Search - Maria Watches Over Us: Season 2 on DVD

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

lain4ever | Los Angeles, CA | 03/12/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Season two of "Maria Watches Over Us" handles tough changes, including senior graduation, new sisters and heart-wrenching relationships.

It starts off slowly in the first episode, in which the Yamayuri Council has a New Year's Party at Sachiko Ogasawara's humongous mansion. However, drama picks up as a series of photos leave student council members wondering whether Eriko Torii is a prostitute, dating multiple men at once.

In the next episodes, the seniors prepare for their graduation. Yumi has a tearful farewell with Sei Sato, also known as Rosa Gigantea, before she goes to college. Sachiko also breaks down in tears in the middle of her farewell speech to her superiors, Eriko Torii, Sei Satou and Yoko Mizuno. Admittedly, these are some of the emotional episodes in the series.

But the final story arcs are some of the most dramatic in the series. In Shimako Todo's story arc, Shimako starts a lovely relationship with Noriko Nijo, a first-year student. Noriko shares Shimako's fondness of Buddhism, as well as quiet meditation. However, Shimako is shy and nervous as heck, leading to Shimako's own difficult confessions of her love for Buddhism and her feelings towards Noriko.

Yoshino Shimazu has more difficult romantic troubles with her grande seour, Rei Hasekura, also known as Rosa Foetida. This involves Yoshino joining the kendo club, the same club as Rei. Unforunately, Rei is unnerved--she really doesn't want Yoshino to get hurt, among other things.

Finally, Yumi is suspecting that Sachiko Ogasawara is spending an inordinate amount of time with Toko Matsudaira, Sachiko's distant cousin and biggest fan. Yumi has some heavy emotional moments trying to ask Shimako what is wrong, and almost indefinitely rejects attending the Yamayuri Council's meetings. But Yumi discovers that Sachiko is just afraid to express her depressed feelings in regards to a different kind of loss.

Yumi and Sachiko have a wonderful make-up moment together, as do all the other girls in the series. Indeed, season two of "Maria Watches Over Us" covers some of the most trying moments and ever-changing relationships in season two. This is one of the most touching series, and season two proves that "Maria Watches Over Us" is one of the best anime romance series I have ever seen. Think of the series as "His or Her Circumstances" (also known as "Kare Kano"), if director Hideaki Anno had ever finished his work. Only with girl and girl romances.

By the way, the "Don't Tell Mother Maria" extras return in season two, making for even more funny bloopers of the series. Also, the subtitles got the title of season two wrong--this series is supposed to be called "Maria Watches Over Us: Spring," not "Maria Watches Over Us: Printemps." I wish the subbers had fixed this problem before releasing season two."

Days Well Spent At Lillian

Erica Friedman | 12/22/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The second volume of "Maria Watches Over Us" covers the last days of Yumi's first year at Lillian Jogakuen, and the early part of her second year.

This box set begins with flashbacks to the New Year's break, and continues through the graduation of the former Rosas, the changes in the Student Council and the trials and tribulations all of the second-year students face during a turbulent spring. Old characters leave, new ones arrive.

This volume ends with what is quite possibly the single most important arc in the entire series, as Yumi's relationship with Sachiko faces a nearly insumountable crisis.

The box set comes with video extras and excellent liner notes. An excellent value for your money, for more hours spent with the lovely ladies of Lillian.

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