The Blue Fox Alley

Good lord. Good lord. Good lord. Good lord…

In order to start, there is a need for me to illustrate a specific “thing” that defined the nature of the anime, Strike Witches. Just like Strike Witches, Maria Holic, as it appears to be the case for me for now, share a common meta approach: to present a show that has its original intention to pander to a certain fetish and deliberately constructs an element of hindrance that impedes the audience’s ability to derive pleasure in viewing show, in a mischievous way of course.

Such a ploy is seen in Strike Witches in the form of the absence of clothing that is supposed to cover the lower part of the body. Thus, viewers with a fetish for zettai ryouki and fans of fanservice (OMG. I cracked a pun) are robbed of the thrill of watching panties being flashed. Maria Holic’s setting gives a very prominent impression to those who are familiar with yuri: the story is set in an all-girls school, females of pleasant countenance interact with each other and EVERYONE is soooo pretty! Also, the presence of males is almost non-existent. But then, we are given a lesbian protagonist who shamelessly grovels at her situation, and her audacious fantasies do not conform to the usual norm of an elegant yuri story. To add on, there is a cross-dressing boy who is present to poke fun at Kanako the lesbian. Just like how Surly is to Mammon in The Alchemist, Mariya the cross-dresser is an agent of heteroglossia who ruins Kanako’s fun by mocking her inclinations.

There you go. I am inclined to say that Maria Holic is more comedy and less yuri. lol. Actually, since it can be seen as making fun of fans of yuri who are watching this show, then I guess it can be some form of “satire?” *shrugs*