hontou ni sou omou?

Episode 5: When Years Pass By. Seems that the first four episodes have been a long farewell to the three Big Sisters, Youko, Eriko and Sei who reminesce through the medium of a slightly duller-coloured screen. One particular issue that’s always been nagging at the back of my mind is how confident the Three are. The transformation of Sei from loner and love-sick teenager to the most outgoing and seemingly carefree Rosa Gigantea of the Lilian trioka was the most astounding yet not that surprising given how much she has managed to learn from her experiences.

Now that the steadying hands of Youko and Sei have departed (Eriko hardly seems to play any sort of mentoring role other than possibly just by being there), the remaining girls will have to manage on their own and hopefully grow as much as their soeurs did in their time. Likewise, I will of course miss Sei’s contribution to the hilarity content of the series. But then again, her shadow will loom particularly large since she’ll just be next door at Lilian Ladies’ University.

Episode 6: Hold One of My Hands. This valuable episode explains the backstory of the Sei-Shimako relationship. In the first season of MariMite, Yumi frequently comments on how she does not understand how the White Rose family works especially when in the episodes when Shizuka attempts to usurp the office of Rosa Gigantea. Shimako only wished to serve on the Yamayurikai to be with Sei and after Sei’s graduation, she only decided to become the next Rosa Gigantea to protect her memories of Sei and to consolidate her bonds with the other Roses and boutons. All along Sei’s handling of Shimako is extremely laissez faire and Sachiko even commented that Sei does something “oneesama-like” for Shimako quite rarely but it is also very clear that their mutual affection and bond is deep and genuine one. This episode effectively answered my question: “What is the basis of Sei and Shimako’s bond?”

A chance encounter under what would become Shimako’s favourite sakura tree behind the Rose Mansion. Fated encounter or love-at-first-sight, a device that was also applied to Sachiko-Yumi though the dynamics for Sei and Shimako were much more mutual. Sei is unable to contain herself and Youko and Eriko find out her interest in Shimako. Being well-meaning busybodies who want Sei to become more social and perhaps to help heal the scars of her forcibly broken relationship with Shiori, they attempt to draw Sei and Shimako through enlisting her into working for the Yamayurikai.

Sei is still in considerable pain and attempts to resist but Youko’s mastery of psychological warfare overcomes her objections and Sei is set down the slippery slope. Murong Fei, on commenting on his own marriage, said that proximity and constant interaction with positive intention (even if unconscious) can build a strong relationship. This pretty much is what happens with Sei and Shimako, building on the foundation of initial mutual attraction and good chemistry.

However, Sei is still uanble to make the final step of formalising the relationship in the form of the soeur ceremony. Probably at Youko’s instigation, Sachiko forces Sei’s hand by attempt to snatch Shimako as her own soeur, giving Sei the stark choices between taking Shimako as soeur or making her leave the Yamayurikai. Confronted with this, Sei realises that she does indeed want Shimako as *her* soeur and also that they are most suitable for each other when compared to, say, Sachiko. Seems that how the Roses gain their confidence may have a lot to do with finding the strength and courage to accept a soeur and to groom and take care of that special person.

The episode also makes a great point about how meetings always come with an expiry date i.e. partings. But not to take the chance to explore a relationship in order to avoid the pain of parting is indeed too sad and lonely. As Plato (or was it Socrates?) said, humans are social animals. Without the context of social relationships, how else would someone realise their individuality and the place of that individuality viz a viz other individuals and within the context of the social networks. A beautiful and thoroughly enjoyable episode!