REVIEW: ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ Episode 46 — “Metamorphosis Part 2”

With Mahito (Nobunaga Shimazaki) running out of steam, it looked like Yuji Itadoi (Junya Enoki) would finish the curse off once and for all until the figure of Sojuro Geto (Takahiro Sakurai, The Heike Story) appeared. Now, faced with the mastermind behind the Shibuya Incident, Yuji will need all the help he can get to survive the next battle. Lucky for him, reinforcements are on the way, even if some of them take unexpected shapes in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 22, “Metamorphosis Part 2.”

This episode opens by briefly catching viewers up on a few of the personalities we haven’t heard from for a few episodes. We are shown that Panda and Kusakabe are both still alive as they pick their way through the remains of Shibuya, while Mei Mei and Ui Ui are relaxing in Malaysia, having escaped the current conflict thanks to Ui Ui. The later pair’s appearance is a bit jarring here, as when we last saw them, they were preparing to face off with a special grade curse that Geto had unleashed on them. Whether they defeated the monster remains unclear, but they no longer participate in the ongoing battle.

Lastly, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 22 shows us Choso (Daisuke Namikawa, NieR Automata Ver. 1.1a) as he struggles with a startling revelation that has shaken him. The nature of that revelation is not revealed here, but it involves Yuji in some way.

Once these glimpses are out of the way, the narrative returns to the main battle as Yuji launches an ill-fated attack on Geto. The young sorcerer is no threat to his opponent alone and in his current state. Geto casually monologues while effortlessly keeping Yuji at bay. We also see Geto reduce the failing Mahito to one of the glowing orbs he consumes to gain the power of curses. While some viewers will undoubtedly be happy to see Mahito get him, it is an unsatisfying way for the loathed curse to go out.

Geto’s unwavering command of the battlefield is soon challenged, however, when Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 22 sees the arrival of numerous new combatants. Panda and Kusakabe show up, as do Miwa and the others sent out of town to keep them out of the incident. While the new arrivals deliver a brief flurry of attacks, they seem just as unlikely to overcome Geto’s defenses as Yuji. At least until one final combatant enters the fray, Choso.

Choso’s arrival in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 22 brings revelations. First, he gives a name to the being possessing Geto’s body, Kamo Noritoshi. This name is known to several of the jujutsu sorcerers present, as it comes with an extreme degree of infamy attached to it. However, little is made clear to the viewer about the character’s previous life, save that he would have to be over 100 years old to be the person Choso claims him to be.

The second reveal is that he is that Choso is Yuji’s big brother. He knows this because he felt the same pain for Yuji earlier in the conflict that he did when he sensed the deaths of his other brothers at the end of season one. While this declaration seems ludicrous initially, it makes more sense as the viewer considers it. Yuji’s parents are unknown, and his existence being manipulated by an ancient jujutsu sorcerer would explain how the one in a million chance of Yuji being exactly where he needed to be for the events of the series to begin makes the first episode come together in a far more sensible way that transforms it from a wild coincidence, into a carefully crafted scenario like the one just used to ensure Gojo.

Choso’s rage at being manipulated into fighting his brother drives him to launch an all-out attack against Noritoshi. The clash between the two is an epic if brief, battle that delivers a charged and emotional display of curse-fueled combat. The pair’s duel delivers some incredibly crafted moments as both fighters’ skills with their cursed techniques are displayed, all set to music that manages to shift between the chaos of Choso’s emotions and the epic scale of the conflict wonderfully.

When the other sorcerers attempt to join the fray, they are stopped cold by an unexpected ally of Norikoshi’s who freezes the gathered sorcerers dead in their tracks. With only Yuji, Choso, and Momo Nishimiya (Rie Kugimiya, Summer Time Rendering) left mobile, the odds look bad for the heroes.

As the episode ends, one last surprise arrives in the form of Yuki Tsukomo (Noriko Hidaka). This figure from Geto’s past makes her arrival just as the episode ends. As little is known about the character, what impact she will bring to the battle is a tantalizing mystery that gives fans another reason to tune in for the next episode.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 22 delivers in every way—great action, shocking surprises, and a suspenseful ending that demands answers. With the finale drawing near, it will be interesting to see what comes of the revelations this episode brings.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.