After Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3, I’m Convinced More Anime Should Embrace 1 Western Streaming Trend

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 premiered on January 8, and after starting the latest outing, I’m convinced more anime should embrace one Western streaming trend. It’s been two years since Season 2’s Shibuya Incident arc came to an explosive end, and fans are understandably eager to see what becomes of the surviving jujutsu sorcerers. The two newest episodes of Jujutsu Kaisen waste no time throwing them back into the high-stakes action of this world. Sadly, our favorites are far from safe as the latest chapter kicks off.

That’s one reason Season 3’s premiere works so well: because it picks up with more nail-biting suspense. Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3, Episodes 1 and 2. Several of the big developments teased in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3’s trailer happen right out of the gate, from Megumi asking for Itadori’s help to Yuta attacking the anime’s lead. It all comes together to deliver one of anime’s best season openers in years. The action and gripping turns aren’t the only reason the premiere works, however. It also benefits from leaning into a Western streaming trend that more series should adopt.

More Anime Should Have Two-Episode Premieres Like Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 made a rare decision with its premiere, as the outing kicked off with two episodes instead of one. It’s something that’s become increasingly common for Western streaming shows but isn’t yet the norm for anime. While there’s still much debate over whether the binge or weekly release model is better, services like Prime Video, Disney+, and HBO Max often use the latter. And when they do, they have a tendency to drop two or three installments at once before starting their weekly schedules in earnest.

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Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 Has a Much Bigger Problem Than Previous Seasons

This is what Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 is doing, though the decision likely has to do with its Execution movie. The film, which debuted in theaters in December, contained a recap of Season 2’s Shibuya Incident, along with the first two chapters of Season 3. Since those who watched the movie in theaters saw the first two episodes, it made sense for the anime to get them out of the way in Season 3’s first week. However, the two-episode premiere highlighted a harsh reality: that more anime should do this. Jujutsu Kaisen‘s return felt more like an event because of it, and it gave the anime more time to invest us in the Culling game arc. With episodes under 30 minutes, that’s an underrated strength.

Why This Streaming Trend Would Work Well for Modern Anime

Anime episodes tend to be around 25 minutes long, which makes it difficult for new seasons to fully immerse viewers in their stories with single-episode premieres. Just as you’re starting to get excited that the series is back, the opening installment is over — and you’re onto the next thing, the series forgotten until the following week. Most premieres don’t have the same amount of action as Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3’s, either, which makes it even harder to leave a lasting impression.

This is why anime would benefit from streaming’s shift to multi-episode openings; two back-to-back installments give series enough time to successfully sell their newest chapters. They can deliver the necessary details of their story arcs without trading action and suspense for exposition. And when the premiere ends, viewers will be more eager to continue onward, as they’ll be more deeply invested and satisfied. It’s a win-win, and Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 is now proof of how well it can work.

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