With Solo Leveling on Hiatus, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 to Rule 2026

The battle for global anime supremacy is poised to shift dramatically in the coming year, with industry analysts predicting a major shake-up on streaming charts. Studio MAPPA is preparing to release Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 on January 8, 2026, a move that is expected to challenge the viewership dominance held by Solo Leveling throughout 2025. Premiering on Crunchyroll, the series returns after a three-year hiatus to adapt the highly anticipated "Culling Game" arc. 

While Solo Leveling currently holds the title of the platform's most-watched series, having shattered retention records in the first quarter of 2025, market trends suggest that Jujutsu Kaisen’s massive built-in fanbase and the new season's high-stakes, gamified narrative will allow it not only to match but potentially surpass its competitor's engagement numbers.

The bar for success in the action genre has been set incredibly high by A-1 Pictures' adaptation of Solo Leveling. The series’ second season dominated the industry in 2025, securing a staggering 4.9-star rating from over 610,000 users and officially outpacing traditional titans like One Piece and Demon Slayer, as reported by CBR. By March 2025, it had claimed the all-time view count, becoming the first Korean webtoon adaptation to lead global streaming.

However, the franchise is currently vulnerable as no official announcement for a third season has surfaced. Industry rumours have suggested a production delay until 2028 due to the director’s other commitments. This potential three-year gap provides a clear runway for MAPPA to recapture the market and establish a new benchmark for action animation.

MAPPA Groundbreaking Visuals for the Culling Game

MAPPA intends to seize this market opportunity by leveraging its prestigious reputation and a production that promises to be visually groundbreaking. The studio, known for producing heavy-hitters like Chainsaw Man, Vinland Saga, and Attack on Titan, has reportedly doubled down on visual fidelity for this release. Director Shota Goshozono returns to helm the project, which will feature the "Culling Games”, a rule-based battle royale that could mirror the intensity of a video game raid. 

This season will also offer a distinct narrative contrast. Unlike the singular power fantasy of Sung Jinwoo, Jujutsu Kaisen offers an ensemble-driven survival drama highlighted by protagonist Yuji Itadori’s survivor's guilt and his brotherhood with Choso.

To ensure sustained dominance over the 2026 landscape, the upcoming season will be split into two parts. The first cour, releasing in January, will dive deep into complex clan power struggles, the brutality of villain Naoya Zenin, and the return of Jujutsu Kaisen 0 protagonist Yuta Okkotsu. While the episode count remains a mystery, announcements regarding the specific length and the release window for the second part are expected at Jump Festa 2026. 

This suggests that the season will almost certainly end on a cliffhanger, a strategic move designed to maintain viewer engagement throughout the year. With Solo Leveling likely absent from screens, Jujutsu Kaisen is well-positioned to reclaim the title of "king of action".