The appeal and evaluation of My-Otome Anthology ~Dream Arika~: Reaffirming the emotion

"My-Otome Collection: Dream Arika": A tale of dreams and hope revisited

"My-Otome Compilation ~Yume no Arika~" is an OVA released by Bandai Visual on January 25, 2008, and is a compilation of the hugely popular TV anime series "My-Otome" produced by Sunrise. As the original media for this work is anime, the essence of all 26 episodes is condensed into one 100-minute episode under the direction of Hajime Yatate and Masakazu Obara. Below, we will delve deeper into the appeal and background of this work, as well as the details of its contents.

Reconstructing the story and adding new appeal

My-Otome Collection: Dream Arika reconstructs the story from the perspective of the main character, Arika Yumemiya, and focuses on her dreams and growth. Arika is a 14-year-old girl from the countryside who comes to the Kingdom of Windbloom in search of her mother, a legendary "Meister Maiden." There, she enrolls in Garderobe, a school for training maidens, and faces rigorous challenges to make her dream come true.

In this compilation, all 26 chapters of the original work have been re-edited into Arika's story, and the audio has been re-dubbed to bring out new charms. Arika's growth, friendships, and relationships with the various characters around her are depicted more clearly, deeply moving viewers. In particular, the scene where Arika meets Shizuru, a Meister Otome, and decides to become an Otome is an important moment that symbolizes her pure dreams and hopes.

Characters and cast

The charm of My-Otome lies in its characters. The story is brought to life by a stellar cast, including Mika Kikuchi as Arika Yumemiya, Ami Koshimizu as Nina Wong, and Yukana as Mashiro Blanc de Windbloom. Each character's personality and background are carefully drawn, and viewers can empathize with their growth and struggles, drawing them into the story.

Nina Wong, Arika's roommate and rival, has a cool and silent personality, but she has a slight crush on Sergei. Her conflicts and growth are also important elements of the story. In addition, the students of Garderobe, such as Elstin Ho and Irina Woods, are also unique and make a strong impression on the viewer.

Worldview and setting

The setting of My-Otome is the planet Earl, which has a unique worldview where medieval European culture and science and technology coexist. Otome is a professional occupation for women who serve the country as a guardian for royalty and politicians, and is a job that many girls aspire to. Garderobe is a school that trains these Otome, and only those who overcome rigorous trials can graduate as Meister Otome.

The story details the interior of Garderobe, the lives of the maidens, and the various problems they face. In particular, the GEMs, nanomachines, robes, and other elements add depth and realism to the story. GEMs are important items that draw out the maidens' powers, and the types and characteristics of GEMs each maiden possesses reflect their individual personalities.

Music and Video

The music for My-Otome is written by Yuki Kajiura, whose beautiful melodies color the story. The opening and ending themes in particular are sure to leave a deep impression on viewers. Additionally, the visuals produced by Sunrise are visually appealing with their beautiful backgrounds and character movements. In the compilation, these music and visuals have been reconstructed to create a new sense of excitement.

Related works and the appeal of the series as a whole

There are many works in the My-Otome series. Each work, such as My-HiME, My-Otome Zwei, and My-Otome 0~S.ifr~, depicts a different perspective and story, enhancing the appeal of the series as a whole. By watching these works in order, you can enjoy the world of My-Otome more deeply.

In particular, "My-Otome Zwei" depicts the story of Arika and her friends after the series, depicting their growth and new challenges. "My-Otome 0~S.ifr~" delves into the background of the story and the characters' pasts, helping to deepen your understanding of the series as a whole. By enjoying these related works together, you will be able to fully appreciate the appeal of "My-Otome".

Ratings and Recommendations

"My-Otome Collection: Dream Arika" has been highly praised for condensing the essence of the original work while bringing out new charms. The story, which focuses on Arika's dreams and growth, will inspire and hope viewers, and will reaffirm the appeal of the entire series. The stellar cast, beautiful music, and visuals also add to the appeal of this work.

This work is a must-see especially for fans of My-Otome, but is also recommended for those experiencing the series for the first time. This story, which depicts Arika's pure dreams and hopes, as well as the growth and struggles of the characters surrounding her, is sure to move many people. Please enjoy the world of My-Otome through this omnibus edition.

Detailed character introduction

Below we will introduce the main characters in more detail.

Arika Yumemiya

Arika is a cheerful girl with positive dreams. She comes from Galleria with the aim of joining Garderobe, but gets caught up in various troubles along the way. Because she has her mother's keepsake, the Blue Sky Jewel, she makes a Meister contract with Mashiro. When the Principality of Altai and Schwarz invade the Kingdom of Windbloom, she also comes into conflict with her roommate Nina, but in the end, her dreams and hopes guide the story.

Nina Wong

Nina is the adopted daughter of Sergei, a young officer from the northern nation of Altai, and has a cool and taciturn personality. She is a powerful woman who holds the top position among the Coral Otome, and is also a rival to Arika. Although she harbors a faint crush on Sergei, she is used by Nagi to become the Meister Otome of the "Jet Black Diamond," which puts her at odds with Arika. In the end, she goes out of control as a harmonium player and becomes an entity that brings ruin to the world, but behind this lies deep conflict and anguish.

Elstin Ho

Erstin is Arika and Nina's roommate, and is a sheltered daughter from a distinguished family. Although she is shy, she is drawn to Arika's cheerfulness and free-spiritedness, and gradually begins to admire her. However, she is troubled by the fact that she has received orders from Schwarz to capture Arika and Mashiro. Her growth and conflicts are also important elements of the story.

Irina Woods

Irina is a classmate of Arika and Nina, a girl who loves tinkering with machines. She spends her days developing strange inventions, surprising Arika. Her unique personality and inventions add humor and color to the story.

Tomoe Marguerite

Tomoe is the number 2 Coral Otome who enrolled in Garderobe because she admired Shizuru. Although she usually behaves like an honor student, she hides her jealousy towards Arika, who is loved by Shizuru. With the power of the "Cursed Obsidian", she becomes a Walküre, which could be called a pseudo-Otome, and corners Arika and Mashiro. Her inner conflict and growth are also important elements of the story.

Lillie Adene

Lilie is Arika's classmate and is from Lutecia Romulus. She is good friends with Yayoi, who was in the same class as her at her previous school, and is in charge of the Pearl Maiden Chie's room. Her friendship and growth are also important elements of the story.

Yayoi Alter

Yayoi is Arika's classmate and best friend with Lillie. She has a friendly personality and quickly becomes friends with Arika, who has just enrolled in the school. Her cheerfulness and friendship add warmth to the story.

Mia Crochet

Miiya is a girl from a rich upbringing who enrolled in Garderobe as part of her bridal training. Unable to resist her classmate Tomoe, she harasses Arika at her command, but she takes the blame for the crime herself, drops out of school, and returns to her hometown of Lutetia Remus. Her struggles and growth are also important elements of the story.

Detailed worldview and setting

The world of My-Otome is set on the planet Airu, a unique world where medieval European culture and science and technology coexist. Otome is a professional occupation for women who serve the country as a guardian for royalty and politicians, and is a profession that many girls aspire to. Garderobe is a school that trains these Otome, and only those who overcome rigorous trials can graduate as Meister Otome.

GEMs are important items that draw out the power of Otome, and the type and characteristics of GEM each Otome possesses reflect their individuality. Nanomachines are the source of Otome's power, and by implanting them in the body, they can gain the power to wear robes and special abilities to manifest elements. Robes are Otome's dance costumes, and used to have a strong meaning as combat clothing, but now they mainly serve as protective clothing.

The planet Airl is one of the habitable planets discovered by humans during the space migration era, and nearly 100% of the total population lives on an area roughly the size of present-day Europe. The Kingdom of Windbloom is a nation under the queen Mashiro Bran de Windbloom, where medieval European royal culture coexists with science and technology, and this country is a typical example of the planet Airl culture, which mixes old and new.

Garderobe is located in an area designated as a special district known as the "Buehne Autonomous District," and a small nation has been formed with Garderobe at its center. Natsuki, the principal of Garderobe Academy, is both the principal of the school and the head of state of the Buehne Autonomous District. Most of the people connected to Garderobe live here, and the majority of the population is made up of people connected to Garderobe.

Related works details

There are many works in the My-Otome series. Below we will introduce the related works in more detail.

My-HiME

"My-HiME" is the predecessor of "My-Otome" and is also a TV anime series produced by Sunrise. This work depicts the story of girls called HiME who fight, and focuses on their growth and friendship. Although it has a different world view and setting from "My-Otome", it has common themes and characters.

"My-Otome Zwei"

"My-Otome Zwei" is a sequel to "My-Otome" and depicts the story of Arika and her friends after the series. In this work, new challenges and growth are depicted, further enhancing the appeal of the series as a whole. In particular, Arika's growth and encounters with new characters are important elements of the story.

"My-Otome Zwei Collection"

"My-Otome Zwei Omnibus" is a reconstructed compilation of "My-Otome Zwei". It focuses on the new challenges and growth of Arika and her friends, and will reaffirm the appeal of the entire series. This compilation will also give viewers inspiration and hope.

“Mai-Oto HiME 0~S.ifr~”

"My-Otome 0 ~S.ifr~" is a work that delves into the background of "My-Otome" and the past of the characters. This work depicts the deeper parts of the story and the inner thoughts of the characters, which helps to deepen the understanding of the entire series. In particular, the backgrounds and conflicts of each character are depicted in detail, leaving a deep impression on the viewer.

"My-Otome Short Animation"

"My-Otome Short Animation" is a short film of "My-Otome" that condenses the charm of the series. This work depicts the daily life and friendship of Arika and her friends, giving viewers warmth and healing. In particular, the growth and friendship of the characters depicted in a short time will reaffirm the charm of the entire series.

"My-Otome Maiden's Prayer"

My-Otome Maiden Prayer is a companion piece to My-Otome, and delves deeper into the series' themes and characters. The story depicts the prayers and hopes of Arika and her friends, inspiring and hopeful viewers. In particular, the story details their growth and friendship, reaffirming the appeal of the series as a whole.