How and when did you first discover Mai HiME/Otome?

A friend showed me an amv with various animes and happened to have Mai-HiME. I was interested... Love at first sight with Natsuki! As I didn't know the name, I took the opening's karaoke to find the singer and finally the name of the misterious anime. Well, people told me that it was Yuri and I avoided it at the time... But now... My favorite anime. ^ ^
Mai-Otome... AMVs and while looking for videos, images etc, all from Mai-HiME.

Mai-HiME... Huh... 2009~2010... Mai-Otome... 2010.

Highman wrote:

i'm a fan of this. lol

Sergay Tate wrote:

Highman wrote:

i'm a fan of this. lol

she needs an elf :3

Luu Sky Sapphire wrote:

MissSoccerNinja wrote:Ah, KnM...I think it might be the best full-yuri anime series yet. =] ("Full-yuri" meaning that the main characters are in a yuri relationship. I'd classify My-Hime as "straight with yuri themes and characters" (since Mai is caught in a love triangle between 2 guys (if you don't count Mikoto...which I actually do........but I guess that that would just be the "yuri themes.")))

Agreed! I think Mai-Otome leans towards the classification of full-yuri anime series better than Mai-HiME does. Save for it's central heterosexual love triangle between Arika, Nina and Sergay. And to a lesser extent; Akane Soir and Emperor Kazuya.

Hmm..You have a point there. But I still think of My-Otome as (Like My-Hime)"straight" but (unlike My-Hime) "with overbearing and cheap yuri themes." (I think that they took out the serious relationship development of Shiznat and Harukino, and replaced it with pointless ecchi between characters I didn't really care about (Arika, etc.)). It had some good points, like Chie/Aoi, and Shizuru and Haruka getting more screen time, but other than that, I didn't like it as much... The plot was good (though I think that it's not as good as Hime), but I was probably expecting too much out of it (as it was the sequel to My-Hime, and I had heard that Shizuru and Natsuki were in a relationship, but if I hadn't seen My-Hime, I would have assumed that they were just close friends/colleagues. In addition, Mai pretty much falls off the face of the earth, and was replaced by Arika (I missed Mai!))

*prepares to shield myself from attacks by probably everybody in this forum*

MissSoccerNinja wrote:

SpiralDasher wrote:

MissSoccerNinja wrote:(I thought: "Oh my gosh! There's actually stories like this? I know that everybody in the real world (except for me) is straight, so I just assumed that everybody in tv shows and anime was straight too! This is an amazing discovery!")

This is exactly what happened to me, actually. XD Except, my discovery of yuri was with Kannazuki no Miko.

Cool! XD *gives you a high five...and a membership into the...um...the Yuri Club of Awesomeness! ...(Which I just invented a second ago!)...* X]

Lol! Cool, thanks! XD -highfives back- I'm honored to be a member in the YCoA. B)

hurmhurm...I do believe I found Mai HiME when browsing various yuri anime and manga a few years back on the 'net.

I was the typical fan who found out this most awesome of series' via ShizNat >u>;;;;

And since then I have become more and more addicted, and successfully converted several friends of mine to the mai-fandom as well CB

GhibliFreek wrote:hurmhurm...I do believe I found Mai HiME when browsing various yuri anime and manga a few years back on the 'net.

I was the typical fan who found out this most awesome of series' via ShizNat >u>;;;;

And since then I have become more and more addicted, and successfully converted several friends of mine to the mai-fandom as well CB

That also gave birth to your endless string of anime music videos. Hohoho.

PFFFT YES THAT TOO.....andtheyarestillgoing >u>;;;;

Started watching Mai HiME around 2006 when I ready to go to work until started watching last few episode then my adrenaline burst out of nowhere when I couldn't stop thinking about the show so darn much, that's when fan fiction keep my boost in check. That didn't keep me till I watched Mai Otome, I wanted more out of Sunrise and more character goodness. Those were great times and I became a sequel conisseur to anime and entertainment.

Highman wrote:Started watching Mai HiME around 2006 when I ready to go to work until started watching last few episode then my adrenaline burst out of nowhere when I couldn't stop thinking about the show so darn much, that's when fan fiction keep my boost in check. That didn't keep me till I watched Mai Otome, I wanted more out of Sunrise and more character goodness. Those were great times and I became a sequel conisseur to anime and entertainment.

Ah, fanfiction. Something to hold us over until something new and official releases~

Luu Sky Sapphire wrote:

Highman wrote:Started watching Mai HiME around 2006 when I ready to go to work until started watching last few episode then my adrenaline burst out of nowhere when I couldn't stop thinking about the show so darn much, that's when fan fiction keep my boost in check. That didn't keep me till I watched Mai Otome, I wanted more out of Sunrise and more character goodness. Those were great times and I became a sequel conisseur to anime and entertainment.

Ah, fanfiction. Something to hold us over until something new and official releases~

Ya know I watch HiME/Otome over 365 days of last year, these reruns made me occupy and let my brain cram harder to the franchise.

When I first looked at the series, I was in the library. It was 2007, I was looking around on the internet at blogs and I looked Otoru's blog back when it was alive. I kept looking at the Random Curiousity, Kurogane and Otoru's blogs for more info on Hime. I did that until finally during autumn I checked it out and I watched the horrible Bandai dub but it didn't matter, I enjoyed it and watched Otome on Youtube that same year.

GAP wrote:When I first looked at the series, I was in the library. It was 2007, I was looking around on the internet at blogs and I looked Otoru's blog back when it was alive. I kept looking at the Random Curiousity, Kurogane and Otoru's blogs for more info on Hime. I did that until finally during autumn I checked it out and I watched the horrible Bandai dub but it didn't matter, I enjoyed it and watched Otome on Youtube that same year.

Concerning the latter, I must say the dub has drawn in quite an audience on YouTube. If English dub (which isn't on the same level as the Japanese original, imo) can attract new fans, that only makes it awesome. Despite the obvious faults. ;p

Ice Silver Crystal wrote:luu-san! the dub is a little better to me now. i don't know why...is funny how shizuru teased natsuki more openly in the new video you upload!

To me the English track bring in new and lapsed fans so thank you for those? lmao!

You and MissSoccerNinja have that in common! X'D There's a fan following for the Bandai dub on YouTube channel lately. Mostly in the way they handled ShizNat.

i was lookin for new thing to watch -age 9- then after watch death note start to see if i can find more show like death note .... then i found it my hime - the cake ep - that ep took me away i was in heaven - man heaven when i saw mai then noa -drool- rethinks everthing hime- huh ........ that all i have lol

I got into the series thanks to my friends talking about it back in early 03 and 04. Then I saw my first ep thanks in part to the Newtype Sampler disc with the first episode of Mai HiME on it. From there it was in following Newtype issues. I found myself buying up single dvd's for awhile till a con in the past where I got the anime legends collection of it. Now I've gotten posters, manga and making my own fanart of it.

Ah, the Newtype sampler discs. One of the reasons I was able to catch up on all the hottest titles in the early-mid 2000s. I've seen Mai-HiME ahead of time, but I absolutely adored watching it dubbed for the first time. Even if I didn't see some iffy performances coming. Melanie Risdon's Shizuru being the biggest example of them all. The once most despised voice over in MH has become one of the most popular. After pushing it in the public's eye so long, a lot of fans gave come to love it. In that "lolzy" way.

Luu Sky Sapphire wrote:Ah, the Newtype sampler discs. One of the reasons I was able to catch up on all the hottest titles in the early-mid 2000s. I've seen Mai-HiME ahead of time, but I absolutely adored watching it dubbed for the first time. Even if I didn't see some iffy performances coming. Melanie Risdon's Shizuru being the biggest example of them all. The once most despised voice over in MH has become one of the most popular. After pushing it in the public's eye so long, a lot of fans gave come to love it. In that "lolzy" way.

The Newtype discs were how I got into alot of series, such as Happy Lesson, King of Bandits Jing, Rahxephon...Yeah ADV got alot of my money back in the day. I miss Newtype as well, shame that only Japan gets it anymore.
When I watched Mai-HiME dubbed for the first time, the only voice that stood out to me was Mai's VA Carol Anne Day because I had heard her voice as Allenby in G-Gundam. All the other characters were new to me. These days I hear her in various other series. Recently as a secretary in the Gundam 00 Movie and in the Gundam Dynasty warriors games, alongside Jordan Schartner and Caitlin Schmendrik. So you could say that Mai was followed into the Gundam universe by Tate and Mikoto.

hildebrant wrote:The Newtype discs were how I got into alot of series, such as Happy Lesson, King of Bandits Jing, Rahxephon...Yeah ADV got alot of my money back in the day. I miss Newtype as well, shame that only Japan gets it anymore.
When I watched Mai-HiME dubbed for the first time, the only voice that stood out to me was Mai's VA Carol Anne Day because I had heard her voice as Allenby in G-Gundam. All the other characters were new to me. These days I hear her in various other series. Recently as a secretary in the Gundam 00 Movie and in the Gundam Dynasty warriors games, alongside Jordan Schartner and Caitlin Schmendrik. So you could say that Mai was followed into the Gundam universe by Tate and Mikoto.

Happy Lesson, RahXephon (amazing series), Ultramaniac and Angelic Layer were the four biggest animes I got into thanks to the Newtype discs. The rest I've already seen on Anime Suki. Got to hand it to Newtype, the best feeling after reading their monthly issue was watching the sampler DVD.

I'm Carol Anne Day's friend on Facebook and we chatted often. Loved her work in Zeta, G, Ayashi no Ceres, and of course, Mai-HiME/Otome. Not once has she brought up Jordan or Caitlin, so I'm willing to ask her the next chance I get. Normally these voice recordings happen in singles, so at times the voice cast never meet, unless assembled at a con. Could be wrong though, I'll keep you posted.

Luu Sky Sapphire wrote:

hildebrant wrote:The Newtype discs were how I got into alot of series, such as Happy Lesson, King of Bandits Jing, Rahxephon...Yeah ADV got alot of my money back in the day. I miss Newtype as well, shame that only Japan gets it anymore.
When I watched Mai-HiME dubbed for the first time, the only voice that stood out to me was Mai's VA Carol Anne Day because I had heard her voice as Allenby in G-Gundam. All the other characters were new to me. These days I hear her in various other series. Recently as a secretary in the Gundam 00 Movie and in the Gundam Dynasty warriors games, alongside Jordan Schartner and Caitlin Schmendrik. So you could say that Mai was followed into the Gundam universe by Tate and Mikoto.

Happy Lesson, RahXephon (amazing series), Ultramaniac and Angelic Layer were the four biggest animes I got into thanks to the Newtype discs. The rest I've already seen on Anime Suki. Got to hand it to Newtype, the best feeling after reading their monthly issue was watching the sampler DVD.

I'm Carol Anne Day's friend on Facebook and we chatted often. Loved her work in Zeta, G, Ayashi no Ceres, and of course, Mai-HiME/Otome. Not once has she brought up Jordan or Caitlin, so I'm willing to ask her the next chance I get. Normally these voice recordings happen in singles, so at times the voice cast never meet, unless assembled at a con. Could be wrong though, I'll keep you posted.

Yeah unlike the Japanese voice recording sessions, and the ones in Disney or Dreamworks or even the American stuff like Justice League or Family Guy, all the Anime Dubbing works are done in single booths by the individual voice actors, though I'm sure there have been some exceptions in the past. Cool that you've chatted with Carol, not many of us can say we've had the honor of chatting with a member of the HiME/Otome voice cast

hildebrant wrote:Yeah unlike the Japanese voice recording sessions, and the ones in Disney or Dreamworks or even the American stuff like Justice League or Family Guy, all the Anime Dubbing works are done in single booths by the individual voice actors, though I'm sure there have been some exceptions in the past. Cool that you've chatted with Carol, not many of us can say we've had the honor of chatting with a member of the HiME/Otome voice cast

:) You can get that chance too, dude. Don't you have a Facebook account? If so and don't want it seen everywhere, just PM me. BTW, I already asked her about working with the others. Let's wait and see what she says.

Acid Raw wrote:I was introduced to Mai-HiME by an AMV.
a guy in my class in college bluetoothed it to my mate who then sent it to me
(I wonder if I still have it, doubt it). It started out with Natsuki doing her little twirl with her guns before she calls Duran. The music for it was Nickelback's "Hero" which suited it perfectly. I just fell in love with it, though the vid file wasn't named Mai-HiME so I didn't know what the anime was for ages. Happy as he'll that I found the name cause Mai-HiME was the first anime series I've ever watched and is still the one I love the most

Definitely AMVs. Also, there're a couple of movie-trailer-type clips of Natsuki, which intrigued me, since my favorite physical type for women are green-eyed brunettes and redheads.

So I Looked up this "Mai-HiME" thing, and saw Natsuki in action. Then Yukino. Midori and Nao soon followed.

Then, in the Invasion arc, when I saw Haruka kicking the freaking TANK, I figured out that, as much as I liked Yukino, I really wanted to be her.... Mmmm...Haruka!

My first contact with Mai HiME was quite strange. I was listening to something which had absolutely nothing to do with it, but just at the beginning and at the end I could hear a different music which sounded quite good. So I asked a friend who were likely to know what it was wether she could find out that particular piece. And so did she! She sent me a Mai HiME AMV (the music was Mezame), and I thought "oh it looks good, let's watch it!".

Amazing, what we can come to by AMVs...