I've always had a mega-love/semi-hate relationship with "Maze." In a way, the series-in all of its many incarnations-is a junky mess of plot clichés, sex jokes, and absurd humor; and yet in another in works perfectly. It combines the conventions of multiple other series and never strays too far from the beaten path, but always seems to execute the plot with style. And then, when we have settled into its world and characters, it throws us an entirely unexpected loop that only adds to the fun.

The plot is entertaining, but unabashedly steals from other shows. A young girl from our world wakes up one day to find that her room has apparently broken off from her house and is now in the middle of some strange foreign land called the Mega Burst Space. Not only that, but the girl has amnesia and can only remember her name (which is Maze), accidentally becomes the guardian of a cute and spastic princess who's on the run after a coup in her kingdom, discovers that she can control a weird sort of magic called "folm" AND the mecha that comes with it, and-worst of all-finds out that she changes into a horny male version of herself every night, only to revert back at daybreak. Er, you might want to reread that sentence again before moving on. Anyway, after all that exposition (which is fully covered in the first episode, believe it or not), the series turns into a traditional, albeit ecchi, fantasy quest anime in which Maze vows to protect the princess as she tries to reclaim the country of Bartonian. And of course, along the way they pick up a motley crew of magical characters who agree to help them on their journey, including but not limited to: the acrobatic ninja, the ever-loyal knight, the wise mentor, the cute fairy, and so forth. However, the catch here is that many-though not all-of the party members are more interested in bedding at least one version of our hero/heroine.

Speaking of which, the cast of "Maze" is what truly makes this show the cult hit it is. Both genders of the title character are a treat to watch, as they attempt to co-exist within one body while at the same time pursuing their separate goals (one being severely more noble than the other). Of course, there's no deep psychological probing of inner motivations here, but all the same they both prove to be enjoyable to observe. Ditto on the supporting cast, who all succeed in providing just enough twists on their own archetype to be somewhat of an original character, and always supplying a laugh or two. However, even I must admit that Princess Mil is ONLY watchable in small dosages. You have been warned. Also, "Maze" has a largely recognizable cast of seiyuus, many of whom were in their prime while making this show. Thus, even during some of the flatter scenes the players all seem vibrant enough, and definitely adds another reason to not even touch the horrendous dub.

When I first watched this series many moons ago, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this series. I mean, it's seriously not my kind of show: clichéd, ecchi, and plot-based. However, as time wore on I found myself drawn into this world known as the Mega Burst Space, and realized that there truly is a full mythology behind it. Everything, from the main character's dual gender, to the mysterious folm magic, to the necessary arch-villain; all have an explanation that is unique and interesting. And while the series does gravitate towards perverted humor and action sequences to titillate the viewer, the occasional dramatic scene and plot are handled quite nicely, and throwaway plots that were obviously conceived to draw one joke into a full episode (such as one which focused on the mating period of fairies) actually treat the characters with gentle respect. All and all, a nice job.

As for the cosmetics of the series, the animation is really quite average, but serviceable for the material at hand. "Maze" uses the popular palette for fantasy series of the time, so expect a lot of brown villages, green forests, and dark castles. However, the soundtrack of the series is definitely one of my all-time favorites. The OP is a loud, melodic pop-rock song reminiscent of some of the lighter 80s American fare, but the true treat is the first ED, a little ditty called "Junk Boy." This one song started a small dance craze in anime clubs across the nation as a fansub, and to this day remains one of the best anime dance songs out there. A little later on in the series a softer song replaces "Junk Boy", which while not being a bad song, certainly is nothing close to its predecessor.

To sum things up, "Maze" is a very enjoyable fantasy romp, and somehow always seems to find its own unique beat from within a mess of clichés. The cast and plot are never brilliant, but always fun and light-hearted. Really, it's the quintessential junk food show, and that's all we ever ask of it.

Distributor: Central Park Media
Creator:Kadokawa Shoten
Released: 1997

Plot: B
Character Design: B+
Animation Quality: B
Music: A
Overall: A-