Mahoromatic
Mahoromatic is a Japanese manga series about a female android former soldier, Mahoro. Driven by guilt from her actions during her combat days, she decides to dedicate the rest of her life to serving the son of her late commander as a maid. The manga was written by Bunjūrō Nakayama and illustrated by Bow Ditama. Originally serialized in Comic Gum between 1998 and 2004, it has been compiled into eight tankōbon volumes published by Wani Books. Studios Gainax and Shaft made an anime adaptation of Mahoromatic between 2001 and 2009.
Characters
Misato Residence
Mahoro AndouJunior High School
Miyuki Sakura
In the manga, after the time lapse, Miyuki is shown to have inherited, and still manage, the bath house, alongside her family. She is also shown to be married to Suguru's friend and former classmate, Kiyomi Kawahara, with whom she had a child. Despite being separated for so long, Miyuki still cares very deeply for Suguru, and is dismayed that he has yet to be happy or live his own life after Mahoro ceased to function.
Rin Todoriki
Chizuko Oe
Toshiya Hamaguchi
At the end of the anime, it is suggested that once Minawa is completely healed, Hamaguchi enters into a relationship with Minawa.
Kiyomi Kawahara
Yoshimi Tanaka
Vesper
Saint
Tou RyugaIn the end of the anime, he visit the members of the Saint for the last time as they depart to another galaxy.
In the manga version, he marries one of his students whom he saved earlier, and becomes a father of a reborn Mahoro.
Management
Introduced in Something More Beautiful, Management is a top secret organization that had shaped the world from the shadows throughout its history. They are dedicated to destroying not only Saint, to preserve the order they established from alien influence, but Vesper as well, for having sympathy for Saint.Feldrance
In the anime, he soon met his untimely end along with the death of Mahoro.
In the manga version, he chops Suguru's hands while capturing Mahoro but soon stopped by Slash and Ryuuga. He also witnessed the death of Mahoro to save Mankind. In the epilogue, he was the one of the last defenses of The Management in Mars. he encounters Suguru who kills him. With his last breath, he asks whether the quest of vengeance gave him satisfaction.
Endings
Anime's ending
The finale is set on a Saint-Earth colony world, 20 years after Mahoro's "death" and the mutual defeat of Vesper and Management. Suguru left Japan, deciding never to return, and is now a renegade half-cyborg hunter of the last "Management holdouts." He has only memories of Earth, and a sole companion who later turns out to be an android and tries to kill him for the bounty on his head.As Suguru is in critical condition, Mahoro reappears alive, asking to take him home.
Manga's ending
The ending is set on Earth, 20 years after Mahoro's death and the defeat of Management. Suguru has been working as a commander within Vesper, and has just returned to Earth from the final defeat of Management's last vestiges.Unbeknownst to Suguru, Mahoro was reborn as a baby shortly after her death as an android. She has grown up, and remembers Suguru. When Suguru returns from Vesper headquarters expecting to find an empty house, she is there waiting for him.
Manga
Mahoromatic manga series by Bow Ditama and Bunjūrō Nakayama was originally serialized in Comic Gum magazine between December 1998 and July 26, 2004, and compiled into eight tankōbon volumes published by Wani Books. The special edition of the eight volume contained a crystal Mahoro, as well as a special cover. The English version was published by Tokyopop.Volume list
Anime
The manga proved popular, and was adapted into two anime series jointly by Gainax and Shaft: "Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden" and "Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful"The first series consisted of twelve episodes and ran from September 10, 2001 to January 28, 2002 on BS-i in Japan, and more or less followed the manga to the third volume.
The second series also followed the manga, culminating in the story's end. This series ran from September 26, 2002 till January 16, 2003.
A television special, "Mahoromatic: Summer TV Special", set in the days when Minawa had become a regular part of the household, was produced and aired around Summer 2003.
A two episode special entitled Mahoromatic: Tadaima Okaeri was announced on August 22, 2009. It aired on October 17 and October 24, 2009. It takes place during the second series, on days 270-268 of Mahoro's life timer.
Originally the anime was licensed by Pioneer Entertainment. As of October 2008, ADV Films had announced that they had regained licenses to both Mahoromatic, and Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful, through its new Japanese licensor Sentai Filmworks. Currently, the anime is now distributed by Sentai Filmworks. They also recently acquired the Mahoromatic: I'm Home special, with the English dub to be produced at Bang Zoom! Entertainment.
Mahoromatic, including both seasons and the summer special, is currently available through The Anime Network's free video on demand service, found on many cable systems and DirecTV.
''Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden''
Episode list
- Ep01 In an Hydrangea Garden
- Ep02 Lady Teacher Saori, Age: Twenty-Five
- Ep03 How Shallow the Grave
- Ep04 I Will Shoot Him Through the Heart
- Ep05 634-of-8 is Doing Fine
- Ep06 Moon, Flowers, Feeling of Autumn
- Ep07 The Maid, Chased by the Past
- Ep08 The Owner of the Perfect Heart
- Ep09 Limelight
- Ep10 The Fate as a Warrior
- Ep11 My Important Person
- Ep12 At the Scenery I Dreamed One Day
Theme songs
- Opening Theme: "Kaerimichi"
- Ending Theme: "Mahoro de MAMBO"
Production details
- Original story: Bunjuro Nakayama & Bow Ditama
- Director: Hiroyuki Yamaga
- Character design/Chief animation director: Takamura Kazuhiro
- Art design: Masahiro Satō
- Art director: Naoko Kosakabe
- Color coordinator: Yōko Mitsuhashi
- Editor: Takeshi Seyama
- Sound director: Yoshikazu Iwanami
- Director of photography: Tsuguo Ozawa
- Music: Toshio Masuda
- Animation production: GAINAX & Shaft
''Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful''
Episode list
- Ep01 Return of the Maid
- Ep02 From Today On, You Are Minawa
- Ep03 Dreams Should Be Grand
- Ep04 Looking for a Lost Object
- Ep05 Will I Catch a Cold Tomorrow?
- Ep06 Doing Delightful New Year Things
- Ep07 Don't Ever Come Back Again!
- Ep08 Grandfather and Grandson
- Ep09 Sweeter Than Love, But a Bit Bitter
- Ep10 Things I Like
- Ep11 A Wish, the Color of Cherry Blossoms
- Ep12 Annunciation
- Ep13 End of a Dream
- Ep14 Na-Geanna
Theme songs
- Opening theme: "So-re-i-yu"
- Ending theme: "Triomatic Ran! Ran! Ran!"
Production Details
''Mahoromatic: End Year Special''
Shown after Episode 10. These feature a refresher of all the events so far along with new conversations and discussions between characters. Both seasons one and two have this special.''Mahoromatic: Summer Special''
Released after the second season, this episode takes place during the second season and revolves around the issue of Suguru's ecchi no hon. The Summer Special is the only special to be aired in the U.S.''Mahoromatic: I'm Home, Special''
Takes place during the second season between episodes 2 and 3, on days 270–268 of Mahoro's life timer. Mahoro and Suguru, along with Suguru's classmates, are preparing for a Hiryu town festival, when Feldlance attacks in an attempt to capture Minawa.Episode list
- Part 1: ただいまの風
- Part 2: おかえりの空
Theme songs
- Opening theme:
- Ending theme:
DVDs
A series of six DVDs was released in Japan and North America for both seasons.A series of four DVDs was released in Europe for season one, each DVD containing 3 episodes.
Sentai Filmworks re-released Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden in 2 DVDs as Collection 1, but 2 episodes weren't on this collection: the Ep00 special and Year End Special. Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful was also re-released in 3 DVDs as Collection 2, with 15 episodes listed. The Year End Special was not included on this collection.
Music CDs
Music CDs, including dramas were released in Japan. Several of these CDs were later released in the United States with cover book translations.Merchandise
sets were produced in 2005 featuring Mahoro and Minawa in their maid costumes.A PlayStation 2 game by Konami of the same name was also produced for the series. It followed the style of a visual novel with full voiceovers and text accompanying pictures and minigames.