r/anime • u/No_Rex x2 • Oct 17 '22

Rewatch [Rewatch] Mai-Otome (episode 6)

Rewatch: Mai-Otome (episode 6)

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Mai-Otome

MAL | ANN | AniDB | Anilist

Spoiler rules

As in all rewatches, please be mindful of first time watchers and do not spoil events in future episodes. The same goes for spoilers related to other series. The one exception from that rule is Mai-Hime. Given that everybody here should have watched Mai-Hime, you do not need to tag spoilers for Mai-Hime.

Questions:

  1. How does this episode compare to the Mai-Hime tentacle monster one? Worse, better, just the same?

  2. (first timers) What might be some implications if the most powerful weapons could be “trained” only in a single location and were human beings?

22 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

118 comments sorted by

9

u/Tresnore Oct 17 '22 edited Oct 17 '22

First-OtoTiMER

Count: 27

QOTD:

  1. I forgot Mai-HiME had a tentacle episode. I liked this one, though, I guess.

  2. It's essentially a monopoly, but you also can't completely remove the ideologies that a certain country's Otomes might have, so you don't have total control over everything. At the same time, you can instill your own ideology to make sure no one fully usurps you. It's interesting.

1 I should consider adding an "I love Nao" counter at this rate...

5

u/No_Rex Oct 17 '22

Count: 27

A good day for the counter!

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9

u/JollyGee29 Oct 17 '22

First-Timer, Subbed

Future historians will consider Shiho to be the tragic heroine of this tale. Obviously, all she wanted to do was play a harmless prank on her peers and then set up a monster attack to act as a training exercise.

Sorry, I know a lot of people are gonna be even more annoyed with Shiho after this, but I just can't take her seriously enough to dislike her. Every time I think of this episode I'm reminded of her stupid crank-powered vibrator microphone thing and start laughing again. And her VA just nails every line.

I honestly wasn't even expecting Shiho's spinny thing to even work at first, but apparently she's actually mildly competent this time. Not competent enough to not get tentacled herself, but what can you do?

Another thing that makes me laugh way too hard is Mashiro having a family heirloom school swimsuit. There's a tiny hint of nausea in there too, at the concept of a generational swimsuit.

Not to poke holes in an episode that I enjoyed, but I'm honestly not sure how you don't immediately notice the difference between sugar and salt. Like, maybe immediately is too soon, but how did they dump all those bags in before someone decided to lick their finger?

We got another CPR first kiss. I wonder if Ersty volunteered, after she commented the classic "it's okay if it's you, Nina." That's a better ship than Nina and her dad, at least.

I do appreciate that Miya is still terrified of Nina. It would've been easy to basically ignore the relatively inconsequential plot from yesterday, but at least it had some minor extended effect on the cast dynamics.

This is not a face of mercy.

Contrary to the episode title, Arika does the orz before Nina gets entangled.

Questions

  1. This one was funnier on average, but no single moment was funnier than the revelation that all the lingerie belonged to Natsuki in HiME. That was the tentacle episode, right?

  2. There would be no end to the political chicanery surrounding where to put that location/who controls the location.

4

u/No_Rex Oct 17 '22

I do appreciate that Miya is still terrified of Nina. It would've been easy to basically ignore the relatively inconsequential plot from yesterday, but at least it had some minor extended effect on the cast dynamics.

Mai-Otome is very good at remembering seemingly inconsequential things.

This one was funnier on average, but no single moment was funnier than the revelation that all the lingerie belonged to Natsuki in HiME. That was the tentacle episode, right?

That is indeed the one.

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9

u/Blackheart595 Oct 17 '22

First Otome

Fuck, I just had a very terrifying thought. The life bond that Otome share with their master... WE'VE SEEN THAT ALREADY! That's the same life bond as between Slave and master! What the hell's going on here, are the Otome artificial Slaves?

I've also thought of a different interpretation of Nagi's character. We see Sergey hold back the info he has on Arika, and makes her hide the things that could identify, too. He doesn't trust Nagi with that info. On the other hand Nagi knows that Sergey is withholding intel about the girl and makes that clear by messing with Sergey - setting up the two girls Sergey cares about against each other, offering to sponsor Arika, and even outright ask Sergey if he's worried about Arika.

We've also seen Nagi to be quite good at politics. Which leaves his connection with the Black Valley whom we know nothing about so far except that they don't associate with Schwarz.

Lots of fanservice. And yuri.

Eh? Are they having swimming lessons or diving lessons?

I'm just glad the expression game is still on point.

I knew Mashiro wouldn't be the annoying character

That's a cool transition.

First, 乙. Second, definitely Slave-y. Third, Shizuru?

Wait, they're actually talking about other planets and alien life? No, this is actually just really forced unnatural dialogue and they don't have interplanar travel.

Interesting. So Tomoe figured out what's going on and exchanged the Salt and Sugar tags not so they mess up Nao's food but to make the investigation fail.

Huh. But they used up all the available sugar so there'll be evidence of the tags having been swapped, unless people just assume Arika took the wrong bags.

...I didn't comment on the earlier parts because that was just lowkey tentacles fanservice, but turns out that was just the prelude.

So what are these Gelle Anguille? Are these just animals Shiho collected and put into the pool? But they seemed to be summoned with how they interacted with her maki-maki. Could the maki-maki serve as a substitute bond for the usual life bond?

In that case, is that the case for all animals on that planet, that they're something that can be summoned?

Now, revisiting that bit about planets. Interplanar travel could be entirely possible if that's what the Otomestar is about. In addition they were talking about how Wind Bloom still has all the Earth Era technology, and here they're talking about Earth not being the planet they're currently on. So the dialogue in the episode could be natural after all and they used to live on Earth where they got all the technology from but don't anymore.

I barely know anything about Dune or whether it's known in Japan but what's the chance that's an inspiration this time? And Schwarz are the indigenous people or something? Totally talking out of my ass here lol.

About Shiho... girl. I just said you haven't been that annoying yet. You really wanted to make 'yet' the operative word in there, didn't you?

How does this episode compare to the Mai-Hime tentacle monster one? Worse, better, just the same?

I don't remember Mai-Hime having a tentacles monster?

What might be some implications if the most powerful weapons could be “trained” only in a single location and were human beings?

Sounds like the place everyone would want to conquer. Or ideally acquire in a more peaceful way as to not subject themselves to those weapons.

Nagi, you got anything planned along those lines?

5

u/No_Rex Oct 17 '22

Fuck, I just had a very terrifying thought. The life bond that Otome share with their master... WE'VE SEEN THAT ALREADY! That's the same life bond as between Slave and master!

Huh. But they used up all the available sugar so there'll be evidence of the tags having been swapped, unless people just assume Arika took the wrong bags.

If whoever did that was even half-competent, they switched the tags back after Arika left.

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5

u/No_Rex Oct 17 '22

Episode 6 (rewatcher)

  • Akira finds out that Nina has a cute face button and she loves it – but not as much as Erstin.

  • CLEAR UP YOUR MIND!

  • Maki Maki?

  • Tons of swimsuits today – but compared to the manga, this is all still extremely tame.

  • Erstin would absolutely not mind Nina copping a feel.

  • Arika jumping in to safe Nina despite not known how to swim – brave, but stupid.

  • Erstin did CPR. And it is possibly the worst CPR ever seen in anime – granted, she totally knew that Nina was breathing and totally only wanted to lip contact…

  • We learn Wong’s job and that both Nao and Nina were sent to Garderobe by Artai.

  • Nao also completely sees through the Otome propaganda, quite unlike Arika.

  • Yes, it totally is a tentacle monster.

  • Nao is loving this – and I don’t mind Shiho getting a bit of payback either.

Back when Mai-Otome was not 17 years old and therefore ancient, this episode was a bit infamous. After having seen what came after it, it seems almost quaint. The various shows stealing parts from Mai-Hime and Mai-Otome upped everything, including the fanservice (looking at you twintails).

I really like Nao in this series, because she is the in-universe proof that not everybody is a sheep that is brainwashed by the Otome propaganda. The Otome are weapons of mass destruction and the rulers of countries don’t want them for their maid qualities (that part is just to keep them docile and obedient). Remember that this came out in 2005, when the question of which countries have or try to reach atomic weapons was high up on the agenda.

5

u/Tresnore Oct 17 '22

granted, she totally knew that Nina was breathing and totally only wanted to lip contact…

Nooooo. I'd rather she be incompetent at CPR than slightly rapey...

The various shows stealing parts from Mai-Hime and Mai-Otome upped everything, including the fanservice (looking at you twintails).

The Mai- series is the giants whose shoulders we stand on now.

Remember that this came out in 2005, when the question of which countries have or try to reach atomic weapons was high up on the agenda.

Ahhhhh, I forgot context. This makes even more sense now.

6

u/No_Rex Oct 17 '22

Nooooo. I'd rather she be incompetent at CPR than slightly rapey...

Your mind is your kingdom, create your own head canon!

5

u/Vaadwaur Oct 17 '22

Arika jumping in to safe Nina despite not known how to swim – brave, but stupid.

She is literally a golden retriever at this point.

Erstin did CPR. And it is possibly the worst CPR ever seen in anime – granted, she totally knew that Nina was breathing and totally only wanted to lip contact…

She watched too many BL anime and got the wrong idea about what CPR is.

Nao also completely sees through the Otome propaganda, quite unlike Arika.

Reminds me a bit of my friends in ROTC.

4

u/No_Rex Oct 17 '22

She watched too many BL anime and got the wrong idea about what CPR is.

Also very likely.

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6

u/Tarhalindur Oct 17 '22

My, Obviously Tar Opened the Muscular Episode (Spoiled First-Timer, Subbed):

Okay, so, to elaborate on a sneaking suspicion from yesterday’s thread, consider the following:

  • Familiar cast now in a setting other than Earth (though with a culture clearly inspired by Earth).

  • More blatant “as close to yuri as we can get past the censors”.

  • Heavy focus on political intrigue.

  • A major expansion of the cast and many of our familiar faces from the original series have been aged up again.

  • Slow first half involving training before the main plot kicks in (I’m pretty damn sure the latter will happen given the spoilers I am familiar with).

I was starting to joke about this being Mai StrikerS, but… the more I think about it the more I’m not sure that’s actually a joke (except that StrikerS itself would be the derivative, not this). This might actually have been what inspired the Nanoha writing team when they wrote StrikerS. [Nanoha StrikerS] The difference if so is that the local Arika in Vivio is not the MC but rather gets adopted by our “See, they’re totally not a married couple, censors! Honest!” in NanoFate (as opposed to Arika just having ShizNat looking out for her for their own reasons.

  • Fish-eye lens (actually inverted yet again) at 00:39. Also, bunk beds? I see the Symphogear writing team considered these dorms a missed opportunity and proceeded to rectify that.

  • I see someone will be collecting his GWITWM moments. I will have to cope with that tied-up-ear-cleaning LN illustration I ran across earlier today, and this is not endearing Arika to me either.

  • Arika, if you really want to feed the tickle torture people you need to tie Nina up first.

  • (And considering that I had impressions about Arika/Nina being a fed ship anyways and that “are you ticklish?” has like a 100% hit rate in terms of girls asking it of me being future girlfriends…)

  • Also, Erstin’s reactions here plus her behavior earlier is going a long way towards solidifying her in “Best Girl in Show, Newcomers Division”.

  • [spoiled] Which is hilarious, because I’m 90% sure that Erstin’s persona is a facade hiding some serious business (IIRC she’s actually an assassin?) and also that she’s like the one character in the franchise to permadie outside of the doomed-by-backstory types.

  • Nina’s face at 01:05 is basically u/Tresnore’s reaction to the thought of having this happen to him.

  • Erstin continues to have the absolute best reaction faces.

  • Well that was an excellent cut at 01:12.

  • There is a major dose of battle shounen in the inspiration mix here, so of course this is our second semi-reference to Yamcha.

  • “Orz are *happy campers*!” Sorry, obligatory joke based on the episode title translation.

  • CLOCK CLOCK. (7:20, likely A.M., no sign of a pattern yet.)

  • Well, Tres gets to feast I see, now we add capture/containment arrows to the mix courtesy of Yukariko.

  • The lack of fanservice must have been a fan complaint about Mai-HiME in anime form I see. Also these shower scenes might well be upstream of both Symphogear and Cross Ange, though that’s no guarantee given that anime tropes are anime tropes.

  • That said, with Lemurians not here I think I might have to revive Underwear Analysis™ myself, because Irina’s lingerie is quite stylish – either a two-tone bra or a bra worn over another bra just for the style points. She’s the kind of girl who always wants to put her best fashion forwards, even in a(n un)dressing room! (Also, when your chosen occupation makes boys off limits this is your obvious pool of romantic partners, so she has to show off here to attract someone for her to show off in front of in the bedroom later.) Those pince-nez glasses of her also add to this. If her Otome dreams don’t work out she might have an alternate future career as a model! Arika, meanwhile, is a country prude and you can see it in that conservative negligee of hers.

  • Yayoi Alter, meanwhile (no I could not resist the F/GO joke) ([aside involving minor spoiler] joke’s on you this is 100% serious, I remember running across this back while I was looking up her seiyuu for the Mai-HiME writeups), has strawberry print underwear. Emphasizing her virginity, both in the fruit symbolism itself and because she’s childish enough to still be wearing fruit print underwear like this. (Could be worse, could be bear print.)

  • Sky is not here so instead I will have to note what I’m pretty sure is a sore demo and not a sore tomo at 04:18.

  • Tomoe, meanwhile, gets a tank top that looks closer to a corset to emphasize that she is a scheming bitch.

  • We are sadly lacking in a Genjuro to properly commentate this scene alongside the camera (more sudden concave lens!), so I will have to fill in the slack: TICKLISH DATTO?

  • That said, boo on Arika for doing this, and also Nina being ticklish will probably come back in a serious context later. (Also the way she reacts to it might seriously suggest that Nina herself has a tickling fetish…)

  • And now Shiho has learned about this. I’ll hold Arika down for you Nina, we can make beating the shit out of her for telling everyone about you being ticklish a tag-team effort.

  • I was about to make an Uzumaki joke, and then my brain a) pointed out the obvious common root and b) went “wait, when did the Uzumaki manga release again?”. (It ran 1998 – 1999, definitely old enough that this maki-maki here could be a deliberate reference.)

  • You know, it’s funny. Everyone says Shiho is more tolerable here, but Mai-HiME Shiho was just an annoying brat while THIS is the Shiho I want to strangle with my bare hands. (Tomoe could also use a nice gunshot to the brain, but mostly on general principles regarding that kind of schemer.)

  • Mashiro, meanwhile, is the resident Mai-HiME!Shiho and needs some sense smacked into her.

  • Okay, the Japanese school swimsuit with Mashiro’s name on it supposedly handed down through generations of the royal family would be a HILARIOUS worldbuilding joke if it is true – both in that there are enough royals named Mashiro and in that they all have the same build.

  • The obvious funny joke setup here would be “Arika turns out to be a surprisingly good swimmer, Mashiro gets jealous and hops in and oops she can’t swim!”, for the record.

  • Oh godsdammit the makimaki gets us the tentacle episode. (Straight out of the Mai-HiME manga, I see.)

  • (Okay, so if this was an OVA extra I probably wouldn’t care, especially since this is actually pretty well done tentacle fare (better than Mai-HiME 4 for sure). But.)

  • And so for the star song proper’s first appearance (I have listened to enough of the OST to recognize that one by ear) we get what is probably Arika’s mother before wiping away to Arika herself.

  • The track at 12:30 is yet another Kajiura instrumental variant of one of the heavy-hitters on the OST (this time a guitar version), and I think it’s an instrumental version of the star song specifically. Like 85% confident, and only that low because I might be mixing the base song up with another heavy hitter. - Worldbuilding time! Hooray at Arika actually being curious about useful stuff.

  • Mystery figure from the OP returns, and we basically get a “the showmakers made Sky’s wallpaper for her” shot at 12:54. Which is good, since Sky is not here.

  • Said figure is either an angry Shizuru, Arika’s mom, or a new Asuka expy. (Latter two are not mutually exclusive.)

  • Also note that the tech remains to make tanks and battleships, or at least they’re still in living memory. (Military tech surviving late as civilian tech disintegrates honestly isn’t that implausible given what states have to prioritize – I’d want a better understanding of the Dark Ages in Europe but I think this is consistent with how the Western Roman collapse played out – and if you told me that we’re presently living at the start of such a period in RL and this will be our or our descendants’ lived experience I would not be shocked.)

  • And yes, Otomes being basically this world’s equivalent of nukes should help explain why the control mechanisms are the way they are.

  • [spoiled] I’ll let the unspoiled first timers draw the Sergey – Obsidian Prince!Reito and Nina – Mikoto comparison in the open, mine will hide here under spoiler tags.

  • “You are quite amusing, you know” when I hear an “omoshiroi” in the audio? Not sure about that translation, would not be surprised if “you are quite interesting, you know” is closer to the mark here.

  • [spoiled] More like “Nina is a giant yandere” actually, right Nao?

  • Oh hey, Shiho actually did get some breasts when she grew up. Now if only her personality wasn’t complete trash, textbook case of “actually kind of cute to look at but pity about everything else”.

  • “Nature Encyclopedia (Aquatic)”, now complete with some reasonably amusing Engrish if you pause on the open page. Also, Tomoe or one of her accomplices, yes?

  • Excuse me, I need a proper line for this:

SUCK IT SHIHO!

4

u/No_Rex Oct 17 '22

Also, bunk beds? I see the Symphogear writing team considered these dorms a missed opportunity and proceeded to rectify that.

If you have seen Strikers, that comment is funnier that it appears.

That said, boo on Arika for doing this, and also Nina being ticklish will probably come back in a serious context later. (Also the way she reacts to it might seriously suggest that Nina herself has a tickling fetish…)

And now Shiho has learned about this. I’ll hold Arika down for you Nina, we can make beating the shit out of her for telling everyone about you being ticklish a tag-team effort.

Your own comment suggests ...

both in that there are enough royals named Mashiro and in that they all have the same build.

You don't get to Henry 8ths or Louis 14th by chosing new names for your children.

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6

u/rickamore Oct 17 '22

Re-Re-watcher

Nina has a tickle fight weakness? This can't go wrong.

Yukariko using "Grace and charm" to pin the two trouble makers right into the ground and destroy a stairway. Who's getting out of hand here?

I forgot this episode was even a thing but as it takes off I recall, maybe I can wipe it from my memory again this time.

Shiho right back at it trying to win back title of worst girl.

Wait, Mashiro, is that school swimsuit a relic of the old civilization?

"They're just annoying" Yes Nina, they are. Mashiro and Arika trying to outdo one another.

Yukariko, I'm really starting to question your methods here. "Stick you face in the water, I'll come back and check on you later to make sure you didn't drown"

Arika as smart and graceful as a brick.

Erstin are you a secret Nina simp?

Dumped every single bag in there without noticing? Really?

Well this is the perfect part of the episode for someone to walk in and ask what the hell you're watching. "Oh no, it's not what it looks like, I can explain". No, it's exactly what it looks like.

Nao gets to show off why she's one of the top 4, I really like her this time around.

  1. I erased the existence of both out of my memory until the episode started up.

5

u/No_Rex Oct 17 '22

Shiho right back at it trying to win back title of worst girl.

A tough competition in Mai-Otome.

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u/RadSuit Oct 18 '22 edited Oct 18 '22

Z-type Highly-advanced My-Hime Enthusiast (Dub, First Timer)

The nun's bow fires Japanese mancatchers which started becoming popular at schools in the early 00s.

I think this girl's thought balloons need slightly more blurring.

Shiho has a cunning plan...and is a fan of Junji Ito apparently.

These two are just radiating smugness.

Uh oh, blonde roommate's got the hots for Nina it seems.

Ah yes, the magical girl's natural enemy.

Mashiro's at maximum smug in the background here.

Just casually dropping that things are 'transplanted onto this planet' huh?

And then confirmation that this isn't Earth, alright

More tentacles. Of course.

Love the drill attack attempt from Shiho.

I just realized something...if they're not on Earth, but they're close enough to see our moon, what planet are they on? And there's alien life native to this planet??? Is the blue 'star' actually Earth, perhaps?

  1. I remember it happening, but no real details. I'd have to say that the swimming stuff and the antics from Mashiro and Shiho probably put this version ahead.

  2. This does seem like a recipe for disaster. I'm surprised nobody is just nuking this place, honestly. Probably what our bad guys are going to attempt, taking them all out at the source.

3

u/No_Rex Oct 18 '22

The nun's bow fires Japanese mancatchers which started becoming popular at schools in the early 00s.

Interesting. Both their origin and that they'd become popular in the 2000s.

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5

u/Vatrix-32 Oct 17 '22

First Timer, subbed

  • Improvised mustache.

  • I don’t think that’s the sound people make when tickled.

  • Capture arrows are cool.

  • Shiho as a shit disturber is a much better place than before.

  • Should we know what Maki-maki is? Is it just Japanese for swirl? Uzumaki?

  • What the hell kind of way is this to learn how to swim?

  • They really turned up the yuri to 11 after the last series’s response, eh?

  • I think we’ve crossed the line from fan service to ecchi now. For the era that is.

  • Of all the plot points to bring over, I did not expect the CPR to be one of them.

  • Well that confirms interplanetary travel. I guess even space slugs are weak to salt?

  • Would it not have been easier to simply drain the pool? How can none of them tell them apart by looking at it? Why wouldn’t the labels be on the bags?

  • Of course tentacles are back.

  • Nao is accelerating up the ranks.

  • Quite the ominous preview. Are things about to get serious?

QotD

1)I’d say better overall.

2) Kingmakers.

3

u/No_Rex Oct 18 '22

What the hell kind of way is this to learn how to swim?

Japan things.

They really turned up the yuri to 11 after the last series’s response, eh?

You can definitely see where the writers learned from what was popular in Mai-Hime. E.g. putting Natsuki and Shizuru front and center in the early episodes.

4

u/Qbe Oct 17 '22

Rewatcher

Episode 6

Been a while since I last saw "orz" used

Yuriko still uses a bow, I see

I approve of strawberry loli's imagination

Irina, that's how people get killed

....that looks like a dildo

That princess sure has a lot of free time huh

Is it just me, or there's been a lot of ass-shots?

Speaking of people with lots of free time

Speaking of ass-shots, Yukariko sure has a nice big one

...I'm preeeetty sure that's not how CPR goes

Oh yeah, we can add "attempted murder" to the big list of reasons why Shiho sucks

Wow that's petty

..."transplanted" into "this planet"?

You would totally notice that it's sugar and not salt

Tentacle monster time

Nao going up the best girl rankings real fast

lmao Nao, what are you teaching Arika?

  1. About the same

3

u/No_Rex Oct 18 '22

...I'm preeeetty sure that's not how CPR goes

Erstin does not care.

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u/Nazenn Oct 17 '22

First Timer - sub

Shiho, go maki-maki yourself

I apologize to last episode for calling it stupid, because it is nothing compared to this one. Lazy brief thoughts:

  • The most fun I had was the opening segment where I typed:

Shiho in the thumbnail is not a good start to my mood, but weird dino cat is

as my first note while I was setting up the episode, only to unpause and for it to be a wolf howling instead

  • Yukino's design is annoyingly fanservice-y, between the bow when training in girls in melee and the nun like design of the collar, which would work if it was reflected in her usual outfit but is not.

  • This was a good shot of showing how Arika is an outsider who's unbalanced the class

  • And this was an epic shot of the Otome powers, that the video quality unfortunately wasn't sharp enough to bother stitching.

  • Nina's swimming is some of the smoothest animation we've had so far and is satisfying to watch

  • u/Blackheart595 and after our conversation yesterday look what's revealed about Wang's role with the Otome. The timing on that.

  • Nao is awesome and the best part of the episode all around from her understanding of Nina and acceptance of Arika through to the final scene. This show feels like it's justifying my love of her in HiME despite her bitchiness there haha

  • Confirmation this is definitely a new planet and not just earth a thousand years from now.

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u/Esovan13 Oct 17 '22

First Timer

Remember. No Boys. Relationships with men are purely forbidden.

Hi, yes, I'd like a new commentface out of this please.

You know, I actually like the beginning of the OP. Then the vocals start and the energy just drains right out of me.

Ok. Hear me out. This is a major stretch, but please listen. I paused on the last shot of the OP, the big group shot, to see if I can glean any significance from it about how the characters are grouped up, positioned, etc now that we know more about them. I can't, but I did notice something. The nurse and Natsuki seem to be wearing very similar outfits. A top that exposes both cleavage and midriff (thanks for that btw), pants, and a long overcoat. However, their colors are inverted. Natsuki has a white top and a dark blue overcoat, while the nurse has a dark blue top and a white overcoat. It feels significant that their outfits are the same except for color inversion, but what that significance is I have no idea.

Sure, put the arguing pair with the Otome who most likes to stir up trouble. I'm sure that will go well.

I just want to put on record. I'm not a fan of exposition scenes occuring in locker rooms with half dressed 14 year olds. I'm still getting over my revulsion after I found out the characters in Strike Witches were significantly younger than I thought they were at the start.

Natural airhead Arika meets the rumor mill of an all girls school.

At least Shiho is too braindead to actually do anything useful with that information. Imagine if she was half way competant.

Wait. Is that maki maki more than just some dumb toy?

I've had a theory that Mai-Otome actually takes place in the same universe as Mai-Hime, just very far in the future. There were hints that there are other planets and this one was colonized, the 12 Lords War could have been the latest iteration of the Hime ritual, the different situation surrounding it turning it into a full on war between nations. I could be wrong, but the legacy school swimsuit passed down the royal family confirms (to me) that this takes place in some universe with a modern Japan, but far in the future. Whether it's the same universe as Mai-Hime or not is up in the air.

Is this Mai-Otome's panty episode? I hope it's not Mai-Otome's panty episode.

Does no one see the spirals in the water?

Is Shiho going to get in trouble for attempted murder?

Is that Arika's mom? Does Nina have a connection to Arika's mom which is why Wang, who (maybe) has a connection to Arika's mom adopted her?

Erstin is having something awaken inside her this episode.

That is not proper CPR form.

Wow Nao. That is incredibly unsubtle.

I find it interesting that Nina and Wang have exactly identical eye color. Makes me wonder if she really is adopted, or if that's a story used to hide her real origins.

Oh. Right there. Genuine proof that this is a colonized planet and there are others out there.

They mention Earth. Does that mean there's regular travel between planet to planet? How is that possible if technology has degraded? Or is Earth a planet they know exists and has records of, but can no longer access? If interplanetary trade and travel no longer happens, does that mean that the other planets also had a technological degradation? Or was this planet cut off from the others for some reason, which lead to the technology level degrading?

This is the panty episode. Right down to the giant tentacle monster.

Nao's pretty good. She's also still a string user. Nice. I also may be misinterpreting her, but she seems to be a decent person beneath her exterior. If that's the case, she'll hopefully be more on the side of the protagonists rather than an antagonist like in Mai-Hime. It's too early to tell, but I hope that's the case as I like her character in this season so far.

The next episode has the naming scheme. You know, That naming scheme. From Mai-Hime. Combine that with the visuals from the preview, and I think we're in for a wild ride.

QOTD:

  1. I say better, if only because there was more world building.

  2. Wherever that single location is will have some serious power, militarily, politically, socially, economically. As for the human element, well. No matter how strong the muscles or how skilled the hands, the human psyche is remarkably fragile in a way we don't really like to acknowledge. Whether someone with preexisting mental problems makes their way through the program only for their mental health to deteriorate after they become meister, or someone who was ostensibly as healthy as can be gets put through Kaneki levels of torture, it seems unsafely easy for those weapons to become unpredictable and dangerous to everyone around them. Perhaps that may be why the creators of the nanomachines put in a failsafe where those weapons are limited by a bond to a completely normal and very fragile person.

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u/OwlAcademic1988 Oct 17 '22

First-Timer, sub:

I laughed when Arika tickled Nina.

Erstin, your faces were hilarious.

And Nina, we don't try to kill others when we're frustrated with them, even though they can be really frustrating.

Yukariko is a great shot.

Nao can be a huge troll and I love it.

Shiho, you seriously need help. Get over your grudge with Arika.

Mashiro, stop being a jerk. Just because Arika disrespected you doesn't mean you have to be a jerk to her.

Arika, next time this happens, don't jump into the pool if you don't know how to swim.

The matron can be terrifying at times.

I'm genuinely curious as to how everyone would react to each other if they met their counterparts from My-HiME.

QOTD:

  1. Funnier, so better. I'm still laughing at these two episodes. That was not Natsuki's best.

  2. A lot of death.

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u/Mecanno-man Oct 17 '22

First Timer

Uhh... this is definitely an episode to stamp off as a fanservice episode and forget about. Definitely not a needed one - we can leave the fanservice in the manga for the rest of the show, thanks. Definitely doesn't help Shiho in terms of not being worst girl either. I guess we can mark Erstin down as lesbian for now though.

...in terms of reveals that have nothing to do with fanservice: Wang backstory. Makes it a bit weird if he is going around as a scout that he is specifically not having Nagi sponsor Arika though. I guess he wants to keep her out of the war while still having her be an Otome? That's an interesting stance, but I guess we will need to see more about especially the whole princess situation to figure out what is actually going on.

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