Hand Maid Mai (lost unreleased OVA episodes of maid romance anime OVAs; 2003)

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HandMaidMai.png

Series poster.

Status: Lost


Hand Maid Mai (ハンドメイドマイ) is a 2003 original video animation (OVA) produced by Wonder Farm Co. and distributed by the now-defunct animation company, Five Ways Co., Ltd[1]. The series was slated for three OVA episodes, but due to monetary circumstances relating to their distribution company, only 1 OVA episode was ever fully released, leaving the remaining two episodes unreleased even when both these episodes have been fully animated and is entirely completed[1][2].

While this OVA series is intended and strived to be its spin-off, the Hand Maid Mai (OVA) is not to be confused and mistaken with its parent series, Hand Maid May, a 10-episode anime series produced by the animation company, TNK.

Story

Aspiring to be a film director at a young age, Hideo Ozu, the main protagonist, currently lives and works in a warehouse owned by the company he's working for called "Yamamoto Dream Planning", a company that specializes in producing adult videos. He also aspires and fantasizes to work with and film his childhood friend, Mia Kurosawa, who aspires to be a future actress. One day, after 9 years of Ozu filming her, Mai confronts and decides to cut Ozu out of her life by her obtaining all the films Ozu had 'stalkingly' filmed of her for 9 years, leaving Ozu depressed and drunk in a bar[3].

Leaving the bar to go to his own home, he then encounters three different 'cyberdoll' girls who all look similar to Mai Kurosawa named: Cyberdoll Ai, Cyberdoll Mai, and Cyberdoll Mie[4][3]. Ozu, with Mai's biography undergoing its way of release, decides to start fulfilling his dreams of filming his childhood friend Mai with these three different 'cyberdoll' girls who look similar to her[5].

Staff

The 3-episode OVA series was directed by Shigeru Kimiya[5][3] with character designs from Takashi Kobayashi[5][3].

Cast

  • Kenichi Suzumura as Hideo Ozu[5][1]
  • Kiyomi Asai as Cyberdoll Ai[5][1]
  • Miyu Matsuki as Cyberdoll Mei[5][1]
  • Sanae Kobayashi as Cyberdoll Mai and Mai Kurosawa[5][1]

Release

Before the main three OVAs were released, a pilot film (also known as OVA 00)[6]was made to advertise the series overseas and was released on two separate dates: it was released and made for sale in advance on November 18th, 2002 at the Comic Market (Comiket) 63 in Japan[1] and was released again on January 18th, 2003[6].

Eventually, the first out of the three-part OVA series (OVA 01) was released a month after on February 18th, 2003[6]. Both the pilot film and the OVA 01 have been entirely discontinued but sales of their DVD can still be bought on Amazon Japan and other Japanese and international shopping sites[7][8], and is available to be watched online in torrent sites and video-sharing sites.

Five Ways' Bankruptcy

On July 9th, 2003, the official website for Hand Maiden Mai, ran by the people at Wonderfarm Co., announced the postponement of the releases of the remaining two out of the three OVAs due to their distributor, Five Ways Co., Ltd, having gone bankrupt leaving their company being confused as to what to do. Including in their announcement is the fact that the last two remaining OVAs have been entirely completed but they are unable to release them until legal actions and matters have been completed and resolved pertaining to the distributor's bankruptcy but had promised to release them, thus, rendering the last two OVAs indefinitely delayed of release[1][2][9]. A month after Wonderfarm's announcement, it was reported that Amazon Japan have sent out cancellation notices on the release of the two now-unreleased OVAs[10]

Availability

While it has been confirmed that both the OVAs have been completed, both of these OVAs have been entirely unreleased 20 years after the announcement of the indefinite cancellation of release and there have been no word from both Wonderfarm and Five Ways on their legal proceedings and the future of the franchise itself. As of June 2023, there have still been no news on its eventual release and both of the unreleased OVAs hasn't resurfaced online, and is entirely unlikely to be seen in the future.

Gallery

OVA 01

External Links

OVA 01

Links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Official page for Hand Maid Mai by Wonderfarm Co. stating its cancellation of the release of the remaining OVAs due to Five Ways' bankruptcy + detailing the OVA's voice cast. Retrieved 15 Jul '23
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Archived July 14, 2003 webpage of the official Wonderfarm Co. website pertaining to the cancellation of the second and third OVAs
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Official page for Hand Maid Mai by Wonderfarm Co. listing the story and staff for Hand Maid Mai. Retrieved 15 Jul '23
  4. ↑ Official page for Hand Maid Mai by Wonderfarm Co. listing the three girls' (Ai, Mai, & Mie) biography for Hand Maid Mai. Retrieved 15 Jul '23
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 AnimeNewsNetwork page on the OVA's plot and staff Retrieved 15 Jul '23
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Official page for Hand Maid Mai by Wonderfarm Co. detailing the pilot film (OVA 00) and OVA 01 Retrieved 15 Jul '23
  7. ↑ Amazon.jp listing for the pilot film of Hand Maid Mai Retrieved 15 Jul '23
  8. ↑ Rakuten.jp listing of both the pilot film and OVA 01 on their website. Retrieved 15 Jul '23
  9. ↑ AnimeNewsNetwork quoting the Wonderfarm website on the announcement on the cancellation of release Retrieved 15 Jul '23
  10. ↑ AnimeNewsNetwork article on Amazon Japan's cancellation notice of the OVAs release. Retrieved 15 Jul '23
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