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| Part 3: Episode Two - "That Sounds Wonderful" |
Link to Intro
Links to Episode: One Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve
Summary if you don't get what happened:
After bringing Madoka and Sayaka to her house, Mami, along with Kyubey, she explains what a Soul Gem is and how it is born out of a contract made with Kyubey. He tells them he has the power to grant any wish, but in exchange, those who make wishes must become magical girls in order to fight witches, which are dangerous creatures that are born out of curses and kill humans. Mami tells them that it's a difficult choice, and offers to take Madoka and Sayaka with her on a witch hunt, in order to help them decide if there's a wish worth risking their lives for. They also discuss Homura's attack. Kyubey tells them the target was not Madoka, but him. She intended to prevent them from meeting. Her reasons are unknown, but they speculate it could be to avoid competition. Killing witches brings rewards to the victor, for which magical girls occasionally clash.
The next day, Kyubey, who cannot be seen by normal people, accompanies Madoka and Sayaka to school, where they learn that they possess the ability of telepathic communication, mediated by Kyubey. On the school's rooftop, Sayaka says to Madoka that she thinks they have privileged lives and no sort of wish that is worth sacrificing for. She thinks of someone less fortunate than herself and laments, "Ignorance is bliss." Homura approaches Madoka once again. She admits her objective was to keep Kyubey from making a contact with her. Madoka asks Homura what her wish was, but she remains silent.
After school, Madoka and Sayaka meet Mami for the witch hunt. Using her Soul Gem, Mami traces the aura of the witch from the previous day back to an abandoned building. They arrive just in time for Mami to save a woman from committing suicide by jumping off the building's roof. She points to a strange mark on her neck: a "witch's kiss," meaning that she was being controlled by the nearby witch. Entering the building, the witch's barrier reacts to Mami's Soul Gem, opening a portal, which the girls go through. After fighting their way through a maze, they reach the lair of the witch, Gertrud. Mami engages her alone, summoning and firing a large number of rifles at the witch. She summons a large cannon and fires her ultimate attack, which she calls "Tiro Finale," claiming victory.
After the barrier dissolves, she picks up a Grief Seed, or a "witch's egg." She explains it is the reward she talked about the previous day: using magic depletes the Soul Gem's power, as shown by the dimming of its light; using a Grief Seed, the dim is absorbed by it, leaving the Soul Gem brighter and restoring the lost power. After using it, she throws it down a dark hallway to a hiding Homura, who watched over the events. Homura refuses to share it, throws it back to Mami, and leaves.
As the credits roll, Mami comforts the woman she saved, while Madoka and Sayaka watch with admiration. Later, Madoka colors her drawings, thinking of how wonderful it would be to help others like Mami.
Questions I will answer:
q: What does "Tiro Finale" mean?
a: It means "final shot" in Italian. The reason Mami is hung up in naming her attacks is because she is trying to emulate the Magical Girls from her childhood, it is her own way of gaining the courage to fight witches without feeling terrified.
q: Wait, why does the witch have a name?
a: 'Cause it's cool. Maybe you'll find out later. I also included information about this episode's witch, Gertrud, and her familiars in the "Coool Stuff!" below.
q: Mami's in a different classroom than Madoka and Sayaka and has a big... chest...
Yeah, she's at least a grade/a year older than them. She is the oldest of the main character girls and one of the more experienced magical girls.
q: Those sketches Madoka drew are actually kinda cute... who drew them?
Aoi Yuuki, Madoka's voice actor. According to the Blu-Ray Episode 2 voice commentary, Ume Aoki gave a draft to Aoi Yuuki who was asked to draw some sketches on Madoka. She came up with the outfit designs for the notebook shown in this episode. Originally it was planned for Madoka's drawing skills to be horrible, but it didn't turn out that way.
q: So I noticed in the Blu-Ray comparison that Mami has a radically different apartment. How could she afford all that stuff?
a: It will be explained next episode, as part of her backstory. Elaborating later.
q: So Madoka looks like she wants to contract.
a: Yeah, later.
Coool Stuff! :
Runes/Faust references appearing in this episode
SF Debris' Analysis
Mark Watches
Matt High's Review
Changes made in the Blu-Ray version
Speculah Summary
Aoki Ume's 4koma
Gertrud
Type: Rose Garden Witch
Nature: Distrustful
The rose garden witch with a distrustful nature. She holds roses dearer than anything else. She expends all of her power for the sake of beautiful roses. Despite stealing the life-force of humans who wander into her barrier to give to her roses, she loathes the thought of them trampling the inside of her barrier.
Anthony
Type: Rose Garden Witch's minion
Nature: Landscaping
His duty is landscaping. His mustache is set by the witch.
Adelbert
Type: Rose Garden Witch's minion
Nature: Lookout
The rose garden witch's minion. His duty is to act as lookout. Upon seeing a human, he will sound a warning bell and headbutt him mercilessly. They have 2.5 (20/8) vision. The smaller type can change into rose vines to hinder intruders.
Ume Aoki (the show's character designer)'s 4koma (4 paneled comic)
Tiffany talks about things:
Mami's Design:
Design notes from Ume Aoki, character designer.
"Her twisty, curly hair and floral hairpin make her seem like a big sister. Also, I gave her pretty big boobs". {tl note: Never change, Ume-tentei.}
"Magical girl outfit: Mami’s design was definitely centered around her image as a gunner. The second thing that stands out are her breasts."
"Her bustier and boots give her a western flavor which her cap accentuates."
"School uniform: Her style stands out even in uniform. Just as Ms. Aoki says, her breasts are the largest of the four. She wears pure white tights." (However, in the final design, she's seen wearing dark brown tights.)
Her soul gem is located on a hairpin on the right side of her head.
Questions to think about:
- Do you trust Kyubey? - Would you make a contract?
- What would your wish be?
- Why does Homura not tell them her wish?
- Why did Homura want to prevent Madoka and Kyubey from meeting?
Also keep thinking about the first episode's questions.
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