So the series started very promising as a fanservice – action packed mahou shoujo one of a kind and I’m fairly happy to say that it disappointed…by NOT being just that. First of all, magical powers aren’t the main topic here and they’re not wildly used like you often see in series of the same genre and it also comes with a price, or rather with a condition which makes things sooo much more interesting.
Maria fights to maintain peace (I know how stupid that sounds) during The Hundred Years' War (1337 – 1453) without actually taking any side, but making sure that all the battles going on around her are stopped. What I love about this series is that it also shows the consequences of her meddling and that not all of them are good (like for example the mercenaries who no longer have a job to do are attacking the allied villages in order to get the loot they couldn’t receive otherwise) and thus she attracts the attention of God who sends Archangel Michael to bring her to justice for interfering with the natural order of the world. And this is where things start getting really heavy.
The plot itself is both historical (really like that whoever was in charge of graphic design actually took the time to study armor designs) social, philosophical and unexpectedly religious. It deals with the problems the Catholic Church is mostly renowned for and the difference between faith and dogma and also brings into question the purpose of war on Earth. Maria’s magical powers are also based upon summoning ancient creatures and will further on emphasize on the idea that all myths survive as long as there will be someone to remember them. The “new faith” seems to be taken into account as well, although it’s not blatantly mentioned like so. Through Bernard’s character atheism is also masterfully placed on the table in contrast – or rather in perfect harmony with everything that has been shown throughout the series as secular humanism.
All these serious aspects of the plot are gradually sprinkled with some good doses of warfare, humor, magic, lively characters and sizzled innuendos that won’t disappoint if you’re only looking for a light series.
All and all Junketsu no Maria is so far this year’s must watch and a real delight for all fans of the genre.
