This article contains details about plotlines described in the anime. Do not proceed unless you want to be spoiled. |
Mao Hiiragi is a supporting character in Love Live! Superstar!!. She was a third year student (initially a second year in Season 1) at Kozu Girls' High School until she graduated in the second season's finale. She is a co-founder of Sunny Passion. Her image color is passion wine red.[1]
Background[]
Mao Hiiragi was born and raised in Kōzu-shima, and has a strong connection to the island and its people. In the second prologue to From The Passion Island, she recognizes everyone who came to their show by name and has many memories with them. In her side story in Love Live! School idol festival she describes the island as "one big family". Along with Yuna Hijirisawa, she formed the school idol group Sunny Passion.
Mao is close friends with Yuna Hijirisawa, and grew up with her on the island. In From The Passion Island, she describes Yuna as being "cheerful and energetic like the sun" and says she's "always bringing her new surprises". Yuna is the main reason she became a school idol, and says she likes being in Sunny Passion because she can pursue the same goal as Yuna. With Yuna by her side, she formed Sunny Passion with the goal to liven up the island they love.
Just like Yuna, she helps Liella! despite their rivalry. She says she was initially drawn to them because "they shone so brightly". She believed that they were kind of people who could bring out the best in each other when they're together.
Personality[]
Mao is called the "Sexy Night" of Sunny Passion because of her beauty and cool demeanor. Although she appears to be calm and collected at all times, she has a hidden emotional side as well. In From The Passion Island, Yuna says that despite being such a composed person, Mao gets very emotional when watching movies, and that she finds that side of her cute. Her life outside of being an idol is also quite ordinary, and she believes that if she hadn't become an idol, she would be a very boring high school girl.
Mao's cool and mature personality contrasts with Yuna's infectious energy, and this contrast is one of the key features of Sunny Passion[2]. When it comes to her role in Sunny Passion, Mao is in charge of gathering information as well as coordinating the practice menu. Her and Yuna work together on costumes and songs. The practice schedules she makes are very intense, and she's very strict about the two waking up early to practice often. Mao also teases Yuna often, such as in Volume 4 of From The Passion Island when she teases her about skipping out on ice cream to improve her figure.[3]
Appearance[]
Mao has long purple hair with pink highlights. She also has side-swept bangs. Her eyes are purple, and she has thick prominent eyebrows.
Songs[]
The songs featuring Mao are:
Sunny Passion (Group)[]
Etymology[]
- The name Mao means "chafe, rub, polish, grind, scrape" (摩) (ma) and "center" (央) (o).
- Mao's surname Hiiragi means "holly osmanthus" (柊).
Trivia[]
- In the Q&A section of the Sunny Passion Fanbook, some facts about Mao are revealed:[4]
- When asked about her special skill, she says that she never lost a staring contest to Yuna. Although she doesn't make any funny expressions, Yuna ends up bursting into laughter.
- When asked what she likes about Yuna, she says its her straightforwardness, but also that "there's something else, but it's a secret."
- When Mao's icon was first revealed in merchandise, the color was incorrect. It was later corrected in merchandise[5] commemorating SunnyPa day.
