Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident Blu-ray Movie Review

Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident is the follow-up season to the smash hit anime series. The action-adventure fantasy is one of the most popular modern anime series. Created by Gege Akutami, Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident features the main story arc of the second season (with a separate standalone release available separately of the other season two story arc – Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Hidden Inventory/Premature Death).

Executive produced by Kazutaka Yamanaka (The Apothecary Diaries, Dr. Stone: New World) and Makoto Ōyoshi (Astra Lost in Space, Burn The Witch), Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident features series production by Jujutsu Kaisen Production Committee and TOHO. The animation for the second season is produced by MAPPA (The Rose of Versailles, Terror in Resonance).

Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident is produced by Hiroaki Matsutani (Dr. Stone, Jujutsu Kaisen 0), Hiroaki Yamazaki (Rent-A-Girlfriend, Wind Breaker), Makoto Kimura (The Gymnastics Samurai, Terror in Resonance), Tatsuya Ōmori (Jujutsu Kaisen 0), and Yuriha Murai (Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations). The series features theme song performances by Tatsuya Kitani (opening one), King Gnu  (opening two), Soushi Sakiyama (ending one), and hitsujibungaku (ending two). Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident features the voices of Asami Seto, Junya Enoki, Takahiro Sakurai, Yūichi Nakamura, and Yūma Uchida.

The battle stage has been set on October 31^st: Halloween night. The epic confrontation between the Sorcerers – the humans – and the Curses goes underway. The stakes are high. As the bleak Halloween night starts to unfold, a darkness starts to swirl around the entire area of Shibuya.

There is an enormous sense of dread as allegiances are tested. The Sorcerers have come together to fight the epic battle as an ominous curtain causes dread. The heroes of the tale are put to the ultimate test. Who can survive? Will humanity win the battle – the Sorcerers rising above all obstacles – or will the Curses defeat the human team?

The cast of characters includes Nobara Kugisaki (Asami Seto), Yūji Itadori (Junya Enoki), Suguru Getō (Takahiro Sakurai), Satoru Gojō (Yūichi Nakamura), and Megumi Fushiguro (Yūma Uchida). The core characters add to the thrills of the series. The epic stage is set between the Sorcerers and Curses.

The character designs by Sayaka Koiso (Ninja Kamui, Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers) and Tadashi Hiramatsu (Re: Cutie Honey, Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi) are well done and help add to Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident and its sense of style. The character designs are highly impressive – with great design elements in spades. Koiso is a talented character designer and the elements here add to the series style.

The production features solid art direction by Hisako Akagi (Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill, Land of the Lustrous) and Junichi Higashi (Ya Boy Kongming!, Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan). Akagi and Higashi are both excellent art director creatives and the style showcased is top-notch. The efforts are certainly essential to the production quality. The team of animators helped to bring out the best in the production.

The score composed by Yoshimasa Terui (Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, Jujutsu Kaisen 0) is one of the highlights of the production. The score by Terui is solid and provides a good sense of adrenaline. Action is high-octane and the score is a good backdrop to the epic sequences. The score certainly is something that helps to elevate the excitement and energy of the series.

The cinematography by Teppei Ito (Zombie Land Saga, Chainsaw Man) is impressive and a main feature of the production. The cinematography shines well with a lush stylistic approach showcasing both light and dark atmospheric qualities in the series. Ito is a talent and someone who knows how to highlight action and drama. The result is a more sleek and well showcased series aesthetically.

Written by Hiroshi Seko (Attack on Titan, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead), Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident features solid writing. Seko is a solid writer for the series – with good elements for action, intrigue, and drama. The battle between the Sorcerers and Curses is a emphasis for the production to unfold.

Directed by Shōta Goshozono (JUJUTSU KAISEN Hidden Inventory / Premature Death, Ranking of Kings), Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident offers more of the high-octane action fans of the anime series have come to expect. Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident builds on the first season – delivering more of the goods that established fans have come to expect from the production.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Crunchyroll, Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high- definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The Blu-ray release features an impressive high-definition presentation of the anime. The colors on the release are lush and engaging.

The cinematography is a quality highlight of the production. The encoding is one of the strengths – the action sequences well highlighted on the release. There are some elements of slight banding in some moments but otherwise it is a solid high-definition video presentation.

One of the strengths of physical media is the superior video encoding compared to streaming video services. Streaming platforms tend to offer video with lower bit-rates and a more compressed presentation. For home theater enthusiasts especially, the encoding difference is something that can make a difference.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround sound and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 (with English subtitles). The sound direction by Yasunori Ebina (A Certain Magical Index, Date A Live) is another highlight of the release. The lossless audio sounds crisp and engaging on the release. Dialogue is clear and well reproduced. The surround sound option has noteworthy surround engagement with the channel separation solid on the release.

Physical media provides superior audio quality compared to streaming services. Blu-ray provides lossless audio and this is one of the hallmarks of the format. Audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts enjoy the lossless encoding and the superior bit-depth and bitrates provided. By comparison, streaming provides only lossy (non-lossless) audio.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The limited edition version of Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident comes with deluxe chipboard art-box packaging. The limited edition option includes a deluxe 84 page booklet covering both of the story arcs in season two – the Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident story arc (as included in the limited edition box-set) and the Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Hidden Inventory/Premature Death story arc (sold separately). The set also includes a selection of 5 limited edition art cards covering both story arcs. The set also provides 8 character art stickers, 2 character sticker sheets, and a special limited edition jet tag keyring collectable.

The inside of the Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident deluxe chipboard box features a pull-out cardboard box with the extra goodies and it can be removed from the box and one can optionally choose to place the Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Hidden Inventory/Premature Death Blu-ray inside (as sold separately). Crunchyroll designed the set with this concept in mind – with the spine of the limited edition not indicating which story arc is included in the box-set.

The front cover-art of the limited edition showcases the Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident notation. The reverse side artwork (underneath the paper overlay) has the notation of Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Hidden Inventory/Premature Death (visible once the outer-card is removed). The intent is for buyers to be able to purchase both releases and combine them as desired.

Disc 1:

Textless Opening (HD, 1:32)

Textless Ending (HD, 1:32)

Disc 2:

Promo Videos (HD, 1:08)

Disc 3:

Promo Videos (HD, 3:39)

Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 2 - Shibuya Incident continues the saga with the second season and its main story arc. Fans of the Shonen action anime series will enjoy continuing the saga. The Blu-ray release provides noteworthy video and audio quality.

The limited-edition release offers superior packaging – with the collectable set providing a deluxe art box, booklet, art cards, stickers, and a keyring. Fans of the series will want to consider a purchase. Recommended.