To commemorate the airing of Episode 15 (39th in total) of the second season of the TV anime "Jujutsu Kaisen," an official interview with Mikako Komatsu (voice of Maki Zenin), Kenjiro Tsuda (voice of Kento Nanami), and Joji Nakata (voice of Naobito Zenin) has been published. They shared their thoughts on the episode depicting the deadly fight against the special grade curse spirit Dagon, and the highlights of their characters.

Jujutsu Kaisen is a dark fantasy based on the manga of the same name serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" since March 2018, starting with the unsealing of a powerful cursed object that thrusts high school student Yuji Itadori into the world of curses.

The manga has surpassed 80 million copies in circulation, with the anime adaptation airing from October 2020 to March 2021 and gaining popularity, leading to a movie adaptation in December 2021 and the ongoing second season since July 2023.

Q: What were your impressions upon touching the story of the 'Shibuya Incident'?

Tsuda: "Jujutsu Kaisen" itself is eerie, incorporating various elements like human drama and action scenes. The 'Shibuya Incident' intensifies the sense of fear because it's set in a place we all know well.

Komatsu: The story has accelerated so much that it makes you think the intense battles of the first season were just a 'prologue.' As Tsuda said, the horror comes from the setting being in a familiar place, and at the same time, there's excitement thinking, 'What if such things were really happening somewhere unknown to me?'

Nakata: I've been following the story through the anime, and the beginning of the 'Shibuya Incident' in Episode 30 (Season 2 Episode 6 "That's How It Is") caught me by surprise. It starts off leisurely with the first years' daily lives, making me wonder, 'Is it okay to start like this?' (laughs). But then it shifts to an ominous atmosphere leading to a furious action scene between Mechamaru and Mahito… Brilliant! This contrast is quintessentially "Jujutsu Kaisen."

Q: How was it portraying the battle against the curse spirit Dagon in Episodes 38 and 39?

Tsuda: It was shocking to struggle despite having two grade 1 sorcerers. There was a scene in a previous episode where Nanami tells Nobara that "the upcoming battles will be at the lowest level for a grade 1 (me)," and it really felt like that. During the dubbing, there were many scenes where Nanami showed more anger and emotion than ever before, which was refreshing but also challenging.

Komatsu: Maki was always trying to find a way to fight, always pretending to be strong, but in reality, she couldn't fight at all during that battle. I think she was tormented by the dilemma of being unable to match the curse spirit. But without this battle, the team wouldn't have come together... Didn't it seem like a strange combination at first? (laughs)

Nakata: I was excited to finally have a moment to shine in this season since Naobito had few scenes in the first season. Despite the Zenin family and the Gojo family's rift, Naobito reluctantly gets involved, feeling that "humanity might end without Gojo," but the enemy was stronger than imagined.

Q: Could you share a scene from Episodes 38 and 39 where you felt your character's highlight or key point?

Tsuda: Nanami fights with a sense of responsibility, not so much concerned about his own life but about resolving the situation. Even with his best efforts, he couldn't land a decisive blow on Dagon, probably thinking, 'This is bad.' Then Megumi's intervention was both a relief and likely made him feel inadequate for being helped.

Komatsu: Not just Megumi, but also an unknown human (Jin) suddenly steps in (laughs). Maki, who was most confident in her physical abilities, must have felt despair realizing there was a human without cursed energy stronger than herself. Yet, she didn't give up and tried to fight, but couldn't make a dent… That frustration will propel her forward.

Nakata: As for Naobito, I felt pressure because I knew fans of the original work were expecting certain scenes and lines. But being able to record with everyone made it easier to perform.

Q: With the 'Shibuya Incident' reaching its latter half, could you share your enthusiasm for the upcoming battles and a message for the viewers?

Tsuda: The tension will increase in the upcoming episodes, as will the difficult times. It might be tough for the viewers, but I hope we can build that tension together. I hope you won't miss a single episode, not even a second.

Komatsu: The 'Shibuya Incident' is the "core" of "Jujutsu Kaisen." Every battle, involving each character's life, is unmissable. I hope you'll experience these soul-wrenching battles.

Nakata: The battles become increasingly fierce, with plenty of highlights for each character. I'm looking forward to the anime broadcasts just like the viewers. Let's follow the developments together!