Jujutsu Kaisen: Seasons, Characters, and Why Gojo Died

If you’ve spent any time around anime discussions lately, chances are you’ve heard the name Jujutsu Kaisen pop up — a lot — and for good reason: it’s a dark fantasy that pulls no punches, with a chaotic energy and risky storytelling that sets it apart. This guide covers the essentials — season 3’s release date, Gojo’s death, and everything you need to know — without spoiling you unless you’re ready.

Manga copies in circulation: over 90 million ·
Total anime episodes (as of Season 2): 47 ·
IMDb rating: 8.6/10 ·
Number of seasons: 2

The six facts that follow give you the core stats and background you need to navigate the series — whether you’re a first-time viewer or catching up before the next season.

What is Jujutsu Kaisen?

At its simplest, Jujutsu Kaisen is a Japanese dark fantasy manga and anime series written and illustrated by Gege Akutami, launching in Weekly Shonen Jump in March 2018 (Wikipedia (reference work)). The story follows high schooler Yuji Itadori, who swallows a cursed finger to gain power — and in doing so, becomes the host for the most dangerous Curse in existence, Ryomen Sukuna. He joins a secret school of Jujutsu Sorcerers to learn how to fight Curses and collect the remaining fingers before Sukuna can fully manifest.

Who are the main characters?

• Yuji Itadori — the protagonist, a naturally athletic teenager who becomes Sukuna’s vessel.
• Satoru Gojo — the most powerful Jujutsu Sorcerer alive, and Yuji’s mentor figure.
• Megumi Fushiguro — a first-year student with summoning abilities.
• Nobara Kugisaki — a confident first-year who uses cursed tools and a hammer technique.
• Ryomen Sukuna — the King of Curses, an ancient and malevolent entity sealed inside Yuji.

The cast structure follows a classic team-of-heroes template, but Jujutsu Kaisen distinguishes itself by killing off major characters with less warning than typical shonen fare — a creative decision that shapes the entire tone (Japan Figure Blog (anime analysis site)).

How many episodes are there?

• Season 1: 24 episodes (October 2020 – March 2021)
• Season 2: 23 episodes (July 2023 – December 2023)
• Total: 47 episodes as of early 2025 (Crunchyroll (streaming service))

Each episode runs roughly 23–25 minutes. The series has no filler arcs — every episode adapts manga content directly (Wikipedia (reference work)).

Is there a Jujutsu Kaisen movie?

Yes. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is a prequel film released in December 2021, adapting the “Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical School” arc (Wikipedia (reference work)). It tells the story of Yuta Okkotsu, a character who later appears in the main series. The film earned over $196 million worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing anime films of 2021.

The pattern: the movie functions as an entry point for new viewers but contains later-series spoilers — watch it after season 1 or as intended, chronologically after the prequel timeline.

The implication: new viewers should watch the movie after season 1 to align with the intended narrative order.

Is there a season 3 of Jujutsu Kaisen?

As of early 2025, no official announcement for a Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 has been made by MAPPA or TOHO Animation. However, multiple credible industry sources point to a reported premiere date of January 8, 2026 (IMDb News (entertainment database)). Crunchyroll is reported to stream it simultaneously, with Netflix carrying Season 3 in select Asian regions from January 9, 2026 (IMDb News (entertainment database)).

Is Jujutsu Kaisen season 4 confirmed?

No. Season 4 is not confirmed. Given that the manga is currently in its final arc, it’s possible the anime will conclude with a third season or split the remaining material into a fourth — but nothing has been announced (GamesRadar+ (gaming & entertainment news)).

Will JJK season 2 be on Netflix?

Yes. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 is available on Netflix in many regions, including the U.S., Canada, and parts of Europe and Asia (JustWatch (streaming guide)). Availability varies by region — some territories only carry Seasons 1 and 2 on Crunchyroll.

Where can I watch Jujutsu Kaisen?

• Crunchyroll — streams all seasons globally, including the movie.
• Netflix — carries selected seasons in the U.S., Canada, UK, and parts of Asia.
• Hulu — available in the U.S.
• Funimation — legacy platform, mostly merged into Crunchyroll.

For Season 3, the breakdown follows: Crunchyroll holds rights outside Asia, Netflix has limited Asian rights, and JustWatch lists additional purchase options on Amazon Video (JustWatch (streaming guide)).

What this means: for most English-speaking viewers, Crunchyroll is the most reliable option. Netflix availability is region-dependent and inconsistent — check your local catalog before subscribing.

Why was Gojo killed off?

In the manga’s timeline, Satoru Gojo died in chapter 236, published in September 2023 (Japan Figure Blog (anime analysis site)). The death occurs after his long-awaited battle following release from the Prison Realm, and he is killed by Ryomen Sukuna in a shocking — and for many readers, controversial — fashion.

What did the creator say about killing Gojo?

According to fan summaries from Jump Festa 2024, creator Gege Akutami stated he wanted to show that Sukuna operates on a “different level of threat” and to raise tension for the final arc (Japan Figure Blog (anime analysis site)). The decision was not motivated by dislike for the character, but by narrative necessity — Gojo’s presence had been so overwhelmingly powerful that his survival made any villain seem less threatening.

How does Gojo’s death affect the plot?

The death creates a power vacuum among the Jujutsu Sorcerers. Without Gojo as a deterrent, Sukuna and Kenjaku accelerate their plans. As of the manga’s current arc, Gojo’s body was reportedly retrieved by Ui Ui and taken to Shoko Ieiri, leading to fan theories about a potential resurrection or body-hopping plot (Game Rant (gaming & anime news)). Some sources suggest that Yuta Okkotsu fell in battle to preserve a “body-transfer plan” involving Gojo’s body, though this remains speculative.

The trade-off: the narrative gains real stakes at the cost of audience trust — many fans expressed frustration that the strongest character died “offscreen” in the manga (between panels), a creative choice that remains divisive (Reddit (fan community discussion)). More than a year after the chapter, Gojo’s death remains one of the most discussed events in modern shonen manga.

Is JJK LGBTQ?

The question of LGBTQ representation in Jujutsu Kaisen comes up frequently, especially among English-speaking fans. The short answer: no character has been officially confirmed as LGBTQ by creator Gege Akutami, and the series does not intentionally focus on LGBTQ themes (Wikipedia (reference work)).

Are there LGBTQ characters in Jujutsu Kaisen?

Many fans interpret certain relationships — particularly between Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto — as having romantic subtext, given their close emotional bond and tragic split (Wikipedia (reference work)). However, this is never made explicit in the text. Akutami has not directly addressed LGBTQ representation in any published interviews or author notes.

What does the creator say about representation?

Gege Akutami has not commented publicly on LGBTQ representation in the series. The absence of a statement has led to online debate: some fans feel frustrated by the lack of explicit representation in a globally popular series, while others argue that the intense friendships between male characters don’t require romantic labeling (Wikipedia (reference work)).

Why this matters: Jujutsu Kaisen operates in a shonen market that has historically avoided LGBTQ themes. The lack of representation is not unique to this series, but its massive global audience means the conversation around it is louder. For anime fans seeking explicit LGBTQ content, this is not a series that delivers on that front — and that’s a deliberate market position, not an oversight.

Is Yuji Itadori Gojo’s son?

No. This is one of the most persistent fan myths about the series. Yuji Itadori is not Gojo’s son — they are teacher and student (Wikipedia (reference work)). Gojo is a mentor to Yuji and the other first-year students at Tokyo Jujutsu High.

What is the relationship between Yuji and Gojo?

Gojo takes a personal interest in Yuji, partly because Yuji carries Sukuna and partly because Gojo sees potential in him. The dynamic is one of warm mentorship: Gojo teases and protects his students, but the relationship is professional and educational in nature (Wikipedia (reference work)).

Who are Yuji’s parents?

Yuji’s parents are not directly shown in the series. His grandfather, Wasuke Itadori, raised him and is the only parental figure depicted (Wikipedia (reference work)). No canonical family connection exists between Yuji and Gojo. The rumor likely stems from Gojo’s obvious favoritism toward Yuji, combined with the fact that both characters have pinkish hair and light eyes — purely coincidental character design.

The catch: the rumor persists because shonen anime has a long history of secret-family reveals (think Naruto and his father, or Luffy and Dragon). Jujutsu Kaisen subverts that trope by keeping its protagonist orphaned and unattached — a choice that reinforces the series’ themes of isolation and self-reliance.

“I wanted to show that Sukuna is a different level of threat, and to raise the tension for the final arc.” — Gege Akutami, paraphrased from Jump Festa 2024 interview

Japan Figure Blog (anime analysis site)

“The fan reaction to Gojo’s death was unlike anything I’ve seen in recent shonen. ‘Offscreen’ became a meme within hours of the chapter’s release.” — Anime commentary, paraphrased from community discussion

Reddit (fan community discussion)

For anime-only viewers, the key takeaway is simple: if you care about avoiding manga spoilers, stay away from Jujutsu Kaisen fan communities until Season 3 catches up. The story’s biggest twists are already common knowledge among manga readers, and the gap between manga and anime means waiting until at least 2026 to see those moments animated. For manga readers, the series’ willingness to kill its strongest character and push forward without him is exactly what separates Jujutsu Kaisen from safer shonen franchises — and why its final arc carries genuine tension.

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