Spotlight On: Mai-HiME

A new school year is about to begin, and high schooler Mai Tokiha is excited. She and her sickly younger brother Takumi have received scholarships to attend Fuka Academy, a prestigious private school, and are travelling there via ferry. The two of them are taking advantage of their situation to do a little sightseeing when two strange things happen. First, Mai spots a red star in the sky that Takumi is unable to see, then Takumi spots something floating in the water: an unconscious girl clutching a large sword in her hands. The ferry’s crew rescues the girl, and shortly thereafter a mysterious intruder boards the vessel, attacking Mai and demanding to know what happened to the girl who was rescued. This leads to a battle on the ferry’s vehicle deck during which the intruder and the rescued girl reveal that they possess supernatural powers. Caught in the crossfire between the two, Mai soon discovers that she has powers of her own, which manifest themselves when she is forced to shield herself from attack. This revelation prompts the intruder –revealed to be a girl similar in age to Mai – to retreat, but not before leaving behind an ominous warning: Don’t go to Fuka Academy. If you do, you’ll die.

Mai and her little brother Takumi.

Thus begins the story of Mai-HiME. In reality, trying to explain the plot of this series in any sort of real detail without major spoilers is an exercise in futility, as the series plays its cards very close to its chest for much of its length. It initially seems to pit Mai and the other HiME against marauding creatures named Orphans, but even in its early stages there are indications that this is not their real purpose, and that Mai and the others are being manipulated by outside forces.

 Mai's powers manifest themselves for the first time.

But enough on plot. What one really needs to know about Mai-HiME is that it is not your average magical girl show. There are no transformation sequences (though there is a scene that parodies the concept), the characters are older and more mature than most magical heroines, and the writing is excellent in terms of both depth and pacing. Too many people dismiss this show because of its genre, and they’re missing out. This series doesn’t just stand out among magical girl shows, it stands out among anime series in general.

Mai HiME is not your average magical girl series.

One of the biggest strengths Mai-HiME has is characters, foremost among them the titular Mai Tokiha. Mai is a fascinatingly complex character. At times her interactions with her sickly little brother make her seem more like a parent then an elder sibling, while at other times her love-hate relationship with a boy in her class reminds us that she can be just as immature as any of her peers, if not moreso. She’s a strong, kind, and caring person with a cheerful and energetic personality, yet she’s struggling under the weight of increasingly heavy responsibilities, and there are times when she’s as likely to smile for the sake of not burdening others as she is because she’s feeling genuinely happiness. She’s a very likeable character, but not a perfect one, and her well balanced characterisation is one of the keys to her appeal.

Mai having an argument with her classmate Yuiichi Tate.

She’s not the only major player in the storyline however. Joining her are Natsuki Kuga, a tough biker girl who wants to avenge her mother’s death (which she blames on a government agency known as First District), and Mikoto Minagi, a young orphan whose main objective is to find her missing elder brother. Natsuki’s personality is in stark contrast to Mai’s –where Mai is open and friendly, Natsuki is cold and hostile, refusing to trust others easily and hiding her vulnerabilities behind an aloof façade. She likes to come across as tough, serious, and in control, but is actually remarkably easy to anger and embarrass, a trait that the series utilises very effectively during some of its more humorous moments. Mikoto, meanwhile, is naïve, childlike, and full of boundless energy. She warms up to Mai very quickly, and almost seems to view the older girl as a sort of mother figure (it helps that they end up as roommates in the Academy’s dormitory). There’s more to Mikoto then meets the eye however, and her storyline –as well as her relationship with Mai- becomes increasingly important as the series progresses.

 Natsuki Kuga, an avenging badass with a soft spot for cute puppies.

 

Mikoto Minagi, Mai's roommate.  Don't let the calm expression shown here fool you,

she's actually rather hyper.

Complimenting this main trio are nine additional HiME who bring with them a diverse range of personalities, backstories, and motivations. These characters are revealed to the audience one by one as the series progresses. There are also a variety of mundane supporting characters, whose roles vary significantly in importance. Some of them are key players due to their proximity to various HiME, while others are there largely to help give life to the series (and to keep the audience guessing as to who the remaining HiME are).

 

Mai's classmates Chie and Aoi.  Aoi seems to find Takumi cute, but then, she finds everything cute.

 

 Shizuru Fujino, one of the few people who Natsuki has allowed to get close to her.

 

 Midori Sugiura, Mai's co-worker at her part time waitressing job.  Claims she's only seventeen, but 

is obviously lying.(The fact that she's working on a University Thesis gives a hint as to her true age.)

Having such a large cast would be detrimental to many shows, but Mai-HiME handles it very well. In fact it is this large, well developed cast of characters and the complex relationships between them (romantic and otherwise) that is the foundation for what is perhaps the series single greatest strength: its emotional impact. There are very few series out there that can manage to make their audiences feel things the way Mai-HiME can. The show spends two thirds of its length developing its characters, then milks that character development for everything it’s worth during the final third. This is the part of the story where everything changes. The gloves come off, the stakes get raised, and the characters find themselves fighting with everything they care about on the line. It’s a harsh new reality, and one that takes its toll on both the characters and the bonds between them. It’s here that the show is able to show us the true natures of the various HiME, stripping their souls bare and exposing the good, the bad, and the ugly for all to see. It’s a very dark stretch of episodes, with little in the way of humour, but it’s also the most powerful part of the series.

The final third of the series takes a heavy toll on almost the entire cast.

Which isn’t to say that Mai-HiME doesn’t have a light hearted side as well. In fact, it has some very memorable humorous moments. This is a show that loves to play around with anime stereotypes and conventions, and the first two thirds of its run actually rely very heavily on humour to keep things going as they lay the groundwork for what is to come.

Natsuki's reaction to the karaoke stage outfit another character forced her to wear  
kindly picked out for her. This scene gets even funnier after she tries to sing.  Emphasis on tries.

Of course, the series isn’t entirely reliant on humour to keep the viewer’s interest until things reach critical mass. Aside from fleshing out the characters and dropping hints about later developments, the early parts of the show include some pretty good action scenes (as do the later parts for that matter). Each HiME has a weapon or tool called an Element, and can summon a creature called a CHiLD to assist her in battle. These CHiLDs and Elements vary widely in appearance and capability, but typically suit the HiME they accompany quite well. A few of them are arguably kind of lame, but others are extremely cool, especially those belonging to main trio.

Natsuki's mechanical wolf Duran is one of the smaller CHiLDs, but he is also one of the coolest.

  

Kagatsuchi, Mai's CHiLD.  He's a sort of giant dragon/pheonix... thing.

 

The quality of the artwork in the series is somewhat sporadic, with a few bits looking downright crude, but is generally speaking very good. The distinctive character designs are a big help in a show with such a large cast, and special mention should also be made for the extraordinarily well animated facial expressions, which play an important and often subtle role in the show’s character development and storytelling.

 

  

 Well animated facial expressions play an important role in Mai-HiME's storytelling.

Does Mai-HiME have flaws? Yes it does. Foremost among them is its story structure. While this structure is part of what made the series so effective, it also kept it from showing its true strength until well past its half way point, then created some problems with regards to the ending, which will please some viewers but not others. Additionally, there are a few points where the creators let things get excessively cheesy, even for a show that like to play around with anime clichés. And lastly, there’s the weak English dub. While not as ridiculously bad as some of the English dubs that are out there, it has some serious issues that undermine its effectiveness. Perhaps the worst of them is the fact that some of the English voice actors are just not very into their roles. Mai-HiME is a very emotionally driven series, and it’s critically important that the voice actors be able to project what their characters are supposed to be feeling. Thankfully the original Japanese voice work is very good and it complimented by an excellent subtitling job.

Shizuru conducting a traditional Japanese tea ceremony.  If you dislike the idea

of her speaking with a southern drawl, stick to the Japanese voices.

Overall, Mai-HiME is an exceptional series. It has its share of flaws, but it’s combination of excellent writing, good characterisation, and sheer dramatic power make it well worth watching in spite of them.