Maki Zenin

A reject from the Zenin clan who fights with striking personality and skill.

Maki Zenin is a fictional character from Gege Akutami's manga Jujutsu Kaisen 0, originally known as Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical School. She is a young student from Jujutsu High, mentored by Satoru Gojo. Maki becomes classmate of newcomer Yuta Okkotsu, who is trying to control the violent cursed spirit Rika Orimoto. The manga mentions Maki's origins as a reject from the Zenin clan, which is further explored in the main series Jujutsu Kaisen, where she is one year older and deals with several enemies. Akutami created Maki as a character whose origins would be further explored in the series future, with her fighting style being a mix of several ones envisioned in one. She is voiced by Mikako Komatsu in Japanese and Allegra Clark in English.

Quick Facts

Series

Jujutsu Kaisen

First

Jujutsu Kaisen 0 #1, "The Cursed Child" (2017)

Creator

Gege Akutami

Voice

Japanese:
Mikako Komatsu
English:
Allegra Clark

Occupation

Student at Tokyo Jujutsu High

Nationality

Japanese

Lore & Background

Maki's origins as a reject from the Zenin clan are mentioned in Jujutsu Kaisen 0 and further explored in the main series Jujutsu Kaisen. In Jujutsu Kaisen 0, it is revealed that Maki is a rejected member from the Zenin clan and is mocked by Suguru Geto. After the visit, Maki tells Yuta of her aspirations to become the Zenin clan head, and the limitations they placed upon her. In the main series, during an examination where the Kyoto students try to kill newcomer Yuji Itadori, Maki defeats her sister, Mai, who questions why she left their clan.

During the Shibuya incident, Maki suffers severe burns from the cursed spirit Jogo, leaving her body scarred. After Mai sacrifices her life for Maki, she is able to see curses without glasses. After killing their father, she slaughters Naoya Zen'in and all members of the Zen'in clan in retribution for the pain she and Mai were forced to undergo during their childhood. She joins the Culling Games as a player, and due to her special circumstance, is able to leave and enter barriers. During her battle with Naoya's cursed spirit, she is fully awakened, becoming just like Toji Fushiguro.

Reader's Guide

Maki's fighting style was based on both aikido and a mix of Chinese martial arts. Originally, Maki uses a weapon to compensate for her lack of spells. Akutami claimed in the series' fanbook that a major theme in the manga is Maki becoming a stronger Jujutsu sorcerer, which is meant to be the focus on future installments. Her design went from normal glasses to black-frames, but only for the fight against Suguru Geto. When asked by why Maki often refers to Todo by his surname, Akutami mentioned it is a tendency of her to call others by their first name unless the others call her by her last name. As a result, he mentions any contradictions when dealing with others might come across as plot holes.

Did You Know?

Maki's hair length is something Akutami tends to change whenever he likes.
Akutami enjoyed writing a scene in which Yuta tells Maki he would like to be like her in the third chapter of Jujutsu Kaisen 0.
In a Viz Media popularity poll in March 2021, Maki was voted as the 11th most-popular character in the Jujutsu Kaisen franchise.