| Mao | |
|---|---|
| |
| Real Name | Ricardo |
| Gender | Male |
| Race | Contractor |
| Messier Code | HM-432 |
| Ability | Animal Possession |
| Obeisance | Unknown (Contract Paid) |
| Age | 43 |
| Professional Status | |
| Former Affiliation | EPR, The Syndicate |
| Team | Hei, Suou Pavlichenko, July, Oreille, Misaki Kirihara, Goro Kobayashi |
| Former Team | Huang, Yin |
| Behind The Scenes | |
| First Seen | Season 1, Episode 1 |
| Last Seen | Season 2, Episode 12 |
| Japanese Voice | Sawaki Ikuya (沢木 郁也) |
| English Voice | Kent Williams |
Mao (猫（マオ）, pinyin: Māo, lit. Cat) is a Contractor who has lost his original body and subsequently spent many years residing within the body of a black cat. Following the death of the cat, he used a brown momonga as his body. His Messier Code is HM-432. His birthday is May 8.
Background[]
Mao's human body.
Mao once came to Japan to study, and returned to the country shortly before the Hell's Gate appeared, when he briefly met Asako Nakimiya in Ikebukuro. He joined the Syndicate at a university in Moscow, where he was sent by a faction of the Syndicate to find out what Mikhail Pavlichenko was researching. However, he was betrayed and his body was destroyed in an explosion, leaving him stranded in the body of a black cat. Angered by this, he attacked Mikhail in his lab as it burned around him.[1] Since then, he switches between various animal bodies, most preferably, the black cat. As the cat's brain is not fully capable of containing Mao's human conscience, a server is utilized to support some of it. If he were to lose contact with said server, the animal's natural instinct and brain will take over. He will lose his own consciousness until he reconnects with the server.[2]
Personality[]
Mao always makes logical decisions which is the trademark of a Contractor. Due to this he finds it hard to understand Hei and takes a great interest in watching Hei react to situations in an unorthodox manner. He fears the Syndicate's disapproval and on occasion is able to receive direct orders from the top. Although he works for the Syndicate, he's shown to be loyal to his comrades, as he on more than one occasion, has hidden information about his partners from the Syndicate. He has an attraction to ankles, to the point that he can recognize the same person's ankles thirteen years later.[1]
Abilities[]
Mao about to leave the cat's body.
Animal Possession: Mao has the ability to jump bodies with any animal, as long as they are within his line of sight. He at moments goes into a trance during which he downloads a data pack from the network. He interfaces with a server that helps make up for what a cat's brain lacks. If he doesn't do this semi-regularly the feline brain will take over, until he can regain his conscience.[2]
Obeisance: None. Since Mao lost his original body, he is no longer bound to his contract. Therefore, he doesn't have an Obeisance.[2]
Hacking: Mao also shows some proficiency as a hacker, being able to infiltrate the computer system of PANDORA.[3]
Part in the Story[]
The Black Contractor[]
Mao plays a key supporting role in Hei's Syndicate cell, assisting with recon, decoy work and infiltration.
Gemini of the Meteor[]
Mao as a momonga.
Having been reconnected to his server, Mao now works for the CIA. He travels to Russia to participate in a mission, but his cat form is shot dead by April.[4] He takes over Peche, the pet momonga belonging to Suou Pavlichenko. He directs Suou to run away when Hei and Mina Hazuki are fighting and then acts as a distraction to aid in her escape from Genma Shizume.[5] Suou remains unaware of the fact that Mao is in Peche until they come under attack by both Russians and Section 3 at a train station. Mao leads Suou away from danger and then looks on in shock as Suou's Contractor powers awaken. After she defeats their opponents with the aid of July, Mao questions's Hei's decision to have July join them. They four later board a boat bound for Japan, where Mao asks Hei about Yin.[6]
Hei throws Mao at the police to act as a diversion.
Upon arriving in Japan, Hei begins to train Suou as an agent for his employer. During her sniper training, Suou becomes angry with Hei and points her rifle at him, prompting Mao to make fun of how big she was for wanting to kill someone who was just nagging her. Suou later tells Mao that she wants to leave and go find her brother, but cannot as she doesn't have enough money. During a practice mission where Suou gets in to a scuffle with Norio's gang, the police arrive and Hei throws Mao at the police officers so that Suou can escape. He eventually accompanies her back to the hotel they are staying at.[7]
Mao sleeps in the bath with Suou and July to escape the cold.
Mao takes an interest in Suou's use of her rifle and its maintenance. When Hei gives her money for food, Mao asks if she will save it again, but she tells him that she will eat a proper meal as she wants to become strong before she runs away. When she returns from Lebanon's shop, she sets up a portable stove and earthenware pot Lebanon lent her. A cockroach comes out of it, prompting Suou to shoot it with her rifle. Mao explains to Hei, who was not present at the time, what happened, suggesting it was caused by memories of Tanya's ability. The pair discuss her behavior, with Mao commenting that she was incomplete as a human. Later that night, they are attacked by Section 3 agents, including a Contractor. Mao stays with Suou and July while Hei draws the enemy off. Later, the share a meal prepared by Suou, during which Hei informs her of a mission she has been assigned. Mao comments that it is not bad for a first mission and expresses surprise at the size of her payment.[8]
Mao shadows Mina Hazuki.
Mao acts as support during the mission, spying from the roof of a building at the docks where Izanami is being loaded on to a submarine. He loses contact with Hei just after July reports that Hei is heading the wrong way. July informs him that the container they are to destroy has a person inside, surprising Mao, who doubts Suou's instance that she can shoot the person. When he spots Mina Hazuki heading across the harbour in a speedboat towards Suou and July, he leaps aboard the boat and tells them to flee. July then informs him that he has met the Doll before, and Mao recognizes his description of Yin, shocking him. Hei turns up and stops Suou from shooting, ordering them to retreat and regroup later. While they wait for Hei to return from leading Mina away from them, Mao looks on as Suou is attacked and restrained by Michiru. He witnesses Yin's observer spirit appear and Michiru subsequently killing herself with her own ability. They later link up with Hei, with Mao telling him that the submarine appeared to be heading to Tokyo.[9]
Mao looks on as July is disguised as a corpse.
After Hei arranges for them to be brought to Tokyo by an underworld transporter called Hanako Li, who double crosses them and takes July, Mao chases after Suou when she spots July's observation specter. They eventually locate July in a warehouse, where he scouts ahead for Suou. She asks him to create a distraction to draw Hanako away from July, which he does by knocking over a cart. When Suou continuously impales Hanako with glass shards, Mao snaps her out of her focus by telling her to get July. However, Ilya Sokoloff arrives and captures Suou and July. Mao tries to jump on to him, but is also captured and taped to the window of Ilya's car. He is eventually freed after Hei kills Ilya. Mao questions Hei about how he found them and the wisdom of contacting their informant given the loss of his powers, but Hei ignores him and tells them to thank July.[10]
Mao and the others search for Suou's mother.
When Hei and Suou are briefly captured by Repnin and Tanya, Mao flees the FSB agents and is forced to spend time evading a train attendant. He later returns to their carriage where he finds July using his observer specter without being told to do so. Getting over his surprise, the pair head off in pursuit of Suou, eventually catching up to her just after Tanya is shot dead by an anti-tank rifle, apparently by Suou. When Suou refuses to go with Hei, July follows her, taking Mao with him.[11] Much to Mao's displeasure, they meet up with Kiko Kayanuma and recruit her and Gai Kurusawa to track down Suou's mother, Asako Nakimiya. Their search eventually brings them to Haneda airport where Suou is reunited with her mother.[12]
Suou asks Mao about her existence.
After becoming stranded with Asako, he realises that he has met her twice before, recalling her due to her 'exquisite ankles'. When Misaki Kirihara brings Suou and July to Asako's apartment, he uses the distraction to escape. He listens as Asako tells Misaki about Suou died and he tells Suou and July how he previously met Asako the day the real Suou died in the explosion that cost him his real body. When they are reunited with Hei, Suou begins questioning her existence, leaving Mao perplexed about her incompleteness, commenting that she has fallen in love with Hei. He asks if Hei returned because he saw his sister Bai in Suou, but Hei tells him that he saw similarities to himself in her. The pair are then surprised to spot the moon in the night sky.[1]
Mao explains about the relationship between Yin and Hei.
Mao accompanies Suou and July as they search for Shion at the Sunshine Aquarium. He tells Suou that Hei has gone to find Yin and explains that she was once totally different to the current Yin, with Hei believing that he is responsible for changing her. Inside they find the aquarium in ruins, with Suou's father Mikahil waiting for them. Mao and July look on in silence as they talk, until they are forced to flee by the arrival of Genma and Section 3's forces. Mao stays with the fatally injured Mikhail while Suou fights off Genma. He the accopanies Suou and July as they are lead by July to an underground tunnel in to the Hell's Gate. There, Misaki and Oreille await them. Oreille calls him by his real name, Ricardo, prompting Mao to tell her that he isn't her lover anymore. He is then surprised to see that Suou has vanished.[13]
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- "Mao" happens to mean cat in Chinese.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Gemini of the Meteor, Episode 10
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Black Contractor; Episode 8
- ↑ The Black Contractor, Episode 24
- ↑ Gemini of the Meteor, Episode 1
- ↑ Gemini of the Meteor, Episode 2
- ↑ Gemini of the Meteor, Episode 3
- ↑ Gemini of the Meteor, Episode 4
- ↑ Gemini of the Meteor, Episode 5
- ↑ Gemini of the Meteor, Episode 6
- ↑ Gemini of the Meteor, Episode 7
- ↑ Gemini of the Meteor, Episode 8
- ↑ Gemini of the Meteor, Episode 9
- ↑ Gemini of the Meteor, Episode 11
[]
| v • e | Contractors | |
| Known Contractors: | Abigail Croft • Alma • Amagiri • Amber • Amitabh Kapoor • April • August 7 • Bai • Bertha • Black Dandelion • Brita • Dale • Dash • Genma Shizume • Goran • Harvest • Havoc • Hei • Ilya Sokoloff • Itzhak • Jean • Luc • Louis • Mai Kashiwagi • Maki • Mao • Michiru • Mina Hazuki • Musik • Nick Hillman • November 11 • Parcel • Paul • Rubber Band Contractor • Shihoko Kishida • Shion Pavlichenko • Suou Pavlichenko • Tanya Akulova • Top-rope • Xiao Brothers • Xiao Jie • Wei Zhijun • Xi-Qi | |
| Related Articles: | Contractors • Heaven's Gate • Hell's Gate • List of Abilities • Messier Code • Moratoria • Obeisance | |
| v · e | CIA | |
| Contractors: | Hei (former) • Nick Hillman • Genma Shizume | |
| Humans: | John Smith • Corinna Moku • Oreille | |
| v · e | Evening Primrose | |
| Contractors: | Amber • Amagiri • Bai • Brita • Hei • Maki • Mao • November 11 • Rubber Band Contractor • Wei Zhijun | |
| Humans: | Huang | |
| Dolls: | Yin | |
| v · e | The Syndicate | |
| Contractors: | Abigail Croft • Amber • Bai • Dash • Havoc • Hei • Mai Kashiwagi • Mao • Shihoko Kishida • Top-rope • Xi-Qi | |
| Humans: | Decade • Yoshimitsu Horai • Huang • Eric Nishijima • Mikhail Pavlichenko • Robert Schroeder • Syndicate Handler | |
| Dolls: | Yin | |
| Related Articles: | Hell's Gate • M.E. • Mitaka Documents • Section 3 | |