Mai-Hime is one of the best magical shows ever made but I am someone who wholeheartedly cannot recommend it for a simple enough reason: IT HAS ONE OF THE SHITTIEST ENDINGS FOR AN ANIME EVER.
I do not wish to spoil it to anyone but it felt like eating on a table, when promised a full-course meal of a lifetime and there you are consuming wonderful meals that kept surprising you with every succession but then the dessert comes in the form of a gelatin filled with the kitchen's leftovers from the lavatory drain.
To keep it short, this show was a SUNRISE production which I respected since they made Code Geass and Gundam and follows the story of Mai and her destiny of being a HIME, or a mechaesque-version of a magical girl. It was filled with action, intrique, fanservice, varied cast and an awesome plot with a distinct twist. It was a complete package and its ingredients was there to make it a classic. Great pump-up music, well-animated fights, I mean... come on!
My main gripe was that the show has well-established dynamics within its cast. Their motives were distinct, understandable and even the nastiest assholes were given enough depth to be highly invested on what happens next. This quality writing continued on for many episodes and I kid you not, I think the final episode was made by someone else. I love Code Geass despite its numerous flaws because the story ended in a high note, in Mai-Hime's case it was relative to Game of Thrones'. It betrays everything the show has created prior: tension, consequences of actions, permanence, dynamics... The show was dark as heck yet the show has the gall to end it... ON A MY LITTLE PONY-like vibe?! There was clear sabotage and no ending has fumed me so much as this one. NOTHING feels earned. It feels disjointed, out-of-place, and really, really fucked up all threads that have been set up. The story ended on such a whimper that all desire of rewatch would never come over me, despite its enjoyable narrative.
In short, this would easily be on my top 10 if not for its 1/10 finale. If a director's cut or so happens it might just be. I mean come on, how can its creators drop the ball on its final moments?! You got golden 25/26 episodes but why end it like that?! It has been more than 12 years but I still cannot forgive the director for this.
I don't recommend the show on how it ENDS, just to clarify. People, if you watch this, watch its first 25 episodes only, muster all strength to stop there, and just make a fanfiction on how it ends. It will save you from ruining your day.
However keep this in mind folks, I absolutely loath its finale like Soul Eater's yet I would still give it an 8/10 overall just because of how good the things that came before. Take that as you will.
