REVIEW: ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ Episode 45 — “Metamorphosis”

With Aoi Todo’s (Subaru Kimura) timely arrival, Mahito (Nobunaga Shimazaki) may finally meet his end. But the curse won’t go down without a fight, and he may have a few tricks to keep the sorcerers on their toes in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 21, “Metamorphosis.”

This week’s episode solely focuses on the ongoing battle to defeat Mahito as tactics and plans shift and change throughout the fight. Mahito realizes that he is at a severe disadvantage so long as Yuji Itadori(Junya Enoki) and Todo are together, so his first focus in this episode is to try to keep the pair separated, allowing him the opportunity to defeat them one at a time.

This initial plan is sound but Mahito struggles to effectively implement it due to Todo’s massive power level. The monstrosities he sets against the sorcerer quickly fall to his strength and cursed techniques, allowing him to return to aid his brother in the central conflict.

While much of this fight scene delivers on the visual splendor MAPPA is known for, there are a couple of moments that stumble. Certain shots where dueling characters are trading quick attacks become a blur and leaves the viewer unsure of what’s going on, marring the experience. These moments are brief, but noticeable when they occur, especially given how clean so much of the presentation is.

Despite the various creatures Mahito unleashes in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 21 being less than effective against his opponents, MAPPA continues to deliver a master class of creature design through their visual implementation. Every monstrosity that is unleashed looks just as unique and horrifying as the last. This skillful visual design allows the creatures to be impactful on the viewer, even when they fail to impact the course of the fight.

Sprinkled within the 2oish minutes of combat are a couple of breaks. There is the expected long-winded explanation of a new cursed technique that any Jujutsu Kaisen fight of this length is bound to have. While these sorts of explanations have frequently hindered the enjoyment of the moments they take place in, this sticks the landing without breaking the pace. With so many bombastic visual moments bombarding the viewer, this lengthy explanation’s placement is a nice break, even if much of what it delivers for information comes out as largely jibberish.

The other significant break we get from the fighting mid-episode in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 21 lands with a bit of thud. While Todo is battling Mahito, the necklace he wears breaks off, revealing that it’s a locket with pictures of Yuji and Todo’s favorite idol within. The locket’s striking the ground triggers a weird sequence that takes place in Todo’s imagination, which sees him team up with his idol to lay the smackdown on Mahito.

This bizarre moment feels poorly placed in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 21. While it does a great job of harkening back to the feel of old-school anime, it doesn’t fit in this episode. Despite an on-screen explanation telling viewers that the scene in question is in Todo’s imagination, the moment is overshadowed by the feeling of confusion the sequence induces.

When every option is exhausted, including his domain expansion, it looks like Mahito’s time has finally come. This moment of defeat is the crowning achievement of the episode, as Yuji delivers a short monologue to his imminently beaten foe, clarifying how he feels at the moment. This speech is delivered with chilling skill by Enoki. All the energy and life that Yuji has always embodied is gone from his voice. Having lost both Nanami and Nobara before his eyes, and still grappling with the destruction caused by Sukuna while he controlled Yuji’s body, the protagonist hits what seems to be rock bottom as he coldly informs Mahito of his plans for his cruelest enemy.

Complementing the fantastically given speech is a visual shift to complete the moment. As Mahito frantically tries to escape his foe, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 21 shifts the setting from the burning streets of Shibuya to a forest struck by a blistering snowstorm. This shift represents Mahito’s point of view, as we see several rabbits scamper past Mahito and a pack of wolves prowling alongside Yuji, driving home the new predator/prey dynamic between the two. This abstract approach to the moment is highly effective in reinforcing the energy of the scene.

The final moments however are not given to Yuji finishing off the beaten monster before him. Before the final blow can be struck Sugoro Geto appears, preventing the expected finish.  While the appearance of this new foe is meant to surprise and shock, it feels more exasperating than anything else. It creates a lot of curiosity concerning why Geto has arrived here, given that he should’ve fled Shibuya with the imprisoned Gojo but the frustration is born from the character’s arrival preventing Mahito from meeting his just end. Mahito has served as a great villain but he’s run his natural course. Delaying his death, even if it’s just for one episode, is unnecessary.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 21  delivers a lot of elements that mostly work. Creative fights, exciting visuals, and one of the best monologues delivered in recent anime serve as high points for this episode’s narrative. But with a couple of stumbles marring the experience, this episode manages to fall just short of what it could’ve been.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.