Madlax: Vol.5 - Convergence (UK)

Introduction

To paraphrase my favourite mercenary in a rubber monster suit, "I love it when a show comes together!" Madlax has spent three volumes introducing characters, setting the scene, dropping little hints and clues to the mystery, in effect taking the whole 1000 piece puzzle and upending it over the proverbial living room rug. Then in volume 4, the pieces began to come together, eliciting the sort of excited sounds you get at a fireworks display when a particularly colourful rocket takes your breath away. And as the picture continues to form, whole new aspects to the mystery become apparent, raising more questions, and promising even more spectacular revelations ahead. I have been looking forward to volume 5 to a greater degree than your average anime volume would warrant.

Coming from Bee Train, the creators of Noir, Madlax has quite a pedigree. Madlax is an assassin, efficient and deadly who receives her assignments from the mysterious SSS, and winds up weaving a tapestry of death in the world's deadliest warzones. Margaret Burton is an orphaned aristocrat who attends a private school in an idyllic part of Europe. There couldn't be two more unalike people, but Margaret has a mysterious past, and is haunted by horrific visions, and for some strange reason, she has a connection to a killer she doesn't even know.

In the previous volume, Carrossea Doon had to re-evaluate his priorities when he finally met the owner of the 'Secondari' text, Margaret Burton. Seeing the text awakened buried memories for him, raising questions about his own past and identity. These are questions that Madlax is asking about herself, and when a software trap from Enfant sends her into a trance state, she sets forth on the path of self-discovery. It's a path that takes her towards a fateful meeting with the mysterious figure behind the war in Gazth-Sonika, Friday Monday.

The next four episodes of Madlax are presented on Volume 5 - Convergence from ADV.



17. Reunion
From elegant businesswoman to fighting for her life, Vanessa has to come to terms with a completely different way of life if she is to stay on the run with Madlax. The forces pitted against them become more and more determined when it is leaked that they are responsible for a high level assassination. Seeing the news report in Nafrece, Margaret decides to head to Gazth-Sonika to rescue her friend, and meet the enigmatic Madlax. She and Elenore may not get past the airport check in, without the aid of an interested third party. Madlax realises that their current dire straits are down to Friday Monday's search for the Secondari, and the page of Elies text that serves as her totem is a clue to the truth. Making their escape, Limelda Jorg confronts Vanessa and Madlax, but the truth may be a more deadly weapon to wield in their defence.

18. Duo
Everything that Limelda held dear, the past that drove her fervently through the war, has been revealed to be a lie, and she is now looking for retribution. Vanessa realises that if she is to survive, she'll have to learn to defend herself, and asks Madlax for shooting lessons. Madlax on the other hand realises that if she is to survive, she'll need information, and the hardened killer ventures into a library for knowledge about the Secondari. There's someone there waiting for her, someone who is uncertain of who Madlax truly is. Meanwhile, Margaret and Elenore search the streets for any sign of their friend.

19. Holy
With the reunion, the pieces begin to fall into place. The war, their lost memories, all of it is tied into the book that Margaret carries, the Secondari. There is one person who can read the Elies script, and Madlax makes up her mind to return to Lady Quanzitta's village. She isn't expecting Margaret to insist on joining her in heading into the warzone. And with Margaret, will be the redoubtable Elenore as well as Vanessa. But the Secondari alone is insufficient. The key to the past requires the Thirstari held by Quanzitta, and the Firstari held by Friday Monday. Carrossea Doon is making plans to remedy that though.

20. Wish
The three books together are the key to the door that unlocks Madlax and Margaret's past. But the last time that key was used, it plunged Gazth-Sonika into twelve years of civil war. Quanzitta offers Madlax the truth, but is it what she has been seeking? Then Carrossea arrives with the Firstari, and the time comes to open the door to the 'other' world, and for Margaret to uncover the truth. But with typical timing, Limelda turns up nursing a grudge and bearing a good deal of firepower.

Picture

The 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer is excellent. It's clear and sharp, and the distinctive look of the anime comes across well. Other than the smallest of NTSC-PAL telltales, it's free of any artefacts or visible compression signs. The animation itself is of high quality, fluid and energetic, with pleasant world and character designs. It has a subdued, slightly pastel look to it that suits the more serious tone of the story, but it doesn't venture so close to utter severity that the occasional comic moments don't look out of place.

Sound

You get a choice of DD 5.1 English and DD 2.0 Japanese, along with translated subtitles or signs. The stereo does a fair job in creating a pleasant aural experience, with the action and the music represented effectively. The 5.1 is the track of choice if you want the extra oomph that goes with it, but it does mean putting up with the dub. I sampled it, and nothing I heard offended my sensibilities too strongly. If English is your language of choice, you probably won't have anything to complain about.

I remember complaining about Yuki Kajiura's 'samey' music when I reviewed the first volume. Now I can't get the theme tune out of my head. It's less that I've acquired the taste, than the taste has acquired me.

Extras

This volume's sleeve notes feature interviews with Ai Uchikawa (Elenore Baker), Aya Hisakawa (Limelda Jorg), and Tomoko Kaneda (Laetitia).

The disc gets the usual animated menus and jacket picture common to anime releases, while on the disc you will find the clean credits, Japanese Promo spots, a 2½-minute Design Sketch slideshow, and a preview for volume 6.

Trailers on the disc are for Yugo The Negotiator, Area 88, Samurai Gun, Gilgamesh and Peacemaker.

The Conversation with SSS featurette is back. It's 11 minutes of banal so-called humour that I take pains to avoid. Think Scott Mills' phone pranks on Radio One and you're there, only these are scripted on both sides, as the English voice actors goof off re-dubbing some of the show's scenes for laughs.

This volume sees some extra goodies with the "nowhere" music video, accompanied with the karaoke version if your lungs feel up to it. And there is also a Limelda Jorg Video Clip, which offers 2 minutes of character highlights set to music.

Conclusion

Ditto, ditto, a whole page full of ditto.

If you've been following Madlax with me, you'll know that I've been gradually growing to appreciate this fine action-intrigue show for the depth of its story and the effortless way it has drawn me into its characters. The thing is that with just a few episodes left to go, and revelations coming thick and fast, going into any more detail than the episode summaries up above would mean spoiling it for the uninitiated. Which all leaves me at something of a loose end for something to say in this bit, other than volume 5 is of similar quality and even more rewarding in terms of narrative than volume 4.

It was fun following Vanessa's arc in these episodes, as the truth of her situation finally dawns on her. It's more than just some faceless bit of espionage and a puzzle to be solved, lives are on the line, her life included, and she has to take the responsibility for them. It's a point in the story where she truly begins empathising with Madlax, and whereas before she related to the innocence and naiveté of the assassin, now she understands both sides of her character. There is a similar moment of epiphany for Limelda Jorg, the Gazth-Sonika sniper who has been hunting Madlax. She learns of the truth of the war, the way that she has been manipulated, and rather than handle it, she snaps. But the way her breakdown unfolds, and how she reacts is understandable. Most importantly of all, and surprisingly late into the run of episodes, Margaret and Madlax finally do meet, and contrary to my personal expectations, it doesn't mean the end of the universe as we know it. The story takes a new direction as the meaning of the three books is unveiled, and there is also a chilling revelation or two about the relationship between Margaret and Madlax, if it can be taken at face value.



That's the thing about Madlax; it's a complex and intricate story, where each development can have more than one interpretation. The layered narrative gives value to the story, and ensures that the discs will be watched more than once to get all the nuances. On top of all that, there is another showdown between Limelda and Madlax to savour. With only six more episodes to go, the ending will have to be something special indeed to cap off this stellar series.