The Mai-HiME manga vs. Mai-HiME EXA: Which had the better artwork?

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Simple question that needs a simple answer! Which of these Mai-HiME manga had the better artwork and why? Thanks to Magus Phantalus for the thread idea. :)

Voting poll added!!!

I'm going to go with the original. As an artist myself and one that thrives on details by the tons in his artwork and in others the original achieves it in spades. The fights, the attacks, the moments <the fanservice> all looked so much better in the original.

I have to agree with bran-kun here. ;3
The original wasn't as cute as the EXA one, but HiME wasn't supposed to be a cutesy series in the first place.
What makes the original special was that, it managed to capture the essence of what the series should be, through its art.
EXA turned the atmosphere into a less serious state, while the original had the atmosphere set to make the readers go on an intricate journey to follow the characters as they delve deeper into the secrets of the HiMEs.
Plus the fact that they can set up fanservice without having the scene turn awkward.
EXA, on the other hand, had very cute artwork that anybody could love.

As much as I hate the character portrayals in it, the original Mai Hime manga did have some really nice artwork.

Now as I said in the other thread this is difficult for me. I like both art styles I do each catches a unique feel of the My Hime well still staying true to the overall setting. That said I have to try very hard not to hate the art of the first manga's just because I hate the story. As an rtist myself that is just wrong for me to do.

In the end what it really came down to and I'm somewhat ashamed for admitting this it came down to... Natsuki's introduction in EXA complete with a pantyshot.

Okay moving but seeing Reito in full twisted Obsidian form and the unstoppable Kiyohime were also factors. The way Obsidian Reito's smiles are depicted as utterly sadistic were pretty badass. So as far as art goes I'm given it to EXA for how Natsuki and Obsidian Reito were depicted.