Gege Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen, one of the top-viewed animes, continues to build online excitement as its second season thrills viewers by displaying the characters as they were back when they were younger. The plot revolves around Yuji Itadori, a high school student who joins an underground band of Jujutsu sorcerers to combat Ryomen Sukuna, a powerful Curse of which Yuji becomes the host. The manga has been serialized in Shueisha’s weekly manga publication, Weekly Shonen Jump, since March 2018.
Cursed Energy, which is a product of humankind’s unfavorable thoughts and feelings, lurks around every corner in the universe of Jujutsu Kaisen. Curses are supernatural beings that wish to hurt mankind and are born from that energy. It was Ryomen Sukuna’s finger that Yuji ingested; he was the most powerful and dreadful Curse of his day. Exorcising Curses of various grades, from low-level monsters to special-grade monstrosities, is the responsibility of the Jujutsu Sorcerers.
Also read:“I’m very grateful:” Jujutsu Kaisen Fans Get Exciting Update, Gege Akutami Confirms Series End
The creator apparently wanted Anime to have a Billie Eilish influence
The electrifying soundtrack of Jujutsu Kaisen, however, is a rather underappreciated element. It has a lot of catchy songs; the opening and closing of the first season, in particular, are amazing. The music is atypical for shonen anime in that it has a lot of EDM, R&B, and hip-hop influences, and additionally, mysteriously… Billie Eilish? Well, in an interview with Crunchyroll, Jujutsu Kaisen song producer Yoshiki Kobayashi claimed that Gege Akutami had proposed it.
“When we had our meeting with Gege Akutami-sensei, he suggested we go in a stylish, Billie Eilish direction. Then director Sung Hoo Park added that he wanted some hip-hop and rock.”
It is entirely reasonable. Akutami would be a fan of Billie Eilish and be motivated to incorporate her aesthetic in the anime adaptation of Jujutsu Kaisen. This anime is jam-packed with pop culture allusions, particularly from the 2000s and 2010s. A character who claims to like Jennifer Lawrence plays a significant role in the first season’s character dynamic. In one scene, Yuji Itadori watches Lord of the Rings to hone his abilities, and fan favorite Satoru Gojo uses Digimon to explain an episode’s plot. Given that Eilish’s aesthetic is already somewhat reminiscent of the goth-pop vibe of Jujutsu Kaisen, it makes sense that her songs would affect the show’s sound.
Even though Jujutsu Kaisen doesn’t contain any Billie Eilish music, the anime does feature an eclectic musical taste that is uncommon for anime due to how global it is. International musicians that appear on the album’s soundtrack include the UK rapper Che Lingo, the Haitian American Paranom, the Boston-born Aztech, the Japanese rapper RIN, and others. Rap being a significant part of the soundtrack fits thematically with the story’s modern setting, and the fact that an international talent like Billie Eilish influenced the music of the anime adaptation demonstrates how unique and unusual Jujutsu Kaisen is compared to other contemporary works.
Jujutsu Kaisen and hip-hop
In contrast to other shounen anime, Jujutsu Kaisen’s soundtrack strongly draws inspiration from EDM, R&B, and hip-hop, which amplify the audience’s emotions with explosive rock music.The infectious raps on the OST, which was composed by youthful musicians like Hiroaki Tsutsumi, Yoshimasa Terui, and Arisa Okehazama and included a variety of musical talents from Aztech, Parnom, and Kasper, are performed by these three artists. To give you a flavor of the gloomy yet imaginative world of Jujutsu Kaisen, LiFTED has selected four varied songs from the recently released soundtrack.
Given its jumpstyle feel, the song Life is not the kind of music you would typically find in a shounen anime, but it blends flawlessly with Jujutsu Kaisen’s graphics. Imagine a lively Rap verse mixed with a flurry of electronic music. Basslines from classic Boom Bap never let you down. Aztech uses references to Korean culture and the late rapper DMC in Colors, a minute-long verbal explosion.
One song from the first episode, Occult Phenomenon Research Club, greatly aids in establishing the mood of the anime. For an eerie atmosphere, composer Hiroaki Tsutsumi lays playful piano riffs and lively rhythms under the bars of Paranom. Japanese rapper RIN is featured on this upbeat rap track, which can be heard during one of Nobara Kugisaki and the evil monster’s most violent fight scenes. Similar to Jujutsu Kaisen, the hard rock components combined with RIN’s upbeat raps are not to be missed.
Also read:Jujutsu Kaisen: 7 Most Powerful Curses Except Sukuna, Ranked
Source: Slashfilm
