The girls are already in your head from the main series, so these shorts work because they don't have to earn anything, they just let you watch Yumi and the rest exist in the smallest, silliest moments without apology. Chibi comedy only lands if you trust the characters, and four seasons in, that trust is absolute. This is what comfort actually means: no plot required, just people you love being ridiculous together for eleven episodes.

Maria Watches Over Us 4th Season: Don't Tell Mother Maria is a set of eleven short specials from 2009, released alongside the DVD volumes of the franchise's fourth season. The shorts render the cast in a chibi style and play things for comedy, making them a light side dish for viewers already following the main series rather than a standalone story.