#jjk ch 159 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

cursedvibes · 2 months

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Hello, can I ask from this ask game :

https://www.tumblr.com/threecheersforinking/677824836625694720/anime-ask-game?source=share

For anime/manga : Monster and Jujutsu Kaisen.

Sure!

JJK

Favourite Character:

Kenjaku (big surprise)

Favourite Arc/Episode/Scene:

That's a tough pick...I pretty much like the entire Culling Game Arc (ch 159 - 220) and Perfect Preparation is definitely also a fave, but if I would narrow it down a bit more, I'd say it's the stretch from Kenjaku's negotiations with other countries in chapter 200 until the preparation to release Gojo in chapter 220. I just really like the focus we get on Kenjaku's character there, the extra world building and lore and I also appreciate how dynamic and spontaneous things were during that time. The plans of the protagonists where often completely overthrown and you never quite knew what to expect and what might happen next. (I really miss that energy) I'd also like to mention the Baka Survivor mini-arc, which was such a breath of fresh air and did so much to give Kenjaku's and Takaba's characters much needed depth. I never expected it to be so important when it started. Shows that Gege can make the most ridiculous scenario meaningful if they want to. I think for favourite scene, Kenjaku's one-sided talk with Tengen in chapter 222 before the static TV is still my absolute favourite. It's such striking imagery, showed a whole new layer to their character and relationship with Tengen (establishing that despite technically getting what they wanted they realize this has basically completely destroyed their friendship with Tengen and left them unsatisfied) and sets up what made the Baka Survivor arc so successful.

Character I Think is Underrated:

There's a bunch. Takaba, Angel, Tengen and I'd also count Kenjaku because despite being the main antagonist who drives the entire plot forward, many fans still completely overlook them and their influence and at best boil them down to a generic cold Mastermind a la Aizen 2.0 or just make jokes about them giving birth to Yuuji/fucking Jin. It has gotten a little better since the Baka Survivor arc, at least in the Japanese fandom there seems to be a bit more appreciation there.

Character I Think is Overrated:

Geto. His downfall was well-written in Hidden Inventory, but aside from that I don't think he's all that interesting or exceptional. Also Inumaki. He's basically non-existent and irrelevant in the manga, but for some reason always in the top 10 of most popular characters.

Favourite Ship/Pairing:

Tengen/Kenjaku - special mix of obsession, toxicity, codependency and vore

Something I Love About the Show/Movie:

The way jjk fleshes out side characters and gives them meaning with barely a chapter or less. I also like the way supernatural has been interconnected with the real world and history. That's what makes it so fascinating to me and makes me want to dig deeper. I'm not a big fan of high fantasy or "real world but everyone is magical" settings, so jjk struck a good balance there.

Monster

Favourite Character:

Johan Liebert. Generic answer, I know, but he's one of the few anime villains I actually found scary and threatening. I was always on edge while watching the show, wondering when he would show up and even if he was there, what he would do. Just seeing him standing next to a kid is so stressful, even if he doesn't end up doing anything (just means the child will kill themselves later). I also love his co-dependent, obsessive relationship with Nina and the entire mystery about their past.

Favourite Arc/Episode/Scene:

Prague arc. Like I said, the mystery around Johan and Nina's origins is a big appeal for me for the series and this is all that. It also shows just how versatile Johan is. They also captured the atmosphere of Prague as a city, particularly at night really well. Similar to that, episode 49 where the kids are trying to catch JohAnna and one boy gets send to the red light district is probably my favourite. I like it especially because the focus isn't so much on the adult characters, but you really experience Johan from the eyes of an innocent child who just wanted to play detective and accidentally ran into a real serial killer. The chase of of Tenma & Co. was nerve-wrecking to watch because they're always just a little to late. The scene where JohAnna talks to Milosh about how his existence has no meaning is the main reason why just Noto Mamiko in any other anime stresses me out.

Character I Think is Underrated:

None really. I think the fandom shows a lot of appreciation to every important or minor character.

Character I Think is Overrated:

Tenma. He's just...a little annoying. I got very tired of everyone treating him like a saint for the most basic human decency. Also him angsting over having to kill Johan and only he can do it etc. got old pretty quickly for me. I know what he's supposed to represent, but I just think he's not very interesting to watch.

Favourite Ship/Pairing:

Johan/Jan. I just have a thing for naive regular guys falling for murderers. Johan also had a chance to kill him or his mother, but instead he helped them, so...he treated Jan a lot better than most of his victims. Also in a platonic sense, everything about Johan and Nina drives me insane.

Something I Love About the Show/Movie:

The side stories we are taken on, which all are significant often in ways you didn't expect and they are what make the story feel so human and down-to-earth despite the wild stuff that happens. I also love the inclusion of the fairy tales. I still have trauma from the way Nina reads Obluda in the anime. Just hearing 昔々ある所に gives me chills every time. Bůh Míru/The God of Peace is my favourite of the stories. The open end, the implication of suicide is what makes it so frightening exactly because everything is left to your imagination, plus the knowledge that kids who heard the story went through with what is being implied.

#asks #jujutsu kaisen #naoki urusawa's monster

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psychewritesbs · 3 years

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Chapter 159: Justice is blind + Foreshadowing from chapter 6 and JJK0?

This chapter we’re introduced to Higuruma, one of the players in the Culling Game with 100 points who Yuji and Megumi will most likely target in an attempt to add new rules to the game.

As I mentioned before, JJK is the equivalent of Murphy’s Law on steroids and we are guaranteed for Gege to pull the rug from under our feet. For all you know, the odds that Higuruma agrees to help them without a problem are 50/50.

Onto this week’s theories... This is a long one so brace yourself.

Higuruma’s Shikigami is the stuff of nightmares

Higuruma’s Shikigami, if that’s what it is, is loaded with symbolism. Perfect for my Cursed Technique of reading between the lines and over-thinking every single detail.

What I love about Higuruma is that he is a man on a mission--sort of like a Shonen Protagonist. He is single-minded in his pursuit of saving those he sees as victims to the monster that is the Japanese legal court system.

Despite continuing to put himself on the line for the people he is trying to “save,” the oppressive system that they are part of makes it impossible for him to achieve his goals. And yet, he keeps trying to fight the beast that is the legal system even when the odds of him ever winning are .1%.

In the end, it isn’t the legal system itself that breaks him, but rather his own unwavering conviction combined with his frustration and the anger from those he promised a victory he was not able to deliver despite his greatest efforts.

The only thing granted to all is an unfair reality

Lady Justice has been depicted as blind since the 16th century. Her blindfold is meant to represent her objectivity and impartiality before the law.

But Higuruma knows that a 99.9% conviction rate is anything but objective and impartial. Keeping his “eyes open” is his desire to bring awareness to a system that is broken.

What I found interesting, however, is that while Higuruma is intent on keeping his eyes open, his Shikigami’s eyes are sewn shut, as though they are being forced shut by thread.

If there is anyone who is closest to embodying the ideal of blind justice, it is Higuruma.

This makes me wonder how we’re going to see Higuruma’s character evolve, especially as he comes across Yuji and friends.

Higuruma vs. Megumi/Yuji?

Remember I said Higuruma might be willing to help Yuji and Megumi add a rule? I don’t think that’s what’s going to happen, but it is still a possibility. He does seem like a fair (pun intended) person after all.

What’s being set up, I feel like (and I could be wrong), is a showdown between two opposing belief systems:

Higuruma’s blind trust in serving and facilitating justice vs Megumi’s self-serving justice.

Ironically, they both

want to save good people,

neither considers himself to be a hero, and

their sense of justice is self-serving... they just have different criteria for what that means

Higuruma wants to facilitate justice for people who are innocent but are victims of the Japanese Law system. He’s done the research and he believes these people to be innocent and as having done nothing wrong.

On the other hand, Megumi wants to facilitate justice for people he cares about no matter how potentially dangerous they are (and this last bit is really important).

I realized recently that despite Sukuna having killed a lot of people during Shibuya, Megumi has not attempted to kill him since the Cursed Womb Arc.

Remember, Megumi has said he’s responsible for those deaths since he was the one who saved Yuji.

In addition, not only does Megumi need Yuji’s strength to save Tsumiki, but I am going to go as far as saying that Megumi cares deeply for Yuji to the point he still doesn’t want him to die even after everything that has happened up to this point.

Which begs the question, how is Higuruma going to react to Yuji’s existence?

This brings me to the possible foreshadowing from all the way back in the Cursed Womb Arc and possibly even JJK0.

Foreshadowing from chapter 6 or Crack Theory?

When I first read the new chapter I was intrigued that one of the characters Higuruma is defending as an attorney has a similar backstory to Tadashi from back in chapter 6.

Although their face structure looks similar...

The circumstances are slightly different in that Tadashi’s case involved driving without a license and Higuruma’s client was drunk driving.

But if we’re willing to suspend judgement for a minute, this is important because, if it is, in fact, Tadashi he is referring to here, then this panel just goes to show that Gege foreshadows like a boss.

And what if that girl who got ran over happens to be Rika from JJK0?

There isn’t necessarily concrete evidence that Tadashi is the one who ran Rika over AND I would need to look at the timeline of events more closely, but if it IS the case... talk about butterfly effect in action.

But the foreshadowing doesn’t end there. Someone pointed out that in chapter 143, Megumi tells Yuji they aren’t heroes fighting for justice and that no one can truly ever judge JJS.

So... no one can judge sorcerers, unless judging is exactly what Higuruma has been doing to rack up points...

The fact that Higuruma has 100 points tells us he’s been on a killing rampage, and from everything we see him go through in the chapter and from that look on his face in the last panel, we should not be surprised that he’s gone off the deep end.

Honestly, characters who loose their shit (hello Feral Megumi) are one of my favorite things about JJK.

I am writing all of this because it goes to show that Gege does not show you anything in his story that doesn’t have meaning in the grander scheme of things. Which leaves room for interpretation about whether Saori and Yuko will have roles moving forward.

Right along these lines, in looking for a specific line from chapter 9, I ran into this little gem:

Is this foreshadowing about Tsumiki too?

Maybe, maybe not.

As I said before, half the fun is in going through the journey of JJK unfolding before our very own eyes, while putting the pieces together from all of the breadcrumbs Gege dropped along the way.

But the fun doesn’t end there. I am fascinated at how as a fandom we willingly get traumatized when Gege kills off everybody and their mom that you cared about, while simultaneously loving every single minute of it.

We know it’s coming, and we’re there for it.

That’s Gege’s Cursed Technique for you... he gives you what you didn’t know you wanted.

Gege setting up the stage for madness

All in all, Gege has been painstakingly setting the stage for the madness that is to come during the Culling Game and the hype just keeps on escalating. If the Culling Game arc is anything like Shibuya, we can expect, again, Murphy’s Law in full effect.

I was chatting with @darthdutton about how I started reading the Shibuya Arc only a few months ago and therefore I did not get to experience it as it was unfolding.

It makes me so happy that I now get to experience the Culling Game as it happens and I am both so distraught and excited for whatever comes our way.

And when I say “whatever comes our way” I mean that I trust Gege to continue to surprise me.

I am here for the hype but I stay for the story

I loved this chapter!

I thought it was the f*cking bomb.com because you can see Gege starting to tie loose ends from possible foreshadowing he shared at the beginning of the story.

Plus, we got to see his story-telling skills in action as he creates yet another relatable character.

I truly admire Gege as a writer--the fact that he can come up with a story on a week-to-week basis, execute on it, create very human and relatable characters, set up foreshadowing all the way back at the beginning, and drop breadcrumbs along the way is just mind-blowing to me.

God, I love Jujutsu Kaisen.

Anyways... this was a bit long but I just felt like I had a lot to say about this seemingly insignificant chapter. Hope you enjoyed it, and as always, I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it!

#jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen manga #jujutsu kaisen spoilers #god i love jujutsu kaisen #jjk theory #jjk ch 159 #fushiguro megumi #megumi fushiguro #yuji itadori #Itadori yuji #gege akutami #okkotsu yuta

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