View Full Version : Mai-Otome: Mid Season Report Card
Catgirls
2006-01-12, 21:26
Well, now that Ep. #14 is out and we're on our way to the second half of the season, how would you rate the first 13 episodes? You can use any rating system...break it down completely or give it an overall grade. Please don’t post something like “I think it’s crap.” One line retorts aren’t usually insightful.
For me, I won't grade the plot. I always feel that plot ruins a good story. Therefore I tend to focus more on the animation, VA work and so on.
Here are my grades.
Animation
B | So far I like what I see. Frame rate is decent most of the time and the motion is fluid in just the right shots (fighting especially). The colors are a little flat in some scenes and lack shading & depth.
Character Design
A- | I love the character designs. The only nit-pick that I have that the some of the hair needs to be more complex...looks a little too much like a "hair shell" at times.
Voice Actors
B | Spotty at times, but solid for the most part.
Catgirls
F | None yet. Hope to see at least a neko-mini-mode or two before the end of the show.
Overall
B+ | The second half of the series looks like it might loose some of the frivolity and become a bit serious. I look forward to it.
Well, I think I will find myself comparing My Otome to My HiME. Since Sunrise could turn up something good like My HiME, it would seem obvious that My Otome would be the same but that is not the case, at least in my opinion.
Animation
B | As mentioned earlier, it's too flat. There's just something lacking compared to animation and art in My HiME. I can't quite put my finger on it. Perhaps, the use of shading in hair and skin tones.
Character Design
B+ | This is more true for some and yet not true for others. The main cast seems to be getting all the attention. People like Shizuru, Natsuki, Haruka, etc. looks very nice! On the other hand, we get weird costume designs in My Otome, such as Akira's outfit as well as some other countrie clothes. Another bad point would be that some character designs are getting shafted. The most obvious one would be Miya. What's up with her hair? Compared to that blonde classmate (supposed to be Miya's My HiME counterpart) in My HiME, her hair was fabulous! :twitch:
Music
A- | Being the Kajiura Yuki fan that I am, I am disappointed to say that so far, I only have 3 favorite tracks of music from the show. The others sound above average but not something to listen to again and again.
Voice Actors
A | Very nice acting here I guess. Arika's voice actress is a bit... :uhoh: But she has definitely improved since episode 1! And not to mention, the singer for the OP song also voices Erstin. Now I'm not sure if she has ever voiced before but if this is her first time, then she's doing an awesome job! :p
Now, what other categories are there? :heh:
NoSanninWa
2006-01-13, 01:41
Since I'm watching the SS version, I haven't got up to episode 13 yet. However, I would like to point out that you have left out a very important category: PLOT!
How would you rate the PLOT of the first 13 episodes. I'd say it is a C at best, from what I've seen (11 episodes):
Plot
C- | This show sometimes tries to have a plot. Once in a while the show takes a break from moe and yuri to do something that implies that there is something happening that might stop them from simply having fun with their friends. I keep hoping that the plot will show up. Maybe I'll finally see it in episode 12 which SS just released a half hour ago. So far the plot only exists in my imagination, so it is a bit hard to grade it.
Well, I agree the plot is a bit slow in the first 13 episodes. Nothing happens except character development and very little action. But I'm sure they're just building up our emotions and feelings for the characters. We must see them all having fun and slowly start to become best friends (Nina, Mashiro, Arika) and then in the end, squash them all. It sure looks that way in episode 14 and it's really getting into the dark theme. :) If they're using so many episodes for build up, the end impact must really be an impact. :(
Well, the show has multiple sub plots, the main one not introduced yet I think...
1) Finding the real princess. Speculations rest upon either Arika or Nina as the real princess. Mashiro is also a possibility, but much lesser since she was considered a replacement.
2) Intentions of Midori's organization (Schwarts(sp?).). They seem to be after some information that has reference t nano technology like the Otomes. Example being midori's "weapon" that used a rather large gem.
3) Intentions of John Smith (black valley organization). Seem to be relating not only to finding the real princess, but also the mystery of the Harmonium(sp?).
And of course, im not that good at combining facts.:heh:
Since I'm watching the SS version, I haven't got up to episode 13 yet. However, I would like to point out that you have left out a very important category: PLOT!
How would you rate the PLOT of the first 13 episodes. I'd say it is a C at best, from what I've seen (11 episodes):
Plot
C- | This show sometimes tries to have a plot. Once in a while the show takes a break from moe and yuri to do something that implies that there is something happening that might stop them from simply having fun with their friends. I keep hoping that the plot will show up. Maybe I'll finally see it in episode 12 which SS just released a half hour ago. So far the plot only exists in my imagination, so it is a bit hard to grade it.
Yeah so far the plot hasn't exactly riveted me too much. Here's my analysis. Otome so far has seemed to follow the formula laid down by HiME. You've got most of your characters introduced and even a convoluted love triangle has been set up...Shiho-Mai-Tate last time, and now Arika-Nina-Sergey...though I'm stretching it for Otome and don't want to see anything between the kids and Sergery; but there's definitely some crush action going on as commented by other people. The basic mysteries have been set out, and the plot is getting ready to kick into high gear (an Otome war seems to have started)
For Otome, yeah I agree the plot on its own is definitely a C or below so far. But since I watched HiME and already know a lot of the recurring character's motivations from the last show, it gives me the illusion of a deeper plot and knowing what kind of sinister things are brewing. And since HiME was so awesome, we are willing to give Otome the benefit of the doubt because we are expecting the same kind of action/plot twist/intesity of the last series. It does seem to me that much more been revealed in HiME at the midpoint. There was more to know about the children, and there were more constant orphan attacks, with greater losses (Kazu-kun R.I.P). Though as in Otome, the show at that point was still in the happy-go-lucky mode for the most part. There is a more clear villian in HiME with Alyssa Sears/Mayu/Sears Foundation. Anyway, that's my two cents.
Also, wasn't it in episode 14-15 of HiME that all the crazy stuff started to go down, like Sears aiming the satellite at the school and then Mai launching out into space to destroy it (Mai-TurnA-Hime, that was a good one, har har).
2) Intentions of Midori's organization (Schwarts(sp?).). They seem to be after some information that has reference t nano technology like the Otomes. Example being midori's "weapon" that used a rather large gem.
3) Intentions of John Smith (black valley organization). Seem to be relating not only to finding the real princess, but also the mystery of the Harmonium(sp?).
I think you got those switched around. Midori's organization is the Black Valley, Asward. While John Smith is part of Schwarz. :heh:
I think you got those switched around. Midori's organization is the Black Valley, Asward. While John Smith is part of Schwarz. :heh:
Haha, ok. Im a sucker at details. :heh:
Tremalkinger
2006-01-13, 08:18
Animation
B+ | The art has been strangely inconsistant, but for some reason it hasn't bothered me. The different ways they'll draw some of the characters in different scenes aren't really better or worse, but simply different. Fights have been short but mostly well done.
Character Design
C | I love the characters themselves, especially the new ones. Everyone looks interesting and unique (no confusion, even with this big of a cast). Character designs involve clothes, however, and sometimes I wonder what the person who was designing virtually all of the costumes was smoking. I've come to accept them over time, but its still jarring at times to watch Natsuki presiding over deliberations in a corset.
Voice Actors
A | Probably the most important aspect of an anime to me, voice acting here is superb. Every line that comes from Irina is a joy to hear, and the rest of the seiyuu is perfect for their roles too (old and new).
Plot
B | While I wouldn't necessarily disagree with the claim that the pacing of the show is slow, I don't mind. But, in terms of quantity, there is actually more plots going on than I am confident can be resolved in the remaining episodes. Nearly every character has at least one important question that I'd like to see answered, and for some multiple questions. Plus we need to leave room for war, death and mayhem. I'm worried that too many plotlines introduced so far will be dropped and unexplained. Most of these subplots are intriguing and are the main thing that have kept me watching.
Overall
B+ | Roughly as good as Mai HiME's opening 13 episodes. Mai HiME didn't start to become exceptional until the last ten episodes, and this series has SO much potential. Guess we'll wait and see.
Animation
B | Good motions and fight scenes. I think the coloring is a little dull however.
Character Design
B+ | Very good characters! Even though there's a big cast of characters both their personality and looks are different enough. The only thing I dislike is the "transformation costumes". They look pretty stupid most of the time.
Voice Actors
? | All japanese people sound the same to me! ;) Kidding aside, I think it's very hard to judge japanese voice actors since I can't understand more than just the simplest sentences.
Plot
B | Since episode 1 there has been clues leading to some kind of "real and more serious plot" than just "HAY, WE R FIGTHIN' MAIDS!". I'm looking forward to how the story will unfold.
Overall
B | Like Mai Hime I have hope this show will become even better in its second half. Even if it will just remain to be a light-hearted anime like it is now I wouldn't mind so much. I like Mai Otome a lot already.
duster_Fukku
2006-01-13, 23:19
Animation
B+ | Buildings and background have most of the points. Especially the first episode pulled me right into the environment of the new season. Though when they slack off they did it so obvious (ep3)... was what gave away.
Character Design
A- | Robes are ok, maid uniforms are alright, blue rose? Not even want to comment... First time I saw them, my jaw dropped. But the more I look at them, the more I feel comfortable. Plus the improvement on the facial expressions, who would give thumbs down?:heh:
Voice Actors
A+ | Nina, it's all Nina's credit. Mashiro's voice hurts but that just... the way she 'need' to be, like a br(beep). Akira's voice is well selected, bold, and very much her style. Nao's just... SPECTACULAR!!! Even better than Shizuru, perhaps. Ep13 shocked me, but that's probably because it was the first time we heard her voice like that.... Probably due to HM, I thought the HM casts did a great improvement in showing each characters personality.
Plot
C | Tough to grade. Like Sergey said, it's a story about a traveling antsy.... The actions in each episode, however, manage to keep the audiances pondering and wanting to know the result. But I get nothing out if it...
Overall
B+ | The 13 eps brought out a dark tone quicker than MH. Whenever they tansited into the headmaster's office, and the don-Don-DON music played, my head screamed 'not again'. Look like quiet a gloomy meal that we are going to eat later on. But still, it's not the fanservice that's playing the trick, somehow every little pieces make the anime felt awesome at the same time.;) I just can't hate it yet.
I'd just like to say that the animation quality does vary a bit from ep to ep, but the color shouldn't (provided you are looking at nice raw)... Certain raws have a higher color depth than others.
The x264 8WhSnYcniY (Shin'ichi, as I nickname it) raw has a higher color depth than the DivX511 92JeyRfcya that Doremi uses, but the x264 raw has slight line bleeding.
Animation - A- . Sure, some discrepancies, but that's to be expected in a 26 episode series. Still much better than GSD though.
Plot - A. I like this tension. I like how it's all hidden. MaiHime didn't have a plot until episode 15, and that's when Otome will have one too.
Characters - B+. WHERE'S MAI!? other than that, they're fairly likeable, but a too large of a cast means most won't get development. (no Materialise of Irina!? For shame.)
Music - A. Materialise is reason enough to listen to the music.
Overall: A-. Sunrise is learning from it's GSD mistakes and this anime does not disappoint. Every week I wait for whatever new surprises this anime can show me.
I'm really trying hard to give this show the benefit of the doubt. MH is a tough act to follow. There are just aspects of the show that annoy me though, things that NH didn't do or did better.
Characters: B
For the most part I like them. What the hell's happened to Arika though? In the first 8-10 episodes I found myself really liking Arika, I like nothing better than a spunky hero who knows what she wants and goes about getting it. These last couple episodes, it's like she's someone else. Weak, spacing out over an old man. A victim of street crime (End of Ep 14). What happened to her? She has nanomachines for gods sake, why would street thugs be a problem?
Music: C
Basically for me, the music of MH was one of the main draws. Even when an ep was slow or boring, I still had the music to listen too. This series, you still get the occasional battle song but, it doesn't have the continuous good music of MH. I'd prefer re-using the MH music to what we have here. I suspect they're doing this series on the cheap, which is why the music's so sparse.
Plot: B
I'm looking forward to what's going to happen. It's damn slow getting there though. I thought Ep14's revealation about Arika was a bit too pat. Say what you will about the old "high school students with special powers" plot device but, it makes more sense to me than the world they invented for Otome Hime.
So, my conclusion is, I'll keep watching and I'll keep hoping things pick up but, it's not a keeper series in the same class as NH. I'm not sure I'd ever watch the whole series again though I've had numerous NH marathons. I think all the problems could have probably been solved by more money in the production.
Yeah, I really appreciate the work the Subbers are doing on this series.
She has nanomachines for gods sake, why would street thugs be a problem?
Because she cant activate her robes on her own free will, needing someone with authority to give "permission" to activate them.
Missed out on such an important detail?:eyebrow:
Because she cant activate her robes on her own free will, needing someone with authority to give "permission" to activate them.
Missed out on such an important detail?:eyebrow:
I think Eclipze meant the sudden lack of self defense/fighting skills for Arika even if she isn't in her Robe. But, in this situation of suddenly getting your foot caught in this rope and hanging upside down and then having the thugs get a hold of you, there's really no way to get away. :uhoh:
No kidding, she helped fight off a slave in Episode 1, she drops off buildings holding on to a cable in order to chat with her boss. She's faster than Nina when neither is endowed with powers. She's been doing combat sessions at school. She's the fastest person ever on the survival test.
I don't get this shrinking violet act. Not from someone who's traveled across the desert alone to get to Windbloom. All the things that made her an admirable character have evaporated in the last couple episodes. I hope she comes back sometime soon.
As for "no way to get away". You hurt the biggest one as best you can and hope the others wimp out. You don't sit there and cry. She should grab his head and head butt him to break his nose. Never too smart to get that close to someone you're struggling with. Smart thugs would have used more ropes.
Animation: B+
They're doing fine animation-wise. The action is fine. It's just sometimes they obviously didn't give a shit about those characters in the background. Their faces looked distorted when they were not the center of the shot... But I can still see it, dude.
Character/Costume Design: D-
I think the costume designers were high when they came up with these costumes. What's up with the maid uniform? Those girls are meant to be really incredible, almighty warriors, yow. What's up with the robes? Can they even walk straight with those donuts around their ankles? What's up with Miyu's clothes? She looks like half-gypsy, half-cowboy-wannabe. What's up with Shizuru's shoulder sponge pads? That's so 80s. And Natsuki might want to take that MP3 player off her head. Thank you very much. :eyespin:
Voice Actors: A
I like it. Solid.
Plot: B
While I find the first half of Otome more interesting to watch than Hime's, I think they have too many characters, and they wasted some air time on something that didn't move the plot ahead. I really, really hope that something dark will come up and thrill me like the second half of Hime! Yay!
Overall: A-
I'm biased. :D
Lith Maethor
2006-01-16, 04:54
Animation: A -
there is something missing... but i honestly cannot put my finger on it...
Catgirls: ??
possibility for Mikoto to be one... still unsure if that is ok or disastrous
Character Design: A +
great, great, great... did i mention great? ...and no mai yet! that alone makes a difference (no tate either... but for him we got sergey)
Costume Design: Z -
seriously... who is responsible for this? ...only Shizuru, Midori and Chie manage to look great in these clothes
Music: A -
not quite as good as Mai HiME, but certainly good enough to listen to outside the anime
Plot: A -
we've been thrown bits and pieces, if memory serves more than mai hime at this point
Voice Actors: A
not that i understand anything but a few words... but tone and feeling sounds good for most characters
Overall: B +
potential... lots of potential... and good elements so far... lets hope episodes 14-26 do the trick and make this stellar ...if only episode 15 has a great disaster that somehow destroys everyone's clothes and they get new ones that look good...
I think Ek9 meant the sudden lack of self defense/fighting skills for Arika even if she isn't in her Robe. But, in this situation of suddenly getting your foot caught in this rope and hanging upside down and then having the thugs get a hold of you, there's really no way to get away. :uhoh:
There, corrected it for you.;)
1)No kidding, she helped fight off a slave in Episode 1, she drops off buildings holding on to a cable in order to chat with her boss. She's faster than Nina when neither is endowed with powers. She's been doing combat sessions at school. She's the fastest person ever on the survival test.
I don't get this shrinking violet act. Not from someone who's traveled across the desert alone to get to Windbloom. All the things that made her an admirable character have evaporated in the last couple episodes. I hope she comes back sometime soon.
As for "no way to get away". You hurt the biggest one as best you can and hope the others wimp out. You don't sit there and cry. She should grab his head and head butt him to break his nose. Never too smart to get that close to someone you're struggling with. Smart thugs would have used more ropes.
1)All the listed qualities were present before she went into *crush-and-not-genki mode*.
You see....Arika (mood personality, level of enegetic-ness, alertness) < Episode 1-9 Arika. Ratio? 1:5.(estimate)
Slave encounter on episode 1 = anticipated, slave appeared far away from Arika/Nina/Mashiro.
Thugs encounter on episode 14 = Arika, with low level of alertness, step on a trap, taken by surprise.
Being the "crush affected" Arika, + trap, +surprise attack/ambush = More or less(personal interpretation) defenseless Arika.
I think Mai Otome suffers to escape from the shadow of MH and иn my opinion so far it hasn't come close to its predecessor. I have watched the episodes from the first half of MH many times and I still do it while I really have no desire of watching again those of MO, except some great moments with some of the old characters (Nao for instance).
Animation\Character Design B. Basically the same as in MH, although some characters look a bit uglier (Natsuki for instance). And the Otome uniforms are freaking ridculous, I really struggle to take them seriously in these outfits.
Plot: C I really don't know what to make of it. It's promising but for now it's mainly setup and even more setup. And some parts of it annoy me quite a lot like the real princess mystery and the idea of the Otomes just obeying their orders. Seems to me that there should have been cases mentioned in which some Otome got pissed at her master, waited for him to activate her robe and levelled a city or two to prove a point, amybe even killing him and herself in the end. Or Arika getting so strong so quickly for no other reason than being the main character. :) At least in MH every HiME had to learn to control her superpowers on her own, with the possible exception of Mikoto and Fumi. In short, the plot promises a lot but so far has delivered little. The combination of comedy and more serious scenes isn't done as well as in MH.
Characters: B-
It would probably would have been an A if Arika wasn't a main character. A lot of times I have had the desire to just reach out through the screen and hit her with something really big, preferrably with a deadly effect. I really have no idea why people like naive main characters that much. Maybe most people don't but the scriptwriters think that they do. :) The characters that I like get way too little screen time and turning Mashiro into a spoiled brat wasn't exactly a great idea, IMHO. Just like in other series, the new characters are mostly outshined but the old cast. And since there are even more characters than in MH, their development hasn't been exactly great but luckily the show can rely on the viewers' familiarity with the MH group of characters.
Music: B-.
I would have probably given an even lower mark if I wasn't such a great fan of Yuki Kajiura and reluctant to rate her work so lowly. :)
Voice actors: B
All of them have done a fantastic job except Arika's seiyuu. I loved her as Mokona in Tsubasa Chronicle but Arika sounds like a retarded six-year old which really prevents me from warming up at least a bit to this character. Probably it's not her fault and Arika's voice is supposed to be exactly as it is.
Overal: C
I won't lie, if it wasn't for my love of MH and the fact that the plot seems setup the future conflict well, I would probably have stopped following Otome somewhere around episode 12. But taken by itself the first half of Otome is nothing special, IMHO.
Eclipze, my point is, I hate the "genki/crush" direction the plot's taken. I find myself wondering it Arika's TOO strong of a character, to individualistic for the japanese audience and they've decided to take her down a notch or two.
There are cultural undercurrents in the show that annoy me some. Seems like to be a strong female character, you have to be evil or a lesbian. NORMAL girls, need a man around is that I read into this. One of the amusing things about MH was Tate running around trying to help out, when he had no powers and just got in the way. They copped out in the final episode and made him save Mai but, throughout the rest of the series, he was almost comic relief. It was both unusual and enjoyable at the same time.
So, give me back my strong, non-evil, non-lesbian Arika so, I can enjoy her antics.
So, give me back my strong, non-evil, non-lesbian Arika so, I can enjoy her antics.
Huh? Isn't Arika non-evil AND non-lesbian?:eyebrow:
You seem to miss my point. Sure, she's non-evil, non lesbian but, she's also a wimp right now. At least in the last two episodes (13 and 14)
I posited that to be a strong female in anime, you needed to be a lesbian or evil (or have a strong boyfiend). In MH, they broke with anime tradition and allowed for good strong female characters, which I liked. It looked like Arika was following that path too, until the "genki/crush" plot started.
So, I WANT the stong non-evil, non-lesbian Arika back. The way she was before. Epsode 13 and 14 were torture.
lone_wolf
2006-01-16, 21:04
You seem to miss my point. Sure, she's non-evil, non lesbian but, she's also a wimp right now. At least in the last two episodes (13 and 14)
I posited that to be a strong female in anime, you needed to be a lesbian or evil (or have a strong boyfiend). In MH, they broke with anime tradition and allowed for good strong female characters, which I liked. It looked like Arika was following that path too, until the "genki/crush" plot started.
So, I WANT the stong non-evil, non-lesbian Arika back. The way she was before. Epsode 13 and 14 were torture.
Strong females in anime? Have you seen much anime? Hmmmm...how about all of Miyazaki's female characters who are (as the term you coined) *non-lesbian*. I know this is off-topic but I think your generalization is a bit off.
Okay back to topic. Apparently she goes back to her old self around episode 16.
--Lone Wolf
You seem to miss my point. Sure, she's non-evil, non lesbian but, she's also a wimp right now. At least in the last two episodes (13 and 14)
I posited that to be a strong female in anime, you needed to be a lesbian or evil (or have a strong boyfiend). In MH, they broke with anime tradition and allowed for good strong female characters, which I liked. It looked like Arika was following that path too, until the "genki/crush" plot started.
So, I WANT the stong non-evil, non-lesbian Arika back. The way she was before. Epsode 13 and 14 were torture.
Clearly, I didnt know that girls who are emotionally unsure of themselves can be strong...emotionally.
Okay back to topic. Apparently she goes back to her old self around episode 16.
--Lone Wolf
Well....I think its at the end of episode 15 that she gets back to her "genki self". Or at least whats what the last pic of the preview tells me.:p
Sure there are some in anime and I do like it. Conversely you have the characters in Harem anime like Shuffle that seem to live just to please a man.
Jesus, you're telling me I have 2 more episodes of wimp Arika? Maybe I'll just skip the next two weeks (but of course I can't).
Sure there are some in anime and I do like it. Conversely you have the characters in Harem anime like Shuffle that seem to live just to please a man.
Jesus, you're telling me I have 2 more episodes of wimp Arika? Maybe I'll just skip the next two weeks (but of course I can't).
Sorry, you were trying to fit the logic that "Arika isn't so weak", so I merely fitting in some of my common sense/logic as well, with reference that emotions have more impact on a person than you think.
Shuffle! was based on a H-game, and you expect the girls to not live their lives by wooing a man of their dreams? huh?:eyebrow:
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