You know you’re really an otaku when you generalize “spending time with characters we like to spend time with” to “spending time listening to the people who play those characters talking about cake.”

Welcome to the second-floor council room at the Rose Mansion of Lillian Jogakuen and the quite meaningless, giggle-filled Maria-sama ga Miteru Special CD Volume 3, in which Ueda Kana (Yumi), Noto Mamiko (Shimako) and Shimizu Kaori (Noriko) discuss absolutely nothing of importance at all. And cake.

Let’s get the most important thing out of the way first – the fairy cakes were delicious. I know you were worried.

Shimizu-san calls Noto-san “Oneesama” which makes Ueda-san squeal with delight. They answer questions in a Newlywed Game-like game called “Soeur no Kizuna” – in which they are supposed to see if they know how each other will answer. Shimizu-san comments on how intimidating the script for this Drama was, since she’s never had that many lines in a row before….and how this is the first major piece of recording she did without much interaction with Noto-san.

And the radio drama is one of my favorite side stories, in which en Bouton Yumi and Noriko find themselves bonding over rain, teruterubozu and white ponchos. “Hitsuji ga Ippiki Saku Koete” is a great story, full of WTF moments, as seen through the eyes of public school girl Noriko as she enters the Wonderland of Lillian.

So, the big question is – how close are “Noriko” and “Shimako” in the sister’s bonds game? Pretty close, although the questions are really silly. I would have probably answered similarly, too. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 9

Not *quite* as amazing as the last one, but that’s no fault of the CD itself, it’s just that Noriko and Shimako come in second place for me to Tsutako and Shouko. In every other way, this Special CD is totally grin-worthy.