MAO

I'm wondering if Nanoka's maid Funa, is one of those shinigami dolls like Otoya is? They seem to be the only two characters with differently drawn eyes. And Otoya seemed to be giving Mao a similar style remedy like Nanoka's smoothies she gets? Still wondering what Nanoka's connection to the Byouki is since, she mini transformed again this episode and was commenting how she feels "better" when she doesn't take the smoothies, which what was seemingly keeping her powers at bay.

Poor Shihara. Nanoka has Otoya-zoned him lmfao. These nun flea ayakishi are creepy af. Wonder if Nanoka can change the past. Like obviously she couldn't save the farmer and completely wipe out the history of the blood-sucking monsters, but she did save that woman. She probably can't do much about huge natural disasters like earthquakes tho. Mao getting blood on Nanoka's face was some next-level trolling. Just to make Nanoka a decoy lmao. Mao is actually very lucky that Nanoka can't use "Osuwari!" on him. It looks like the next episode will be something big.

Okay, the way this is set up, the next episode is probably going like this: It's not the earthquake that makes the stone disappear, but the stone disappears (maybe even through Mao and Nanoka) which results in Byoki being unleashed and that is causing the earthquake. So basically, someone was probably able to seal away Byoki, but in his goal to get rid of his curse, Mao is the one to unleash him again. Which in turn also is the reason why Nanoka's parents died. I also don't think the barrier was set up by Byoki, but by the priest (or whoever) that sealed Byoki away. Basically a double protection so that no one can accidently free Byoki. But due to the smaller earthquakes (probably caused by Byoki from underground) the first layer was broken and now Byoki tried to use flee ayakashi to get enough of his own blood back in order to break the second seal. The one loose end in that theory is why the ayakashi wouldn't target Nanoka without Mao's blood. If she was truly cursed like Mao and therefore had Byoki's blood, she would be a target as well. But I guess, we learn next week what her real connection is.

It's like you can never trust a woman of the cloth in anime. You almost have to respect Uozumi's dedication in giving Nanoka that smoothie, whether she likes it or not (and she vehemently does NOT!). Uozumi insists it's for her own good, even though it tastes terrible, but Nanoka feels fine without it, so is that more valid? Nanoka needs to get to the bottom of the Great Kanto Earthquake and who better to help her out than Shiraha? He's an invaluable information resource AND he's basically putty in Nanoka's hands, even if she's not intentionally trying to lead him on. Though imagine your crush appreciating you because you're like her little Shikigami friend! He's still much more preferable to Mao though. There was a LOT of mysterious happenings around the time of the Earthquake. Even now, in Mao's time, they're feeling the build up to it with Earthquakes happening more frequently. Did you know ayakashi get shots too? Oh, nothing at ALL strange about a missing keystone, a broken barrier, and a sudden Western Church with a bunch of nuns! Albeit all those nuns are Flea Ayakashi who have apparently based themselves ontop of Byoki and been drinking his blood through the church floor. And Mao is even more delectable to them for HIS Byoki blood. Mao is skilled but the numbers are not in his favor...thankfully Nanoka has a mean kick! Mao might be 900 years old but immortality has its limits, and his body is feeling it. He might not have much longer the way he's holding it together and still needs to drink the vile kodoku juice to heal himself. How much longer does Mao still have? Don't you just hate it when feels swarm your window while you're taking a nap? Or when a surly hot guy puts his hand on your cheek only to smear blood and turn you into his decoy? Is it any wonder Nanoka hates Mao at this point? He always ruins their moment. Nanoka had every reason to run as far from those fleas as she could, but it shows how good a person she is that, recognizing these fleas were attacking people as "vampires," she goes out of her way to save anyone she can. Mao wasn't kidding about getting prepared to defeat the Flea Ayakashi! He straight up summons GENBU of all things to defeat them and then take the fight to the keystone where Byoki is sealed! Albeit it's too entrenched into the Earth for him to do anything about it...until the Earthquake hits. Mao earned that slap, not gonna lie. Oh snap! All those "ghost" people are now visible and real!