The Hypernatural and Supernatural in Madlax -- Episode 25

Episode 25: Protoplasm and Polarization Generation
Sacred Blood ~saint~: 聖血 (Seiketsu)

Coming to herself, Margaret starts to lament the death of her faithful servant and most intimate friend, Elenore. “Why… why did Elenore have to die? They are not here. Not Vanessa, and Elenore. I’m alone.” It is not explained what sort of psychic effect has caused Margaret’s sudden change of mind, who had not been even able to acknowledge the identity of her closest friend just before. This is the typical part that reveals the fictional peculiarity of the anime, implemented in the practice of partial description of the limited phase of events, cleverly concealing background information. Friday talks to Madlax, as if he expected her appearance, “Welcome, Madlax. Did you bring the page from Secondary for me?” Madlax says, “You cause sorrow. Because of you, more and more precious things are stolen.” Madlax is accusing Friday, acknowledging him as the cause of Elenore’s death, even though he did not kill her directly by his own hand. This is a very interesting attitude assumed by this girl, compared with her generous manner toward Limelda, who had killed Vanessa by her own hand. Friday answers, “Interesting. I didn’t expect to hear something like that from you, a killer. You are contradictory. That’s because this world is warped. It’s enshrouded in an invisible veil.” It seems Friday has full understanding of the nature and identity of Madlax. Moreover, he seems to have sound conviction in the profound truth of the world. But Madlax also has her own belief in the meaning of her existence. “I know.” “It can’t see the essence.” “What’s wrong with that?” “Do you mean to live in a world of lies?” “There’s truth even there. The truth of Margaret Burton: that’s Madlax.” These lines uttered by Madlax are expected to construct the final perspective, which accomplishes the function to converge many meaning axes that have composed this fictional work. But that is rather a flaccid judgment, which allows the existence of contradictions in the basic condition of meaning construction, denying settling any unified norm, which should confirm unwavering meaning. Just then, Margaret takes hold of the gun, and knocks the gun off Madlax’s hand. “Don’t kill him. Don’t kill Father! Are you going to kill Father again? I won’t allow that.” Margaret recognizes Friday as her father. But no detail is offered concerning the reason for her mysterious judgment as before. As for the ambiguous identity of Friday, who has been playing the typical role of a villain in the course of the story, it seems to reflect the peculiar directing tactics of this anime through which a special schematic presentation is accomplished that will leave some important background information undisclosed. Margaret shoots Madlax. “Die!” Madlax collapses receiving several bullets in her body, and Friday Monday gets hold of the leaf Madlax had held in her hand. “Now everything has been brought together.” Friday mutters satisfied. “Come, Margaret, let’s go.” Friday and Margaret go away leaving Madlax and Elenore lying on the ground. Limelda is watching the scene from a spot far away. Just before she tries to step forward, Nakhl calls her back. “Don’t get involved. That place is holy now. Only those with the gift are allowed to enter it. All we can do is watch it to the end.” Limelda cries. “Is this… Is this what you wanted, Madlax?” But Nakhl says answering her question, “This is not the end. It’s just beginning now. So we’ll watch it to the end.” Red and blue moons are hanging in the sky. Soldiers are agitated and run into confusion looking up the strange moons over the buildings. The screen is displaying a mythic scenery that reflects the ambiguous structure of the mindscape filled with inconsistencies. Qwanzitta says, “I will watch this through to the end. The changing of the eras.” Laetitia asks hearing her utterance, “You will watch my moment to the end?” “Yes.” Qwanzitta and Laetitia intone alternately. “The truth is pain.” “Pain is sorrow.” “Sorrow is a spiral.” “The spiral is the human fate.” They seem to identify human fate and the essence of qualia, in the spiral form that is gained out of oscillating movement on the axis of symmetry, adding other two vertical axes. Laetitia ends the dialogue with this last line, “Margaret Burton’s fate. Madlax’s fate. And my fate. That door will be opened.” Friday Monday now tries to open the door with the three books he has gathered. “The door of truth! We’ll return to 12 years ago. We’re returning. Time is rewinding. The era was supposed to change then. You thwarted my desires, Madlax. When I was shot then, I lost the eye to open the door. There certainly is such thing as ‘fate.’ Our lives are connected like a spiral. Isn’t that right, Madlax? After all, your daughter is going to give me what I desire. Now, show me, Margaret. Your past so true it approaches the human Essence. Your crime. That melody.” Friday is also attesting the cosmological principle of psyche in the spiral structure. It seems that he has an unwavering conviction unrestricted by mankind’s ethical standards, through which he aspires for the realization of his purpose beyond the boundary of worldly interests. But the details of the quality he said his eye was endowed with, that enabled him to open the door, and the process he had learned to possess it, are still out of reach of the audience’s understanding. Margaret witnesses the scene that had been enacted in the airplane 12 years ago, evoked by Friday’s words. There is a girl who dropped her doll on the floor, and has it handed by a boy who picked it up. “That’s me?” The small girl who was Margaret is asking her mother. “Mother, when will we get to see father?” She is also talking to her doll in her arms. “We’ll get to see Father soon. Isn’t that great, Laetitia?” After that, there are ruins of the airplane on the ground shown. Margaret mutters. “Mother died here, without saying anything. And I…” Small Margaret finds her father facing Friday Monday under the red moon. Friday is talking to her father. “You should understand, Colonel Burton. Or should I say ‘Madlax’. You should understand that this, THIS is what humanity really is.” Colonel Burton replies, “Friday Monday, You’re in the grip of madness. The people are not seeking your ideal.” Friday does not waver. “That thought itself is something made in this false world.” Colonel Burton answers saying, “I’ll protect my daughter!” Friday says provokingly, “Does your essence desire that, I wonder.” In answer for his words, Colonel Burton shoots Friday Monday in the face. Friday cries bending back, “Madlax!” Reacting to this word, small Margaret dashes towards her father. This has been the scene several times repeated in this anime, showing Friday Monday and Colonel Burton standing face to face, from various different angles such as Madlax’s visions and Margaret’s dreams. Now, Margaret is witnessing the actual figure of herself she assumed 12 years ago, on the other side of the door. The director Mashimo has effectively introduced the image sequence like refrain in musical pieces, presenting similar scenes repeatedly a little shifting their phases. Poupée runs after Margaret trying to hold her back, gets shot, and collapses on the ground. The pages on the Secondary are stained with blood. A red shoe comes off Margaret’s foot, and tumbles over the ground. Colonel Burton catches his daughter and lifts her in his arms. Just then, Friday Monday takes hold of the book, reciting the words of awakening. “Elda taluta! Sarks sark. Ark arks.” Affected by the soul of language, Colonel Burton’s attitude changes. He points his daughter with his gun. Margaret cries out, “Father, what’s wrong?” Margaret is watching the details of what she experienced 12 years ago. “Father?” Small Margaret grasps the gun on the ground. “Stop. Why are you doing this?” Colonel Burton approaches towards Margaret still in affected state. The soul of language must have caused the liberation of unconsciousness in Colonel Burton’s mind. Every emotion lurching in archetypal mode, out of which everything generates, is allowed to exude in its original nature. Margaret cries, “Don’t come any closer. I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die! If I don’t shoot Dad, I’ll die. But I can’t shoot Father.” The mysterious lines muttered by the girl named Laetitia holding a doll in her arms in the ruins in episode 3, are now echoed by the words uttered by small Margaret 12 years ago. Margaret and Colonel Burton are facing each other with guns in their hands. Then, the screen shows something like an image of primordial psyche splitting apart. That reminds of the illustration drawn on the pages of the picture book written in Elies letters. It seems to be a symbolical figure of protoplasm dividing itself into opposite halves, in contrast of blue and red colors. The gun is fired, and there appears the figure of a small girl who is Madlax surrounded in red color. At the same time, small Margaret’s figure is shown surrounded in blue. Madlax, who has always been looking up the blue moon, is encircled by the contrasting color, red; and Margaret, who has always been looking up the red moon, is encircled by the contrasting color, blue. It seems to suggest the principle of polarization generation, always appearing in contrasted forms centered by an axis of symmetry, which has been grasped by the word “enantiodromia” in the system of alchemical science, that may correspond with the idea of Entropy Increasing Law advocated by physics, which rules the change of the universe as a psychical law in its unity. The influence of the idea is discoverable in various phases of speculation adopted by science, philosophy and religion. Edgar Allan Poe, who introduced German Romanticism in 19th century America, in his speculative experiment in Eureka, which attempted to expand the meditation on “the Physical, Metaphysical and Mathematical — of the Material and Spiritual Universe; of its Essence, its Origin, its Creation, its Present Condition, and its Destiny”, planned to establish a metaphysical core principle, which may rule both spiritual and material phenomena, through the mechanism of antagonistic forces of attraction and repulsion. Poe presupposed the ability of intuition, which is able to grasp the eternal truth transcending the limits of logical procedures of induction and reduction. The fundamental principle has been almost universally acknowledged through various cultural spheres by the power of intuition. One red shoe is worn in Madlax’s right foot, and the other is worn in Margaret’s left foot. It was the pair of red shoes that Vanessa presented Margaret, which triggered the recovery of Margaret’s lost memory and lead to the discovery of the picture book out of the shed. Laetitia emerges out of the fallen doll. There is the identification tag of Colonel Burton on the ground, with a hole on it. It was small Madlax who shot Colonel Burton from behind. Small Margaret and small Madlax are facing each other across the corpse of Colonel Burton. Quanzitta and Laetitia are watching all the procedure. Laetitia says, “I’m Laetitia. Your beloved doll. Margaret Burton, this is the truth.” “The truth?” “I’, a doll. The urge of a moment. The point where you two parted ways. And the truth that will never disappear.” Friday Monday talks to Margaret by her side, “So your reason, the part of you that didn’t want to kill your father, and the urge that was your desire to survive received power from this place and physically separated? ... You killed your own father, but you sealed off those memories and you’ve been living life wanting for nothing. You’ve believed you were normal. Normal, eh? There’s no such thing anywhere in this world. People seek fame and fortune, and protect their own meager self-esteem by ridiculing others. They’ve lived twelve full years of false time, believing that half-assed state was normal. You’ve seen what kind of situation that’s brought about. Haven’t you?” Friday Monday seeks for the attainment of a mind that overcomes the petty restraints of humanity, which has been buried in the fraudulency of society looking away from truth. It is Friday Monday’s desired creed to deny fundamentally the “normal” that Laetitia and Margaret were talking. His aim for the construction of detached ego based on the man principle seems to indicate the phase of psyche, as the appearance of the archetype of animus. Margaret collapses on the ground recalling of the tragic ends of Vanessa and Elenore. Friday speaks to her bending closely, “You mustn’t run from the truth. And you mustn’t deny your own actions, either. That’s because you aren’t special. Everyman is the same as you. They’re aware of the contradiction that is their existence, but they can’t find its essence, that’s all. Now, let’s show it to them, Margaret Burton. We’ll show all living creatures the Essence. Living within the Essence… That’s the normal world that I seek. I can hear it. I can hear the melody. Margaret Burton is seeking the Essence of human nature. This… She’s been seeking this!” The meaning of the word “essence”, which has been told several times by the man, is now being clarified. In the English version of the disk, “essence” is adopted for the translation of the word, but the original Japanese “本性” (honsei) might be translated as “true nature” or “original quality” as well. “Ordinary place”, the words Laetitia used, may signify the same psychical phase. But the ultimate truth Friday seeks for must be attained somewhere beyond the border of Good and Evil, where reason will not maintain its function anymore. His ultimate ideal must be found in the state of self-realization where every potential vitality is released in its intact status, without being restricted by any false dogma impelled by outer authority. This man aspires for the attainment of aloof noble purpose, following the manner Nietzsche tried to exercise in his Philosophy of Super Man, in order to transcend the vulnerable limits of human beings. Intuition suggests that the purpose of existence and the meaning of generation of everything in the cosmos should be discovered in the mode of self-expansion where all properties psyche shrouds are liberated. Instances of this self-realization model may be posited as the achievement of Super Man freed from the fetters of resentment or as the realization of “self” through reorganization of one’s own hidden shadows. The theological cosmology that the Renaissance philosopher Marsilio Ficino conceived may be considered as another example, with which he tried to comprehend every generation and development in the universe as the process of self-contemplation undertaken by the fundamental awareness. Each of these can be understood as an example of reflective phase of the same archetypal insight grasped through the ability of intuition. Oscar Wilde’s hedonism that he found in John Ruskin’s pious aestheticism and embodied in his own life as a pleasure seeker may be understood as one of the sincerest applications of these serious attempts, in its aim for the ultimate raison d’être, where subject of consciousness should perceive and experience every sensation in its myriad phases. Friday’s idea of transcendence surpassing the limits of self was embraced by various thinkers in modern European culture, as the lofty target of free will, that should be embraced by an individual. Typical example is the radical existentialistic conception harbored in Marquis de Sade, who lived the revolutionary period of 18th century France, and vehemently tried to transcend the restrictions of ethics in his two sensational novels The History of Juliette, or the Prosperity of Vice and Justine, or the Misfortunes of Virtue. Another example is Dostoevsky, who also lived the revolutionary period of 19th century Russia, and depicted a noble-minded hero who tried to surmount the notion of “crime” as the obstacle a genius should transcend, in Crime and Punishment (1866). R. L. Stevenson, the Victorian period novelist of Great Britain, took up a scientist as a protagonist who pursued the scientific aim of objective assessment of each Good and Evil in his “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” (1886). These were the peculiarly important subjects directly concerned with the possibility and limit of individual being, who faced the disintegration of traditional values and courageously decided to choose the freedom as an independent person who is not confined in the fetters of sterile standard existing community imposes. But even the daring existentialist precursor who proclaimed that “God has died”, seems to have been under the restriction of traditional creed as a preacher’s son, that would not free him from the patrimonial influence of Christianity. According to the ideas of Alchemy, which stands aloof out of the man principle of the religion, this kind of excessively self-conscious mode of psyche may be regarded as one assuming the typical persona of rigid animus. Under the red and blue moons, everything falls into confusion. At the sight of the catastrophe, Limelda collapses on the ground. “This is… This feeling is…” Nakhl says, “So the change has begun?” Friday laughs. “Time is beginning to move. My time, which has been frozen for twelve years, has finally begun to move.” Kneeling in front of the door, Margaret utters, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Because I was running away from the truth, I…” Just then, a bullet shoots down the mask of Friday. It is Madlax that appeared there. Friday says, “That’s right… Someone using that name would get in my way. Just like it happened twelve years ago. Madlax!” Margaret mutters, “Madlax. The other me…” Madlax answers. “Yes. I am Margaret Burton’s crime. An existence born at the far reaches of sorrow.” Margaret and Laetitia say alternately. “You’re…” “Pandora’s jewels.” “You’re…” “A kind killer.” Madlax joins their exchange of recitations. “Yes. That’s Madlax. …I am the pain of when we touched truth.” In the next week notice, Margaret’s voice is heard muttering. “I am the victim within consciousness.” Madlax’s voice follows, “I am the perpetrator within the unconscious.” This is the truth of the existence of Madlax, revealed in this episode at last. Several possible phases which either consciousness or unconscious may materialize, construct the main subject of this anime. Plural axes structure that is not possibly contained in a linear story line, and expressible only through repetitive reciprocation, has been presented by ambiguous visual presentations that will not allow any fixed conceptualization. It will make another perspective of the work; how far one might be able to accept this method of expression as the condition to construct a possible world, or whether one might be able to advocate the principle to generate a phenomenon and produce different phases of a personality.

note:
The metaphysical notion “psyche”, which Jung presupposed as the protoplasmic phase where the distinction of mind and matter is not yet made, was deemed as a dangerous thought that would overthrow the basic premise of science, by the strict advocates of the dogma who would admit no other process than local dynamic effects caused on matter units in the event generation. As vehement oppressions have been detected in the movement against the anti-scientific tradition such as magic and alchemy, remarkably in the attitudes of Vienna school that lead the hard positivism doctrine, Jung’s ex-mentor Freud also directed the organization of Anti-Jung alignment. Ruri Freire Lucas has made quite appropriate a summary on the ideological problem that lies in the basis of the mind of these refuters of Jungian psychology, in his discussion in “The Quantum Unconscious and the Observant Consciousness” (Psychology, 2016, 7, 836-863). It seems we have to reassess the characteristics of our age’s interim logic by which everything is being judged. Because unconscious bias towards the perspectives that compose a fictional work often affects the judgment on their value. Both audience and readers are affected by them in the course of interactive creation of their own possible worlds, as they generate quale through the act of determining wave packets.


In order to reexamine the proposition, it seems we have to reaffirm the basic premises of existence, phenomenon and personality, which are supposed to have affected our thought. Friday recognized the persona of the girl, which means “madness” and “lax”, as the opposing principle to his idea, which drives him to seek for the “essence”.

note: “Psyche,” postulated by Jung as an archetypal phase that has no distinction between spirit and matter, was a dangerous idea that fundamentally overturned the premise of the standpoint of strict scientific thought, which recognizes the formation of phenomena only by local effects of material existence units. The suppression on anti-scientific ideas, such as magic and alchemy, is evident in the movement of the Wiener Schule, which led the doctrine of hardline “positivism,” and in the formation of the “Anti-Jungian League” directed by Jung’s former teacher Freud. The ideological issues underlying these fierce opposition to Jungian psychology are aptly summarized by Ruri Freire Lucas in “The Quantum Unconscious and the Observant Consciousness” (Psychology, 2016, 7, 836-863). It will be necessary to re-examine the nature of the provisional logic that forms the basis of our judgments. This is because the evaluation of a fictional work is largely influenced by the unconscious bias of the perspective of the conscious subject, who, as a spectator or reader, contributes to its interactive embodiment. As a concrete example obtained for re-examination of this issue, one is able to cite the fact that the mention on James Beichler’s Neurocosmology and related metaphysical arguments on the premise of the fundamental awareness assumed by several researchers, was deemed inappropriate and was refused to be published, when submitted for a 2017 Bulletin of Wayo Women’s University, based on the judgment of the reviewers.

The Hypernatural and Supernatural in Madlax -- Episode 24

Episode 24: Death flag and goddess of destiny

Devoted Heart ~hearts~: 献心 (Kenshin)

Avant starts with a recollection scene. Vanessa picks up Elenore on her way home from shopping. “Don’t you go out and have fun? With your friends.” Elenore answers, “My job is to take care of Miss Margaret.” Vanessa suggests, saying, “But it’s pretty tedious if that’s all you do, isn’t it? You need to let your hair down sometimes and…” Elenore replies to her, “It’s not tedious at all. Miss Margaret is… Miss Margaret is my…” Elinore’s line falters and the scene is taken over by the figure of Margaret standing in Friday Monday’s mansion.

Quanzitta’s voice is speaking. “Madlax is the one who possesses the page missing from Secondari. The girl with the same name as the man who stopped Friday Monday from gaining his wish when he opened the door twelve years ago. That was the beginning of the road to the end.” Madlax tells Elenore, “I’ll draw these enemies’ attention to me. …If I don’t come back within three hours, act alone.” Madlax adds her words, saying, “Look for Margaret Burton. I’ll leave her to you.” Elenore asks her, “Why are you going this far for her?” Madlax answers, “Because of a promise I made to a friend.” Madlax is seeking for the reason of her existence in the promise made with Vanessa, who is not living any more. Madlax appears in front of the enemy soldiers in the similar dress she had been wearing in episode 1.

A battle scene is developed in the jungle similar to the one witnessed in the episode 1. Shooting the soldiers without enmity, Madlax mutters, “So I’m sorry.” Both figures of Madlax dodging the bullets skillfully and her body pierced by the bullets are shown on the screen. The trajectories of the bullets are exhibited in various colors. The meaning of the strange scene Madlax displayed in the opening part is now disclosed. Though there is no direct mention of it, this seems to suggest the overlaying potential states advocated by quantum mechanics in its many worlds theory, supposing parallel worlds generated as forked universes as the result of observational effect caused by consciousness. Madlax annihilates the whole troop together with a tank. What she manipulates are only gun and some explosive, and no supernatural means is resorted. But these are always used most effectively and to the best result. Madlax has already sound conviction in her own psychic ability. “The woman who can’t die: that’s Madlax too.” She even faces the formation of helicopters undauntedly. “So come here, everybody. Good boys.” She utters those words as if she had transcended the human limits and reached to the status of a goddess, who is able to govern human lives. Maybe lack or separation of some element out of various qualities that constructs human being initiates the generation of a god.

In Oscar Wilde’s fairy tale “The Fisherman and His Soul”, a fisherman falls in love with a mermaid who is a pagan creature and has no soul, decides to sever his shadow off in order to be married with the mermaid, by the advice of a witch. The divided shadow was actually his own soul, and it tries to be united with the fisherman again following after him like an evil spirit, exercising various abilities and gathering knowledge that were not of the capacity of the fisherman, in order to fulfil its desire. When endowed with body, heart and soul he was just an ordinary human being, but after the soul, one of the three parts constructing his entity, has been separated from him, it becomes something like an evil spirit with supernatural power. This is one instance of the phase shift of psychic modality, in which a god is generated out of a man. As man and god had been separated in ancient mythology, a god can be constructed out of a man. This is an interesting metaphysical suggestion on the characteristics of psyche focused on the relationship between god and man pursued in the mode of fictionality. A fictional work is able to attempt to develop a speculation on the modality shifts between god and man, through its description of implicate possibilities the universe may contain.

One of the officers comes to Friday Monday and reports the situation of the battle. “Squad A and Squad C were completely wiped out.” “Oh, were they?” “By just one agent. And the wench was just a kid!” But Friday is not surprised at all. “Yeah, she can do that. For some one using the name ‘Madlax’, that’s child’s play.” Friday Monday shoots and kill the officer who will not accept the cold fact sticking to the prestige of a military man. Friday mutters satisfied, “I’ll become intoxicated with the sound of that girl’s singing and make my way toward that place. Along with the sound of Margaret Burton’s singing.”

Madlax notices an enemy following after her, and mutters, “Two hours and 35 minutes. I have to go. But I’m sorry. I’m going to be late, so go on ahead without me.” There, Limelda appears. Without words, Madlax and Limelda exchange their guns. Both of them seem to understand each other’s mind. Laetitia mutters, “By taking life, by throwing life away, they confirm one another’s existence. Humans are such tragic creatures. But I hold that quality beloved.”

Here, a recollection scene starts. Elenore is taking care of Margaret kindly. Elenore is saying to Margaret, “Because it’s my… my wish.” Elenore goes into the woods. Two soldiers call Elenore to halt. Though Elenore takes the gun away from one of the soldiers in a quick motion, she will not fire it. “Even if it means pulling this trigger, I want to see Miss Margaret. But… If I do things like this, Miss Margaret will… “Making some decision, Elenore starts running and comes to the edge of a cliff. From behind her, a gunshot sounds.

Madlax and Limelda are shooting each other in a close distance. Limelda inquires Madlax who will not hit her averring her aim, “Why? Kill me. Kill me!” Madlax answers her saying, “I have a request. Watch me to the end. I want you to remember the existence that is ‘me’. Don’t forget me. Please, Limelda Jorg. Let me be within you. Thank you.” Limelda calls her back, “Madlax?” “Goodbye.” Leaving Limelda, Madlax goes away. Limelda, left alone, mutters, “Sheesh, that girl… That was like a declaration of love.” The element of girls love that was insinuated between Vanessa and Madlax, is now to be confirmed between Madlax and Limelda. Madlax has chosen Limelda as an observer to confirm her existence, who had killed Vanessa by her own hand. It seems Madlax bears no enmity for the culprit who killed her friend, having killed countless people in order to survive.

Though severely injured, Elenore somehow reaches to the flower garden where Margaret is. Elenore calls to her, “Miss.” Margaret turns around hearing Elenore’s call. But something is amiss in her attitude. “Who are you?” It seems Margaret is not able to recognize Elenore. Elenore says, “I’m Elenore Baker. I’m Elenore, the maid who’s been serving you for a long time.” Margaret at last answers, “Elenore? …Oh, Elenore. But why are you here?” There is no information afforded about what is happening in Margaret’s mind. Elenore talks to her, “I came to get you, Miss.” Elenore continues, having decided something in her mind, “For a long time I’ve wanted to get your memories back. But it’s all right if your memories don’t come back. The most important thing is that you’re yourself.” Margaret asks back with unexpected words. What good do things like that do? That’s just being alive. It’s the same as being dead. I don’t want that.” Exceedingly cruel words are spoken by the girl who has been both Elenore’s mistress and friend. There, Friday Monday appears. Elenore asks him, “Who are you? What do you mean to do with Miss Margaret?” Friday answers, saying, “I’m going to give her what she desires. That’s my wish.” Elenore says, “Please give Miss Margaret back. Please give her back.” Friday seems to have full grasp about what is happening to Margaret. “That’s something her essence will decide.” Elenore points on Friday with her gun. Friday, without hesitating, tells Margaret, “Margaret, give her a present as a tribute to the conviction that brought her all the way here.” “The words of awakening?” “Yes. The words of awakening.” “Elda taluta.” “The words of the Essence.” “Sarks sark.” “The words of truth.” “Ark arks.” Friday speaks. “So, what’s the urge that sleeps within her? Liberation from her constrained life? Or hatred towards you?” It seems Friday discerns the essence hidden deepest in people’s mind. Elenore gets affected by the words and points the gun to Margaret. Friday says, “Well, well. It looks like she’s hated you. This isn’t rational. It’s an impulsive act.” The implication of this line was just what Elenore suggested in her own conjecture about the inexplicable motive of the murder case of Piederica Morrey, committed by his own daughter, answering the question raised by Vanessa, when they were watching the TV news in the episode 4. Margaret speaks to Elenore. “Do you want to kill me? Is that what you desire? It’s okay, you can shoot. …Tears…” But Elenore succeeds in gathering herself. Elenore points her gun on Friday again. “Let Miss Margaret go. Get your filthy hand off Miss Margaret.” Astonished, Friday mutters, “Her essence demonstrates love?” Margaret also talks to Elenore as if she recollected something. “Elenore…” Elenore responds, “Miss.” Margaret also cries, “Elenore!” “Margaret. You’re… my… my… family.” But Elenore falls down on the ground.

Past scenes are displayed. Margaret is talking to Elenore. “Elenore, will you stay with me forever?” Elenore answers, “Of course. Because that’s… my wish.” Laetitia talks to Elenore, “I’m sorry.” “Don’t be.” Elenore holds her in her arms and draws her to her chest. It seems Elenore has come to the “ordinary place” where Laetitia exists. Margaret sits down beside Elenore lying in the flower garden. There, Madlax appears. Madlax mutters, “Why did she go that far?” Margaret says, mournfully, “She died. Elenore died.”

As Madlax spared the life of Limelda in her battle with her, she had Vanessa killed by Limelda. And this time, as she was engaged with the useless battle with Limelda, she has left Elenore killed by the soldiers. How is she going to treat Limelda who murdered Vanessa she made friends for the first time, and who caused the death of Elenore, most intimate friend of Margaret. It is expected that some core factor that determines the fictional perspective of this show will be indicated there.

The Hypernatural and Supernatural in Madlax -- Episode 23

Episode 23: Enticement, choice and killing intention

Lost Hearts ~doubt~: 迷心 (Meishin)

Avant shows the scenery of ruins in the moon. A girl is screaming. “I missed you, Father! Stop! Why are you doing this?” There are figures of little Madlax holding a gun and little Margaret in tattered clothes. Margaret’s doll is lying on the ground. Laetitia mutters, “Yes, that’s me. …Hurry here.”

Friday Monday holds Margaret gently, covering her in his coat. Madlax is lying under the cliff, consciousless.

Friday is muttering in his mansion. “To think those who discern the era would get in my way. But she will come here. If she is Madlax, she will. As long as Margaret Burton is here, she will.” Besides him, Margaret is lying on a table with her eyes closed.

Madlax regains consciousness under the cliff. “I’m not injured. Was that a dream after all?” Nakhl talks to her. “No, it’s reality. I think you know why you’re healed.” Madlax understands. “Yes, you are right.”

Madlax has recovered from the injury caused by Margaret as she had done from the gun shot given by Limelda. Nakhl asks her, “Margaret Burton tried to kill you. Why?” Madlax answers, “Because I committed a crime. It’s only what I deserve.” Nakhl asks again. “Are you seeking death?” Madlax answers. “I’m just bad at living. That’s why I lost even my only friend. Maybe it’s okay for me to just disappear now.” Nakhl talks to her. “If that’s what you want, you can go ahead. However, living people have things they need to do.” Hearing this, Madlax asks. “Where’s that girl? Where’s Margaret?” Nakhl answers, saying, “She’s gone. Along with the masked man.” Friday is nestling close to Margaret lying in a bed.

Nakhl says, “Yes. He’s probably trying to open the door using Margaret Burton. No, the door may already be open.” But Madlax takes out a piece of paper. “No, it can’t be. Because this is here.” Nakhl asks. “What’s that?” Madlax answers her, “Now I understand. This is a page of the book Margaret Had. The truth of twelve years ago. And me myself. …I’m going. Not to kill people, but to do what I have to do.” Seeing Madlax off, Nakhl mutters, “I am sorry, Lady Quanzitta. I’ve done something that I shouldn’t have done as a discerner. However, I have no regrets. I just can’t help but be drawn to her. Madlax…” These words spoken by Nakhl functions as one of peculiar perspectives affording the meaning of the existence of Madlax and confirming the directing strategy of this anime. There are some people who advocate in their own ways the meaning of Madlax’s existence who has been declared to have “no Gift” and sentenced to be different. Madlax is talking to deceased Vanessa. “Vanessa. I’ll keep my promise to you. I will keep it. So I’ll say my goodbyes after that.” Laetitia is muttering somewhere. “They’re getting closer and closer to the truth. Soon, I’ll return to myself.”

Margaret is walking in a flower garden. “This flower… A yellow flower… Father!” “A helianthus, eh?” Friday tells Margaret. “Do you know what the helianthus means in the language of flowers? …It means ‘enticement’.” Margaret understands. “Oh. So this flower is luring someone here, huh?” “Yes. It’s enticing you here, Madlax. By your coming here, my twelve-year loss of time will be made good. Soon I’ll have what I desire.” It appears that the meaning of the flower helianthus, which was described in the episode 4 where Piederica Morey was killed by his own daughter, is going to be disclosed in this episode 23. This is one of the instances of fictional meaning configuration that has similar mechanism to the principle of synchronicity. These crossings of meaning axes come to determine the qualia peculiar to a fictional work. Just as each perception constructs qualia, a story endowed with particular perspectives is to be acknowledged as one of many modalities of intelligence corroborated by the mechanism of synesthesia for a subject of consciousness. Though Margaret is calling Friday Monday “father” lovingly, the reason is not given to the audience. This is one of the most peculiar hyper natural descriptions adopted in this anime.

By Nakhl’s guidance, Madlax and Elenore comes near the vicinity Margaret is now located. “This is Kalistale. The area of the most violent warfare in all of Gazth-Sonika.” Nakhl explains the cause that started the civil war. “By using the three books twelve years ago. …Margaret Burton, who has the Gift, makes that possible.” Madlax says, “Leave the rest of this to me.” Elenore insists, “No, I’m coming too.” Madlax answers, “No, you’d die.” This time, Madlax’s words that foretell the death of the addressed ones are told to Elenore, who has been both an obedient maid and efficient guardian and sometimes like a stalker have persistently followed Margaret.

Margaret is talking to Friday in his mansion. “Say, Father, shouldn’t we go? I want to go with you.” Friday answers, “I’m sorry, but will you give me a little more time? I’m waiting for the girl with the same name as my old friend. Yes, for Madlax.” Though this seems to be a very important information that tells about the relationship between Friday and Margaret’s father, it is a limited disclosure leaving too many voids in its content. Hearing the name, Margaret utters surprising words. “I hate that girl. So it’s okay for me to kill her, right?” Margaret is now assuming something like an expression of evil will that has been foreign to this girl. Friday answers her quite complacently, “Yes, quite all right. You can do whatever you’d like, Margaret.” Margaret asks, “If that girl dies, will you be happy too?” Friday answers, “Of course.” Margaret’s lines seem to indicate not only some special psychical phase between Her and Madlax but also universal quality that is commonly discoverable in human mind. “I’ll kill her, then, I’m going to erase her existence.” Friday seems to be much pleased with her words. “You’re magnificent, Margaret. Even without opening the door, you’re infinitely close to the human Essence. It’s almost as if I can hear that place’s melody.” This is a peculiarly interesting conversation that seems to explain the word “Essence” Friday has told repeatedly. But the reason is not given why Margaret was calling Friday “father”.

Elenore asks Madlax. “Is Madlax your real name?” Madlax answers her, saying, “No. I didn’t have any memories of my past, and I only remembered the word ‘Madlax’. So I made that word my code name.” Elenore tells her. “Miss Margaret was the same. She’d lost all her memories except for the word ‘Madlax’. Please tell me. What’s the relationship between you and Miss Margaret?” Elenore is telling the secret of her mistress to Madlax, like as she did to Carrossea, who visited Margaret for the first time in the episode 13. It is supposed she had intended to gather information about the mystery Margaret had been involved. This is another instance of hyper natural directing method indicating the chain of latent meanings with occasional emergence of fragmented pieces of information. Madlax answers her, saying, “I’m not sure. But she and I are connected. …Yes. That I can tell. So I’m going to her. To know who I really am. To find out the truth. And to keep a promise with my friend.”

Madlax and Elenore goes together into the woods where most fierce battles are engaged. Madlax readily meet the enemy. But one of the soldiers points his gun to Elenore and prompts Madlax to throw her gun away. Elenore urges her to keep fighting ignoring her condition. Madlax doesn’t seem to succumb to the order of the soldier. She unhesitatingly shoots down the bullet fired aiming at Elenore. It seems Madlax has got sound conviction of the psychical relationship between her and Margaret, and also of her ability that comes close to supernatural domain. Her peculiar faculty enacted in battle scenes may be some sort of revelation of the power Margaret exhibits in the choice of her destiny, in limited condition of gun fight.

Laetitia’s voice is saying somewhere. “You are affection within madness. A kind killer.” Against the blue moon hanging in the sky, Madlax answers, saying, “Yes, that’s Madlax. I have something I have to do. That’s the truth I chose of my own free will.” “Truth” determines personality as particular “meaning” generated by the subject of consciousness through the act of choice by free will.

The Hypernatural and Supernatural in Madlax -- Episode 22

Episode 22: Essence, impulse, ordinary place and perception of existence

Violent Feelings ~rage~: 撃情(Gekijo)

note: “激情”
This is a coined set of words string. The reading reminds of other Japanese homonym “激情” = violent feeling. “撃” means “gunshot” and “情”means “feeling”.

In the avant, Friday Monday is speaking, “Firstari. Secondari. Thirstari. They are the human Essence. The thing which demonstrates that people are people, which wakes up even the urges that sleep within the depths of instinct.” Laetitia appears there, and speaks to Friday, “Do you mean to do that all again?” Friday looks back, saying, “A residual fragrance, eh?” “Do you like it that much when people kill each other? Everybody will vanish again.” Friday answers to her, “All people are seeking that! They just don’t realize it. I’m trying to lead the people to a place where they won’t be ruled by that thing called consciousness.” “That place is…” “It’s paradise. I will save the human race. Using this book…” “But I’m alone.” “What?” “Look.” Laetitia shows Friday Margaret’s picture book. Friday is astonished to see it. “What is this? There’s a page missing. Why?!” Laetitia says answering Friday, “You can’t find it. Because the truth is on the other side.” Friday Monday replies to her saying, “In that case…” Then, Margaret sits up on the table where she has been lying.

Madlax wakes up in her bed at dawn, and inspects the wound Limelda gave her. The trace of the injuries is disappeared. Madlax mutters to herself, “Even if I want to become normal, it’s impossible. Yeah, I thought I’d known that all along, but…” It seems the same phenomenon has occurred to Madlax as Friday Monday revived from the shot given by Carrossea in the episode 20. It seems as if they have followed to some preordained results, they are not capable of altering. That may have been fatal lack of choice to lose their lives. This reminds of the strange scene at the beginning of episode 1, where Madlax fell into the jungle with her parachute malfunctioning.

Quanzitta tells Nakhl saying, “Nakhl, Margaret Burton refused to open the door. As the one who discerns the era, I can feel it.” “Why did she do that?” “I do not know. But it’s also our job to continue watching events unfold.” Nakhl mutters to herself, “Something is making Margaret Burton refuse. The thing inside her that’s holding her back is probably… Madlax.” Nakhl is guessing the truth that lies between Margaret and Madlax following her internal conviction.

Rising up out of the table in Friday’s room, Margaret steps outside of the mansion following Friday’s direction. “I have to find out… I… That person…”

Madlax is telling Vanessa. “I feel it… Her presence. Margaret Burton’s presence.” Elenore asks her, “Really?” Madlax answers her, “On the other side of those mountains.” Vanessa inquires her, “How can you tell?” Madlax answers her, saying, “Probably because I’m the same as her.” Margaret is wandering in the woods. Madlax and other two girls go into the woods seeking Margaret and run into the battle zone. Vanessa says, “This is dangerous, Madlax. Let’s take the long way around.” “I’m sure I’ll be fine.” Answering her, Madlax runs into the two opposite forces battling. In an instance she annihilates both armies.

Margaret is recollecting the scene Madlax killed her father. “Why? Why did you… Madlax… Why? Why?” There, a soldier appears and calls Margaret to halt. “What are you doing? You aren’t from this country, are you? Why are you here? What are you doing here?” Margaret cries, “I don’t know. …Who are you? …Am I going to die?” The soldier pushes Margaret down violently. “That hurt.” Margaret cries. The screen shows Margaret’s face with an expression of murderous intent. Then follows a scream of the soldier resounding in the woods. It appears at this scene, previously suggested hidden power of Margaret in the episode 6 at the scenes of a butterfly caught in a spider’s web and delinquent youth Maurice Lopez trying to exert violation to her, at last manifested itself. But the concrete effects of her latent ability seem to be hindered to be confirmed by the audience, though Carrossea acknowledged its overwhelming superiority to his and even Nakhl was not able to overcome it. At any rate, Margaret seems to have made some choice here. This is one of the typical instances of the hyper real description adopted in this show where core axes of the fictional setting are intentionally hidden to the audience. Margaret’s peculiar ability and its concrete effect are not directly shown to the audience here. This is the peculiar directing strategy suggesting the existence of hidden perspectives and emphasizing the incompleteness of the fictional world presented as a show, leaving its void even after the basic structure is shown in its full scope, completely different from those concepts accepted with the words such as underplot or metaphor.

Madlax turns around in order to hold off the enemy coming after them, and finds Limelda who has followed her. Madlax mutters, “Limelda…” Limelda says, “Madlax, I’m going to kill you.” Madlax answers, “That’s impossible.” Both of them point their guns to each other.

Friday Monday appears in front of Vanessa. Friday calls to her, saying, “Vanessa Rene.” Vanessa asks him, “Who are you?” Friday talks to her in a complacent attitude. “Someone without the Gift can’t accomplish anything even if they are here. Or what? You’re not still hung up on what happened to your parents twelve years ago, are you?” “How do you know about that?” “Right now there’s something I want. If you tell me about it, I don’t mind answering your questions for you. There was a single page missing from Secondari, the book Margaret Burton had. I want to know where it is.” Vanessa recalls the words Madlax had spoken. She was saying, “The cover of the book Friday had was exactly like the letters written here.” Friday Monday continues, saying, “What I desire is to create a pure humanity. …This country’s civil war, too, is something the purity of humans brought about. …It wasn’t because of religious conflict or for the interests of the nation. It was the Essence of the people living in this country… That pure urge sought war. That’s a very natural act.” Vanessa inquires, “What about my parents?” Friday answers to her, “They tried to resist that urge. That’s foolish. When all’s said and done, dishonest morals can’t win against unclouded purity.” Vanessa interrogates, “My father tried to stop the war and you pinned the crime of triggering it on him? You killed him, don’t you?” “People sought that, and people made it real.” Friday is persistently confident of the meaning of his doings. “But you are the main culprit!” Vanessa points her gun on Friday. But Friday does not even flinch. “Oh, your bloodthirst is so strong it’s beautiful.” What urges Friday seems to be neither greed nor warped malevolence. But this anime will not tell explicitly for the audience what kind of impulse is moving Friday. We have to guess his feelings and idea he advocates through his own words as testimony. But it may not be so difficult a task. We will be able to discover similar instances to his creed out of historical events and depictions in literary works. It is an exceedingly human-like decision to cope with all the inconsistency generated in the universe by oneself, and furthermore to overcome it. But Friday Monday’s desperate will for consummation reminiscent of the protagonist of Sade’s novel, Prosperity of Vice is none other than a desolate manifestation of animus insisting for power orientated man principle.

Madlax is continuing fierce gun fight against Limelda. Madlax is dodging Limelda’s bullets gracefully as if she were dancing. Limelda asks Madlax astonished, “How… why can you do that in this fog?” Madlax answers her, saying, “Because I’ve perceived my existence. …I’ve figured out who I am.” Perception determines events generation through its process of observational effect constructing peculiar qualia. Limelda says, “I won’t accept that. You’re just like me. Someone who has nothing! …Don’t leave me behind, Madlax!” Limelda had been once a guard officer who performed missions cold-heartedly, but after she had killed the chief officer of the guard and run away into the city, kept pursuing after Madlax as if she were possessed and enacted battles without any practical purpose. But now she is beseechingly asking her opponent for something. These hyper natural lines spoken by Limelda have the effect of annihilating existing fictional perspectives and constructing innovative ones that have been unacknowledged before. Forming striking contrast with Elenore who has been following after her mistress Margaret, Limelda is now running after Madlax like a stalker. And Madlax is also fighting with her not for her survival.

Friday tells Vanessa, “This is no good. There’s still something holding you back. Awaken, then. Elda Taluta.” Friday sends Vanessa the words of awakening. Vanessa mutters as if she were deluded, “I… the truth…” Friday calls to her, “That’s right. You’re seeking the truth. Now, obey the Essence inside you.”

Limelda is at last shot her gun down by Madlax. But Limelda has an ecstatic expression on her face as if she were welcoming a death shot from Madlax. Madlax speaks to her, “I won’t kill you.” Limelda calls to Madlax astonished, “Madlax…”

Friday talks to Vanessa who has fell in an abnormal mind state. “That’s right Look at your truth. Don’t aver your eyes from the sight of your true self.” There, Madlax comes in front of them. Friday says, noticing Madlax. “‘Madlax,’ eh? Are you saying that’s your name? How about it? I don’t suppose you’d give me the page of Secondari that you have?” Madlax replies to him vehemently, “Will you keep leading people astray like that?” Friday is full of confidence in spite of her accusation. “That’s what people are seeking. It was the same way back then too.” Madlax announces her confirmed decision to him. “I’ll kill you.” At that time, Vanessa notices Limelda who was aiming at Madlax from behind her. Vanessa’s shot has glazed Limelda’s arm, and Limelda falls down the cliff. But Vanessa also was injured by Limelda’s shot.

Madlax talks to Vanessa lying on the ground. “Liar.” Vanessa answers to her, “I’m sorry.” “You were too reckless.” “You’re right. I wanted to clear my father and mother’s names. That’s all that entered my field of vision. But you see, I wanted to protect my friends just as much.” Madlax repeats her words, “Friends…” Vanessa continues, “Margaret, Elenore… And you. Don’t die, okay? I’m leaving Margaret to you.” “That’s irresponsible.” “That’s all right, we’re friends.” “Vanessa…” Madlax is shedding tears at the death of her friend. Just then Margaret comes at the scene and exclaims, “You killed her. Yes, and Father too!” Margaret aims at Madlax with her gun. “Sarks Sark.” Margaret speaks the Elies words of essence like an incantation. Madlax falls down the cliff shot by Margaret’s bullet. “Ark Arks.” Margaret recites the words of truth as if she were giving Madlax a fatal blow. Margaret has released her killing intention at Madlax mistaking her for the murderer of her closest friend Vanessa. It will make a peculiarly interesting subject to conjecture the mode of perspective that determines the emotional implication of this anime, through examination of Madlax’s contrasted response toward Limelda who has killed Vanessa, close friend of both Margaret and Madlax.

The Hypernatural and Supernatural in Madlax -- Episode 21

Episode 21:　 The other side of the door and the incident 12 years ago

Cruel Confession ~guilty~: 告薄 (Kokuhaku)

note:
This is a coined set of words string. The reading reminds of other Japanese homonym “告白”=confession. “告” (Koku) means “Tell”, and “白” means “White” or “Immaculate”. “薄” (Haku) means “scanty” or “thin”.

In the avant, young boy Carrossea is asking to himself, “Why… Why? Why am I here? What have I been doing up until now?” He is asking Friday, “Please tell me. Who am I?” A grown-up youth Carrossea mutters, “I’m Carrossea Doon, member of Enfant. A false name, and a false job title. False information. A false life.” Present Carrossea says, “Please tell me, Margaret Burton. Tell me who I really am. Tell me what the truth is.”

Vanessa is watching Madlax lying in her bed, deeply injured. Nakhl tells Elenore, “Margaret Burton obtained the three books, and now with Lady Quanzitta’s guidance she is trying to open the door.” Quanzitta calls to Margaret, “Margaret Burton. Those eyes of yours will discern the era. Now, invoke the mystic words that will open the door. The mystic words of awakening”. Margaret, answering her, invokes the words, “Eluda Taluta.” “The mystic words of the Essence.” “Sarks Sark.” “The mystic words of truth.” “Ark Arks.”

Elenore enquires Quanzitta, “Where is Miss Margaret?” Quanzitta answers, saying, “On the other side of the door of truth.” Black sun is hanging in the sky. Quanzitta murmurs, “The time is coming.” The screen is depicting a mythical phase of the universe surpassing the norm of physical laws or even the limits of supernatural occurrences.

Elenore is telling Vanessa, “I’m told she opened the door of truth. …Miss Margaret left. She went to somewhere we don’t know.” Carrossea talks to Margaret, “Margaret, I want to know my past. The truth of twelve years ago. You and I met twelve years ago. That’s how we were able to get the Gift to open the door. Yes. The past you seek is in the place that I’m seeking. So please guide me, Margaret Burton. Guide me to the door of past and truth.” Margaret answers him, saying, “Yes, I want to know my true self too.” Then, Laetitia utters her words of warning, “You mustn’t come here. Because you can’t get to the truth yet.” As if Laetitia’s words reached to her, Margaret holds back Carrossea, saying, “You mustn’t. …You mustn’t open that door! …Because I heard someone’s voice telling us to stop.”

Carrossea will not listen to her warning. “I have to go. …Yes. What I’m seeking is truth. Unalterable fact!” Carrossea unhesitatingly looks into the door. The scene inside of an airplane is shown there. A boy is having a talk with his mother. He says to his mother, “That person told me…” His mother asks back to him, “What did he tell you, Chris?” This boy seems to be Chris Krana who appeared in the episode 5 and mysteriously vanished in the mansion of Friday Monday. The details of the accident that had happened twelve years ago in the airplane is going to be reenacted now. A fair-haired boy and a girl holding a doll in her hands get acquainted with in the airplane. They seem to be Poupee and little Margaret.

Next scene shows the crushed airplane on the ground. Among the ruins of the airplane and injured people, there are the figures of Poupee and little Margaret, who had miraculously survived the accident. The scene shifts, showing people in battle and Friday Monday, laughing loudly. Margaret says, refusing the packs of candy handed by Poupee. “Because it’s going to rain.” These out of place words, several times spoken by Margaret in this show earlier, were first spoken at this time. Embracing Margaret in his arms, Poupee mutters, “I’ll live. I’ll live through this. I swear it. I swear it!” Seeing this, present Carrossea mutters. “I’ll live through this, I swear it. Yes, that’s me. That boy is me.” Carrossea is looking at his own figure lost in the memory twelve years ago.

A man in military uniform comes flying in a helicopter and investigates the site of accident. There is a crested badge on his chest. This man and other in a long coat face each other among the ruins. The man in long coat says, “You should understand, Colonel Burton. Or should I say, ‘Madlax’?” Colonel Burton answers, “Friday Monday…” Friday continues, saying, “You should understand that this is, THIS is what humanity really is.” Colonel Burton abruptly shoots Friday in the face. Friday yells pressing his hand to his right eye, “Madlax!” At his word, little Margaret dashes forward. “Madlax?” She runs in front of the two men. Poupee runs in front of Margaret, trying to hold her back dashing into danger. Next scene shows blood dripping on the pages of a book.

In front of Carrossea, the door is closed again. Carrossea mutters, “This is… This is the truth. This is what happened to me.” Laetitia speaks to him. “You mustn’t open it. You mustn’t open it. If you open that door, your existence will disappear.” Carrossea mutters answering her, “Even if it does, I…” Carrossea opens the door again. “I see… That’s Madlax.” Laetitia is shedding tears. Beside her, Poupee’s figure loses its outline and disappears. “Thank you, Margaret Burton. Because I found out the truth, I was able to realize my own feelings. I wanted to protect you, even if it cost me my life. And I… Since before I became myself, I… I… loved.” It seems both Chris Krana and Carrossea shared the same phase of existentiality.

Friday Monday is speaking, “Carrossea Doon, your existence was nothing more than your will to live, which you made incarnate using the power of that place. If you find out the truth, that existence disappears. Thanks to you, the book has come into my hands. And the girl who opens the door, as well.” Margaret mutters, “Is this my dream?” Madlax says, answering to her, “No, it’s the truth.” Margaret inquires Madlax, saying, “If it’s the truth, then I met with Father in that place. Dad was there. But by you, Father was…” “I…” “You…” “I…” Colonel Burton is lying on the ground, and little Madlax is standing beside him with a gun in her hand still smoking. Laetitia mutters, “Yes, that is the truth.”

Carrossea’s being was generated selecting one alternative out of many possibilities that might have occurred to the fair-haired boy Poupee. By choosing one world axis out of many possible world lines, an independent phenomenality has been determined to exist. Madlax’s peculiar ability to be able to survive in her gun fight may be based on the same principle as Margaret’s, determining the course of destiny by their will. Though many-worlds interpretation theory asserted by Hugh Everette, that proposes phenomenality is determined by the function of consciousness through the act of observation out of latent possibilities in the primordial mode and branches off into many parallel worlds, was regarded as a ridiculous theory at the time when it was publicized, is now adopted as the indispensable idea in order to understand the mechanism of world formation in quantum physics. Many anime works are trying to develop similar speculative attempts in the mode of fictional description, reflecting the contemporary current of collective consciousness.