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ファイト／ステイナイト 
Let's get the good things out of the way. I really like the soundtrack which seems to be middle-eastern inspired. The track that plays while the Otome Delta team are about to attack the bus is a good example of this. The same thing can be said about the ED theme. As far as technical aspect goes, the animation and character design are pretty good and look consistent. But Sunrise rarely do a bad job in animation and character design, unless they're really strapped for money. What Sunrise never seems to have in spades is decent script writer. This OVA, just like the one that preceeded it, is pretty sparse in plot and has a slow pacing. The action itself is decent but it doesn't really get exciting until the last 5 minutes of the episode. It's quite clear now that the writers will just cram everything in the last 2 OVAs.
December 4, 2006 | 
33 Comments
I wasn't actually planning to do this since I'm strapped for time but I figure I may as well make the Mai Otome review section complete. Anyway, Mai Otome Zwei is basically a 4 episode series continuation of the popular Mai Otome series. Because of this, the majority of the characters from Mai Otome make a return to this OVA-based series. Having said that, I am not about to hold my breath and hope that some unsolved mysteries from the original series will be resolved in this one. This episode itself is okay, I suppose. If you like the full-on action of the last 2 Mai Otome episode, you'd probably like this one as well. It's good to know that Sunrise finally decide to move with time and presents this show in 16:9 (Widescreen) format. This gives the story a slightly more fluid and dynamic feel during the fight scenes since the animators now have more rooms to move the characters around.
As usual this is just a preview albeit a rather exciting one. The connection between Mai-HiME and Mai Otome is more or less confirmed by these two episodes. Having said that, I must say that just like in HiME, do not expect any detailed explanation about them. If I have to assess the series as a whole, I think this has been a fun but rather shallow series. There were some missed opportunities which I think should have been explored a bit more. I also think the resolution to the series was a bit rushed but thankfully the action scenes pretty much make up for it. And I really hope the OVA will reveal more background story about this universe and its possible connection to Mai-HiME universe.
I never thought that I could be repelled by an image presented in a mainstream anime series but I was obviously wrong. As a whole, this episode is actually quite good. There were some parts of the stories which I thought was truly moving. But in the end, I can't help but thinking about how repulsive the scene in question was and that just completely brought down my enjoyment of this episode and the entire series in general. I'm mostly annoyed by the writers' decision to make the characters in this series act as if they lack brain and logical, sensible thoughts. There is no precedent in which the scene in question should take place. From what I've seen, the situation could have easily gone to other direction.
You know, this episode made me feel like I'm sure several ambitious parents do in the world. There's a time when you realize that your offspring will not make it to the elite university you once hoped it could reach. And in doing so, lowering your expectations, you appreciate your kid's performance more because you feel more relaxed. This is exactly my reaction to Otome23.
This was supposed to be the "explanation-and-setup" episode, bringing light into the mysteries and putting the puzzle pieces together. Unfortunately, in this aspect it failed. On the plus side, we get treated to alot of funny scenes, old friends returning, and decent character development. The dream of becoming a great anime is over, but it can still become a good one. We'll see.
Episode Rating: +
Alright, this was really really good stuff. And it underlines that all the little conveniences, plotholes and a lackluster angst arc of the presumed main character notwithstanding, Otome can change gears and revert to greatness in no time, because the overall foundation of the story is still quite sound. This was a very exciting ride, and backed with the power of some new Yuki Kajiura pieces, I felt treated to 30 most enjoyable minutes. Here's the reward:
Episode Rating: ++
We're getting back on track, slowly but surely. I'm still not too fond of the AAAA (Atrocious Angsty Arika Arc), but now that it's ended in this episode, we'll hopefully see what our heroines can do with their newfound determination.
A general issue I see is that Mai Otome mixes some very "mature" life-and-death issues for groups of people in hostile environments with the naivety of little girls. Yes, it's supposed to be a counterpoint, but it doesn't work too well for me. Mashiro and especially Arika are simply way too much out of their depth, and this puts them into a nearly-complete reactive mode - they don't make things happen, things happen to them instead. That however is not how successful action dramas work.
Episode Review: o
Hm. Rarely has an Otome episode left me with so many conflicting emotions. There are several issues which rubbed me the wrong way, and yet some other parts are filling me with hope that the finish will be stronger than the last two slightly lackluster installments. I guess all things considered, the good and the bad balance out for an overall (o) rating, but this isn't too impressive for a drama show which is supposed to pull out its biggest guns during this time. Anyway, let's hope for the best.
Episode Rating: o
February 19, 2006 | 60 Comments
I'll be blunt, I didn't like this one very much. It's not really the lack of action or drama which bothers me, that's par for the course for a plot development episode. It's the high degree of inconsistency especially of Arika which irritated me a great deal.
Many interesting and important revelations, but none which made me go "wow!" or made me particularly happy. Therefore, what remains is unfortunately a subpar episode.
Rating: -
February 14, 2006 | 30 Comments
I decided to create a new section called Spoiler Crumbs. In this section, I'm going to try to translate whatever Japanese spoiler I can find on the net or in Anime magazines, then probably write a comment about these spoilers. Unless otherwise stated, my sources usually come from Newtype Japan and Animage. If anyone finds spoiler you want to translate, email me and I'll try to do it. I'll mainly focus on the series that I cover or will cover in the future. Having said that, I don't mind if you want to submit spoiler for other series. I'll just create a 'miscellaneous series' entry to deal with it. For now, I'll start with Mai Otome spoiler. I'll follow it up with other series soon. If you don't want to be spoiled of future plots, this is the place to stop. Everyone else can click on the extended link.
February 12, 2006 | 98 Comments
After pushing out 6 encodes in the last week (sorry once more for the delay, Garten, and thanks for your review!) it's time to finally get the job done.
With the last two eps, Mai Otome kick in full gear, in a very dramatic manner. In episode 17, Otome reaps what it had sown before - pretty much all fault lines break open at the same time in a wonderfully orchestrated train wreck. And in 18, Mashiro is taught a brutal but well-deserved and necessary lesson about life, with a highly emotional finish. If Otome can capture and keep this momentum till the end, it can definitely eclipse Mai HiME overall.
Episode 17 rating: (+++)
Episode 18 rating: ++
February 8, 2006 | 35 Comments
Crystal Energy - Performed by Kurubayashi Minami (16.4MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
I was going to review Hanbun no Tsuki episode 2 but I am feeling a bit drowsy now thanks to the cough medicine I just took so I'll leave that for a bit later. For now, I'll just talk about this OP. Before I continue, however, please be aware that this entry contains spoilers for episode 17 and forward. Anyway, I'm glad the second OP is a lot better in comparison to the first OP. A lot of it has to do with the song, which in some ways remind me of Saber Marionette J theme song. And then there is the visual, which is fantastic and full of spoilers. First of all, there are the fractured trio, deliciously evil Tomoe standing in front of a bunch of droids, and Sergey overlayed on top of a bleeding Rena. Then comes the spoiler: Mashiro with the Aswald group, suggesting that Windbloom will make an alliance with Aswald. It's also amusing to see Rad holding Mikoto, which I'm sure is some sort of a nod to Reito and Mikoto's relationship in Mai Hime.
February 2, 2006 | 56 Comments
Time to catch up finally! To make it short and sweet, episode 15 was the weakest one of the show so far - less because of the slightly disturbing Arika-Sergey crush, but more because of pacing problems. Due to the gigantic background story, Mai Otome is working on a time budget, and rarely are even 5 seconds wasted. This time however, I was wishing "come on, get rolling", a sure sign that things went wrong.
Episode 16 however was excellent, featuring a highly spoilerific new OP, interesting character development, good action, drama and what is almost certainly the opening salvo of the serious arc we wished for so much. Time to rumble!
Episode 15 Rating: -
Episode 16 Rating: (++)
January 18, 2006 | 77 Comments
Explosions! Fighting! Drama! The preview in episode 13 almost looked like the introduction of a major slugfest in this one, but nothing like thatt - the fighting itself is only hinted at, what we get to see are only the repercussions of it. However, I have no problem with that at all, because _finally_ the show is obviously heading into the drama direction. And this is a good thing, because we always had good characters and multithreaded plot development, delivered with cute comedy and service. What Otome was lacking in so far was impact: Serious drama. I feel we're gradually getting there.
Good.
Episode Rating: +
Unfortunately Mentar is really busy with his work this week so I have to take over this particular Otome recap. First of all, I have to say that I really enjoyed this episode immensely despite some questionable plot points. In fact, I think almost every episode of Mai Otome has been enjoyable thus far. Having said that, I hope that the plot will pick up soon. I realise that the series has done a better job of spreading the plot lines over the course of 13 episodes. However, I really want the action to pick up soon because I think it'll ramp up the excitement level of the series. This is why I'm happy to see the preview for episode 14 because it looks like the inevitable war finally happens. Anyway, I'll probably be back to do the preview for episode 14 if the episode contains a new OP/ED theme since I want to encode both of them.
Happy new year to all anime fans ^_^
With the christmas break over, it's time to get back into the swing with our favorite series airing again. So, let's go through Otome 12 in order to prepare our seat belts, because it seems obvious that the grace period will be over in the next installment.
What we had here was an installment of "everybody plays someone else" comedy on the surface, but it was rather a character development and setup episode instead, with particularly ominous and foreboding news about the last missing character from MH, Mai herself. Very solid execution, but also nothing groundbreaking either.
Episode Rating: +
December 22, 2005 | 54 Comments
Minimum coverage this time, since I need to get some anime done before christmas. What we have here was a very nice character development episode for Nina - making me very happy, because she's one of the most intriguing characters in Mai Otome. Her father complex is a very limiting factor, so I'm happy to see her personality extended some more. Nevertheless, it's almost painful to see how she is set up for the mother of all heartbreaks.
The second one gaining alot is Arika, whose fateful relationship with Nina is put on a new basis. Even though the "dokidoki" late in the episode really REALLY freaks me out. They wouldn't, would they? Please no!
What remains is a very very solid and balanced episode, better than +, but not quite a full ++ yet. So (++) it is.
Episode Rating: (++)
December 15, 2005 | 30 Comments
After quite some plot and character development episode, this time we get our share of action - still with interesting new revelations, like some Arika/Sergey skinship paired with flaring Nina jealousy, but primarily fancy action. In a hi-budget show like this, that means that we get treated to alot of nice eye candy.
I won't pull a rating better than "+" though, because the action wasn't really paired with much drama. If the battle begins by showing a hilarious scene with Haruka slamming into the ground because she forgot to activate the contract, we immediately learn that the mood is too light for casualties. Which is fine, but means that the emotional involvement is lessened, at least for me. On the positive side, being conservative with casualties can very well mean that this time, there won't be a reset button at the end (my biggest worry), and thus they have to stay balanced.
So, what remains was a very entertaining episode without strings attached.
Episode Rating: +
December 8, 2005 | 45 Comments
I know, I know, it's late. Thankfully, this episode will allow me to breeze through most of the parts, simply because most of the content is fairly straightforward and doesn't need to be put into perspective. I'll try to compensate for the lack of text with some more screenshots than usual ;)
What we get is primarily a character development episode, with especially Arika, Erstin and Tomoe getting priority treatment. Relatively light on action, we get a setup for what I expect to be an explosive episode 10.
Episode Rating: (+)
November 30, 2005 | 51 Comments
Episode 8 will undoubtedly be considered boring by some people, but it was a treasure chest for any wannabe anime Nostradamus like me. No action or fanservice at all (with the exception of one preview scene) and only very little comedy - but alot of character development, seeing old faces again and the creation of more new plot threads than you could shake a stick at. Wow! This has got to be one of the most complex background setups I've seen develop over the course of 8 episodes, and most definitely the biggest named character cast I'm aware of.
All this comes at a price. I've been monitoring the relevant message boards and blogs on Otome, and alot of serious misconceptions are floating around. Maybe SUNRISE is overdoing things a bit, because for many casual viewers the setup will be too complicated. It took me another full rewatch of the prior eps to fill some gaps. So, I'll try to sum up the relevant plot threads and factions along with the comments, to save people some time.
Episode Rating: +
November 22, 2005 | 48 Comments
*Please do not direct-link or reproduce this image elsewhere
I'm sorry that this comes up really late but Mentar has been quite busy lately so I have to take over this particular episode. The problem is, I've also been rather busy trying to prepare for the JLPT on top of writing for 5 other series that I cover this season. Oh well, things will probably get better after I completed JLPT early December. Anyway, this is an interesting episode that deals with Mashiro and her insecurity. There are also some hints of future plots being scattered here and there. Most notable, of course, is the mystery of the Windbloom's true successor which could be one either Arika, Nina, or Mashiro. This episode also features some appearance of several Mai Hime characters which no doubt will make some fans happy.
November 14, 2005 | 37 Comments
Okay, I'll confess it. I went into this episode in a very sour mood, not just expecting but intending to hate it. I had just seen 3-4 screenshots from the episode and was totally annoyed by the fact that this was obviously going to be a senseless fanservicey fluffpiece for lolipedofins. Where's the plot, dammit? Where's the drama? GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER, SUNRISE! GRRRRR!
Well, and then I watched it.
Mai Otome 6 turns out to be the best comedy episode of the entire Mai franchise so far, and ranks among the best comedy episodes ever in my book. It had me howling even before the OP, and when the last frame of the preview had aired, I was happy in EVERY aspect. The show was utterly hilarious, we even had some minor plot progression, some nice character development woven in, and the preview proved that in the next episode the serious plot will kick in. What more could you possibly wish for?
Episode Rating: ++
November 4, 2005 | 26 Comments
I've been mulling over the rating of Mai Otome 5 for quite a while. The episode wasn't really bad, but it certainly was the one I enjoyed the least out of all 5 installments so far. But does this alone justify a minus rating? Eventually I decided to give it a (-) sign as a vote of confidence - meaning that while this episode convinced me that I'm going to love the story once it turns more serious, this installment was "below average". After all, I want to be able to credibly pull high ratings aswell, without being branded a cheerleader ;)
Episode Rating: (-)
October 28, 2005 | 65 Comments
As usual, this is just a preview so Mentar can have more time to cover every nook and cranny of this episode. Anyway, I think in general the animation in this episode has improved a little bit from last week's. Having said that, I get the impression that the writers are still trying to save as much as possible for whatever action scenes coming up in future episodes. Oh, I must mention that there are some new katakana names mentioned in this episode and I wasn't sure of how to romanise some of them. So please be aware that what I've said here are just my approximation of what I thought these name should be in English.
October 23, 2005 | 37 Comments
This episode strongly reminds me of seedtime on a farm. Not too much really happens, because this is not the time to harvest. Instead, you place seeds to make sure they have the necessary time to develop. A multitude of plotlines are set up - some of them expected followups to earlier setups, but some of them quite surprising. Therefore, I'll dedicate this review to the various questions popping up.
Fairly reviewing a setup episode is difficult because there's no flashy climax to be admired. The duel at the end probably comes closest to that, but the pace was slower and quite a bit more earnest this time. I decided to give this episode a (o) only. Decent, but below good. Why? Because there were a couple of disconnects which bothered me, and objectively the animation quality took a bit of a hit this time. Besides, we need some room for higher grades for later, I'm sure. Therefore:
Episode Rating: o
October 19, 2005 | 34 Comments
What a week. Real Life has me exceptionally busy in pretty much 12-hour workdays, I have no less than 4 active ongoing anime projects AND the blog to take care of, and now even Garten is rightfully prodding me to complete Mai Otome 2 ^_^;;
Please forgive me that I won't be able to do the usual full review or screenshot captions this time, but I want to at least offer some initial quick comments on the main characters introduced so far. The episode itself was just as expected: Hilarious zany humor while the character lineup is introduced. Very well done!
Episode Rating: +
October 11, 2005 | 79 Comments
Opening Theme: Dream☆Wing by Kuribayashi Minami (20MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
Ending Theme: 「乙女は DO MY BEST でしょ？」 - Otome wa do my best, desho? by Kikuchi Mika and Koishimizu Ami (17.1MB, for PSP/Quicktime)
Well, what can I say? I was really looking forward to this sequel, and it definitely didn't disappoint in its strong first installment. By taking most of the old characters and placing their alter egoes into a new setting has one big advantage: You can instantly relate to them, and we'll be having a ball comparing them to their predecessors. Most of the very successful Mai Hime formula was kept: A zany mix of comedy with hilarious SD-sequences, brilliantly animated action and (without a trace of doubt eventually) serious drama to take the audience on a wild ride, but always with a winking eye taking itself not too seriously. Mai-Otome shapes up to do and be all that it seems, and maybe more. The start was definitely better than the old series!
Episode Rating: +