Mai

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Zenin Mai (真依)
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Kyoto Jujutsu High; Zenin Clan
Occupation/Role	Jujutsu sorcerer; Kyoto Jujutsu High student
Rank	Grade 3 Sorcerer 24 37
Innate Technique	Construction Cursed Technique
First Appearance	Chapter 17

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Grade 3 sorcerer with Construction	24 37	Has limited cursed energy and relies on firearms; her rigid use of her technique and self-perceived weakness hinder her in combat.
Binding Vow application	37	Makoto teaches her to treat a single constructed bullet as a decisive resource, rather than trying to match opponents through conventional cursed-energy reinforcement.
Construction Cursed Technique: Inscription: Soul-Piercing	42	Under Utahime’s amplification, Mai sacrifices six months of cursed energy and mobility, abandons sustained construction and physical destruction, and produces a bullet that pierces Ashiya Dōman’s soul.

Background / History

Mai is a Kyoto Jujutsu High student and member of the Zenin Clan. She is Maki Zenin’s younger sister; although they strongly resemble each other, Mai carries a darker, more guarded presence and remains entangled in the clan’s expectations and hierarchy 17.

When Mizuki Makoto arrives at Kyoto as an exchange student, Mai immediately targets him due to his connection to Maki. Makoto’s discussion of an independent, restrained woman unexpectedly makes Mai reflect on both Maki and herself: beneath her cultivated elegance and mockery, she wants freedom from the life imposed on her by the Zenin Clan 17.

Makoto later exploits her taste for refined luxury by persuading her to model Maki’s old Tokyo Jujutsu High uniform for his art. The resulting sketch exposes Mai’s embarrassment, longing for a refined life, and unresolved feelings toward Maki, causing her to flee in humiliation 20.

Her fear of Naoya Zenin reveals the depth of the Zenin Clan’s hold over her. Although she freezes when he appears, she still warns Makoto when Naoya attacks him. After witnessing Makoto defy the clan’s authority, Mai chooses to act for herself: she becomes an informant for Hakari Kinji’s casino operation in exchange for financial independence from the Zenin Clan 22 24.

Appearance

Mai is a short-haired young woman whose facial features closely resemble Maki’s. Her usual Kyoto Jujutsu High uniform and revolver reinforce her controlled, combat-ready image, though she has a strong interest in expensive, refined accessories and cosmetics 17 20.

• Neat short hair 17
• Resembles Maki, but with a darker and more twisted aura 17
• Commonly carries a revolver or Winchester firearm 17 27
• Favors luxury items such as scented hand cream and lace chokers 20
• Uses an anti-materiel rifle for her soul-piercing shot against Dōman 42

Personality

Mai is sarcastic, sharp-tongued, and quick to threaten Makoto when he embarrasses or photographs her. She often disguises her vulnerability with hostility, elegance, and ridicule; during Makoto’s training, she openly admits that she sees herself as weaker than her peers 19 22 37.

Despite her defensive demeanor, Mai is attentive to those around her. She warns Makoto about Naoya’s attack, worries about his fight with Todo, and helps orchestrate a plan to motivate Makoto into finding a way to help Mechamaru 22 29 47.

Her defining shift is her decision to pursue independence. Rather than remaining passive under the Zenin Clan’s control, she uses the clan name and her access to Kyoto information as leverage, then later stakes six months of her future strength to save Makoto from Ashiya Dōman 24 42.

Abilities & Skills

Construction Cursed Technique

Mai can construct matter through cursed energy, though her limited reserves make extended or wasteful applications impractical 37.

• Uses firearms as the most efficient medium for her abilities 17 37
• Her technique consumes substantial cursed energy, contributing to her Grade 3 standing and insecurity 20 37
• Is advised to avoid close combat and excessive bodily reinforcement 37
• Can focus her technique into a single decisive constructed bullet through a Binding Vow 37 42

Firearms Proficiency

Mai regularly fights with guns and demonstrates accurate long-range shooting.

• Fires a revolver accurately enough to pierce a distant target upon Makoto’s arrival at Kyoto 17
• Uses a Winchester during the Tokyo–Kyoto team competition 27
• Employs a heavy anti-materiel rifle for her attack on Dōman 42

Inscription: Soul-Piercing

Mai’s ultimate documented application of Construction creates a bullet intended to strike the soul rather than cause physical destruction 42.

• Activated through an extreme Binding Vow amplified by Utahime’s Solo Forbidden Area 42
• Costs her the cursed energy and mobility of the following six months 42
• Ignores Dōman’s physical cursed-energy defenses and passes through Makoto’s possessed body without harming him 42
• Severely damages Ashiya Dōman’s soul, creating the opening for Makoto’s recovery and counterattack 42
• The recoil shatters Mai’s shoulder and throws her backward 42

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Revolver — Mai’s standard firearm 17 22
• Winchester — Used during the inter-school team battle 27
• Anti-materiel rifle — Used to fire Inscription: Soul-Piercing 42
• Lace choker — A luxury accessory gifted by Makoto that she wears during his art project 20

Relationships

• Zenin Maki — Twin sister and central source of Mai’s resentment, comparison, and concern. Mai reacts strongly to Maki’s belongings and eventually enjoys humiliating footage of Maki’s bunny-girl job 17 20 49.
• Mizuki Makoto — Exchange-student ally, frequent tormentor, and reluctant mentor. He provokes Mai constantly but helps her rethink her weaknesses; she ultimately uses his lesson on Binding Vows to save him 19 37 42.
• Utahime Iori — Teacher at Kyoto Jujutsu High. Utahime worries about Makoto’s influence on Mai but supports Mai’s decision and amplifies her technique against Dōman 42 48.
• Miwa Kasumi — Fellow Kyoto student. Miwa attempts to protect Mai and Makoto from Naoya, while Mai later manipulates Miwa’s request for Makoto’s help with Mechamaru 22 47.
• Todo Aoi — Fellow Kyoto student. He fights alongside the group against Dōman and creates the opening needed for Mai’s soul-piercing shot 42.
• Hakari Kinji and Hoshi Kirara — Mai joins their underground casino network as a Kyoto informant in return for money and independence 24.
• Naoya Zenin — A Zenin Clan member whose appearance leaves Mai visibly terrified; Makoto’s defeat of Naoya helps push her toward rejecting clan control 22 24.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Kyoto Exchange Student Period

Mai initially confronts Makoto as a hostile outsider from Tokyo, but his words about individuality and his willingness to ridicule established authority begin to affect her view of herself 17.

She becomes a recurring member of Makoto’s Kyoto mission team, where their relationship consists of sarcastic banter, threats, and occasional concern 19.

Zenin Clan Defiance

After Naoya’s arrival leaves her paralyzed with fear, Mai watches Makoto defeat and humiliate him. She subsequently decides to become Hakari’s informant, using information from Kyoto and the Zenin Clan to earn money independent of her family 22 24.

Grade 1 Promotion Test

Makoto tutors Mai before the Bliss Temple mission, identifying her real weakness as inflexible thinking rather than merely low cursed energy. He encourages her to use firearms, Binding Vows, and unconventional tactics suited to her own limits 37.

Ashiya Dōman Incident

Facing Dōman’s Special-Grade power and Makoto’s possession, Mai puts Makoto’s lesson into practice. With Utahime’s support and Todo buying time, she forms a Binding Vow and fires Inscription: Soul-Piercing, piercing Dōman’s soul at severe personal cost 42.

Mechamaru Treatment Plot

Mai secretly engineers Miwa’s awkward appeal to Makoto so that he will be motivated to investigate a solution for Mechamaru’s Heavenly Restriction. She later joins Makoto in teasing Mechamaru and Miwa over the resulting misunderstanding 47 48.

Notable Quotes

“I can be your informant in Kyoto.” 24

“For this shot, I paid quite a bit of ‘tuition’... you bastard teacher, listen up!” 42

Trivia

• Mai’s desire for luxury is constrained by her low income and the high cursed-energy cost of her technique 20.
• She initially views Kirara Hoshi’s gender revelation with shock and confusion alongside Miwa 23.
• She is willing to pay 100,000 yen for the original video of Maki working in a bunny-girl outfit 49.