The Night is Darkest just before the Daybreak

In The Dark Knight (and one of it's trailers) Harvey Dent says "The Night is Darkest just before the Dawn".  This is apparently an expression that already existed though in this Millennial Bat-Nerd's mind it will always feel like a reference to that film.  It's an expression I've used when explaining why I enjoy so much fiction that can get pretty dark and bleak even though I'm ultimately an optimist who prefers happy hopeful endings.  Including in a blog post that I flat out named that in the latter part of 2016.

It happens to fit my theology, since I believe the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, The Sun(Shamash/Helios) of Righteousness of Malachi 4:2, happened at Sunrise on the day of the week we happen to have named after the Sun. And in light of some of my recent rethinking of the Biblical Calendar possibly also the Sunrise of the morning after the Spring Equinox, when the days start being longer then the nights.  Luke 1:78-79 uses Sunrise terminology in Zacharias' Prophecy.

And that of course includes my controversial defense of the Darker takes on the Magical Girl Warrior sub-genre of Manga/Anime (where I often see the main protagonists as Christ-like).  Which is why I was positively giddy to see the line used in the Canadian Dub of the last episode of the first season Futari Wa Pretty Cure.  And today I'm intrigued to find a pretty good Dark Magical Girl show that is seemingly referencing this idea in it's title.

Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou is the name of a 13 episode Summer 2013 Anime who's official English Title on Crunchyroll and VRV is Day Break Illusion, but MyAnimeList lists the alternative English title "The Sun Penetrates the Illusions".  Google Translate actually favors the official title, however much you think it's trustworthy.  It's apparently also known in some language(s) under the title Il Sole penetra le illusioni.

Digibro once on a chart implied this was THE darkest Magical Girl show, but that was made before stuff like Raising Project, Site and the possibly upcoming Apocalypse were a thing.

Taiyou is a Japanese word for the Sun, it's not the only one, but from what I've read is the one that would be used when referring to the Sunrise or Sunset.  In addition to being in the title of this show it's also the family name of the main protagonist.  Her given name is Akari which is a word for Light, making her full name "Sun Light", The Fourth Gospel talked a lot about The Light.

This show actually works better as a darker take on the usual Magical Girl formula then either Madoka or Yuki Yuna in that it partly follows the victim of the week format.  It shows how terrifying the idea of a demonic force turning a normal person into a horrible monster over some small emotional insecurity would be.  However it explores that darkness while remaining firmly optimistic thanks to it's protagonist.  And it subverted my expectations in ways that actually worked, unlike a certain 2017 film.

On a broader nerdy note, I found myself comparing the Leguzario who run Sefiro Fiore to The Watcher's Council from Buffy.

Peter Hiett once said to watch all the Harry Potter movies looking for Jesus.  This show can also qualify as a Magic School Anime, and I already justified how the MC's name fits.

I notice how Seria Hoshikawa is kind of like the Older Brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Luna Tsukuyomi's name fits with how most commentators seem to think the Moon is Rachel in Genesis 37 and Revelation 12, making Seria Leah.  But I've argued the Moon represents Leah in those passages which makes this not fit as well.  The text of Genesis gives us no indication Leah was ever jealous of Rachel, it was Rachel who was jealous and I see that as typologically relevant to Romans 9-11.

At any rate it's a good show and I'm annoyed Aniplex hasn't made a Dub for it yet.