Maria is Sasha's best friend since she saved Sasha from a pitbull, and they have (somewhat) similar background: Maria's grandparents ran away from Mexican gang & gave birth to Maria's mother in the USA. Most people thinks Maria is a load in the 'Rock You' team, but actually Maria is the most hardworking member; she's a backup player/manager/strategist/accountant. Her athletic skills might be slightly below her fellow members, but her brains are her REAL weapon (her IQ actually granted her a scholarship). She likes Soujiro because he makes her feel secure with her plumpy body (which Soujiro pointed out that she's not overweight, but "undertall").