Champagne for New Years’ Day, sandwiches and a lot of giggling start off the Maria-sama ga Miteru Winter Special from 2009.

Shimizu Kaori (Noriko) still calls Noto Mamiko (Shimako) “Onee-sama” for our entertainment, and we learn important things like Noto-san likes roast beef and Shimizu-san is really good at janken pon.

Since we have the White Rose sisters in the house, it’s not that surprising that the drama this time is “Shirobara no Mono Omoi,” in which we and Noriko learn the tip of the iceberg of Shimako’s complicated family situation and Noriko finally meets Sei. As Noriko and Shimako discuss what a calm and peaceful souer couple they are, Shimako is dragged off by a man who pulls up in a car. The situation is unlikely, but Noriko’s got a steel trap mind even under stress, and guesses who Sei is on her first try (her image is different than she expected but 1) She refers to Shimako as “Shimako” – no honorific and 2) Noriko saw her at the kendo match and she guesses that she’s a Lillian U. student when she first sees her outside the gate.) Noriko apologizes for figuring it out so quickly and not giving Sei a Yumi-esque reaction.

Sei…is Sei. (I’m still/again amazed at Sei’s speech patterns. I don’t think I’ve ever heard/read someone is so all over the place in the way she speaks, from super casual to formal in three words.) And Noriko, after talking to Shimako that night says what anyone might say – “Is that *really* your Onee-sama?” ^_^

The whole segment is actually pretty funny. It’s the first time we see that Shimako is a steady ship who has a whole family of stormy seas – and it’s only going to get stormier.

The only negative of the Drama part was that the Foley was pretty intrusive. I really didn’t need to hear the swallowing that clearly. ^_^;

The final segment tests the actresses’ memory and art skills and they are both better and worse than you’d expect. The CD insert amusingly includes all three of their attempts at reproducing the Lillian logo, so you can have a good laugh.

Ratings:

Overall – 9

All in all, another excellent hour spent with “old friends.” Unfortunately, this CD appears to be sold out on Amazon JP, so you may have to resort to finding it elsewhere.