Jujutsu Kaisen is cementing itself as one of the best shōnen series of the modern era. Gege Akutami’s masterpiece is a thought-provoking action-packed thrill ride from beginning to end, with no skippable moments and some of the best fights in the art form.

There are plenty of reasons to love Jujutsu Kaisen. The series is filled with amazing characters, includes an interesting power system, and has some of the best lore around. One of the biggest reasons that Jujutsu Kaisen stands out, however, is through its sheer brutality. There are few, if any, series that match just how dark Jujutsu Kaisen can get.

The series has made a name for itself through its willingness to go deep. No character is truly safe in this franchise, as any one of them can die at a moment’s notice. Jujutsu Kaisen’s mobile game, titled Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade, includes alternate universe versions of the main timeline that introduce new, less brutal scenarios to the franchise.

Jujutsu Kaisen Is One of the Most Brutal Series Around

It’s One of the Few Series Unwilling to Pull Punches

There aren’t many shōnen series that are quite as bleak as Jujutsu Kaisen. One Piece, Dragon Ball, and Naruto never usually feature characters dying, and most of the villains from the three series redeem themselves in some capacity. Jujutsu Kaisen couldn’t be more different.

Some of the strongest characters in Jujutsu Kaisen die brutally, and nobody is able to predict who will live to see the end of the series and who won’t. Only fellow modern-day shōnen giant Chainsaw Man can really compare in ferocity, as series like My Hero Academia and Black Clover never go that far.

One of the most notable events recently animated in Jujutsu Kaisen was the disastrous Shibuya Incident Arc. This arc felt like a declaration of war from the Cursed Spirits, as they slaughtered hundreds of humans and trapped Gojo in the Prison Realm. Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade wonders what might have happened if Gojo wasn’t trapped during the arc.

Jujutsu Kaisen Could’ve Been Completely Different

The Shibuya Incident Arc Wouldn’t Have Been as Disastrous

If Gojo was never sealed in Shibuya, the entire arc would’ve gone differently. As the strongest Sorcerer in Jujutsu Society, Gojo could’ve saved countless lives using one of the strongest Cursed Techniques in Jujutsu Kaisen. He might have been able to kill Kenjaku on the spot as well, saving even more of the strongest Sorcerers around in the future.

Some of the other “what-if” scenarios include a reanimated Toji asking Megumi his name, Choso’s fight agasint Yuji before the pair find out that they are technically brothers, and Junpei surviving his encounter against Mahito. They’re interesting angles to look at, and they make Jujutsu Kaisen as a whole much more forgiving.