Ranked #557

Maria-sama ga Miteru

Try to imagine a school drama with no debauchery, no love triangles, and no fanservice. Sounds unreal, doesn't it? Nope, I'm talking about Maria-sama ga Miteru.

This anime has really stood out to me as being one of the best school anime ever created, and being a great drama series. The story follows a group of Japanese girls who attend a Catholic school. They are maidens, and must remember to be polite, never run in the hallways, make sure their pleats are always neat, and be upstanding young ladies in society. Such is the calibre of women in Lillian Jogakuen.

Maria-sama ga Miteru does have several arcs in which the story follows individual characters, but it mostly chronicles the school life of a young teenager named Yumi who suddenly garners attention from the most popular girls in school: the student council. And no, this student council doesn't plot against the teachers, they don't each have special superpowers (but they each have something special about them) that enable them to fight crime or keep order in the school, and they don't even transform into magical girls. Yes, Maria-sama ga Miteru is about the lives of ordinary (and extraordinary) girls who attend a prestigious high school. It's astounding how a story about nothing great can eventually turn out great itself.

I will admit, it is confusing with the whole aspect of the soeur system (in which a senior student makes an agreement with a junior to sort of guide her and be a surrogate "sister" to her while in school) and the names for the leaders in the student council (Rosa Gigantea, Rosa Chinensis en bouton, or Rosa Foetida en bouton petite soeur are some examples of those difficult-to-remember names). But after you get the hang of it, it becomes easier to follow.

Maria-sama ga Miteru has an interesting and unique art style. There's a lot of debate on whether it is beautiful or hideous, but it is in the eye of the beholder. There are some good character designs: large, detailed, soulful eyes, pointy noses, scarily symmetrical faces. The background art tends to range from good to being weak. Also, it seems that this anime is tinted with a beige colour. I can't explain it, but it has a lot of dull colour themes. It isn't bright and flashy, and it keeps with the atmosphere of the anime.

Piano, strings, a cappella hymns--this anime has an amazing sound. The OP and ED themes are piano compositions, and the entire score is soothing and very traditional. Again, it evokes the nature of this type of anime. Although, admittedly, it may be too relaxing. I may have been guilty of falling asleep during the OP...

And the absolute best part of this anime that makes it worth the watch: the characters. Honestly, if it weren't for the astounding cast, I would have dropped Maria-sama ga Miteru about three episodes in. But there is an absolutely great group that comprise the main and minor characters. They are all extremely well rounded, complex and thoroughly developed. Most of the anime is spent exploring their characterisations. Also, there's bound to be at least a handful of girls you will like.

There's Yumi, a sort of clumsy, good-hearted girl who isn't dull-witted--she actually is concerned about a lot of things even though she's pretty simple. Of course, there is Sachiko, who can be pegged as a "spoilt brat" but she is more than just that. Then there's the show stealer, Sei, whose antics will leave you grinning and whose past can get your heart wrenching. There are of course numerous other important characters. Each are carefully rendered and deeply characterised. If there's anything to watch this anime for, it's for excellent characters.

Its slow pace and lack of action may bore a viewer to tears, but if you are into this sort of anime, then you shouldn't pass up Maria-sama ga Miteru. Given, this series is definitely not for everyone. Also, there is a viewer penchant to associate the relationships between these girls as homoerotic. Some are, some aren't, some may be--but it's all speculation. There is one thing for certain: all these girls care for one another. Romantic or not is up to you to decide.

Plus, this isn't exactly audience-friendly. Maria-sama ga Miteru does not cater for the impatient or for those who like ecchi or shounen or mahou shoujo or even shoujo. It exists mostly for itself, which is a rather commendable thing as it never compromises to satisfy its audience like countless other anime do. Another "problem" is the borderline melodrama. You may watch this and wonder why they're making such a big deal over a particular topic, but remember--these are things that are important to the characters, not to anyone else.

Maria-sama ga Miteru is a brilliant series. May or may not be your cup of tea, but if you like this sort of thing, pour yourself a cup, sit back and enjoy this series that is meant to be sipped and savoured, and not chugged down. read more

I've had a very complex history with this series. I only started watching it because people were making a fuss about how another series copied an extremely famous scene from Maria-sama ga Miteru, but I ended up watching both the first and second seasons. (The third season wasn't out at that time.)

This is now my favourite series. But it was far from being a favourite then-- I watched it all very quickly, and I don't think this is a series that was meant to be seen like that. I overlooked a lot the first time around and it ended up seeming the characters were making baseless observations about others. It's easy to watch those slice-of-life school comedy series quickly, for example, since you're just in for a laugh or two, but Maria-sama ga Miteru has got characterisation, believability, and complex interpersonal dynamics that should be savoured slowly.

The seiyuu are great overall and generally convey characters' thoughts and feelings very well. The animation, however, could've been better... some parts look a bit unnatural or perhaps a bit mechanical, but I don't think it detracts very much from the series overall and I enjoyed the art style.

I fell in love with the series when I rewatched it because there's so much in it. This isn't your typical, run-of-the-mill series where you can just watch for mindless enjoyment. It isn't something you just watch because you know there's f/f in it either. This is possibly the best f/f series you'll ever watch-- without your usual crazy and melodramatic minor character lesbians in it, to boot. (Note that the f/f present is largely on the subtext level, which I find makes it even more delectable. There's canon stuff though, so it's not "just wishful thinking".)

On the other hand, I am of the mind that Maria-sama ga Miteru would still be enjoyable for those who don't like f/f or aren't particularly into it. The wonderful characterisation alone should be enough of a draw, should it be the sort of thing you look for in anime. Let me put it this way: This series doesn't necessarily focus on f/f too much if you're inclined to see it that way. Such is the beauty of subtext.

Oh, and if it matters to you, the focus isn't on religion despite the series name and the setting (a private Catholic all girls' school). It's really just about a group of young women and what happens to them and between them... which I guess makes it fall pretty firmly into the shoujo genre.

Maria-sama ga Miteru, then, is not recommended for those who only enjoy panty shots or seeing two girls somehow ending up in unrealistic, compromising situations. (Please go watch seinen for that fanservice stuff because there's no fanservice in this at all.) I wouldn't recommend this to people who like a lot of action either, because, well, it doesn't have much. It's slice-of-life (probably leaning more toward drama), so if you need an overarching plot to sustain your interest, this is also not for you. This is for those who are starved for a series with, finally, good characterisation.

And lastly, there are no self-pitying and screaming adolescent boys piloting mecha, thank goodness. read more

I wasn't sure I was gonna like it at first.. I usually judge anime by watching the opening theme, and I thought it was so dreary because it was all instrumental.. After watching the first two episodes I was satisfied and decided to watch the whole thing.

It brought back memories from my high school days, since I came from a private catholic all girls school, much like the one in the anime.. We didn't have a soeur system, but there were other similarities, such as girls crushing on other girls..
There were a lot of french terms used, but you didn't really need to learn how to speak French to understand the story.. the only french words used in the dialogues were the titles, such as rosa gigantea en bouton, and soeur of course, and they weren't used much after the first episodes. The episode titles are also French.

There was little lesbian action going on, but it was very discreet so it didn't really scare me too much.. The only character who was openly gay was Sei, and the rest of the cast didn't give off any impressions that they were gay. There is a big shortage in men characters, the only male characters were Sachiko's cousin and fiance, and Yumi's brother.

The visuals were amazing. All the characters were beautifully drawn, which is one of the reasons why I decided to watch this. All the women were beautiful, but I get the feeling that if you took out their hair and gave them identical wigs, they would almost look the same.

The storyline wasn't bad - It was mainly about Yumi's character and how she tries her best to get along with her onee-sama, Sachiko. During the series, a few episodes are dedicated to Rei and Yoshino's relationship, as well as Sei's history. We also see some side stories about Sachiko and Shimako.

As I've mentioned, most of the music were instrumental, and there was only one song with words in it, which was Rosa Canina's rendition of "Ave Maria". Still dreary, but the story does make up for the lack of better music choices. However, I do think that the classical music fits the storyline well. It is a rather serious storyline.

All in all, I have to say this is one of my favorite series. I have watched many slice of life series, and this one is the best among the rest. It is definitely as must - see. read more

Poor quiet anime with fabulous, fabulous storytelling and characterisation. They get no love, and this is apparent for Maria-sama ga Miteru.

It tells the story of girls in a Catholic school. That's all. It's them, their lives, and yet it sucks you in like nothing else could, wraps you up in their stories and makes you itching to learn about them more.

There's a little controversy of sorts about the lesbian content of this anime. Honestly, it seems like all the girls are in love with one another, but that isn't the case. There's only one real lesbian in the entire story. So it's interesting to see girls who actually care for one another and are insanely close other than spend their time plotting and hating on one another like other shoujo anime.

I love this anime. I can't think of anything unfabulous about it other than inconsistent art and a confusing first few episodes. It will take you while to get used to the names they call one another. read more

As a rare duck around here, a soon to be 50 year old male who enjoys slice of life anime, I found Maria-sama ga Miteru to have been absolutely charming and delightful, and easily the best series I've watched in all of 2008. The calm, serene, languid pace of the series and its setting at an all-girl's Catholic school made it easy to relax with, but it's the wealth of the show's characters, each with their own distinct and unique personality increased my overall enjoyment and is the highlight of the show. As you watch the show, you can't help becoming involved in the lives of Yumi, Sachiko and all the rest of the girls at Lillian as they develop those very special bonds of friendship, and how those friendships stand tall and strong through good times and bad. MariMite is just the sort of show that anime fans of any and every stripe can enjoy. read more

Had my doubts about this anime from the start actually. How much fun can an anime conveying a story in a religious school actually be? Well I gave it a shot and now after having watched it through in 3 days I can truly say that it was well worth it! The series in most parts is quite serious but with the help of the characters introduced we get parts that display different personalities and emotions. After finishing the series I was left with the curiosity and need of wanting to know more about the characters. So now I will get into season 2 and hope that it relieves it somewhat. read more

Maria-sama ga Miteru, or lovingly known by its fans as MariMite, is one of the cornerstones of the yuri genre and one of the most well-known.
It takes place at Lillian Academy, a school for 'young maidens' where they use a unique apprenticeship system. An older student will take an underclassman under their wing and make them their little sister, and they learn about life in the school with their big sister. And so you have MariMite...

STORY: 8
Judging from the above description, it doesn't sound terribly exciting, does it? The story is all about the girls interacting with each other, problems between sisters, and various school events. Sometimes an odd twist will occur to explain things in their current state, but what was previously stated sums it up.
Now normally, this would garner a nigh-average score, but it's *immensely* boosted by another score: Character. More on that in the corresponding section.

ART: 7
Nothing terribly special about MariMite's art in general, although in no way would I ever call it bad. Some backgrounds are kinda blah, and some convey the mood perfectly, such as well-times closeups of the Virgin Mary statue.
Character art is lovely, and with exception of Yumi, there's no odd facial expressions or unrealistic actions (like extradimensional hammers, super chibi-mode, or nosebleeds). Emotions are clearly shown upon their respective character's faces, whether it be Sachiko's stern glare, or Shimako's beautiful, sad grey eyes.
Many school romance animes tend to go overboard with sakura leaves and flower petals randomly flying around in the wind, and "symbolic" crap like that. MariMite thankfully keeps this to a realistic minimum and actually give them symbolism. I thought I would give the animation props for that.

SOUND: 7
The soundtrack is comprised of lots of classical type music, with many soothing pieces that fit quite well for an elite girl's academy. Nothing I would be foaming at the mouth over, but it definitely kept the mood like the sound is supposed to.

CHARACTER: 10
Here is the meat and potatoes of the MariMite series: Strong characterization.
There is no 'stereotype' character in MariMite, no set tsunderes, no set genderbenders, none of that crap. The main characters run through the whole gauntlet of emotions during their trials and tribulations at Lillian Girls Academy. Who you think might be the good, well-behaved girl one episode, will show selfishness the next. Who you dislike and revile one episode, will expose her weakness in the next. Even the lesser characters will show their true colors every once in awhile.
The voice acting is excellent as well, especially Sachiko and Yumi. A lot of times, there will need to be a truly dramatic moment to bring out the best in MariMite's VAs

ENJOYMENT: 10 (Personal Opinion)
I freakin' love MariMite, even though at first I didn't care for it (see below). I'm attached to the characters, and wish to see how the rest of their school life treats them. There are minor quibbles that I should mention however:

--The first episode is particularly brutal hurdle to new viewers, due to the massive amounts of Lillian terminology and culture being tossed around, while at the same time, you're trying to learn about the characters. Ironically, it's almost reminiscent to a first day of school.
Luckily, by episode 2 or 3, it all sinks in, and the show becomes enjoyable.

--Drama drama drama. The most humor in this series comes from the next episode previews, or Yumi's reaction to random glomps. Personally, I love tension-filled quasi-lesbian drama, but if you seek kneeslappers and chuckles, I suggest looking elsewhere young padawan.

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All in all, MariMite is a solid series that is still continuing on its 4th season as of this review. Drama and strong, typecast-free characters are what makes this series a worthwhile watch if you are a fan of yuri, or interested in yuri. read more

This is the first anime i watched on dvd, im not much of a fan, watched 1 episode in animax and i thought i have to watch the whole anime. The story line some thought is not as real as it should be but for people i know and im also included, this happens naturally. As Yumi the main character didnt expect to be close to the person she admires, but with unexpected twists and turns and a whole lot of blackmailing, ended up being the little sister of Sachiko the most admired person in Lilian High School. Having a relationship with someone that you usually looked from far away is too much for Yumi but she tried her best and ended up having fun with it. This anime is worth watching especially the other seasons and you will see that life is as simple and as complicated like this anime read more

Story 6/10
This was a slice-of-life anime with very light shoujo-ai elements. It reminded me of Haibane Renmei in terms of how uneventful the plot really was. Even the climactic moments weren't especially emotional or intense. A "peak" in the storytelling might be a scene where Sachiko speaks sharply to Yumi and Yumi cries. The story therefore wasn't exactly bad, as it would have been if there had been plot holes or unresolved subplots. However, it also wasn't very engaging. Yumi and Sachiko, the main characters, more or less got along throughout, and there were no especially troublesome characters on the side to cause any real conflict.

Art 7/10
The art is a little old-fashioned now, but the character design was quite pretty. I wasn't especially moved by any particular image, but it's an attractive show.

Sound 6/10
The music works with the show. No tracks stood out to me though as anything I would definitely want to own and listen to. I'm really into soundtracks, so that's a bit of a rarity. I didn't HATE the music, as for instance I hate the Gilgamesh soundtracks, but it was unmemorable. It went with the plot, which kept things always on a pretty even keel.

Character 7/10
The characters were decent. Yumi was lovable and naive, Sachiko was poised but vulnerable, and the other roses and their petite soeurs were pretty individualistic. Some even had interesting back stories. However, everyone was likable, which is a bit uninteresting in a way. In addition, their personalities were a little too one-dimensional. It reminded me a bit of these other game-based harem shows, like Meine Liebe and Harukanaru, where each guy has a very shallow personality because he has to represent just a few qualities, so that the girl can pick the one she likes the best and doesn't have to wade through a multi-layered personality. So although each character had a well-defined personality, they didn't have enough depth to really stand out.

Enjoyment 5/10
It wasn't painful to watch, but it wasn't all that engaging either. Yumi, the real heroine, started out as an ordinary girl who was given an extraordinary opportunity--to be Sachiko's petite soeur. That's a nice setup, but Yumi doesn't really vindicate herself. Throughout the show, she remains the sweet, ordinary girl thrown amongst extraordinary people. In a way, that's the show's point--that she was extraordinary in her own way. However, I'm more into shows where the protagonist really grows and eventually shines. The lack of conflict and the lack of growth were tedious.

Overall 7/10
It's hard giving this a final overall mark. I don't want to be too harsh because I realize that this isn't a genre I especially enjoy. I think that the show was what it intended to be, so saying that the plot wasn't fast-paced enough for me or that Yumi didn't grow enough as a character isn't entirely fair. Still, I think that the story would have been much better with a bit more conflict and a few characters who weren't so likable. And I would have liked to know more about Yumi's own background. read more

I, like many people, judge an anime buy opening sequence. In this one, I found the opening animation drab and boring but the music was nice. That's probably the reason I was inclined to stick around for the next few episodes.

The story was interesting. It was able to hold my interest without high intensity action scenes or whinny tween main characters. I did find in certain episodes that were a little slower, there seemed to be sort of "forced conflict". Though there was no pressing matter to attend to, it was as if the characters were searching for something that was problematic. For example, at one point when Sachiko and Yumi are with each other, Sachiko walks off screen for a moment and Yumi seem to panic for no apparent reason. (She didn't go anywhere! Calm down!)

The art, while not the style I was used to, was well done. It's easy to get used to the slightly modified style and eventually you'll grow to like it.

Each character has her own distinct personality and back story. Overall, Maria-sama ga Miteru is a very soothing anime and serves as a breath of fresh air in the clutter of overdone story-lines and character designs. read more