Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Trailer: The Hit Anime Returns With A Tragic Prequel

Crunchyroll is officially gearing up for the U.S. debut of "Jujutsu Kaisen 0," and celebrating with a brand new trailer! Last year, the film launched to both commercial and critical acclaim, debuting at number one at the Japanese box office and earning ¥11.6 billion ($101 million). Though it didn't overtake any of the records held by "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — the Movie," the film made a massive splash and is expected to follow suit while abroad. Both the "Jujutsu Kaisen" manga and anime are thriving when it comes to popularity and positive reception — the manga remains one of the bestselling series of 2021 while the anime won 2021's Anime of the Year at the 5th annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards. 

While the main series follows Yuji Itadori, a high school student who joins a group of sorcerers to vanquish a powerful curse, the film acts as a prequel, instead focusing on Yuta Okkotsu, a high schooler who suffers a tragedy before getting drafted into the ranks of the Jujutsu Sorcerers.

"Jujutsu Kaisen 0" is set one year before Yuji Itadori first becomes entangled in the world of sorcerers and Curses. Yuta Okkotsu takes the lead instead, a nervous high school student still suffering from the loss of his childhood friend, Rika Orimoto, who he promised to one day marry. After she tragically passes away, her soul is transformed into a powerful and dangerous Curse that torments Yuji by attacking anyone who gets close to him. Fans of the series anime can probably guess where Yuji turns for help: he finds his way to the Tokyo Jujutsu High, a school for sorcerers. In addition to Yuta, fans can expect to see familiar faces like Maki Zenin and Satoru Gojo make an appearance. 

Here's the official synopsis for the upcoming film.

When they were children, Rika Orimoto was killed in a traffic accident right before the eyes of her close friend, Yuta Okkotsu.

"It's a promise. When we both grow up, we'll get married."

Rika became an apparition, and Yuta longed for his own death after suffering under her curse, but the greatest Jujutsu sorcerer, Satoru Gojo, welcomed him into Jujutsu High. There Yuta meets his classmates, Maki Zen'in, Toge Inumaki, and Panda, and finally finds his own determination. Meanwhile, the vile curse user, Suguru Geto, who was expelled from the school for massacring ordinary people, appears before Yuta and the others. While Geto advocates for creating a paradise for only jujutsu sorcerers, he unleashes a thousand curses upon Shinjuku and Kyoto to exterminate all non-sorcerers. Will Yuta be able to stop Geto in the end? And what will happen to breaking Rika's curse...?

Crunchyroll also announced the cast for the English dub of "Jujutsu Kaisen 0," which includes the return of previous English voice actors, along with some newcomers.

Yuta Okkotsu – Kayleigh McKee (English), Megumi Ogata (Japanese)

Rika Orimoto – Anairis Quiñones (English), Kana Hanazawa (Japanese)

Maki Zen'in- Allegra Clark (English), Mikako Komatsu (Japanese)

Toge Inumaki – Xander Mobus (English), Koki Uchiyama (Japanese)

Panda – Matthew David Rudd (English), Tomokazu Seki (Japanese)

Satoru Gojo – Kaiji Tang (English), Yuichi Nakamura (Japanese)

Suguru Geto – Lex Lang (English), Takahiro Sakurai (Japanese)

"Jujutsu Kaisen 0" will premiere in the United States and Canada on March 18, 2022.