Summary
Jujutsu Kaisenhas become a massive hit in contemporary anime, with a mass legion of adoring fans. Like many other anime,Jujutsu Kaisenis filled to the brim with interesting characters, each with their own colours and abilities.Maki Zenin of Tokyo Jujutsu High Schoolis one such character.
In asupernatural world of cursed energies and sorcery, Maki possesses no such skill, and yet her abilities make her one of the anime’s most powerful characters. This is because of her masterful use of cursed weaponry, and not the use of cursed energy like her peers. So, how exactly does Maki use these tools to do the work of a jujutsu sorcerer, without technically being one?
First anime appearance
Episode 5 of Season 1
Release date
Author
Gege Akutami
Maki is part of the Zenin Clan, one of the major Sorcerer Clans inJujutsu Kaisenalong with the Gojo and Kamo clans. The clan members are each subdivided into various combat units. The Zenins are known for valuing sheer power and talent with cursed energy, even against their own relatives. This stone-cold drive makes them a very strong clan of sorcerers for generations. Maki fits into this clan as the niece of the former clan head, Naobito Zenin. He and Maki’s father, Ogi Zenin, are brothers.
Ogi had twin daughters, Maki and Mai, both of whom had very low levels of cursed energy. In a clan that places high value on power and skills as a jujutsu sorcerer, the girls were shunned in the clan. While Mai was content to live with this oppression within her family,Maki left the clan to attend Tokyo Jujutsu High School. As a result, Mai became an official Zenin Clan sorcerer against her will. Mai’s death will later become the spark that ignites a fire in Maki, which leads her down a murderous path to exterminate the Zenin clan.
Due to her low concentration of cursed energy, Maki uses cursed tools instead. She possesses her own arsenal of weapons that allow her to be just as powerful as her energy-wielding peers, and is skilled enough to use them. In fact, she is worthy of being a Grade 2 sorcerer instead of a Grade 4, because she can destroy aGrade 2 cursed spiritcomfortably. So what does Maki’s personal arms catalogue look like?
An Unusual Yet Specialised Weapon: Playful Cloud
This weapon is a flexible metal bow staff of sort. It consists of three sections held together at each point of connection by rings. It allows for a sturdy, yet disjointed-esque use. What makes this weapon unique is that is not infused with cursed energy, but rather it’s potency is dependant on the power of the wielder, which does include those without cursed energy.
Originally, Playful Cloud belonged to Toji Fushiguro, a former member of the Zenin clan. Satoru Gojo kept the weapon after Toji lost it in a battle with Yuta Okkotsu. The Zenins argued that the weapon rightfully belongs to them, since Toji was a former member of the Clan. Susbesquently, it was given to Maki to use, an apt fit. She has used this weapon to fight foes such as Hanami and Dagon. Her raw physical power allow her to wield it with ease. Maki also uses this weapon in tandem with Megumi Fushiguro, Toji’s son and subsequent indirect member of the Zenin clan. Admittedly, Megumi does not prefer to use Playful Cloud, which makes sense since considering that he has cursed energy of his own. In Maki’s hands, the weapon is used to its finest ability.
Glasses Are Maki’s Unorthodox Weapon
Due to her low levels of cursed energy, it is difficult for Maki to even see cursed spirits. The solution to this problem is to change her vision, which resulted in her glasses becoming infused with cursed energy. While this is not a weapon, it is a cursed object that Maki uses as a sorceror. Time and time again these glasses have been broken in battle, but their main priority is that now she can see cursed spirits, like her peers.
Her Sister’s Weapon - A Replica of Split Soul Katana
The only remembrance of Mai Zenin is herkatanaweapon, a replica ofSplit Soul Katana. The weapon allows Maki to slice her way to the soul of its victim, completely cutting through any obstacles in real-time.
Keel is a special sword forged by Juzo Kimiya, it is his most elaborate piece yet. Maki retrieved the sword from his workshop and ultimately used it in a battle against her father. What makes the sword special is that it can absorb cursed energy and power and release it back from the blade.
Jujutsu Kaisen
Based on Gege Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen manga, Mappa’s battle shonen anime envisions a world where Jujutsu Sorcerers battle against entities born out of Cursed Energy. One day, a teenager named Yuji Itadori is dragged into this conflict when he eats a possessed finger.
