Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 – The Culling Game Arc

The world of Jujutsu Kaisen is about to step into its most explosive chapter yet as Season 3 officially adapts the Culling Game Arc—one of the manga’s longest, most intense, and most unpredictable storylines. After the emotional devastation of Season 2’s Shibuya Incident, the new season raises the stakes with brutal battles, evolving curses, political chaos, and deep revelations about the future of sorcerers.

With MAPPA returning as the animation studio and TOHO Animation handling distribution, Season 3 is shaping up to be the boldest, darkest, and most cinematic entry in the franchise so far.

Story Synopsis

The Arc That Rewires the Entire JJK Story

There’s a moment in every anime where the tone changes, the stakes shift, and you feel the weight of every decision the characters make.
In Jujutsu Kaisen, that moment is the Culling Game Arc.

The air feels different.
The story moves like it’s running downhill without brakes.
Every colony is a new battlefield.
Every rule feels like a trap.
Every character steps into a version of themselves they didn’t know existed.

If the Shibuya Incident broke the world, the Culling Game is where that world tries to rebuild itself—through violence, desperation, and a ritual designed by the most unhinged mastermind in the series.

Fans searching for clarity on the rules, the colonies, the players, the timeline, or how all of this connects to Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3—you’re in the right place.
Let’s bring order to the chaos.

What is the Culling Game Arc? 

The Culling Game is a massive sorcerer survival ritual created by Kenjaku, using Suguru Geto’s body. It forces sorcerers and newly awakened fighters into enclosed barriers called colonies, where they must battle for points, add new rules, or die trying.

It’s not a tournament.
It’s not a test.
It’s a ritual engineered to change Japan itself—spiritually, physically, and historically.

The arc spans chapters 159 to 221, making it one of the longest and most unpredictable sagas in the story. And since Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 adapts this arc, it’s the next big milestone for anime-only fans.

Why Kenjaku Created the Culling Game

To understand the Culling Game, you have to understand Kenjaku—the ancient sorcerer wearing Suguru Geto’s body like a stolen coat.
His motives aren’t chaotic; they’re chillingly calculated.

Kenjaku isn’t chasing power.
He’s chasing evolution.

Not for himself—for humanity.

He believes the world can only advance if people are pushed past their limits. In his eyes, cursed energy isn’t a curse; it’s untapped potential. And the Culling Game is the pressure cooker he needs to force evolution into reality.

This arc is the first time fans truly feel the weight of his centuries-long manipulations. Every awakened civilian, every rule, every barrier—it’s all been arranged by someone who thinks in centuries, not years.

The Culling Game Has Three Main Purposes

1. Force Sorcerer Evolution

Kenjaku wants to build a world where cursed energy flows constantly—like electricity in a power grid.
To do this, people need to awaken, break, and rebuild themselves in extreme combat.

The colonies are designed to trigger breakthroughs the way Shibuya triggered trauma.

2. Merge Japan With Master Tengen

This is his real objective.

Master Tengen, after failing to merge with a Star Plasma Vessel, started evolving toward something more… non-human. The Culling Game creates enough chaos and cursed energy to stabilize a merger between Tengen and the Japanese population.

In Kenjaku’s mind, this would create a new being—a “perfect” entity capable of reshaping the world.

3. Rewrite the Future of Jujutsu

Every arc before this—Hidden Inventory, Shibuya—feels like setup once you realize the scale of Kenjaku’s ambition.

He wants a world where:

• Sorcerers evolve
  
• Curses multiply
  
• Tengen merges
  
• And humanity becomes something new
  

The Culling Game isn’t a battle royale.
It’s the ignition switch for a new era.

When fans say the Culling Game “changes everything,” they’re not exaggerating. This arc is the turning point where every character’s fate gets rewritten.

All Culling Game Rules Explained

The rules of the Culling Game look complicated at first, almost like a legal contract written by someone who hates people.
But once you break them down, they follow a twisted internal logic—Kenjaku’s logic.

Below is the clearest, most human explanation you’ll find online.

The Core Idea Behind the Rules

Each rule exists to corner players into one of three choices:
fight, evolve, or die.

Kenjaku designed the system so nobody can escape, stall, or passively survive.
Even alliances come with risks.
The game pushes sorcerers emotionally, physically, and morally.

Culling Game: Full Rule Breakdown

Rule 1 : Participation Is Mandatory

Anyone whose cursed energy was forcibly awakened by Kenjaku must enter the game.
If they refuse? The barrier system triggers an immediate execution.

Voluntary sorcerers may also join, but awakened civilians have no choice.

This is why Yuji, Yuta, Megumi, Hakari, and others rush into the colonies—they can’t abandon the people trapped inside.

Rule 2 : Points & Scoring

Every kill gives points:

• 5 points for killing a sorcerer
  
• 1 point for killing a non-sorcerer
  

Points represent “value” based on combat strength—a brutally honest system.

Rule 3 : Add a New Rule Every 100 Points

A player who earns 100 points can add one new rule to the game.
This is the only way to change the system without Kenjaku interfering.

This rule becomes the backbone of the rescue strategy Yuji’s group builds.

Rule 4 :Leaving a Colony Requires Special Conditions

Players can’t freely walk out. Anyone who tries to escape without fulfilling all requirements is executed by an automatic “force.”

This is why characters are always searching for loopholes or using new rules to open doors.

Rule 5 :Time Limit to Score Points

If a player fails to score within a certain time window, they die.

This rule forces movement. No hiding. No waiting.

Culling Game Rules Table 

Rule	Simple Explanation
Participation	Awakened players must join or die
Scoring	5 points per sorcerer kill, 1 per civilian
Add Rules	100 points = 1 new rule added
Movement	Can’t leave a colony unless conditions allow it
Time Limit	Must score points or face execution

.

Why the Rules Matter So Much

These rules create emotional tension for every character:

• Yuji refuses to kill innocents
  
• Megumi battles his own moral compass
  
• Yuta takes on entire colonies to keep others alive
  
• Hakari abuses the rules with wild creativity
  
• Higuruma becomes the arc’s moral core
  
• Sukuna… sees the rules as toys
  

Every rule pulls someone into conflict. That’s what makes this arc unforgettable.

IMPORTANT CHARACTERS IN THE CULLING GAME

The Culling Game doesn’t just expand the world of Jujutsu Kaisen—it reshapes the characters.
Trauma, pressure, desperation, and sudden growth hit everyone differently.
Some rise.
Some fall.
Some reveal sides of themselves we never expected.

Here’s a deeply human, fan-aware look at every major character in the arc.

Yuji Itadori : The Boy Who Refuses to Break

Yuji enters the game carrying guilt from Shibuya like a weight tied to his ribs.
He doesn’t say it out loud, but every decision he makes—every sprint, every punch, every choice—comes from that wound.

The Culling Game forces him to face questions he’s avoided:
How do you save people in a system built on killing?

His battles aren’t just fists and cursed energy.
They’re moral collisions.
They show a boy trying to stay human inside a ritual designed to strip humanity away.

Megumi Fushiguro : The Quiet Storm Finally Breaks Open

Megumi might be the character the arc hits the hardest.
He enters the game calm, controlled, thinking ten steps ahead like always.
But the colonies crack something inside him.

Pressure.
Loss.
Responsibility he never asked for.

His choices feel heavier in this arc, and his path leads him into some of the darkest, most emotional moments in the entire story.

Yuta Okkotsu : The Monster Wrapped in Kindness

Yuta doesn’t “enter” a colony.
He descends into one like a force of nature.

The contrast between his soft voice and terrifying strength is one of the best emotional beats in the arc.
He’s the protector who’s willing to become a weapon the moment he needs to.

His battles are loud.
His heart is quiet.
And his impact echoes across the game.

Kinji Hakari : The Wild Card With a Heartbeat Rhythm

Hakari fights like someone who trusts the universe.
His domain is gambling, but his confidence is almost spiritual—like he believes luck bends around him.

He brings energy this arc desperately needs:
chaotic, funny, unpredictable, strangely inspiring.

His fight becomes one of the most rewatchable sequences once animated.

Hiromi Higuruma : The Unexpected Star of the Arc

No character surprises fans more than Higuruma.

A lawyer with a sense of justice sharp enough to cut glass, he steps into the Culling Game with no fear and a cursed technique that feels like a courtroom drama turned into nightmare theatre.

He becomes the emotional backbone of the opening colonies.

Fumihiko Takaba : Comedy Turned Cosmic

Everyone thought Takaba was comic relief.
Then he revealed a power that bends reality like it’s made of rubber.

He’s not just funny.
He’s dangerous in a way nobody sees coming.

Kenjaku : The Puppet Master Watching It All

Every colony is a chessboard.
Every player is a piece.
And Kenjaku watches with centuries of patience packed into one stolen body.

He’s the calm in the chaos—and the cause of it.

Sukuna : The Shadow Behind the Curtain

Even when he doesn’t fight, his presence hangs over the arc.
When he does make a move, the arc shifts direction instantly.
Fear becomes a character in the story the moment he acts.

ALL CULLING GAME COLONIES EXPLAINED

Each one feels like its own little universe—different rules, different personalities, different dangers.
What they all share is tension. The kind that settles in your chest and doesn’t leave until the arc does.

Below is the cleanest, most reader-friendly breakdown you’ll find.

Tokyo Colony 1 : Chaos From the First Step

Yuji and Megumi enter Tokyo Colony 1 together, and the moment they cross the barrier, the story hits a nerve.

This colony is unpredictable.
Players attack without warning.
Motives shift mid-fight.
The air feels hostile, almost unreasonable—like the game itself wants them to break.

Tokyo 1 sets the tone of the arc:
the Culling Game isn’t a tournament. It’s a distortion of survival.

Higuruma’s presence in this colony adds emotional weight.
His story becomes one of the best character-driven threads in early Culling Game chapters.

Tokyo Colony 2 : Strategy Over Instinct

Where Tokyo Colony 1 feels chaotic, Tokyo Colony 2 feels… tense in a slower way.
This is where characters start thinking more strategically about rules, alliances, and outcomes.

You see the emotional fractures forming.
Lines being drawn.
Plans shifting depending on who gets cornered.

It’s a quieter colony compared to others, but one that builds critical momentum for the arc’s next phases.

Sendai Colony : The Battlefield of Monsters

Sendai Colony is Yuta’s territory, and it feels like a different anime entirely.

This colony is brutal.
It’s filled with veteran sorcerers and horrifying creatures.
Everyone fights like they’ve already accepted death and are just trying to take someone with them.

Yuta’s battles here are some of the most explosive moments in the entire Culling Game.
His power, his resolve, his quiet intensity—all of it comes across even more viscerally in this colony.

Sendai is where the Culling Game shows its teeth.

Sakurajima Colony : Lore, Trauma, and Raw Power

If Sendai is the most brutal colony, Sakurajima is the most soul-shaking.

This colony carries:

• deep lore
  
• emotional revelations
  
• elite-level battles
  
• character transformations
  
• moments that redefine the arc’s direction
  

The fights here are unforgettable, not because of spectacle, but because of what they mean for the people fighting them.

Sakurajima is where hearts break and evolve at the same time.

Other Colonies : The Broader Ritual

Not every colony receives the same spotlight, but they all serve the ritual.
Each adds layers to the world:

• awakened civilians
  
• roaming sorcerers
  
• broken moralities
  
• shifting alliances
  

These colonies make the world feel immense—like the Culling Game isn’t happening in one place, but everywhere at once.

🎬 Previous Seasons Recap

Season 1

Season 1 introduces the fundamentals of the Jujutsu world: cursed energy, the concept of Jujutsu Sorcerers, and the major protagonist Yuji Itadori. His ingestion of a finger of the King of Curses, Ryōmen Sukuna, sets him on the path of becoming a Jujutsu Sorcerer. Key arcs include major introductions and the groundwork for the greater conflict.

Season 2

Season 2 splits into two major parts: the “Hidden Inventory / Premature Death” arc (a prequel focusing on Gojo & Geto’s younger years), and the “Shibuya Incident Arc” which marks major turning points — the sealing of Gojo, devastation in Shibuya, dramatic character developments, and the setting for the Culling Game. Season 2 intensifies the stakes and paves the way for Season 3.

Jujutsu Kaisen – Season-Wise Overview

🔥 What to Expect in Season 3:

Season 3 picks up where Season 2 left off: the Jujutsu world is in upheaval after the Shibuya Incident, the sealing of Gojo, and the rise of new existential threats. The core storyline revolves around the deadly “Culling Game”: a forced tournament across Japanese colonies orchestrated by the ancient sorcerer Kenjaku (possessing Geto’s body). Participants include sorcerers, cursed users, and ancient players from past eras. They collect “points” by defeating others, add rules to the game, and fight for survival and evolution.

Key themes:

• Survival under brutal rules
• Evolution of cursed energy and Jujutsu norms
• Character growth, moral ambiguity, allies vs enemies
• Re-emergence of Special-Grade sorcerer Yuta Okkotsu and clash with Yuji.
  

🎥 The Upcoming Movie: Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution

Before Season 3 airs, fans worldwide will get a cinematic preview.

Title: Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution
(Japanese: “Shibuya Incident Special Edition × The Culling Game Begins”)

Japan Release: November 7, 2025
UK & Ireland: November 14
North America: December 5

What the Movie Includes

• A refined recap of the Shibuya Incident
• The first two full episodes of Season 3
• New animation sequences
• Special scenes tying Season 2 to Season 3

This movie acts as a bridge and hype-builder before the 2026 anime premiere.

🧙‍♂️ Key Characters and Voice Cast

Main Returning Characters:

• Yuji Itadori (Voiced by: Junya Enoki / English: Adam McArthur)
• Megumi Fushiguro (Voiced by: Yuma Uchida / English: Robbie Daymond)
• Yuta Okkotsu (Voiced by: Megumi Ogata / English: Kayleigh McKee)
• Kinji Hakari (Voiced by: Yuichiro Umehara)
• Maki Zenin (Voiced by: Mikako Komatsu)
• Panda (Voiced by: Tomokazu Seki)
• Kenjaku (Suguru Geto) (Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai)

👥 New & Featured Characters in Season 3

Here are some of the major new characters expected to play key roles in Season 3:

Character	Description / Role
Hajime Kashimo	An ancient sorcerer from ~400 years ago, reincarnated into the modern day to enter the Culling Game. Lightning-based cursed energy, obsessed with fighting Sukuna.
Kinji Hakari	Third-year suspended from Jujutsu High, runs a fight club. Unique domain & cursed techniques based on pachinko and jackpot mechanics. Major ally/foil to Yuji & others.
Hiromi Higuruma	Former defense attorney turned sorcerer, Domain Expansion “Deadly Sentencing” (courtroom theme). Plays pivotal role in the Culling Game.
Fumihiko Takaba	Comedian-turned-sorcerer, oddball personality with serious potential. New player in the Game.
Reggie Star	Strategic, manipulative new player in the Culling Game, uses intelligence & unexpected cursed technique.
Naoya Zen’in	A returning familiar name – gets stronger, plays major adversarial role against Maki Zenin.
Yorozu	Ancient sorcerer reincarnated in Tsumiki Fushiguro’s body, brings weird & formidable cursed technique.
Yuta Okkotsu	Returning Special Grade sorcerer (from the Jujutsu Kaisen 0 prequel), now a central figure in Season 3’s plot.

These characters amplify the story’s scale — both by expanding the roster and deepening the lore of the Jujutsu world.

🎨 Animation & Visual Direction – MAPPA’s Continued Mastery

MAPPA, known for its incredible animation in Chainsaw Man, Attack on Titan: The Final Season, and Hell’s Paradise, continues to spearhead the JJK franchise.

With Shōta Goshozono’s directorial style in Season 2 earning universal praise for fluid fight scenes, emotional pacing, and cinematic camera movement, fans are eager to see if he will return for Season 3.

Expect:

• Dynamic fight choreography emphasizing domain expansions
• Hand-drawn sequences fused with 3D camera rotations
• Realistic facial animation for psychological intensity
• A darker color palette reflecting post-Shibuya chaos

🎵 Soundtrack and Audio Design

Music in Jujutsu Kaisen has always been an essential storytelling element. The trio of Hiroaki Tsutsumi, Yoshimasa Terui, and Arisa Okehazama will likely return to compose Season 3’s soundtrack. Their previous scores, including “Remember,” “Shadow Corridor,” and “Kaiun”, combined eerie ambience with orchestral intensity.

Fans can expect:

• Heavy percussion and haunting vocals during curse battles.
• Melancholic piano and string tracks underscoring emotional moments.
• Experimental digital tones for the surreal Culling Game setting.

📺 Streaming Availability and Regional Platforms

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 will air first on MBS and TBS in Japan.
Internationally, it will stream on:

• Crunchyroll (primary licensed distributor)
• Netflix (selected regions including Japan, Philippines, and India)
• Hulu (North America)
• Funimation (legacy catalog access in some regions)

Episodes will likely feature simulcast with English subtitles, followed by an English dub release within weeks of premiere, similar to Season 2.

📖 Source Material & Manga Progression

Season 3 will adapt Volumes 18–21 of the Jujutsu Kaisen manga, covering the Culling Game Arc (Chapters 159–221 approximately).
The manga, written and illustrated by Gege Akutami, has surpassed 90 million copies in circulation, solidifying its place among the top-selling modern shōnen manga globally.

The adaptation is expected to remain faithful to the source material, including key plotlines and battles with cinematic pacing and detailed choreography.

🌟 Fan Expectations and Theories

Fans are particularly eager to see:

• Yuta Okkotsu’s return to the main storyline after Jujutsu Kaisen 0.
• The mystery of Tengen and Kenjaku’s plan for humanity’s evolution.
• Gojo Satoru’s fate after the Prison Realm sealing.
• New cursed techniques and alliances among sorcerers.

Online discussions and community speculation suggest that Season 3 will deliver the most explosive fights and complex storytelling yet, balancing intense action with existential questions about power, identity, and purpose.

FAQs About Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3

1. When is Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 coming out?

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 is expected to release between late 2024 and mid-2025. MAPPA has not confirmed a premiere date yet, but production timelines suggest this window. When the studio finalizes the schedule, Episode 1’s release date will be announced through official channels.

2. What arc does Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 cover?

Season 3 adapts the Culling Game Arc, one of the manga’s largest storylines. It brings Yuji, Megumi, Yuta, Maki, Hakari, and many new fighters into a deadly ritual created by Kenjaku. Multiple colonies, complex rules, and high-stakes battles shape the arc.

3. Where can I watch JJK Season 3 online in HD?

You’ll be able to watch Season 3 on Crunchyroll, Hulu (USA), and region-specific Netflix catalogs. Crunchyroll typically provides the fastest HD and 4K simulcast. Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV may offer paid digital episodes after they air.

4. Will JJK Season 3 have an English dub?

Yes. Crunchyroll will release an English dub a few weeks after the subbed episodes. The main English voice cast is expected to return. Dub episodes usually drop weekly following the sub schedule.

5. How many episodes will JJK Season 3 have?

The episode count is unconfirmed, but the Culling Game Arc is long. A 20–24-episode season is the most realistic estimate based on previous seasons.

6. Is Season 3 the final season of Jujutsu Kaisen?

No. The story continues beyond the Culling Game Arc. The manga has a separate final arc, meaning at least one more season is expected after Season 3.

7. Do I need to watch Season 2 before Season 3?

Yes. Season 3 continues directly from the Shibuya Incident with no recap or time skip. Understanding Gojo’s sealing, the state of the jujutsu world, and the characters’ emotional aftermath is essential.

8. Which characters return in Season 3?

Yuji, Megumi, Maki, Panda, Yuta, Hakari, and many others return. New fighters such as Kashimo and Takaba also join the story. The Culling Game introduces numerous powerful opponents connected to Kenjaku’s plan.

🧭 Final Thoughts

–Season 3 of Jujutsu Kaisen adapts the Culling Game Arc, with major new characters and a dramatic shift in stakes.

–A new movie, Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution, drops Nov 2025 to recap Season 2 and preview Season 3.

–Season 3 is slated for January 8, 2026 produced by MAPPA, and promises high-intensity battles and deeper lore.

–New characters like Kashimo, Hakari, Higuruma, Takaba and more will shake up the story.

–Streaming on Crunchyroll (and regionally on Netflix/Hulu/Funimation) once Season 3 begins. But you can watch it for free on our website.