Synopsis:
Maze is a pretty and mild-mannered girl who also happens to have the ability to wield special powers. But that is during the daytime. Come nightfall, Maze transforms into an ultra-lecherous guy who just wants to have sex with every girl he lays eyes on. Amidst this gender problem, Maze must somehow protect Princess Mil from a mysterious warrior cult. Not to worry though, Maze has a band of very capable fighters on her side too. But all of them (yes, both male and female members) want Maze (the girl) for themselves, and that includes the princess herself!

Review:
Before anything else, I would like to point out that there are 2 versions of Maze -- a 2-episode OAV series and a 26-episode TV series. What I am reviewing now is the OAV.

Things start off with Princess Mil giving her account of the situation. Basically, her kingdom had suffered a coup d'etat and she's on the run from some sort of cult. She then meets Maze, who rescues her, along with a group of fighters. Together they now journey towards God knows where. It's not very clear as to what the purpose or goal of this anime is.

Characterization is very poor. The OAV doesn't give any background on Maze, so we don't know where she's from, or why she's afflicted with that strange gender problem. Ditto on the other fighters -- no information is given about them, they're just... there. Hence I have trouble even remembering their names. Princess Mil doesn't help things much either as I find her to be a very annoying character, the type who'll surely get on your nerves after a few scenes or so. Maze (the anime) provides generous helpings of fan service. There's a lot of nudity, mostly female breast exposure (quite detailed renditions at that). Of the sexually-oriented scenes there's some groping and licking, but actual intercourse is not shown (just implied in one occasion). Language-wise, you only have to watch out for the male Maze's mouth.

The art and animation are quite good. The characters look great, and the action sequences are executed well enough. The mecha units in Maze are a bit reminiscent of EVA units though. The English dubbing is generally okay, except for the fact that Princess Mil and Randy are given irritating kitten-y voices. The main flaw of this anime is the fact that it throws the viewer smack dab in the middle of things. It's quite hard to get your bearings when everyone's already knee-deep in something during the intro sequence alone. The pacing is a bit of a saving grace though because it's fast enough so you don't get to feel bored or sleepy. The DVD version comes with a bonus - it shows the first episode of Maze TV. That single ep explained a bit of how Maze came to the world she's in and how she met Princess Mil. That cleared up a few things for me, but if you just watch the two OAV eps, I doubt you'll be satisfied.

Miscellanies:
I heard that the OAV series was pulled out from the middle of the Maze manga, hence the lack of backgrounders.

Screenshots:

Shopping - click on title to purchase:

Rightstuf Maze OVA (DVD)

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