Jujutsu Kaisen Execution Review: Brutal Deja Vu Sparks a Thrilling Culling Game Kickoff

Anime has been eating at the box office all year, and Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution is clearly aiming to be the next big bite. If Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man keep taking turns at the top, this one is trying to join them by stitching together the end of Season 2 and jumpstarting Season 3. If you live and breathe JJK, you are the target. If you are new, good luck.

What the movie actually covers

• Where it starts: The first half rewinds to the closing stretch of Season 2, specifically the last six episodes of The Shibuya Incident. There is a quick refresher baked in for anyone who missed those, but the context is basically: beloved characters die, and Yuji Itadori takes it the hardest.
• The big domino: After Pseudo-Geto (the villain wearing Geto’s face) unleashes roughly ten million new cursed spirits across the world, Jujutsu HQ labels Yuji for execution.
• Where it goes: The back half moves to Tokyo, which is still swarming with curses. Yuji teams up with his half-brother Choso to exorcise anything that moves.
• Who shows up: Two threats arrive looking to throw hands. Naoya Zen'in wants to seize control of the Zen'in clan. And the designated executioner is Yuta Okkotsu, former student of Gojo and not exactly a guy you want on your trail.
• Why it matters: The new material sets the table for Season 3, digs into the Zen'in clan's petty power plays, and reintroduces Yuta as a top-tier monster who is somehow even stronger than last time.

Does the recap half work?

Kind of. The problem with packaging existing episodes into a movie is you are watching a condensed version of something that already hit hard on TV. The Shibuya Incident was a series-altering gut punch that went pitch-black and forced Yuji to watch friends and mentors die. Seeing that trimmed down to a CliffsNotes reel is competent, but the emotional charge just is not the same.

Yes, it is great seeing fan favorites like Nobara and Nanami again. No, watching those moments play out a second time does not cut as deep. The visuals still slap, with slick hand-drawn/CGI blends, but 2025 has been full of anime films doing that exact trick. This is not an End of Evangelion-style big-screen reinvention; it plays like a solid rehash.

Where the new stuff shines

The fresh material is the hook. The roughly two-to-three-episode chunk that kicks off the next arc actually feels like a premiere. The Zen'in clan politics add stakes that will matter going forward, and the action is sharp. Most importantly, Yuta Okkotsu makes a real entrance.

From the moment he steps in as Yuji’s executioner, the movie makes it crystal clear: Yuta is one of the most powerful characters in JJK, and the animation around him is as stylish as it was in his last spotlight. More than that, he already carries real emotional weight, which bodes well for where this is headed.

Quick Yuta refresher (so you are not lost)

Yuta first headlined Jujutsu Kaisen 0, the prequel film. He trained under Gojo in the same class as Panda, Maki Zen'in, and Toge Inumaki. That story deepened the Gojo/Geto dynamic and basically set the stage for everything we are dealing with now. Execution gives you a taste of him again, then points a big flashing arrow at The Culling Game, where he is poised to go from fan favorite to full-on series MVP.

Should you watch it?

If you are caught up on JJK or at least fluent enough in the lore: yes, totally worth it. If you have never watched the show: no, this is not a friendly entry point. It is a 90-minute, very pretty, very dense lore package. The first half is a decent recap, the second half is a strong launchpad, and together they make a satisfying runway to Season 3’s 2026 return.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution hits theaters December 5, 2025.

Side note on the bigger picture: Anime has been a major driver for theaters this year. Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man keep grabbing No. 1 spots, and event screenings have been packing auditoriums. Execution is clearly aiming to be the next one of those, and as a fan-service-forward bridge to next season, it does the job.