Hanaukyo Maid Tai
These maids are all about service... fanservice!
Review by: Craig "Black Seventeen" Norris
Length: 15 episodes
Genre: Romantic comedy
Watched: 1-15, subbed
I had heard conflicting opinions about this series. One colleague (male) proclaimed it a fun, sappy anime laced with a healthy amount of fanservice. Another colleague (female) dubbed it a travesty that bordered on obscenity. Valuing the opinion of a fellow fanservice-lover, I decided to give the show a fair chance; at only about fifteen minutes per episode, how much time could I possibly waste? Answer: about 225 minutes.
Plot synopsis: After the passing of his mother, Taro Hanaukyo inherits his father’s estate, a sprawling mansion in the countryside complete with inner courtyard, a fountain, and maids. Lots and lots of maids. Maids who are ready to do anything that Taro asks, and even some things he doesn’t! Unfortunately, poor Taro is allergic to girls, so their well-meaning efforts to please him are met with distress. All, that is, except for one maid named Mariel who instantly captivates him. As the series progresses, Taro establishes various relationships with the different maids, as well as the woman who proclaims herself the direct rival of the Hanaukyo family, Ryuuka Jihiyo.
Artwork: The animation and character designs are very simple, and overall not worth mentioning. While the character designs aren’t particularly poor, they aren’t revolutionary, either. Throw in some typical exaggerated expressions and movements, and visually the show shapes up to be very standard fare for those with discerning tastes (i.e. anyone who has seen Cowboy Bebop, Blood: The Last Vampire, Hellsing, or, actually, any of a number of series).
Music: Once again, nothing worth mentioning. The soundtrack is quite short, with a handful of songs appearing in just about all the episodes. The opening theme is only memorable for its absurdity, which I haven’t determined as intentional or not. The first ending theme is bearable, but the second is far too sappy for my taste. The soundtrack may appeal to someone who does not object to being fed a steady diet of j-pop and bubble-gum, but overall it is light and cute, and little more.
Characters: The series does have a few compelling, if not a tad cliche, characters. Firstly there is the main character, Taro. His allergy to women is an amusing concept, and the creators of the show must have really thought so, because the gag gets very overused. The maids also seem to be modeled after some sort of archetype. There’s Mariel, the quiet, attentive, motherly figure. There’s Konnai, the strong and businesslike swordswoman who, not coincidentally, is in charge of security. There’s Ikuyo, the spectacled inventor, whose devices never seem to work properly, or are just plain useless.
Ryuuka, Taro’s rival, portrays the typical rich, spoiled, materialistic brat, which in itself is amusing in a way, especially when compared to Taro’s easygoing and accommodating personality. Cynthia is an interesting character, 
in that she actually possesses dual personalities that surface individually; one being that of a sweet and carefree child, and the other being that of an antisocial, sharp-tongued computer genius. Also very entertaining are the triplet maids, Ichi-go, Ni-go, and San-go, who are shamelessly devoted to Taro, and thusly instigate many, shall we say, interesting interactions with him. Though most of the characters aren’t developed to a fine point (none of the maids’ outside lives are discussed, with very few exceptions), some are delightfully portrayed, and count as a high point that staves off erosion by the sea of mediocrity which it is a part of.
Plot: In short, there is none. There’s Taro getting adjusted to life in the estate, a few episodes devoted to his interaction with some of the individual maids, and that’s about it. There were some plot elements introduced that I really would have loved to see extended and addressed in later episodes, but at episode 15 the show just, kind of, stops. No explanation, no closure, just complete stoppage. I suppose I would have felt worse about it if the plot had actually gotten going by then, but the fact remains that the series is most decidedly unfinished. What ends the show did manage to create are all left loose, and it’s kind of annoying. Still, it’s not something worth losing sleep over.
CHICKS!: Hanaukyo Maid Tai has more chicks than the average anime. A lot more.
Like, the most ever. And a great majority of them get naked by the first episode! Taro’s comment as he lies prostrate in bed during the first episode sums it up fairly accurately: “The human wave is coming.” Completely disregarding the maids left nameless who are shown in various degrees of undress periodically throughout the show, I’ll concentrate on the main characters. Mariel is of a very slender and graceful build, with a kind and soft face, making her one of the main eye-candy attractions in the show. Ichi-go, Ni-go, and San-go are approximately what the subject of my favorite dreams are. They are identical triplets who think nothing of parading around naked in front of their master, and what’s more, they actually seem to enjoy it. They are devoted, curvaceous, and very, VERY friendly, and part of the reason why my dating standards are impossibly high. Konnai at first seems very unapproachable, but eventually opens up to Taro, revealing a caring personality and a knock-out body! Ikuyo is the resident cutie, and is very modest about her appearance. Her figure is not quite as developed as some of the other maids, but her appeal lies in her enthusiasm and rambunctious behavior. Plus, she’s got glasses; how can you go wrong with that? As a whole, the physical appeal of the girls may be the greatest allure the show possesses, and that’s only if you’re a perverted sack of hormones like myself.
Overall: While the show did have a handful of memorable moments, for the most part my head was shaking in disappointment. Even as straight fluff, it is wanting in several key areas. Those who enjoy fanservice might get a kick out of it, but those looking for something particularly comedic or particularly romantic should consider other titles. Luckily, at fifteen minutes an episode, it can be taken in small doses. So, the next time you have about fifteen minutes to kill before your TV dinner finishes cooking, you could pop in an episode of Hanaukyo Maid Tai. Don’t worry, it won’t make you lose your appetite. Unless you’re allergic to girls like poor Taro.
IN A NUTSHELL
+/- Obscene amounts of fanservice
+ Kind of cute
- No plot
- Next to no character development
Rating: 5/10
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