The best way to watch Jujutsu Kaisen for the first time is in release order. If you're rewatching the series and want to experience the show in its in-universe chronological order, there are just a few changes you need to make.
This guide will give you a clean overview of both watch orders, including how the JJK 0 movie and the two recap films fit in. Use the interactive watch order tool below to build your personalized watch order list, or read on for all the details.
Best Recommendation: Start With Release Order
For a first watch, release order is the right call. It's the order the creative team intended, and it's especially important for season 2. That season begins with a flashback arc with Gojo and Geto, which will have a lot more emotional payoff if you already know who these characters are.
Chronological order is a legitimate way to rewatch the series once you know the full story, and it's the recommended watch order for the second time through.
Jujutsu Kaisen Release Order
Season 1 (2020) — 24 episodes
Season 1 introduces Yuji Itadori, a high school student who swallows a cursed finger belonging to the king of curses, Ryomen Sukuna. He gets pulled into the world of jujutsu sorcery, and he's joined by the core cast: Megumi, Nobara, Gojo, and the rest of Tokyo Jujutsu High.
- Cursed Child Arc (Episodes 1–3): Yuji encounters Sukuna's finger and gets recruited by Megumi. Gojo shows up and reveals the world of curses to Yuji.
- Occult Club Arc (Episodes 4–5): Yuji settles into Jujutsu High. The tone is lighter at this point before things take a darker turn.
- Extracurricular Activity Arc / Detention Center Arc (Episodes 6–13): Yuji's first real mission. The fights escalate and Sukuna's presence starts to feel like a serious problem.
- Kyoto Goodwill Event Arc (Episodes 14–21): Tokyo and Kyoto students compete, interrupted by a curse attack. This arc adds a lot of depth to every character in the main cast.
- Death Painting Arc (Episodes 22–24): Closes out the season with a case involving cursed womb paintings and introduces a set of antagonists who will matter a lot in the future.
🎬 Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Movie (2021)
Watch JJK 0 between Season 1 and Season 2. This is the only movie in the franchise that is a standalone film rather than a recap. It follows Yuta Okkotsu, a first-year student haunted by the cursed spirit of his childhood friend Rika. The movie functions as a prequel to the main series and takes place before Season 1, but watching it in release order (after Season 1) is strongly recommended. You'll understand the world, you'll know who Gojo is, and the final act will land the way it's supposed to. Yuta becomes a significant character in Season 3, so this movie is required watching.
Season 2 (2023) — 23 episodes
Season 2 is split into two distinct halves that feel almost like separate shows. The first five episodes are a prequel arc set during Gojo and Geto's student days. The rest of the season is the Shibuya Incident, which is one of the most consequential and highly-praised arcs in the show.
- Hidden Inventory / Premature Death Arc (Episodes 1–5): A teenage Gojo and Geto are assigned to protect a girl marked for sacrifice. This arc recontextualizes everything you thought you knew about their relationship. Make sure to watch both Season 1 and JJK 0 before you watch these five episodes.
- Shibuya Incident Arc (Episodes 6–23): On Halloween night, a veil traps civilians in Shibuya and lures in the strongest sorcerers. The scale is enormous, and this arc has more long-term consequences than any that come before it.
Season 3 (2026) — 12 episodes
Season 3 covers the first half of the Culling Game arc. Following the fallout from Shibuya, Kenjaku's plan is fully set in motion: sorcerers and newly awakened curse users compete in a deadly point-based tournament across isolated colonies. The season follows Yuji and Megumi's efforts to find a way to end the game, while Yuta engages in deadly free-for-all in the Sendai Colony.
- Itadori's Extermination / Perfect Preparation Arc (Episodes 1–5): The immediate aftermath of Shibuya. The sorcerer world has been reshaped and the Culling Game is now active.
- Culling Game Arc, Part 1 (Episodes 6–12): The game begins in earnest. Multiple colonies, new combatants, and the introduction of characters who will have a big impact in Season 4. For a full breakdown of how the Culling Game works and Kenjaku's plan behind it, read my Culling Game deep-dive explainer.
Season 4 (The Culling Game Part 2)
Season 4 is currently in production and expected to release in January 2027.
Chronological Watch Order
Chronological order is for rewatches. It requires you to split Season 2 into two pieces:
- Season 2, Episodes 1–5 (Hidden Inventory / Premature Death Arc): This is the Gojo & Geto flashback, and it's the earliest point in the JJK timeline.
- Jujutsu Kaisen 0: This is Yuta's backstory, taking place before Season 1.
- Season 1: Yuji joins Jujutsu High. The main story begins.
- Season 2, Episodes 6–23: Picks up directly after Season 1. The Shibuya Incident.
- Season 3: The Culling Game, Part 1.
This order exists because Season 2 opens with events that chronologically precede Season 1, but were aired two years later. It won't land right if you watch it in this order during your first watch, but it's a great way to start a rewatch.
About the Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Movie
JJK 0 is the only proper film in the franchise so far. It tells a complete, self-contained story about Yuta Okkotsu and his cursed spirit Rika, but it connects directly to the main series in ways that become increasingly important from Season 2 onward. Yuta himself also becomes a major player in Season 3, which means this film is not optional if you're watching the full series.
The Recap Movies: What They Are and Whether to Watch Them
There are two compilation films in the franchise, and neither adds meaningful new content for a first-time viewer. Both are essentially theatrical re-edits of episodes you'll watch anyway as part of the main series.
- Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory / Premature Death — The Movie (2025): A theatrical compilation of Season 2, Episodes 1–5. The runtime is 1 hour and 50 minutes. It features remastered audio and minor new material, but the content is the same as what you'll see as part of Season 2. If you're watching the series in order, skip this. It's aimed at fans who want to revisit the arc in a theater or prefer the compilation format.
- Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution (2025): A compilation of the Shibuya Incident arc from Season 2, paired with the first two episodes of Season 3. If you've watched Season 2 and Season 3, there's nothing new here for you. It served as a theatrical bridge release ahead of Season 3's January 2026 premiere.
Neither film is required, and neither replaces the episodes they're drawn from. If you want to skip them entirely, you're not missing any story content.
Where to Watch
Crunchyroll is the primary streaming home for JJK. All season are available there with both sub and dub options. Netflix carries Season 1, Season 2, and Jujutsu Kaisen 0 in most regions as well.
Season 3 is currently a Crunchyroll exclusive, though Netflix typically get access to these a few years after original airing.
While you watch, engage with the show even more by finding out which JJK character shares your personality in the JJK Character Quiz.
