by The third season of the TV anime Jujutsu Kaisen, adapting the “Culling Game (Death Tour) Arc — Part 1,” premiered in January and immediately sparked intense discussion among fans. With each episode, viewers have noticed bold visual choices, unconventional staging, and cinematic techniques rarely seen in mainstream shonen anime.
So why does Season 3 feel so different and, at times, deliberately uncomfortable to watch?
The answer lies in both the dark evolution of the story after the Shibuya Incident and the arc’s fundamental departure from traditional boys’ manga storytelling frameworks.
Spoiler Warning: This article contains plot details from Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 (Culling Game Arc — Part 1).
A Radical Shift from Classic Shonen Formula
Early Jujutsu Kaisen followed familiar shonen elements: school life, team battles, humor, and clear moral alignment. However, after the devastating Shibuya Incident arc, the narrative becomes far more brutal, morally ambiguous, and psychologically heavy.
The Culling Game arc amplifies this shift:
- Characters operate under extreme stress
- Allies become enemies
- Violence becomes more personal and chaotic
- Traditional “power-up and victory” structures break down
- Emotional resolution is often absent
To reflect this darker tone, the anime adopts a more experimental and cinematic directing style rather than standard action-focused presentation.
Horror-Inspired Cinematography and Psychological Tension
One of the clearest examples appears in Episode 48, “Execution,” during the confrontation among the Zen’in clan’s potential heirs — Ogi, Jinichi, and Naoya — following Naobito’s critical condition.
Instead of a typical dialogue scene, the anime transforms the room into a suffocating space:
- The environment appears unnaturally cramped
- Overhead fluorescent lights sway violently
- Shadows flicker across the characters’ faces
- Camera angles heighten unease and hostility
These choices evoke the visual language of psychological horror films, emphasizing instability within the clan and foreshadowing impending violence.
Rather than simply telling the audience that tensions are high, the direction makes viewers feel trapped alongside the characters.
Stylized Action with Cinematic Influences
Episode 51, often translated as “Sway” or “Sucking the Reed,” marks a dramatic tonal shift when Maki fully awakens her physical abilities.
Her assault on the Zen’in clan’s combat forces is depicted with:
- Rapid pacing
- Bold choreography
- Upbeat, almost celebratory music
- Highly stylized violence
Many critics and fans noted similarities to Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill, particularly in how brutality is framed as operatic spectacle rather than gritty realism.
This contrast is intentional. Maki’s transformation represents liberation from years of oppression, and the stylized presentation communicates empowerment rather than mere carnage.
Unusually Long, Static Shots and Real-Time Tension
Episode 52, “Heat,” features another striking directorial choice when Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro approach Kinji Hakari (sometimes mistranslated in early reports) for assistance.
During a negotiation scene, Yuji speaks one-on-one with an intermediary while concealing his identity as a Jujutsu High student. Instead of dynamic editing, the anime uses:
- A fixed camera angle
- A single uninterrupted shot lasting several minutes
- Framing that resembles surveillance footage
- Minimal background music
This approach creates real-time tension, forcing viewers to focus on subtle shifts in tone and body language. The scene feels less like anime and more like live-action psychological drama.
Reflecting the Characters’ Mental State
What makes these techniques effective is that they are not merely stylistic experiments — they mirror the emotional collapse of the characters.
After Shibuya, the protagonists are no longer carefree students but traumatized survivors navigating a deadly game. The direction communicates:
- Anxiety and paranoia
- Moral uncertainty
- Isolation
- Desperation
- Loss of innocence
Traditional bright colors, comedic timing, and heroic framing are replaced by oppressive lighting, awkward silence, and fragmented storytelling.
Breaking the “Boys’ Manga” Framework
The Culling Game arc challenges many conventions associated with shonen storytelling:
No Clear Tournament Structure
Although it resembles a battle royale, alliances shift constantly and rules are morally complex.
No Guaranteed Victories
Characters can lose suddenly or suffer irreversible consequences.
No Simple Good vs. Evil
Motivations are ambiguous, and antagonists often have sympathetic traits.
Fragmented Narrative Focus
Multiple battles occur simultaneously across different locations.
Because the source material itself rejects traditional formulas, the anime’s unconventional direction feels not only justified but necessary.
Balancing Darkness with Entertainment
Despite its bleak tone, Season 3 avoids becoming monotonous or emotionally numbing. Episodes like Maki’s rampage introduce stylized action and cathartic moments that prevent the series from descending into pure despair.
This balance is crucial for maintaining viewer engagement while preserving the story’s thematic weight.
Technical Ambition and Production Challenges
From an animation standpoint, Season 3 is also demanding due to:
- Complex fight choreography
- Large ensemble cast
- Multiple concurrent battles
- Detailed environments
- Experimental lighting and camera work
- High expectations following previous seasons
Studios must coordinate action animation, dramatic acting, and cinematic staging simultaneously — a difficult task even for top-tier productions.
Why Fans Are Divided
The bold direction has produced mixed reactions online:
Praise:
- Mature storytelling
- Cinematic quality
- Emotional intensity
- Faithfulness to the manga’s tone
Criticism:
- Slower pacing in dialogue scenes
- Confusing narrative structure
- Reduced comedic relief
- Overwhelming bleakness
This polarization is typical for works that deliberately challenge genre expectations.
What It Means for the Future of Shonen Anime
Season 3 of Jujutsu Kaisen demonstrates how mainstream action anime can evolve beyond traditional formulas. By blending horror aesthetics, arthouse techniques, and blockbuster action, the series pushes the medium forward.
If successful, this approach could influence future adaptations of darker manga, encouraging studios to prioritize mood and psychology alongside spectacle.
Final Thoughts
The challenging animation direction of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 is not accidental — it is a deliberate artistic response to the story’s darker themes and structural departure from classic boys’ manga.
By using horror-inspired visuals, stylized violence, real-time tension, and unconventional framing, the anime captures the emotional chaos of the Culling Game arc in a way that traditional direction could not.
For viewers willing to embrace its intensity, Season 3 offers one of the most ambitious and psychologically rich experiences in modern shonen anime.
