Mao vol 5 by Rumiko Takahasi

Kamon comes face-to-face with Shiranui, the powerful water caster who has been plaguing Mao for several volumes. Back in her own time, Byoki manages to track down Nanoka, but mostly to warn her. He begins to tell her why she should stop giving her blood to Mao, but then Uozomi saves her before he can finish his thought. Later, Mao is called on to assist another doctor who fears for one of his former patients. Another family has moved into the manor, but the doctor swears he saw his patient in the window of the second story. Who are these strangers who have taken over the house? Later, a nasty metal shikigami attacks Mao and Nanoka, and once again, she might be the only person who can save him.

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There are some pretty big twists in this volume, including a revelation about who the water caster was that entered the Five-Sided Room with Kamon, Hyakka, and Mao. Some long-time fans of Takahashi might see the twist with Yurako coming, but it was still welcome and make this story even more intriguing! Mao continuously has his life on the line, so the life-hanging-in-the-balance cliffhanger at the end might drive readers straight into volume six, or might be old hat at this point. For me, the story is getting more engaging and high-stakes, which means I want to follow along with these characters more. We get some more depth to Kamon this volume, so I definitely want to continue seeing Takahashi build up her cast of supporting characters while giving us enough Mao content!

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 10-12
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Reviews of previous volumes in this series: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4

Publisher: VIZ Media
Publication Date: May 10, 2022
ISBN: 9781974724529 (Paperback)

Tags: Rating: 8/10, Suitability: High School, Manga, Horror, Historical Fiction, Magic, VIZ Media