crunchyroll to see the series’ continuation. While manga readers knew what to expect, many anime-only fans were taken by surprise upon seeing the series delve into Satoru Gojo’s past.
As seen in the premiere episode of Jujutsu Kaisen season 2, the series is set to focus on this era of Gojo’s past for now, which is why this story section is called the Gojo’s Past arc. However, many anime-only fans are confused about whether or not the series’ second season overall is a prequel or if it’s just this opening section.
In defense of these fans, it’s almost certain that Jujutsu Kaisen season 2’s first episode intentionally doesn’t elaborate on why this trip to the past is being made. Thankfully, for those fans whose curiosity is getting the better of them, there is a definitive answer on whether or not the second season of the series serves as an overall prequel.
Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 may spend some time in the past, but isn’t meant to be a prequel overall
Despite starting out with a reflection on Gojo’s origins as a Tokyo Jujutsu High student, Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 is not meant to be an overall prequel to the series. The Gojo’s Past arc would be more accurately described as a flashback segment that provides necessary exposition to the Shibuya Incident arc, which the second season’s second half will focus on.
If any piece of material in the overarching series is meant to serve as a prequel, it would be the Jujutsu Kaisen 0 film and the volume of the same name that focuses on Yuta Okkotsu. The naming of the manga (which is the source material for the film of the same name) as “Volume 0” further supports this.
To provide a proper timeline for Jujutsu Kaisen season 2’s events, the Gojo’s Past arc is set 11 years before the start of the series in 2006. At this point, Gojo, Geto, and other familiar faces were students at Tokyo Jujutsu High at this time. As such, this arc is meant to focus on and establish the relationship between Suguru Geto and Satoru Gojo.
This would then be followed by the film or the volume from which it is adapted, which is set a year before the start of the series overall. As mentioned above, this section of the story focuses on Yuta Okkotsu and his becoming acquainted with the world of sorcery.
The film would also introduce the special grade cursed spirit Rika, who is attached to Yuta. There will also be a change in Geto and his worldview. In addition, this shows how Suguru Geto initially dies but is later revived in a way that the anime has yet to address.
This would be followed by the first season of the mainline series, which picks up at the manga’s start and introduces fans to Yuji Itadori and his classmates at Tokyo Jujutsu High. While Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 does take a brief visit to the past for the Gojo’s Past arc, the second arc that the season is set to adapt will pick up where the first season left off.
In summation
Despite how it may seem to anime-only fans right now, the series’ second season is not a prequel. The Gojo’s Past arc merely serves as a contextualizing narrative for the events of the Shibuya Incident arc, as well as other events that will occur in future anime seasons. If any piece of material in the overarching franchise could be considered a series prequel, it would be the Jujutsu Kaisen 0 film and its manga volume.
Be sure to keep up with all Jujutsu Kaisen anime and manga news, as well as general anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2023 progresses.
