Jujutsu Kaisen anime makes huge death more emotional than manga

Jujutsu Kaisen anime adapts a fan-favorite character’s death more emotional than the manga – here’s what we think about it.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 often makes important scenes more impactful than in the manga. Whether it’s the Hidden Inventory/Premature Death arc or the Shibuya Incident arc, the anime adds several details that add to the story’s charm.

This week’s episode features the tragic and brutal death of Kento Nanami, and yet, somehow, the anime made it so beautiful. The scene where Nanami is enjoying a carefree life on the beach doesn’t happen in the manga.

However, Shota Goshozono, who directed Season 2 Episode 18 and also provided the storyboard, recreated Nanami’s death scene in the most beautiful and emotional way possible. Here’s how Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 makes Nanami’s death more emotional than manga.

The beautiful juxtaposition between dream and reality

Crunchyroll

Again, the beach scene doesn’t happen in the manga. In Chapter 120, Nanami wonders about his life in Malaysia, but we only see a couple of panels with a beach and clear sky. However, the anime features Nanami smiling and living his dream life in Malaysia. He is finally free, but that’s only a pleasant dream.

Nanami’s fight, dreams, and death all happen in less than half a chapter. Readers wouldn’t even get the time to digest the shocking turn of events. In that sense, Jujutsu Kaisen anime transforms one of the most underwhelming manga deaths into something of a masterpiece.

The scene goes on forever, with continuous transitions between dreams and reality. Although the scene is long, you wouldn’t want it to end because you know what’s going to happen next. The juxtaposition only reminds us of the brutal fate awaiting him. Nanami fights countless transfigured humans. He gets hit he falls down, but he always gets back up despite his severe injuries.

All of this is accompanied by the serene piano tune and Kenjiro Tsuda’s magnetic voice that pulls you in. Tsudaken is truly a gem. His voice has so much depth and versatility. In one episode, we witness Nanami’s unhinged rage, and a few episodes later, his voice is peaceful and captivating. Nanami isn’t scared or anxious because he has accepted his fate.

Yu Haibara’s scene in Jujutsu Kaisen anime is also different from the manga

Crunchyroll

It’s always the minor details that matter. The manga didn’t show Yu Haibara’s face in this scene. As Nanami is thinking about his deceased friend, the manga only shows Haibara’s back profile. However, in the anime, when Nanami envisions him at death’s door, Haibara’s face appears on the screen. Haibara first appears to be dark and blurry, and then his face becomes clearer.

All of this is shown from Nanami’s perspective. At first, Haibara looks blurry to Nanami because the latter has almost forgotten what his dear friend looks like. After all, it has been more than 12 years since Haibara died. Then, as Nanami’s memory clears up, Haibara’s face is more clean and bright.

Haibara points towards Yuji, who looks so small and scared watching his beloved Nanamin on death’s door. Nanami knows that Yuji will suffer from this, so he doesn’t want the kid to watch him in agony. Instead, Nanami smiles and entrusts Yuji with the future of the Jujutsu world, leaving behind the words, “You’ve got it from here.”

How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023

Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One Piece, Attack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen – and thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US.

If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple: 

1. Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world.
2. Connect to a location anywhere in the US; Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica.
3. Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched.

Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference. For example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows. 

You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan. Or you can pay for a subscription – there’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind. 

See our other JJK coverage below, and you can check out our other anime coverage here.

• Jujutsu Kaisen: Would Nanami survive if he didn’t try to help Megumi?
• Jujutsu Kaisen fans grieve over Nanami’s tragic death
• Jujutsu Kaisen: How did Yu Haibara die?
• Jujutsu Kaisen: MAPPA hit with new scandal over animator pay

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