Jujutsu Kaisen Story Arcs & How to Watch Them

With season 3 of Jujutsu Kaisen having recently concluded, fans are eagerly waiting to see what happens next. A lot of important things happen in this anime, and these plotlines are divided into 11 story arcs. In an exclusive interview with wikiHow, an anime expert helped us make sense of the arcs. We’ll also list each arc in order, as well as rank them according to popularity. Plus, learn when season 4 is coming out, where to watch the show, and more.

What story arcs are in JJK?

Anime expert Grant Cunningham says there are 3 seasons of Jujutsu Kaisen. Here are the arcs in each season:

Season 1: The Fearsome Womb, Vs. Mahito, The Kyoto Goodwill Event, and Death Painting.
Season 2: Gojo’s Past and the Shibuya Incident
Jujutsu Kaisen 0: Jujutsu High (prequel movie): Cursed Child arc
Season 3: Culling Game (part 1)

Section 1 of 6:

Jujutsu Kaisen Arcs in Order

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1
Cursed Child Arc The Cursed Child arc covers the Jujutsu Kaisen 0: Jujutsu High prequel series. It follows Yuta Okkotsu, a 16-year-old who enrolls in Tokyo Jujutsu High and seeks to unravel the curse on his childhood friend, Rika Orimoto.^{[1]
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- Included manga chapters: 0-1, 0-2, 0-3, 0-4
- Included anime episodes: Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie
- If you want to watch Jujutsu Kaisen in release order, watch the movie after you watch season 1.^{[2]
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  Research source} Check out our “Watch JJK in Order” article for other ways to watch the anime.
Meet the wikiHow Expert

Grant Cunningham is an anime and gaming expert. Known as @essgeecie on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, he discusses gaming, esports, anime, and cosplay.
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Fearsome Womb Arc The Fearsome Womb arc is the first story in Jujutsu Kaisen. Cunningham says this arc is about the main character Yuji Itadori coming to terms with his new cursed technique powers. He joins the Jujutsu Sorcerers and learns about their society and how to take down monsters called curses.^{[3]
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Grant Cunningham
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- Cunningham adds that this arc involves a lot of world-building—the audience is getting to know the characters, what Jujutsu Sorcery is like, and what the world of Jujutsu Sorcery is.^{[4]
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- Included chapters: 1-18
- Included episodes: 1-8
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Vs. Mahito Arc In the second JJK arc, Yuji is assigned to work on a hard mission with the grade 1 sorcerer and former salaryman, Kento Nanami. As they investigate Mahito’s trail of transfigured human corpses, they discover Mahito has also led a disheartened young man named Junpei Yoshino down a dark path. In the anime, this arc is referred to as Young Fish and Reverse Punishment Arc.^{[5]
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- Included chapters: 19-31
- Included episodes: 9-13
4
Kyoto Goodwill Event Arc This arc follows the 30th annual Kyoto Sister-School Goodwill Event, a fierce competition that pits the teams of Tokyo and Kyoto students against each other in a series of intense jujutsu battles. The second and third-years of Kyoto Jujutsu High are ordered to kill Yuji during the team battle.^{[6]
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- Included chapters: 32-54
- Included episodes: 14-21
5
Death Painting Arc The Death Painting Arc follows Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara as they investigate a series of curse-related murders. Their mission leads them to cross paths with the newly incarnated Cursed Womb: Death Paintings. In the anime, this arc is referred to as The Origin of Obedience Arc.^{[7]
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- Included chapters: 55-64
- Included episodes: 22-24, 30
6
Gojo’s Past Arc This arc follows Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto during the year 2006, when they were second-year students at Tokyo Jujutsu High. During the arc, they are assigned to escort the Star Plasma Vessel to Master Tengen while curse user groups conspire against them. This arc is known as Hidden Inventory / Premature Death Arc in the anime.^{[8]
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- Included chapters: 65-79
- Included episodes: 25-29
7
Shibuya Incident Arc The sixth Jujutsu Kaisen arc follows the entirety of the Shibuya Incident on October 31, 2018. The alliance between curse users and cursed spirits formed by Mahito and Pseudo-Geto make their move to seal Satoru Gojo.^{[9]
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- Cunningham notes that during this arc, a giant barrier is placed around Tokyo by the main villains. The Jujutsu Sorcerers gather at this spot to try and take them down and save as many people as possible. However, it doesn't go well.^{[10]
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- Included chapters: 79-136
- Included episodes: 30-47
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Itadori’s Extermination Arc This arc follows the immediate aftermath of the Shibuya Incident, where Yuji Itadori’s execution has been reinstated by the higher-ups. Yuji is targeted by Gojo’s former student Yuta Okkotsu.
- Included chapters: 137-143
- Included episodes: 47
9
Perfect Preparation Arc This arc follows the Tokyo Jujutsu High students and their allies as they continue to deal with the fallout of the Shibuya Incident, as well as preparing for the Culling Game, Kenjaku’s next act of jujutsu terrorism.^{[11]
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- Included chapters: 144-158
- Included episodes: 51 (part of the larger Culling Game arc)
10
Culling Game Arc In this arc, Yuji Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro, and their allies enter the Culling Game with the intention of rescuing Tsumiki Fushiguro from participating, freeing Satoru Gojo from Prison Realm, and protecting Tengen from Kenjaku.^{[12]
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- Included chapters: 159-221
- Included episodes: 48-59 (will continue in season 4)
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Shinjuku Showdown Arc The final arc of Jujutsu Kaisen follows the last climactic clash between the jujutsu sorcerers and the King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna, after Satoru Gojo is freed and Sukuna attains a new body.^{[14]
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- Included chapters: 222-271
- Included episodes: TBA

Section 2 of 6:

JJK Arcs Ranked

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The Shibuya Incident Arc is widely recognized as the best arc. While this is a matter of opinion, most JJK fans seem to agree that the Shibuya Incident Arc is one of the best in the series. Fans admire it for its great fight scenes, twists, and character moments.^{[15]
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Research source} Here’s our ranking of the best JJK arcs:
- Shibuya Incident—The catalyst that shifted JJK’s storytelling, often considered one of the best-structured arcs in Shonen anime.
- Shinjuku Showdown—Features the highly anticipated battle between Sukuna and Gojo and highlights the other characters’ power.
- Culling Game—Cunningham says the combination of fighting and storyline makes this one especially popular with the fans.^{[16]
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- Gojo’s Past—A highly popular flashback arc that explores Gojo’s background and complements the main plot of the show.
- Kyoto Goodwill Event—A perfect blend of dark and lighthearted moments, puts a twist on the tournament arc trope.
- Vs. Mojito—Includes exciting battles and story beats, but leaves fans disappointed when Mahito escapes.
- Perfect Preparation—A transitional arc that highlights Maki and solidifies her as a fan-favorite character.
- Cursed Child—Fleshes out Gojo and Geto’s relationship, but feels disconnected from the main plot.
- Fearsome Womb—A solid opener for the series, introduces the main cast and how big of a threat Sukuna is.
- Itadori’s Extermination—lacks a major battle between Yuji and Yuta, which leaves fans feeling underwhelmed.
- Death Painting—happens between the Kyoto Goodwill Event and the Shibuya Incident, so it falls short compared to those plotlines.

Section 3 of 6:

What arc is the anime currently on?

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Season 3 concluded with the first half of the Culling Game arc. Season 3 wrapped up on March 27, 2026, after 12 episodes. The season is titled The Culling Game: Part 1, and as the name suggests, it covers the first half of the Culling Game arc. A fourth season, Culling Game: Part 2, was announced after the final episode.^{[17]
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- Cunningham says that in this arc, the main villains have set up a game with different zones all around Japan. He says if a character goes into one of the zones, they’re forced to join a colony and kill other people—otherwise, they’ll be killed themselves. “That’s where we are now … how do we stop this game?”^{[18]
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Section 4 of 6:

When does JJK season 4 premiere?

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Season 4 does not have an official release date yet. While season 4 of Jujutsu Kaisen has been officially announced, we don’t yet know when it will premiere. However, many fans speculate that it will be released in early to mid-2027. Titled The Culling Game: Part 2, it will cover the events of the Culling Game arc not included in season 3.^{[19]
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Section 5 of 6:

Where to Watch Jujutsu Kaisen

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Watch Jujutsu Kaisen on Crunchyroll. While streaming platforms are always subject to change, the first two seasons and the upcoming third season of Jujutsu Kaisen will all be available to stream on Crunchyroll in the United States and many other countries.^{[20]
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Research source} It’s also available on the following platforms, with a subscription:

Section 6 of 6:

Where to Read Jujutsu Kaisen

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Read the Jujutsu Kaisen manga on VIZ Media. You can buy physical copies of the Jujutsu Kaisen manga online or at most bookstores, but if you prefer to read digitally, join VIZ Media to read each volume online.
- Crunchyroll also allows you to read the manga with a premium subscription.
- There are other sites that allow you to read JJK for free, but these might not be trustworthy.

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Can’t get enough JJK? Check out our “Jujutsu Kaisen Quotes” article for some of the most iconic quotes from the series, or try out our “What JJK Character Are You?” quiz to learn which character you’re most like!

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