This post contains spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo, currently available for U.S. readers from VIZ Media
After the emotional weight of Chapter 7’s revelation about Yuka‘s health, we are due for a slightly-tragic flashback(story) chapter. Now that we are 8 chapters deep, it’s about time Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo gave us some insight into not just where the Simurians came from, but why they’re here. Tsurugi’s use of the word “neighbors” really set Cross off during the battle with Takeda.
So, what is it about neighbors that is so important for Maru, while being equally devastating for Cross? Chapter 8, “Dura Val Bobbidi Mechika” doesn’t tell the entire story, at least not yet. But it does start to paint a pretty tragic portrait of the life the twins led before landing on Earth. One thing I can promise for sure is that this is a purely Mahito-free installment, so hooray for that.
Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo’s Dura Val Bobbidi Mechika Was a Visionary
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Flashbacks aren’t unheard of in shonen media, and with so much for us to learn about the motivations of the Simurians, it was about time we got one. We learn in the first panel that the twins become orphans after their father’s death. With no one to care for them, they wind up stealing to survive. Sadly, there seem to be a lot of displaced children in their homeland, with subtle allusions that their parents were likely killed by Deskunte. Cross and Maru are the lucky ones, though they probably didn’t feel so lucky at the time.
Taken in by Dura, he quickly puts them to work on a life-changing project he’s been working on: building a canal. The twins aren’t exactly happy about it, but Dura manages to put them to work despite this. Day in and day out, they haul stone, plant trees, and when Cross finally asks Dura why he’s even doing this, his explanation is simple. He wants to make life easier.
Not only will this make for an easier tradeway with Deskunte, but in doing so strengthen their relationship. Dura explains that this plan isn’t new, but the existence of the Rumelian’s sacred beasts, the kalyans, posed a serious issue. Kalyans were known to attack and devour anyone who wasn’t Rumelian.
Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo’s Modern-Day Cross Started Out Complicated
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Even at the young age the twins are portrayed in Chapter 8, it’s obvious Cross is already very bitter. The Deskunte drove their people off their land and into the barren wastes where they can barely survive. Even as Dura explains the concept, he adds that his plans for the canal will also irrigate the land and make for easier crop growth. Clean water will be available in more abundance.
He still doesn’t get it. And when he stops showing up to work on the project, it almost seems like he’s abandoning it entirely. When someone destroys all the work they’ve done on the canal, Cross shows up and sets them straight, punching their leader in the face. The destruction won’t stop Dura though. He’ll just keep going, so when the council of elders sends mandate that the whole village will help, they finally start to make progress.
Despite being so bitter, Cross learns an important lesson through this. Seeing everyone come together, Cross finally understands how important it is. They have something to look forward to after their devastating loss. Sadly, by the end of Chapter 8, we realize it can’t last.
Akutami Sensei Is Finally Building Jujutsu Kaisen’s Lore
Image courtesy of Studio MAPPA
Akutami Sensei spins a heck of a yarn, but with each new chapter, the original JJK is starting to feel like a pre-cursor to something greater. To say there was no real lore in Jujutsu Kaisen isn’t entirely true, but even some of the most diehard fans agree we could have used more backstory. Lacking backstory is one of the reasons Gojo’s Past arc, “Hidden Inventory” and “Premature Death”, are so popular. In JJK 0, Geto is just a power-hungry cult leader who really hates monkeys. Gojo noting that Geto was his only friend at the end gives us pause. Wait… what? How? When? What happened?
By the end of the original manga, we know enough about Jujutsu Society and its place in the world. What we don’t have a lot of throughout is motivational lore. Why did things happen the way they did? Why was Sukuna such a monster? Sure, he got shunned for being deformed, and he wanted to rise above it. But is that really enough to become the monster everyone sees?
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Maybe in somecases, but I still say we could have used a healthy lore dump on his life. And not just to make us feel sorry for him so we could relate to him as a living being. A flashback to Sukuna’s life with some weight behind it could have gone a long way toward making Yuji’s attempts to save him make sense.
My Hope for the Future of Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Is Simple
Maybe I’m selfish, but I never want Akutami Sensei to stop creating in this world they’ve built. I am just daydreaming and imagining, but I can see cursed energy and spirits being born from the things that happen to Cross and Maru’s people. The potential to go on and on with this story for ages to come is limitless (pun intended). There is so much to explore, both the past, the present and the future, that I can only keep my fingers crossed that it goes on until there’s absolutely nothing left to explore.
Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo on a Scale of 1 to 10
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I’m not even going to mess around this week. It’s a solid 10/10 from me because it made me think about both the past and the future. Every chapter draws me in deeper, and I can’t wait to see where it goes. Watching Akutami sensei’s story grow over the last few years has been such a bright spot in my life. Seeing it take on the future with Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo has only just added to that joy.
I absolutely can’t wait for chapter 9.
