The
second season of Maria†Holic was
largely more of the same, but it was worthwhile watching and thoroughly
enjoyable. A lot of the characters who had a limited role in the first season
have an expanded part to play – Mariya’s sister Shizu is seen in her own
school, with her own butler as a counterpart to Matsurika, creepy teacher Kanae
becomes a comic staple and Kanako’s little sister appears towards the end to
provide an adorable sincerity that serves as a great counterpoint to Kanako’s
constant hysterics and histrionics.
Ultimately,
the show once again boils down largely to Kanako suffering, usually through her
own fault, and things are if anything a little more surreal than before. Kanako
and the others brave the silly traps and games of a ‘forbidden’ old dorm, Kanako
is put on trial, a 10-year-old boy arrives announcing he’s engaged to marry one
of the girls (though let us not forget arranged marriages still exist), and in
the last episode, Mariya and Matsurika show a softer side – after they are
flushed into a strange underground passage from the school baths with Kanako
and chased by expanding seaweed. Yup.
For
all that it’s stranger than before, though, stylistically it’s a bit less
playful – we get the same shoujo pastiche style far too many times – and I’m
not a fan of all the fourth-wall breaking references. I never like jokes where
characters show knowledge of being fictional, or that they’re in episodes,
unless it’s a really obvious childish comedy like Rock Lee’s Springtime ofYouth. At the same time, though, the characters are in general treated a little
more sympathetically and…well, fleshed out, which is welcome. Mariya shows a
softer side, Kanako reflects on her selfishness, and…well, it’s amazing how
much of a different person Matsurika seems without her maid headband. I also
quite liked seeing Shizu as a boy, especially as her hidden side is much more
pleasant than her brother’s.
At
only 12 episodes, once again not a whole lot is going to happen, but I’m glad
there was more Maria†Holic to
enjoy and if a third season comes along, I shall be keen to watch that too. Also,
I should make mention of the brilliant in-character intro song, which is the
first OP in several years that I’ve actually enjoyed watching each and every
time – not counting the little variations!
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