Jujutsu Kaisen season 4 may finally bring back Satoru Gojo

The upcoming season will bring the Culling Game to its climactic end

Jujutsu Kaisen is the gift that keeps on giving. The beloved anime adaptation of the battle shonen recently wrapped up its third season with an exceptional finale, and the next season has already been greenlit. Jujutsu Kaisen has always been about fighting; a sorcerer’s approach to battle defines their worldview and what it means to be the “strongest” in jujutsu society.

For this reason, the all-out battle royale known as the Culling Game is a fundamental part of the story, and it’s far from over. Season 4 is set to adapt the toughest battles in the ongoing arc, along with the culmination of these vicious clashes. While the season 3 finale closed out on a cathartic note, a sense of unease lingers. After all, we have yet to see Kenjaku and Sukuna bring the Culling Game to its terrifying conclusion, which is what season 4 will be all about.

[Ed. note: This article contains spoilers for the Culling Game arc from the Jujutsu Kaisen manga]

Season 3 ends with Yuta Okkotsu breaking the Sendai Colony deadlock by defeating the strongest sorcerers in that area. Both Takako Uro and Ryu Ishigori bring the complex psychology of reincarnated sorcerers to the modern age, with Yuta being forced to prove his ability to adapt to such extreme circumstances. The Sendai Colony fight isn’t just a battle showcase for Yuta, but a reminder that strength without compassion is a one-way ticket to catastrophe. Uro’s parting words compare Kenjaku and Sukuna to “calamities,” given that their “overwhelming” egos distance them from the plight of the weak. This poses a great danger to humanity, which explains why Kenjaku would go to great lengths to merge everyone with Master Tengen without regard for consequences.

Season 4 will help us understand how Kenjaku intends to use Sukuna as a metaphorical “bomb” to push society to its breaking point in Jujutsu Kaisen. Yuji Itadori and his allies have yet to grasp the finer details, but they’re already well aware that the game is a ritualistic trap meant to force a second awakening of cursed techniques among modern-day sorcerers. Before this endgame culminates, trapped players need to find ways to add new rules that can create possible loopholes. The only way to do so is to fight the strongest players on the battlefield to gather points. With that in mind, what can we expect from the upcoming season of Jujutsu Kaisen?

Jujutsu Kaisen season 4 will deliver even more high-stakes fights

Ancient sorcerer Hajime Kashimo’s shadow looms over Tokyo No. 2 Colony, where he has already eliminated 40 players within the first 12 days of entering. He’s on a collision course with Kinji Hakari and Panda, who decided to head over to Tokyo No. 2 Colony to handle any threats, while Yuji and his best friend Megumi Fushiguro went on to tackle Tokyo No. 1 Colony. Hakari and Panda’s primary aim is to find Hana Kurusu/Angel, whose Technique Extinguishment can potentially unseal Gojo from the Prison Realm. The season 3 finale provides a glimpse of Hana carrying an unconscious Megumi through the skies, giving us a rough idea about her current whereabouts.

Hakari’s Pachinko-based cursed technique was teased during his showdown with Yuji in season 3, but we can expect a crisp, in-depth demonstration in the upcoming season. There’s an exciting battle against aspiring mangaka Charles Bernard that allows Hakari to fuel his “fever” (or “passion” in the anime) in the most violent ways imaginable. Elsewhere, we can expect Panda and Kashimo to clash, and the ancient sorcerer will push Panda to his limits while interrogating him about Sukuna’s whereabouts. Kashimo’s interest in Sukuna was previously established, but they’re not bound by shared history, as the former was born during the Edo period, as opposed to Sukuna’s Heian era. Kashimo’s interest is purely based on his wish to fight a challenging opponent like Sukuna, whose strength remains unrivalled.

Meanwhile, the Sakurajima Colony fight reinforces the raw, ruthless strength that Maki Zenin displayed during the Zenin massacre in season 3. Things take an unexpected turn after the return of a familiar antagonist in the midst of negotiations between Maki and jujutsu sorcerer Noritoshi Kamo. The Kyoto branch of Jujutsu High hasn’t been heavily featured in the games so far, so this active involvement hints at a change in their conservative ethos. After Noritoshi Kamo and his classmates witnessed the Shibuya tragedy firsthand, it makes sense for them to challenge the higher-ups and attempt to dismantle the games from within. This segment will also allow new players like Rokujushi Miyo and Hagane Daido to flex their movesets, with Maki undergoing yet another trial to reach maximum potential.

Jujutsu Kaisen season 4 might feature the return of Satoru Gojo

The meatiest parts of this arc revolve around Kenjaku, whose nefarious plan for Japan is gradually fleshed out with drip-fed flashbacks. There’s a reason why Kenjaku has been meeting world government leaders and dipping his toes into international politics (as understood through the lens of jujutsu sorcery). The night of Nov. 14 brings fresh horrors with it, as a part of Kenjaku’s convoluted schemes finally comes to fruition within the demarcated colonies of the Culling Game. This distraction creates the perfect opportunity for Kenjaku to take matters into his own hands, as he personally attempts to seize Tengen, who is guarded by Yuki Tsukumo and Choso inside the Star Corridor. We can expect a messy battle to ensue, where we will also witness Kenjaku’s domain expansion, Womb Profusion.

Meanwhile, the dual goals of unsealing Gojo and protecting Megumi’s sister, Tsumiki, are jeopardized by Sukuna’s conniving evil. This segment of the Culling Game is perhaps the most brutal exploration of unchecked power and its consequences. Curses like Sukuna will eagerly be in cahoots with powerful sorcerers just to create unmitigated chaos as long as it feeds into their disdain for humanity. Innocent children like Yuji and Megumi become pawns in the process, as they’re forced to keep up with the whims of sorcerers like Yorozu, who are willing to hurt anyone to actualize their personal obsessions.

Season 4 will explore these layered ideas while potentially leading up to one of the most anticipated aspects of this arc: The return of Satoru Gojo, which will trigger the last leg of climactic conflict. Gojo’s return comes with set expectations, as his absence created a power vacuum large enough for Kenjaku to hold the games in the first place. What does the future of jujutsu society look like with Gojo back in the game, potentially stronger than ever? The answers aren’t as cut and dry in the constantly evolving world of Jujutsu Kaisen.

Can humanity’s merger with Tengen ultimately be prevented? This seems to be the crux of the highly anticipated fourth season, which is set to wrap up one of the most complex arcs from the manga. We can hope that the upcoming season of Jujutsu Kaisen will get the same care and consideration that MAPPA and director Shōta Goshozono have shown in season 3, which has been a triumph on every front.