Maria-sama ga miteru

Maria-sama ga Miteru (マリア様がみてる?, lit. The Virgin Mary is Watching or Maria Watches Over Us), often shortened to Marimite (マリみて?),[3] is an ongoing series of Japanese shōjo light novels written by Japanese author Oyuki Konno, and illustrated by Reine Hibiki. The series focuses on a group of teenage girls attending Lillian Catholic school for girls in Tokyo, Japan.[4] A common theme throughout the series revolves around the lives and close relationships of the school's student council known as the Yamayuri Council.[4] Maria-sama ga Miteru is considered as representative of yuri novels.[2]

The series began as a short story in the February 1997 issue of Cobalt, a shōjo fiction magazine published by Shueisha.[5] The first light novel was published by Shueisha on April 24, 1998, and as of December 2008 the series has grown to thirty-five volumes.[6] Shueisha has also produced manga and drama CD adaptations; as of 2009 the latter is still ongoing.[7][8]

Between January 2004 and March 2009 the series was adapted into a four-season anime produced by Studio Deen. The Right Stuf International has licensed all four seasons through its production arm Nozomi Entertainment, and is releasing them in North America under the title Maria Watches Over Us.[9][10]