Jujutsu Kaisen has mastered the art of evocative opening themes. Season 1 used Eve’s “Kaikai Kitan” to foreshadow major storylines, while season 2 featured King Gnu’s “Specialz” to highlight the chaotic horrors of the Shibuya Incident arc. But Jujutsu Kaisen’s latest season (which debuted on Jan. 8 with a one-hour special) knocks it out of the park with extraordinary animation and thematic richness. Set to King Gnu’s “Aizo,” this fast-paced opener highlights the adaptation’s brilliant grasp of Gege Akutami’s source material. But this opening doesn’t stop at providing sneak peeks into what’s to come, using impressive parallels to art history to enrich an already dense narrative.
Consider this shot of jujutsu sorcerer Yuta Okkotsu driving a sword downwards as rays of light peek through. This is a reference to prolific Japanese painter Utagawa Kuniyoshi’s 1848 woodblock print One of the Three Historic Deaths in Battle, which depicts Japanese samurai Morozumi Torasada. While Kuniyoshi’s print has tragic undertones, Yuta’s pose can be interpreted as euphoric, with the cursed spirit Rika gleefully looming over his shoulder.
Similarly, Maki Zenin is seen on the verge of killing a tiger, which parallels an early 19th-century print from Kuniyoshi’s One of the Eight Hundred Heroes of the Water Margin of Japan series, titled Kashiwade no Hanoshi. This particular print depicts a man killing a tiger in revenge, which foreshadows Maki’s feelings concerning the patriarchal Zenin clan. The season 3 premiere introduces us to the arrogant Naoya Zenin, setting up an inevitable confrontation between him and Maki.
Other art parallels range from literal to symbolic, and in some instances, both. An example of this is a shot of protagonist Yuji Itadori as a baby, who is being embraced in the womb by his now-deceased mother, Kaori. But something is amiss here, as Kaori sports an ominous stitch pattern across her forehead, as already seen in a flashback in the premiere. While Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 is yet to spell out this strand of Yuji’s life, this shot references Austrian painter Egon Schiele’s 1910 work Dead Mother, setting up an ominous parallel from the get-go. Those familiar with Akutami’s manga will recognize the deliberate subversion of motherhood here, as Yuji’s very existence is tied to a fate that was never chosen by him to begin with.
This somber mood carries on over to a shot of sisters Mai and Maki Zenin, two children lazing together without the anxieties of the world on their shoulders. This is a reference to Two Sleeping Children (1612-1613) by the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens, which depicts the orphaned offspring of Rubens’ own brother, reflecting a deeply personal tragedy. While the original’s intent is melancholic yet sweet, Mai and Maki’s circumstances are more complicated because of their Zenin heritage. These sisters were not raised equally, as Maki was born with extremely limited cursed energy, which is perceived as a stain on the Zenin legacy. While Mai and Maki’s worth as sorcerers might be measured differently in the present, they were once loving sisters, protected by the innocence of infancy.
Mai’s feelings are also highlighted with a reference to Ophelia (1851–52) by British artist John Everett Millais. Ophelia’s tragic fate is worth noting here, but Mai’s blank stare as she floats also hints at a carefully-concealed heart, and the theme of sacrifice.
There’s also space for anguish, light-heartedness, and tongue-in-cheek humor. Edvard Munch’s iconic work, The Scream, is referenced, although the screaming man in question isn’t exactly clear. This seems like a tonal description of the upcoming Culling Game arc, which is set to destabilize Japan and the world at large. Every jujutsu sorcerer will be pushed to their limits against their will, as an arbitrary battle-royale will decide whether they’re worth living. This is an especially harrowing chapter in Jujutsu Kaisen, and The Scream effectively captures this sentiment.
On a lighter note, we see Panda and ex-Jujutsu High principal Masamichi Yaga lounging together against a floral backdrop. This is a reference to French impressionist Claude Monet’s Camille Monet and a child (1857), cementing the found family trope that Panda and Yaga share. There’s genuine warmth here, and this impressionistic image is a reminder of what could’ve been if the world of Jujutsu Kaisen wasn’t constantly on the verge of chaos.
We also see Yuta kissing Kurourushi, the Special Grade cockroach cursed spirit that will participate in the Culling Game. Manga readers will know exactly what it is referencing, where a humorous mouth-to-mouth moment occurs before Yuta lands a lethal hit. This shot mirrors Austrian symbolist Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss (1807-08), introducing a bit of levity in an emotionally intense opening.
The art parallels do not stop here, but there’s a lot happening that also demands our attention. New faces like Hiromi Higuruma and Kirara Hoshi can be glimpsed, along with overarching antagonists like Sukuna and Kenjaku looming over the events. A particular shot of Sukuna’s reflection in the mirror looks straight out of a horror movie, hinting that his unhinged potential to turn the Culling Game into an unchecked massacre that can break down the rules of Jujutsu society. Then there’s Kenjaku, who peers over Japan like a behemoth, his all-seeing eye roving over the city like that of a puppet master. This is fitting because his motivations are the catalyst for season 3’s climactic events.
MAPPA has been consistently brilliant in terms of adapting Jujutsu Kaisen, but this season 3 opener brings the studio’s greatest strengths to the forefront. A clever interplay of bombastic frames, experimental montages, and symbolic paintings lends to a beautiful piece of animation that lays a solid foundation for an action-packed new season. Just when we manage to keep up with the opening’s pleasantly frenetic rhythm, we’re met with character slides soaked in a brilliant shade of red, which complements the gorgeous dynamism of every character that graces the screen. A close-up of a guilt-stricken Yuji looking at his blood-stained hands cements his moral struggle this season.
Jujustu Kaisen boasts a diverse fanbase, and MAPPA’s willingness to raise the stakes with such a symbolically strong opening bodes well for a new season set to tackle one of the most convoluted arcs from the manga.
New episodes of Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 release every Thursday on Crunchyroll.
