Jun 11, 2013
This is a review of the DVD version of "My My Mai" released by U.S. Manga Corps in 2002. It was viewed with English voice overs.
"My My Mai" falls into the category of ecchi comedy with a significant helping of fan service along the way.
Parental Warning:
There are some scenes with nudity, and some adult situations. The age on the box indicated 16 and up, but the warning included on the DVD suggests 18 and up. A few of the scenes in the first episode may merit a 16 and up rating. However, most content in the remaining episodes would likely be acceptable
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viewing for slightly younger teens.
Story: 5/10
The story is divided into four episodes, though based on the placement of the beginning and ending credits, and the somewhat uneven length of these segments, they are presented in a format more like a pair a two-part episodes. The story revolves around Mai and various “counseling” services she provides to her clients. At various points, she serves as a bit of a detective, a counselor, a psychiatrist, or a paranormal investigator. Between the different episodes, there are a number of comedic situations that arise. While these sometimes lead to Mai reaching various levels of undress, those scenes manage to achieve the desired comedic effect without taking things too far.
Of the four episodes, two are closely related. The first involves Mai searching for a doctor to help cure a client's granddaughter while the third involves finally curing her. Unfortunately, the scenes with the doctor seemed rather unfunny, and the amount of screen time devoted to Mai’s interaction with him stretched longer than I would have preferred. Fortunately, the other two episodes help make-up for these.
In the second episode, Mai attempts to help a client overcome his allergy to nudity. As crazy as this sounds, there is an actual anxiety disorder called gymnophobia. The episode doesn't go into any detail about this, but rather focuses on Mai's attempts to diagnose and cure the client. The client's reaction at points along the way and the ending scene are worth a few laughs.
In the last episode, Mai and some friends are on summer break and end up investigating a haunted inn. This is the best of the bunch. At a couple points this one reminded me a bit of a Scooby Doo episode with the gang trying to uncover their next mystery, with some slapstick thrown in along the way. It also features multiple twists and turns along the way, as well as a final surprise.
Characters: 4/10
The main character Mai is featured in each episode, however we never see much in the way of character growth for her character. She offers a wide array of services, some of which seem rather unrelated. Her views on modesty seem a bit uneven. In some scenes she seems perfectly willing to show off her body, while in others she voices her concern over her lack of attire. Overall, she is quite likeable though she seems extremely naive at times.
Some of the other characters appear in mulitple episodes. Among these is Dr. Ben Shinobi who appears in the first and third episodes. His character is interesting in a Jekyll and Hyde fashion, but I found that he was more of a distraction and detraction to my overall enjoyment of the series.
The other characters appear only briefly. Some of them like Ai and Mii seem interesting, and they probably should have been included in more of the episodes to give them time to be developed.
Art / Animation: 5/10
The character designs in "My My Mai" are generally appealing. A few of the character designs may seem a bit dated. Some of them, especially Mai, feature overly huge hair, but their other proportions seem to be attractive overall.
The animation is generally good, and there are a few scenes that seemed to be well done. However, the age of this title is apparent, and some of the animation is rather simple. The transfer is average with some the graininess and washed out colors.
Sound / Voice: 5/10
Soundtrack, background music and sound effects were acceptable. The opening soundtrack is completely forgettable. There wasn't anything that really stood out good or bad in terms of the sound effects or voice.
Enjoyment: 6/10
Overall, I enjoyed this series. All four episodes feature a mix of humorous situations, with a few rather funny scenes highlighting the bunch.
Final Verdict: 5/10
"My My Mai" is an acceptable ecchi comedy, delivering its share of risque comedic antics, and never taking itself too seriously. While the characters are generally appealing, it seems to be missing much in the way of an overall story. The episodes are largely stand-alone, which does not give it much time to develop or have much depth in the plot.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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