Beginning as MangakaGege Akutami’s short series known asTokyo Metropolitan Magic Technical School,Jujutsu Kaisen 0earned its name retroactively. Due to the series' popularity, fans asked Akutami to create an earnest, serialized manga. This led to the smash-hit Shonen manga/anime that would becomeJujutsu Kaisen, and the series that spurred it on was rebranded asJujutsu Kaisen 0: Jujutsu High. Kaisen’s anime adaptation has proved incredibly popular, so it was only natural for Akutami’s prequel to get the Silver Screen treatment before the show dives into its second season. Fans familiar with the mainlineJujutsu Kaisenmanga and anime will be delighted that many familiar faces are present in the prequel, but they may see them in a different light than they are accustomed to.
Taking place in an arc now known as the Cursed Child Arc,Jujustu Kaisen 0serves as a story prologue that takes place before Itadori Yuji’s (Junya Enoki/Adam McArthur) introduction to the world of cursed spirits and sorcerers. The series' world is told through the eyes of a new protagonist, but also the fan-beloved and immensely powerful Satoru Gojo (Yûichi Nakamura/Kaiji Tang), with the pair driving the majority of the prequel’s story.
Yuta Okkotsu
(Megumi Ogata/Kayleigh McKee)
The titular “Cursed Child” of theJujutsu Kaisenprequel. Yutawas an ordinary, timid kid for much of his life. He was bullied frequently, and as a child shared a special relationship with a girl named Rika Orimoto (Kana Hanazawa/Anairis Quiñones). The two shared an intimate and romantic bond, and they confided in each other to overcome life’s most difficult moments in their youth. They agreed to marry when they grew older, but this happy day never came to pass. Rika would soon die in a car accident, leaving Yuta spiraling into a deep depression. His remorse and sadness grew,manifesting into one of the most powerful cursed spirits to ever exist. This spirit would come to be known as the “Queen of Curses,” and it haunted Yuta tirelessly. Yuta would come to be feared by the ordinary world, as his cursed spirit’s overprotective nature over him leads to its violent outbursts, causing great harm to anybody around Yuta the spirit perceives as a threat. Only later does Yuta realize that the very creature shadowing his every step was in fact Rika, who became a cursed spirit hell-bent on protecting the boy she adored.
Deemed too dangerous to be roaming the world on his own,Satoru Gojo apprehends Yuta and takes him prisoner at Jujutsu High. However, instead of outright killing Yuta as he was instructed, Gojo gives Yuta the opportunity to learn to become a Jujutsu sorcerer. Yuta’s immense reservoir of cursed energy from his cursed spirit was evident, and Gojo sought to turn Yuta into a positive force. But first, Yuta would have to learn to harness his innate powers and keep them in check. He joins Jujutsu High as a first-year student and is immediately classified as a special grade cursed human.
Satoru Gojo
(Yûichi Nakamura/Kaiji Tang)
Undoubtedly the fan-favorite inJujutsu Kaisen, Gojois one of the most powerful Jujutsu sorcerers to have ever lived. Much like he is in the main series, Gojo is flippant and incredibly self-assured in his remarkable abilities.His maverick behavior often puts him at odds with Jujutsu High’s orthodoxy, but he’s simply too great of an asset to the school to bother arguing with. This is exemplified by the fact that he takes Yuta under his wing instead of executing him. Yuta’s cursed spirit may be near-immeasurably destructive, but Gojo is willing to gamble on his new pupil overcoming the challenge of bringing the spirit to heel. After all, what do the uptight higher-ups know?
Although Gojo takes Yuta in to mentor him, he doesn’t go easy on him. It isn’t long before Yuta is sent off to investigate paranormal happenings, and inevitably exorcise hostile curses that are a threat to the ordinary world. However, there are bigger threats out there, and Gojo is well aware of them, which is a big part of the reason he’s aiming to bring Yuta into the fold as a sorcerer.
Suguru Geto
(Takahiro Sakurai/Lex Lang)
Originally a Jujutsu High studentalongside Satoru Gojo, Geto was exiled from the school afterhis intense hatred of non-sorcerers led to him massacring over one hundred civilians in one night. He would go on to become a primary antagonist not only inJujutsu Kaisen 0,but also the mainline series. Known as “the Worst Curse User,” Geto is a hateful narcissist with a superiority complex. His cursed techniques are exceptional, making him a dire threat to anybody who stands against him. Geto intends to bring about an end to the normal world, ushering in an age where only sorcerers, whom Geto considers the superior people, reign over the planet. He’s also quite interested in Yuta and the cursed spirit that haunts him, beginning the prequel scheming about ways he might see the spirit’s power for himself.
Maki Zenin
(Mikako Komatsu/Allegra Clark)
A second-year student at Jujutsu High, Maki is a protagonist in the prequel that many fans will likely recognize as a supporting student in the main series and anabsolutely badass anime woman. At the time of the prequel, Maki is a first-year student much like Yuta who left her esteemed family behind due to her lack of cursed energy, which she was constantly ridiculed and berated for. Despite this, she endeavors to be a sorcerer, and her hard-line demeanor tends to be at odds with the other first-years. Regardless,she is well-respected by her classmates due to her razor-sharp melee combat skills. She berates Yuta outright upon his arrival, not seeing what’s so special about him. The two are sent on a mission together by Satoru Gojo, where their convictions and ability to work together will be tested. Will putting the two into a dire situation grow their relationship? Well, Gojo at least seems to think so.
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Toge Inumaki
(Koki Uchiyama/Xander Mobus)
A classmate of Maki and Panda who is featured both inJujutsu Kaisenand the prequel.Inumaki inherited an incredibly rare and powerful cursed speech technique from his family, where uttering a single word can cause massive damage both to his target and himself. For that reason, Inumaki tends to stay quiet, only uttering “safe words” that include rice ball ingredients. These words are essentially the only words he can convey, and part of getting to know Inumaki entails figuring out what his safe words mean. In events where he must use his cursed speech, he tends to purchase throat spray to remedy the damage done to himself. Although he can seem aloof and uncaring due to his silence, Inumaki can open up to others quite quickly, and one might hope the same will happen as he begins to work with Yuta while they both learn to control their incredible powers.
Panda (Tomokazu Seki/Matthew David Rudd)
Technically not a panda, but close enough, Panda is a recurring character in the main and prequel series. At the time ofJujutsu Kaisen 0, he’s a first-year student grouped with Maki and Inumaki. A knuckle-dusting melee brawler, Panda’s cursed techniques incorporate the three “cores” within him: His “Panda” core, his brutish “Gorilla” core, and a third unknown core. Capable of transforming depending on his active core, Panda can fight in an even stance or with overwhelming force in his gorilla form. Furthermore,Panda is a masterful tactician. But don’t let all of his battle prowess fool you. Panda is upbeat and comedic, leveling a heaping helping of sarcasm when it’s warranted. All things considered, he’s an excellent asset to the team of first-year students.
Nanako Hasaba
(Satsumi Matsuda/Ryan Bartley)
An antagonist dating back to the earliest moments ofJujutsu Kaisen’s story, Nanako and her sister Mimiko are malicious curse users that have aligned themselves with Suguru Geto. Caring for Geto and showing an incredible amount of zealous loyalty to him,Nanako is part and parcel to Geto’s dream of a world of sorcerers. Similar to her sister, Nanako can be quite aloof, at one point only agreeing to attack the prequel’s heroes if she can stop by a nearby crêpe shop. All the same, Nanako is a competent curse user despite not being on the level of some of her counterparts. Her true asset to Geto’s cause is far and above her unwavering loyalty. Nanako’s cursed techniques include the ability to manipulate any subject captured within her cell phone’s camera.
Mimiko Hasaba
(Risae Matsuda/Sarah Anne Williams)
Nanako’s sister and an accomplice to Geto’s plans. Mimiko is a fellow curse user and utilizes techniques with a stuffed toy and a rope. With these implements, Mimiko is capable of hanging her enemies to death with a noose. For the most part, she spends her time alongside her sister, and the duo often embark on missions together to further Geto’s ambitions. Despite not being as powerful as other curse users in Geto’s retinue, Mimiko and her sister are more than capable of handling themselves as long as overwhelmingly powerful types like Satoru Gojo don’t show up.
(Kôichi Yamadera/Bill Butts)
One of Geto’s most strident commanders, Miguel beginsJujutsu Kaisen 0as a fierce proponent of Geto’s desire to rule over a “utopia” of sorcerers. Compared to the Hasaba twins, Miguel’s capabilities as a curse user are in another league. Hailing from a family of sorcerers from Africa, Miguel’s kin are capable of weaving the Black Rope, a powerful cursed tool he often utilizes in battle.The rope is incredibly threatening to anybody who utilizes cursed energy, as it has the ability to disrupt or outright cancel an opponent’s cursed techniques. Despite being a staunch ally of Geto, Miguel doesn’t share the hatred of ordinary humans like his comrades do. Though Geto doesn’t agree with Miguel’s sentiments, he can’t pass up such a valuable ally. Miguel has often remarked that he’d take on the world’s strongest sorcerer to see Geto reach his dream, and inJujutsu Kaisen 0, he might just get his wish.
Jujutsu Kaisen 0
The prequel to Jujutsu Kaisen (2020), where a high schooler gains control of an extremely powerful cursed spirit and gets enrolled in the Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School by Jujutsu Sorcerers.
Jujutsu Kaisen 0is available to stream on Crunchyroll in the U.S.
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