Maria†Holic episode 5

Troubled by Kiri’s behaviour the previous day, Kanako asks their teacher Kumagai to intervene. Kumagai refuses, explaining she had asked Kiri to help Kanako hoping this would not only make Kanako’s integration into her new school easier, but also enable Kiri to make a friend, for Kiri had never really befriended anyone in class.

During homeroom, Kanako finds herself elected as class representative, much to her own shock. Exasperated by this sudden turn of events, Kanako sighs that it will be troublesome for her. Hearing this, Kiri volunteers to be deputy class representative to help Kanako out.

During the student representatives meeting, the student body president, Ayari, compliments Kanako on conquering the hearts of her classmates so soon after having transferred in.
When Mariya introduces herself as one of the first year class representatives, she faces off against Ayari but none of the students save Kanako notice their seemingly polite conversation is actually a trade of jabs and hidden insults.

The next day Kanako ponders how she can become friends with Kiri, when talking about it to Sachi and Yuzuru, the two come up with various plans to help Kanako befriend Kiri. From offering her sweets, lending a text book, offering to help take out the trash,… all their plans fail.

As the students head home after class, Sachi dons a disguise and suggests she tries to mug Kiri, allowing Kanako to intervene which would bring her closer to Kiri. But her ploy backfires as Kiri immediately recognizes her and Sachi breaks down in tears, lamenting all her plans have failed. Hearing all Sachi wanted was to befriend her, Kiri’s face lights up, happy that someone wants to become her friend and she reveals that she will gladly become Sachi’s friend. The two head home together, forgetting about Kanako who is still waiting in the bushes alongside the path, wondering when she’s to come out to save Kiri.

Learning what happened the next day, Kanako asks Kiri if they can become friends too but Kiri retorts dryly they’re just classmates.

At the dorm, Ryouchou has inspected all the girl’s rooms, confiscating any hidden contraband. Displaying all the objects she confiscated, Ryouchou gives points to those that were hidden best but she’s still disappointed she was able to find them so easily and returns them, asking the students to hide them even better next time.
To Kanako’s shock, Ryouchou also reveals she found Kanako’s school bag, the one with the odd creatures inside that she had originally received from Mariya. Kanako had tried to get rid of it but thus her plan fails.

Back in their room, Kanako throws a tantrum when Mariya goes through one of her private books. To appease her, Mariya shows one of her own secrets, behind her closet there is a whole hidden section of rooms where Mariya can relax and bathe, without having to fear her secret might be exposed. Trying to wrap her mind around the physically impossible set of rooms, Kanako asks if she can hide her school bag in there. Mariya promptly refuses, stating they aren’t that close friends.

Kanako then ventures out into the woods, where she leaves the school bag with the horrid creatures but as she does so, she feels a tinge of regret. However, as soon as she returns to her room, she finds the school bag and its creatures are back, having returned to her, their master.

Another funny episode with a nice continuation of the plot around Kiri’s character. Instead of making it overly serious or humoristic, they maintained a nice balance with some more serious character elements yet topping it off with some great comedy with all the attempts of Kanako to befriend Kiri, which ultimately fail.

Kanako remains an interesting lead character to me, while she’s often the center of all the action often at her own expense, she too has a nice balance of comedic scenes and some more normal plot evolutions. Her relationship with Kiri and Mariya each offer that same balance of comedy and more interesting underlying plot development.

“Maria†Holic” really hits the right tones for me, though I’m missing just that little bit extra from the first episodes to elevate it to the highest levels. But the series is far from over, so I’m anxious for some legendary comedy and story to come!

This week offered us a Mariya fanservice cosplay scene featuring Mariya in a pink, mini-skirted nurse uniform which was cute beyond words.
So cute, it ought to be illegal… but I’m glad it isn’t.

And what is in Kanako’s bag anyway?