Jujutsu Kaisen fandom doesn't pay enough respect to this character's sacrifice (and it's not Choso)

Modified Apr 24, 2025 15:21 GMT

Jujutsu Kaisen fandom doesn — Mai Zenin as seen in the Jujutsu Kaisen anime (Image via MAPPA)

While many Jujutsu Kaisen fans have expressed their love and respect for the characters who sacrificed themselves for the greater good, some characters have gone under the radar over the years.

As fans may recall, Choso played a huge role in defeating Ryomen Sukuna by sacrificing himself to save Yuji Itadori. While his sacrifice was heartbreaking, the manga's nearing conclusion shifted attention to future events, leading many to overlook the respect the character deserved.

While many fans believe Choso was the character whose sacrifice was least acknowledged, the Jujutsu Kaisen fandom arguably paid even less respect to Mai Zenin's sacrifice. Had it not been for her, the fanbase might have never rated Maki as high as they do today.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the Jujutsu Kaisen manga.

Jujutsu Kaisen fandom holds Mai Zenin in low regard

Maki and Mai Zenin as seen in the Jujutsu Kaisen manga (Image via Shueisha)

While Jujutsu Kaisen fans may love Maki more than her late sister, Mai, it is important to recognize that without Mai's sacrifice, Maki might have never successfully annihilated the Zenin clan. This is largely due to the role of Split Soul Katana, a major factor in making this mission successful.

As manga readers may remember, the Split Soul Katana was a cursed tool used by Toji Fushiguro. He used it to bypass all resistance and cut directly at his opponent's soul. Mai Zenin created a replica of that katana by sacrificing herself to save and empower Maki.

Unfortunately, despite her great contribution, not many fans respect Mai's sacrifice, believing Maki could have destroyed the Zenin clan even without the Split Soul Katana. In reality, the katana wasn't just a weapon for Maki but served as her last connection to her sister, which also embodied her promise to destroy everything.

So, while there is a possibility that Maki Zenin may have been strong enough to fight the entire Zenin clan and destroy them, it wouldn't have been possible without Mai's sacrifice, as the sword symbolized Mai's strength as well. Whenever Maki spoke to her katana, she wasn't talking to the weapon but to her deceased sister.

From Maki Zenin's perspective, she was not fighting the battle alone but was fighting it alongside her deceased sister. Fortunately, Mai's sacrifice wasn't in vain. Maki destroyed the Zenin clan using the Split Soul Katana, starting by bisecting her father's head with a single stroke of the blade.

Amidst the fanbase, there is an argument that fans do acknowledge Mai's sacrifice, but it's just that they were never really compelled by the character. This argument does hold some weight, as Mai's character was almost too dependent on Maki. Fans never really got to see her act independently. Hence, despite her heavy sacrifice, the majority of the fanbase did not feel much after her death.

Related Links

About the author

Gokul has been an anime writer in Pop Culture division at Sportskeeda since 2022. His love for watching anime and his interest in the ever-growing anime industry inspire Gokul to produce insightful content about the genre on a daily basis. He holds a Master's degree in Communication & Journalism, and has worked for close to 3.5 years in the field.

Gokul likes to thoroughly research about the anime he is writing about and only credits a source after verifying its credibility. He loves the popular Shonen anime, Black Clover, for its memorable characters and their development throughout the story.

When not racking his brain behind his next anime story, Gokul likes to play video games, read manga, and play football.

Know More

Edited by Gokul Chettiyar