Maimai-onba is a powerful moth demon from Dororo who pretends to be human and acts as the wife of Sabame. Her true form is monstrous and deadly, spraying toxic dust to harm people. She lays many eggs and tries to use humans to grow her family. Maimai-onba uses tricks and violence to keep her identity hidden, but when she is discovered, she becomes furious and cruel. She is a major enemy for Hyakkimaru and Dororo, and her actions lead to fierce battles, destruction, and tragedy.
Maimai-onba looks like a human woman when she is disguised, often appearing as Sabame’s wife.
Her true form is a giant poisonous moth monster.
In some versions, her wings are covered with eyes and she is horribly ugly, looking nothing like a human.
Her children are large caterpillar-like monsters.
Maimai-onba is cunning and uses people to get what she wants.
She loves her children and tries to protect and grow her family at any cost.
She is cold-hearted and will harm or kill innocent people if they find out her secret.
When her tricks are discovered, she shows her true violent and monstrous self.
Maimai-onba is one of the 48 demons (or twelve demon gods, depending on the version) in Dororo.
She marries Sabame to use him and his village to create more of her kind.
Before marrying Sabame, she had a child with someone else, and that man died after giving all his energy to her.
Other women serving her are also moth monsters like her.
In one version, she says she comes from a faraway world, which hints she might even be an alien.
She can transform into a human to trick people.
Her true moth form can spread poisonous scales that hurt or kill living beings.
She lays many eggs and her babies grow quickly into monsters.
She has mind control over Sabame and her servants.
She and her children have strong instincts to fly into the light, which can be used against them.
Sabame — She acts as his wife but only uses him and brainwashes him.
Her children — She cares for her many eggs and larva, protecting them fiercely.
Other moth monsters — Her servants in the manor are actually the same kind as she is.
Villagers — In some versions, she makes deals with villagers to protect them in exchange for sacrifices.
Hyakkimaru and Dororo — They are her enemies who discover her true nature and fight her.
The Insect Attack
Maimai-onba first sends her caterpillar monster children to attack Hyakkimaru and Dororo inside Sabame’s mansion.
Although the monsters try to defeat them, Hyakkimaru fights back and almost kills the larvae.
Maimai-onba saves her babies and escapes for the time being.
Death by Fire
The next day by the lake, Hyakkimaru finds her.
He attacks with his sword, cuts her, and then burns her to death.
Demon’s Plan
She secretly controls Sabame and tries to lay eggs to create even more monsters.
Some villagers and her servant women are also moth monsters in disguise.
When a nun named Jishouni sees her burying an eggshell, Maimai-onba burns down the orphanage with everyone inside to keep her secret.
The dead orphans become spirits who help Dororo and Hyakkimaru fight against her.
Fighting for Revenge
The ghost children and villagers fight her servants, throwing them into a swamp and drowning them.
Hyakkimaru then kills the moth larvae and eggs, making Maimai-onba furious.
True Form Revealed
Her human disguise is lost, revealing her monstrous moth appearance.
Sabame, freed from mind control, is terrified and calls her a monster.
Drawn by a bonfire’s light, she is caught off guard and burned by Hyakkimaru.
Anime Version Differences
In the newer anime, her family lives off eating enemies and runaways near the village.
Villagers know the monsters protect them, so they sometimes offer sacrifices.
After an epic battle, Hyakkimaru burns the newly transformed moth monsters, and fire destroys the village.
Once again, Maimai-onba is killed by fire.
Live Action Version
Here, she is both the moth demon and Jishouni.
She takes in orphans just to feed them to her monster daughters.
Hyakkimaru exposes her, and she tries to stab him but fails.
She is killed when the children’s spirits grab her, and Hyakkimaru cuts her in half.
Her death lets the tormented spirits finally rest.
- Maimai-onba steals a body part from Hyakkimaru. Depending on the version, it can be his right leg, backbone, or liver.
- Her human and monster forms are both scary in different ways.
- Her moth family have strong instincts to fly to the light, which causes their own downfall.
- She has been shown as an alien in some hints.
- After she is defeated, Hyakkimaru usually regains a stolen body part.
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