Maria-sama ga Miteru
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Maria-sama ga Miteru | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| マリア様がみてる (The Virgin Mary is Watching) |
|
| Genre | Shōjo |
| Novel | |
| Authored by | Konno Oyuki |
| Publisher |  Shueisha |
| Publish date | 24 April 1998 - |
| No. of volumes | 26 |
| Manga | |
| Authored by | Konno Oyuki (story) Nagasawa Satoru (art) |
| Publisher | Shueisha |
| Serialized in | Margaret |
| Original run | 5 February 2004 – |
| No. of volumes | 5 |
| TV anime | |
| Directed by | Yukihiro Matsushita |
| Studio | Studio DEEN |
| Network | TV Tokyo, ABS-CBN |
| Original run | 7 January 2004 – 31 March 2004 |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| TV anime | |
| Directed by | Yukihiro Matsushita |
| Studio | Studio DEEN |
| Network | TV Tokyo |
| Original run | 4 July 2004 – 9 September 2004 |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| OVA | |
| Directed by | Yukihiro Matsushita |
| Studio | Studio DEEN |
| No. of episodes | 5 |
| Released | 29 November 2006 - 25 July 2007 |
| Runtime | 50 minutes |
Maria-sama ga Miteru (マリア様がみてる, lit. approx. The Virgin Mary is Watching; often shortened to Marimite マリみて) is an on-going series of light novels by Oyuki Konno. The 25th volume was released on October 3, 2006. (One special novel has also been released.) The story has been adapted into a manga series by illustrator Satoru Nagasawa (beginning in 2003), a two-season shōjo anime series (broadcast on TV Tokyo in 2004), and a series of drama CDs. A third season of the anime is currently being released as an OVA series. The first release was in November 2006.
Contents |
[edit] History
In February 1997, Oyuki Konno, who was already an established author, (having won prizes in 1993 for the series of novels Yume no Miya) published in Cobalt magazine a short story called Maria-sama ga Miteru, that told of the experiences of preparatory students in an austere, elegant school called Lillian School for Young Ladies. The success of this story in the magazine inspired Konno to turn the story into a series of novels.
Thus, on the 10th of May, 1998, the first volume of Maria-sama ga Miteru was published, with additional illustrations from Hibiki Reine, an artist who specialises in shoujo. This volume is the true beginning of the Maria-sama ga Miteru story. (The short story of 1997 was republished in the ninth volume, in 2001.)
[edit] Story and setting
The story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls. It can be considered more character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. One notable aspect is the occasional use of French (it is in fact subtitled La Vierge Marie vous regarde, "The Virgin Mary is watching you"), although one need not be fluent in French to understand the story.
The school, which was founded in 1902 in Musashino, Tokyo, is depicted as an elegant, clean, pure and very prestigious school. The students are very respectable and in good standing. At the school there is a tradition known as the Soeur System (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second- or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them. At the start of the story, new first-year student Yumi Fukuzawa is suddenly approached by the seemingly-cold second-year student Sachiko Ogasawara to be her petite sœur.
The story often has some strong elements of romance between female characters; the use of lilies reinforces this in subtext, as do the names of the student council and of the school itself. (See the etymology of yuri for details.) It is only explicit about this sort of relationship once (in flashback), but many of the sisters have relationships that go beyond simple friendship — though not quite so far as to suggest romance between any of the primary characters (although the omake on the anime series' DVD release does, if only in jest). Nonetheless, this has not stopped fans of the show and dōjinshi creators from attempting to elaborate on these relationships as such: it comprises the majority of yuri fanart currently released, and any artwork of the series is often placed in the yuri sections of image boards. The Marimite novels, anime and manga series have an enormous yuri fandom as well.
The art design of the anime series is very flowing and of questionable quality. The color palette is significantly muted, taking advantage of the lesser palettes of fall and winter (such as yellowing ginkgo leaves and snow on the ground) to present a very minimal palette of colors. This is in sharp contrast to many other anime titles, like the bright and vivid Revolutionary Girl Utena, a show that Marimite is frequently compared and contrasted to because of their similar elegant natures revolving around school relationships. Another anime that Marimite is compared to is Oniisama e..., but Marimite is much less depressing.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Chinensis family
- Fukuzawa Yumi (福沢 祐巳) (voiced by Kana Ueda)
- The lead character of the show, Yumi is bashful beyond words, very timid and unsure of herself. She likes Sachiko very much but constantly wonders why Sachiko shows an interest in her.
- Ogasawara Sachiko (小笠原 祥子) (voiced by Miki Ito)
- Prim and elegant, Sachiko has a rough side and a very sweet side. She is very jealous over Yumi and cares deeply about her. Sachiko is slated to marry her cousin/fiancé after she graduates, a fact which has caused her some distress since, although she initially cared deeply for him, he did not reciprocate and they now have a complicated relationship. Despite her sometimes stern appearance, Sachiko has her own share of insecurities regarding her relationship with Yumi, not to mention emotional insecurities rising from her home life; both her father and grandfather openly have mistresses, unabashedly dividing their time between home and the mistresses.
- Mizuno Yōko (水野 蓉子) (voiced by Emi Shinohara)
- Calm and reserved, but usually with a smirk on her face, Yōko is Sachiko's grande sœur. As the nearly indisputable leader of the Yamayurikai during her time as Rosa Chinesis, she always played a major role in maintaining stability in its sometimes unstable environment. Though usually cool and refined, she was also known to have a bit of a fun side. Additionally, it has been largely implied and speculated that she may have had feelings for Satō Sei, as shown in the Marimite relationship chart.
[edit] Gigantea family
- Tōdō Shimako (藤堂 志摩子) (voiced by Mamiko Noto)
- Prim, proper and very beautiful, Shimako is the most admired of the first-years. She is the petite sœur of Satō Sei at the beginning of the story and later her successor. Underneath Shimako's quiet, mannerly exterior lies a surprisingly strong resolve. However, Shimako is perhaps the most gentle of the three girls of her year in the Yamayurikai.
- Satō Sei (佐藤 聖) (voiced by Megumi Toyoguchi)
- The exact opposite of most of the characters in the show: loud, rough-around-the-edges, she loves doing what she can to push other peoples' buttons. However, Sei is one of the wisest and caring characters on the show. Though seeming to have a playful and laid-back attitude, Sei has experienced many tragedies in her life, especially in her second year. After leaving Lillian, Sei studies English and American Literature.
- Former Rosa Gigantea (Satou Sei's Onee-sama) (voiced by Minami Takayama)
- Sei's Onee-sama is not given a name, but appears in flashbacks. Sei depended on her a lot, and she graduated from Lillian wishing Sei to find a good petite sœur.
[edit] Foetida family
- Shimazu Yoshino (島津 由乃) (voiced by Haruna Ikezawa)
- Yoshino is a girl who was very ill and cared for constantly by her grande sœur, Rei. Yoshino, however, is very independent and in some ways tomboyish, despite her sickly status and feminine appearance. In addition to being Rei's petite sœur, Yoshino is also her cousin and next-door neighbor. Theirs is a somewhat rocky relationship, since Yoshino is eager to spread her wings, whereas Rei would like to protect her from the world's hardships.
- Hasekura Rei (支倉 令) (voiced by Shizuka Ito)
- Rei, Yoshino's grande sœur, is outwardly very tomboyish and athletic and is involved in kendo, but obsessively cares about Yoshino and prefers the domestic arts, like cooking.
- Torii Eriko (鳥居 江利子) (voiced by Hitomi Nabatame)
- Rei's grande sœur; one of the most well-respected of the Yamayurikai. She is very gifted and good at almost everything, although she is also enigmatic and eccentric. She has a large forehead, which Sei made fun of when they were young, which began their rivalry. She said once that she chose Rei as her sœur to see if anything interesting would happen. She often has friction with Yoshino, as the younger girl is jealous of her bond with Rei. Eriko has four older brothers. After leaving Lillian, she studies Arts.
[edit] In Sachiko's year
- Tsukiyama Minako (築山 美奈子) (voiced by Yuko Kaida)
- Both head editor and president for the school's newspaper, Lillian Kawaraban. She is very dedicated to her duty as president, and can at times give Yumi an uneasy feeling.
- Kubo Shiori (久保 栞) (voiced by Akiko Nakagawa)
- Satō Sei's best friend and Ogasawara Sachiko's classmate. Her parents died when she was young. She left Lillian in her first year to pursue her dream of becoming a nun.
- Kanina Shizuka (蟹名 静) (voiced by Rino)
- Also known as Rosa Canina (for the Dog Rose) she is the star singer of the school choir. She originally admired Sei, but later on it is shown that she has also found an interest in Sei's petite sœur, Shimako. She left Lillian at the end of her second year to pursue a singing career in Italy.
[edit] In Yumi's year
- Yamaguchi Mami (山口真美) (voiced by Chiwa Saitō)
- Another staff member of the newspaper team, and Minako's sometimes irreverent petite sœur. However, like Minako, Mami herself is also always looking for the latest scoop.
- Takeshima Tsutako (武嶋 蔦子) (voiced by Rina Satou)
- Yumi's friend and avid photographer, she's part of the Photography Club and helps out sometimes for the school's newspaper. Never without her camera, she is always looking to capture the latest gossip about the Yamayurikai, and swears she can never be tied down to having a sœur of her own.
- Katsura (桂) (voiced by Noriko Shitaya)
- A classmate of Fukuzawa Yumi. A member of the tennis club. Her family name is not given.
[edit] In the year below Yumi
- Matsudaira Touko (松平 瞳子) (voiced by Kugimiya Rie)
- A distant relative and fan of Sachiko. She arrives at Lillian during Yumi's Second Year. Touko is a member of the Drama club, and nicknamed Mechanical Drill by Satou Sei for her corkscrew pigtails. In the beginning of her first year Touko causes some strain in the relationship between Yumi and Sachiko. However, it is apparent later on in the year that she may become Yumi's petite sœur.
- Hosokawa Kanako (細川 可南子) (voiced by Koshimizu Ami)
- A big fan of Fukuzawa Yumi, who only made a brief cameo appearance in the second season of the anime. She is 178cm tall, and referred to by Marimite fans as Denpa. She is presented as one of the girls who may become Yumi's petite sœur.
- Nijou Noriko (二条乃梨子) (voiced by Kaori Shimizu)
- A young girl with a fascination with Buddhist statues and art. She enters Lillian Academy (a strictly Catholic institution) by mistake. She has a fierce temper that contradicts her calm exterior and becomes Shimako's petite sœur as Shimako enters her second year.
- Arima Nana (有馬 菜々) (not voiced)
- A girl in her third year at Lillian Middle High School, and very likely to become Shimazu Yoshino's petite sœur. Mistaken to be Yoshino's petite sœur by Eriko at a kendo tournament.
[edit] Others
- Katō Kei (加東 景) (voiced by Saiga Mitsuki)
- Satō Sei's friend and course-mate at Lillian University.
- Seiko Kasuga (voiced by Tomoko Miyadera)
- A graduate of Lillian, she wrote the novel The Forest of Thorns under the pen name "Suga Sei". She was confused with Satou Sei by most of the students of Lillian, which caused an uproar.
- Suguru Kashiwagi (voiced by Nobuyuki Hiyama)
- The cousin and arranged fiancé of Sachiko; in order that a trusted man inherit the Ogasawara company, their engagement was arranged, although Sachiko detests it and denies that he is her fiancé. He is very arrogant, and especially disliked by Sei, but he has prestige in the Hanadera school since he is president of the Student Council there. He is gay, and has a crush on Yumi's twin brother.
[edit] The Yamayurikai
Much of the story of Marimite revolves around the Yamayurikai (Japanese, lit. "Mountain Lily Club"), which acts as the student council. The Yamayurikai itself consists of three offices, named after roses: Rosa Foetida (for the Austrian copper), Rosa Gigantea (for the Manipur wild-tea rose), and Rosa Chinensis (for a collection of subspecies generally known as China roses). The petite sœur of a Rosa is called an en bouton (French, "in bud") — e.g., Rosa Chinensis en bouton — and is unofficially considered part of the Yamayurikai, as is the petite sœur of the en bouton (if she has one). Although the offices of the Yamayurikai are traditionally passed to the en bouton on the graduation of the current holder, they are nonetheless elected offices which anyone may run for; this fact is part of a subplot in the first season.
Most of the main characters are members of the Yamayurikai. The following table shows their titles and sœur relationships at the start of the story: each character is the grande sœur of the character below them, if any.
[edit] First Year
| Foetida | Chinensis | Gigantea | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rosa ~ | Eriko Torii (3rd year) | Yōko Mizuno (3rd year) | Sei Satō (3rd year) |
| Rosa ~ en bouton | Rei Hasekura (2nd year) | Sachiko Ogasawara (2nd year) | Shimako Tōdō (1st year) |
| Rosa ~ en bouton petite sœur | Yoshino Shimazu (1st year) | Yumi Fukuzawa (1st year) | None |
[edit] Second Year (Haru)
| Foetida | Chinensis | Gigantea | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rosa ~ | Rei Hasekura (3rd year) | Sachiko Ogasawara (3rd year) | Shimako Tōdō (2nd year) |
| Rosa ~ en bouton | Yoshino Shimazu (2nd year) | Yumi Fukuzawa (2nd year) | Noriko Nijou (1st year) |
| Rosa ~ en bouton petite sœur | Nana Arima (3rd year, junior high) | None | None |
[edit] Games
There have been, to date, several video games created based on the series, all of them dojin soft (fangames). Developer French-Bread has created two video games based on this series:
- Rosa Chinesis Four Hand, a curtain fire shooter
- Lilian Fourhand: Nuclear Sœur the Fighter a side-scrolling shooter/fighter.
There is also a 2D fighting game, Maribato.
[edit] Trivia
- The Lillian Girls' School is based on a real school in Musashino known as the Musashino Joshi-Gakuin (Musashino School for Girls). Although it is a private school, it is not a Catholic or religious facility.
- The school is referred to as the "Lillian school", as the white lily is the flower of the Virgin Mary. The white lily is a Christian symbol of virginity and purity.
- Gokigen'yō (ごきげんよう?) is a strictly formal and respectful greeting in Japanese, and is used both to greet and to farewell. By custom, this greeting is often used in the Lillian School and by its students; this has been one of the distinguishable and popular phrases of the series, and it is used to begin or to finish each volume.
[edit] External links
- Official
- (Japanese)Official web site (Lillian Jogakuen)
- (Japanese)TV Tokyo's official web site (first season)
- (Japanese)TV Tokyo's official web site (second season)
- Other
- Dē Rosīs Puellārum Lilliānēnsium article about the Botanical Latin names in the series
- Lililicious - A scanlation/fansub group that translates Marimite anime/manga/doujinshi into English
- Maria-sama ga Miteru Novel English Translation Project
- (Japanese)Musashino School for Girls, the school used as the inspiration for the Lillian school
- (Japanese)Yumi–chan no Ribbon, fall and spring - Yumi's ribbon database
- Review of Maria-sama ga Miteru
