Archive for the Anime Category


Maria Watches Over Us Anime, Volume 2 (English)

August 14th, 2008

From the perspective of having read so far into the novels that I have already “met” Nana, Yoshino’s prospective soeur, it was a huge step back to watch Volume 2 of Maria Watches Over Us, “meet” Yoshino once again, and watch her transform in front of Yumi from an apparently meek, mild and submissive soeur into the banshee we know and love.

There were so many things that interested me about the “Yellow Rose Revolution” arc the first time around and twice as many this time. But the one thing I want to point out is that where later, in Rainy Blue, Rei complains that Yoshino wields herself as a weapon against her, in Kibara Kakumei, Yoshino calmly points out that Rei uses herself as a shield. I was once again blown away by the detail and continuity in Konno’s writing.

One of the big complaints western fans have about about Marimite as a series is that is starts off very Yuri, but never has payoff – i.e., there’s no melodramatic protestations of love and/or snogging. But for my dollar, the end of “Rosa Canina” is about as sexy as hell. More so, when you remember that in the novels, that arc came after Ibara no Mori and we know that Sei is potentially gay. I say “potentially”, because after reading Ibara no Mori I allowed for some wiggle room, but after Rosa Canina was convinced that Sei is gay and knows it.

The translation for these episodes was generally good, with one notable gaffe, in which the “Lillian Kawaraban” is translated as the “Lillian Ledger” in dialogue, but the “Lillian Gazette” in text. Woops. ^_^

The extra with the recap of Yoshino returning Rei’s rosary still makes both myself and the wife giggle until we hurt. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Yuri – 4 (Rei and Yoshino love each other more than anyone else in the world, and Sei kisses Shizuka. Nice.)
Service – 0

Marimite Fan – 100

Overall – 9

I know Sean disagrees with me on this but for me Shizuka x Sei is the hottest pairing in the series. ^_^





Maria Watches Over Us Anime, Volume 1 (English)

August 5th, 2008

If you’ve been reading this blog since anytime after 2004, you’ll notice that I have completely, hopelessly, irrevocably fallen in love with the series Maria-sama ga Miteru. Like many fans, I had never heard of it prior to the anime being released, but almost immediately was captivated by the characters. Propelled by a desire to know more, I followed the manga, the Drama CDs and, eventually, the novels.

Like many hardcore Marimite fans, I never truly believed the anime would be licensed – and feared that it might be and then eviscerated by a company that didn’t understand shoujo, or who only saw it through fanboy eyes.

When RightStuf licensed it, I was ambiguous – hopeful, yet cautious. When they added in the subtitle track with honorifics, I let my guard down just a very little bit because, after all, they could still …well, we’ve all been burned before by changed names, rewritten scripts, etc.

Then RightStuf opened a dialogue up with me, and we had a nice conversation about Marimite fandom and our obsessive need to spend time in the company of these characters – and our love of *stuff* related to them. At that point, I was convinced that, even if their release was not perfect by my definition, they were trying harder than any other company I had ever seen. As a result I was inclined to be generous. ^_^

After some little delay, resolved by the RightStuf representative with humor and grace – thank you very much, Alison – I received my box set of Maria Watches Over Us Season 1, slapped the phone charm on my cel phone and a DVD into the player to sit back and see what Nozomi/RightStuf had wrought.

It is not perfect. Even if *I* thought it was, no doubt other people would have different nits to pick! ^_^ It is however, a very good, very enjoyable English-language edition of what I never expected we would ever see legally licensed.

I am glad that they have the honorifics track. There’s still a few things that jar, but overall, there are fewer moments than I expected where I went “Huh? Oh.” And I do really find it less intrusive to have the honorifics than the always slightly awkward attempts at translating them. When watching the extras, “Maria-sama ni ha Naisho” shorts, the versions are the original subtitle track and even knowing that, I still find it a little odd to read “Mother Maria” and “Lady Sachiko.”

The plot is still hours of the most delightful nothing I have ever enjoyed. The non-adventures of average girl Yumi, as she is drawn into the rarified air of the school student council, is still by turns touching, funny, sad, funny, snarky and funny.

I just finished reading the 24th novel, and taking this huge step back was a chance for me to see just how much both Sachiko and Yumi have matured into the women they have become a year later. It makes me want the fourth season of the anime so much more, so everyone can get to know Touko the way I now know her. (She’s not the same girl as in Rainy Blue, I can tell you that. Neither is Kashiwagi what he seems to be.)

The *only* thing I really want to complain about is this – attached to the box itself was a sheet of paper with a synopsis for Season One that, when I attemtped to remove it, got stuck and pulled a bit of the cover picture off, thus ruinng the look of the box. Now I have to keep the stupid paper on. I really was annoyed by this – there was no reason to glue it to the box cover! I don’t even like boxes, but come on – if you’re going to ship me a paper box, please don’t glue stuff to it.

In every other way, I was delighted beyond measure to step back and once again be introduced to and fall in love with the lovely ladies of Lillian.

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Yuri – 3 (with an extra point for Sei’s “birds of a feather” comment in regards to why she was sure that Kashiwagi wouldn’t make a pass at Sachiko.)
Service – 0

Obsessive Marimite Fan – 100

Overall – 8

I think this box set would make a really good gift idea for a young lady in your life that is just getting into anime. A nice change of pace from the Death Note kind of thing. ^_^





Ask Konno Oyuki Questions on Right Stuf’s Maria-sama Website

July 29th, 2008

RIGHT STUF’S NOZOMI ENTERTAINMENT Launches the MARIA WATCHES OVER US Official Site – mariasama.rightstuf.com

Asks fans to submit their questions for the series’ creator; celebrates release of Season 1 DVD Collection

GRIMES, IA, July 29, 2008 – Anime producer and distributor Right Stuf, Inc. and Nozomi Entertainment are pleased to celebrate the July 29 release of the MARIA WATCHES OVER US – Season 1 DVD Collection with the launch of the series’ official site, at mariasama.rightstuf.com (http://mariasama.rightstuf.com). Also, as part of the site’s grand opening, fans will have a special opportunity to submit their questions for the series’ creator, Ms. Oyuki Konno.

At mariasama.rightstuf.com, visitors can:

– Read the latest news about and reviews of the first season;

– Check out in-depth character profiles (first-season spoilers are noted);

– Watch the first-season trailer; and

– Download Maria Watches Over Us wallpapers and avatars.

** PLUS: Right Stuf and Nozomi Entertainment have been granted an interview with the creator of Maria-sama ga Miteru, novelist Oyuki Konno, and want to know what questions fans have for her. Please submit questions, via the form located at mariasama.rightstuf.com, by 11:59 p.m. CDT on August 15, 2008.

The Maria Watches Over Us DVD Collection – which includes the entire 13-episode first television season of Maria-sama ga Miteru, plus the Season 1 “specials” – is now available. It features Japanese audio, along with English on-screen translations, and two English-language subtitle tracks: one with regular dialogue subtitles and a second, special subtitle track that retains the Japanese honorifics.

The box set for the series’ second television season is currently scheduled for a Fall 2008 release.

****

AnimeOnDVD.com Pick of the Week

“leaves you eagerly wanting more” – AnimeOnDVD.com

“a truly beautiful anime” – Future Anime (July 2008)

The Maria Watches Over Us anime is based upon an ongoing series of novels – written by Oyuki Konno and illustrated by Reine Hibiki – that began in 1998 and currently spans 32 volumes. Short stories related to the series have been published in the shoujo (girls’) magazine Cobalt, and a manga adaptation is serialized in the anthology magazine Margaret. The series’ publisher, Shueisha, also produced 14 drama CDs (with radio-style plays).

The anime adaptation of Maria-sama ga Miteru – also referred to by fans as “MariMite” – encompasses two, 13-episode TV seasons, a 5-episode OVA (original video animation) as its third season, and a fourth season, currently in production in Japan.

The first three seasons of Maria Watches Over Us feature animation by Studio DEEN (Fruits Basket, Gravitation, Rurouni Kenshin), direction by Yukihiro Matsushita (Blue Dragon, Sugar Sugar Rune), and scripting by Reiko Yoshida (Aria, Boys Over Flowers, Story of Saiunkoku).

About MARIA WATCHES OVER US (Maria-sama ga Miteru) – Season 1

When Yumi Fukuzawa entered the Lillian Girls’ Academy, a prestigious all-girls Catholic school in Tokyo, she never imagined she would catch the eye of beautiful and demure Sachiko Ogasawara, one of the school’s most popular students. Now Sachiko has offered to be Yumi’s sƓur – her “sister” and guide for all her years at the academy. The whole idea has Yumi completely flustered: After all, they hardly know each other! The entire campus is abuzz with rumors about the two of them, but Yumi is conflicted over accepting Sachiko’s offer. While she admires Sachiko, being her sƓur would also mean constantly being at the center of the entire school’s attention! Contains the complete 13-episode first season, plus the Season 1 “specials.”

MARIA WATCHES OVER US (Maria-sama ga Miteru) – Season 1 DVD Collection

Pre-Book: 6/24/2008

Street Date: 7/29/2008

Runtime: Approximately 325 minutes, Dolby Digital Stereo, Color

Genre: Drama

Suggested Rating: 13+

Format: DVD (2.0 Japanese, 2 English Subtitle Tracks, English On-Screen Translations)

Catalog #: RSDVD0815

ISBN: 1-57032-790-4

UPC: 7-42617-0815-2-1

SRP: $49.99

Discs/Set: 4

Item Measurements: 5 3/8” x 1 7/32” x 7 5/8” (LxWxH)

Case Qty: 9 sets / case

DVD Features:

Scene access; Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo audio for Japanese dialogue; two English subtitle tracks (regular dialogue subtitles, plus a special subtitle track that includes Japanese honorifics); and English on-screen translations. PLUS: Season 1 “Specials” 1-7, character bios, liner notes and Nozomi Entertainment trailers.

* Cover Art: http://outgoing.rightstuf.com/sleeves/rsdvd0815.jpg

MARIA WATCHES OVER US (Maria-sama ga Miteru) Season 1 © OYUKI KONNO / SHUEISHA o YAMAYURIKAI Licensed by d-rights Inc.

* To view this image, cut and paste the URL into your Web browser.

** Product specifications and content may be subject to change.

ABOUT RIGHT STUF, INC.

Currently celebrating its 21st year in business, Right Stuf, Inc. was one of the first players in the U.S. Japanese Animation (“anime”) industry, as both an anime producer/distributor and a retailer. Right Stuf works to promote knowledge of its own products, as well as the anime and manga industry, in general, through its online storefront at RightStuf.com and a variety of media including podcasts and special publications.

Nozomi Entertainment, Right Stuf’s production division, is dedicated to the highest quality releases. True to the Japanese word that inspired its name, Nozomi’s focus is on “what fans want.” By focusing on a limited number of anime properties each year, the Nozomi production team ensures each release receives the care and attention to detail it deserves.

From anime classics like Astro Boy, Kimba and Gigantor to modern comedies, dramas and favorites such as The Irresponsible Captain Tylor, His and Her Circumstances, Gravitation, Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars, Ninja Nonsense, To Heart, The Third: The Girl With the Blue Eye, Emma: A Victorian Romance, Maria Watches Over Us and ARIA, Right Stuf and Nozomi Entertainment produce quality programming for fans of all ages and interests. For more information, visit www.rightstuf.com and www.nozomient.com.

Erica here: Already put my questions is. None of them were even vaguely related to Yuri or the character’s relationships. ^_^





Yuri Anime: Maria Watches Over Us Preview (English)

June 19th, 2008

Yesterday, I received a preview copy of Maria Watches Over Us, the Nozomi/Right Stuf US release of Maria-sama ga Miteru. Thank you Right Stuf for the preview! I was warned ahead of time that this preview only included the non-honorific subtitles track. :-)

Before I start to pick nits, let me sum up by saying that even with “Lady Sachiko,” I’d give the translation an 8 out of 10. One of the points lost was for a genuine error that made no sense. The other was for a few translation moments that were not wrong so much as just out of step with fan convention. No points were lost for the things that weren’t wrong, but just felt weird.  After the nit-picking, I’ll touch upon some of the good things, just to balance it all out. ^_^

The Bad:

Unforgivably, Sachiko is translated as telling Yumi that her “scarf” is crooked. That doesn’t even make sense. She says “tie” using the English word, and even if one was going to mistranslate that, “collar” seems the most reasonable mistake. It’s September – no one is wearing scarves, and they call those mufflers anyway. And no one is wearing a fashionable scarf with their uniform, either. Given the many millions of “crooked tie” gags that have beeen propagated across the intertubes, this seems a particularly egregious error. ^_^

The Indifferent:

Both Japanese and American fandoms tend to use and become familiar with certain terms. In several cases, the RS translation isn’t wrong, but it just isn’t the same as the ones we’ve become comfortable with.

“Forest of thorns,” as spoken by Tsutako is rendered “forest of briars.”

“Mother Maria” seemed an odd choice in every language, since one naturally assumes that the translator would choose either English or Japanese. Mother Mary/Maria-sama/Blessed Virgin, whatever. But “Mother Maria” seems like a strange juxtaposition chosen only for its ability to be not instantly identifiable by people looking for things to get outraged about.

I’m pretty used to “Yamayurikai” but here it is translated as “Yamayuri Council.” Not hideously awful, just again, a sort of weird halfway-translated term.

And again, in the song Maria-sama no Kokoro, “Yamayuri lily” is pretty redundant. “Wild lily” or “mountain lily” is surely sufficient.

And while we’re on the topic of “Mother Maria’s Heart” – I don’t care that the correct name for the bird is the bush warbler – I find that amusing in an totally infantile giggly kind of way. lol

The Good:

All the Rosa’s retain their titles. Rosa Chinensis, Foetida and Gigantea are unmarred by attempts at translation. And so are their en bouton. “Rosa Chinensis en bouton petite soeur” graces our TV screen accurately, if unwieldily. ^_^ I absolutely appreciated that. In fact, that was kind of my biggest concern.

The Excellent:

The story itself is something I have not actually watched, or read, in a long time (although I am reading the novels voraciously these days.) So once again I felt that it was very nostalgic to see Yumi dealing with the Rosas for the first time. It’s a very, very amusing story. Sure Sachiko’s a raging bitch, but I love her for it – especially the moment when, after visibly having no recollection of ever having met Yumi previously, she blatantly lies to Youko about how close she and Yumi are…. ^_^

To sum up – there may be some issues even with the inclusion of the honorifics (and I don’t know to what extent honorifics will be included. Will “oneesama-gata” stay “dear sisters” or not? I don’t know for sure. Or will Maria-sama get her honorific back? No idea.) But I think that even with “Lady Sachiko” and “older sisters,” the translation was not *so* heinous that it couldn’t be enjoyed. It would be lovely to be able to give it a 10 out of 10, but with a little more smoothing, a 9 out of 10 ought to be easily obtainable.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Yuri – 2
Marimite Fan – 100

Translation – 8

Overall – 8

Aside from the usual fannish grinning like a moron, I’m very prepared to fall in love with this series all over again for the fourth time. ^_^





Maria-sama ga Miteru OAV 5, Ciao Sorella

August 5th, 2007

I’m back after a few days of refreshing and recharging. It’s a beautiful summer day outside and I will have some important news later today. “God’s in his Heaven – All’s right with the World,” as Robert Browning wrote. :-) (The wife reminds me that this quote actually originated with Cervantes, but I’m using the Browning version today.)

While I was relaxing, I was able to watch the 5th Marimite OAV, Ciao, Sorella (this link leads to to the Collector’s Edition. Click here for the DVD-only editon) with seiyuu commentary, and incidentally give my office an overdue cleaning while I was at it. While not as Yuri-ful as the previous OAV, Ready, Go!, of all the novels I have read, it seemed to me to be the most suited for adaptation to an anime. I have not posted my notes here, but I *have* already read Ciao Sorella.  Most of the novel is travelogue; descriptions of all the normal tourist spots and doings that one would cram into a week school trip in Italy. From Yumi’s unique perspective, of course.

Let’s start with the important bits – the goodies inside the collector’s edition. I was close with my prediction for the gimme. I had predicted a marble-patterned pad – it was a marble-patterned photo album (similar to the one that Sachiko received.) So, close enough.

Postcards were, as usual, appealing, and the character design booklet that comes with the DVD included Yumi, Yoshino and Shimako in regular clothes, their teacher Katori Maki (who has been in several of the stories in the novels and although she had no major screen time here, I was glad to see her) as well as important characters like “shoulder bag” and “airplane seats.” ^_^ And Yoshino’s magic cloth.

Also included was a one-sheet flyer with a picture of Yumi and Touko on the front and some seiyuu comments on back, with a notice about the upcoming fourth season of the anime.

The OAV was, as I had hoped. The animation was significantly better than Ready, Go!. Without all the detailed description of the buildings, the story is rendered down to a few key scenes that worked perfectly well. What was cut was in no way crucial to the story. And they kept in pretty much every good scene.

I think they nailed the scene with Shizuka singing – kudos to the sound mixers. They really captured the sound of Shizuka’s voice reverberating and blending with itself in the high ceiling.

I listened to the DVD with seiyuu commentary which is, as always, amusing, when I can follow it. This time it was the seiyuu for Yumi (Ueda Kana,) Yoshino (Ikezawa Haruna,) and Shimako (Noto Mamiko – who, when she forgets to be breathy, has a surprisingly deep voice.) They commented at one point how they’d like to have a lover like Rei. No, really, they did. ^_^ At the end of the anime, instead of a next episode teaser, there was a one-line, “4th season is coming.”

Here are the two best scenes, IMHO. At the Vatican, Yumi comes across Shimako standing in from of the “Last Judgement” crying, beautifully of course. Shimako says she can’t make the tears stop. Yoshino joins them and says, “don’t you think Jesus is a little fat?” And Yumi, standing between these two thinks, these are my best friends. ^_^

The other great scene was truncated, but as its the punchline in a long joke, I’ll just say this – when the bird speaks, *really* pay attention to what it says.

As for Yuri…well, this novel had already proved to me that Sachiko and Yumi are definitely, positively not gay, even if they are indeed incredibly lovey-dovey and romantic. At the end of the story when Sachiko confronts Yumi about the postcard, it was a *very* sexual tension-filled scene in the novel. But they do not kiss, and Yumi does not even think about kissing Sachiko. So, while it’s a great scene – and works well in the anime, better even, because we can’t hear Yumi’s thoughts – it seals the deal that they are totally not a couple. More’s the pity. It’s still very sweet, though.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Characters – 9
Story – 8
Yuri – 2
Service – 4 (bath scenes, some implied nudity – each instance of which Ikezawa Haruna points out in the seiyuu commentary. “That’s service.” No, really? ^_^)

Overall – 8

Nothing to do with this DVD, but when I watched Ready, Go! with seiyuu commentary (Yumi, Kanako and Touko’s voice actresses) and Sachiko walks up in gakuran, Ueda Kana says, “Gakuran is nice, huh” is a very wistful and wishful voice. The other two respond, in stereo, “very nice” equally as wistful and wishful. It was funny as hell.