Kikaijikake no Marie

This was one nice romance anime. It started with an interesting premise and it played it safely until the very end. It is after all a very simple and comedic romance and as that it works very well. Animation and music: on a budget and you can tell that. Animation is standard and you can see that they cut corners here and there, there was also a controversy with using AI generated images in the anime for certain scenes. Even if they were created by original author, the fact that IA was used still made a commotion amongst the community. Music was standard one, nothing bad but then again nothing memorable. Only exception was the piano tunes which were nice to listen to. Overall: animation was on budget and music was standard. But they did the best what they could with limited budget. Characters: Main due in this anime are Marie and Arthur. He is a man who is constantly under threat of assassination from his half-brother and others and as such he does not trust any humans. Marie is newly hired personal maid who has no facial expressions at all and is tasked with serving and protecting Arthur. Their relationship and development is what makes this anime good, it is also both of them that get the most character development (Arthur especially). Sadly, everyone else took a backseat for this. There are many other secondary characters, Marie 2 (true robot maid), Noah (professional hitman), Maynard (rival half-brother), Roy (Arthur's personal servant), Isabel (Arthur's little cousin) etc... But all of them fit their one trope and stay in it, which in itself is not bad as show can focus solely on main duo, but that leaves everyone else in the dark and show that much empty. Overall: main duo is great but that comes at the cost of everyone else. Story: it's really simple standard love story. Marie is pretending to be a robot becasue Arthur does not trust humans. But over time and all the different scenarios that two of them go trough love grows and grows and with it the characters. The show is romance and comedy first and foremost and it knows. Nothing is to be taken too seriously, even the important parts of the story and just a setup so that main due can develop further. For what it is its working fine, but if you expect something more than that you will be disappointed. Overall: the story only serves to develop main characters and it's tone is comedic in nature despite various assassination attempts. Overall grade: 7, I gave it a 10 because I enjoy it that much personally. But realistically, for what it is, solid 7 is a fair grade. It was a fun ride from start to end if you do not think much about complexity and just enjoy the ride. I would recommend this show for a weekend when you want to enjoy something comedic and wholesome.

The best example of how a good start doesn't always translate into a great anime. The anime starts off quite solidly. It introduces the characters, the plot, and the conflict in just a few episodes, grabbing your interest from the very first minute. You have a girl with zero facial expression who has to pretend to be a robot, a misanthrope who doesn't trust people but is easily swayed by his robo-maid, and if it's discovered that she's human, she'll be fired. The story is presented as a romance where, little by little, the male protagonist's high barriers will have to be broken down. So far, so good. The problem begins when the story doesn't know how to resolve its conflict due to the initial setup of its male protagonist. At first, the guy is not only a misanthrope, but he's also someone with a very sharp instinct, able to detect lies people tell him and always on high alert. Then, the series lacks the creativity to craft solid lies that could convince someone with these characteristics. Throughout the series, the anime focuses more on making its male protagonist stupid. The protagonist at the end is just a bad parody of what he was at the beginning. This aspect is what ultimately kills the series. The girl's role also undergoes many changes throughout the series. At the beginning, she's a fighting machine worthy of being a steamroller. She can defeat anyone, survive a missile, and be as fast as a moving car. When the story's antagonist appears, all these characteristics disappear, and the girl is much more fragile than she was at the beginning. In the end, the girl can't beat anyone who isn't an NPC. The action aspect dwindles, while the romance fades away. The antagonist starts out hateful and ends up being pathetic. None of the initial versions of the characters are maintained at the end of the series. The anime is so inconsistent that it only makes you lose the desire to continue watching. The worst crime in the story is committed in its last two episodes. They decide that the best way to end their story is to use the well-worn cliché of amnesia. I've always said that resorting to amnesia to reset your characters or the story is the most mediocre thing you can do. They didn't have the slightest idea how to fix their mess, so they tried to do a soft reset of the story. The final episode is just an attempt at fanservice for romance lovers. They ask themselves, "What kind of ending do romance fans like?" And that's where they come up with the idea that it's best to tie up all the loose ends with a final wedding. All the problems are magically solved, all the antagonists are invited and make up with the protagonists. It's a nonsensical ending that simply sought the laziest way to find closure without actually putting any effort into it. The anime could have been a memorable and fun story worth recommending. In the end, it's just an anime that you'll put in the pile of forgettable anime that you once watched out of mere curiosity but didn't end up liking.

short & quick review: quick redflag spot: -use of AI in this anime. (ep 1, ep 11 & 12). it's not even an accusation since it's very obvious by the first look. if not fully generated, probably an artist's work was enhanced through AI. as an artist myself, it was disappointing ngl. plot: -first half was good and will keep you attached to the good plot, it will keep you wondering what could happen next, and so on. -last few episodes were super rushed, the ending couldve been executed in a more attaching and dramatic/touching way. all were too quick, unfortunately thats where it falls off characters: -cute and nice character designs -characters are reasonable and quite lovable, pretty unique and not too full of tropes concept/themes: -i very much love the vibe of "noble" concepts in romance, it's so princess-prince coded xD i at least loved the setting of it voice acting: -very good voice acting especially on Noah. gets the point of his character. kudos to the VA! i would give this a higher score if it wasnt just for the AI usage. I dont understand their point of using it since the anime's art style is already good quality enough.

Even without fully diving into Mechanical Marie yet, I can already tell this anime sits right inside one of my favorite genres. The whole concept itself feels refreshing — a mix of mechanical elements, emotional undertones, and character-driven storytelling that I personally enjoy a lot. Story-wise, it doesn’t try to reinvent the universe, but that’s not a bad thing. Some parts feel predictable if you’re familiar with this genre, yet that predictability is actually comforting. It’s the kind of setup where you know what direction it might take, but you still want to experience the journey because the execution and atmosphere matter more than shock value. The art style looks fitting for the story it wants to tell. Mechanical themes blended with softer character designs give it a nice balance — not too flashy, not too dull. It feels expressive enough to support emotional moments while still highlighting the sci-fi/mechanical aspect. From what I’ve seen, the characters don’t feel like empty shells. They seem to have both strengths and flaws, which is important. Nobody feels unrealistically perfect or painfully stupid just for plot convenience. Their reactions to situations appear natural within the world they live in, which helps the story feel grounded even with mechanical or futuristic elements. I honestly think this series will be very enjoyable for people who already like emotional sci-fi, character-focused narratives, or slow-burn stories. If someone is only looking for nonstop action, they might find it slow — but for viewers who enjoy mood, themes, and character development, this could be a hidden gem. Overall, Mechanical Marie feels like one of those anime you grow attached to rather than binge for hype. And yeah — I’m genuinely looking forward to Season 2, because it feels like there’s still a lot more potential left to explore.

Mechanical Marie — half-robot, half-human, but half the genuine love? I've got to admit that in my long years watching anime series come to pass, there are times when we witness authors trying something unique and/or weird that, while thankfully it's something that's different from your average seasonal copycats, it opens up a can of worms to see how it's truly like, that I can say for certain is a far better blank slate that opens its own can of worms, rather than nitpicking at the same things over and over again. And in the Fall 2025 season, one such prototype exists that I think is worth doing a cross-section to dissect what's unique about it, and that's mangaka Aki Akimoto's Kikaijikake no Marie, a.k.a. Mechanical Marie, featuring the typical rom-com between a human...and a robot? Picture this: an heir who is wealthy, handsome, and someone who should be successful enough to lead the conglomerate that ties in with his family name, but as is the path of the rich, jealousy contrives extermination of enemies, and the people at the top are always in the constant way of threat unless the heirs do something to change their perception. At the same time, there's a child prodigy who marks her spot in the area that she's good in, but her personality is a stoic one. And since the commoner life isn't as glamorous as the rich life, families who are often forced into their circumstances (e.g., drowning in debt) have to pivot to the next best position that they can do to keep themselves afloat. With the "enemy of my enemy is my friend" mentality for coincidental issues, it joins two people on a conquest to not only protect a family but also...fall in love in the process? This is the weird story plot that features the illegitimate heir of Arthur Louis Zetes, as well as the martial arts prodigy of Marie Evans, poised as the perfect robot maid for the former to strengthen his presence as a whole. Needless to say, the entire premise of protection turning into a rom-com sure is quite the angle, but as it goes for both the young master and the intended human "robot," love is truly in the mansion between the psychological mind games of not letting Arthur figure out Marie's true identity. As a completed source material that's rather short and doesn't overstay its welcome, I'm kind of glad that the anime adapted the entire manga and even added some filler to add in the fun, because with 28 chapters within 6 volumes, what more can you expect from a crazy idea that will soon run its ideas out? As Shoujo stories go, Mechanical Marie's story is fairly cookie-cutter and is in line with what you would expect, especially if you're the target demographic for works like these. The banter between Arthur and Marie is there, and it's often a cat-and-mouse chase between them both to see who breaks the ice first if love is to blossom between the two. And no thanks to the wackiness of the supporting characters, it's also a psycholgical mind game that sees who gets exposed first to livid infamy. With Marie (and conspicuously Arthur) supported by their butler Roy and the real robot Marie 2, you can expect shenanigans when it comes to the antics of working out the robotic-ness of both the human and the actual robot working in tandem with each other. As if that's not enough, there's the constant pestilence of Arthur's jealous brother Maynard and the assassins he constantly sends towards him each and every time, while adding the able assassin Noah, who circumvents between knowing the human Marie's true identity, and preventing Arthur from finding out the truth. It's a wacky fest of mind games that might feel sloppy at times, but the ideas are there to let this work flourish as decently as it can go as per the author's orginal vision. Being a studio collab work, both Zero-G and Liber are truly taking their chances producing this to efficiency...or should I say, the lack thereof, because it seems as if there's some weird form of AI art filter added to it, that can considerably take the experience out from the show. It's just kind of jarring to see AI being used this way, and if this is a sign of what's to come for studios incorporating AI into production, this is a clear red flag that will become noticeable in the long run. Even the music, I feel, is also done decently, though it's not really something that is worth listening to outside of the show itself. I definitely have no problems with the theme songs as average as they come (when considering the muted Fall 2025 season as a whole), as while Harutya's OP is so-so, Nao Toyama absolutely nails her ED that's a ton better than Kakuriyo no Yamodeshi's ED, and the duet together with Marie 2's VA, Ami Koshimizu, truly makes the song sing to a complete harmony. When it all comes down to it, Kikaijikake no Marie, a.k.a. Mechanical Marie, is not a series that is rom-com worthy, but it does have its moments to shine when average is just fine enough. And despite all of the glaring weirdness of the entire series overall, this, I can say, is a solid rom-com...provided you don't think too much about the significance of the plot and just let its story play out to a fine finish.

Mechanical Marie has a good storyline with a unique and interesting concept. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea—some viewers might like it more, while others may not—but for a normal viewer, it works well enough as a romance anime. What makes Mechanical Marie enjoyable is its fresh idea and the way romance is presented in a slightly unconventional setting. It’s not perfect, but it’s engaging enough to keep you watching. If you’re looking for a light romance anime with a different concept and don’t mind a few silly or unrealistic moments, Mechanical Marie is worth giving a try. Recommended for casual romance anime lovers.

A story about how a girl was forced, under threat of death, to serve as a maid-bodyguard in the house of a psychopath. It's trite, there are no interesting points, the characters' feelings peak too quickly, there is no linear development. Its more comedy than romance. The character's feelings develop with a click, and the comedy elements are preserved from the first to the last episode. Humor is based on visual images, there are no vulgar jokes. the abundance of cute chibi scenes made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I definitely won't watch it again, but I still have a positive impression. Current (6.90) score is well deserved.

Weirdly enough, I don’t know how to feel about this show rich boy got a robot maid who is also his bodyguard from other rich boys that tried to assassinate him whilst robot girl is trying to keep a secret that she is a robot otherwise rich boy will kill him That’s pretty much the gist of the show. But going off of the ending. I don’t think we’re gonna get more of the show, which is fine. Because it was okay at best. Those times where I thought about dropping it but I didn’t and I don’t feel positive or negative towards it. You might like it you might not. 5/10

Mechanical Marie has been one of the most interesting anime I have watched recently. Even though its premise may seem predictable at first and it uses elements that have already appeared in other series, it manages to stand out thanks to its own identity and characters that are easy to empathize with. One of the biggest surprises for me was its comedy. I usually have trouble genuinely laughing at comedy anime, even when I enjoy them, but this one succeeded in delivering several truly funny moments that felt natural and well executed. The relationship between the two main characters is one of the show’s strongest points. Their dynamic is sweet and pleasant to watch, and Marie in particular stands out as a charming and well written character. Character development is generally solid, although it feels somewhat rushed at times, especially toward the end. Even so, it does its job and allows the viewer to understand the protagonists’ motivations and growth. As for the animation, it is not outstanding but it is well done and maintains a very appealing visual style that fits the tone of the story. My biggest frustration with the anime comes at the ending. Based on how it concludes, it seems unlikely that there will be a second season, even though the story clearly had much more potential. This is even more disappointing knowing that the original work is more extensive. As is common in this type of story, the antagonists lack depth and narrative weight. It is not a major issue, but it is noticeable. The same applies to the secondary characters, who fail to stand out in any meaningful way. Only one episode makes a real attempt to give background to a supporting character, and that is as far as it goes. The final episode feels particularly rushed. After a quick resolution, the story jumps forward in time and ends abruptly, leaving the impression that an important part of the narrative was skipped. I have not read the manga yet, but it is hard to understand why they chose to omit so much content that could have enriched the ending. In conclusion, despite its flaws and how frustratingly fast it ends, I do recommend Mechanical Marie. I enjoyed it a lot and will probably check out the manga to experience the full story.

So much better than I could have anticipated! This show centers around, Marie, who is pretending to be a robot maid to her boss, Arthur, who distrusts humans due to years of betrayal. I honestly thought this show was going to be more along the lines of goofy comedy. For instance, having some kind of wacky shenanigans happening every episode due to pretending to be a robot. But, it was so much more heartfelt and emotional than that, and I was beyond pleasantly surprised! Additionally, aside from the fake robot pot device, Arthur and Marie were perfectly paired. They complimented each other so well and watching every single one of their interactions was so incredibly endearing and entertaining, I kept wanting more. I genuinely NEED 100 more episodes, please and thank you! That all to say, I thoroughly thoroughly enjoyed this and couldn’t recommend more!

" Half robot Half human" The premise was very intresting but didn't carry till the end , the plot became repetitve after some eps and stupid romantic cliches became prominent . I liked the slow development between mc and his love intreset , no rushed things but the process between this is very simplified or i say worked on plot armor . Animation and music is on budget , even you can see some use of ai images at key moments . Decent Op and Ed , some of piaono sounds are cool . I liked the chibi anime moments , literally well done . The ending is perfect i don't think so, we getting a another season but i won't mind seeing another . Despite of flaws i enjoyed over all theme . A solid 6 /10 for me .

I just finished this anime the other night, and honestly, it was way more fun than I expected! It’s the kind of show that doesn’t take itself too seriously but just pure, light-hearted vibes that had me grinning through most episodes. The characters are what really got me. They’re all so lovable in their own way. Marie is so sweet even if she doesn't really have facial expressions , the friends are hilarious and supportive, and even the “grumpy” guy has those moments where you just wanna hug him. I got attached to them pretty fast; their little banter and the way they care about each other felt genuine and warm. But the best part? The whole atmosphere totally threw me back to when I was a kid just getting into anime. It has that classic shoujo feel the soft colors, the fluffy romance, the school life, awkward confessions or not XD ( i dont want to spoil ), all of it. It reminded me so much of those older series I used to binge after school, the ones that made me fall in love with anime in the first place. Watching it felt like revisiting an old comfort blanket. Nostalgic, cozy, and just… nice. It’s not trying to reinvent the wheel or blow your mind with deep plot twists. It’s simple, sweet, and perfect when you just want to chill and feel good. Great for a lazy weekend or when you need something easy to unwind with. If you’re in the mood for something heartwarming that leaves you in a soft, happy mood, this is it. I’d totally watch it again someday when I need that warm fuzzy feeling. Definitely worth your time!

Eu não posso dizer que "não era esperado" porque eu já vi esperando por um TrashRom, mas esse anime conseguiu ser horrível até para os padrões de TrashRoms, um verdadeiro desrespeito com o espectador e com a indústria. Personagens sem vida, clichês batidos, um sentimento de estarem tentando me fazer de otário durante todo o anime e, para fechar com "chave de ouro", uma animação totalmente vergonhosa que chegou a usar IA em certos trechos da história. Não existe absolutamente nenhum motivo para você assistir esse anime, não tem nada que ele te entrega que você não consegue experienciar de maneira melhor em qualquer outro trashrom minimamente mais decente no mercado, sorte minha que o anime provavelmente é fechado em 12 episodios, porque eu não me lembro de me sentir tão desrespeitado como espectador em qualquer outra obra quanto nesse anime. Eu não dei 1 pelo fato de ainda ter conseguido me tirar algumas risadas em raros momentos de comédia bons, ou pela própria malfeitisse do anime, Mechanical Marie é uma verdadeira PERDA DE TEMPO nota: 2 **English translation so the review doesn't get deleted!!!** I can’t say it was “unexpected” because I already went into it expecting a trashy romance, but this anime managed to be awful even by the standards of TrashRoms—a true disrespect to both the audience and the industry. Lifeless characters, overused clichés, a constant feeling that the show was trying to make a fool out of me the entire time, and to top it all off with a “golden key,” a completely shameful animation that even used AI in certain parts of the story. There is absolutely no reason for you to watch this anime. There’s nothing it offers that you couldn’t experience in a much better way with any other halfway decent trashy romance out there. Luckily for me, the anime is probably only 12 episodes long, because I don’t remember ever feeling so disrespected as a viewer by any other work as I did with this one. I didn’t give it a 1 because it still managed to get a few laughs out of me in some rare good comedy moments—or even from how poorly made it is. Mechanical Marie is a true WASTE OF TIME. Score: 2

Kikaijikake no Marie is a rom-com about a girl who pretends to be a robot working for a rich kid with trust issues. However, the anime does not seem to do well with either the "rom" or the "com" parts, leaving little to enjoy. First of all, I have to admit that the story is a fun concept, which is the reason I decided to watch this in the first place. Sadly, it becomes very repetitive since nothing develops at all during the first ten or so episodes. Now, I'm not going to judge this show for lacking an intricate plot, as it is supposed to be a comedy. The only problem is that it is so unfunny. It never made me laugh, and I can count the number of times it made me giggle on one hand. Consequently, I do not rate the story highly due to a repetitive romance plot that never develops and for being totally unfunny. Characters are poorly written and have a single trait that defines their whole existence. They don't seem to undergo any character development at all until the final episode. The cast basically consists of: Marie, the inexpressive girl pretending to be a robot; Arthur, the misanthropic rich kid; Noah, the psycho assassin with a crush on Marie; and other simple, unimportant side characters. I doubt you, the reader, could come up with a better description after watching this show, since that is literally all there is to them. In terms of art, it is clearly low-budget, but for the most part, it doesn't look that bad. The characters look clean and the backgrounds look okay. The animation is barely serviceable, but what really stands out is the out-of-place AI art. There are many moments that shift to AI-generated pictures that don't fit in with the rest of the art style and are generally poorly made and cheap-looking. I personally have no strong feelings about the use of AI in anime in general, but you should at least ensure the quality of the art goes up if you use it, not down. The use of AI here just feels cheap and lazy. About 90% of people could make those still frames look better and more fitting using free models, but here they didn't. It’s a shame. The lack of budget was also evident throughout the sound production. Most of the time, the show had no background music and was silent instead. The voice acting was passable, albeit a bit poorly mixed, and the other sound effects were nothing noteworthy. The OP and EDs were mid, too. For me, this anime is the definition of "mid." I didn't really enjoy it, but I didn't hate it either. It was just a typical mind-numbing watch. There wasn't anything that captured my attention or really got me interested in the show, nor was there anything major that made it unbearable to watch. Sure, sometimes it was a drag, but other times the time went by surprisingly quickly. I am left feeling like I got nothing out of watching this, and I feel like I could have done something better with my time. Ultimately, I wouldn't recommend this anime, not even to rom-com fans. Watch something better! Life is too short for this. In my case, I'll most likely forget this series exists since I won't be picking up the manga, and I doubt that it'll get a second season. So, goodbye Kikaijikake no Marie... see ya never again!

I’m very disappointed. This was my hidden gem, my underrated seasonal darling of Fall 2025. I’d like to say I’m tossing it away for the sin of using generative AI for so many impact frames, but the disappointment goes deeper than that. It started out so cute. The hidden identity plot is well-worn, but I appreciated how Marie made it her own. She’s not the typical easily-flustered schoolgirl, she’s more of a kuudere, perfect for imitating a robot. Yet she is not completely without emotions of her own, and there are still good laughs to be mined from the absurdities that Marie has to go through to keep up the facade for Arthur. Arthur himself was a very thorny misanthrope, the perfect foil for Marie. This had so much charm, from the cuteness of Arthur putting his head on Marie’s thunder thighs to the ridiculousness of the household staff having a real robot maid built to assist the fake robot maid with rockets to fly around with. Unfortunately, Mechanical Marie slowly became a shadow of itself within its own season. I thought the silly Team Rocket-inspired younger brother would get more to do, but he gets demoted to a bit player. Marie and Arthur eventually start going to school, where there aren’t any interesting characters to bounce off of, just one-joke clubs, as well as one piece of bland bishonen eye candy. And then there’s Arthur. Look how they massacred my boy. Him being a bitter lonely dillhole was the basis for so much of the series’ appeal. It made him stand out as a deuteragonist, it gave stakes to the possibility of discovering Marie’s secret, and it was the bedrock for half the comedic conceit and emotional arc of the series. Unfortunately, the story chickens out at the possibility that the viewers might dislike him and sands down his edges to make him blander and politer. You’d think that this is a ‘Beauty and the Beast’ situation where Marie is helping him to be better, but no, we get a flashback that shows how Arthur always had a heart of gold, everyone respects him, he has a fan club, it’s sickening. Just when you think that it’s settled in and you’ve adjusted your expectations, the status quo changes in a way that sucks all that’s left of the tension and charm right out the window. There was maybe one cute standalone episode later in the season, but I was checked out, and I barely paid attention to the final episode. 4/10 feels generous. It doesn’t express how deep the betrayal feels, but the good stuff is too cute and the bad stuff feels too inoffensive in a vacuum to mark this down any lower. If you start out liking this, enjoy the first… maybe 3-5 episodes as much as you can. It’s all downhill from there.

I went into Mechanical Marie with pretty average expectations and honestly… that’s more or less where I landed by the end of it. It’s a good one time watch. Enjoyable while it lasts, but not something that stayed in my head weeks later. The basic plot is quite straightforward. Because of certain hardships (won’t spoil specifics), Marie ends up disguising herself as a mechanical robot maid to stay close to Arthur and protect him from assassination attempts. That setup itself is interesting on paper, but the show doesn’t go as deep with it as I hoped. The political danger, the tension of being discovered, the emotional weight of living in disguise… all of that is there, but mostly surface level. The backstory especially felt a bit light. I kept waiting for a heavier emotional punch or some layered reveal about Marie or Arthur that would recontextualize things, but it never really went that far. It plays things safe. Where the anime does shine though is the character interaction, particularly the flirting. I’ll be honest, the flirting carried a lot of my enjoyment. I’d give that aspect a solid 9/10. There’s a playful awkwardness to Marie trying to act “mechanical” while clearly having human reactions underneath. Arthur catching small slips, the teasing energy, those quiet almost confessions… yeah, that part was fun. Not groundbreaking, but consistently charming. Romance overall I’d rate “okay, okay.” It develops, but in a very predictable lane. You kind of see every beat coming from miles away. Still, there are a few wholesome moments sprinkled in. Some soft late night conversations, protective gestures, those tiny pauses where neither knows what to say… those scenes had warmth. Nothing tear jerking, but enough to make you smile. Visually and musically, the show is pleasant but not standout. Clean animation, fitting OST, nothing that made me rewind scenes just to rewatch. By the time I finished Season 1, it felt… complete. Not rushed, not dragged. Just a contained story that said what it wanted to say and stopped. Which is why personally, I don’t feel a strong need for Season 2. I know some people would want more domestic fluff or political escalation, but for me the ending closed the emotional loop well enough. Extending it might actually dilute what little charm it had. If I had to sum it up, Mechanical Marie is comfort viewing. Easy to binge, easy to digest, easy to forget after a while. It doesn’t aim very high, but it also doesn’t crash. Watched it, enjoyed the ride, smiled at the flirting, and moved on.