Reviews of Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden (2001) and related work

Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden (2001Moving picture, 5.0 hours)

Yamaga Hiroyuki (director).

A young orphan was never told what his father really worked with. When the father dies in clandestine battle against alien invaders, all the orphan gets is charred bits of bone. The android who fired the killing shot—in a hostage situation—feels the need to redeem herself, and so, having served the secret defensive organization well, she gets to spend the tenth and final year of her life serving the orphan. She makes friends and finds happiness, but her old enemies catch up.

TV animation series. Romantic action comedy and feel-good drama. A cut above Abenobashi Magical Shopping District (2002) or This Ugly Yet Beautiful World (2004). Good music and shallow Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995) parallels help redeem what is often a mildly pornographic show with stereotypical characters.

References here: This Ugly Yet Beautiful World (2004), He Is My Master (2005), Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid (2017).

moving picture Gainax animation Japanese production fiction series

Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful (2002Moving picture)

Yamaga Hiroyuki (director).

The second half of the story, with a few new elements. Doesn’t disappoint. The ending is an original Gainax creation, diverging from the source comic.

References here: Mahoromatic: I’m Home! (2009).

moving picture sequel Gainax animation Japanese production fiction series

Mahoromatic: I’m Home! (2009Moving picture)

Directed by Saeki Shouji. Two extra episodes jammed into the established chronology of Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful (2002), explaining why Minawa was allowed to stay.

moving picture interquel Gainax animation Japanese production fiction series