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MAO (stylized as MAO) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It has been serialized in Shogakukan’s Weekly Shōnen Sunday since May 8, 2019, and as of May 2025, the chapters have been compiled into 24 tankōbon volumes. Known for blending adventure, dark fantasy, and supernatural elements, MAO continues Takahashi’s tradition of mixing romance, folklore, and mystery.
In North America, the series is licensed in English by Viz Media, which publishes both print editions and simultaneous digital releases. An anime television adaptation by Sunrise is scheduled to premiere on NHK General TV in Q2 2026.
Infobox: MAO (Manga)
Genres: Adventure, Dark Fantasy, Supernatural
Written by: Rumiko Takahashi
Published by: Shogakukan (Weekly Shōnen Sunday)
English Publisher: Viz Media
Volumes: 24 (as of May 2025)
Anime Premiere: Q2 2026 (NHK General TV)
Plot
Eight years prior to the series’ events, middle schooler Nanoka Kiba survived a fatal accident at the Gogyō Town Shopping Center. In the present day, while walking home from school, she is inexplicably drawn to an abandoned shopping arcade and transported to Japan’s Taishō period. There, she encounters the enigmatic Mao, a cursed onmyōji, in a village haunted by spirits.
As Mao and Nanoka investigate mysterious killings, supernatural rituals, and cursed artifacts, Nanoka begins to recover fragmented memories of her accident. She discovers that she shares a dangerous bond with Mao — both are cursed by the byōki, a deadly kodoku spirit created through a forbidden ritual.
Main Characters
- Mao (摩緒) – A master onmyōji and wielder of the cursed sword Hagunsei (破軍星). Once a disciple of the Kou Clan Manor in the Heian period, Mao is cursed by the byōki and lives in the Taishō era as a doctor. He shares his blood with Nanoka, acting as both protector and reluctant partner. (Voiced by Yuki Kaji)
- Nanoka Kiba (黄葉 菜花) – A lively third-year middle school student who mysteriously survived death as a child. She travels to the Taishō era through the abandoned arcade, fights alongside Mao, and wields the Akanemaru (地血丸), a sword that draws blood from its wielder. (Voiced by Natsumi Kawaida)
- Otoya (乙弥) – Mao’s shikigami assistant, knowledgeable in medicine and strategy.
- Uozumi (魚住) – A shikigami assigned to protect Nanoka, known for concocting foul-tasting byōki-suppressing drinks.
- Byōki (猫鬼) – The cat-demon spirit that cursed both Mao and Nanoka.
- Hyakka (百火) – A fire element user and Mao’s former Kou Clan companion. (Voiced by Hiro Shimono)
- Kuchinawa/Kamon (朽縄 / 華紋) – A wood element user and former Kou Clan disciple. (Voiced by Toshiyuki Toyonaga)
- Masago (真砂) – A deceased water element user captured by Shiranui for her powers.
- Shiranui (不知火) – A water element user obsessed with Mao.
- Captain Shirasu (白洲) – A cunning metal element user and former Kou Clan disciple.
- Yurako (幽羅子) – A mysterious woman linked to Mao’s past.
- Sana (紗那) – Daughter of the Kou Clan Master and Mao’s intended fiancée.
- Daigo (大五) – Mao’s childhood companion and Kou Clan earth element user.
- Natsuno (夏野) – An earth element user searching for a golem she once created.
- Renji (蓮次) – An assassin wielding a cursed yueqin.
- Mei Mitazono (芽生) – A doctor working under Shiranui.
Media
Manga
Rumiko Takahashi announced MAO in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in December 2018. Serialization began on May 8, 2019. To promote early volumes, crossover promotional videos featured voice actors from Takahashi’s earlier hit Inuyasha. The series reached its 100th chapter in July 2021, celebrated with a special video featuring Yuki Kaji as Mao.
As of May 16, 2025, 24 tankōbon volumes have been released in Japan.
English Release
In February 2021, Viz Media licensed the manga for English publication. The first English volume was released on September 14, 2021, and since May 2023, chapters have been published digitally in English simultaneously with Japan.
Anime
In July 2025, it was announced that MAO would receive an anime adaptation by Sunrise, set for Q2 2026 on NHK General TV. The adaptation will be directed by Teruo Sato, with scripts supervised by Yūko Kakihara, character designs by Yoshihito Hishinuma, and music by Shū Kanematsu.
Reception
By July 2021, the manga had over 1 million copies in circulation. In December 2019, Brutus magazine included MAO in its “Most Dangerous Manga” list for stimulating and thought-provoking themes. In 2021, School Library Journal listed the first volume among the year’s top 10 manga.
Critical reception has been mixed to positive:
- Rebecca Silverman (Anime News Network) graded the first volume B−, praising its Taishō-era setting and art but noting similarities to Inuyasha and Rin-ne.
- Nick Smith (ICv2) compared MAO’s style to Inuyasha, calling it “nothing new or innovative” but with the potential to become “another classic” if the story evolves.
