The first season of Kaguya-sama aired in 2019 and was met with rave reviews, and now it's been announced that it will be getting a second season! Kaguya-sama is home to a host of unique characters, but one character who has appeared in the first season is Shijo Maki, who is just as unique as the main characters! In the first season, her only line was "So funny (lol)," but she's actually a character with a rich backstory. We'd like to introduce you to Shijo Maki!
Is Shijo Maki just a minor character?
The character Shijo Maki is a friend of Kashiwagi's boyfriend and Nagisa Kashiwagi, a male student who comes to the protagonist, Miyuki Shirogane, for love advice. At first, she's just one of the minor characters who teases Kashiwagi's boyfriend for not having a girlfriend, but she actually has feelings for him, and is shocked when Kashiwagi and Kashiwagi's boyfriend end up dating for some reason.
She's actually a relative of Kaguya's and one of the top geniuses in her grade.
She's actually a distant relative of Shinomiya, and a gifted girl who ranked third in her grade in final exams. Though she's on a different level from Kaguya, she's also a true genius. She's acquainted with Kaguya and isn't a stranger, so they're not that bad friends. However, the Shinomiya and Shijo families are deeply hostile to each other, and the Shijo family is the one that rebelled against Shinomiya's methods, suggesting that a war will eventually break out between the two families.
Are Shijo Maki and Shinomiya Kaguya similar?
She shares Kaguya's arrogant and inflexible nature, and her words and actions share similarities. However, her true personality is brave and honest, and unlike Kaguya, her arrogant behavior does not last long. Shirogane says she finds her resemblance to Kaguya endearing, while Ishigami says she finds her tsundere-like personality endearing.
Like Kaguya, she's a kind senior who cares about her juniors.
Kaguya is also a caring and considerate person, and Maki, while also kind to her juniors, is described by Ishigami as "a truly nice person." However, at the same time, he wonders, "Why does she have to endure such terrible experiences?" After finding someone to confide in, self-deprecating humor appears frequently.
Another possibility for Kaguya Shinomiya?
Kaguya and Maki are similar in many ways, from their personalities to their behavior, but they also share a long-standing friend. Kaguya's friend is Fujiwara, and Maki's is Kashiwagi. What both of their friends have in common is that "they take everything I want." If, by some mistake, Shirogane and Fujiwara had ended up dating, she might have ended up like she is now.
Tragic Loser! Shijo Maki's Heart is Broken
She originally had feelings for Kashiwagi's boyfriend and gradually grew closer to him, but was shocked when he started dating her childhood friend, Kashiwagi Nagisa. Since then, she has been shocked every time she sees Kashiwagi and her boyfriend on dates.
Maki's Appearances Increase
In the first season of the anime, Maki only made appearances in scenes similar to those in Where's Wally?. However, since "Shijo Maki Wants to Do Something," which appears in Volume 10 of the manga, she has appeared more frequently and has been featured in more episodes, becoming more of a semi-regular character. She even graced the cover.
Find Maki! A Summary of Her Appearances in Season 1!
While Maki is a unique and frequently appearing main character, as mentioned above, her first appearance in Season 1 was in "Where's Wally?". Here's a summary of Maki's appearances!
Episode 2: "Miyuki Shirogane Wants to Hide"
The story begins when a male student (name unknown at this point) who would later become Kashiwagi's boyfriend comes to Shirogane for love advice. His first appearance is in a flashback, where his line is, "So funny! (lol)." This is the first and only time Maki ever says "So funny! (lol)" in the first season. While Shirogane's interpretation of girls' teasing is completely off the mark, it actually hit the nail on the head when it comes to Maki.
For some reason, the confession is successful...
Encouraged by Shirogane's off-topic advice, Kashiwagi's boyfriend confesses his feelings to her, and for some reason, it's successful... Behind them, Maki and her friend are confused. At first glance, it seems like she's just worried about her friend...
The Birth of a Tragic Loser
Maki, who actually had feelings for Kashiwagi's boyfriend, is devastated! However, at this point, Kashiwagi had simply agreed on the offer on impulse. This means that Maki still has a glimmer of hope. But that hope is soon shattered.
Episode 5 "Kaguya-sama Wants to Do It"
In this episode, Kaguya is approached by Kashiwagi about breaking up with her boyfriend amicably, and Fujiwara bursts in. Kaguya appears in her imagination, imagining Kashiwagi's boyfriend flirting with another woman. Of course, this isn't real.
Behind the Scenes of the Fundraiser
Fujiwara suggests that Kashiwagi and her boyfriend go on a fundraiser together. As a result, Kashiwagi and her boyfriend's relationship progresses nicely, but there's one person watching with teary eyes...
There they are!
Maki, unable to give up on Kashiwagi's boyfriend, secretly observes the fundraising campaign. This expression is due to the fact that it's going much better than she expected. But she has no way of knowing that it won't end there.
Episode 7 "Miyuki Shirogane Wants to Work"
He appears in the episode where Kashiwagi's boyfriend comes to Shirogane to ask for advice about holding hands with Kashiwagi. In the end, they are able to hold hands and everything ends happily, but there is someone watching over them from the shadows!
There he is!
Watching Kashiwagi and her boyfriend's relationship progress, she is moved to tears. But she has no idea that it's not over yet.
Episode 8 "Miyuki Shirogane Cannot Lose"
Her name appears among the list of top performers in the final exams. This shows her excellent performance, ranking third in her grade. This is the best scene in the first season.
Episode 10 "Kaguya Wants to Forgive"
I passed by the scene where Shirogane and Kaguya made up, and watched with my face flushed. Maki realized Kaguya's feelings for Shirogane early on.
Episode 11 "Hayasaka Ai Wants to Soak"
In the middle of summer vacation, Kashiwagi and her boyfriend are enjoying a summer vacation date, while Kaguya and Shirogane, who want to hang out but can't, are left behind. And then there's Maki! She's practically stalking them!
[Kaguya-sama: Love is War?] Shijo Maki Summary
Thought of as a minor character, Shijo Maki, Kaguya's relative and the third-ranked genius in her grade, made quite a few appearances in the first season! Simply put, she's a loser, but I think she'll probably have more screen time in the second season! I'm looking forward to the episodes where she makes her main appearance! Season 2 of Kaguya-sama will start airing in April!
