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Rosegirl18's My-HiME Tv Review

My-HiME

My-HiME tv Review

Mai Tokiha is just an ordinary high school student struggling to balance the trials of school with the tribulations of love. She is a recent transfer to Fuka Academy, a prestigious school where students have a significant deal of autonomy; apart from classes, taught by various lecturers, the students have a great deal of freedom, doing what they will under the aegis of the Student Council. However, strage occurrances recently have shown that things are not as they seem at Fuka. Why have creatures -- "Orphans" -- started appearing around the school, and what are HiMEs? What exactly is the secret of Fuka Academy?

Credits: shinsengumi

Story & Characters

The story of Mai-Hime starts off with a show of two siblings. The older sibling is a teenage girl named Tokiha Mai, who is heading to a boarding school named Fuuka Gauken (Fuuka Academy) with her younger brother, Tokiha Takumi. On the ferry ride, the siblings meet two students who already go to Fuuka, a teenage boy named Tate Yuuichi and a girl named Shiho. As soon as they start getting used to the idea of leaving home, however, a strange girl is pulled aboard. Mai uses CPR to save her. The girl is young and carries a huge sword that tops her height. Later in the ferry ride, Mai is attacked by a girl who demands to know about the sword-wielding child. Because of the two, the boat is cut in half and all Mai drowns with the sought-after little girl and her sword...and wake up in the garden of their school, the huge sword plunged in the ground beside them. In Mai's lap is the girl, whose name is Mikoto. Once in Fuuka Gauken, she is faced with Natsuki, the girl who attacked them, and is told that she is a HiME - "HIghly-advanced Materializing Equiptment," or "Dancing Princess" in Kanji. Throughout her relatively happy stay in the Academy, she meets and learns of many other HiMEs that attend Fuuka. Their jobs are to destroy the Oufans (Orphans) that destroy humanity with their power, their Child. The catch? They must put the lives of the ones they treasure in their hearts the most. All the HiMEs - Mai, Natsuki, Nao, Midori, Mikoto, Sister - all learn to accept each other and the jobs they have been given, and promise with each other to become a team and fight for justice against the Oufans. Their bond is cruelly broken, however, when they by the mysterious boy Nagi tells them about the true purpose of HiMEs and the red star that only they can see.
They must defeat the star...but after they have defeated each other.

Rating: 9

Art

The art in Mai-HiME is practical and pleasant. It is in bright and sunny colors, and the style is somewhat shoujo, but you won't see impossibly huge, sparkling eyes anywhere. The art style is efficient in creating characters that can match both the comedy half and the dramatic arc, which is impressive. The hair styles were different and unique for each character, which I found very good, because there were many, many characters. Clothing style is also defined. The slant and look of eyes are different for many characters as well. Overall I would say that the art is almost excellent. One fault would be that there is not much shading of the characters, which gives it a too 2D look. I was happy that the ending clips were done with effort, as most anime producers become lazy with the ending. All in all, the art was consistant with quality and effort throughout the whole show.

I am sorry for not including screenshots - I started out with four with descriptions, then Minitokyo said they were too big, so I scaled them down 73 times and then it said it was too small, so I scaled them up and down 54 more times, but during the span of 170 (too big) and 169 (too small) I lost my will to attempt to upload the screencaps.

Rating: 8

Sound

Mai-HiME seems to have great music, for both the opening, ending, and insert music. Many are done by Kuyabashi Minami, who is excellent at singing and composes some of her songs as well. I found the action scene insert song, Chiisana Hoshi Ga Oriru Toki especially impressive, because the lyrics and the song were more than succesful at getting my heart beating for the climax of the action. Both upbeat and catchy, the song was perfect for every scene it was in. The opening was also well done, as well as the ending. I was surprised, however, when the opening did not change for the last half, as the first and last halves were nothing alike in mood and theme. Voice acting was done well with good emotion. The seiyuu were good at crying sounds, which was important to the show.

Rating: 9

Presentation

Mai-HiME definitely seems to have a bit of everything in its small capacity. The first half is filled with humor and light romance, while the last half flourishes with drama and angst. I found that the transition could have been better, however, as the whole thing changed its theme in one episode. Another fault was that Mai-HiME had too many characters for 26 episodes. Other than the three main characters, Mai, Mikoto, and Natsuki, almost no other characters were introduced or explained properly except for the part that they were needed for (eg. love interest, bad guy). I found this unfortunate because with a few more episodes, the anime could have been much more developed and smooth in plot transition. Mai-HiME needed all those characters, so it would have been good to release an OVA. I liked Mai-HiME a lot, however, for the story carried unique and creative traits as well as commonly seen ones. The plot idea was great, art was consistent in quality, and the music was effective. Some points of the story were not explained, however, which I found disappointing. The drama and tragedy was overwhelming at times, but I found all the emotion very admirable. Mai-HiME is a definitely enjoyable anime, and I recommend it to everyone.

PS. If you like Mai-HiME, I am pretty sure that you will dislike Mai-Otome.

Rating: 8

Final Verdict

8.5000 (very good)

Reviewed by Rosegirl18, Apr 01, 2006

Comments

  1. Mabui Apr 01, 2006

    I love Mai-HiME and you wrote a good review. But one thing took me as odd. Why would people dislike Otome if they liked HiME? That makes no sence at all. However, the two series are diffrent in targeting audience. Mai-HiME was more of a unisex series which leaned on both male and female elements. Mai-Otome leans more on female elements, but still keeps some of the male. So it ought to say "If you only like shounen, you'll dislike Mai-Otome because it has Mahou Shoujo as a big key-element" or something like that. But just because someone like one of the series doesn't mean they'll dislike the other. It's all about what kind of theme's you like. I know more people who love Mai-Otome(and HiME) then people who love Mai-HiME and hate Otome. I only know one who doesn't like it, and he's a stict Shounen-type of guy. Oh, and I was kinda bummed you didn't mention the splendid Soundtrack. But other then that you wrote a good review. ^^

  2. Pisaro Apr 02, 2006

    I'm not sure... Because i haven't watch mai-otome.. Now still downloading... But Mai-HIME is really great.. when i first start watch the trailer, i already start falling love with this anime. I hope Mai-Otome won't make me dissappointed. But i heard that Mai-Otome did not have child. Maybe this reason make mai-otome not so good compare to mai-HIME. Do you know that mai-HIME is going to release the movie this autumn. Haha..great news for those mai-HIME fans. You can come to my userpage and view the trailer for mai-HIME the movie "The Great Battle of Fuuka".
    Enjoy the movie

  3. Mabui Apr 02, 2006

    Quote by PisaroI'm not sure... Because i haven't watch mai-otome.. Now still downloading... But Mai-HIME is really great.. when i first start watch the trailer, i already start falling love with this anime. I hope Mai-Otome won't make me dissappointed. But i heard that Mai-Otome did not have child. Maybe this reason make mai-otome not so good compare to mai-HIME. Do you know that mai-HIME is going to release the movie this autumn. Haha..great news for those mai-HIME fans. You can come to my userpage and view the trailer for mai-HIME the movie "The Great Battle of Fuuka".
    Enjoy the movie


    That trailer is a fake. There's not gonna be a movie. It was a joke from Sunrise.

  4. rafaelrohden Apr 02, 2006

    Still I did not have the chance to see. But I very liked history and all animĂȘ

  5. fireflywishes Retired Moderator Apr 03, 2006

    Nice review, though I wouldn't necessarily say that if a person liked Mai HiME that they wouldn't like Mai Otome... I found that both were highly entertaining with good music/storyline.

  6. Rosegirl18 Apr 03, 2006

    Lol the movie was a fake everyone... the year had three zeros in it.

  7. dude84 Apr 04, 2006

    mai Hime had a deeper realationship with all tha characters and how they dealt with the emotional satire, just wish the anime didnt string along the story up until the ending.Like most anime's I've seen I'd like to see an epilogue or prologue episode that tied loose ends instead of speeding it through the end of the credits,And introducing Arika(mai Otome) in a proper manner.But as not liking Mai Otome,I dont know I'm seeing it and its alot better than mai Hime theres a deeper story the emotional character relationship is there and the anime uses all the same character's as it's predcessor.

  8. dominion Apr 05, 2006

    I never thought that i would like this series but it really is great. I'm wanting to see mai otome too if i had the chance

  9. natsuki-hime Apr 05, 2006

    i am really loving this series..i finally got the chance to se it some time ago..and it really didnt disappoint me for the most..i liked the music/storyline...and ive seen only some of otome..but id like seing more of if i can.

  10. UltraMarine Apr 05, 2006

    Though the series did have too many characters to be fully developed within a 26 episodes, I felt most of the secondary and other minor characters were introduced rather well. I had wished certain ones were much more developed simply because they were my favorites. At least the omakes specials that came with the DVDs somewhat makes up for it by telling some of their backstories. And I too was a bit disappointed that certain points were left unexplained. Still, it did not take out the enjoyment I have for this series. And I have seen Mai Otome and loved it though not as much as Mai Hime.

  11. cassandraronald May 21, 2006

    i loved the show both mai-hime and mai-otome althought i dunno why mai-otome was ment to be a sequle to mai-hime when the storyline was different. for mai-hime it was abt himes and for mai-otome it was abt otomes.anyways both shows were awsome and i loved the OST for both.oh and the review that u wrote was great.

  12. Rosegirl18 May 22, 2006

    Well actually, I guess otome is somewhat alright. I shouldn't have made it so directive, but otome is somewhat less serious.

  13. itzfx May 26, 2006

    Just watch otome past the half-way point, the story takes a serious turn and turns out to be great

  14. Rosegirl18 May 27, 2006

    Yeah, it does - I wrote a new review about that anime after watching it recently.

  15. charcoal9046 Jul 02, 2006

    yeaaaaaa, Hime was really good. Girls kick #$%, hehe j/k

  16. auraderecca Aug 10, 2006

    Mai-Hime was a great show, kinda similar to many of fantasy anime out there. However, it was kinda fresh with the twist in the plot in the end. It was really touching at the points where there was death and tears. The soundtrack was splendid I agree.

    Anyway, nice review here. =)

  17. Rhyme097 Sep 14, 2006

    My belove My-HiME ^^ This anime is GREAT !

  18. rukasu04 Mute Member Feb 08, 2010

    Nice review

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