Basic details
- Title: Jujutsu Kaisen
- Genre: Dark shonen, Action, Supernatural, Horror, Drama
- Format: TV anime series + prequel movie (Jujutsu Kaisen 0)
- Episodes (currently):
- Season 1: ~24 episodes
- Season 2: ~20+ episodes (two major arcs)
- Average runtime: ~23–24 minutes per episode
- Prequel movie: Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (~1 hour 45 minutes approx.)
Platform
Availability differs by region, but typically:
- Streaming: Major anime platforms like Crunchyroll and others (in India often via Crunchyroll / Muse / local rights holders).
- Movie: Jujutsu Kaisen 0 originally released in theatres, later available on select streaming platforms and digital purchase.
Overview
Jujutsu Kaisen follows Yuji Itadori, a kind but ridiculously athletic high‑schooler whose life flips when he encounters a cursed object: a rotten finger belonging to the legendary curse Ryomen Sukuna. To save his friends, Yuji swallows the finger and becomes Sukuna’s vessel, turning into a walking bomb in the eyes of the jujutsu world.
Instead of executing him immediately, the powerful sorcerer Satoru Gojo offers a deal: Yuji will enroll in Tokyo Jujutsu High, help collect all of Sukuna’s fingers, and then be killed—taking the King of Curses down with him. What begins as a simple arrangement slowly becomes a brutal journey through curses, conspiracies, and the dark side of humanity.
Plot (spoiler‑light)
At Tokyo Jujutsu High, Yuji teams up with:
- Megumi Fushiguro, a quiet, serious sorcerer who uses shikigami (summoned spirit animals).
- Nobara Kugisaki, a bold, sharp‑tongued girl who fights with nails, hammers, and voodoo‑style techniques.
Early missions focus on exorcising curses born from negative human emotions—fear, hatred, despair—lurking in schools, hospitals, and abandoned buildings. As the story escalates, powerful special‑grade curses and rogue sorcerers begin to move behind the scenes, targeting Gojo, the schools, and the fragile balance of their world.
Yuji is forced to confront not only external enemies but also the terrifying presence living inside him: Sukuna, who has his own horrifying agenda and often uses Yuji’s body for his own amusement and schemes. Every major arc raises the stakes, with real deaths, city‑level disasters, and irreversible emotional damage.
Main characters
- Yuji Itadori: Kind‑hearted, physically gifted, hates the idea of “meaningless deaths.” His core wish is for people to have a “proper death,” which drives his choices.
- Megumi Fushiguro: Stoic, morally complicated, with deep family baggage and a rare, powerful inherited technique.
- Nobara Kugisaki: Confident, unapologetic, values both beauty and strength, brings strong female energy without being stereotypical.
- Satoru Gojo: The strongest modern sorcerer, a mix of goofy teacher and unstoppable force, determined to change the broken jujutsu system.
- Ryomen Sukuna: Ancient sorcerer and King of Curses; sadistic, cunning, and one of the most dangerous beings in the series.
Highlights
- Top‑tier animation and fights: Smooth choreography, crazy camera angles, and stylish domain expansions make battles visually addictive.
- Actual stakes: Characters can die, lose, or break; the story doesn’t always “protect” fan favorites.
- Mix of horror and heart: Body horror, creepy curses, and brutal battles are balanced with humor, friendships, and emotional bonds.
- Deep lore and power system: Cursed energy, techniques, and Domain Expansions are complex but explained well through fights and character interactions.
Why to watch
- Perfect if you love dark shonen with high emotional stakes, like Attack on Titan, Demon Slayer, or Tokyo Ghoul.
- Great for viewers who enjoy strategic battles, not just raw power—how characters think mid‑fight is as important as how strong they are.
- Ideal for fans who like morally gray worlds where heroes, villains, and institutions are all flawed.
Recommendation
For your audience on TheReviewShelf, you can recommend:
- Watch order:
- Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1
- Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (movie prequel)
- Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 (and beyond in release order)
- Binge style:
- Perfect for late‑night anime marathons.
- Great “gateway” dark shonen for people coming from Demon Slayer.