Every Time a New Season of Jujutsu Kaisen Launches, It Receives a Warm Reception.
However, the fame and captivating storyline of the series sometimes overshadow the shortcomings of the MAPPA studio. While the animation of Season 1 was groundbreaking, some fans may be frustrated by the fact that certain scenes in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 fail to maintain the same standards.
From the first battle between Sukuna and Gojo in Season 1, the animators delivered an outstanding performance. But what changed in the production of Season 2 that made the battles less engaging?
Yuji’s Battle Against Mahito in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Can’t Compare to Season 1
While most of the Jujutsu Kaisen fandom tries to cover up MAPPA’s poor treatment of some fights in Season 2, the battle scene between Yuji and Mahito is simply unjustifiable. Episode 21 of Season 2 features a fight between Mahito, Yuji, and Sukuna. However, this scene was not animated as well as those in Season 1.
Some sequences cut from this battle feature rough background animation. When compared to other scenes animated by Keiichiro Watanabe, this action sequence was not executed well. There are very few keyframes, and the battle appears somewhat disjointed.
However, since this work was created by Keiichiro Watanabe, it is difficult to pinpoint the faults in the animation. Only footage from the animator themselves can show how much better the animation could have been. The main suspect in this mistake is, of course, the studio and the management team.
Why Did the Animation Quality of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Decline?
The animation team of Jujutsu Kaisen remains ambitious and performs well as always. However, MAPPA has taken on several overlapping projects with many intense action scenes. The staff has been overworked, with very little time to pay attention to details.
Roccia Nobili, a key animator for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, spoke out about what happened. In a post on X, the animator explained that the deadlines were extremely tight. The animators expressed disappointment as they wanted more time to finish the scenes.
Poor management by MAPPA and rushed deadlines have indeed impacted the film, and the studio has faced criticism multiple times in the past for its treatment of animators and staff.
