Maki Zenin, born into the influential Zenin sorcerer clan, possessed almost no cursed energy, leading her family to brand her a failure and subject her to severe mistreatment. This deficiency required special glasses to perceive curses. Her identical twin status compounded this stigma under jujutsu traditions, viewed as an ill omen due to celestial restrictions. Oppressed by her clan’s obstruction—even blocking her promotion to grade 4 sorcerer—she expelled herself from the family. This act forced her twin sister Mai into sorcery, breeding lasting resentment. Maki’s driving goal became gaining strength to dismantle the Zenin clan’s power and seize its leadership. She enrolled at Tokyo Jujutsu High under mentor Satoru Gojo. Her appearance included long black hair (dark green in the anime) in a short ponytail, golden eyes, and an athletic build. She wore the standard uniform: a navy double-breasted jacket, white dress shirt, miniskirt, knee-high socks, and brown boots, always with curse-perception glasses. Personality-wise, she displayed headstrong independence, resilience, and a blunt, impatient demeanor. She masked vulnerability with a tough exterior, openly disdained Gojo’s eccentricity, and initially dismissed those she deemed weak, like Yuta Okkotsu. During *Jujutsu Kaisen 0*, as a first-year student, Maki mentored Yuta on his initial mission. She mocked his timidity and questioned his suitability as a sorcerer. Confronting a powerful curse together, Maki sustained injuries, prompting her to challenge Yuta’s motivations. He confessed his desire for a fulfilling life, and Maki urged him to fight for it. This enabled Yuta to briefly control the cursed spirit Rika, saving them. Over three months, she rigorously trained Yuta in swordsmanship and combat, forging mutual respect. When antagonist Suguru Geto invaded Jujutsu High and insulted Maki as the "Zenin clan’s failure," Yuta defended her. Maki later confided her hatred for her family, and Yuta expressed admiration for her strength, offering support—flustering Maki, unaccustomed to recognition. Their dynamic solidified into a trusting partnership. Maki’s combat relied on superhuman physical prowess—speed, strength, and endurance—granted by a Heavenly Restriction that traded minimal cursed energy for peak physiology, nearly identical to her cousin Toji Fushiguro. Compensating for lacking innate techniques, she mastered cursed tools like spears, swords, and Playful Cloud. Her fighting style blended direct weapon combat with martial arts influenced by aikido and Chinese techniques, defining her as a close-quarters specialist. Her relationships included classmates Panda and Toge Inumaki, forming her core team. Though terse toward Panda’s humor or Inumaki’s quiet support, they showed deep loyalty, risking their lives for her during Geto’s attack. She mentored first-years Megumi Fushiguro (a fellow Zenin exile) and Nobara Kugisaki, training them harshly in weapons and combat awareness. Despite abrasive methods, she shielded Nobara from Mai’s hostility at the Kyoto Goodwill Event. Later, Maki suffered severe burns in the Shibuya Incident, leaving facial and bodily scars and shortening her hair. After Mai sacrificed her life to empower Maki, she gained innate curse perception without glasses and eliminated the Zenin leadership, including her father and cousin Naoya. This triggered her "awakening," fully realizing her Heavenly Restriction’s potential akin to Toji Fushiguro.