Mayuko Nise is High-Rise Invasion''s deuteragonist and Yuri''s first real ally in the skyscraper city. When they meet, one (Yuri) is in panic; the other (Mayuko) has already adapted — armed, fit, survival instincts honed.
What sets her apart
Mayuko reads as a threat at first — knife in hand, fixed stare, keeping distance. Yuri building trust with her is one of the first quarter''s tightest arcs. The payoff isn''t a storybook friendship — more like two classmates surviving together.
She''s from her school''s judo team; physically much stronger than Yuri. That creates an unusual register for anime — the protagonist is the weaker fighter, the ally does the heavy lifting. Mayuko fights; Yuri plans.
The most striking thread is the intense attachment Mayuko forms to Yuri. Survival horror rarely lets two characters bond at this low-key emotional register — Mayuko''s pull toward Yuri is protective, possessive, edging on obsessive. The show runs it as undertone, not subtext.
Her place in the story
Mayuko shifts Yuri from solo survivor to member of a small unit. When later episodes pair them with other survivors, Yuri''s ability to trust at all is built on the single successful alliance she had with Mayuko first.
In combat scenes Mayuko is the decisive factor; the Sniper Mask encounter — where her instincts meet Yuri''s plan — is the show''s pivot.
Tracking on Episodo
Mayuko''s arc runs parallel to Yuri''s — episode-by-episode growth matters. The Episodo extension keeps your Netflix progress straight so long breaks don''t leave you re-orienting from scratch.
