The next segment was "A 'MAO' Discussion Guided by the Kodoku no Tsubo." Inspired by the "Kodoku no Tsubo" that Otoya carries in the work, Terasawa drew cards with the names of the cast members from a jar, and the chosen person would talk about the appeal of "MAO." Since "MAO" has a total of 26 episodes, the challenge was to answer in exactly 26 seconds. The point was to express the charm accurately while narrowing down the key points.
The first to be chosen was Toyonaga. While the audience watched with bated breath, he finished his answer in exactly 26 seconds: "Since the story goes from Taisho to modern times, there are time travel elements. Please enjoy this Ayakashi tale, which combines Mao chasing a Taisho-era mystery with Nanoka, plus the story of solving the mysteries of Mao and his companions that date back to the Heian period!" Despite being the first, he showed brilliant time-keeping skills, earning a round of applause from the audience.
Next, Terasawa asserted the charm of "MAO" as "a story that weaves together how Mao and the characters appearing from now on form relationships, what their connections are, and what their fates entail." Just as she was about to continue, time unfortunately ran out, but her deep love for the work was fully conveyed, and the other cast members offered words of encouragement like "Nice fight!" and "Your feelings got through!"
Kawaida, called next, appealed, "In this work, there are elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, and fighting styles differ depending on the person, such as 'Fire' or 'Wood.' I'm personally looking forward to seeing how the manga is animated, so let's all enjoy it together!" to which other cast members teased, "It's amazing how you speak at your own pace even with a 26-second limit!"
The fourth person chosen, Shimono, promoted the work's charm with an impromptu song. When he began singing loudly, "The important thing when talking about the charm of 'MAO' is...♪ the luxury voice actors...♪," the audience naturally started clapping along. He continued, "That's not all...♪ The theme song is actually...♪ that Kis-My-Ft2...♪," and applause erupted the moment he finished singing.
Kaji, who served as the finale, spoke passionately in a powerful tone like an election speech: "There is no one who hasn't experienced a work by Rumiko Takahashi in their life! Such a Rumiko Takahashi has handled weekly serializations across three eras: Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa! Don't you think that's incredible!? The latest work presented by such a Rumiko Takahashi—that is 'MAO'!" He urged, "Of course, that charm is fully packed in the original manga, but there is a meaning, a significance in delivering it through animation! That is this anime 'MAO'! Everyone, please support us!" sending the audience into a whirlwind of excitement.
In the "Ritual of Announcements" segment, after announcing "MAO" exhibits at the Bandai Namco Filmworks booth in East Hall 7 of "AnimeJapan 2026," information on the distribution of the first issue of the "MAO Newspaper," merchandise, media, and domestic streaming information, the stage moved to the ending. Messages were delivered from the cast to the fans.
First, Terasawa, holding the Otoya plushie, commented: "The bonds woven between Mao and the surrounding characters include both good and bad fates, and the interesting part is how those stories are spun. There are a full 26 episodes, but the composition makes you look forward to it every week so much that it almost feels like it's not enough, so please look forward to next week's broadcast." Next, Toyonaga said, "I'm saying 'Hey Kamon!' (on stage), but the Kamon who actually appears is a handsome man. I hope everyone gets captivated by Kamon's charm." To close his greeting, he energized the audience with a "Hey!" "Kamon!" call-and-response.
Shimono said, "The broadcast of 'MAO' is just around the corner. Hyakka is a character who is quite high-spirited, or rather bellicose—quite a mischievous one. I'd be happy if you enjoy the on-air broadcast." Following him, Kawaida called out, "The time spent making this has been like a treasure, and I'd be happy if such a work reaches you and becomes your treasure. Please support us from next week."
Kaji was the last to take the mic. Having already seen the finished main episodes, he introduced highlights unique to the anime, such as the depiction of action scenes and the background music that expresses the three eras of Heian, Taisho, and Reiwa. "It's a mystery work where you'll be curious about what happens next every week, so I hope you'll watch it without fail. Thank you very much for today!" As he spoke, grand applause broke out from the venue.
At the very end, the five cast members and all the fans gathered in the audience chanted the spell "Kyū-kyū-nyo-ritsu-ryō, Haja!" (In the name of the law, vanquish evil!) to pray for the success of the anime. The immensely successful "TV Anime 'MAO' Pre-Broadcast Opening Ceremony" thus came to a close.
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