Madoka Magica Episode 2: That Would Be Truly Wonderful

That Sounds Wonderful それはとっても嬉しいなって
First airing	14 January 2011
Script	Gen Urobuchi
Storyboard	Yoshiharu Ashino
Episode director	Masahiro Mukai
Animation Director	Mika Takahashi Noboru Jitsuhara Fuyumi Toriyama

Summary

After bringing Madoka and Sayaka to her house, Mami, along with Kyubey, provides the girls with some much needed explanations. She explains how a Soul Gem gives a magical girl her power, and it is born out of a contract made with Kyubey. He tells them he has the power to any wish, but, in exchange, those who make wishes must become magical girls in order to fight witches, dangerous creatures, born out of curses, who regularly kill humans. Mami reckons it's a difficult choice, and thus offers to take Madoka and Sayaka with her on a witch hunt, to help them decide if there's a wish worth risking their lives for.

They also discuss Homura's apparent attack. Kyubey tells them the target was not Madoka, but him: she intended on preventing them from meeting. Her reasons are unknown, but they speculate it could be to avoid competitions: vanquishing 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 (much to Sayaka's surprise), where they learn they posses the ability of communicating by telepathy, mediated by Kyubey. While discussing their future at the school's rooftop, Homura approaches Madoka once again. She admits her objective was to keep Kyubey from making contact with her, which was Mami and Kyubey's suspicion. Now that she has failed, she restates her previous warning to Madoka. While walking away, Madoka asks what her wish was, but Homura, while visibly disturbed, remains silent.

After school, Madoka and Sayaka meet Mami for the witch hunt. Sayaka brings a baseball bat, while Madoka shows them sketches of magical girls designs (including herself) drawn in class, to the other girls laughter and her embarrassment. Using her Soul Gem, Mami traces the aura of the witch from the previous day back to an abandoned building, lecturing them about the dangers witches present to the human population along the way. They arrive just in time for Mami to save a woman from committing suicide by jumping off. She points to a strange mark in her neck: a "witch's kiss", signaling 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 the a maze filled with numerous familiars, they reach the lair of the witch, Gertrud. Mami engages her alone, summoning and firing a large amount of rifles at her. However, her familiars manage to bind Mami, slamming her against against a wall with force. To Madoka and Sayaka's horror, she appeared to be unconscious, but calmly opens her eyes and recomforts them: her previous shots had summoned strings, which now completely immobilized the witch and her familiars. Taking the opportunity, she summons a large cannon and fires her ultimate attack, Tiro Finale, claiming victory.

After the barriers dissolves, she picks up a strange object from the ground: a Grief Seed, a "witch's egg". She explains it is the reward she talked about the previous day: using magic depletes the Soul Gem's power, represented by the it's light dimming; 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, where it is caught by a hiding Homura, who watched over the events. She refuses to share it, and throws it back, leaving afterwards, to the other girls' annoyance.

In the credits, Mami wakes up and comforts the woman she saved from suicide, while Madoka and Sayaka watch with admiration. Later, in her room, Madoka colors her drawing, thinking of how wonderful it would be to help others, like Mami.

Runes

See Runes of Episode 2.

Observations

References to Faust

The texts on the abandoned building's entrance wall in Episode 2 are quotes from Goethe's Faust. Here is a translation of the portion that is quoted.

Goethe's Faust quote in Episode 2.

The second half of this quote.

Original text

Translation

Weh! Weh! Du hast sie zerstört, Die schöne Welt, Mit mächtiger Faust; Sie stürzt, sie zerfällt! Ein Halbgott hat sie zerschlagen! Wir tragen Die Trümmern ins Nichts hinüber, Und klagen Über die verlorne Schöne. Mächtiger Der Erdensöhne, Prächtiger Baue sie wieder, In deinem Busen baue sie auf! Neuen Lebenslauf Beginne, Mit hellem Sinne, Und neue Lieder Tönen darauf!

Woe! woe! Thou hast it destroyed, The beautiful world, With powerful fist: In ruin ’tis hurled, By the blow of a demigod shattered! The scattered Fragments into the Void we carry, Deploring The beauty perished beyond restoring. Mightier For the children of men, Brightlier Build it again, In thine own bosom build it anew! Bid the new career Commence, With clearer sense, And the new songs of cheer Be sung thereto!

As in Episode 1, cut out rings containing Faust quotes in German can be seen within Gertrud's barrier. One of these is legible, referencing a passage where several things are cursed. Here is the full passage and translation:

The text in this screen references a passage from Faust.

Original text	Translation
Verflucht voraus die hohe Meinung, Womit der Geist sich selbst umfängt! Verflucht das Blenden der Erscheinung, Die sich an unsre Sinne drängt! Verflucht was uns in Träumen heuchelt, Des Ruhms, der Namensdauer Trug! Verflucht was als Besitz uns schmeichelt, Als Weib und Kind, als Knecht und Pflug!	Cursed be, at once, the high ambition Wherewith the mind itself deludes! Cursed be the glare of apparition That on the finer sense intrudes! Cursed be the lying dream's impression of name, and fame, and laureled brow! Cursed, all that flatters as possession, As wife and child, as knave and plow!

Madoka's Sketches

Madoka's sketches of her magical outfit were done by Aoi Yuuki, her voice actress. She is properly credited in the ending.

Images

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  The emptiness in Mami's apartment is completely reversed in the Blu-Ray. Contrary to her statement, her apartment looks more than ready for visits.

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  Further changes in her apartment.

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  More Blu-Ray updates. Notice the updated design on the fence, as well as the much harsher lighting and deader scenery.

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  Compilation of runic and Faust quotes with translation as of Episode 2.

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  Collage of miscellaneous speculation, up to this episode.

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  The runic alphabet. Archaic, Modern and Musical scripts when available.

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  Madoka's shelf.

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  Portraits on the witch's door.

External links

• Madoka Magica Episode 2: That Would Be Truly Wonderful summary at official website (Japanese)

Episodes
Previous episode	Current episode	Next episode
Episode 1 As If We Met in a Dream…	Madoka Magica Episode 2: That Would Be Truly Wonderful That Sounds Wonderful	Episode 3 I'm Not Afraid Anymore