Mako Mankanshoku lives with her eccentric family in the slums of Honnō City and attends Honnōji Academy as a No-Star student. She first befriends Ryūko Matoi upon her transfer to the school. After Ryūko’s initial clash with Student Council president Satsuki Kiryūin, Mako was taken hostage by the Disciplinary Committee due to her association with Ryūko, nearly being executed in a vat of boiling oil before Ryūko rescued her.

Following Ryūko’s victory over Boxing Club captain Takaharu Fukuroda, the Mankanshoku family welcomed Ryūko into their home. Mako soon became Ryūko’s closest ally, often accompanying her despite the danger. She was repeatedly captured by club captains, such as Omiko Hakodate of the Tennis Club, only to be saved by Ryūko. Mako often defended Ryūko verbally, including during Sanageyama’s criticisms, and even provided pivotal encouragement during Ryūko’s first battle against Satsuki. Her impassioned speech about self-acceptance helped Ryūko embrace Senketsu fully, unlocking her true potential.

Mako also played a comedic but crucial role in several academy events. During the “No-Late Day” challenge, she accompanied Ryūko and argued with Ira Gamagōri, poking fun at his personal habits. Later, she was tricked by Maiko Ōgure into helping steal Senketsu, though the two ultimately reclaimed him and made it back to class in dramatic fashion.

Her most significant arc came when she was appointed President of the Fight Club after Ryūko declined the responsibility. Initially proving herself competent in the role, Mako and her family quickly ascended the academy’s ranks, moving into luxury as her club thrived. However, this newfound status corrupted both her and her family. When ordered to fight Ryūko to maintain her position, Mako nearly defeated her friend but ultimately relented after realizing the toll ambition had taken on them. She disbanded the Fight Club and willingly returned to her life as a No-Star, reaffirming her loyalty to Ryūko and her family’s humble, carefree lifestyle.

Mako Mankanshoku is a teenage girl with brown eyes and short brown hair styled in a bowl cut. Throughout most of the series, she wears the standard No-Star student uniform of Honnōji Academy: a white short-sleeved blouse with a blue neckerchief, a blue pleated skirt, white socks, and light brown loafers.

In the final episode, following the defeat of Ragyō and COVERS, Mako is shown in casual attire while on a date with Ryūko. Her outfit consists of purple shorts, a pink top layered over a white undershirt, and a purple shoulder bag, highlighting a more relaxed and cheerful side of her character outside the academy setting.

Mako Mankanshoku is energetic, carefree, and deeply affectionate, quickly forming strong attachments to those she befriends, most notably Ryūko Matoi, with whom she becomes inseparable. Despite her boundless energy, Mako is also portrayed as lazy, often dozing off in class moments after lessons begin, a contrast that underscores her comedic role in the series.

Mako is largely fearless, rarely intimidated even in life-threatening situations, and while she generally respects the authority of Honnōji Academy’s leaders, she is unafraid to voice her own opinions, famously chastising Ira Gamagōri for sleeping nude instead of wearing pajamas.

Though usually scatterbrained, Mako demonstrates surprising focus and competence when properly motivated. As president of the Fight Club, she proved capable of handling administrative duties with unexpected professionalism, managing paperwork and organizational tasks while leading her peers.

Her upbringing in poverty shaped her family’s obsession with wealth, a flaw that briefly led her to oppose Ryūko when material comforts corrupted the Mankanshoku household. Like the rest of her family, she also harbors an intense, sometimes comical love of food, which often becomes a running gag throughout the series.

Two-Star Goku Uniform
In Episode 7, Satsuki Kiryūin awarded Mako a Two-Star Goku Uniform after she became president of the Fight Club. Styled after a bancho (delinquent gang leader), the uniform featured a black overcoat draped over her shoulders with two red four-pointed stars on the belt, gold-studded trim, and red spikes on the shoulders. She also wore a black cap adorned with a golden crescent moon, spiked cuffs, brass knuckles engraved with her name, and traditional geta footwear. Hidden within the coat were various golden weapons, including a wrench and a morning star.

In combat, Mako used her geta for powerful kicks and wielded her assortment of weapons in improvised barrages. She could bind enemies with a chain, bludgeon them with a golden bat studded with nails, and even fire a missile from the bat, though the weapon would shatter afterward. Her enhanced strength while wearing the uniform allowed her to create shockwaves with her punches strong enough to blast away One-Star students and even stagger members of the Elite Four.

By the end of Episode 7, Mako relinquished her uniform to Ryūko, who destroyed it and absorbed its Life Fibers into Senketsu. After Episode 22, a rebuilt and upgraded version of the uniform, crafted from the remains of destroyed COVERS, was given back to Mako.

Life Fiber Adaptability
Mako is shown to possess unusual compatibility with Life Fibers. Among all the students who wore Two-Star Goku Uniforms, she demonstrated the most dramatic increase in combat ability. This adaptability was further highlighted in Episode 19, when she was absorbed by a COVERS and the organism immediately transformed into a significantly larger and stronger form than others of its kind.

Matarō Mankanshoku
Mako is the elder sister of Matarō Mankanshoku. She is often exasperated by his mischief and delinquent tendencies, but her bond with him is typical of a sibling relationship, blending annoyance with familial care.

Ryūko Matoi
Mako quickly becomes Ryūko’s closest friend after her transfer to Honnōji Academy. She provides unwavering emotional support, often encouraging Ryūko during her battles and helping her overcome her insecurities about wearing Senketsu. Although initially bewildered by Ryūko’s conversations with the sentient uniform, whom she cannot hear, Mako shows no judgment and instead emphasizes Ryūko’s loneliness. Their friendship is portrayed as deeply affectionate; before Ryūko’s final confrontation with Ragyō Kiryūin, Mako asks her on a date, which Ryūko later recalls as motivation to keep fighting. After the battle, they are shown going on that date, with Satsuki accompanying them in the closing scenes.

Ira Gamagōri
Mako also develops a notable connection with Ira Gamagōri. Though their interactions are often comedic, Gamagōri consistently demonstrates a protective attitude toward her, at times placing her safety above his own. Their bond is portrayed as one of mutual respect, with hints of Gamagōri harboring deeper feelings for her.