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 Obligatory ANN description: quote:During the Hundred Year's War between England and France in the Middle Ages, a powerful witch named Maria lives in a secret forest with her familiars. She hates the war around her, and will sometimes stir up trouble against the church that does nothing to stop it. Her interventions into the world, however, run against the plans of heaven, earning her the attention of the Archangel Michael. Why should you watch this? Well, the director is Goro Taniguchi whose most famous show is Code Geass, but he also directed a bunch of other cool shows like Gun X Sword and Planetes. This is his first time directing an anime since Geass, and I'm glad he's back. And the manga itself is created by Masayuki Ishikawa, who isn't a big name by any means but you might know of him as the creator of Moyashimon, the manga about the college student that can see microorganisms. Oh and the animation production is being handled by Production I.G. As for the show itself, it's a pretty fascinating take on the subject matter! Pretty fun cast so far, and personally I find it interesting how despite painting the church as hypocritical, it's more evenhanded with how it portrays individual people. Also, it has a bunch of funny raunchy humor, which also winds up being in service of some of the points it's making, so hey that's the best of both worlds right there. I have not checked out the manga but from all accounts it's not a 1:1 adaption. The manga is already finished so anything that differs will have been planned from the start. And personally, as someone who hasn't read the manga yet, none of the additions have felt out of place so far. I wouldn't have known about them if nobody told me! It's a good show and I am bad at doing an elevator pitch, so just check it out and make posts about it. If you're an American it's available on Hulu, and all of North America can watch it on Funimation's site. Aussies can get it through Madman apparently? It's not letting me use the site but I assume you know where to go for that. As far as I can tell it doesn't appear to be on Crunchyroll for other regions so some folks will have to resort to  . Unfortunate, but that's how it is.
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Jan 25, 2015 20:28
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| # ? Apr 30, 2024 07:30 |
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Teach me something about the Hundred Years' War, anime~
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Jan 25, 2015 21:05
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For the record, the official Japanese website has some information on the more historically accurate parts of the show. Updated after every episode. http://junketsu-maria.tv/special/nazenani.php Needless to say, it's not going to teach you the true history of the Hundred Years War. That would be rather silly. Yet, if you like looking up trivia about the customs of medieval times or old folklore, this is in fact an anime with a potential educational value that is slightly greater than zero. The brief depiction of a Cyclops in episode two, for instance, seemed to take into account the theory that elephant skulls gave rise to that myth. The dragon summoning in the very first episode referenced Saint Marcel of Paris, who supposedly defeated a dragon. For obvious reasons, all this stuff is not quite as scientific as Moyashimon could be, but they also did some research into the more regular aspects of medieval life. Such as how armies actually fought back in the day. Personally, I've enjoyed seeing this sort of content in the show, which contributes to grounding the non-magical side of the setting, and still think the battle scene depicted in the first episode is a particular highlight of above average accuracy. Beyond that, despite reading some of the manga and noticing a few differences are present, I think the anime remains generally interesting enough after three episodes. At its core, the question of divine/supernatural intervention in the affairs of humanity and whether or not it's a good thing seems to be the point of the story. It's not treated as incredibly deep philosophy, I suppose, but just a little more thoughtful than the average anime or comedy. Even its irreverence towards the medieval Catholic Church as an institution, while a clear simplification, isn't mindlessly scathing nor gratuitous. That said, the humor can be uneven. Not all the jokes about virginity or sexuality work and I found a specific sequence in episode two, which was taken from the original manga, to be rather uncomfortable. But even so, I really like that the show doesn't exclusively rely on such things. Maria is a fairly decent protagonist and I think the recent introduction of additional characters will contribute to improving the cast dynamics, which have been pretty fun so far, and defining the conflict .The combination of the music, visuals and atmosphere can be pleasant, almost giving the series a vaguely Spice and Wolf vibe (including the presence of some mild fanservice or casual nudity but not nearly as in-your-face as the premise would suggest at a glance). Will everyone watch or care about this show? Probably not, but I think it's a good distraction for a Sunday afternoon. wielder fucked around with this message at 22:13 on Jan 25, 2015 |
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Jan 25, 2015 22:08
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I really like this so far. Shame the title makes it need a bit of extra nudging to get people to watch it. It reminds me of Chaika in a way, that's probably why I like it so much.
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Jan 26, 2015 01:09
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So after the first ep I thought it was kinda meh, the idea of a pacifist witch seemed p boring to me. But I'm glad I watched the second because it certainly started to get interesting. Hopefully it doesn't turn out to be just cliche religion bashing. I just finished and really enjoyed watching Shingeki no Bahamut and this certainly has some of the same elements. I'm kind of a sucker for any personification of angels. Overlord K posted:I really like this so far. Shame the title makes it need a bit of extra nudging to get people to watch it. I told my friend about the show and I just called it Junketsu no Maria  now she see's that the 'Virgin' part is actually an integral part of the plot and a source of a lot of humor. But there's certainly been plenty of barely covered nudity and off screen sex in it sofar tho so if you don't like that I would say avoid this show. (why does she sleep nude and complain about the cold...?)
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Jan 26, 2015 05:12
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I like her apple earings it reminds me of snow white
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Jan 26, 2015 05:25
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Compared to what I've read of the manga, with not all of it having been translated yet, the anime adaptation seems to be focusing much more on building up the world around Maria, as well as the church and various divine forces. It seems like it's setting up some sort plot beyond what was in the manga, so I'm really quite interested to see what will happen. Makes the whole "Maria stops various battles and gets on everyone's nerves in the process" bit a bit less repetitive.
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Jan 26, 2015 05:56
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Hmm. With the introduction of this priest character whose apparently absent from the manga, the whole scene with the boar being put on trial and the priest's insistence that he can't do anything without an accuser, I wonder if they're setting up a plot arc with a heresy trial. They certainly seem keen on the Joan of Arc parallels.
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Jan 26, 2015 07:34
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I liked the two episodes that are up on hulu so far, and I like that they're not going the "Ooh heaven is actually evil" route. Instead it's more that heaven is taking the technically fair route of not playing favorites anywhere. Also Michael's design is cool. Like he's supposed to be beautiful, but his eyes and stiffness (which are both in line with the ideas he represents) make him look alien or robotic, and just overall wrong. I also look forward to seeing what the British witch's storyline is going to be, since she's set up as nearly the polar opposite of Maria.
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Jan 27, 2015 04:16
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Pews posted:I told my friend about the show and I just called it Junketsu no Maria I would argue that bein a virgin is no joke and is in fact a badge of pride in this modern world full of teen pregnancy and slut shaming.
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Jan 27, 2015 20:18
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Namtab posted:I would argue that bein a virgin is no joke and is in fact a badge of pride in this modern world full of teen pregnancy and slut shaming. I agree with my incel brother here. Keep your virgin-shaming in GBS.
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Jan 27, 2015 20:22
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   I thought it was p funny
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Jan 28, 2015 00:18
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The new episode is up, its good. It seems like a series that is content to just ask and explore the questions it raises, instead of giving them concrete answers, which is nice. It's also diverging and taking on life of its own as a new adaption, while still including the major elements from the original comic. Also Viv is sexy as hell.
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Feb 1, 2015 18:20
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I really like how flustered the voice acting can get, it's pretty well done too.
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Feb 1, 2015 18:28
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Ezekiel mentions a really interesting thing given what we've seen so far. Valkyries and Cernunnos showing up in the previous episodes makes me think this is really going into the whole godhood route. Which would explain why the Abrahamic pantheon is so quick to try and put out any form of "heresy".
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Feb 1, 2015 20:28
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It's not an unreasonable possibility, especially since nothing is certain at this point, but for now I'm going to take that as a rhetorical question (in the sense those folks consistently aided by Maria might potentially grow too attached and dependent on her, as if she were some sort of deity) rather than a literal development. Either way, the episode did raise an interesting question about the way different kinds of people approach their faith. There are those who think the perfect practice of faith is incompatible with receiving help from a witch and assume everything should be left up to heavenly will, and those who think there is no such contradiction between genuine religious belief and still accepting help from Maria in times of need. The deal with the mercenaries resorting to plundering is also one of those issues that people tend to underestimate but which really did happen at various points in world history. On an unrelated note, Viv was pretty funny. Young Maria was cute. It looks like we're going to be seeing more of Galfa too.
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Feb 1, 2015 21:59
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Galfa was giving off worrying Griffith vibes this episode, though I think it was mostly being played for laughs.
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Feb 1, 2015 22:01
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wielder posted:It's not an unreasonable possibility, especially since nothing is certain at this point, but for now I'm going to take that as a rhetorical question (in the sense those folks consistently aided by Maria might potentially grow too attached and dependent on her, as if she were some sort of deity) rather than a literal development. I feel like any adaption of the hundred years war that ignores how rapacious the looting and violence inflicted on the countryside could get wouldn't be a very good adaption.
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Feb 1, 2015 22:07
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I think my problem with this show is the setting at large and the secondary cast are so serious and relatively grounded, but then our core cast are a bunch of anime as gently caress children who constantly talk about dicks.
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Feb 1, 2015 22:34
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Rodyle posted:I think my problem with this show is the setting at large and the secondary cast are so serious and relatively grounded, but then our core cast are a bunch of anime as gently caress children who constantly talk about dicks. Are you implying that everyone else isn't talking about god and dicks all the time?
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Feb 1, 2015 22:35
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Rodyle posted:I think my problem with this show is the setting at large and the secondary cast are so serious and relatively grounded, but then our core cast are a bunch of anime as gently caress children who constantly talk about dicks. I'm sad you don't like Maria The Virgin Witch, but accept it.
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Feb 1, 2015 22:43
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I actually do like the show. It's just really weird.
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Feb 1, 2015 22:58
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It's definitely jarring, this episode we had about a 30 second gap between a shot of a woman almost getting raped and people making a bunch of dick jokes. I like it otherwise though.
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Feb 1, 2015 23:00
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I guess the show would be more popular if it went full anime, but I like the contrast. Even the manga has it and, if anything, the anime has added more "normal" people and details into the mix rather than going in the opposite direction. While the balance might not work for everyone, I think it makes the final product feel unique. The witches and magical beings aren't exclusively present in order to make sex jokes. I would get tired of all the levity without some semblance of depth, and the seriousness is broken up nicely by the humor, even as hit-or-miss at it can be. Incidentally...random historical trivia on the guy they mentioned during the episode: quote:Rodrigo de Villandrando (died c. 1457) was a Spanish routier from Castile and mercenary military leader in Gascony during the final phase of the Hundred Years' War. He was famous for his pillaging and was consequently known as the Emperor of Pillagers (empereur des brigands) or L'Écorcheur (the slaughterer). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodrigo_de_Villandrando wielder fucked around with this message at 23:08 on Feb 1, 2015 |
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Feb 1, 2015 23:01
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Jarring as the humor can be, I do like the birds. They're like bickering marshmallows.
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Feb 1, 2015 23:04
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I like all the sex humor stuff and wouldn't like the show as much if it was gone.
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Feb 1, 2015 23:09
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Next you'll be trying to convince me that the witches being sexy is bad.
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Feb 1, 2015 23:10
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ADTRW believes it is sinful to be in the presence of the unclean.
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Feb 2, 2015 05:52
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Viv is cool and she has the most noble of motivations: Get paid get laid.
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Feb 2, 2015 09:36
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Sharkopath posted:I feel like any adaption of the hundred years war that ignores how rapacious the looting and violence inflicted on the countryside could get wouldn't be a very good adaption. By the time of the 30 Years War looting techniques had advanced to the point that any reputable mercenary company had an officer called a Brandmeister (Lit: Fire Master) whose only job was to go to towns and threaten to burn them down unless they paid up. This was called "Brandschatzung", or "Fire Tax".
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Feb 2, 2015 12:27
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It's nice to see an episode that focuses on someone besides Maria. drat good ending to this week's ep.
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Feb 8, 2015 20:43
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Yes, it was nice to see Galfa get some time in the spotlight. I liked the move he pulled. Grabbing the blade of a sword and hitting people with the other end might seem silly and dangerous, but is apparently a historical tactic. And Bernard is, naturally, slowly making his move against Maria in an indirect manner. It was also amusing to see the familiars and Ezekiel pointing out what part of the audience might be thinking about Maria and Joseph. Good episode, especially for those who like the whole medieval atmosphere of the show and not so much the sexual humor. wielder fucked around with this message at 23:26 on Feb 8, 2015 |
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Feb 8, 2015 22:58
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Well poo poo gonna put off seeing this episode then.
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Feb 8, 2015 23:16
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In case anyone is interested or has doubts: holding the blade of a sword with your hands is not only safe but it was done quite a lot. Even without gloves or gauntlets. Here's a video about it. 
Poil fucked around with this message at 23:46 on Feb 8, 2015 |
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Feb 8, 2015 23:27
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Thanks for the interesting video. It seems reasonable when explained. I just imagine regular folks who don't know better would find the idea to be crazy talk, given how such weapons are often depicted in fantasy.
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Feb 8, 2015 23:34
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Poil posted:In case anyone is interested or has doubts: holding the blade of a sword with your hands is not only safe but it was done quite a lot. Even without gloves or gauntlets. Here's a video about it. It would have saved Granny Weatherwax a lot of trouble if she'd known that trick.
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Feb 8, 2015 23:47
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Rand Brittain posted:It would have saved Granny Weatherwax a lot of trouble if she'd known that trick. Poil fucked around with this message at 00:47 on Feb 9, 2015 |
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Feb 9, 2015 00:41
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My favorite background witch is the one that just stands on the tip of her broom while flying. That's some intense witch technique.
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Feb 9, 2015 14:43
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I like the relationships in this show a lot, its full of characters that are all cool people in their own right. I hope Galfa gets his dream someday, and that Maria and Joseph can find a happiness of their own.
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Feb 9, 2015 15:11
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wielder posted:Thanks for the interesting video. Thats because it is crazy talk. 
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Feb 10, 2015 04:19
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