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「もう何も恐くない」 (Mou Nanimo Kowakunai)
“I’m Not Afraid Anymore”
What started out as a seemingly quiet and peaceful episode, quickly turned into something dark and gritty. Besides making me think that Kyubei might actually be some kind of evil monster in disguise, amongst all the character development I was caught off guard with a pretty big plot twist.
I don’t know about you guys, but something came off as terribly evil this episode — and I’m not talking about the trippy battle scenes. That quick scene where a young Mami is lying in the wreckage of a serious car accident still shocks me. Thinking about how Kyubei was conveniently at the site of the accident made me question just how trustworthy the little fur ball is. It didn’t help that he started commenting on how much potential Madoka had to become the strongest Mahou Shoujo. It also REALLY didn’t help after Homura confronted Mami over why Kyubei was pushing to have Madoka become one so bad. As I watched the rest of the episode, all these different things kept making me question what hidden intentions Kyubei might have. It may have just been me, but every time Kyubei asked Sayaka or Madoka to become a Mahou Shoujo, it almost feels like he is just trying to force the situation — trying to make them become Mahou Shoujo just for the sake of getting them under a contract.
I also felt that Mami might be just like Kyubei, up until her heartfelt conversation with Madoka. As I started thinking about her entire situation (and looking at the episode title) I couldn’t help but feel sad over how Mami must have felt inside. After being able to dodge death and get a new lease at life by becoming a Mahou Shoujo, she continued living only to have all of her freedoms stolen from her. Combined with my newfound realization that she has probably been alone for most of her life and the fact that Mahou Shoujos are always competing while hunting (the stronger one gets to recharge their magic) — I can see why she would be so enthusiastic after finally finding someone to become her partner.
After I watched Mami get her head ripped off, I was shocked more than anything. Especially after finally understanding a little more of her character, I can’t believe that she’d be done in so easily. It didn’t help that Homura managed to just jump in and finish off the boss without breaking a sweat. With Mami’s body missing after the barrier disappears and both Madoka and Sayaka in tears, not only did Homura NOT fix her position with Madoka and Sayaka but I think her rude comment didn’t even come remotely close to preventing them from becoming a Mahou Shoujo. If anything it probably just helped in pushing them over the edge.
* I thought that the boss this week looked pretty cute. I definitely prefer this new design over the previous ones ._.
ED Sequence
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ED: 「Magia」 by Kalafina
Watch the ED!: Download, Streaming ▼
Preview
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Show Spoiler ▼
Talk about mindscrew. Both this ep and the ED were really dark and it makes a different take on the Mahou Shoujo series. I agree with you Takaii about the Furball because why was it there and was the car accident the result of a witch or something more?
yeah, the ED was really giving me this weird feeling. it’s quite foreshadowing something horrible actually. it creeps me out. DX but i’m excited how this mere magical girls story isn’t really what it seems to be. mah, i think it’s creepier than deathnote.
Yeah I agree with you that it seems more darker than death note. I think it also has to do with how use we are to the mahou shoujo genre and this is like the reality spin of things where you cant make everything right with magic
that gunner mahou-shoujo was epic…
I bet if you watched this show on acid, your head would just explode.
I don’t doubt it. Talk about Alice in Horrorland.
I also think something is off about Kyubey. Something in this anime screams there’s more to it than it seems. Oh man, if that thing is really evil, GET THAT THING OFF YOUR SHOULDER MADOKA!!
I miss Mami greatly already. I want to know more about her and she’s gone just like that!? … ;_; r.i.p (hopefully for now and that you’ll show up in future episodes. if not, then for something like a kamina segment) mami, your tea sets and rifles were epic and will go down in history.
Poor Mami, she went the way of Kamina, almost too awesome to live, and a shame. just as she found happiness in her life. Good Night Sweet Princess. You and your Unlimited Musket Works will be missed.
Wow. I had the same thoughts about Kyubei. That stone cold unchanging cute face of his. What are his true intentions? Hard to say seeing that his face NEVER changes.
How Mami became a mahou shoujo was pretty messed.
Now despite everything I said, I can’t wait for the next episode. I predict that Madoka’s wish will be to bring Mami back to the world of the living.
Mami is the heart and soul of this show… well to me. But while I would love for someone to wish her back… The entire time during the ED I was just wondering “is it really alright for Madoka to use her wish to bring Mami back?” It’s possible Madoka won’t wish for her return and that saddens me. I actually felt something knowing that she actually died at the end.
I love this show.
Just to let you know, in the ED sequence, the ending scene is similar of the film Mephisto’s movie poster.
Food for thought.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mephisto_(1981_film)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mephisto_DVD.jpg
Oh god, don’t tell me that Kyubei is the Mephisto in this show? Well, Mephisto did grant Faust’s wish of knowing everything at the cost of his soul, so…
I do agree with the folks here stating that Kyubei may have another side to him. The way he was asking Sayaka and Madoka to make a contract with him when Mami got bitten was awkward. Either he thought it was the best course of action at that time or it was a premeditate scenario he devised. Mami’s demised would surely catapult the two to take his offer.
Not all magic girls have a happy ending
I almost gave you a 5 stars. Unfortunately, you didn’t include the scene where Mami’s body got munched to pieces.
*a 5 star rating.
Takaii, the beginning of your forth paragraph and one of the screencaps completely reveals the massive plot twist 🙁 At least put a spoiler warning somewhere, if I hadn’t watched already I’d be unhappy. With respect IMHO you should just edit them out.
The plot twist was WTF awesome, wasn’t expecting that so soon in the anime. I’m also very happy that the battle was much MUCH better than the battle in ep2. The enemy witch actually fitted into the battle scene unlike that…thing in episode 2 which looked largely like an ill-fitting and disjointed afterthought.
Forgot to say I hope they DON’T bring her back with the wish plot device. Otherwise the scene will be ruined – much like Mwu la Flaga’s heroic death was ruined by Gundam Seed Destiny.
The thing is, we don’t know if she’s dead or not. All that’s for sure (at the moment) is her body isn’t there.
There’s a lesson to be learned from her death. Bringing her back will just make the story…meh. It’s not always the best idea to bring back a dead person, despite how popular the character might be.
@Takaii; Although this is still up in there air, there’s speculation that the slab of “stuff” that fell on the table next to Homura might be Mami’s chewed up corpse. But, like I said, it’s still speculation.
Personally speaking, I am not as concerned over whether they bring Mami back or not, but rather how well they handle it. It would be just as annoying to see Madoka and Sayaka completely ignoring the option as it would be to see Mami resurrected the next episode without anything to justify the need for her death this episode.
I would believe Kyubei planned Mami’s death so that this would push Madoka and Sayaka into becoming Mahou Shoujo. Madoka would used her wish to revive Mami. Who knows what will happen from here on out.
I got to admit, there is something really odd with Kyubei. One thing you know, he was hustling Madoka and Sayaka to make a wish. This was shown many times in episode 03. Heck, he didn’t even show any emotion(well, in his defense, he never change his face expression even when Homerun tried to kill him) after Mami was devour. The first thing that came to mind was to make the girls into Mahou Shoujo.
What about the encounter of Mami and Kyubei during Mami’s car accident? Kyubei showing up to Mami does not look like a coincidence. My prediction is that little critter have something to do with Mami’s “car accident”.
I agree with gummy i think Kyubei is a messed up creature that is the cause of all evil that happens to the girls. I even think that the little thing is summoning the witches at convinient places so that the girls would get into more trouble so he can make them magical girls but when they are magical the Kyubei sucks their life force out or something like that.
srsly though, i liked it that la flaga didn’t die since i once shipped him with murrue. and i was just thankful he survived at destiny.XD
Except that Mami’s death isn’t heroic. It’s meaningless and tragic, designed to drive home something missing from most magical girl anime, which is the mortal danger the heroes have to place themselves in.
I’d worry that if Mami doesn’t get wished back, she’ll become just another memory to drive Madoka forward, like happens with so many permadeaths.
I don’t think Sayaka visiting Kamijou in the hospital and Madoka’s mother drinking herself to death are coincidence. The girls get one wish each, and have so many things to use them on. Mami telling Madoka to think of a wish before the battle was over and then dying horribly is a huge flag, too. What I’m predicting is that either Madoka or Sayaka will wish Mami back to life, but–following the themes already established in the show–they’ll eventually come to question whether saving the life of even a single, lonely girl is worth their own suffering.
I don’t think Kyubey is evil, just opportunistic. He has to be, the rules (who sets those, anyway?) don’t let him use persuasion. I don’t think he planned any of this, either, since there are surely better ways to do it than endangering all of their lives.
Why would you even be here, a blog about the most recent anime eps, if you didn’t want it to be spoiled? Sorry, but you just aren’t making any sense.
when you come to a site that posts summaries/impressions of an episode… looking at the caps alone will spoil you…
atleast watch the episode before you read these if you don’t want to be spoiled
Agree with DMZ. This post has screencaps and is obviously about the episode. To click into this post and THEN say you weren’t ready to see what the episode was about is stupid.
If you do not want to be spoiled, DON’T SEE THE POST. Else next time someone will complain why there are so many screencaps that are going to spoil the episode *facepalm*
About Mami telling Madoka to wish for something — I could only think of “What a waste if her wish ended up going toward the most magnificent cake in the world”
lol.
I didn’t know people came to this blog to be spoiled before watching the episode. Hell, one look at the screencaps and you get an idea of the big events in all the series on here. You don’t need to go out of your way to read the summary to be spoiled.
Aside from the obligated “Holy shit did Mami really just die？！”, I feel the need to also comment on the spectacular visuals in this episode, the witch and her realm were especially gorgeous.
I couldn’t believe Mami is gone already. 🙁
But on a positive note, this episode makes me want to watch the next episode!
This settles that this show isn’t for little girls to watch. AT ALL. For such a premise this really is dark and I’m still shocked. It also looks like Kyubey is evil.
As long as Madoka Magica stays consistent, Madoka might have a shot of being the best anime this winter season.
causality so early? that is a cruel world… though if the ending is any indicator, Mami with the unlimited guns work might come back…
maybe it is just me, but I feel so much YURI potential in the so-called “heartfelt” conversation…
plot twist for the win!
Wow Madoka just shot up to the top of my list this season…not to mention every other show exceeding my expectations.
And is it just me or did the OP change a little?
Well, well. Now, let’s see if the OP was intentionally misleading or the rather dull option happens.
Wow, I am amazed at the depth Shaft/Shinbo has brought to this series. I was not expecting this level of complexity for the characters. And all under the shroud of a magical girl anime, huh.
this proved what I said earlier that mami is not what people have thought she was, though she might be revived later and show that she lied, I doubt it. I was expecting sayaka would be the first casualty to push madoka’s sanity to the limit and I expected it to be much later.
kyubei has definitely gotten more suspicious than before, I agree that it seems he’s trying to push them to become mahou shoujo’s, plus mami’s death didnt seem to affect him so much.
Shit just got real.
I hope the song they played when Mami transformed and kicked ass will be on some sort of soundtrack. I really liked it
or it might be part of a big plan….kyubei and mami planned her death just to make madoka and sayaka become mahou shoujo :3.
With Mami’s death Madoka now has a wish to exchange for becoming a Mahou Shoujo, I won’t be surprised at all that Mami comes back to life via Madoka’s wish. Further more this would either be pushed by Sayaka’s wish or be what pushes Sayaka to make her wish. I say this since this is supposed to be a series about a pure hearted girl becoming a Mahou Shoujo, Kyubei is supposedly capable of granting any wish, and Madooka does not have anything else that would hold any other substantial reason to become a Mahou Shoujo.
What ever the case we’ll find out if and when Mami is switched out of the OP with Homura.
Eh…Ah…Uh… Wow. That was shocking, to say the least. I have a feeling that Madoka’s wish might involve bringing Mami back now, but I’m not sure if that (potentially) evil Kyubei will be able to do it. I have to agree that he is definitely being way too pushy, and Mami’s time of contract was way too suspicious.
Director of Nanoha, artist of Hidamari Sketch, writer of Saya no Uta…
I freakin’ love this series. And at long last, a proper ED! I can finally hear the best song ever without interruption.
Ho are you serious? I didn’t even realize, even more reason to watch. I was doubtful last week but after this episode I’m finally excited to see what will happen next.
I love both the opening and ending, such different atmospheres though.
A lot of people have suspected that Kyubei was evil since episode 1. The Faust references in the anime itself effectively compare him to the devil. Mami’s cool facade finally cracked and her final lesson was showing exactly how horrible of a deal this entire situations is.
I expect Homura was “forced” into a contract as well, thus her overall bitterness and hatred for Kyubei.
I expect Madoka to wish Mami back to life, but she then becomes a Magical girl forced to fight horrible monsters, and Mami will likely be forced to fight again as well. No one wins but Kyubei, who gets Madoka to “waste” her wish, and Kyubei still has 2 Mahou Shoujo’s under his (demonic) wing.
The cake is a lie! yeah, Kyubei, I am looking at you! Leaving that suspicious cute furball aside, the drama in this episode definitely separates this show from the rest of the typical magical girl (I have not watch nanoha series yet). I dont know if it just me being a heartless bastard, but the scene, where they ask Homura to give back the black thingy which assumes to be Mami’s remain body, did not move me at all, except annoyed. I mean in the second episode, Mami defeated a witch and got the same stuff. yet, they saw it like normal business. I know Mami is someone closed to them, but Homura needs to recharge her energy also. Beside, Mami already is dead, what the point of getting the black thingy back. I understand that they are all still children with fragile emotions and all that, but I just couldnt help it…
This shit just got real.
MAMIIIIIIII NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
The little pink dude had 120% stats… she should have known better! Everyone knows when a boss has 120% stats something is up =p (19m 21sec in, right before pic 30)
…moving along…
She shoots up all the small things, mostly likely wasting her guns, talks trash to the main bad guy…smiles @ the girls… pulls out her final move…shoots it… the creature “explodes” into his “gotcha” 2nd form… she smirks to herself and then goes right into shocked “oh no” look for the camera and girls… =) she’s clearly the bad guy…girl… or just another count Dooku seconds before he realized he’d been used and sacrificed for the newer model.
good bye mami-san, we will never forget you till episode 3 only!!!!
I’m kinda thinking that Kyubei isn’t evil–he’s amoral. He doesn’t look at things as good or evil, merely whether he can recruit another Mahou Shoujo. I liken him to Bob from the Dresden Files novels.
Anyone else think that the jewel that the magic girls use and the one that they get for defeating witches look way to similar? wouldn’t put it past this series, mabey the magic girls simply fight until they lose all their magic or die and turn into the new witches to be destroyed by the next generation of magic girls. it would certainly make sense then when mami’s body disappears. As well, Homura seems like quite the disillusioned little magic girl it could be why she is the only one who understands the system and why she is the only magic girl fighting the darkness in Madoka’s dream.
* I thought that the boss this week looked pretty cute. I definitely prefer this new design over the previous ones ._.
I thought so too, Charlotte was cute until she chomped off the head of a certain someone
This was an amazing, shocking, and disturbing episode all at once. Having suspected, like everyone else, that Mami was in cahoots with Kyubei, I never foresaw her death here. And what a gruesome death it was. Truly disturbing. Mami’s battle scene was incredible though and I can say that she is the coolest and most stylish Mahou Shoujo I have ever seen. I kept watching her twirling shooting style over and over. She will be missed.
In the wake of these events and the Faustian undertones, I can no longer view the opening innocently anymore. All I see is a naive young girl on the precipice of unwittingly making the worst decision of her life at the hands of a most clever (and poker-faced) deceiver (I became suspicious in episode one when I saw how the opening begins with Madoka crying in her Mahou Shoujo costume). There are far too many coincidences in this show for Kyubei to not be the puppet-master here.
Hats off to Shaft and Shinbou for creating a spectacular show that defies convention and takes bold new steps.
You articulated the exact feelings I had after watching this episode!
I had to watch the “twirling shots” scene a few times, too.
THIS.
OH MY GOD!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
i feel a twisted plot bomb being planted in this episode in which it can make many possibility. yeah takaii, i also feel that the fur ball(might be a witch) also up to something. imagine that fur ball was still smiling(near the end) even though mami died.
well this is the first time i see mahou shoujo series that mahou shoujo dies. it was really shocking but somehow very new.
This episode tells me that “I am not afraid anymore” has more meaning to it. Might be that Homura already told mami something about Kyubey and that mami already make it seems that see that she already died.
Lol i wonder if the Kirino words(Meruru) like “she revives Aru-chan in B part. You can bring back anyone who dies that breaks in the magical field later”. wonder if it will happen here.
well thinking to much might destroy my expectations so guess i should stop here.
And here I thought Mami is overpowered, she was totally badass on the past episodes. Still Im not quite convinced here, Akemi just beat the crap out of that witch without even touching it meh. They should totally remove her in the OP, I have a feeling she’ll show up again right after madoka and sayaka got turned into mahou shoujo and say “Just as Plannned” lol silly me.
Homerun-chan dropped a bomb on the witch’s tongue in case you didn’t notice it.
nothing to worry
MC will bring her back to life [spoiler];_;[/spoiler]
WTF??!! M-MAMI?? NO!!! T___T that was so faqing unexpected!!! why must she..T__T
btw, i got this feeling that it’s all just a conspiracy. kyubey kept pushing the two to make a wish, but too bad for him, they hadn’t…yet. XDD maybe that mascot was expecting that they would if something so horrible happens just like in this episode. but really, i hope mami’s not really evil. LOL. and yey to akemi!!! i want more scenes with her!! XDDD
now, since i’m loving the creepiness of this show, I CAN’T WAIT FOR THE NEXT EP!!
mami….T__T
Well Madoka probably has a wish she wants granted now.
OMG WTF!!! I already knew about mami(my own fault actually) before watching but still this episode just… my mind = BLOWN! This is supposed to be a magical girl show? This is definitely NOT for children. It would give them nightmares. I guess i really wasn’t expecting that to happen in a magical girl show and its probably why so many people were mind-f***ed by it. The only reason I picked this show up(1st magical girl show 4 me) was because of the animation(amazing) but now I realize that it’s way more than just that. I’ll absolutely keep watching!
Oh and I thought Kyubei had said earlier that he couldn’t bring people back from tha dead? Also, why did she freeze up all of a sudden? She couldn’t have been surprised to the point of complete paralysis and she has Unlimited Rifle Works so what happened? I get tha feeling that Kyubei did something… EVIL!
Oh, and my money is on Homura wishing for Madoka to forget her because of some event of the past.
i never trust that fur ball and mami in the slightest however mami die in front of them come as a shock, it happen so sudden and no foreshadow at all. make me think that one of the wish is probably revive mami. like dragon ball
Madoka is a desire to bring back Mami
..or perhaps kyubey is actually innocent. L0L. maybe..maybe that’s the twist. he seems to be a suspicious character but actually not. hmmm.. maybe madoka has a dual personality and planned all of these. XDD yeah,the above are just some of my bull..XD man, i can’t really wait for next ep. this and hourou musuko are already in my favourite anime list. XD
@.@ Mami! Just when her character was getting more interesting. I can’t believe she is gone now.
I do notice that Kyubey is always smiling with that cute face of his even if the situation was tragic and never changes? Isn’t that suspicious? We have to keep an eye on him more closely.
Yeah I agree ! I thought I saw him smiling when mami was dying o_O
extremely disturbing and suspicious !!
but he smiles all the time.XD in any case,that furball sure seems to be not trust-worthy at all. i bet whilst he’s being killed(if ever that happens w/c i highly doubt) he still would have that look plastered all over his already-annoying face. mah, imagine when he suddenly smirks like a real maniac. XD
I took a look at the episode again and I think that the “thing” that landed on the table after Homura killed the witch was Mami’s body(she did get chewed up after all). Take a look at her reaction right after it hits the table. I think she turned quickly and left because she saw it and knew what it was. I don’t remember seeing the other witch drop something like that last time.
*Homura’s reaction
it really doesn’t help that the furball was smiling while everyone was crying about mami’s death
quality drop in cap 3?
ALL I CAN SAY IS “WOW.”
NOOOOOOO… Mami was the greatest Mahou Shoujo… Freaking SHAFT.
But judging from the OP sequence’s ending, I feel like Mami will have to stick around a little bit longer to teach Sayaka and Madoka the “ropes,” so I think that Madoka’s wish will be to bring Mami back…
And if that’s not the case, I may just stop watching the show. I think my heart died as I saw Mami fall headless onto the floor…
I just noticed, it seems that every maze has a different art style.
Opening scene in episode 1: Black and white / Apocalyptic
1st witch: Dadaism
2nd witch: Mid 20th Century cartoon style
Interesting. I can’t wait to see what other art styles SHAFT will adopt. Maybe some pop art ala Warhol? Some Salvador Dali or Expressionism would fit SHAFT style.
This show is beginning to really remind me of an oldie: Utena. Cutesy and entirely misleading. Not for kids and definitely not what it looks like on the first viewing. Also loaded with symbolic imagery and references.
I find myself questioning the validity of the entire premise, in the sense of “how much of what we’ve been told has even the tiniest bit of truth to it?”
The way Madoka sees a shiny veneer while Mami and Homura reveal a deeper game, that is most likely just another layer of deception. Is the creature just manipulating all of the elements, good and bad for its own purposes? Is the whole deal nothing but a storybook set-up with very real hidden consequences?
It’s nice 🙂
from what i observe witch will eat witches. if kyubey wants madoka to be a mahou shoujo then i think kyubey might be a witch.
What a terrible ending to what I thought to be the coolest Mahou Shoujo to-date. It’s just so sudden,…when I thought that she has control of the situation…then it happen. I guess it should have been better if she listened to the warning of Homura earlier in the episode when Homura asked Mami that she will handle it because the new witch is far different from what she fought the last time. It’s a very sad episode 🙁
Two Things that wasn’t right this episode:
1. Why wasn’t wasn’t mami’s final move as explosive as the first one? (It was just a simple ribbon almost as if she knew what would happen next….)
2. Why was the first thing Kyubei said was to make a damn contract? Didn’t one of its previous contractors just die?
I personally think kyubei staged this just to have Madoka become a magical girl….. pretty scary if you think about it…..
I wonder what Kyubey gets out of the girls being Mahou Shojo since he’s so desperate for them … the whole ‘witch/magical girl’ premise seems so convienient, I can’t help but think that the Witches may be Mahou Shojos who either 1. no longer have power 2. been corrupted by Kyubey. After all, killing a witch gives maho shojos her power.
Also, the ending sequence: ‘harnessing the power to obliviate God, only my heart as support?’ Foreshadowing you think? Kyubey is certainly the cutest Face of Evil I’ve seen in a while D:
did anyone else get Evangelion Terminal Dogma vibes when Mami died? The whole hanging off bit reminded me when Shinji killed Kaworu.
i dont know if only i mentioned it but mami is sitting directly to madoka and her friend in the end of the opening .. so it’s really contradictory that mami died when shes sitting next to both magical girls in the opening.. cause they ain’t mages at the moment O.o
you know what i suspected from the begining that kyubei is evil. those creepy red eyes and that unchanging face and the fact that it grants wishes. When something says it’ll grant ur wishes in an exchange for something, you know to walk away from it.
….All I can say at this point is F*** you Urobouchi Gen.
But I’ll lay down my take on the series for now.
Notice how the Grief seeds look rather similar to the Soul Gems? I’m guessing that somehow, witches are fallen magical girls. Either they are dead magical girls or those who were corrupted. And going on further on that corruption theory, notice how in episode two, The grief seed was the one taking black ominous looking stuff FROM Mami’s soul gem. And while partially revealed, I’m not sure we were given the scope of Mami’s circumstances yet and even herself was rather reluctant to allow the other two girls to become Magical girls. And lastly, Mami WILL return. albeit knowing the Demented Genius that wrote this show, Her reappearance is gonna be far from lovely.
but damn…… that little scene was just too harsh even for me…
Also anyone notice how there were quite a bit of aesthetic changes to the opening? Starting from Madoka’s transformation scene…
yeah, i did notice it too. esp. w/ that sort of self-yuri (?) L0L. it got more details. XDD or was that actually akemi and not madoka’s older self.xD
In fairness to Kyubey, he might just have not wanted to die. 2 little girls and a cat would have been a nice dessert after the main course.
wow, was that the gooey remains of Mami beside Homura? wow..eew
https://randomc.net/image/Mahou%20Shoujo%20Madoka%20Magica/Mahou%20Shoujo%20Madoka%20Magica%20-%2003%20-%20Large%2037.jpg
HOLY SHI-! THAT IS!
*Me watching Mami kicking ass*
*Me: She’s such a badass*
*Mami dies*
*Me:NOOOO!!! MAMI!*
*Kyubey: Quick! Contract with me!*
*Me: WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!!! THE AWESOME CHARACTER LOST HER FREAKING HEAD!!!!*
The plot is still open enough for several possibilities
i) Kyubei is evil. Not much to say there. Mottive will have to be revealed later
ii) Kyubei is not evil but ruthless, setting up Mami to die after she castigates him on pressuring them and using the situation to force them into hasty contracts
iii) Kyubei is not evil and not ruthless. He is just acting as the situation dictates. Everything is a coincidence.
iv) Kyubei is good. He truly thinks Homura needs Madoka to succeed in fighting episode 1’s danger and is helping her regardless of Homura’s opposition.
Some rambling thoughts
Madoka is the strongest ever? The only thing she has more of the others is innocence. Perhaps the soul gem is the amount of innocence a mahou shoujo has?
Perhaps Kyubei set up the witch to attack Sayaka’s friend’s hospital. Forcing Sayaka to become a mahou shoujo would drag Madoka in as well. To get rid of Mami who opposes pressuring them, he gets her killed and them in a situation where one or the other or both would become mahou shoujo.
Mami knows Madoka would be strong, perhaps she hopes to get the gain while others (Madoka) gets the risks? Such thinking would not counter her desire for a companion as her inner thoughts suggest but act as part (10%, 50%, 90%?)of her motivation.
Mami losing her body = Witch return next time? Perhaps the despair and terror of facing death along with death itself would be what is needed to change a mahou shoujo into a witch. So if Madoka was then the strongest and killed to turn into a witch, she would be the strongest witch.
The competition suggests that there are fewer witches than Mahou Shoujo, perhaps Kyubei wants to have more witches? A witch Madoka could be responsible for killing many Mahou Shoujo creating more witches and allowing more mahou shoujo to be created. In Episode 1’s scene, perhaps Homura is fighting a witch Madoka?
The wish being used for another. It seems to be preparation for a reveal later on. Madoka wanting to be a mahou shoujo without a wish might mean she asks to keep it in reserve? If so, she might have used her wish for Homura before becoming a witch and the final fight is Mahou shoujo Madoka & Homura vs Witch Madoka.
Oh and Homura = cat transformed from the OP? Maybe that is why she is so terrible in persuading girls not to be mahou shoujo and only has the “frighten them off” tactic.
i like your last thought. it’s nice. XD i like to see madoka and homura fighting back to back against evil madoka.XDD mah, madoka is really getting me all excited.XD
Kyubei is sure evil imo, he save mami from death only for convenience and now he have madoka so he don’t care anymore about Mami. But not only this, with mami died now madoka is forced to become a magical girl to bring back her to life.
Kyubei plan is awesome and evil. 😀
Wow, is it me or has poster comments shot up exponentially compared to the previous 2 episodes upon Takaii’s mention of the two words “plot twist”? lol
This could become one of the most talked about anime plot twists for some time, pretty much up there with Ga-Rei Zero’s killing off of the entire (fake) cast in the first episode.
Did not bother with series beforehand, but now interest is piqued. I think I’ll wait and see how dark Shinbo decides to go for now before deciding if I really wanna follow such a gloomy story if it ends up that way.
My apologies, it’s not Shinbo I should be blaming for the dark direction of the story, but screenwriter Urobuchi Gen, who seems to have a track record for really dark scenarios.
I promise this is my last post after a while. Divine, seriously, please do consider an edit button for posts written less than 15 minutes.
To add, Urobuchi Gen (虚淵 玄) literally means “Deep and Hollow Abyss”. With such a pen-name, it’s not hard to guess what sort of stories he would come up with.
If the ending takes the same revision as Bokurano’s anime series, i’ll be happy enough. The original Bokurano was gloomy adn negative all the way while at least the director of the anime series gave the final character redemption even if he still dies.
IMO, a totally negative series is just as hard to digest (probably more so since its so depressing) as a totally positive series
Kyubeii = Wish Master. Look, they look the same.
http://i856.photobucket.com/albums/ab129/filmosophy/WISHMASTER210.jpg
OH GOD
Urobuchi Gen being behind this series should have alerted everyone that it wasn’t going to be a fluffy magical girl show. ;p It still blows me away that there are people who actually thought it was going to be some light-hearted romp ala Sailor Moon.
I loled really, really hard when he said in that recent interview how honored he was to be responsible for a touching, loving, story (this one). Haha. Good to know he has a sense of humor. What a troll. :p
This is looking to be a relatively good season in Anime for those of us who don’t enjoy school harems, between this, Fractal, Level E. Haven’t had a season this good in years. 🙂 Usually we’re lucky if we have one anime that isn’t a school harem. :p
Madoka = anime version of Goethe’s Faust. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faust
Somebody pointed out that killing witches might be the only way for mahou shojo to survive than maybe Homura has to die if Madoka becomes the ultimate witch killer. Could be a good reason for wanting her to stay out of contract with Kyubei. Also i have to wonder about the names of the witches….could they really be some sort of fallen shojo. The ending with the running girl seems to be madoka but then we see a girl with mami’s curls sitting down as she runs by, could they all be fallen shojo? I haven’t felt this uneasy while watching a show since Secret of Nimh when i was young. Good Job!
Let’s bet. Madoka’s wish will be to bring Mami back.
I would say no. It will either not be possible or she will not wish for such.
It’s fairly obvious that Madoka is going to think about bringing Mami back to life. That much is very clear. However, given how dark this series is, and how much foreshadowing there was about “being very specific about your wish if it’s for someone else,” I’m thinking that if Madoka wishes Mami back to life, the result will be the same as it usually is for anyone who messes with death: Mami will be nothing like she was before. She might come back as a headless, animated corpse, or maybe a total psycho who thirsts for revenge for being brought back to life.
In any case, if Madoka brings Mami back to life, I’m thinking it isn’t going to be a pretty sight.
i’m already imagining nasty versions of how THE RESURRECTED MAMI LOOKS LIKE. ugghh. mah,where’s my next episode? XDD
Glad I picked up this show. Thank you Takaii for blogging it
I find the gems the magical girls use suspicious. Rather than “recharge” like Mami said, the witch’s seed removes darkness from the gem. The gem loses a bit of shine each time the magical girl uses her power. But she would not get a seed each time. What if all this stacks up to the point that the gem no longer shines? Would it turn into a black seed and transform the girl into a witch?
Also on Mami’s resurrection. Maybe she will be resurrected still a magical girl, head and all. But she will still remember all the details of her death, and the resulting trauma makes her unable to fight. Without purpose and living all alone, and unnaturally returned to life, she might come to resent whoever wished her back to life.
I wonder why she is the only girl sitting down in the ending sequence.
Hmm…. anyone think that Mami is gonna be Madoka’s first real “boss” fight? I mean the next episode is titled “miracle and magic” but considering the dark atmosphere this series is already given off, Mami is def not gonna be the same if she is resurrected… (Maybe she’ll come to her senses once Madoka defeats her). Also did anyone who watched the ending of the ending carefully notice how the outline of that creepy shadow girl resembled the pink haired girl in the op? My real question is who is that girl????? Holy crap this is series truly is one of the more surprisingly good series….. I wonder what sort of “disturbing” scenes we will see next time.
Here’s my crazy random theory:
Remember how Homura says that it would be troublesome if there’s someone more powerful than her? Well maybe she’s from the future and she’s trying to prevent Madoka from becoming a witch?
if that’s actually true,why don’t she just tell madoka about it? or perhaps, there might be things that restrain her from simply telling it out. hmm…
Hmmm, that sounds possible. The prologue in the 1st episode shows Homura fighting against what appears to be a very powerful witch. It could be possible that the witch is the future Madoka gone awry and the fact that Kyubei stated that she(Madoka) has a chance of avoiding this kind of future and that she has shot of changing her destiny somehow supports it.
My guess on how Madoka would turn into a witch is from the word “Grief” in Grief Seed. By any chance that the other theories in this board about Mami getting resurrected as a witch and is thus fought and defeated by Madoka might come into play. Madoka might realize at some time during their battle that she is fighting or she fought Mami, guilty and “grief” will arise within her, thus turns her into what could be the most powerful witch ever.
i always thought that the jargon Grief of Seed is telling something but it never got the chance to really ponder on me.i think i need to approve of your theory.it’s very likely. and that thing with the prologue was pretty close to being true.now,all i need to do is watch closely for the ff events that would make my head spin.XD
Dammit! Mami had an awesome style of fighting too. I’m still at a loss for what just happened in this episode.
A part of me really wants to believe that somehow, someway, Mami isn’t actually dead. I mean, character wise, she’s incredibly important as she gives insight and information about the witch hunts. And isn’t it an unwritten rule that the main characters usually survive to the end? But if it’s the real thing Madoka and Sayaka have no choice but to enter their own contracts. Dang, Kyubei is looking less and less like your usual cutesy animal sidekick.
“With Mami’s body missing after the barrier disappears and both Madoka and Sayaka in tears, not only did Homura NOT fix her position with Madoka and Sayaka but I think her rude comment didn’t even come remotely close to preventing them from becoming a Mahou Shoujo. If anything it probably just helped in pushing them over the edge.”
https://randomc.net/image/Mahou%20Shoujo%20Madoka%20Magica/Mahou%20Shoujo%20Madoka%20Magica%20-%2003%20-%20Large%2037.jpg
Look closely at the scene where the witch exploded. Something dripped out of its mouth, and that would most likely be Mami’s remains.
I support you statement, it’s probably it, at 20:19-20:29 I was certain that the witch is eating the remains of Mami their,..and that black thing coming from the witch at 21:25-21:29 could probably be Mami’s remains 🙁
You know, I think that scene I was still cringing and looked away from my monitor for a second. I’ll have to replay that episode to catch that part. Dang, what a way to go.
Homura tried to convince Mami about something before she went in, I wonder what, the boss bites off heads of people called Mami?
But seriously, this might be something =/
Not to jump on the bandwagon, but Kyubei and Mami seemed way to suspicious for my taste from the very beginning. Not only that but the witch reminded a lot of Kyubei. Could Mahou Shojos be pawns in a competition between witches.
stupid shoutbox ruined this ep for me 🙁
anyways… i just noticed something. i think they can’t wish someone back to life. coz think about it, why would mami be living alone if she could have wished for her parents/guardians to be saved like her when they got into the accident. also, there’s that thing what mami said about the wish being equal to what you can give (or something like that)? wouldn’t you be giving your life away in return of that wish already? the cake wish was probably just mami teasing madoka. nhoo… im loving this series. oh yeah, those labyrinths are freakin’ trippy.
Its implied that Mami’s wish was ‘Save me’, so I don’t see how she could have also wished for that. Also, Kyubei AND Mami had said ANY wish, with no ‘terms and conditions’ stated at all.
NOOOOOO MAMI she had such epic skillz if she was gonna die couldn’t she die protecting them….
Who’s betting that Madoka will revive her with her wish?
The whole so gave me an ominous feeling tbh so I saw this comin a bit ….though not with her head getting eaten…
Kyuubei Is supa cute though
Once again this show continues to only get better with each episode
I totally saw that coming. Being so happy all the sudden in an anime is a massive death flag. With all the potential plot twists in this show it’s probably best not to over think things for now.
This anime is getting very interesting.
finally caught up with thi series…
1.unlimited musket works ftw!
2.the whole contract thing with “wish for becoming magicla girl” thing smells Mephitopheles vs Faust too much for me… be wary of cute magical furballs even when they bear gifts
3.it might be just me but Homura might have some greater agenda against the magical girl system, and therefore Kyubei
4. strangely enough I find Homura with her terrible persuasion skills more convincing than Kyubei with his(?) happy face and insistence on forming contract
5. ah, one more… I can see you becoming most powerful of the Jedi, stronger than masters Yoda and Windu – didnt the Kyubei sound similar?
I would not have believed, 3 weeks ago, that I’ll be following a magical girl show and LOVE it.
Also, I would not have believed that I’d be freaked out by a cute cuddly Dijimon, but I am. Kyubei is a pusher.
I also never thought I would watch a magical girl show. But I love it.
whoa I knew this series was going to be dark to have one of the girl’s heads bitten off…now that was nasty…I wonder if one of them might use their wish to revive Mami..
I guess she didn’t plan….ahead.
She bit off more than she could chew. Oh bad puns 🙂
-She lost her head under pressure.
-She was neck deep in trouble.
-I guess she had a bitingly painful headache.
-She sadly headed towards the Other Side ahead of the others.
-She went head first into that.
-She stuck her head where it did not belong.
-She got her head bitten off by a gigantic cartoon character and peed on herself… oh wait.
I began this series thinking not that Kyubei was evil, but that Homura was actually the good/best guy/girl. From there, I assumed anyone she opposed is evil, so naturally, since she was so insistent on killing Kyubei, it became obvious to me that there was more to him then meets the eye.
That little furball, its face unchanging, like a mask, a mask which hides an evil soul seeking to lead the girls astray. Ever wonder why he’s living with Madoka? He’s keeping a close eye on his future victim.
And then there’s Mami. Obviously in cahoots with Kyubei, that is, unless she is so stupid that she doesn’t see the truth. If she is in cahoots, there must be something she gains from recruiting the girls. Maybe she really does just want someone to be with other than Kyubei. Such selfish reasons are probably why Horuma is so pissed at her, or maybe it’s because Mami is the one protecting Kyubei. Clever Kyubei, pitting the two against each other with his messed-up system.
Either way, it doesn’t matter since she’s dead now. Unless dying is her way of testing her friendship with Madoka. If she is brought back to life, then she knows whoever did so is her true friend, but if she is not, then she doesn’t have to suffer being alone any longer. Nah, I’m probably over-thinking things.
The best thing Madoka could do right now is wishing that witches and magical girls never existed, but I don’t think that Kyubei would be happy with a wish like that.
Until we can learn more, trust no one, assume everyone is selfish.
Internal monologue is normally trstwirthy, so Mami really does hope to have someone to team up with. She also noted that she was forcing herself to put on a brave face which sound likely. Madoka’s arrival to Mami may seem great as she’s going to be much more powerful and probably take the lead in combat.
the second episode got me interested in this series, but the third episode got me HOOKED.
i can’t get enough of the ending song! it’s incredibly creepy yet so catchy. it seems like it’s foreshadowing something terrible: Madoka is continually walking–and eventually running–to a bright light (that slowly dims). At the same time, she passes other girls/magical girls; does this maybe mean that that Madoka will walk a path of change for magical girls? Or will she become enveloped in darkness the more she tries to make change?
bottom line: the next episode NEEDS to get here 🙂
anybody thought of why mami wasn’t eaten whole? i mean,that sh*tty creature had to chance to eat her that way,why just chew(uggh) up her head,dropping mami’s awesome of a figure.DX maybe eating only heads is yummier. L0L.
Actually, it looks like after the beheading, the witch moves on to munch on the remains.
“I’m the bone of my magic
Steel is my body, and cordite is my blood.
I have created over a thousand musketeers.
Unknown to love,
Nor known to friendship.
I have withstood pain only to survive.
Yes, my hands will never hold anything.
And so I pray, UNLIMITED MUSKETEER WORKS!”
Rest in Peace, Mami. You’ll not be forgotten.
I think Mami has to come back.
Why? Madoka had no real tangible thing to wish for to become a Magical Girl. She simply wanted to be one to help people. She has now seen the dark side of being a Magical Girl. It is a deadly game. What could she possibly wish for now in order to become one? A cake? No freaking way. Being a a Magical Girl is way to dangerous and frightening. It would be safer to stay normal.
She has no revenge factor, like in Claymore where Clare did with Priscilla because she killed Theresa. The witch that killed Mami is already dead.
There is only one thing in the entire world now she would possibly wish for to take on the utter danger of becoming a Magical Girl. And that… is to bring Mami back to life.
And as other people have said, in the OP it shows Mami with the other two in Magical Girl form.
kyubei dont even care if mami dies apparently, as from seen that he keeps on insisting them to make a contract.
well who knows what twist will this bring, but from the start kyubei might be “a witch of some sort” then “harnessing energy from” those who had contract with him. just my speculations.
Looking at the ED lyrics, it sure hints that Madoka/one from the MC girls will be fighting against a familiar foe. May it be Mami resurrected or Madoka gone awry or whatever leaves to be questioned. It’s clear that we have a master puppeteer here somewhere.
Although its kinda late considering its 3 episodes in and Mami already died, but…
ITS NOT UNLIMITED MUSKET WORKS! ITS UNLIMITED RIFLE WORKS!
Muskets are smooth bore and rifles have a spiral pattern inside the barrel.
After extensive research (a few minutes with google) I have learned of the all mighty rifled musket. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rifled_musket
Matchlock!
Rifled muskets they are. Muskets being an entire class of single shot weapons
I’m gonna kill the little cat and let HIM suffer… Poor Mami.
Mami, you will be missed, my classy drill haired princess.
Kuybei seemed so ridiculously suspicions this episode! After how convenient he was during that car “accident”. I wonder how he was involved with that, or if a witch was the cause. With the direction this show is going, I bet if Mami does come back, it would be as a witch… the consequence of becoming a magic girl in life and having granted any wish paid by the ultimate penalty in death.
Shocking episode. The series hadn’t grabbed my attention yet. Now it does. That was terribly gruesome and brutal.
And Kyubei creeps me out. He’s got an agenda and reminds me so much of Bokurano in the sense that he’s seemingly cute but most definitely twisted and evil.
Kyube is a little furry rat. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t “arrange” for Mami to get her head bitten off.
oh my god. THIS. this is the best challenge to the magical girl genre. and oh my god mami…
Don’t forget about the first scene in episode 1 where Homura was falling (or maybe dying) from a fight. I believe Madoka will save her through signing up the contract. 🙁
One of the best Mahou Shoujo anime out there IMO… and sadly, no more Gate of Babylon musketeer… T___T
I give props the first Mahou Shouojo Series to ever successfully build up and kill a “main” character in just 2 episodes. SHAFT you done it again.
I am so glad I did not overlook this as another dime a dozen magical girl anime. This is good stuff.
Totally agree on not overlooking Madoka. Guilty as well on the pre-fabricated dime-a-dozen magical girl stereotype I posessed. This is “magical girl” with a bite.
was that what was left of mami that fell on table after that thing blew up.
The witch in this episode was terrifying and spooky. Yes if I he didn’t kill Mami, he would look pretty cute, but the fact that he did combined with his “cute” face makes it all the more sinister.
im extremely shocked, this is the FIRST mahou shoujo were one of the mains characters its killed, and brutally no less, first you get your beheaved by a monster and the he eated the rest of it… its almost gore… O.o, and that furry ball, i get the feeling that he is BAD, ya VERY VERY BAD
one of the best character development and death scenes all in one episode. keeping my hopes up and watching this series until the end.
side note: i dont like kyubei i think hes evilll especially when hes always next to madoka or the other characters with that grin and those red eyes
I kinda suspected that something horrible was going to happen to Mami after Homura tried to warn her, but it still came as a shock to me. And it wasn’t fun watching it either.