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ファイト／ステイナイト 
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
It seems that Garten was right on - the capsule must have remained with the assassin trainers for many many years. Makes me wonder how Arika reached baa-chan? Because her disposition doesn't make it look likely that she was part of the insurgents? I doubt however that we'll get much more info about this, so I guess we should simply accept Nina's capsule ride as fact. It doesn't say for sure that this means that she is the princess after all (since the Souten no Seigyoku ended up with Arika), but it concludes her formal linkup with Arika and Mashiro.
Oooo, Argoss - you may have bitten off a bit more than you could chew. We'll see how Aswad will retaliate, and strike back they will for sure. Next episode, looking forward to it!
Midori may seem very cruel in this scene, when she first talked about eliminating the Windbloom refugees, and then refused to help them with supplies, but it's making perfect sense in the big picture. As a recluse group of what seems to be a hunted people, you can't afford to be too choosy in your methods. One more lesson to learn for Mashiro, who until now never heard "can't do" to one of her orders before.
The way the dilemma was presented to Mashiro was done fairly well. And it's also perfectly fine with me to let Mimi, who had shown kindness to Mashiro and in a way saved her life before, be the catalyst which propels Mashiro into action. Actually, Mashiro's growth in this part was impressive and credible. I had some qualms about the eagerness of the refugees though to revert their hatred towards her evil queen into kneely admiration, garnished with reverent "Ojou!" yells. Cute, yes. Corny, to be specific. Realistic? Well... anyway, Mashiro made a promise which made me very happy. "After this, I won't cry anymore". Yes please.
So Aoi was rescued after all, but by who? Let's hope that there's a decent explanation in the next episode. On the plus side, having Aoi survive has one advantage: It makes a reset cop-out ending less likely. Since the horrible ED will accompany us till the very end, a positive-happy ending is a given. So let's hope that it doesn't intentionally forfeit everything which has properly been built up as drama before.
Shiho's maki-maki has lost its touch, this scene was probably supposed to be funny, but it was rather annoying me instead. Especially since it didn't belong there. If you go for drama, you don't add this kind of ultra-silly nonsense in between. Just like you don't put fish into cappucchino. It doesn't belong there.
Looks like our interpretation of Shizuru was correct. Just as she pointed out, she's going to let Tomoe have her way - for now. And Tomoe confirms the "deal" - she'll see what she can do for the "captured headmaster" in return. Interesting in a way how she manages to exploit and mislead her beloved onee-sama for her own gains, and Shizuru has no chance of knowing. Shizuru reduced to a captive sex toy - what a change of role!
Apropos toy: Shizuru's playful-positive nature flashed up once more when she chuckled that this kinky toy stuff was quite... interesting. However, poor Tomoe once Shizuru isn't constrained by the Natsuki lie anymore. Especially when it's clear that she was lied to all the time. It also characterizes Tomoe's infatuation with Shizuru: She isn't really trying to "win" Shizuru's love - she rather tries to coerce it from her. It's not really designed to last...
Natsuki and Nao get so preciously little screentime, and yet, the best single line was stolen by our favorite pearl-pillar: "Are we going to hitchhike again?" - had me in stitches ^_^
Sergey, Sergey, what are you doing? Are you simply trying to protect Nina from soiling her hands by rather doing it yourself? Or what's your motive? I can't seem to figure out what's really going on inside his head this time - any suggestions? Oh, and seeing Chie joining the Valkyrie squad is disturbing. I wonder if she knows what she's getting into. Most likely not...
So what ultimately remains is that our heroines have hit rock bottom and found new determination to continue. That's the best piece of news for now - we're on the rebound of this seriously irritating arc. Mashiro comes out of it a bigger person, she gained alot. Arika's quick wits in the face of danger didn't protect her from losing alot of points: She is utterly out of her depth and just driven by what's happening around her. Not a winning setup for a drama - I hope that she will finally start to DO decisive things on her own again.
On to episode 22, which was - I'll say this much already - another excellent installment deserving a full ++ rating.
Garten's Impression:
This is a good episode from a character development POV. I like the fact that Mashiro has grown so much from the first time her character was introduced. The fact that she has promised Aswad to share Garderobe's technology, however, is some kind of clue that in the end, she is probably the true Queen of Windbloom. It will be kind of hard to do this if Nina turns out to be the Queen. Another interesting part about this episode, at least for me, is actually the discussion between Miss Maria and Yukariko-sensei. The discussion about the pro and cons of using Otome will probably become more important as the series comes to a close. The question is, does the use of Otome really prevent the death of many people in war? I think it's not the system that needs to be changed but rather the people. War usually happens when there is a discontentment between those who have the power and those who do not. Ideally, resources must be shared so that no one benefits more than the others. Unfortunately in reality this is impossible to do.
Moving on to other topic, it seems Chie has been taking care of a person in the intensive care unit. The most likely candidate at the moment is of course, Aoi. And in other news, Shiho still Maki Maki her way. That scene was seriously disturbing in a silly kind of way. I wasn't even sure if that was just hallucination or if they actually channel their soul into a bee-like creature. Anyway, I find it interesting that human Mikoto was awakened after her shadow version is sliced by Nina. Does that mean that Mikoto somehow separates herself into 3 different permutations? The cat, the shadow, and the human. This feels like a parallel of the three things that is required to use the Harmonium. Last but not least, the preview for episode 22 shows a figure that looks like Mai carrying a ladle and a wok. I wonder if she's going to spank Nagi with that big ladle or make a mincemeat soup out of him.
Yep I totally agree. When they showed Mikoto in the next ep trailer I was expecting an longer fight. I was upset to see that was the only part she was in! I'm hoping ep 22 don't do the same when an "important person" turns up.
Mashiro SO just stole the entire series from Arika.
Anyway, it looks like next episode is going to have a bunch of stuff going on.
You just know she's going to show up right near the end of the next episode.
My knowledege of Japanese is scant, but Nagi seems to be very pleased with his latest discovery. I hope that Nina isn't the princess if only to send Nagi into shock.
Spoiler Starts:
Besides Ms. seventeen and here little group's presence at the time casts some doubt as to Nina's actual age. In other news a "tragic" death has occured of a hateful little kid who was part of the last Mob of Justice. Suffice to say no one wept, good riddance to the obvious plot device.
It would seem as if Chie hasn't turned completely and perhaps a special someone is alive, albeit in a vegativative state. Unless the council is like the opposite of pro-gress and a Frist decides to give a diagnosis over satallite.Go Chie! Set up Artai like the chumps they are.
Spoiler Ends.
It seems some one has been spending her years in hiding learning to use a wok and ladle. Even if she doesn't come in with a boom hopefully MIYU will kick some Valkyrie butt.
Excellent episode. The plot was kind of shaky, but the execution of new music and the development of Mashiro's character more than made up for it.
I was really happy with the manner of Mimi's death. She was a minor character, so the less dramatic reaction was very appropriate from Arika and Mashiro. Granted they were still sad, but they weren't overly angsty about it.
And, damn, does Tomoe know how to look good. Even that simple little jump she did at the end was fabulous. She's just an evil little bitch who's stylistically aware, which keeps me from completely hating on her.
Oooohhh!! Mai in the shadow!
Most likely she'll appear in the last 60 seconds of next episode.
Mikoto this episode and Mai next episode...now I'm relieved..."Mai" isn't "Mai" without those two..."Mai" and her sidekick...even though they're separate characters now...
All I can say is even if you share resource equally, people won't be happy XD, becuase people are different.
With only 5 episodes left don't expect any fights, there are not enough time for story, what make you think that there will be eye candy fights wasting time?
This 26 episodes format really gets into good story telling if you ask me. Then again, if Sunrise didn't put so many characters in MO it may turn out better.
Now who's waiting for Mai 3? You know it can happen as long as the toys and Dvd sells. I personally wouldn't mind a story totally focus on Shizuru or Mai kicking everyone asses for 26 episodes ahahah j/k
Mai 3? I want to see the writers complete this one with a decent ending first before I want another one. I hope there won't be any kind of reset this time around. But then again there hasn't been that many body count in this series. And so far the series hasn't been as disturbing as the last few episodes of 'HiME'.
Now about this episode itself. It wasn't that bad. I actually like it better than last week's episode. Although I wish the writers had used Yoko a little bit more. Why can't they show her doing some research to help Aswad and the others? I thought she came from the same place as Midori and Reito.
Does anyone know why Yohko, Midori, and Reito are in the first picture that Nagi was looking?
Hey did any one else notice the first photogaraph whe Nagi went for the clip board? Three of the four of those kids bore a striking resemblence to little Midori, Reito, and Yohoko... I smell a continuity error or a hiccup in the space time continuum.
I just weep silently now when I see Mai-Otome. And part of it is because of the shame I feel for watching such a nowhere-going show.We're just floating around, doing the maki-maki.
"I just weep silently now when I see Mai-Otome. And part of it is because of the shame I feel for watching such a nowhere-going show.We're just floating around, doing the maki-maki."
HAHAHAHAHAHA... NO!
Wyk72, I agree with you. It seems like we haven't been going anywhere these past few episodes, and I don't know how the series will wrap things up nicely in 5 episodes. Maybe, there'll be some OVAs?
If the scriptwriters end up doing some stupid ending, we all know what to do.
Maki Maki Maki...........................................
Personally, I wouldn't mind a Mai-3.
Especially if it has an ACTUAL link to Hime..
Always pondered where Mashiro and Nagi went in the ending... and what exactly happened in "Chapters 1 and 2"
I think chapters 1 & 2 refer to the 1st 2 seasons of Mai Hime. (Each season being 13 eps long)
So, who's Chie watching over?
*spoiler starts*
Possibilities are Aoi (obviously), Akane (unlikely), Erstin (wha?), Miya (also wha?) or some unnamed character.
We can eliminate Akane since her dear Kazu-kun isn't there, and we haven't seen him get wiped.
Erstin went sparkly, and unless they have some of those unsparkly magics from Hime she won't be around until maybe the last ep.
Miya or any other character is also unlikely, as spending character development on them at this point would most likely be a waste of time.
Though we do have a couple of unspecified pillars at this late point.
Mai? I didn't even mention Mai. Stop mentioning Mai. :)
That leaves us with Aoi as the most logical person. Not saying the writers are logical, though.
Anyway, I've got a sneaking suspicion that the Harmonium's going to end up being a plot device that greens the world, cures all disease, rezzes the dead, and altogether makes things icky happy.
Except Mimi. I can always hope.
*spoilers end*
But i have to mention Mai. Ok so she's not the victim. With the cooking utensils in her hands, what's that behind her. Looks like something (or somebody ) is covered in white cloth. Maybe Aoi?
Here's a REALLY crazy theory for who was in that hospital bed...
Fumi!
i have a really bad feeling that mai otome is just goin to come to an erupt end. first 15 episodes or so were just fluffy fanservicey types of shows. kinda like taking things ez and then all of a sudden the writers are like 'crap! WE FORGOT! there's only 26 episodes!'
i really hope mai otome will end well. T_T
man if it ends up to an erupt end im going to maki maki all those wirters days and night and send all those maki bees to them to.... and maybe maki hunt then in their dreams with wings...(dream-wings)
Honestly, you forgot one important person to put in that bed: "Yohko"
We haven't seen her since she said that Fumi stopped working. Who knows, she might have been tortured by Schwartz to help them make their valkyrie earrings.
I think that is the best probability, knowing Maria and Yukariko probably aren't allowed as much freedom of movement as the valkyries, it becomes Chie's job to take care of Yohko.
No, we saw Yohko an episode or two ago.
She was standing in her lab, which had been ransacked by Schwartz.
Also, Umbrae, think that if Yohko was the one in the bed, they would probably just show her face or something.
Anyone else wondering how Mai's materialized in the preview? She's supposed to have a pillar gem, but Shinso's still out of commission, so she shouldn't have a functioning robe. This leaves a few possibilities: a) Flashback - though if they pull another tease and flashback combo I just might have to bomb Sunrise's offices. b) She's contracted with Schwarz somehow - seems unlikely, even with the glowing red eyes. c) She's contracted with an outside master (Takumi, perhaps?) - though that shouldn't work with a pillar gem (I don't think). d) She figured out a workaround of some sort - that belt-buckle thing is different from all the other robes we've seen. Maybe it has something to do with it. Or maybe Mai figured out how to materialize without using nanomachines at all (like Arika half-did back in Ep. 1). No matter what, I can't figure out why the heck she's holding cooking implements. If she's returning from hiding in the middle of nowhere for the last X years, why on earth would be armed with a ladle? Even money says she doesn't show up until the last minute of the ep. anyway.
Side note: Anyone want to lay odds on how much of the human Mikoto we're going to see? I have a feeling it won't be a lot. We barely knew ye, sword-wielding maniac . . .
I really think that episodes 19-21 could easily have been compressed into one without losing anything. Mostly they just took up space, which was a real let-down after episodes 17 and 18. Just when you think the show's developing momentum, they have to throw in angst - DAMN YOU, TEENAGE ANGST! Yet another show you've interfered with. Bah.
This is looking more and more like an impending reset - too many things are happening for them to all be resolved adequately in the time they have left. I do still hold out some hope that there won't be any resurrections this time around - that, or they've secretly planned Otome for 2 seasons and are planning a cliffhanger for ep. 26. I'd be happier with that than another reset. (Note: I actually didn't mind the resurrections in HiME since they were part of the resolution rather than an afterthought - everyone acting like nothing had happened, though . . . that pissed me off.)
Ah, yes, you got me there, I forgot that little appearance...
Well, we'll see who it is that is wounded.
"Anyone else wondering how Mai's materialized in the preview? She's supposed to have a pillar gem, ..."
No she is not supposed to! Where did you get that idea? She is not among the 5 pillars in the OP (http://www.designchronicle.com/memento/images/maiotome/crystalenergy/crystalenergy01h.jpg) nor was she ever mentioned to be one of the pillars. I think, on the contrary, that she was chosen to be one's otome and couldn't decide, torn by the love she felt for some-one else and her duty.
So, she must be contracted with some-one now... but who would that be? If it is the one she loves, then the one she loves must be female, as male thingies kill nano-machines... would it be the one she was supposed to be contracted with? possible, not sure... will it be important in this series? NO, because like it or not, Mai is not the lead character in Mai otomé (even if her name is in the title) and thus she can be left with open questions at the end of the series.
I just hope they won't make her a Deus ex machina power (arriving out of no-where with no explanation and solving everything by her mighty mighty robe...)
Hmmm... we'll see, I hope next episode sees some action AND explanations though, I really hope Miyu is gonna kick some ass (Tomoe VS Arika & Miyu VS Chie after all the others have been dispatched).
Who dies next episode? I say Chie, with some final words like "I'm joining you, Aoi"... cheezy death again. Because, you know, we need one death each episode now (Erstin, Aoi, Mimi, Chie now?)
Maybe Mai's gonna return to cook for Mikoto? That would explain the cooking tools XD
I dont think Mai is a pillar. The opening shot showed 3 of the 5 pillars, with the other 2 presumebly being the last pillars. Mai was said to inherit the Fire String Ruby, a MeiSter gem, and MeiSter gems need masters....
Or maybe she'll just protect the Harmonium like Mikoto does.... I really hope that doesnt happen though.
The more I think of it, the more the harmonium-turns-the-world-into-a-better-place-plot -device-theory sounds sensible. I mean, its called the HARMOium (for Harmony). Imagine an ending where Nagi finally gathers the song, player and protector, activates the Harmonium, see a blinding flash and......
The world turns green and harmonius!!! And Nagi once again gets those freakish yellow eyes, yells "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" and collapses. And the otome act as if nothing happened at all, Ers is ressurected, Mashiro becomes a great queen and everyone is happy.
UGH >_
Guess I got confused (what I get for posting at 2 am) - just went back and checked ep. 13. I thought that since Mai was chosen as a pillar and was inheriting the Fire String Ruby that the Ruby was a pillar gem, but now I see that she was going to get the Ruby even before she was offered the pillar job. I just remembered her getting the pillar-ship and the gem and thought they were related. My bad - sorry. Feel free to disregard ny outlandish theories (assuming you haven't already).
This episode was definitely a step up from the last. The fact that there are only five episodes left is still worrying, but I feel more hopeful now. ;)
The one on the sickbed, i noticed she was given some kind of blood treatment. Or should I say nanomachine treatment? A potential pillar otome?
Here's my worst case assumption:
Resurrection. Imagine a couple of otomes being put to cold sleep from the old wars.
OK i check back the old episodes. i find that 'batgirl' has got same eyes and hair colour as the otome who killed Miss Maria's onee-sama. (or so i think) I can simply imagine Miss Maria horrid expression when she saw that person.......Hope she doesn't get heart attack, Heeheeheeheee!
I'm gonna laugh if Mashiro turns into the "Crystal Princess" again...with Fumi at her side...LMAO
wait r u saying that they r able to use their elements again? if thats so i cant wait to see the faces of the other otome when mai just rush in and summons Kagutsuchi in the mid of the battle....(\/)00(\/)
if thats so i cant wait to see the faces of the other otome when mai just rush in and summons Kagutsuchi in the mid of the battle....(\/)00(\/)
Why?
As it stands a Meister Otome is WAY more powerful than even the most powerful of Childs.
Hell, the energy released when two Meister's impact each other at full strength is just as powerful, if not more so, than Artemis's cannon.
Slaves are the MO counterparts of Childs and Oufans; however, I just can help but wonder what on Earth is Mashiro. We've seen some tibits about Arika and Nina, but for some reasons there's more to Mashiro than meets the eye, even if she is a brat.
I totally agree with Fencedude, Mashiro is getting a lot of points from me and Arika's.. sadly.. have been going down since the Sergei/Arika moment...
Nina, well, she does have my sympathy and her anguish makes a lot more sense. If Arika had felt totally guilty over her betrayal of liking Sergei too - even if she couldn't help herself - and causing Nina to lose it which led to how things turned out, I think I would have bought it more than being disillusioned with being an Otome. Even Mai felt damn guilty when she liked Tate, and she wasn't even good friends with Shiho in Mai-HiME... But Arika? I haven't heard anything from her on that front!
Did she really need others to tell her that Otome stands for power which can be both good or bad...? How can she NOT have learned that not all masters that can afford an Otome are good Masters?! Free will? Umu... did Akane not give any indication that there's a HUGE gap between what an Otome stands for and what her duties are, the difference of that with what an Otome may wish for as a woman? And that was just the SIMPLE stuff called "Love" not the complicated stuff called "Ethics". I mean, Otome fighting each other? Okay, the clues were pretty obvious for some time now that the Otome is a little screwed up! Not news, Arika! Not new news, anyway.
(By the way, the very fact that Arika couldn't even take one thug down with her legs, despite her Otome training and had to depend on Sergei to SAVE her...?! That seriously disturbed me. Yeah, I can understand she doesn't have as much power but .. HELLO! Combat skills, anyone?)
Yukariko was a sore spot for me in Mai-HiME, I SERIOUSLY disliked her at times in that series, but I like her a lot more in Otome. Her Otome counter-part seem to have the strength of heart that her HiME part lacked (and a lot less ignorance and naivety). I could at least understand Yukariko's weakness and angst in HiME due to what was done to her (which made the ending THAT much weirder), which is not true for Arika. But yeah, I like Yukariko FAR more in Otome...
*hops up and down*
Mai in next episode!! YEAH!!!!! Mai-chan! Mai-chan! Mai-chan! With ladel and wok! She's going to cook something yummy for Mikoto! Hahahahahaha! And spank that bad Nagi! (Mashiro's dream with ladel instead of whips! Hahaha!)
Okay, yeah, same problem as before... not emotionally invested in Arika, at. all. In fact trying to come to terms with it as it is seriously bugging me out! She had SO much potential earlier! SO much!
*sighs in disappointment*
the one on the sickbed. Could it be Aoi who could have survived the fall. I mean that's possible right. I think the writers won't be that harsh right. Or am I just a little stupid to think that way?
Well Aoi must have been saved by someone. No-one could possibly survive that fall, u'll break every bone in ur body lol. As for the Tomoe and Shizuru thing, man Yuri detector goin through the ROOF HERE!! lol.
Again big brownie points go to Mashiro, stood up for the hateful bunch of poor people lol. As for Arika, i'd agree with most people, she better be more decisive NOW or i'll probably hate her for the rest of the series.
Can't wait for epis.22 to come out. patiently w8ing.zzz
As always, a very in-depth and considerate review from Mentar...even if I am not very happy about Mai-Otome in general, I'll, of course, see it trough the end. My expectations for the show have been lowered quite a lot from the previous 4 eps, because of this "aswald" arc. I feel there's something wrong about it. Seems we're getting too far from the original storyline. The characters that put me really down are Sergey&Nina. I mean, I don't see what they are really up to. I have now no clue how Sunrise will end this anime. A "reset button" seems way too unrealistic and almost tasteless at this point. My best bet is for a semi-tragic ending. My 2 cents so far.
Mai-HimE, your yuri detector is only going off NOW? Methinks you have a faulty device. That baby should have broke after a few early episodes.
Am I the only one that thinks that all Nina is is a little 13 year old brat!?!
Yes. Everyone else knows that Nina is 15.
lol...did shizuru and tomoe like did the thingy in the bed???...anywayz i love the part when mashiro commited herself to protect those people and arika by her side helping her through it...love it the most and mostly watching mai-hime after this!!! bbye
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