Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden ~Something More Beautiful~ DVD

Life in the Misato household has settled into something resembling a routine. Mahoro cooks, cleans, and politely but firmly confiscates Suguru's adult magazines. Suguru goes to school, hangs out with his friends, and tries not to think too hard about the countdown on Mahoro's remaining days. Then a new android girl appears — clumsy, anemic, and watching the house from the shadows. Her name is Minawa, and she has been sent by a third organization called the Management to gather intelligence on Mahoro. The plan immediately falls apart when Mahoro discovers her, takes pity on her, adopts her as a little sister, and enrolls her as a maid-in-training. Minawa, who has been promised a heart in exchange for her mission and cannot understand why she cries, begins to discover that the thing she was promised may already be present. Meanwhile, Management is not the only threat on the horizon — SAINT has not abandoned its interest in Mahoro, VESPER's own calculations are growing increasingly grim, and the days on Mahoro's timer continue to count down toward the ending that the series has been quietly building toward since its first episode.

Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful is the 14-episode second season of Mahoromatic, once again produced jointly by Gainax and Shaft and directed by Shouji Saeki, airing on BS-i from September 2002 through January 2003. The season expands the emotional and dramatic scope of the first series considerably — the introduction of Minawa gives the story a new emotional center, and the three-way conflict between VESPER, SAINT, and the Management raises the stakes while the domestic comedy continues as warmly as before. The season's final episodes deliver the culmination that Mahoromatic has been earning across both seasons, and remain among the most discussed endings in early 2000s anime.

Originally released in North America by Geneon Entertainment across three DVD volumes between August and December 2003; later reissued by ADV Films / Sentai Filmworks as Collection 2, which includes all 14 episodes plus the Summer Special OVA. 

Notable Staff & Voice Talent

Director: Shouji Saeki
Original Manga: Bow Ditama & Bunjuro Nakayama (serialized in Comic Gum, Wani Books)
Character Design: Kazuhiro Takamura
Studio: Gainax / Shaft
Music: Toshio Masuda (Naruto, Flame of Recca)
Opening Theme: "I Can't Stop" by Ayako Kawasumi
Ending Theme: "Mahoro de MAMBO No. 2" by Triomatic & Minawa

Japanese Cast:
• Ayako Kawasumi as Mahoro Andou (Great Dangaioh, Pilot Candidate, AD Police)
• Atsushi Kisaichi as Suguru Misato
• Ai Shimizu as Minawa
• Takehito Koyasu as Minato Hokaze (Slayers, Escaflowne, Gate Keepers, Z.O.E. Dolores I)
• Unsho Ishizuka as Feldlance (éX-Driver, Z.O.E. Dolores I)
• Hiroyuki Yamaga as Ryuga (Gainax founder)

English Dub Cast (Geneon Entertainment):
• Bridget Hoffman as Mahoro Andou
• Richard Cansino as Suguru Misato
• Lara Jill Miller as Minawa
• Mona Marshall as Miyuki Shikijo
• Steve Blum as Feldlance (Cowboy Bebop, Trigun)

DVD Features

• Full Color Art Gallery
• Non-Credit Opening & Ending Animations
• Promo Videos & TV Commercials
• Geneon Entertainment Previews

Spoken Languages: English & Japanese Audio, English Subtitles

Edition Details

Japanese Title: まほろまてぃっく〜もっと美しいもの (Mahoromatikku: Motto Utsukushii Mono)
Runtime: ~350 Minutes (Complete Season 2, 14 Episodes)
Director: Shouji Saeki
DVD Release Year: 2003 (U.S. Release, Geneon Entertainment, 3 Volumes); ADV Films / Sentai Filmworks Collection 2 reissue includes Summer Special
Original Broadcast Date (Japan): September 26, 2002 – January 16, 2003 (BS-i)
Publisher: Geneon Entertainment (Pioneer)
Rating: 16+
Region: Region 1 (U.S. / Canada)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Comedy, Romance, Action
Themes: Android Maid, New Android Sister, Three-Way Faction War, Countdown to Shutdown, Emotionally Devastating Finale

Media assumed VG+ unless otherwise noted.