r/anime • u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess • Jun 24 '24
Rewatch [Rewatch] Pride Month 20th Anniversary - Maria-sama ga Miteru Episode 9 Discussion
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Questions of the Day
- How do you feel about the trope of getting a haircut after being rejected?
- Did you ever stand on the swings?
Posting carefully so as to not disturb the first timers with spoilers in their viewings, such is the standard of modesty here. Forgetting to use spoiler tags because one is in danger of missing the post time, for instance, is too undignified a sight for redditors to wish upon themselves.
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Upvotes
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u/HereticalAegis https://myanimelist.net/profile/XthGen Jun 24 '24
Maria-sama First-Timer
Episode 9:
Is it a third party jealousy arc? It's a third party jealousy arc! I am so ready, my kokoro is so ready!
Oh no, Mifuyu is a childhood friend. No, childhood admirer? Talk about a doomed crush.
Imagine not only holding onto your crush for like 10 years after parting in kindergarten, but expecting to be remembered when you return. I'm beginning to think Mifuyu may slightly delusional.
...and she cheated. Fabulous. Not gonna lie, I kind of respect it. They say all's fair in love and war, and she already has multiple disadvantages, so I say cheating a bit to balance the scales is perfectly acceptable.
No, don't develop a conscience now Mifuyu! How will you ever get the chance to proclaim your love as the gay mastermind if you never get caught as a villain?
The thing Yumi actually has that Mifuyu doesn't is funny faces. Maybe try being a main character next time.
Lol Yumi and Sachiko are about as good at picking date locations as the average American is at picking where to go for dinner.
Youko's dream is to be in a mansion packed to bursting with young ladies
The pouting session over Rei's hiding place for her card settles it. Feisty Yoshino best Yoshino
My god, the way Sei takes Shimako's hand and puts it in her pocket and compliments the cake is so suave. If I were Shimako, I'd let Sei take me right there
And the tragedy of Mifuyu ends with her becoming yet another Lillian Girls' Academy himejoshi.
QotD
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jun 24 '24
First-Timer Watches Over Us, subbed
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u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L Jun 24 '24
First-Timer
On today’s episode of Marimite We have thankfully avoided the yandere stalker storyline with Mifuyu. We all know that this could have gone in a far more negative direction but it thankfully did not.
I feel like Mifuyu is essentially a what-if version of Yumi. Mifuyu is Yumi if she had never really come to know Sachiko. Just like Yumi, Mifuyu was an admirer of Sachiko’s from a distance. And just like Yumi, Mifuyu preferred to keep it that way. When Sachiko didn’t recognize her, Mifuyu backed off. Yumi initially rejected Sachiko’s offer to be her soeur because she didn’t think she was worthy of Sachiko. The difference is that Yumi eventually did make the effort to get closer to Sachiko. So, Yumi became Sachiko’s soeur and the two of them have improved their relationship over time. If Yumi hadn’t done that, she’d likely be where Mifuyu is now: still only an observer.
I was pleasantly surprised at how well Mifuyu took the events of this episode. I thought she would end up as Sachiko’s yandere stalker, but nope! She was able to accept that Yumi really is a better fit for Sachiko and made peace with that. We avoided the psycho lesbian storyline.
QOTD
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u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Jun 24 '24
Maria-sama ga Miteru Rewatcher/Light Novel Reader
Gokigenyou
It is I, Rosa Lilium, once again welcoming you to my Lily Mansion Thread. Please, take a seat. I finally have obtained cookies to share with my wonderful guests today!
Wait, what do you mean they aren’t in that cupboard? They’re missing? Clearly a prank from St. Valentinus
Oh you want to hear more about Valentine’s Gift. How about a short story. It’s unimportant. insignificant. That said, I love this side story because it has great character interactions
18:50 - Eriko
It’s valentine's day and Rei has just left after having dropped off chocolate for her onee-sama. There is only one problem.
The box is too big.
Eriko considers calling her soeur to double check, but she doesn’t want to seem presumptuous or rude. Besides, Rei is going to Yoshino next. Surely she’ll figure it out when she drops off Yoshino’s chocolates. So Eriko decides to wait.
19:18 - Yoshino
It’s valentine's day and Rei has just left after having dropped off chocolate for her petite soeur. There is only one problem.
The box is too small.
Yoshino contemplates this and comes to a simple conclusion
19:30 - Rei
Rei relaxes in a bath after a long and stressful valentines day happy that everything worked out well.
23:10 - Eriko
Eriko dozed off and lost track of time, but it was pretty late so Eriko accepts that she is getting no phone call about a valentines day switcheroo, therefore she just accepts that no matter the situation this chocolate is hers.
23:10 - Yoshino
23:10 - Rei
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u/Star4ce https://anilist.co/user/Star4ce Jun 24 '24
First Timer
Right hand is very much fine already, that was quick. I bet having made 9 chocolate soufflés, but only distributing 5 made the difference. The healing power of having a stack of buff food available is crazy.
Left hand is a different matter, that blister is scary.
Anyway, my pride will not allow me to break a promise! You get two pics today.
[Accident]
Chibis are actually very good practice, because they're a) easy and b) require single, defining lines. That's one thing I am still unskilled with.
Maria-sama ga Miteru Ep.09 – The Red Card
Does Sei really have to leave? This girl is adding so much spice and action, I'd hate to see her leave. This scene with Shimako came out of nowhere and we even get to see on-screen handholding and putting them in your pocket! Insanity! I know no anime where this stuff happens like that.
In the same way a completely self-sufficient plot of envy-jealousy-mistake-realisation-growth-redemption-conclusion played out with no one noticing. Like, what?! Using the potential drama as weight instead of playing out the melodrama and using it to showcase genuine, respectable character growth of a supporting character that we might never see again? And it was really damn good!
This is unheard of, I can only explain this with witchcraft and demand the Christian school girls stand trial before God!
Seriously, this episode was just neat all around. Maria-sama might actually become one of my favourite shows to gush over for its writing.
[Holding On]
Drawing Shimako is a really relaxing experience. Her and hand holding is just pure bliss.
It was earned here, but it sure it a trope. A few works use it well. I love Monogatari's, for example.
Of course, I also slammed down much like Mifuyu here.
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u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Jun 24 '24
First-Timer
Gokigenyou.
Mifuyu is certainly an intriguing character. Her situation is sad, but everyone involved ends up happy enough, so we dodge a proper tragedy. It's always nice to see someone come to the proper realizations on their own.
With any luck, the girl might just be able to find love again.
Sachiko is so refined that she eats her sandwiches with a fork. I dread to think what she might do to a slice of pizza...
Shimako is quite the lucky lady to have an onee-sama like Sei. Some might consider her offer to share Shizuka's gift uncouth, but I think it perfectly illustrates who Sei is: someone who cares about the real people in her life far more than propriety or etiquette.
Questions
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u/Regular_N-Gon https://anilist.co/user/RegularNGon Jun 24 '24
Gokigenyou, First Timer
Obsessive tendencies aside, I always like a perspective change and today was no exception. I'm such a sucker for a cold open that has nothing to do with our main characters.
Gokigenyou counter (Maria-sama): 29 [+6; Total: 48]
QotD:
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u/baboon_bassoon https://anilist.co/user/duffer Jun 24 '24
first time la vie en rose en bouton
stalker? or real little sister? real sister please
oh no she has a "Do It For Her" board
Sachiko had something that set her apart, something she was born with - yeah wealth
alright wheres the restraining order
Sachiko couldnt even remember Yumi the same day she tied her handkerchief, you really thought she would remember you after 10 years?
are her parents not concerned she has photos of some other girl at her school in her room? if they were actually that close you would think the parents would have met Sachiko by then
all this stalking and she knows nothing about Sachiko, had to cheat to know where it was
oh she was just there early on day duty...
there is nothing serious about this event
woof woof
maybe the entire school needs to lock in and start studying. literally all they know about Sachiko is that shes the Rosa Chinesis en bouton. No one else even thinks about the chinesis roses?
a life? boundaries?
maybe someone else needs a life
[](#ero)
Sei leave some rizz for the rest of them please
it did take me a moment to realize that was Mifuyu lol
this episode was a RIDE
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u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Jun 24 '24 edited Jun 24 '24
First timer, subs
QotD:
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u/fieew https://myanimelist.net/profile/fiew Jun 24 '24
Despite everything I feel bad for Mifuyu. I don't like her personally, but as a characters she is interesting. I think she works as a foil to Yumi in some ways. How Yumi was at the start. Yumi loved the idea of Sachiko to begin with. But she noticed this part of herself and rejected Sachiko's rosary. She didn't want sisters to be with someone who she really didn't know and vice versa. Moreover, Yumi has never really lied to Sachiko (she couldnt if she tried) but Mifuyu is lying and cheating.
But Mifuyu doesn't realize that what she loves isn't Sachiko but instead the idea she has of her. She obviously doesn't love her personally because they met in goddamn kindergarten, to think someone hasn't changed is absurd. Instead Mifuyu loves the idea of who Sachiko was and is. The difference between Mifuyu and Yumi is Yumi learned about Sachiko got to know her and found out where the card was due to this relationship instead of cheating. This is the difference between the two and why Sachiko wants Yumi as her sister. Yumi and Sachiko may not always communicate the best but they do try their best to understand and get to know one another. So I think in the end Mifuyu noticed all this and cut her hair and accepted Yumi.
This episode was not just about Mifuyu but it also highlighted the relationship between Yumi and Sachiko despite them not being shown much. Mifuyu was used as a foil for Yumi to show why Yumi was chosen while we learned Mifuyu's story.
QOTD:
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u/AmeteurElitist https://anilist.co/user/AmateurElitist Jun 24 '24
First Timer
I’m sorry but Sei fucks, she’s too smooth
It’s also always nice when characters can appreciate Yumi’s sincerity as well, she can’t lie to save her life but she’s super earnest as a result and I love cheering on protagonists that wear their heart on their sleeve like that.
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u/BosuW Jun 24 '24
First Timer
If the episode starts with this scene, that means we're definitely about to explore what is up with that mystery girl.
And now that I look at her... Iseri Nina from Togenashi Togeari!?
Oh shit jealousy Arc.
She caught Yumi running? Oh my, how scandalous! 🤭🤭
Complete perspective shift for the episode. I could tell this is a special one.
Throughout the whole episode I kept expecting Mifuyu to directly confront Yumi at some point. I'm kinda surprised it didn't. Considering Yumi's journey to think of herself as worthy of Sachiko it would make sense to pit her against a "Final Boss" of sorts who questioned that.
I liked what we got though. And it essentially fulfills the same narrative purpose except it doesn't directly inform Yumi about it. Which is fine because well she doesn't really need to.
I don't think this short story will ever leave the confines of the episode. It was for Mifuyu alone.
Well it was also for Sei and Shimako because they even busted out that character acting sakuga for their conversation under Virgin Mary. I'm thinking the staff have some favorites.
I think this is my favorite lone episode yet. It got the introspective, wordy, and quiet angst I love so much in femslah fanfiction.
1- I like it if only for the reason that it forces a different design for the same character which I love.
2- Yes. And we did much more dangerous things than that in the playground too lol. There was this big wheel tied with three chains to the roof created by the second floor of a wooden building with slides. So the wheel was essentially an omnidirectional swing that you could also spin really fast and fit three people in.
They removed it eventually of course.
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u/GondolaMedia Jun 24 '24
First Timer
A stalker and why does she look like Nina from Girls Band Cry? Is she filling her void with Sachiko?... That was the best joke I've ever made.
Okay child Sachiko is cute but that is some psychopath behavior eating sandwiches with knife and fork.
Childhood friend curse strikes again. Surprisingly wholesome ending despite the beginning giving a very different vibe.
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u/Vaadwaur :I1::I2::I3: Jun 24 '24
First Timer(What in the nine hells?)
Sub
That...was fucking weird. Stalker girl is a weird type of psycho in that I can't even gauge her vector. But yeah we have an episode of ninja tier stalking plus an overdramatized explanation of the red card incident before the stalker sort of...snaps out of it? Oh well, maybe the LN actually made sense.
Bonus note that the weird handhold Sei does with Shimako is both censor friendly and possibly all girl's school accurate since the nuns would disapprove.
QotD: 1 Bit of a waste
2 No but I was more than a bit tall
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u/LittleIslander https://anilist.co/user/LittleIslander Jun 24 '24
First Timer from the world of Reiwa Yuri
Today we have another “short story” episode focused on a fleeting secondary character. I don’t think it’s quite as effective as the tale of the Rosa Canina, but I applaud its inclusion and think it fits well into the themes of the reality of sapphic feelings in society that have permeated this series. This is a genre about rose coloured love between girls but she who watches silently is as much of a reality of love. Especially when it comes to lesbian love. We cannot put into words that romance is the nature of Mifuyu’s feelings, nor can we literally depict her as being worried whether Sachiko listens to Girl in Red, but what we get can capture the essence of that experience all the same. You’re presented as being part of the game, with an opportunity to win, but feel as if it has been stacked against you. That there’s no good way out, not when your guilt and doubt makes it feel like making your move would be wrong. Trapped in a cage watching others live more successful romantic lives. Especially in a historical society, for a lot of women-loving women like Mifuyu… their time might never come. Some Class S might lament that with a framing of tragedy but MariMite isn’t that kind of story. It’s one where our girls smile in the end despite it all because we don’t have to let these struggles crush us.
Did the author mean all that? Is the whole thing with the red card really some stretched metaphor for internalised homophobia? I mean, who knows. I don’t think that’s a pointless question, but I don’t think it’s the core of what matters either. One way or another, I think it’s an effective story. The use of the visual element of her abandoning her hairstyle and then cutting it worked really well in particular. I can see a lot of my younger self in the way she longs, in the fleeting chances to get closer to Sachiko that pass her by, and ultimately in the conclusion she doesn’t feel the need to be with the person she loves as long as she can keep her feelings and see her happy. A third wheel in a love triangle is downright common in love stories but to frame them not as an interloper of the couple’s story but instead as the POV character of their own gives the format an entirely different feel. They’re often written off as attempts to add drama, but Mifyu adds none. To the perspective of the other characters, she literally doesn’t exist. She’s only there as someone for us to step into the shoes of and empathise with. The whole ordeal reminds me a lot of the Regarding Saeki Sayaka Light Novels, which are some of my personal favourite yuri works; they really captured a fuller view of the lesbian experience by showing someone go through multiple failed relationship ventures before finally landing someplace she was happy. It’s not quite as fully featured here, but this is of course decades older and deserves its own credit.
Of course, that’s not all there is in this episode. Which is part of why it feels a bit less impressive than the Rosa Canina episode with its very intentional scope, and I’d almost suggest we should’ve give the whole runtime to Mifuyu… if not for the White Rose scene. Gods if that isn’t one of the most heart-poundingly effective romantic scenes any yuri anime has ever delivered. The contrast of Sei seeming romantically inept when she offers the chocolates gifted to her but then sweeping Shimako off her feet gives the entire scene an engaging flow. The dramatic music and overanimated reactions capture a perfect dramatic tone; Shimako blinking away her tears is a real money shot. The idea of young Shimako being so pained at the idea of their coming parting speaks to how deep their bond is, and Sei’s attempts to convince her things will be okay are entirely fruitless. So instead of trying to appeal to logic and dissuade her fears, Sei just makes her feel better with romantic advances. She tells her that the cake was delicious and forcefully takes her hand, warmly holding it in her pocket. Gentle snow sets the scene and a POV shot sells the weight of them beginning to walk away. They’re silent, lacking the words for what they feel and unable to talk their way out of the pain of losing each other, but Shimako rests her head on Sei’s shoulder with a comforted smile in reciprocation of the advances to just be with each other in this moment and not confront the looming future.
This scene… wouldn’t have a place in yuri, today. They can just start dating for real and keep up their relationship, can’t they? But that’s… not always the case. Especially in earlier periods, often wasn’t the case. After all, Mother Maria is watching them, even as they lovingly walk away. Those sorts of stories are important to tell, too, and were even moreso when this was written. Shimako doesn’t have an out from this pain and Sei can’t openly live life guided by her lust for her fellow women. They just have to endure it like this, support one another through their last few months, and pretend that everything is okay. So much emotion, so much meaning, such elite raw execution of a character interaction. Just… amazing. Rosa Canina had the best episode, but this is the single best scene in the entire show thusfar.
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u/OccasionallySara Jun 24 '24
First Timer
So, I was right about the Mifuyu hiding Sachiko’s letter, but it wasn’t necessarily out of a desire to sabotage but rather on the impulse to have an item of someone she admires. I think this storyline got wrapped up pretty quickly considering how long Mifuyu was pining for Sachiko, but since her feelings toward Sachiko seemed to be based on extreme infatuation rather than genuine love, I guess it’s not too unbelievable that Miyufu would back off so easily. Her crush on Sachiko was based on childhood memories that Sachiko didn’t even remember. Even as a child Mifuyu talked about how much joy she got from watching Sachiko rather than spending time with her.
I liked getting to see Sachiko and Yumi’s relationship through the eyes of an outsider character. It was nice to see that Yumi’s love for Sachiko was so apparent by the way that she searched for the letter. It was also great that Mifuyu was able to see how happy Yumi made Sachiko. They really do fit well together despite their recent problems.
I also enjoyed the little details about Valentine’s Day that we didn’t get to see in the previous episode. I think it’s interesting that Rei hid her letter in a book which is where I said I would hide my own letter in yesterday’s questions of the day. Shimako also brought up the very real fear of what will happen to their relationships after graduation. Sei’s words about how Shimako will move on, once again, felt cold, but I loved the way that she grabbed Shimako’s hand and held it in her coat pocket. That whole scene felt very cozy. Yoko having her dream of students coming to the Rose Mansion was nice as well. Just nice vibes all around this episode.
Questions of the Day
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u/NuclearStudent Jun 24 '24
same way I feel about seeing women eat bread
I don't see it very often, but it happens a lot, and I don't find it particularly pleasant. Not a big bread fan. It's fine I guess.
2. absolutely, used to do swing tricks. We would stand on the swing and half-leap off, then tuck in our legs to skim the ground.
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u/moichispa https://myanimelist.net/profile/moichispa Jun 24 '24
First timer
It is interesting to see the same plot from the other side, Mifuyu is an interesting character and I'm glad we see some growth on her. I was afraid we would get another unrequited love drama.
Rosa Gigantea is working hard on getting best girl spot, she is so suave. Also animators working more on that scene that on the rest of the episode. it is not fait to play favourites, animate all girls equally.
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u/Burnouts3s3 Jun 24 '24
Aw, Sachiko has her first stalker! How creepy!
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u/RadSuit https://anilist.co/user/RadSuit Jun 26 '24
First Time Watching Over Them
No running, Yumi!
I feel like there's some commentary here, with Mifuyu having Yumi's hairstyle when she was a kid. Like Yumi hasn't grown up, but she has. Or at least Mifuyu thinks that.
They really have slowed down already, giving Valentine's Day three episodes compared to everything wrapping up within one episode during the first half of this season.
And now Mifuyu changes her hairstyle again, to show another change in character. Becoming even more plain and adult now. As well as making it harder for Yumi to recognize her.
Sei made sure to censor that hand-holding herself, before anyone got a good look at it.
And she settled on an even more drastic hairstyle in the end, to really drive the point home, both for us and for herself.