During a livestream event for Sunrise’s newest TV anime series based on Rumiko Takahashi‘s manga series MAO, the anime’s first full promotional video, and key visual was released five days ago. Announcing new cast additions, the artists performing the OP and ED theme music.
Starting off with the first part of that announcement was that the new series will have a two cour run without break, and will air on NHK-General channel on April 4 at 11:45 p.m. (10:45 a.m. EST). Next, the opening theme titled HEARTLOUD will be performed by the JPOP boyband Kis-My-Ft2, followed by the ending theme titled “Juai” (Cursed Love) performed by TRUE. Listed below are the newly announced cast members who will be joining Yuki Kaji (MAO), Natsumi Kawaida (Nanoka Kiba), Hiro Shimono (Hyakka), and Toshiyuki Toyonaga (Kamon).
New Cast Members:
Otoya– Momoka Terasawa (Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!, Milky Subway: The Galactic Limited Express to the Theater, mono)
Shiranui– Kazuyuki Okitsu (Bakuman., Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, My Hero Academia)
Funa Uozumi– Motoko Kumai (Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card Arc, HeartCatch PreCure!, Shaman King)
Tenko– Yoko Hikasa (Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, Dr. Stone, Shangri-La Frontier)
Sana– Risa Shimizu (Pokémon, Delicious Party Pretty Cure, Attack on Titan)
Yurako– Reina Ueda (No.1 Sentai Gozyuger, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba)
Byoki– Takashi Matsuyama (Natsume’s Book of Friends, Digimon Adventure:, Gegege no Kitaro)
AD: Revisit one of Rumiko Takahashi’s Iconic Stories in the VIZBIG Edition of Inuyasha, Vol. One!
Staff List:
- Director– Teruo Sato
Series Composition– Yuko Kakihara - Character Design/ Chief Animation Director– Yoshihito Hishinuma
- Art Director– Hiroshi Katō, Izumi Hoki
- Color Key Artist– Masumi Ōtsuka
- CG Director– Tomohiro Fujie
- Compositing Director of Photography– Akane Fushihara
- Editing– Kazuhiro Nii
- Sound Director– Hiromi Kikuta
- Music– Shū Kanematsu
Rumiko Takahashi’s MAO was first serialized in Shogakukan’s Weekly Shōnen Sunday Magazinsince May 2019, with its chapters collected in 27 tankōbon volumes as of February 2026. In North America, the series is licensed for English release by Viz Media. The individual chapters are available on Viz Media’s Viz Manga app.
“Nanoka passes through a portal into the Taisho era, where exorcist Mao reluctantly rescues her from the jaws of a grotesque yokai. When Nanoka gets back to the present, she discovers she has some new, incredible abilities. She returns to the past looking for answers, only to get caught up in Mao’s investigation of a series of gruesome murders. As her questions about herself multiply, Nanoka learns that Mao is cursed by a cat demon named Byoki—and so is his sword. If anyone but Mao attempts to wield it, they are doomed. But when Mao’s life is in jeopardy, Nanoka picks up his blade and swings!”
Source: Anime News Network
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Whatever purchase through the affiliate links helps the site.
Thanks for reading! If you have any suggestions, news tips, or questions, email them to: webmaster@bigrednerd.com.
Red's Nerd Den 