Harukanaru Toki no Naka de: Maihitoyo

This movie can be seen as a long episode from the hachiyo shou TV series. It follows the general plot of an arc or episode in the TV series: some enemy appear, they find out about the enemy, and they defeat it.

However, I liked this movie much better than the series. In my opinion, the Hachiyou Shou TV series was rather average, there was some good moments but overall there was nothing special. Too cliche, too shoujo, not enough character depth, predictable plot devices etc.

The movie can be watched as a stand alone movie (would still make sense), but since it follows the TV ... series (is a sequal) it may make more sense to have a better understanding before watching the movie. The plot isn't different from the series (can be seen as an episode of the tv series), but the character depth of Akane and her relationship with the other main character made the movie good in my opinion.

Story: 7/10
As mention above, it fits the general plot line of meet enemy, fight enemy, defeat enemy. However, it was the intricacies beyond the plot events that really captivates. A coincidental meeting brings two unlikely people together, a meaningful and fragile friendship forms, but in the end was never allowed to blossom. There is hope and heartbreak. What is really great about the story lies in the portrayal of the main character Akane, and in how cruel fate can be. I will talk more regarding this in character section. I should mention here that Akuram and the oni clan are not involved in this story and does not appear at all.

Art 9/10
Beautifully rendered art. If you have seen the series, the movie has much better art. The background was given a lot of detail and textures.

Sound 9/10
I was especially drawn to the opening music (which is the music for the dance that the movie is about) which probably biased my opinion. The music within the movie (not much) was alright, but the song for the dance really got to me. I also find it beautiful to come in a full circle, and the movie ended in a foil of how it started.

Character 8/10
The plot of the story isn't anything special, but what the story is really about, is the characters in it. Specifically, it is about Akane. It is a story about a miko who was being suffocated by her overprotective hachiyou guardians and by the duties pushed on her, a miko who is losing herself and confused about who she is and what she should do, a miko who is putting on a fake front for everyone but secretly breaking inside. Mostly, it focuses on the miko's inner struggle, her guardians being unable to understand her (and her trying to appear strong for them), and how a chance meeting with a new friend changes everything.

For the character depth and development, and beauty of fate/chance meetings, I really like this movie. I would say more but I don't want to spoil anything about the story.

Enjoyment and Overall 9/10
Because of all the emotional depth that was portrayed for Akane (and to a lesser degree, the dancer) and the character development (they're facing a personal crisis, they go through emotional turmoil, and eventually finds some sort of solution to regain peace and become a stronger character for it), and the fact that it's not another "nothing serious happens, nothing really changes" episode of Hachiyou shou, I find it very enjoyable overall. I also like the bittersweet ending, which has a much bigger impact than a sparkly rainbow happy ending.

If you're not interested in seeing some character development in Akane then the movie is probably not that great for you. The whole movie revolves around Akane and her inner turmoils, everyone else takes a very minor role.

To start things off: I'm not a fan of the Haruka Naru Toki no Naka De(Hachiyoushou) series.. I thought it was everywhere and going nowhere in particular, with more plot holes than I could count.

In comes Maihitoyo... a beautiful, well written, well paced and amazing story that puts the rest of the series to shame by light years. However, the movie borrows from the rest of the series, so a viewer should consider watching the series before the movie. Standalone, this movie provided me with an original character who will go in my favorite characters list.

The Good:
As opinions go, Akane is not a character ... most will find appealing. Personally, she is as annoying and as endeared by her companions as Miaka in Fushigi Yuugi. I care for neither protagonist but their weaknesses are what allows the rest of the cast to shine more than they normally would. To that effect, Haruka Naru Toki no Naka de - Maihitoyo introduces us to an initially unnamed man, a movie original, who develops a stronger bond with the main protagonist within the span of less than two hours than any we witness in the 26-episode televised series. Not only is this bond solid, but the well structured story pulls the viewer into truly believing its reality.

Animation quality flew ten miles in a different direction in comparison to any of the OVAs or the main series. It is noticeable down to the last rain drop and every fluid thrust of a blade. Comparatively, there are actual battle scenes in the movie that dwarf the series in both delivery and execution. There aren't many, but given the movie length, they're spread out sparingly enough to keep the audience engaged.

The Bad:
The only negative points to this movie may lie in its relationship to the parent series and perhaps a singular corny, Power Ranger-esque moment.


The Truth:
Given the good points, Maihitoyo is an enjoyable tale worth sharing. It may suffer from being tied to a mediocre series, but the movie goes as far as to redeem the condemning role the main protagonist, Akane, plays. If a movie is capable of achieving that, it's worth revisiting the land of Kyou.

Having enjoyed the series, I had looked forward to watching this. Unfortunately, though being a fan of this series, I found this ova truly disappointing.

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Story
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The plot was plain and frankly there is nothing much to write about. And while it is uncomplicated and easy to understand, it doesn't captivate the audience.

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Art
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... Probably the only salvageable part of this ova. Peppered with bishounens (pretty boys), there is a depth of research of the traditional japanese living ways seen in its art.

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Sound
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The soundtrack is pleasant to ears, however while it tries hard to capture the mood of the ova, it fails short in certain parts.

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Character
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Having enjoyed the set of characters in the anime series, I had looked forward to seeing them again. This ova, has tried to put in enough screen time for each of their characters, but because of this, it becomes messy. It tries too much and ends up making several characters to the point of annoyance.

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Enjoyment
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In whole, while I enjoyed the appearance of more bishounens, I found the ova severely lacking to the point of annoyance. I do not recommend it to anyone except the die hard fans.