#subwatch

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

Okay, if you need a reminder of how the first episode goes, you can read my recap here (it is basically the episode in text form). This critique assumes you have watched the anime in its entirety already, so some parts will make very little sense if you haven’t. This is more of a critical analysis of the themes and literary/filmic devices the episode uses, how I interpret them, and how they work with the rest of the show rather than a regular “n out of 10” review. I’ve reiterated a few things from my recap for clarity.

The opening shows the battlefield from the very end of the series. Homura is making a last-ditch effort to defeat the witch Walpurgisnacht alone, to save Madoka from making a contract with Kyubey.

From the get-go we see Kyubey is at least somewhat aware of the future, and possibly the other timelines Homura went through.  “You can change this fate,” he says to Madoka, hinting that the “dream” she experiences may be a vision given to her by Kyubey of one of the failed timelines (or just the future of this one). When we see her rip open the curtains and literally almost drag her mother out of bed to get to work, we can see a little bit of the strength and compassion she displays later on in the series (she cares about her mom and wants her to do well).

                In the scene of them getting ready in the morning, when Madoka asks which ribbon to use, her mother points to the one Madoka thinks may be “too flashy”. She’s shy and doesn’t want to draw attention to herself. Her mother is encouraging her to get out of her shell and stand out a bit. Jumping to Homura being introduced in the classroom. She stares at Madoka the entire time, expressionless, hoping this time she can keep her from losing her innocence. On the walk to the nurse’s office, Homura’s face looks tense and angry, her eyes are hidden from view so we see only the underlying scowl as Madoka talks to her.

After watching the series, it looks like this is when Homura is reminded of that innocent girl she keeps trying to save, a reminder of all the times she’s failed.

As she turns to ask Madoka about whether she loves the life she lives, the camera zooms out to show them on a bridge between two buildings. In one building, Madoka and her classmates – the normal world. In the other, the dark unknown. On the bridge together, Homura keeps Madoka on the normal side and walks into the unknown, separating herself from the girl she wants to save. Madoka returns to the classroom pondering Homura’s words and sits down with her friends. At lunch they discuss Homura and what she said to Madoka. When she mentions that she saw her in a dream, the others just laugh.

In the CD shop, Sayaka is finding music for the boy she likes, and Madoka is on her own listening to other music. When Kyubey’s voice calls to her, she walks toward it alone, without mentioning anything to Sayaka. After what happened at lunch, she doesn’t want Sayaka to laugh at her again; she seeks validation that what she saw wasn’t just a dream. She follows Kyubey’s voice underground to an abandoned construction site. It is fitting that the place her life changes is a place where something new is being built. When Kyubey falls from the vents, he tricks Madoka into rescuing him (he being immortal with many bodies exactly like the one Homura has just injured). This is another example of Kyubey’s deceit.

To top off the encounter with Homura, Sayaka and Madoka become trapped in a witch’s labyrinth, separated from reality. The change in art style does a superb job of letting us know, “this is not your world.” ((Personally, I loved the change in animation; it’s something I hadn’t seen in an anime before, and I enjoyed it.)) The butterflies and cotton-ball-men look comical at first, but as they get closer misshapen mouths and eyes appear on their “faces” with injurious intent.

I imagine the butterflies represent the end of a metamorphosis; just as a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, the girls’ lives have been forever changed.

When the evil things have closed in, Mami’s light comes to comfort the duo and drive away the darkness. Mami at this point represents that which can remain pure even in the foulest of places.

She also drives away the apparently ‘evil’ Homura when she comes to finish the job with Kyubey. When Kyubey is healed, it is revealed that he knows more than he is letting on. He knows the girls’ names; what else could he know? After his display of weakness, the episode ends with him trying to take advantage of their naivety and turn them into soulless Magical Girls.

TL;DR :

Homura is more than she seems

Kyubey is manipulative and morally unsound

Madoka and Sayaka are relieved of part of their innocence

A hidden world parallel to this one is revealed

An offer to join this parallel world is made

I hope I’ve touched on a few good things here, and I would appreciate any feedback you have for me! Literary/Film critique is a different style of writing than I’m used to, and I would love advice from anyone experienced in the field.

Thanks for reading!