An outstanding anime which can be compared to the old but never getting old classics, Junketsu no Maria is an anime that has great expectations yet it makes use of it's own medium for good. The combination of historical, ecchi, comedy, and fantasy is often used during the 90s, but what will we get these days? Definitely something better!
Virginity is a sacred or a word that must be used with caution, especially for the church. Junketsu no Maria or Maria the Virgin Witch is very honest to itself, it knows where it stands and does a great job in using it's limited resources for the best package it can offer. Set in Medieval times, the story is about Maria, a witch living in the forest who hates wars(wars were held at that era for gold), and her adventures in stopping and interfering in wars using her own magic. The story can be quite misleading though, for her magic will vanish if her virginity is lost. Why? Because this is her punishment for stopping wars and to maintain balance in the world without the use of magic and something like the "natural law" of the world.
The art is standard, nothing bad about it and it's quality just above average and at time it can be so-so. But I'll say it's quite good because s really sets the visuals to become old but still has the good quality and sets the mood like what we see on old times. Character designs were simple yet kinda weird, backgrounds were pretty because of the little details and the right use of magical effects are good. I won't say the art is bad, but it gets the job done right.
Character section is the most important part in this anime, for these are the elements that carry and support this show. We have the main character Maria, and she has the right characteristics to become a great lead. She's cute, entertaining, and I think she's a rare kind of girl. We can't see a main character like that these days. Supporting characters such as Artemis, Priapus, Ezekiel, Viv, Galfa, Lord Michael, Le Comte, Joseph, and other side characters are also important for plot progression as they are related to Maria. Their actions are justified by their motivations and this has no melodrama for dramatic scenes, characters have heart and real personalities. I don't think any of them are annoying, but they still have flaws, which, can be remedied by sufficient amounts of character developments(which, the anime has already applied). Speaking of, character development in this anime is slow and unnoticable, but in the end we will realized how much they changed.
The opening "Philosophy of Dear World" by ZAQ is just an average upbeat song, and it emphasizes the Magical and Fantasy genres of the anime. The ending song "Ailes" by TRUE is just calm and sweet, it portrays the medieval theme of the show. I must give a high recognition for the voice actress of Maria, her voice fits well with Maria's personality and her expressions are really topnotch. Sound effects are decent and they have various sets of soundtracks being played. One thing I also noticed is that even the slightest little sound is detailed, which can give more life to the scene and give impact to the viewers.
These kinds of shows are not appealing at first, but it's really enjoyable and have it's own merits to stand on its own and has a lot of potential to become a more promising tragedy-fantasy series. It's unsatisfying though, because the series is really short but it can have more episodes to flesh out the characters more with its current state. I won't say it's rushed, more of it has just the right pacing. Totally underrated in my opinion, this series is a total delicious treat for plot-driven stories lovers.
A LITTLE WARNING : The plot may lead people to become atheists and may change their views on the church because of blasphemous scenes and dialogues. Sex jokes and explicit scenes are also present(although very little), but become an open-minded person and see the moral lesson inside its core.
Story - 8
Art - 8
Sound - 8
Character - 9
Enjoyment - 10
Overall - 9
