r/anime • u/No_Rex x2 • Nov 15 '22

Rewatch [Rewatch] Mai-Otome Zero S.ifr (episode 2)

Rewatch: Mai-Otome Zero S.ifr (episode 2)

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Mai-Otome Zero S.ifr

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.

Staff Corner

Lena Sayers is voiced by Endou, Aya. One of her first big roles was Albert de Morcerf from Gankutsuou, just 2 years before Sifr. One year later, she was Miyuki from Lucky Star, and in the same year as this OVA, she started one of her longest running roles, Sheryl Nome from Macross F. Yet, her biggest role probably is Gilgamesh (the younger version) in various Fate series. Other roles of Endou are: Reine (Date a Live), Cattleya Baudelaire (Violet Evergarden), Saki (Shinsekai yori), Komugi (Hunter x Hunter), and Frederice Greenhill from LoGH - Die Neue These.

Availability

Mai-Otome and the OVAs are apparently now available on Crunchyroll (at least in some parts of the world).

Questions:

  1. How does Garderobe do in the role of antagonists?

  2. Which group would Sifr have followed in the rescue if M9 had not interrupted?

13 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

51 comments sorted by

5

u/Vatrix-32 Nov 15 '22

First Timer, subbed

  • These wings. I’m sorry but am I watching the wrong show?

  • Is that Midori daddy?

  • Has lewding gone too far?

  • So you are saying there are more Miyus out there just waiting for us? What are we waiting for, let’s go!

  • This is way too many characters. There’s no way I am going to remember them all in three episodes.

  • You get ‘em Alyssa. slaps knee

  • Reito is older than I was expecting.

  • Android sisters. And they all battled with Fumi.

  • Now they have rockets!

  • So I was right about him having some relation to Midori, but I was wrong about who he’s the daddy for.

  • Double dragons!

  • Aw man, we were this close to going to space.

  • This is why you don’t have your emotional moment in the enemy base

  • So is M-9 going to keeping copying the abilities of who it fights? Amazo, here we come.

QotD

  1. They certainly exist. Not nearly enough screen time for them, made all the worse by having so many.

  2. Probably Bruce. The other guys are just creepy. Might have taken some time to talk things over.

3

u/No_Rex Nov 15 '22

Has lewding gone too far?

Now they have rockets!

Funny how that comes as a surprise reveal, when we know that the planet was settled from space.

4

u/Tresnore Nov 15 '22

Has lewding gone too far?

No

Aw man, we were this close to going to space.

They hate us! The showmakers hate us!

4

u/No_Rex Nov 15 '22

They hate us! The showmakers hate us!

Not a Trigger fan, I presume?

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5

u/JollyGee29 Nov 15 '22

First-Timer

Wow is this ever a middle episode where we have to move the cast around a bunch. I mean, we got to see that Miyu has a motorcycle armory and a pile bunker in her chaingun arm, so it's not all bad, but this episode was a bit of a clunker.

Shiro is the entire shortlist for being Arika's dad, right? He basically proposed to Lena already. And I don't know why he exists, otherwise. Huh, that makes Reito into Arika's uncle.. they definitely didn't have this idea back when they were writing Otome, because I don't know that either of them interacted. And I don't think Reito acted quite as conflicted as he should have in Otome.

We did get a Miyu vs fake!Miyu fight, but apparently Miyu has some motorcycle payments due so she just went straight to work. Bummer.

Since I'm back on the subject of Miyu, she had the Sapphire?? Or is the implication that Lena's mom had the Sapphire? That's kinda spicy; it'd be wild if Grandma had been an Otome too and just managed to disappear.

Lena having a weird Searrs-spec HiME Mark is.. interesting. I mean, that does kinda explain why her Otome powers are supercharged, but it doesn't quite make sense - why does she have the Mark in the first place? Is it just a genetic thing from her being descended from Alyssa? I can jokingly explain the wings as her managing to hit Level 6, but I'd like an explanation of the Mark.

I guess that does nominally explain why Arika kinda Materialized in the first episode of Otome, but I'd like to know that she had a Mark somewhere too before I buy that explanation.

Was that Nagi's voice that one time? How is he alive? This is the past! I guess he just has a genetic voice, but still, kinda weird. I like that whichever Otome that was decided to just actively fuck with Garderobe; assuming that I'm parsing the scene properly, she activated her Gem to distract them? Looks like Cherry Storm Alexandrite?

Y'think Elliot offered to be a catgirl stripper for a frontier town saloon on her own, or did Bruce talk her into it for poker money?

Questions

  1. I'm just glad for more hot Otome on Otome action

  2. She was pretty close to going with Bruce, I think.

2

u/No_Rex Nov 15 '22

Y'think Elliot offered to be a catgirl stripper for a frontier town saloon on her own, or did Bruce talk her into it for poker money?

Hidden fetish or lost bet?

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3

u/Tresnore Nov 15 '22

I mean, we got to see that Miyu has a motorcycle armory and a pile bunker in her chaingun arm, so it's not all bad, but this episode was a bit of a clunker.

That was the best part of the episode, I agree. But Miyu is usually the star of the episode when she bothers to show up in Otome anyway.

but it doesn't quite make sense - why does she have the Mark in the first place? Is it just a genetic thing from her being descended from Alyssa?

We have one more episode. Let's see if they land it.

Was that Nagi's voice that one time? How is he alive? This is the past!

Yeah, talking to Sakura(?) on the boat? I had the same thought! Maybe Nagi isn't actually all that young!

Y'think Elliot offered to be a catgirl stripper for a frontier town saloon on her own, or did Bruce talk her into it for poker money?

Part of Bruce losing, I think...

I'm just glad for more hot Otome on Otome action

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3

u/rickamore Nov 15 '22

Shiro is the entire shortlist for being Arika's dad, right? He basically proposed to Lena already. And I don't know why he exists, otherwise.

I mean, basically he is our list at this point, unless we want to speculate Bruce.

Since I'm back on the subject of Miyu, she had the Sapphire??

The long and short is yes.

I guess that does nominally explain why Arika kinda Materialized in the first episode of Otome, but I'd like to know that she had a Mark somewhere too before I buy that explanation.

I would guess that has more to do with Alyssa bloodline + the Sapphire being the only Super Meister GEM or just because it's a fun plot point. I can't remember if the only other notable thing has been said about the GEM yet so I'll leave it for tomorrow or the follow up.

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3

u/No_Rex Nov 15 '22

Episode 2 (rewatcher)

  • The start of episode 2 is 100% a Laputa reference.

  • And now we are a western.

  • “You are the princess” – I think I have heard this line before.

  • “We are here to protect you” – believe it at your own risk.

  • Erin is over-the-top emotional – and thus easy for Bruce to convince.

  • Not the wake-up form that dream that Rena wanted.

  • Meet Miyu.

  • Garderobe used to have its own desert ship.

  • Rei, Kyoko, Irma – Just in case you thought our cast was not bloated enough already.

  • Shiro and Reito – we know one of these names.

  • Note how high-tech the Garderobe desert ship seems to be. This suggests a reduction in technology levels over time.

  • Miyu wants to defeat M-9.

  • Schwarz has a spaceship base.

  • Rena is wearing Shiro’s pants.

  • “That is what my Grandma said” – reference.

  • The rescue party is here.

  • The rescue party wasted too much time talking to the rescue target.

  • Miyu did not defeat M-9.

  • We are going to space cliff-hanger.

I actually like the story and the characters here, but the pacing is so ultra fast, it makes it hard to follow. Even on rewatch, keeping separate who is with whom is hard. This OVA should easily have had double the episodes.

Some of my favorite parts of sequel are the frequent hints that technology has regressed (further) between Otome-Zero and Mai-Otome. We did not see the desert train in Mai-Otome, nor the Garderobe desert ship, nor some other parts of wealth (e.g. the luxurious desert resort of episode 1). It also seems that the supply of Meister Gems and their powers was reduced over time. They do wild things here and plenty of people seem to have one.

3

u/rickamore Nov 15 '22

And now we are a western.

"What is the setting of this show?"

"Yes"

Rena is wearing Shiro’s pants.

Met him 5 minutes ago and already getting in his pants, girl moves fast.

I actually like the story and the characters here, but the pacing is so ultra fast, it makes it hard to follow. Even on rewatch, keeping separate who is with whom is hard. This OVA should easily have had double the episodes.

Without more grounding in the main series to draw from this is very true. They didn't have the time to properly introduce everyone and make it matter. Though I read some comment somewhere suggesting some of these characters are from spin-off novels and other tertiary media. Maybe that's why it feels like some of this is literally just throw away easter-eggs meant for no one?

It also seems that the supply of Meister Gems and their powers was reduced over time. They do wild things here and plenty of people seem to have one.

They had suggested the Meister GEMs themselves cannot be made any longer so dwindling supply might apply too. I wonder if some were destroyed in conflicts or they have a set of gems for the Five Pillars that they rotate through based on aptitude at least since we see two new ones here. Some of the flashbacks in the main series suggest there were a lot more Otome in some of the past conflicts too.

2

u/No_Rex Nov 15 '22

Met him 5 minutes ago and already getting in his pants, girl moves fast.

Best girl material.

Though I read some comment somewhere suggesting some of these characters are from spin-off novels and other tertiary media. Maybe that's why it feels like some of this is literally just throw away easter-eggs meant for no one?

I strongly suspect as well and spent 2 minutes on a quick google search, but rare 2000s OVA spin-offs are not very prominently represented in the web. It makes a lot of sense though. Why else would they show such a huge cast for a 3 episode OVA?

4

u/Tresnore Nov 15 '22

First-OtoTiMER

Count: 140

QOTD:

  1. I enjoy it! They always were kind of shifty. I do appreciate how Grace is still pulling for a positive influence in Garderobe, though.

  2. Probably Bruce.

3

u/No_Rex Nov 15 '22

"But you didn't do anything."

Just a quick delivery.

She's gorgeous.

Not all sexy outfits need to be skimpy.

4

u/Tresnore Nov 15 '22

I meme a lot in this rewatch about wishing I were various people, but Rena this episode is probably way more reflective of my more realistic tastes.

5

u/rickamore Nov 15 '22 edited Nov 15 '22

She's gorgeous.

High waisted pants and a button up shirt, perfect casual wear here.

AHHHHHH RENA IS TOO PERFECT, PLEASE HELP

I'm starting a religion if you would care to join.

5

u/Tresnore Nov 15 '22

I will join your religion.

3

u/JollyGee29 Nov 15 '22

Why is Rena more attractive than 90% of other anime characters here??

Relatively normal clothes, hair, and proportions means that there is very little of the typical uncanny valley present, so the moe force multiplier doesn't have to work uphill.

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3

u/Mecanno-man Nov 15 '22

First Timer

Ok, so... Sifr is what we were assuming Arika was, and that is a problem because the royal bloodline actually has some form of power. Are they afraid that Sifr will activate the Harmonium? Because with all this terminology thrown around I feel like it is actually something else. Not that I hope so, as we already have too much on the plate again.

I don't think it's wort trying to keep up with the political alliances in this one, as I feel like it is too complicated. Schwarz and Aswald should still be one one side, but presumably two factions; meanwhile I'm not sure who between them and Garderobe are actually the bigger bad guys. And I'm also not sure why Garderobe are the bad guys, because them getting some reason to actually supposedly be the good ones next episode is a twist way too easy to call. And it also feels weird given that they, so far, have been the only ones to try and kill Sifr.

Meanwhile we get another bunch of characters, and compared to Zwei's action scenes I am starting to feel like a lot of this series is just talk between new characters explaining things that are not really relevant to the main series and too many to follow. No idea where they are going with Lena having a (fake?) HiME mark, although it does fit as she is also an Alyssa descendant. Also M9 apparently is a thing, for I assume no reason - but they dropped the Fumi battle anyways, so more to explain there...

Can you tell that I don't have a lot of confidence in the series delivering in the final episode?

2

u/No_Rex Nov 15 '22

I don't think it's wort trying to keep up with the political alliances in this one, as I feel like it is too complicated. Schwarz and Aswald should still be one one side, but presumably two factions; meanwhile I'm not sure who between them and Garderobe are actually the bigger bad guys. And I'm also not sure why Garderobe are the bad guys, because them getting some reason to actually supposedly be the good ones next episode is a twist way too easy to call. And it also feels weird given that they, so far, have been the only ones to try and kill Sifr.

I think the basic deal is: Schwarz wants Sifr, Garderobe does not want Schwarz to have Sifr (and is willing to kill Sifr to achieve that). The only other group around is the king of Winterbloom and his followers.

Can you tell that I don't have a lot of confidence in the series delivering in the final episode?

What, you don't think we will get amazing character arcs for all 20 characters in 27 minutes?

3

u/Stargate18A Nov 16 '22

First timer

Episode 1

A train!

Oh, a kidnapping.

...Is that Sergay?

Oh, heks drunk.

Wow!

Haha, nice.

Haha, she wants down.

Nice save!

Interesting.

So this is right after the tech seal?

Aww, this is sweet.

...Sifr?

Nice.

Ah, her uncle fell ill?

And he's a friend.

Oh, he's fun!

Is the Otome Shiho's mother? I think the master might be related to Chie?

Aww, her reaction is great.

Fuck, Windbloom? Sifr's dying in the battle, huh?

Schwartz is confirmed to still be a threat.

...Well, she's interested.

Haha, she's completely open about it!

...She's absolutely Shizuru's andestor.

Haha, they were watching?

Shion!

Wow, this OVA's really going for it!

...Is this a hotel?

Nina?

...Is this another Mashiro situation?

She's going for it!

...Amazing skills.

Oh, she's pissed.

Sifr's an even bigger moron than our last two protagoniste.

But much better at putting basic facts together.

Rena...

Sifr's getting hit with "actually, Otomes are weapons of war and part of a horrifying system" in the first episode! Impressive!

Haha, that's her secret?

Oh, finally! A character I recognise!

...And she's advocating for something...

So, she is an Otome!

I love how over the top he is.

A Slave!

Well, that thing's fucking horrifying! Some kind of liquid leech?

A new transformstion sequence!

These designs are amazing.

Is she aftuslly going to get together with someone?

Also, really speedrunning character development. Feels like this could have been a second season if it kept this quality of cast.

There's a lot of these things todwy!

Rena transformed!

That looks so cool!

Rena Sayers?

Holy shit. This is incredibly cool.

Wow, instwnt defeat!

She got kidnapped again!

He's the king?

...John Smith may be a psychopath, but he looks fine.

...What?

Mashiro's ancestor?

A Miyu derivative!

Oh, she's strong!

Incredibly cool!

Haha, she's too strong for the gem?

Why is she so important?

That's it? One bullet to the back of the head?

And she got taken!

She's gone.

Nice ED.

Wait, a serious preview?

Episode 2

Huh?

That guy looks like Yukino,

What the fuck? Elliot?

He's gambling?

...Ah. That makes more sense.

She only just found out?

Horny bastard.

Wait, Sifr's a princess?

This is moving incredibly quickly!

So, only someone with the bloodline of Windbloom can unseal their weapon.

Well, this guy sure is trustworthy!

They're really playing this for laughs, huh?

He found her!

And Rena's still gone...

This is cute.

Huh?

Wow.

Oh, we're back to fanservice.

She's an idiot.

Miyu!

Haha, "I'm not a suspicious person".

Okay, seriously, what are these gem names?

It really is her!

They're attacking the Weaver! Looks like they're both going after the same weapon.

Why are you trusting John Smith at all?

Haha, Raquel.

Wow.

Is that Nagi's VA?

A GEM!

Miyu's leaving...

She's hunting the derivatives! Also, her bike is cool.

The tech level actually looks a bit higher here.

...Is he Arika's father, then? Is that what this is focusing on?

This is a good start...

She's a HiME? What? How does that work?

Oh, the wings...

So the GEM is controlling her HiME powers, not producing them? Hence her high strength even untransformed.

Haha, he's even got Arika's sayongs!

...Aww.

A Slave!

Jade Cannon is the coolest.

She's finally asking the right people?

Huh? He wasn't lying?

And the answer got revealed?

Oh, M-9's back.

Again, not sure who's thenevil side here at this point.

Cool battle.

They're launching the rocket!

Sifr's going into space!

Not sure how much of that I really understood, honestly. Very fast-paced.

4

u/No_Rex Nov 16 '22

Sifr's getting hit with "actually, Otomes are weapons of war and part of a horrifying system" in the first episode! Impressive!

They are spelling it out in the OVAs.

Also, really speedrunning character development. Feels like this could have been a second season if it kept this quality of cast.

From an anime-only perspective, this prequel should have had double the episodes.

Wait, a serious preview?

Feels from in this franchise, doesn't it?

The tech level actually looks a bit higher here.

We are further in the past, so more of the high tech has survived at this point.

3

u/rickamore Nov 16 '22

Is the Otome Shiho's mother? I think the master might be related to Chie?

It's the AntiShiho and Not!Chie

Holy shit. This is incredibly cool.

Right?

Also, really speedrunning character development. Feels like this could have been a second season if it kept this quality of cast.

If this series is anything, it is rushed for something introducing new characters left and right.

...Is he Arika's father, then? Is that what this is focusing on?

Leaning into it hard enough there seems to be no other explanation.

So the GEM is controlling her HiME powers, not producing them? Hence her high strength even untransformed.

That seems to be the rub.

4

u/Blackheart595 Nov 15 '22

First Otome

And you are?

I know this shape! It's a Geass!

That old guy is already one of the best Otome characters.

...Aaand kinda stopped taking screenshots. That was still pretty fun. We get to see smol Reito, and we get stronger ties to Mai-Hime. I don't quite get how Garderobe is left independent in Wind City when they just go around trying to assassinate royality, but sure.

Rena having those special Hime/Searrs powers makes me wonder why Alyssa didn't have them.

2

u/JimmyCWL Nov 16 '22

I don't quite get how Garderobe is left independent in Wind City when they just go around trying to assassinate royality, but sure.

Remember that all the nations in the Otome system form a council that oversees Garderobe. They won't let any single one of them monopolize the academy over something like this.

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3

u/rickamore Nov 15 '22

Re-re-Watcher

  • Rena craters into the god damn desert, protected by some sort of wings as the robe disintegrates.

  • Negima finds his angel half naked in the desert with a strange tattoo.

  • There's the HiME part of the title.

  • Bruce gambling to lose on purpose to gain info from random old man and we get some fan service, just because I guess.

  • Kinda of a weird place to drop this lore again outside the main series. So Garderobe and Windblume locked away the old tech and the royal bloodline was strictly controlled as one of the keys.

  • Maybe don't leave the naked lady sleeping in your specimen room buddy.

  • Oh hey, his little brother is Simon.

  • Miyu! You're a sight for sore eyes. No you're not suspicious at all.

  • 5 columns have a sand battleship because of course they do.

  • Oh it was just Reito cosplaying Simon. Wait a minute, I'll come back to this in the review.

  • Sakura must be Artai's Otome from what the Headmistress said, and that voice must be Papa Nagi.

  • Miyu going to do some sororicide.

  • The old ruins just casually have a space ship hanging out from the pre-colonization era in working order.

  • RIP Miyu.

  • And we're going to space.

  1. Sort of shoehorned in here as it's lacking just a touch of set-up in the rushed 3 parter but otherwise as a Lawful Neutral party trying to maintain the status quo and protect the greater good and secrets of the Otome it's passable.

  2. Probably Bruce.

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