MAO (2022)

[MAO（マオ）]

Volume 12

Author/Artist: Rumiko Takahashi
Publisher: Shounen Sunday Comics

Synopsis:
When Mao, Hyakka and Nanoka confront Renji, they learn about his past.

Story/Characters:
We left off with Renji revealing that he was the one who killed his parents and we start this volume with a flashback that justifies it. Under the cover of philanthropy, his parents would pick up orphans and pimp them out, and their own children weren't exceptions to this. When Renji's sister took his place and was brutalized and murdered, his path was pretty well set. While the gang can sympathize with his motivations, that doesn't change what they have to do. The goal does shift a bit to sealing or destroying Renjin's yueqin. When that fails, Mao goes for the kodoku used to produce the Kakachuu, only for Mei to intervene. We also get a dragon shikigami from Shiranui tossed into the mix and being a water-element creature, that puts Hyakka at a disadvantage. In the ensuing fight, Nanoka enters the fray using Akanemaru despite the danger to herself. This does give Mao an opening to wound Renji and take him out of the fight, and then Nanoka kills the dragon. Nanoka's attacks have infused the garden with her poisoned blood, pretty well wrecking things, but Akanemaru has drained too much of Nanoka's blood, forcing Mao and Hyakka to retreat with her. The battle ends with a blow being landed on Shiranui's faction, but nothing conclusive.

After Nanoka recovers, she realizes she needs to find a better way to handle Akanemaru. An opportunity presents itself when Natsuno shows up following the trail of this man-eating bag. Mao is out of action after transfusing his own blood to get Nanoka back on her feet, so it's time for a girls' night out. The bag is used by these youkai to capture people to render them into medicine for other youkai. Natsuno is kept busy with the salamander while Natsuno fights the snake while trying to protect a couple of street urchins picked up after they tried to steal the bag. Nanoka is pushed into a corner, but without Mao there to save her, she ends up developing a new technique where Akanemaru channels her blood into a whip-like weapon that royally jacks up the snake youkai. That's neat, but the real interesting thing happens when the salamander tries eating Natsuno, only to spit her out and say she isn't human, leaving her with these cracks around her eye (which is leading me to believe she's a golem in the vein of Kikyou from Inuyasha). Reflecting on things after the fact, Natsuno concludes that the reason Nanoka was able to use Akanemaru more effectively this time was because she was using it specifically to protect someone else (the street urchins), which is more in keeping with its intended purpose. Natsuno also gives Nanoka a little earthen bell to attach to Akanemaru to draw on earth-element ki as Nanoka apparently has an earth alignment herself.

Back in the present day, we have Byouki trying to drop in on Nanoka, but Uogami manages to drive him off. However, the place with the sinkhole that led to Nanoka's original encounter with Byouki gets hit a second time. Byouki crosses back over to the Taishou Period, where Mao is waiting for him, but Byouki avoids a fight, as he's got bigger plans. He goes to Goshikidou, where he has a little pet project in the works. There's a body he's been reassembling and he just found the last piece he needs, a right arm.

Art:
The big showdown in the garden is pretty good. It's also pretty cool seeing Nanoka's new technique on display as well.

Conclusion:
The fight in the Garden of Longevity doesn't accomplish much, but maybe you'll appreciate the Renji backstory. The maneating bag thing is just a monster-of-the-week deal, but it was neat seeing Nanoka and Natsuno working together without Mao. At least the cliffhanger hints at something big with Byouki and his plans. In the final tally, my opinion of the series hasn't changed. It's worth a read but not necessarily a must-have.

Rating:
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