Let's look at the facts, shall we?
1. The girls.
Example A: The sword chick. In both Maburaho and Ichiban, there is a girl who wields a sword, comes from an ancient sword magic school family type thing and over reacts to the slightest thing and then tries to kill the main character, then realises they were wrong and over reacts in that.
Example B: The childhood friend. Sure, in Maburaho they're a lot younger, and in Ichiban it looks like their older, but in both of them, they are red heads (in anime, pink is red head as well, that's my opinion and you won't change that), they both know each other from long ago, and the boy has forgotten them till they remember something about them.
Example C: The big breasted one. Sure, in Maburaho she's blonde, and in this she's got purple hair, but she's got massive boobs, is the inheritor to one of the most powerful corporations in the world (the way they keep going on about it), is using the main guy for their own purposes, has some sort of spirit hanging around them (in Maburaho a ghost who mistakes her for her mother, in Ichiban the head of her older brother) and is generally accepted to be an idol of the school.
2. The guy.
HE'S THE MOST POWERFUL FRIGGIN' WIZARD ON THE PLANET! WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT? More? Ok. Let's start by looking at personality. While in Maburaho the guy stays the same (generic pussy harem lead guy but with uber power) through the entire series, his personality is inherently good natured and well intentioned. The same rings true for the main guy in Ichiban, at least for the first two episodes. After this, there seems to be some sort of off screen character development where he all of a sudden seems to say "fuck it, I'll give up on being what I've always wanted and listen to the stupid little crow in a glass box and become the lord of all evil" and starts using his power for evil. Now, if they'd written it better, I'm sure he'd still be at the same spot (generic harem lead guy with uber power). Another difference is that in Ichiban, he looks badass, in Maburaho, he's a pussy. In Ichiban, he's got unlimited power, in Maburaho, he gets to use his ultimate power less than 10 times then he dies.
3. The nurse.
Ok, so in Maburaho it's a guy, and in Ichiban it's a girl, who the hell cares? They're both pseudo main characters, both have a keen interest in the main guy and both seem to know more than they should, despite never actually admitting to it.
So these are the main similarities and differences I can think of right now, other than the fact that Ichiban is dark and bloody whereas Maburaho is a generic wussy harem with magic tacked on, but I'm sure I'll think of more as the series goes on.
Your thoughts? |