Jujutsu Kaisen’s Reference to an American Action Masterpiece is Perfect

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The current season of Jujutsu Kaisen continues to cleverly incorporate references to popular American action movies, enhancing its scenes. Throughout the season, the show has been playfully nodding to pop culture, either for a bit of fun or to build on the story. The opening sequence was full of references to famous historical paintings, making it visually impressive. Earlier in the season, a fight scene featuring Maki was intentionally styled after a classic shot of The Bride from Kill Bill as she faces off against the Crazy 88.

MAPPA, the studio behind the popular anime Chainsaw Man, is known for including nods to classic American action films. They seem to be doing the same with the new season of Jujutsu Kaisen. In Season 3, Episode 5, “Passion,” Yuji and Megumi are looking for Hakari and find he’s running an underground fight club. When they enthusiastically volunteer to join, they’re immediately reminded of the first rule of fight club – a clever reference to a famous American movie that’s sure to please fans.

Jujutsu Kaisen Perfectly Recreates Fight Club’s Most Famous Rule

I’ve noticed Jujutsu Kaisen is playfully referencing Kill Bill and Fight Club in recent episodes, and I appreciate how openly Gege and Mappa are doing it. It’s a fun nod to those films without being distracting – the references feel integrated into the story.

— Shadz (@ShadzMangaOnly) January 29, 2026

Megumi and Yuji discover Hakari’s secret fight club and Megumi confidently announces he wants to participate. The guards at the entrance immediately remind them of the club’s first rule: don’t talk about it. This is a clear nod to the popular 1999 film Fight Club, where Brad Pitt’s character, Tyler Durden, delivers the same line as the underground club forms. While the reference appeared in the original manga, the anime’s wording and subtitles are intentionally crafted to match the movie’s famous line.

The anime’s fight club is just for fun and doesn’t carry the same serious meaning as the movie Fight Club, but it’s a really well-done tribute that makes the scene more exciting. The episode also cleverly includes a quick appearance by the anime’s creator, Gege Akutami, disguised with a one-eyed cat mask, adding to the episode’s playful vibe. These details show that MAPPA is going all-out to make the third season of Jujutsu Kaisen even better with references that blend in perfectly, and we can probably expect more nods to classic American action movies as the season goes on.

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2026-02-01 16:14