List of Direct Pop Culture References in Season 1 of Jujutsu Kaisen
I kept trying to find a comprehensive list somewhere but couldn't. So, here's one for me.
Ninja Warrior and Mirko Cro Crop (Ep1)
Sasuke, or Ninja Warrior as it's known as in multiple incarnations, is a sports reality show in which competitors attempt to complete a four-stage obstacle course.
Mirko Cro Crop is the ring name of Croatian mixed martial artist and kickboxer Mirko Filipović. And yes, Sasaki-senpai does clarify that Mirko's not dead.
Jennifer Lawrence (Ep2)
This one is possibly the most infamous reference in JJK actually. Of course, Yuuji is referring to American actress, Jennifer Lawrence. Gege Akutami said in the fanbook Yuuji became her fan after seeing Silver Linings Playbook (2012).
Super Smash Bros. (Ep5)
When the second years first ask Nobara and Megumi to participate in the Kyoto School Goodwill Exchange Event, Nobara's first thought is a Smash Bros. tournament. She'll use Meteor Smash so you can't get back up. All the better if it's the Wii version.
Onita (Ep6)
When Yuuji first starts lamenting his lack of ability to use a Curse Technique, Gojo cuts in that Yuuji can use a power bomb. Because it's something Japanese wrestler Atsushi Onita (who is not a sorcerer as far as we know) can do anyway.
Shonen power techniques (Ep6 cont.)
Yuuji then proceeds to list several other abilities from other shonen series. The Spirit Gun from Yu Yu Hakusho, Bankai from Bleach, and Dodon Ray and Kamehameha from Dragon Ball.
Lord of the Rings (Ep7)
For his training on controlling Cursed Energy, Yuuji is made to watch a variety of movies. For the adaptation, the animators interpreted the cry for Sam as a scene from Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001).
Actually, in the manga, Akutami was referencing I Am Legend (2007). The movie stars Will Smith and his only companion, a dog named Sam, in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Uh, things don't go well for the dog.
Gojo's other movies (Ch13)
Additionally, there were a few specific movies Akutami had in mind that wasn't carried over to the anime. (Though, honestly, some of these DVD covers in the anime look so familiar and detailed I suspect they are references to other movies. If anyone can identify any of them lmk!)
Anyway, here are the ones we know of in the manga!
Léon: The Professional (1994), The Descent (2005), The Host (2006), The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On (1967). And the movie that Gojo spoils about the super annoying heroine who dies spectacularly at the end is Deep Blue Sea (1999). And yes, if you squint and zoom you can see which dvd has the cover for what movie.
Oikawa Tōru (Ep9)
A blink and you'll miss it stand-in of someone that suspiciously looks like Oikawa Tōru from Haikyuu!!
Castaway (Ep11)
Yuuji makes Junpei laugh when the former unexpectedly recreates the scene from Cast Away (2000) when Tom Hanks' character loses his illusory best friend...
Neon Genesis Evangelion (Ep11, Juju Stroll)
This entire Juju Stroll is a parody of Neon Genesis Evangelion episode previews. With shots that are reminiscent of NGE and a dramatic and frantic voiceover. The standout shot to me was the one of Yaga sitting with his hands folded in front of him in classic Gendo Ikari fashion. They even had Yaga sitting over a burning camp stove just so they could get the orange glow reflecting off his glasses. Ha!
Luncheon on the Grass
The full convergence of all the characters was completed by episode 13 in the first opening. The idyllic scene is based off of Luncheon on the Grass (aka Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe) by Claude Monet. I like how Panda is in place of the dog.
I wonder if Todo being half naked here is further reference to the more scandalous, The Luncheon on the Grass, by Édouard Manet which is what Monet's own painting is a direct take on. (That painting depicts a nude woman sitting with two fully dressed gentlemen.) ...Or it could just be Todo being Todo.
Ichiro?! (Ep15)
Utahime, incensed, tells Gojo to respect his senpai! I'm a bit hesitant about this one, but it may be a reference to Ichiro Suzuki jokingly complaining about not being respected as a senpai during the 2009 World Baseball Classic celebration. Baseball is HUGE in Japan, and the celebration looks wild. It may be iconic enough that it can be casually mentioned and most Japanese would know what Yuuji was talking about. Also, considering the Jujutsu Koshien episode about to come up, it may've been foreshadowing. (Found here)
Sebastian Stan (Ep15, Juju Stroll)
Another famous American celebrity! When asked about her type in episode 15's Juju Stroll, Momo was drooling over a picture of Sebastian Stan. Stan is most well known for playing the Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes in the MCU. I wonder why her answer didn't pass muster with Todo. Maybe she hadn't had the chance?
Pepper (Ep16)
Nobara, smack-talking to Momo, says the Kyoto school have their own "Pepper-kun" that she should turn into scrap. Mechamaru immediately knew she was referring to himself. 😆 Pepper is the semi-humanoid robot that SoftBank introduced at a conference in 2014.
Great Teacher Gojo (Ep18)
Great Teacher Onizuka, aka GTO, is a classic series about a former biker gang member becoming the best teacher to a class of problem children.
Boogie Woogie
Boogie-woogie is a genre of music, but Todo's Cursed Technique, "Boogie Woogie" is specifically a reference to boxer, Muhammad Ali, who was recorded playing boogie-woogie on camera. (Which ties into an even more extensive reference regarding his mentor. But I won't spoil it here for anime-onlys.) I dare say, Todo's attitude may be a bit Ali inspired too. Haha
Ma-kun of Tohoku (Ep21)
When up to bat during Jujutsu Koshien, Nobara says people call her "the Ma-kun of Tohoku" which... doesn't make sense, since Masahiro Tanaka (affectionately called "Ma-kun" by fans) is already a baseball player for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. 😂
Additional trivia: JJK did a collab with the Rakuten Eagles in September of 2022.
Game of Life (Ep24)
And finally, we end the season with some of our villains playing The Game of Life board game. That spinner, colors, and design are pretty unmistakable. Something extra I spotted is that Choso already managed to get married!
*Edit: Had to include this link to officially licensed JJK Game of Life.
Aaand that's everything, I think. But let me know if I missed anything!
*Edit 7/23:
Gojo Satoru's Go Go Gojo! (Ep6)
The Juju Stroll at the end of episode 6 references the Igo/Go game series Hikaru no Go. At the end of Hikaru no Go episodes were post-episode segments called "Umezawa Yukari's Go Go Igo!"
Props to r/sofastsomaybe for pointing this out, because like a fool, I dismissed the Go reference as a coincidence.
Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller, and Inoki (Ep15)
During Todo's nichijo fantasy of himself and Yuuji, Todo quotes, "What fool thinks of defeat before even trying?" Incorrectly attributing the quote to something teacher Anne Sullivan said to disability activist, Helen Keller. Todo is actually paraphrasing pro-wrestler, mixed martial artist, Antonio Inoki. Who said, "What kind of idiot thinks about losing before [the match]?" during a pre-match interview.
Seishun Amigo (Ep15)
At the end of that same daydream, with tears and snot streaming down his face, Todo says, "'In our hometown we were invincible,' huh." (地元じゃ負けしらず) Which are a part of lyrics from the popular song, "Seishun Amigo" (青春アミーゴ) by Shūji to Akira. "Seishun" means "youth" and "amigo" of course being the Spanish word for "friend."
Amusingly, I found this JJK fan cover video of the song. Lyrics translation included.
The two references above were found thanks to Aki Tanaka.
SO THIS CLOWN OF A KID THAT IS NAMED AFTER A DOG THAT HIS FOSTER DAD AND HIM DID SHOWS IN THE SAME CIRCUS WITH BUT THEN HIS DAD GOT AMNESIA CUZ HE FORGOT THAT THE KID HAS HIS TWIN'S BROTHERS MEMORIES INSIDE HIM AND THAT HIS BROTHER AND HIM FORM AN IMMORTAL IDENTITY AND THEN THE KID ACTUALLY TRIES TO KILL HIS FOSTER DAD CUZ HE GETS CONFUSED...
... AND THEN THERE IS THIS OTHER GRUMPY KID THAT GETS REENCARNATED INTO...
... AND THEN THERE IS THIS OTHER KID THAT THINKS THAT THEIR FRIENDS ARE THEIR WORLD...
... AND THEN THERE IS THIS OTHER KID THAT IS PART OF A SECRET SOCIETY OF HISTORIANS...
baratheonpilled
annaxmalina
discoholicmusic
ellievsbear
