Crunchyroll has kicked off the new year with its first big anime of 2026, earning near-flawless review scores upon its debut. The winter 2026 anime season has officially begun with big-name series returning to start the year. This list includes A-list titles like One Piece (on a new seasonal schedule for the first time), Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, and My Hero Academia: Vigilantes.
However, perhaps the most anticipated project of the 2026 anime season has been the long-awaited third season of Jujutsu Kaisen. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 debuted on Thursday, January 8 (streaming on Crunchyroll in the West), ushering audiences back into its spell-binding world. The hit series, from acclaimed anime studio MAPPA, has been one of the most celebrated of the 2020s, leading the charge of a new wave of anime tentpoles.
After two of the best-reviewed seasons of anime in recent memory, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 has maintained the series' incredibly high standard (at least early on). Crunchyroll's first big anime of 2026 has earned a stellar 9.3/10 and 8.7/10 on IMDb for its first two episodes. That is an impeccable average of 9/10.
This marks the third straight season of the spell-slinging anime series to have at least one episode reach 9.3 on IMDb. The series has reached at least 9.3 on the platform 14 other times across its 49 episodes to date, with a killer 8.5/10 average across its three seasons.
Season 3 is said to adapt the events of the beloved "Culling Game" arc, so fans can likely expect it to maintain the high standard of glowing reviews set by the show's first two seasons.
Jujutsu Kaisen voice actor Adam McArthur previously teased that Season 3 would be epic, telling The Direct during an exclusive conversation in September 2025 that it would "surpass" the lofty heights of Season 2.
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 continues on Crunchyroll with new episodes dropping on Thursdays at 9 a.m. PT. The hit series is just one of several anime heavyweights returning this January, making it a good time to be a fan of the medium (read more about the biggest January 2026 anime releases here).
What To Expect in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3?
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 is expected to not only be one of the biggest anime seasons of this early part of the year, but in 2026 as a whole. This means there are more people than ever itching to know what hero Yuji Itadori and his friends will get up to in this latest batch of episodes.
The hit series follows Yuji, an everyday Japanese teenager who becomes the magic-using vessel for a legendary sorcerer known as Ryomen Sukuna. To this point, fans have watched as Yuji has partnered with a team of Jujutsu sorcerers to help keep Ryomen at bay and ensure he is not fully resurrected to wreak havoc on humanity.
The show's upcoming third season will adapt moments from the Itadori's Extermination Arc, Perfect Preparation Arc, and Culling Game Arc. These three narrative chapters set in motion a key moment in the Jujutsu Kaisen franchise.
The Culling Game Arc is a turning point for the JJK universe. It centers on Yuji and his spell-slinging cohorts joining a battle royale of sorts. This sees the central Jujutsu Kaisen team going up against sorcerers, new and old, as they seek to rescue Tsumiki Fushiguro while also freeing Yuji's longtime mentor, Satoru Gojo, from the Prison Realm.
This tees up the Shinjuku Showdown Arc, which marks the end of the JJK manga. This means that Season 3 may end up being the penultimate release for the series. So, hopefully, fans savor the adventure because it could be over before you know it.
