MAO
MAO
A curse that binds past and present.
Mao, a young mystic who lives in the Taisho period of early 1900s Japan, is a mysterious onmyoji who, after suffering a life-altering curse, has continued to live for nine hundred long years. His world becomes even stranger when he meets Nanoka Kiba, a junior high schooler who seems to have traveled from the future. In spite of her tender years, Nanoka has lived a strange life herself, marked by her traumatic experience as a young child losing both her parents to a grisly accident. But when Nanoka decides to return to that fateful shopping arcade, she is transported to another time and place - a world where supernatural ayakashi thrive in an era long before her own. There she meets Mao, whose abrupt and bizarre question prompts Nanoka to see herself and her curious life in a completely new light. Now the two travelers from different worlds unite as they take on the dark powers that grip both their lives.
TV anime, 26 episodes, Spring 2026, Sunrise. Episode guide with the official trailer and links to licensed services. Studio Sunrise. Genres: Drama, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural. Season: Spring 2026.
Where to watch
JustWatch comparison: streaming options for MAO
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Characters and voice cast
- Mao (摩緒) - main character, voiced by Yuuki Kaji (梶裕貴); English dub: Howard Wang. Mao is the main character of the eponymous story Mao. Throughout his long life, Mao has remained mature, reserved and somewhat aloof. He tends to dwell on his past and what he can't remember, which drives his obsessive search for the Byōki who cursed him.
- Nanoka Kiba (黄葉菜花) - main character, voiced by Natsumi Kawaida (川井田夏海); English dub: Anjali Kunapaneni. Nanoka Kiba is the narrator and heroine of the story Mao. Outspoken, determined and brave, Nanoka is extremely curious about the circumstances of her and Mao's curse, leading her to research history with her classmate, Shiraha, when she returns home from the Taisho era.
- Otoya (乙弥) - supporting character, voiced by Momoka Terasawa (寺澤百花); English dub: Jackie Lastra. Otoya is a kid serving the protagonist Mao. He’s a Shikigami, the result of Mao infusing his spiritual power onto a doll.
- Sayoko (小夜子) - supporting character, voiced by Haruka Shiraishi (白石晴香); English dub: Aria Saltini. Tenko's friend who works as a servant of the Viscount.
- Yoriko (依子) - supporting character, voiced by Takako Tanaka (田中貴子); English dub: Brianna Knickerbocker. A member of Shouko's cult.
- Sougen (宗玄) - supporting character, voiced by Seirou Ogino (荻野晴朗); English dub: Kirk Thornton. The second in command of Shouko's cult.
- Funa Uozumi (魚住フナ) - supporting character, voiced by Motoko Kumai (くまいもとこ); English dub: Dorah Fine. Nanoka's family's housekeeper.
- Hyakka (百火) - supporting character, voiced by Hiro Shimono (下野紘); English dub: Edward A. Mendoza. Hyakka is a former classmate of Mao from 900 years ago. He was an apprentice 900 years ago, then worked in a circus, but he now travels with Mao and Nanoka.
- Shiraha (白羽) - supporting character, voiced by Ryuuho Nagaoka (長岡龍歩); English dub: Paul Castro Jr.
- Shouko (鐘呼) - supporting character, voiced by Marina Inoue (井上麻里奈); English dub: Allegra Clark. The leader of a doomsday cult who is said to be able to manipulate people's lifespans at will. She has prophetic abilities.
- Yurako (幽羅子) - supporting character, voiced by Reina Ueda (上田麗奈); English dub: Anairis Quiñones
- Ojii-chan (おじいちゃん) - supporting character, voiced by Mitsuru Ogata (小形満); English dub: Tony Oliver. Nanoka's grandfather whom she lives with after the death of her parents.
- Kamon (華紋) - supporting character, voiced by Toshiyuki Toyonaga (豊永利行); English dub: Brian Anderson. Kamon, also known as Kuchinawa, is a former senior disciple from 900 years ago. Following the Great Kanto Earthquake, he was serving Tanehiko who captured and murdered women in his mansion, by getting rid of their corpses.
- Tanehiko Ibaraki (茨木種彦) - supporting character, voiced by Shinji Kawada (川田紳司); English dub: Ben Lepley
- Shiranui (不知火) - supporting character, voiced by Kazuyuki Okitsu (興津和幸); English dub: Landon McDonald. One of the disciples of the Gokou Clan from 900 years ago. He mastered the water element. He was seen as weak and was physically abused by his master for his shortcomings.
- Tenko (貂子) - supporting character, voiced by Youko Hikasa (日笠陽子); English dub: Risa Mei
- Haimaru (灰丸) - supporting character, voiced by Takashi Matsuyama (松山鷹志); English dub: Patrick Seitz
- Mokuzu (藻久不) - supporting character, voiced by Mitsuaki Kanuka (かぬか光明); English dub: Cory Yee
Staff
- Original Creator: Rumiko Takahashi (高橋留美子)
- Director: Teruo Satou (佐藤照雄)
- Series Composition: Yuuko Kakihara (柿原優子)
- Character Design: Yoshihito Hishinuma (菱沼義仁)
- Art Director: Hiroshi Katou (加藤浩)
- Art Director: Izumi Hoki (保木いずみ)
- Color Design: Masumi Ootsuka (大塚眞純)
- Director of Photography: Akane Fushihara (伏原あかね)
- Editing: Kazuhiro Nii (新居和弘)
- CG Director: Tomohiro Fujie (藤江智洋)
- Sound Director: Hiromi Kikuta (菊田浩巳)
- Music: Shuu Kanematsu (兼松衆)
- Chief Animation Director: Yoshihito Hishinuma (菱沼義仁)
- ADR Director (English): Tony Oliver (Rafael Antonio Olivier)
Production: Sunrise (animation), Bandai Namco Filmworks, Shogakukan, NHK Enterprises, Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Bandai Namco Music Live.
Opening and ending themes
- ED1: "Juai" by TRUE (episodes 1-)
- ED2: "Tayutau" by Reina Ueda (episodes 14-)
- OP1: "HEARTLOUD" by Kis-My-Ft2 (episodes 1-)
- OP2: "Bokura ga Uwagaki suru Sekai" by 20th Century (episodes 14-)
26 episode discussion threads on r/anime.