Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 is currently airing in Spring 2026, produced by MAPPA and streaming on Crunchyroll and Netflix. The season adapts two manga arcs: the short Itadori Extermination arc (chapters 137-143, immediately post-Shibuya) and the full Culling Game arc (chapters 144-212). For the complete series overview, characters, and arc chronology, see the Jujutsu Kaisen series guide.
Season 3 represents the structural midpoint of the anime: it follows Season 2's Shibuya catastrophe and precedes the Shinjuku Showdown final arc. The Culling Game is the most logistically complex arc of the series, deploying a large new character roster, multiple simultaneous battlegrounds, and a rule system that constrains every character's decision-making under threat of death.
1. What Season 3 Adapts | Culling Game Arc Overview
The Culling Game is a death-match ritual activated by Kenjaku, the centuries-old curse-user who had been occupying Suguru Geto's body since the events of the Hidden Inventory arc. At the conclusion of the Shibuya Incident, Kenjaku completes the preparations for the Culling Game by awakening a new wave of sorcerers across Japan, descendants of historical figures manipulated by Kenjaku generations earlier. These newly awakened players are conscripted into the game upon awakening.
The game's mechanics: Japan is divided into numbered Culling Game colonies, geographic barriers within which players must accumulate points by killing each other or adding new rules through the game's administrator. Players who enter a colony must participate or die. Outside interference from non-players is constrained by the game's barrier system.
The arc follows multiple simultaneous storylines as Yuji, Megumi, Yuta, and others enter different colonies to find specific players whose abilities are needed to counter Kenjaku's endgame. The operational objectives are specific, the character pairings are deliberately structured, and the arc functions as a series of contained confrontations within a larger strategic mission.
The arc's central strategic goal for the protagonists is to reach Tengen, the immortal jujutsu sorcerer whose barrier techniques encompass Japan, and use Tengen's knowledge to disrupt Kenjaku's plan. This objective drives the specific colony choices and partner assignments throughout the arc.
2. New Characters in Season 3 | Key Introductions
The Culling Game arc introduces more new characters than any prior JJK arc. The following are the most significant:
Hiromi Higuruma
A defense attorney who awakened as a sorcerer during the Culling Game. His innate technique, Judgeman, creates a Deadly Sentencing domain in which a judge-like shikigami prosecutes the target for their crimes. If found guilty, the punishment is applied literally. Higuruma is the most conceptually distinctive new character in the arc, and his introduction sequence is one of the most discussed in the manga's entire run. His arc with Yuji is central to the Tokyo Colony storyline.
Hajime Kashimo
A sorcerer from 400 years in the past who agreed to be resurrected in the future in exchange for eventually fighting Sukuna. Kashimo is framed as one of the most powerful sorcerers in history, a fighter whose entire existence is defined by the desire to face an equal opponent. His technique involves electrical manipulation and physical transformation. Kashimo is one of the arc's primary threat-level characters.
Kinji Hakari
A third-year student at Tokyo Jujutsu High who was suspended prior to the Shibuya Incident. Hakari's domain expansion, Idle Death Gamble, is built on a pachinko machine mechanic: if the jackpot lands, he receives infinite reversed cursed energy for a limited time, making him functionally unkillable during the window. Hakari is assigned to the Sendai Colony alongside Panda.
Yuta Okkotsu (expanded role)
The protagonist of Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Yuta returns in an expanded role during the Culling Game. As one of the four special grade sorcerers, his combat capabilities and the nature of his cursed technique, which allows him to copy other techniques through his bond with the spirit Rika, are more fully developed in this arc than in his prior appearances.
3. Season 3 Arc Structure | Colony Assignments and Key Story Beats
The Culling Game arc is divided by colony. Unlike earlier arcs, which followed a relatively linear narrative, Season 3 manages simultaneous storylines across geographic locations. The major threads:
| Colony | Primary Characters | Key Encounters |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo No. 1 | Yuji Itadori, Hiromi Higuruma | Higuruma's Judgeman domain, Yuji put on trial |
| Tokyo No. 2 | Megumi Fushiguro, Tsumiki | Sukuna's interest in Megumi escalates, critical plot turning point |
| Sendai | Kinji Hakari, Panda | Idle Death Gamble domain, Kashimo introduction |
| Sakurajima | Yuta Okkotsu | Yuta's expanded technique use, Rika's full capabilities shown |
| Outside colonies | Nobara status, Choso, Noritoshi Kamo | Kenjaku's movements, Tengen's location revealed |
The arc's structural climax involves the protagonists successfully contacting Tengen and obtaining a strategic path to counter Kenjaku. This sets up the direct confrontation of the Shinjuku Showdown final arc, where Sukuna, now operating in a new vessel after the Tokyo No. 2 Colony events, becomes the primary threat rather than Kenjaku.
4. Where to Watch JJK Season 3 | Streaming Platforms
CRUNCHYROLL
Primary streaming platform. Simulcast (subtitled) available same-day as Japanese broadcast. English dub produced and released in batches. Available worldwide in most regions.
NETFLIX
Available in select regions. Netflix typically receives episodes in batches rather than week-by-week simulcast. Check regional availability — not all markets have Season 3.
For viewers in the United States, Canada, UK, and Australia, Crunchyroll is the standard platform for week-to-week JJK Season 3 access. A Crunchyroll subscription (fan or mega fan tier) provides ad-free viewing and access to the full back catalogue including Seasons 1 and 2.
The English dub cast, established in Season 1, continues into Season 3. Adam McArthur voices Yuji Itadori, Matthew David Rudd voices Megumi Fushiguro, and Kayli Mills voices Nobara Kugisaki in the dubbed version.
5. After Season 3 | Shinjuku Showdown and the Final Arc Question
The manga's final arc, the Shinjuku Showdown (chapters 213-270), is the most anticipated and most divisive section of the series. It covers the ultimate confrontation between Gojo and Sukuna, the fate of the main cast, and the series' ending. MAPPA has not announced a Season 4 or confirmed it will complete the adaptation.
The commercial logic for completing the adaptation is strong: Jujutsu Kaisen remains one of the most globally watched anime properties in production, and leaving the Shinjuku arc unadapted would be a significant franchise value loss for both MAPPA and Shueisha. The studio has not commented publicly on its production timeline for the final arc.
For franchise context and the full arc chronology from Season 1 through the manga's conclusion, see the complete Jujutsu Kaisen series guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What arc is JJK Season 3?
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 adapts the Itadori Extermination arc (chapters 137-143) and the Culling Game arc (chapters 144-212). The Culling Game is the primary arc and the season's main focus.
Where can I watch Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3?
JJK Season 3 is streaming on Crunchyroll with simulcast subtitles and a dubbed version released in batches. Netflix carries the series in select regions. Crunchyroll is the primary platform in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
Who is Hiromi Higuruma in JJK?
Hiromi Higuruma is a defense attorney who awakens as a sorcerer during the Culling Game. His technique creates a courtroom domain where a judge shikigami prosecutes the target. He is one of the most distinctive new characters introduced in Season 3.
Will there be a JJK Season 4?
MAPPA has not confirmed a Season 4. Season 4 would need to adapt the Shinjuku Showdown arc (chapters 213-270), the series' final arc. The commercial case for completing the adaptation is strong, but no announcement has been made as of May 2026.
What chapter does JJK Season 3 start?
JJK Season 3 begins with chapter 137 (Itadori Extermination arc) before moving into the Culling Game at chapter 144. Season 2 ended at approximately chapter 136 following the Shibuya Incident conclusion.
This article will be updated as Season 3 continues airing. Last updated May 25, 2026. Reported by Jack Sterling, Entertainment Correspondent. For the full franchise guide, see the Jujutsu Kaisen complete series guide. For anime hub news, visit the Anime hub.