The lives of the people Yuta Okkotsu cherished are at stake.
Okkotsu stands blinded to the faces of the jujutsu higher-ups, who speak to him behind the cover of a thin paper wall. He accepts, “I will kill Yuji Itadori.”
I was hooked.
The season three finale of “Jujutsu Kaisen” marks the start of the momentous “Culling Game” arc, delivering the most exhilarating and fluid fight scenes yet.
Using a medium that has existed for nearly a hundred years, Studio MAPPA continues to show that anime still has the potential to improve. With fluid and visually distinct fight scenes throughout the season, the show is enjoying critical acclaim for its improvement in style and direction from previous seasons.
The greatest feat of the show is the epic introduction of Hiromi Higuruma. In a display of mastery over color, composition and pacing, our defense attorney is introduced as a man broken by the flawed legal system of Japan.
Initially, he believes in the totality of the justice he delivers through his cursed technique, Deadly Sentencing, until being disillusioned through a false confession by Yuji Itadori proving even the supernatural power of Cursed Energy couldn’t grasp justice. This arc is not just visually pleasing, it also provides a valid commentary on the corruption of the Japanese legal system and how it burdens even the purest of hearts.
Despite the show’s merits, the complexity and scope of the “Culling Game” is a notable flaw. Through introducing a new set of rules, expanding an already large cast and including simultaneous battles occurring across Japan, I felt overwhelmed at times and needed to take pauses to understand what was going on.
While the season offers especially strong moments particularly through Yuji, Megumi and Principal Yaga, it struggles as a “Part 1” of the “Culling Game,” lacking any sort of resolution. Instead, it commits to conflict escalation and setup. However, this is the fault of the manga as the sole reference for the contents of the show.
Overall, season three functions as a strong setup for “Part 2” of the “Culling Game” while mirroring the emotional and intense heights reached during the Shibuya Incident arc. While its complexity may leave viewers frustrated, it is also a point of interest as it provides additional content for viewers to research and enjoy during the wait for season four.
