Lost in Jujutsu Kaisen? Here’s the Watch Order That Makes Sense

If there’s one anime that’s had the entire community in a chokehold these past few years, it’s Jujutsu Kaisen. If you’re a long-time anime lover or someone who’s just getting curious because all your friends won’t stop shouting “Domain Expansion” in public, there’s no denying the sheer cultural grip this series has.

From its crisp animation to its chaotic humour, emotional storytelling, and God-tier fight scenes, Jujutsu Kaisen has solidified its place as one of the most iconic anime of its generation. It’s the kind of show you binge-watch in one weekend and then spend the next month rewatching fight clips on TikTok.

Now that the next film, JUJUTSU KAISEN: Execution, is on the way, dropping 14 November 2025 in the UK, 4 December 2025 in Australia, and 5 December 2025 in North America, the hype is back in full swing.

The movie is a compilation of the Shibuya Incident and the early events of Season 3, so naturally, a lot of people are getting ready to rewatch the series. For newcomers, though, the watch order can feel… unnecessarily complicated. It has three seasons, a prequel film, and a compilation film. What’s happening?

Don’t worry. Consider this your stress-free guide to watching Jujutsu Kaisen in the correct order, both Release Order and Chronological Order, plus what each part is actually about.

What Is Jujutsu Kaisen About?

At its core, Jujutsu Kaisen is a supernatural action anime about curses, not “bad luck curses”, but literal monsters created from negative human emotions like fear, anger and regret.

These curses terrorise people, and the only ones who can exorcise them are Jujutsu sorcerers. They are humans trained to manipulate cursed energy.

The story follows Yuji Itadori, an ordinary (but very athletic) teenager who ends up swallowing the finger of Sukuna, the most powerful and evil curse ever known. This makes Yuji Sukuna’s vessel, which should be impossible, but somehow, Yuji stays in control of his body.

Due to this rare ability, Gojo Satoru, the strongest sorcerer alive, brings Yuji to Tokyo Jujutsu High, where he begins training to become a sorcerer… while also being tasked with collecting all of Sukuna’s remaining fingers. Once Yuji eats them all, the sorcerers plan to kill him so Sukuna can be exorcised for good.

As you can imagine, Yuji’s life gets very complicated, very fast.

The Watch Order

You have two options:

Release Order: The recommended order for most viewers, especially first-timers. This is how the story was presented to the world.
Chronological Order: For people who want to experience the story exactly as events happened in the timeline.

1. Release Order (Recommended for First-Timers)

This is how the anime was originally aired, and it’s the order that delivers the best emotional pacing and character development.

1. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1 (2020)

This is your introduction to Yuji, Sukuna, and the entire sorcerer world. We meet Satoru Gojo (the strongest sorcerer alive), who teaches Yuji the basics of cursed energy. We also see Megumi Fushigoro (a cool-headed sorcerer-in-training) and Nobara Kugisaki (a fierce, hammer-wielding sorcerer). Together, they form a trio at Tokyo Jujutsu High.

We follow Yuji as he trains with his classmates while dangerous curses begin to stir behind the scenes. The season builds up to the Kyoto Goodwill Event arc and early encounters with powerful curse users.

2. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (Film 2021)

A prequel set one year before Season 1. It follows Yuta Okkotsu, another special-grade student who becomes central to the story later on. Yuta is haunted by the curse of his childhood friend, Rika, and is recruited to Jujutsu High by Gojo.

Yuta is suicidal because Rika, who died in an accident, has returned as a monstrous special-grade curse that violently protects him. Her love became twisted.

Gojo brings Yuta to Tokyo Jujutsu High, where he trains with Maki Zen’in, Panda, and Toge Inumaki. Together, they help him confront his trauma, learn sorcery, and understand Rika’s curse.

The villain, Suguru Geto, wants Rika’s power for himself and launches an attack called The Night Parade of a Hundred Demons.

Yuta becomes a major character later in the story, especially in Season 3. This film also fully introduces Geto’s ideology and actions, which lead directly into the Shibuya Incident later.

3. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 (2023)

Season 2 is split into two arcs:

• Gojo’s Past Arc

We travel back to Gojo and Geto’s teenage years. Their friendship, their missions, and ultimately the tragic event that leads to Geto’s fall.

Teenage Gojo and Geto are assigned to protect a girl named Riko Amanai, who is supposed to merge with a powerful immortal entity called Master Tengen.

However, a mercenary named Toji Fushiguro (Megumi’s father) kills Riko and nearly kills both Gojo and Geto. This traumatic event shatters their bond forever. Gojo becomes the strongest sorcerer alive, and Geto loses his faith in humanity and turns villain.

• Shibuya Incident Arc

This arc is essential for understanding the motivations behind the Shibuya Incident.

It is the big one and one of the most chaotic, emotional, and explosive arcs in modern anime. The villains, led by Kenjaku (a sorcerer possessing Geto’s body), trap Gojo Satoru inside a prison realm during Halloween in Shibuya.

With Gojo sealed away, cities fall into chaos, Sukuna is unleashed at full power, Megumi discovers terrifying truths, and Yuji experiences his darkest moments.

It is the single biggest turning point in the entire franchise. Shibuya changes the world of JJK permanently and sets up everything for Season 3. This arc is also what JUJUTSU KAISEN: Execution recaps.

4. JUJUTSU KAISEN: Execution (2025)

This film compiles the Shibuya Incident and the early parts of the next arc, cleaning up the storyline and preparing viewers for Season 3.

Fans can expect an eclectic, compressed retelling of Gojo’s sealing, a refresher on major deaths, and a setup for the Culling Game.

5. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3

Season 3 adapts the Culling Game Arc, where Yuji and his friends are pulled into a deadly survival game created by Kenjaku.

This arc has not been released yet, but following the manga version, Kenjaku launches The Culling Game, which is a deadly survival tournament across multiple colonies in Japan. Sorcerers must enter these colonies to fight, gain points, and uncover the true purpose behind the ritual.