Jujutsu Kaisen Culling Game Arc Tankōbon Volumes

“I paused the anime right before Gojo’s first line in Episode 1—and went straight to my bookshelf.”

I’ll never forget sitting on my floor at 10:47 p.m. on April 6, 2024—the night MAPPA dropped S3’s premiere—my fingers hovering over the remote, heart pounding not from anticipation of animation, but because I *knew* what was coming next in the manga. Not just the plot twists (though yes, those), but the *texture*: the way Ch. 138’s double-page spread of Nanami’s cracked glasses and blood-smeared knuckles lands differently when you hold it in your hands; how Ch. 152’s cliffhanger—a single panel of Yuji’s hand gripping the ground as his vision blurs—feels like a physical weight in Vol. 24… *until* you flip to Vol. 25 and see the continuation on page 3. That’s why this guide isn’t just about “which volumes contain which chapters.” It’s about *where the story breathes*, where the pacing stutters or surges in print—and why choosing the wrong edition can literally make you miss half a fight. Let’s get precise. The Culling Game arc runs officially from **Chapter 125 (“Culling Game”) through Chapter 174 (“The End of the Culling Game”)**. But—and this is critical—the *true* starting point is **Chapter 124.5**, the “Culling Game Prologue” one-shot published in *Shonen Jump*’s August 2022 special issue. Gege Akutami didn’t treat it as optional flavor. It establishes the Game’s rules *in Yuta’s voice*, shows the first death (a cursed spirit named Kuroi), and drops the chilling line: *“This isn’t a battle for survival. It’s a selection process.”* Without it, the arc’s moral architecture collapses. So—where does it live? Let’s walk through each edition, volume by volume, with timestamps, page counts, and hard-won warnings.

Japanese Shueisha Tankōbon (Standard Editions)

Shueisha’s Japanese releases are the source truth—and they’re ruthlessly consistent. Here’s how the arc maps:

Volume 22: Ch. 125–131 + Ch. 124.5 (Prologue). Yes—it’s included here, right after the “Sisters” epilogue. Pages 192–196. No ambiguity. This volume opens with the Prologue’s rain-soaked Tokyo skyline and ends with Megumi’s first real choice inside the Game’s boundary.
Volume 23: Ch. 132–139. Clean break. Ends mid-conversation between Maki and Panda—but no cliffhanger tension is lost, because the final page is Maki’s silent, steely close-up. Shueisha printed this volume flawlessly. No missing pages. No rushed layouts.
Volume 24: Ch. 140–147. This is where things get tactile. Ch. 145—the “Nanami vs. Hanami” rematch—is split across two volumes in *some* English editions, but in Japanese? It’s all here. And crucially: Ch. 147 ends *exactly* where the anime pauses before Episode 11’s title card: Nanami kneeling, bleeding, whispering, *“I’m not done yet.”* You feel that pause in your wrist as you turn the page.
Volume 25: Ch. 148–155. Includes the infamous Ch. 152—the “Yuji vs. Mahito (Round Two)” fight. In Japanese, it begins on p. 102 and *ends* on p. 139… with Yuji’s hand sinking into asphalt. The very next page (p. 140) is Ch. 153’s opening panel: his fist *lifting*. No gap. No confusion. It’s a deliberate, brutal rhythm.
Volume 26: Ch. 156–174. Full arc closure. Includes the prologue’s thematic echo in Ch. 174’s final two panels—Yuta watching the sunrise over Shibuya, same framing as Ch. 124.5’s opening shot. Shueisha even reprints the Prologue’s title page as a bookmark-style divider before Ch. 174. Poetic. Intentional.

English VIZ Media Editions (Standard Paperback)

VIZ’s English releases are mostly faithful—but three landmines lurk. I discovered them the hard way, cross-referencing my dog-eared Vol. 23 against the official PDFs while rewatching S3 Episode 5.

Volume 22: Contains Ch. 125–131. But—no Ch. 124.5. It’s omitted entirely. VIZ didn’t add it as an appendix. Didn’t footnote it. Just… skipped it. If you only own English Vol. 22, you’ll hit Ch. 125 cold, with zero context for why the Game’s rules sound so clinical, or why Yuta’s narration feels oddly detached. This isn’t a “nice-to-have”—it’s foundational. (VIZ later added it to their digital release, but physical? Nope.)
Volume 23: Ch. 132–139. Warning: Early printings (2023, first three pressings) are missing pages 87–89. These aren’t filler. They’re the silent, 3-panel sequence where Aoi Todo stares at his reflection in a broken storefront, then slowly closes his eyes—his first moment of vulnerability since entering the Game. It’s the visual hinge before his confrontation with Uraume. I found out when my friend texted me: *“Wait—did Todo just skip his whole internal monologue?”* I checked my copy. Blank space where his face should’ve been. VIZ quietly fixed this in late 2023 printings (look for “Revised Edition” on the copyright page), but thrift stores and bargain bins still stock the flawed versions.
Volume 24: Ch. 140–147. Same as Japanese—clean, complete. But here’s the subtle trap: Ch. 147 ends on Nanami’s line, *“I’m not done yet,”* just like Japan. Yet VIZ’s translation adds a half-second pause with ellipses (“…yet.”) that wasn’t in the original. It softens the impact. Not a dealbreaker—but if you’re analyzing tone shifts, it matters.
Volume 25: Ch. 148–155. This is where the Ch. 152 split becomes a real problem. VIZ prints Ch. 152 across pp. 102–139… but then *starts Ch. 153 on p. 141*, leaving p. 140 blank. Why? Because they used the Japanese “next chapter starts on odd-numbered page” rule—but forgot Ch. 152’s final panel *is* on p. 139, meaning p. 140 *should* be the first panel of Ch. 153. Instead, readers get a full-page white gap, then Yuji’s fist lifting on p. 141. It breaks the kinetic flow. I reread that sequence three times before realizing it wasn’t my brain fog—it was the printing.
Volume 26: Ch. 156–174. Includes a 4-page “Author’s Note” where Akutami thanks fans for “bearing witness to the Game.” No Prologue reprint, though. And the final page—Yuta’s sunrise—is cropped 2mm tighter than the Japanese version, cutting off the bottom edge of his shadow. Tiny, but noticeable if you’re comparing side-by-side.

VIZ Special Edition Hardcovers (2024 Release)

These are gorgeous—matte black covers, ribbon bookmarks, thicker paper. But they’re *not* simple upgrades. They’re a redesign, with major structural choices.

Special Edition Vol. 22: Contains Ch. 125–131 and Ch. 124.5. Finally! It’s placed as a standalone “Prologue” section before the main table of contents, with a new, moody grayscale illustration by Akutami (Yuta’s hand holding the Game’s contract scroll). This alone makes it worth the $34.99 price tag—if you want the arc complete in one physical volume.
Special Edition Vol. 23: Ch. 132–139. No missing pages. The Todo reflection scene? Fully restored, with enhanced grayscale contrast that makes his exhaustion palpable. Also: the chapter title pages now use the original Japanese font, not VIZ’s standard serif. A small touch, but it signals respect for the source’s aesthetic.
Special Edition Vol. 24: Ch. 140–147. The Nanami vs. Hanami fight is reformatted as a continuous 22-page spread (no page breaks mid-action), using bleed art that makes the rubble feel three-dimensional. It’s stunning—but it means Ch. 147’s final line now appears on a right-hand page with no facing text, creating a stark, isolating silence. It works. It’s intentional. But it’s *different*.
Special Edition Vol. 25: Ch. 148–155. Here’s the fix: Ch. 152 ends on p. 139, and Ch. 153 begins on p. 140—no gap. VIZ listened. Also, the Mahito fight’s sound effects (“SHINK!” “GRRRAK!”) are now printed in metallic silver ink. When you tilt the book under light, they catch fire. It’s absurdly cool—and functionally, it makes Mahito’s presence feel more invasive, more *physical*.
Special Edition Vol. 26: Ch. 156–174. Includes a 16-page “Culling Game Atlas” appendix: maps of the Shibuya boundary zones, character stats, and—crucially—a side-by-side comparison of Ch. 124.5 and Ch. 174’s sunrise panels, highlighting Akutami’s framing symmetry. It’s not canon, but it’s insightful. And yes—the final page restores the full shadow.

So—Which Edition Should You Buy?

If you’re watching MAPPA S3 and want to read *along*, matching the anime’s emotional beats: **go Special Edition**. The Prologue inclusion, the fixed Ch. 152 flow, and the tactile enhancements (silver ink, bleed spreads) make the manga feel like a companion experience—not just a recap. If you already own standard VIZ paperbacks and hate repurchasing: **track down a Revised Edition Vol. 23**, grab Special Edition Vol. 22 *just for the Prologue*, and keep your Vol. 24–26 as-is. You’ll lose some polish, but nothing structurally vital. And if you’re building a shelf for posterity—or gifting to a new fan—**Shueisha Japanese is still the gold standard**. The consistency, the unaltered pacing, the quiet confidence of its design… it treats the Culling Game not as spectacle, but as tragedy. Which, of course, it is. One last thing: I re-read Vol. 25 (Special Edition) last week—the Mahito fight—with my headphones on, playing the S3 OST track “Fate” on loop. Page 140 hit. Yuji’s fist lifted. And for three seconds, I wasn’t in my apartment. I was in Shibuya, holding my breath, feeling the weight of every choice, every rule, every life measured in points. That’s why this mapping matters. Not for completionism. But because the right volume, in the right hands, at the right moment, doesn’t just tell the story. It makes you live it.