Animation studio MAPPA released 12 new character posters for Jujutsu Kaisen on October 31, 2026, revisiting the fighters from Season 3 ahead of the upcoming fourth season. The preview images focus on Culling Game Arc Part 1 and show core Jujutsu Kaisen characters who entered the deadly battle game run by Kenjaku. MAPPA is already laying ground for the next TV arc [1].
Twelve Jujutsu Kaisen Characters in the Spotlight
The 12 newly published posters center on fighters and cursed spirits who shaped the opening phase of the Culling Game. Put out through official channels, the lineup of Jujutsu Kaisen characters spans both veteran sorcerers and newcomers who gained cursed energy after the Shibuya Incident. Each visual uses solo framing to show the fighters in clean portraits. Viewers who watched Season 3 will recognize familiar allies like Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro, as well as figures whose motives shifted during the urban clashes in Tokyo. MAPPA shared these prints to reintroduce the main cast before new episodes reach screens. The art brings out the dark, tense tone that marked the first leg of the contest when rival curse users met in the streets [4].
The roster also features recent additions who altered the balance of the tournament, including the comedian Fumihiko Takaba and former attorney Hiromi Higuruma. Both men joined during post-Shibuya turmoil. They got pulled into clashes against skilled curse users. The posters also present Naoya Zenin, whose pursuit of Megumi added further hostility to the Tokyo colonies [3]. These solo prints serve as a clear reminder of how crowded and dangerous the battlefield became for everyone involved during the opening 12 episodes of the anime [2].
Crunchyroll continues streaming the complete TV anime catalog, keeping the first three television seasons as well as the prequel movie Jujutsu Kaisen 0 accessible to viewers worldwide in multiple subtitled formats [4]. Fans can rewatch early colony fights before Season 4 arrives [1].
Tournament Stakes in the Culling Game
The Culling Game stands as the penultimate story arc of Gege Akutami’s original manga, arriving right after the dark aftermath of the Shibuya Incident Arc. Kenjaku organized this deadly contest to force human evolution. Reincarnated curse users from past centuries and newly awakened humans must fight each other inside isolated colony barriers set up in Japan. To free their mentor Satoru Gojo from the Prison Realm, Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro entered the competition under point rules where players gain score by killing other fighters. These Jujutsu Kaisen characters had to dodge harsh traps and decode Kenjaku’s hidden goals to stay alive through every violent clash [2].
Season 3 adapted the first half of this conflict, ending with Yuta Okkotsu proving his skill during the Sendai Colony clash. Yuta secured points in Sendai. But the games left several major battles unresolved. Allies like Kinji Hakari, Panda, and Maki Zenin are still waiting for their main fights to reach TV screens [2]. Kenjaku’s scheme goes far beyond simple combat, and it leads straight into the final showdown against Ryomen Sukuna [3].
Because Season 3 ran for only 12 episodes, the story moved quickly through intricate curse rules and sudden duel outcomes. The season finale stopped on a sharp cliffhanger that left major questions about Kenjaku’s ultimate goal completely unanswered [5]. The 12 posters give fans a tidy recap of who stayed standing [2].
MAPPA Directorial Changes for Season 4
Behind the scenes, MAPPA confirmed leadership shifts for Season 4. Takeru Sato, who served as an assistant director on Season 3, stepped up to direct Season 4, and Shota Goshozono took the role of chief director [1]. MAPPA kept staff who know the pipeline of earlier arcs. This setup gives Sato direct control over each episode [4].
Sato shared his thoughts about taking on the job in an official comment. “I feel the weight of the responsibility of being entrusted with such an important title every day. I am drawing great strength from the passion and accumulated efforts of the staff and cast who have supported Jujutsu Kaisen up to this point,” Sato said [1]. He praised the joint work of animators and voice actors who carried the series through earlier TV runs [4].
MAPPA marked its 15th anniversary in June 2026, fifteen years after its launch in June 2011. During an anniversary event that featured the song “Seikatsu” by PEOPLE 1, the company outlined future showcases and a traveling gallery show for Tokyo and other cities [6]. As MAPPA handles multiple titles at once, Season 4 of Jujutsu Kaisen stands as a top priority for its staff [2].
Manga Conclusion and the Modulo Spin-Off
The TV anime follows the completed story created by author Gege Akutami. Akutami’s original manga ran in Weekly Shonen Jump for six and a half years, spanning from March 2018 until its conclusion on September 30, 2024. The story ended with 30 print volumes. Shueisha published the final two books, Volumes 29 and 30, on December 25, 2024. VIZ Media licensed the manga in English and published translated books for overseas readers [1].
Even after the main manga run ended, the series kept strong commercial momentum on sales charts. Readers kept buying print volumes in high numbers, matching trends tracked in our report on Jujutsu Kaisen manga sales on international bestseller lists against competing Weekly Shonen Jump titles. That steady interest helped clear the path for new print projects from Shueisha [1].
Following the main series finale, publisher Shueisha launched the spin-off manga Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo as a short run in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue 41 on September 8, 2025. The spin-off gathered its chapters into three books, with Volume 2 out on March 4 and Volume 3 out in Japan on May 1 [1]. A short anime clip accompanied the finale of Modulo, offering fans fresh scenes as they waited for Season 4 news [4].
Upcoming Jujutsu Kaisen Characters and Jump Festa Plans
Looking ahead to future broadcasts, Culling Game Part 2 will conclude the deadly tournament before shifting directly into the high-stakes battles of the Shinjuku Showdown Arc [3]. Hakari and Kashimo take center stage. Their clashes resolve long-awaited duels that fans tracked since their original manga debut [2].
Fans will not wait long for news. Shueisha scheduled its annual Jump Festa 2027 expo for December 19 and 20, 2026. The official Jujutsu Kaisen website confirmed that it will host a stage panel at the expo, where producers may share an official release window or debut a new teaser visual. More Jujutsu Kaisen characters appeared in merchandise previews from maker AMNIBUS, which showed chibi art of Takaba and Higuruma before the winter event [3].
Brand tie-ins have also kept the title visible between anime seasons. The Hakujuji FC Wound Care Series campaign launched on June 16, 2026, offering special bandages and goods in Japan [5]. Although MAPPA has not set a firm air date, the release of these 12 Culling Game posters proves that MAPPA is keeping the roster fresh in the minds of fans before Season 4 arrives [1].
- ONLINE NEWS Jovanovic, M. (2026, October 31). Jujutsu Kaisen Reveals 12 New Culling Game Character Posters Ahead of Season 4. Anime Corner. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Valdez, N. (2026, October 31). Jujutsu Kaisen Highlights Culling Game Roster With New Posters Ahead of Season 4. ComicBook.com. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Srivastava, T. (2026, October 20). Jujutsu Kaisen Hypes Jump Festa Update With New Look at Culling Game Roster Ahead of Season 4. ComicBook.com. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Menezes, R. (2026, October 31). Jujutsu Kaisen: 12 pôsteres revelam personagens do arco Culling Game. Diário da Mídia. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Srivastava, T. (2026, June 12). Jujutsu Kaisen’s Culling Game Gets a New Look Ahead of Season 4. ComicBook.com. [Article Link]
- WEBSITE MAPPA. (2026, October 28). MAPPA 15th Anniversary Special Website. MAPPA Co., Ltd. [Article Link]
