Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is the first film set in the world of Jujutsu Kaisen. If you are new to the series, Jujutsu Kaisen is a manga series that stars Yuji Itadori, as he learns how to become a jujutsu sorcerer. The manga series went on to get an anime adaptation and now a movie spin-off. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is not following our main cast, and instead will follow a new character named Yuta Okkotsu and is a prequel to the main series. We know things can get a little confusing so here is everything we know about Jujutsu Kaisen 0.
What Is The Release Date For Jujutsu Kaisen 0?
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 will hit theaters in North America on March 18, 2022, in both Japanese sub and English dubs. Select theaters will have showings in IMAX but we don’t have a list of what theaters will be doing so.
In a statement from Crunchyroll, we learned that the film will have a theatrical release in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, France with CRG events, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands, French-speaking Africa, and Latin America. Unfortunately, we do not know what the release date will be for the rest of the world. With Jujutsu Kaisen 0 hitting U.S. theaters very soon, we expect more information on the IMAX releases as well as confirmed release dates for the other countries in the coming weeks.
What Is Jujutsu Kaisen?
Jujutsu Kaisen is a manga by author, Gege Akutami. The series has been a part of Weekly Shonen Jump since March 2018. The series stars Yuji Itadori, a high school student who is the host of a powerful Curse spirit named, Ryomen Sukuna. Itadori joins a secret organization of sorcerers and strives to become a Jujutsu sorcerer, making it his duty to defeat all evil curses.
Itadori is trained by his master, Satoru Gojo, and works alongside Megumi Fushiguro, and Nobara Kugisaki. The series is a battle manga featuring a unique magic system as these young sorcerers battle against demons. The hit manga received an anime adaptation that premiered on October 3, 2020, from the esteemed MAAPA studios.
The manga is actually a sequel to Akutami’s 2017 manga, Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical School. After Jujutsu Kaisen’s rise in popularity, the book was renamed Jujutsu Kaisen 0 and is now considered a prequel to the Jujutsu Kaisen franchise. That’s where we start the upcoming movie, Jujutsu Kaisen 0.
When Does Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Take Place?
Based on the manga volume Jujutsu Kaisen 0, the film is set roughly a year before the events of Jujutsu Kaisen. Yuta Okkotsu is a character that is mentioned a few times in the first season of the anime and can even be spotted in the second intro. This film will give him the spotlight and serve as a bit of world-building for the Jujutsu Kaisen mythos.
The film’s official synopsis states:
“Yuta Okkotsu gains control of an extremely powerful, cursed spirit and gets enrolled in the Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School by sorcerers to help him control his power and keep an eye on him.”
The film is manga/anime canon and will feature some of Itadori’s upperclassmen and teachers. It’s a way to give the supporting characters more spotlight, as well as to adapt this fantastic story from the manga.
With Jujutsu Kaisen 0 being anime canon, MAPPA is taking a similar approach we saw not too long ago with Demon Slayer: Mugen Train. Using these higher-budget theatrical releases to adapt these canon stories only helps drive interest to the original manga and the anime. Previously, if we were telling a prequel or a spin-off story, it would at best get an original animated video (OVA) that would be available on Blu-ray. Now, studios are taking their time and fleshing out the world in unique ways.
Will Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Be Available on Streaming?
As of now, there is no date for when Jujutsu Kaisen 0 will be coming to streaming. We do know that Demon Slayer: Mugen Train came to FUNimation a few months after its theatrical release, but in contrast, My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission has yet to be made available on any streaming platform. In the case of Jujutsu Kaisen Movie 0, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens with the streaming rights in the coming months.
Watch the Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Trailer
If you have yet to see the trailer for Jujutsu Kaisen 0, don’t fret. Check out the gorgeous first look at the film above.
Who Is in the English Voice Cast for Jujutsu Kaisen 0?
The English voice cast has been announced for Jujutsu Kaisen 0. The film stars, Kayleigh McKee (Yuta Okkotsu), Anairis Quiñones (Rika Orimoto), Allegra Clark (Maki Zen'in), Xander Mobus (Toge Inumaki), Matthew David Rudd (Panda), Kaiji Tang (Satoru Gojo), and Lex Lang (Suguru Geto).
Who Is in the Japanese Voice Cast for Jujutsu Kaisen 0?
The original Japanese voice cast can be heard in the subtitled showings of Jujutsu Kaisen 0. The cast consists of Megumi Ogata (Yuta Okkotsu), Kana Hanazawa (Rika Orimoto), Mikako Komatsu (Maki Zen'in), Koki Uchiyama (Toge Inumaki), Tomokazu Seki (Panda), Yuichi Nakamura (Satoru Gojo), and Takahiro Sakurai (Suguru Geto).
Do You Need to Watch the Jujutsu Kaisen Anime Before Watching Jujutsu Kaisen 0?
If you are going into Jujutsu Kaisen 0 without having seen the Jujutsu Kaisen anime or reading the manga, you will be able to follow the film without much issue. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is a prequel to the main anime series and will follow a different cast of characters in a self-contained story.
However, keep in mind that a few minor details might be brushed over because they expect you to have seen the show. Questions like “What is a Jujutsu sorcerer?” or “Who is Satoru Gojo?” might not be answered because these things are tackled in the anime’s first season.