Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the most popular and in-depth shonen anime series. With Jujutsu Kaisen 0 and the second season both taking place before the first, the Jujutsu Kaisen timeline is also fascinating to explore.
Jujutsu Kaisen’s protagonist Yuji Itadori doesn't appear in the anime chronologically until quite late, and the prequel events significantly impact his story in the world of Jujutsu sorcerers.
Warning: This article includes some minor spoilers, particularly for Jujutsu Kaisen 0, so proceed with caution.
When Does Jujutsu Kaisen Take Place?
The events in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1, when Yuji is dragged into the world of Tokyo Jujutsu High, begin in June 2018 and continue throughout that year.
Creator Gege Akutami regularly uses in-universe reports with precise dates to mark events in the series. For example, the Shibuya Incident took place precisely on October 31st, 2018 (despite taking over 50 chapters to cover in the manga).
Looking at the dates of Jujutsu Kaisen’s events, it’s fair to say that Yuji’s life is a whirlwind from the moment he joins Tokyo Jujutsu High!
The Culling Game, which has spanned multiple arcs, begins directly after the Shibuya Incident. Based on this, it's estimated that the manga is currently set in late 2018.
When Does Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Take Place in the Timeline?
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 predominantly takes place in 2017, one year before the main series. A big giveaway is that the second-year seniors in season 1 – Maki, Toge, and Panda – are fellow first-years to protagonist Yuta in JJK0.
However, the movie spans a much longer period, moving backwards and forwards across the timeline.
Yuta Okkotsu was first spotted by Jujutsu High and Satoru Gojo after events in November 2016 but didn’t join the sorcerers' school until sometime in 2017.
Once he joins Jujutsu High, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 follows a similar speed to the rest of the series, with the main climax, the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, occurring on December 24th, 2017.
That isn't all when it comes to Jujutsu Kaisen 0's timeline hopping, though. Rika’s death in the movie occurs in 2011, while the post-credits scene takes place at some point between Season 1 and the Shibuya Incident, the second cour of Season 2.
When Does Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Take Place in the Timeline?
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 is divided into two cours; the first takes place in 2006, while the second takes place in 2018.
Season 2's prequel cour, as shown in the first trailer above, takes place many years before other events in the Jujutsu Kaisen timeline, following Gojo and Geto – both experienced leaders in the main story – as students at Tokyo Jujutsu High.
Season 2's second cour follows the Shibuya Incident, which takes place pretty much straight after the events of Season 1. The incident itself takes place over one day, helpfully marked in the manga as October 31, 2018.
Jujutsu Kaisen: Key Events Timeline
If you’re wondering how events in Jujutsu Kaisen 0 and the main Jujutsu Kaisen anime and manga stack up, here’s a simple timeline to help:
- 2006 – Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto, students at Tokyo Jujutsu High, are tasked with protecting the Star Plasma Vessel Riko Amanai [Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Part 1].
- 2011 – Yuta Okkotsu’s childhood friend Rika dies [Jujutsu Kaisen 0].
- November 2016 – Yuta Okkotsu kills four students at his school, leading to a visit by Satoru Gojo, now a teacher at Tokyo Jujutsu High [Jujutsu Kaisen 0].
- 2017 – Yuta joins Tokyo Jujutsu High alongside first-years Maki Zenin, Panda, and Toge Inumaki [Jujutsu Kaisen 0].
- December 24, 2017 – The Night Parade of a Hundred Demons takes place [Jujutsu Kaisen 0].
- June 2018 – Yuji Itadori, after accidentally becoming Sukuna’s vessel, enrolls in Tokyo Jujutsu High alongside new first-year students Megumi Fushiguro and Nobara Kugisaki [Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1].
- 2018 – Satoru Gojo visits Yuta Okkotsu in Kenya [Jujutsu Kaisen 0].
- October 31, 2018 – The Shibuya Incident takes place [Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Part 2].
- November 2018 – Yuta returns to Tokyo and meets Yuji as the Culling Game begins [Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3].
Even for those who have watched the series, the Jujutsu Kaisen timeline can be a lot to take in, as so much happens so fast!
Thankfully, Akutami has excellently woven these narratives into a hugely enjoyable story – seeing where everything fits is just the icing on the cake!
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