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Mai-HiME Episode 21: The Obsidian Prince Awakens

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Mai-HiME Episode 21: The Obsidian Prince Awakens Empty Mai-HiME Episode 21: The Obsidian Prince Awakens

Post by Luu Sky Sapphire Sat Jun 05, 2010 10:57 pm

Discussion thread for Mai HiME Episode 21: The Obsidian Prince Awakens
Luu Sky Sapphire
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Post by Luu Sky Sapphire Fri Jun 21, 2013 11:57 pm

Mai-HiME Episode 21: The Obsidian Prince Awakens Vlcsna78

The title of this episode is the only bit of humor you'll find here. The Obsidian Lord has already woken up from his slumber, if Reito hasn't made it more obvious. Anyway, Mai-HiME Episode 21: The Obsidian Prince Awakens takes us directly after the events of Mai and Mikoto's battle. First District is seen extracting Mikoto's CHILD, Akira's ninja clan take her unconscious body away and there's even an appearance by John Smith. Head of the SEARRS Foundation publicity department Number 4. Yawn. I am known for bashing this character many times in the past and for good reason. Let's forget that he has a face his mother wouldn't love; the core of his presence is just to vomit exposition regarding Natsuki's mother, Dr. Saeko Kuga; in exchange for the whereabouts of Miyu Greer. Natsuki doesn't know and he accepts her honest answer. He gives the big reveal that Saeko tried to sell Natsuki to the SEARRS Foundation to advance their research, but was killed by First District before she could finish the deal. Devastated, Natsuki rides her Ducati into the rainy night to outrun the pain, only to be attacked by a vengeful Nao.

Meanwhile at Reito's place, Mai remains silent and in total shock over what happened. Midori finds Yukino and asks Haruka to borrow her. That's twice in a row now, Haruka! You need to keep your girlfriend locked away or something! Midori asks Yukino about what happened to Mai and Takumi, while Nao heads over to the cliff side to taunt her depressed hostage. Natsuki is destroyed by the reality that her own mother would sell her. Whatever Nao has planned, she could care less whether she lives or dies at this point. Yuuka Nanri's performance is just sizzling here as she switches from playful with her tainting of Natsuki, to serious and bitter the second she brings up the pain of her eye. Brilliant voice work by Yuuka-san, this is why most people at Otakon 2012 remember her best as Nao and it shows. AND NOW! The moment everybody's been waiting for! The sensual reveal of Shizuru Fujino as a HiME, along with Kiyohime. Again, we have a great performance by Naomi Shindou who just nails it as a girl who wants to protect Natsuki with aggressively graceful tactics. If you're watching the English dub of this episode, the magic is kind of missing here. Think about it, Yuuka Nanri and Naomi Shindou were in the same room voicing this entire scene. They played off each other more fiercely than Marcy and Melanie did. It feels like there was a chemistry between them. Not romantic mind you (I am not a ShizNao shipper); just subtle disliking. Following their war of words is another jaw-dropping reveal with Kiyohime emerging from the ground. Just overpowering Nao and Julia qith great ease. Kiyohime makes Julia look like a flea, making you believe Shizuru is a force to be reckoned with. Kiyohime doesn't have that G-O-D-like presence that Kagutsuchi has, but it does have that unstoppable monster feel to it. It's like comparing Marvel's Phoenix to the Hulk.

There's a brilliant quote Reito says in this next scene. So brilliant that shots of Shizuru dominating Nao is used as a parallel:

"In a world where nothing goes the way you want, there might be just one thing you can count on. It is the love you feel for another. For those feelings. For that special person you desire, you might even be willing to become a demon. You might even be allowed to become a demon."

Reito leaves Mai's side after giving her comfort (more like motivating her to keep fighting for the sake of the Carnival) and suddenly runs into Nagi who calls him "Master". First District's biggest c*cksucker is working for Reito who is really the Obsidian Lord. I'm sorry Sunrise, but this reveal is ruined by the fact that you made it TOO DAMN OBVIOUS in the early going. Elsewhere, at a home that belongs to one of her tea students, Shizuru tends to Natsuki after rescuing her from Nao. She asks Natsuki to forgive her for keeping her identity as a HiME a secret. If Shizuru said something sooner, she believes Natsuki would of been constantly worried. Both promise they will protect each other during this trouble time. Natsuki even tells Shizuru that she likes her, and while that's all well and good, Shizuru is a bit disappointed. For Natsuki's "like" is not the same as Shizuru's "like".

Without the bubuzuke-onna to give an official statement on what caused the destruction at Fuuka (see previous episode), Haruka and Yukino are left alone to deal with the enraged students. Midori is just as pushy for answers as we see her trying to squeeze information out of Mashiro. Without spoiling this major plot point, I won't reveal the identity of the Crystal HiME. What I will mention is how clever Mashiro was to cast a barrier so Nagi wouldn't listen in on their conversation. What I can reveal is that Mashiro gives Midori an access key to revive Miyu Greer who is currently in recovery. The decision to revive Miyu is up to Midori only. This is a great character moment as we see the wheels in Midori's head turning; should she revive an old enemy? Will Miyu even cooperate in the fight against the Obsidian Lord?

Now here's where we actually get a crowd pleaser from Mashiro. She asks Fumi for one drink of tea and thanks Fumi for serving her after all these years. I'm thinking "uh oh! She's going to take care of the Obsidian Lord herself!" I was right during my first rewatch, Mashiro had her tea and is now prepared to enter the Obsidian Palace to battle the man himself. This is an awesome moment for Mashiro because it vaporizes all speculation that Mashiro doesn't care about the HiME. On the contrary, she is ready to give her life to save them. This should be awesome, Mashiro's been waiting 300 years for this very moment. We even see her transform into Suishouhime, her CHILD form. And if you thought this build up couldn't possibly get any better, it is revealed that the Obsidian Lord is Mashiro's brother! THIS FIGHT IS GOING TO AWESOME! THIS FIGHT IS GOING TO BE EPIC! ALL THE BUILDING BLOCKS HAVE BEEN-

Mai-HiME Episode 21: The Obsidian Prince Awakens Vlcsna79

-COMPLETELY KNOCKED OVER!!! ARE YOU F*CKING KIDDING ME!??!?! THE FIGHT WAS OFF-SCREEN! THAT IS COMPLETE AND UTTER LAZINESS ON SUNRISE'S PART!!!!!!

I'm a little disappointed with the episode. There was some bad and some good mixed in, which is a little unheard of for a Mai-HiME episode in it's critically acclaimed arc. The reveals are cool; Natsuki's mother selling her off to SEARRS was a brilliant twist, Shizuru HiME reveal needs no reprise and Mashiro being a CHILD and related to the Obsidian Lord is well done. Sadly the most important reveal, Mashiro's, goes nowhere because Sunrise decided not to show the fight. I swallowed the bitter pill with the Midori and Fumi encounter, I can't do the same here. Mashiro was built up as a hero to save the other HiME and instead she's beaten off-screen without any real justification for her loss to Mikoto or Reito.

Mai-HiME Episode 21: The Obsidian Prince Awakens Vlcsna81

+ Yuuka Nanri and Naomi Shindou have great chemistry
+ Clever philosophical dialogue unlike in The Dark Knight trilogy. (There I go again with the Nolan bashing. :p )
+ Breathtaking reveals
- One of those reveals has a terrible pay off
- Lazy writing. The former aside, not much actually happens in this episode...
+ Regardless, the story does advance further into greatness
Luu Sky Sapphire
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Post by Kuga Natsuki Sat Jun 22, 2013 4:02 pm

I wasn't surprised at all when it was revealed that Reito became the antagonist. I mean the first time I've seen Reito, the guy seemed TOO good to be true. He was TOO nice, imo. Now don't give me that "Shizuru was TOO nice as well, but she killed people in District 1" excuse Razz She's not the antagonist, and other HiME had committed murder or attempted murder as well

Irrelevant:

As I was saying, I just knew from the beginning that there was something fishy about Reito Akira Okuzaki

And I was also no where near surprised that Shizuru was a HiME. Considering what introduced me to Mai-HiME, I pretty much knew about the whole ShizNat crack/canon Razz
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Post by Luu Sky Sapphire Sat Jun 22, 2013 11:28 pm

Nymphetamine wrote:And I was also no where near surprised that Shizuru was a HiME. Considering what introduced me to Mai-HiME, I pretty much knew about the whole ShizNat crack/canon Razz

Remember most of the answers from the "How did you discover Mai-HiME" thread? Most of them were fans who discovered ShizNat from doujinshi and AMVs. All revealing Shizuru as having super powers, so it's rare of a fan to say "SHIZURU IS A HIME! I SOOOOO DID NOT SEE THAT COMING!"

My reaction should that day come: Akira Okuzaki
Luu Sky Sapphire
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Post by gingernuggets Sat Jun 22, 2013 11:50 pm

I feel fortunate that I didn't actually know about Shiznat much before watching the first time. I still wasn't surprised, but it was a little more exciting Razz

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Post by Kuga Natsuki Sat Jun 22, 2013 11:59 pm

gingernuggets wrote:I feel fortunate that I didn't actually know about Shiznat much before watching the first time. I still wasn't surprised, but it was a little more exciting Razz
I wonder if that's the closest "SHIZURU IS A HiME?!?!1one?" answer Luu is gonna get Natsuki Kruger2
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