Stream It Or Skip It?

The wait for more Jujutsu Kaisen is finally over as Crunchyroll releases the electrifying first two episodes of the hit dark supernatural adventure anime’s latest season. Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 3 picks up with our characters in the wake of the bombshell ending of Season 2 that saw Satoru Gojo (Yuichi Nakamura) sealed away, Shibuya devastated, lives lost, and the villains coming out on top. With our main characters scattered and fresh foes ready to raise Hell, this gloriously animated new arc is poised to have fans hooked, amazed, and hungry for more.

JUJUTSU KAISEN SEASON 3: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: In a rundown apartment, Itadori Yuji washes his hands of blood that never seems to fade away.

The Gist: What’s to become of a world where the strongest sorcerer is put out of commission? Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 3 shows us straight away that things look pretty bleak without Satoru Gojo (Yuichi Nakamura) around to save the day. Although our heroes manage to take out deadly curses like Mahito (Nobunaga Shimazaki) by the end of Season 2, their side ultimately sustains a resounding defeat with many casualties, including Kento Nanami (Kenjiro Tsuda), leaving the sorcerers battered, scattered, and demoralized. 

Yuji Itadori (Junya Enoki) is hiding out with Choso (Daisuke Namikawa) amidst a curse-ravaged Tokyo, imposing self-isolation to both protect his friends and atone for the thousands of civilian lives he inadvertently took during the Shibuya Incident while King of Curses Ryomen Sukuna (Junichi Suwabe) was in control of his body. Yuji has taken it upon himself to rid Tokyo of all curses, and though he grows stronger with every takedown, he continues to be plagued by traumatic memories of Shibuya and immense guilt.

At the same time, Gojo’s sealing has left a power vacuum amongst sorcerers, leaving many to struggle for power amidst the chaos wrought by Kenjaku (Takahiro Sakurai). Naoya Zen’in (Koji Yusa) uses this to his advantage, vying for the position of Zen’in Clan Head as his father, Naobito (Jouji Nakata), dies from injuries sustained in Shibuya. Naoya looks down upon everyone around him, openly disrespecting his elders and making vile remarks about his own cousins, Maki (Mikako Komatsu) and Mai (Marina Inoue).

As a result, he’s sure that the Clan Head position is his, but is soon rudely awakened by the reveal that the leadership role will skip over him and go to his cousin, Megumi Fushiguro (Yuma Uchida), if Satoru Gojo is killed or incapacitated. After hearing that Megumi is out looking for Yuji, a fuming Naoya resolves to kill both of the Jujutsu High students to wrest control of his clan and gain favor with the Higher Ups for killing Sukuna’s vessel. But after tracking down Yuji and Choso and a little bit of battle, it’s clear that Naoya isn’t the only one with a plan to kill Yuji, as Jujutsu High second-year Yuta Okkotsu (Megumi Ogata) arrives to fulfill his role of Yuji’s official executioner. While Choso takes on Naoya, Yuji tries to survive a chilling and relentless Yuta, whose power and cursed energy rival that of Gojo himself.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Jujutsu Kaisen continues to draw comparisons to fellow MAPPA studio-produced anime series, Chainsaw Man, which remains especially apt as we proceed into this heavy, chaotic, and violent Culling Game arc. You may also be reminded of anime titles like Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Hunter x Hunter, Hell’s Paradise, and Fire Force.

Our Take: From the dynamic, visually-arresting opening credit sequence, it’s clear that Jujutsu Kaisen is back to not only continue blowing minds and hooking fans with a fast-paced plot and stunning animation, but also raise the bar (if you can believe that’s possible). The team at MAPPA has truly outdone itself to create visuals so crisp, fluid, and multi-dimensional that they nearly brought tears to my eyes.

And while the exceptional animation does the initial work of ensnaring your attention and keeping you glued to the screen from start to finish, it’s also the plot of this new arc that will have you on the edge of your seat. Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 3 is darker and headier than its previous seasons as our protagonists grapple with how to survive in a lawless world without their biggest protector, while coping with their own personal demons, traumas, and wounds along the way. Familiar characters go through metamorphoses, while fresh faces also enter the fray, creating a dynamic, thought-provoking, and fascinating season full of twists, turns, and action you won’t want to miss.

Performance Worth Watching: In his debut episode on Jujutsu Kaisen, Zen’in Naoya immediately makes it clear that he is an absolute piece of crap. This guy is arrogant, narcissistic, crude, and extremely misogynistic, but he’s also the kind of villain you love to hate, and I couldn’t help but be entertained every time his disrespectful mug appeared onscreen.

Sex And Skin: None in this episode. Just some good ol’ fashioned violence.

Parting Shot: With Rika holding Yuji in place, Yuta apologizes as he runs his broken katana through Yuji’s gut.

Sleeper Star: While many viewers may know him as the protagonist of the 2021 film Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Yuta Okkotsu finally made his entrance to the anime at the end of Season 2. He’s back with a bang for Season 3, with upgraded skills and sharper edges, ready to take on a bigger role and perhaps even steal the show from the main protagonists altogether.

Most Pilot-y Line: It might be the exchange between Naoya and Yuji upon first meeting, where Naoya asks Yuji if he’ll try to escape, and when the latter responds with confusion, the bigoted bottle blonde says, “What, you don’t know? You’ve been sentenced to death.”

Our Call: Whether you’re a fan of Jujutsu Kaisen or you simply love beautifully animated, eye-catching visuals, from the first episode alone, Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 3 cements itself as engrossing, intense, and well worth your time. STREAM IT!

Maddy Casale is a Chicago-based writer and comedian who covers everything from animated series to Hallmark movies. Follow her on Duolingo @MCasale.