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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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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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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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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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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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Production values fluctuated somewhat this time, but I'm enjoying the nice storyboarding and the general build-up of tension in the midst of seemingly lighthearted situations. I like how everything is starting to come together, even the Galfa sub-plot that was the focus of the previous episode. Character development is a good thing. It was certainly amusing to see Bernard completely lose it for a moment. I guess characters voiced by Takahiro Sakurai always seem to get one of those scenes.
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Feb 15, 2015 19:19
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Personally, I'd call that serving a dual purpose: half-stylistic, half-out of necessity. I wouldn't be too surprised if a couple of those flag interruptions do end up being replaced with additional animation for the physical release, but perhaps not all of them will receive such treatment. Either way, I was quite satisfied with the content and execution of the episode. Michael sure isn't fooling around and Maria got the message, even if she's still stubborn about her beliefs. The battle was visibly brutal and the emotional moments after the fact felt pretty genuine to me. That ending scene is definitely bittersweet though. Things are getting complicated around Galfa. I don't hate the guy, but he's sure making some sudden decisions. I suppose it's rash yet in-character for him.
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Feb 22, 2015 21:32
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Well...they didn't go "full cannon" with it, which would have been too elaborate for the setting, but I liked that they did give a new arm to Galfa. Lots of doubting and scheming going on in the latest episode. Bernard is simultaneously (and opportunistically) presenting the Church as a reasonable alternative to Maria, on paper, while also organizing a more dishonorable attack on the side. Galfa might be a rascal and a killer, but I think he's not going to go through with the proposal. He does seem to sincerely care for Joseph to a certain extent. By the way...I liked that they didn't kill the grandmother yet, even if she was put in a no-win situation with regards to her friendship with Maria. A couple of interesting implications about the power of belief were also present. I think that's enough to explain why Christianity can co-exist with a few fantasy creatures. Also, production values went up again and there was some nice storyboarding work too. wielder fucked around with this message at 18:33 on Mar 1, 2015 |
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Mar 1, 2015 18:22
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Rodyle posted:This episode was boring. Like, normally I am fine with repetition and a slow build but it feels like we've spent the last 4 episodes going through: Galfa is involved with amoral shenanigans, the Church does something sinister, Maria gets 3 different lectures on war, and Ezekiel doubts her faith. We all have different interests and pet-peeves. Can't really expect everyone to share the same views but, speaking honestly, I have never felt bored at all. I guess I'm a patient person when it comes to series that are pushing my buttons, so to speak. It's true that similar topics have been mentioned before, but that's because they are all related to the main theme of the show (which is the same theme of the manga, even with a few modifications or extensions). The general situation is in fact changing though. It wouldn't be fair to say that the status quo is static right now, or that there haven't been any new consequences for Maria's actions. For a production that often deals with some rather blatant and in-your-face subject matter, I think there are subtle nuances to several characters and their development hasn't stopped. Could the pace move along faster? Maybe, but some of those details would be lost and I like the charming atmosphere a lot, so it doesn't bother me. wielder fucked around with this message at 22:12 on Mar 1, 2015 |
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Mar 1, 2015 22:04
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ninjewtsu posted:I'm getting kind of annoyed with the church and heavens and whatever and their stance that Maria has "no place" intervening in affairs. Like it's neat and cool when they show stuff like how single mindedly stopping all conflict in the area isn't exactly the best course of action, since that leads to penniless mercenaries who need to raid the locals to get their food. But this thing where Maria's witch powers shouldn't be used because it's "not her place" is annoying. Who's place is it to decide to end war? Is it better that a king do it? Why is it not Maria's place? Why is it that, with regards to humans, the heaven's have a policy of "we don't care, it'll work itself out in the end" but that same hands off thing doesn't apply to witches? How is Maria deciding of ehr own accord to halt all conflict in her little sphere of influence different from mercenaries deciding of their own accord to rape and pillage random villages? I think there are multiples sides to the issue. For the priests and common folk, there's the whole heresy angle. Bernard is quite a bastard, but his public discourse isn't wrong on that front. It is in fact problematic to tolerate witches. On the other hand, it seems the heavens above (or at least the angels, since the Creator works in mysterious ways and all that) oppose her for various reasons. The use of supernatural powers comes with greater responsibilities than those of normal human abilities. They believe she shouldn't directly and publicly interfere in how regular human beings resolve their conflicts, which is a part of the natural order they claim to uphold. We have seen that her actions can have unintended consequences and other side effects. It's not heavenly opposition based on Maria's personal ethics or moral compass being wrong, of course not, but because such interventions place her firmly above and beyond the rest of mankind while calling too much attention to herself. Notice that they didn't have any objections to her sending medicines or using the succubus for night missions. Keeping a low profile is what she's being asked to do. It might not be Maria's true desire to stand in the place of a deity, yet they've said there is an implied potential arrogance in assuming that position: people will rely on her too much, rather than on themselves or on faith. There's also the possibility of this creating a competing belief system, of sorts, centered around Maria. Ezekiel did refer to that a while ago and some of the ideas in the latest episode seem to connect to this. wielder fucked around with this message at 02:07 on Mar 2, 2015 |
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Mar 2, 2015 02:01
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ninjewtsu posted:Why? The power a human king wields is plenty great, they start and perpetuate wars and heaven doesn't give a gently caress. Since when does the power one holds determine one's agency in using those powers? Why does heaven care here, but doesn't care about powerful humans? I suppose it's because public displays of powerful magic spells are indistinguishable from actual miracles, which ties into the previously mentioned issue of belief and its implications. Kings and Emperors, for all their armies and weapons, can't replicate miracles. But witches can and do act in ways that human witnesses will perceive as miraculous. quote:Why? Why isn't Maria part of that natural order? What excludes witches from the natural order? Why aren't Maria's actions also considered "the natural order?" Because they are...supernatural. Even if, true, that can be interpreted as something of a paradox (witches are born within nature, yet have the magical power to defy it).
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Mar 2, 2015 02:25
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Another good episode for several reasons, in my opinion, including Viv being pretty badass in her own right. It's interesting that the quasi-rape attempt was more of a bait and switch than an actual one. It doesn't make Galfa that much of a better person, no, but just somewhat less of a jerk. Incidentally, it was pretty sad to see the Grandmother suffer like that again. I imagine some might take Bernard basically going temporarily loony through theological/philosophical babbling for a minute while trying to analyze Maria's thinking the wrong way., but then again I'm already used to the character acting kind of amusingly at times, while still being a bastard who is responsible for a lot of bad poo poo happening.
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Mar 8, 2015 20:36
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Sakurazuka posted:I think he's just supposed to be nuts, he freaked out in an earlier episode just because her name was Maria and she was a virgin. That's how I look at it. He's not completely evil, but still qualifies as not entirely sane. Can't say I agree with you about disliking the first ten minutes though. Hidingo Kojimba posted:Yeah that was pretty awkward. I've never studied theology but even I know a monk of Bernard's standing isn't going to be remotely blindsided by the problem of evil. They might (or might not) use some of that against her in the next episodes, yet Maria's own existence and his perception of her behavior is what's affecting his judgment. Not the arguments, which he could probably deal with on paper under normal circumstances. It's an obsession that literally made the man argue with himself. Silly, yes, but not unexpected. wielder fucked around with this message at 23:46 on Mar 8, 2015 |
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Mar 8, 2015 23:44
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The show kept getting darker for a while this episode, but things are looking up now. Pretty good, plus we got some siege action for those who were missing the medieval warfare content. I also have to say that spear attack at the beginning looked quite painful. I really liked how it was Edwina who saved Maria and not Joseph though. Incidentally, he's angry enough to be fighting Galfa. By the way...of course, the cat would be another familiar. I guess that explains why she was always wearing a cloak in human form.
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Mar 15, 2015 17:20
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I thought the duel with Galfa was well done. The guy was still ultimately a jerk, but at the very least he isn't evil. I guess I don't mind his survival. Good to see Joseph and Maria finally hooking up. It's not like we are talking about an irrationally tsundere couple or anything like that, but it felt satisfying to see their relationship progress. Also, I loved how Maria's intervention in the duel was so clumsy yet still pretty useful. Yes, we went straight into "the power of love" territory here. And I have no problem with it. The show could have ended right here and that would already be a very good resolution...aside from the need to deal with Mr. Archangel, that is.
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Mar 22, 2015 17:23
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I have a very different definition of "disappointing" in my personal dictionary then. For me the last episode was quite charming and representative of the anime as a whole. It also continued along the path that had already been established last week, so there were no surprises in that respect. It brought about an appropriate resolution to Maria's character arc in light of recent events, as well as a general reflection concerning the themes at the core of the story. Looking back, her opposition to the way the heavens wanted to uphold the natural order wasn't something that could be decided over a giant magical battle without coming across as a giant fallacy. Nor could the concept of war itself be entirely eradicated from the world, regardless of her efforts, because ultimately humans will fight for their own reasons. Bearing that in mind, I think the series found a satisfying way to frame the end of its conflicts in a meaningful manner without being too pretentious. Of course, it is worth keeping in mind that we are talking about a story taken from a three volume manga rather than a long-running epic . In turn, the anime is a twelve episode show which, while adding many details and expanding certain points of view, remained respectful of the overall spirit and underlying framework of the manga, even if it wasn't obsessed with following everything to the letter. In other words, it was practically impossible for the anime to go all that much beyond its own structural grounding. Like I had hoped, Maria the Virgin Witch turned out to be consistently good. Not necessarily great, but that is quite alright. wielder fucked around with this message at 18:12 on Mar 29, 2015 |
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Mar 29, 2015 18:07
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