MAO (2021)

[MAO（マオ）]

Volume 10

Author/Artist: Rumiko Takahashi
Publisher: Shounen Sunday Comics

Synopsis:
Nanoka learns about Yurako's past with Mao.

Story/Characters:
We finish Yurako's flashback to fully establish her dedication to Mao. Considering everything Yurako's been through and the hundreds of years she's been holding a candle for Mao, Nanoka reasonably feels her budding feeling for Mao can't even begin to measure up. When Kamon confronts her over the incident, he's upfront asking her about her feelings (which she takes as well as you can imagine) and says that Yurako has cursed her. What I wonder is if it's a literal curse or a figurative one. We could consider that the presence or absence of metaphysical energy isn't what makes a curse a curse, and I could just be overthinking it, but it's food for thought.

We move on to the next case, which is basically spontaneous human combustion, only we soon learn that it's caused by an assassin named Renji who can use these firebugs called Kakachuu to the tune of his koto. He's the latest minion working for Shiranui, not actually an onmyouji but able to manipulate a tricky art even Hyakka can't produce himself. However, faced with Hyakka and Mao together, it goes poorly for him. We're then introduced to Mei Mitazono, a healer in Shiranui's employ who tends to what's called the Garden of Longevity. This basically means that folks in the Hakubi-Shiranui alliance can take damage in their fights and still live to fight another day. Speaking of Hakubi, the gang following the trail of assassinations to the client results in Hakubi showing up to teleport Hyakka and Nanoka into a trap. A fight ensues, but as soon as the tables starts to turn, Hakubi teleports them right back to where they came from. The big takeaways are that Hakubi's plans are to revive the Kou Clan and that Hyakka never knew the Kou Clan were assassins. In the after-action review, we further learn that Hyakka was sent to the Kou Clan as a last-minute replacement after his brother was killed, which is a big part of why his hands are relatively clean compared to a lot of other folks. Also, as Nanoka was mainly a liability in the fight between Hyakka and Hakubi, she wants a weapon, something Mao obviously isn't that keen on. However, wouldn't you know it? We've got a new case involving burglar getting butchered by what appears to be an oni armed with a wakizashi. In the course of the investigation, we meet Kanae, a survivor of a burglary that resulted in the murder of her husband and most of her household. Mao senses that she's cursed, but he has to actually see the curse in action in order to figure out how to exorcise it, leading us to the cliffhanger.

Art:
The art is solid as ever. I do particularly like Nanoka's reaction when Kamon asks her if she's in love with Mao. The fight with Renji is pretty good, and the one between Hyakka and Hakubi is even better, especially with how the battle scene is set almost entirely to Hakubi's advantage.

Conclusion:
We get some important reveals this volume that not only flesh out the backstory further and also set the stage for the future conflict. I do like that Nanoka is trying to take a more active role in battle. It's definitely worth a read, so give it a shot.

Rating:
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