Brushing the hair of another and childish Rozen Maiden makes Tomo dizzy. She’s unaware why, but it doesn’t looks like her Rozen Maiden knows either. The little doll named Hinaichigo loves the girls stuff and hates it when Tomoe has to go to school each day, to be alone. Before Hinaichigo goes sleeping in her case she makes an promise she and Tomoe gets to play when nightfall.

Shinku prefers quiet environment but… Nori let her taste all kinds of food, while Jun is scolding her to get out his room. Irritated Shinku orders a cup of tea which Nori’s instantly accepts and runs off. In spite of the broken window in Jun’s room Shinku orders Jun to close it. Dazzled Jun shouts he’s unable ’cause of the previous attacker who broke the glass. Shinku shakers her head, he conclude instantly without thinking. For now, Jun have to watch her.

Shinku rises her hand, wearing the rozen ring, in the air until red shades of lights sprouts from the center of the rose. It fills the room creating an red ambient which somehow forces the shards to lift. All shards floats in the air, back to their place in the window. Like pieces of a puzzle the window is remade and the red glow of Shinku’s ring vanishes. When Jun inspects the window he finds his reflection in the framework. He stretches his arm to feel the cold glass. Magically the window is restored.

Before any comments can be made Shinku already went to the door. Yesterday she was too small to reach the doorhandle, today she still is. Eventually Jun takes her up and walks with her in the corridor. Now objecting he will not tolerate to be a servant of a doll. Shinku ignores his muttering and finds the toilet. She’s unaware of it’s use, probarly she never needs to, so she thinks it’s a pleasant room to have a cup of tea. It smells good and table looks great. Now Jun is the one shaking his head. He acts as he explains the function of the room and stares Shinku at the end.

Embarrassed Shinku returns to her case and closes the lid. Jun follows her, finding only the closed case. So he says, you do have a cute side. I never knew, he continues, you could feel embarrassed too. Enjoying the moment he approaches the case to close and the lid jumps open and hits the Jun’s nose. Shinku acts like she’s unaware of the ‘accident’ and steps over Jun to the window.

Outside she sees Nori, taken over a note from a girl named Tomoe and invites her. She refuses Nori’s offer but suddenly collapses which forces Nori to take her in. When Tomoe awakes she politely drinks a cup or two and awaits until she’s able to stand again. Unexpectedly Shinku leaped into the room and asks her name. Lucky Nori throws herself in front of her.

In the hallway Nori’s explains she can’t reveal herself. When Nori return to the room she fools Tomoe about her new hobby living doll. Shinku plays along but observes a rozen ring clinging in Tomoe’s hand. After Nori have switched hands with Tomoe she releases Shinku and Jun finally get’s a round. He stands up and looks for Shinku and finds himself passing Tomoe.

Staring at her he feels uncomfortable, being filty and wearing such a lame shirt. Tomoe stares a while and decides to ignore and stay put. Then she makes her way to the door and goes home. On the other side Nori finds her brother, ashamed, walking to his bed. Outside Tomoe turns her head to Jun’s room and waits a moment before she continues her walk home. Shinku releasess Holie todo her a secret favor and finds Nori looking for her.

She tells Shinku it’s the best to leave Jun alone tonight. Being familiar with Jun’s situation he won’t speak or do anything for a couple of days on. Patiently Shinku listens, respects and goes on sleeping elsewhere. However, she asks, is Nori really certain this is the best for Jun?

“Liar, it was a promise”, Hinaichigo shouts. ‘You promised to play with me at nightfall’. Ashamed Tomoe looks to floor. She really tried, but she won’t be able to tell. Mad Hinaichigo stands upright at the desk chair, telling about her past, about her previous master. Her previous master had also promised her to play, but for the moment she needs to be in the box. She waited, she waited for a very long time, knewing she was tricked. Shocked she makes it absolute sure she will never do that.

Sad, frightend, loneliness the words aren’t reaching Hinaichigo anymore. Sad of being alone, frightend to be imprisoned and being alone with no one to play have taken over. Using her powers she will make sure Tomoe will always be with her, never to leave her alone, forever able to play with her. A portal emerges, expanding pure light troughout the room. Engulfing her and Hinaichigo.

Hinaichigo stretches her arm, reaching for Tomoe’s. Go with she, be with me forever, play. The medium, Tomoe, is forced to obey and both vanishes in the mirror which had been acting as portal for the moment. Then a small red spark glitteres from the outside. Holie has observed the events and returns to report it to her master.

Holie finds her master Shinku watching tv and as soon. After her report Shinku asks Nori about a large mirror. No moment later we find Shinku staring to an old antiques mirror. The seize to reflect an adult. Some objects, depending of their type, contains life like the mirror, Shinku explains. On she tells she will be leaving for 30 minutes, as max without medium.

Nori shivers, Shinku notices it tells to not inform Jun. Also, she tells the book does not know Jun but she does, without her help he will loose sight of himself. There is nothing sadder than a child loosing sight of himself with nobody there for him. If she would remain ignoring the fact, Jun will soon cross the border of no return.

Shinku have left the safe home of Sakurada’s family and enters the playboard of Hinaichigo which is packed of toys. She’s transforming Tomoe more in more to be her so they can play forever. When she notices Shinku she first thinks she wants to play, but Shinku ensures her she arrived to play the Alice Game.

The Alice Game is a game where you take away the opponent’s Rosa Mystica. The one who looses the match will become a regular doll which will no longer walk or talk. As rozen maiden their fate is to become the one and only Alice. Dispassionately Shinku explains their bestowed fate as rozen maidens which makes Hinaichigo more than sad. She knows, but she don’t wish to fight. However she won’t loose her happiness and therefor she will squash Shinku.

Shinku runs and ducks gravely all attempts of Hinaichigo who fiercely without hesitation is aiming at Shinku. Hinaichigo driven by sadness, fear and loneliness and Shinku without medium is only able to use half of her powers. Is almost thorned apart. Shocked Hinaichigo doubts for a second, however she must win and consumes all of her power. Even Jun starts to feel the draining of his power, transforming to Shinku. Now he’s aware she’s fighting another doll.

Giant pink piggy banks floats up in the sky’s and shoots their coins at Shinku. Quickly Shinku ducks and grabs the edges of the coin and flips it over. Now she’s at the top of a floating coin. Surprised but not beaten Hinaichigo summons stalks of thorns which reaches and stretches for Shinku. It seems she didn’t expect the actions she get’s strandend in the giant plant.

Amazed Hinaichigo disbelieves her victory, but is happy to play some more for Tomoe from now on. Then Shinku snaps her hand and the plant vanishes. “Not quite”, she calmly says, “look at your medium”.

When Hinaichigo turns her back she finds a dying Tomoe. She had drained for more power from her than she could bear. Crying Hinaichigo promises she won’t be selfish again and orders her to wake up. Tomoe breathes deeply and Shinku steps to Hinaichigo and tells her she know how to safe her. Hinaichigo thinks of all the fun she had with Tomoe and decides to surrender for Tomoe’s sake. She first kisses the rosen ring of Tomoe, so she will no longer be a medium.

The ring cracks as the contract is breaks. Broken Tomoe awakes finding Hinaichigo apologizing and wavering farewell. Ready to become an ordinary non-living doll she holds up bravely her Rosa Mystica. Shinku glares but denies. Astonish Hinaichigo informs without a medium she won’t have a power to drain so die slowly. Then at Shinku’s face a small grin appears…

In meanwhile Jun worries and ask his sister. Together they await at the old mirror, almost 30 minutes ago she left. Jun still acts as he isn’t worried but Nori can tell he’s, so she tells about the mirror and her final words.

Jun touches the mirror which suddenly emits pure light which reflects to the shabby corners of the room. The force blows Jun backwards and Shinku emerges accompanied with another doll. Strange cuts in Shinku’s ribbon reveals her fight. Naturally Shinku ignores the worried Jun and introduces her new servant Hinaichigo.

Nori instantly loves her while Jun screams another doll! He can screams all he wants, but it’s Shinku bedtime so she just goes to sleep. She closes the lid of her suitcase and advises Jun to sleep. His Jun objects are threatless. On the other side Hinaichigo hugs Nori. She’s happy, she’s isn’t alone, someone loves her and takes care of her, it’s all she wants.

Comments and Traceback closed at 2009, 5th May due spam. Please comment on the most recent episode. Thank you.

A pleasant old fashioned party is going on. Jokes are made and champagnes are toasted. The cooks and cleaners are doing there job and everything goes smooth. The daughter of the party owner is dressed in a red dress and together with her father in the surroundings of the party. At bedtime she finds one doll overlooking her. That doll wears the same clothes as her, red dress, clothed hat, green ribbon…

The doll walks to her, but the girl in red dress doesn’t want to play with it. Instead she puts her away in a suitcase, designed for the doll. Just before she drops the lid, the doll get a glimpse of the girl in red dress hugging her father. Then all becomes black,as the suitcase doesn’t offer indoor light, locked up she only is able to wait, wait and wait …

Nori Sakurada just finishes school and rejects her friends offer to come and play. Instead she needs to do shopping and clean up the house. Her friends understands she actually needs to take care of her little brother Jun. Once home Nori get’s overwhelmed by Jun’s orders. Jun like’s weird, mysterious and cursed items and orders it from all places. He likes the drive of these stories and before the return deadline is made, he sends the stuff back.

Irritated Jun continues his search and finds an order of an mysterious doll. He needs to print out the order paper and mark whether he would wind the doll. Grinning he thinks this the best and signs the letter, marking he winds up. Reading on he finds instructions to leave the order inside the second drawer of his desk to activate. Then the spirit Holie will take it to the spirit world, to confirm the order.

Next he finds Nori inside his room. She had taken the stairs up to Jun’s room to deliver the packets, only to get scolded for not knocking at his door. Impolitely he goes on saying she shouldn’t interfere with his interests. Helpless Nori objects informing she read those items are fake, but Jun thinks she’s just complaining. Ofcourse he knows, he tells, he just like the idea. Sad Nori asks whether he comes down for diner later the night, but she gets scolded off. Jun tells her to send back the orders in the living room back and closes the door in front of Nori.

When he turns back to his desk he struggles over a beautiful suitcase, which have appeared suddenly in his room. Wondered how the case made his way in first place in his room he opens the lid. Astonished of the craftsmanship and care he finds a girl doll inside. The doll is soft, large and the clothes are more than gentle. Checking her underwear he finds even those details being cared off. Next his eyes drops on the wind key, which is put next to the doll, Jun bents the doll over his knee and winds the doll up from her back.

Suddenly the doll starts shaking, not a motion Jun expected from being winded up. Scared he throws her down on the ground and checks what’s happening. Then, off all in sudden the doll struggles, walks, a while like a zombie, but by the second lively like a regular human being. The doll is alive and walks straight to Jun. Quickly he crosses his arms for his face, but the doll slaps her face. Shocked and surprised Jun blinks his eyes. Annoyed Shinku tells him not to check out a girl’s underwear anymore and is quite pissed of being treated so far.

Shocked Jun realizes what have happend and tries checking his order which he left in his second drawer of his desk. However there is no paper! Then he starts thinking she’s just a trick to get to him, but she’s not. In meanwhile the doll introduces herself as Shinku, the 5th doll and have examinated the room.

Content she remarks Jun having a good taste of dolls and asks Jun to get her higher up to get a doll. He get’s slapped again in the face when he lifts her up in the wrong way. Then she instructs Jun how to carry her for now on and tells him to grab the doll for her, since she’s still too small to grab it herself. Jun still a bit shocked can’t make a real objection of being used and decides to obey.

Standing in the corner Jun finds black feathers emerging from the ceiling, fluttering to the ground. Dissapointed Shinku objects she even didn’t got time to have a nice cup of tea and get’s herself to the ground. Jun eyes follows her until a blow of wind smashes a window near his desk.

From the shadows of the night another doll emerges. It’s a clown doll, however, the cards he throws are razor-sharp and cuts Jun’s clothes like a wax model. Frightend he stares at Shinku who simple pitifies him to die today. Awaiting the reaction of Jun she continues he might be able to live if he chooses to swear allegiance. There is not much of a choice, so Jun decides to pledge to her and kisses her rozen ring to confirm the agreedment.

Once kissed the rozen ring glimmers red light and sprouts to the ceiling of his room. A string of red light emergers from the rozen ring and connects with his fingers, creating another rozen ring. Forfeiting the world for a moment Shinku turns to the clown doll who takes out his huge kitchen knives when his cards and toy guns runs out of ammunition.

Then the clown jumps forward, launching himself, seeking Shinku who ducks and finding a frightend Jun at her back. Lucky for Jun, one of his dolls jumps out to resue him. Shinku gives that event a lil’ second and regain her focus on the clown. She holds her hand gentle to her mouth and blows a pack of rozen flower leaves towards the clown.

The persuader tries to flee, but Jun’s doll have arosen and grabs the clown, both an arm. Helpless the clown struggles while being embraced by a dance of rozen flower leaves. Shinku blows the final blow and some steam floats from the clown into the thin air.

Poor clown, Shinku says and looks up to Jun. Jun is beaten, somehow he is dizzle and exhausted. Ofcourse he still haven’t handled the impact of these events, but yet he’s physical exhausted. He turns his eyes to Shinku who dissapointed mumbles how weak her new medium is, using that little power shouldn’t exhaust him. What? Jun thinks, she’s using my power … But he can’t complete his sentence. Shinku had been observing the actions of Jun’s doll and concludes Jun must have a soft touch. The dolls like him and have defended and fought for him well.

She tells Jun also that the dolls are worried about their master (Jun). Worried he has a hole in his heart. Then she tells Jun about the pact he made. He had sweared to protect her, so now he is the mediator of Shinku. She can drain Jun’s energy to use for her own. Briefing the little info she’s not awaiting the results of her words and walks to the door.

Well, now that’s clear, let’s have some tea is what Shinku probarly is thinking. Unable to open the door of the dormitory she sends a almost laughing Jun to get her some tea. Our stubborn Jun obeys without an objection, might be still confused of the events earlier on. At the ground floor he finds a school suit, having shoes named Jum Jun, a bit misspelled but nice.

Jun just gives it a few seconds and continues preparing the tea for Shinku until he finds his sister at the living room, watching him. He turns around to sho her out, like he always does, but sees Shinku at her back. Shocked he believes he should keep the rozen maiden a secret for now and orders his sister not to turn around until he’s in his room. Running up the stairs towards his room, he shouts to get him some tea.

When Nori hears Jun shouting she’s happy, ’cause Jun always dislikes her tea. However, the poor Nori is left out again when she delivers the tea. Shinku observes the events closely, patiently and silently. As Jun places the plate down for Shinku to have, she turns around to get her own cup and pours some tea in it. She informs the tea indeed can’t be called tea. However she continues, his sister, really cares about him and if he don’t see it now, he might never realize. Jun had realized, but never took action, he might as well try now.

Nori interrupts, asking whether it tastes. Irritated Jun had turned his head but when he sees Shinku’s face it’s almost like she says “you know what to do”. He shouts to get off, but before she actually does he mumbles it got better, Shinku grins ‘good job’. Happy Nori slams the door open to find Shinku inside. Amazed she looks to Jun, the books warned her. Driven by enjoyment she’s not even shocked when Shinku speaks her mind. Hearing he might have a complex sends Nori Away. Shinku had observed again closely, patiently and silently.

Duration: ~24min each episode
Episodes: 2 Seasons each 12 episodes
OVA has 2 episodes
(and 8 volumes manga)
Licensed status: Geneon Entertainment (DVD version only)
Licensed date: 29th May 2007
Genre: Action, Shoujo, Drama
Official Homepage
Promo (official, youtube)
Trailer Rozen Maiden (fanmade, veoh)
For more resources check below, a DDL for the first ep is also available, you can also watch the entire series, both seasons and OVA online in good quality. Please read on.

General Information

The first volume of the manga was published in Japan 25th March 2003. In 7th October, 2004 the new anime series ‘Rozen Maiden’ aired, which was a success. A year later, on 21th October 2005, the second season named ‘Rozen Maiden Traumend‘ was aired and nearing the ending of the show an OVA was introduced. Traumend is German for Dreaming.

The OVA is called Ouverture and aired on 23th December 2006. There is also an OVA about Detective Kunkun, the Duell Walzer OVA, but that’s more like a joke or bonus I think. It’s about the detective Kunkun, the series the Rozen Maiden watch at TV (in the anime at least, I didn’t read the manga).

News about a ‘renewal’ of the manga? Please read it all at moetron blog Rozen Maiden Manga Renewal. However it’s not renewing, it’s another story! The title isn’t true, so uh be warned. You must ofcourse be familiar to notice. I think you should just browse the moetron blog to find the differences. In short it’s an alternate story what would happen if Jun had choosen not to wind the doll.

Next I blog a first impression, without spoiling about Rozen Maiden. Well, ok, I spoil the first episode. Please be warned. As usual the first episode is to get you to the story, so telling about Rozen Maiden without it spoiled is a bit nasty. So, Warning Spoiler, Episode 1 if you read on.
Screenshots, images are from various wallpapers, episodes, seasons, ova and/ or fanarts …

Plot description

Looking to the Rozen Maiden DVD cover you might figured out a rozen maiden isn’t tall. A rozen maiden is a doll and there are seven of them to complete your collection, having Shinku as number 5. They are playing the game ‘ALICE’ to find their father, who every rozen maiden beloves. The desire to meet father, however is depended of the doll.

Shinku, the rozen maiden dressed in red having something todo with roses is the first rozen maiden we met. I can say without spoilers, so, well our ‘hero’ Sakurada Jun orders Shinku as he loves mysterious, cursed items. Ofcourse they all suppose to be fake and safe.

The fact I quoted hero is that Sakurada Jun is a failing member of the society. He dropped out of school without notifying his parents who works overseas. He lacks socializing and even avoids any conversation, regardless whether taking to his own sister.

So at a fated day our student receives a mail questioning him whether he would wind the doll or not. He chooses to wind the doll and put it in his second drawer of the desk as it is instructed to send the order to Holie who will take it to the spirit world.

After a small argue with his sister he returns to his dormitory and struggles over a beautiful suitcase, which had appeared suddenly in his room. Astonished of the craftsmanship and care he opens the case, finding a beautifull doll inside. The doll is soft and the clothes are more than gentle. After finding the wind key Jun bents the doll over his knee and winds the doll up from her back.

Suddenly the doll starts shaking, not a motion Jun expected from being winded up. Then, off all in sudden the doll is alive. Shocked Jun realizes who she is and tries checking his order which he left in his drawer, but the order is done, complete. Then he starts thinking she’s just a trick to get to him, but she’s not. At top she’s quite the boss around and sees Jun as her personal slave.

She spotted Jun’s socialize problem and starts getting Jun into some socializing again. Suddenly another doll appears. It seems the game starts as soon as she had been activated. Soon her sisters will emerge, assemble and play the game to find their father.

My opinion

The first episode is an eye catcher and it get even more interesting on the way. Please mind this is truly a drama. I see anidb.net not listening as a drama, but it’s a mean and a sad story. A wish, a will and longing is fighting the rozen maidens mind. The wish of become the one and only Alice, the long for their father, the will the survive and be ‘real’ sisters. These feelings are targeted and it’s very clear they can’t fulfill them all. Which one do they drop, which is stronger, the wish, the will or just longing to be with father.

The ending is splendid and for 12 episodes, watch! It’s probably like 5 hours but it’s great. You see these rozen maidens fighting, philosophizing and being a sisters of each other. Their pain and hatred are well done. Though you must love the ’so-cute’ and chibi genre’s too. Regarding the first comments I find at Rozen Maiden blogs, sites, videos, reviews etc…

The game

There are several games of Rozen Maiden, created as doujin game.
The best I think was Rozen Maiden Alibat (v1.5), promo vid. This game is created as a C71 doujin game. Which should sound familiar to an anime fan.

The second game is a Playstation 2 game, named Rozen Maiden Gebetgarten created by 5game/ Taito Corporation, promo vid. Alibat is cool ’cause you have the typical rozen maiden attacks, speed and a lot of action. This game however lacks to put the atmosphere. The attacks are slow and repeating.

Watching online, Download, Torrents

Searching at veoh I found a pack of channels of the series Rozen Maiden.
meluvblue (Season 1, Good Quality, Recommend)
abbas25 (Season 1)
SyntheticDarkness6 (Season 1)
AtariIce (Season 1,2 + OVA)
And mind you can always check the veoh site yourselves and search for the channels you love.

Download
The Veoh client btw is trustable, you only need to check out, ’start at windows’. Since you probably won’t veoh each time you start you pc. It’s a good client which makes it able to download the episodes to your pc. Most of the time this is flv, but you find avi (xvid/ divx), wmv, mov too. So there isn’t just one pinned codec. So, if you download and doesn’t like the codec, just try another channel.
A DDL is located in the at uploadr (a free file service), this is the first episode of the first season, ‘Fraulein Rose’.

Torrents
Boxtorrents is great. They aim at good sharing, which keeps the torrents alive. Please get your torrent over there. Mind you need to be registered to fully benefits from the private tracker. … Well I like the community, the people are nice and discuss able.

A figurine of mine, I brought back a while ago from Thailand is Barasuishou from the Manga ‘Rozen Maiden’.

Information and blog

I have found Kurogane’s blog about the second season.
!The wiki at wikipedia has a good summary and general info.
Be warned! Wikipedia contains spoilers, a lot actually!

Prefer check the AniDB entry which also has reviews, rating and is a dedicated anime fan-based info site.

Purchasing? The manga, anime series and a Shinku PVC is available at archonia. I have no clue were to get the other figurines of therozen maidens. Let me know if you do.

On the end some resources having a lot of wallpapers like minitokio(also contains reviews, community) and a site devoted to Suigintou.
Please also watch an awesome Superdolfie of Shinku (youtube).
If you are unfamiliar with super dolfies you really need to look into. Check google for instance. Super dolfies are like masterpieces of action models. Action models, again in short, are like PVC model’s only they have joints to move parts into your own position.

I hope you like this entry, it took me several hours to get all information around. Rozen Maiden is getting huge it’s a pity the story ends… In a couple of days I write a very detailed first episode summary.