Mao left a huge impact on the show. He came closer to killing the main character than the true main antagonists.

C.C. fell in love with Lelouch. There, I said it. And in the end, he felt the same way. Also it's interesting to note that Mao's hair is white due to the fact that Lelouch's hair was going to be white originally, thus cementing the fact that Mao is a foil to Lelouch.

In my opinion, Lelouch would have never beaten Schnizel had he not had his encounters with Mao. Schnizel could read almost every move Lelouch was going to make, much like Mao’s Geass. Lelouch would have never been able to handle such a controlling strategy had he not been able to deal with Mao. Lelouch even uses the same “mind reading” video technique against Schnizel that he used on Mao in the first encounter. Lelouch used the sense of victory that both Schnizel and Mao had against them, reading them while working from the shadows.

I always thought that Mao was a character whose role was comfortably more sophisticated than a good amount of the storytelling in the series otherwise. Interesting dude.

Just meeting the character:”ohhh man this is gonna be good!” *two episodes later* “that was it!?”

As crazy as he was, Mao actually brought out one of Lelouch's more vulnerable sides and made us remember that he is, in fact, a young man. When CC left, Lelouch behaved like a jilted lover, a guy whose girlfriend was leaving him to return to her ex. The fact that he said "Don't go, stay with me!" is pretty much a givaway that Lelouch already had a thing for CC and was more hurt by the thought of her leaving him than fearful that she would reveal his secrets.

The creator revealed in a recent interview that he wanted to include Mao in the recap movie but wasn't able to for time reasons.

Can anyone imagined if Mao wasn't a psycho obsessed with C.C. and joined the Black Knights imagine how much Lelouch would get done

I love Mao's arc specifically because it shows how well the writers think through the implications of every word and action the characters take. It also shows how well they can portray smart characters (tbh these are probably some of Lelouch's smartest plays early on) and I love it.

Mao also takes part as one of the reason why Lelouch rejected his parents' idea in making a world where everyone can read anyone's mind. He remembered how Mao turned out to be after being able to read everyone's mind and Charles' and Marianne's goal is simply making people experience that for the rest of their lives.

And let's not forget the trick he used to beat Mao the first time is how Lelouch finally gets Schneizel

And on the other hand Mao's storyline also perfectly foreshadows the SAZ debacle and several other plot points. Let me explain:- - Mao has, from the offset, clearly lost control of his Geass, which has eroded his mind; it affects everyone around him when before we can assume that he could direct it to one specific person, just like Lelouch could initially. This foreshadows Lelouch's own Geass Runaway and that when it comes it will cause something to harm him emotionally; the flashbacks Lelouch suffers when Nunnally declares the resurrection of the SAZ and Suzaku noticing Lelouch's candle at Euphy's memorial show how he never really gets over it, even if he never talks about it. - Mao's dependence on C.C. after realising he can never be safe around others mirrors Lelouch's brief stint where he believes he can't see the others again and that he'll have to stay as Zero, but it is only a mirror since C.C. has a means to help him in the form of the contact lenses, while before all she could do was take Mao away from other people. - Mao's warping of Shirley's inner conflict to convince her she's a terrible person and that she and Lelouch both deserve to die foreshadows not only Lelouch misrepresenting the reason for the massacre in its aftermath but also Lelouch misrepresenting his role in the massacre in R2 when he makes out that it was all intentional to make it easier on Suzaku killing him, as well as his entire personality assassination in preparation for the Zero Requiem. - And Mao's actions throughout his storyline - mind-raping Shirley, shooting C.C., kidnapping and trying to kill Nunnally - foreshadow the misfortune that will come to Lelouch's loved ones if he keeps over-relying on his Geass, such as Euphemia's massacre, Suzaku nuking the Tokyo Settlement, the Black Knights' betrayal of Lelouch and everything that follows.

Mao is definitely one of the most overlooked characters in Code Geass. In this strange, up-and-down show, it tends to be the more minor characters like Mao that actually hold up under critical analysis. The only thing I would add are the many metaphors and implications about Lelouch and C.C's sexual tension/history, and how that is a weapon Lelouch uses to enrage Mao. The implication is that Mao holds C.C up to some kind of sick pedestal, and based on some of his langue: he clearly fetishizes C.C as part of his obsession. To trigger Mao's jealousy, Lelouch specifically says something like: 'I have seen the parts of her you never have, Mao.' Which is the final straw for Mao, and in that same shot/transition, we see his silhouette holding the chainsaw in a very... phallic way. I wish I had the timestamp, but if you rewatch the scene you'll see what I mean. This sexual frustration and inadequacy plays as a metaphor for his failure in 'fulfilling C.C's wish', which was the original reason she gave him Geass. He wasn't good enough to fulfill her wish... he wasn't good enough to have sex with... it's kind of one and the same in an emotional way that he couldn't 'satisfy' C.C. The sexual inadequacy/jealousy Mao feels towards Lelouch about C.C is an important character moment for Mao, but also informs us just a little on the vague nature of Lelouch and C.C's possibly sexual relationship. (All I'm saying is that she lies around in her underwear in his room a lot... but whether it's fan-service or subtle story telling is hard to know!) I could be reading too far into it though. Great video in any case dude!

Mao's an unforgettable character But I feel kind of sad for him, having to constantly hear everyone's thoughts if their withing a 2 football field radius from him. Even if it's fiction, I feel like I hope he could find a way to live peacefully without reading minds so often

I wish Mao stayed longer in the show he could have been the Joker of Code Geass.

One thing you got to love about mao is he's a perfect example of how the power of geass can manipulate you and twist your world upside down, a template for what lelouch will eventually become also good video.

Wow! Great analysis. Love seeing content about Geass, it's my favorite show! I don't think you mentioned this here but another reason why Mao is important is because it shows how Lelouch gained the personal experience to disagree with Charles' plan of everyone being together as one conscious. Being together means they can all understand each other's thoughts; there are no more masks or barriers between people. But this goes back to Mao and how his Geass which forces him to always hear people's thoughts, drove him crazy. In Mao's case, the lack of a barrier between him and others drove him insane, and he was not able to live life like a normal human. Lelouch says that he has seen that Charles' proposal won't work, and I believe it was alluding at least partially to Mao.

This adds another meaning to C.C. opening line, "You have a reason for living" the fact that Lelouch had an ambition played a part in her choosing him

I think the Mao moment perfectly illustrates the motifs of the show. C.C. mentions that Geass isolates its wielder, but we don't see it better than we do with him. C.C. essentially groomed him, a six year old boy, to take her place just as the nun had done to her prior. When he failed to do this, she abandoned him, his one human connection. It shows how gray C.C. is as a character and plays into the ending as well. In a way, C.C.'s past sins are part of the reason why (in the original timeline) I feel that Lelouch and C.C. don't deserve a happy ending. Everyone points to Lelouch's many, many sins, but forget that C.C. is complicit, and betrayed the pact she had with Mao.

Mao's main role in the story is to inform us more about Geass in general. There is so much show-don't-tell going with him that is actually insane, and his importance is often overlooked because on re-watches because we take the reveals that come from him for granted. But his introduction was our first confirmation that yeah, there are a lot of other Geass users in the world, and this thing is as much a curse as it is a blessing.

Excellent video for sure, but I think the biggest reveal to me was that the park was called Clovis'Land. Like...wow, how did I not notice that LOL?

Mao is underrated character deserve more screen time. ("Clap""Clap""Clap""Clap""Clap")

Mao is an amazing villain who need more screen time, or at-least more plot time.

For me, Mao is my favorite Code Geass villain.

The bomb? What? That was a device against mole people! Team deathmatch

I just realized that the episode with Mao an Nunally, we can see how Lelouch looses his hope. We see it multiple times in other seens, but none shows how he freaks out like that. I mean in the end he realized that he used the geass on him, but in that moment he did not know,we are shown how much he really cares for nunally

Honestly, they shouldn't have taken out Mao from the recap movie. They should have improved on him. As a character and role in the storyline, he did well, but his screentime is what really harmed him in general.

If you were to ask me who my favorite Villain in Code Geass is, I wouldn't say Charles, V.V., Schneizel, or any of the obvious choices. It's Mao. He's a prime example of a frightening antagonist who doesn't need to stick around for the entirety of a show to make his mark. In fact, I kinda wish there were more villain characters like him. He only appears in a handful of episodes, but the whole concept behind him is a terrifying one to think about. As Kato stated in the video, Mao is a foil to Lelouch and a demonstration of what can happen when you lose yourself to Geass... and all sense of humanity. This was etched into stone with Euphemia's tragic fate, but Mao sowed the seeds. Prior to Mao's introduction, the viewer was tricked into thinking that Lelouch's Geass power was a panacea that could do seemingly-nothing wrong. Enter Mao, who not only embodies a "failed persona" of a man Lelouch could have become, he also validates the character of C.C., who up until this point did nothing except order Pizza Hut and take kawaii poses with Cheese-kun. Mao takes the series into a necessary dark direction, proving that: 1.) Lelouch's Geass powers are not unique, and others have existed before him. 2.) C.C. had a failed relationship with Mao years ago at seemingly the same age, raising serious questions about who she truly is. 3.) Mao could not turn his Geass power off, which considering his power, somehow makes feel you bad for the lunatic. I'd probably go insane too! He's chaotic evil in a weirdly empathetic sort of way, which is an odd thing to say, especially for a dude who barely has any screen time. Furthermore, the impact of Mao is felt in the later episodes when Lelouch finally "checkmates" Schneizel. If you pay close attention to how Lelouch overcomes Mao, Lelouch's triumph over Schneizel is handled in a shockingly similar fashion. Mao is an amazing villain because he's one of the few minor antagonists who carries substance without feeling like "filler" or "villain of the week" fodder, which so many other anime fall victim to. Granted, I do think Code Geass is a wildly inconsistent show overall, but the high points are so remarkable, and Mao absolutely contributes heavy to this. tl;dr: Mao is awesome and an integral part of Code Geass. He's seriously up there in my favorite villains list, and I feel like no one ever talks about him. Code Geass would be sacrificing a lot of its backstory, character development, and even empathy if Mao were to ever be written out of the story. Oh wait...

Mao is one of the most underrated villains I've seen. He is really weak compared to the political power others have but still he managed to be a menace to Lelouch.

Mao’s one of my favorite characters in code geass!

Good analysis, subscribed.

I finished watching this show about a month ago, it was so good especially to me because I could relate so much, I’m 17 and I competitively play chess and beat almost everyone but never beating my brother always infuriated me because I thought I was better than him, I won’t say I’m like Lelouch but his battle with schnitzel reminded me of my brother

I think Mao is foreshadowing Lelouch's unable to control the Geass

As a note, I’ve actually just finished the show recently, so I’m not as incredibly in depth as you are, but I can definitely I really appreciated and enjoyed Mao as an antagonist and a dark reflection of Lelouch. When I first saw him in the first episode he was in, I actually compared him to the Joker in a weird way, with him seeing Shirley shooting Lelouch as the “fun way” and him getting the shotgun ready to kill both of them is the “boring way,” he clearly wanted Lelouch’s death to be a personal one, something that would break him on a psychological level as he dies. I kinda saw him as the chaotic person, hence my comparison with the Joker, though I’m not entirely sure by the end he’s really like that. It’s not that he particularly is an agent of chaos, he more just wanted vengeance on someone who in his eyes “took his girl away from him,” and just to get him out of the picture so C.C. would be all his. And when C.C. went into his backstory and how his Geass affects him, I felt pity more than anything, understanding his psychotic behavior and obsession with C.C. and ultimately just feeling like he was just a broken man who has gone completely mad. And he was a lot of fun as a foil for Lelouch, because Lelouch relies on his mind, it becomes Mao’s ultimate strength, because what use is strategy and thinking when your opponent literally knows every thought your thinking about. I loved the attention to detail when Lelouch thought of multiple theories all at once as to who Mao could be and Mao applauded saying the exact number of theories he had, this both shows how intelligent Lelouch is while also showing how Mao has basically mastered using his Geass while Lelouch is still just starting out. It was a nice short nemesis dynamic. A part of does wish they did more with Mao, because he is an interesting character, but I’m glad we got what we have.

It reminds me of jumanji where the The police actually thought that Alan’s father chop them up into little pieces and stuff I’m on a wall

Very good video bro

My fav code geass arc. This was insane

How are you so good at anylizing things as to manage to find meaning in a SIGN? You're good at this stuff.

Mao's importance is not being the antagonist, but laying the plot of "Geass out of control". And we see how tragic that could be in later "bloodstained Euphe".

Need that video on how lelouch convinced C2 to live pls

Thank you, I have always hated mao as a person, but have been trying to summarize why I didn't think he was a waste of three episodes. This video perfectly describes why how he wasn't just an OP opponent for lelouch. P.S. I was wondering about your name and code geass is my favorite anime as well!

Mao flexes his powers so much that he covers his eyes just to show that he can read what someone sees from his mind

With the announcement of Code Geass R3 there is much to discuss. A closer to look at Lelouch and CC would be very interesting as they are more than likely going to be the main characters. On a side note how about a closer look at characters from Akito the exile such as Leila as well. This video was well done, keep up the good work.

*Name reads as Kato* "My name is Zero"

Glad to see some love for Mao. He isn't the most popular but he's absolutely my favorite character in this show, despite his short stay.

I feel kinda attached to this character just because I did the exact same thing about his headphone thing

Your comments about Mao not being able to have normal relationships with people brought to mind the debate Lelouch had with Charles about the importance of masks and lies. Mao is someone that no one can lie to, and while his power to hear the thoughts of everyone around him and his inability to turn it off drives him insane, it's reasonable to expect that even if he could, he'd never have a normal relationship with another person.

Ok but how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?

No character is deeper than Table-kun Zero, don't lie to us.

You can't force someone to take your immortality in Code Geass. That is why the nun stabs CC in her flashback, to make her take the immortality or die right there.

4:14 Lelouch just staring into the camera for 10 seconds pretending he could hear Mao

Whats your favorite episode in the show besides the last episode(if that one is your favorite)?

To answer your question at the end of the video, I would enjoy more videos on code geass

I agree that its important to the story as it foreshadows the fact that lelouch losses the ability to control his geass. as well as adding to suzaku and Shirley's character ark. However it lasts three episodes back to back with no continuation between them. You could probably watch each episode from any point in the first season and it would still make sence.

Sound quality/100

Mao had that professor Xavier at full effect

Mao was the one interesting character in the whole show, not only because he showed how manipulative C.C is for giving a little kid powers he doesn't understand and binding him to her, but also almost ending her, which would have a actually made me continue the series. C.C ruined it for me.

the importance of mao is to make a strategic counter to schneizel because mao geass and schneizel's mind are mostly same

Imagine if Lelouch didn’t give in to his anger and brainwash Mao at the end. Oh man the story would have changed so vastly and Lelouch could have won the black rebellion since he had someone that can rival Schneitzel on his side. I wish Lelouch could have somehow made a deal with Mao and offer to help him remove his suffering using his Geass to grant him an absolute will or limited amnesia. But at this point Mao was beyond reasoning.

Kinda feel bad for Mao I think anyone would become like him if they experienced what he had to go through.

Mao's existence completely decannonizes Code Geass Akito movies.

Let's face it, Mao's ultimate contribution was the plot progression he created with both Shirley and Susaku. Without Mao's actions and blubbering mouth two big forces for the development of the entire first season would never have come full circle. While the Shirley plot could have gone any way without him, the presence of Geass in her situation, the threat of it growing more, and the interaction with CC are all what made that emotionally stick, and then Susaku...yeah I don't see any way for Lelouch to have learned that without undermining some other characters and the Importance of the reveal.

This is SO good like wow this show is 100/100 and more

The movies see Mao and be like: backspace

This is an awesome analysis video! Mao is certainly that minor character that brings a massive impact. It even ties into the Ragnarok Connection; Mao is the proof the whole plan is stupid and will destroy humanity.

all good points but why are you using footage from Code MENT? lol

This video's title^ ''Lol, that's what I was wondering...''

I've been searching for weeks, what the hell is Mao's theme called?

**watches the start of the video** now I know that I’m not the only one who likes code geass. Yey.

Like before watching...You know why....

Love these individual character analysis on Code Geass characters. Plans for more?

Without Mao the euphinator scene would've come out of nowhere.

Well, well, well I found that instigator who is using​ my name.

Mao: I look good in pictures what can I say?

Watching this video again made me realize that Mao is also a bit of a plot hole for the 1st season of Code Geass. He's not an immortal being like CC with a code yet he shows up to mess with Lelouch one more time just a few days after being shot up by a firing squad thanks to "Britannian medical science". I'm like, seriously? By that reasoning, Shirley and Euphemia should have lived too since they also had access to Britannian medical science. Not only that, Mao didn't even have a scratch on his body! Anyone else would have been hospitalized for months after being pelted by a hailstorm of bullets-if they survived and most don't.

I had not considered the parallels to CC

My favorite anime character lilosh (zero)

Zero nice to meet you.. From nearzero!

Hey are you excited for season 3, fukkatsu

Maos final battle was HYPE! Lelouch fukin GEASSED HIMSELF! And it was one of the times suzaku was a good human. ._.- 、

Welp. He's gone in the recap movies.

How did lelouch's power work on Mao? When he ordered him to stop talking? Can anyone please explain this to me??

My question is why is R2 and R3 so strange to me why can i not get it ?

Listening to the childish way Mao talks when he sees C.C. makes me sad. His manipulative ramblings were creepy to me at first and his thinly veiled preening himself when speaking to Lelouch got on my nerves SO MUCH when I first watched the show over a decade ago. But now...just makes me sad. It kind of mirrors Haku's relationship with Zabuza. The very power that makes you special to someone is what causes your isolation to everyone but that one person. And so you become dependent on them. But in Mao's case he was never really given a chance.

he's there to tell us background story of CC, her relationship with geass user, and a possibility of what Lelouch could become

Why didn't CC just give the code to Mao, as he had both eyes..

Conclusion: Mao is just the example of runaway geass

to be fair brief mentions and things being on screen for half a second is more a result of the show having half the number of episodes than anything else.

He is in fact so important, that they let him out of the second recap Movie and therefore deleted him out of the universe/canon.

I don't think Mao would have taken her immortality willingly even if she tried forcing him by fatally wounding him like the nun did to her. She may have tried to trick him and failed. Then she left because she could not bear killing him.

So lelouch's geass is getting exp and whenever it level ups he becomes madballs insane Aight got it

Can someone please tell me how he found Shirley and knew to find her???

Make a video The genius of Kirito Sword art online hehe

wait there was a point where lelouche couldn't turn it off?

I have tourettes I am blowing up the sun for strong sad, oogaboogabooga.

My nickname was zero in 8t grade

I thought you called yourself kato

I wonder what what would of happened if moa actually beat lelouch and killed his sister, I wonder what would of happened, I could see lelouch actually killing CC and becoming immortal, what would lelouch methods after would be without his sister, how would it effect the rest of the story

i disagree with the intent behind the scene where lulouche uses geass on c2 it was my impression that since mao could hear thoughts that they were both suspicious mao was around to hear lulouches thoughts and c2 thought so too so they played a charade where c2 leaves him and lulouche pretends to try and get her back sort of cementing the act afterall lulouche knows geass doesnt work on her why would he try it otherwise?

Not anymore sadly