I have heard the saying, “you could fill a book with the amount of things I do not know”. In the case of Maria Watches Over Us, they filled a thirteen episode anime season. I did not know that Japan had all-girl Catholic schools. I did not know that Valentine’s Day was such a big deal. And I certainly did not know that I am capable of enjoying a show so clearly not aimed at my demographic.
So buckle up, dearest readers, as we delve into the lace trimmed and flower filled world of Maria Watches Over Us.
Plot Summary
At the Lillian Girls’ Academy, the student’s practice a form of mentorship known as the sœur (better known as sister for those of us who do not speak French) system. A second or third year student will take a freshman under her wing by bestowing her rosary upon the underclassmen. In the case of Yumi Fukuzawa, a series of coincidences leads her to become the petite sœur (little sister) of the imposing and popular Sachiko Ogasawara.
Through this new found relationship, the clumsy Yumi is thrown into the world of the Yamayuri Council, the aristocratic student government that presides over Lillian.
(L to R) Yumi, Sachiko
Review
After watching the first disc of Maria, the series wasn’t doing too well with me. The characters seemed vapid, the writing was coarse and stilted, and there was a lack of depth with the characters around Yumi. There were plenty of facts about the characters (“She doesn’t trust men!” or “She is very insecure about herself.”) with very little motivation of explanation as to why the characters had these traits.
But, being the brave little toaster that I am, I forged ahead in the series and my dislike of Maria began to erode. While the characters are not instantly likable as they are in other character driven dramas (Fruits Basket, I am looking at you!), I grew to adore them over time. The plot took a shift away from Yumi being the center of everything to her being an unbiased observer in a world that is familiar yet strikingly alien.
By the last four episodes of the series, I was really involved with the characters and the trials they face. Having never been a teenage girl in a strict (some might say smothering) environment, I had real problems finding any reason to care about their problems at first.
One of the girls doesn’t want to be in a play because she has to dance with a boy? Boo-freakin’-hoo. Get over yourself, lady!
But, as the character became more fleshed out, I found myself caring about such insignificant quandaries because the character that I felt attachment to cared about it. That, my friends, is capable storytelling.
Character Development
In a character drama, the entire piece lives and dies by how much the viewer attaches to the character. Pity, love, even hate: any emotion felt strongly to a fictional being means success on the part of the creator. Perhaps the reason I was slow to like the characters at first was there were just too many of them. In the first episode alone I was introduced to about eight young women who all had the same traits on the surface.
Once each character has their time in the spotlight, it is hard not identify and sympathize with them.My absolute favorite (and I’ll be vague here as to avoid spoilers), consists of two sisters (sœurs, not familial) that have to starkly contrasted personalities. One is very ill, and ends up breaking off her sisterhood with her sœur in an attempt to spur a strengthening of character in her (no longer) sister. The arc plays out over a few episodes and is wildly entertaining and heartwarming to say the least.
Character Design
The artwork put into the characters is proficient, but not completely remarkable. At times I was very impressed with the detail and expressions that the characters were conveying, but oftentimes I felt like I was looking at the same girl with interchangeable hair. I did like how prim and proper Sachiko’s design was as opposed to the clumsy and silly expressions of Yumi.
Animation
There was nothing in the animation that drove me to notice how good it was, but each episode seemed to contain a moment or movement that was awkward enough to break immersion with me. Still, it’s passable enough to not be a detracting quality.
Music
Two words: boiler plate. Music in Maria is completely average in every sense of the word. The orchestral opening and closing themes fit the feel of the show, but it seems to saturate the more tense and dramatic moments of the series. Remember all of you anime music directors: less is more sometimes.
Voice Acting
No English dubs here! Not because they are bad, they simply do not exist. High marks all around, especially for Megumi Toyoguchi in her portrayal of Sei Sato. This actress runs the gamut of emotions, sometimes within the same episode, and lends power to the drama surrounding her character. Bravo. Bravo indeed.
Production
All of the elements detailed above come together wonderfully in the second and third acts of the series to deliver compelling characters and entertaining drama. The best part of the DVD release is the inclusion of an omake bonus, Don’t Tell Mother Maria. These silly little additions are the most entertaining bonuses I have seen in a while. It’s nice to see a production poke a little fun at itself. Honestly, the art style could have been used for the entire series, and I would not have cared one bit.
From the bonus omake.
Conclusion
Slow to start, but strong to finish; Maria Watches Over Us is a series with heart. What the show lacks in glitz and polish, it makes up for in drama and characters. If you’re looking for comedy or heaping amounts of plot devices, look elsewhere. But if it is character studies you seek, sit right down and enjoy your stay at Lillian.
Rating
Maria Watches Over Us gets 3.5 outta 5 Hammies!
Retail Info
- Publisher: RightStuf!
- Retail Price: $49.99
- Number of discs: 3
- Episodes: 13
- Run Time: 325 minutes
- Rating: 13+
- Language: Japanese
- Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
- Format: Animated, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled
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