Mahoromatic

Mahoromatic (まほろまてぃっく) is a sci-fi romantic comedy manga and anime series which contains elements of the literary genre of tragic dramas. It is about a former female android soldier, Mahoro. Driven by guilt from her actions during her combat days, she decides to dedicate the rest of her life to serving the son of her late commander as a maid.

Characters
All characters of Mahoromatic

Misato Residence
Mahoro Andou (安藤 まほろ) (CODE: V1046-R MAHORO)
 * Mahoro is an android created by VESPER to fight an alien invasion by Saint in the 1980s. She is immensely powerful and fast, and is considered to be a formidable opponent by her enemies.
 * Mahoro is an android created by VESPER to fight an alien invasion by Saint in the 1980s. She is immensely powerful and fast, and is considered to be a formidable opponent by her enemies.


 * Being an android, she has a limited life span. At the beginning of the story, she has just 398 days to live, and is given the choice to do anything she wants by VESPER. She chooses to become a maid for Suguru Misato: his father was her superior commander, and she was forced to kill both him and an alien when the alien took him hostage.


 * Mahoro has a very sunny disposition and is friendly to just about everyone — she becomes a welcome regular at the market and becomes famous at Suguru's school for working for him. She also quickly becomes an excellent cook, able to emulate and recreate dishes from the best restaurants. She is also quite devoted to Suguru, with feelings for him reminiscent of both doting mother and shy girlfriend.


 * She is, however, extremely hostile towards anything perverted. A good portion of the story's humour comes from Mahoro chasing after Suguru's secret stash of pornographic magazines which, given her training, she is easily able to find. She is well known for this attitude from her catch phrase: "Ecchi na no wa ikenai to omoimasu" ("I think that dirty thoughts are bad"). Mahoro and Shikijo-sensei's dislike of one another stems from this — Shikijo is constantly trying to have an illicit relationship with Suguru.


 * Mahoro is very concerned about her appearance, often not allowing herself to wear normal clothes as she is concerned that it would look bad to the neighbours given her position as a maid. She is also obsessed with her small breasts, and some stories actually deal with her rivalry with Shikijo (who has very large breasts), as well as her techniques and requests to VESPER for larger breasts.


 * In some episode when Mahoro is asleep, baby chicks come out from her and fly around her head. But no explanation was given why this event happens and on what reason is it for.


 * She still has access to many of her weapons and gadgets from her VESPER days, and is able to pull out her gun at any time. She also has access to the "silpheed", which when worn on her back allows her to fly, as well as her support mech, Slash. She is able to call both the Silpheed and Slash at a moment's notice from the badge she wears on her maid uniform. In addition, she still can use her fully equipped and armed BMW sports convertible and MV Agusta motorcycle.


 * Mahoro was created using Saint alien technology, giving her a true soul and a pure heart. Later in the series it is revealed that Mahoro is directly connected to the memories of Matthew, who on some occasions supplies Mahoro advice.


 * She had no family name until the name Andou (short for android) was created by Suguru. At the end of the series Mahoro and Suguru have fallen in love.

Suguru Misato (美里 優)
 * Suguru Misato is a junior high school student living in Tokyo. He lost both his parents earlier — his mother, and years later, his father. While he believed his father was killed in an accident during a business trip, he was actually a commander (and Mahoro's commanding officer) in VESPER and was killed-in-action during the alien war. Although relatives offered to take him in, he refused and lived alone prior to Mahoro's arrival.
 * Suguru Misato is a junior high school student living in Tokyo. He lost both his parents earlier — his mother, and years later, his father. While he believed his father was killed in an accident during a business trip, he was actually a commander (and Mahoro's commanding officer) in VESPER and was killed-in-action during the alien war. Although relatives offered to take him in, he refused and lived alone prior to Mahoro's arrival.


 * He is smart and has an IQ of 130. He makes a favorable impression on members of the opposite sex. Suguru had a whole stash of dirty magazines which were all thrown away when Mahoro first arrived. Although he continues to try to smuggle them in and hide them, Mahoro will often find them — leading to comical confrontations between the two. Suguru uses a whole range of creative tactics to conceal his magazines, and is capable of running away very fast when being chased.


 * Suguru hired a maid because of the filthy state of his house. He was expecting an older woman, and Mahoro's arrival completely surprised him. At the end of the series Mahoro and Suguru have fallen in love.

Minawa Andou (安藤 みなわ) (CODE: 370)
 * (credited as Willow Armstrong)
 * Minawa is first introduced in Mahoromatic ~Something More Beautiful~. Clumsy and anemic, she ends up living with Mahoro and Suguru and going to school under the pretext of being Mahoro's younger sister. She claims to be a runaway member of The Management, but is later revealed to have been sent to gather information on VESPER's battle android Mahoro after being promised a heart in return. Mahoro, however, convinces her that the fact that she can cry means she already has a heart. Suguru's friend Hamaguchi develops a crush on her, and, despite her shortcomings, it is later insinuated that they form a relationship. It was later revealed she is not an android but a cyborg, with her body being in horrible shape due to all the experience on her body. She later leaves so she can get treatment near the end of the series. Where at the end in the anime, it is suggested she was completely healed and with Hamaguchi.


 * She had no name until one was created by Suguru, so she could pretend to be Mahoro's little sister.

Slash (スラッシュ) (CODE: V1046 R9-SLASH ZERO)
 * Slash is known as a "support mech" and assists Mahoro during combat. He has the form of a panther and can be summoned at any time by Mahoro. Although he can speak, his mouth never moves except during times when he expresses emotions. Although used for combat in the past, he often now acts as a guard dog around the Misato residence and a friend to the Misato's dog — a role he was not thrilled to take in the beginning.
 * Slash is known as a "support mech" and assists Mahoro during combat. He has the form of a panther and can be summoned at any time by Mahoro. Although he can speak, his mouth never moves except during times when he expresses emotions. Although used for combat in the past, he often now acts as a guard dog around the Misato residence and a friend to the Misato's dog — a role he was not thrilled to take in the beginning.


 * He is friendly but tough and will lend a helping paw when asked. Although Mahoro is Slash's master, he will now take commands from Suguru: since Suguru is Mahoro's employer, he is also her master and thus Slash's master as well.


 * Near the end of the anime series, he was used to wipe out Management.

Classmates
Saori Shikijo (式条 沙織)
 * Saori Shikijo, or Shikijo-sensei, is Suguru's teacher in junior high school and is extremely attracted to him. She has an extreme shota complex, or an attraction to young boys. Many of the jokes stem from her attempts to openly physically seduce Suguru, and the ways in which her attempts are foiled by Mahoro.
 * Saori Shikijo, or Shikijo-sensei, is Suguru's teacher in junior high school and is extremely attracted to him. She has an extreme shota complex, or an attraction to young boys. Many of the jokes stem from her attempts to openly physically seduce Suguru, and the ways in which her attempts are foiled by Mahoro.


 * She is a heavy drinker and as a result is often broke and unable to afford food. Soon after Mahoro arrives at the Misato household, Shikijo starts inviting herself for dinner on a daily basis despite Mahoro's protests.


 * Shikijo and Mahoro often compete with each other, usually with Mahoro emerging victorious except when it comes to insults. She has much larger breasts than Mahoro, or any other character in the series, which she flaunts when comparing herself to Mahoro or in taunting her. Her large breasts are also a focus of her many attempts to seduce Suguru.

Miyuki Sakura (佐倉 深雪)
 * The blue haired member of the "Triomatic," Miyuki is very tomboyish by contrast with the other two. She and her family have known Suguru since childhood; her father thinks of him as the son he never had. She doesn't admit it openly, but she is in love with Suguru.
 * The blue haired member of the "Triomatic," Miyuki is very tomboyish by contrast with the other two. She and her family have known Suguru since childhood; her father thinks of him as the son he never had. She doesn't admit it openly, but she is in love with Suguru.

Rin Todoriki (等々力 凛)
 * Rin is the brown-haired and tallest member of the "Triomatic." She is the most ladylike of the three, but is also a skilled martial artist. Like Miyuki, she is in love with Suguru.
 * Rin is the brown-haired and tallest member of the "Triomatic." She is the most ladylike of the three, but is also a skilled martial artist. Like Miyuki, she is in love with Suguru.


 * Rin has also the most physically developed breasts of the Triomatic, which at times causes Miyuki and Chizuko consternation. For the most part Rin seems almost embarrassed when the other two complain about her breasts, but as the series goes on she becomes more and more comfortable with her "advantage."


 * Rin's family is wealthy (coming from a long military line), and lives in a palatial estate filled with numerous pieces of art and wealth.

Chizuko Oe (大江 千鶴子)
 * (Rebecca Forstadt"Something More Beautiful" episodes 1-4 and 12-14, Melissa Fahn episodes 5-11)
 * Chizuko is a cheerful and bright, short blonde-haired girl, and is the most innocent of the "Triomatic." For the most part she treats Suguru as a friend, almost like a brother. Some of her comments suggest that she loves him as more than a friend, but that she has given up on it because she knows it is unrequited.


 * Chizuko enjoys food a great deal and has an extremely adept sense of taste, being able to identify the exact restaurant that a dish has come from and the exact origins of ingredients. Chizuko will often scream with absolute delight when she tastes Mahoro's cooking. While some initially mistake it as a scream of fear or horror, her friends know that it is a sign of culinary approval.

Toshiya Hamaguchi (浜口 俊也)
 * One of Suguru's male friends who shares his interest in dirty magazines. He has a crush on Minawa, which causes him much trouble because she doesn't understand his attempts to express his interest in her.
 * One of Suguru's male friends who shares his interest in dirty magazines. He has a crush on Minawa, which causes him much trouble because she doesn't understand his attempts to express his interest in her.

Kiyomi Kawahara (川原 清巳)
 * One of Suguru's male friends who also enjoys looking at dirty magazines. He is a kendo student, and is usually with Suguru's other friend Toshiya.
 * One of Suguru's male friends who also enjoys looking at dirty magazines. He is a kendo student, and is usually with Suguru's other friend Toshiya.

Yoshimi Tanaka (田中 佳美)

Vesper
Minato Hokaze (帆風　みなと)

Saint
Toh Ryuga (流河　濤)

Management
Feldlance (フェルドランス)

Manga
Mahoromatic (まほろまてぃっく) is a manga series by Bow Ditama and Bunjūrō Nakayama. Originally serialized in Gum Comics, it has been compiled into eight tankōbon volumes published by Gum Comics.

Original Manga

 * まほろまてぃっく 第1巻 「美里家のメイドさん」
 * Translation: The maid of the Misato Residence
 * Published: 10 Oct 1999
 * ISBN 4-8470-3326-4


 * まほろまてぃっく 第2巻 「陽射しくらくらメイドさん」
 * Translation: The maid, dizzy in the sunlight
 * Published: 10 Jul 2000
 * ISBN 4-8470-3354-X


 * まほろまてぃっく 第3巻 「過去に追われるメイドさん」
 * Translation: The maid, chased by her past
 * Published: 3 Mar 2001
 * ISBN 4-8470-3383-3


 * まほろまてぃっく 第4巻 「いろいろ夢見るメイドさん」
 * Translation: The maid, dreaming all sorts of things
 * Published: 10 Oct 2001
 * ISBN 4-8470-3413-9


 * まほろまてぃっく 第5巻 「今日も元気なメイドさん」
 * Translation: The maid, full of energy today too
 * Published: 10 Jun 2002
 * ISBN 4-8470-3370-1


 * まほろまてぃっく 第6巻 「笑顔の素敵なメイドさん」
 * Translation: The maid with the lovely smile
 * Published: 3 Mar 2003
 * ISBN 4-8470-3440-6


 * A special version was also produced, where a plastic figure model of Mahoro was packaged with the manga, along with a special cover.


 * まほろまてぃっく 第7巻 「涙で動くメイドさん」
 * Translation: The maid who runs on tears
 * Published: 10 Oct 2003
 * ISBN 4-8470-3454-6


 * まほろまてぃっく 第8巻 「美里家のまほろさん」
 * Translation: Mahoro-san of the Misato Residence
 * Published: 5 Dec 2004
 * ISBN 4-8470-3479-1


 * The special version contained a crystal Mahoro, as well as a special cover.

English Version
The English version was published by Tokyopop.


 * Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden 1 "The Misato Residence's Maid"
 * Published: May 1, 2004
 * ISBN 1-59182-729-9


 * Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden 2 "Fun in the Sun"
 * Published: July 1, 2004
 * ISBN 1-59182-730-2


 * Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden 3 "The Running Maid"
 * Published: Sep 1 2004
 * ISBN 1-59182-731-0


 * Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden 4 "The Maid of Many Dreams"
 * Published: Dec 15 2004
 * ISBN 1-59182-732-9


 * Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden 5 "The Ever-Energetic Maid"
 * Published: Mar 8 2005
 * ISBN 1-59182-915-1


 * Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden 6 "The Maid With The Wonderful Smile"
 * Published: Jun 7 2005
 * ISBN 1-59182-916-X


 * Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden 7 "The Maid Moved By Tears"
 * Published: Oct 11 2005
 * ISBN 1-59532-625-1


 * Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden 8 "The Misato home's Mahoro-san"
 * Published: Jan 11 2006
 * ISBN 1-59532-808-4

Anime
The manga proved popular, and was adapted into two anime series by Gainax: "Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden" and "Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful" (まほろまてぃっく~もっと美しいもの~)

The first series consisted of twelve episodes and ran from September 10, 2001 to January 28, 2002 on BS-i in Japan, and more or less followed the manga to the third volume.

The second series also followed the manga, culminating in the story's end. This series ran from September 26, 2002 till January 16, 2003.

A television special, "Mahoromatic: Summer TV Special" (まほろまてぃっく夏のTVスペシャル), set in the days when Minawa had become a regular part of the household, was produced and aired around Summer 2003.

A two episode special entitled Mahoromatic: Tadaima Okaeri was announced on August 22, 2009. It aired on October 17 and October 24, 2009. It takes place during the second series, on days 270-268 of Mahoro's life timer.

Originally the anime was licensed by Pioneer (Geneon Entertainment). As of October 2008, ADV Films had announced that they had regained licenses to both Mahoromatic, and Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful, through its new Japanese licensor Sentai Filmworks. Currently, the anime is now distributed by Section23 Films.

Mahoromatic is currently available through The Anime Network's free video on demand service, found on many cable systems and DirecTV.

Episode list

 * Ep00 Special
 * Ep01 In an Hydrangea Garden
 * Ep02 Lady Teacher Saori, Age: Twenty-Five
 * Ep03 How Shallow the Grave
 * Ep04 I Will Shoot Him Through the Heart
 * Ep05 634-of-8 is Doing Fine
 * Ep06 Moon, Flowers, Feeling of Autumn
 * Ep07 The Maid, Chased by the Past
 * Ep08 The Owner of the Perfect Heart
 * Ep09 Limelight
 * Ep10 The Fate as a Warrior
 * Year End Special
 * Ep11 My Important Person
 * Ep12 At the Scenery I Dreamed One Day

Theme songs

 * Opening Theme: "Kaerimichi"
 * Translation: Our Way Home
 * Singer: Ayako Kawasumi


 * Ending Theme: "Mahoro de MAMBO"
 * Singers: Triomatic (Asami Sanada, Manabi Mizuno, Yumi Kikuchi)

Production details

 * Original story: Bunjuro Nakayama & Bow Ditama
 * Director: Hiroyuki Yamaga
 * Character design/Chief animation director: Takamura Kazuhiro
 * Art design: Masahiro Satō
 * Art director: Naoko Kosakabe
 * Colour coordinator: Yōko Mitsuhashi
 * Editor: Takeshi Seyama
 * Sound director: Yoshikazu Iwanami
 * Director of photography: Tsuguo Ozawa
 * Music: Toshio Masuda
 * Animation production: GAINAX & Shaft

Episode list

 * Ep01 Return of the Maid
 * Ep02 From Today On, You Are Minawa
 * Ep03 Dreams Should Be Grand
 * Ep04 Looking for a Lost Object
 * Ep05 Will I Catch a Cold Tomorrow?
 * Ep06 Doing Delightful New Year Things
 * Ep07 Don't Ever Come Back Again!
 * Ep08 Grandfather and Grandson
 * Ep09 Sweeter Than Love, But a Bit Bitter
 * Ep10 Things I Like
 * Ep11 A Wish, the Color of Cherry Blossoms
 * Ep12 Annunciation
 * Ep13 End of a Dream
 * Ep14 Na-Geanna

Theme songs

 * Opening theme: "So-re-i-yu"
 * Translation: Soleil (French for "Sun")
 * Singer: Ayako Kawasumi


 * Ending theme: "Triomatic Ran! Ran! Ran!"
 * Singers: Triomatic (Asami Sanada, Manabi Mizuno, Yumi Kikuchi)

Mahoromatic: End of Year Special
Shown after Episode 9. These feature a refresher of all the events so far along with new conversations and discussions between characters. Both seasons one and two have this special.

Mahoromatic: Summer Special
Released after the second season, this episode takes place during the second season and revolves around the issue of Suguru's ecchi no hon (dirty books).

Mahoromatic: ただいま　おかえり (Tadaima Okaeri - I'm Home)
Takes place during the second season between episodes 2 and 3, on days 270-268 of Mahoro's life timer. Mahoro and Suguru, along with Suguru's classmates, are preparing for a Hiryu town festival, when Feldlance attacks in an attempt to capture Minawa.

Episode list

 * Part 1: ただいまの風 (Returning Wind)
 * Part 2: おかえりの空 (Welcoming Sky)

Theme songs
"Tadaima no Kaze" (ただいまの風, Returning Wind)
 * Opening theme:
 * Singer: Ayako Kawasumi as Mahoro Ando

"[Ma] no Tsuku Bugi!" ([ま]のつくブギ！, [Or] Take the Boogie)
 * Ending theme:
 * Singers: Triomatic & Minawa & Mahoro

DVDs
A series of six DVDs was released in Japan for both seasons.

A series of six DVDs was released in North America for both seasons.

A series of four DVDs was released in Europe for season one, each DVD containing 3 episodes.

Music CDs
Music CDs, including dramas were released in Japan. Several of these CDs were later released in the United States with cover book translations.

Merchandise
Gashapon sets were produced in 2005 featuring Mahoro and Minawa in their maid costumes.

A PlayStation 2 game by Konami of the same name was also produced for the series. It followed the style of a visual novel with full voiceovers and text accompanying pictures and minigames.

Anime's ending
The last episode is much darker in tone and style than the rest of the series. It takes place on a Saint-Earth colony world, twenty years after Mahoro's death and the mutual defeat of Vesper and Management. Suguru "decided to never return to Japan, to that town where Mahoro no longer was," and is now a renegade half-cyborg hunter of the last "Management holdouts." He has only memories of Earth, and a sole companion who tries to kill Suguru for the bounty on his head.

As Suguru is either dying or badly injured, Mahoro reappears alive (which he greets with wry skepticism), asking to take him back to Hiryu "where everyone is waiting." The only explanation for Mahoro's reappearance is oblique: Matthew comments that she will leave behind on Earth a "memory of springtime" that has been disturbing her and will not be needed as Saint sets off to resume wandering the galaxy.

The story ends there, with no clear resolution even for the two main characters. With the exception of a cameo for Shikijo-sensei, the rest of the original characters' stories are left mostly or entirely unfinished. The barman Suguru talks to at the end has a picture of himself as a student with a girl with glasses (presumed to be the shy girl who hands Ryuuga a box of chocolates on Valentine's Day in an earlier episode). The final scenes are Suguru and Mahoro walking together through an alley.

Manga's ending
The manga ends similarly in theme to the anime, but the tone and style of the ending are far lighter and more consistent with the rest of the story. It takes place on Earth, twenty years after Mahoro's death and a decisive defeat of Management. Suguru has been working as a commander within Vesper, and has just returned to Earth from the final defeat of Management's last vestiges. As seen from his friends' perspectives (particularly Miyuki's), losing Mahoro has been tragic rather than degrading for Suguru.

Unbeknownst to Suguru, Mahoro was reborn as a baby shortly after her death as an android. She has grown up, and remembers Suguru. When he returns from Vesper headquarters expecting to find an empty house, she is there waiting for him.