The Maroa Virgin Witch is a character in the popular Japanese anime and manga series, "Maria the Virgin Witch" (also known as "Junketsu no Maria"). Created by Masayuki Ishikawa, this series tells the story of Maria, a powerful witch living during the Hundred Years' War in France. Maria is a young witch who lives in a secluded forest and is known for her beauty and magical abilities. However, unlike other witches, Maria is strongly against using her powers for violence and war. She believes in peace and refuses to take sides in the ongoing conflict between England and France. As a result, Maria often finds herself at odds with other witches and even with God himself, who sends his archangel Michael to punish her for interfering with human affairs.
As a result, Maria often finds herself at odds with other witches and even with God himself, who sends his archangel Michael to punish her for interfering with human affairs. Despite the consequences she faces, Maria refuses to give up her principles and continues to use her abilities to protect innocent lives and promote peace. Throughout the series, Maria encounters various characters, both human and supernatural, who challenge her beliefs and test her resolve.
1990: Black Magic
This is the final of the three series Eclipse (aided by Studio Proteus) published created by of Masamune Shirow. The cover say “seminal first work”, but I think you can interpret “semi” in “seminal” as short for “semi-professio”.
That is, it’s an awkward mess of a book. We start with a two page spread that explains centuries (millennia?) of Venusian life, instead of Shirow’s later “just start with some action” way of starting things off.
So, after that two-page spread that explains everything, we’re dropped into an action scene (yay!) and the soldiers are talking about… magic? and spells? Which, of course, weren’t mentioned at all on the explainer pages.
And we rapidly get an expanded cast of characters that have some sort of relation to each other…
… and we seem to be in for some fun comedy thing in a restaurant (and Shirow gets to do his favourite thing; that feet-in-the-air surprise take). But it’s all abandoned pretty quickly and then…
… we’re on a missile sub and it turns out that this is millions of years in the past and that these Venusians were responsible for terraforming Earth! Yes! Twist ending! And that’s just in the 42 pages it takes to finish the first issue!
So it’s a frustrating read, and the artwork isn’t as exciting as Shirow’s work would later be.
Brian Stelfreeze provides the covers to two of these issues, and… er… it’s kinda like he hasn’t seen a Japanese comic before? The fourth issue claims to have a Stelfreeze cover, too, but it looks so much like Shirow’s artwork that I’m guessing it’s just the normal Eclipse production sloppiness at work.
The next two issues have little to do with the first one. They’re all about some soldiers hunting down some killer robots. What the hell?
I don’t have a clue, either.
I wonder whether some of the problem isn’t in Shirow’s storytelling, but in sloppy translations. It took me a while to figure out that when they were talking alternatively about an “M-77”..
… and an “MA77”, they were describing the same thing: That robot up there.
The humans (I mean, Venusians) prevail!
But it turns out that the robot had boobytrapped the building (for some reason or other), so they all died anyway.
Well, those were two pretty pointless issues about fighting robots, so now what? The fourth issue has slight connection to the first, but it’s mostly about saving a spaceship from not colliding with Saturn.
And then they blow the world up. The end!
I guess what I’m saying is that this is typical early work from a developing artist.
Shirow, as, usual, provides several pages of information about his robots and stuff, which is nice.
Dark Horse has released a collected edition of this stuff.
So what did others think of it?
It’s a challenge just to make some basic sense out of Typhon’s basic motivations — one of the longer plot arcs involves Typhon unleashing a wave of killer robots on the populace of Venus, watching over them just to the point that they make it into civilian territory, and then vanishing without explaining what the hell that was supposed to accomplish. I was starting to think that Shirow was just screwing with the readers at that point, suddenly exposing the series’s “heroine” as the actual enemy; but nope, before long she’s keeping Zeus from killing off the rest of the people on Venus.
I know! But either that guy’s confused or I’m confused. He says that the middle two issues take place on Earth, and this story happened millions of years ago, so I don’t think so? It happened on Venus? I think? Not that I’m going back to check. And he also says that the colony is blown up? It was just a single building in the version I read.
The next two issues have little to do with the first one. They’re all about some soldiers hunting down some killer robots. What the hell?
She forms unexpected alliances with individuals such as her succubus familiar Artemis and a young soldier named Joseph, who is determined to protect his homeland. The Maroa Virgin Witch explores themes of pacifism, femininity, and the power of individual choice. The series offers a unique perspective on the morality of using force and the role of women during times of war. It challenges traditional notions of heroism and highlights the strength and agency of its female protagonist. With its compelling storyline, thought-provoking themes, and well-developed characters, "Maria the Virgin Witch" has gained a loyal fanbase both in Japan and internationally. It provides a refreshing take on the fantasy genre and encourages discussion about the nature of power, conflict, and the importance of personal values..
Reviews for "Maroa: A Virgin Witch Shrouded in Mystery"
1. John - 2/5
I found "Maroa Virgin Witch" to be quite disappointing. The storyline seemed promising, but it quickly became convoluted and muddled. The characters were poorly developed, and I struggled to connect with any of them. The pacing was also off, with some scenes dragging on for too long while others felt rushed. Overall, I was not impressed with this film and would not recommend it to others.
2. Michelle - 2/5
I had high hopes for "Maroa Virgin Witch," but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The acting was subpar, and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. The supernatural element of the film was poorly executed and left me feeling confused. Additionally, the film seemed to lack focus, jumping from one storyline to another without any clear direction. Overall, I was very disappointed with this film and would not watch it again.
3. Robert - 1/5
"Maroa Virgin Witch" was a complete waste of time. The storyline was nonsensical and lacked any coherent narrative. The acting was atrocious, with the actors delivering their lines in a monotonous and robotic manner. The special effects were laughable, and the cinematography was amateurish at best. I would highly recommend avoiding this film at all costs.
4. Emily - 2/5
I was not a fan of "Maroa Virgin Witch." The film had potential, but it failed to live up to it. The pacing was slow, and I found myself losing interest early on. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it difficult to care about their fates. The film also seemed to rely too heavily on shock value, sacrificing substance for cheap thrills. Overall, I was unimpressed with this film and would not recommend it.