Jujutsu Kaisen’s Reference to an American Action Masterpiece is Perfect

February 1, 2026, 8:00am

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 is currently airing, and its latest episode once again adds a reference to an American action film that perfectly fits and elevates the scene. Ever since this season began, it has been weaving in pop culture nods, either to add a quirky element or enhance the source material. The premiere episode unveiled the opening song, which featured numerous historical painting references that made the opening uniquely striking. Meanwhile, a previous episode, featuring Maki in an all-out battle against the Kukuru Unit, positioned her exactly like The Bride from Kill Bill Vol. 1 as she takes on the Crazy 88.

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MAPPA Studio is known for adding references to classic American action movies in the Chainsaw Man anime, and it seems the studio is following the same pattern with the new season of Jujutsu Kaisen. In Season 3, Episode 5, titled “Passion,” Yuji and Megumi continue their search for Hakari, only to discover that he is running a fight club. As they enter the arena and excitedly announce their intent to join, they are taught the first rule of the fight club, perfectly referencing an American action masterpiece in a way that subtly brings a smile to the viewer.

Jujutsu Kaisen Perfectly Recreates Fight Club’s Most Famous Rule

Kill Bill last week and Fight Club this week. I love how Gege & Mappa are being obvious with these, embracing them in a way where it's obvious to us. But it's still done tastefully enough that the references don't unnaturally take me out of the scene. 👌🏽#JujutsuKaisen #JJK pic.twitter.com/PnBR6h7nhM
— Shadz (@ShadzMangaOnly) January 29, 2026

When Megumi and Yuji locate the hidden area where Hakari is secretly running his fight club, Megumi barges in and loudly declares his intention to join and compete. The curse users guarding the entrance immediately warn them that the first rule of the fight club is that you do not talk about the fight club. There is no denying that this directly references the famous rule from the 1999 film Fight Club, a now-iconic piece of pop culture delivered by Brad Pitt’s Tyler Durden as the underground community takes shape. While the original manga also included this reference, the anime’s dialogue and English subtitles are carefully phrased to mirror the movie’s instantly recognizable line.

Although the fight club in the anime is purely for entertainment and does not reflect the raw, masculine symbolism of Fight Club, the homage is executed so well that it naturally elevates the scene. Beyond hyping up Hakari’s arena, the episode also features a subtle cameo from creator Gege Akutami, shown briefly as a man wearing a one-eyed cat mask, adding another quirky touch to an already playful episode. Together, these details highlight how MAPPA is seizing every chance to enhance the highly anticipated third season of Jujutsu Kaisen with references that fit seamlessly, suggesting that more clever nods to American action classics could appear as the season continues.

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