Seems like the series’ fans can’t catch a break.
Spoilers ahead!
Summary:
- “Flashbacks before a character dies” has been an anime trope for a while, and it is invoked in the latest JJK episode.
- There’s nothing inherently wrong with the trope, but many fans are tired after seeing it many times in different series.
- Fans are concerned about the trope being used more in the future.
For Jujutsu Kaisen fans, this season has been quite a rollercoaster. Between production drama and many different takes on the Shibuya Incident arc, they find themselves being torn apart once again. This time, Episode 19 ends with Nobara being brutally killed — except many fans were unhappy with how that scene was executed.
Originally, it wasn’t hyped much
“Extended flashbacks before a character’s death” has been an anime scene since forever. Shounen series are especially famous for it — while not invented by Naruto, that show is perhaps the one that popularized the trope the most and made it so widespread. In the recent episode of Jujutsu Kaisen, the trope is invoked once again — and the fans were not very happy about it. While some feel that its use was justified, many were disappointed, feeling like that, in a way, spoiled them on a death that was bound to happen at the end of the episode. Many also expressed concerns about Nobara’s flashback sequence taking up around half of the episode’s entire runtime.
It is great in every way
There’s nothing inherently wrong with the trope. If anything, it adds more weight to the death, allowing the viewer to connect with the character for one last time. It is a good idea in concept — as long as you don’t overuse it, of course — and one that can make a death more impactful. However, a lot of fans argue that the trope is unnecessary. After seeing a lot of anime, you’re starting to expect it — and when you’re being shown flashbacks during a climactic moment during the fight, you’re going to be expecting a character to die. Moreover, flashbacks in general are often disliked by fans, with many considering them unnecessary — people don’t want to have a scene full of tension being interrupted by a peaceful recollection of past events. Even worse if it’s a case similar to many Naruto flashbacks, where the viewers were shown something they’ve already seen before.
Executions are what matter the most
It seems that JJK is a way more brutal show than people initially thought. With many deaths, however, there seems to be a concern. Especially with the way Nobara’s death was handled, fans are concerned if further deaths in the series would feature extensive flashbacks before them as well. If the series is going to fall into a classic battle shounen trap, it might become predictable and, therefore, disappointing.