Maze (novel)
Maze the Megaburst Space is a Japanese light novel series by Satoru Akahori. It was adapted into an OVA series in 1996 by J.C.Staff, followed by an anime television series and a sequel movie. The OVA and anime television series were licensed in North America by Central Park Media and released on DVD under their Software Sculptors label. The TV series has aired on Comcast's Anime Selects On Demand channel multiple times. The manga has not been released in the North America.
Plot
Maze wakes up in her house, everything is a wreck and she has amnesia. Before she can gather what has happened the girl Mill storms into her house thanking her for having saved her life. She tells Maze that her house suddenly fell down from the sky and crushed Mills pursuers under it. However, before long they are both on the run from further pursuers who want their hands on princess Mill.When re-enforcements arrive Maze accidentally discovers that she is a powerful Form Master. Furthermore, it is revealed that she can also pilot Dulgar, the most powerful Demi-Armour that Mill can summon. Due to confusion and uncertainty she is still losing though until nightfall. When the sunset Maze changes genders and personalities and the new Male-Maze easily deals with the most powerful fire spell known.
So Maze wind up protecting Mill from her pursuers and eventually try and take back her kingdom. Along the way they pick up several companions. Demi-Armor hunters Aster and Solude, both of whom are interested in Female-Maze. Randy, handy guide and Exposition Fairy, quite literally. She's a tiny Winged Humanoid who usually hides in Maze's shirt when the going gets tough.
Then Rapier, Knight and Demi-Armour pilot of the neighbouring kingdom ruled by Mill's uncle who joins up with the party when her kingdom falls to Jaina as well. Also goes on to explore the world, the origin of the Demi-Armours and reveal exactly who and what Maze is.
They are only saved when Maze discovers that she has phantom light magical powers and can summon Mills family heirloom mecha. However her performance with the mecha is weak; that is until the sun goes down and she is turned in to a lecherous man. Soon other travellers join them as Maze tries to protect Mill and figure out what she is doing in this fantasy world.
Maze and Mill meet more companions on their journey and become embroiled in a war to defeat Jaina and raise Mill back to the throne of Bartonia.
Characters
;Female Maze : The heroine of the story. She accidentally saves the life of Princess Mil when her house falls on Mil's would-be murderer upon falling into the fantasy world. After that she becomes extremely protective of Mill, who often shows intimate feelings or sexual advances toward Maze. She is a natural pacifist when the story begins. She has considerable magical ability but initially is much less effective at using them while a female. Maze is a fusion of Mei and her brother Akira who switch places at daybreak and nightfall. During the day Mei is dominant, while at night Akira is. Maze was brought from the real world as the Eraser to correct an imbalance.;Male Maze : At night Maze turns into a male with a distinct personality from the daytime female form. He loves to fight, to the horror of the female form, who can be seen trapped in his head shouting at him wherever he tries to fight. In male form he has vastly increased magical powers. He is very sexually predatory towards almost any pretty girl he meets. Like the female Maze, his memories are mostly wiped or jumbled upon leaving the real world, though they start to recover over time. He is initially portrayed as a sex crazed, violent monster with little personality, but in time his personality emerges. In the real world he and his sister Mei shared a taboo love that led to him being outcast by their parents. In time both halves of Maze fall in love with each other again, even though they can only meet each other physically during sunrise and sunset. At the conclusion of the TV series, they choose to not go back to the real world, as this is the only world that they can share their love. The Japanese character for "Akira" can also be read as "Mei" and thus the name "Maze" comes from the term "Meis" as in "two of Mei"
;Princess Mill Varna : Mill is the princess of one of the empires in the fantasy world. She is very outgoing and childish, and seems to have abandonment issues over Maze. She is obsessed with both Mazes and often outlines her plans to marry Maze, have Maze's children, etcetera. Her family was killed when the Jaina holy group took over her family's territory. She also has the power to summon Dulgar, one of the greatest Demi-Armors in the entire world, which only Maze has the power to pilot. In the light novels, manga, and in episode 26, 'she' is revealed to be a hermaphrodite.
;"Whirlwind" Solude Schfoltzer : A demi-armor hunter and also a mercenary. She fights using long, black needles, and also possesses some phantom light power, limited only to teleportation. She is also a lesbian, and often shows her attraction to Female Maze. In episode ten, she gets into a fight with a woman from her old dojo named "Lightning Rod" Medusa, and it is somewhat clear that they were old lovers until Medusa killed the master and then tried to kill Solude. During their final battle, Medusa purposely wasted her last crossbow bolt so that Solude could kill her, the reason being her lust for power had ruined the life she could have had and the life that the two of them could have had together.
;Asterote Reighe : Solude's partner in crime and best friend. Although they are wildly different, they both enjoy a good time, a stiff drink, a beautiful woman, and have a general hate of authority, which brings them together. Aster also has a huge crush on Maze. He fights using a grossly oversized sword and is very, very strong. Aster's full name is the Japanese pronunciation of Astaroth.
;Randy : Randy is a small fairy and the first person other than Mill to befriend Maze. She meets the pair when they run into her village. She decides to join them in order to find the magical crystals representing the 5 "Forms" of Phantom Light. she can often be found inside Maze's shirt, waiting for the moment where her wisdom will be needed.
;Rapier Saris : Rapier is a woman knight and a servant of Mill's uncle and aunt. For most of her life, Rapier tried to convince others that she was not a woman. Her father wanted a son so badly that when Rapier was born, he started telling her she was a man and cut her hair very short. It was only when the king accidentally walked in on her she was discovered to be a woman. It is hinted that Rapier showed intimate feelings for the king, going into deep remorse when the king was killed during a raid from Jaina. However, it is very likely Rapier is attracted to Man Maze, mentioning she would let him make a move on her after the Creator was finally defeated. It is also shown in the final episode credits Man Maze holding a partially undressed Rapier. Rapier is a master of the sword, able to cut down smaller Demi Armor with relative ease.
;Ranchiki : Ranchiki is a young boy with a multi-hued hairdo who for most of his life has felt an unrequited love for Gold, the prince in disguise. He is an illuminator like Maze and also a demi-armor pilot, but he is not nearly as strong or as skilled as either Maze at these tasks. In one episode, Ranchiki pilots Dulgar when Gorgeous knocks Maze unconscious, but is quickly defeated. Despite his love for Gold, he falls in love with Man Maze at first sight and will often make moves on Woman Maze just because she is Maze.
;Dulgar : The Rom Demi Armor of the Gods. Only Mill is capable of summoning it, bio-linking it to her and Maze. It is an extremely powerful Demi Armor that is controlled by either Maze, although Man Maze is the better pilot. Certain episodes of the anime suggest that Dulgar was originally created by one of Mill's ancestors, a scientist from their world's ancient prehistory, to fight against another powerful Demi Armor that had gone out of control, and destroyed their civilization.
;Gorgeous : A narcissistic youth of Jaina who believes beauty is the ultimate power and that everything ugly must be destroyed. He is notoriously underhanded, resorting to trickery and dealbreaking to increase his own power. During one fight with Maze, he receives a scar on his face that eventually drives him to insanity. He completely fused with the evil Demi Armor Namchi in order to quench his thirst for power, but was killed by Dulgar and Man Maze.
;Chic : Gorgeous's older brother. When Chic and Gorgeous were younger, there was a great strife and they both managed to narrowly escape with their lives. They would have died on their own, but Jaina took them in and cared for them. Chic vowed to give all he had to repay his debt to Jaina, even commits acts he full well knows are immoral or evil. Chic is often represented as moral yet misunderstood, and his character is often portrayed in a sympathetic light. Whereas Gorgeous' only goal was to gain power for himself, Chic is a genuinely noble person who fights for the wrong side. After Gorgeous is killed by Maze, Chic becomes angered and battles the female Maze to avenge his brother's death. Though Maze doesn't want to fight him, in the end, she ultimately kills Chic. His name is always mispronounced as "Chick" instead of the correct "Sheek".
;The Creator : The leader of Jaina and the one responsible for the death of Mill's family. The Creator is a being much like Maze, except the change from man to woman happens every few minutes. Also, the Creator's male form is a hideous old man while the woman form is a beautiful dark haired young woman. In truth, the Creator is the ancestor to Maze, and was foretold to be destroyed by Maze, who was deemed the Eraser. In the final battle, the Creator revealed to be part of a gigantic monstrous Demi Armor and absorbed up Dulgar with Maze inside. But in the end, the Creator was killed by Maze once and for all.