Jujutsu Kaisen【ch.241】Full-page explanation

Hi everyone, こんにちは!
This is Kyle Scouter.

Welcome to a thrilling journey into the dark and mystic world of Jujutsu Kaisen!

In this blog, I will break down each panel, offering insightful commentary and analysis to enhance your understanding of the story, characters, and the fascinating world created by Gege Akutami Sensei.

I’ve created visual aids to help illustrate each point on every page, making it easier to follow the details.

Chapter 241 is about Takaba’s flashback.

“Why did he start to be a comedian?”

This chapter delves into the reasons for it.



And this chapter continues to talk about Japanese comedy, which I think is difficult for non-Japanese speakers to comprehend.

So I will explain every detail in this blog.



Are you ready?

Let’s get started!



Page 1

① Takaba’s univercity

Ch.241 starts with Takaba’s University, “坦々大学(Tan Tan University)”.

This Uni doesn’t exist in real, but this name has meaning.

“坦々(Tan Tan)” means “the land or road is flat” or “there is nothing unusual and it passes in an ordinary way”.



Name of Takaba’s university is “坦々大学(Tan Tan University)”.
坦々(Tan Tan) means “the land or road is flat” or “there is nothing unusual and it passes in an ordinary way”.

So I think this name represents Takaba’s university life as a comedian🤔#JujutsuKaisen pic.twitter.com/qxHXRecOCz

— Kyle Scouter (@kylescouter) November 6, 2023

So I think this name represents Takaba’s university life as a comedian.



But the appearance of the university comes from a real university, “東京薬科大学 (Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences)”.




The 偏差値(deviation) value of this University is said to be 45-50.

“偏差値” (Hensachi), known as “standardized test score” or “deviation value” in English, is a measure used in Japan and some other countries to assess and compare the relative academic performance of students.



偏差値(Hensachi) of this college is said to be low for a pharmacy school.

Maybe that’s why Gege Sensei chose this uni as Takaba’s school…?



And there’s a comment from the editor on the first panel.

“高羽、芸人への道半ば。あの頃はー(Takaba, halfway to becoming a comedian. Back then-)”



When Takaba was in uni, he was the one who writes ”ネタ(Neta)”.

※Translated into “Joke” in English ver.



“ネタ(Neta)” is a general term for dialogues in comedy. For example, in the case of manzai (comedy in duo), it is naturally difficult to get laughs just by talking randomly. Therefore, a script is created in advance to determine “what to say,” and the performance is based on this script. This process is commonly referred to as “ネタ作り(making up a script)”.



But “ネタ(Neta)” is also used for the ingredients of Sushi, such as salmon or tsuna.



Why?



“Neta” is a word read backwards from “Tane (seed)”. Tane is used in the sense of “ingredient, material, foodstuff,” etc., as a plant grows from it. Neta is established in the sense of an ingredient in sushi or a scenario in a comedy.



② Title of Chapter 241

The title is “バカサバイバー！！〜勝ち残れ〜( Foolish Survivor -Win And Remain-)”.



As I explained in the blog for Chapter 240, this title is from Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo’s OP song.

But it’s changing from chapter 239 to 241.



Ch.239: バカサバイバー!!( Foolish Survivor)

Ch.240: バカサバイバー!!~生き残れ~( Foolish Survivor-Live on-)

Ch.241: バカサバイバー!!~勝ち残れ~( Foolish Survivor -Win And Remain-)



The word after “Foolish Survivor” is changing as the lyrics of this song goes.

The chorus of this song is sung in a way that the words continue after ”バカサバイバー(Foolish Survivor)”.



The word changes as the below,

生き残れ(Live on)

勝ち残れ(Win And Remain)

成り上がれ(Rise up)

舞い上がれ(Soar)

泣き喚け(Cry and scream)

さんざめけ(Be boisterously noisy)



Here is the link for this song.

Check this out if you are interested!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9QTaxnm-P0



So the title of next chapter could be “成り上がれ(Rise up)”



Page 2&3

① Takaba’s Joke

Takaba syas “外来種の大ライス(Gairaisyu no Dai Rice)” in Japanese, which means Large rice of exotic species.

Ofc this has no meaning.



This is just Takaba rhyming.

But this is just a rhyme, and you can tell there doesn’t seem to be anything funny about this stuff itself.



In English, he says “Rappa rice knows his place! It’s all up in yo’ face!!”

This also doesn’t make sense, but he’s rhyming.

I think this is a good translation.



② 悪かった(Warukatta) and ごめんなさい(Gomennasai)

Takaba tries to correct his partner about the way he apologizes.



In Japanese, there are several ways to apologize, each with slightly different nuances:



1.”悪かった” (Warukatta): This is a casual and straightforward way to say “I was wrong” or “My bad.” It’s relatively informal and used among friends or in casual settings.Or, it may give the other party the impression that you are apologizing anyway, even though you don’t feel guilty.

2.”ごめん” (Gomen): This is a more casual and friendly apology, similar to saying “Sorry” in English. It’s commonly used among peers or in informal situations.

3.”ごめんなさい” (Gomen nasai): This is a more formal and sincere apology, akin to “I’m sorry.” It’s appropriate for more serious or formal situations, such as apologizing to a superior or in a business context.

4.”申し訳ありません” (Moushiwake arimasen): This is a very formal and deeply apologetic expression, equivalent to “I deeply apologize” or “I’m truly sorry.” It’s used in situations where a more serious or profound apology is necessary, like in official settings or for significant mistakes.



The choice of apology depends on the level of politeness and the seriousness of the situation. “Gomen” and “Gomen nasai” are the most commonly used apologies in everyday life, while “Moushiwake arimasen” is reserved for more formal or severe circumstances.

That’s why Takaba got angry about his attitude.



Page 4＆5

① Ushijima-Kun

Takaba calls his partner a loser who wouldn’t last for a minute in Ushijima-Kun.



But do you know what Ushijima-Kun is?



It is “Ushijima the Loan Shark”, which is a popular Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Shohei Manabe. It revolves around the life and activities of Kaoru Ushijima, a ruthless and calculating loan shark who preys on individuals in dire financial straits. The manga explores the darker aspects of the financial world, debt, and the consequences of borrowing money from unscrupulous lenders.



The manga delves into the struggles and desperation faced by borrowers, shedding light on societal issues related to debt and poverty.



Many of the money-challenged characters in this manga are pretentious and vain.

That’s why Takaba says that.



② Doing comedy seriously?

In Japanese, Takaba tells his partner “Let’s play comedy seriously”.



Comedy and seriousness don’t seem to go together.

But it does in Japan.



There are comedy training schools in Japan.

Most of the comedians in Japan went to school to learn how to do comedy and became famous.

So Japanese comedians do comedy so seriously and logically.



Takaba is this type of person.



Page 6&7

① What is this survey?

If you go to a comedy show in Japan, you will see that at most comedy shows, the audience is given a survey form after the show.

The concept is to make the show even better by receiving feedback from the audience, such as evaluations and impressions of the comedians who were performing that day, and of the show itself.



So Takaba was on the show and got feedback from the audience.



② Takaba’s Senpai = Kendo Kobayashi

As I explained about him in my previous blog about Ch.240, he is Kendo Kobayashi who exists in real life.

He interviewed Gege Sensei for a TV show called Mando Kobayashi.

He is so famous in Japan, and I guess Gege Sensei likes him.



That’s why Gege Sense let him appear in Jujutsu Kaisen.



③ Takaba’s change

Takaba changes his appearance frequently.

Blonde → Afro → Swan



This shows Takaba’s struggle as a comedian.

In Japan, there are many comedians, so they need a trademark.

Because they need to be remembered by the audience.



That is why many comedians make eccentric hairstyles and wear outlandish costumes so that they can be remembered as much as possible for their appearance.

Takaba must have tried to be funny somehow because of the poor results of the survey.



Page 8&9

① Takaba’s House = むつみ荘(Mutsumi Sou)




Takaba’s house is the same as “むつみ荘(Mutsumi Sou)”, which is the house of Kasuga from Audrey, a Japanese comedian duo.

Not only the outside appearance but also the inside arrangement is the same



Kasuga is a well-known Japanese comedian, and he is known for being extremely frugal, even by the standards of fellow comedians. He is often described as a “penny-pincher” or “tightwad” in Japanese media.



The apartment “むつみ荘(Mutsumi Sou)” in Asagaya, Tokyo, where he lived, cost 39,000 yen (260$) for rent and had no bath.

This is too cheap compared to the rent prices in Tokyo.

The building was over 40 years old and poorly constructed, and the entire apartment shook when helicopters flew overhead.

During the winter, cardboard and garbage bags were pasted on the windows to protect them from the cold.



Kasuga became famous while living here, winning comedy tournaments.



② Why am I a comedian?

Takaba kept asking himself.

It is very important to go back to one’s beginnings.

When you have been doing the same thing for so many years, it is easy to forget your original intentions.

By going back to the basics, we can sometimes see what we need to do.



And I think Gege Sensei is good at delving into the backbone of his characters.

I think he studies a lot about people’s emotions and motivations.



If he wrote a drama script, I think it would be very interesting.



Thank you for reading.
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