Watching Mao feels like a blast from the past, and I solely believe it’s due to Mao being Inuyasha creator, Takahashi Rumiko’s work.
A Familiar Soul: Why MAO Feels Like an Inuyasha Homecoming
I remember watching Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Inuyasha at night in middle and high school on Adult Swim. Supernatural stories about yokai, “alternative” histories, and time travel are my jam, and I love that Mao has a similar aesthetic and feel to Inuyasha, but a distinctly original storyline set in a similar universe.
Instead of Kagome falling down a well and realizing she is the reincarnated lover of a Warring States era half-demon, Nanoka is just an ordinary girl…who is being force-fed a supernatural suppression sludge smoothie to hide what happened to her during a youkai incident in her youth.
Watching MAO feels like a homecoming for anyone who grew up with the feudal fairy tales of the 90s. For more on how this new era connects to its predecessor, see Rumiko Takahashi’s MAO Lands on Hulu & Disney+: VIZ Media Premiere Details and our Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon First Impressions.
The Red String of Fate: Connecting Mao, Nanoka, and the Byoki
Nanoka’s parents passed away (or were “spirited away”) during a rogue (or targeted) yokai attack at the Five Line Street Stores. It is unclear whether or not Byouki was involved, but judging by the ED theme, Mao and Nanoka’s souls are connected by the Red String of Fate, which would entail some sort of entanglement with the Byouki’s curse.
The Red String of Fate in the ED suggests a soul-deep entanglement. This theme of cosmic destiny and rebirth is a staple of the genre, much like the threads of fate explored in Rebirth in Kimi no Na wa and the high-stakes judgment of souls in Death Billiards Ending Explained: Decim’s Line, Fate, and the Death Parade Connection.
Mao even suffers from a supernatural wound that, as we saw in The Summer Hikaru Died, rarely heals.
No antidote can heal it, most likely unless Mao and his assistant Otoya can successfully create a Kodoku powerful enough to counteract, or even kill the Byouki’s curse?
Mao’s supernatural wound, which defies all modern medicine, carries a heavy atmospheric weight. It’s a haunting trope we’ve seen recently in the eerie body horror of Another Walk-in – The Summer Hikaru Died Ep 1 Review and the immortal suffering in A Psychotic Revenge Plot – Mugen no Juunin Immortal Ep 1 Review.
Nanoka’s Secret: Supernatural Smoothies and Dormant Ayakashi Blood
Also, I have no clue if this is true, but I’m guessing Nanoka was always born with “ayakashi” abilities, and it only strengthened after the death of her parents. Her grandfather might have known something (maybe his family line descends from onmyoji with strong spiritual abilities, and it had skipped his generation and returned in his granddaughter) and tried to shield and protect Nanoka until she was old enough to control and handle her (dormant) abilities.
Mao’s antidote counteracted the supernatural suppression sludge gramps and the household servant (who looks like a yokai in disguise), and along with her past connection to the shuttered street, allowed Nanoka to naturally break the suppression of her own free volition, albeit unintentionally.
The “Weak Constitution” Trope: From Natsume to Nanoka
Both Nanoka and Mao have blood that is toxic to ayakashi, so maybe that is a prerequisite for their destined line of work. A “weak constitution” that needs supernatural suppression sludge seems to be a code word for “untapped spiritual potential” in anime. Natsume Takashi was told he had a “weak constitution” when, in reality, his spiritual power level was so high, that yokai consistently mistook him for one of their own.
Mao also trapped a yokai using a “katashiro”, which again reminds me of the true origin and purpose of origami. So many paper charms in Japanese Shintoism hold unique magical abilities depending on what characters or sigils are used. I hope we get more on this…exorcism tool throughout the show.
Mao’s use of the katashiro (paper dolls) to trap ayakashi is a brilliant nod to actual Shinto practices. We’ve previously explored the ritualistic power of paper in My Happy Marriage Theory: The Secret History of Paper Origami, Tsukimono, and Shintoism and the broader role of Anime Witches in Japanese Culture.
Either way, this was a really interesting first episode, and I look forward to tuning in again next week. But, tell me your thoughts: Did Nanoka inherit ayakashi abilities after the yokai incident, or did she always possess that dormant power?
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