Tonikaku Cawaii Chapter 252 (The Path Less Traveled)

February 29th, 2024

AstroNerdBoy

Tonikaku Cawaii Chapter 252
Tonikaku Kawaii Fly Me to the Moon 252
トニカクカワイイ 252

Spoiler Summary/Synopsis:

Ato informs Tsukasa that Mao quit school to perform sādhanā deep in the mountains. He figures Tsukasa did something again. Tsukasa gets angry over this. Despite the wolves and bears in the mountains, Ato requests she not help Mao. The annoyed Tsukasa remarks on how mortals die full of regrets.

Out in the mountains, an exhausted Mao completes his 52nd day. He wonders how he can get through the remaining 48 days. As Mao contemplates his situation, a large bear shows up. Mao figures he is dead, but then recalls Tsukasa’s wish to go to the moon, find Kaguya, and become mortal again. That gives him the strength to grab his staff and fend off the bear.

Tsukasa reveals her presence and encourages Mao to return to school. She opens up to him with an anecdote to try to get him to change his mind. Although he understands what she’s saying, he still wants to discover the secret of immortality. That way, he could stand by Tsukasa’s side forever since she looks so lonely. He laments that Tsukasa wants to die rather than wanting to live.

Thoughts/Review:

I’ve stated that I’ve not been as jazzed about this Mao arc we’re currently in. However, Tonikaku Cawaii Chapter 252 kinda changed my mind. Mao represents the extreme lengths people have gone to in order to make her wish come true. I think he’s an outlier, considering that Ato didn’t do anything like this. But we did see the lengths Tokiko went though.

In a way, Mao reminds me of Nasa. Actually, Nasa feels like the culmination of what Mao is trying to achieve. Mao is attempting to learn vast amounts of information by using a dangerous technique. Nasa learns fairly quickly, almost as if he has a special ability to do so. I’m not going to lie, but since I already think Nasa is the reincarnation of Prince Shoutoku. And perhaps Mao is as well.

We’ll see where Hata-sensei takes things. However, I could understand Mao’s desires to help Tsukasa. I appreciated his desire that Tsukasa would wish to live rather than die. Maybe that’s what caused Tsukasa to become the masked avenger.