Customer Reviews

Maria Holic Volume 1

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Maria Holic is about Kanako, a second-year transfer high-school student who begins to attend the same all-girls Catholic school with the hopes of finding her soulmate. The school is the same one that years earlier her parents met her mother as a student and her father as a teacher met and feel in love. The choice of this school was very carefully done as Kanoko has a deep fear of men to the point she will break out in hives if one touches her (somewhat a reverse Yukinari Sasaki from *Girls Bravo*).

After an accidental turn takes her to the private estate of the headmistress on school grounds Kanoko meets with a very rude maid before being rescused by the seemingly sweet and innocent Mariya who she soon learns is in fact a very sadistic boy, the grandchild of the former headmistress. Seemingly afraid Kanoko might reveal his secret to the school, without telling her why he is cross dressing in the first place, he starts to shadow her, making himself a large part of her school life, starting with replacing himself as her roommate.

Overall I found volume one enjoyable and hope the fairly unique concept and quarky sense of humor found in this volume will continue and some of the characters will become more flushed out in future volumes.

Maria Holic isn't the average manga with one of those never ending cookie cutter plots. The story focuses on Kanako who is a shy girl afraid of men, to the point that she gets hives when she touches them. She meets a beautiful girl and her peaceful life changes forever. Kanako, who later reveals to be obsessed with yuri, actually meets the GRANDSON of the former headmaster. Yes, grandson. Mariya cross dresses as a girl for unknown reasons and now that Kanako knows his secret, he intends to monitor her every move. The story is very entertaining to read and there are many unexpected events that won't bore the reader.

The characters are refreshing and original. Kanako is the supplier of most of the comic relief with her random nosebleeds. Mariya is sadistic and manipulative but never the less has his own charm. Matsurika, his maid, is one of those characters that say short lines here and there with a monotone sarcastic humor. These are characters you either hate or love.

I recommend this manga to whoever likes sarcastic humor and a humorously twisted plot. The main characters aren't really the "fluffy nice" type so if you want a sweet manga, I don't think this is for you. The story develops a bit slowly and the first volume focuses mostly on Kanako's newly found hardships but there are hints here and there that the story will go beyond that. [Also, I've read other volumes and the story develops into a greater plot with more interesting characters]

I just picked up issue one on the strength of the pretty-girl artwork.
I now sincerely hope the cross-dressing lead is going to eventually be put through a wood chipper while still conscious. He is the stock "my family is immensely wealthy so I can treat everyone else like absolute crap" antagonist without a trace of charm or humor - just despicable, skin-crawling evil. The male-phobic female lead Kanako is a passive girl-oggling dolt who appears to be putting up with his abuse solely because he is cute in drag. By the end of the first issue there is no hint of anyone learning anything from their situations. I will look at the next chapters online in the vain hope that Mariya's maid Matsurika will snap and take his manhood off with a chainsaw.
Still, much like Kanako, I will probably put up with this excruciating abuse for the occasional page of beautiful cute-girl art and yuri-light situations.

This is, without a doubt, one of the most disgusting titles I've had the misfortune to read - EVER. Crude, cruel, misogynistic, and offensive - and that's being kind. The characters are clear tropes - but unlike other series, this one does not play it off in a way that is amusing, but rather in a way that I found greatly offensive - and I'm a rather easy-going person. The entire volume is in bad taste, and I'm disappointed that I wasted money on it - and disappointed in the publisher for translating it and bringing it over here. Cruel humour like that espoused in this book (as well as the clear indication that a character who is "lesbian" now will eventually end up with an abusive and cruel male) is hardly entertaining.

If you were considering picking it up for the yuri tag, DON'T. This is about as far from yuri as one can get.