Nanami didn't manage to achieve his own domain expansion, which is sad, mostly because I think it would have been rad af.
I always loved these shots 💖💖💖
And now, a bit of backstory for our favourite salaryman dropout sorcerer <333
First, I admire the fact that he recognises and admits that he didn't just left... He RAN away.
He still retains a strong moral compass and tries to instill it in younger collegues...
You know what's actually limitless? My love for this man.
"I'm a human being that doesn't have something worth doing or a purpose in life. I'll simply keep earning money until I'm 30 or 40 and then I'll enjoy an aimless existence in a country where the cost of life is cheap."
...The first sentence hit a little too close home. Nanami keeps being too reletable.
Imagining him spending the rest of his life like that, surely still haunted by his past and traumas is effing depressing man. (Not sure if I would have preferred it to what happens to him because he would have been alive, sure, but what kind of life is that?) Also, he doesn't even mention starting a family or doing something he was passionate about here. 💔
It's just as depressing as the idea of young Kento spending years focusing only on money. How bleak.
"Awake or asleep, all I think about is money." Being close to this Nanami would have been a fucking nightmare let me tell you.
"As long as I have money, I don't have to deal with curses or other people." Damn. He was so deep in this unhealthy behavior that he, in his desperate need to run away from the jujutsu world and be absolutely sure to be able to stay out of it for good, completely shut off the rest of the world too. Like, how hard was he suffocating his goodness and compassion?? This line here to me is fundamental to get his character: he ties being a sorcerer to being of service to others, so he had to stop considering others (or considering them too much, since he is seen still treating his clients with uncharacteristic respect for the workplace he was in) to be able to cut off that part of his life. As we see, the moment he stops avoiding this, because he has this weird epiphany at the bakery that he logically can't deny anymore the miserable existence he is conducting and finds (and accepts?) purpose in helping others and gaining their gratitude, he goes right back.
Also a thing that I noticed is that in this flashback he is absolutely emotionless. In the present he, albeit mildly, displays annoyance, anger, fear, extreme concentration, worry etc etc... There he doesn't show ANYTHING at all. °w°''
I imagined Nanami being like this at his previous work too, but nope, he was so deep in that mentality that he spent day and night at the office while keeping his distance from everybody, even from the part of himself that knew this was not it. Jesus Christ.
So this means that him having the overtime binding pact is him setting healthy boundaries...? 🤔🙄
What would have Haibara thought seeing his friend like that? I genuinely wonder. Happy because he was out of that nightmarish lifestyle or sad because he clearly was conducting an extremely unfulfilling existence wasting his talents and repressing his best self?
Which was still there and it took a seemingly inconspicuous situation to make him wake up. So in the end he was like my reign for a loaf of bread "if I have to choose between a shit useless job that I'm good at that gives me no joy whatsoever nor a real purpose and a shit somewhat useful job that I'm good at that gives me back something tangible which makes me feel useful, I choose the latter."
Bottom line is, you can't run from being a good person. You can't deny your need to do good without dying over and over again every day.
Do you think Gojo knew that and that he would eventually come back??? I'd love to headcanon this. 💖
I wonder if his obsession with money made him more unscrupulous, or if he never gave up on his morals. (I think not tbh.) And if the "attitude towards sorcery" explanation he gives to Itadori and Gojo was actually true or just the standard explanation he tells others.
Also Nanami donning a spotted tie here too omg don't think I haven't noticed!! 😍
Nanami smiling right before dying, saying he has no regrets (Yaga must have hammered that thought into all of his students for real, judging also by Gojo's reaction when he was doing the same tirade to Yuji. Also the idea that he recalled the words of his professor right at the "end" I'm in shambles ❤️🩹) because gratitude was all he needed to be happy and content...
So you are telling me that the first time we see him smile it's when he's accepting his death??? One moment please *Loud screaming and stomping sounds coming from another room I think I'm going to sue someone here...
Yuji not giving up, the fact that he decided to protect Nanamin as adamantly as Kento was about protecting him, busting in Mahito's domain and thus saving his life... <333
The description the narrator gives of Sukuna gave me chills. I guess up until now I understimated him, or better, relegated him in the mindless blood-thirsty villainous role without taking in consideration the actual magnitude of his role in the JJK world. He is the OP to rule all the OPs, Gojo struggled against him and lost. He's really akin to a god. Sorry for forgetting that!!! >< Also... Isn't the "Honored One" line almost the same as the one Satoru utters in Hidden Inventory/Premature Death? *Goes to check Yes it is!! Oooooh nice detail! *Jotting it down for future reference
(In the english version it wasn't translated like that though...)
Yeah, right, about Megumi... I need to know exactly why Sukuna is sooo interested in him. I mean, there are stronger techniques out there, right? Why him specifically? (Yeah I know the previous Zenin member that owned the same technique ended up killing, and being killed by, the previous owner of the Six Eyes and Limitless, so it is a very versitale ability but... I still don't get it.)
Yuji sparing a thought just for Nanami... That's his new mentor and teammate your honor!!! 💞💞 They cut this part in the anime smh
I have a question about the narrator: when Yuji invades the domain expansion, there's square baloons explaining things that none of the character know (Sukuna's motivations for hitting Mahito and most notably, his interest for Megumi. Also later when it says that a few stray thoughts ran through his [Yuji's] head, so I assume this is an external voice). Later when Yuji is charging Mahito there's more, but this time they seem to represent Yuji's inner thoughts, in so versions at least, in other translations it's ambiguous who is talking. Usually thoughts are represented differently, so maybe some translations slipped and got it wrong? I went to check and in the anime they divided these between Nanami's, Sukuna's and Yuji's inner monologues, changing the wording to make it match the change. (Like the line "He's interested in only one person" becomes "I'm interested in only one person.") I can't remember the other instances where square baloons were used, but should I assume it's always an external voice talking when they appear? 🤔
Mahito still succeded into changing Yuji's soul, just not in the "usual" way... He managed to strip him of his innocence. I'm scared to think what else he can do to him. 😶
So I have a partial answer to one of my questions: Mahito doesn't need to convinve Sukuna to join them, he just needs to revive him again so his end goal can be reached no matter if he's alive or not to see it. Nice.
I liked how Junpei's bullying story got wrapped up, with him still being awful and the professor actually understanding his faults and accepting his responsability in Junpei's death and swearing to do better.
And so, Yuji killed. As I said in the previous installment, it's an interesting choice not showing us this crucial moment, not even with a blank panel with a sound effect in it. All we have is the last time we see Yuji as an innocent, and him after. *Thoughts thoughts thoughts
Yuji's inner turmoil being discussed openly with Nanami, who listens to him and his doubts and offers actual grown up advice ("People are not good or bad", the world isn't black and white like it seems when you are a kid) without belittling or mocking his naïveté, starting it all by admitting that he doesn't know the right answer to his question either. And then closing it all off by reaffirming out loud his faith in him, thus giving us a nice closing to the "I do not approve of you as a sorcerer." too!!! Omg 💞💞💞
Ok I love their relationship. Like, A LOT.
Also Kento knowing Yuji won't stop caring deeply for the destiny of others no matter how futile and how that makes things harder for himself... 🫠
Also also, Nanami inadvertently reinforcing Yuji's grandfather's last words basically. People will need your help. Don't die because you can be useful. Welp.
Yuji Itadori is all grown up a sorcerer now. 🤧 I'm so glad he was with Kento when this happened. Truly the best person to handle this important step in our protagonist's journey.
Footnotes:
1 . That sandwich looks so good.... and at the same time it's so out-there? that for some reason I can't imagine a guy like him eating that regularly... The whole foodie character trait feels so out of place when associated with someone as stoic as him, it makes me go "awww" 💕
2. Again the english translation left a lot to be desired when adapting some lines, so if anything seems different, it's because I quoted the more faithful versions.
3. Gege is such a funny guy, I mean, what's up with these names? 😂
