WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD!
Old Man Shark Doo-doo-Doo-doo-Doo-doo
Beware these shark-infested waters…or trees in this case.
Yuka, Tsurugi and Maru are assigned to eliminate a man-eating shark that swims through the forest. They split up, Yuka questioning the locals, Tsurugi and Maru searching on foot. The pair discovers that the shark is actually a jujutsu sorcerer named Osada tracking down a wild tiger.
They debate what the best course of action is: extermination or coexistence. Unfortunately, nature is in no mood to debate. After the tiger’s surprise attack, Tsurugi puts it down. The conclusion leaves Maru with conflicting feelings, but he’s still determined to befriend the Okkotsu siblings. The chapter ends on a hopeful note, with Osada adopting the tiger’s cub.
Short but Sweet
This was an unexpected, almost mundane setup. Compared to what readers are used to, you’d expect crazy powers and horrific cursed spirits. This was a very nice self-contained conflict that expanded on the themes JJK Modulo is looking to explore.
The writing very cleverly used the incident with the tiger as a reflection of Maru’s inner conflict. Pinning him between Tsurugi’s pragmatism and Osada’s idealism was a great way to develop his character. The lengthy dialogue was actually justified in this case. I expect the series to embrace this case-of-the-week formula for a bit, then launch into a bigger conflict. It will give readers time to understand the characters before circumstances challenge them.
The art was consistently good throughout the chapter. I got a chuckle out of Osada’s introduction, making the initial threat of the shark more comical. The character expressions for that moment were on point. Even the action, as simple as it was, was clean and easy to follow. Sometimes artists struggle to lead the reader’s eyes through action sequences. Iwasaki’s panel layout and use of action lines demonstrate an impressive level of skill.
I appreciate smaller stories like this one that ground the characters in the world. I’m looking forward to seeing where the story goes next.
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