MAO English Sub & Dub

About MAO

MAO blends drama, mystery and romance by Sunrise (2026). Below is a fresh retelling of what the story is about. In short: 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.

Along the way, his world grows into even stranger when he crosses paths with 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. When Nanoka chooses to return to that fateful shopping arcade, she is transported to another time and place - a realm where supernatural ayakashi thrive in an era long before her own.

As a drama title, character writing and emotional payoff matter more than spectacle. Mao (Yuuki Kaji) and Nanoka Kiba (Natsumi Kawaida) are two of the characters you will meet early. Think of it as a pick for viewers who prefer story and feelings over flashy action. With 26 episodes in total, there is enough room for the story to develop.

Production & Appeal

Animation is handled by Sunrise, so the studio's house style defines how MAO looks and moves on screen. Because it leans on drama, character writing and emotional payoff matter more than spectacle. With a 6.6/10 score, it is more of a niche pick than a universal crowd-pleaser. On the casting side, Yuuki Kaji voicing Mao gives the lead role a recognizable voice. It aired in 2026, which makes it easy to place in the wider anime calendar.