Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 Hiatus: When Will Culling Game Return?

Fans of Jujutsu Kaisen are reeling after episode 12 of season 3 aired on March 25–26, 2026, delivering a dramatic midseason finale and kicking off what could be a very long wait. The episode, titled Sendai Colony, marked the end of the Culling Game's first cour — and with it came the announcement that the series is entering a hiatus of uncertain length. With reports suggesting the return could be pushed as far as January 2027, here's everything you need to know about where the story stands, what comes next, and how long you might be waiting.

What Is the Culling Game Arc?

The Culling Game is one of the most ambitious and brutal arcs in the entire Jujutsu Kaisen manga, and season 3 has been building toward it since its premiere earlier in 2026. After concluding the Perfect Preparation Arc — a tense, emotionally charged setup arc — the show launched headfirst into the chaos of the Culling Game, a death tournament orchestrated by the ancient sorcerer Kenjaku.

The premise is harrowing: sorcerers and newly awakened Culling Game players are sealed inside barrier colonies across Japan, forced to accumulate points by killing one another. The rules are rigid, the stakes are absolute, and no one is safe. Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro find themselves in the Tokyo No. 1 Colony, navigating a landscape filled with powerful and unpredictable opponents, including the calculating lawyer-turned-sorcerer Hiromi Higuruma and the cunning Reggie Star.

The arc is notoriously divisive among manga readers — sprawling, dense, and at times overwhelming. But as critics have noted, the anime adaptation has wildly improved upon the source material, tightening pacing, enhancing action choreography, and giving emotional weight to moments that felt rushed on the page.

Season 3 Episode 12: What Happened in the Sendai Colony Finale

Episode 12, Sendai Colony, served as the midseason finale for Jujutsu Kaisen season 3. It aired globally on Crunchyroll on March 25–26, 2026, with the Japanese broadcast on MBS/TBS following on March 27, 2026 at 12:00 a.m. JST.

As the title suggests, the episode shifts focus to the Sendai Colony — one of the other active game zones — raising the stakes across the board and setting the table for explosive confrontations in the second half of the season. The episode delivered on the high-octane energy the season has been building toward, leaving viewers hungry for more at the worst possible time: right before a hiatus.

For those catching up, a full breakdown of episode 12's release times by time zone is available for reference, along with episode previews that teased what was to come.

The Hiatus: How Long Will Fans Have to Wait?

This is the question everyone is asking — and the answer is frustratingly uncertain. With the first cour wrapped at 12 episodes, the series is entering a midseason break before the second half, titled The Culling Game, Part 2.

Under normal circumstances, anime cour breaks last roughly three to four months, which would put a theoretical return date sometime in July 2026 — a summer premiere that would be welcome but not guaranteed. The complication lies with MBS/TBS, the Japanese broadcast network that airs Jujutsu Kaisen. According to reports that surfaced on March 26, 2026, the network may have all remaining 2026 anime broadcast slots already filled, potentially pushing the return all the way to January 2027.

That would mean a wait of approximately nine to ten months — a brutal timeline for a fandom that has been deeply invested in every episode. No official return date has been confirmed as of this writing, and Crunchyroll and MAPPA have yet to announce a specific premiere window for the second cour.

What we know: Best case — July 2026 summer return. Worst case — January 2027 winter premiere. Official announcement pending.

Season 4 Is Already Confirmed

Here's a silver lining amid the hiatus uncertainty: Jujutsu Kaisen season 4 has already been officially confirmed. Following the explosive Culling Game Part 1 finale, the announcement arrived quickly — a sign that MAPPA and the production committee have full confidence in the franchise's continuation.

According to reports from Telegraph India, the confirmation came in the immediate wake of episode 12's broadcast. Similarly, MSN confirmed that season 4 — The Culling Game Part 2 — is officially greenlit, ensuring that the story will continue past what's already been animated.

This confirmation is significant. It means that even if the "second cour" of season 3 lands in 2027, the larger story arc is secured through at least one more full season. For fans invested in seeing how the Culling Game resolves and what comes after, the endgame is in sight — even if the road there requires patience.

Where to Watch Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3

All episodes of Jujutsu Kaisen season 3, including the midseason finale, are available on Crunchyroll with English subtitles. Subtitled episodes go live at or shortly after the Japanese broadcast time, making Crunchyroll the go-to platform for international fans who want to watch without spoilers.

For viewers who prefer English dubs, dubbed episodes arrive approximately two weeks after the subtitled version drops. This means the dub for episode 12 will be available in early to mid-April 2026.

Crunchyroll holds the exclusive international streaming license for the series, so there is currently no legal way to watch new episodes through Netflix, Amazon Prime, or other platforms in most regions.

Why This Season Has Won Over Critics and Fans

One of the most notable stories surrounding season 3 isn't just the plot — it's the rehabilitation of a divisive arc. The Culling Game section of the manga was criticized by many readers for being overly fragmented, hard to follow, and lacking emotional cohesion. MAPPA's adaptation has addressed almost every one of those concerns.

The studio has made deliberate structural choices: reordering certain events for narrative clarity, expanding action sequences with fluid and visually inventive animation, and giving side characters more breathing room to establish stakes before placing them in mortal danger. The result is a season that has won over many former skeptics of the arc while satisfying longtime fans who loved it in the manga.

The critical consensus, reflected in reviews praising the season's improvements, is that this is some of the strongest work MAPPA has done on the franchise — which is saying something given the studio's track record on the series.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 episode 13 air?

There is no confirmed release date for episode 13 as of March 2026. The series has entered a midseason hiatus following episode 12. The earliest possible return is summer 2026 (July), but MBS/TBS scheduling constraints may delay it until January 2027. Watch for an official announcement from MAPPA or Crunchyroll.

Is Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 the last season?

No. Season 4 — subtitled The Culling Game, Part 2 — has already been officially confirmed. The story will continue beyond what season 3 covers, which concludes the first half of the Culling Game Arc.

Where can I watch Jujutsu Kaisen season 3?

All episodes are available on Crunchyroll with English subtitles. English dubbed versions of each episode arrive approximately two weeks after the subtitled release. No other major streaming platform currently holds international rights to new episodes.

How many episodes is the Culling Game Arc?

Season 3's first cour covered 12 episodes and completed the first half of the Culling Game Arc. The second half — The Culling Game, Part 2 — will be covered in the upcoming second cour and/or season 4, with an episode count yet to be announced.

Who are the main characters in the Culling Game?

The central players include Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro in the Tokyo No. 1 Colony. Key antagonists and rival sorcerers include Hiromi Higuruma, a lawyer with a powerful Cursed Technique built around judicial judgment, and Reggie Star, a resourceful sorcerer with a talent for improvisation. The broader Culling Game features dozens of newly awakened sorcerers spread across multiple colonies.

Conclusion

Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 has delivered one of the most talked-about midseason finales in recent anime memory with the Sendai Colony episode, and the wait ahead — potentially stretching to January 2027 — is a testament to just how invested the fandom is. The Culling Game Arc has been elevated by MAPPA's adaptation into something that has silenced critics and energized fans, and with season 4 already confirmed, the bigger story is far from over.

For now, all eyes are on an official announcement for the second cour's return date. Keep Crunchyroll bookmarked, stay tuned to MAPPA's official channels, and prepare for what promises to be an even more intense second half when The Culling Game, Part 2 eventually arrives.