Jujutsu Kaisen (by Gege Akutami) is a massive hit manga series depicting the fierce battles of Jujutsu Sorcerers against Cursed Spirits—monstrous entities born from human negativity. Since the anime adaptation debuted in 2020, every installment, including the prequel film, has taken the world by storm with every release.
The third season of the TV series, the "Culling Game Arc," began its broadcast in January 2026. In this article, we’ll look back at the most buzzed-about moments and fan-favorite highlights from each episode.
This time, we’re covering Episode 53, "Cog." To help stabilize the Culling Game, Itadori and his group head out to find the suspended third-year students, Kinji Hakari and Kirara Hoshi. While Itadori successfully makes contact with Hakari, his cover story is blown, and he finds himself on the receiving end of Hakari’s brutal assault. Will they be able to secure the upperclassmen's cooperation...?
※This article contains spoilers.
Fushiguro & Panda vs. Kirara! An Epic Battle and Megumi’s Combat IQ Take Center Stage
To buy time for Itadori to talk with Hakari, Fushiguro and Panda begin seizing control of the hideout. After taking out the guards with ease, they reach the rooftop monitoring room, only to be intercepted by Kirara. Sensing a threat, Kirara engages them in battle.
Initially, the duo struggles against Kirara's mysterious Cursed Technique, which prevents Fushiguro and Panda from getting close to Kirara or the room. However, Fushiguro begins piecing together clues from the star marks and constellation names appearing on his Shikigami, Panda, and the door. He deduces the motif of the technique: the "Southern Cross."
From there, he deciphers the logic—much like a stamp rally with a set route, one must follow a specific sequence of "stars" to reach the target.
Fans were floored by Megumi's tactical brilliance, leaving comments such as:
"It’s insane how he can experiment mid-fight and solve the technique."
"His ability to analyze under pressure is incredible."
"Megumi’s combat IQ is officially off the charts."
The anime's visual direction made the explanation of the technique much clearer than the source material. Manga readers noted, "I finally understand how Kirara's power works now" and "The visualization made the logic so much easier to digest."
Furthermore, the fight choreography gained massive impact through animation. The dynamic movement—paired with the spectacle of Panda being launched by magnetic-like forces and Kirara's agile use of coins—created a sequence that balanced narrative clarity with high-octane action.
The episode also saw a surge in "Kirara-senpai is so cute" comments. Fans were captivated by Kirara's design and vibe, with remarks ranging from "I can't believe the voice actor is male" to "The outfit is peak fashion." We’re looking forward to seeing more of Kirara’s charm in the coming episodes.
Itadori’s Resolve: Hakari is Moved by the "Passion" of a Cog
As the rooftop battle concludes, Hakari and Itadori come crashing out of the monitoring room. Facing a relentless barrage of punches from Hakari, Itadori refuses to dodge or fight back. He takes every hit head-on, determined to make Hakari listen.
Hakari is initially disgusted when Itadori admits he's only there because his seniors told him Hakari was "strong," rather than following his own "fever" (passion). When Itadori declares himself to be merely a "cog" in the machine of exorcism, Hakari’s frustration boils over into a devastating strike that sends Itadori flying.
Yet, Itadori stands back up. His resolve to play his part as a cog—one that keeps turning to save others—is unshakable. He looks Hakari in the eye and asks, "Senpai, what is your role?"
In a stunning piece of visual direction, the flames from a burning car are reflected in Itadori’s eyes. It’s a powerful metaphor: despite calling himself a "cog," the fire of his passion is undeniable. Sensing this intensity, Hakari finally acknowledges him, opening the door for a real conversation.
Viewer reactions were emotional:
"The way Itadori’s 'cog' philosophy actually moved Hakari was so intense."
"His resolve is terrifying; you can tell he's still carrying the weight of Shibuya."
"The reflection of the fire in his eyes was top-tier directing."
Itadori, continuously being beaten and calling himself a cog, resembled iron being forged. His line questioning Hakari about his role was delivered in a low, quiet tone, conveying how heavily he bears his own role.
Anime-Original Tweaks: A Shift in the Sequence
This episode adapts chapters 154 through 157 from Volume 18 of the manga, but the chronological order of events was slightly shuffled for the TV format.
In the manga, the face-off between Hakari and Itadori in the monitoring room actually happens after Fushiguro and Panda encounter Kirara. By rearranging these scenes and adding original camera angles and extended fight choreography, the anime offers a fresh experience even for longtime fans. If you haven't yet, comparing the episode to the manga chapters is highly recommended!
Looking Ahead to Episode 54: "Tokyo Colony No. 1 ①"
A dangerous new rule has been added to the Culling Game by a mysterious new player, Hajime Kashimo (CV: Ryohei Kimura). While Itadori and Maki prepare to dive into the fray to end the game, the violence is already escalating.
Kashimo has already amassed over 200 points, meaning he has eliminated at least 40 people. His lethal intent is clear. Now, with Hakari officially joining the squad, Itadori’s group finally enters the Culling Game. With new characters appearing one after another, what kind of carnage awaits them?
Series Information
Title
Jujutsu Kaisen: Culling Game
Schedule
First Half: Starting January 8, 2026 (Thursday) available on Crunchyroll
Synopsis
October 31, 2018.A "curtain" suddenly descends around Shibuya Station, crowded with Halloween revelers, trapping a large number of civilians.Satoru Gojo, the strongest sorcerer of the modern era, enters alone. But waiting for him are Curse Users and Cursed Spirits plotting to seal Gojo.Yuji Itadori and numerous other Jujutsu Sorcerers converge on Shibuya.An unprecedented large-scale "Shibuya Incident" begins—.The battle then leads to the "Culling Game," a deadly tournament orchestrated by history's most evil sorcerer, Noritoshi Kamo.Following the Shibuya Incident, ten colonies across the nation become hellscapes.Amid this chaos, Yuta Okkotsu, a special-grade sorcerer, stands in Itadori's way as his executioner.Even in despair, Itadori continues to fight.Mercilessly, Okkotsu turns his blade.The chaos of curses accelerates.A death match begins between Itadori and Okkotsu, two students who share the same teacher—
Cast
Yuji Itadori: Junya Enoki
Megumi Fushiguro: Yuma Uchida
Maki Zenin: Mikako Komatsu
Panda: Tomokazu Seki
Yuta Okkotsu: Megumi Ogata
Choso: Daisuke Namikawa
Yuki Tsukumo: Noriko Hidaka
Tengen: Ryoko Sakakibara
Kinji Hakari: Kazuya Nakai
Kirara Hoshi: Yuki Sakakihara
Naoya Zenin: Koji Yusa
Hiromi Higuruma: Tomokazu Sugita
Fumihiko Takaba: Satoshi Tsuruoka
Reggie Star: Yutaka Aoyama
Hajime Kashimo: Ryohei Kimura
Kogane: Niko
Suguru Geto (Kenjaku): Takahiro Sakurai
Ken-san: Kendo Kobayashi
Staff
Original Work: "Jujutsu Kaisen" by Gege Akutami (Published by Shueisha Jump Comics)
Director: Shota Goshozono
Series Composition/Script: Hiroshi Seko
Character Design: Yosuke Yajima, Hiromi Niwa
Assistant Directors: Yosuke Takada, Takeru SatoArt Director: Junichi HigashiColor Design: Eiko Matsushima
CGI Producer: Yusuke Tannowa
3DCG Director: Kentaro Shiga (Monsters Egg)
Director of Photography: Teppei Ito
Editing: Keisuke Yanagi ACE
Music: Yoshimasa Terui
Music Producer: Kenki Kobayashi
Sound Director: Yasunori Ebina
Sound Production: dugout
Animation Producers: Keisuke Seshimo, Riku Nihonyanagi
Production: MAPPA
Theme SongsOP: "AIZO" by King GnuED: "Yoake no Uta" by jo0ji
Digital Edition: Jujutsu Kaisen Digital Edition (Comic)
(C) Gege Akutami / Shueisha, Jujutsu Kaisen Production Committee
© Animate Times
*Some parts of this text have been translated using machine translation
