Title: Mai HiME, Japanese Title: ?-HiME, Category: TV, Total Episodes: 26 (26 x 24 mins), Release Date: 2004-09-30

Description:
In the land of Fuuka there is a private school, many students attend this school not knowing what terrible secrets the school holds. The land of Fuuka is the ancient grounds of an old ritual which repeats once every century, 10 girls are chosen to perform this ritual, they are known as the HiME (refference to Hime = Princess is also used) meaning “Highly-advanced Materializing Equipment” their job is to fight the creatures known as “Orphan” which are appearing around the school.

Tokiha Mai is a young girl whose hobby is part time jobs and looking after her brother Takumi who is suffering from a failing heart. With her brother she transfers to Fuuka Gakuen after receiving a scholarship. Deciding to take in the sights they travel along the river on a cruise ship where they meet Yuuichi Tate and Shiho Munakata, childhood friends who are travelling alone together on the ship. However things were not going to be as peaceful as she first assumed, after finding a girl floating face down in the water the ship crew quickly rush to save her, however the lifeboat Pulley “Breaks” when they finally get her aboard and so Mai then saves the girl with her CPR training. That evening she finds herself attacked by a girl in a black motorcycle helmet and skin tight suit who begins to battle with the girl they had saved earlier. The ship is soon cut in two and begins to sink but not before Mai finds out that she has some special talent and first hears the word HiME. After a rather flashy entry to school where she found herself in a scorched patch of grass outside the entrance the next morning, Mai soon learns that the girl who attacked them was called Natsugi Kruegor and that she was attempting to stop the plans of a group called District 1 who are attempting to orchestrate this ritual. Mikoto (the girl saved from the sea) ends up sharing a room with her and entering the school as an underclassman and thus Mai’s daily life begins.

Later Mai learns another thing about the HiME as she receives Kagutsuchi, a child who will battle for her, but she must risk that which she holds most dear to open the seal. After meeting most of the other HiME Mai begins to get the urge to fight the Orphans, but her resolution is to come too late as Nagi (the strange demon-guy who is the real orchestrator of the proceedings) announces to them that the HiME no longer have to fight the Orphans, but instead they must kill each others Child’s and the last one standing will gain immense power and be able to control the HiME star. However the HiME who wins will then have to marry the Master of the other Fuuka and seeker of world domination known as “Lord Kokoyuu”, can the HiME’s fight each other knowing they will take away the other HiME’s loved ones if they win? What tragedies await our maidens? Who are the SEARS Foundation rivalling District 1? Will the cycle ever end?

A truely tearful and emotional story is about to begin and we shall watch as our Heroine falls into despair and insanity with each tragic ending. Many Yuri relationships appear in this anime and love triangles are a major addition, the HiME’s can use their power in what ever way they want, but they may not always agree on which is the best way. This anime shows you the characters many moral struggles and how they struggle to hide many things from one another, whether it be their past, their gender, their relationship or even that they are a HiME, this anime makes for a masterpiece in emotionally tragic and yet also comical story which will keep you on the edge of your seat or crying to the very end.

Note: The Mai HiME manga is completely different from the anime, also a spinoff series was created to this called “Mai Otome” (once again the manga is completely different) this will be put in a later review.

Rating: 10/10