MAO

Finally, Nanoka told Mao and Otoya she's from the future! And of course, they don't believe her. She should've just shown them her smartphone. Tho they'd probably think it was some magical BS or whatever. Sad. A whole month has passed, and her grandpa didn't go to the police? At first, I thought he was just covering for her, but now there's definitely something wrong. And she remembered he was on his deathbed when her parents died? Sorry Nanoka. But your grandfather is dead. I wouldn't be surprised if he were Byouki or some other ayakashi in disguise. And I'm glad the subs now call him just Byouki instead of "the" Byouki. That was really weird. This episode was just loaded with information. Where do I even begin? Who's Sana? They were framed? The great Kanto earthquake happened. Of course Mao and Otoya stayed. That was a given after Nanoka mentioned Byouki might appear. Actually, there were more questions than answers. Where the hell did that Byouki head go with little Nanoka? What the heck happened? I'm guessing the questions will be answered one by one eventually. It's a mystery after all. Mao's secret form is quite grotesque. The catlike body with a humanlike head would've given me nightmares as a kid. He looks like a cryptid. This was a great episode. It feels like the story has finally started going. Can't wait to see what happens next.

Byoki still trying to keep a**head** of Mao I see. Well, I guess it's nice for all those people to finally have their town back in this plane of reality without the church there to keep them out. But our protagonists have bigger priorities...like the Great Kanto Earthquake and the release of Byoki. I love how Mao and Otoya have faced all manner of supernatural beasties and magic, but time travel? Impossible! So this time Nanoka returns back...one month later! Just in time for the Summer Festival and her gal pals in yukata's! Though while she was supposedly just in the hospital, it's her grandfather who seems like he's been ill. It's nice that he's not questioning Nanoka too deeply, but wouldn't someone normally file a police report or do some investigating as to why their grandaughter vanished? Why is her grandpa helping push the smoothie agenda with Uozumi? It's only when taking Mao's medicine that Nanoka regains a core memory: of her grandpa being on death door as her parents took her to see him one last time. So how did he end up being okay enough to take care of her after her parents' death and be there with her right up until she was in high school? I mean, she really needed him, but still. Sorry Shiraha, I admire your persistence, but you can't do much about a girl disappearing back in time. The one time Nanoka's happy Mao didn't listen to her and leave, because she REALLY needed someone, even him. Of course the moment is ruined when the Great Kanto Earthquake begins in earnest in all its destructive chaos. Buildings are crushed, people flee in terror, everything is going downhill. But at least Otoya's still got the kodoku and vibing through this. But with the onset of the Earthquake comes flaming skeletal heads...and the head of Byoki, here to regain his body from Mao as Mao finally engages with his nemesis once more. Mao recalls severing the Byoki's head and waking up with blood on his hands and a dead lady named Sana...but what really happened? They were both framed, even Byoki for the death of Mao's master? Not that Mao is interested in hearing his explanation. Mao turns into Beast Mode! A mode only possible with the Byoki's body he fused with! He might not be able to kill Byoki, but he can definitely grievously wound him. Turns out Nanoka is...also a Byoki vessel somehow? Or could be? In fact her child self appears in the middle of all this only to be saved by Mao...and kidnapped by Byoki. This can't be good.

Okay, I guess I was wrong and Mao didn't accidently free Byoki. I guess the logic here is that Byoki destroyed the stone which is why the Ayakashi that is usually held in place by it got free and that is why the earthquake happened. As for Nanoka, most of what happened is what we already assumed. Though, the question is if Byoki really managed to get inside her body. It would make sense considering that they mentioned a proper body appears every 1000 years and with Mao's encounter being 900 years in the past, Nanoka from 100 years in the future would fit the description. It would also explain why they are "poisoning her" because it is not just to weaken her powers, but Byoki himself so he can't fully take over Nanoka's body. I am just not sure where the story would want to go from there, so I assume there is another twist here. Especially considering that we didn't get to actually see that happening. Similarly, I am still a bit puzzled about the time dilation. I noticed a slight logic in one direction at least. Which is that the passage of time increases every time Nanoka returns from the past. The first time, it was only a literal moment, the second time, it was hours, the third time days and now weeks. If that is the logic, then the question is how often Nanoka should even go back at this point. Though, it also does not explain why we were suddenly connected to the present with young Nanoka. Th other way (so from present to past) I still have no clue. The ten day jump was something that happened before as well. So I don't see a pattern there yet.

I love the concept of admitting you're a time traveler and your companions simply don't believe you because of course that sounds like nonsense. The housekeeper hanging around in a dark building because grandpa is asleep and so the lights are out is not helping the allegations that she's one of the doll things. Now that everything is out in the open regarding Nanoka I wonder where the story goes from here.

A few things of note: * Uozumi is definitely similar to Otoya * Gramps was already suspicious from the start but knowing now he should've died already, he's probably a ghost, demon, or Byoki himself. * Mao doesn't remember that he was probably the one who took down his master and attacked his village. The village guard probably had to shoot him down. Maybe the Kikyo look alike is Lady Sana? Yet another priestess who seemingly betrayed the demon MC, lol * We're half way through this cour but have yet to see the other black and white hair people in the OP. Looks like next episode we'll finally meet one, but are we to understand all of the black & white haired people are Byouki vessels? If so, when will Nanako's hair color change? Or are they onmyouji (sp?) like Mao? Also, anyone else feel like the pacing is kind of off? Feel like things are being dragged out as it relates to the mystery of what happened to Nanako and the Byouki. Maybe it feels that way because so far, Nanako hasn't done much except run back and forth through the gate, lol. And how many times are we going to see that damn flashback? Nearly as bad as the Naruto sitting on the swing flashbacks 🤦🏾‍♀️