Archive for the Maria-sama ga Miteru Category


Maria-sama ga Miteru Eleventh Novel – Parasol o Sashite Part 2

February 21st, 2006

Notes on the 11th Maria-sama ga Miteru Novel – Parasol o Sashite (Holding A Parasol)
Part 2

Yumi returns to the Rose Mansion. You have to figure that for the past week or so, Noriko and Shimako have pretty much been doing all the Yamayurikai work by themselves.

Noriko serves Yumi tea and Yumi thinks that Shimako and Noriko make fine masters of the Rose Mansion.

When Yumi says that she doesn’t know what Sachiko has been doing, Noriko opines that she thinks Touko does – but she isn’t saying. Yumi’s heart thunks at the mention of Touko’s name, but she reflects that Touko probably *hasn’t* been chosen over her, or she’d certainly be telling everyone.

Noriko apologizes for Touko’s behavior the other day. (She calls Touko “Touko” with no honorific, btw) Yumi thinks that Noriko really has no involvement in that, but that they do appear to be friends, so…

***

The crucial Yumi/Touko scene was not in the courtyard observed by any other students.

Yumi can’t tell whether Touko is annoyed because she was called out by an upperclassman, or because she doesn’t want to see Yumi.

Yumi starts to tell Touko what she wanted with her, but she forgets what she wants to say. Touko rubs her temples like she’s got a headache and asks Yumi to think first, then speak clearly once she has a handle on what she wants to say.

When Touko protests that she can’t help the Yamayurikai because she’s a member of the theater club, Yumi replies that Touko’s club hasn’t approved any specific script yet for the play, so she don’t have daily practice yet. (D’oh – as Rosa Chinensis en Bouton of *course* Yumi sees all the club’s schedules)

Yumi takes Touko’s *elbow*,  not hand. And she does not think that she’s using Sei-like skinship. Touko shakes Yumi off, but as she walks away Yumi can see that the tips of her ears are red.

***

Sachiko has been away from school for about a week. Since Yumi had become her soeur, Sachiko had never been away so long. If her Homeroom teacher knew the reason, s/he wasn’t saying – and Sachiko’s not the type to play hooky.

***

This scene was massively altered and cut for the anime. The original works better and is a lot snarkier, so bear with me.

After school, in the Rose Mansion. Yumi sighs, and whines, tugging on Touko’s sleeve. “Where is Sachiko? Tell meeeeee, Toukoooooooo.” Touko pulls her arm away, complaining that Yumi is depressing and telling her to let go.

Touko is moody, but she’s been coming to the Rose Mansion to help and has been a good assistant. But she and Yumi bicker constantly.

Touko says that Yumi’s acting like a drunk today.

Rei comes in, mentions that Yoshino will still be at club for a while. She asks Noriko to make her coffee – apparently she and Noriko are the only coffee drinkers in the group.

Touko asks Rei to switch seats with her because “sitting next to Yumi-sama is bad for my mental well-being.” Rei declines, since Touko agreed to assist Yumi – it’s a Rosa Chinensis family matter and she won’t get involved.

Yumi stands up and with a grand gesture, invites Touko to sit next to her, and Touko completely loses it. She goes rushing out of the Mansion. Her footsteps are loud and fast, indicating how perturbed she is. Rei looks at Yumi and smiles, then asks Yumi to please go to the manga club room and get their schedule…right now. Yumi chirps “Roger!” and hops to it.

When Touko tells Yumi to stay away, she says that when Yumi’s around, she can’t help but get upset. They reach the sakura tree among the gingkos, and Yumi warns Touko not to get too close, it’s a little dangerous at this season. Touko screams – there’s a wooly caterpillar on her.

They keep walking along the path. Touko says that she doesn’t get Yumi. A week ago you were timid and irritable – now you’re cheery. “Sachiko isn’t around and you’re cheerful?”

Yumi asks if Touko doesn’t like her cheerful.

Touko says she doesn’t care. And she asks if being chosen as an assistant was some kind of trick.

Yumi doesn’t even understand the question (which is everything you really need to know about the two of them…).

There were many other people who were easier to chose – and then Yumi wouldn’t have to look at such an unpleasant sight, Touko very calmly analyzes.

Yumi says that Touko was just the first name that popped into her brain. Touko, Yumi points out, wanted to help Sachiko, I wanted to help Sachiko, so here you are helping me to help Sachiko.

They end up wandering onto the college grounds. In the front of the college, there is a fountain, surrounded by flowerbeds. Yumi runs up to them and Touko is forced to run after her calling her name, like a mother after a mischievous child. Yumi stops so suddenly that Touko slams into her. Yumi has recognized Yumiko.

Yumiko asks if Touko is a friend. Touko says no, Yumi is a “gentle advisor.” Yumiko remonstrates Yumi – you said you weren’t popular with the underclassmen. Touko says not to listen to Yumi about that – that she’s a much admired onee-sama. This sets Yumi’s teeth on edge and makes her really uncomfortable.

Yumiko is talking about how she never said that she was sorry to the person from her past. She wonders what her friend would say if she did. From behind her, Sei says, “she’d forgive you.”

Sei had seen them from her classroom window and wondered at how friendly things seemed. The class was boring anyway. She holds out cans of oolong, milk tea, apple juice and coffee to Yumiko, Touko, then Yumi.

Touko “regards Sei expressionlessly for three seconds” then thanks her for the drink.

Sei asks if she should call Kei – she was in the same class. (It appears that they are in every class together…) Yumiko says that it would be fine if Sei just tells Kei that she’ll be gone for a few days and gives her the key.

Sei asks if she’s going far – Yumiko says a little. Yumi wonders, because it looks like her handbag isn’t really enough for a long journey – even if it’s a large handbag.

Using her “honor student voice” Sei offers to accompany Yumiko the whole way. Yumiko demurs, so Sei says she’ll at least accompany Yumiko to the station. (Yumiko had said that she had to get going because she was taking a “steam train” which made Yumi think that she really was an old lady…) Sei takes Yumiko’s bag and offers the older woman her arm. Yumi asks if its okay for her to leave class, and Sei insists that it was really boring. Yumiko calls Sei a delinquent, smiling, and Sei protests that she’s an honest, upright person. Yumiko takes Sei’s arm and they walk off.

Yumi thinks that as an escort, Sei “doesn’t lose to a top Takarazuka star.”

“From high school students to seniors, Satou Sei is always kind to women.” Yumi thinks it would make a nice catchphrase. (It flows a bit better in Japanese, really.)

Yumi says “be careful” to their backs as they walk away.

Unexpectedly Touko comments that Yumiko seemed to be in a good mood today. Yumi is surprised and asks if Touko knows her. Touko says no – it was partially the way you treated her, it just came to mind.

Yumi says that she was told that Yumiko is a misanthropist. Touko says she seems more like someone who is just hard to please. Yumi asks how she knows this. Touko gestures to her own face and comments that Yumiko had deep creases in her forehead and none in the corners of her eyes – like a woman who has furrowed her brow a lot, but rarely smiled.

Then Touko says that it’s obvious something has recently changed – then says that it was probably Yumi’s fault. That Yumi “provokes optimism.” ^_^

The rest of the scene is pretty much as you saw in the anime.

***

Bits cut out …

When Yumi is called to the staff room, she doesn’t recognize her name. She’s like, “gee that sounds similar to my name…” After she realizes that it *is* her, she thinks that this isn’t the first time she’s gone to the staff room – there was the time when Sei got called in, and the time Eriko was called in…. She wonders if this has something to do with the rumours about Touko hitting her.

Katsura finds Yumi, tells her about the prince at the school gate. Yumi gets distracted and goes over to the gate to see Kashiwagi standing in front of his red sports car. When Kashiwagi calls her Cinderella, Yumi says that Cinderella isn’t here. Kashiwagi says, “Well, weren’t you Miss Cinderella last year?”

Yumi gets to the staff office, as you saw in the anime. Youko steps out of the crowd like “the birth of Venus” We’re told that with light makeup, and in her suit, she looks very adult.

Youko is a bit short with Yumi – especially when Yumi says that she had to go to the staff office and couldn’t talk with Youko… and Youko explains that she *was* the reason Yumi was called. As they walk, Yumi can see that Youko is a little irritable. Eventually, when they reach Mary, Youko admits that she’s a little jealous of Yumi and her importance to Sachiko.

***

More bits cut…

During the scene where Kashiwagi is driving like a jerk, Youko is more forceful…and a little threatening.

Yumi learns about Sachiko’s grandmother – but Youko says that Sachiko’s grandmother said to not say anything to anyone. Kashiwagi remarks that she didn’t say that to me. He comments that the women of the Yamayurikai are tough.

Yumi asks if he dislikes women. He says that they’re fine. Yumi counters – so you just like guys better? And btw, leave my brother alone. When Kashiwagi is silent, she panics – what have you done to him!? He admits to light skinship, which makes her imgine a love scene between Yuuki and Kashiwagi. Kashiwagi says, don’t worry – he’s normal. Youko snidely asks isn’t it abnormal’s habit to try and draw normal in? Kashiwagi says that it’s all complicated – he’d like Yuuki to like him. Yumi thinks he’s a “fine” pervert.

Yumi asks him why, on all the earth, Yuuki? Kashiwagi doesn’t answer, but when they arrive at the house, he says that he’s got a weakness for the potential of Fukuzawa siblings type.

***

More cuts:

Sayako-obasama comments that Sachiko hasn’t eaten in several days – nor has she cried at all. Sachiko’s hanging on by a thin thread. Even preoccupied with the dead as she is, Sayako thinks that the living take precedence. She had asked Youko to speak to Sachiko, but all Sachiko would says is “You’re not Yumi!” then “Yumi hates me.”

Yumi admits that she thought that Sachiko hated her…

When Yumi sees Sachiko, she’s shocked. Sachiko looks appreciably thinner. Hugging her, Yumi can feel how emaciated she is. Yumi is suddenly afraid to hold her too hard or she might break Sachiko.

Sachiko strokes Yumi’s cheek likes she’s made of glass, and asks if this is a dream. Yumi says that she’s here to lead Sachiko out of the dream. She’s overcome with the need to support this emaciated, grief-stricken person.

When Yumi tells Sachiko that she’s still calling her onee-sama, Sachiko finally begins to cry.

Sachiko tells her that her grandmother told her to tell Yumi that she loved her. Yumi says, but we never met. Sachiko agrees that it’s strange – when she was in the hospital, she said it. Yumi gets a weird feeling about it.

Sachiko explains that she kept hoping her grandmother would recover, so she kept pushing the day of their date to the amusement park ahead. By the time it became obvious that her grandmother was not going to get better, Yumi had already ceased to trust Sachiko. Yumi thinks that it was in part a measure of denial on Sachiko’s part – an unwillingness to jinx her grandmother by admitting the truth.

When Sachiko tells Yumi about her grandmother’s friend coming and visiting her, Yumi gets the “aha” light bulb and immediately connects it with Yumiko. An old friend did come to visit her grandmother, took one look at Sachiko and said, “Saiko-sama!”

Yumi thinks that it was a miracle.

Sachiko goes on to say that her grandmother’s friend’s visit made her realize how much she needs Yumi – Sachiko starts crying, her tears flowing past her hands down her cheeks…and tells Yumi she loves her.

From this point on, everything was cut from the anime.

Sachiko stops crying (or at least gets to the snuffling stage) and says that she’s hungry. Yumi says that Sayako will be thrilled to hear it. Yumi grins at Sachiko and Sachiko asks her to stop, it’s weird to be smiling like that.

Outside rain falls, but in her mind, Yumi is carrying a parasol as she walks in the sun.

Sayoko is, as Yumi predicted, thrilled to hear that Sachiko is hungry. She says that Yumi is a medicine for promoting appetite.

Kashiwagi appears at the door, and they ask where Youko is – he says he doesn’t know, they weren’t together. Yumi realizes that Youko *really* doesn’t like Kashiwagi. Sachiko comments that it’ll be all right – undoubtedly Youko has an umbrella.

Sayoko is about to order some food from a caterer, or she suggests going to Sachiko’s favorite restaurant in the Ginza. Sachiko, with a sour expression, says she’s not in the mood for French food.

Yumi understands her predicament – after a week of not eating, her stomach doesn’t want rich food. She probably wants a good homemade soup. But there’s no food at this house.

Kashiwagi offers to go to the convenience store they passed, but as he goes to leave he runs into Youko who is returning carrying a bag filled with food. She did not, as it turns out, have an umbrella… ^_^ The food is all typical Japanese home cooking.

Yumi asks her how she knew, and Youko replies proudly that she’s Sachiko’s onee-sama, after all.

***

After an impromptu meal, Sayoko comments that the convenience store is a very “convenient” restaurant. Although she expected it to some degree, Yumi thinks that Sayoko is even more of an alien than Sachiko. ^_^

***

Yumi tells Yoshino that Sachiko’s grandmother’s friend was Yumiko. Yumi is filled with a desire to visit the old woman and hear rambling stories and let her know that she and Sachiko are back together. The rosary is around her neck again.

When Sachiko passes them standing in the entrance talking, she yells at them to get over to the Rose Mansion – Yumi thinks she’s glorious. They spend yet another lunchtime working on the upcoming school festival.

***

On the way to school, Yumi sees Yumiko from the window of the bus. The older woman looks glowing.

***

Sachiko comments that she wants to go home (they are still staying at her grandmother’s house) – she’s tired of nabeyaki from the convenience store. Yumi thinks that that might not solve the problem – surely there’s a combini near even where Sachiko lives.

***

Touko went back to her club, but every once in a while stops by the Rose Mansion to visit. Yumi never feels dislike for her again.

Shimako and Noriko have grown from being a young couple to a mature couple. Yoshino and Rei continue to be a husband-and-wife comedy team…

Secretly. Yumi wants to buy a white parasol with a lace trim. Soon the rainy season will end and then she would walk under the dazzling sun with her onee-sama, holding a parasol.

The End





Maria-sama ga Miteru Eleventh Novel – Parasol o Sashite, Part 1

February 20th, 2006

Notes on the 11th Maria-sama ga Miteru Novel – Parasol o Sashite (Holding A Parasol)
Part 1

The anime wasn’t terrible, but I think if I had read the book first, then watched the anime, I’d have been pretty furious. They shortened most scenes, and cut out a few – including my favorite scene in the book – and several scenes after Yumi and Sachiko reconcile. In general, the anime changes a few things here and there, some not so important and others quite important – and dialogue was added that didn’t exist in the book in several key scenes, to take the place of the longer scene that had to be cut. This would have been fine if they kept to what actually happened, but some things were just changed. I hope that the manga stays truer to the novel, because it’s a better story than the anime was.

I found myself just translating whole conversations that were cut, because it was easier than taking notes. I took about 26 pages of notes, then watched the anime afterwards, so I could see what was shown and not. Some of the things I’ll mention were in the anime, but were either different, more, or just interesting, in the novel. I definitely assume you’ve seen the anime, so anything that was done in the anime reasonably accurately, I simply left out of my notes.

I’ve already finished the next two novels – I wanted to get a head start before the OVA starts, so I can join Japanese fans in righteous indignation at the changes. ^_^

**

The usual cheerful beginning about the girls and the school sounds weirdly ironic at the beginning of this book.

From the day Yumi had accepted the rosary, with them being such an unbalanced pair, she knew this would happen. Confused, weary, she wonders if they ever were really soeur. But it had been Sachiko who had closed her mouth and walked away – simply handed her off to another person. It was time to walk away, not to run after her. She loves onee-sama, totally, truly. But her voice doesn’t reach her. Her wet body wraps a cold heart, like an abandoned cat crying in the rain.

The lights of the car, and the traffic signals glittering through the rain and her tears are somehow very beautiful. Like a spectacle of lights. Yumi wishes that herself and all her hopeless thoughts would disappear in the rain.

6 months ago, Yumi was filled with Sachiko – her eyes followed her, her ears sought her voice, the words that came from her lips made Yumi tremble with pleasure. She anticipated Sachiko’s fingers fixing her tie. Her entire school life centered around Sachiko. She treasured her more than flowers, jewels, hand-made lace. No one would ever be able to make her feel that way again.

When such a magnificent onee-sama puts her aside, how much could she be worth? She’s not talking living or dying – she just wants to disappear. If Sachiko isn’t there, then there’s no need for this body to be before her.

When Sei leans over her with the umbrella, Yumi thinks that Sei is the only one in the world who cares about her. If Yumi were to disappear, then Sei’s life couldn’t go on happily.

***

As they walk to Sei’s friend’s house, Yumi feels very annoyed by some 3rd party she doesn’t know getting involved. She is watching Sei walk from behind, and with the big black umbrella and dark pants, Sei looks, she thinks, like a shiitake mushroom. The though makes Yumi smile, which surprises her.

She then thinks that the tea-colored umbrella was not among the group at the gate, and wonders where this woman came from.

When they reach Kei’s place, Sei threatens to forcibly undress Yumi if she’s too slow.

Cut scene:

After undressing, Yumi thinks that she has nothing, like the way she was born – no possessions, no clothing, fully naked. She stresses at length about what to do about her wet clothes, and in passing, she thinks about Sachiko’s beautiful lingerie. When she comes out of the shower – and she is deeply touched to find that shorts and a tank top, and a grey sweat suit have been left there for her to change into. When she’s dressed, Yumi remembers the feel of Sachiko’s hand fixing her tie.

The clothes Kei left Yumi were left by a friend who had stayed over – the shorts and tank top were bought at a 100-yen store. She tells Yumi to keep them, it’s more trouble than it’s worth to return them.

Yumi thinks that the kindness she’s received equals 200 yen. Plus tax. Not that this can be measured in money – or repaid.

Kei says that she let Sei and Yumi come with her because she saw a young girl crying and thought that she needed help. And Sei is too devil-may-care to be responsible. Yumi thinks Kei’s impression of Sei is spot on.

Sei asks Kei why she says that, Kei says because college is a place to study – not to hang out. Then Sei remembers where they first met. She also remembers that Kei scowled at her.

(Just as a reminder – they “met” when Sei absentmindedly responded to Kei’s name during class. Satou Sei/Katou Kei.)

Kei – I didn’t scowl. I was shocked. You’re paranoid.

Kei laughs at Sei – you’re the type who doesn’t remember people you haven’t directly talked to, right?

Sei asks if Kei became interested in her then, and Kei admits, a little.

As Kei dries her hair, Yumi dozes off and dreams about Sachiko:

Sachiko is sitting, crying, in the corner of a huge room, all hunched over. The surroundings are gloomy. Although her tears are not visible, she is definitely crying.

Yumi thinks that Sachiko was the one who chose Touko over her, so why is she crying – then reminds herself it’s just a dream.

She thinks that Sachiko may be lonely from splitting with Yumi…and maybe she should be happy about that, but it’s not her wish to see Sachiko unhappy.

Sei’s voice drives the image of Sachiko away.

Between them Kei and Sei had cared for the outside part of her. They’d warmed her up, given her dry clothes, returned her to physical fitness. But that isn’t enough. She had something left to do that was the most necessary thing.

Sei calls Yumi’s home, using her “honor student mode” to explain why Yumi is late. Yumi notes that Sei spoke as if she had written the lines down. But since Yumi’s mother is a fan of Sei’s (and a Lillian old girl – OG) her mother is very cool about it all, telling Yumi to thank them and come home.

Yumi is amazed that it’s only been 2 hours. It feels like no time has passed, and that it’s been much longer at the same time.

It still hurts to think about Sachiko, but she no longer wants to disappear.

As they leave, Kei says that she’s an only child, so this was like having a younger sister to care for – she’s welcome anytime. Sei says okay, and Kei shoots back that the invitation was meant for Yumi only.

Sei asks if Yumi remembers their conversation about Goronta. Yumi does. Sei says that Yumi is like a wounded cat. Yumi just agrees.

Sei points out that no one can understand you if you don’t say anything. For a second Yumi thinks she wants Yumi to talk about Sachiko, but without a pause, Sei goes on to say that the relation with Kei was unexpected. Yumi agrees, then smiles, pondering the fact that a bothersome person like Sei seemed to like reliable people like Youko…and Kei.

***

By running, Sei and Yumi catch the bus they need. They driver, an old guy, smiles at them and says, “how energetic”. Yumi wonders about that, then thinks that if she can run, she hasn’t left her body behind and so, agrees. She and Sei smile at him and each other.

There are a few students from Lillian on the bus – they regard her curiously and greet her. Yumi smiles and nods at them. As the bus turns the corner, Sei grabs Yumi’s sleeve and says, “Don’t get lost, okay?”

Yumi spends the trip home gathering her composure, forcing herself to walk…one step at a time. If she keeps going, tomorrow will come eventually.

***

Her mother asks her a question or two, but is satisfied with her answers. In the Fukuzawa house, the kids were trusted and there was no suspicion.

When she finds that her textbook is waterlogged, she thinks that she also can never be returned to her original condition. As she lays in bed, she bids farewell to many things.

***

The next day, her eyes are puffy. Oh well.

When Yoshino comes into the classroom, she takes Yumi’s hand, pulls her down the stairs, outside behind a big tree. Yumi thinks that Yoshino is about to yell at her for not coming to the Rose Mansion. Then Yoshino throws her arms around Yumi’s neck in a hug.

Yumi thinks that this feels different than being hugged by Sei – obviously there’s a height difference, but that’s not it. But this makes her heart pound in a different way.

Yoshino tells Yumi that it’s not Rosa Chinensis en bouton, but Yumi, that she likes.

(Note: You may remember the scene in the Valentine’s Day arc where Yoshino and Yumi agree to be better friends. That was at least partially because they are going to be working together.) Yumi thinks that this expression of friendship is entirely different. This is the first time that she’s ever thought of Yoshino as a friend friend, not just because of the Yamayurikai. Yumi berates herself – her heart was so full of Sachiko that she had inadvertently hurt Yoshino.

Yoshino asks if Yumi’s meeting with Sachiko went well. Yumi smiles bitterly and says “No, I ran away.”

Yoshino wonders where Yumi will eat lunch – Yumi thinks about the spot where Shimako took her when she was hiding from the newspaper club (E:in the first novel.) Yoshino lifts a hand, looks up and says, In the rainy season?” then mentions that’ll it’ll be challenging to balance the umbrella, lunch and chopsticks. Yumi agrees.

***

When Yumi tells Yoshino that she can’t go to the Rose Mansion for lunch, in addition to saying that she doesn’t want to look like she’s sneaking around behind Sachiko’s back, she thinks that if she can’t be full of pride when she goes there, she won’t go at all.

Three girls come up to Yumi and ask her join them for lunch. The one thing these girls have in common, Yumi thinks, is that she has never been in a class with them before. They’ve been in class together now for two months, and Yumi and they have hardly spoken. When one of them mentions that Misa went ahead to save them all seats, Yumi can’t place who Misa is.

As they walk to the Milk Hall the girls chat (this is the scene that is shown at the cafeteria, but in the novel it all takes place in the hallway.) Yumi reflects that the everyday chitchat about magazines and bands and clothes are nothing like the conversations among the members of the Yamayurikai. And that if things had been different – this would have been her life too. Yumi also notes that none of the girls asked her *why* she didn’t go to the Rose Mansion for lunch.

As the girls discuss this and that, Yumi is happy that they explain things so she can follow the conversation – but she’d also like it if the chatter stopped for a moment. When she makes the faux pas about the cat’s name, she smiles, and wonders at herself that she can smile at all. She knows it’s on the surface only.

She also wonders, this is fun – so why am I not enjoying it?

She sees Touko coming out of the cafeteria, and her stomach flips. But she figures that they’ll pass each other and that’ll be that. Of course, we know Touko stops and speaks harshly to Yumi. Touko has a friend with her, who keeps tugging on her arm. Touko shakes her off, until at last the friend drags her away.

To Yumi’s classmates, Touko’s comments seem malicious.

***

When Mami corners Yumi to get the scoop, Yumi politely doesn’t comment. Mami puts her notebook away, tells Yumi that everyone’s scared. Yumi still thinks she’s trying to get a scoop. Mami asks about the rosary – she noticed that it wasn’t around Yumi’s neck when they changed for gym.

***

When Yumi meets Yumiko (Kei’s landlady) Yumi thinks she’s cute – even if it is a little rude to think such a thing about an older woman.

***

Turns out that Kei is a “double” – she’s retaking first year of college, which makes her a year older than Sei. Her father became critically ill (the description sounds like it was stroke), so she took a leave of absence from school. Dad’s on the mend, but still suffers from partial paralysis and is in rehab. His lover for 10 years came to take care of her father. She became Kei’s new stepmother and Kei thinks, as she says in the anime, that it’s a good thing.

Cut stuff:

Kei tells Yumi that although it was bad for Yumi, she, Kei, is a little glad that it was raining so hard, so everything that happened happened.

Yumi asks if she means that she was able to become friends with Sei – to which Kei laughs, and asks what it’s like going through life being called “Rosa Gigantea.”

Yumi tells Kei that her friend is now Rosa Gigantea and Kei picks up on it and asks Yumi her title… “Rosa Chinensis en Bouton – for the moment.” she answers.

As they sit there, someone says “You two look suspicious.” They look at each other, but neither spoke. Kei repeats the word. “Suspicious?”

“Suspicious, suspicious. Katou–san, don’t take my stuffed animal away,” Sei says and steps into the room.

“She’s your stuffed animal?”

“Yes, when I hug her she’s soft and fluffy. To matters worse, she’s warm. It feels so good it makes me want to sleep.” Sei sits behind Yumi and hugs her “like she’s going to eat her head.”

Sei asks Yumi to be her pet. Yumi rejects the offer. Sei says she’s glad to hear it, because hanging around Yumi takes a lot of energy.

***

When Yumi gets the message that Aota-sensei from the middle school wants to see her, she thinks its something like delivering a Xerox or something. Aota-sensei was her first-year middle school homeroom teacher – the class called him “Mifi-chan.”

The umbrella is returned to her, but there is a tear in it that has been stitched up with pink thread. Aota-sensei says that it’s a mystery. His daughter found it like that.

Yumi thinks that the umbrella was *not* “returned” – that it came home. She realizes that her field of vision was limited – just because she can’t see something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Sachiko has a life outside her, just like the umbrella did. As of yet, she hadn’t said anything to Sachiko, because she didn’t know what to say. Now she feels as if her path has been made plain.

End Parasol o Sashite Part 1





Maria-sama ga Miteru Tenth Novel: Rainy Blue, Part 3

January 21st, 2006

Rainy Blue
Part 3

How much did I *not* want to read this part of the novel….

The bulk of the novel is internal monologue and thoughts, so the anime really just couldn’t manage to convey what was going on, I think. The animators sucked. In fact, they managed to totally misconvey everyone’s emotions in this episode, so Touko seemed evil, Sachiko seemed heartless and Yumi seemed like a happy bunny run suddenly over with a steamroller. In fact, Touko is smart but just doesn’t like Yumi, Sachiko is distracted and troubled, and Yumi…well, Yumi is engaging in a bout of well-deserved overwrought angst brought on by a lack of ability to communicate. She’s 17. Just remind yourself of that from time to time. If you’re over 25, it’ll help. ^_^

***

It was losing the umbrella that did it. If she hadn’t lost the umbrella, she would have been okay.

***

The umbrella had a hydrangea pattern on it, hence the hydrangea imagery in the anime with which we are beaten.

***

Yoshino and Yumi are talking when Tsutako comes up and asks if she can take a picture of them for the weekly. Jokingly, Yumi lifts her bag to hide her face and refuses.

***

Yumi walks to Sachiko’s classroom, and comes across the scene of Touko begging Sachiko to go with her on a drive. Yumi is so offended by Touko’s impudence that she turns around and leaves.

In the anime, Sachiko is smiling in this scene. In the novel, she’s quite serious.

***

During the scene when Yumi asks after Sachiko’s family, Sachiko really *could* have told her. So the problem does begin with Sachiko, right here.

***

Yumi has, in fact, noticed that Sachiko touches her all the time. And she *likes* it.

***

When Minako shows Yumi that Sachiko and Touko are talking in the hall, she mentions that that has occured every day, recently. Yumi’s surprised, but acts like she’s not. This scene was pretty well done in the anime, but it did leave out Minako’s description of her friend acting like a wife whose husband is cheating on her. The onee-sama was going out with another girl, giving her presents all secretly. The friend knew it, but pretended she didn’t. The friend cut her club activities in half, saying that it was too much for her.

Minako also says that none of this has anything to do with the newspaper, and in fact, she’s thinking of retiring.

***

When Sachiko calls the next time to cancel, Yumi has many questions but doesn’t ask any of them. Up to this point, Sachiko has to shoulder the blame, but at this point, Yumi is as culpable.

***

The next day, Yumi is depressed, so of course she runs into Touko. She really doesn’t like Touko and feels jealous of her.

***

The next day, in the Rose Mansion, Sachiko’s kind words only hurt Yumi. She’s begun resenting Sachiko, and feels that onee-sama’s words are sugar-coated, but empty. That day the teacher discusses the hydrangea and how it, because it changes color, it is also known as “capriciousness”. She thinks, but the color is so lovely, why would anyone want to change it? – thinking of the hydrangeas on her umbrella. Then she thinks that Sachiko’s feelings have changed.

***

The scene in the Rose Mansion where Yumi asks for a new promise was done straight in the anime, but afterwards this was cut:

Yumi goes out the back entrance to be able to see the hydrangeas – she notices that their color is already slightly different than they were in the morning. The rain is pounding down and she comes across Sei, huddling under a overhang. Sei asks Yumi to let her under her umbrella. Sei was standing in a place that is popular for sheltering from the rain.

Sei asks Yumi if Shimako has changed. Sei had cut class the day before, but some classmates said that they saw someone who looked like Shimako near the college. Yumi realizes that Sei doesn’t know about Noriko and then realizes that Sei had been hanging about waiting to ambush Shimako. ^_^

Yumi thinks about how Sei has always been there to save her, every time she was depressed or upset.

Sei asks if the cause of Yumi’s depression is “tate roll” (the narrator’s description of Touko’s hair) and Yumi is surprised that Sei knows. Sei confesses that she had just seen Sachiko walk by with her a little while ago.

While waiting for the bus, Sei asks Yumi to not abandon Sachiko.

***

Saturday – Sachiko isn’t at school. After the way they parted, Yumi doesn’t want to see Sachiko, but the thought of her not being there at school makes Yumi a little lonely.

Rei and Yoshino have reconciled. Shimako and Noriko are also happy. “Yellow and White, how nice for them.”

Touko *is* at school, which relieves Yumi a little, but she still feels bitter and suspicious.

On the way home she stops at a convenience store to get butter (unsalted) for her mother. That’s when her umbrella is taken. Done heartbreakingly well in the anime.

***

Sunday when she calls Sachiko’s house, her alibi is to apologize – NOT because she did anything wrong, but because she said too much.

***

When Yumi meets Sachiko outside the shoe locker room, Yumi is ready to give the rosary back, but her hands are full and she can’t reach it in her pocket. Sachiko tells Yumi that they have a lot to talk about, and takes a step forward towards her. Yumi panics for no discernible reason, and steps backwards. She has mixed feelings – she’s glad Sachiko waited to speak with her, but she’s afraid that Sachiko wants to ask for the rosary back.

As Yumi runs off, leaving Sachiko and Touko behind, she knows that she looks the picture of a emotionally wounded heroine from a drama, but she doesn’t stop running. She runs past the statue of Mary to the front gate where a group of college students are gathered. Among them, she sees someone she knows. In the middle of all the gaudy colored umbrellas, one black men’s umbrella stands out.

When Sei turns around to see Yumi running at her, so does a pink umbrella, a yellow one with blue dots and a checked pattern. Their owners all stop to watch the scene.

Sei is considerably shaken by Yumi throwing herself at her. Yumi is too upset to explain coherently, so she just cries into Sei’s chest.

In the end, it was the fault of the rain that Sachiko drove off without a word – she couldn’t see Yumi in the gloom and the haze of rain.

Not the end. Thank god.

Ratings:
Story – 6-8, depending on the section
Characters – 8
Yuri – 7
Obsessive Fan – 10
Pathos – 10





Maria-sama ga Miteru Tenth Novel: Rainy Blue, Part 2

January 20th, 2006

Rainy Blue
Part 2

Yellow Rose Storm Warning

(I believe that the title of this particular anime episode was mistranslated. All of the three sections refer to the rainy weather, which is so indicative throughout.)

It wasn’t a big deal, until she made it into one. It was more light than heat, until Rei hotted it up. It wasn’t a problem until she said “no.” Really, she’s a baka.

Yoshino’s comment about wanting to join kendo club makes Rei suspend eating a piece of cheesecake mid-motion. As they argue, the cheesecake slides from the fork onto her plate, where it splatters, getting a piece of cake in Yoshino’s water glass (thus the odd call for water in the anime) and a piece of cake in Rei’s hair. As the argument heats up, Rei runs her hands through her hair, smearing the cake, so when the waitress comes up, she eyes Rei strangely and bails as fast as possible, because Rei looks quite gross. Yoshino watches all this (without telling Rei about the cake in her hair) and thinks that Rei’s fans’ illusions would be completely shattered at this moment if they could see her.

As Rei starts going over the difficulties of kendo, Yoshino starts to be convinced, because she hadn’t really considered the issues of working out in a unheated dojo in the winter, etc, but when Rei gets cocky, Yoshino gets mad. She says that 2nd dan (second degree black belt) Rei-sama need not concern herself about a lowly beginner, but then immediately hates herself for saying it.

Throughout this chapter, Yoshino is berating herself for saying things in anger.

Yoshino realizes she doesn’t have the rosary on, and believes that this is Maria-sama’s way of saving her from herself. She thinks that throwing the coral necklace (which was from her parent’s honeymoon) at Rei wouldn’t hurt her emotionally, so she leaves. But she does regret not finishing her dessert, and leaving the chestnuts behind.

***

Rei and Yoshino live an 8-minute walk from school.

***

Yoshino is kicking the shoe boxes, as she puts her school shoes on. She kicks a shoe off in anger, and the pair of legs next to her says, “What are you doing?” Yoshino reprimands herself – obviously, the legs are not speaking, so she lifts her eyes to see Yumi attached to those legs. ^_^

***

In class, Yoshino turns to Yumi and says, “About the conversation this morning…”

Yumi has absolutely no idea what Yoshino is referring to. Yoshino thinks she’s faking, gets annoyed, then realizes that Yumi really has no clue, although she was present at the Rose Mansion when it occurred. She reminds Yumi that Noriko will be joining them today. Yumi is amazed – she has no memory of the conversation at all.

Yoshino gets a bad feeling when Yumi mentions that she hasn’t seen Sachiko, then her face stiffens, and droops. Yumi says that Sachiko cancelled their date. Yoshino is appalled this is the second or third time she’s done that. Sachiko is a princess, Yoshino thinks, but she ought to know better and treat the commoners more fairly.

***

Yoshino is running around getting permission and clearance to join the kendo club. She is being old over and over that with Rei’s permission, it would be easier. The school doctor, Hoshino Eiko (semi long wavy hair, very lovely, lots of students admire her, doesn’t look the thirty years older than Yoshino that she is) has to check with her attending physician.

***

Thoughts that were not audible in the anime, but are damn fun:

When Sachiko welcomes Noriko to the Rose Mansion, her smile, Yoshino thinks, would make her fans positively dizzy. :-)

Yoshino thinks of the whole meeting with Noriko as an “omiai,” a marriage meeting, with Red and Yellow Roses acting as attendants and go-betweens. She thinks the engagement is a given – everyone seems positive and interested in the pairing.

She’s a little jealous of Shimako and Noriko – their relationship is new, the future unclear. She thinks that she and Rei have hit “the stage of fatigue” of married couples – there’s no doki-doki left. . By seeking stimulus in the form of joining the kendo club, Yoshino feels that she may have pushed too hard and precipitated a divorce.

***

When the Kendo club president says that it’s her fault that Rei’s out of school, because last night she told Rei about Yoshino’s petition to join the club, Yoshino becomes furious at Rei. She thinks it’s deplorable that she’d stay home from school because of such a thing. (She’s not. Rei has a cold, but Yoshino doesn’t know that yet.)

***

In order to be able to join the club, Yoshino has had to get permission from the club president, the club faculty advisor, the head teacher, the school doctor and her attending physician. They held a special staff meeting about it, and approved her conditionally. In general, Yoshino feels that they handled it all with fair speed.

***

Having gotten a chance to join kendo club, Yoshino is determined to play by the rules. No slacking because she’s tired, or using her health as an excuse. She also doesn’t want to involve or invoke Rei at all.

She’s assigned to Tanuma Chisato (the girl who won the half day date with Rei back on Valnetine’s Day) because Chisato is the last person to join. Yoshino understands this, but is annoyed as hell. She also hates Chisato’s way of speaking. The girl never says anything wrong, per se, but is always slightly snarky. Yoshino thinks the short haircut looks crappy on Chisato. :-)

***

More Yoshino wonderfulness that had to be cut as it was internal monologue:

Thursday noon as they walk down the hall, Yumi asks Yoshino how kendo is going. She answers that it’s fine, but to herself calls it “The stretching marathon and muscle conditioning association.” And her legs hurt.

Yoshino sees Shimako standing in the window, looking like she bears some secret pain. It makes her look her impossibly sexy.

The three of them walk to the Rose Mansion together and we get a replay of the triple sigh scene, from Yoshino’s point of view. For the life of her, Yoshino can’t figure out why Shimako is hesitating about Noriko. They clearly want to be together. She knows it was the same with Sei and Shimako, but couldn’t comprehend that, either.

When Shimako runs off so suddenly, Yoshino wonders out loud if she’s hurt her feelings.

***

This scene was done in the anime just fine, but as Konno Oyuki is so particular about language and I am so fascinated by her use of words, I want to address a few things:

Rei says to Yoshino, that “Yoshino’s life is Yoshino’s. I have no right to stop you.” Rei goes on to say that she was thinking about kendo club and soeur “stuff”. Yoshino thinks, “In other words, you were thinking about me, but you can’t say that straight.” As we learn later, Yoshino is actually wrong…. Rei says that Yoshino “abuses” her. The verb was translated in the anime by the fansubbers as “blow off” which isn’t the same thing and I think they lost something crucial here. Remember this, it comes back later…

That day Rei takes over the training of the underclassmen. Yoshino is feeling particularly crappy, but she doesn’t want to take the day off so she seems like she’s lost to Rei.

We see half of this scene in the anime. The half cut out is infinitely more interesting. Yoshino is doing a practice exercise she finds particularly difficult. She has trouble with it (they morph this in the anime to her falling while doing a simple deep knee bend, something I found extra irritating…). When she falters, she sees Rei looking at her and shoots her a peace sign. Rei turns away. Here’s the bit that was cut: Yoshino watches Rei turn away and becomes so incensed that she has to fight the urge to drop her index finger so that only the middle finger remains extended. LOL She immediately quashes the thought because, of course, Lillian students do *not* behave that way.

(Yoshino has always been one of my favorite characters, but I simply adored her for this. I wanted to take her home and hug her after this display of bad temper. ^_^)

***

It becomes apparent to Yoshino that Chisato is the only one who speaks to her honestly and normally. The first-years think she’s a bit odd for entering the club late, with the high-and-mighty title of “Rosa Foetida en bouton”. The second-years mostly joined to be with Rei, so see her as encroaching on their territory, and the third-years are in and out like ghosts. So as much as it galls her to do so, Yoshino relies on Tanuma Chisato, her erstwhile rival.

***

By herself, with no one to watch and correct, Yoshino knows that exercise tends to slack off, but she keeps focused so she doesn’t “lose.” Then she wonders to whom? Herself, or Rei? After a moment, she admits…both.

She hears footsteps and knows instantly that it’s Rei.

Earlier when Rei said that they had been thinking about kendo and their soeur relationship, Yoshino assumed she meant that she was thinking about Yoshino (as we were meant to, assumably.) However, she was really thinking about her *own* roles. The problem, Rei goes on, is that Yoshino doesn’t listen to her and she honestly thought it would be a problem in kendo, since Rei, as a senior member *must* be listened to. The anime does a nice version of their reconciliation, so I’ll leave you to (re)watch that.

Yoshino offers Rei the chance to take the rosary back, but Rei says she doesn’t want it. Rei says that she doesn’t want Yoshino to lessen by even one milligram. Yoshino asks what Rei wants her to do – what can she do to make it right between them. She offers to quit kendo for Rei. Rei of course, tells her its okay she can continue to “abuse” her, and they embrace.

The keystone of the story, IMHO, is the verb Oyuki-sensei has Rei use. In the anime the translators translate it as “You blow me off.” The actual verb, which can mean to “abuse” is also used to say “wield” as in a weapon. It’s much more active than just ignoring Rei. In a sense, Rei says, “you wield yourself as a weapon against me” which of course, Yoshino does, frequently. So I kind of feel that the subbers lost the point there.

The anime made Yoshino seem much more of a jerk than the novel does, and bizarrely added a lot of extraneous dialogue.

One last muy importante note. The animators were clearly suffering from a paucity of experience with exercise (well, duh) because they made Yoshino seem positively moronic in the simplest exercise, instead of what she is in the novel – an extremely out of shape girl. She did *not* scream and cramp when she stretched, nor did she fall over doing a knee bend, which was just stupid. She was just stiff and uncoordinated, in a perfectly normal way considering that she’d had a freakin’ heart condition her entire life.

End Part 2





Maria-sama ga Miteru Tenth Novel: Rainy Blue, Part 1

January 18th, 2006

Rainy Blue
Part 1

This novel is split into three sections, each following one of the three second-years of the Yamayurikai. All three stories happen simultaneously, something that was not, I think, communicated well in the anime. The weather is not only symbolic, it’s how you know *when* you are in the stories. Several of the scenes are seen through various eyes: the scene where the 2nd-years are all walking to the Rose Mansion and sigh, we see from Shimako’s and Yoshino’s viewpoint; the scene where Yumi and Yoshino share a moment at the shoe lockers are also in each of their sections. These are also indications that the stories are happening simultaneously and give you a frame of reference for “when” we are in any given story.

The anime did a fair job of each of the stories; the best of the three was Shimako’s. None of the key scenes were cut, but you did lose all of the characters’ thought processes, which make everyone – especially Yoshino and Sachiko – seem more heartless and/or capricious than they do in the novel. I also have to fault the animators for this – they did an abysmal job on the facial expressions. In one case in the novel, Sachiko is quite serious when talking to Touko and in the anime they have her smiling. It makes the essential meaning of the scene change completely. And puts more of the blame for the whole blowup on Sachiko, when it’s at least 40% Yumi’s fault. (45% Sachiko, %5 Touko.)

Touko isn’t evil.

She *is* a brat, but again, the animators made her seem more like she was an active participant in Yumi’s misery – and they gave her evil eyebrows, which make her seem suspicious. In fact, she’s quite boring, and utterly oblivious of any damage she causes, like most drama queens. She does have one very awkward habit of not being audible when she walks, so she suddenly *appears* on the scene with no warning, usually when someone has mentioned her, which also makes her seem scheming when she really isn’t.

These three stories can be summarized thusly: Shimako feels too much; Yoshino talks too much; Yumi doesn’t *do* enough.

11 pages of notes, but I have a new notebook, so whether that would have been more or less in the old system, I don’t know. And by the way…I didn’t mention this, but I posted 203 times in 2005, for an average of just about 17 times a month. Worrisome, if you think about it…. ;-)

Part 1 – Drops of the Rosary

The season is early summer. Shimako wonders why, during the season in which they change winter for summer uniforms doesn’t she feel lighter? We get an internal discussion of the fact that the winter and summer uniforms are functionally the same – not heavier/lighter material, just shorter sleeves.

Even though it’s not raining, Shimako feels in her heart as if it will never be clear again.

From the Rose Mansion they can hear the folk song club singing. (One day, I’m going to list all the clubs we’ve heard about…)

Sachiko, trying to convince Shimako to take Noriko as a soeur already, says “please take your time choosing a soeur, but do it before summer vacation.” (Shimako thinks that Sachiko is becoming more Youko-like, which isn’t surprising as she admired her onee-sama so much.)

Rei comments, but you didn’t choose until the school festival (She’s *nothing* like her predecessor…) Rei uses “nobinobi” – rattling around unattached, to which Sachiko takes issue.

Sachiko insists that she didn’t know of Yumi’s existence until the second term, and since *someone* had just rejected her offer, it was a bitter experience. At this point in the novel, Sachiko points at her cup, which is empty and Shimako (obviously the “someone” in question) fills it without comment.

Rei then calmly points out that it took Sei a long time to decide, so maybe it’s a White Rose tradition.

***

This scene was truncated slightly in the anime which lost several things – most notably Shimako’s feelings and Touko’s creepy ability to appear suddenly:

Noriko is described in the novels as looking like an Ichimatsu doll. You’ve seen them. They have dark hair medium length cut bluntly across the bangs and back…look it up on Google image search.

Shimako asks Noriko to go home with her and Noriko gets all happy (So cute!) She says she has nothing to do other than running around avoiding Touko. Shimako envies Noriko’s spontaneity – she was a little worried about Noriko adapting to Lillian student life, but she seems to be doing fine. Shimako feels thankful that Noriko is so capable of relating to everyone normally – but in a corner of her own heart, she still feels lonely.

As she’s standing there thinking about Noriko (waiting for Noriko to get her bag from the classroom) Shimako says out loud “Touko, she said” and Touko is suddenly *there* with no noise or warning. Shimako thinks that she doesn’t dislike Touko – which even she finds strange. ^_^

Touko complains that Noriko won’t join a club (if you remember, we learned that in middle school, joining a club is mandatory. It stands to reason that some girls would internalize that through high school, as well. I imagine that that’s why the administration make it mandatory. Touko says that it’s horrid that Noriko won’t, if not join theater club, then at least *some* club! Noriko whirls on her and says “which one of us is being horrid? Don’t involve Rosa Gigantea in this.” And she calls Touko – “Touko”, which is obviously against the rules. Noriko follows this up with a poke to Touko’s forehead. Watching Noriko throughout this, Shimako feels her chest tighten a little, in a good way. (Mine too – I am now officially a Noriko fan. ^_^)

Noriko tells Shimako that’s she’s just not interested in a club – she tells Shimako about being recruited by the bible club and Shimako has to smile at the idea.

Shimako thinks how similar they are, like polar opposites. She says, quoting her own onee-sama, that Noriko should consider a club, because high school life is so short and should be more than just studying.

Touko insists that Noriko should join anything: koto, tennis, ping-pong, handicrafts,. She becomes very impassioned, raising her fist in the air.

Shimako tells Noriko that she can wait and see. She and Noriko start to walk off. They walk in silence for a while. Noriko jokes that she was considering starting a club for Buddha statue viewing, but then says that she doesn’t want to join any clubs, in case she ends up assisting the Yamayurikai.

***

Three days after this conversation, Noriko visits the Rose Mansion for the first time. For Noriko’s benefit, Rei takes off the day from kendo club and during the lunch break Yumi and Yoshino drop by the Rose Mansion and clean really well.

When Noriko arrives, Sachiko has her smile on the highest setting, inviting Noriko to sit for tea. When Noriko refuses Sachiko’s offer, Shimako is dizzied by her bluntness.

Rei takes control of the conversation by insisting that Noriko be a guest for the day, thus avoiding Sachiko having a fit. Rei seats herself between Noriko and Sachiko. Shimako notes how skillful she is in handling the situation.

Noriko drinks her tea black, Yumi w/ cream and sugar, Yoshino with 2 dollops of cream until its beige. lol

Shimako sits there, her mouth totally dry, but drinking tea doesn’t help, she’s so nervous.

When Noriko is asked about her family, (Noriko has a little sister, btw) Shimako thinks she looks a little dubious (like, “why are they asking that?” when it’s kind of normal at Lillian to ask such things) so she answers for Noriko. Shimako is completely overwrought by now, worrying that “the Inquisition” will upset Noriko, but when Noriko seems at ease when she answers, she relaxes a little. Shimako catches herself thinking, “this is part of the process” then wonders “the process” of what?

Shimako thinks of her smile like papier mache – it never moves, and is very fragile.

***

Our Tsutako scene was truncated in the anime:

Tsutako calls Noriko Shimako’s “reflecting board” – she makes Shimako glitter. Tsu says that today Shimako doesn’t shine and says that she (Shimako) can confide in her (Tsutako).

Shimako tells Tsu that she really can’t explain why she’s down – she doesn’t have words for it. She doesn’t feel that she can ask Yumi or Yoshino about it. She notes that Noriko was in the council room with her, but that she, Shimako, didn’t glitter.

Shimako confides that she feels clumsy. Tsutako tells Shimako that the others don’t quite understand her, so they seem like they are trying too hard with Noriko. Tsutako goes on to say that as a cameraman, she sees into people’s hearts – then she admits that she doesn’t like having pictures taken of herself. She wants to take pictures of Yoshino, Yumi and Shimako, not to be in them.

Shimako asks Tsutako why she told her that, and Tsutako admits that it just slipped out – and asks her not to tell Yumi or Yoshino. As Tsutako turns away, Shimako, in her mind, snaps a picture of her and thinks that she makes a great photographic subject.

***

Cut scene:

Shimako is walking with Yoshino and Yumi to the Rose Mansion. The first-years are greeting them as they walk – it’s a pleasant scene, Shimako thinks. But she’s not satisfied, because Noriko is not with her. But, then, she also doesn’t want Noriko to have to be part of this.

The first-years surround them, because they are popular, of course. Shimako finds a little pleasure in the whole situation, especially watching Yumi and Yoshino greet the younger students. Even though none of them has the poise Rei and Sachiko have, they all handle it well. As they part from the first-years, Shimako can hear them mention that all three of them look upset.

Shimako asks Yumi and Yoshino what the matter is – they seem extra quiet today. Yumi turns to Yoshino and agrees, saying that Yoshino has hardly said a word. Yoshino shoots back that the same applies to Yumi, and her face is gloomy. They all deny being unhappy and fall quiet again.

As they get outside into the school grounds, they simultaneously heave a sigh. Yumi asks, “What?”

Yoshino replies, “What what? You did it too.”

Shimako asks what’s worrying them and Yoshino responds that it’s not worth consulting a person who was just sighing themselves. To which Shimako replies that there are different kinds of heavy sighs.

Everyone falls silent, no one budges.

Shimako thinks, Yoshino’s sigh was about Rei, Yumi’s was about Sachiko. One can’t help but think about those who are important to one.

They get the Rose Mansion and stand in a line, looking up the stairs.

“Guess we ought to go up.”

“Yup.”

Nothing.

Yumi and Yoshino do start up, but Shimako sees Goronta run by and breaks. She feels as if her feet are moving by their own will as she runs off.

***

In the scene where Shimako sees the university, she doesn’t cry, but she does desperately wish to see Sei. She sums up her problem thusly: Sei graduated, Noriko arrived. Noriko can fill the emptiness in her heart, but she hasn’t really discussed it with Noriko – or the others in the Yamayurikai.

(It’s fairly obvious to anyone that the Yamayurikai members would love to have Noriko join them, but we have to allow Shimako her moment of irrational angst.)

Classes have started already, but she stays there, in the far corner of the school property, wishing she could be with someone. Not be called “Rosa Gigantea”, but just stay by someone’s side. She starts walking and comes to a cross-road. Go back to the Rose Mansion or to Noriko’s classroom? Wishing she had a more relaxed personality, but noting that it’s not easy to change, Shimako chooses to head back to her own classroom.

***

When Sachiko scolds Noriko about calling Shimako “Shimako-san” Shimako immediately feels guilty because she knows Sachiko’s right – she was totally laissez-faire about the issue.

Noriko completely realizes that Sachiko is scolding her because she cares. She instantly realizes that Sachiko is the kind of person to ignore everyone unless she actually gives a damn about them. When she catches up to Shimako she says this, and Shimako confirms it. She’s surprised that Noriko noticed so quickly that it’s just Sachiko’s way.

I absolutely *loved* the bit where Noriko offers to “borrow” the rosary, to take the burden from Shimako, because it weighs heavily on her but to Noriko, it means nothing and will be light to carry.

Shimako thinks of Noriko as a guide with a candelabrum leading her through the maze of her feelings.

When she holds out the rosary, Shimako can see the water dripping off the beads – they look like drops of water themselves, hence the title of the section, “Drops of the Rosary”. The sun breaks through the clouds, even as it rains, shining light on them in a particularly cheesy s/fx. ^_^

“Although the rain fell, inside Shimako’s heart was clear weather.”

Awwww…