Jujutsu Kaisen: Volume 0 or Volume 1 first?

Every week someone asks us some version of this: "There's a Volume 0 — do I need it first?" Short answer follows, then the reasoning, so you can stop reading the moment you've got what you came for.

The short answer

Either works. If you like context, read Volume 0 first. If you'd rather meet the main cast straight away, start at Volume 1 and come back to 0 before Volume 8. You cannot really get this wrong.

What Volume 0 actually is

It's Gege Akutami's one-shot prequel — written before the main series existed — about Yuta Okkotsu, a different protagonist, a year before Volume 1 begins. It shares the world, the school and a few teachers, but none of the main trio. Think of it as a short film made before the series was commissioned: canon, self-contained, and about ninety minutes of reading.

Why people argue about it

Reading 0 first gives one mid-series reveal noticeably more weight, and a certain teacher's introduction lands better. Reading 1 first gets you to Yuji, Megumi and Nobara — the reason most people stay — without a detour through a cast you won't see again for a while. Both camps are right, which is why the argument never ends.

Our actual recommendation

If you watched the anime film (it adapts Volume 0), skip straight to Volume 1. If you're coming in cold and only want to buy one book to test the water, make it Volume 1 too — it's the better sales pitch for the series. The completists were always going to buy both anyway.

Browse our Jujutsu Kaisen books and editions for current volumes and availability.