The following contains spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3, Episode 1, which is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
Jujutsu Kaisen launches us right back into Season 2’s chaos and its aftermath with Season 3, Episode 1. The second episode, “One More Time,” pulls even fewer punches, delivering emotional moments that still have me sniffling. Given the note Episode 1 ended on, it’s a good thing there was a second episode to follow right away. It would have been utterly cruel to leave fans hanging like that.
With Choso urging Yuji to run when Yuta came calling for Itadori’s execution, we follow baby brother straight to his death. Leaving us on read at the end of Episode 1, we watch Yuta stab his broken sword into Yuji while Rika holds him in place. Blood pools on the ground. Yuta’s heartfelt apology is the last thing we hear. For those who haven’t read the JJK manga, it’s a huge what is even happening moment. Fortunately, Episode 2 wastes no time making things clear.
Choso vs. Naoya Is Already Jujutsu Kaisen S3’s Best Fight
No one is denying that we were all fawning over Choso before, but Season 3 pours gasoline onto an already raging fire. As he and Naoya go head-to-head shortly after the opening theme, we see first hand what a powerhouse Zenin is. Choso can’t even keep up with his monstrously fast attacks, which means he can’t use his blood manipulation technique. At least not yet.
The fact that he’s still standing after Naoya’s beating confuses the yuckiest sorcerer in all of Jujutsu land. A human couldn’t withstand the brutality of his attacks, but Choso keeps getting back up. Asking him what he is prompts the most heartfelt admission from Choso. He’s an older brother. And he’s so proud that he’s been given this sacred duty. As their conversation continues, and Naoya admits to hating his own older brothers, it’s enough provoke a lecture from Choso (and give him time to prepare his attack.)
Being a big brother is a huge responsibility and honor. It’s his job to make a path for his brothers to follow, to make mistakes in life so they don’t have to. It’s enough to make Naoya scoff, even saying he feels grossed out by Choso’s suggestion that his big brothers taught him anything. That’s all Choso needs to unleash the fury. Nobody disses big brothers. Nobody!
Death Womb Paintings Blood Manipulation Is Supreme
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Choso’s tidal wave of blood chases Naoya down a hallway, the sorcerer’s mind still trying to grapple with his enemy’s nature. He’s definitely not human, to have lost so much blood only to become even more powerful. As the blood soaks and stiffens his clothes, we get an explanation about the Death Womb Paintings’ ability to turn cursed energy into blood. So long as they still have cursed energy, they can’t die from blood loss. This is an important tidbit of information that will be important later, so note!
We also hear direct from Naoyo how his time-based technique works. It traces movements ahead of time by 24fps, which means he should be able to predict Choso’s movements and get out of the way of his next attack. WRONG! Choso levels him his original technique, developed and perfected over 150 years, Supernova. Gathering beads of compressed blood, he releases them like and they scatter like buckshot from a powerful rifle.
Not so confident now, are we, Naoya? As he lays gasping in agony in the pool of blood, Yuta intervenes. He knocks Choso out and drags Yuji’s dead body onto the scene to display. He asks Naoya to inform the higher-ups that Yuji Itadori’s execution has been carried out, then uses Reverse Cursed Technique to heal the Zenin sorcerer.
Jujutsu Kaisen Gets Emotional as Yuji Remembers His Father
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Since the very beginning of Jujutsu Kaisen, anime fans know that the only family Yuji has is his grandpa. Before Grandpa dies in JJK Season 1, Episode 1, he tries to talk to Yuji about his father, but he doesn’t want to hear it. He doesn’t need to, or so he says, but it’s more important now than ever that he come to understand his true origins.
We see baby Yuji in his crib, then blinking eyes focus in on a pink-haired man with glasses looking fondly down at the baby. Grandpa is lecturing his son, Jin, about staying away from that woman. She’s dangerous. She’s going to kill him. And he knows how badly Jin wanted to have a baby, but Kaori’s dead and they never could, so…
Jin scolds Grandpa, telling him not to say such mean things in front of Yuji. Babies remember things, and this isn’t the kind of thing he wants his son to remember one day. Sadly, he needs to, and in this brief encounter with death, it comes back to him. He glimpses an image of his “mother” appearing in the room, asking what’s going on. Stitches carve across her forehead exactly like they do Suguru Geto’s. Kenjaku is Yuji’s mother.
Megumi and Yuji Reunited and It Feels So Sad
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When Yuji comes back to his sense, Yuta is relieved. He explains the situation, and that Gojo Sensei asked him months earlier if he would look after the students if anything happens to him. We get to see a cute scene with Gojo and Yuta walking through the African streets together before returning to the reason Yuta had to kill Yuji.
We get a real clear picture of Yuji’s emotional state in these first two episodes of Season 3. Jujutsu Kaisen has always given us a happy-go-lucky Itadori, a kid who has no trouble finding the bright light in even the darkest situations. But Shibuya changes him. He’s clearly given up, resolving to isolate himself from everyone else to avoid causing any further harm.
When Megumi enters the place where Yuta was keeping Yuji, their reunion only further draws attention to what a dark time they’re in. Fushiguro is desperate for Yuji to help him find and save his sister. But Yuji is certain that Sukuna is planning something terrible that involves his friend. The plea Megumi issues for Yuji’s help here is enough to make a person tear up a little. Yuji made his choice when he ate Sukuna’s finger and joined Jujutsu society. He can’t give up now.
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 Gives Us An Even Darker Megumi
Megumi Fushiguro
Megumi Fushiguro has been broody since Day 1. It’s part of his charm as a character, and it balances Itadori’s over-the-top puppy dog personality beautifully. As Megumi appeals to Yuji not to give up, to save him, he says something I’m not sure Yuji ever realized. “We are not heroes. We’re Jujutsu Sorcerers.”
It’s easy to confuse the two roles, but after sitting down and looking at how Jujutsu Society functions, it quickly becomes clear that they’ve trained sorcerers to do a job. Not to be heroes. It feels so messed up when you look at it that way, and it brings me back to Geto’s loss of purpose when he realizes for the first time they’re just tools. Getting to the top of Jujutsu Society means climbing a mountain of his friends’ corpses.
Crap! Was Geto right? Don’t join the cult, Jenny. Think of the monkeys. The cute little innocent monkeys… Anyway, I digress. But, with all that in mind, it does draw some clear parallels between Geto and Fushiguro that only become more heartbreaking as the series progresses. Let’s all hold onto these candles to make sure the entire tunnel doesn’t go dark.
And We’re Off to Meet Jujutsu Kaisen’s Master Tengen
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Master Tengen has been a silent entity upholding the jujutsu world from the start. In Hidden Inventory/Premature Death, we follow a failed mission to bring this alien entity a new body to inhabit so he doesn’t go off the rails. As Megumi, Yuta and Yuji join Choso, Maki and Yuki Tsukumo, the group realizes they have to go back to Jujutsu High School and ask Tengen how to open the Prison Realm and free Gojo. Choso also wants to get the rest of his brothers, which will help them find the path to Tengen’s secret lair.
Yuki hasn’t been a major player as one of the four Special Grade Sorcerers, but that’s about to change. As a former Star Plasma Vessel who refused to undertake the ritual, there is some tension between her and Tengen going into this that could be problematic. One of the best parts of the last leg of this episode is everyone asking who Choso is. When Yuji says he’s his older brother, Choso nearly loses his mind with excitement. He’s a big brother again, officially! There’s a lot that he can teach Yuji, and I can’t wait to see how that comes together in future episodes.
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3, Episode 2 On a Scale of 1 to 10
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Unless things take a wacky turn between now and the end of the season, I’m predicting a lot of 9s and 10s with Jujutsu Kaisen The Culling Game, Part 1. These first two episodes have been stunning, with impactful and colorful battles, character development, and stellar animation. I can’t wait to see new characters as they join the cast, and I am excited to see how far Season 3, Cour 1 takes us through this arc.
Between Choso and Naoya’s outstanding fight and Megumi’s desperate appeal to Yuji, this episode gets a 10/10 from me. Not a single note, so, maybe I’m a little bit biased by my fangirling. Nah, it’s really that good! Go watch!
