Mao (manga)

Mao
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring the titular character
Genre
Manga
Written byRumiko Takahashi
Published byShogakukan
English publisher
ImprintShōnen Sunday Comics
MagazineWeekly Shōnen Sunday
Original runMay 8, 2019 – present
Volumes28
Anime television series
Directed byTeruo Satō
Written byYūko Kakihara
Music byShū Kanematsu
StudioSunrise
Licensed by
Original networkNHK General TV
Original run April 4, 2026 – present
Episodes4

Mao (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It has been serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday magazine since May 2019, with its chapters collected in 28 tankōbon volumes as of April 2026. In North America, the series is licensed for English release by Viz Media. An anime television series adaptation produced by Sunrise premiered on NHK General TV in April 2026.

Plot

Eight years ago, Nanoka Kiba was saved from the wreckage of a fatal accident at Gogyō Town Shopping Center. Drawn to the abandoned passage of storefronts on her walk home from school in present day, she becomes inexplicably transported to Japan's Taishō period where she meets the mysterious Mao, a fellow traveler whose arrival at a ghost-inhabited village is simultaneous with hers. Together, they investigate the bizarre events that begin to occur around them, and Nanoka soon pieces together her broken memories of the accident and how she and Mao may have something more sinister in common.

Characters

Main characters

Mao (摩緒)
Voiced by: Yuki Kaji (PV, anime)[3][4]
The wielder of a deadly longsword, Hagunsei (破軍星), Mao is a man cursed in many ways. Known as an onmyōji, he searches for the whereabouts of the byōki, a powerful kodoku created from a terrifying ritual. He is also able to lend some of his blood to Nanoka as they share byōki blood. Mao sees himself as sort of a guardian to Nanoka. He is one of the Goko clan manor disciples from 900 years ago and lives as a doctor in the Taishō era.
Nanoka Kiba (黄葉 菜花, Kiba Nanoka)
Voiced by: Natsumi Kawaida (anime)[4]
A plucky third-year middle school student. She died when she was eight years old, but miraculously still lives on. Now fifteen, she uses an abandoned shopping district passage to travel to the Taishō era and investigate mysterious killings, cults, and disappearances with Mao. Like Mao, she is also cursed by the byōki and can therefore wield the Hagunsei and lend some of her blood to Mao. She currently wields the Akanemaru (地血丸), a sword that sucks blood from its wielder. She eventually develops a crush on Mao.
Otoya (乙弥)
Voiced by: Momoka Terasawa[5]
A shikigami with the appearance of a young boy who works as Mao's assistant. He has a very rational personality and carries Mao's tools for him. He is also in charge of maintaining the kodoku jar that Mao uses to heal.
Byōki (猫鬼)
Voiced by: Takashi Matsuyama[5]
A demon with similar appearance to the cat once known as Haimaru (灰丸), who cursed Mao and Nanoka to be its unwilling vessels. Allying itself neither with Mao or the new Goko clan, Byōki has its own mysterious goals.

Heian Era Goko Clan

Master (師匠, Shishō)
The head of the Goko clan (御降家, Gokō-ke) in the Heian period and Sana's father. After Mao became his favorite disciple, he chose to name him as the successor to the clan. In secret, he ordered five other disciples to kill Mao to become the true successor, aiming to draw out the strongest of them. He was killed when the clan fell, supposedly by Mao himself.
Hyakka (百火)
Voiced by: Hiro Shimono (PV, anime)[3][4]
A fire element user who was on friendly terms with Mao when they lived at the Goko clan Manor in the Heian period. He is technically Mao's superior, having joined the Goko clan ten days before. He was the only person who was summoned to the Five-Sided Shrine that spoke up against killing Mao. However, he was led to believe that Mao had killed Sana when the clan fell and had distrusted him since. He spent much of his time as an immortal working as a carnival performer and ramen cook.
Kamon (華紋)
Voiced by: Toshiyuki Toyonaga (PV, anime)[3][4]
A wood element user who occasionally joins forces with Mao when it is convenient for him. He was a member of the Goko clan in the Heian period, where he created the Seeds of Haku. Having become immortal, in the Taishō period he is known as Kuchinawa (朽縄). He wishes to investigate the fate of his late lover Masago. He has a shikigami named Beniko (紅子) who serves as his assistant.
Masago (真砂)
A kind and powerful water element user who was a disciple of the Goko clan in the Heian era. Disliking violence, she often felt conflicted about her position in the clan. She was secretly Kamon's lover, but died while trying to run away from the Goko clan. Her body was captured and preserved by Shiranui, who continues to absorb her power.
Shiranui (不知火)
Voiced by: Kazuyuki Okitsu[5]
A water element user from the Goko clan with an obsessive interest in Mao. He suffered great amounts of abuse from the clan's master due to being less skilled than his peers, coming to resent them. After becoming immortal when the Goko clan fell he continuously attacked the surviving members throughout the centuries. He runs the new Goko clan in the Taishō era with Hakubi and Yurako, where he continues to carry out assassinations for clients.
Hakubi (白眉)
A cunning metal element user and disciple of the Goko clan Manor. He previously fought in the Russo-Japanese War under the name Captain Shirasu (白洲), where he had an encounter with Hyakka. He holds a grudge against Hyakka for slicing off his arm and burning his face. He has an old alliance with Yurako, and they plan to resurrect the Goko clan together.
Daigo (大五)
An orphan and older brother figure to Mao. After leaving the orphanage where they were both raised, he recommends Mao to join the Goko clan as he did. During his time at the manor, he grew to be one of the best earth element users. He was in love with Sana and planned to escape the Goko clan with her but was killed during the succession war.
Natsuno (夏野)
A laid-back earth element user and former disciple of the Goko clan who previously worked with Daigo. At one time terminally ill, she made a pact with a clay golem that saved her life and made her immortal in exchange for finding a collection of dismembered body parts. After proving her loyalty to Mao in the Taishō era, she occasionally helps him while also training Nanoka to use earth energy with Akanemaru. The last body part she needs to find is a right hand.
Sana (紗那)
Voiced by: Risa Shimizu[5]
The daughter of the Goko clan Master, Sana was betrothed to Mao when he was named the successor. She was secretly in love with Daigo, and planned on escaping the manor together before he was killed. She had a pet cat named Haimaru (灰丸), who would later turn into Byoki. She was killed when the Goko clan fell, with the survivors believing she was murdered by Mao. A woman in the Taishō era named Yurako shares her appearance.
Yurako (幽羅子)
Voiced by: Reina Ueda[5]
She is originally believed to be Sana in the Taisho era, appearing identical to her. Yurako eventually reveals to Nanoka that she is Sana's twin sister. Unlike Sana who lived in the Goko Clan manor, Yurako was confined to a cave and forced to become a vessel for the curses that were directed at the clan, her body becoming filled with ayakashi. Becoming extremely bitter of her sister, she falls in love with Mao when he showed her kindness after escaping. After becoming immortal, she currently works with Shiranui and Hakubi in order to revive the Goko clan.

Taishō Era Goko Clan

Soma Kagami (加神 双馬, Kagami Sōma)
Soma comes from a family that has passed down a sacred scroll for generations, which gives the eldest son the power to control a powerful beast. Soma obtains the beast after his older brother Ichima (一馬) is killed by it. He is taken in and mentored by Hakubi, who uses the beast's ability to perform assassinations for the new Goko clan. He has two younger brothers named Mitsuma (三馬) and Shizuma (四津馬).
Kagari Hosho (宝生 かがり, Hōshō Kagari)
Kagari is a high school girl from the Taishō era who is able to cast metal curses through needles. Her family runs a business casting curse commissions and is in possession of a Goko clan artifact known as the puppet needle. Hakubi tracks down the puppet needle and recruits her into the new Goko clan, where she carries out curses for him in order to gain his approval. She is jealous of her older sister Ayame, who is more skilled than her.
Renji (蓮次)
Renji, known by the alias Okuribi no Renji (送り火の蓮次), is an assassin from the Taishō era who is able to control lethal fireflies with his yueqin (月琴). Abused by his parents who routinely adopted children and then sold them to human traffickers. He was only shown kindness by his sister Tsuyu, who died protecting him. In vengeance, he burnt down his parents home and began assassinating the people who had trafficked his siblings. Because of his past, he sympathizes with prostitutes and often visits them in order to give money. He works under Shiranui to carry out assassinations for the new Goko clan.
Mei Mitazono (御手園 芽生, Mitazono Mei)
Mei works as a doctor for the new Goko clan and tends to Shiranui's Garden of Longevity (延命の庭). She is skilled in wood magic and is able to heal people with the Seeds of Haku, though they will eventually consume the host with vines. Born to a foreign father and a Japanese mother, Mei's hometown was polluted when a group of yakuza built a factory downstream. Her father was killed after attempting to stand up to them, with Mei escaping but suffering grave injuries. Shiranui saved her by implanting a Seed of Haku, and as such she feels indebted to him. She chooses to spend the remainder of her life serving the Goko clan and getting revenge on her father's murderers.
Sasuga (流石)
Sasuga is a young boy who is able to manipulate water with his conch shell. He uses his powers to cause droughts in villages, then offering his services to summon rain for a price. Supposedly a distant descendant of a Goko clan member, he joins forces with Shiranui after meeting Mei.

Other characters

Funa Uozumi (魚住 フナ, Uozumi Funa)
Voiced by: Motoko Kumai[5]
A shikigami sent by Mao to look after Nanoka in the modern era. She creates the "disgusting" shakes that suppress Nanoka's byōki energy.
Shiraha (白羽)
Voiced by: Ryuho Nagaoka[6]
A classmate of Nanoka in the modern era. He is skilled at researching on Wikipedia and other databases, helping Nanoka learn more about the history that she visits. He harbors an unrequited crush on her.
Tenko (貂子)
Voiced by: Yoko Hikasa[5]
A friend of Mao's who works at the cafe Milk Hall. Through a network of connections, she is able to provide him with the latest gossip and news of mysterious incidents in the Taishō period. She is secretly an ayakashi.
Ayame Hosho (宝生 綾女, Hōshō Ayame)
Kagari's older sister who is more skilled at curses than her. Ayame would receive more curse commissions for the family business, leading Kagari to become extremely jealous of her. After being blinded in her left eye by one of Kagari's needles, she gains the ability to sense the path a person will take.

Media

Manga

Mao is written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi and was announced in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday in December 2018.[7][8] The manga started in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on May 8, 2019.[9][10][11] Shogakukan has collected the manga chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published on September 18, 2019.[12] As of April 2026, 28 volumes have been released.[13]

In February 2021, Viz Media announced that it had licensed the series for English release in North America, and the first volume was published on September 14, 2021.[14][15] On May 9, 2023, Viz Media launched their Viz Manga digital manga service, with the series' chapters receiving simultaneous English publication in North America as they are released in Japan.[16]

Anime

In July 2025, it was announced that the manga would be receiving an anime television series adaptation produced by Sunrise. The series is directed by Teruo Satō, with series composition by Yūko Kakihara, character designs and chief animation direction by Yoshihito Hishinuma, and music composed by Shū Kanematsu.[4] The series premiered on April 4, 2026, on NHK General TV.[5] The opening theme is "Heartloud", performed by Kis-My-Ft2, while the ending theme is "Juai" (呪愛; 'Cursed Love'), performed by True.[5][17]

Viz Media licensed the series and is streaming it on Hulu in the United States, and Disney+ in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Latin America.[18] Medialink licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia.[19]

Episodes

No.Title [20][21]Directed by [a]Written by [a]Storyboarded by [a]Animation directed by [a]Original release date [22]
1"Nanoka and Mao"
Transliteration: "Nanoka to Mao" (Japanese: 菜花と摩緒)		Teruo SatōYūko KakiharaTeruo SatōShinichi Wada, Kumi Ishii & Kazuhisa KosugeApril 4, 2026 (2026-04-04)
2"Spider Lady"
Transliteration: "Kumo Onna" (Japanese: 蜘蛛女)		Yohei ShindoMitsutaka HirotaTeruo SatōHirotoshi Takaya & Atsuo TobeApril 11, 2026 (2026-04-11)
3"The Accursed"
Transliteration: "Norowareshi Mono" (Japanese: 呪われし者)		Mitsuhiro Yoneda
& Kenichi Domon		Hiroko KanasugiTeruo SatōMiyuki Katayama, Hiromi Maezawa
& Yumenosuke Tokuda		April 18, 2026 (2026-04-18)
4"The Shorinkyo Incident"
Transliteration: "Shōrinkyō Jiken" (Japanese: 鐘臨教事件)		Madoka YaguchiYūko KakiharaTeruo SatōEriko Ito, Natsuki Egami, Sakurako Sagano, Takuro Sakurai,
Yūki Nagata, Hirokazu Hisayuki & Yōsuke Murata		April 25, 2026 (2026-04-25)
5"The Keystone"
Transliteration: "Kanameishi" (Japanese: 要石)		TBATBATBATBAMay 2, 2026 (2026-05-02)

Other media

A two-part interview between Takahashi and Satoru Noda, author of Golden Kamuy, was published in Weekly Shōnen Sunday and Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump to celebrate the then upcoming first volume of Mao and the new volume of Golden Kamuy in September 2019.[23][24] A promotional video for the fifth volume release, narrated by Inuyasha's character Sesshomaru (Ken Narita), was posted in August 2020.[2] A promotional video for the sixth volume release, narrated by Inuyasha's characters Inuyasha (Kappei Yamaguchi) and Kagome (Satsuki Yukino), was posted in October 2020.[25] On July 7, 2021, the series reached 100 chapters and a promotional video, featuring Yuki Kaji as Mao (who previously expressed his interest to participate in an eventual anime adaptation of the series),[26] Hiro Shimono as Hyakka and Toshiyuki Toyonaga as Kamon, was posted.[3]

Reception

By July 2021, the manga had 1 million copies in circulation.[3] In December 2019, Brutus magazine listed Mao on their "Most Dangerous Manga" list, which included works with the most "stimulating" and thought-provoking themes.[27] The School Library Journal listed the first volume of Mao as one of the top 10 manga of 2021.[28]

In her review of the first volume, Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network ranked it as B−. Silverman called the series’ time period and its world building elements interesting, praising as well Takahashi's art. Silverman, however, criticized the series for its "reused" story elements and character designs, noting similarities to Takahashi's previous works like Inuyasha and Rin-ne.[29] Also reviewing the first volume, Nick Smith of ICv2 commented that Mao is "closest to Inuyasha in style", and while he stated that the series has "nothing new or innovative", he praised the story and its artwork, adding: "[t]his is the start of what could turn out to be another classic series, if the story develops from this starting point."[30]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Production staff information is taken from the ending credits of each episode.

References

  1. ^ a b "The Official Website for Mao". Viz Media. Archived from the original on July 17, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Komatsu, Mikikazu (August 18, 2020). "Sesshomaru Narrates CM for Rumiko Takahashi's Latest Manga Series "MAO" 5th Volume". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on August 30, 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e 「MAO」100話＆100万部記念し梶裕貴ら出演PV制作、次号「絶チル」最終回. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. July 7, 2021. Archived from the original on July 16, 2021. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e Loo, Egan (July 14, 2025). "Rumiko Takahashi's MAO Manga Gets TV Anime by Sunrise Next Spring". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 14, 2025. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Loo, Egan (March 2, 2026). "MAO Anime's New Video Unveils More Cast, Half-Year Run, April 4 Debut". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 2, 2026. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
  6. ^ Nagaoka, Ryuho [@Ryuho_Nagaoka] (April 19, 2026). 第3話ご視聴いただきありがとうございます。 白羽くんの声を担当させていただいております！！ ウブで真っ直ぐな少年です。 頑張れ白羽くん！ #アニメMAO (Tweet) (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 19, 2026. Retrieved April 19, 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  7. ^ Loo, Egan (December 4, 2018). "Rumiko Takahashi to Launch New Manga Series Early Next Spring". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 27, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  8. ^ 高橋留美子：「サンデー」で19年早春に新連載 「境界のRINNE」以来. Mantan Web (in Japanese). December 4, 2018. Archived from the original on April 27, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  9. ^ Sherman, Jennifer (April 16, 2019). "Rumiko Takahashi Launches MAO Manga Series in May". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  10. ^ 高橋留美子の新連載「MAO」サンデーで開幕！「犬夜叉」コンビが新作を解説. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. May 8, 2019. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  11. ^ "ANIME NEWS: 'Inuyasha' creator's new manga 'MAO' now available". AnimeAnime.jp. June 15, 2019. Archived from the original on June 15, 2019. Retrieved June 16, 2019 – via The Asahi Shimbun.
  12. ^ "MAO 1" (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on December 9, 2025. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  13. ^ "MAO 28" (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved April 17, 2026.
  14. ^ Mateo, Alex (February 19, 2021). "Viz to Release Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Mao, Rozen Blood, Burn the Witch, Animal Crossing, More Manga in Fall". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 19, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  15. ^ "Mao, Vol. 1". Viz Media. Archived from the original on June 2, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  16. ^ Cayanan, Joanna (May 9, 2023). "Viz Media Simultaneously Releases Shogakukan Manga Titles in New VIZ Manga App". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 10, 2023. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  17. ^ Mateo, Alex (February 12, 2026). "Kis-My-Ft2 to Perform Opening Theme Song for MAO Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 12, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  18. ^ "Viz Media Lands Rumiko Takahashi's MAO, Sets April 4 Premiere on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ in Select International Markets" (Press release). Viz Media. April 3, 2026. Archived from the original on April 4, 2026. Retrieved April 4, 2026 – via Anime News Network.
  19. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (March 18, 2026). "Ani-One Asia Streams Dr. Stone: Science Future Finale, 'Go For It, Nakamura!', More Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 6, 2026. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  20. ^ "Kakuwa Arasuji (Sutōrī) | Terebi Anime "Mao" Kōshiki Saito" 各話あらすじ(STORY) | TVアニメ『MAO』公式サイト [Episode Synopsis (Story) | TV Anime "Mao" Official Site]. anime-mao.com (in Japanese). Retrieved April 25, 2026.
  21. ^ "Watch MAO Streaming Online". Hulu. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
  22. ^ "Hōsō to Haishin Jōhō (On'ea ando Sutorīmingu) | Terebi Anime "Mao" Kōshiki Saito" 放送・配信情報(ON AIR & STREAMING) | TVアニメ『MAO』公式サイト [Broadcast and Streaming Information (On Air & Streaming) | TV Anime "Mao" Official Site]. anime-mao.com (in Japanese). Retrieved April 4, 2026.
  23. ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (September 10, 2019). "Inuyasha, Golden Kamuy Creators Talk Manga in 2-Part Interview". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  24. ^ 高橋留美子と野田サトルが初対談！創作論から高橋の意外なジンクスまで. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. September 10, 2019. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  25. ^ 犬夜叉＆かごめのかけ合い聴けるCMも、高橋留美子「MAO」6巻発売. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. October 16, 2020. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  26. ^ 「MAO」特集 梶裕貴インタビュー. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. January 17, 2020. Archived from the original on January 17, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  27. ^ Morrissy, Kim (December 18, 2019). "Spy×Family Included in Brutus Magazine's 'Most Dangerous Manga' of 2019 List". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 18, 2019. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  28. ^ Hazra, Adriana (December 5, 2021). "School Library Journal Names Top 10 Manga in 2021". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  29. ^ Silverman, Rebecca (September 12, 2021). "MAO GN 1 - Review - Anime News Network". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  30. ^ Smith, Nick (November 2, 2021). "Review: 'Mao' Vol. 1 TP". ICv2. Archived from the original on November 23, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2022.

Further reading

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