The TV anime "Jujutsu Kaisen" Season 2 (MBS/TBS series, every Thursday at 11:56 PM) is broadcasting its 21st episode (45th in total) today, the 14th. In commemoration of this, an official interview with Nobunaga Shimazaki, the voice actor for Mahito, has been released.

On the Impression of the Shibuya Incident Storyline:

"The situation starts to unfold with the sealing of the strongest character, Satoru Gojo, leading to the chaotic scenario of the 'Shibuya Incident'. The intertwining of various elements and the ensemble drama between characters make it interesting. The battles that break out are another highlight. The characters, Cursed Spirits, and Cursed Sorcerers, along with their intentions, are compelling aspects. The battles, action scenes, and dialogues in the original work are scenes I looked forward to seeing animated. Despite some depictions and feelings of despair that make you want to look away, I was excited to see how these would turn out once animated with motion and voice."

On the Preceding "Hidden Inventory / Premature Death" Arc:

"As a drama, I found Suguru Geto's story interesting. It explores what he saw, experienced, and how he became what he is. Up to the end, it depicts the youth of these two characters during their time at the high school. The portrayal of their friendship made the subsequent gap and the loneliness of Gojo and Geto deeply resonant. By depicting this episode before the 'Shibuya Incident,' it gave a realization that Gojo truly is a character bearing the weight of being the strongest, leading seamlessly into the story of the 'Shibuya Incident.'"

On His Favorite Character Throughout the Series:

"My favorite is definitely Mahito. The role I play feels like a part of myself, and I empathize with what the character might be thinking. Mahito, I believe, is a surprisingly simple character, living purely according to his instincts as a curse. Even when facing defeat, he enjoys the sensation of death. However, Mahito is also a character who changes and evolves through his experiences. He develops a strong personal will, wanting to kill Yuji Itadori, and becomes obsessed with him. The more he grows, the more human traits ironically start to appear. Initially, his actions based purely on instinct lacked empathy towards others and were frightening. But the grown Mahito, even though he knows his choices aren't the best, acts on his strong will. He seems to have developed an attachment to his own life. This change is interesting, and filling in these aspects makes him a character that is surprisingly easy to understand and familiar."

On the Appeal of "Jujutsu Kaisen":

"The characters in 'Jujutsu Kaisen,' including the Cursed Spirits, all feel very human. There is no one who is purely white light or completely dark shadow; everyone has both clear and murky aspects. Depending on the standpoint, black and white can reverse, and even pure white darkness or pitch-black light are possible. The same character can change colors. Rather than being characters with only simple symbols, they are richly drawn with gradients, including clean and dirty aspects, strength and weakness, coolness and uncoolness, and contradictions. I think this is one of the elements that draws people into the story."

Message to the Audience for the Broadcast of Episode 45:

"As you can see in episode 44, Mahito is now thoroughly enjoying his battle with Itadori. I want viewers to see how this final confrontation will unfold. I think the visuals will be incredible. The staff and cast have put their all into this, so please enjoy it."

"Jujutsu Kaisen" is based on a manga of the same name that began serialization in "Weekly Shonen Jump" in March 2018. It is a dark fantasy in which high school student Yuji Itadori enters the world of battle against curses after a powerful cursed object is unsealed. The series has exceeded 80 million copies in circulation, including the manga and anime adaptations broadcast from October 2020 to March 2021, a movie adaptation in December 2021, and the ongoing second season of the TV anime.

Synopsis of Episode 45:

Inspired by Toudou, Itadori stands up in a difficult situation. Amidst intense fighting, Itadori, Mahito, and Toudou each unleash their potential, reaching 120% of their latent abilities. Mahito, raising his game, launches an all-directional attack with "Multiplied Soul" and "Repulse Body". Finally, the last battle of curses between Itadori, Toudou, and Mahito begins.