The appeal and reviews of "Maria-sama ga Miteru": A thorough analysis of the touching school drama

Maria-sama ga Miteru - A story of pure bond and growth between girls

"Maria-sama ga Miteru" is a TV anime series based on a fictional novel series for girls written by Konno Oyuki. It was broadcast on TV Tokyo in 2004 and gained a lot of support from viewers. This work is a new school drama set at the private Lillian Girls' Academy, depicting the growth and bonds of students. Below, we will introduce detailed information and the appeal of this work.

Overview

"Maria-sama ga Miteru" is a 13-episode anime series that aired on TV Tokyo from January 7 to March 31, 2004. It is based on a novel by Konno Oyuki and published by Shueisha's Cobalt Bunko imprint. It was animated by Studio Deen and directed by Yukihiro Matsushita. It airs every Wednesday from 25:00 to 25:30, and is a 30-minute program.

story

Private Lillian Girls' Academy is a school where young ladies from good families gather to enjoy a pure and nurturing life. The high school division has an education system called "Seur," where a ceremony is held to exchange rosaries in order to become sisters. Older sisters instruct their younger sisters to behave in a manner appropriate for Lillian students. The main characters are Fukuzawa Yumi, a second-year high school student, and her older sister, Ogasawara Sachiko. A new school drama unfolds around these two, woven together by members of the student council, the Yamayuri-kai.

Commentary

"Maria-sama ga Miteru" is a fiction novel series for girls written by Konno Oyuki, the first volume of which was released in 1998. The illustrations were done by Hibiki Reion, and the series has gained a fan base of both women and men. It has garnered widespread support beyond the target readership of Cobalt Bunko, with the first season of the hit TV series airing from January 2004, and the second season from July of the same year. The anime adaptation was also well-received, and the third series was released as an OVA consisting of five volumes, released every two months from November 29, 2006.

cast

• Yumi Fukuzawa - Kana Ueda
• Sachiko Ogasawara - Miki Ito
• Yoko Mizuno - Emi Shinohara
• Shimazu Yuno - Ikezawa Haruna
• Hasekura Rei - Ito Shizuka
• Eriko Torii - Hitomi Nabatame
• Shimako Todo - Mamiko Noto
• Sato Sei - Toyoguchi Megumi
• Tsutako Takeshima - Rina Sato
• Minako Tsukiyama - Yuko Kaida
• Mami Yamaguchi - Chiwa Saito
• Katsura - Noriko Shimoya
• Professor Yamamura - Sayaka Ohara
• Yu Kashiwagi - Nobuyuki Hiyama
• Yuki Fukuzawa - Mitsuhiro Ichiki

Main Staff

• Original author - Konno Oyuki
• Published by Cobalt Bunko, Shueisha
• Director - Yukihiro Matsushita
• Series Composition - Reiko Yoshida
• Character design - Akira Matsushima
• Art director: Nobuhito Sakamoto
• Color design - Shinji Matsumoto
• Director of photography - Masayuki Kawaguchi
• Edited by Masahiro Matsumura
• Sound Director - Miwa Iwanami
• Music - Mikiya Katakura
• Animation production: Studio Deen

Main Characters

Fukuzawa Yumi <br> Her father is the director of an architectural firm, and she has attended Lillian since kindergarten. Compared to the beautiful members of the Yamayuri Society, she is average in both looks and grades, and is rather inconspicuous. However, through an unexpected turn of events, Ogasawara Sachiko, a Red Rose Bud, declares that they are sisters. Her emotions are easily shown on her face, and she can sometimes become all-seeing. She has a younger brother who looks just like her.

Ogasawara Sachiko <br> She is the granddaughter of the chairman of the Ogasawara Group, which operates a wide range of businesses including department stores and leisure facilities, and her mother's family was formerly of the nobility, making her a true lady of nobility. She is just as noble and fastidious on the inside as she is on the outside, but she is also quite contrary. She can be scary when angry, and due to family circumstances, she dislikes men.

Mizuno Yoko <br> She is an honor student who is always calm, polite and serious. She is particularly reliable among the Roses and is the one who brings them together. She also has a caring side, and keeps a kind eye on Shoko and Yumi. She is an officer of the Yamayuri-kai (Lillian Academy Student Council).

Shimazu Yuno <br> She is the cousin of Hasekura Rei, the Yellow Rose Bud, and they live next door to each other. She was born with a weak constitution and is often seen as a girly type who needs to be protected, but in reality she is very strong-willed and assertive.

Hasekura Rei <br> He has a boyish beauty and is also known as Mister Lillian. He and his sister (sour) Shimazu Yuno are real cousins ​​and live next door to each other. They run a dojo at home and are the ace of the kendo club.

Torii Eriko <br> She is a cool person who has no strengths or weaknesses in anything and can do everything above average. Perhaps because of this, she is not satisfied with ordinary things and shows a strong interest in unusual and unexpected things. Her trademark is a headband, and she is known for tying her tie the most beautifully in the entire school. She is a somewhat vague and elusive person. She is an officer of the Yamayurikai (Lillian Academy Student Council).

Shimako Todo <br> Usually a second-year student would become a rose bud, but Shimako Todo is a first-year student who accepted an offer from White Rose to become the younger sister. She has a quiet personality that matches her appearance, but she also has the strength to clearly express her opinions.

Satou Sei <br> Despite his beautiful appearance that is unusual for a Japanese person, "inside he's a middle-aged man who likes to hug others" (according to Yumi). He boasts of being extremely popular with the younger students, and they always tease Yumi about something they like about her. In fact, he is also a reliable presence. He is an officer of the Yamayuri-kai (Lillian Academy Student Council).

Takeshima Tsutako <br> Yumi's classmate, she is the ace of the photography club who loves taking pictures. Her trademark is her rimless glasses, and she is a good confidant for Yumi.

Tsukiyama Minako <br> She is the head of the newspaper club and the publisher of the Lillian Newspaper. She has the vitality to do anything to write an interesting article.

Katsura <br> A classmate of Yumi's and a member of the tennis club. Her older sister (Grand Soeur) is a senior in the same club, and she became her younger sister (Petite Soeur) on the day she joined the club. She is a girl who is sensitive to rumors that Yumi and the others are unaware of.

Yamamura Sensei <br> She is the teacher in charge of the Kendo club at Lillian Girls' Academy, where Rei belongs.

Kashiwagi Yu <br> Serves as student council president. Hanadera Academy is an all-boys school located on the same hill as Lillian Girls' Academy, and is a Buddhist preparatory school with aptitude from kindergarten to university. The Hanadera Student Council and the Yamayuri Association have an exchange, and it is customary for them to help each other with events during the school festival.

Fukuzawa Yuki <br> Yuuki is Yumi's younger brother, and is nicknamed "Yukichi" by the student council president, Kashiwagi, who is strangely fond of him.

subtitle

• Episode 1 - The turbulent sisterhood declaration (2004/01/7)
• Episode 2 - A Foreboding Duet (2004/01/14)
• Episode 3 - The Moon and the Rosary (2004/01/21)
• Episode 4 - Yellow Rose Revolution (2004/01/28)
• Episode 5 - Fighting Maidens (2004/02/04)
• Episode 6 - Rosa Canina (2004/02/11)
• Episode 7 - Surprise Chocolate, Part 1 (2004/02/18)
• Episode 8 - Surprise Chocolate, Part 2 (2004/02/25)
• Episode 9 - The Red Card (2004/03/03)
• Episode 10 - The Forest of Thorns (2004/03/10)
• Episode 11 - White Petals (2004/03/17)
• Episode 12 - First Date Triangle (2004/03/24)
• Episode 13 - Good day, sister (2004/03/31)

Related Titles

• Maria-sama is watching ~Spring~
• OVA Maria-sama ga Miteru 3rd Season
• Maria-sama ga Miteru 4th Season

Theme songs and music

OP1
Song title: pastel pure
Composer: Mikiya Katakura Arrangement: Yoshihisa Hirano

ED1
Song Name: Sonata Blue
Composer: Mikiya Katakura Arrangement: Yoshihisa Hirano

Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Maria-sama ga Miteru" is a work that depicts the pure bonds and growth of girls, and its delicate human relationships and beautiful visuals are appealing. In particular, the growth and conflicts of the characters depicted through the sister relationships deeply move viewers. Furthermore, the drama that unfolds in the special environment of Lillian Girls' Academy depicts universal themes of youth, despite its unrealistic worldview.

The beautiful drawings by Studio Deen, the animation production company, and the music by Mikiya Katakura further enhance the atmosphere of the work. In particular, the opening theme "Pastel Pure" and the ending theme "Sonata Blue" have beautiful melodies that symbolize the worldview of the work and are sure to remain in the hearts of viewers.

The series has also been highly praised by anime fans, not just fans of the original novel, and has led to the production of sequels, OVAs, and a fourth season. These works also delve deeper into the story of Lillian Girls' Academy, providing viewers with new excitement.

Recommended points

"Maria-sama ga Miteru" is a beautiful story about the growth and bond between girls. The following points are the reasons why we highly recommend it.

• Delicate human relationships : The character growth and conflicts depicted through the sister relationships deeply move the audience.
• Beautiful Visuals : Studio Deen's beautiful artwork and Mikiya Katakura's music enhance the atmosphere of the work.
• Universal themes of youth : The drama unfolds in the special environment of Lillian Girls' School, and although it has an unrealistic world view, it still depicts universal themes of youth.
• Sequels : An OVA and a fourth season have also been produced, allowing you to enjoy the story of Lillian Girls' Academy in even greater depth.

This work is especially recommended for those who like shoujo fiction and school dramas. If you want to enjoy a story of pure heart and growth, be sure to watch "Maria-sama ga Miteru."