JJK Season 3 is out, and Mappa is all about art in the new opening song

Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 is finally here, debuting with not just one but two episodes and marking the return of one of the most anticipated anime releases in recent years.

The first two episodes have already earned a 9.2 rating on IMDb. For comparison, the previous season peaked at 9.6 during the “Thunderclap” episode, which was also coincidentally split into two parts.

But this time around, the conversation on social media is not just about new characters, the plot, or the storyline, but also about the use of historically popular artworks featured in the opening sequence of Jujutsu Kaisen's season 3.

King Gnu is back creating the music for the anime, once again delivering another musical masterpiece as per fans. Now, before we take a look at the teased artwork, a spoiler warning is in order, as some of the scenes mentioned below lean heavily on manga references.

Fans on social media have been analyzing the opening since its release on YouTube, breaking down every frame and linking it to the story. What stands out most, however, is not just the original animation, but the way the visuals pull inspiration from historical paintings. Below are some of them.

JJK Season 2 ended with the culmination of the Shibuya Incident, an attack orchestrated by the ancient curse user Kenjaku, which resulted in the sealing of the strongest jujutsu sorcerer, Satoru Gojo, inside the Prison Realm. Fans on Reddit’s r/JujutsuKaisen community have been speculating about the sources and artworks that may have inspired some of the unique visuals presented in the opening sequence.

One YouTube breakdown points out that the new opening includes several visuals inspired by real historical artwork. In the video, a notable comparison links Maki’s sword-focused imagery to depictions of Miyamoto Musashi, Japan’s most famous swordsman, reinforcing her role as a master of cursed tools.

A different scene, showing Kenjaku inhabiting Kaori’s body while carrying Yuji, has been compared to Egon Schiele’s 1910 painting Dead Mother, a work closely associated with themes of death, vulnerability, and fractured parenthood. The video argues that these references are not simply visual flourishes, but deliberate choices that reflect the characters’ emotional weight and the darker themes of the Culling Game arc.

Meanwhile, another theory centers on fan-favorite Choso, who also became a meme fixture during season 2. His scene of spinning in a fetal position has led fans to speculate that it references his origin as one of the Cursed Womb Paintings.

Fans can watch Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 on Crunchyroll, where earlier seasons and the prequel movie, Jujutsu Kaisen 0, are also available. Season 1 is streaming on both Netflix and Hulu, while the film is available on Netflix.