After the gruesome events of the Shibuya incident, Jujutsu Kaisen has returned with a third season. But this time, it trades stellar action sequences for a stillness that delves into emotions and pain.
The third season of the fan-favourite anime had a double premiere on Thursday, offering a close look at the carnage left behind after the Shibuya arc while Itadori descends into guilt. Although it is set to cover the Culling Game arc, the longest arc in the Gege Akutami-created manga, the new instalment promises a more introspective phase in the anime.
To understand what makes this season compelling from the very onset — even more than the previous instalments — we must recall where the Shibuya Incident arc ended.
Watch the trailer of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 here
The events in Shibuya ravaged our protagonist Yuji Itadori in a way that destroyed most of Tokyo and changed the course of the anime forever. It was a massive coordinated attack by curses and curse users on Halloween in a bid to seal the strongest sorcerer, Satoru Gojo. As the sorcerers and civilians were trapped in a cursed lockdown orchestrated by Kenjaku, Itadori’s body was taken over by Sukuna, leading to mass killings and bloodshed that left him traumatised.
After the widespread chaos, tens of thousands of casualties and deaths of major characters, Itadori carried the guilt of unspeakable horror into the third season. It begins with an almost nightmarish sequence, with Itadori washing his blood-soaked hands, a close-up shot of his hands and him single-handedly fighting a group of curses.
The Culling Games arc follows the aftermath of Naobito Zenin’s death where the leadership of the Zenin clan initially falls to Naoya Zenin. However, since Gojo is sealed inside the Prison Realm, Naobito’s will states that Megumi should take the position. While Naoya sets out to eliminate Megumi to seize his place, he also targets Itadori, who is already wanted for execution.
In another part of Tokyo, Itadori and Choso begin gearing for the Culling Games, a deadly battle royale brought about by Kenjaku to evolve humanity by forcing participants to unleash vast amounts of cursed energy through constant fighting. While preparing for the large-scale fight, Yuta enters with a bang, seemingly determined to carry out Itadori’s execution.
The opening track, Aizo by King Gnu, has garnered immense buzz for its stunning visuals and heavy symbolism. Drawing on references to classic artworks, the sequence captures the ominous mood of the Culling Games arc while foreshadowing the fates awaiting its characters
In terms of animation, Jujutsu Kaisen has always been spectacular. With a busy anime schedule as ever, MAPPA impresses us yet again with its perfect balance of fluidity and pacing. This time, the action comes with a purpose and the cost of power rather than flashy, over-the-top sequences.
Scenes are allowed to breathe, movements feel grounded and the focus shifts towards conveying the weight of emotions through an interplay of loud and quiet moments. From eerily silent moments where only Itadori’s strained breathing breaks the stillness to blood-red frames that serve as a visual metaphor for his overwhelming guilt, the animation holds back its dynamic essence to showcase the beauty in restraint.
Even as the story races towards freeing Gojo and surviving the deadly Culling Games, Jujutsu Kaisen slows down to face a greater issue: Itadori’s guilt as a teenager who blames himself for the mass murder of an entire city. And the anime has returned with a promise of depicting trauma with the care it deserves.