Highlights
- Maki Zenin and Toji Fushiguro are two of the strongest characters in Jujutsu Kaisen despite not having cursed energy.
- Maki unlocked her potential by sacrificing her remaining cursed energy, reaching the same level as Toji.
- Maki and Toji are equally matched in terms of physical prowess, but fans often give the win to Toji due to his refined skills and experience.
In the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, a multitude of formidable sorcerers and their unique abilities take the spotlight. However, within this diverse array of talent, two characters stand out as some of the strongest in the series, and what's even more fascinating is that they both lack cursed energy entirely. These exceptional individuals are Maki Zenin and Toji Fushiguro, both of whom hail from the notorious Zenin clan. They have harnessed the full potential of their Heavenly Restrictions, elevating their strength and speed to unparalleled levels.
During the Culling Game arc of Jujutsu Kaisen, we witnessed Maki's extraordinary journey as she unlocked her latent potential by sacrificing the meager remnants of her cursed energy. This sacrifice bestowed upon her an incredible power boost. However, it wasn't until later that she fully comprehended the extent of her newfound capabilities, eventually placing her on par with Toji. Despite the storyline repeatedly emphasizing the comparable physical prowess of Maki and Toji, many fans continue to debate which of these two powerhouses would emerge victorious in a showdown. In this article, we will delve into the backstories and feats of each character and provide an analysis to determine who would come out on top in a clash of titans.
Maki Zenin
Maki was born into the Zenin family with her twin sister Mai, both of whom were ostracized and thrown to the side by their family. However, Maki got it way worse because, unlike her sister, she was born with a Heavenly Restriction that gave her extremely low levels of cursed energy, meaning that she had to wear special glasses to even see curses. Due to this, she had no inherent cursed technique but was blessed with above-average physical prowess, leading to her becoming a powerful cursed tool user.
During the Culling Game arc, Maki was sent to retrieve the cursed tools of the Zenin clan, only to be betrayed by her family who threw her into a pit full of cursed spirits with her sister to die. In this pit, Maki was able to get rid of her remaining cursed energy, allowing her to fully utilize the potential of her Heavenly Restriction, giving her physical prowess that was on the same level as Toji, striking fear into the hearts of the entire Zenin clan.
With her newfound abilities, Maki was able to butcher the entire Zenin clan. This is especially impressive because Maki, with no cursed energy or technique, was able to single-handedly destroy an entire clan that was full of people proficient in them. She was shown to do this with very little difficulty or resistance, effortlessly jumping from one cursed energy user to another and killing them. As she destroyed entire teams of Zenin assassins, she reminded many people of Toji.
After this, Maki was able to take down Cursed Spirit Naoya Zenin with the help of three other sorcerers. In this fight, she eventually realized what made Toji so legendary; the way he saw the world and the flow of cursed energy despite having none himself. Because of this, Maki was able to gain incredible power in the fight, which allowed for her to eventually help to defeat Naoya and later, was even able to contend with a sufficiently powerful Sukuna with the help of Yuji.
Toji Fushiguro
Toji Fushiguro, a legendary member of the Zenin clan, entered the world without a trace of cursed energy in his body. While this meant that he could not possess a cursed technique, his Heavenly Restriction bestowed upon him a near-perfect physical constitution. As a result, his physical capabilities far exceeded those of most sorcerers, and this attribute played a pivotal role in his successful career as an assassin within the Jujutsu realm.
Much like Maki, Toji was burdened with a Heavenly Restriction that stripped him of his cursed energy, making his physical prowess his primary source of strength. However, in contrast to Maki, Toji's curse energy was completely absent from his being, allowing him to fully manifest his Restriction from a very early age. Consequently, he became an outcast within his own clan, facing their disdain. The Zenin clan, in their rejection of him due to his lack of cursed energy and technique, subjected Toji to the depths, teeming with cursed spirits, hoping for his demise. Yet, he emerged from these ordeals not just victorious, but bearing only a single scar on his lip.
When it comes to accomplishments, Toji boasts some of the most remarkable ones in the entire series. First and foremost, he built his entire career on eliminating sorcerers in the world of Jujutsu, earning himself the infamous title of "Sorcerer Killer." These sorcerers presumably possessed their own unique techniques and cursed energy, yet they all succumbed to Toji's prowess, despite his lack of these supernatural abilities. Furthermore, it was this reputation that secured his role as the chosen one to take on the formidable duo of Gojo and Geto.
During the Hidden Inventory arc, Toji faced off against Gojo and Geto, both renowned as the most powerful sorcerers on the planet at the time. They had reached a rarefied "Special Grade" status within Jujutsu society due to their extraordinary techniques and mastery over them. Despite these seemingly insurmountable odds, Toji managed to surpass and defeat them through a combination of his physical strength, intelligence, and strategic acumen. Over the course of several weeks, he meticulously wore down Gojo, gradually diminishing the effectiveness of Gojo's Six Eyes technique until he could exploit the opportunity. This remarkable feat made Toji the sole individual capable of bypassing Limitless and defeating Satoru Gojo, albeit temporarily.
RELATED: Jujutsu Kaisen: Why Gojo Couldn't Match Sukuna
He also managed to conquer Suguru Geto at a later point, employing a straightforward approach by overpowering Geto with his sheer physical prowess and skill. In contrast to his tactics against Gojo, Toji engaged Geto directly and defeated him without relying on any special tricks, eradicating all of Geto's curses with his exceptional strength and speed. Then, during the Shibuya Incident, Toji effortlessly dispatched Dagon, a Special Grade Cursed Spirit. Dagon had previously overwhelmed Nanami, Naobito, and Maki to the extent that they had to escape his domain with Megumi's assistance. However, when the resurrected Toji joined the battle, he single-handedly obliterated Dagon.
When it comes to determining the stronger of the two, the series' creator, Gege Akutami, makes it abundantly clear on multiple occasions that both of these characters are evenly matched. Nevertheless, many fans tend to favor Toji due to his refined skills and extensive experience over the years, whereas Maki is relatively new to these powers. While an argument could be made for Maki, especially considering her battle against Sukuna with Yuji's assistance, the general consensus within the community tends to lean toward Toji, thanks to his impressive feats and remarkable abilities. Nonetheless, as time progresses, we may witness Maki's growth and evolution, potentially propelling her to a level far beyond anything we have seen thus far.
Jujutsu Kaisen is available to read on Manga Monster.
