Jujutsu Kaisen: 10 Hidden Details In Season 3 Opening Only True Fans Caught

This article contains spoilers from the Jujutsu Kaisen manga.

The highly anticipated third season of Jujutsu Kaisen is set to premiere in the winter anime season of 2026, and it’s starting strong with a visually stunning opening sequence. The opening is full of hidden details and imagery that longtime fans of the Jujutsu Kaisen manga and anime will immediately recognize. Adding to the excitement, the opening song, “AIZO” by King Gnu, is a perfect match for the impressive visuals.

The third season of Jujutsu Kaisen starts strong. The opening sequence is packed with hidden references and clues that actually reveal a lot about what’s to come – if you know where to look. While it includes a ton of important information, it’s presented subtly. Let’s take a closer look at each of these details.

Hiromi Higuruma’s Volume 19 Cover

JJK Volume 19 Cover Features Hiromi Higuruma holding a sunflower

The Jujutsu Kaisen manga often showcases characters on its cover art, and the Grade 1 sorcerer Hiromi Higuruma is one of them. He appears on the cover of Volume 19, holding a sunflower and looking very focused. Fans can spot this cover image briefly in the opening sequence of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3, around the 1 minute and 10 second mark.

It’s notable that “Higuruma” is the Japanese word for sunflower, symbolically connecting the character to the flower. This connection is reinforced by the fact that Japanese lawyers often wear sunflower pins on their badges – a detail mirrored in the manga when Higuruma first appears in chapter 143, also sporting a sunflower pin.

Yuji Itadori And The Cogs

Yuji Itadori has a cog mentality.

In the opening sequence of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3, around 1 minute and 26 seconds in, viewers have noticed gears turning. Many believe this is a nod to a key moment in chapter 157 of the manga, where Yuji Itadori tells Kinji Hakari he’s simply a tool to help sorcerers continue fighting curses.

Kinji, a man driven by intense emotions, initially dismissed Yuji’s logic as dull. But Yuji was eventually able to persuade Kinji to join their fight, offering his assistance in the Culling Games for Gojo Satoru and the other students at Jujutsu High.

Megumi Fushiguro and the Ten Sacred Treasures

Seven out of the Ten Shadows have already appeared in the JJK anime.

As fans of Jujutsu Kaisen (JJK) are aware, Megumi Fushiguro can use the Ten Shadows Technique. The opening sequence for Season 3 highlighted this ability by displaying seven symbols representing the Ten Sacred Treasures – from the Okitsukagami (Mirror of the Deep) to the Yatsuka No Tsurugi (The Eight-Hands Long Sword). These symbols correspond to the seven shadow summons that Megumi has demonstrated in the series.

As a huge Jujutsu Kaisen fan, I’m constantly amazed by Megumi’s diverse and powerful shikigami! We’ve already been treated to incredible displays of his Divine Dogs, Nue, Toad, Great Serpent, Max Elephant, and the terrifying Mahoraga. And just when I thought it couldn’t get any cooler, the anime recently showed off his Rabbit Escape technique – it’s seriously awesome seeing the full range of his abilities!

The Kiss Painting Featuring Yuta Okkotsu

Yuta Okkotsu vs Kurourushi will happen in the Culling Game.

The opening sequence for Season 3 of Jujutsu Kaisen included references to famous paintings, including Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss. Instead of the painting’s usual embracing couple, viewers saw characters Kuroroushi and Yuta Okkotsu depicted in its style.

The artwork of Yuta and Kurourushi kissing recreates a pivotal moment from their battle in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 175. Yuta defeated Kurourushi with a kiss, channeling positive cursed energy directly into him, which proved fatal.

Ryu Ishigori’s Granite Blast

Ryu Ishigori can use a laser beam-like attack called Granite Blast.

Fans watching the beginning of Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 might notice a laser beam appearing around 1:07 and again at 1:24. For those familiar with the manga, this is actually Ryu Ishigori’s special attack, known as Granite Blast.

Ryu Ishigori is a powerful, ancient sorcerer participating in Kenjaku’s Culling Game. His special attack, Granite Blast, is a highly concentrated beam of cursed energy that could cause widespread destruction.

Maki and Mai in the Field of Reeds

A major event will happen between Maki and Mai in JJK Season 3.

I was absolutely blown away by the new JJK season 3 opening! They really highlighted Mai and Maki, and there’s this gorgeous shot of them running through a field of reeds, holding hands. It honestly feels like a snippet from a lost home video, and they look genuinely happy together. Considering all the tension between them lately, it’s such a sweet and unexpected moment – I couldn’t stop rewatching it!

Although the scene with Maki and Maki appears joyful, the surrounding field of reeds actually symbolizes a peaceful afterlife, free from pain and suffering, as believed in ancient Egyptian stories. Unfortunately, this beautiful setting foreshadows difficult times for one of the Zenin sisters.

Flying Nuke

Kenjaku once visited America to trick the government.

Early in the third season of Jujutsu Kaisen, viewers see a nuclear missile flying over Japan. Some fans initially thought this was a hint towards a planned American storyline that the show ultimately abandoned. However, others believe it foreshadows a larger, destructive plan by Kenjaku, possibly set to unfold after many weaker sorcerers are eliminated in the Culling Game.

As Reggie Star pointed out, Kenjaku seems to be planning something drastic after only the most powerful individuals remain, which adds a disturbing new layer to the nuclear imagery in the opening of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3. However, some fans believe the ‘nuke’ could refer to a plot involving the American government being manipulated by Kenjaku to speed up his schemes.

Maki and Her Bloody Knife

Maki will end the Zenin Clan by herself.

Maki Zenin appears prominently in the beginning of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3. She’s featured in a lot of shots – likely more than most characters besides Yuji Itadori and Kenjaku – suggesting she’ll play a significant role this season.

Early in the series, there’s a striking image of Maki holding a bloodied knife. For those familiar with the source material, this scene hints at Maki’s upcoming transformation and the incredible abilities she’ll soon unlock.

Similar to Yuji, she’ll likely be covered in the blood of her own clan, not innocent bystanders. The knife she holds probably symbolizes the violence she inflicted upon them. It’s also possible this is the same knife Maki’s mother used when fighting Naoya.

Dead Mother Painting Featuring Yuji and Kenjaku

Kenjaku interfered in Yuji Itadori’s birth.

The opening sequence of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 included a reference to Egon Schiele’s 1910 painting, “Dead Mother.” Around the 0:52 mark, the anime visually echoed the painting by depicting Kenjaku as the mother figure and a baby Yuji Itadori as the infant. Given Yuji’s unique origins within the series, the scene was both strikingly beautiful and unsettling.

Kenjaku secretly used Yuji Itadori’s mother, Kaori, as a vessel, making Yuji’s birth part of a larger, ongoing experiment. This explains why Choso sees Yuji as his younger brother – they both came into being because of Kenjaku’s manipulation.

Y-Shaped Crossroads Painting

Megumi and Yuji will be separated in the Culling Game.

The opening sequence for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 included a nod to the artwork “Y-Shaped Crossroads” by Tadanori Yokoo. The animators specifically placed the characters Rin Amai and Remi within the painting’s iconic crossroads, likely to highlight their important roles in the Culling Game.

Rin and Remi deliberately misled Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro as they searched for Hana Kurusu in the Jujutsu Kaisen manga. Rin guided Yuji toward Higuruma, and Remi led Megumi to Reggie Star and his team, effectively stalling their progress.

2026-01-16 03:36