Marie no Kanaderu Ongaku
The Music of Marie

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First of all, I usually don't write reviews for this website. I review anime and manga when I have time on my personal blog, but I tend to stray away from MAL reviews, simply because I've seen so many outstanding reviews on here that I feel like whatever I write will be utter crap.

But when I finished The Music of Marie, or Marie no Kanaderu Ongaku, I felt like I just had to at least say something about this remarkable manga.

The Music of Marie is one of the most underrated manga I've ever had the pleasure of reading, underrated in the sense that almost no ... one knows about it. It's definitely an undiscovered gem, and I personally feel like that's one of the best things about it. The author is clearly trying to tell a beautiful story, instead of pulling some deep philosophical stuff out of nowhere in order to make some money.

So, without further ado, the actual review. (For the sake of fluidity and time, I'll be using "Marie" to refer to the manga itself. If I'm referencing the character Marie, I'll do it without quotes.)

Story: 9/10
The story of "Marie" is deceptively simple, yet amazing. Basically, the character Marie is a mechanical goddess that watches over a peaceful, post-apocalyptic world. The plot revolves around two teenagers, Kai and Pipi, as they go through a series of events that ultimately makes them question their world, and perhaps their entire existence. Nothing is what it seems in this manga; everything is full of mystery and wonder, which is what makes the story so captivating. "Marie" is definitely one of the more different stories I've come across, and the ending is absolutely shocked me to the core.
Now, why did I give it a 9, you ask?
Well, it's more of a 9.5, or even a 9.8. The only reason why it's not a full ten is because I felt like the author could have expanded on Kai and Pipi's relationship. Even after the story was finished, I still couldn't understand exactly why Pipi was so in love with Kai in the first place. Maybe I missed something...but anyways, for just two volumes, the story and concept was fantastic.

Art: 10/10
The art in "Marie" is absolutely gorgeous. I've honestly never seen any manga drawn with such attention to detail. All of the scenery and technology in this manga are drawn so imaginatively and beautifully. I'm not much of an artist myself, so there's little more I can say for this aspect of the review. But basically, the art in this manga is breathtaking.

Character: 9/10
To be honest, the characters in this manga by themselves aren't that unique or memorable, though I suppose Pipi is a bit of an exception towards the end. But overall, it's more of the roles the characters play in the whole of the series rather than their individual qualities that makes them shine.

Enjoyment: 10/10
I finished this series in one day, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. "Marie" has now been added to my favorites, where it will most likely stay for a VERY long time. Never before have I read a manga that combines philosophical ideas with fantasy so well. Although this series reminded me of Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica in some ways, I don't even think that could possibly compare to the level "Marie" is on. I'm not religious at all, but I could even relate to the religious overtones found in "Marie". Basically, everyone should read this.

Overall: 10/10
I recommend The Music of Marie to every one and anyone, regardless of what genre you usually enjoy. Even if you don't like manga, you will like "Marie".

There is an astounding level of imagination on display in this tale of unrequited love of more ways than one.

The concept is kooky and mysterious as hell, and it’s all complimented by an aspect lacking in the majority of manga: world-building. Sure characters should be the main priority in a story, but the world they inhabit should also be developed and at the very least drawn with some level of detail, to further pull the reader into a story. Most authors either are not bothered, not capable or don’t have the time to fill out their backgrounds, either in art or story ... content. Some authors, thankfully do put in effort to create an entire backdrop for their stories, Usamaru Furuya being one of them.

Marie's idyllic world is detailed, unique, and fully showcased with big panels or whole pages, sometimes with excellent plot-reveals that make you pause to take it all in, visually and narratively.

The story opens with two childhood friends, Kai and Pipi, making a trip an hour away from where they live. A good excuse for Furuya to give us a tour of the island, leading us to the first amazing reveal of the manga. It wouldn’t be much of a spoiler to mention that we see Marie for the first time. As for what this bizarre contraption is, well that would be a spoiler and you'll have to read this great manga to find out.

The backdrop of this story is a utopia populated by inventers and creative minds, all flourishing together without any conflict at all. The island that we concentrate on anyway, other islands in this world have other specialities, and all of them trade with each other peacefully, sharing their wares. It’s all so idealistic it might bring a tear to your eye.

The driving force of the story is based around the mythology of the world, the design and purpose of everything, the economic system, the religion. Especially religion. Marie's presence is dominating, floating around in the sky like a strange angel; its purpose and its effect on Kai are very interesting indeed. Hovering between idol-worship, obsession, and lust, you have to applaud Furuya's imagination on display here, for using simple templates of destiny and perhaps Plato's cave but dressing it all up in his own quirks.

There are no major conflicts of good versus evil, but there is definitely something vaguely not right hovering around the edges of the tale. It’s this subtle tension that makes the story so addictive, as all good mysteries should strive for. A story without any conflict at all is worthless however, but the form it takes in this one is via Pipi’s love for Kai going unnoticed by the guy who’s more preoccupied with Marie in the sky with melodies. The characters themselves aren’t going imbed themselves in your mind, but their plotlines are good enough to drive the narrative.

As of this review only nine chapters have been scanalated, but regardless of how the manga ends, it’s built up enough goodwill from this reader through excellent world-building; and decent characterisation and art. If you want to immerse yourself in a strange unique world then check out Marie and her surreal melodies.

I disagree with most of the fans of this.
Is it good?
Yes
Is it underrated?
Yes.

Do I like it?
no.
The art style felt way too shoujo which distracted me from what could have been very good looking artwork
The story took too long to go anywhere, half of the entire thing and even then it wasnt satisfying considering I had to slough through half slice of nothing happening.
... characters were bland and got better but again a bit too late.

6

The world in this manga was without doubt the main selling point, or rather the only selling point. Which is perfectly fine for me, as I can easily enjoy a piece of work immensely as long as it has at least one very strong and creative point.

Unfortunately I can't say the world was perfect, or even brilliant, at most I can say it was decent. I found the world presented in the early chapters highly bizarre and full of wonder. Yet as the manga progressed I couldn't help but lose interest in it.

The main cause of my disinterest was the fact that the author didn't ... allow for reader interpretation, he diluted the wonder by leaving little to the imagination; it's a problem in the same vain of author's not trusting in reader intelligence, they believe that the reader's won't be able to read between the lines, so they jam in exposition dump after exposition dump to explain everything and ultimately leave no subtlety in their work.

There were multiple subtle world-building moments in the manga that were completely negated by an unneeded explanation soon after.

Basically the world was explained, the meaning and theme were explained, and even the very last questionable point in the manga was explained, which I find is a pretty bog standard path for a manga that had such imaginative potential to take.

Interestingly enough the characters were actually harmed by the world they inhabited, which I find is a bit of a deeper meaning that the author didn't intend for. You see, all the characters, with the exception of two, were merely mouth-pieces for the world, they existed to explain the world, which even though sounds philosophical is ultimately shallow. If the author had replaced these exposition-characters with fully realized and interesting characters it would have improved not just the characters themselves but the world as well, allowing for it to appear even stranger and mysterious.

The only two characters actually worth naming are Pipi and Kai. Even though both of them are fairly shallow in their own right, Pipi more so than Kai.

Pipi is actually a pretty terrible character by all standards, yet she can at least be called a character, unlike the world-expositors. The problem with Pipi was that her entire character was defined by her love of Kai. She had no goals, motivations, relationships and traits outside of the box known as Kai. Funnily enough the one shown interest she had outside of Kai, her garden, was even revealed to be some esoteric profession and dedication of love towards Kai in the final chapter, which fully rendered her character as 100% Kai defined.

Kai himself was also fully defined and obsessed with another character, though in his case it worked much better, simply because it worked in tandem with the theme of the manga and raised some interesting personal questions. Though he had basically no personality.

There was one plot twist right at the end of the manga, which I felt was pretty ridiculous. The plot twist itself didn't surprise me as I had thought something along those lines was going on in the first chapter, where the first foreshadow for this twist appeared. The bit that I found ridiculous was the other characters complete lack of reaction(with a few exceptions) throughout the manga, at what should've of been a pretty telling situation. Really I feel the twist shouldn't have been explained at all, and the author should have simply left all the foreshadowing as an interesting little mystery to those paying attention, it would have at least kept my suspension of disbelief in tacked.

Overall this manga felt weak, it unequivocally answered every question its theme brought up, which I don't doubt some enjoy, but which I find a pretty boring form of world-building, a form which makes the world feel tiny and unimaginative. The moral questions are also given answers, and I shouldn't have to explain why that's dull. In spite of all the problems I had with it, the manga was much more interesting and creative than what is usually served in this medium so I would definitely recommend it.

did god create man or did man create god?
an ambitious and unconventional work, Osamu Furuya's masterpiece The Music of Marie is a thoughtful and psychological manga that, despite its few chapters, presents a story full of meaning, accompanied by multiple points of reflection.
story
The world is watched over by the mechanical goddess Marie, who watches over her creation from above the heavens. Life flows peacefully and serenely in a world with advanced technology that makes men happy and immune to all desires. But why can't knowledge progress any further? Had the world always lived in this state of peace?
the story can boast of the variety of ... its content, presenting a development of the relationship of the 2 protagonists, giving a big space also to a world building cared to the smallest details.
in the second part the manga will become more and more introspective and philosophical, without abandoning what has been developed before.
all this is seasoned with spectacular twists that will make the reader's point of view over and over again.
the antithesis between technological progress and religion is the central point, the key to the reading, which Furuya, in my opinion, focuses on the most.
characters
Pipi is a rather lively popular girl, persevering, impulsive, pure and kind. right from the start we can see the strong feeling she has for Kai. her evolution will be touching to say the least.
Kai, on the other hand, is a quiet, reliable and thoughtful boy. a certain event in the past has marked the course of his life, causing a constant inner conflict on many levels. he can hear sounds that are imperceptible to other human beings.
Gule, a secondary character, is both a priest and a scientist, he will have a good development and presents the dualism that will be central in the manga itself.
the secondary characters are simple but functional and enjoyable.
Art
the drawings, even if they have not yet reached the apex of maturity, are however of remarkable workmanship, especially the wonderful and extremely detailed backgrounds that help to immerse oneself even more in this fantastic world. Unfortunately there are still some uncertainties in the trait of the faces and in the perspective in the long fields, but this does not prejudice the reading in any way.
A masterful work that will appeal to those who want to immerse themselves in existential and philosophical questions as well as those who enjoy a painful and never-ending story of passion.
Must-read.

I don’t think you should go into this manga taking everything the author says at face value. I prefer to read it as a portrayal of the author’s complex relationship with his own reality, especially the anguish he feels when he tries to reconcile himself with it. It’s more of a cry for help than it is applicable to real life, I guess, but it’s detached from reality for a reason—heavy stuff can hard to think about and confront directly. In the end, it was easier for him to continue his escape with fallacious portrayals of human nature than it was to make any constructive ... points or observations. And that’s what most people end up falling to, anyway. If anyone has ever had a conclusive answer to the questions he dances around, they would have shared it with the class by now.

That is ultimately what made me appreciate The Music of Marie when I could’ve easily dismissed it just because I disagree with what one may mistake for being its message. The story, art, and writing are all simultaneously intricate and raw, just like their world as it is under Marie’s watch. Emotion does not escape through the cracks in its machinery to draw your attention away from them—it’s what powers the machine to begin with.

Too much potential, but did in a bad way.

Marie no Kanaderu Ongaku is a manga about a girl who lives in a strange world and loves a man named Kai who is a strange person.

First, the best thing in this manga is the world and the art style. Both of them combine really well. Is not too realistic, so it creates a sensation of surrealism, because of the strange world they live full of gears and green. Even though the world is interesting, the main focus of the manga is not the world building, so we are not introduced to all the it's caracteristics ... and cultures or somethings like that.

The story of the manga is not bad, but it was badly executaded. There is a lot of subjects the manga tried to develop, for example the religion, the godness, the relation of Kai and the girl, but none of these were actually really developed in its total potential.

The "ending" too was unnecessary.

Despite all that, it's a good manga and it's not so long, so you can read it in a few minutes. Good way to relax reading something different!

i tend to gravitate towards stories that break my heart in some way and force me to face something fundamental about myself in the process.

if me saying that this story was paramount to founding my ideas about love and relationships sounds a bit hyperbolic, i'm sorry. it's true, though. this story is insanely brilliant and beautiful and world-rending. i've never wanted so badly to be able to read something for the first time all over again. that said, every subsequent read has added even more to the experience, so i'm not mad.

i don't usually buy physical copies of things (i mean most everything has a ... free version online, anyways) but it really proves the quality that i spent my own hard-earned money on a physical copy of this manga. in fact, i consider this to be among my top three books EVER.

on to the actual meat of the review, though. i think this is a standout piece of media and i know not everyone agrees with that, WHICH IS FINE (even though bitterness fills my veins whenever i see people calling this boring or "style over substance" or whatever lol) but in my eyes, it's the most perfect manga i've ever read.

the setting of the story immediately makes you feel like you're part of this beautiful, eccentric world that Usamaru Furuya has painstakingly created (i don't need to explain how hard it is to create your own fantasy world, do i?) everything from the mysterious god floating in the sky, to the steampunk-y feel of the actual world is so masterfully done and contributes so much to the enjoyment of the story. this isn't the type of story where a world like ours would work, anyways, so it only makes sense for it to be fantastical.

i'm definitely not religious but i love that the main plot has this giant, otherworldly (even in this other world, Marie feels otherworldly) THING that everyone reveres and the way it's actually incorporated into the story in a way that makes sense. the way she hangs over this world, seemingly watching our protagonists' every movements while not even really being an active participant is just so... MMH *chef's kiss*

the way everything flows in this story is amazing, i truly feel that it does everything it was set out to do and explains everything that needed explanation. yeah, the story can probably feel a bit outlandish or even dull to other people but i don't feel that way at all. this story has a weird way of getting to you? the first time i read it i was so deeply entranced by it that i could feel myself disengaging from reality LOL it really sucks you in if you let it!

as does the art, for that matter! the way everything looks is so incredible. the maximalist set-pieces of gears and gadgets and metal and everything is such an interesting setting and the art is perfect for it imo. from the haunting and quiet, desolate landscapes, to the huge, imposing figures, and the humble homes in the village it's all just so GORGEOUS. the characters are very simple-looking but not in a way that doesn't translate or work. i like that... it makes everything feel a lot more put-together since the world requires so much detail. i think it would be odd if every character had some elaborate costume or design element y'know?

not to mention, the characters are also soooo wonderful! pipi is an amazing leading lady. she's fun, exuberant, smart, and while she's a bit childish, it surprisingly never comes off as annoying. kai is also a stand-out. his main draw may be that he has this weird power that alienates him from everyone (except pipi, anyways) but he's no slouch on the personality front. also, his connection to Marie is horrifying and grotesque in a way that i absolutely adoreee. even the supporting cast are interesting and fun!

the themes of love and belief and reverence in this story are irrevocably important to me (seriously, that ending is going to be burned into my brain forever and is ALWAYS going to be how i measure love from now on). i know it isn't good to feel so connected to a piece of media (i guess) but i truly feel that this story is a part of who i am now, since it changed the way i feel and think about love forever.

i don't think there will EVER be a manga that is as special & important to me as this one is, which is equal parts disappointing and wonderful. i see this manga as MY manga like ... honestly i dunno if anyone will ever like this as much as i do. i'd love if everyone gave it a try, though! it's definitely not entry-level but it's perfect for people who like oddball shit heh.

Let's get the good out of the way first here. The art is incredible and very creative here. It's not to be understated how wonderful it is and how easy it is to immerse yourself into the world solely off of the art alone. Without a doubt the best part of the manga is its artwork and visual aspects. Props should also be given to this manga when it comes to the general idea and concept of the story itself. Wouldn't get into it in order to avoid spoilers, but the concepts for this story could have worked if it wasn't for one thing...

That ... being it really feels like the author thinks the reader is a complete idiot. The dialogue/writing in this manga actively frustrates me to no end. At every chance the author gets, instead of letting the reader understand what is being shown, there is a dialogue box to tell us what is being shown. It is hard to explain without an example. SLIGHT chapter 1 spoilers. So our ML is walking up to the workshop where our FL builds robots. When he gets there, he tells us that all of the 10s of robots were partially maintained by her constantly. This is fine internal dialogue by the ML. Not the most creative way to tell us that, especially when you were already showing us that. Then, the ML says something along the lines of "There are so many of them. It must be hard work" and then while looking at her smiling "She looks so happy laughing like that". See...this is annoying to me. You just SHOWED her working. The art perfectly shows how much effort she puts into maintaining the robots, and how much she cares for them. You don't need to say it too. SHE IS LITERALLY SMILING. YOU DON'T NEED TO TELL ME SHE IS SMILING AND LAUGHING. IT IS A MANGA!! I CAN SEE HER LAUGHING AND SMILING!!

...Okay. Now what if I told you it was like this for the rest of the manga. Every chapter. Practically every page. This example is like from the 2 and 3 page.

**This is Important** For the most part, anime/manga isn't a particularly subtle medium in what it tries to do for the most part. I can stand some stupid dialogue or something lazily explained in manga. It's a medium in which showing the story can sometimes be difficult to convey without an explanation. However, this manga far overcorrects for this problem. It partially removes all subtly and interpretation on the readers end. It feels like the author is holding my hand and doesn't respect the reader to interpret the work in any way. I know I am being harsh, but it genuinely ruined my experience reading this manga. It has interesting ideas and incredible artwork, but it doesn't let it speak for itself. Which is especially disappointing for this manga, since the artwork really does say so much for this manga in particular. It's too bad that the author didn't trust the reader to find the meaning by ourselves. This manga could easily be a 7 or 8 out of 10 manga if 40% of the dialogue boxes were removed.