The Culling Game, Explained: JJK’s Deadliest Contest

Are you on the verge of watching (or reading about) Jujutsu Kaisen’s Culling Game arc? It’s notorious for a reason: in JJK, the Culling Game is a deadly battle royale orchestrated and enforced by Kenjaku. While many newly-awakened sorcerers are forced to participate, Yuji and Megumi (along with their allies) enter willingly to protect Megumi’s sister—not to mention free Satoru Gojo from his prison. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the Culling Game and explain each of its rules, with exclusive insights from an anime expert. We’ll also go over the major characters (and events) of the Culling Game arc!

Jujutsu Kaisen’s Culling Game, Explained

Anime expert Richard Moore says the Culling Game refers to a death battle game in Tokyo. It’s set up by an ancient sorcerer named Kenjaku to evolve humanity using cursed energy. Players are divided into colonies and forced to kill one another in order to earn points, all while following the strict rules of the game.

Section 1 of 7:

What is the Culling Game in Jujutsu Kaisen?

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The Culling Game is a story arc and battle royale event in Jujutsu Kaisen. As an event, the Culling Game is considered an act of jujutsu terrorism, committed by an ancient curse-user named Kenjaku in an attempt to evolve humanity using cursed energy. He brings jujutsu sorcerers into Tokyo and forces them to battle to the death, sort of like a battle royale game, notes Moore.^{[1]
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Richard Moore
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Expert Interview} Participants earn points for every kill while adhering to the game's rules.
- As a story arc, the Culling Game takes place immediately after the events of the Shibuya Incident. It’s being covered in season three of the Jujutsu Kaisen anime.
- Moore enjoys this arc because the rules are “very fleshed out.” Kenjaku’s ultimate goal is to destroy everything, and it’s nice to see action set up in a way that’s strategic and complex, he continues.^{[2]
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Meet the wikiHow Expert

Richard Moore is an anime expert based in Dayton, Ohio. He has 6+ years of experience creating anime content on social media for more than 386k followers.

Section 2 of 7:

The Rules of the Culling Game

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Every Culling Game player must join a colony. The first (original) Culling Game rule is simple: anyone with a cursed technique—and therefore participating in the game—must go to a “colony” of their choice within 19 days of October 31st (the night Kenjaku awakened new sorcerers for the game). Once at a colony, these sorcerers must pledge to participate in the Culling Game.^{[3]
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- Ten colonies are established for the Culling Game, all connected by barriers that keep participants within their respective colonies.
- Megumi’s sister, Tsumiki, was one such awakened individual required to enter the Culling Game by the 19-day deadline.
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Failing to meet the 19-day deadline results in dire consequences. Basically, anybody who doesn’t choose a colony and join the game within 19 days will have their cursed techniques removed. This is a very dangerous thing, since cursed techniques are connected to a person’s brain and soul; thus, removing the technique will cause irrevocable damage to the person, and ultimately kill them.^{[4]
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Entering a colony automatically makes someone a player. Anybody who isn’t a player becomes one the moment they cross a barrier into a colony; the act of crossing the barrier is taken as their agreement to participate in the game, whether or not they’re even a sorcerer. Still, a person must cross a barrier of their own free will for this rule to take effect—it doesn’t count if they’re forced to enter a colony.
- Non-sorcerers already inside colonies when the barriers come down are allowed to leave—they aren’t confined.
- On the other hand, people who enter a colony of their own volition are trapped and can be eliminated in the game for points.
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The Culling Game uses a brutal point system. The point of the game is to accrue points. Players can only earn points by killing other players, thus forcing sorcerers to slay one another. Players are also kept apprised of their scores through a shikigami given to them at the start of the game—and they must inevitably fight sorcerers from other colonies as well, since the game is a battle royale.
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The game master (Kenjaku) determines all point values. That’s right—if the Culling Game’s rules weren’t dark enough, each player’s life is worth a certain number of points, as determined by Kenjaku. By default, each sorcerer is worth 5 points, while non-sorcerers who end up in the game are worth 1 point. However, as players prove their strength to the game master, Kenjaku may reassess the “point value” of their life and adjust it accordingly.
- Basically, stronger sorcerers are theoretically worth more points, although it’s unclear exactly how many (since Kenjaku decides those values).
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Players can expend points to add new rules to the game. The Culling Game begins with 8 core rules—but more can be added over the course of the game. If a player wants to propose a new rule, they must spend 100 of their earned points to do so. However, expending the points won’t automatically instate the rule; players must still negotiate with the game master (Kenjaku).
- This rule is the reason Yuji and Megumi enter the Culling Game. They want to rescue Megumi’s sister, Tsumiki—and to do that, they must add a condition that allows her to leave the game.
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The game master must accept any valid new rules. That means a proposed rule must be accepted by Kenjaku, so long as it doesn’t invalidate any of the core 8 or directly try to end the Culling Game. So, essentially, players must be smart about the rules they add; they can’t make up a rule that says “the Culling Game will end now,” but they can come up with new rules that work in their favor somehow.
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Players must begin scoring points within a 19-day deadline. The final original Culling Game rule is designed to force the hands of reluctant players; it states that players must kill another player (thereby scoring points) within 19 days of entering the game or receiving a point. If they fail to comply, their cursed technique will be revoked (which, as we’ve already discussed, has lethal consequences for a sorcerer).
- This rule effectively ensures that a player can’t refuse to participate, or participate to a point and then refuse to do anything more.
- It also prevents reluctant players from simply hiding and waiting out the game; everyone must either hunt sorcerers or become the hunted.

Section 3 of 7:

What rules are added to the Culling Game?

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Several rules are added over the course of the Culling Game. The only way for a player to “win” the Culling Game is to twist the rules in their favor—and a few players manage to do just that. Besides the original 8 Culling Game rules, 7 extra rules are added during the game (for a total of 15 rules). Those added rules are:
- Players can access information about their rivals. This includes other players’ names, current colonies, number of points accrued, and number of rules they’ve made. Added by Hajime Kashimo.
- Players may transfer points between one another. There is no limit to the number of points transferred. Added by Hiromi Higuruma.
- Players can leave the game by inviting a substitute into their colony. Players leaving the game must expend 100 points to do so. Added by Megumi Fushigoro.
- Players can enter and exit colonies. This applies to all colony borders. Added by Yorozu.
- No new players can join the Culling Game. This was made official on November 18, 2018, at 9:09 PM. Added by Kenjaku.
- The Culling Game will end upon the deaths of all players. The only exceptions are Suguru Geto, Megur Fushiguro, and Shiori Himi. Added by Kenjaku.
- Authority to activate the Great Merger is transferred. The authority now rests with Megumi Fushiguro. Added by Kenjaku’s failsafe.

Section 4 of 7:

The Goal Behind the Culling Game

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Kenjaku orchestrates the Culling Game to force humanity’s evolution. He plans to use the Cursed Spirit Manipulation technique in a ritual to essentially merge humanity with Master Tengen, an immortal sorcerer whose power is more akin to a cursed spirit than a human. However, Kenjaku’s reason for wanting humanity to evolve in the first place is still unclear.^{[5]
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- Before the Culling Game begins, Kenjaku puts his plans in motion by “awakening” new jujutsu sorcerers (people with cursed techniques, but whose brains didn’t function like a sorcerer’s).
- Kenjaku uses Mahito’s Idle Transfiguration cursed technique to awaken new sorcerers, turning people who were completely ordinary into jujutsu-users and forcing them to compete.
- Kenjaku also turns some people into vessels for ancient sorcerers, effectively forcing these incredibly powerful, reincarnated sorcerers into the Culling Game as well (alongside the existing and newly-awakened sorcerers).
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The Culling Game’s true purpose is to generate cursed energy for the ritual. Despite being a battle royale, the Culling Game isn’t really a competition to determine the strongest sorcerer. Rather, it’s intended to help Kenjaku gather enough cursed energy to trigger the “Great Merger,” combining humanity with Tengen’s spirit.^{[6]
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- Forcing jujutsu sorcerers to kill one another is what builds up the energy that Kenjaku needs for his ritual.
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JJK’s main characters enter the game to save Gojo (and other trapped people). Now you know Kenjaku’s true goal for the Culling Game—but what about Yuji and his allies, who willingly enter the game? Well, they do it for two main reasons: to release Satoru Gojo from the Prison Realm, where he’s confined, and to save all of the people forced into Kenjaku’s deadly event (including Megumi’s sister, Tsumiki).^{[7]
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- Tokyo High’s jujutsu sorcerers enter the game in search of a player named Hana Kurusu, or Angel, who has the power to release Gojo from his prison.
- At the same time, Yuji and Megumi are also trying to add a new rule to the game so they can safely withdraw Tsumiki Fushiguro—and to do that, they must earn points.

Section 5 of 7:

Important Characters in the Culling Game

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If you’re about to watch (or read) Jujutsu Kaisen’s Culling Game arc, you might want to familiarize yourself with its major characters first! Of course, there are mainstays like Yuji (JJK’s protagonist) and Megumi (whose sister is awakened as a sorcerer and forced into the games); however, the Culling Game arc also introduces some important new faces. Take a look at the character roundup below:^{[8]
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- Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushigoro - Friends and first-year students at Tokyo Jujutsu High, Yuji and Megumi enter the game together following the Shibuya Incident. They initially join the Tokyo Colony No. 1.
- Yuta Okkotsu, Maki Zenin, and Panda - Yuta, Maki, and Panda are second-year students, and allies of Yuji and Megumi (as well as major JJK characters).
- Kenjaku - Kenjaku is the mastermind behind the Culling Game, as well as the Game Master in charge. He’s a centuries-old curse-user possessing the body of Suguru Geto, as his technique allows him to inhabit another person’s body.
- Tengen - Tengen is an immortal sorcerer with an incredible amount of cursed energy; given their power and longevity, they’ve become an inhuman entity at this point. They maintain barriers around Tokyo and Kyoto’s jujutsu high schools.
- Choso - Choso wields the Blood Manipulation cursed technique; as one of the Cursed Womb: Death Paintings, he is neither human nor fully a cursed spirit. He becomes Yuji’s ally in the Culling Game.
- Yuki Tsukumo - Yuki is a special-grade sorcerer and mentor of sorts to Aoi Todo. She also met Suguru Geto during his time at Jujutsu High.
- Angel - Angel is a sorcerer with the astronomically powerful ability to nullify cursed techniques. She’s capable of breaking the seal on the Prison Realm (where Gojo is trapped), which is why Yuji and his friends enter the games to find her.
- Fumihiko Takaba - Takaba is introduced at the start of the game as a struggling comedian who can’t really make anyone laugh—but never stops trying. This results in his awakening as a surprisingly powerful sorcerer.
- Kinji Hakari - Kinji is a third-year student at Tokyo High who’s been suspended for clashing with authority, and became a bookie during his suspension.

Section 6 of 7:

What happens during the Culling Game?

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Yuji and Megumi enter the game to add a new rule. They enter the Tokyo No. 1 Colony, trying to find Hiromi Higuruma and convince him to spend his points on a new rule. Higuruma initially refuses to help Yuji, leading to a fight between the two—but, after a battle and tense trial (courtesy of Higuruma’s technique), the embittered sorcerer finally agrees to Yuji’s request.
- As outlined above, Higuruma creates a rule that allows players to transfer points to one another. This is part of Yuji and Megumi’s plan to rescue Tsumiki (Megumi’s sister).
- Meanwhile, Megumi is led into a trap. He ends up in a battle against reincarnated sorcerer Reggie Star, along with Reggie’s allies, Chizuru Hari and Iori Hazenoki.
- Witnessing what he deems to be an unfair fight (three against one), Fumihiko Takaba rescues Megumi, who then manages to defeat Reggie.
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Yuta Okkotsu is pitted against elite players in the Sendai Colony. The colony’s four most elite players quickly reach a deadlock within the first twelve days of the game, but this ends when Yuta eliminates one of the elite sorcerers, Dhruv Lakdawalla. Dhruv’s death ends up unleashing a cursed spirit named Kurourushi—and leads the other elite sorcerers, Ryu Ishigori and Takako Uro, to attack Yuta as well.
- Ultimately, Yuta manages to overcome all of his enemies, becoming the last sorcerer standing in the Sendai Colony.
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Panda is nearly killed by a rival sorcerer. In the Tokyo No. 2 Colony, a sorcerer named Hajime Kashimo quickly becomes a frontrunner, destroying forty players within twelve days. He also manages to add a ninth rule to the game, allowing players to access information on one another. Panda encounters Kashimo when he enters the colony in search of the Angel—and the latter tries to interrogate Panda for Sukuna’s location.
- Hajime’s ultimate goal as a reincarnated sorcerer called the “God of Lightning” is to battle Sukuna (who is currently contained by Yuji).
- As a result, Panda refuses to tell Hajime anything, but is tortured in the process; Kinje Hakari manages to rescue Panda, duel Hajime, and ultimately make a deal with him.
- Kashimo transfers his 100 points over to Hakari in exchange for Hakari defeating (but sparing) him.
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In the Sakurajima Colony, Maki is targeted by a vengeful Naoya. Maki Zenin, yet another Tokyo High student, manages to eliminate many sorcerers and curses in the Sakurajima colony. Later, she’s informed of her allies’ plans to combat the Culling Game. However, before she can go help them, Naoya Zenin—Maki’s cousin, once deceased and now reincarnated as a spirit—arrives, forcing Maki to fight him.
- During the battle, Maki finally unlocks her full potential as a warrior and jujutsu sorcerer, to the point that not even Naoya is a match for her.
- She defeats Naoya effortlessly in the end and exorcises him, saving her allies from his domain in the process.
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In the Lake Gosho Colony, Kenjaku faces off against Takaba. As the Culling Games progress, Kenjaku travels to the Lake Gosho Colony, planning to take out every other player there while the Jujutsu High sorcerers are busy with Sukuna. While he’s hunting sorcerers, confident that he won’t be interrupted, Takaba suddenly appears in the area and, to Kenjaku’s surprise, confronts him. Although Kenjaku doesn’t see Takaba as a threat, this battle ends up being Kenjaku’s last.^{[9]
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- Takaba has a unique technique: the ability to manifest new scenarios into reality based on his confidence as a comedian.
- Using this technique, Takaba places himself and Kenjaku in several comedic realities, including a scenario where they act as a comedic duo, to the point that Kenjaku actually starts enjoying himself.
- When the show ends, Kenjaku’s guard is down—allowing Yuta to arrive and deal a final blow that takes Kenjaku out for good.
- However, before the end, Kenjaku manages to create one more rule, transferring the authority to end the Culling Game to Sukuna.

Section 7 of 7:

How does the Culling Game end?

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The Culling Game truly ends after Sukuna’s defeat. Because Kenjaku gave Sukuna (the King of Curses) the authority to end the Culling Game, it doesn’t officially end until Sukuna himself is defeated—which happens later on in JJK’s story. However, Kenjaku’s death (following the battle with Takaba and Yuta) effectively presses pause on the Culling Game, preventing the Great Merger from taking place.
- Basically, the Culling Game doesn’t have a clear-cut “end” in Jujutsu Kaisen because Kenjaku’s death threw a wrench in the game’s functioning.
- After Kenjaku was defeated, the game devolved from battle royale into a chaotic aftermath, where the Tokyo High students’ main goal became rescuing Gojo (using Angel’s unique ability).
- However, the game’s rules are technically still valid until Sukuna’s eventual defeat, after which the game entirely ends (even though, by that point, nobody is playing anymore).