Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 Episode 7: A Tense Dive into the Culling Game’s Chaos

On February 12, 2026, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 dropped its seventh episode, titled “Tokyo No. 1 Colony, Part 1,” marking the official kickoff of the highly anticipated Culling Game arc. Streaming exclusively on Crunchyroll, this installment shifts gears from setup to high-stakes action, blending strategic plotting with brutal confrontations. As someone who’s followed the series since its explosive debut, this episode felt like a return to form—mixing the raw intensity of Season 2’s Shibuya Incident with the lighter, character-driven humor of Season 1. It’s a transitional chapter that doesn’t skimp on spectacle, setting the stage for what’s sure to be a blood-soaked tournament while delivering emotional gut punches and visual flair.

The Key Events: Entering the Deadly Arena

The episode wastes no time ramping up the dread, opening with a surreal sequence where Kenjaku (in Geto’s body) guides non-sorcerer civilians like Setsuko Sasaki out of the Culling Game barriers in a dream-like limbo. Amid the eerie march through a landscape teeming with monstrous curses, Kenjaku drops a bombshell: he thanks Sasaki for befriending his “son,” Yuji Itadori. This confirms long-suspected theories about Yuji’s origins—Kenjaku hijacked Yuji’s mother Kaori via his Brain Transplant technique to engineer the perfect vessel for Sukuna. It’s a chilling reveal that adds layers to Yuji’s tragic backstory, hinting at Kenjaku’s twisted paternal curiosity beyond mere experimentation.

Back in the present, the team—Yuji, Megumi, Panda, Hakari, and Kirara—finalizes their plan after Hakari’s reluctant alliance. Hakari, ever the opportunist, sweetens his attitude toward Megumi upon learning he’s the new head of the Zenin clan (hilariously buttering him up for future favors, oblivious to the clan’s impending doom). They aim to track down Hiromi Higuruma, a high-point player with 100 kills under his belt, to convince him to add two game-changing rules: one allowing point transfers to spare non-killers like Yuji from execution, and another permitting players to spend points to exit the game (potentially requiring a substitute). Yuji’s status as an automatic participant—thanks to Sukuna’s ancient pact with Kenjaku—adds urgency, as does the ongoing hunt for the mysterious Angel, who could unseal Gojo.

Yuji and Megumi enter Tokyo No. 1 Colony together but are randomly teleported apart upon crossing the barrier. Yuji plummets from the sky, clashing with sorcerers Hanyu and Haba, whose cursed techniques turn their hair into a jet plane and helicopter rotors, respectively. In a fluid, high-altitude brawl, Yuji dismantles them with raw physicality, punching straight through Haba’s “propellers.” Meanwhile, Megumi encounters the deceptive Remi, who feigns vulnerability and offers Higuruma’s location in exchange for his protection as her “knight.” Yuji meets Rin Amai, a timid figure from his past who also claims to know Higuruma’s whereabouts. The episode cliffhangers on a tense reveal: Remi points to Shinjuku, while Amai says Ikebukuro, leaving viewers questioning who’s manipulating whom.

These events, drawn from Gege Akutami’s manga chapters around 158-160, feel faithfully adapted but enhanced with anime-exclusive flair, like extended aerial choreography and a brief Sukuna cameo that teases his lingering influence.

How the Episode Lands: Atmosphere, Animation, and Overall Vibe

Atmospherically, Episode 7 strikes a perfect balance between oppressive tension and welcome levity. The Culling Game’s barriers evoke a nightmarish battle royale—infested with curses, where survival means staining your soul with kills. Kenjaku’s opening march sets a tone of inevitable decay, with out-of-focus horrors lurking in the background, amplifying the sense of doom. Yet, the episode injects humor through Hakari’s opportunistic schmoozing and Yuji-Megumi’s sibling-like bickering, reminiscent of Season 1’s lighter moments. It’s a smart breather before the arc’s brutality escalates, making the chaos feel earned rather than relentless.

MAPPA’s animation continues to shine, turning what could be a setup-heavy episode into a visual feast. Director Shōta Goshozono’s storyboarding delivers cinematic flair, with dynamic perspectives in Yuji’s free-fall fight—light glinting off skyscrapers, fluid motion capturing his superhuman agility. The use of 3D elements blends seamlessly, enhancing the surreal dream sequences and high-speed action. Even “low-priority” setups like walking discussions feel kinetic, with textured backgrounds and precise character acting that convey unease. It’s peak MAPPA: detailed, coherent, and elevated beyond the manga’s static panels.

Pacing is tight, avoiding manga pitfalls like info dumps by weaving lore into movement and dialogue. At 23 minutes, it flies by, ending on a frustratingly good cliffhanger that has fans dreading the announced one-week hiatus (Episode 8 drops February 26). Overall, it’s a solid 8.5/10—engaging setup with enough thrills to satisfy, though it teases more than it delivers in terms of arc progression.

Character Spotlights: Growth Amid the Mayhem

Yuji emerges as the episode’s MVP, showcasing strategic restraint alongside his brute force. His quick defeats of Hanyu and Haba highlight his growth from a reckless fighter to a calculated one, prioritizing the mission over needless kills. The parentage reveal adds emotional weight, positioning him as Kenjaku’s unwitting experiment without diminishing his agency.

Megumi plays the straight man, using diplomacy before force, but his deal with Remi hints at naivety that could backfire. Hakari’s self-serving charm provides comic relief, while new additions like Higuruma (briefly teased in a stunning debut frame) and the suspicious Remi/Amai duo introduce moral ambiguity— are they allies or pawns in Kenjaku’s grand scheme? Kenjaku steals scenes with his faux-affectionate demeanor, humanizing the villain just enough to unsettle.

Fan Reactions: Overwhelming Praise with a Side of Hype

The online buzz has been electric since premiere. On X (formerly Twitter), fans raved about the animation, with one user calling Higuruma’s adaptation “to MF perfection” and another praising the Yuji vs. Hanyu fight as “SO F***ING PEAK.” Reactions highlight the episode’s direction as the best in Season 3, with Goshozono and animator Takeru Satoh earning shouts for “cooking” on storyboards and action. Many appreciated the Season 1 vibes, with comedic beats like Hakari’s flip-flop earning laughs. Reviewers on sites like Leisurebyte and But Why Tho? gave it 4/5 and high praise for its “stunning” visuals and “dread-inducing” tone, calling it a fun reprieve before the storm. YouTube reactions echo this, with breakdowns labeling it “fantastic” and fans hyped for Higuruma’s full role. The hiatus has some groaning, but overall, it’s a win—proving *Jujutsu Kaisen* remains anime’s heavyweight champ.

In a season already firing on all cylinders, Episode 7 solidifies the Culling Game as must-watch mayhem. If MAPPA keeps this momentum, we’re in for one of the best arcs yet. Catch it on Crunchyroll and join the frenzy— just brace for that week-long wait.

ALSO READ: Monster-Sized Thrills: 15 Anime Recommendations for Kaiju No. 8 Fans

jahnjohsnon96

Hello, I am a huge anime fan with a decent experience in writing articles regarding the anime industry.