Madoka Magica Episode 1: I First Met Her in a Dream… or Something.
| As If We Met in a Dream… 夢の中で会った、ような… | |
|---|---|
| Script | Gen Urobuchi |
| Storyboard | Yoshiharu Ashino |
| Episode director | Yukihiro Miyamoto |
| Animation Director | Ryouma Ebata |
Summary
14 year-old Madoka Kaname has a dream in which a dark haired girl is struggling against an evil force. As Madoka wakes up and goes to school that morning, the very same girl, Homura Akemi, enrolls in her class. Even stranger, Homura seems to know Madoka and later confronts her in the hallway about whether she cares for her friends or not, saying she should stay how she is or else she risks losing everything. After school, whilst visiting a record store with her friend, Sayaka Miki, Madoka hears a voice calling for help. Following it to an unused storage room, she finds a small creature named Kyubey being attacked by Homura. As Homura insists that she hand Kyubey over, Sayaka helps Madoka and Kyubey escape. They are then caught in a strange illusion and approached by more strange creatures, but are rescued by another girl named Mami Tomoe, who transforms into a magical girl and defeats the creatures, dispelling the illusion. After allowing Homura to escape, Mami heals Kyubey, who wishes to form a contract with Madoka and Sayaka to make them magical girls. (Wikipedia)
Runes
See also Runes of episode 1
Observations
References to Faust
The very first shot of the series after the curtains rise is a title card that reads (in runes) "Prolog im Himmel". This is the title of the Prologue of Goethe's Faust, where Mephistopheles and God make a wager over the soul of Faust. The runes underneath the title are assumed to say "2011".
After Madoka and Sayaka run away from Homura, four Anthonies are seen to be "speaking" or singing moving streams of runes which are a quote from "The Hexeneinmaleins" in Goethe's Faust. This quote is a basic magic spell demonstrated to Faust on his first visit to a witch. It describes a 3x3 numerical grid where each row and column adds up to 15. Here is a translation of the passage.
| Original text | Translation |
|---|---|
| Die Hexe Du mußt verstehn! Aus Eins mach' Zehn, Und Zwey laß gehn, Und Drey mach' gleich, So bist du reich. Verlier' die Vier! Aus Fünf und Sechs, So sagt die Hex', Mach' Sieben und Acht, So ist's vollbracht: Und Neun ist Eins, Und Zehn ist keins. Das ist das Hexen-Einmal-Eins! |
The Witch This you must ken (understand) From one make ten, And two let be, make even three, Then rich you'll be. Skip o'er the four! From five and six, The Witch's tricks, Make seven and eight, 'Tis finished straight; And nine is one, And ten is none, That is the witch's one-time-one! |
While inside the witch's barrier cut-out rings containing German text appear which can be assumed to be quotes from Faust, although only a few are identifiable. See episode two.
Please also refer to This page for speculation on references to Faust found throughout the series.
Checkerboards and Chains
Although it may be coincidental, "dark scenes" within Episode 1 include many chains and checkerboard patterns, symbols usually associated with Black★Rock Shooter.
Images
Comparison between the dream and the fight scene
Sayaka may be the witch in the first dream.
