Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 Stumbles With Divisive Episode

Jujutsu Kaisen’s third season has taken an unexpected turn, with the latest episode leaving plenty of fans less than impressed. The third instalment, ‘About the Culling Game’, dropped on Crunchyroll on Thursday, 15 January, and quickly became one of the lowest-rated episodes in the show’s history, according to IMDb. While a 7.8 out of 10 isn’t disastrous, it’s a noticeable drop from the season’s strong opening, where the first two episodes scored 9.2 and 8.8 respectively.

It’s the first time since season one that the series has seen such a dip, with episodes 8 and 21 from that run previously holding the record for lowest scores at 7.4. Beyond the numbers, the episode copped nearly 3,000 dislikes on Crunchyroll, signalling a clear sense of disappointment among viewers. Social media lit up with reactions, as fans didn’t hold back in sharing their thoughts. One viewer summed up the mood,

‘There was far too much talking, and it felt like we were in class… I started to fall asleep.’

Another chimed in,

‘Culling Game tutorial hit like a history lecture.’

Fans React to Slower Pace and Heavy Dialogue

The episode’s title gives away its focus, as Itadori and his mates sit down with Tengen to map out their next moves and get to grips with the Culling Game. The slower pace and dialogue-heavy scenes didn’t go unnoticed, with some punters feeling the episode dragged. Still, not everyone was ready to write it off. One fan argued the slower approach was needed, saying,

‘It’s an important episode for setting up the Culling Game, establishing rules, etc.’

For those who haven’t read the manga, this deep dive into the game’s mechanics might come in handy when the action ramps up later in the season.

Setting the Stage for What’s Next

After the chaos of the Shibuya Incident, the new season follows the sorcerers as they try to get a handle on the Culling Game, set in motion by Noritoshi Kamo. Yuji Itadori now faces the threat of execution from Special Grade Sorcerer Yuta Okkotsu, adding to the tension. While episode 3 may have felt like a breather, the next chapter, ‘Perfect Preparation’, promises to pick up the pace and bring back the action that fans have been hanging out for.

The series continues to air weekly, and with the promise of more excitement ahead, viewers can check out the release schedule or catch up on how to watch the show in the right order. For now, the third episode stands as a rare misstep in an otherwise much-loved anime, sparking plenty of debate among the fanbase.