Mai Sakurajima is the female protagonist in the Seishun Buta Yarou supernatural/psychological light novel and anime series. She's a formerly popular actress whose existence isn't recognized anymore by others, except male protagonist Sakuta. After starting a relationship with him, she constantly helps solving the other cases of the so-called Puberty Syndrome.
She was voiced by Asami Seto in Japanese version and by Erica Mendez in English version.
What Makes Her Pure Good?[]
- While she used to be somewhat bitter and a little harsh at times, largely due to her past where she was betrayed and used as a tool to make money by her mother, she finds cheerfulness and trust in others again thanks to Sakuta, and is suddenly shown to be a deeply kind and loving person at heart.
- Like Sakuta, she's constantly shown to be kind and selfless, ready to help anyone in need, and supports him in solving Puberty Syndrome cases, the first one being Sakuta's little sister Kaede; she also gives to the latter several dresses as a gift and also as to help her coming back to the outside world (a way to help healing the girl's Syndrome case).
- Since her existence is recognized thanks to Sakuta, she saves him from his bad reputation as a violent delinquent by stating in front of all the school that the rumors are all fake.
- Along with Sakuta she also helps healing the Puberty Syndrome case of Rio Futaba.
- Since she doesn't want to burden Sakuta who lost sleep the days he was involved into her Puberty Syndrome case, Mai gives him a pill to finally allow him to sleep.
- She adopts her half-sister Nodoka after she ran away from home, despite the fact that, at first, due to Nodoka’s complex of being inferior to Mai and the two being children of two different women, they used to be a bit hostile towards each other, and due to this they had a supernatural body exchange. That said, they subvert the hostility develop the relationship they've ultimately always wanted, with Mai comforting Nodoka and convincing her to be true to who she really is.
- She is ready to talk again to her mother and forgives her in the end, despite the fact she was emotionally abused and used as a tool to make money by the latter.
- She rejectes her mother’s corruption when she was tricked in making money easily, and also avoids doing petty deeds, like stealing anything, when she temporarily becomes invisible.
- Mai hears and becomes aware of the fact that Sakuta is going to be killed in a car accident, and would become the heart donor of present Shoko, a little girl who has a terminal heart disease - with future teenager Shoko having revealed that she has the heart of Sakuta, who died in the accident, transplanted into her. So, before anything can happen to Sakuta, she sacrifices herself in the place of the fatal accident, dying to save both Sakuta and Shoko, and it turns out she also had decided - and signed the documents - to become a heart donor for the ill girl.
- When Sakuta travels back in the past to revive Mai and avert her death, it turns out Mai had planned to sacrifice herself from the start, and is still very determined to sacrifice herself. However, Sakuta makes sure they'll both be safe now, and they agree to meet in front of Mai’s home, with the Sakuta from the near future pushing away from the road present Sakuta, so that no one dies.
- As Shoko is implied to succumb to her illness, given that Mai's sacrifice is averted now, she and Sakuta agree to travel to another timeline where Shoko is healthy, at the cost they likely would sacrifice their memories of each other on the other hand. They promise to fall in love again, though, and against all odds they also manage to recognize each other along with Shoko, who is now finally a healthy and cheerful little girl who plays with her parents on the beach. Mai then promotes a campaign of becoming a heart donor by making a movie about it.
External Links[]
- Mai Sakurajima on the Heroes Wiki
- Mai Sakurajima on the Love Exalted Wiki