Summary
Continuing from Ep.01, Arika is impressed by Shizuru. She immediately asks Natsuki to let her become an Otome. Sergey then advises Arika to not show her pendent out, to which Arika says her
baa-chan already told her that(hmm..). Mikoto (I still cannot believe that she’s a
neko!!) appears and Mashiro’s identity is revealed. Arika then asks Natsuki to let her into Garderobe.
Arika then explains that she wants to be one after seeing Shizuru in action,plus that her mother used to be an Otome, surprising both Natsuki and Tat…Sergey. Natsuki asks what’s her mother’s name but Arika says she doesn’t know as her baa-chan died/disappeared before telling her that(speculated, she didn’t complete the sentence, I’d say disappeared though, more drama potential), silencing them.
Shizuru steps in and says she’s glad that someone looks up to her that much. She then proceeds to kiss Arika but glances at Natsuki(OMG!! Such a tease, Shizuru hasn’t lost her yuri touch yet ^^;) and blows wind in to Arika’s ear instead, causing Arika to overload from overexcitement.
Shizuru then takes the chance to retain Arika in the academy, citing exhaustion XD. Sergey butts in saying that Arika is a witness in this case but Natsuki coolly asks him, where is he now, which shuts him up(nice one, Natsuki :thumbsup:)
The next day, it’s business as usual at the Garderobe Academy. The Coral students are cleaning up the school compound when Akane walks in. The Corals greet her and Akane encourages them to ganbatte.
Over in a corner, a group of Corals are discussing about yesterday’s incident and it seems that Nina has been imprisoned(not accurate! Wait for Mentar, Jpnese failed). One of them then asks another Coral, called Tomoe, now that Nina is gone, she can become number one(apparently, Tomoe is the number 2 student). Their conversation is interrupted by the appearance of one of the teachers.
Nina is being imprisoned meanwhile(!!) and she reminisces about yesterday, when Sergey asks if Arika’s GEM caused the airplane to fly and she answers probably. The teacher, Miss Maria, then reprimands Nina for misusing her Otome powers. Nina monologues, saying that her father will hate her if this goes on.
Switch to Arika, where she seems to be in the research room,sleeping on some kind of MRI lookalike. She wakes up and knocks her head (painfully) on the machine.She also discovers she’s totally naked, except for her sheet ^_^. The person-in-charge (ok, I forgot her name) greets her and brings a drink for her.
Meanwhile, Mashiro is having difficulties waking up. After waking, she complains that the room is small ^_^;;, prompting her maid to wonder( who won’t, see the screencap).She opens the window, to discover that her castle has had a little ‘accident’.
Sergey is inspecting the damage to the castle when he remembers something from his childhood. It seems that he’s seen the previous owner of Arika’s pendent, Souten no Seigyoku(who’s with me that the baby is Arika?).
Back in Garderobe, Mashiro is whining to Natsuki but Natsuki gently ‘reminds’ her of her responsibilities and the true cause of the incident, casuing her to storm off, brat-fashion. After she leaves, Natsuki and Shizuru have tea(who spotted Fumi here? Seems like Sunrise is putting in a lot of Fumi cameos,). Didn’t understand what Natsuki says, but Shizuru comments that the hime is the real one or not hasn’t been known.
Back to Arika, she’s had her meals.Yoko-sensei(thank Arika for mentioning her name) asks Arika to be patient while her clothes are being readied.Arika asks if she’ll be an Otome but Yoko says that it’s up to the decision of a council, which is comprised of representatives of various states that are connected to the Academy.
Mashiro butts in, saying that’s impossible and introduces herself as the Princess of Windbloom. Arika feels that she’s not like what she imagined, pissing off Mashiro who teases Arika back. Arika doesn’t give up and begs Yoko to let her go to the council, who refuses.
Undaunted, Arika makes a makeshift dress from the sheet and runs out, but she’s lost ^^. The council has started in the mean time and Nina is taken to be questioned.
Back outside, we meet Shiho who reprimands some of her kouhai for comments about Nina.But as soon as they’re gone, she changes 180° and takes out a voodoo doll, but her cursing is seen by Arika, who innocently asks her the way to the council. Shiho, being Shiho, goes berserk and chases Arika around the campus, meeting up with Chie and Yukariko and not to forget, Nao.The chase scene is a MUST WATCH for all HiME fans, suffice to say.
Meanwhile, things are heating up at the council, with Sergey complaining about the breaking of a treaty and Mashiro barging in to declare that Nina has no right to become an Otome, when Arika finally arrives, causing a large ruckus.
Nagi appears, apparently he’s a count of some kind now, and says Arika is quite interesting.He asks Arika if she wants to be an Otome at any cost and suggests a competition between her and Nina, when she affirms it. The council ppl are against it but Nina agrees to it, ending the episode.
Opinion
Phew.. that was a long summary. I went a bit overboard , tehe. But is was a really eventful episode, bound to satisfy old-timers and newbies alike. There was multiple plot developments in this one too, complemented with tons of service, making it a remarkable episode.
The return of the other Mai Hime characters was done splendidly. Shiho was hilarious, with her psychotic side in full swing. Chie was soooo damn kakkoii!!! The way she literally ‘swept’ Arika off her feet was soo damn awesome.I’d always wanted to see her ‘manly’ side after listening to the Drama CD XD, since she didn’t get much screentime in Mai HiME. Guess the production team was listening ^^. Yukariko’s chalk throwing skills were really 1337. I’m sure that no one dares to sleep in her class. Nao, being mischievous as usual, I see XD.
Arika gained quite a few points in this episode to me.Her hair is really useful, lol. She was also less irritating (wonder if the production team read our comments?) in this episode. The sheet dress fits her really, in an very elegant sense.
I’ve also formed some theories in Mai-Otome from this episode. Who’s Arika’s obaa-san? Mashiro and Nagi also seem to be connected in some way? Maybe they’re bethrowed? Sergey also seems to have been in Windbloom previously, and seem to know the previous owner of the Souten no Seigyoku. But oh well, lets all leave the speculation to the master, Mentar ^^.
Next episode, Mashiro’s coronation ceremony. I can imagine lots of action.
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