Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto: Natsu no Sora Episode 3 – Sora

Entries for this series are generally late due to the fact that I try to finish up the translation script before I write the blog entry. Last week took some time due to some issues, but we hope to release it faster this time for your viewing pleasure. As usual, come visit our IRC channel to visit us, chat or lurk for more fun. We love company.

Magic can be seen as a mysterious force or something that can be a party trick. However, in the world of Mahou Tsukai, magic is a powerful tool that can facilitate and improve the life of many people through its extensive and flexible use. However, magic is limited despite its powers. It cannot break the rules of nature. It cannot bring a dead person back to life. It cannot create feelings that are not there. It cannot manipulate the dimension of time.

Do you want to return back to a time of happiness?

Episode summary

Sora dozed off while emailing Michiru. Gouta woke up early to go for a surf, as Sayori questioned why he was acting on his own during his apprenticeship. Hara defused the situation by telling Sayori he is hungry. During breakfast, Gouta talked about his water surfing experience, saying that he managed to do two barrels with the huge waves. Sora followed Hara to his office, as he hands her her first job of her apprenticeship. It is with Motohashi-san, and the task was already carried out by many magic users of this district: opening a safe.

Hara tried to dissuade Sora from taking this task by explaining that he has the decision to allow or disprove her job, but Sora says that she would do it. We also realized that Gouta did not know that he had magic in his bloodline until recently. That explains why he does not know how to use magic at all. Back at school, Hiyori complained that she was reprimanded for talking to her friend late through the night, as she was too nervous about her magic job today.

Kuroda stated that it is useless to be so nervous over the job, and it will be fine as long as they follow their job seriously. Asagi, as usual, tries to find fault with his high level of confidence. When Sora is going to discuss details about her client, Kawada enters and warns everyone that divulging any private details about your client is frowned upon.

As the class started, Kawada told all the students who have used magic publicly before this apprenticeship to raise their hands. She called out Sora, asking her about the magic she used to stop the lorry. Kawada explained that before the age of sixteen, the use of magic will not be under the jurisdiction of the Bureau and is not an offense. However, it will be an offense if they use any magic from this point on.

During rest, Hiyori was concerned over Gouta, as he was struggling with magic. Kuroda praised Hiyori for her observance. Gouta was spending his whole time reading a book on the fundamentals of magic, and asked Morishita for advice. School ended, and Sora goes to Motohashi’s house. She was surprised how big it was for just two people. Formalities resumed, as Motohashi brought Sora to her job. She questioned why Motohashi had to lock the safe, when she had no key. Motohashi simply told her to carry out her work.

After opening the lock, Sora took a book out of the house. Hara told her that personal problems of the client was not her problem. Sora questioned Motohashi, saying that she could never return back to the past, and the man in the photo album would never return. Sora told her not to seal herself into her own world. Eventually, we realized that the man was her husband and they traveled often, but she felt extremely lonely after he died.

They conversed about England and Motohashi’s daughter (who was married to a local in England). Sora said that she did not understand why her mother always rejected the invitation of her neighbor for dinner. Motohashi tells her that it is usually more lonely to be alone in a place that she does not know, and company just makes her more lonely. So, it is better to be alone from the start. Sora started to cry, and said that it was depressing. Gouta, on the other hand, was getting annoyed at his slow progress. He wanted to give up, but Sayori asked him whether he was going to follow his father’s footsteps. Sora, after leaving the mansion, apologized for her rash actions.

Thoughts

Now, this is an episode that is way better than the foundation episodes of 1 and 2. I really like the thing about stopping in time simply because there is no reason to move on from a past of happiness. In a way, it is portrayed very realistically. When your husband/wife disappears from the world, it always feels that something is missing that cannot be filled. No matter whether you have children or friends, a husband/wife is a mate for life that is sealed by the rites of marriage.

I used to joke with my girlfriend that if we are ever to get married, I wish to die first so that I will not need to suffer the pain of feeling alone. She, of course, said that she will want to die first before any of her loved ones. Despite the jokes, no one in the world wishes to see anyone they love die before them. It seems to be easy for outsiders to tell people who are grieving to forget about them. However, with the good intentions, is that action driving a knife into an open wound rather than healing the wound?

It is obviously easy to say that it is a form of escapism and there is a clear apparent answer: leave that sadness. However, it is always hard to move on, because happiness has escaped from you. That is why I think Motohashi said such depressing things and act the way she did. I am not saying that it is the “right” thing to do, but I think it really takes a special person to get someone out of the darkness and gloom. Sora fits that criteria and hits the spot at the right time.

Gouta’s situation about accepting destiny is a painful thing too. For many people in this Mahou Tsukai world, they consider having magic to have pride. According to the hints that we have, it turns out that Gouta’s father is probably a magician that gave up halfway in his apprenticeship. I wondered why his father gave up, but it is probably the burden and hate that his father felt over this destiny.

When destiny forces itself onto you, it is hard to swallow it down. Gouta lived a life not knowing that he has magic running through its veins. Now, because of this curse, he is now asked to learn magic and it makes it seem that magic is the only path that he can follow now. If it is me, I probably will have tons of resentment in my heart. Why am I the only person that only knows about this now? Why do I have to deal with these magic users who are so happy over their magic? Why am I in a place where I should not belong? Am I truly a magic user? These are questions that I probably ask myself.

How about you? Will you question fate? Will you allow yourself to be sealed in a place where time stops because there seems to be nothing to look forward to?