Jujutsu Kaisen’s Best Part Might Not Even Be Canon

As we all wait patiently for Jujutsu Kaisen‘s third season to adapt the “Culling Game” arc, many fans are digging back into the archives, re-watching the past two seasons (and Jujutsu Kaisen 0), or finally getting around to reading the recently finished manga by Gege Akutami. There’s a lot to love about Jujutsu Kaisen, from the deeply written characters to the phenomenal action scenes, incredible OSTs, and the occasional moment of terrifying horror. But, arguably, the best part of JJK is also the silliest, and it might not even be canon.

Jujutsu Kaisen follows Yuji Itadori, who, after swallowing the cursed object, Sukuna’s Finger, is sentenced to death by the higher-ups at Jujutsu High. With enough strength to control the evil spirit within him, Itadori is temporarily spared. Along with his classmates, Megumi Fushiguro and Nobara Kugisaki, and the charismatic upperclassman, Satoru Gojo, he must hunt down the remaining fingers to destroy Sukuna once and for all. The manga and anime are absolutely brutal, and (especially in Season 2) no one is safe. This is why the often ridiculous “Juju Stroll” post-credit scenes shine so brightly.

Why Juju Stroll Is So Important to Jujutsu Kaisen

In Season 1, each episode (no matter how dark) was capped off with a “Juju Stroll” animated short. After the credits, a sketch of Sukuna in a hot spring appeared with the title card before a whimsical sketch played out. The sketches ranged from the evil cursed spirits playing soccer to Gojo giving Nanami a phallic paper note, instructions on how to build a coat rack from a human skeleton, and dumpling recipes. The “Juju Stroll” shorts are insignificant to the show’s overarching plot. But, they enhance the relationships between the Jujutsu High classmen, enrich the world-building, and give us a deeper understanding of the characters we’re rooting for (and against).

Thanks to the ongoing battle to keep curses at bay, audiences don’t see much of Itadori, Megumi, and Kugisaki’s time as normal classmates. Their friendship is strengthened on the battlefield. But what happens when the fighting stops, and they become regular civilians? One of the best “Juju Strolls” depicts Megumi being “hit on” by a woman, which causes Itadori, Kugisaki, and Gojo to sprint toward him in a hilarious attempt to embarrass their friend. At the same time, Gojo puts on his own moves. The moment is foolish, but that’s why it enhances their on-screen chemistry.

The most impactful “Juju Stroll” comes at the end of Episode 13, titled “Tomorrow.” While Itadori trains with Gojo, his classmates don’t know he’s still alive. Megumi, Kugisaki, Maki, Toge, and Panda eat a bowl of Itadori’s favorite dumplings. Megumi explains the recipe to his friends before Kugisaki proclaims them to be “Itadori’s legacy.” While the audience knows Itadori is alive, the scene builds upon the grief felt by his classmates and heightens Gojo’s grey morality before Season 2 blows it wide open.

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Is Juju Stroll Canon?

The nature of “Juju Stroll’s” place in the wider Jujutsu Kaisen canon is a strong topic of contention among the fan base. In Gege Akutami’s manga, the segments aren’t officially labeled “Juju Stroll,” as that was an invention for the anime adaptation. Each chapter closed with a short slice-of-life style segment. Much like in the anime, each short acted as a palette cleanser after the horrifyingly morbid panels before.

Some argue that the slice-of-life nature of the segments excludes them from the wider canon. Some fans will argue that because the title and stories differ from those in the manga, that is another reason to exclude them from canon. Additionally, while Jujutsu Kaisen is filled with wacky moments, it is hard to be scared of a villain when we’ve just seen his head used as a ball in an impromptu game of beach soccer.

However, while the Juju Stroll stories might differ from the chapter closers found in the manga, they are still from the mind of Gege Akutami. The manga artist crafted brand-new storyboards for the post-credit scenes of MAPPA’s anime adaptation. These were then transformed into the “Juju Stroll” segment.

Fans are still waiting for a release date for Season 3. MAPPA has confirmed the new season, and the manga’s brutal “Culling Game” arc will be adapted. Updates are expected at this year’s Jump Festa, which takes place on December 21st and 22nd.