Anime Review: Jujutsu Kaisen: The Culling Game Part 1

Very Average Joe
3 days ago
3 min read

English Title: Jujutsu Kaisen: The Culling Game Part 1

Japanese Title: 呪術廻戦「死滅回游前編」

Director(s): Goshozono Shota & others

Screenwriter(s): Seko Hiroshi

Studio: MAPPA

Released: 2026

Season 3 Runtime: 12 episodes, ~24m each.

Starring: Enoki Junya, Uchida Yuuma, Suwabe Junichi, Ogata Megumi, Komatsu Mikako

This brief review assumes one has seen season 1, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 and season 2 as Jujutsu Kaisen: The Culling Game Part 1 continues directly from the fallout of season 2 when Itadori Yuji and others have been sentenced to death for their (presumed) role in the Shibuya Incident.

For Itadori, that issue is dealt with quickly enough. Gojo has been imprisoned and some of the remaining and able sorcerers now have to deal with the next problem set up by Kenjaku/Geto: the Culling Game.

People have their powers awakened and around Japan are “colonies”, regions sealed off by a barrier, in which the game takes place. As the name of the game states, points are earned by killing others. There are initially 8 rules with the potential to use points to add more rules.

Generally, the strengths and weaknesses of the previous seasons more-or-less remain the same.

The overall pacing across the series remains fast. The Shibuya Incident is over and now we move on. The pacing within this season is also quick. The sorcerers know they have a problem, they identify what they lack and address it; for example, they consult with or recruit those they need and, as expected, they have to fight their way through. Just when an episode seems to slow down, there is progression.

They then split up and enter the colonies and get into more fights. The plot can come across as a little episodic as it tracks the main characters separately, but the quick pacing and action mitigate it somewhat. The plot does not unnecessarily dwell on or drag out some mystery or minor issue; it gets resolved and we move on.

The unique techniques of each sorcerer or curse-user continue to come across as gimmicky because they are unique. In this regard, the overall feel of the show is unfocused but, by now, this is partially mitigated by the fact that the main characters are well-established.

In the previous seasons, there is sometimes a lack of explanation of the techniques. This, of course, avoids clumsy “telling” by dialogue and/or voiceover narration. This season tries to address this issue but then relies too much on clumsy voiceover narration and/or on-screen text.

Visually, it is obvious there are budgetary constraints as the quality of the rendering is noticeably lacking. The motion (animation) is mostly fine, but the detailing and graduations are too simplistic. It tries to hide that under the dark, gritty and messy styling, which doesn’t really work. It is obvious the effort went into the set pieces in the latter half of the season, particularly the last few episodes. In these scenes, the quality is generally excellent.

Having said that, the first half of the season is deliberately surreal with its longer-held shots and moments of quiet or silence. It conveys the eeriness of the current problem that is very different and potentially worse than the Shibuya Incident, precisely because the stage is set but, unlike the Shibuya Incident, there is no mass fighting or deaths yet. And, of no less importance, the intent of the game is not entirely clear. On a related note, there is at least one scene in which the score uses broken time drumming to convey that sense of surrealism.

This third season is, as the title states, merely the first part of the Culling Game and is therefore incomplete. It follows the main characters separately as they have split up. In this way, it can feel unfocused but is somewhat mitigated by the quick pacing. And yes, we finally see a well-trained Okkotsu Yuta in action.