How Many More Seasons Does Jujutsu Kaisen Need?

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Summary

  • Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 faces the challenge of raising the bar after the Shibuya Incident.
  • The anime’s historically efficient pacing may lead to Season 3 covering the entire Culling Game arc.
  • This begs the question of how Shinjuku Showdown, the final arc, will be adapted into the anime, and how long it will be.
Title Jujutsu Kaisen: The Culling Game
Director Shota Goshozono
Studio MAPPA

Warning: This contains spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, now streaming on Crunchyroll.

The story arc of Shibuya Incident in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 was a massive hit in shonen anime, setting a high standard for Season 3 to exceed. But with only four arcs left – Itadori’s Extermination, Perfect Preparation, Culling Game, and Shinjuku Showdown – the question remains: how many more seasons will it take to finish the series?

Gege Akutami’s popular manga series has concluded, and it consists of 11 distinct story arcs. As of now, seven of these arcs have been turned into 47 episodes and one prequel movie, encompassing approximately 141 chapters. This leaves about 134 chapters unadapted, which is roughly the same number that has already been adapted. Given this, it seems likely that there will be at least two more seasons. However, readers of the manga are aware that the pace of the story is expected to change significantly from hereon.

Jujutsu Kaisen Is Not The Same Anymore

Following the Shibuya Incident, Jujutsu Kaisen transforms into something entirely new, bearing both positive and negative consequences. The revelation of cursed spirits to the general public changes the landscape of the story, and the underlying power dynamics that once supported it are gradually dismantled. Amidst this chaos, our protagonists struggle with scarce resources to rescue Gojo and thwart Kenjaku, while he manipulates the rules, turning their impending battle into a game.

This narrative isn’t shy about transformation, not even when it comes to eliminating characters as it delves further into a prolonged conflict where the stakes escalate with each chapter. On the upside, this leads to frequent, extensive, and strategically planned battles that challenge every rule we’ve learned so far, while also introducing new ones. However, the downside is that some characters’ arcs come to an end prematurely, and an already complex power system becomes increasingly difficult to manage as the action becomes more intense.

In simpler terms, we can say that the impressive aspects of Jujutsu Kaisen are more noticeable, while its known weaknesses become more pronounced. Despite this, they’re both a result of the rapid progression in the manga following the Shibuya Incident. As for the anime, there’s been discussion about where Season 3 might end compared to the manga, but it’s possible that Season 3 could cover almost all, if not all, of the Culling Game arc.

The Anime’s Penchant for Efficient Pacing

In my observation, the pace of “Jujutsu Kaisen” anime adaptations has been brisk, with each arc typically covered in approximately one-third the number of episodes as there are chapters. This speed notably picked up in Season 2. For instance, the Hidden Inventory/Premature Death arc, which consists of 15 chapters, is being adapted into just 5 episodes. Similarly, the Shibuya Incident, with its massive 58 chapters, is being stretched into a total of 18 episodes. Considering this trend, it’s challenging to envision the two arcs leading up to the Culling Game taking more than possibly 6 episodes each.

From my perspective as a die-hard fan, Itadori’s Extermination arc might as well be considered a brief interlude rather than a full-fledged arc. If adapted correctly, it could potentially fit seamlessly into a single episode, with the first chapter concluding in the latter part of Season 2’s finale.

On the other hand, the Perfect Preparation arc is brimming with details to unfold, not to mention Maki’s intricate confrontation with the Zenin clan. However, the core of this arc could also be compacted into a single, thrilling episode, making room for a more expansive treatment of the Culling Game. This estimation puts the Culling Game at approximately 20-21 episodes, given it spans across 63 chapters.

How To Adapt Shinjuku Showdown

Remaining is one final, and most impressive, arc; however, this doesn’t mean it will be the longest. After reading all content beyond Season 2’s conclusion, I found it challenging to envision the Shinjuku Showdown arc being transformed into a television season without compressing events. With approximately 50 chapters, a significant portion of it revolves around a single, continuously changing, and action-packed battle sequence that – in animation – could be depicted more swiftly without sacrificing its impact or intensity.

If the “Jujutsu Kaisen” anime manages to effectively cover the Culling Game arc in Season 3, it’s possible that the Shinjuku Showdown might not require a whole season on its own. A shorter season of around 12 episodes or even fewer, like 8-10 episodes, could work well. However, given the popularity and scale of this shōnen series, a cinematic conclusion seems fitting. Emulating the style of “Demon Slayer”‘s upcoming trilogy, a theatrical finale for the franchise could be an ideal approach to adapting the arc.

Three Seasons and a Movie?

The ending of Jujutsu Kaisen might benefit from being less wordy. While the detailed descriptions of the battle’s movements can add depth, it sometimes makes the reading experience confusing. The series has many complex elements that make the fights interesting, but to keep viewers emotionally invested, these concepts need to be presented clearly.

Shota Goshozono and his team did an outstanding job creating a variety of detailed action sequences for Season 2 of Jujutsu Kaisen. It wasn’t just the high-quality animation that stood out, but how well it was used to tell the story, even when the intricacies of the show’s world were complex and potentially confusing. With Goshozono set to direct Season 3, fans can look forward to more clarity and precision in the action sequences as they unfold.

Improving the Source Material

However, the suggestion that a Shinjuku Showdown film is the optimal choice assumes that Season 3 will encompass the entire Culling Game storyline. As of now, we can’t confirm this due to the unavailability of information regarding the staff list, episode count, and release date. Yet, given the source material and the past production history, it does seem plausible.

Instead of focusing solely on the criticisms people have voiced about “Jujutsu Kaisen” following the manga’s conclusion, let’s ponder over potential improvements in its anime adaptation that could address those concerns. While creative liberties can be dicey in anime adaptations, they do offer opportunities for enhancement. For instance, “Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War” has garnered significant acclaim for its innovative approach of incorporating additional content to elevate the original arc.

Fulfillment, NOT Filler

As a devoted fan, I’m not suggesting that “Jujutsu Kaisen” should introduce filler content explicitly, but instead, there’s potential for it to delve deeper into the supporting characters, provide more space between significant events, and amplify the impact of major narrative moments. This could be an excellent chance for the anime to enrich the world of “Jujutsu Kaisen” further!

In its current form, a completely loyal adaption of Jujutsu Kaisen‘s final arcs might not require much beyond an additional season and possibly a feature-length movie to tie up all loose ends. However, an adaptation open to creative liberties could effortlessly span two more seasons, offering a more expansive and satisfying conclusion compared to the original series.

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2025-02-16 17:54