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「後悔なんて、あるわけない」 (Koukai Nante, Aru Wake Nai)
“Absolutely No Regrets”
Sugar, spice, and everything nice — I don’t think any of these things are actually used to make a Mahou Shoujo. It’s more like deceit, despair, and lies! After watching just how Kyubei turns a normal girl into a Mahou Shoujo, something just felt wrong with the whole process. It might have been the creepy shadow behind Kyubei, or the words he used while talking to Sayaka, but watching him yank out Sayaka’s powers right from her chest just didn’t sit right with me. Maybe because the spot where her powers came out of just happened to be right where one’s soul normally sits? And if ripping the powers out of someone wasn’t bad enough, after hearing Kyouko’s twisted strategy on how to harvest grief seeds, I wasn’t sure what a Mahou Shoujo’s purpose was anymore.
Besides watching Kyubei seize every chance he got to try persuading Madoka to become a Mahou Shoujo, there were a few other surprises hidden in this episode. First, I never thought that Kyouko would be able to get the upper-hand in a one on one battle. After Sayaka got beat down, I was hoping that her hot headed attitude and desire to win would allow her to pull off some kind of crazy retaliation attack — which she almost did! I remember yelling out in excitement after watching that look of hope flash through her eyes only to get depressed a few seconds later after Kyouko maintained her dominance. Second, after such a serious talk between Homura and Madoka, I never expected that Homura would be the one who would save Sayaka at the last second (I was rooting for Madoka to step in).
Ever since last week’s episode I’ve felt that Homura wasn’t as cold as she tries to be. I can’t help but think that Madoka’s earnest personality is what cracked open Homura’s cold outer shell. After that talk from earlier, I’m not sure I’ll be able to buy into her cold attitude anymore. Plus you can’t deny that her hair flip right before the ending sequence was probably the smoothest way anyone could enter battle.
Another question that’s been bugging me is how a Mahou Shoujo’s powers are chosen. After hearing Kyubei describe Sayaka’s superhuman healing abilities due to her wish being used for someone else and Homura being an “irregular” Mahou Shoujo that Kyubei may or may not have made, I instantly started thinking about how all of this could apply to Madoka. Just hear me out, but seeing how this is called Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica, I think it’s safe to assume that Madoka should become a Mahou Shoujo at some point. What if the “ability” she wishes for is actually the other Madoka in the opening sequence — the human form for her “ability”? And if you remember when Mami was talking about Madoka’s potential, what if Madoka could somehow become a Mahou Shoujo without Kyubei’s help like Homura possibly did? While all of this is only speculation, I’m really rooting for Madoka to be able to shine in some special way. As each episode passes by, I can’t help but feel my brain flooding with more theories in anticipation of Madoka turning into a Mahou Shoujo.
* I love Sayaka’s navel and look at that nail tattoo! <3
Preview
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I have a question ’bout Sayaka’s egg, why doesn’t it shine (on normal, not hunting witch condition)?? It’s like she’s destined to be doomed ‘_’a
When Homura showed up, it was going to hit the fan, I was yelling at the end because it just cut off 🙁
I think Madoka will become a Mahou Shoujo because of something happening to Homura, not Sayaka
it was already hinted in the beginning of the 1st episode.
Kyubei is not taking things slow as usual xD
lolz i was bummed too! i mean, how they ended it was so sudden! i just can’t wait another week to see the next episode! DX i’m seriously getting too engaged with this show! it’s close to toppling k-on!! omg! what am i saying! k-on’s still my nambaa wanu! XDD i’m loyal..lol
you seem to be forgetting the opening scene of the first ep, kyon..we are yet to find out what happens when we alrdy get there.XDD i wonder if madoka’s really going to turn into an MG.
I have been thinking Madoka is already a true “natural” magical girl (just like Nanoha in her series), she just doesn’t know it. It doesn’t have to be forced like the Kyubey is doing. I bet she is going to explode into a Mahou Shoujo all on her own. Kyubey wants to get her under his thumb (does he even have a thumb?) by tricking her into making a wish. I also would not at all be surprised to find he is the true “villian” of this series and the final end boss.
Homura is a real tsundere. Saying stuff like “give up on Sayaka” and stating that she can’t assure anything to Madoka. Even with all that she rushed in when Madoka was close to making the contract.
Kyubei somehow gave a hint that Homura might be from another time plane(as previously noted by people here) most likely from the future. With him stating to Kyouko that she(Homura) did make a contract with him and at the same time didn’t. So it kind of close to the “another timeline” theory. Kyouko’s one mean badass by the way, she really has the advantage during her skirmish with Sayaka, with her experience and all. Still, Sayaka did alright holding her own.
The lack of a preview makes the anticipation of the next episode even harder to bear!
That’s an excellent point, when I was watching Sekirei it seemed like they spoiled every other episode with a sequence of a character supposedly down for the count up and swinging. Adds to the suspense. They give you little or nothin!
Wow, what a way to leave us all on a cliffhanger. Looks like we’ve gotten exposure to the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly side of the Mahou Shoujo trade and I just can’t wait for the next episode to come.
Given my trade, I’ll have to say that the one scene where Sayaka is peppy and energetic created a nice contrast with the background music, which sure sounds sad and lonely, as if weighted down by imminent tragedy. I’ve got a feeling that tragedy will come up soon.
Kyubei is…. just so evil ._.
I love how Sayaka didn’t meet her demise in this episode. Everything was leading to it and yet she defies the odds. Keep on living!
Homerun chan is cute. I love her attitude because she cares, but she cannot reveal too much info. It’s maybe part of her contract.
I thought Sayaka was going down soon myself. Also I wonder if Homura made some special autonomy clause in her contract. Something that seperated her from Darth Kyubei. lol
If the world reset, time travel theory is true, then it would make sense. Kyubei hasn’t yet gotten Homura
i’m actually becoming impressed with sayaka’s determination and courage (unlike madoka). so, i’m also glad she didn’t meet her end here…yet. DX man, who’s gonna die next..
my faq!! BEST EPISODE YET!!! AND DAMN THAT CLIFFHANGER!! just when i thought i’d see mah homuhomu-chan in action…tch!
anyhow, i really love the battle between sayaka and kyoko!! i was literally glued on the screen anticipating how the other would attack and counter. kyoko’s becoming my favorite as well after homura and mami despite being b*tchy!! lol. i love how she uses her lance. it’s awesome! XDD the moment the tip of their blades met was cool. LOL(yeah, i’m alrdy in awe with just that XD) kickass gals are love! XDD
twist for me, KAMIJOU NOT BEING AN INGRATE! lol. yeah, i didn’t expect that.
and homura’s time travel theory just boosted here. just try remembering what kyubey told madoka about how the wish influences the MG’s ability. you saw sayaka healing fast ne? then one must’ve notice homura’s other ability at the end. it’s seems she halted the time.. meaning, her wish has something to do with time!! O__o man, am so excited!
Overall, an excellent episode for me. nuff said! XDD
Don’t be too happy yet. There’s several was to screw Sayaka. Having Kamijo be nasty is one but another would simply having him die.
I’m seriously leaning towards him dying when Sayaka said the line about her happiness. Spending the rest of your life fighting to live, when you wish just goes downs the drain sucks
spoilers…
apparently there’s a rumor that madoka wont get a mahou shoujo mode until episode 10.
What a stupid post.
You know, when Kyubei said that Sayaka get Super regenerative power because of her wish, I started to remember Mami wish.
Mami wish must be some kind of let me live or something like that right?
what if she capable of self-resurrection ?
I personally interpreted it as more of a backwards foreshadowing, where Mami made a selfish wish which left her with a fragile attribute. This could explain why she uses guns, which in games, often indicates a powerful, speedy, ranged fighter who has terrible defenses.
One way or another, it adds a bit more depth into the Magical Girl contract, and provides a theory as to why Homura has a shield-like discus for a weapon: She tries to save other (or certain) girls from the contract, and her wish could have potentially been to revert the contract on a friend turned mahou shoujo.
Just my speculation from the given content.
God, can’t wait for the next episode. One week is so long. >.<
somebody mentioned about that shield homura has…here..
Another thing I noticed just from viewing, is that the symbols that are on her shield, I guess it is, is very similar to the magic circle or whatever that was around the enemy that homura was fighting in the dream sequence of the first episode, no idea what significance that holds, but just something I noticed.
Mami made her wish when she was dying but she wasn’t dead yet. It will probably be some sort of healing, and certainly wouldn’t save her from DECAPITATION and being MUNCHED INTO PULP. Also, this episode outright tells us that the dead don’t come back. Face it, she’s gone.
actual storyboard for madoka
they seemed to have done some changes though..
The comment on the side says “a part of the witch’s body falls on the table next to Homura.” And I thought it was Mami all this time…
I’m probably a bad person, but something about the idea of farming grief seeds like an mmo just made me laugh.
◕ ‿‿ ◕
As soon as I saw Madoka freaking out, I knew Homura was going to come and save Sayaka, considering it seems like she will do anything to keep her from becoming a magical girl.
I’m also wondering what the consequences are if you don’t keep collecting grief seeds. Probably quite horrible, and if that is the case, then Kyouko’s actions may have been somewhat justifiable, but considering what we’ve seen so far, she only seems to do so out of greed.
On a side note, I’m loving the nail tattoo thing (Did Mami have one too?), and Sayaka’s transformation sequence, though low on nudity, was still really fun to watch. And agreed, the naval (piercing?) is awesome. I wonder if all magical girls have that, like the nail tattoos seems to be, or if it’s just her own thing. I just love those little touches like that.
(Why is Sayaka’s apparent theme the moon? Just cause she’s the blue one?)
seems like the theory about witches being fallen magical girls is finally debunked.
familiars become witches and witches make familiars. magical girls bodies will just end up in the otherworld or eaten as in mami’s case.
Not yet actually.
If familiar are made of the souls of mahou shojos who died in the witch dimension, we might see Mami as a familiar
another failed attempt to get Madoka into the world of Mahou Shoujo…
nice save there, Homura 🙂 and I like her power (so far), hope she pulls off some more bad ass attacks…
this show keep throwing out dark stuff… but that is exactly the charm XD
and is it me or the other “Madoka” in the OP more “mature” than the one we have?
Yeah. She seems to be adult (or pretty close to one) rather than 13-14 years old. I can’t wait to find out who she is.
I dont know about u, but i dont trust Kyubei. He doesnt seem to have a strong interest in the witches, the magical girls (actually he doesnt care about what will happen with any of them and even cared with the Mami’s death) or the humans being killed…
I have a feeling that he is evil and is manipulating the events to take Madoka’s soul. When i think about these 5 episodes, i see how insistent he is being and it doesnt make sense to me ask for Madoka’s help instead of Mami’s (since Madoka was a normal girl and Mami had superpowers) when he was about to being killed by Homura (a character that i trust, so one more reason to suspect of Kyubei).
And in this episode where we see Sayaka’s becoming a Mahou Girl, there are a lot references looking at the pictures: the red sky, the shadow that projected from Kyubei, the ritual and the sad face of Sayaka (and the sensation that she commited a mistake), he taking advantage of the fight to force Madoka change her mind…
I dont know, its just that, it seems to me that something is really wrong with this guy.
i seriously can’t tall yet if kyubey’s really evil. but look at this..
kyubey has nine tails??
looks like the link fails.
again..LOL
kyubey has nine tails??
Nope, it was just the weird statue he was sitting.
Given how the series is unfolding, I’d take it more seriously than it was just the thing it was sitting on. I noticed it and wondered if it’s “real” form came out during a contracting. Then we see that it’s just sitting on something, but in a series like this, that sort of thing is never accidental.
@Avalanche
i’m well aware of that. XD but you must notice that it’s symbolical. that shadow is very telling. you’d wonder why they took an angle like that showing him having nine tails. say, why not just 5 tails or 2?
Maybe you should google “9 tail fox” and wade through the Naruto hits. The wikipedia page for kitsune includes the term “kyūbi no kitsune” to refer to that. “Kyūbi”? Different characters for 9 tails but pretty damn similar.
Maybe meaningless, or maybe the old lore won’t help understand the story, esp. since the Creature might not be a fox, but maybe it will.
@junk
i’ve known about what those 9 tails indicate. but my point was; if that shadow was merely nothing, why actually make it 9 tails given how it’s related to some demon fox. with this, i think kyubey’s more than what he seems.
this episode was awesome!!! i kept on rewatching the fight scenes. shinbo really knows how to direct fight scenes. and the cinematography today and the backgrounds are beautiful. so homura’s power would be related to time, i guess. she stopped time to save sayaka. cant wait for the next episode. ^^,
Apparently Kyubee grants powers with TENTACLES! Are we suposed to be convinced that he isn’t evil?
I haven’t been this excited about a series in years!
Even if he seems to merely be sitting on a Cthulu statue to achieve the desired effect, the ninetails shadow is an interesting piece of symbolism for Kyubei.
Also, ‘Kyouko used Toxic Stab’.
‘Sayaka takes 241644 damage’.
‘Sayaka is immune to poison’.
‘Sayaka regenerates 233111 health’. 0_o’
if she regenerates, that’d only mean she can’t simply die with just being hurt. well, unless somebody abrubtly chops her head off maybe.but still if she heals fast..she heals fast *shot* L0L.
Yeah, like in SRW if a super robot has machine cells, you just have to shoot it with a Tenjo Tenga Ichigeki Hissatsu Hou.
a very plausible theory: homura is the future madoka. now, the OP self-yuri(sort of L0L) will make sense. XD i’m going to post that awesome theory i’ve read about later here. XD it’s lengthy though…
wait, why is my post a reply here?! tch! it’s not supposed to be here. Tch! stupid me..
Damn it! I’m beginning to hate the end card/art since they usually have Mami in that.
Sayaka’s Unlimited Blade Works lack polish. She could have learned a thing or two from Mami and her muskets with tea.
Well she is still a rookie. She jobbed to Kyoko after all.
It’s quiet strange that not many people like kyouko.
I think she is the most ‘fitted’ mahou shoujo in this anime. every single mahou shoujo becomes one because of desire, not for justice nor life saver. even mami and homura. And kyouko is just so well made for that world which is filled with death, desire, and violence.
personaly, I like kyouko the best now.(Ah, of course i admit that she is a selfish bitch. but I like THAT)
dontcha worry man, i also like kyoko(she actually reminds me of nao yuuki from mai-hime) but just as 3rd though. and i agree that she’s the most fitted as an MG. i think she’s just being realistic. love her weapon! xD
I don’t like the fact that she is ready to kill the rookie as soon as she gets the job. Meanwhile that evil lil furball says nothing to her regarding it. I wonder if Kyubey = satan?
Go to hell you fur ball!!
damn. i was really expecting Sayaka to fight the familiar with more magic only to get interrupted 🙁
Sakaya’s gonna die…. I mean THIS IS A DECONSTRUCTION of the MS(Maho Shojo, not Mobile Suit) genre of anime. Like we turn up the despair on MSR Nanoha and made the hero angstier, a bit lame but still at the awesome level.
evil furball, evil furball , evil furball. that the only thought i had in the entire show. EVIL furball
No one mentioning Unlimited Blade Works?
http://images.randomc.net/Mahou%20Shoujo%20Madoka%20Magica/Mahou%20Shoujo%20Madoka%20Magica%20-%2005%20-%2025.jpg
I wonder why Madoka hasn’t just kicked Kyuubei out of the way since he was like *You, make a contract with me nao!*
speculations in the forums about madoka being a “true” mahou shoujo that grants people their hopes and wishes is plausible. even the theory that you mentioned with madoka being able to transform without making a contract with kyubey is a contribution may support the forum theories… or perhaps this may even be a theory that stands on its own…
i am getting a feeling that Mami is still alive, i mean Sayaka’s special trait as a Puella Magi is regeneration because she wished for someone’s recovery, what about Mami, what the hell is her wish? she wished TO LIVE right? then what kind of special trait would she inherit from that? xD
maybe mami has several lives so she can escape death. or she has the ability of resurrection. L0L.she can manipulate death? XDD i wonder if this might be a hint of her being that witch at the opening scene in ep 1. the said witch looks hard to kill,so maybe it’s her. or with sayaka’s regenaration ability,she may also be that one.
Kyubey is still evil. Nice save Homura. Best fight sequence so far. Unlimited blade works not as good as unlimited rifle works. Sayaka is definitely too idealistic and naive. Kyoko has the coolest weapon imho, never seen a chain spear before in anime.
I bet theyre gonna troll us in the end with Madoka not being able to become a Mahou Shoujo
Looks like some kind of trolling from Shaft: to call series Mahou Shoujo MADOKA Magica, and yet i feel she ain’t gonna become a mage at all 🙂
I don’t like kyubey. I like Homura the best out of all the characters. Can’t wait for the next episode.
Am I seriously the only one who didn’t get evil vibes from Kyubey? The only part that seemed dark was the symbolism and the weird power transfer thing. If you were a tiny furball of evil who wanted to create as many Magical Girls as possible, what’s the point of having them fight each other? On the other hand, I also see how it could have been staged to try and get Madoka to make a wish.
Did anyone else notice Homura’s line? Something about it being futile to raise the dead or something?
Perhaps evil isn’t quite the right word because it suggests that there’s some sort of ill-intent behind one’s actions, but there’s certainly something…amoral about Kyuubei to me. I sort of get Mushishi vibes from him. Neither good or bad, he’s just like a factor in the world who can cause suffering as easily as happiness…or something.
Actually i hope she never becomes a mahou shoujo but she probably will and because of Homura. I’m thinking somehow Homura’s world reset or time travel wish is broken and she’s about to get killed by witch Madoka (episode one) and Madoka has to choose to escape and let Homura die or step in as a mahou shoujo.
Ending would be Madoka killing herself after they win.
STOP EATING SWEETS YOU FATASS!!..
sorry, i don’t like her.
Sounds more like Mitsuba to me. At least Kyouko doesn’t have a belly :3
Damn, the cliffhanger is killing me!!!
Yet, once again Homura saves the day… and it seems that Kyubey’s evil intention is slowly revealing. And also, Kyoko is such a bitch but I like her lol XD
kyubey is watching you (◕‿‿◕ )
(◕‿‿◕ ) (◕‿‿◕ ) (◕‿‿◕ ) (◕‿‿◕ ) (◕‿‿◕ ) (◕‿‿◕ ) (◕‿‿◕ ) (◕‿‿◕ ) (◕‿‿◕ ) (◕‿‿◕ ) (◕‿‿◕ ) (◕‿‿◕ ) (◕‿‿◕ ) (◕‿‿◕ ) (◕‿‿◕ ) (◕‿‿◕ )
Kyubei, you cute little devil!!!!!
I was curious about the way girls powers are chosen, seems I have part of answer.
Damned cliffhanger!!!!
Here are my theories (/W-‘\)
Homura’s past & “Magical Girl Madoka”
Homura was a magical girl who contracted in order to protect her friends, who were also magical girls. Her wish was something along the lines of “I want to have lots of strength so I can defend those important to me.” In the aftermath of Mami’s battle, Homura could easily dispose of Charlotte because of her especially strong powers. From Homura’s conversation with Madoka, we know that she saw many of her allies die (so many that she can’t even count anymore). So, once Homura’s friends died, she became disillusioned because she couldn’t protect anyone from their fate. Her soul gem darkened from her “despair”. When a magical girl’s soul gem darkens completely, they must become a “familiar” like Kyubey in order to continue the cycle and contract more magical girls. The black cat in the opening is the familiar form of Homura.
The familiar Homura contracts Tomoe Mami and Miki Sayaka. In doing so, Homura meets Madoka for the first time. As Mami and Sayaka fight witches while Madoka accompanies them (like she did with Sayaka in this episode), Homura gradually becomes friends with Madoka. In a fight over the grief seeds, Sayaka is killed by Kyouko. Mami successfully kills Kyouko, but later dies by the hand of a witch. This order of death would match the ending’s order of character appearances. The witch’s numbers increase and Madoka loses her family to the witch’s kiss(es). Madoka, having lost everyone she ever cared about, becomes a magical girl — Homura wants to stop her, but a familiar cannot choose who they want to contract with. Kyubey mentions in episode three that this it is against the rules for familiars to ask specific people to contract or pick who they want to contract.
Madoka wishes to return to her past along with Homura so they can protect her family and friends this time around. However, Madoka’s despair turns her soul gem dark when it is extracted from her (like Sayaka’s was as part of the contract process). She is turned into a familiar, but since she accepted the contract her wish is granted. Future Madoka returns to the past in the form of a familiar. By coincidence, Mami is involved in a car accident that did not occur in the original future. Sensing Mami’s predicament, Future Madoka contracts her to save her life and they begin fighting witches together. After some time passes (the show’s present), Future Madoka wants to form a contract with Present Madoka so Present Madoka can become strong enough to not lose Sayaka & Mami & her family again. Future Madoka calls out to Present Madoka for help when she is attacked by Homura, who doesn’t want Present Madoka to form a contract, inside the mall on the first episode.
Homura felt responsible for Madoka’s fate because she is the familiar that contracted Madoka’s friends and Madoka herself in the original future. Homura hoped to save the Past Madoka from the Future Madoka’s fate through Future Madoka’s time travel wish, preventing Madoka from forming a contract in the first place. Homura’s hope purifies her soul gem, so Homura is returned to the past in her human form. She transfers into Madoka’s school in order to watch over her and never let her form a contract. At that moment, Present Madoka meets Kyubey for the first time.
Second part about Kyubey’s identity & the magical girl system
Kyubey is Madoka from the future, and is more of an anti-hero than a truly evil entity. The older Madoka in the opening is Kyubey before it transformed into a familiar. Note that the opening shows the older Madoka embracing Madoka and helping her transform into her magical girl costume. When older Madoka kisses normal Madoka’s forehead in the opening, she disappears and the transformation is complete. Like the older Madoka in the opening, Kyubey allows Madoka to transform into a magical girl through the contract’s use. Also, this is why Kyubey is very aware of what to say to Madoka and how Madoka thinks. Kyubey tells Madoka that she can become even stronger than Mami because she knows that her past self would want to have a “special skill”, and in episode five she understands Madoka’s feelings of wanting to help Sayaka because she has experienced those very feelings herself.
The familiar’s “design” or “appearance” is taken from the magical girl’s own costume. Homura’s simple, somber-toned costume results in her black cat familiar form, while Madoka’s frilly costume (remember her drawing?) resulted in the “cute” Kyubey form. While we’re talking about Kyubey’s appearance, Kyubey’s lack of expression when Mami dies probably results from the fact that Kyubey (Madoka) has already seen Mami, Sayaka, and the others die before in her own time.That’s why when Mami dies, Kyubey immediately wants the girls to form contracts — so they can protect themselves, and so Kyubey can protect them. Additionally, the ending hints at Madoka = Kyubey. Madoka runs towards a bright light (the light of her soul gem) and Homura tries to stop her, but the next shot is of Madoka’s clothes “tearing”. The tears in her costume are very similar to the tears in Kyubey’s “fur” that were shown in episode one, after Kyubey’s fight with Homura, and the shots signify a metamorphosis of some sort. Madoka then runs within darkness (hinting at a darkened soul gem) and her hair is longer (showing the passing of time). Her costume disappears altogether towards the sequence’s end, and she appears within the “eye” of that creepy-looking guy. This is really significant, because the guy is actually drawn to represent Mephistopheles, the devil who gives contracts out in Faust. The very last shot of the ending has Madoka shown within the eye (underneath the mask) of a devil who forms contracts with terrible consequences (Kyubey). This hints at Kyubey’s true identity being future Madoka.
In this theory, you would have to assume that magical girls are turned into familiars when their soul gems are darkened. Homura knows this, and that’s why she says that those who become magical girls can’t be saved. That’s also why in episode four Homura tells Madoka that Mami couldn’t change her fate since she became a magical girl, but said that Madoka’s fate has been changed because she never contracted. The soul gems are darkened by their despair (and by getting killed). The reason why the magical girl’s soul gem is brightened by defeating witches is because defeating witches “restores their hope” since they feel that they can survive the witch battles. Since magical girls can turn into witches when they feel despair, and the fate of a magical girl can make anyone sad, their turning into familiars helps keep the system running. The few magical girls that wish to reverse time create an “alternate world” made from their past, and they fight witches there until their soul gem turns black from sorrow or death & they become a familiar. However, the space where witches are fought is shared between all the magical girls’ worlds. Witches and their familiars are actually just magical girls and their familiars. When a girl from another “world” thinks she is fighting a witch, she is actually fighting another magical girl from another “world”, who also thinks that she is fighting a witch. Also, when a magical girl kills a witch, she protects the people from her own world, but unknowingly gives the “witch’s kiss” to people from the world of the magical girl who lost. The purpose of the magical girls’ contracts is to generate wishes that want to turn back time and create “alternate worlds” that continue to exist after the worlds closest to the original future end because of the witch/magical girl destroying the other worlds’ inhabitants. The end of the world occurring is hinted at in the ending theme’s lyrics.
I apologize for the embarrassingly long comments, Takaii. … … ( ◕‿‿◕ )
I’ll say it again, “utena, Utena, UTENA!!!”
The sunset skies, the elevator, roof-top garden, fancy binoculars spying on others from a mysterious high place, oddly designed still pretty school, use of shadows and silhouettes, the drawing of something important from the chest as the drawee falls back, the designed elements like the high fence, gateways, ect…. the silhouette of the girl falling into the flower-bed and petals flying up, the freeway overpass… SHAFT is seriously referencing the both the Utena TV series and movie.
Even more: pitting the naive innocent wannabe heroine against the cynical, selfish senior; the value of friendship; the question of how much you are willing to sacrifice for others; the situation is not what you think; the deliberate manipulations; how well do you really understand what you have gotten yourself into? As individual themes, they are quite common; all together presented with this aura of misdirection is rare.
The video editing is similar too: the quick cuts to faces, objects/places, the odd angle views of charas, the way the cuts show us the Thing (as I must call it now) at moments of dialogue which must be key but we don’t know enough yet to understand…. gah! Even the music during the confrontations here reminded me of one of the movie’s themes.
What a great series for creatively brave people to use as inspiration!
Just a final thought for those talking about Mami and her wish: maybe she didn’t wish for her own life. Surely she hadn’t been by herself in that accident. It would make her comment to Sayaka more potent.
It’s older animation, pre-digital animation and the first part of the series was done on an indie budget (small)
Whoops, misplaced that last line about the animation quality of Utena. I know some of ya’ll were weaned on the shiny new digital stuff, but lots of the older stuff is worth watching even if it looks cheap at first!
But you see, Mami seriously couldn’t stress enough about not ‘wasting’ the wish. She wouldn’t consider her wish a waste if she was saving her Mother or Family, what have you. Cuz in all honesty, wishing yourself out of a car accident when Mami possibly could’ve survived without the wish (though this show probably ain’t that cruel. So lets say she could not survive), is still not that BIG of a wish (maybe a little less than Saya’s wish). Madoka’s is probably going to be a wish that’s either
A) Mami resurrection (resurr of other’s may vary. Like a mass resurrection)
B) Power to ‘save’ everyone?
C) A 2nd Madoka (?) Possibly one for the Majo side of things and another for the Human side of things. Thoughts and memory connected perhaps? So it’s essentially one Madoka
D) Something sadistic. Kills someone by accident? At this point who really knows
If Mami’s wish is described as having been wasted, then the only clue seems to be connected with her having wished something for someone else and then being disappointed with the results. This was a big deal to her and she was pretty vocal about it. It seems like she’d only feel strongly about it if she knew for herself.
The problem with making a wish for someone else is that it is easily “wasted” if the wisher doesn’t get the result she wants and other people are unpredictable. If you are honestly just wishing for someone else’s benefit, okay. If you are wishing for someone else in order to get their love/gratitude/ect, you may not like the result. If violin boy leaves the hospital and never sees Sayaka again, and Sayaka just wanted him healed so he’d love her, her wish will have been a waste. She may be happy he was healed, but she still didn’t get what she really wanted. If she made the wish knowing she might never see him again, then she can be satisfied.
Example for Mami’s case: Mommy didn’t love Mami more after she wished for Mommy to survive, then maybe she will think she wasted it. In this case, I wouldn’t suggest Mami now wished her Mommy had died then, I’d think she regretted not making a more useful wish. Another possibility: maybe her wish was wasted because she made it in the panic of the moment, not sure what happened/was going on, and made her wish out of unfounded fear. She thought Mommy might be dying, but after wishing Mami learns Mommy was ok all along. Mami wasted her wish on another person who didn’t really need the wish. Wish wasted because it was for another person. Just a possibility, like all the others.
It was just that of of the possibilities that had been mentioned when I posted, wishing for someone else hadn’t yet been mentioned. (wishing for her own life, revenge, ect, I think had been). I do think the show has the potential to say Mami could not have survived the accident, it’s a sadistic show so we can assume it will be quite cruel.
I wouldn’t begin to start guessing Madoka’s wish (if she caves). She’s too kind (bad for mahou shoujo! remember!) She wants everyone to get along. She doesn’t want anyone in pain. She worries a lot. That’s all I know.
Until more things in the OP show up in the series, I’m not one who will speculate based on OP; OPs are often just fanciful things that never literally show up in the series. If this OP is just fanciful, misleading, or foreshadowing, I have no idea yet.
Yet another stunning episode. This show has gone such a great direction… Also, kyubei is evil!
Im hooked on the whole idea in getting an egg to become a mashou (shortened it). It looked like Kyubei actually kills them first, like take their soul out of the body, then creates the egg which then gives life back to the body. As long as the eggs on you at all times?
I mean you have to start thinking a little ‘Dark’ to to get close to guessing what’s going on in this series.
Seriously Kyubei comes out in my dreams and I wake up ready to shit myself.
The imagery, pacing, and motif of this show is truly fantastic.
The art work reminds me a lot of Hidamari Sketch. A completely different kind of show but with the same high quality of imagination and artistic skill.
I really would like to see this one come to the US on blue ray 1020p with skilled voice acting that would grace the quality of this work.
The reason it reminds you of Hidamari Sketch is because Ume Aoki (author of Hidamari Sketch) is behind the design of the characters.
ok, here is that theory about HOMURA-IS-FUTURE-MADOKA that is the VERY CLOSE to being impeccable. seriously, it’s the only theory that i see to REALLY MAKE A LOT OF SENSE! i even found myself mind-blown the first time i read it.
i am going to use spoiler tags since it’s very lengthy. CREDIT GOES TO TRIPLE_R!
Suppose that in the original timeline Madoka chose to be a magical girl in order to save Sayaka. She may have also had the recently deceased Mami in the back of her mind, so she wished for what one could vaguely call “displacement” powers. This could account for Homura’s flight, teleportation, and ability to make bombs and laser beams appear out of nowhere. A bow as a weapon also seems fitting to me for a person with displacement powers. Since Homura has displacement powers, she can also change her place in the time stream.
Homura (i.e. future Madoka) wished for these powers, in part, on the hope to go back into the past to save Mami, after she saved Sayaka.
However, after future Madoka chose to be a magical girl, something very bad happened quickly thereafter, and as a result of that choice. This makes future Madoka regret ever becoming a magical girl.
Perhaps larger time jumps require building up (or cleansing) a lot of energy through many witch eliminations. So future Madoka (Homura) needed a lot of time to get all the needed energy to go far enough back in time.
Over that time, she became very hardened through seeing many fellow magical girls die, and the old Madoka died with them, psychologically speaking. In other words, her earlier idealism and optimism died, and future Madoka became the cynical Homura.
But now Homura has traveled back into the past, hoping to prevent what happened.
She targets past Kyubey since with him gone, her past self can never become a magical girl. Homura may also greatly resent Kyubey for how he smooth-talked her into becoming a magical girl. Finally, Mami getting involved caused Homura to back off, since Homura (future Madoka) just couldn’t bring herself to hurt the same Mami that she liked a lot when she first met Mami in the original timeline.
Homura then tries to take Mami’s place in that fight from Episode 3. She does this because she wants to prevent Mami’s death (as it occurred in the original timeline from the exact same fight). But because Homura has been so hardened by what she has seen in life, seeing Mami’s death again doesn’t affect her as much as it did the first time she saw it.
Homura reacts negatively to Sayaka choosing to be a magical girl, because that puts things one key step closer to Madoka choosing to be a magical girl. She tells her younger self to give up on Sayaka since she knows that if Madoka doesn’t do this, she might very well make the same choice that Homura did in the original timeline. Also, Homura will take it upon herself to defend Sayaka anyway, as Sayaka was her dear friend in the original timeline.
Some of Homura’s words to Madoka are harsh because she resents her younger self for being so naively idealistic, as she now sees it.
However, she also knows (from her memories) how sincere and noble her younger self’s feelings are, so she can’t help but to have some affection for her younger self, and wish that she could still be that way herself.
Some other supporting hints for this speculation here:
1) Kyubey doesn’t seem to know much about Homura. This is because she’s from the future.
2) Homura is clearly very powerful, even for a magical girl. This would reflect well what Kyubey said about Madoka’s high degree of potential.
3) Madoka’s dream in the first episode could be tied into all of this. Perhaps a residual affect of Homura time traveling is that it sent a vision to her past self via a dream. That vision is of the future of the original timeline, where Homura confronts a massive monster that was created, in part, from Homura choosing to be a magical girl.
4) Why does the OP have two Madokas (and one a slightly taller one, I think)? Now, OPs can have all sorts of trippy stuff in them (SHAFT’s especially ), but the way it’s played up so heavily is highly suggestive to me. Well, if Homura is future Madoka, then those scenes in the OP of two Madokas starts to make a lot of sense…
5) Madoka and Homura both have bows as their primary weapon, at least in official promotional artwork. Maybe a sly way for the writer to make a connection between Homura/Madoka and Archer/Shirou of Fate/Stay Night.
Now, there is some flaws in the speculation.
Homura doesn’t look a lot like Madoka, while Archer did hold some features that were a lot like Shirou’s. If Homura is future Madoka, then it means that Madoka really let her hair grow out, changed her hair color, and somehow changed her eye color. Of course, none of this is impossible, but you’d have to wonder why future Madoka would go for the appearance change.
and there’s also this hellish-cycle theory by MeoTwister5..
In essence my apparent belief comes from how it may be possible that this entire cycle has been occurring on for god knows how many times already; it may be possible that this isn’t the first time a Homura tried to stop a Madoka from entering the cursed existence of an MG. This could be a few dozens to a few hundreds to maybe even thousands. Minor events may be different but the core is the same:
The current universe’s Homura fails to save the Madoka of that universe -> Homura dies/injured in the process (and/or possibly informing Madoka of the truth) -> Madoka enters her pact with her wish of restoring the past and stopping herself -> Becomes the next jaded Homura -> Homura restores time to a different universe before she becomes an MG -> She tries to stop Madoka from becoming an MG.
Fundamentally it has the same notion of eternal recurrence, albeit a shorter one with one person initiating the return with some or full memories of the previous occurrence (Homura) in an effort to stop a distinct event from occurring and, in short, alter the fate of that time frame’s history and break free from the bond that shackles them and forces them to relive it over and over again. You may have seen it in the Xenosaga series and Higurashi.
Madoka’s first dream, and I suspect succeeding dreams, suggest that she is starting to either recall a distant memory she should not otherwise even know in this current time frame, or she’s starting to see omens of the future. As it stands I have this feeling that this is an anomaly: if Madoka were to tell Homura about her dreams and Homura were to realize that she herself did not possess such dreams or memories of the past, then this indicates itself to be a new development, something that is a new development in the cycle. Assuming that this is indeed a recurring cycle and not just one reset, then it is indicative that memories are crossing over each reset and allowing the next reincarnations preemptive knowledge of events and increasing the chance that the cycle could be broken.
The abject and ludicrous amount of power that Homura possibly possesses though indicates that she’s been doing this WAAAY longer than everyone else, which can support of course that she might have been doing this for more than one cycle, either as the same Homura or the next Madoka-Homura incarnation that inherits the capacities of the previous one.
I just finished watching Episodes 2-5 in one go after dropping it earlier. The “future theory” seems to be my guess also about Homura. One thing about Mahou Shoujo shows is that dreams are important, so the first scene in episode 1 is most likely a flashback or flashfoward.
The powers concept is interesting also. Sayaka gets super-regen from her healing wish. I have not seen a clear representation on Homura’s powers, but it looks a lot like teleportation. I think we can theorize what her wish was from just that.
From this episode it looks like Homura’s power actually stops time, going by how the water droplets stopped moving while Homura was moving. Hmm, more support to time-travel theory?
Hmm.. That one point in the show made me raise my eyebrow too: How their powers are chosen. So based on the skills each Mahou Shoujo has, you can take little guesses at what kind of wish they made. This is kinda FUN! LOL WHERE’S VICTORIQUE WHEN YA NEED ‘ER!? >8}
That was maybe the most engaging episode of an anime I’ve ever watched. Homura stole my heart with that battle entrance.
Aside from the first ep. its amazing how much each one just leaves you dying for next week to come.
QB’S A NINE-TAILED DEMON FOX!! L0L.
Homura has always been very kind and honest towards Madoka, since episode 1. She doesn’t seem to be able to express her feelings very well though.
Thank god this is not a manga adaptation, being an anime watcher that is I would be disappointed reading viewers comment on how awesome the manga is compare to the anime.
a manga is in the works right now….
no make that 3 mangas:
“Puella Magi Madoka Magica, which will tell the story of the anime and other two named Puella Magi Kazumi Magica: The Innocent Malice which will feature different characters and Puella Magi Oriko Magica which will be published after the anime stops airing.”
from: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica
and if not convinced yet: http://www.dokidokivisual.com/madokamagica/
Of course I’m already expected something like that. At least it will be published after the anime is aired, for now I have time to enjoy reading comments here without any spoilers from manga readers (and the mandatory “this anime sucks, the manga is way much better” comments). Just to clarify though, I’m not against it, thanks to you I will be looking forward on it as soon as it is release 🙂
wow, i love all the theories. nice!
This episode contains the best sword fight scene I have watched since the fight scenes in Serei no Moribito and Stranja Mukou Hadan — very impressive 🙂
My personal finalised theory
Old Madoka (the long haired Madoka) adopted a cat or captured a cat familiar or witch (sayaka or Mami for lolz) and called it Homura as her life was as lonely as the other MS. Somehow Homura became human if a cat (a piece of Madoka?) or recovered her humanity with Madoka. After Madoka becamea witch, Homura completes the pact (first time or again), becoming a MS. This time her wish is to be able to save Madoka. The wish is granted literally and she is “able” but not guranteed to save Madoka by having her kicked back into time before she Madoka becomes a MS. As she knows part of Madoka’s life and her personality well, she opts to drive her away from the MS path by fear after attempting to kill kyubei failed. As kyubei is now aware of her, the element of surprise is gone and attempting to kill him now would be difficult or would result in her losing. Since her death would kill any chance of stopping Madoa, she opts to play it as safe as possible. Unfortunately she did not know about Sayaka who was dead before that and after Sayaka’s transformation, Homura realises too late that Sayaka would be used to coerce Madoka.
Further guessing
In episode 6, Kamijo dies.
In episode 7, Sayaka becomes a witch or is destroyed
In episode 8, Kyoko dies
In episode 9, Kyubei’s final gambit starts
In episode 10, Homura’s wish unravels. All is returned to episode 1’s dream. Homura dies.
In episode 11, Madoka becomes a MS and fights her older witch self. She wins and finally Madoka kills herself to prevent herself from becoming a witch once more
Now to see if any of that happens. This is getting to be as fun as Angel Beats
Derpy frames are derpy. Ok episode I guess.
just read a partial translation to the rest of the ED’s lyrics. if the 0P is in madoka’s perspective,the ED is in homura’s.
the lyrics are pretty spoiler-ish. and I found myself kinda tearing up at what homura was telling.
T_T homurun, i am here. i’ll comfort you. T_T
This anime is too creepy. Yet I can’t stop watching it. It doesn’t help me getting enough sleep either.
Hmm Kyubei has to be some sort of nine-tailed fox demon. I wonder if he is connected with youkai legends- like how the mahou shoujo has a nail tattoo might be a sign of possession- because I read somewhere that one way a fox demon can possess a human (normally female) would be to slip under the fingernails. And don’t some forms of fox demons feed on human spirits? Kyubei does have the power to appear in dreams, and maybe even create illusions.
Grief seed like hoshi no tama?
>.< I want to research more into this.
Anyway, I agree with the Homura cat theory~ just have to wait and see.
i’m actually torn into w/c is more likely: homura-is-future-madoka theory or homura-is-a-black-cat theory. but i think it’s the former. but they’re also good things that do support the latter theory. the 0P itself,and homura’s traits.XD
i might end up being crazy after this show ends with all these mind-boggling speculations. XD
a quote from the manga:
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
these lines are pretty much telling something. it could mean,there’s ANOTHER way that madoka can become an MG aside from a contract w/ QB. does that cat from the 0P have something to do w/ this?(if homura-is-the-cat is false) or madoka does have the power herself to turn into an MG w/o QB? hmm..
I’m rooting for troll; Madoka never becomes a mahou shoujo. Those are just pretty images of madoka as one 😀
Oh oh idea! What if Homura was a Mahou Shoujou that was brought back to life by her friend? And then her friend died or something because the price of the wish was too high…? It explains Kyubei’s “may or may not have made Homura” cuz then Homura would have been the result of another Mahou Shoujou’s wish, which Kyubei granted.
But then Mami couldn’t come back to life, huh…. I don’t know. it sounded better in my head.
Funny Madoka Video
>.< Gah! Madoka, run away from Kyubei!
“What if the “ability” she wishes for is actually the other Madoka in the opening sequence — the human form for her “ability”?”
You have no idea how right you might actually be… I have no idea how I’m going to get through a whole week of waiting. 6th episode was beyond awesome.
I was thinking after reading some of these theories and doesn’t Homura tell Madoka “Do not wish to be someone/something else” in one of the first episodes? Could that maybe be her wish “to become popular”(someone else)wich would turn her into the Homura we know and love?
Btw sorry if it sounds stupid not really good at thinking stuff through.