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Browse / TV / Mao
Mao
Currently Airing TV PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Mao

MAO · 2026

A modern student slips into Taisho era mysteries to unravel ancient curses.

StatusCurrently Airing SeasonSpring 2026 StudioSunrise SourceManga
Story

Synopsis

Eight years after miraculously surviving a catastrophic sinkhole disaster that killed her family, high school student Nanoka Kiba steps through an enigmatic portal back to the disaster site. Transported into Japan's mystical Taisho era, she is rescued from vicious grotesque monsters by Mao, a brooding onmyoji exorcist wielding a cursed sword. Returning to modern Tokyo, Nanoka realizes she has developed supernatural strength and sensory powers. Seeking the truth behind her family's deaths, Nanoka returns to the past to aid Mao in investigating gruesome occult murders, uncovering that both are bound to Byoki, a malevolent cat demon orchestrating a centuries-old conspiracy.

⚠ Background — may contain spoilers
Created by legendary manga author Rumiko Takahashi, *Mao* was produced as a television anime series by animation studio Sunrise in 2026. Premiering on public broadcaster NHK, the adaptation marks another major milestone in Takahashi's illustrious career following *Inuyasha* and *Ranma 1/2*. The production received widespread critical acclaim for its intricate historical Taisho atmosphere, dark supernatural mystery, dynamic exorcism swordplay, and atmospheric musical score composed to honor Takahashi's enduring mastery of gothic Japanese folklore and character drama.
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