Even without having an expertise in music and only an amateurish idea of theory from my years of playing trumpet and singing, I still think that I (and others in my similar situation) have the ability to look critically at music, particularly within media, and discern meaning and excellence within it.
This brings me to today's All the Right Notes review. Today, I'm going to take a look at the music of the anime Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Now before you take a look at the picture and cast judgment, just stick with me on this; I promise it will be worth your while. WARNING: I cannot assure you that there will not be spoilers in the following review. In a show as short as PMMM, nearly every episode is a Wham episode; it is nearly impossible to avoid spoilers. Although I will not point out specific events, I will discuss themes and ideas that are not initially evident just by appearances.
Check out the review after the break!
Okay, I know that image looks really deceptive. But before I start the review, I'm going to address a few short questions. First of all, yes, Puella Magi Madoka Magica (or just PMMM, as I'm going to type it from now on) is one of my favorite shows of all time. I was recommended it by a friend who has fairly high standards like myself. And I'll admit, I have a soft spot for magical girl shows, so really I was hooked the minute I was introduced. I somehow managed to avoid all spoilers for the show; I believe I was aware it got "Darker and Edgier" (TVTropes will ruin your vocabulary), but I was completely unaware of all the twists and turns the show takes, and I was definitely unprepared for just how emotionally caught up (read: devastated) I would become.
When I sat down to write about PMMM, I did not want to write a simple review about the show. There are plenty of reviews about this show out there; it's fairly popular. I doubt I can add much to established anime critics' discussions. From the minute I listened to the PMMM soundtrack, I loved it. And it continues to be one of my favorite soundtracks. So I thought, why not discuss that?
The PMMM soundtrack is one of the few I can think of that, when I turn it on, actually makes me stop what I am doing and just listen to some of the songs. There is great power in this music, which was composed by Yuki Kajiura. I believe that, when one looks at the PMMM soundtrack, one can see the entire span of themes and emotions from the show. And that is what I'm going to discuss today, a bit differently than I think other people would go about it.
To begin this review, I went through soundtrack and mapped out the shows' themes and emotions that each song highlight. Then, out of curiousity, I went on the PMMM wiki to find what episodes the songs specifically show up in. I was amazed. With one or two exceptions, the categories I had created for the songs matched up almost perfectly with the emotional moments the songs play at in the episodes. I give more credit to the clarity of the soundtrack itself than my own musical abilities, however.
The following list is entirely made by me. I created eight major emotional themes that I believe the songs communicate, echoing key moments and ideas that define PMMM as a masterpiece. I then sorted the songs into these topics and, just for interest (though this means little to those unfamiliar with the episodes), the episodes these songs are featured in. Next to the names, I've written the translation (usually Latin to English), as these songs' titles are very poignant and telling. I've also given links to the songs that I think particularly illustrate the points I will make--be sure to check out these songs!
These are the themes that make Puella Magi Madoka Magica the incredible show that it is. And these are the songs that embody those themes. I'm going to let the review speak for itself now, so I hope you enjoy it and come away with an understanding of why I love this TV show as passionately as I do. So, now that we've got all this set-up, let's delve right in!
1. Fragile happiness, fragile hopes
"Do you value your life? Do you think that your family and friends are important to you?"
- Desiderium (Desire) - Ep. 1-3
- Postmeridie (Afternoon) - Ep. 1-2, 10
One of the reasons PMMM is such a heart-wrenching show is that it takes the time to establish peace and contentment before all hell breaks loose. You see these characters in their normal, everyday lives. They have friends, hopes, and the naivete to believe that they can fulfill their dreams. This makes the disintegration of their lives all the more heartbreaking. These songs play in the beginning innocent happiness of the show, but just like the songs, this happiness is fragile. In a moment, it will be broken, for its innocence makes it a target for destruction. Thus, even this happiness does have some sadness to it.
Do not let the shortness of this section deceive you. This content, happy setup is crucial to the eventual despair of PMMM. Notice how these songs are seen only in the first three episodes and in the flashback of episode ten, the return to that naivete. This innocent happiness is never seen again after the events of episode three.
2. Memories of better times
"If someone who had no qualms about their life became a magical girl just 'cause they felt like it, I'd never forgive them."
- Clementia (Clemency) - Ep. 6
- Scaena felix (A Happy Scene) - Ep. 1-3, 5
- Decretum (The Decree) - Ep. 5, 7-8
- Amicae carae meae (My Dear Friends) - Ep. 6
These are songs of peace, but they are also songs of longing. They are similar to the songs from Fragile happiness, fragile hopes, but they have more longing to them, and a touch more sadness. These are the songs that remind us of those we care for; they are what weigh on us when we must make big decisions. They are the chance to hope, but also the chance to make the wrong choice. Weigh your decisions carefully, and always remember what you treasure most in life. Do not take your life for granted, and hold those you love dear to your heart. Most importantly, be very careful what you wish for. Unless you are honest about your intentions and yourself, your actions will only lead to heartache.
3. Mystery
"Did we... have we met somewhere, you and I?"
- Gradus prohibitus (Prohibited Degrees) - Ep. 1-5
- Puella in somnio (The Girl in the Dream) - Ep. 1-4, 8-11
- Umbra nigra (Shade of Black) - Ep. 3-10
- Incertus (Uncertain) - Ep. 4, 7, 9
- Cor destructum (The Heart of the Destroyed) - Ep. 7, 8
- Cubilulum album (White Bedroom) - Ep. 12
There is a certain creepy factor that permeates PMMM, even disregarding the abominations of the witches. Something about it is unsettling. There is something not quite right with the world. Mysterious forces move people and situations, and even when you believe you are on the cusp of understanding, you realize just how little you know. Behind every answer, there is another and more terrible truth, or a story that goes far beyond what you could possibly understand.
4. The power of the puella magi
"That was a close one. But it's all okay now... There's something I need to finish up!"
- Sis puella magica! (Become a magical girl!) - Ep. 2-12
- Salve, terrae magicae (Hail, land of magic) - Ep. 1-11
- Credens justitian (Belief in Justice) - Ep. 1-3, Ep. 10
- Surgam identidem (I will arise again and again) - Ep. 11
The allure of power. Even if you know the danger, still it draws you like a moth to flame. The human draw to power--even if supposedly for the "right reasons"--is universal and undeniable. What if you, an ordinary girl, were presented with the chance to defeat evil and gain unbelievable power? Could you deny your own ambition, your own pride? Are you ignoring the small part of you that realizes the ideals you are fighting for are not as glamorous or pure as you thought they were? This is the facade of power which mankind glorifies in order to ignore its true nature.
Even knowing what you know about the life of a puella magi, the allure of their power is still unbelievably strong. I'd be lying if I said I myself wouldn't still perhaps accept a contract to become a puella magi if the opportunity was presented to me. Because we as humans glorify even the most horrible. And that idea is, frankly, terrifying.
5. Horror and realization: the witches
"If magical girls are born from wishes, then witches are born from curses."
- Terror adhaerens (Panic adhering) - Ep. 6, 9
- Pugna cum maga (The Struggle with the Witch) - Ep. 2-3, 10
- Agmen clientum (Array of Clients) - Ep. 3-6
- Venari strigas (Owl Hunt) - Ep. 3, 9
- Anima mala (The Soul of Evil) - Ep. 5-8
- Pugna infinita (Infinite Battle) - Ep. 6
- Numquam vincar (I will never be defeated) - Ep. 10
- Nux Walpurgis (Walpurgis Night) - Ep. 11
The witches are the embodiment of the most pure evil and despair in PMMM. That is how they are established and portrayed, which this music reflects. This power could also be seen to echo the "triumphant" and glorified power of the puella magi, but instead of being filled with ambition and hope, it is full of horror and despair. This is desperate power; it is evil not only for the sake of evil, but also evil without any alternative. Because of the witches' cruel fate, it is not long until they lead the characters of PMMM to the horrible truths concerning the power of the puella magi and the origin of the witches themselves. They are not only evil; they are wrong, in every sense of the word, by nature and by ethics.
6. Detachment
"I feel like I'm in a foreign country... I feel like I'm surrounded by strangers."
- Conturbatio (Trouble) - Ep. 1, 3-5, 7-9
- Signum malum (A Bad Sign) - Ep. 3-4, 7, 10-11
- Confessio (Confession) - Ep. 7, 11
How does man cope with horrible truth? How does he face despair? When one knows the true nature of the world, when the rest of mankind is still blind to these horrors, how can one possibly return to a normal life? Suddenly, you are detached and alienated from the rest of your peers and society. Life is seen starkly, through an entirely new lens, and you are almost forced into lifelessness until you can come to terms with what you have witnessed. These songs truly display the feeling of detachment, sadness, and alienation that permeate the entire series, even before episode three.
To live the life of a puella magi is to be separated, and alone.
7. Despair and disillusionment
"With kindness comes naïveté. Courage becomes foolhardiness. And dedication has no reward. If you can't accept any of that, you are not fit to be a Puella Magi."
"I've been such a fool."
- Inevitabilus (Inevitable) - Ep. 2, 11
- Serena ira (Calm Anger) - Ep. 4, 7, 8, 11
- Symposium magarum (Symposium of Witches: Oktavia) - Ep. 9
The saddest fate of a puella magi: despair. Not only because despair itself is pitiful, but because for a puella magi, it is inevitable. The balance of hope and despair must always be zero, and if you think otherwise, you are fooling only yourself. This is the true end of the illusionment set up around the allure of the puella magi. The naivete and presuppositions you held are no reason to cry out against the unfairness of your circumstances, and this realization can lead to only one conclusion. Your wish will become a curse, and you will live only until your hope dies and you become despair itself.
These songs are almost interchangeable with the Detachment songs, but I do believe there is a difference. With detachment there is still some hope. There is still the power to make the right and the wrong decision. With Despair and disillusionment, your decision has been made, and your fate has been sealed, as much as you might like to think otherwise.
8. "You are becoming hope itself"
"If someone tells me that it's wrong to hope, I'll tell them they're wrong every time!"
- Sagitta luminis (Arrow of Light) - Ep. 12
- Taenia memoriae (The ribbon of memory) - Ep. 12
- Pergo pugnare (I continue to fight) - Ep. 12
After eleven episodes of horror, despair, and lives that have been ruthlessly dashed against harsh reality, suddenly episode twelve explodes with a hope so powerful that it somehow overcomes all the hardships not only of the current era, but of all time. Suddenly all your suffering, all your innocent hopes and dreams and wishes, suddenly everything has meaning, and you have the power to fulfill them. And it is made possible by the love of one girl who takes all the despair on her shoulders and embraces all of humanity and the world, all the good and the bad, with the desire to defend it. For this reason, this happiness is bittersweet, for it took the greatest sacrifice to be achieved. Yet she doesn't need acknowledgment or recognition. And though she knows it will not be easy, she also knows that she cannot fail, for she has no reason to despair. And thus, neither do you.
Much like Fragile happiness, fragile hopes, this section is very short. But it is the paramount theme for the entire show, and the reason Puella Magi Madoka Magica resounds so powerfully and speaks so truthfully to its audience.
"Don’t forget.
Always, somewhere,
someone is fighting for you.
As long as you remember her,
you are not alone."
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