The appeal and reviews of Mahoromatic ~More Beautiful Things~: A moving story and deep characters

The appeal and reviews of Mahoromatic ~More Beautiful Things~: A moving story and deep characters

The appeal and evaluation of "Mahoromatic ~More Beautiful Things~"

Overview

Mahoromatic: More Beautiful Things is a TV anime series that aired on TBS's BS-i network from September 26, 2002 to January 16, 2003. It is based on a manga by Nakayama Bunjuro and Jitama, and was produced by GAINAX and SHAFT. It consists of 14 episodes, each 30 minutes long. It was directed by Yamaga Hiroyuki, with series composition by Hanada Jukki and Yamaga Hiroyuki, and character design and general animation direction by Takamura Kazuhiro.

story

■ Story

After her battle with Ryuuga, Mahoro was once again living a peaceful daily life. The only thing that was different from before was that Ryuuga had settled in Hiryu City as a science teacher at Hiryu Middle School. Mahoro's support mecha Slash was suspicious of Ryuuga, who was living as a human, and challenged him to a fight. However, as the two began to fight, Mahoro stopped them, saying, "That's no good!" Mahoro and Yu didn't seem to care at all. Then one day, a mysterious girl named Minawa appeared before Mahoro and her friends. "I want to be left here!" What could she be?

cast

■Cast

・Mahoro/Ayako Kawasumi ・Minawa/Ai Shimizu ・Yu Misato/Fujiko Takimoto ・Slash/Keiichi Noda ・Ryuga/Takehito Koyasu

Main Staff

■ Main staff

・Series composition: Jukki Hanada, Hiroyuki Yamaga ・Character design and chief animation director: Kazuhiro Takamura ・Mechanic design: Keiichi Eda ・Art setting: Masahiro Sato ・Art directors: Naoko Osakabe, Yoshinori Hishinuma ・Color setting: Hitoshi Hibino ・Sound director: Yoshikazu Iwanami ・Music: Toshiro Masuda

Main Characters

■ Main Characters

・Mahoro Misato's maid. She fought for nine years as the strongest android of "Vesper" just to stop the alien invasion. With the remaining life left, she disarms herself and comes to work as a maid at the home of Yu, the son of her former boss, the late Commander Misato.

Misato Yuhiri is a 14-year-old second-year student at the Fourth Municipal Junior High School. She lost her parents at an early age and lived alone, but now lives with Mahoro-san. Although she appears gentle at first glance, she has a strong sense of justice and a flexible way of thinking. Although she doesn't realize it herself, she is quite popular with the girls.

Saori Shikijo is the homeroom teacher of Yu's class, class 4, second year, at Hiritsu Municipal Fourth Junior High School, and also teaches ethics and social studies. She is 25 years old and single. She is a beautiful woman whose trademark is her large breasts, but she is quite a heavy drinker and can't control her fantasies when she starts. Yu is her favorite student, and she is trying to make him her own somehow.

A science teacher who was transferred to Hitotsu Municipal Fourth Junior High School, where Touyuu attends... but in reality he is a Saint combat android and the strongest warrior. He came to Earth disguised as a human in order to settle things with Mahoro-san.

・Minawa A mysterious girl who ended up staying at the Misato household by chance. She attends the same school as Yuu and works hard as a maid apprentice, acting as Mahoro's younger sister. She is clumsy, exceeding everyone's expectations.

A cyborg created by Ferdransmephris. He faithfully follows orders, but deep down he harbors an ambition no one knows about.

subtitle

■Subtitle

・#01/"The Maid Returns"
・#02/"From Today, Minawa"
・#03/"Dreams are big"
・#04/"I'll find what you're looking for"
・#05/"Will there be a cold tomorrow?"
・#06/"Oh dear!"
・#07/"Come on, day before yesterday!"
・#08/"Grandfather and Grandson"
・#09/"Sweeter than love? A little bitter"
・#10/"My favorite things"
・#11/"Wish. Cherry Blossom Color"
・#12/"The Annunciation"
・#13/"The End of Dreams"
・#14/"Najena"

Appeal of the work

"Mahoromatic: More Beautiful Things" is an appealing work with a unique worldview where the ordinary and the extraordinary intersect. The main character, Mahoro, once fought as the strongest android, but now lives a peaceful life as a maid for the Misato family. This contrast gives viewers a fresh impression. In addition, unique characters such as Mahoro's support mecha Slash and the mysterious girl Minawa add excitement to the story.

Of particular note is the relationship between Mahoro and Yu. While Mahoro acts as a mother figure to Yu and does the housework, she also sometimes fights to protect Yu. On the other hand, Yu naturally accepts Mahoro's existence and enjoys living with her. The relationship between these two is an important element in depicting family love and friendship.

In addition, the confrontation with Ryuuga and the appearance of Minawa add thrills and suspense to the story, drawing the viewers' interest. In particular, the episodes in which Ryuuga lives as a human and in which Minawa's true identity is revealed leave a strong impression on viewers.

Production Features

This work was jointly produced by two studios, GAINAX and SHAFT. GAINAX is a studio that has produced works with original ideas and deep themes, such as "Neon Genesis Evangelion" and "Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann," while SHAFT is known for its unique visuals and storytelling, such as "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" and "Hidamari Sketch." The fact that these two studios joined forces and fused their different styles makes this work even more appealing.

Kazuhiro Takamura, who was in charge of character design and chief animation director, paid meticulous attention to the characters' expressions and movements, making it easy for viewers to empathize with the characters. Keiichi Eda, who was in charge of mechanical design, realistically depicted the mechanical parts of Mahoro and Slash, enhancing the worldview of the work.

Toshiro Masuda, who composed the music, provided gentle melodies and powerful sounds that matched the atmosphere of the work, playing an important role in drawing out the emotions of the viewer. In particular, warm music was used in the scenes depicting Mahoro's daily life, giving the viewer a sense of security. On the other hand, music that heightens the tension was used in the battle scenes, and was directed to match the development of the story.

Ratings and Recommendations

"Mahoromatic: More Beautiful Things" is an appealing work with a unique worldview where the ordinary and the extraordinary intersect, and unique characters. In particular, the relationship between Mahoro and Yu, the confrontation with Ryuuga, the appearance of Minawa, and other thrills and suspense added to the story's development draw the viewer's interest. In addition, the fact that it was jointly produced by two studios, GAINAX and SHAFT, has resulted in a fascinating work that fuses different styles.

This work is recommended for those who like slice-of-life anime and maid stories, and those who like works that depict family love and friendship. It is also a work that fans of GAINAX and SHAFT can enjoy. There is no doubt that you will be drawn into the development of the story while enjoying the gap that gives a fresh impression to the viewer and the activities of the unique characters.

Furthermore, this work has deep themes. There are various themes hidden in the background of the story, such as the gap between Mahoro's past and present, Ryuuga's life as a human, and Minawa's true identity. By thinking about these themes while watching, you will be able to enjoy the work more deeply.

Overall, "Mahoromatic ~More Beautiful Things~" is an appealing work with a unique worldview where the ordinary and the extraordinary intersect, and unique characters. The gaps that give viewers a fresh impression, and the thrills and suspense added to the story development, keep the viewers interested. Also, as it was jointly produced by two studios, GAINAX and SHAFT, it is a fascinating work that fuses different styles. Please give it a watch.

<<:  The appeal and reviews of "Petite Puri Yucie": A small adventure brings great excitement

>>:  The appeal and reputation of "ROCKMAN": A thorough analysis of the monumental action anime

Recommend

Panda Taputapu: Appreciating the perfect balance of healing and laughter

Panda Taputapu - The daily life of our beloved pa...