Good news for fans of Japanese animations, since the long-awaited “Jujutsu Kaisen Movie 0” arrives this week in cinemas in France. The feature film will be on view from March 16, 2022 in VF and VOSTFR. This is the first feature film of the successful work of Gege Akutami published in the magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump since 2018. A title that has been hugely successful since an anime series called “Jujutsu Kaisen” was launched in 2020. The latter was even named as “Anime of the Year” to Crunchyroll Anime Awards of 2021. A series currently comprising a single season of 24 episodes, but which should have a sequel next year.
What’s the story of the movie?
For those who are not yet aware, the scenario of this feature film is mainly based on volume 0 of the manga, hence the title “Jujutsu Kaisen Movie 0”. The film was also produced by the famous MAPPA studios, to which we already owe the animated series as well as other very well-known titles. Otherwise, you should know that it is a prequel to the original manga as well as the series.
The story of “Jujutsu Kaisen Movie 0” will therefore focus on the character of Yuta Okkotsu, a young man haunted by the spirit of his childhood friend, Rika Orimoto. She died in a tragic accident. However, this is not a spirit like the others, because Rika can take the form of a creature to protect his friend, even against his will. One day, our hero meets Satoru Gojo, an expert in exorcism who teaches him to master his powers and welcomes him to his school in Tokyo. This meeting thus gradually gives Yuta a meaning to his life, but this peace in him will be short-lived, because an evil being threatens to attack all the non-exorcists of Shinjuku and Kyoto.
Already a hit in Japan
If you are a fan of the work of Gege Akutami, you probably already know that it is one of the most popular titles of the moment. Moreover, in Japan, the publications of “Jujutsu Kaisen” in the Weekly Shônen Jump since 2018 have attracted approximately 60 million readers. With a success always on the rise, the manga now occupies the first place of the podium with more than 30 million copies sold. He thus finds himself in front of “Demon Slayer” and “Tokyo Revengers”.
And as did the animated series released in 2020, this feature film also made a real splash in Japan when it was released. Indeed, the preview of “Jujutsu Kaisen Movie 0” recorded a record at the box office by accumulating a total of 9.3 billion yen profit (i.e. 70.9 million euros). This made the animated film one of the 50 biggest releases in Japan, ahead of other big productions like “Evangelion 3.0+1.0” and even “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”. Something to delight the MAPPA studios since such results will necessarily motivate them for the future.
When is season 3 of “Jujutsu Kaisen” due?
Since the end of the first season of the anime series “Jujutsu Kaisen” last year, many fans are already waiting impatiently, when the sequel will be released. Well, you will have to be patient, because according to the information communicated by the production, the season should not show up until the beginning of the year 2023. This is partly due to the state of health of Gege Akutami, the creator of the manga. But do not panic, since the sequel is well in preparation. In the meantime, we meet this week, from March 16 in cinemas, to discover “Jujutsu Kaisen Movie 0”. Note that this adaptation may also be entitled to streaming on Crunchyroll within 17 months.