Fighting Your Own Demons: What's Really Terrifying in the Mystery Thriller Anime 'Mayoiga'

Mayoiga, also known as The Lost Village, is a 12 episode anime series produced by Diomedéa, directed by Tsutomu Mizushima, and written by Mari Okada. The story follows 30 young men and women who go on a tour to Nanaki Village, which is said to be a utopia according to urban legend. At the village, these young people hope to have a fresh start and escape their troubled lives. Yet once they arrived, they soon discover that the village is barren, and a mysterious presence is lurking around them.

Mayoigareceived mixed reviews from viewers due to poor storytelling, the lack of fleshed-out characters, and a not-so-clearly defined genre to situate the anime in. However, Mayoiga did intrigue me with its interpretation of young people's moral values and character. Mayoiga exposes a dark perspective on today's youth, which I think is the true horror of this show.

A Generation of Laziness and Foolishness

Some of the Mayoiga characters' reasons for getting a fresh start in life are justified, but the others' are due to selfishness and laziness. I understand the reasoning of a character such as Yuna, because she suffered from sexual harassment at work and hopes to live a safe and fulfilling life in Nanaki Village. Yet, someone like Puuko doesn't have a valid reason to leave her previous life. Puuko is on the tour only to find love, or as she puts it, trying to find "an Adam to her Eve." Now nothing is wrong with finding love, but running away from home just to do that seems a bit foolish.

In one perspective, you can assume that the characters are a bit immature and naive—they haven't fully lived their lives to its potential. Mayoiga exaggerates the characterization of the cast, but I feel like the characters are a reflection of today's young generation. With all the technology surrounding them, I think this generation of youngsters are too self-reliant on the internet and social media; in addition, individuals are more prone to cyberbullying, which also adds to the self-esteem issues that young people experience on a daily basis, just like the Mayoiga characters.

Lack of Human Compassion

Right from the beginning, we are aware of these characters' selfish personas. When one of their group members, Yottsun, disappears into the forest, they don't seem too worried about him; in fact, they all decided to cook a hearty meal, as opposed to searching for him. The only person who was concerned about Yottsun was Valkana.

It annoyed me that none of these characters are capable of showing sympathy towards another person, even if he or she is a complete stranger. Although each person on the tour aims to create a better life for himself or herself, they seem to only focus on their selfish desires. Human compassion is something that they forgo on this trip.

No Such Thing as Innocent Until Proven Guilty

The characters of Mayoiga attempt to create a democratic system for their community. Yet when faced with a dilemma, the group's confrontation with the accused seems like a witchhunt rather than a civil meeting.

For example, the group is quick to hold Masaki responsible for the monsters lurking in the woods. When confronting her, Speedstar and some of the others tie her up, as if she's an actual witch being burned at the stake. They think Masaki is a ghost, because she is unable to see any monsters and because she didn't want anyone to leave Nanaki Village regardless of the eerie things that occurred. A majority of the evidence seems to be circumstantial and does not provide enough validation that Masaki is, in fact, responsible for the weird occurrences. Yet everyone ignorantly blames her and do not care to listen to her side of the story. Masaki is surrounded by a mob and their harsh demeanor makes it difficult for her to defend herself.

There were many scenes like Masaki's in Mayoiga where viewers reacted with anger and annoyance at the characters, because they seem to ignore all logic and reasoning. Rather than individually deciding what is right, they tend to go with what the majority says or believes, even if they know it is morally wrong. We can't blame them for feeling scared and frightened, but that isn't an excuse to blame someone else without any clear evidence.

Now, there are moments where emotion conquers reasoning and, in situations like that, we tend to jump to conclusions without fully understanding the situation or a person. Yet, if you learn to listen to someone's side of a story, you will be able to look at a situation from different angles and be able to understand that person's point of view. If we do that, we can solve misunderstandings peacefully, make compromises, and also be able to understand those who are different than us.

Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself

We eventually learn that the monsters lurking in the forest are apparitions symbolizing each character's past trauma that they were trying to run away from when first joining the bus tour. These "monsters" drive characters to fear and anxiety, but at the same time, they help characters cope and confront their personal insecurities. For example, Yottsun joined the trip out of frustration. He's a struggling rapper, but soon after he learns to accept his failures and it allows him to escape Nanaki Village.

Hence, the setting, Nanaki Village, could be seen as a source of healing for people. When encountering a "monster" in Nanaki Village, each character must learn to acknowledge his or her trauma or insecurity as part of them, which will allow them to become a stronger person.

It isn't the scary monsters or the sociopathic characters that make Mayoiga a horror anime. It's the personal struggles that each character goes through that causes viewers to be reminded of their own personal insecurities—and that can be seen as truly horrifying, because no one wants to expose his or her faults to others. Whether it is overcoming your fears or recognizing your personality flaws, Mayoiga reminds viewers that we all have imperfections that can make one feel vulnerable. We need to learn to accept our flaws and become mentally strong individuals.

If you want to watch Mayoiga, you can check it out on Crunchyroll.