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Hime means "princess" in Japanese, but in the broadcast series My-Hime (2004), it's also an acronym for Highly-advanced Materializing Equipment--or certain girls who possess supernatural abilities. Mai Tokiha and her brother Takumi discover their new school, Fuka Academy, has become the focus of the battle against the Orphans: malevolent monsters who can only be defeated by the HiME. Each HiME has a "Child," a sort of half-mecha creature that fights with her against the bizarre Orphans. Mai discovers she's a powerful HiME, just in time to enter the no-holds- barred struggle against the agents of the sinister, all-powerful Searrs Foundation, who've secretely been summoning the Orphans. That storyline comes to a premature end in Episode #15 and another, related but even more confusing plot begins. My-Hime features a large cast; some of the members are sympathetic and even endearing, but the muddled story requires so much exposition, the audience doesn't get a chance to know them. An even bigger problem is that the filmmakers can't decide if they're making a magical girl vs. monster adventure, a shojo (girls') high school romance, or a fan-service farce. The battles against the grotesque Orphans are violent and loaded with CG special effects, but they're juxtaposed with cheesecake illustrations, discussions about bras, and nosebleed jokes. Panty shots and close-ups of cleavage follow tearful romantic declarations. Viewers can't tell if they're supposed to cheer, snicker, or sniffle. (Rated 13 and older: violence, violence against women, nudity, risqué humor, alcohol and tobacco use, lesbianism) --Charles Solomon (1. A Girl's Most Important Event, 2. After-School Secrets, 3. Dance of Flames/Star's Oath, 4. Mischief of the Wind, 5. Rain--Tears... 6. The Passionate Age of 17, 7. Lost Kittens, 8. Precious Thing, 9. The Sea, the Maidens, and Natsuki's Secret, 10. Cake Wars!!! 11. Dance of Light and Darkness, 12. The Smile of an Angel, 13. Night of the Tamayura, 14. The Targeted Academy, 15. A High School Girl Soars to the Heavens, 16. Parade? 17. Deceitful Lips, 18. The Beginning, 19. Labyrinth of the Heart, 20. Dance of Flames/Tears of Fate, 21. The Obsidian Prince Awakens, 22. Collapse, 23. Love and Friendship, Heartless, 24. Love is a Battle, 25. The Moment of Destiny, 26. Shining Days)
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