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Jan 29, 2021
I have to start out by saying I'm not a rom/com guy. Especially melodramatic teen/high school romance storylines. They tend to be trope-filled messes with wishy-washy scripts, filler episodes that exist for fan service shots and contractual episode counts, and your standard stock of insufferable teenage stereotypes. To be honest, the only reason I hit "play" on this series was the desperation for new content mixed with Netflix constantly throwing this series to the top of my suggestions.
I didn't go into it with much hope, but man I was pleasantly surprised. That isn't to say this series didn't contain a lot
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of the stuff that I'm not fond of in rom/coms, but the execution of the story pulled through and made it one of my current favorite series. I think a big part of what made the series so entertaining was that the writers were not scared to go over the top when the story allowed for it. It takes a special talent to make me laugh at slapstick humor, especially when it's accentuated by what I swear were old Hannah-Barbara sound stings, but the timing for the humor was practically air-tight, and I can appreciate that in an animated series.
While the story is a rom/com, it felt like a lot of the romance aspect of it was there to move along the underlying plot of "getting prepared to have to leave the fun and simple high school life behind and face the grim, dark future of adulthood", especially in the back half of the series. Major life decisions are suddenly forced upon them while they're still in the playing softball and going on class ski trips phase of their lives, and that's all in the back of their minds while they're trying to figure out who they're taking to the big dance or whatever. Brash decisions made during highly emotional moments rarely turn out to be the correct course of action, and that is shown on more than one occasion in the series, which I (technically an adult) appreciated as a message.
The characters were, to put it simply, a treat. I thought if anyone would get me to quit the series, it would be super-giga-mega-tsundere Taiga, but she turned out to be surprisingly easy to enjoy when she was balanced out with insecurity and clumsiness. The chemistry between her and the comparatively shy neat-freak Ryuuji somehow didn't feel forced. Early on in series, I would almost forget they were supposed to be helping each other end up with other people because they just seemed like a good fit from the beginning. If anything, I got annoyed that they kept ignoring how well they got along to pursue other characters (the energetic-and-slowly-drifting-further-into-insanity Kushieda for Ryuuji, and the ever-chipper-and-dense-as-redwood Kitamura for Taiga) that seemed okay on the surface, but would not have been good matches for them. Then again, youthful romance often involves putting someone up onto a pedestal they probably shouldn't be on. Oh yeah, and the hot, bitchy model Kawashima is also there ... supposedly to show that Ryuuji isn't a shallow character since he doesn't spend every second she's in the room drooling over her like all the other kids in the class. I think my issue with her was that the show already had enough tsundere with Taiga, so Kawashima's character was sort of drowned out to a mere nuisance for most of the series. She did have a decent character arc, though, showing an evolution from a one-note character to someone with a little more depth by the end of the series.
The supporting characters are mostly good, too. They did their jobs, which was to support the story and keep it moving and throw in some comic relief every once in a while. There were no sudden non-sequiturs into the unnecessary back-story of the redhead who also had a thing for Kitamura, or the good-natured class dumbass Haruta. Ryuuji's mom pretty much stole the scene whenever she was around, but she wasn't over-used. And I looked forward to every scene with Yuri, the well meaning forever-single teacher who was in a constant struggle to not give up on her dreams of romance, and to keep hold of her sanity while trying to guide the very special kids of 2-C. I love her and I hope she found her happiness.
But the big question is, of course, was the ending satisfying? The answer is yeeeeesssssss (question mark)? I suppose it depends on your point of view. The relationship statuses of the main characters are finally sorted out and set in stone, but if you're looking for an episode that ends with a nice, relaxing glimpse into a picturesque future where the main ship is sailing along nicely, you might end up kind of disappointed. However, it's because the final episode still has plot to get through, and it plays out all the way past the ending credits. If anything can be said of the series, it's that it does not waste time on filler. So while the happy ending is there, it feels a bit abrupt, though not in a series-destroying way. I probably could have used about 5 more minutes of content, though.
Still, this one does go up on the "Recommend" list.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 15, 2020
Whaaaaat did I just watch?
I feel like I'm doing a disservice to this show somehow, but I couldn't like it as much as I wanted to. I think the problem here might be that I just came off of binge-watching March Comes in Like a Lion, which was an incredible show with some real thought put into all of the elements of the story. And I decided, since I'm a fan of the shoujou ai/yuri genres, I'd treat myself to something new and see what this one was all about.
There's nothing that frustrates me more than wasted potential. The characters were there,
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the setting was there ... but it seems like little things like plot and character development of any kind were sort of tossed overboard to make way for fan-service shots and vague romance (maybe?).
I tend to like to talk about the story when I'm doing reviewing something, but what story is there? There were a lot of elements that were shown that could have been expanded into actual, interesting plots ... character arcs, emotional development, battle potential, etc. ... all of these were hinted at and then quickly forgotten. I wanted to care about the characters, but most of them were barely around enough for me to even remember their names.
That's not to say that all of it was bad. Firstly, if you're looking for a show to mellow out to, this is your ticket. There was one episode where sort of a battle took place, and they didn't bother with any music for it. For the most part, it's a light jazzy piano groove played throughout the show. I half expected a muted trumpet or a saxophone to start in on accompaniment to give it that extra Skinemax treatment. So if you're looking for a show with a mellow groove set over pretty anime girls deciding whether yuri is the way to go (well, I think one of them has already made that choice, and is only slightly creepy about it), then look no further. This is your stop. Unless you demand the yuri be conspicuous. Then you might start yelling at your screen.
The art and sound were good. The episodes were thankfully only 15 minutes long, and there were only 10 of them, and that is perhaps the only way I would have made it through the series. And I hate saying that about something that had plenty of potential. I guess since this was based on a card game, I could only ask so much of it, but dammit, Pokemon was a card game and there have been umpteen million episodes of it and about as many movies.
Manaria Friends, why can't you be more like Pokemon? I'm gonna go watch Hibike! Euphonium again. At least all the teased yuri there comes with a plot and more than one piano piece for the score.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jun 25, 2020
The second season of MariMite might as well have been the second half of the first season. Which is not to say anything bad about this season, but story-wise, it is mostly a continuation of the main premise behind the first season; which is to say, it finishes out the story of the beginning of Yumi and Sachiko's budding relationship as "soeurs".
The cons that I listed in my review of the first season remain the same for the second season: the animation isn't amazing and sometimes uses shortcuts (though none of that detracts from the story), and the story itself is character-driven with no
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action to speak of (save for a brief glimpse of an expensive sports car being poorly mistreated by its driver).
So, on to the good stuff:
As always, the main plot of the series focuses on the relationship between Yumi and Sachiko and how they come to understand each other, appreciate their differences, and grow closer. Yumi is still terribly unsure of herself around Sachiko, who seems to come from a different planet compared to Yumi's normal, humble existence. The first episode of this season brings that message fully home when we finally get a view into Sachiko's home life, as the ladies of the Yamayuri council attend a New Year's party at Sachiko's palatial manor (it seriously looks like Bruce Wayne could live there). But while awed at how lavishly Sachiko lives, Yumi is also made aware of how fond Sachiko has become of Yumi, and her growing importance in Sachiko's life.
Still, Yumi remains unsure of herself around Sachiko, and Sachiko is, as of yet, unable to express her affection (or any positive emotions, for that matter) to Yumi. This continues to cause issues between the two through to the season's climax. Matters are not made any easier with the introduction of my third favorite character in this series, Touko, who is a distant relative of Sachiko's. Touko has entered Lilian Academy's high school as a first year and immediately latches onto Sachiko to grab as much attention away from Yumi as she can. Touko is, within seconds of her first appearance, set up to be the main antagonist for this season (and indeed, often appears to be so through to the end of the series), and an invested viewer cannot help but feel immediate animosity towards her. She is a devious little girl, often appearing too smart for her own good. Her actions are bold and calculated; she reads people like a book, and seems to easily see what is going on behind the scenes. She becomes the perfect foil to the clumsy and unsure Yumi.
I immediately liked Touko, and as the seasons progressed it became clearer that she was a complicated character, driven by motives and emotions that seem irrational or antagonistic until they are explained all the way at the end of the fourth season. Rei Kugimiya, the voice behind Touko, does an amazing job bringing this character to life, showing a broad range from willful strength to (later in the series) incredible vulnerability.
As for the climax of the season, it all comes to a head in the final three-episode arc at the end. Yumi's world seems to crash down around her, as she and Sachiko manage to miscommunicate themselves into a sudden burst of melodrama that seems to bring them to the cusp of ending their sisterhood and friendship. And look, the drama is well-played and Yumi's redemption arc through growth in her own maturity, resolve and confidence, as well as acceptance of her independence apart from Sachiko, makes for a good story. BUT. After watching it, I couldn't help but think all of that drama could have been avoided with a 15 second conversation where Sachiko gave even a brief explanation of why she was acting the way she did instead of just assuming Yumi would get it. She should have known Yumi better than that by the time it all started to happen. That tugs at my brain every time I think about it.
Still, the ending scene more than makes up for it, and there was a brief explanation as to why Sachiko didn't say anything that does make a sort of sense given Sachiko's character. Still bugs me a little, but I can live with it since the outcome was a more mature and confident Yumi and a stronger bond between the two soeurs. I don't think I'm spoiling anything there since there are two more seasons in the series.
Other notable plots in this season: The graduation of the third years means Sei, Yoko and Eriko leave the story as regular characters (though they do tend to pop up throughout the rest of the series). Besides the emotional goodbyes and flashbacks to days gone by, the pinnacle of this story arc is an incredibly sweet moment between Yumi and Sei where you can see just how much the two meant to each other (and will continue to throughout the rest of the series).
The other main subplot of note is Shimako taking over as the new White Rose and having to fulfill the responsibility of finding her own petite soeur, which she is reluctant to do. However, this introduces the second new character for the series; Noriko, who ultimately becomes Shimako's little sister. Now, in my review for the first season, I stated that Sei was the only confirmed lesbian character in the series, and that remains true. She's the only one shown openly in a relationship with another girl that involved anything physical (in this case, kissing and the ever lewd hand holding). However, while nothing is particularly shown to prove that Shimako and Noriko are "more than friends", whenever the two appear in a scene together, the show slaps the viewer in the face with imagery and implications that there is more going on behind the scenes. Even Yumi, who constantly hears the "whoosh" sound of concepts flying over her head, manages to be aware that there are times that she should maybe step out of the room when those two are together. You have to justify the yuri tag somehow.
So, do I recommend the second season? Of course. If you enjoyed the first season, the second season only builds from there and does not dip in its storytelling. Nothing really felt like filler material, as story beats from the first season echo into this one, and consequences from actions taken during this season will resound through the rest of the series. It's the same good storytelling with a satisfying ending to a story arc that began in the first episode of the first season, and it left me ready to dig into the third season. You won't be disappointed.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 26, 2020
First off, I'd like to start by saying this series (all four seasons) is one of my all-time favorite anime to watch. By the time I've written this, I've gone through a full viewing of this series at least 6 times, read the manga and started on a translated version of the light novels the series is based on. If you knew me personally, all of that would probably blow your mind simply because it doesn't fit my normal viewing patterns (I tend to go for beautifully animated flashy action in mostly male-oriented stories with big plot advancements and good guy vs. bad
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guy narratives). To say that this series is a giant leap for me is an understatement.
But I'm a sucker for character-driven narrative, and while Maria-sama ga Miteru (MgM) lacks most of what I crave, what it delivers in character development more than makes up for any of that.
I'll review the other seasons in their respective review sections, so my comments will try to stick mainly to the story in this first season.
First, I'll start off with the cons, because the list is short and I want to get to the good stuff:
The animation is, to put it politely, not awesome. It's not terrible, and the scenery is beautifully drawn in most cases, but there is a noticeable lack of fluidity in most scenes, and the series often relies on still shots and a small amount of noticeable cgi to tell the story. None of it is obnoxious enough to make me lose interest in the story, and I feel its ultimately forgivable in a story like this one. Still, it's the reason I gave this series a 9 instead of a 10.
This isn't necessarily a con, but it does make a difficult point to try to sell the series with: there is basically no action whatsoever. There is a background subplot involving a kendo club, but it barely plays into the story as more than a temporary plot device. The kendo match shown in one scene is not a flashy anime kendo match, but looks like what a live viewing of a kendo match would look like from the stands, which is to say, pads and guards are worn, and there aren't any flashy moves. Other than that, apart from some much-frowned-upon running in the school hallways, the characters mostly glide along at a snail's pace as per the Lillian Academy's rules for proper young ladies.
Again, this isn't necessarily a con, but you do have to make it past the first ten minutes or so of the first episode before you can get a firm understanding of what is basically going on. Think the first episode of Stein's;Gate, but shorter and slightly more confusing. Fortunately, by the end of the episode, you're aware of where the story is headed and can sit back and enjoy the rest of the series as it comes to you.
And that's it for the cons. Seriously. I'm sure other reviewers would argue with me on that, but to be honest, all I ask of a story is to be interesting and have characters I can relate to or sympathize with, and who develop and change over time.
Honestly, my first viewing of this season almost ended within the first half of the first episode. This wasn't anywhere near my genres of choice, I hated Catholic school when I attended one as a child, and the only thing I have in common with high school girls is that my daughter is about to reach her teens.
What kept me watching was the main character, Yumi. If I had to describe her, I'd say she was scientifically crafted to fill the "little sister who must be protected at all costs so that her good nature is never soiled by this cruel world" role, and those scientists did a bang-up job. She is innocent (though not necessarily utterly naive), curious, famously expressive, friendly almost to a fault, and absolutely adorable without being sickeningly so. She's flawed by a heavy, though not debilitating, insecurity around those she feels are better than her, and at times she is a bit too humble. But she is honest and chipper and my gawd you just want to reach through the screen and hug her and tell her everything will be okay in scenes where she starts crying.
As the seasons progress, you watch as Yumi's personality grows in maturity and she works to correct her flaws as she deals with setbacks and obstacles that cause her trouble. This first season focuses mainly on Yumi's budding relationship with Sachiko, the daughter of a massively wealthy family, widely regarded as sort of a princess of the Lillian Academy, and who is - personality-wise - almost the complete opposite of Yumi. Where Yumi is often clumsy and overly expressive, Sachiko is cool and graceful. Where Yumi is friendly and good-natured, Sachiko usually comes off as disinterested and prone to bratty hysterics. They come from two different worlds, and Sachiko is the embodiment of everything Yumi is insecure about. While Yumi eventually agrees to become Sachiko's "little sister", it takes Yumi the span of the first two seasons to fully accept that she is worthy of the title.
When an episode isn't focused on Yumi and Sachiko, it focuses on the other sisters in the "Rose families" (the Lillian student council sister pairings). These are interesting in their own rights, and give a good view into the dynamic in the relationships between the Yellow sisters (most notably the boyish-but-girly kendo star Rei and her little sister/actual cousin, the sickly Yoshino), and a peak into the basic awareness that the White sisters (the playful and cheerful older sister Sei and the somewhat aloof and reserved Shimako) have for each other. Sei, thus far the only confirmed lesbian main character in a series that often inexplicably gets the "yuri" label, also gets some of her semi-tragic back story revealed to show why she's the Sei she is today.
Sei quickly became one of my three favorite characters from this series because of the relationship she has with Yumi. Where Sachiko starts out with more of a formal "big sister" role with Yumi, Sei immediately became a playful older sibling, often teasing or chiding Yumi, generally doing her best to keep Yumi on her toes while at the same time often stirring jealousy in Sachiko (something Sei seems to purposefully do to keep the bond between Yumi and Sachiko growing). And since most of Yumi's problems arise as a result of her tenuous relationship with Sachiko, Sei often steps in to dispense advice or offer an encouraging word.
The older Red and Yellow Roses, Yoko and Eriko respectively, are also there. There isn't much to say about them for this season, but that's okay. They served minor purposes and weren't shoe-horned into the plot unnecessarily. I can respect that choice.
There are no defined antagonists in the series. There is no "that one person" who is making life hell for someone else and must be brought down and defeated. There are a few characters that come along and are portrayed initially as possible antagonists or rivals, but as the story carries on, you see the reasoning behind their actions and motives was usually to protect or help someone else. The adversity in the series comes from each character's own personalities, and how they relate to others. There is no outright hatred between anyone in the series, and drama usually comes from misinterpretation, insecurity, or not being able to communicate properly, whether from circumstance or lack of courage.
In another series, the situations that provide challenges for Yumi and company would be seen as unnecessary melodrama lazily thrown in to try to humanize the plot. But with MgM, the situations fit in just fine with the setting and make a certain amount of sense in their context.
Also, I'd like to point to the voice acting for the series, which is nothing less than superb. Ueda Kana, especially, as the voice of Yumi, was an absolute treat. Toyoguchi Megumi brought a delightfully pleasant cheeriness to Sei's character, and Itou Miki was elegant in her portrayal of Sachiko. (Any time Itou said "Yumi" was like ASMR for me. I don't know why.)
So I absolutely recommend this series to anyone who likes a good story with a character-driven plot, actions with consequences, and natural character growth over time. Do yourself a favor and give at least the first season a try. It's one of those series that isn't going to be for everyone, but if you're willing to step out of your wheelhouse every once in a while, this is a good series with which to do so.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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