Maki Zenin’s Scars & Major Changes in JJK, Explained

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Learn more about Maki’s transformation after Shibuya

Co-authored by Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: April 3, 2026 Fact Checked

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How did Maki get her scars?

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How did Maki survive?

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How Maki Changes

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How did Maki get stronger?

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Are the scars permanent?

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Maki’s New Design

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Maki Zenin’s character development follows quite a dramatic arc in Jujutsu Kaisen, and her ordeal during (and immediately after) the Shibuya Incident contributes a lot to that. If you’re wondering how Maki goes from a bespectacled student to a hardened, scarred warrior, the answer to that lies in the Shibuya arc. In this article, we’ll explain exactly how Maki gets her scars (and, by extension, her entire iconic character redesign). We’ll also talk about how Maki’s character changes as a result of her experiences, and how her powers evolve in JJK. Let’s dive in!

How Maki Zenin Gets Her Scars in Jujutsu Kaisen

Maki Zenin—one of JJK’s second-year students—sustains extensive burn scars after being ambushed by Jogo during the Shibuya Incident. Jogo, a Special Grade cursed spirit, unleashes fire powers on Maki and her team, and Maki is unable to shield herself from the cursed energy. As a result, she’s badly burned.

Section 1 of 6:

How did Maki Zenin get her scars in Jujutsu Kaisen?

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Maki was scarred in a battle with the cursed spirit Jogo. During the Shibuya Incident, Maki—along with Kento Nanami, Naobito Zenin, Megumi, and Toji Fushiguro—was ambushed by Jogo, a powerful Special Grade curse. In this ambush, Jogo used his “Disaster Flames” cursed technique, engulfing the sorcerers in fire. And because Maki doesn’t have much cursed energy of her own, she couldn’t shield herself from the flames.^{[1]
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- Jogo’s attack nearly burned Maki to death; as it is, she sustained heavy burn injuries that left scars all over her body.
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Other jujutsu sorcerers didn’t survive the battle with Jogo at all. Naobito Zenin’s severe injuries left him in critical condition, and he later passed away at the Zenin household. Although Nanami didn’t die at Jogo’s hand, he was grievously injured (much like Maki), leaving him weakened—and, shortly after, he was killed right in front of Yuji by another cursed spirit, Mahito.
- Despite lacking cursed energy and despite her injuries, Maki actually fared better than many of the other sorcerers ambushed by Jogo.
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Maki and the other sorcerers were already worn down when Jogo attacked. They’d already had to defeat one of Jogo’s allies, a cursed spirit named Dagon—and Dagon was a Special Grade curse (the highest grade, and therefore among the most powerful of curses), just like Jogo. That means the group wasn’t at their best by the time Jogo ambushed them; they’d already exerted themselves to exorcise Dagon.
- During the battle, Dagon actually taunted Maki for her lack of cursed energy—only to be ultimately beaten by Toji Fushiguro, who had no cursed energy at all.
- While Maki didn’t get her scars from her fight with Dagon, this battle probably left her and the others a little more vulnerable to Jogo.

Section 2 of 6:

How did Maki survive the fight with Jogo?

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Mai survived the fight due to her superhuman strength and resilience. Yuki Tsukumo, a powerful special grade sorcerer, explained that Maki’s superhuman strength and endurance (a result of her Heavenly Restriction, even though it hadn’t been fully realized yet) were what saved her from Jogo’s flames. Although she lacks a significant pool of cursed energy, Maki has exceptional physical prowess.
- Maki did get healed using the Reverse Cursed Technique after Shibuya, but even that kind of healing couldn’t prevent scarring.

Section 3 of 6:

How Maki Changes After the Shibuya Incident

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Physically, Maki has scars covering much of her body. Post-Shibuya, Maki has visible burn scars running all along her arms and the sides of her face (presumably, she has scars elsewhere as well). Additionally, her hair is much shorter, though it’s unclear if this change is due to Jogo’s fire or, simply, Maki choosing to cut it. Regardless, Maki’s uniform is altered to be sleeveless, with a cape held in place by Jujutsu High pins.^{[2]
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- Maki also loses her right eye in a fight with her father soon after the Shibuya Incident; however, the eye is later healed.
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Maki goes on to eliminate the Zenin Clan after losing her twin sister, Mai. Maki’s changes post-Shibuya aren’t only physical; her character also changes dramatically. Not long after the Incident, Maki’s twin sister, Mai, sacrifices herself for Maki and dies, leaving Maki furious and heartbroken. Maki then destroys the entire Zenin Clan, having changed her mind. Where before she wanted to reform the clan, Maki later realizes she has nothing to prove to them and destroys it in her sister’s name.
- This is a significant change for Maki, who originally wanted to work her way up to becoming the Zenin Clan’s leader and change their old-fashioned, misogynistic ideology.

Section 4 of 6:

How did Maki get stronger after Mai’s death?

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Mai’s death transferred a new power to Maki. Maki has always had her Heavenly Restriction power to give her superhuman physical prowess—but Mai’s death (at the hands of her and Maki’s own father) allowed Maki to reach her full potential. Essentially, by sacrificing herself, Mai removed all restrictions on Maki’s powers, which had previously been limited because the two of them were twins, and Mai had most of the cursed energy shared between them.^{[3]
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- Maki’s full potential is immense, even by jujutsu standards. Mai’s death allows Maki to escape cursed energy completely, giving her a “body of steel.”
- In addition to Maki’s exceptional strength and speed, she can also detect inorganic matter and grab hold of even the slightest changes in air density and temperature.

Section 5 of 6:

Are Maki’s scars permanent?

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Yes, the burn scarring on Maki’s face and body is permanent. Maki’s injuries heal, but the scars remain. Yuki Tsukumo implies that not even jujutsu-powered healing (via the Reverse Cursed Technique) could remove Maki’s scars, given the extent of her injuries during the Shibuya Incident. But Maki’s scars are purely superficial; they don’t inhibit her fighting style or strength in battle whatsoever—and Maki is most definitely a force to be reckoned with.
- Maki’s cousin, Naoya, deemed Maki “unattractive” due to her scars. His attitude stems from an old-fashioned and deeply unfair jujutsu society ideology that judges female sorcerers more for their looks than their skills.

Section 6 of 6:

Why Maki’s New Design is Significant in Jujutsu Kaisen

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Maki’s design reflects her radical nature in the world of jujutsu sorcery. As we’ve already mentioned, the jujutsu society in JJK has a history of assigning value to female sorcerers based on their looks without really considering their combat prowess at all.^{[4]
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Research source} Maki has always been a symbol of defiance toward that ideal, simply through her choice to study jujutsu against her family’s wishes—and now she wears her scars with pride as well, having become an incredibly powerful jujutsu sorcerer in her own right.
- For a male sorcerer, scars are battle trophies—nothing to scoff at. So, why should Maki’s scars be any different? She continues to thrive despite her injuries, and her powers have surpassed the level of all but the most skilled sorcerers.
- In fact, Maki could probably be considered a Special Grade sorcerer if she were given a new official ranking; the only reason she’s kept at Grade 4 (the lowest grade) is due to her family’s interference.