Jujutsu Kaisen started out as a fairly commendable shōnen series in its first season. The second season was much better, showcasing great animation and an even more gripping story. Through just a few episodes, the third season has cemented itself as one of the best in shōnen history, and it’s only going to get better from here.
There are nine arcs in total in Jujutsu Kaisen, counting Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which was originally a one-off that existed before Jujtusu Kaisen was even an idea. There isn’t an arc in Jujutsu Kaisen that can be considered bad, and there are more than a few that can be considered so obscenely good that few franchises can compare.
Fearsome Womb Arc
The Fearsome Womb Arc is the first arc of Jujutsu Kaisen and can be considered the least-good of the series, and it’s not really the arc’s fault. The Fearsome Womb Arc isn’t bad at all, but it doesn’t exist to steal the show.
Instead, the arc exists as the canvas on which the rest of Jujutsu Kaisen lies. Without it, the series wouldn’t make sense, making it arguably the most important arc in Jujutsu Kaisen.
Death Painting Arc
The Death Painting Arc is the fourth arc in Jujutsu Kaisen and one of the few in which Kugisaki Nobara, one of the best-written female characters in anime, really gets to shine.
This arc also shows Yuji’s exponential growth in strength, as he and Kugiaski take on a pair of strong Curses while Megumi finally begins to use his own Cursed Technique with a violent level of delight.
Kyoto Goodwill Event Arc
The Kyoto Goodwill Event Arc isn’t the best arc in Jujutsu Kaisen, but it’s definitely the funniest. There aren’t many characters in anime quite like Aoi Todo, and there may never be.
The Kyoto Goodwill Event Arc introduces Todo’s Boogie Woogie, one of the strongest Cursed Techniques in Jujutsu Kaisen. It also serves as the beginning of Todo’s and Yuji’s friendship, which blossoms into a brotherhood no villain can break.
vs. Mahito Arc
If the Kyoto Goodwill Event Arc is the arc that fully introduces humor to Jujutsu Kaisen, the vs. Mahito Arc introduces horror. Jujutsu Kaisen was always going to be a dark series, but the vs. Mahito Arc shows just how dark it can get.
There are few moments as chilling as Mahito and Sukuna laughing at Yuji and his despair. It’s an arc that defines the two villains as truly evil, and Yuji will never forget their malice.
Cursed Child Arc
The Cursed Child Arc is an interesting arc because it serves as both the prequel to Jujutsu Kaisen and the first arc chronologically in the series. Few fans know this, but before Jujutsu Kaisen was ever written, series creator Gege Akutami wrote a one-shot manga titled Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical School.
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 was originally titled “Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical School” before Jujutsu Kaisen was released.
Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical School was then remade into Jujutsu Kaisen 0, formally titled “The Cursed Child Arc” within the Jujutsu Kaisen franchise. This arc introduces Yuta and Rika, two of the strongest characters in the series, before they got downgraded power-wise.
Gojo’s Past Arc
Gojo’s Past Arc is another example of how dark Jujutsu Kaisen can be. This arc introduces not only Gojo’s past, but the past of his former best friend, Suguru Geto, and Toji Fushiguro, one of the most captivating characters in anime.
The Gojo’s Past Arc is referred to as the Hidden Inventory/Premature Death Arc in the anime. It’s an amazing arc that fits perfectly within the series.
Shinjuku Showdown Arc
The Shinjuku Showdown Arc is the final arc of Jujutsu Kaisen and easily one of the best in the series. It’s the arc in which Satoru Gojo, the strongest Sorcerer of the Modern Era, and Ryomen Sukuna, the strongest Sorcerer of the Heian Era, finally battle.
When the Gojo vs. Sukuna arc is animated, the internet will be in shambles. There are few moments in anime that can compare to how climactic this battle will be, and it will define the art form of anime for years to come.
Shibuya Incident Arc
The Shibuya Incident Arc is widely considered to be the best arc in Jujutsu Kaisen, and if it wasn’t for one other arc, it would be. There’s more action in this arc than almost every other arc combined, and it’s also one of the most defining arcs around.
The Shibuya Incident Arc is both the end of the first half of Jujutsu Kaisen and the beginning of the second, where the series dives into a much darker and bleaker space. It’s a horrific arc for those involved, and the world of Jujutsu Kaisen changed forever because of it.
Culling Games Arc
The best arc in Jujutsu Kaisen is the Culling Games Arc, hands down. The Culling Games Arc combines 10 of Jujutsu Kaisen’s best mini-arcs into one, and it feels unfair to the rest of the series.
No other arc in Jujutsu Kaisen is as long as the Culling Games Arc, and other than the Shibuya Incident Arc, there isn’t another arc with even a fraction of the action.
This arc introduces several of the series’ best characters, including the Feverish Gambler, Kinji Hakari, and showcases Maki’s ascension into a Toji-level threat. The Culling Games is every bit as brutal as the vs. Mahito Arc, even more climactic than the Shibuya Incident Arc, and doesn’t have nearly as many deus machina moments as the Shinjuku Showdown Arc.