Jujutsu Kaisen Shimetsu Kaiyu Zenpen • Jujutsu Kaisen The Culling Game

Jujutsu Kaisen Shimetsu Kaiyu Zenpen • Jujutsu Kaisen The Culling Game - Episode 5 discussion

*Jujutsu Kaisen Shimetsu Kaiyu Zenpen*, episode 5

Alternative names: *Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3*

**Reminder:** Please do not discuss plot points not yet seen or skipped in the show. Failing to follow the rules may result in a ban.

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**Streams**

* [Crunchyroll](http://crunchyroll.com/series/GRDV0019R)

**Show information**

* [MyAnimeList](https://myanimelist.net/anime/57658/)
* [AniList](https://anilist.co/anime/172463)
* [AniDB](https://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=18363)
* [Kitsu](https://kitsu.app/anime/48363)
* [Anime-Planet](https://www.anime-planet.com/anime/jujutsu-kaisen-the-culling-game)
* [Official Website](https://jujutsukaisen.jp/)
* **/r/JuJutsuKaisen**

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**All discussions**

Episode|Link
:-:|:-:
1|[Link](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1q7gj2i)
2|[Link](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1q7gj2q)
3|[Link](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1qdnh24)
4|[Link](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1qjyiwr)
5|[Link](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1qqco8s)

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Commentaires

AnimeMod2026-01-29 17:06

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realrimurutempest2026-01-29 17:08

Man Gojo is gonna be pissed af that the jujutsu higher ups went after Yaga the moment he wasn’t there if they get him out.

itoub2026-01-29 17:13

where did you watch the ep?? im refreshing for crunchyroll like crazy and its not yet out

Waifu_Raichu2026-01-29 17:26

It'll be on crunchyroll in about 30 minutes

This-is_CMGRI2026-01-29 17:14

Satoru: "Good thing my students are good enough to replace all of you. Pack your bags and pick your niches."

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:03

Maki already cleaned up the Zen'in mess for him.

Brainiac50002026-01-29 17:25

That's precisely why they have made it illegal to free him. No Gojo means they can finally do whatever they want but also If he ever gets out they might be cooked

Mundology2026-01-29 17:59

Gojo is like a watchdog for Jujutsu Society who keeps the checks and balances to prevent both the sorceror higher ups and curses from meddling too much with the human world. Without him, the whole system was thrown into disarray.

Levi4882026-01-29 18:54

The Apex Predator is gone and now the ecosystem is collapsing

Cheesemacher2026-01-29 19:20

Oh damn, he's like the Avatar

GoodBoyBabz2026-01-29 18:10

[removed]

ValhallaKombi2026-01-29 18:24

I mean Gojo did exist for like 12 years at nation destroyer scale lol. If you really think about it, everyone basically banks on Gojo doing things for the greater good. They still went after Yuji's execution, literally banking on Gojo being silent. Its legit like they have accepted wipe out and that doing their "Sacred jobs" is worth over doing something else.

The_walking_man_2026-01-29 19:24

The higher ups are a group of egotistical and power hungry sorcerers. They probably didn’t even have the foresight to consider all the others that have been trained by Gojo or would be associated with him.

The spotlight was fully on Gojo and as soon as he was out of the picture, it was full speed ahead while they have the chance.

Toge_Inumaki0122026-01-29 18:30

Imagine doing all that while a huge ass jujutsu terrorism is happening at the moment by someone who managed to seal Gojo Satoru.

God dang these power hungry old shits are something else

Brainiac50002026-01-29 20:39

Just like in real life

jaytix12026-01-29 18:44

The higher ups playing politics instead of dealing with Kenjaku pisses me so much lol. Did they even send anyone to the colonies?

GlitterDoomsday2026-01-29 19:17

But looking at the current state of affairs globally, it's perfectly realistic.

jaytix12026-01-29 19:58

I know, that's why it pisses me off 🤣.

Brainiac50002026-01-29 17:25

That's precisely why they have made it illegal to free him. No Gojo means they can finally do whatever they want but also If he ever gets out they might be cooked

Se7en_Sinner2026-01-29 17:39

Gojo simply existing was a huge deterrent. He was basically a nuke.

Ren_Davis05312026-01-29 18:00

JJK is basically a lesson in nuclear deterrence 😂

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:03

Gojo being gone basically set off most of the plot of this season so far.

TryContent40932026-01-29 19:03

I’m surprised it took a while for them to promote yaga to special grade. They already knew he made those cursed corpses especially panda. They definitely promoted him on purpose. Waited for when Gojo is sealed so they could get rid of him. It’s not just the students but even the principal too. I hate the higher ups so much

Worthyness2026-01-29 19:34

A bunch of conservative old fucks who want to control everything. Sounds about right. One thing they can't control and they stay quiet, but as soon as he's gone, they make him illegal

AlexeiFraytar2026-01-29 20:20

He pretended he didnt know how, and Gojo was there to deter.

Lumpy-Manager85802026-01-29 17:14

I can't believe I'm referencing Naoya, but the folks at MAPPA really have "no human heart" for transitioning Panda's crying (shout-outs to Seki-san) to "LUV ME LUV ME", that's top-notch black comedy right there. Also, it felt interesting to put Yuji and Hakari's(where did you get lost, Zoro?) conversation as a oner until the last seconds, and you knew the tension was building up when Hakari's phone started buzzing. Speaking of Yuji, what was even that lie?? XD

OKOROS12026-01-29 17:17

Kinda reminds of Yujis breakdown supported by YOU ARE MY SPECIALS song xD

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:10

Sukuna trolling at its finest.

CursedEye032026-01-29 17:38

>the folks at MAPPA really have "no human heart" for transitioning Panda's crying (shout-outs to Seki-san) to "LUV ME LUV ME", that's top-notch black comedy right there

Ah, yes. The Yuji situation with YOU ARE MY SPECIALZ

mrspear19952026-01-29 17:56

the only complaint to have for this season is because it's one cour they don't have any time to let the emotional scenes breath a bit, it was already not enough for shibuya but this season they know people don't care about the story anymore so even the good emotional story scenes they opted to just rush over

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:10

Panda loses his father and the Jujutsu World loses one of the good ones and then "LUV ME LUV ME."

I guess we could all use a little love in our heart.

Newton_Guru2026-01-29 17:17

Its so Peak

TheNaCoinfl1p2026-01-29 17:20

When Gojo gets out he must finally just do the thing he has threatened the whole time. Just wipe out the higher ups lol.

I dont really get why he just didnt before but i guess he wants order in some way. He kills them all ands everything collapses.

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:03

Considering how it feels like Jujutsu society is basically standing on the edge at this point, especially with the Zen'in's gone, Gojo could probably get away with it.

Vangorf2026-01-29 18:43

I mean Gojo would've been able to get away with it even before shit hit the fan.

Ren_Davis05312026-01-29 18:03

Because Gojo wants a new society that doesn’t have to rely on him as the strongest. He doesn’t like the conservative regulations of the higher-ups and understands that simply killing them all won’t solve all the problems. Teaching a new generation with more robust values is the more sound solution. Killing the higher-ups is only a last resort if they push him too far.

BadBehaviour6132026-01-29 18:52

We know Gojo has entertained the idea at least once though. I like to think he doesn't like the parallel to Geto killing all the non sorcerers, and that's why he couldn't go through with it

Ren_Davis05312026-01-29 19:06

Gojo’s experience with Geto showed him the limit of his strength. He can overwhelmingly demolish a country if he wanted, but he couldn’t save his friend. Sure, he could take out the higher-ups but the structural underpinning of jujutsu society wouldn’t change. If he can’t change hearts and minds then it’s still fundamentally a society that has to rely on Gojo as the strongest. He will still fundamentally be lonely. This is why he wants to raise up new strongest. To lighten the load and have company. To have a more human centered jujutsu society that isn’t drowning in slavish adherence to tradition.

FlyUnder_TheRadar2026-01-29 18:43

Gojo's ultimate goal is to change Jujutsu society from within. To do that, he has used his position to mentor and influence the younger generations of Jujutsu sorcerers at Jujutsu High with the hope that they will one day push out the traditionalists and usher in the culture he wants to see. Killing the higher ups would have a short term effect, but wouldnt exact lasting change that will endure when hes out of the picture one day. Hes essentially trying to foster a culture change that will be around long after hes gone. But, he still leverages his power and the threat of just wiping the slate clean to get what he wants. The higher ups know he can wipe them out on a whim, so they let him do mostly whatever he wants.

itz_kekeli2026-01-29 17:21

Is this the episode Haraki gets introduced??

This-is_CMGRI2026-01-29 17:24

...his name's never getting spelled right, isn't he?

itz_kekeli2026-01-29 17:30

My bad Hakari

Ren_Davis05312026-01-29 18:12

Yeah I don’t understand why people can’t get a simple name like Hakkari right. It really grinds my gears when people can’t spell Haraki correctly. At least try to learn how to spell Harako in the proper way. Put some respect on Hakaraki.

This-is_CMGRI2026-01-29 18:15

Karane Inda: "wow is that how I sound when I talk about her?"

TryContent40932026-01-29 17:50

[removed]

Se7en_Sinner2026-01-29 17:22

Yuji realizing he's about to fight Panda is the anime equivalent of Thor vs Hulk in Ragnarok.

Lumpy-Manager85802026-01-29 17:35

I was dying with Yuji bopping Panda and him overreacting with an Oscar-worthy performance XD

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:02

TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP

I've seen wrestles play better heels, Panda lol.

This-is_CMGRI2026-01-29 17:36

Yuji: "We know each other. He's a friend from ~~work~~ school!"

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:09

I guess that makes Maki Valkyrie lol.

TheBigIdiotSalami2026-01-29 19:03

This is the kinda season 1 shit I've been dying to see again. Built to be a slice of life, forced to be a shonen.

rebeccadarking2026-01-29 17:23

Play dumb!

"...Who's Gojo?"

*Not that dumb!*

AliceinTeyvatland2026-01-29 17:32

Who's Michael Jordan?

ball_throwerAFK2026-01-29 17:44

King of pop. Who’s Lionel Messi?

Mundology2026-01-29 18:03

IShowSpeed's bestie. Who is Cristiano Ronaldo?

PowerfulRoom8132026-01-29 18:06

Isagi victim

ball_throwerAFK2026-01-29 18:56

Honestly he probably is.

CursedEye032026-01-29 17:36

The right advice should have been: be natural. I love Yuji, but he has two brain cells at most. The advice to play dumb took away these two precious brain cells.

LowraAwry2026-01-29 18:07

And Hakari seems a bit full of himself, so I bet lovable dumb Yuji was working on him until the Gojo mishap.

finnjakefionnacake2026-01-29 18:48

who wouldn't like yuji?! he is literally the definition of best boi 😭

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:08

Especially when their conversation was flowing well and naturally right up to the point where Yuji actually tried lying.

melindypants2026-01-29 19:08

Silly Yuji - he took a *gamble* and lost

Se7en_Sinner2026-01-29 17:38

Gojo being the first sorcerer Yuji met deluded how specialz he is.

Yuji doesn't have to play dumb, he should have just been himself.

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:08

Yeah, they could have just rolled into a conversation about how wild Gojo and this situation is if Yuji had been honest (though Kirara's warning would have still probably set Hakari off).

Hounds_of_war2026-01-29 17:46

Tbf to Yuji he has only known that sorcerers were a thing for like, about half a year? And pretty much all of which has been spent at Jujutsu tech with the other students.

Bro has no idea what the average sorcerer does and doesn’t know.

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:09

Yuji: "Domain Expansion? Is that a thing Jujutsu Sorcerers do? I literally only got started like a few weeks ago..."

Toge_Inumaki0122026-01-29 18:36

Gojo is basically Jujutsu Jesus, their Michael Jordan etc.

Worthyness2026-01-29 20:08

"I don't even have a cursed technique, bro. i just like to throw hands"

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:06

The one time Yuji would have been better off just being completely honest like he always is. After Panda and Megumi literally talked about how he can't lie to save his life lol.

synthexd2026-01-29 18:34

who’s jesus ?

finnjakefionnacake2026-01-29 18:47

also wouldn't yuji be just about as famous as gojo in the jujutsu world at this point? who would not be aware of the vessel of sukuna, especially considering he has been marked for execution/tied to gojo. we live in the modern era yuji! there are cameras! lol

melindypants2026-01-29 19:09

I also thought the same thing...and maybe that's why Kirara ended up calling anyways? Like a real *wait a minute* moment

galaxycentral2026-01-29 21:07

Naoya didn't know who he was either until the maid told him. Unless you're really tapped in jujutsu politics you probably wouldn't know.

Whatah2026-01-29 17:26

So I haven't seen ep5 yet but I want to say something about Ep4

When the Kill Bill combined movie version came out recently and added its "new anime scene" that scene was trash, and also the scene was a Fortnite advertisement. And that imo make that whole part, if not the combined movie re-release, a imo a poorly done cash grab.

I think ep4 is MAPPA going "hold my beer" and then showing what a true Kill Bill anime tribute episode could look like. And of course, Kill Bill is derivative etc etc.

Still tho, I can't believe in the first month of 2026 we get Fate ep4, JJK ep4, That Kaguya movie, and also everything that is cooking in Frieren and Oshi No Ko... an amazing number of well executed releases and arguably perfect episodes.

This-is_CMGRI2026-01-29 17:37

> also the scene was a Fortnite advertisement

Is it? The Fortnite thing was completely separate, and the newly-added scene is just an extension of O-Ren's backstory.

Se7en_Sinner2026-01-29 17:26

Panda selling hits from Yuji like he's Dolph Ziggler.

melissaphobia2026-01-29 17:56

I’m glad someone else had this exact thought.

This-is_CMGRI2026-01-29 17:59

holy fuck

just had a thought

in the inevitable day JJK gets a Hollywood adaptation, Orange Cassidy should be cast as Yuji.

Lazydusto2026-01-29 19:28

I never thought I'd see Dolph brought up in this context lmao.

Kallenders2026-01-29 17:34

Even pandas cum

SmileyTheSmile2026-01-29 18:30

My phone caught fire from rendering this sentence.

ObvsThrowaway51202026-01-29 17:35

Damn… they got Masamichi. Poor Panda. Did not expect him to turn up in that fight club like that. His “bout” with Itadori was pretty fun to watch. Panda’s acting didn’t suck at all. Very natural haha.

If dude won’t listen, I gueee Itadori’s gonna have to beat his face in until he listens. Gonna be a real slugfest next week.

Shimmering-Sky2026-01-29 17:39

- [Cute!](https://i.imgur.com/gRq6y6G.png)

- [Aw…](https://i.imgur.com/khABsKM.png) [](#makicry)

- [Panda…](https://i.imgur.com/oB7yHdW.png) [](#sadholo)

- [Megumi and Yuji’s new outfits *do* look good on them, though.](https://i.imgur.com/CAcvps6.png) [](#neat)

- [You don’t talk about Fight Club.](https://i.imgur.com/TCkN8AE.png)

- [Makes sense.](https://i.imgur.com/QzH2cXA.png)

- [Yuji vs. Panda hype!](https://i.imgur.com/lCYEnJb.png) [](#rengehype)

- All the little “LIGHT TOUCH” bubbles popping up to clarify Yuji wasn’t punching Panda for real, plus the sound effect that comes with them, are way too funny. [](#azusalaugh)

- [Megumi hiding in that guy’s shadow is *so* cool!](https://i.imgur.com/PEwHFid.png) [](#saberawe)

- [Yuji what the heck?](https://i.imgur.com/AaNcBek.png) [](#laughter)

- [How many exes does he have…?](https://i.imgur.com/ydd9NQe.png) [](#animatedthink)

- [Yuji pls.](https://i.imgur.com/Cq4CRkE.png) [](#kyonfacepalm)

- [Fight time!](https://i.imgur.com/UiMIiEL.png) [](#SPORTS)

Se7en_Sinner2026-01-29 17:47

> Megumi and Yuji’s new outfits do look good on them, though.

Yuji and Megumi are not beating the Naruto and Sasuke allegations.

Shimmering-Sky2026-01-29 17:48

Of course they aren't.

[](#ohoho)

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:04

NOW KISSS

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:12

>[*How many exes does he have…?*](https://i.imgur.com/ydd9NQe.png)

Too many for Kirara's taste.

BadBehaviour6132026-01-29 18:19

I never liked the Jujutsu high uniform. Glad to see the cast slip into something more fitting of their personalities

Burnouts3s32026-01-29 17:40

I love the fact that this show can go straight from Itadori faking a fight with a Panda Bear to aggressive negotiations.

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:05

And also suddenly some crazy cartoonish fight animation to super low-key realistic character animation for Yuji and Hakari's conversation.

Armdel2026-01-29 17:42

Can't say i expected Yoshinobu playing playing the electric guitar coming

the "fight" between Yuji and Panda was great lmao. really selling those light taps. at least he went properly flying for the finish

aaand cliffhanger ending ofcourse... well now i'm curious to find out what tipped off Kirara

Shimmering-Sky2026-01-29 17:44

> Can't say i expected Yoshinobu playing playing the electric guitar coming

Did you forget he did that back in S1?

Armdel2026-01-29 17:49

I did... but i also watched season 1 when it aired, 5 years ago, so forgive me...

FlippehD2026-01-29 17:48

I like how Yuji and Megumi under cover kinda resemble a Naruto and Sasuke outfit, lol.

mrspear19952026-01-29 18:03

it was def intentional, you even see a person wearing a gege mask in the crowd of the fight

Jezamiah2026-01-29 23:16

[Pic reference](https://imgur.com/a/r6cOoEA)

Hounds_of_war2026-01-29 17:51

Really love how they used that fixed camera angle for Hakari and Yuji’s meeting and the start of their fight. Also the phone ringing throughout. Made it feel so much more tense than if they had just done the standard thing of cutting back and forth between a shot of Hakari’s face to a shot of Yuji’s face, just further emphasizes the feeling that things are about to pop off.

This-is_CMGRI2026-01-29 18:01

ikr it was so tense and I was rechecking the manga and I was like "I know what's gonna happen but it feels like someone's gonna crash from off the frame"

And hat helped is that the voice direction for both Hakari and Yuji is top-notch.

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:13

Felt like we'd stepped into a Japanese crime drama.

LowraAwry2026-01-29 18:20

Yes! That scene was great. I love how Yuji finally recognizes he done fucked it up and puts up a placating hand. Hakari looks like a pitbull ready to pounce and Yuji over there finally wants to use logic he was lacking a few seconds ago.

imarasnothere2026-01-29 18:26

That was a bold choice but I loved it!

SciFiXhi2026-01-29 18:29

I was just waiting for an explosion on Hakari's end to break the tension, but instead it was a gradual ramp-up that really heightened the scene. Incredibly well done.

BadBehaviour6132026-01-29 18:43

This scene and 100 meters make me think anime incorporating more cinematic languages is this era's direction

SubjectBodybuilder812026-01-29 18:57

i think that’s the best way to go with shonen anime tbh, make it feel more different from each other and BE STYLISTIC

reddit_is_tarded2026-01-29 22:20

between JJK, chainsaw man, Frieren... this is an amazing time for anime just to be objective about it. When non-faanatics pontificate about how "anime is so much worse these days" I don't know where to start. I mean there are great shows from the past. don't let it blind you to sublime things happening right in front of your face

synthexd2026-01-29 17:51

“Animal welfare groups won’t stay quiet about this” i can’t 😭😭😭

and why does every episode feel like absolute cinema (4min single shot what great acting 🙌 )

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:11

Panda: "I'm going to narc on you for this animal abuse!"

They really went way too hard on that Hakari/Yuji conversation.

Haha91haha2026-01-29 18:30

Forget cursed techniques, you know a walking, talking, fighting Panda would do numbers in any fight club. Me wondering if Gege is a Tekken fan and Panda's whole character was a long walk to make this happen.

prime-megadeath2026-01-29 17:52

Can I steal those whiskers?

shad792026-01-29 17:52

[Kirara](https://imgchest.com/p/ne7bnkq5n75) is a guy!? Nooo! But oh well... I don't care, [looks female enough](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/5a67ab56e589.png) xD

It's sad to see [Yaga dead](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/acc7cf70d564.png); he was a good guy. [His cursed corpses were so cute!](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/74fa444f302b.png)

The fight between Yuji and Panda in this episode was [so fun](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/41f888d870c8.png), it felt like I was watching [some kind of wrestling match](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/3830be509324.png).

[That scene between Yuji and Hakari was great](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/f04b992f566f.png), lasting almost four minutes in one cut! I can't wait for [their confrontation](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/c8e62db7fe53.png) in the next episode.

I'll later update this comment with my screenshot albums from the episode.

Primo292026-01-29 17:54

Damn it, Yuji!! Why must you be a person who can't lie LOL

Reznor_PT2026-01-29 17:56

[removed]

Aileos2026-01-29 17:56

"Even pandas... cry"

3 seconds later: LOVE ME LOVE ME

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:04

Panda more human than like a decent amount of Jujutsu Sorcerers we've seen on this show.

Mundology2026-01-29 18:40

[Panda is just so peak](https://i.imgur.com/JaUKEte.jpeg)

[](#manly-tears)

TryContent40932026-01-29 19:15

My tears stopped right after they played the opening song. Would have loved it if they extended the scene so I could cry more

bananeeek2026-01-29 19:48

Mappa probably flicked their hair nonchalantly when they made this transition.

Original-Body-57942026-01-29 21:31

I loved this episode, but yeah that took me out, they should have just opened the episode with the opening so we wouldn't get this whiplash of a really emotional scene followed by a super upbeat song.

Asgerond2026-01-29 17:57

Kiara is so hot

batmans4202026-01-29 17:57

Kirara my beloved ❤️

trio_pu2026-01-29 17:57

The movement, the dialogue, the dynamics, the animation — that Hakari–Itadori exchange is on a completely different level.

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:06

They didn't need to make it look so smooth and real but they did and it was all the more memorable a scene as a result.

_WrongKarWai2026-01-29 19:02

great usage of lights and the phone ringing must be some sort of reference as well.

cheese_bruh2026-01-29 19:42

Every ep looks like it was made for a movie lol

mrspear19952026-01-29 17:59

the fixed frame for the hakari scene was really cool, something a portion of JP losers are gonna complain about again but really cool especially they went for that handdrawn loose frames look

Ordinary-You81022026-01-29 18:00

the hakari-yuji scene felt like a real movie lol

ignorantoverseer2026-01-29 18:28

Felt like they rotoscoped over both Yuji and Hakari all throughout the scene. Yuji's motions felt too humanly fluid. lol

Budget-Animator-39362026-01-29 18:56

Still don't know who is the madman who solo animated that entire 4 minutes segment but God bless the 2nd KA for handling that monster load of a animation scene.

Rotoscoped or not that is so damn technically impressive and difficult

bedsheetsniffer2026-01-29 19:12

>4 minutes segment

That’s nearly 6000 frames btw. Holy talent

Budget-Animator-39362026-01-29 19:34

I just found a really fun fact:

The Hakari & Yuji segment is animated in rotoscoped thanks to the episode director Andou confirming it.

Gosso (Series Director / Storyboarder for Ep 1 to 5 for S3) and Masami Andou (Episode Director for this episode) are the actors as reference for the scene.

Yuji is played by Gosso while Andou is Hakari for the rotoscope reference. Great acting from both of them.

cheese_bruh2026-01-29 19:41

Damn I thought it may have been rotoscoped but it also didn't look that fluid to be rotoscoped, I think it's some damn well good rotoscoping then because they've managed to not go overboard with the movement with how rotoscope normally is, e.g. when the characters are still they stay still- not moving/swaying slightly as you do IRL.

arasitar2026-01-29 23:01

According to Sakuga Booru: https://www.sakugabooru.com/post/show/299112

> Episode Director Masaomi Andou played Hakari and Series Director/Storyboarder Shouta Goshozono played Yuji for the rotoscope reference they filmed.
>
> https://x.com/miozin35/status/2016902872999530906
>
> In his own words, they played those parts because he is fat and Gosso is skinny.
>
> https://x.com/miozin35/status/2016915551051010343

Haha91haha2026-01-29 18:29

A lotta really cinematic shots this season, also with the shots on the principal thru his jail cell door.

FastenedCarrot2026-01-29 21:52

Not just the visuals but the sound design of it

Iwanttolink2026-01-29 18:00

Kirara my trans queen <3

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:01

In creating Panda, Masamichi Yaga had created life. And obviously the Jujutsu World didn't know how to handle that without threatening Yaga with life imprisonment...unless he could tell them how he did it. But sometimes life just...finds a way.

Man, Yaga's got his own 100 Acre Woods with the Cursed Corpses he's created living peacefully in Tengen's domain. At least they're safe there, as he sees them off one last time. Because his bill has come due from Jujutsu Society without Gojo there to protect him and Gakuganji is ready to play him a requiem.

Kusakabe still a real one to the bitter end. Panda was being used as bait but Kusakabe frees him. I mean, Yaga reunited Kusakabe and his sister with Takeru, the child she lost and was desperate to see again, and who wouldn't do all that they can for a guy like that? Even if Panda is too late to save him.

Yaga leaves Gakuganji with the "curse" of how he was able to create life out of dolls, and just as Gakuganji is ready for a fight...Panda doesn't even bother with him. Panda is a panda, he knows there's no point in blaming Gakuganji for Yaga's death. But he's still a Panda who can cry over losing his father. And that's REAL humanity.

Yuji and Megumi are going undercover in Jujutsu Fight Club! All to recruit wayward 3rd Year Hakari (Kazuya Nakai!). Honestly, Yuj is like the perfect person to recruit into a fight club and is a complete natural at it...even when his opponent is Panda who had the same idea as the rest of the team. Just look at that play fighting! They really put on a fabulous show for the audience! TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP! And Panda sealing the deal with the worse acting finish of all time.

Hakari embraces passion and money, and his lover (?) Kirara is by his side cuddling up to him...they love what he's passionate about even if they don't love when he brings up his exes (of which there are quite a few because he comes off like a compulsive gambler). And they're both Jujutsu High 3rd Years.

Honestly Yuji can normally get along with anybody and he and Hakari actually hit it off at first. It really seemed like things were going well with Hakari opening up about how he wants to make his Fight Club legit in this turbulent new era of Jujutsu...until Yuji played dumb about Gojo...which is when Hakari knew he was likely a narc. And it seems like Hakari can make stuff...appear? He had like a door appear around Yuji when he attacked him? Either way, this mission has gone off the rails.

Happy_Zucchini_85472026-01-29 18:01

They’re going extra for Panda vs Yuji fake fighting🤣

I love the direction of this episode a lot, even the character acting part was done in a spectacular manner.

yubiyubi21212026-01-29 18:03

yuji and hakari is so funny

Ren_Davis05312026-01-29 18:05

Loved how they handled the Yuji/Hakari conversation. Shooting it from the side as a one-take was the perfect way to build tension and add heat (Hakari: 🥹) to the interaction. You could just feel the scene burning up as it progressed.

I have really enjoyed how MAPPA has handled the adaptation so far. Mahoraga would be proud 🥹

Direct_Fisherman_1462026-01-29 18:08

That four minute shot was insanely well done. I have no doubt that a bunch of kids are about to complain about it though. Every scene of this season really feels like its own avant art piece. Its impressive how far they are pushing the medium

RetryPerson2026-01-29 18:11

Corrupt Decrepit POS + Authority = Disaster. Just when japan is in danger because of kenjaku, the higher ups had to making things even worse.

I hope Gojo will clean them up once he gets unsealed.

iFuller2026-01-29 18:12

No one gonna mention Gay Gay in the fight club?

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:14

This season has been surprisingly strong in LGBTQ+ content.

alconnow2026-01-29 18:25

[Found him! ](https://ibb.co/0VQLH30Y)

Haha91haha2026-01-29 18:35

Immediately gets jumped by the crowd.

SmileyTheSmile2026-01-29 18:29

Gay, Gay, A Cute Tummy.

PakiIronman2026-01-29 18:12

"I'm a genius, aren't I?"

FUCK FUCK FUCK ts is too much man

alconnow2026-01-29 18:13

Though he was barely in the series, it's still sad to see Yaga go :( I liked his interactions with Gojo.

AIZO immediately playing after Panda crying felt a bit jarring lmao

[I loved the fake fight between Panda and Yuji](https://ibb.co/YTD2fjKD)

[Megumi jump scare](https://ibb.co/pjkJB4CM)

NUFCjaydos2026-01-29 18:14

I don’t know why but that scene with Itadori & Hakari chatting away & every once in a while they would change their sitting position or posture, just itched a part of my brain.

nthan3332026-01-29 21:51

It's because it was rotoscoped with MAPPA's god-tier art, so the movements were actually how people IRL sit and chat. Making it one long fixed shot was another excellent decision too giving it stylized realism. I hope the Key Animator for that scene got a good long rest on the coolest side of their pillow because that had to be upwards 5000 frames and it was perfect, looked like a Blu-ray quality finish on the first airing. The studio has been doing little things like this and pouring the work and effort into it and it's really paying off. They're lowkey serperating themselves out from other animation studios this season, I just pray the work conditions at MAPPA have improved. I'm fine with a 2 year gap between seasons if this is the level we get and it means the animators aren't hospitalized after finishing their scenes.

Seo_Kouji2026-01-29 18:16

The use of Rotoscope animation and still camera shot for the Hakari and Itadori monitor room scene was amazing. You can really feel the tension build up through the isolated voice acting performance and subtle body language movements

Prince-Dizzytoon2026-01-29 18:16

Yuji putting his hand up after he got caught has me dying laughing lmao

Frontier2462026-01-29 18:24

Yuji: "Okay, I can totally explain this...no need to turn into a fight..."

Stop-Hanging-Djs2026-01-29 18:58

Hakari: What is this, some sort of Sorcery Fight? Some kinda.... Jujutsu Kaisen?

FLorianGran2026-01-29 18:17

To me, making a mostly talking episode look good is just as impressive as a good looking action episode

That section with Yuji and Hakari discussing gambling was fantastic

ValhallaKombi2026-01-29 18:17

Gege's callbacks and payoffs will always be my favourite thing about JJK. S1ep16 was probably my least rewatched ep of the whole show and the most prominent thing in it is of course Mechamaru introducing the concept of heavenly restrictions. But I love that Panda having 3 souls had another explanation. And kinda dark.

Based on Kusakabe's nephew (It was Kusakabe right?), does Panda literally have 3 souls who were Yagamichi's actual children? Thats crazy. The older sister already died by Mechamaru's hand "casually". I wonder if Yaga was secretly in pain while watching them in the exchange event. Also does this mean Panda will show signs or instability now that he doesn't have 3 souls to sustain 1 ego.

I like the final "curse" he gave to Gakuganji. Panda also acknowledges how even Gakuganji is ultimately a tool of the system, even though he believes and upholds it.

Parking-Potato-24412026-01-29 18:19

Gosso cinema

notthehulk032026-01-29 18:23

The conversation between hakari and yuji was done right. The phone call continuing to ring brought up so much tension.

melindypants2026-01-29 19:15

That entire scene had me sweating

Next_Package_57102026-01-29 18:24

I have to say that the ED is a great song for this.

kawaiinessa2026-01-29 18:28

damn the animation this episode was great they really went all out with this season, most anime during conversations would have a lot of static frames with mouth moving and not much else but they animated walking and what i can only describe as iddle animations lol like itadori crossing him arms then lowering his arms.

Hiroshima-6-19452026-01-29 18:28

Bruh they didn't even reveal the gender

KaiserNazrin2026-01-29 18:29

Yaga could've been Special Grade Sorcerer just because of his ability to make cursed corpse. DE and RCT is overrated.

zool7142026-01-29 18:36

That whole underground fight segment really felt like something out of an organized crime and gangster movie. Especially with Yuji and Hakari in the office. They really nailed that vibe.

Seeing Yaga’s explanation for creating a self-sustaining cursed corpse needing 3 cores to stabilize, I wonder if it’s under the same principle as Kenjaku needing 3 “parents” to create cursed wombs.

And finally we meet them! I remember they name dropped three people in S1. After finishing S2, I rewatched S1 and realized one of them was Yuta. But still don’t know who the other two were. Guess now I know it’s Hakari and Kirara. And Yuta is definitely spot on describing Hakari as unpredictable.

Toge_Inumaki0122026-01-29 20:01

>I wonder if it’s under the same principle as Kenjaku needing 3 “parents” to create cursed wombs.

Holy shit, never thought of that. Also cores are basically their souls right? How tf do you find something compatible then

filthster2026-01-29 18:37

> The SPCA won't stand for this!

Amazing, haha.

SkaterDC2026-01-29 18:37

Some of the most incredible character acting animation I’ve ever seen. I felt like I was in the room with two honest to god real life people. I had to remember to breathe as it got more tense, holy shit

SciFiXhi2026-01-29 18:39

Man, I miss Yaga already. This was (IIRC) the first time they really dug into his characterization, and I wish we'd gotten more of him earlier.

Chrono-Helix2026-01-29 18:40

I can’t be the only one expecting him to reveal a dragon tattoo when he removed his jacket.

That last scene holding the “camera” for the whole conversation was an interesting choice.

iamkwang2026-01-29 18:40

For those wondering why Yaga explained his technique after fatally getting injured; he cursed his technique. The higher ups wanted to know how his curse dolls operated so they were gonna hunt/dissect them. Yaga viewed his dolls as his children so by telling them AFTER dying they run the risk of causing a curse spirit to be born especially since GakuGanji who knows the technique seem distraught/guilty for killing Yaga and the only one who he passed down its secrets to.

RIP Yaga.

NanDemoKnaives2026-01-29 19:41

So that's why he called Panda his son, I was thinking it was his actual son's memories in Panda.

Important_Airline_722026-01-29 21:09

Its not really that.

Yaga’s technique in the wrong hands is capable of fucking up the whole system since he basically creates life from death. The higher ups as we can see are corrupt power hungry bastards who felt threatened but also wanted to know how it works so they can use it too.

Yaga is basically Oppenheimer and knows how to make nukes, he doesnt want to give that knowledge because it obviously can be used in very bad ways.

Gakuganji is not EVIL as the higher ups, he is just as panda said, the blade who happened to kill him. By telling him how to make the nukes before dying he cursed gakuganji with the same knowledge - he now too can use that to either do good or do evil or be targeted by the higher ups. So the knowledge is not lost, its in another hands who is now cursed with it.

MoMoney_MoHoes2026-01-29 18:49

The production quality of this show is nuts. The angle of the Hakari/Yuji conversation alongside the ringing phone really amped the tension.

Hakari exposing course-selling grifters came out of left field, and I loved every second of that.

Also, the higher ups definitely gotta go after making my guy Panda cry.

AcceptablePay45232026-01-29 18:52

Hakari and his gf is so cute lmao this is one my fave episodes of the season great direction

Frontier2462026-01-29 20:26

I'm glad Hakari has found someone who appreciates his passion and vices and wants to be with him **for** them.

Yasimear2026-01-29 19:04

THEY MADE KIRARA SO PRETTY IM SO HAPPY :D

Shmappii2026-01-29 19:08

Imagine a Tarantino movie where the incredibly tense conversation that happens right before an explosion of violence was immediately followed by the credits rolling and a notice to "come back next week for the rest." I get how on a full season rewatch it won't be an issue, but the blue balls are pretty ridiculous here.

Cold_Recording54852026-01-29 19:13

Jesus christ man that last scene was an absolute masterclass of tension. After last week's absolute domination I wasn't thinking of all things that ending talk with Hakari and Itadori would be comparable to it for entirely different reasons.

PURE
GOSSO
CINEMA

NationalStrategy2026-01-29 21:18

Zoro got lost and decided to run a fight club