First aired in 2020, Jujutsu Kaisen has made a name for itself as one of the biggest and best shonen anime airing right now. But, if you’re just starting out, what is the best Jujutsu Kaisen watch order?
There is a lot to enjoy in Jujutsu Kaisen, with the popular movie Jujutsu Kaisen 0 and a second season airing this year.
However, with the anime doing a lot of time jumps, there are a few different ways you could experience the series.
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About Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen takes place in a world where curses formed from negative energy seek to torment humankind. It’s up to Jujutsu Sorcerers, trained to manipulate cursed energy into powerful attacks, to keep the evil curses at bay.
The main story follows Yuji Itadori, a high school student in an occult club who accidentally finds himself caught between a Jujutsu Sorcerer and a curse when the club unseals a spooky rotten finger.
To save himself and his friends, Yuji swallows the finger and unlocks its hidden power. It turns out that the finger belonged to one of the world’s most powerful curses, Ryomen Sukuna.
Yuji is sentenced to death for awakening Sukuna's power, but the experienced Sorcerer teacher Satoru Gojo offers a compromise: Yuji will find and consume Sukuna’s remaining fingers and then he will be executed to kill the curse.
The Jujutsu Kaisen series follows Yuji and other sorcerers as they hone their abilities and fight against curses while the relationship between Yuji and Sukuna becomes more complex.
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How Many Series and Movies Are There in Jujutsu Kaisen?
First things first, here is a table of all existing Jujutsu Kaisen anime content:
Series | Format | Release Date |
---|---|---|
Jujutsu Kaisen | TV | 2020 |
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 | Movie | 2021 |
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 | TV | 2023 |
So far, the franchise consists of two TV seasons, separated by the release of Jujutsu Kaisen 0.
The second season of Jujutsu Kaisen can itself be split into two parts – Hidden Inventory / Premature Death (cour 1) and Shibuya Incident (cour 2).
There are currently no OVAs or spin-offs for Jujutsu Kaisen (although you could count the movie as a spin-off; more on that below).
Should You Watch Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Before the Anime Series?
It is possible to watch the Jujutsu Kaisen 0 movie before watching the anime as it is a prequel designed to appeal to both new and existing fans.
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is not just a prequel in the storyline but is based on a manga that was written just before the actual Jujutsu Kaisen manga!
Previously known as Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical School, the story follows a different protagonist in Yuta Okkotsu. Following Jujutsu Kaisen's success, the original mini-series was repackaged as a prequel.
The movie has been praised for how it allows new fans to enjoy the series, and in terms of story and plot technicalities, nothing is missed by watching the film first and then the series.
The one thing that fans of the original series mention is that the film features many characters that are first introduced in the anime series. Watching the anime first provides more context to these characters, which can lead to a deeper experience with the movie.
However, others say that watching the film first provides additional information for watching the Jujutsu Kaisen anime, particularly making the villains appear deeper and more intriguing when compared to starting with the TV series.
Can You Watch Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 First?
To further complicate Jujutsu Kaisen's timeline, season 2 of the TV series begins with a cour set many years before the events of both the first season and Jujutsu Kaisen 0!
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2's first episodes follow the popular mentor Gojo and the series' villain Geto as students and friends at Tokyo Jujutsu High. The season then returns to following the storyline after Season 1.
While Season 2's first cour is technically first in Jujutsu Kaisen's timeline, it's not recommended to start the series here. Unlike in Jujutsu Kaisen 0, events in Season 2 rely heavily on knowledge of the world and key characters from the previous season.
The Hidden Inventory / Premature Death prequel is there to provide more context to the complicated relationship between Gojo and Geto, which plays a vital role in the Shibuya Incident that follows.
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The Best Jujutsu Kaisen Watch Order
What order you watch Jujutsu Kaisen ultimately comes down to personal preference, as both the anime and movie deliver unique entry points into the same universe.
The consensus (and my personal suggestion) is that the best Jujutsu Kaisen watch order is the order of release:
- Jujutsu Kaisen (Series)
- Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (Movie)
- Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 (Series)
This watch order allows you to follow Yuji Itadori’s journey through his eyes and learn about the world of curses alongside the main character. It also provides a bit more context to the movie, which can enrich that experience.
However, if you struggle to get into the original anime series, you can try watching the movie first:
- Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (Movie)
- Jujutsu Kaisen (Series)
- Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 (Series)
Watching Jujutsu Kaisen 0 first introduces the key concepts of the world quickly in an action-packed theatrical release.
Armed with information from the movie, you can then understand the background of the Jujutsu Kaisen anime a little more, providing a deeper experience with the original series.
Jujutsu Kaisen's Chronological Watch Order
As mentioned, due to how heavily Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 leans on the expected knowledge of how the world works, it's not recommended to start the series from there.
However, if you are a Jujutsu Kaisen superfan, watching the series in its chronological order may give you more appreciation for the wider world and characters of Jujutsu Kaisen beyond Yuji:
- Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Cour 1 (Series)
- Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (Movie)
- Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1 (Series)
- Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Cour 2 (Series)
No matter which way you choose, I hope you enjoy the wonderful, wacky world of Jujutsu sorcerers!
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