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Plot Synopsis

No plot synopsis or other information available for Maria sama ga Miteru

Story & Characters

Maria-sama ga Miteru, translated “The Virgin Mary is Watching”, is an elegant, subtle, graceful anime with none of the usual gimmicks. You will not find giant mecha, fast-paced fighting scenes, silly jokes, fan service, or melodrama. The relationships explored in the series are far too complex to be defined simply; the lines between friend, sister and lover are blurred, and interpreting the true depth and meaning of the various relationships are part of the show’s charm and intrigue.

There is a very beautiful, feminine, romantic aura around every aspect of this anime, from the soft, sepia-tinted colors and flower imagery to the delicate classical soundtrack. The religious overtones and use of French terminology, as well as the overall purpose of the Lillian school itself and the “soeur system” of student government, create a traditional, cultured atmosphere in which the characters are expected to develop all the traits of ideal femininity. Developmental psychology teaches us that in general, girls tend to form closer, more intense, more intimate friendships than boys. This story explores those relationships, asking the viewer to consider whether there really is a distinct line between sisterhood and romance, between friendship and love. It is a romantic story in the deepest, most complex sense of the word.

Rating

9 (very good)

Art

Maria-sama ga Miteru features some amazing visual features. The drawings of the characters themselves are very hypnotizing, and are easily qualified as cute. The backgrounds are well made as well, featuring mostly Lillian Girl's Academy and it's surroundings.
The drawing style is very cute, yet realistic. Yumi is the cute and cuddley character and you can see it just by the drawings of her character. On the other hand, Saichiko is the serious and strict girl and the style in which she is drawn reflects this fact

Rating

7 (above average)

Sound

One of the first things I noticed about Maria-sama ga Miteru, was it's amazing soundtrack. If you are a lover of classic music you will without doubt fall in love with the both the Opening, Ending and the background music. It has a very dramatic sound to it, which fits the story very well. I recently purchased the Original Soundtrack, and I have fallen in love with the music. It is very relaxing and enjoyable, even for those who aren't hardcore (in lack of a better word) classic lovers.

As for the acting of the voice actors, it is sugoi (great). With some amazing voice acting by Noto Mamiko known from Girls Bravo (Yukinari) and School Rumble (Yakumo) as the most prominent figure.

Rating

9 (very good)

Presentation

I have seen a lot of animes in my days, but very few had me itching for more after finishing it. But Maria-sama ga Miteru had me sitting on the edge of my chair right until the end.

The story is incredibly compelling, the characters are believable, the music is enjoyable and last, but not least, the animations are amazing!

Maria-sama is a very serious anime, depicting the relationship between girls at a allgirls school, but they manage to get some fun situation out of this. Especially the ones featuring Rosa Gigantea and Yumi, preferably alone.

After finishing this anime, I had two tasks to do:
1: Find out if there was a manga and if anyone had scanlated it
2: If yes on question 1, download or buy

But alas, I was heartbroken when it was revealed that the manga had only gotten to volume 2, far behind the anime. However, I soon found out that there was a series of novels available for purchase.. but, yet again, alas.. it had not been translated to english and was unlikely to be in the near future. I even went to great lengths to look for amateur translations of the novels.
This should show how addictive the story was. Many might say I am exagerrating, but I would claim that I've "fallen jn love" with this anime. The characters are so believeable and lovely that you can't help to start caring for them and their wellbeing.

If you enjoy a good romantic or dramatic anime, I highly recommend you try out this amazing anime. Don't let the genre "shoujo-ai" scare you.

Rating

9 (very good)

Final Verdict

8.67 (very good)

Reviewed by treks, 2y 49wk ago