If you are gearing up for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 and already stressing about Yuji in the Culling Game arc, take a breath. The short version: Yuji does not die. He does, however, pull off one of the more dramatic fake-outs this series has done so far.
Spoiler alert: I am talking manga events that Season 3 will adapt.
So... does Yuji die in Season 3?
No. It looks like he does for a minute, but that is the point.
In the manga, Yuta Okkotsu stabs Yuji straight in the heart during the Culling Game. That sounds terminal, and the recent official PV leans into the shock. But it is a setup engineered to fool the Jujutsu higher-ups, not an actual execution.
Here is what is going on behind the curtain: Yuta had made a Binding Vow with the higher-ups to kill the vessel when they demanded Yuji be put down immediately. Under Satoru Gojo's guidance, Yuta carries out a staged execution, gives the higher-ups the death they wanted to see, then immediately uses Reverse Cursed Technique to repair Yuji's heart. The result: the brass thinks Yuji is gone, while Yuji is very much alive.
After that, Yuta takes on the role of Yuji's protector. Technically, you could say Yuji 'dies' for a beat in the Culling Game arc, but it is theater with a safety net.
Hold up, is Yuta actually Yuji's enemy?
Not at all. That heart stab is misdirection, and the PV makes it look nastier than it is in context. Yuta and Yuji are aligned where it counts: both believe sorcerers are supposed to protect people, even if it costs them, and both carry guilt over the monsters tied to them (Sukuna for Yuji, Rika for Yuta).
If Yuta truly wanted Yuji dead, he would not have revived him seconds later. The whole move was a calculated cover story to keep Yuji off the higher-ups' radar. Once the fake execution is done, Yuta teams up with Yuji and actively works with him against Kenjaku. No lingering grudge, no secret beef—just two sorcerers on the same side.
When you can watch it, and where
Season 3 is slated to premiere on January 8, 2026. Until then, if you want to catch up or revisit the chaos, the earlier seasons are easy to find.
- Title: Jujutsu Kaisen
- Studio: MAPPA
- Season 1 premiere: October 3, 2020
- Genres: Gore, Supernatural, Action
- IMDb rating: 8.5/10
- MyAnimeList ratings: 8.53/10 (Season 1), 8.72/10 (Season 2)
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll
- Season 3 premiere date: January 8, 2026
Thoughts on the fake-out? Would you have preferred a different route for Yuji in the Culling Game? Drop your take below.