Marie is a girl that asks the same questions of herself that we all ask. Who am I? Why am I here? Why does that girl look exactly like me? Well maybe not all the questions... My Dear Marie is a nice little OAV that warrants some writing about, since I have yet to see much said about this anime. The story seems simple to the point where it would probably turn off a person reading about it. A guy named Hiroshi, makes a robot to be his girlfriend, and models it after a girl that he has a crush on. By a misshapen incident, the two Maries meet. He manages to explain that (his) Marie is his sister. Luckily everyone buys it.

Marie herself then comes to think of Hiroshi as a brother, and Hiroshi likewise tends to treat her as a sister. But as things would happen, Hiroshi ends up with a date with human Marie... and it turns out she likes him! Robot Marie tries to aid Hiroshi in his relationship with the real Marie, while she starts to develop feelings for him herself. Meanwhile, Tanaka feels sort of dejected by the real Marie, and decides that robot Marie is where he should set his sites.

Messed up enough? Well how about a rough edged girl Hibiki Kennou who beats people up for money also falling in love with Hiroshi?

This is a good series for people who want to see something that isn't so "over-done". The drama is mild, and somewhat subtle. The comedy is funny, but not blatant. And the plot is also rather subtle (certainly not pushed in your face). Although it's easy for a person to say that there isn't much of a story, there is more there if you just think a little bit more. I rather liked this OAV.

Once there was a geek... I mean guy named Hiroshi. He had a crush on a beautiful girl. But Hiroshi has a problem with saying anything to her, so he creates his own Marie, a robot Marie. Robot Marie differs slightly from the original Marie, mainly in hair and eye color. When the two Maries meet, Hiroshi explains that it is his sister. Later that day on the tennis courts, Tanaka makes a challenge to the Maries, the loser has to date the others partner. Robot Marie wins, and Hiroshi dates Marie. But will the date go well? Maybe robot Marie can help...

Some girls it seems are destined for love at first site... Hibiki however; is more destined for a bar room brawl at first site. Odd that she should fall in love with a guy like Hiroshi. Marie is worried. This could mess everything up between Hiroshi and human Marie. But facing a determined girl like Hibiki who can single handedly beat up an entire gang, is a bit more than perhaps even Marie can handle.

Most everyone agrees, dreams are such strange things. Everyone but Marie that is. She hasn't had one yet! So Hiroshi brings in the software upgrade. Soon Marie is in a strange world only she could imagine. But poor Hiroshi has to hear about every one, in the middle of the night.

In closing I would like to point out that My Dear Marie (also known as Boku no Marie) did not just pop up out of no where. It's been a series in manga format for a while in Young Jump magazine (a magazine with a bunch of odd-and-ends manga series ). The series was also released as a radio drama (now on CD).

Cast:
Marie Karigari ....................... Yuko Miyamura
Hiroshi Karigari ....................... Mitso Iwata
Marie ................................... Yoko Asada
Tanaka ........................... Nobutoshi Hayashi
Hibiki Kennou ....................... Rika Matsumoto

© 1999 archen@scythe.net

------- Links ---------------------------------------------------- My Dear Marie - the best page to find info and pics Boku no Marie - Another informative page Boku no Marie - This page is more about the manga Boku no Marie - Um.. another page?