Search - Mahoromatic: Collection 1 - Automatic Maiden on DVD


Mahoromatic: Collection 1 - Automatic Maiden
Mahoromatic Collection 1 - Automatic Maiden
Genres: Anime & Manga, Animation
UR     2009     5hr 25min

Studio: Adv Films Release Date: 01/13/2009 Run time: 325 minutes

     
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Movie Details

Genres: Anime & Manga, Animation
Sub-Genres: Anime & Manga, Animation
Studio: Section 23
Format: DVD - Color - Animated,Subtitled
DVD Release Date: 01/13/2009
Release Year: 2009
Run Time: 5hr 25min
Screens: Color
Number of Discs: 2
SwapaDVD Credits: 2
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 1
Edition: Box set
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Languages: English, Japanese
Subtitles: English

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Movie Reviews

Like it or loathe it - standard Gainax goofiness
Burr | Lansing, MI | 02/10/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)

"Marohomatic: Collection 1 is the subsequent budget re-release of the 1st season of the popular series. The DVDs are attractive, but come in a single regular case with disc holders on each side. The budget menu gets the job done, but there is a lack of special features other than the clean opening and closing.

Marohomatic is a hybrid anime about a battle android whose lifespan is nearly at an end, so she requests to be allowed to live out her remaining days in peace as an orphaned teenage boy's maid with whom she has a past connection. The anime then follows her exploits as flashbacks fill in the story of her past. There is plenty of nudity and sexual situations (mostly fantasies) as well as some violence. Even though Mahoro's story is generally quite interesting and her character is adorable, the anime feels muddled, disjointed and inconsistant.

First of all, a lot of anime out there attempts to mix action, romance, drama, and over the top sexual comedy, and while some pull it off, the first season of Automatic Maiden falls a little short as it does not give equal due to each theme. The drama and romance is usually ruined by some sort of over the top sexual silliness. In particular the irritating, well endowed and entirely absurd teacher who almost always pops up and begins spouting constant sex fantasies and remarks. She is a stereotypical large-breasted sex-freak teacher character and the show does not pass up an opportunity to throw her in your face and throughout countless scenes (not just with the teacher) it pounds into your head the idea that large breasts are a bad thing even though the pure and innocent Mahoro wishes she was better endowed, much to the chagrin of her creators. I'm not sure what they were trying to say with this, but it's clear the creators of the show had an agenda with the issue... The teacher is worth a chuckle or two at times, but after a while you just grow tired of her relentlessness and when she pops up you can't help but groan a bit as she proceeds to scream, rant, cackle obnoxiously and flail her boobs all over the place. They went way overboard with her to say the least (as Gainax often does with these types of supporting characters) and she could quite possibly be one of the most annoying characters I have ever seen... The comedy is mostly sexual innuendo, intentionally silly and sudden chibi character transformations, and wild rambling tangents of shouting accompanied by goofy animations often with characters in unison. At times it is rather humorous, but the timing seems off and it can be quite irritating and grating to sit through. A scene starts off serious enough with a tense confrontation, but then literally explodes into loud, comical silliness without warning. This can be funny if executed well, but is so relentless in Mahoromatic that it becomes exhausting. In between each episode is heartfelt poetry (though I think it's supposed to be a joke, it's hard to tell with this anime...) just before a loud and jarring explosion of absurdity as it introduces the next episode. The few action sequences in the first 12 episodes are the only thing that this anime does (mostly) without distraction and interruption, and they are very well-done. Mahoro's exaggerated movements look great and are spectacularly animated.

The presentation in general though is not all that spectacular. Music-wise some of the scores are pretty good (a couple tracks in particular are quite beautiful), and the action and comedy melodies fit the happenings on screen well enough, but the animation is hit and miss. During the action sequences it is particularly stylistic and quite good as I mentioned, and many scenes feature sharp artwork and bright colors, but on the other hand some scenes are just ugly to look at and rather cheaply drawn and animated, such as the fireworks scene which looks like it was created with Microsoft Paint. It is one of the worst fireworks scenes I have ever seen in an animated show. The characters other than Mahoro are not particularly well-conceived either, and their designs are bland and uninteresting. Also, there are frequent errors in the subtitles.

While Mahoromatic Collection 1 introduces an interesting story, there are also plenty of distractions to take up space... including the expected haunted school, beach, hot springs and festival episodes, but it doesn't attempt to add any interesting or unique twists to any of them whatsoever.

Automatic Maiden: Season 1 is an average anime at best that ranges from heartfelt harmony to loud and grating silliness, with much emphasis on the latter. If you are into capricious Gainax anime or sexual silliness, you might enjoy it. Simply put, Mahoromatic isn't much more than fluff with some light action that is few and far between, and failed attempts at drama & romance. If you don't expect much, enjoy ecchi and are not easily annoyed you may find it at least mildly entertaining if you can get through the rather relentless and excessive obnoxiousness. The art of comedic timing was apparently lost to Gainax. When attempting to create genuine comedy, less is more."
Another Cute Yet Slightly Adultish Anime Worth A Peek At
Rich | CA | 06/11/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had just seen a few episodes online and having a taste for light-hearted animes recently felt this one was a good choice and it turned out to be a good one. The main female character Mahoro is actually a battle android who after many battles is given a choice since she will stop functioning after about more than a year to retire and live a quiet life somewhere or whatever she wants to do, and after apparently thinking it over decides to become a civilian working girl apparently a house maid. Than you have Suguru Misato a young male junior high school student whose parents are dead runs into Mahoro after a suspenseful situation on a bus and after discussing a job position with her hires her on as his maid. The situation that happens between Suguru and Mahoro is quite hilarious and entertaining to watch especially when you mix in Suguru's friends into the equation as well. There is nudity in the series but mostly just topless and backside shots which you'll see in series like Shuffle or Ranma 1/2 but if you don't like these scenes you can either bypass them, which is sometimes bad since there are humorous situations between Mahoro and another older female character in these scenes or just decide not to get this series. Another situation in the series might also offend some possible viewers is that one of the female teachers from Suguru's junior high school has quite an unnatural affection for him and while it's quite funny to watch and nothing really happens between student and teacher some might still find that a little unnerving for their anime collection. I have already gotten the second box set as well and to possible buyers wondering if these two set sets are different from the slim package that Geneon released earlier I have to say no, the second box set also comes with the summer special ova as well so if you do want to whole series and are worried about this new release than no worries as they seem to put everything together with this set as well. The video is anamorphic widescreen and the cast for both the Japanese subbed and American dubbed were great to hear for their character roles. So if you like the series Ranma 1/2 or other comedic animes here's a good choice to take a chance on."