Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 196 marks a crucial point for Maki’s evolution in the series

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 195 took an unexpected turn with Daidou Hagane and Miyo Rokujushi entering the picture. Daidou proved to be a gamechanger, brutally slashing through Naoya with Maki’s sword, despite being unable to use cursed energy or even see curses at all. Just as Maki was left wondering why she could not measure up to Toji’s strength, Miyo cast a Simple Domain.

Chapter 196 picks up from there onwards, and the leaked spoilers showed that his interaction with Maki proved to be unexpectedly fruitful, promising some interesting developments for Maki in the near future.

Now that the official chapter has been released, this article will break down and highlight the major events of Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 196.

Disclaimer: this article contains spoilers for the Jujutsu Kaisen manga. All external media in this article are the property of their respective owners and Sportskeeda claims no ownership of the same.

---

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 196 summary and highlights

Miyo challenges Maki to a sumo match

Miyo challenges Maki (Image via Gege Akutami/Shueisha)

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 196, titled Sakurajima Colony, Part 6, begins with Miyo Rokujushi casting a Simple Domain which resembles a sumo-wrestling ring. He then invited Maki to wrestle with him, commenting that her combat ability was dulled because she was too tensed up.

Miyo’s obsession with sumo becomes evident as he repeatedly asks if Maki likes sumo, and much to Noritoshi’s shock, Maki agrees. When he asks her what she is thinking, Maki replies that she has been overthinking and wants to blow off some steam through the sumo wrestling bout with Miyo.

---

Miyo’s domain

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 196 details the basis of Miyo’s domain, revealing that it can only be used for sumo. Within the boundaries of the Simple Domain, all abilities related to jujutsu are nullified through a Binding Vow with his opponent.

However, the Binding Vow cannot be completed without consent from both parties, so the conditions are only fulfilled after Maki agrees to fight him. The barrier is complete and encloses only Miyo and Maki, even shocking Naoya who is still trying to fend off Daidou.

---

Maki finds a mentor

The wrestling match begins, with Maki still pondering what Daidou meant about seeing everything else in chapter 195. She attacks aggressively, which initially takes Miyo by surprise. But he manages to dodge and tackles her from behind. Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 196 puts emphasis on frame-by-frame depictions of the sumo poses, with the first bout ending with Miyo flipping Maki over his shoulder and slamming her on the ground.

Miyo once more declares that he loves sumo, but then tells Maki that he knows that this isn’t the true extent of her strength. He also admits that he knew she would completely overwhelm him if he tried to attack her head-on. He asks Maki why she can’t focus and unlock her true potential, and offers to listen to her worries.

Chapter 196 explains that Maki has never considered anyone to be her mentor, not even teachers like Satoru Gojo and Atsuya Kusakabe at Jujutsu High. But her perspective has more to do with her upbringing than with her pride, since it never occurred to her to rely on someone else to hone her strengths.

Surprisingly enough, Maki opens up to Miyo, who says that he knows what Daidou meant. He asks her to wrestle him again, stating that the only way he could explain it is through sumo.

---

Miyo explains what Daidou meant

They fight again, with visuals of various sumo poses in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 196 resembling a sumo-wrestling handbook. They converse throughout, with Miyo telling Maki that she has been getting too tangled up in thoughts of sorcerers, curses, herself, and in general, people.

When Maki asks if the point of sumo isn’t to wrestle, Miyo counters by saying that while one does fight their opponent within the ring, the wrestlers themselves develop outside the ring. He further elaborates by explaining that Maki’s decisions and actions which have led her to the ring define her as a wrestler.

Miyo's explanation in chapter 196 (Image via Gege Akutami/Shueisha)

To overwhelm her opponent within the ring, she would have to metaphorically step out of the ring, using the moment of impact to understand the kind of wrestler her opponent is. Miyo describes it as smelling light or tasting sound, which can be interpreted to heighten one’s instincts to be attuned to both nature and an opponent. He ends his explanation by stating that when one’s senses flow that fluidly, victory and defeat become meaningless and what remains is freedom.

---

Maki finds clarity

Chapter 196 final panel (Image via Gege Akutami/Shueisha)

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 196 ends with Miyo telling Maki that now that she knows what he means, she must experience it herself. They wrestle again and Maki probably does grasp the freedom Miyo mentions, since she is able to break out of the Simple Domain.

It is not explicitly mentioned what dispels the Domain, but in one of the final panels of the chapter, Miyo is shown kneeling and punching the ground in frustration. This suggests that defeating him in sumo might be one way (if not the only way) to break out of the domain. Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 196 ends with Maki smiling widely as Noritoshi, Naoya and Daidou turn to her, declaring that she is at her best.

---

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 196 ends on an optimistic note and predicts a dramatic improvement in Maki’s skills. The brief respite also grants her the time she needs to recover completely from the injuries she sustained earlier while fighting Naoya.

Chapter 197 will likely give readers a second bout of fighting between Maki and Naoya, and if her new-found enlightenment truly makes her as strong as Toji, it will give Maki a high chance of emerging victorious by the end of the ongoing story arc.