Mai HiME Ep 20: Mai's Flames, Destiny's Tears
Um.....WOW. I think I needed to see this episode like I needed a kick in the head. Not to say that it was "bad" per se...I just thought it had a completely and utterly unexpected turn of events which left me feeling rather quesy inside. I definitely want to see this through to the end, but I'm not sure I like this story as much anymore.
First off, why is it that all the guys in this show (with the exception of Takumi) just creep the hell out of me? All of them - from Reito, Nagi and Ishigami (and don't get me started on Tate) - are just disgusting! I guess this is supposed to be a bishoujo-centered story, but does it necessarily have to follow that all the guys are such jerks/creeps/bastards?
Second and more importantly perhaps - why are they doing this? I feel like my guts were being ripped out, watching all this suffering and anguish, in addition to my favorite couple being torn apart. I wasn't expecting this series to be so serious. On the one hand, I totally would have accepted these events if I knew that this was what I should expect. But the mere shock of it all made it very unsavory and unwelcomed...
Don't get me wrong - this was an EXCELLENT episode. I just wish I was prepared for it. And now I feel like I need to go watch some Prince of Tennis to cleanse myself. ^_^;;;
ps. the images once again focus on my favorite pair, Takumi & Akira. I'm still so upset about this... T.T
Episode starts with Takumi being assaulted by a very pissed Nao, who tells him that "your sister and her friends did this to me," pointing at her bandaged eye. She tells him she's in pain...and she will bring the same kind of pain right back at him. Akira has heard the disturbance, and rushed in, driving Nao off. Akira grabs Takumi from his hospital bed and crashes through the window, summoning Gennai. She wills him to disappear, using the ninja technique, Kirigakure no jutsu. (I love her ninja style...and it's cool how her Child is a frog - a perfect match for a ninja!). Nao grins...it looks like she's already hooked her threads into the two of them to make it easier for her to follow them...
Meanwhile, Nagi is looking into the sky and says to himself, "What a beautiful night...I wonder what color your all-out dancing will dye this night...Mai Hime.." He grins evilly.
Mai's in her room, still looking depressed. She gets a phone call and she hurridly picks up, saying "Mikoto??" But it's actually Nao, who says, "I'm chasing after your brother, and a Hime disguised as a boy..." She tells her she wants her brother to suffer as she has suffered. Mai begs her to stop, but Nao tells her, "But don't you just want your brother to go away?...I'm gonna start hunting now, you lying sister.." she hangs up on her.
Natsuki is meeting with her contact at a smokey bar. He tells her that Akane has been transferred to a regular hospital. It appears that somebody from the Searrs organization wants to exchange information. But before she can talk to him, she gets a phone call from Midori. It looks like Mai's in trouble. Nobody from the hospital has been able to contact Mai to tell her that her brother's disappered from his room, so they had called her teacher Midori instead. Natsuki runs out, as the man she was talking to turns to another man in a booth...(from Searrs?).
At the hospital, Tate has heard that Takumi is missing, and is concern about it. He remarks that Mai's probably really worried... Shiho suddenly looks extremely evil. (Wow...v v disturbing look. Eeeek). In the trees outside, a crow appears to react. Tate asks if anything's wrong, but she denies it. (Hmmm...it seems Shiho is controlling something? I guess she must be connected to that mysterious ghost hime...or she IS the ghost hime).
Nao has caught up with Akira and Takumi: "Found you! If you're gonna hate somebody, hate your sister." She draws out her claws...but Midori jumps in on her Child and saves them, telling them to run! They hastily make off after thanking her.
Mai's running out to find her brother, when she's haunted by what Nao has said...she trips and falls. She tries to drive the thoughts out of her mind. "It's not true!" She flashes back to her past - it turns out that she was babysitting her brother, when she left him alone to go play with a friend. He ended up drowning in a river, and her mother had jumped in to save him, losing her life in the process. She feels responsible for what happened. "I promised her..." Mai cries. Natsuki suddenly slaps her, and tells her to snap out of it. "I don't have anything important to protect, but you do! What have you been fighting for all this time? Remember??" Natsuki tells her. Suddenly, the ghost hime appears with her Child / crow. "Die..." she hisses. The Child attacks, striking a nearby dorm. Natsuki tells Mai that she'll take care of it - and that Mai should go look for her brother. Mai runs off, and Natsuki turns to face the Child. "Not you," the ghost mutters. The Child flings dagger like weapons at Natsuki. She parries them, but when she turns to face her attacker, she's disappeared...
Akira and Takumi are lost in the forest...they keep backtracking the same location. Takumi pleads to know what's going on. Akira explains everything to him about the Hime...how his sister is one too, and how if a hime is defeated...the person she loves the most must die. Akira is crying, saying that this will surely be Takumi! "Why...? Why did it have to be this weak, unmasculine, and compassionate...just compassionate..." she blushes, and looks into Takumi's eyes. Takumi smiles at her and says, "it's ok...If I'm with you. You're the one who gave me the will to live." "Idiot!....you...idiot..." Akira says, and they embrace tightly...
Meanwhile, on some hilltop, Yukariko is with her Child, and praying. "I don't ask for you to forgive me...but that God's blessing be with you." Ishigami creeps up behind and says, "is it clear? You must confuse them and stop them in their tracks. By defeating another, a Child absorbs their powers and becomes stronger. But Mai's powers are much too great." He explains that they must remove Mai's MVP first, and then let Nao kill Mai, who has lost the ability to summon her Child. He says that's the way to save the world and make Yukariko into the ultimate Hime. Yukariko protests...but Ishigami says he will become the Kukuyou's prince in her place and take the powers of the star.
Shizuru is trying to control the mayhem over at the dorm that Nao struck, which is now burning. Haruka arrives with Yukino, but Natsuki gets there too and drags Yukino away, saying she needs her help. Yukino sends out Diana's seeing eye to locate Takumi. She tells Mai where they are. "Thank you, Yukino-chan," Mai says, quietly. "I'm so sorry...Mai-san.." Yukino says sadly.
Mikoto is wandering around the forest, when the Crow Child flies above her. She remembers that it attacked Mai, and she turns into a rage, and runs after it.
Mai finally locates Akira and Takumi, and they are under attack by the crow and Mikoto. And before her eyes, she watches in horror as a rabid Mikoto slices through Gennai... Akira looks crushed, and she wimpers, "Takumi...."
Mai runs to Takumi's side, but he's already fallen, and begins to disintigrate. "I'm sorry....thank you...neechan..." he says, before he melts away.
Mai screams in sorrow... She's shell shocked and in disbelief. She turns torward Mikoto, in a daze. Mikoto's a little dazed too. Mai slowly stands. "Why did you...to Takumi..." She's enraged. "You did this!" she bites her lip until the blood comes running down. She summons Kagutsuchi and out he comes in a blazing flame. She commences her attack on Mikoto.
Mikoto tries to absorb what's going on... She begins her counterattack, after remembering her brother's words: those who attack you are your enemies, and enemies must be destroyed.
Elsewhere, Mashiro says that they were too late...that this was something that they should have avoided at all cost.
Yukariko looks on in shock, as Ishigami is also expressed surprise, saying it wasn't supposed to be like this.
Only Nagi is happy, as he cackles wickedly...
Natsuki runs in to stop Mikoto. Mai screams that she knows what's she'd doing...it was Mikoto who did this to Takumi. Suddenly, a large unknown Child comes into the fray and pushes Kagutsuchi back. (I'm guessing this is Fumi? There's a shadow of a Hime holding something like a scythe). Mikoto jumps up and is about to come down on Mai with her sword, when Natsuki yells at her to remember...that's Mai...the one you said you loved! She hesitates, and falls short. Natsuki shoots the sword out of her hands..
Mikoto then flashes back to her past...apparently, she had to defeat her grandfather, for whom she cared very much, in order to pass some kind of test? In any case, her grandfather warned her that she should not care for anyone else in her life except her brother, the Kokuyou prince. But Mikoto remembers how she really cared about Mai...she cries. "I really never loved anyone at all..." Mai looks at her and hesitates. But Kagutsuchi is already firing up his next blow, and thrusts it at Mikoto before Mai can stop him. Mikoto just stands there as a blazing path blows through her, burning up half of the forest...
Mai looks on in shock. She limps over to Takumi's pill bottle and clutches it close, crying. It begins to rain.
She walks through the rain in a daze: "Takumi...it's because I forgot about you for just a moment...if only we were only together always... Now, I truly have nothing left..." she remembers Tate, but denies it to herself, saying she cannot desire anything at all.
"Is that right? Haven't you already realized feelings of love?" Reito asks. He approaches her as she tries to deny it... He holds her, and she bursts into tears...
Next week: The Black Prince Awakens
Posted by athena at |11:06 PM| |
Mai HiME Ep 20: Mai's Flames, Destiny's Tears
Um.....WOW. I think I needed to see this episode like I needed a kick in the head. Not to say that it was "bad" per se...I just thought it had a completely and utterly unexpected turn of events which left me feeling rather quesy inside. I definitely want to see this through to the end, but I'm not sure I like this story as much anymore.
First off, why is it that all the guys in this show (with the exception of Takumi) just creep the hell out of me? All of them - from Reito, Nagi and Ishigami (and don't get me started on Tate) - are just disgusting! I guess this is supposed to be a bishoujo-centered story, but does it necessarily have to follow that all the guys are such jerks/creeps/bastards?
Second and more importantly perhaps - why are they doing this? I feel like my guts were being ripped out, watching all this suffering and anguish, in addition to my favorite couple being torn apart. I wasn't expecting this series to be so serious. On the one hand, I totally would have accepted these events if I knew that this was what I should expect. But the mere shock of it all made it very unsavory and unwelcomed...
Don't get me wrong - this was an EXCELLENT episode. I just wish I was prepared for it. And now I feel like I need to go watch some Prince of Tennis to cleanse myself. ^_^;;;
ps. the images once again focus on my favorite pair, Takumi & Akira. I'm still so upset about this... T.T
Episode starts with Takumi being assaulted by a very pissed Nao, who tells him that "your sister and her friends did this to me," pointing at her bandaged eye. She tells him she's in pain...and she will bring the same kind of pain right back at him. Akira has heard the disturbance, and rushed in, driving Nao off. Akira grabs Takumi from his hospital bed and crashes through the window, summoning Gennai. She wills him to disappear, using the ninja technique, Kirigakure no jutsu. (I love her ninja style...and it's cool how her Child is a frog - a perfect match for a ninja!). Nao grins...it looks like she's already hooked her threads into the two of them to make it easier for her to follow them...
Meanwhile, Nagi is looking into the sky and says to himself, "What a beautiful night...I wonder what color your all-out dancing will dye this night...Mai Hime.." He grins evilly.
Mai's in her room, still looking depressed. She gets a phone call and she hurridly picks up, saying "Mikoto??" But it's actually Nao, who says, "I'm chasing after your brother, and a Hime disguised as a boy..." She tells her she wants her brother to suffer as she has suffered. Mai begs her to stop, but Nao tells her, "But don't you just want your brother to go away?...I'm gonna start hunting now, you lying sister.." she hangs up on her.
Natsuki is meeting with her contact at a smokey bar. He tells her that Akane has been transferred to a regular hospital. It appears that somebody from the Searrs organization wants to exchange information. But before she can talk to him, she gets a phone call from Midori. It looks like Mai's in trouble. Nobody from the hospital has been able to contact Mai to tell her that her brother's disappered from his room, so they had called her teacher Midori instead. Natsuki runs out, as the man she was talking to turns to another man in a booth...(from Searrs?).
At the hospital, Tate has heard that Takumi is missing, and is concern about it. He remarks that Mai's probably really worried... Shiho suddenly looks extremely evil. (Wow...v v disturbing look. Eeeek). In the trees outside, a crow appears to react. Tate asks if anything's wrong, but she denies it. (Hmmm...it seems Shiho is controlling something? I guess she must be connected to that mysterious ghost hime...or she IS the ghost hime).
Nao has caught up with Akira and Takumi: "Found you! If you're gonna hate somebody, hate your sister." She draws out her claws...but Midori jumps in on her Child and saves them, telling them to run! They hastily make off after thanking her.
Mai's running out to find her brother, when she's haunted by what Nao has said...she trips and falls. She tries to drive the thoughts out of her mind. "It's not true!" She flashes back to her past - it turns out that she was babysitting her brother, when she left him alone to go play with a friend. He ended up drowning in a river, and her mother had jumped in to save him, losing her life in the process. She feels responsible for what happened. "I promised her..." Mai cries. Natsuki suddenly slaps her, and tells her to snap out of it. "I don't have anything important to protect, but you do! What have you been fighting for all this time? Remember??" Natsuki tells her. Suddenly, the ghost hime appears with her Child / crow. "Die..." she hisses. The Child attacks, striking a nearby dorm. Natsuki tells Mai that she'll take care of it - and that Mai should go look for her brother. Mai runs off, and Natsuki turns to face the C
hild. "Not you," the ghost mutters. The Child flings dagger like weapons at Natsuki. She parries them, but when she turns to face her attacker, she's disappeared...
Akira and Takumi are lost in the forest...they keep backtracking the same location. Takumi pleads to know what's going on. Akira explains everything to him about the Hime...how his sister is one too, and how if a hime is defeated...the person she loves the most must die. Akira is crying, saying that this will surely be Takumi! "Why...? Why did it have to be this weak, unmasculine, and compassionate...just compassionate..." she blushes, and looks into Takumi's eyes. Takumi smiles at her and says, "it's ok...If I'm with you. You're the one who gave me the will to live." "Idiot!....you...idiot..." Akira says, and they embrace tightly...
Meanwhile, on some hilltop, Yukariko is with her Child, and praying. "I don't ask for you to forgive me...but that God's blessing be with you." Ishigami creeps up behind and says, "is it clear? You must confuse them and stop them in their tracks. By defeating another, a Child absorbs their powers and becomes stronger. But Mai's powers are much too great." He explains that they must remove Mai's MVP first, and then let Nao kill Mai, who has lost the ability to summon her Child. He says that's the way to save the world and make Yukariko into the ultimate Hime. Yukariko protests...but Ishigami says he will become the Kukuyou's prince in her place and take the powers of the star.
Shizuru is trying to control the mayhem over at the dorm that Nao struck, which is now burning. Haruka arrives with Yukino, but Natsuki gets there too and drags Yukino away, saying she needs her help. Yukino sends out Diana's seeing eye to locate Takumi. She tells Mai where they are. "Thank you, Yukino-chan," Mai says, quietly. "I'm so sorry...Mai-san.." Yukino says sadly.
Mikoto is wandering around the forest, when the Crow Child flies above her. She remembers that it attacked Mai, and she turns into a rage, and runs after it.
Mai finally locates Akira and Takumi, and they are under attack by the crow and Mikoto. And before her eyes, she watches in horror as a rabid Mikoto slices through Gennai... Akira looks crushed, and she wimpers, "Takumi...."
Mai runs to Takumi's side, but he's already fallen, and begins to disintigrate. "I'm sorry....thank you...neechan..." he says, before he melts away.
Mai screams in sorrow... She's shell shocked and in disbelief. She turns torward Mikoto, in a daze. Mikoto's a little dazed too. Mai slowly stands. "Why did you...to Takumi..." She's enraged. "You did this!" she bites her lip until the blood comes running down. She summons Kagutsuchi and out he comes in a blazing flame. She commences her attack on Mikoto.
Mikoto tries to absorb what's going on... She begins her counterattack, after remembering her brother's words: those who attack you are your enemies, and enemies must be destroyed.
Elsewhere, Mashiro says that they were too late...that this was something that they should have avoided at all cost.
Yukariko looks on in shock, as Ishigami is also expressed surprise, saying it wasn't supposed to be like this.
Only Nagi is happy, as he cackles wickedly...
Natsuki runs in to stop Mikoto. Mai screams that she knows what's she'd doing...it was Mikoto who did this to Takumi. Suddenly, a large unknown Child comes into the fray and pushes Kagutsuchi back. (I'm guessing this is Fumi? There's a shadow of a Hime holding something like a scythe). Mikoto jumps up and is about to come down on Mai with her sword, when Natsuki yells at her to remember...that's Mai...the one you said you loved! She hesitates, and falls short. Natsuki shoots the sword out of her hands..
Mikoto then flashes back to her past...apparently, she had to defeat her grandfather, for whom she cared very much, in order to pass some kind of test? In any case, her grandfather warned her that she should not care for anyone else in her life except her brother, the Kokuyou prince. But Mikoto remembers how she really cared about Mai...she cries. "I really never loved anyone at all..." Mai looks at her and hesitates. But Kagutsuchi is already firing up his next blow, and thrusts it at Mikoto before Mai can stop him. Mikoto just stands there as a blazing path blows through her, burning up half of the forest...
Mai looks on in shock. She limps over to Takumi's pill bottle and clutches it close, crying. It begins to rain.
She walks through the rain in a daze: "Takumi...it's because I forgot about you for just a moment...if only we were only together always... Now, I truly have nothing left..." she remembers Tate, but denies it to herself, saying she cannot desire anything at all.
"Is that right? Haven't you already realized feelings of love?" Reito asks. He approaches her as she tries to deny it... He holds her, and she bursts into tears...
Next week: The Black Prince Awakens
Posted by athena at |11:06 PM| |