Script:This is What s New in Anime Fansubs show number nine. Starting this past October, Mai-Otome is a pseudo-sequel to last year s Mai-HiME. The fansub that I watched was produced by Static Subs. By pseudo-sequel I mean it uses the same character designs but tells a story taking place in a different universe that does not appear to share any continuity with Mai-HiME. Mai-HiME was a show that I liked in spite of its surface presentation. I guess my complaint is that superficially it feels like a paint-by-numbers show. School girls: check. Giant machine-beasts: check. Plot to destroy and/or remake the world: check. But unlike other attempts from last season (cough Kannazuki no Miko cough), this one actually produced an entertaining show. While Mai-HiME uses our world and time as its setting, Mai-Otome uses a fantastical setting. It seems to be kind of a post-apacalyptic kingdom. The world seems to have non-terrestrial biology. They have advanced technology: giant sand barges, monorails, modern cities, etc. There s an implication that this is supposed to be the far future, perhaps on another planet. There is mention of old "Earthen" technology. Clothing is vaguely victorian (only with skimpy womens clothes). The show starts in the midst of a battle in a city. We see a baby with a distinctive necklace sent down a river in a basket. 14 years later we see a girl with the same necklace making her way toward the same city. She s trying to find her mother. All she knows about her mother was that she was an Otome. She figures that she ll become an Otome herself and in so doing, find clues as to who her mother was. The bad guys summon mecha known as slaves (the English word). Or maybe they become the mecha. It s not entirely clear. The slave in the first episode bears some resemblance to the mecha in Evangelian. It also has an unfortunate crotch blaster. When the slave is defeated the bad guy dissappears in green sparkles like the Most-Impornant-People in My-HiME. One point of interest: The word "otome" is used as the name of a role in this show. However, the word in ordinary Japanese means "girl" or perhaps "daughter" or maybe "girl-child". The art, animation, character designs and what not are all unremarkable. Nothing bad but still nothing to write home about. Various sites classify it as sci-fi, fantasy, school life, action and super power. This was What s New in Anime Fansubs. If you want to comment on the show or read the show notes visit podcast.anime.mikomi.org. Mai Otome @ AnimeSuki.com anime.mikomi.org: Mai-Otome AnimeNfo.com : Anime : Mai Otome Anime News Network - Mai-Otome (TV) ::ANIDB.net:: Anime - Mai-Otome :: anime.mikomi.org: Kannazuki no Miko
