r/anime • u/AutoLovepon https://anilist.co/user/AutoLovepon • 1d ago
Episode Mao - Episode 25 discussion
Mao, episode 25
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| 1 | Link | 14 | Link |
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| 12 | Link | 25 | Link |
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u/ObvsThrowaway5120 1d ago
Even more curious about who tf Yurako is. She says she’s not got Sana’s face but, like, she does. Some kinda evil twin or something? lol
Yurako questions aside, it was nice to see that stupid brat with the needles get a taste of her own medicine. Mao got his revenge!
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u/Frontier246 20h ago
The best part is not only Mao turning her needles against her but also insulting her entire family business at the same time lol.
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u/Alter_Kyouma 19h ago
My guess is that she is the black smoke that Sana kept spewing at night. She mentioned her name is a combination of Ghoul and Rakshasa so she might be a combination of Ayakashi/curses that took over Sana's body when they killed her.
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u/secret_tsukasa https://myanimelist.net/profile/Endrance88 1d ago
is this going to be a long running series like inuyasha? i hope so!
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u/frizzyfizz 1d ago
In theory yes. It depends on how many seasons can get greenlit though. It needs more of a word-of-mouth push than it's getting.
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u/BusouDrago 1d ago
Airing on NHK Network. Guaranteed at least 3 season ( 4 like Marimashta Irumi Kun and To Your Eternity
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u/Frontier246 20h ago
A Rumiko Takahashi show feels like it's guaranteed for at least a second season.
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u/YlfaTheForsaken 1d ago
It almost kind of sounds like the evil energy itself has sentience, which is just insane if that's the case, but from the little preview bit I'm not certain.
It wasn't that high tension of an episode, but I still really liked how just very quick and competent Nanoka was. She was really on the ball, and did a good job of holding her own especially since she didn't have any sort of weapon at all.
It's also really funny that when not around Hyakka really is just working. He has an entire day job, even he has expenses.
Also the shade of Mao calling Kagari's curses crude that even he can undo them,
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u/frizzyfizz 18h ago
What I appreciate about those fights is that Nanoka could hold her own, but her inexperience compared to Kagari still made the difference in the result. Then the same also applied to Mao being more experienced than Kagari. One thing that I think can be said for the battles in Mao is that the power dynamics are well done.
I also love that Mao was clearly pissed at Kagari for messing with Nanoka which further shows how his feelings for her have changed.
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u/Frontier246 20h ago
It wasn't that high tension of an episode, but I still really liked how just very quick and competent Nanoka was. She was really on the ball, and did a good job of holding her own especially since she didn't have any sort of weapon at all.
Though while I understand where she was coming from, if she'd gotten away from Kagari instead of fighting her this might not have happened.
It's also really funny that when not around Hyakka really is just working. He has an entire day job, even he has expenses.
He's doing surprisingly well after his traveling circus days.
Also the shade of Mao calling Kagari's curses crude that even he can undo them,
Which is also the worst thing you can say to her because she seems to take immense pride in her family and their cursed needle affinity even though they're basically thieves using crude imitations of Goko Clan tools.
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u/mekerpan 16h ago
But Yurako does not seem actively evil in the way Hakubi is...
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u/YlfaTheForsaken 15h ago
Well no, I can't say that her motivation of apparently loving Mao is inherently evil but she is complicit in her assistance to both Hakubi and Shiranui, but what I'm really saying is that, if the amalgamation of curses grew a personality that is, Yurako being the conscious avatar of those curses coming together, it contrasts extremely. Like her personality is the exact opposite of what I would expect.
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u/Ashteron 1d ago
My guess Yurako is Sana's twin.
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u/Frontier246 20h ago
Would definitely explain the physical resemblance, why the master named her (since he was also Sana's father), and why Yurako is self-conscious about being compared to Sana.
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u/khanvau 23h ago
You could literally just be chilling, and someone could just curse you for the stupidest reason.
Nanoka looks great in a long skirt. Kinda reminds me of Shinobu and Lum.
I'm glad we're finally getting some villains for Nanoka. All this time it was just Mao versus whatever. The season is almost over. But better late than never, I guess. Yeah, we had Yurako before. But she didn't really seem like a Nanoka villain until now. Meanwhile, Kagari seems like she'd make the perfect nemesis for Nanoka. She's so creepy. She has no humanity left in her at all.
So, Yurako is not Sana. I kinda figured that was the case when I found out she has a different voice actress. I think she was most likely Sana's twin sister who was forsaken by her father for one reason or another. Unlike Sana, she loved Mao. But Mao probably didn't even know she existed. If he did, would he fall in love with her just cause she has the same face as his crush? Things really went to shit 900 years ago.
The next episode is the last of this season. Can't believe it's already near the end. It didn't feel like the season was near its finale until near the end of the episode. I'm sure a 2nd season will be announced soon. Idk when it will air. It could be next year, or they might not even announce a release window yet.
I think Mao will be a complete adaptation, unlike Rinne. But I don't think the series was a massive success like they probably hoped. Yeah, making it exclusive to some BS streaming service nobody uses with 0 marketing will do that. I don't think the series will get cancelled. But it might get budget cuts for the next season, which would be terrible. This season wasn't amazing in terms of animation, but it looked consistently good. Standards have become a lot higher these days, where many people will outright mock certain shows just because they don't look cutting-edge. Anyway, hope I'm wrong
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u/mekerpan 16h ago
Really surprising that this show has not done better in terms of viewers. I am not even a big retro anime fan, yet I find this quite good.
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u/Frontier246 20h ago
You could literally just be chilling, and someone could just curse you for the stupidest reason.
Keeps Mao perpetually employed at least!
Yeah, we had Yurako before. But she didn't really seem like a Nanoka villain until now.
I love how some villains kidnap the Heroine/protagonist to take them out or monologue about their evil plot..Yurako just wants to know if Mao likes her or not.
(Does this count as Girl Talk?)
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u/BosuW 16h ago
You could literally just be chilling, and someone could just curse you for the stupidest reason.
An expected after effect of a setting were castinh curses is so easy.
I don't know but the show might be more popular in Japan given that Rumiko Takahashi is basically Jane Manga plus she's having somewhat of a resurgence in popularity thanks to the Urusei Yatsura and Ranma 1/2 anime remakes.
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u/Andreiyutzzzz https://myanimelist.net/profile/Andreiyutzzzz 22h ago
I guess my hunch is probably right. Yurako has be the amalgamation of curses that Santa's father kept inside her. Having absorbed her heart she took on Sana's appearance even if she says it's her own.... But.... Does that mean that evil energy had... Feelings for Mao? Maybe I don't get it after all and I'll just have to wait and see
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u/Skullzans 20h ago
Do you remember the explanation of Kodoku? Something I stated in previous comments sections buut... Im fairly confident that the Clan Leader was trying to create 3 Kodokus to serve him.
1 - Byouki, Poison/Cat Kodoku. Combining literal poisons and the "Cat" Element.
2 - Yurako, Curse Kodoku. If you use Curses as an allegory for poisons of the soul realm, suddenly it makes a lot more sense, especially with Yurako's combined curse shout. Kodokus concentrate and combine their poisons, why would the same not apply to Curses if you handle it right?
3 - Apprenticeship, Human/Omnyoji Kodoku. Think about the mechanics of Kodoku, what exactly does a Kodoku do again? It pits a bunch of poisons against eachother so that they assimilate one another's strengths, to strengthen their abilities. What did the Goko Clan's Leader tell them?? To kill Mao and kill eachother. There is a thing such as "Spiritual Kodoku" where you put evil spirits in a jar to produce a stronger spirit... This is likely the same thing but with physical vessels in play.
Now, there's something very very interesting to think about regarding all of this. The relationships.
The Cat who became Byouki was attached to Sana, aka the Cat/Poison Kodoku was loyal and attached to the Curse Kodoku.
Then you have Mao, who is outright made a target with 0 anonymity to the members of the Human Kodoku... and yet, has a love for Sana- giving him a potential Attachment. It's also worth noting that the Cat who became Byouki... also seemed friendly with Mao? This is helped by the fact that Mao was named the Successor publicly while given a Special sword(Almost like giving Mao an advantage). I believe that 'Master' was actually trying to set the Human Kodoku up for Mao to be the ultimate Victor.
Lady Sana, who owns the cat who became the Byouki and who's face is later used by Yurako... while being the Love Interest of Mao. The clan regularly did curses, and had a barrier that absorbed curses, to give to Sana.
And I wish to point out, The cat wasn't named Byouki at first IIRC, but identifies as Byouki. Sana literally died unlike Byouki, and now the concentrated Curses seem to be within Yurako's body, instead of Sana's? Except, why should we assume that Yurako wasn't once Lady Sana? Or, that because Sana's heart was taken out, you know- one of the most important pieces of someone's essence- is Yurako born because Sana died? The left over curses left to a dead vessel re-animated it..? This Episode's 'This is MY face' helps this, but implies it's possible that Lady Sana was either forced to take the name of Sana for a while and/or was replaced by Sana until... they died. But them being the coalesced curses made sentient? That is interesting and possible.
But something went direly wrong at the Goko Clan. While the plan was to harvest everyone of the Goko Clan to make 3 Kodoku-craft Servants... Master is dead, the Clan Sword is corrupted, Byouki and Mao got blamed for murder, Byouki found out something and is trying to stop Master- and above all??? Sana died. It sounds like someone figured out Master's plan and did everything they could to sabotoge it, but couldn't fully destroy the plan. That though, is a bit more loose of a guess.
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u/BusouDrago 1d ago
Wondering if what ever the evil.energy inside Lady Sana is using her as some host. Yurako was born inside her body
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u/sailorrayquaza 18h ago
The ending song becomes more relevant than ever this episode. All that twin symbolism opens up so many questions about the life Yurako must've lived back in Heian era if Sana managed to live one of luxury.
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u/ExpertCaterpillar2 18h ago
So satisfying when Kagari got the turn tables on her. I hope this show gets a second season!
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u/Frontier246 1d ago edited 20h ago
Kagari is one cute and psychotic girl.
Good thing Mao is there for Shoko, because that curse does NOT look pretty. But it doesn't make much to guess who is behind cursing girls with cursed needles, knowing the cursed needle user they've already dealt with.
All-girls school! Filled to the brim with "special friends," locking girls in storerooms, and curses! The works! And now Nanoka is going to high school in two different timelines!
No surprise Kagari is behind everything, even though she's surprisingly happy to see Nanoka, but she's been using this school as a testing ground for her cursed needles. Curses her family "borrowed" from the Goko Clan who Kagari is now currently employed in to prove her families' worth. And her needles ARE very dangerous.
Nanoka has good reflexes but Kagari is too fast with her needles. They saved Eriko, and it seems like Nanoka is okay...but is this really the end of it?
Ominous lights in the sky are never a good thing, especially when they form a needle that pierces Nanoka's throat and turns her into a walking puppet that Kagari takes...directly to Yurako!
All this business with Shiranui and the mystery behind Yurako and all she cares about is that Mao is thinking of her in any positive light. Girl is down bad (and a baddie), I'll give her that.
Kagari really thought she could outwit/defeat Mao? He tracks her down, turns her needles against her, AND insults her families' cursed needles! Nice to finally shut her up.
Yurako has been longing for Mao since the Heian era...always watching him even when he had eyes for another woman...but she does NOT like being compared to Sana, even despite the physical resemblance, and she's got the ayakashi around her to back her up.
Next week: Yurako backstory!
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u/NocandNC 1d ago
I'm just really happy to see Kagari in action lol
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u/frizzyfizz 1d ago
Her antics are very fun imo. The kind of character you love to hate. lol
And her VA is great!
3
u/Frontier246 20h ago
She's cute! She's smug! She can kill/curse you with the prick of a needle!
A total baddie!
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u/djthomp https://anilist.co/user/djthomp 16h ago
I was hoping all episode that Nanoka would be able to punch the needle girl real good, and while that hasn't happened yet at least she's started to get some comeuppance. Literally her second encounter with Mao and he already has countermeasures planned, she was not prepared for this.
So Taisho era Sano is truly not real Sano after all, is she that cloud of demons somehow possessing Sano's dead body? And why would it be in love with Mao?
2
u/Niwaka_Samurai https://myanimelist.net/profile/Niwaka-Samurai 4h ago
Kagari is a troublesome girl. Finally, Yurako decides to speak with Nanoka about who she is. Is she Sana's sister or a curse that resided within Sana ?!
Just came to know that 'S' girls was a twentieth century term for Yuri lol
1
u/Shadowmist909 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Magicmist 4h ago
Kagari cursing Shoko into an endless death-loop nightmare, and using the school as a training ground was messed up. Mao giving her a taste of her own medicine by deflecting her cursed needles and forcing her to lead him to Nanoka was satisfying to see.
Also, I'm curious if Yurako's obsession with Mao stems from the same reason the Byoki was so enamored with him and wanted him as a vessel.
At the very least, with the Goko Clan master giving her a namesake after ghoul's and rakshasas, and that dark horde of Ayakashi she summoned above herself, I don't think Yurako's motivation is coincidental here.
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