If you’ve watched the latest episode of Jujutsu Kaisen, then you’re probably aware of the ‘Juju Sanpo (Juju Stroll)’ sequence that played after the ending. This short, comedic exchange between the four main characters (Itadori, Fushiguro, Kugisaki, and Gojo) is actually going to be a regular feature of Studio MAPPA’s anime going forward, already being confirmed for episode 4. Yet, as it turns out, this is not an original endeavor by the studio – instead, original author Gege Akutami provided the storyboards.
This information comes to us courtesy of Comic Natalie, who relayed the information posted on the official Jujutsu Kaisen anime website. According to both sources, there will be a special booklet bundled in with volume 1 of the anime’s Blu-ray and DVD release collecting some of Akutami’s original storyboards and, in fact, the storyboard behind the inaugural Juju Sanpo was shared ahead of time. You can find it below:
Yep, that’s definitely Gege Akutami’s iconic sketchy art style. It honestly explains a lot to hear that he is behind these shorts, as episode 3’s Juju Sanpo fit in perfectly after the original story and also captured perfectly the dynamic that exists between the main characters. That’s not to bash MAPPA’s original work – Lord knows they had to do some serious rewrites for Dororo – but to say that Jujutsu Kaisen is clearly a cut above the rest. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing more.
As to how Gege Akutami managed to find time to provide the storyboards for Juju Sanpo alongside a weekly serialization, who knows. The young author has yet to take a single break from Weekly Shonen Jump and continues to pump high quality, high-stakes action storytelling week after week without much room for breath. Fans may be enthused, but I can’t help but worry about his health. Take care, Akutami-sensei!
You can watch Jujutsu Kaisen via Crunchyroll.