Mai HiME Media Reviews

We're always watching/reading/playing Mai HiME media. This thread will house our feedback on the quality of DVDs, manga and even video games.

To get things started, here's my old review of the Mai HiME PSP game:



Mai HiME: Bakuretsu! Fuuka Gakuen Gekitoushi?!

Mai HiME: Bakuretsu! Fuuka Gakuen Gekitoushi?! for the PSP is a 3D fighting game. Taking place during the first half of the Mai HiME series. Every from the beginning with the Orphans to the fall of the Searrs Foundation. I purchased this game about three years ago. Way after I completed the series in 2005. This was a bit before Mai HiME merchandise started hitting store shelves, and even then the imported stuff was better (and more expensive).

Let's talk presentation.Once you start the game, the legendary "Shining Days" opening (sung by Kuribayashi Minami) starts up. Getting you into the mood of the series.Most anime games make up a completely new opening and song, which makes you feel like playing something non-canon. *cough* DBZ and Naruto*cough*. The opening screen is beautiful, with a nice wide open shot of Fuka Academy. The menu screen is inspired by M.I.Y.U.'s programming data banks. VERY clever. XD

There are several options. Story Mode allows you to go through the entire storyline up until that piece of shit, Nagi, tells the newly formed "HiME Force" about the Festival/Carnival. Which as I've said before, made the story more dynamic. Network mode can be used to play against your friend, if he/she happen to have a PSP and the game as well. VS COM mode allows you to fight a CPU character of your choosing.Mini-game mode is my personal favorite to be honest, more so than the fighting aspect. There are a eight mini games you can choose from, all with a special theme depending on the HiME girl. All mini games have three levels of skill each. Completing a mini game unlocks special goodies, which we'll talk about later.



Mai's cooking mini game and Alyssa's "It's only the fairy tale" song game are basically DDR, but more fun. For me anyway, since I suck at DDR and could never get into it. Mikoto's swimming game and Midori's Gakuten-Ou charge are basic button mashers. Except with Mikoto, you have to fight the waves (remember when she caught that giant fish at the beach? lol) With Midori, you have to charge Gakuten-Ou as fast as possible and let him rip into the Orphan. My personal favorite mini game is Natsuki's.Simply because it's rather challenging, but not cheap like the DDR parts on skill level 3. Natsuki's mini game consists of a random combination of button presses. If you get enough combinations fast enough, you will earn points which will make the car stop.



And who wouldn't. Sometimes I'd lose on purpose to see her pissed off glare. XD




Library mode houses all the artwork from the series, including movies (from the story mode), and sound bytes. While the pictures and movies are nice, I usually play around with the voices. The Mai HiME seiyuu is one of the best assembled team of V/As ever. Nothing better than hearing the power in Saeko Chiba or the calmness in Naomi-san. <3 Since Mai HiME had a fantastic dub, imo, I wouldn't mind hearing their cast either. But, you know how other countries feel about an all-female game. Which is why I'm still surprised that Arcana Heart was given the green light.

Then there's option mode, but nothing special about that. XD Let's move onto the main attraction of this game: The 3D fighting. While it's not the worst, it's definitely not the best. I expected fast pace action like when I purchase Mai Otome on the PSP. The gameplay in Mai HiME's fighting is rather clunky to say the least. Controls are simple, but your HiME will move awkwardly and not as fast as you'd expect her to be. You can easily win fights with the old "button mash and block"technique. Though I mix in variety on purpose, so I can get more of afight out of the CPU. Your options in battle is your standard punch(square), charge for projectiles/defensive magic (x) and jump (circle).Best of all is the R trigger. When your meter is fill, you can summon your Child and unleash Hell on your opponent. I wish you could actually see your Child on screen, instead it plays a clip from the anime and then you see the attack/impact in-battle. Still cool, don't get me wrong, but it could of been better. While selecting your HiME before battles, you can choose various costumes from the first half of the series. Including the HiME force karaoke cosplay!



Overall, this is a solid game. The fighting game could of been MUCH better, but at least it's better than what Sailor Moon had to put up with in the Sega Saturn/PS1 days with SuperS. Plus the mini games in Mai HiME:Bakuretsu! Fuuka Gakuen Gekitoushi?! are so damn memorable, they're worth the price of the game. Especially if you're a major Mai HiME fan like me. There's a second game (Mai-Hime Senretsu! Shin Fuuka Gakuen Gekitoushi!!), which covers the 2nd half of the series. Which includes characters like Shizuru into the roster (for obvious reasons). You can move all your saved data from the first game into it. If you're a fan of fighting games, stay away. It's not really up to the standard you'd expect. If you're a fan of Mai HiME, spend the cash. It's Mai HiME for Christ's sake!

I told you why!!! No demand. I'm surprised the all female fighter, Arcana Heart, made it's way here. Mai Otome-Otome Butou Shi for the Playstation 2 (which I shall review sometime this month) would of been an excellent alternative to the latest cookie-cutter Shonen fighter.

: HOW DO YOU PLAY THIS GAME!?

: Here, I'll show you...

: You play games, Natsuki!?

: Did you not see my omake? SONY FANGIRL 4-LIFE!!!