Magia Record Story Mitama's Special Training - Asuka Episode
Part One
Asuka finds herself in a cloud-filled void. She sees a shadowy version of herself standing in front of her. She explains she knows it's "her" because the shadow said it was, as well as the fact that what is happening to her is both happening and not happening. Although she doesn't really understand what's going on, she decides to just go with it otherwise she’ll just keep wasting time thinking things over and the story won't get anywhere.
The shadow tells her she's not suited for the Ryushin-ryu school, or rather the two of them aren't suited for it. Asuka yells at her that that’s a rude thing to say, a million times rude. She demands to know who the shadow thinks it is. The shadow reminds her her name is Asuka Tatsuki and that she is the hidden part of her heart. Asuka doesn’t understand what she means by that but the shadow says that’s not important. What is important is that Asuka is not good enough to be a practitioner of Ryushin-ryu and that she's here to convince her this is true. Asuka then demands an explanation and the shadow asks her if she truly wants to master the Ryushin-ryu style. Asuka proudly declares that it is her life’s devotion. The shadow says the blade of her naginata has been sullied and that she is no longer fit as such. Asuka becomes upset and calls it absurd, demanding to know how this can be. The shadow replies it is because she contracted as a magical girl.
Part Two
Asuka wants to know why her being a magical girl should matter. The shadow asks her why she contracted in the first place. Asuka tells the shadow if she is really her, then she should know why. The shadow knows what she wished for, but she still wants to hear her explain her reasons why. Asuka doesn’t believe she should have to explain herself, but she reminds the shadow that her wish was for her cousin to safely become a police officer.
The shadow recounts what happened: her uncle was running for mayor of Kamihama but was arrested for election fraud. He managed to get his cousin involved unknowingly, thereby jeopardizing the dream of her cousin. Kyubey appeared soon after, and she signed her contract in exchange for making her cousin a police officer. Her shadow says her wish is the problem. Asuka doesn’t get her point, since she knows the reason she contracted was for her cousin. The shadow replies that that is it exactly: by using her wish to make a miracle, she twisted fate and changed the outcome. She had forsaken the right path in doing so. She cheated by having her cousin take the easy way and just wished for him to become a police officer. It was wrong. The right thing would have been for Asuka to accept what happened rather than change life to suit her.
Asuka can’t reply, and the shadow prods her once more, telling her her desire to see her cousin as a police officer was a selfish wish. It asks her if she can honestly say what she does was right in her own eyes. Asuka stutters, but doesn’t answer. The shadow once more calls her blade dirty and reminds her of her father’s words: When the mind is wrong, the sword is also wrong. Asuka remembers those words of a famous swordsman that her father taught her. Much like the Ryushin-ryu style, Asuka knows that she must stop the quavering in her heart if she wishes to stop the quavering in her blade. The shadow agrees, since Asuka’s heart is no longer true then her path is no longer true and she should abandon the Ryushin-ryu school. It proclaims that Asuka is walking on a false path, and despite Asuka’s protests, it portends that she will never find the truth so long as she continues walking on the path of a magical girl.
The shadow’s words echo in Asuka’s head, “You’re wrong” “You’re walking on a false path”. Asuka begs her to stop as the shadow tells her that those with an unjust heart walking false paths bring shame to the Ryushin-ryu style all because of her selfish desires. As it repeats these words, it finishes by telling her the price she must pay to atone for her sins is her very life. Asuka looks down in despair as her shadow eggs her on to commit suicide, saying repeatedly that now is the time to die.
Part Three
Asuka thinks of her father in her despair and remembers some words he once said to her. He had told her she gets like this sometimes and reminds her she shouldn’t overthink things. Much like water that fills a square bowl, she should face her problems and ask her own heart what it thinks is right and just. The shadow asks her if she’s given up yet, but Asuka assures her that she has remembered her father’s words. She tells the shadow that water is poured by a vessel and changes shape depending on its container, and therefore perceptions of what is just and unjust can change as the situation changes. The shadow can’t believe what it just heard and yells that what she said is just self-righteousness. Asuka won’t deny her earlier claims, but even so she knows that when she made her contract it wasn’t out of a selfish desire but a true desire from her heart to see her cousin become a police officer. While she won’t refute her words, she knows her heart believed what she did was just. The shadow can tell now that she isn't just trying to twist words but instead argues that Asuka is just trying to shout her way through the argument.
Asuka says she believes her words alone aren't reaching through to the shadow, so she decides to fight the shadow one-on-one instead. She wants to come at the shadow to show just how strong her blade will be with a blade that reflects her heart and make her accept her words of sincerity. The shadow accepts but warns her she won't stand there and just take it. Asuka is glad since she wouldn't have it any other way. After a moment of thought, the shadow backs down since they are one and the same and if Asuka slays the shadow then she will end up slaying herself and vice versa. The shadow says either way the battle will end in her suicide and asks if she's really okay with this. Asuka says she's more afraid of not being true to herself than being afraid of death. The shadow nods, calling her words well chosen and begins the battle between the two.
Their swords clash as their battle cries ring out. After battling for some time, the two stand exhausted from the fight. The shadow says she did well before crying out in pain and succumbing to Asuka's attack. The shadow compliments Asuka on their fight and notes that her blade was as pure as her heart. She calls both her sword and her heart right. Asuka asks the shadow if it understands now and the shadow nods. The shadow warns her that it may be pure now, but one day it may become stained and when that day comes she will reappear once more though perhaps in a different form and asks Asuka to burn the image in her mind (Asuka’s doppel form flashes on the screen). The shadow says she is like water and can take other forms as well and warns her to never forget that. The shadow vanishes and everything around Asuka grows dark.
Shortly after, Asuka awakens near a small pond deep in the forest. She had gone into nature to meditate as part of her training. She had pondered what her path was and what Ryushin-ryu, her sword, and her heart had meant to her. She remembers the ominous words of her shadow, promising to reappear once more. Asuka doesn’t understand what all of it meant, and thinks of asking Mitama the next time she sees her. She remembers her father’s words once more and feels that they have been more deeply engraved in her than before. She feels she’s truly unwavering now and really wants to practice extra hard with her sword. She then realizes she’s been talking to herself and decides to run back to the dojo, taking a straight path out of the woods.
External Links
- Episode 1 Youtube Recording (JP) (Subtitled)
- Episode 2 Youtube Recording (JP) (Subtitled)
- Episode 3 Youtube Recording (JP) (Subtitled)