Maria Holic Alive – 01
OP Sequence
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OP: 「妄想戦士 宮前かなこ」 (Mousou Senshi Miyamae Kanako) by 杉田智和 (Sugita Tomokazu)
Watch the OP!: Download, Streaming ▼
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「禁断の女子寮」 (Kindan no Joshiryou)
“Forbidden Girl’s Dorm”
My favorite trap of 2009 Shindou Mariya (Kobayashi Yuu) makes his return to television airwaves right on schedule, suggesting that SHAFT may have “delayed” Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica to get Maria Holic’s sequel out on time. Whether or not that’s actually true is another matter, but I am quite impressed with how good Maria Holic Alive looks. It probably helps that it’s a legitimate jump to high definition, whereas the first season was only re-released as a Blu-ray box set this past February. Improved visuals definitely help for a series whose deadpan humor goes hand-in-hand with Miyamae Kanako’s (Sanada Asami) wild lesbian imagination. The artistry in some of those stills often helps me appreciate the unique style of humor, even when it doesn’t always click with me.
Incidentally, the rather silly premise of Maria Holic combined with the distinct style of SHAFT’s go-to-director Shinbou Akiyuki is what won me over by the end of the first season. When the series isn’t going for the slapstick type humor where Kanako is flying into walls head-first or swimming in a pool of her own blood because she got a little too excited over the idea of her friends Kiri Nanami (Kanda Akemi) , Inamori Yuzuru (Gotou Saori) , and Momoi Sachi (Shintani Ryouko) bound up, it tends to have an inexplicable charm to what I feel is a “clever” sense of humor. Sometimes it’s trying to be too clever with its subtle form of delivery, to the point that it’s not even funny to most people (myself included), so I can’t even confidently say what I always find amusing in this series.
What I can say is that Kanako naturally plays a big part in it, being the outlet for Mariya and his maid Shinouji Matsurika’s (Inoue Marina) constant ridicule as she desperately tries to find some dirt on them to return fire with. She almost never does and is more often than not a victim of herself, which further tips things in their favor. Matsurika in particular is truly something else though, with her straight-faced insults masked in polite forms of Japanese speech that leave both Kanako and myself perplexed over exactly how insulting she’s actually trying to be. This premiere episode was fairly light on both their input, after Kanako got ahead of herself when she wanted to see the legendary tree that brought her parents together, and ended up going through a bunch of “trials” in the old girls’ dorm intended to keep guys from Ame no Kisaki’s sister school away. Without Mariya’s active involvement, it was just Kanako unknowingly screwing herself over. Still amusing, but not to the same degree like when Matsurika made an appearance as a “helper” who Kanako “had” to summon.
Seeing as this is just the first episode, I’m optimistic that things will only get better here on in. I didn’t really enjoy the first season until the later episodes, so I’m actually more psyched about this show than I’m probably letting off. It’s a SHAFT production too. *gasp*
* Note: This episode featured a one-off opening theme by Sugita Tomokazu. The actual opening theme will be performed by Kobayashi Yuu.
Omake
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April 8, 2011 at 8:15 pmzarquon
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I really need to finish the first season.
April 9, 2011 at 2:13 pmZangkin
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I did a marathon with the first season just to see how this anime was (I thought this was a new series all together not a second season)
April 8, 2011 at 8:32 pmtomoyostar
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Maria Holic <3
April 8, 2011 at 8:38 pmAlec
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I know this wont be the best this season, but I know its goin to be my guilty pleasure this season xD
April 8, 2011 at 8:44 pmYalvyn
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one of my MUST
April 8, 2011 at 9:03 pmGhostalker
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Ah, I really like the first season. I’m sure to follow this one.
April 8, 2011 at 9:13 pmRaso
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Ok wtf is up with that OP…. I mean why get Tomokazu Sugita AKA Kyon singing an OP in that voice with a song that sounds like its out of a 60s Super Robot anime? For a Yuri spoof anime.
(I may have just proved my own point.)
April 8, 2011 at 9:19 pmGhostalker
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Very SHAFT in my opinion, according to Divine’s blog we should hear a different OP next week! I like this present OP because of its classic appeal lol! The same artist from Natsu no Arashi it seems.
April 8, 2011 at 9:15 pmGhostalker
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I watch the OP video here in Randomc.net and it seems to feature the same artist that sung the opening of Natsu no Arashi, its kinda hilarious hearing how “old style” it is :)
April 8, 2011 at 9:41 pmbullrogg
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goddam trap that i would still questionably hi-…..
i’d settle for the twin sister.
April 8, 2011 at 9:52 pm✙Croosboy✙
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i didn’t like the op :(
April 9, 2011 at 1:36 amYalvyn
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it will change in the next ep.
April 8, 2011 at 10:12 pmRaso
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I just notised that the OP’s animation is all clips from S1 so it might be a way to recoup some time lost from the quake and just added the most ridiculous music with an actor who is famous for liking the classic Mech animes just for Rule of cool.
Its better than what shaft has done before with Negima!?’s ending and Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei S1′s Opening.
April 8, 2011 at 10:14 pmkeiOnDaisuki
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shizu is lovely.XDD and maria-sama is back!!! XDD
April 8, 2011 at 11:07 pmJo
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I haven’t watched the first season yet…would the show make sense if I just start now? or is the first season a must?
Thanks..
=)
April 8, 2011 at 11:30 pmBLAKWNGZ89
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Divine u aint taking a break.
April 9, 2011 at 2:45 amDivine
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Yeah I know. I’ll still be around for another week to help with a few more new shows.
April 8, 2011 at 11:49 pmJusta_Dream
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Its been so long since I’ve watched this. I think I’ll wait and re-watch the first season before watching this. Just going by the screen caps though, this looks amazing! I’m looking forward to seeing this. :)
April 9, 2011 at 12:55 amSerapita
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Yes, the quality has improved significantly.
This episode reminds me how I’ve missed the first season.
April 9, 2011 at 1:06 amanishuma
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I never did finish the first season, but i try to keep up with the manga.Mariya’s one of my fav traps too, next to Moyashimon’s Kei <3.
April 9, 2011 at 2:17 amShageki
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Finaly the second seasson….
and as usual Kanako-san with her stupid nosebleed…
im looking forward to seeing Touichiro act.
April 9, 2011 at 3:07 amNorwegium
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There can never be enough Matsurika. Ah how i love to see this show back with a second season!
April 9, 2011 at 3:16 amamado
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too bad. I wanted to follow this but I havent seen the 1st season and I already am gonna watch a lot so I cant watch the 1st season.
April 9, 2011 at 4:20 amahelo
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SHAFT sequels are pretty notorious for not being as good as its predecessor. Please let this be not the case!
April 9, 2011 at 4:29 amStereoman
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Awesome! I wish Minari Endou’s Hatenkou Yuuki would get a bit more attention though. That manga is seriously one of the best and too underrated. T_T
April 9, 2011 at 5:27 amgary
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its here!!
more god-chan please
April 9, 2011 at 5:54 amYoruhime
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Oh, Sugita.<3 (Why are you singing the OP again?)
April 9, 2011 at 6:43 ammarklar
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I like the show but this 1st episode was to much girly and fuwa fuwa homosexual for my taste hope they go back to the funny stuff with no constantly screaming main character.
April 9, 2011 at 7:25 amGhostalker
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Thank goodness someone is subbing this :) I have to say the first episode is quite good in reintroducing the cast and giving some basic facts for newbies who might be keeping tabs on the show. This is now on my list of “must watch” for this new season.
April 9, 2011 at 8:26 amstarss
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I hear Aya Hirano is in this. Is this true?
April 9, 2011 at 9:31 amSerapita
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Yes
Show Spoiler ▼
April 9, 2011 at 9:32 amSerapita
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Darn, failed tag =/
April 9, 2011 at 10:18 amKinny Riddle
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Oh boy, the return of the epic LOL-fest that is Maria Holic is welcomed with ferocious laughter.
After two whole seasons of K-ON, I got so used to hearing Sanada Asami as Sawa-chan that I just imagined that’s the insane Sawa-chan in Kanako’s body. I wouldn’t be too surprised if Sawa-chan were an insane lesbo. LOL
First LOL has to go to Sugita Tomokazu for doing the Tokusatsu-like OP, that was so funny in so many ways.
Funniest moment today was Kanako imagining the girls getting wet in the hot baths, only to get a nosebleed and fall into the scathing bathtub herself. LMAO
April 9, 2011 at 10:35 amCPAnime
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Not that its really a big deal with the comedic nature of the show, but wasn’t there a cliffhanger at the end of the first season.
April 9, 2011 at 11:41 amMasterDragonKnight
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This girl gets nosebleeds more often than Karin in Chibi Vampire. At least Karin can’t control herself. XD
April 9, 2011 at 12:06 pmGhostalker
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I’m now very excited to watch the other SHAFT series ‘Denpa Onna’ that should be airing soon.
April 9, 2011 at 1:23 pmjingoi
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Was having a piece of her recorder and gym uniform stolen that serious that Kanako would turn yuri?
April 9, 2011 at 4:45 pmRuu27
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HOLY SHIT! THAT MANLY OPENING! XDDDD
April 10, 2011 at 2:23 amZaku Fan
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First ep is funny, powered by Kanako being screwed over by everyone and herown crazy imagination. Good start!
April 10, 2011 at 11:48 pmJinguro
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the colors are a little too vibrant, I think.
April 11, 2011 at 2:54 amMesousa
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Kanako needs MOAR fanservice scenes.
April 11, 2011 at 8:23 amillbeats
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Is anyone else hoping that Kanako will find someone at the end of this show? I mean, I totally get that this anime is a full on comedy/sometimesdrama, but I’m really holding out for Kanako.
Well, really, she could go the whole season without finding anyone, as long as they don’t pull a fast one and stick her with Maria.