Episode 17

Kyoto Sister School Goodwill Event - Team Battle, Part 3 (-) is the seventeenth episode of the Jujutsu Kaisen anime adaptation.

Summary
Kasumi Miwa learns that the rank does not reflect the strength of the sorcerer when it comes to Maki Zenin. Momo and Nobara clash over their ideals as female sorcerers and a fierce sibling rivalry finally concludes.

Plot Details
Kasumi recalls asking Mai about her sister Maki while they were training for the Goodwill Event. Mai claimed she was weak and forever a grade 4 sorcerer so Kasumi was relieved. However, at present, Kasumi is locked in battle with Maki. She's incredibly strong and easily overpowering her opponent, eventually kicking Kasumi down into a stream. Forced to counterattack, Kasumi prepares her Simple Domain as Maki approaches. However, Maki reads through her swordsmanship technique and breaks her own spear in half. She throws the non-cursed tool half and a kunai as a distraction, forcing Kasumi to move out of place, deactivating the domain.

After getting in close, Kasumi disarms Miwa and takes her sword. Watching through the view of one of her crows, Mei Mei mentions that Maki should be promoted immediately. Satoru agrees but he points out the Zenin Family is difficult about it. He also asks why the footage around Yuji's fight has been shaky. Mei Mei claims animals are fickle and she hasn't been watching Yuji. Satoru asks who Mei Mei is rooting for and she replies that she's only on the side of money. Despite Kyoto's plans, Satoru believes Yuji can't be dealt with so easily anymore.

Meanwhile, Nobara is unable to catch Momo as she rides through the air on her broom. She's hit with Momo's cursed energy wind and then hit in the face with the levitating broom itself. After returning to the air, Momo explains that female sorcerers have it much harder, sorcerers like Mai. She's under pressure from the Zenin Family, but Nobara doesn't seem to care. Nobara continues firing nails and Momo evades while send wind back in return. However, the wind isn't powerful enough to lift Nobara after she's been training with Panda. Additionally, Momo is too worried about the possibility of Toge appearing at any moment.

Momo continues to explain the pressures Mai has to go through as a "failure of the Zenin Family" and says she's confused since she considers curses friends. Annoyed, Nobara completely rejects Momo. Misfortune doesn't give someone the right to be cruel, being fortunate doesn't mean someone has to be nice. Maki had the same upbringing as Mai but they're far from the same. Nobara refuses to excuse her actions and tells Momo to think about the person they've already committed to condemning as a curse.

Nobara begins her assault by activating Straw Doll Technique: Hairpin, which causes all of the nails she missed to explode with cursed energy. The explosions and falling trees make it difficult for Momo to navigate. This allows Nobara to jump and grab one of the bristles off Momo's broom. She exclaims that she loves herself when she's being strong and when she's being beautiful, fully rejecting Momo's battle of the sexes. Using Straw Doll Technique: Resonance, Nobara dispells Momo's control over her broom, causing her to crash. Using her squeaky hammer, Nobara pummels Momo but she's shot in the temple with a cursed energy-infused rubber bullet that instantly knocks her unconscious.

Mai calls Momo after to inform her that Mechamaru has likely been eliminated. As their phone conversation ends, Maki comes to confront Mai in the trees. She tells Mai to call for backup but she claims to want this fight all to herself. Maki recalls Nobara and Yuji talking about her strength. She tells herself not to get distracted, but it does end up inspiring her. Annoyed by her sister's smile, Mai begins firing but Maki is able to slice through the bullets and easily evade the shots. At close range, Maki easily overpowers her. Even Mai knows she was born with something she doesn't have.

Mai recalls the Zenin Household talking about the young girl's inability to use cursed techniques. She could see curses and would be afraid, but Maki was never scared and always went straight for her future. She left the clan despite telling Mai she wouldn't leave her behind, only to return to become head of the clan. Mai believes her sister is a liar and claims to hate her.

Their battle continues and Maki forces her opponent to use all six of her shots. She closes in, but this is actually a bluff by Mai, who always hated her sister and never told her about developing an innate technique. Construction creates something from nothing using cursed energy, requiring an immense amount that has a harsh effect on Maki's body. Her limit is one bullet a day and it nearly reaches Maki. However, her speed and reflexes are too great, able to catch it with her bare hands.

Mai knows that Maki was born with a Heavenly Restriction like Mechamaru. She has little to no cursed energy so she was born with exceptional physical prowess. However, this was never acknowledged by the Zenin Family. Mai asks Maki why she left and says they should have fallen down the hole together. Maki couldn't live that way, so she had to leave. She apologizes, but in the past, Maki promised never to leave her sister behind. After Maki moves on to another area on the battlefield, Mai still considers her a liar and expresses her disappointment.

Locations

 * Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College

Battles & Events

 * Kyoto Sister-School Goodwill Event
 * Maki Zenin vs. Kasumi Miwa (Concluded)
 * Nobara Kugisaki vs. Momo Nishimiya
 * Maki Zenin vs. Mai Zenin