Maria†Holic: Alive 12 final

Has deliverance finally come for Miyamae Kanako now that her summer tasks and supplementary classes have come to an end? With her birthday approaching fast, Kanako cannot contain her joy.

Hoping to make Mariya and Matsurika aware of her birthday so they would celebrate with her, Kanako soon despairs for her sadistic roommate and his cunning maid are not easily enthused.

Longing for a birthday party, Kanako uses whatever convoluted means she can think of to make her classmates aware of it, ranging from subliminal messages written on the class register to drawing the date using the blood gushing from her nosebleed.

Although they are puzzled at first, her friends and classmates finally come to understand Kanako desires to have the spotlight on her for her birthday and decide to plan a surprise birthday party.

While the different groups surrounding her classmates, Ryuuken, Shizu and Kanae all start making different plans and separately invite Kanako, they ultimately hold a single surprise party thanks to Mariya pulling everyone together.

Wondering what they have in store for her, Kanako restlessly wanders the halls after class on August 31st. No surprise party or any of her friends in sight, Kanako starts to fear they’ve forgotten about her and heads for the bath hall, hoping to at least spice her birthday up by ogling the bathing maidens.

Alas the baths are deserted, but as Mariya and Matsurika arrive, Kanako places her rosary cross in a cross shaped indent on the intricate bath faucet, revealing a secret passage that drops them in the catacombs below Ame No Kiseki.

Making a run for the exit reminiscing of Indiana Jones’ finest adventures, Mariya and Matsurika make Kanako aware of her selfishness. Surfacing at the church where everyone awaits to throw her a surprise party, Kanako rejoices and can look back realizing she’s made many wonderful friends at Ame No Kiseki.

Thoughts on this final episode and whole season~

With the previous episode bringing us back to the main storyline revolving around Mariya and Kanako, had hoped this season finale would continue on that course and offer either some sort of resolution about the main plot or a open end/cliffhanger like the first season.

Unfortunately, “Maria†Holic: Alive” does neither and ends with filler episode revolving around Kanako’s birthday. While that premise could have gives us terrific comedy typical for the first “Maria†Holic” season or more depth for Mariya and Kanako, it felt largely like an episode wasted on silly antics that weren’t all that funny and to add insult to injury it was rather poorly animated too.

While the manga is still ongoing, from what I read of its contents and seeing the bulk of this sequel anime adaptation was spent on side stories and filler, I cannot shake the impression that Minari Endou may be needlessly dragging things out with stories that have lost that typical comedy touch of the earlier chapters or perhaps he is not able to bring a satisfactory continuation or conclusion to the series?

Adored “Maria†Holic”, yet as much as I longed for this anime sequel, am saddened that although it finally aired, “Maria†Holic: Alive” did not live up to my expectations, my hopes or even reach the level of that hilarious first season.

Several factors contributed to this, ranging from lack of plot and airtime for Mariya, for Kanako’s bond with Mariya, episodes plagued with mediocre animation, introducing new characters with little value to the story,… Or perhaps my expectations were just too high?

Did enjoy watching “Maria†Holic: Alive” but for me this show ends with the realization it never truly lived up to what it could have been. Luckily we did get enough of trap Mariya’s delicious lovely cuteness as well as Kanako’s hilarious yuri perversions.