When a boy with a severe allergy to women has to live in a mansion with hundreds of professional maids, that's the starting point of Hanaukyo Maid Team La Verite, a comedy-harem anime that aired in 2004. It is a remake of the original 2001 series, with improved story and visuals. The story follows Taro Hanaukyo, who loses his parents and moves in with his grandfather, only to find that his grandfather is a billionaire who leaves him the mansion and all its maids. However, he has an allergy to women: every time he touches a woman, his body changes color or experiences abnormalities. Only one maid, named Mariel, can touch him without causing a reaction, and instead makes him feel good. Get ready for chaos and laughter!
Plot Summary (No Spoilers)
Taro Hanaukyo is a high school boy who recently lost his parents and moves into his grandfather's mansion in Tokyo. But he discovers that his grandfather is a billionaire who left him the mansion and all its maids. The problem is that Taro has a severe allergy to women: just being touched causes his body to change color or sometimes worse. However, all the maids are used to taking care of the previous master who loved physical contact, so Taro faces chaos every day.
Among the many maids, only Mariel, a mysterious maid, can touch Taro without causing an allergic reaction; instead, she makes him feel warm and comfortable. He tries to get closer to her and get to know her better, while also dealing with other maids who often create headaches, especially Grace, the overly serious head maid, and Ika, the wild maid. The story progresses in an episodic format, blending comedy and the slowly developing relationship between Taro and Mariel.
Performance and Characters
The characters in this series stand out for their diversity and distinct personalities. Taro (voiced by Yuki Kaida) is a cute and weak hero, but he tries to overcome his allergy. Mariel (voiced by Rie Tanaka) is a mysterious heroine who is both gentle and strong; her voice gives a calm and warm feeling, creating good chemistry with Taro.
The other maids are also colorful, such as Grace (voiced by Moyu Arishima), the stern head maid who secretly has a playful side; Ika (voiced by Rieko Takahashi), who is wild and loves to tease Taro; and Konishi (voiced by Akiko Hiramatsu), a mature maid. Each character is designed to have their own role and gags, although some may be repetitive. Overall, the voice acting is well done and fits the characters' personalities.
Direction, Visuals, and Music
The series is directed by Yoshio Kato and produced by studio Daume, which specializes in comedy-harem works. The visuals of La Verite are sharper and more colorful than the first season. The character designs are cute and unique, especially the maid uniforms, which are beautiful and varied. Action scenes or scenes where Taro has an allergic reaction are presented in a fun, cartoonish style.
The opening theme, "Hanaukyo Yoroshiku" (by Yuki Kaida and Rie Tanaka), is an upbeat song that fits the series' atmosphere. The ending theme, "Maid no Kokoro", is also pleasant and memorable. Overall, the technical aspects are well done for an early 2000s anime standard.
Editorial Analysis
Hanaukyo Maid Team La Verite is an anime that uses the concept of a "hero allergic to women" in an interesting way. Although the plot is typical for the harem genre, the allergy creates new comedic gags and obstacles for the hero to overcome. The fact that Mariel is the only character who can touch the hero without side effects creates a charming relationship between the two.
However, the series has weaknesses: the story is somewhat repetitive and lacks deep development. Many supporting characters are used for repetitive gags without significant roles in the plot. Additionally, the anime ends inconclusively, leaving viewers unsatisfied unless they follow up with a sequel or read the manga. Overall, it is suitable for those who enjoy light-hearted comedy-harem without heavy content.
Verdict
Hanaukyo Maid Team La Verite is a comedy-harem anime suitable for those who enjoy light-hearted content without taking the story too seriously. Despite its weaknesses in repetition and an incomplete ending, it offers entertainment in its own way, especially for fans of the genre.
Screenshots
👍 Pros
- +The concept of a hero allergic to women brings novelty to the harem genre
- +Diverse maid characters to follow
- +Visuals and colors are brighter than the first version
👎 Cons
- −Repetitive story with lack of clear development
- −Inconclusive ending, requiring additional content from other sources
Top Cast
FAQ
La Verite is a remake with improved visual quality and a more streamlined story. It has 12 episodes and is self-contained, but retains the same comedy-harem genre.
It has 12 episodes, complete in one season.
Yes, Taro has a severe allergy to women. When touched, his body changes color or experiences abnormalities, except for Mariel, whose touch makes him feel better.
You can watch La Verite without watching the first season, as it is a remake that retells the story from the beginning.
