Starting Jan. 8, “Jujutsu Kaisen” began airing its third season, which covers the Culling Games arc. Following immediately after the events of season two, “Jujutsu Kaisen” undergoes a massive change in direction regarding character development and the narrative.
Episode three presents Tengen, a sorcerer who’s over 1,000 years old, explaining what the Culling Games are and what Kenjaku’s- the creator of the games - goal is. The ultimate purpose behind the Culling Games is to force the evolution of humanity and jujutsu sorcerers. This episode wasn’t very well received among some fans of the series because of the lack of fighting, but exposition is necessary to have a well fleshed out story.
Season three’s first episode highlights Yuji Itadori’s mental state following the Shibuya Incident. As Sukuna’s vessel, Itadori feels responsible for the loss of his fellow sorcerers in the former’s battles during the previous season, and his voice actor, Junya Enoki, portrays this as if he were the character himself.
Maki Zen’in’s episode and her confrontation with the Zen’in clan are also full of themes and well-executed action. When Maki arrived at her former home, she was immediately greeted by the resentment she had grown up with due to her heavenly restriction that leaves her without any cursed energy, but gives her heightened physical abilities. After her own parents tried to execute her and her twin sister, Maki escaped and began battling the entire Zen’in clan. Thematically, Maki is breaking free from the path made for her and abandoning her title as a “failure” during this episode, and shattering the expectations of her elders by becoming a powerful sorcerer without following the traditions of her clan.
Following that, Itadori’s battle with Yuta Okkotsu had amazing choreography and animation. The action sequences and a short explanation of the power system and how cursed energy is used to predict an opponent’s movements really helped emphasize just how outclassed Itadori was in this matchup.
Jujutsu Kaisen is a series driven by both powerful themes and engaging action scenes. This new season shows that the author isn’t afraid to show the impacts of loss and grief, and that there’s more to the story than flashy battles. By ensuring quality in its emotional depth and fight scenes, the Culling Games arc reinforces Jujutsu Kaisen as one of the best modern shonen anime.
Episode three presents Tengen, a sorcerer who’s over 1,000 years old, explaining what the Culling Games are and what Kenjaku’s- the creator of the games - goal is. The ultimate purpose behind the Culling Games is to force the evolution of humanity and jujutsu sorcerers. This episode wasn’t very well received among some fans of the series because of the lack of fighting, but exposition is necessary to have a well fleshed out story.
