Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3: Culling Game Arc Announced for Jan 2026

MAPPA returns with the high-stakes Culling Game, while the Shibuya Incident gets a special theatrical edition worldwide.

The wait is finally over, sorcerers! Jujutsu Kaisen fans can officially mark their calendars — the Culling Game Arc will begin airing as Season 3 Part 1 in January 2026. A brand-new trailer has dropped, teasing the chaos to come as Yuji, Megumi, and the others step into the deadly game where survival is anything but guaranteed.

And that’s not all. Before the anime hits TV and streaming, the Shibuya Incident arc is returning to theaters in a newly edited special edition crossover project with The Culling Game Begins.

What the Trailer Teases

The latest Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 trailer doesn’t just mark the shift from the chaos of Shibuya to the brutal stage of the Culling Game — it also gives fans what they’ve been waiting for: a glimpse of Yuta Okkotsu stepping back into the story. His return has been teased since the buildup to Season 3, and this first look raises expectations for the battles ahead.

Alongside Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro preparing for the twisted rules of the deadly game, MAPPA flexes its signature animation style with sharp, fluid, and brutal visuals that hint at just how unrelenting this arc will be.

The Big Announcements

Season 3 Premiere:
JUJUTSU KAISEN: Culling Game Part 1 begins airing January 2026, with MAPPA once again on animation duty. Expect bone-crunching fights, brutal twists, and nonstop tension as the series adapts one of its most chaotic arcs.
Theatrical Release (Japan):
JUJUTSU KAISEN: Execution — Shibuya Incident × The Culling Game Begins will release in Japanese theaters on November 7, 2025. Fans will get to relive the Shibuya Incident in a newly edited format, capped with an exclusive global premiere of Season 3 Episodes 1 & 2 before their official release.
Theatrical Release (North America):
The same special edition movie hits North America on December 5, 2025 — with more international release details promised soon. Yes, the hype is global.

JJK Phantom Parade Game Announces New Cursed Prison Island Arc

The Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade mobile game has revealed its upcoming storyline — the Cursed Prison Island arc. What makes this announcement exciting is that the anime series’ own composer, Hiroshi Seko, is in charge of shaping the scenario for this original game-exclusive chapter. Along with the reveal, a teaser trailer was dropped, giving fans a first look at what’s ahead. More updates — including an opening video produced by MAPPA — are scheduled to be unveiled on September 23.

My Perspective

As someone who read the manga week to week, the Culling Game is where JJK truly tests its characters. It’s not just about cursed energy battles anymore — it’s about strategy, alliances, betrayal, and survival in a constantly shifting battleground.

The fact that MAPPA is giving fans a theatrical preview of the first two episodes before the TV broadcast shows how confident they are in this adaptation. And honestly? I’m here for it. Seeing those big fights play out on the big screen is going to be pure adrenaline.

Plus, the re-edited Shibuya Incident is a great way to refresh memories and hook newer fans before plunging straight into the madness of the Culling Game.