Outside of some surprises regarding Shimako and Sei, this was pretty uneventful for a final episode. But it provided a final glimpse of all the major characters, which is fitting when you consider the focus of the show was pretty much character development from beginning to end. All in all, it was a light ending, and if you were anxiously awaiting some sort of passion between Yumi and Sachiko, you'll just have to use you imagination. Don't worry, I won't interrupt.

Anyway, Maria-sama ga Miteru turned out to be a great show that's quite obviously not for everyone. It fit my tastes, however, so I feel satisfied. Admittedly, it really needed to be longer, but I guess that's what the second season - set to begin in July - is for. Although, depending on how closely the anime follows the original novels, the second season might very well introduce an entirely new cast.

Either way, I'm looking forward to it!

Is it just me, or are Yumi's eyes growing larger and larger with each episode?

Anyway, all sorts of cute moments this time around - especially Yoshino's Greta impersonation. She's on the verge of replacing Sei as my favorite character.

It's hard to believe there's only one episode left. Granted, a second season is apparently in the works, but I don't know when it's scheduled to begin. The wait will be dreadful.

Well, if you've been waiting for the show to deliver some true shoujo-ai moments, this episode won't disappoint.

It was a beautiful story - even if it did feel like a trashy romance novel come to animated life. Despite the show's easy-going nature, it does melodrama exquisitely. It pulls you right in, and before you know it, you're hooked.

It's pretty much been established that I dig Rosa Gigantea a lot, so it's a given I enjoyed every minute of this episode. And I'm definitely looking forward to the next, where we'll learn more of her past. Bring on the drama!

Although, I will admit it was nice to see a good dose of humor this time around. Rosa Gigantea's antics are always welcome, as are Yumi's cute faces. And we definitely need more Yumi/Yoshino moments - they make an interesting pair.

A rival appears! And just as quickly disappears...

The flashback sequence was nice, although I was a little surprised to learn Sachiko was unapproachable even as a little girl. I always figured she became that way over the course of time. Interesting.

Animation was back to normal, thankfully.

I can't get enough of Rosa Gigantea. She steals practically every scene in which she appears.

This episode left me with mixed feelings, to be honest. While it's nice to see Yumi and Sachiko growing closer, they make a really awkward couple. And the way Sachiko goes from nasty to gentle in the blink of an eye is unnerving. She's a weird character, and I'm not yet sure what to think of her.

The animation quality also took a big hit this time around. Hopefully, it's just a one time thing, as these character designs don't work very well done sloppy.

Did someone say drama? Just when you think the mood has lightened up, the tears start flowing. Poor Yumi.

I'm not quite sure what makes this show tick. It might just be the overall mood, but there's something that always leaves me anxious to see what comes next. And when an episode ends on a honest to goodness cliffhanger such as this one, I know the wait is going to be oh so painful.

I feel as if I need to make a chart of some sort to better remember all of the character relationships in this show. In fact, I could have sworn one existed somewhere on the official site, but I can't seem to find it.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the soundtrack now. The music in this episode was spectacular.

I originally thought that Yoshino recovered perhaps a little too quickly from her heart surgery, but a little research into her medical condition indicates recovery time is minimal - even if she did undergo the full open-heart procedure as opposed to the less-invasive catheter method. Apparently, only a small piece of breastbone has to be cut in order to repair the hole.

Don't ask me why I looked all of that up.

It seems I missed the fansub release of this episode last weekend while I was out of town, so I'm a little late watching it. Whoops.

Anyway, the show is heading in a more sustainable direction now, focusing on the rest of the cast while slowly building Yumi and Sachiko's relationship. Of course, the increased focus on other characters just means more drama. But it's not like you need me to tell you that.

The drama! The sexual tension! I love it!

However, I'm a little surprised by how quickly the story is progressing. And that gives rise to my only real complaint about the show thus far: there have been plenty of important, dramatic moments along the way, but the manner in which they've been strung together, it seems like there's too little build-up to give each one enough impact.

I suspect these first few episodes have been more of a prologue for what's to come, though - which would explain the fast pacing.

Compared to the serious tone of the first episode, this one felt much lighter and more shoujoesque - probably due to all the cute faces Yumi kept making. The story, however, remains complicated, and there's more than enough tension lurking under the light, airy surface.

The animation quality seemed a little lower this time, however. Perhaps I was just spoiled by the beautiful first episode.

I've been looking forward to this series for some time now, so I was a little worried about being let down. However, from the first episode, color me very impressed.

First off, everything looks absolutely gorgeous: the lovely character designs, the detailed backgrounds, the unique color palette, the framing, and so on. The background music, all baroque style, fits like a glove. Even the voice acting is solid as a rock.

As for particulars of the story, this was a very good introduction of what's to come. I appreciated how everything was told from Yumi's point of view - it provided not only a device to reveal important background information via first-person narration, but also built a close connection with her as a character right from the first moment. I'm assuming this first-person perspective is going to continue for the rest of the series.

Another nice touch was the non-linear approach to storytelling. Not only did it make for a little extra drama at all the right moments, but it broke up some of the longer exchanges of dialogue...because this episode was heavy on the dialogue. I'm not complaining, for it was handled perfectly, but I couldn't imagine watching this raw with minimal Japanese skills.

Anyway, definitely a strong start. I'm really excited about this show.