Search - Mahoromatic - Automatic Maiden - Haunting Past (Vol. 2) on DVD

Tragedy and Comedy in one...

A. Li | Los Angeles, CA | 06/01/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...P>Mahoromatic is a very depth-fill series that centers around the relationship of Mahoro and Suguru Misato. Unknown to Suguru, his father served alongside Mahoro as a commander in a secret government organization that has been defending the planet from alien invaders - wacky plot? No, the key to this series is that it is able to take what on the surface may be absurd situations and turn it into strongly heart-felt moments. Though overall the tone of the series is comedic, there is constant underlying tragedy as slowly each episode counts down to the number of days Mahoro still has remaining. The show plays out in a rollercoaster ride of stomach-hurting laughs, and throat-lumping misty eyes. Gainax has achieved an incredible balance between the gut-busting banter of Mahoro and Shikijo-sensei, and the repenting whispers of Mahoro's "..I don't want to die." It is difficult to provide a truthful review without revealing too much information, but suffice it to say that the story's extremely memorable characters will reside with you long after the last episode is done. My only wish was that Gainax could have chosen a less heart-breaking ending..."

A couple standalone episodes don't hurt

Thomas Lent | Hayward, CA United States | 06/22/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After the first four episodes dropping hints of Mahoro's past and her connections with Suguru, this next set only advances the plot in small doses. For the most, the haunted school and summer festival make for enjoyable moments to fill time with. The events play out well and the comedy is expectedly good. I personally found Mahoro's jealous rage during her private "encore" of the Dance of the Dead while trying to stop the perverted teacher from running off with Suguru a terific laugh and an excellent "you-go-girl!" scene.The cast in increased with the introduction of Slash and Mr. Ryuga. The former being a support mech for Mahoro in the form of a black panther. The latter being a handsome stranger that was instantly able to take on a teaching job at Suguru's school. Each character adds more oddity to the overall cast. Who would not be slightly disturbed by someone having a pet panther named Slash?Mahoro and Slash establish an instant defensive posture with the arrival of Mr. Ryuga and it seems as though his appearance may be the "Haunting Past" referred to in the volume title. Even though he is the antagonist on the surface, his mysterious demeanor doesn't allow the viewer to jump to conclusions about him.With mostly filler-type episodes, scattered flashbacks and introspective moments this disk is still quite fulfilling. The story continues well enough with the characters living together and making a daily attempt to enjoy life. Suguru even gets a moment to follow his instinct affirm an equally protective stance against his newfound antagonist.This is still a very enjoyable series with a well-rounded and developing cast. If you enjoyed the first disk and can still deal with that coutdown timer, this is another one to add to the collection."