Where Is My Mind?; JJK
JJK is many things to many people- the inspiration behind fanfiction, a medium from which to source cosplay ideas, the subject of thinkpieces, the occasional “who would win in a fight” YouTube video, and an excuse to watch a story that is essentially a portmanteau of Naruto and Harry Potter- but I never expected it to get to me. Full disclosure, I was never really able to get into JJK; not for any one reason, it just never stuck with me. Maybe I’m Shonen Jump-ed out or suffering from “Chosen One” fatigue, but the show never seemed to make it’s mark on my soul the way it had for other people- which is something that gnawed away at me for months, if not years on end, my inability to assimilate into the current cultural supernova; however- I think that’s changed now.
Season Two of JJK, the “Hidden Inventory” arc, is essentially a prequel, which might be part of why I was able to really get into it this go-round. Chronicling the story of Gojo “Six-Eyes” Satoru and his struggle to overcome what very well may be the worst day of his life, this section of the anime delves into how children, at least in JJK’s world, are made to shoulder the burdens of their fellow man, to serve as vanguards for the betterment of humanity, disregarding their own safety. One of the core characters, one Suguru Geto, echoes this same sentiment, making a moral argument that the strong have a duty to protect and safeguard the weak, in order to allow them to remain weak, as is their lot in life.
This deterministic outlook parallels many of the same philosophical treatises proposed by those who adhere to determinist philosophy, some of which relates to the nature of strength vs weakness. There are those who would posit that those burdened with excellence, sheer overwhelming power, have a responsibility to use it in order to shield those who do not share that privilege- however, there are also voices in the mist that argue that, no, strength should be used to subjugate the masses and enforce one’s will, as the strong have the proverbial mandate of heaven to do as they please, as determined at their birth.
In JJK, these philosophies are represented by Geto and Gojo respectively, however, after the former’s tragic death and subsequent transformation into the anime’s antagonist, their philosophies appear to reverse, which I found to be fascinating.
Overall, this anime speaks to the morality of power, the nature of rationalizing how to contend with your innermost self, ego, and even how authority may seek to take advantage of those who are blessed with extraordinary ability, in order to enact their own interests. Tragedy that I’ve already seen how the story ends though- would've loved to have seen how it all played out in real-time. C’est vie, I suppose.
Hi there, I was the person who recommended this anime to the class and I'm so glad you liked it!
For a while I was in the same boat, where I just couldn't bring myself to care for Shonen like it, but when I walked in on my friends watching this arc, it just kinda clicked.
In a lot of ways, seeing you coming into the series with a fresh perspective lets me see where my edge has been dulled by a year in fandom, but also where the series' themes shine the most.
Specifically I feel I neglected Gojo's personal growth in these episodes. As you pointed out he basically swapped moral codes with Geto by the end. I also missed how important repressing emotions is to not only the worldbuilding of the series, but the themes too.





















