Review: Maria Watches Over Us ~Printemps~

The original Japanese title of this series is Maria-sama ga Miteru, often abbreviated to Mari-mite by its fans.

More finely executed drama with the girls of Lillian Academy.

Plot Summary
It's now Spring semester at Lillian, and life goes on for Yumi, Sachiko, and the rest of the students. With the changing of the season and the impending graduation of the Lady Roses, how will life change for everyone?

The Review
Mari-mite continues to be one of the best shows I've seen in years. After seeing this second season, it has solidified its position in my personal Top 5, and is one of the best character driven dramas that I have ever watched.

The elegant atmosphere of the first season continues right through this one, along with the excellent writing and dynamic characters. The second season begins a bit more on the lighthearted side, with more of the subtle humor which helps to offset the dramatic tone of much of the series. When it takes a turn towards the more dramatic, it does so with ease. As with the first season, the drama is played for realistic emotion, and never goes over the top. Once more, emotion and character relationships are what MariMite is all about, and through the characters' actions we learn more about them and how their relationships all fit together.

To call this second season more of the same would be a huge oversimplification. At the same time, 'more of the same' can only be a good thing for this series. With writing and atmosphere of such a high caliber, it's a good thing for such a high standard to be maintained. What keeps Mari-mite from falling into the trap of repetition is that time does pass in the world of Lillian, and in this series it takes the form of some significant story elements, not the least of which is the graduation of three of the main characters. This shuffling of the cast - which includes the introduction of new characters as the new semester begins - keeps the story fresh, along with the passing of the torch of the Lady Roses' titles to the next class.

Anyone who has enjoyed the first season of Maria Watches Over Us should definitely continue with it, as everything that made the original so exceptional continues right on without missing a step. Absolutely recommended for fans of character based drama.



			Type: TV Series Episode Count: 13 Genre: Drama Vintage: 2004 Version reviewed: Japanese Subtitled Date of Review: 27 Dec 2008

			Score (out of 5):


	The original Japanese title of this series is Maria-sama ga Miteru, often abbreviated to Mari-mite by its fans. More finely executed drama with the girls of Lillian Academy. Plot Summary It's now Spring semester at Lillian, and life goes on for Yumi, Sachiko, and the rest of the students. With the changing of the season and the impending graduation of the Lady Roses, how will life change for everyone? The Review Mari-mite continues to be one of the best shows I've seen in years. After seeing this second season, it has solidified its position in my personal Top 5, and is one of the best character driven dramas that I have ever watched. The elegant atmosphere of the first season continues right through this one, along with the excellent writing and dynamic characters. The second season begins a bit more on the lighthearted side, with more of the subtle humor which helps to offset the dramatic tone of much of the series. When it takes a turn towards the more dramatic, it does so with ease. As with the first season, the drama is played for realistic emotion, and never goes over the top. Once more, emotion and character relationships are what MariMite is all about, and through the characters' actions we learn more about them and how their relationships all fit together. To call this second season more of the same would be a huge oversimplification. At the same time, 'more of the same' can only be a good thing for this series. With writing and atmosphere of such a high caliber, it's a good thing for such a high standard to be maintained. What keeps Mari-mite from falling into the trap of repetition is that time does pass in the world of Lillian, and in this series it takes the form of some significant story elements, not the least of which is the graduation of three of the main characters. This shuffling of the cast - which includes the introduction of new characters as the new semester begins - keeps the story fresh, along with the passing of the torch of the Lady Roses' titles to the next class. Anyone who has enjoyed the first season of Maria Watches Over Us should definitely continue with it, as everything that made the original so exceptional continues right on without missing a step. Absolutely recommended for fans of character based drama.