Masaru Zenin

Megumi Fushiguro (Second Nephew)

**Masaru Zenin** (マサル加茂 *Zen'in Masaru*) is the main protagonist of Jujutsu Kaisen 1. He is a grade 1 jujutsu sorcerer and first-year student at Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College, along with Yasu Kaji and Mao Chou. Masaru is the pride of the Zenin Family, due to his inheritance of the Ten Shadows Technique.

## Appearance

Masaru is a tall muscular man. He has brown eyes and dyed white hair. When sporting a casual look, Masaru wears a tight-fitting long-sleeved black shirt, and tan baggy training pants with a black belt weaved through the waist.

As a Tokyo Jujutsu High student, Masaru wears the normal school uniform.

## Personality

Masaru is a detached and unapproachable individual, with a cold and distant demeanor that pushes people away, or even scares them. He seems indifferent to the emotions and needs of others, displaying a lack of interest in forming genuine connections. Masaru often holds a neutral facial expression that gives away no emotion. He has been described as stoic and aloof.

Unbeknownst to those around him, Masaru sees life as a simple competition, where only the strongest prevails superior. He perceives himself as the epitome of human perfection, constantly comparing himself to others and deeming them inferior and weaker by comparison. This egomaniacal self-absorption drives him to prove he is the strongest being.

His dedication is unparalleled, and he goes to great lengths to uphold it, successfully tricking his own family into believing that he wants glory for the Zenin Family, when in reality all he wants is his own name at the top. He skillfully maneuvers through social interactions, presenting himself as a loyal Zenin, despite having little to no care for his family.

However, lurking beneath his calm and cold exterior lies a fragile ego that can be easily triggered. The moment his status as the best is challenged or undermined, a volatile rage simmers beneath the surface, the need to prove he is second to none. Yet, Masaru is a master of emotional concealment, expertly burying his wrath beneath a mask of composure, as he strategically devises a plan to reclaim his perceived superiority over the challenger, no matter the cost.

Masaru lacks genuine compassion for others, viewing them merely as pawns in his path. Their needs and emotions are disregarded in his relentless pursuit of dominance and recognition. He treats those around him as stepping stones to elevate himself, never hesitating to exploit their vulnerabilities to secure his position at the top.

In the grand theater of life, Masaru plays his role as a member of the Zenin clan, making people around him believe that he wants glory for his family, yet, in reality he only wants it for himself. Because of his cunning intellect and unwavering commitment to deception, he is always several moves ahead of those who dare to challenge his reign.

Thus, the enigma of Masaru endures, the cold mask he wears as a perfect disguise for the egoistic soul that lurks within. Only those who see through him can glimpse the true extent of his narcissism and the depth of his obsession with becoming the epitome of perfection—a secret he clings to with fervor, for he knows that unveiling his true self would shatter the image he has so painstakingly constructed.

## Abilities and Powers

**Overall Skill Level:** Masaru was immediately registered as a grade 1 sorcerer due to his terrific potential. He possesses an immense amount of cursed energy, and the Zenin clan’s treasured Ten Shadows Technique.

**Master Hand-to-Hand Combatant:** Masaru is an incredibly formidable martial artist in close combat. His fighting prowess is top-notch, with exceptional physical prowess to back up his skills.

**Greatly Enhanced Strength:** Masaru's strength is extremely formidable, thanks to his strong physical frame, and his ability to imbue cursed energy into his attacks.

**Greatly Enhanced Agility:** Masaru can move at incredible speeds because of his formidable physical frame, and his capability of improve his muscles' performance even further by using cursed energy.

**Greatly Enhanced Endurance:** Due to his lineage as a Zenin, Masaru has undergone extreme training to increase his durability to an exceptional level. He is also capable of fortifying his body with cursed energy to tank strong attacks.

**Tactical Intellect:** Masaru is quite tactical and capable of figuring out his opponent's plan with minimum information. As a result of his family's knowledge, Masaru has shown to be able to adapt to his opponent's techniques quickly. Masaru's cunning nature also comes in to play in battle, as he can outmaneuver his opponents through the usage of his cursed technique.

**Weapon Mastery:** Masaru is a proficient wielder of many different weapons, including cursed tools which he's learned to use during his stay in the Zenin household.

## Trivia

* According to Jujutsu Kaisen Official Fanbook:
	+ Enrollment method: Family lineage.
	+ He doesn't have any hobbies (he can do almost anything).
	+ Favorite food: Salmon.
	+ Least favorite food: Candy.
	+ Cause of stress: Imperfection.
* His favorite story is "A Trekkie's Tale". He became a fan of Mary Sue fan fictions after reading "A Trekkie's Tale" because of Mary Sue's lack of weaknesses. He idealizes himself as an ideal male character.
* The name 'Masaru' (まさる, マサル) is a masculine Japanese given name. Masaru can be written using different kanji characters, which mean "excel" (勝), "large" (大), or "commander" (将).