Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo Chapter 1: Special Grade Incident, opens with a log entry in the year 2086, above Nevada, 30,000 meters in space. The Simurian, an alien race of 50,000 are seeking refugee status and sanctuary on Earth. Inspector Marulu Val Vol Yelvori or Maru, is the alien that heads to Earth to directly aid Jujutsu Sorcerers in locating missing children being kidnapped to be used as “energy resources.”
Maru acts as our guide back into the Jutsu Kaisen world. Ignorant of most of the aspects of Japan and Jutsu society, Maru learns that almost all Jutsu Sorcerers are Japanese, curse users are bad Jutsu Sorcerers. Maru is currently concealing their alien origins in order to determine if Jutsu Sorcerers and the Simurains can “coexist.”
Yuta and Maki’s Grandchildren
This series centers around the grandchildren of Maki and Yuta Okkotsu, Yuka Okkotsu and Tsurugi Okkotsu. Only a year apart, the two are put at odds due to the Gojo Clans decision to give Yuta’s ring to Tsurugi instead of Yuka who Yuta promised would receive it. As a result, the two are estranged and bicker when together. Maru convinces Yuka that if they complete the mission, then she’ll prove that she’s worthy of the ring.
Together they realize that the road they were travelling on has a “gaze manipulation and a curse cast on it,” the sorcerer can lead anyone down the path they wish. Tsurugi suddenly appears. He’s notice the barrier as well. Here, Maru decides to tell Yuka bout her failed relationship with her brother. Yuka dismisses Maru concern her relationship with Tsurugi may never recover. Maru believes Yuka would never forgive herself if she failed to mend the conflict between them.
A spatial transference barrier technique
A little boy rushes pash our trio and before they can stop him two massive hands grab him and teleport him to an unknow location. The same thing happens to Tsurugi and he comes face to face with the human trafficker. The alter reveals that there are aliens that have come to invade. This invasion has been declared a “special grade incident,” on par with Ryomen Sukuna’s attack 68 years prior. He believes that the alien will start a war, with the decline of “extraordinary” sorcerers like Gojo and Yuji, he believes the “value” of Japanese citizens will “plummet.”
Maru and Yuka arrive just in time to stop his monologuing. After a silly sparring request by Yuka, which she learns Tsurugi is stronger than her, she turns her attention to the trafficker. She uses Savage Jaw Strike. Which according to the trafficker is a “martial arts keishoken strike” that has “cursed properties.” Tsurugi joins the fight using his cursed tool, Honoyagi. It generates sparks from the scabbard and the guard, which is infused in the blade.
He uses New Shadow Style: Batto Sword Drawing to burn the talismans forming the barrier. Yuka uses Savage Jaw Strike: Biting Twists to defeat the trafficker. Impressed with her strength, Tsurugi, reveals that the reason he’s trying to get stronger is to return the ring to his sister. The trafficker tries to transfer the kids while there distracted forcing Maru to use their alien abilities, revealing their secret to Yuka and Tsurugi.
Opinion:
It’s only one chapter but I’m a little underwhelmed. I fear that Jutsu Kaisen Modulo will be a lot like Boruto. It can be difficult to care about the next generation of characters, especially when we wish the sequel series just continued with our favorite characters. What happened to Yuji, Megumi, Nobara, Panda, and Hakari? Are they all dead? How did they died? The series does introduce some interesting questions. Why did Yuta and Maki join the Gojo Clan?
Is the Zenin Clan still devastated? What happened to the other clans? Another problem I have with this series is the same one I had with Boruto, the introduction of aliens. It seems so out of place. Aliens feel like they belong in series that are more Sci-Fi focused. Sure are demons, ghosts , and curses etc. that different from them, no. I simply don’t think they’re necessary. Regardless, of my criticisms I didn’t hate the chapter. It has potential.
It think Gege needs to balance our desire for the original characters and the new aspects of this story he wants to introduce. He can’t lean too heavily on the origin series but he shouldn’t abandon it either. This series feels risky but maybe it’s worth it. I don’t like Boruto but a lot of other readers seem to.
What do you think? Is Gege taken a risk with this sequel? Should he have started with a completely new series? Written a more direct series to Jutsu Kaisen? Not include aliens? Should we just wait before judging?