Madlax
From Bee Train Fan Wiki
| This article is SPOILER FREE. |
| Madlax | |
| Japanese | マドラックス (Madorakkusu) |
| Anime details | |
| Genre(s) | action, drama, mystery, psychological |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| First run / Release | 5 April 2004 – 27 September 2004 (TV Tokyo) |
| Staff | |
| Director | Mashimo Kōichi |
| Producer | Kitayama Shigeru |
| Script | Kuroda Yosuke |
| Character design | Shiba Minako, Miyachi Satoko, Ohsawa Satoshi |
| Art director | Umino Yoshimi |
| Music details | |
| Composer | Kajiura Yuki |
| Opening(s) | Hitomi no Kakera |
| Ending(s) | inside your heart |
- This article is about the anime series. For the character it was named after, see Madlax (character).
Madlax (Jap. マドラックス Madorakkusu) is a 2004 anime series created by Bee Train. Numerous critics pointed out similarities between Madlax and an earlier work of the studio, Noir, which is not surprising as the authors stated on multiple occasions that the two series are parts of a trilogy informally referred as "Bee Train's Girls-with-guns". The series is named after one of its protagonists and, according to the authors her name was derived by blending two English words - "mad" and "(re)lax".
Contents |
Plot synopsis
The series takes place in 2011 [1] in an alternate reality very similar to our world: despite numerous parallels with the world as we know it (e.g. in the detailed depiction of existing firearms), nearly all countries and prominent personalities were given fictional names.
The story revolves around two young girls, who apparently have no connection with each other, and the first heroine is Madlax, a living legend among mercenaries and assassins in Gazth-Sonika (Jap. ガザッソニカ gazassonika). Gazth-Sonika (a possible allusion to the Gaza Strip) is a country in south-western Asia that has been torn by a civil war between the royalists and a religious group called Galza (Jap. ガルザ garuza) ever since 1999.
The other protagonist is Margaret Burton, the sole heir of an ancient aristocratic family in Nafrece (Jap. ナフレス nafuresu), a peaceful European country apparently modeled after France (it's name is, in fact, an inexact anagram of "France"). Twelve years ago, an airliner carrying Margaret and her mother, who went to visit Margaret's father, crash-landed at an unknown location in Gazth-Sonika and, since the cite of the tragedy has never been found, all passengers (as well as Colonel Burton who went to search for his daughter) are missing ever since. Margaret, however, was able to return to Nafrece, though how she made it remains a mystery - all she remembered upon her return was one word - Madlax.
This apparently thin thread linking the two girls turns out a much more intense connection, when the two of them separately start drawing attention of a powerful criminal organization called Enfant (Jap. アンファン anfan) and their enigmatic leader. Brought together by Vanessa Rene, Margaret's former tutor and Bookwald Industries' inspector in Gazth-Sonika, they gradually begin to unveil the truth of what has really happened in their world twelve years ago, in 1999...
Episode list
- See also Madlax episode list (spoiler-free) and Madlax episode guide.
- Gun Dance (Jap. 銃舞) ~dance~
- Crimson Moon (Jap. 紅月) ~crimson~
- Blue Moon (Jap. 蒼月) ~moon~
- Temptation (Jap. 誘惑) ~ask~
- Non-Existent (Jap. 無在) ~none~
- Will (Jap. 遺言) ~leave~
- Picture Book (Jap. 繪本) ~nature~
- Soul Word (Jap. 魂言) ~soul~
- Remaining Scent (Jap. 残香) ~scent~
- Erosion (Jap. 侵触) ~dive~
- Foreign Country (Jap. 異国) ~object~
- Lost Will (Jap. 消意) ~close~
- Awakening Sound (Jap. 覚鳴) ~awake~
- Forgotten Memory (Jap. 忘想) ~memory~
- False Dispute (Jap. 偽争) ~camouflage~
- Gun Rhyme (Jap. 銃韻) ~moment~
- Instant Death (Jap. 刹那) ~reunion~
- Double Separation (Jap. 双離) ~duo~
- Target Book (Jap. 獲本) ~holy~
- True Fight (Jap. 真争) ~wish~
- Light Confession (Jap. 告薄) ~guilty~
- Shooting Emotion (Jap. 撃情) ~rage~
- Straying Heart (Jap. 迷心) ~doubt~
- Devoting Heart (Jap. 献心) ~heart~
- Holy Blood (Jap. 聖血) ~saint~
- Broken Pieces (Jap. 欠片) ~pupil~
Characters
- See also Madlax characters.
- Margaret Burton (Jap. マーガレット・バートン) is a 17-year old schoolgirl attending to an elite private school in Nafrece. She is sleepy, clumsy, and often alienated from the world around her, so if it weren't for her maidservant Elenore Baker, she'd probably have a lot of trouble even in Nafrece. Margaret is an amnesiac as she doesn't remember anything about her life prior to twelve years ago when she returned home from Gazth-Sonika - in fact, she has even forgotten how to speak, therefore "Madlax" (the only word she remembered) is an important link to her past. Another link is a "picture book" stained with blood that she brought with her from Gazth-Sonika and which, Margaret firmly believes, was given to her by her father. Margaret is voiced by Kuwashima Hōko in Japanese and Christian Luci in English.
- Madlax (Jap. マドラックス Madorakkusu) is a very charismatic and kind girl, who also happens to be the most efficient operative and assassin in Gazth-Sonika with 98% mission success rate. Just like Margaret, she can remember nearly nothing of what happened to her before twelve years ago, except the word "Madlax", which she accepted as her codename. Unlike Margaret, however, she has not lost the ability to communicate and vaguely remembers an image of her father walking away from her. She also possesses her father's military dog tag but the name on it is illegible. Twelve years ago, Madlax was picked up by SSS who trained her as a mercenary (wherein she displayed some almost supernatural abilities) and she has been working in Gazth-Sonika ever since, hoping one day to find her father and her lost identity. Madlax is voiced by Kobayashi Sanae in Japanese and Novotny Nancy in English.
- Vanessa Rene (Jap. ヴァネッサ・レネ) is Margaret's former neighbor and tutor and currently, a successful manager at Bookwald Industries, one of the world's most powerful corporations. Half of the efforts to return Margaret back to normal after her "trip" to Gazth-Sonika should be attributed to her (the other half was Elenore Baker's). Vanessa's parents were diplomats in Gazth-Sonika when the civil war broke out and were accused (falsely, as she believes) of indirectly causing it and later executed. Therefore, when she discovers that Bookwald not only invests into the demilitarized zone of Gazth-Sonika but also supplies both warring sides with weapons, she immediately travels there to investigate. While in the country, Madlax is assigned as her bodyguard, so it is Vanessa who links her to Margaret. Vanessa is voiced by Yukino Satsuki in Japanese, and Manison Kelly in English.
- Elenore Baker (Jap. エリノア・ベイカー Erinoa Beika) is Margaret's devoted and sometimes overprotective maidservant. The Baker family served Burtons for generations, therefore Elenore sees it her duty to protect her absent-minded and clumsy "Miss" from everything remotely dangerous - to the point of exploring all her schoolmates' backgrounds and becoming an expert hand-to-hand fighter. Elenore is a child prodigy as she graduated from high school years before all other students, only to be able to devote all her time to caring for Margaret. Elenore is voiced by Uchikawa Ai in Japanese, and Davis Kira in English.
- Friday Monday (Jap. フライデー・マンデー) is the enigmatic leader of Enfant, a global criminal organization controlling all information channels on the planet. Little is known about him except that he is very skilled with computers, that he hides the right half of his face under a mask and that he is for some reason after Margaret's "picture book". He also seems somehow connected to the incident in Gazth-Sonika twelve years ago. Friday Monday is voiced by Ebara Masashi in Japanese, Kleinhenz Mike in English.
- Carrossea Doon (Jap. カロッスア・ドゥーン Karossua Dou:n) is officially an employee of Bookwald Industries although, in fact, he works for Enfant and reports back directly to Mr. Monday. He is smart and resourceful, and he often plays his own games under Monday's nose, for he, too, just like Madlax and Margaret, lost his memories in Gazth-Sonika twelve years ago and desperately tries to regain his identity. Although he is sure he has never met Margaret before, the two of them quickly develop mutual trust after their initial meeting, which is, needless to say, highly unusual for both. Carrossea is voiced by Morikawa Toshiyuki in Japanese, and Mignogna Vic in English.
- Limelda Jorg (Jap. リメルダ・ユルグ) is an officer of Gazth-Sonikan Royal Guard and the best sniper in the country (with the exception of Madlax). After Madlax assassinated the Commander of Royal Army, whom Limelda was assigned to protect, right before her eyes, she swore a personal vendetta for her. Limelda is voiced by Hisakawa Aya in Japanese and Auten Christine in English.
- SSS (Jap. スリースピード Surisupido / Three-Speed) is Madlax's mysterious mentor and liaison who introduced her to the mercenary business and now serves as the mediator between her and her clients. The only indisputable fact about him is that he is male (as seen in brief shot showing the lower part of his face while talking on a phone). SSS is voiced by Urayama Jin, in Japanese, and Hickman Jay in English
- Quanzitta Marison (Jap. クアンジッタ・マリスン Kuanjitta Marisun) is a mystic at one of small native villages in Gazth-Sonikan combat zone. Her significance to what is happening to Margaret and Madlax is initially unclear. Lady Quanzitta is voiced by Hyoudou Mako in Japanese, Sumrall Allison in English.
- Nakhl (Jap. ナハル Naharu) is Lady Quanzitta's servant and agent. The Nakhl kulbit is named after her. She is voiced by Nakano Chikayo in Japanese and Karbowski, Brittney.
- Laetitia (Jap. レティシア) is a mysterious girl appearing to Margaret and Madlax in dreams and visions. She seems to know them both, but they don't recognize her. Laetitia is voiced by Kaneda Tomoko in Japanese and Martinez Cynthia in English.
- Poupee (Jap. プゥペ) is Laetitia's frequent but speechless companion in the visions.
Music
The music score for Madlax was composed by Kajiura Yuki and featured songs performed by Kajiura's joint project with vocalist Yuuka Nanri. Their duo has composed the entire soundtrack including the opening and ending themes of the series.
Overall, Madlax's soundtrack does not feature such diversity as Noir's (also composed by Kajiura) but instead gains in perfection and sound quality. There have been two OST albums released in 2004:
Also, two singles have been released in the same year, each containing the OP or the ED and one insert song, respectively, as well as karaoke versions of both. The insert song I'm here, albeit frequently played in the anime, is only available on the ED single.
Opening and ending
Both the opening and the ending song were composed by Kajiura Yuki and performed by FictionJunction YUUKA. The OP is entitled Hitomi no Kakera (Jap. 瞳の欠片 "Fragments of a Gaze/Pupil") and its lyrics contain multiple allusions to the series' plot. The ED is called inside your heart (lyrics).
Yanmaani
The word yanmaani (Jap. ヤンマーニ), which is frequently repeated in the song insert nowhere (lyrics) that usually plays when Madlax is fighting, does not exist in any of the known languages but is arguably the most famous expression in the Kajiuran language. However, as it is usually story element coincidence with Madlax making use of her extraordinary combat abilities, many fans jokingly considered it a magic chant that grants her supernatural abilities as commonly seen in magical girl sub-genre.
Trivia
- The Four Great Ancient Civilizations (Babylon, Egypt, China, and India) mentioned in the series is a real theory developed by Chinese historians.
- A pair of red shoes that Vanessa gives as a present to Margaret is virtually identical to the one worn by Yuumura Kirika in Noir. In episode 25, Madlax is also seen wearing such pair.
- Laetitia was a minor Roman goddess of gaiety and happiness.
- The Darwin operating system seen on several occasions in the series actually exists.
- The tune that Margaret was humming to herself in episode 24 is actually the opening theme of the series, Hitomi no Kakera.
- Several famous sceneries of Hong Kong appear throughout the story.
