Maria the Virgin Witch: Junketsu no Maria

[Kraco]

"During the Hundred Year's War between England and France in the Middle Ages, a powerful witch named Maria lives in a secret forest with her familiars. She hates the war around her, and will sometimes stir up trouble against the church that does nothing to stop it. Her interventions into the world, however, run against the plans of heaven, earning her the attention of the Archangel Michael." -ANN

DL: Episode 1 720p | 1080p - HS
Genres: Comedy, ecchi, fantasy, historical, romance, seinen
Links: AniDB | ANN | Official




- - - -- - ---- -




I instantly liked this show. Maria herself captivated me because she's an odd mix of theatrics and bold acting stemming from her image of what a witch should be like (naturally she's not quite like that) and real power. It doesn't hurt she's cute, of course. Another thing that caught my attention is the relative historical accuracy (aside from witches with real magic). I have oft said when watching other shows, like Vanadis, that I'd like to see realistic fights every now and then. However, when this show offered quite a realistic view of the kind of fighting that distant past offered, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. But that's how it was, from a modern military tactics point of view. Aside from such things, I liked how the succubus made fun of Maria's inexperience as a woman.

There was nothing here I didn't like. I really hope this will stay good till the end.

[Ryllharu]

I agree with pretty much everything you said.

All I really have to add is that I'm definitely liking Kanemoto Hisako using a much more mature voice than she normally does, which corresponds nicely with the fact that Maria has been around for a long time. She's may still be a maiden, but that grandmother remembered going to her, and she did not mean recently. Maria is by no means young.

Perhaps her age (despite lacking in a...certain kind of experience) is why she is so against war while the other witches partake on one side or the other for payment. She's seen more than her fair share of blood over the years.

I also liked her rant about what they did to Jeanne d'Arc.

The other particular highlight was the mercenary bitching about how they were too close, right before the priest spurring on the uneducated got to know precisely why English Longbows were feared.

[shinta|hikari]

I would have preferred a volley of arrows raining down and one of them hitting the priest, instead of Tigre being on the enemy side and sniping the priest with a single arrow.

Other than that, great first episode.

[Kraco]

Episode 2 - HS




- - -- --



The very end had the best part: Joseph shooting Michael in the back with his crossbow and promising the next one will hit the head. He's totally smitten by Maria's virgin charms. Michael didn't seem hugely impressed, though, after having brushed aside even Maria's best efforts. It was funny nonetheless. I suppose one might say he's tasting his own medicine since he was just before lecturing Maria about the consequences of meddling in wordly affairs, and now he's causing a similar effect himself.

The incubus was really pitiful compared to the succubus. And he couldn't even handle his first job (not that I'd personally blame him, but he's supposed to be a pro). Maria's inexperience is showing for sure. Artemis cracking jokes about it works every time.

This show had more fantasy than I expected, but on the other hand it's quite possible it'll go down considerably from now on, with Michael giving Maria the warning and ultimatum.

[Buffalobiian]

I do consider Michael as being right, that letting humans run their course is considered "natural order". What that means though is that the only ones they're (the angels) are trying to stop are witches and other supernatural forces such as rogue angels.

It'll be interesting to see whether the angels get upset and arrogant once humans figure out that they can only count on themselves instead of praying for divine help. It's customary for supernatural beings to bitch about how humans these days don't revere them, but if they don't actually do anything then they don't have a right to.

[David75]

Maria is a human being who acquired some powers. Meaning those powers are available through some natural process.
Michael is an angel.
To me, Michael is in the wrong in their universe.
He only wanted to play around on Earth. Since he's able to strip Maria from her powers, why not just do that silently from the skies?
Why should Maria have powers in the first place if it changes natural order? After all, her magic cures some illnesses and changes the options natural human beings have.

[shinta|hikari]

Gods suck.

Witches rock.

Natural order.

[Kraco]

Episode 4 - HS





-- - - --- -




This is of course a simplification on all fronts, but it still manages to address the complexity of the situation that Maria doesn't really bother to ever think about. Naturally her whole personality is about doing what she feels is best and might making it right, but that's why it's even better we continuously get the other views exposed. Like the fact that when she stops a fight or a few, it will bring forth other problems she will need to face without being able to solve them. I'm kind of annoyed by the Angels' attitude here, but otherwise the factions aren't so badly depicted. Church had all sorts of people, good, bad, and something in between, so basically the local clergy could be anything, and we have already seen a bunch of different kinds. We need to see the local lords as well. Perhaps we will, with how this ep ended.

What surprised me in this episode that Maria didn't turn down the other witch's proposal because she would lose her powers but because her heart is not ready for such ecchi stuff so suddenly. I imagined she would (seemingly) lose all interest in sex because that would be her end as a witch.

I'm quite amused by the recurring joke of the soldiers always recognizing the various monsters Maria summons.

Maria being teased never gets old. It's just a fact of life.

[Ryllharu]

I guess I'm confused about how old Maria is.

This is the Hundred Years War, and she mentioned knowing Jeanne d'Arc directly, so it would put it somewhere after 1431 and before 1453.

But the grandmother also talks about playing with Maria all the time, and while they never showed her in the flashbacks, they did show Maria and I can only assume the grandmother was about Anne's age. They also mention the black plague, which would be sometime around 1350 and would correspond with the grandmother's age, since their village survived thanks to Maria.

There have also been hints that Maria has been alive even longer than that.

So Maria is at least a 100 year old virgin...

Maybe this is why she wasn't hesitant about losing her powers for sex. She's been around long enough, but her heart hasn't been in it until Joseph.

edit:
Do witches "age-up" when they have sex more often? The other witches all look older than Maria, but the feeling I get is that most of them are actually younger than she is.

It's also unclear which ones are the more naïve. Maria is more innocent about sex and things, but she's seen enough horror to not live the way the others do, profiting off war and strife. She seems more wise than Viv about the nasty underbelly of the Religious-Royal society.

The other witches are used by the royals and nobles in their games, but Maria goes after the hearts of the people, and they defend her. The villages that surround the forest protect her as much as she has protected them.

[Kraco]

I've been getting a feeling Maria is stronger than the other witches we have seen. The fact they can't prevent her from harming their war business also supports that. Viv only tried to talk Maria into dropping the holy act, and after hearing about Michael's ultimatum she tried to get Maria interested in sex (after which Maria would be of no concern for anybody). I imagine the level of power might be related to staying young and prosperous much longer. Of course the other witches might be wiser by not displaying their powers as much as Maria (and thus earn Heaven's wrath), but fights among witches in privacy probably wouldn't interest the angels.

[KrayZ33]

They also mention the black plague, which would be sometime around 1350

or any year after that up to 1700 or so
The picture on the side of the tomb(?)-building cleaned by the survivor of the village was from between ~1420 to 1490 or something, the artist was Michael Wolgemut
edit: oh, it's 1493

Maria is a human being who acquired some powers. Meaning those powers are available through some natural process.
Michael is an angel.
To me, Michael is in the wrong in their universe.
He only wanted to play around on Earth. Since he's able to strip Maria from her powers, why not just do that silently from the skies?
Why should Maria have powers in the first place if it changes natural order? After all, her magic cures some illnesses and changes the options natural human beings have

that's exactly what I was thinking throughout the series so far.
It's so unfair.
No matter how I look at it, witches are "human" right? That means they aren't spiritual beings like angels or devils. If they are supposed to "watch" and not interfere with humans, they shouldn't be allowed to hinder whatever witches decide to do. They are hypocrites

[Buffalobiian]

Maria is a human being who acquired some powers. Meaning those powers are available through some natural process.

That's an assumption right? I don't know if it's been explicitly stated as being so. I have my doubts especially given that Maria hasn't been aging like a human. Either she's born a witch, or she somehow gained powers at such a young age (like.. 5?) that it slowed her aging ever since. The former seems more likely unless magic itself has anti-aging properties without the host being adept at it.

And as for the second part about hypocrisy, it depends on whether you're arguing that angels are against supernatural intervention. For example, Michael said that once Maria loses her virginity she'll be powerless. Does that mean if Maria loses her supernatural powers she's free to intervene in wars as she sees fit since she's no longer a supernatural power? I believe that's what Michael is getting at.

[Kraco]

Episode 6 - HS




- - - - - -- - - -



I don't think the history of anime has ever seen a good Christian priest, and looks like this show is no exception. The bishop seemed more of the calculating and manipulating kind at first, but now he's also showing some signs of mental instability.

Who knows how old Maria is, but she's certainly affected by Joseph's words. Ezekiel is too friendly for the good of the mission. At least somebody from the Heaven is not all rotten, then. Although it was kind of a pity seeing Maria so crestfallen, so naturally it's better this way. Joseph hardly will be disappointed by anything Maria does, so in that sense it's not so bad whether she decides to intervene or not. Although naturally it's not impossible Joseph might lose his position if the plan fails. Not that it seems likely to fail anymore, with the English already withdrawing even before the French attacked.

It'll be interesting to see what happens next. The plan calls for getting rid of Maria now that the war is ending for the time being.

[Buffalobiian]

They're right in that letting the French win this fight will end the war, and on an intellectual level it makes sense to let them be. The precedence this sets is that violence can be excusable.

As for getting rid of Maria, I can only think that the priest will be sending over a rape squad. Like seriously, what else comes to mind after seeing that laugh?

[Kraco]

As for getting rid of Maria, I can only think that the priest will be sending over a rape squad. Like seriously, what else comes to mind after seeing that laugh?

She sends whole armies fleeing, so a rape squad would seem like doomed affair. But the priest's laugh certainly suggested nothing less. He's quite a sharp fellow, though, so he ought to have realised Joseph was defending the witch with such ardour that it goes well beyond any simple duty or general gratitude as an inhabitant of the area. Rather than a rape squad, he should pursue that route. Shouldn't be that difficult considering Joseph always listens to everybody and honours any requests. But I guess the priest & co don't yet know the love is mutual.

[Kraco]

Episode 7 - HS




- - - - - -



I reckon Maria just got a mortal enemy out of Galfa, among others. She really failed miserably this time, in every possible way. Although to be fair she really deserved it as well. She has got nothing but her power and stubborness. She has no real vision or plan whatsoever, only the simplistic wish of suffering no battles anywhere nearby. In that sense Joseph is a perfect man for her since he's just as simple. I kind of hope Joseph wouldn't need to fight Galfa to protect Maria, but who knows, it might very well go down that way. I wouldn't be surprised if Galfa wakes up totally cracked. But even if he doesn't, the priest is still assured to put him to nefarious use.

[shinta|hikari]

Galfa got what he deserved. He himself knew the sin he committed, obvious from his panic after being seen by the woman.

Maria is simply a good person at heart. Simple, shortsighted, but truly kind. That's the reason Ezekiel, the spear that should pierce her, ended up caring for her so much.

Maria X Joseph will never happen at this rate. I hope Michael somehow lifts her curse when she becomes less selfish. I have a bad feeling Joseph's death is the trigger for that to happen, and unfortunately, that means no happy ending.

[Ryllharu]

I still think it is funny that the priest was mostly offended by the fact that Maria poured his precious cider on the ground than the fact that she is a witch, and especially one that is currently being tormented by an archangel for her actions. He really is rotten to the core. He doesn't hate her because she is a witch (he wanted to ally with her), he doesn't hate her because she helps England, he doesn't hate her because she is gathering people who look to her instead of the church (he was happy as long as she repented), he hates her because she poured his fucking cider on the ground. What a petty, tiny man he is.

I thought Galfa's lady friend was going to be killed and he might actually feel guilty and repent, but nope.

Ultimately, this was all Maria's fault. She didn't follow through once she had stopped the fighting. She should have escorted the English out of range, making sure that the fighting didn't start anew. Half-hearted action is usually worse than no action at all.

With Ann's grandmother finally reaching her mortal limit, I wonder if Ann will lose her faith in Maria. Ann is so young, she might not realize that Maria's power isn't infinite.

[Buffalobiian]

Ultimately, this was all Maria's fault. She didn't follow through once she had stopped the fighting. She should have escorted the English out of range, making sure that the fighting didn't start anew. Half-hearted action is usually worse than no action at all.

I don't think she understood that people actually wanted to right. In fact, I don't think she understands fully even now.

[Kraco]

I don't think she understood that people actually wanted to right. In fact, I don't think she understands fully even now.

Obviously she doesn't want to understand it, considering it has been told her before. But then again, she doesn't really care about what others want or hope for. She's stopping all the fighting near the forest because she personally hates war and she has the power to do it. That's it.