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Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 20 Review: Brother Joins the Fight
Crunchyroll's Jujutsu Kaisen S02E20: "Right and Wrong, Part 3" shows the fragility of Yuji's current mental state - between grief and guilt.
This week's episode of Crunchyroll's Jujutsu Kaisen S02E20: "Right and Wrong, Part 3" shows the fragility of Yuji's current mental state and the overwhelming guilt he is feeling. However, his soul brother has arrived to help and provide some needed encouragement. Aoi has been a very strong character from the moment he was introduced and definitely a great partner fighter to Yuji. The episode delves into the sadness that has seeped into Yuji's mind that has paralyzed him and rendered him unable to fight back against Mahito. One thing this season has done greatly is explore the dark side and mental toll that can anguish Jujutsu Sorcerers.
Last week Mahito managed to touch Nobara's face, managing to make her explode. This is the last straw that finally gets to Yuji and paralyzes him. We see from the moment Nobara's blood splashes on him how he is taken back to memories of her having ruined a very expensive shirt of Gojo's. I am not going to lie, I teared up. I think this was way more emotionally stunting to see it play out than when I first read it. I truly hate that Nobara was killed; however, I feel the anime did better in representing her and her strength than the manga did. That said, while I love the fast pace, it also makes me feel as if we do not get enough time to mourn these characters we have grown to love. However, the scenes of Nanami in Malaysia and Nobara in her mind really hit deep.
I think this episode did a fantastic job of representing Yuji's current state of mind, overwhelmed with grief and riddled with guilt. While it does pass fast, and I wish it would dwell a little longer on how heavy the toll this takes on Jujutsu sorcerers, it was still wonderfully represented. It was palpable and made me want to hug him. Yuji quickly became Mahito's punching bag, unable to defend himself or move his body. Just when Mahito is about to go to town on Yuji, Aoi joins the fight with Arata Nitta, who heals his wounds as well as stops Nobara from bleeding, trying to contain the damage as much as he can.
Of course, Aoi arrives at the right time, ready to give Yuji the push he needs to get his head back in the game, and the dance against Mahito begins once again. We see the effects from Nobara's hit still last on Mahito's body. This, along with Aoi and Yuji's great team work, they are able to land some hits on Mahito. I love seeing these two work together since the moment they fought against one another and Aoi started getting closer to the boy during the fight, even recalling memories with Yuji that never happened. I have been thinking about this, especially after the battle with Choso and how similar those two situations were. Is this an effect of Yuji's warmth as a person, or does it have to do with his cursed technique, and we do not even know yet? I love moments between Aoi and Yuji; they tend to be superb.
Anyway, heading to Shibuya, we see the rest of the Kyoto students going to support the current battle. Although the heartbreaking part was Miwa and Mechamaru's last conversation as she calls him out for believing they were weak, however, he confesses his intent was to protect the girl he loved and hopes that she lives a happy life before finally moving on. Miwa breaks down, it was a very sad scene… so many losses already. I cannot wait to see if the arc will be completed before the season ends, though I am not ready for my heart to continue breaking as things move along. This season has certainly been an emotional rollercoaster.