Archive for the Maria-sama ga Miteru Category


Maria-sama ga Miteru Special CD, Volume 4

June 20th, 2010

The Maria-sama ga Miteru Special CD, Volume 4 begins with what was a most obvious and silly gag as Nabatome Hitomi introduces herself as Torii Eriko’s VA, followed by Itou Shizuka as Rei, Ikezawa Haruna as Yoshino and then Nabatome-san starts to introduce herself again as the voice actress for Arima Nana to complete the Yellow Rose family roster, but starts to laugh and completely blows the gag. ^_^

This was followed by….sweets! The crackling of plastic and the various “yum” noises will be familiar to anyone who has listened to any of the previous CDs. Also the random conversation about nothing much.

This is followed by the drama Frame of Mind, which really struck home just how *much* Tsutako and Shouko there is in and around the series. Because, we’re *still* not done with them. I keep saying we’ve got all the pieces, but we’re nowhere near the end. ^_^

Frame of Mind covers the mystery of a handful of film cartridges that Yumi received from a 1st-year that say “Takeshima Tsutako” in katakana on them and that Tsutako herself says are not hers. Yumi, Great Detective Yoshino and Tsutako investigate the mystery and find out the criminal was….! We learn that the 3rd-years of the Photography Club are not above hazing the new kid on the block, which will lead into another trick they play in a later story, on the new club president-elect. Man, that Photo Club is tough. ^_^ This story has the added attraction of Yumi’s realization that the Photography Club is not just made up of Tsutako and Shouko.

This drama is followed up by “Souer no Kizuna” where the entire Kibara Family is eerily in synch and they all laugh alot.

Ratings:

Overall – 9

Once more, a hour of fun and another drama to add to the ole mp3 player. When I get the whole series on there, no doubt it will break and I’ll have to start from scratch….. And can you believe that I am *still* not done with the pile of stuff I brought home from Japan three months ago? There’s still a pile of Light Novels and at least two CDs left. Phew.





Maria-sama ga Miteru Light Novel: Watashi no Su

May 21st, 2010

Have you ever considered how difficult writing a story without conflict must be? I mean, think about it – no screaming matches, no tears, no throwing things, no hand of god tragic events…what is there to care about?

Would it even be possible to write a story in which everyone was just…nice?

Watashi no Su is that story.

Because the Yumi/Sachiko/Touko era of the novels is over, we now turn our eyes to other characters around Lillian. We are introduced to Momo, a first-year whom we ultimately learn is in Touko, Noriko and Kanako’s first-year Tsubaki class. One day, just as she’s leaving class, she passes out. Eiko-sensei, the school doctor has her escorted home by a second-year, Tamaki. Tamaki is instantly likable and a little goofy-whimsical, reminiscent of Sei. When asked what to call her, Tamaki suggests Tama-chan or Tama-Tama. Momo declines politely and sticks with Tamaki-sama. Tamaki suggests that Momo call her “onee-sama” but when Momo asks don’t they have to be soeur for that, Tamaki’s reply is, “well…why not do that then?”

That night Momo learns that her mother is marrying the younger man she’s been dating for a while. It’s a second marriage for Kaya, Momo’s father died while she was still young. Momoko likes Shuu-chan and is fine with that, and fine that they’ll be moving into his family house.

When they get to meet the family, it turns out that Shuu-chan’s grandfather also has a second marriage – a much younger woman named Tsubaki. And they have a daughter, Momo’s age. You see this coming, right? Yes, it’s Tamaki.

So, when Momo works out the relationships, Tamaki would be her step-great-aunt. Tamaki declines to be called this, so they stick with Tamaki-sama. :)

The rest of the story is just…stuff. Stories from both sides of the family, parties, who’s going to do the laundry when, the stuff I call “playing house.” There is no conflict, except in very small ways, when people share lives.

It’s really nice. Nice to have Momo and her family welcomed by Shuuto’s parents and grandparents, nice to have Shuuto and Momo get along. It’s just…nice. Every chapter is a pleasure to read and the final ‘crisis’ is obvious, small and…my god, it’s nice.

I went into this book wondering if Konno-sensei could make me fall in love again. I mean, let’s face it, Yumi and the gang were charming and lovable and it’s really hard to just set them aside. You keep wondering how they are. :-) Cleverly, Konno places this story in a time and place that the story has already covered, so you *know* where and how they are, which frees you to just enjoy Momo’s story. And by god, what a nice story it is.

Ratings:

Overall – Nice

The Oshaka-sama mo Miteru series is continuing as well. I find I also like Yuuki and his friends and am looking forward to bits that we don’t already know about from the previous novels. Basically, Konno-sensei can write characters that are really likable – which is, in itself, incredibly difficult to do.





Yuri Network News – May 1, 2010

May 1st, 2010

Yuri Manga

Comic Lily is undergoing a name change to Comic Lily Plus. So, if you’ve been following this anthology, the next volume is not Comic Lily, Volume 4, but Comic Lily Plus, Volume 1.

Something Kaishaku this way comes! YNN Correspondent Katherine reports on their new work Zettai Shoujo Amnesium. It’s Chikane and Himeko all over again, and I mean that literally – the leads are Chikane and Himeko.

Saving our sanity in fifteen different ways, Hayate x Blade, Volume 12 is hitting the shelves in a few weeks. Thank heavens.

And for those of you sticking it out, Manga no Tsukurikata, Volume 3 is probably going to be about the same level of ambiguous as it has been so far, until it’s not.

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Even More Maria-sama ga Miteru Movie News

The Mantan Website has a photo gallery of the actresses for the Maria-sama ga Miteru movie. Let the pointless criticism and conjecture begin!

By the way, if you missed the Maria-sama manga when it came out the first time, the first omnibus volume of the manga is coming out. Looks like there’ll be three volumes total.

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Snatches of Yuri

I have to admit, this one made me laugh – Aika Zero is out and has Yuri, presumably. Yes – it’s that Aika. The whole panty shot-a-second Aika. This time it takes place in a girls’ school with rosaries and the whole schtick. It’s from Gum Comics, so you know it’s gonna be classy.

Bato-Supi is about two girls in the “Battle Spirits” card game club at school and the funny sexual harassment that happens there.

Okay, I’m in on Shitsuji Shoujo to Ojou-sama. (That’s “The Girl Butler and Her Mistress” to you.) I don’t really care that it will probably be about nothing. :-)

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That’s a wrap for this week.

Become a Yuri Network Correspondent by sending me any Yuri-related news you find. Emails go to anilesbocon01 at hotmail dot com. Not to the comments here, please, or they might be forgotten or missed. There’s a reason for this madness. This way I know you are a real human, not Anonymous (which I do not encourage – stand by your words with your name!) and I can send you a YNN correspondent’s badge.

Thanks to all of you – you make this a great Yuri Network!





Maria-sama ga Miteru Christmas Album

January 26th, 2010

It’s a day early, but today’s post is a welcome guest review from Okazu Superhero, Guest Reviewer, supporter, fan and friend, Eric P. The occasion for the Guest Review today is a good one – I will be giving a keynote speech tonight at the ArtsCAP’s Electronic Media Bootcamp in Asbury Park, NJ. Because my schedule will remain a tad overbusy until the end of this week, I make no promises about reviews for a few days. In the meantime, please offer a warm welcome once again to Eric!

Christmas Album: La Vierge Marie Vous Regarde

A holiday-themed review would be considered overdue at this point, but — better later than never, perhaps? Anyway, one may assume taking the Catholic schoolgirls of Maria Sama ga Miteru and putting them together to do a Christmas album would make an obvious and fitting combination. By and large, one would be correct.

I never saw any point in collecting the MariMite Drama CD’s because I can’t fully appreciate what I don’t understand listening to, unless it’s J-Pop or J-Rock. So when I heard of there was a MariMite Christmas album, I figured I should at least get this. I went in half-expecting to hear holiday music backed up with broken English (every time I hear or say those two words I can’t help but think of the song). It turns out that their English is actually pretty good, but if you’re really listening then of course some of the pronunciations may be off. But that’s really a nitpick that can’t be helped, and the seiyuu still sing with their own natural grace, so that it is easy to overlook.

Their voices go so well together, almost like an angelic chorus, with a melodic flow. It only makes sense that most of their songs are classic Christmas songs like “Joy to the World”, “O Come All Ye Faithful”, “Silent Night” and “Angels We Have Heard on High”. “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” with its danceable beat would almost feel out of place on this list, but it seems meant to be the one fun break before the seiyuu return to the softer tunes. The only other non-religious song is “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” serving as the album’s appropriate sign-off.

Since the credits on the album are in Japanese, and it’s been a while since I watched the series, I can’t really tell which specific characters sing which songs. I would imagine that Yumi and Sachiko lead most of them, or perhaps it could be Shimako since that’s her picture on the cover. Inside is a booklet containing the lyrics along with a square-card version of the cover image. This card offers us in plain English best wishes throughout the coming year, making it seem like Shimako is praying as much for us.

The only downside is you can get so into the music but it’s over before you know it. The whole thing is literally just 20 minutes long, with 6 songs. They really could have added more to make a fuller-length album so it wouldn’t have to end so soon, but it’s still a very fine CD made up of lovely music nonetheless. You may not be a fan of Christmas songs, and I for one have been fed up with them over the years, but it helps to be even a casual MariMite fan to appreciate this ensemble’s rendition. Some time by the next holiday season, assuming this CD stays in print that long, feel free to add this to your collection (you too, Erica!). And here’s to looking forward to Right Stuf’s future release of the 4th season of Maria Watches Over Us.

Ratings:

Overall-9 (minus 1 point just for the short length)

Thanks Eric! I’ll be passing on this, because there is *more* than enough Christmas music in my house and as a non-celebrant, I feel happier avoiding it as much as possible, sung by popular voice actresses or not. ;-)





Yuri Drama CD: Maria-sama ga Miteru Premium CD Volume 1

January 19th, 2010

Maria-sama ga Miteru Premium CD Volume 1, which should not be confused with the Maria-sama ga Miteru Special CD, Volume 1, because they are two different things with the practically the same name, was wonderful. Absolutely squee-worthy.

The dramas alone were a full hour or so and cover the most pertinent bits of Souer Audition, i.e., Tsutako and Shouko reunited for the first time since they first met (squee!), and “Joanna,” the short in which we see Yumi manipulating Touko by being honest, sincere, enthusiastic and loving. (squee!) Poor Touko…there was no hope for her after that. lol You’d have to be a very evil person to not love Yumi at that point and Touko was never evil.

The discussion portion had Ueda Kana and Nabatome Hitomi discussing – among other things – cream-filled doughnuts and Russian fairy tales. I love the idea that they are on the clock eating shu-cream filled doughnuts. If I didn’t know that the rest of their job was beastly, I might envy them.

We now have all of the Tsutako x Shouko story on various CDs. If they are smart – and they are, I have no doubt – they will package them all together as a Drama CD with figurines of Tsutako Shouko and we’ll all cough up *another* pile of cash to get it. ^_^

Now all I need to make me happy is Kira Kira Mawaru and Margaret ni Ribon on CD and I will be the happiest of fangirls. ^_^

Ratings:

Overall – 9.5, because this is just about the best Tsutako x Shouko scene until Kira Kira Mawaru

Squee!