Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the most popular, best anime series in recent memory. It is certainly the next shonen to take the mantle of best around from the likes of Demon Slayer and My Hero Academia. While Season 2 was exceptional and a large improvement over the first season, the best is yet to come with Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3’s adaptation of the Culling Game Arc.
The longest story arc of the entire series is almost here. There are a couple of shorter arcs that will need to be taken care of first in Season 3, but the star of the show will be the arrival of the Culling Game Arc. I won’t spoil too much here, but there are some light spoilers ahead. As the name implies, this is pretty much a jujutsu sorcerer battle royale. If you liked Dragon Ball Super’s Tournament of Power, this is for you.
It mixes together some of my favorite themes together at once. You get the usual extraordinary action and art this series is known for. In addition, though, you get a healthy dose of death games, which is my favorite category of media in general. That is, of course, if fans can get through the rough parts of the initial few episodes.
The highs of Season 2 are going to lead to some new lows at the start of the new season. The couple of shorter arcs following the aftermath of the Shibuya Incident are forgettable at best. This is mainly since they are there to set up the final portion of this beloved series. But if you are able to get past these weaker episodes, Season 3 will likely be the best season yet.
Some of the series’ best fights ever happen during the Culling Game Arc. Some of the fan-favorite characters go up against each other in shocking ways. I actually appreciate the structure of the arc, too, dividing up the main cast in different locations. This allows the death game to feel better focused than it otherwise would.
Sure, this does mean, though, that you will likely go without seeing some characters. This was particularly noticeable in the manga, as it dragged on a bit longer than it should have. This is why the Vs. Mahito Arc is still my personal favorite in the series since it accomplished so much in such a short time. That said, I think the Culling Game Arc will work much better in anime form. The pacing should be much stronger and faster than in the original manga’s release. It helps, too, that the consistent weekly release schedule will keep fans interested.
The one element that might hold back Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 is MAPPA. Season 2 had some exceptional animation, but the studio also showed some visual flaws towards the end. I am concerned about the workload for the animators and the stress that is on them. If Season 3 comes out in 2025, which I expect it to, this is a pretty fast turnaround. I am a bit worried if the animation quality will get the attention the Culling Game Arc deserves.
That said, if Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 does find a way to balance a healthy work schedule with quality, this will easily be the best season yet. Without spoiling too much, I even think it will be better than the inevitable final arc of the series that comes after. There is so much that happens during this arc that will shake the core of the anime community. Even with the likes of My Hero Academia’s final season and the Demon Slayer final movie trilogy ahead in 2025, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 could still stand toe-to-toe with them and be the best season of the series, if done right.
Jujutsu Kaisen is streaming currently on Crunchyroll.
Published: Jan 4, 2025 03:00 pm