So yeah, anyways, i finally decided to finish round 2 of the HiME vs. ZHiME battle. With the second half of both shows pushing the fights, there was bound to be more screencapping. Anyways, as i mentioned before, those who've yet to see both series should steer clear of this post to avoid being spoiled.
Episode 14:
The fighting is pretty weak this episode, but it's still there. We get an amusing scene w/ Haruka vs. Tank, sorta like tiananmen square. Then there's Mikoto crashing in to save Mai. Finally there's 3 Valkyries against some orphans w/ Nats making a grand entrance here and saving the other two's butts. Action was meh, but it was setting up the amazing ep.15.
14 was getting the gears in motion in otome. not much action 'cept in the beginning as we get 2 clashes between Carla and Laura, which would've been a cool ass fight if longer. Other than that more development on Arika & Sergay.
winner here: MH for it's length in comparison to Otome's. otome's had potential though (much like the rest of it's show's fights :P)
Episode 15:
One of my fave episodes here. The big battle of HiMEs vs. the Searrs foundation. Everyone was just awesome here. Love the combat of Natsuki and her 'Spinning Bird Kick'...SICK.
Otome had nothin' here, just more story and chara development w/ Arika getting rejected and all.
CLEARLY, you know who the winner of this episode is.
Episode 16:
Mainly a fun episode w/ the characters partying. until the end when Nagi reveals the truth and the darkness that will cloud everyone. Cool episode but no fighting.
16 was Otome's big set up to 17. However unlike HiME, we don't get much action and instead more potential to some action one would have thought otherwise (the mai-battle against the pearls). This would've been a cool fight if they showed a bit of it as I would like to see if Shiho's got any physcial combat abilities. However, we do get one SHORT fight w/ Arika beating Tomoe (round 1).
Both episdoes were crappy in the action department, would've been cooler if ZHiME showed more of the battles between the corals and that potential last fight. However, i do have to give this one to Otome.
Episode 17:
Mainly story/chara development and everyone deciding WTF they're gonna do now. 'Mystery HiME' shows up in the end against Mai. No fighting worthy to mention whatsoever.
Otome's biggest battle so far as Nagi and Aswald gets things in motion. Natsuki transforms into her Meister robe FINALLY, only to be SO underused w/ like one move against Gakutenou :(. Shiz fights Rad again (recyled animation...WTF). Arika has to fight Erstin and then Meister Nina. Great potential for the fights but again, shorten to almost nothing. Still aweomse episode though.
No competition here.
Episode 18:
This one starts the battles as we get Shiho vs. Mai and Mikoto entering the scene. We then have Natsuki vs. Nao, all thanks to Yukariko. Finally, we get an awesome potential fight w/ Midori and Fumi...which we will never see on screen :'(.
17 ended on such a cliffhanger, you'd expect to see one or two clashes, but no we get nothing! but good ol' plot, oh and miyu pulling the moves on Natsuki and Nao.
Winner: MH
Episode 19:
Everything is going down the downward spiral now, Yukino freaks out and attacks Mai, only to have Mikoto come and kick Diana's ass.
Otome gives us more info on Aswald and their direction, also the happenings of Arika and what she plans. Ho hum for action, Natsuki's scene was good though.
Both lacked action but at least MH had action.
Episode 20:
Probably my fave episode in this series. Lotta emotion going on and the music between Mai & Mikoto's fight superb. Great art and animation. So we get Nao vs. Akira, then Midori vs. Nao, then Akira vs. Mikoto & Shiho's child Mai vs. Mikoto and a bit of Duran vs. Mikoto. Also, Kiyohime and Shizuru show up. Too gooood.
A bit of Fiar action. that's it. Could've been great as the art an animation was really good (Fiar...you're so hawwt).
Definitely MH.
Episode 21:
In HiME we got Shizuru officially appearing (non-silhouette) taking out Nao's Juliet w/ much ease. We also get a cool clash between Fumi and Mikoto as well as Mashiro Child making her grand (and only) appearance.
Otome gives us one clash between Shadow Mikoto and Nina /end.
Another one goes to the MH.
Episode 22:
Not much action in HiME. We get a little bout w/ Mai and some bitch slapping w/ Haruka and Shizuru after they found out how twisted she is...sweet. Haruka would easily kick Shizuru's ass in a fight...easily.
Very kick ass here, as we mostly get Arika against Tomoe (round 2) the valkyries. The fights here were animated really well, though i didn't like the art at times (though Fiar was great). Miyu showing up and kicking ass against Tomoe and Nina was fab. Gotta love Sei Otome playing in the background.
Easily Otome...easily
Episode 23:
This episode starts off well w/ a lot of action but then slows down. Still, the action is too good as we get Midori/Gakutenou vs. Mikoto/Miroku. We then get Shizuru raping Diana and Haruka giving head to Shizuru :P.
Mai's officially appears and doesn't give any action 'cept for some yummy fanservice w/ Natsuki...yesh. Other than that, Mikoto shows us Otomes are no match for her.
Sugiura Midori rules.
Episode 24:
Yukariko fires off an arrow at Wataru...then dies. Shizuru/Kiyohime fights Nao/Juliet...rapes her...Juliet dies...so does her mom. Mai fights Shiho...Mikoto finishes the job...Tate...dies. So yeah, a lot of 'dying', while the animation was good and there was quite a few fights, the quality of the fights were pretty meh IMO.
This episode sets up the two big episodes, thus not much action, though there is some action, sexually off screen :P.
The amount doesn't compare.
Episode 25:
Two fights but one main and really good fight here. Natsuki vs. Shizuru...awesome. The fight between Miyu and Mikoto was good if they showed WTF happened to their fight after the break.
The show goes into overdrive as it attempts to get every Otome in action (WTF? Natsuki using Eva's positron rifle? :P). It's wicked albeit short. Main focus was Tomoe against Arika (round 3) and everyone while getting her ass handed to her by Midori and finally Arika.
Hard decision...gotta give the slight edge to Otome.
Episode 26:
The end all of episodes. While the ending leaves some divided, who f***ing cares (though the DC was awesome...yesh Natsuki yesh). The fight between Mai/Kagutsuchi and Mikoto/Miroku was done really well. Choreography of the Child fights and camera angles were superb. Tate vs. Reito showed some promise but was pretty weak ultimately. The final battle against Kokyou no kimi was cheesy but fun and expected.
The final episode of Otome continues the overdrive of 25 w/ more Otomes making their cameos w/ a their 1 move in robes (most notable one has gotta be Maria). The main and final battle between Arika and Nina was pretty weak as it's cheapen to fit other sunrise shows (ie. flying 'comets' swirling and crashing into one another :P) w/ maybe 3 clashes animated. Would've been cool if both had their huge ass swords fighting to some kickass live-action HK choreography.
Another hard decision...too hard, thus, i gotta give it a tie.
So the final count is according to my own rating scale HiME = 14, ZHiME = 10 (i gave nothing for episodes 5 and 11 for both series). Ding Ding, HiME wins. Well, Round 1 was a tie and both series started off neck and neck, but in the long run, HiME won out w/ its consecutive battles near the end.
