Mai Hime Vs Mai Otome [Poll] <<Warning: Spoilers>>

[Dark-San]

[color=chocolate][b][size=3] This is one of the most recent talk about rivalry of the anime world. Perhaps even more outstanding than the Onegai Teacher versus Onegai Twins saga. It is the comparison between the anime series, Mai Hime and Mai Otome. Both animes having similar features like having the same characters. The differences would lie in their story plots. Let us proceed with the introductions.

Background of Mai Hime

[color=chocolate][b][size=3]Mai Hime, better known as '舞-HiME' in Japanese, was released two years. It had caused an uproar as the anime was then released around the same time as the much anticipated Tenjou Tenge. It also uses the interesting concept of pairing up girls with monster guardians. Surprisingly though even losing out to Tenjou Tenge in terms of viewership, it has still manage to gather enough fanbase.

Mai Hime's female lead was Mai. A high school-er transferee who had just recently enrol into Fuka Gakue. Fuka Gakue, a unified school from primary through senior high school, has its fair share of mysteries as well as outrageous histories of monsters. Little known to Mai that enrolling to this school would be that would be a start of a nightmare.

Barely surviving on a measly sum of salary she worked part time, she still have to cope with her studies and mentally supporting her sick little brother. She suddenly got herself embroiled in a messy affair. She soon realised she had the power of a HiME. One who have the power of a HiME (Highly-advanced Materializing Equipment) would mean that that she possess the power to kill off a group of creatures better known as Orphans.

Being a HiME was no fun, it is just another responsibility that she had to bare with. Eliminating Orphans became a daily routine until she realised all along that the mentality of hers was wrong. She had learnt in the later part of the anime that being HiME would mean she would have to complete with the rest of the HiME to see who would gain the power of the star.

However losing in this seven aside faceoff, would mean losing your loved one. It is a contract bound by being a HiME. Now she have to choose from defeating all the rest of the seven HiMEs who are her friends or risk losing her much loved brother, Takumi?

Background of Mai Otome

[color=chocolate][b][size=3]Mai Otome, the initially so- called serial, on the other hand has a slight advantage over Mai Hime. It has a fanbase to start from which was built from two years from Mai Hime. Mai Otome ( 舞乙HiME in Japanese) was released just this year around the same time as Blood +, the anime series to Blood the Last Vampire, and also Black Cat. It got itself into the current top 15 internet most sought after anime list.

This time round even though they used back most of the characters from Mai Hime, they changed the main female lead to Arika Yumemiya. The new female lead, a typical 14 year old coming from the countryside, has a dream. The dream of becoming an Otome. An Otome is a female warrior bind by loyalty to her master usually a royalty from a kingdom, thus becoming the brains, advisers and tools to politics. Amazingly to become an Otome would mean attending the Garderobe and becoming a Mai Star.

Garderobe is an academy where the secrets of the lost technology lies. Back then a decade ago, the kingdom of Windbloom got itself into a civil war. The king and queen was assassinated and their daughter being brought away from the palace and was never seen again.

In the early part of the series, our heroine was busy studying in the academy in the process of making friends. Some of the friends she made were Nina Wong, who would eventually become her rival, and also Mashiro Blan de Windbloom, the current queen of Windbloom. She got herself through the exams, some tight fitted situation and some classmate jealously during this period. The anime also saw a better version of Orphans from Mai Hime better known as slaves this time round. Arika and her pals had some encounters with these slaves as well.

The later part of the series saw the invasion of another kingdom to Windbloom. However due to some misunderstandings and the accidental killing of a friend, Erstin Ho, the former rivals now become fearsome enemies. Arika Yumemiya by now had became the Otome with the possession of the power of Sapphire while Nina Wong has the guidance of Black Diamond. Both former friends now became Mai Stars are at each others' blood. Will they ever reconciled?

Dark-san Personal Recommendations

[color=chocolate][b][size=3] Mai Hime does not have the appealing factor compared to Mai Otome. In terms of story plot, Mai Otome is better. Mai Otome's story plot is well paced and unlike Mai Hime who had rushed into its ending making a perfect anime into ruins.

However do not rule out watching Mai Hime, watching it will give you some background of what on earth is happening at Mai Otome . You would appreciate Otome better if you have only watched Mai Hime.

Dark- San's Anime Ratings

[color=chocolate][b][size=3]Mai Hime - 6/10


[color=chocolate][b][size=3] Blame it on the rushy ending. If not, then throw the blame onto Mikoto. The producers have the wrong character development of her guardian. It came out so late into the series. Another blame would be the concept of girls and monster guardians in this story plot. The producers did not grasp that concept very well.

Despite so many bad points, Mai Hime still pass with a six. That would well be their good fighting scenes of having guardians going against each well as well as the chicks. Like Ryan had mentioned, only Mai compensate for the poor ending.

Mai Otome - 7/10


[color=chocolate][b][size=3]Seven points! A wonderful story plot especially when the anime involves simple to understand politics. The additional genre of fantasy is another winning point over Mai Hime. This time round, the producers also avoid a repeat of the girls with monster guardian concept.

The Slaves this round time only can be summoned by the baddies not by the chicks. Furthermore the opening theme, Dream Wing, for the anime is better.

What to expect?

[b][size=3] Just recently, I downloaded a trailer of a rumoured movie off the net. The trailers show that the ending of Mai Hime is far from over. It shows the introduction of Arika Yumemiya into the plot. The trailer also shows the showdown of Mai and Arika against the eighth fake HiME.

After all, this is only rumoured. Do not place too much hope on a movie. Think of it instead as a preview to a third series. :biggrin:

[Last Exile]

I despised Mai Hime more than any other anime last year so I doubt I'll be willing to give Mai Otome a go. I really disliked everything about it.

[youdontknowme]

I despised Mai Hime more than any other anime last year so I doubt I'll be willing to give Mai Otome a go. I really disliked everything about it.

Agreed.

My brother downloaded the series and he liked it. I saw like two or three episodes and caught glimpses of others here and there and I didn't like it. IMO, I thought it was cheesy how if their guardian dies then their closest loved one (or whatever) "disappears"...
Of course, I don't know the actual story of it (but I have a feeling I wouldn't like it anyway) and that I also have a specific taste of plots.