The Jujutsu Kaisen in Austria TikTok has destroyed my brain

The first arc Jujutsu Kaisen’s second season was incredibly propulsive and ended in tragedy. The first five episodes were all set in the past, and after some time exploring Gojo and Geto’s tragic backstory, we’re back to the modern day.

This tight-paced, action-packed, and ultimately devastating arc was some of the best storytelling that the anime has done, focusing on the show’s most interesting and compelling relationship. It’s bittersweet that the anime is now back in the modern day.

But for me, personally, it’s not just sad to say goodbye to young Gojo and Geto; it’s also deeply embarrassing to return to Yuji, Nobara, and Megumi, because of one certain TikTok from 2021 that has broken my brain.

That video is called “Me visiting Jujutsu High in Austria:” and it was posted by TikTok user and cosplayer StoeDan in 2021. In front of a green screen, StoeDan takes a walk through his native Austria and runs into Austrian versions of the main three characters in Jujutsu Kaisen — only they are “Austrian-fied,” given German names, and edited to wear what I can only assume are clothes that evoke specific cultural elements.

For instance, Kugisaki Nobara’s Austrian verison is called Kuchlsacker Nobarbara, and she wears a blue dirndl instead of her school uniform and stands in front of what appears to be a Christmas shop. I don’t know enough about Austrian culture to understand the specific nuances of these exaggerated stereotypes, but boy, it’s so funny and satisfying to say Kuchlsacker Nobarbara?! Out loud

The TikTok I was watching at the time, the first episode of the show. Since it was 2021, and I was at the height of my TikTok obsession and still battling pandemic brain worms, “Me visiting Jujutsu High in Austria” bored itself into my soul. This virus is so bad that I am unable to refer to my main three characters. Jujutsu Kaisen characters without immediately thinking of their “Austrian-sona” first and then mentally correcting myself.

Itadori Yuji? Nah, that’s Iterdofer Jürgen and he’s walking around wearing a hardhat and overalls, and holding a Wieselburger brand beer. I have to force myself to remember that Megumi isn’t actually named Megumichael, and that the name Megumichael does not, in fact, actually exist.

This was not StoeDan’s first “X Characters in Austria” TikTok — the title actually belongs to his first Jujutsu High in Austria video, which showcased Gojo and only Gojo — nor would it be his last. He made several others. Jujutsu KaisenTikToks and videos of other anime are used to create an Anime In Austria film universe. These are all pretty funny for anime lovers, but I admit that none have stuck in my head as much as the one where he swapped out the characters. (Though I’ll give an honorable mention to the one where he swapped out Jujutsu Kaisen’sCharacter of a panda (also known as a braun bear or brown bear).

StoeDan’s Anime in Austria series seems to have died down in 2022. But even though he’s not posting, the new season is back, which means that “Me visiting Jujutsu High in Austria” has moved back into the forefront of my brain, where it lives rent free at all times.