Forum - View topicMaria the Virgin Witch (TV).
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ChibiKangaroo
 Posts: 2941 |
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This may be, but in that sense, they have thus far mainly been cogs in the machine so to speak rather than more colorful characters with actual stories. It almost feels pointless that they've been given as much screen time as they have when that screen time isn't used to flesh them out in any significant way, rather than just show them floating about and chatting idly. I would think it would be much more beneficial to dedicate that screen time to showing them dealing with their "jobs" so to speak. It would be good to get some window into their struggles (or pleasure, however they see it) rather than just make them look like a gaggle of high school girls at a lunch table chatting things up.
I do understand that part of the theme of this series is that Maria can't save the world by herself, and so there is some futility to be expected with her efforts. However, I'm not just commenting on the futility of her individual efforts. I'm more commenting on the repetitiveness of the narrative. I feel like we should have seen more advancement with her personal development or with the series' endgame by now. |
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justsomeaccount
 Posts: 471 |
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The first part with the development of the war I liked it a lot because it went crazy and intense in many ways you would think it would bring interesting consequencies for the characters' development, but once we started seeing them it was disappointing =/ María doesn't even have a DOUBT about what happened there so it seems pointless despite what happened to her, Ezekiel still has this by-the-rules development as always, Maria's struggle with Joseph and what they said last time was gone and already they are in good terms, and I'm afraid that Galfa and Bernard become just "simple villains who want to get revenge on her by kill/rape" when before I thought they would do much more interesting things with them, and especially with Galfa who I thought was a likeable (not good person but understandable) character before.
I didn't like either how the whole episode ignores Anne's father when he was the source of Maria going to stop the war again and he was in danger last episode and Joseph saved him, and then they come with a fast sudden scene at the end like "oh, I'm perfect, but is it grandma...? [hint: probably not] Grandma's death I don't know what it's going to add to all this to be honest, the reason why we thought Anne's father was dead is because it brings much more discussion and closure of Maria to the people. |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18210 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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Why is there a need to delve more fully into the other witches unless they become more major players in the story? I see people make complaints like this all of the time in one series or another, but I often wonder if the people making those complaints at all consider the ramifications on the anime of what they are asking for. When the story is not a long one and the focus is clearly elsewhere, minor supporting characters don't need more than peripheral definition. Want to see an example of a series which actually does make such an effort? See Naruto or Bleach. Both series suffer for it because those detailed features on minor characters wind up bogging down the story. Want to see the actions of minor characters explored in great detail? See Banner of the Stars II (and to a lesser extent Banner I), which gets badly bogged down by showing minor characters doing their thing in great detail. Besides, in this case the minutiae of what the other witches beyond Viv are doing is irrelevant. In other words, I am totally fine with them not getting fleshed out more if that means the storytelling does not get needlessly bogged down. That is a big and common problem in anime series lately, as there seems to be some bizarre resistance to appreciating proper pacing and flow.
I do understand that part of the theme of this series is that Maria can't save the world by herself, and so there is some futility to be expected with her efforts. However, I'm not just commenting on the futility of her individual efforts. I'm more commenting on the repetitiveness of the narrative. I feel like we should have seen more advancement with her personal development or with the series' endgame by now.[/quote] |
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 23807 |
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Well poop got real as they say. I see where CK is coming from with her point that Dovey's attachment to Maria - spoiler[to the point of defying Heaven, itself] - doesn't seem totally earned. I don't feel that way myself, but I can't really argue against someone who does. I think it was in the eppie before this last one that Ezekiel said something that suggests she thinks Maria is actually doing the right thing, plus I can fill in on my own that during Ezekiel's "guardianship" of Maria when she was basically made one of the gang (and her protestations against this always seemed a little hollow) she would have developed a bond. I'm probably more puzzled by Viv's affection for Maria - in the earlier eps, I really thought she'd be antagonistic toward Maria for being bad for business. I guess she has the hots for her or something?
I also agree that I'd like to see a bit more of the witches doing their thang. Oh and Galfa - karma sure is a bitch, isn't it? |
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HaruhiToy
 Posts: 4118 |
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You know it doesn't always have to come down to that. Viv probably has more collegial feelings towards Maria and what she was hot to trot for was Priapos not his master. As for Maria, I am still on her side but I am finding myself regarding her more and more as thickheaded than idealistic. She's like a little girl who had been given far too much power for her to use wisely. I hope Viv is able to talk some sense into her. |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 23807 |
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But what is the basis for these collegial feelings? Maria is directly inhibiting Viv's (and the other witches) business. As I said, earlier on in the show Viv didn't seem to be too happy about that. Now she's actively helping her out. And she did say this eppie that Maria is spoiler["just her type."] I agree with your point about Maria's boneheadness. It's okay to feel passionately about something but not to take any steps to protect yourself just seems dumb. Is she expecting her luck to hold out forever? |
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Yttrbio
 Posts: 3653 |
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Actually, Viv has never seemed too upset by what Maria was doing, in comparison to the other witches. She might just be friendly and caring towards other witches. If Maria wants to stop all the wars, why shouldn't another witch want to save her brethren?
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 23807 |
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Because, according to the witches themselves, stopping all wars would directly affect their livelihoods.
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Yttrbio
Posts: 3653 |
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A) That's only an issue if Viv thinks Maria might succeed (I don't think she does)
B) That didn't mean much to Maria, when she sees fighting in front of her, why should it convince Viv, when she sees witches being hurt in front of her? Admittedly, we haven't got much characterization to establish what the witches' priorities are, but maybe that's what we're seeing here. Maybe the specifics of how they make their livelihoods just aren't more important to them than witchy camaraderie. They've been annoyed by Maria, but no one has tried to hurt her, or even make much of an effort to stop her (before Viv came along). |
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HaruhiToy
Posts: 4118 |
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Well, she is a lusty gal no question but you'd think that she would have put moves on Maria by now if she really was inclined that way. Is it just me or does the picture on page 1 of this thread remind anyone else of Marller from Ah My Goddess? She doesn't have the snaggle tooth but the look is the same kind of goofy. And someone should tell her to rethink those Christmas-tree ornament earrings. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2861 |
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Not sure the big discussion has touched on this, but Viv is behaving the way she is because spoiler[she knew someone just like Maria who wanted to save everyone but didn't end up happy. Perhaps she doesn't want to see a repeat. ]
If Karma really had it in for Galfa, he would have lost his spoiler[right arm/elbow to the cannonball rather than his left. However it seems the monastery abbot and himself have something nasty up their sleeves. ] The monotheistic deity portrayed in this series seems like the Great Clockmaker that the 18th century Europeans were so hung up about in their time. Once the rules are set, humans simply obey and there is no direct interference unless something arises that threatens those rules. The witches in this setting get their coin (and fun) from playing behind the scenes since that presumably is the role they have been assigned in this system, Maria on the other hand breaks all the rules with her overt interference. What surprises me is spoiler[Archangel Michael not swapping out Ezekiel for her failure to kill Maria the first time round. Surely he's got more subordinates who are compliant enough to obey his wishes? ] |
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ChibiKangaroo
Posts: 2941 |
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I've got one word for you: Parasyte We've seen numerous minor characters in Parasyte get decent amounts of development, and the show has been absolutely fantastic. I'm not saying minor characters need to be extensively developed. I just get annoyed when the animators have characters take up a lot of screen time but they seem to serve no significant narrative purpose. Like I said, right now the other witches are just props. They are part of the background scenery. |
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15483 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 7
Galfa used to be a spoiler[mercenary like the rest of them, until he took a cannonball to the forearm]. He is really earning his place as an "evil character as he has directly suffered from his own greed and lust, and really has been this morally questionable from the beginning. Maria was about to wspoiler[in France its war, and save both sides, and then they still fought]. Which if you think about it is kind of ironic in how Maria continues to defy another power above her. And it is not like we had to know much about the other witches, we have had quite a lot of focus already on various normal people so you can't say the series is ignoring side characters. Truth may be that we have seen soldiers so far because Maria was mostly involved in trying to stop them, Maria has shown little interest in other magical people. The preview seemed to show.... spoiler[Goblins(?) and the horned god], so I wonder if that might change. |
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MrTerrorist
Posts: 1348 |
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So Galfa a Moor. I always thought he must be a German since he did say he's not from France.
I wonder if he's Spanish or Arab? |
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Stark700
 Posts: 11762 Location: Earth |
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Episode 8:
A spoiler[tense episode with clash of ideals. I hope Maria's own question gets answered before this series ends.] And for what's worth, spoiler[there's some ominous development involving the people of the church. A few quotes about god and a "devil in all of us" suggests to me that maybe something terrible will happen soon...] |
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