Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica – 08
Can I wish for my sanity back?
I am having a very, very lazy day today. I should probably be getting ahead in my readings, or buying cooking ingredients…But nope, today spiraled into a day of anime watching and blogging. Oh well, that’s what the weekends are for! Besides, when it comes to Madoka, there is no way I could wait.
Sayaka is still batshit insane, continuing to wail on the witch even after it’s dead. Even though she wasted so much energy on all those blows and healing her wounds, she still gives the Grief Seed to Kyoko. She says she’s fine, but can’t even walk without Madoka helping her. Even though she can’t feel pain, Madoka is extremely upset over how much Sayaka is hurting.
When you live in a nightmare, it’s written all over your face
Waiting for the bus gives Sayaka plenty of time to let out all of her pent up frustrations on the meek Madoka. She accuses her friend of not stepping up to help her, despite being the one with the greatest potential. Her life essentially has no meaning, and Madoka doesn’t really know how to debate against that. It ends with Sayaka telling her to never come near her and running off.
Homura has a meeting with Kyoko about the incoming Walpurgisnacht, which should be arriving at the clocktower any time soon. Kyoko seems to be catching on that Homura is special, asking how she knows these things so precisely. Kyubei is just as curious, furtively sneaking his way into the meeting. He tells them that something “unfortunate” may happen to Sayaka before Walpurgie (my nickname for him) appears.
Not my idea of a romantic, candle-lit dinner
Speaking of something horrible happening to Sayaka, she’s absolutely devastated at the sight of Kamijo and Hitomi chatting it up on a bench. Her soul gem is already corrupted enough, but now she has to waste more magic on killing a familiar to get her anger out.
Miss teleport-to-wherever-the-hell-I-please materializes and gives Sayaka a Grief Seed. Like what Homura did to mami, she refuses it and calls Homura a liar. She doesn’t care about her, so why should she trust her? Like a dying stray mutt refused to accept food, Sayaka is determined to be self-reliant…or die trying. Pissed off at how she doesn’t realize what she’s doing to the all-important Madoka, she decides to kill Sayaka herself so Madoka doesn’t have to witness it. Kyoko jumps in (Magical girls always know where other magical girls are, don’t they?) and stops her, allowing Sayaka to limp away. Homura uses a flash grenade to escape, probably using some time magic in the process as well.
On the bus ride home, Sayaka hears some guys talking in a typical sexist manner about how girls are practically objects. Sayaka gives them an earful about their chauvanistic ways, changing her rant halfway into questioning why this world is worth saving. As her sanity starts to decay, she almost turns into a witch then and there.
This same night, Madoka has been looking everywhere for Sayaka when she couldn’t find her at home. Instead, she finds Kyubei. NO MADOKA, RUN. RUN. HE’S THE DEVIL, DON’T LET HM CONVINCE YOU TO BE A MAHOU SHOUJO! If I could’ve shot him, I would have, but Homura beat me to the punch. Madoka narrowly misses becoming a soul in a rock thanks to Homura, who comes to her in tears. Madoka, completely ignorant of her own self-worth, doesn’t get why it’s wrong to sacrifice herself for others so easily. She gets some deja-vu, wondering if she’s seen Homura before…Then leaves. She just leaves her sobbing. UGH, MADOKA.
THE GLORIOUS MOMENT WE’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR
Kyubei’s replacement body shows up to taunt Homura, eating up his old body like it was a lump of cotton candy. I guess his soul is just as mobile as the mahou shoujo are. Having been killed twice by Homura, he is able to tell that Homura uses time magic and isn’t from this timeline. Why does she want to protect Madoka so badly, even he doesn’t know. Homura then reveals that Kyubei’s real form is called “The Incubator.” Meanwhile, Kyoko finds Sayaka in the subway and strikes up a casual conversation to try and be nice. Too bad Sayaka is in the mood for exploding and turning into a witch. If Madoka finds her now, there will be hell.
Phoenix down? OH COME ON, THAT’S CHEAP.
Bonus Madness:
Insta-spear. Also handy for playing pool or as a back-scratcher.
…Madoka’s shadow appeared when she turned into a witch? Hmmm..
Sayaka, you be tripping.
…Is it bad that I think he looks kind of tasty?
End Thoughts: Once again, Madoka has perfect pacing – explaining enough mysteries each week to give closure and introducing enough new plot points to create cliffhangers. Homura = time traveller? Confirmed. Magical girls turn into witches? Confirmed. Kyubei is a jackass who will always be there? Confirmed. It feels good when your theories are right (Even if the only original theory I came up with on my own was witches = magical girls lol). As for the next episode, Sayaka is a WITCH. ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN.
Sayaka, Sayaka, Sayaka. You poor, hopeless creature. All these emotions being let out in the wrong way. Really, Sayaka, if you had taken some time to talk about your issues maybe you wouldn’t have ended up on par with most mental ward patients. Then again, Madoka isn’t very good at saying things other than “Sayaka…Sayaka D=”, which may be where her lack of good advice comes from. If Homura actually cared about Sayaka the way she does about Madoka, I bet she’d be fine. Sadly, Sayaka is one of those characters who does things for the sake of others but secretly grows bitter about throwing herself away for nothing in return. She’s not as selfless as she’s trying to make herself out to be. Oh well, we all know how much I adore watching characters go cuckoo.
I want to know why Homura cares so much about Madoka. It’s probably not just a “if she dies, the world ends” sort of thing, since Homura seems too personally attached to Madoka’s safety. Why is she so important to her? Meanwhile, Madoka just left her crying to search for Sayaka instead, who is a lost cause at this point. It seems like everyone is having breakdowns of some sort, even Homura and Madoka.
As for what happens next, Kyoko is the only one at the scene of the crime right now. Sayaka is probably going to attack her since she’s a witch, so I’m desperately hoping Kyoko isn’t killed by Sayaka….Do you think the witch retains Sayaka’s healing abilities? Because that would be baaaaaad news. I just hope Homura does her usual perfectly-timed entrance to stop anything from getting too out of control. I really hope Madoka doesn’t see Sayaka like that, the poor little thing is already enough of a mess. She’s been scarred so many times, it’s a miracle she hasn’t picked up a noose and hung herself. Speculate away – we have to wait yet another grueling week to find out what really happens!
About Overcooled
A neuroscience graduate, black belt, and all-around nerd. You'll either find me in my lab or curled up in my rilakkuma kigurumi watching anime.
POWUH: iLurker with 7 comments
There’s no denying the fact that the story is simply spectacular. It’s pretty much veered off the magical girl genre entirely, which might be disappointing to those who expected an actual magical girl show, genre self-awareness et al.
Those types of people ordered a pizza, but was delivered a AAA steak instead. There’s no denying the quality of AAA steak (and pizza too, of course), but when you originally wanted pizza, then you can’t help but feel the least bit disappointed.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
It’s like the second coming of the mahou shoujo genre. I can only hope we get more of these “dark magical girl” series after…or at least people making mahou shoujo with more substance <_< It's true that at first some people might be disappointed due to their expectations, but really...anyone who's so stuck on something meeting their expectations that they can't enjoy it when it's different is just being stubborn.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Whoa! What an amazing episode this week so may things finally explained to us, mostly with Homura being from another time which a few people tossed that idea around.
Which explains how she knows when certain monsters are appearing, best thing ever was swiss cheese Kyubey! Was like OMG YES!! Then was like Ewwww he ate himself wonder if that taste like marsh-mellows 😀
So Sayaka will become a witch? should be epic!!
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Yeah, they threw us a lot of bones this episode. So much happened, my head feels heavy now…
Sayaka should be a witch now. I wonder what form she will take~
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Good question! I wonder what Sayaka will look like too! Can’t wait! Wooooooooo!!
POWUH: 600-699 and Wingman with 655 comments
Remember the first episode? the dream like thing that
Madoka was watching? The witch from that dream is Sayaka…
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Could be. I still think it’s a bit too early for that and the witch from the first episode might be Walpurgie. :3
POWUH: 600-699 and Wingman with 655 comments
Well the proof is that the witch from the first ep
has the same rune like symbol, which is identical to Sayaka’s one in her belly 😛 also other similar designs are spotted from those two… but who knows? it might be wrong its just speculations XP
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Oh really? I didn’t catch that. Wow, it’s probably her then!
POWUH: 600-699 and Wingman with 655 comments
the interview with the director said Kyubei is made of out of earth materials and he ate the body to erase the evidence…
POWUH: 600-699 and Romance Expert with 652 comments
and I also heard that gen urobuchi said that sayaka is actually the central protagonist. madoka is the supporting protagonist but ume aoki originally planned her to be the main character.
POWUH: 600-699 and Wingman with 655 comments
that is very convincing 😛
since urobuchi likes twisted stories
he could have wanted to show the fall of a central protagonist in detail…and thinking of personalities, Sayaka is easier to break apart and go berserk.. Madoka wont do that when given the same stimulus
POWUH: 600-699 and Romance Expert with 652 comments
a bit funny trivia:
“Both Aoi Yuki and Emiri Katou (who voice Madoka and Kyubey respectively) apparently love the Magical Girl genre, and are excited to be in this anime. According to Gen Urobuchi, they didn’t take the plot very well. Aoki Ume seems to suffer a mild version of this when learnt the plot of episode 3 too.”
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
WOW, cool. Sayaka would make an interesting main character! I’m still not disappointed that she had the breakdown though…It’s working quite well.
lol, those seiyuu got trolled.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 209 comments
This episode wasn’t just hitting the fan, it was hitting a Plane’s engine, crashing in to another plane, and then crashing in to the watch tower.
Pretty amazed how the Magical girl = Witch theory came true when I was just leaving it to the side till further evidence. And heres what I got.
Like the idea of Homura using modern weapons and a shield. Could she be like the Punisher when he was Captain America? O_o
OMG HE ATE HIMSELF!!!!
KYUBEY!!!!!!!!!
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 131 comments
When I saw the holes at kyuubey’s body… I thought that Mami had returned… but no. It was pretty cool still. (:
Speculah FTL. 8)
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
lol yes, this episode was that intense. It was really one of those “OH SNAP” episodes.
I was so happy that came true lol. It makes being a magical girl all the more of a dark concept, this genre is going to be completely different by the time Madoka is done airing <3
POWUH: 600-699 and Wingman with 655 comments
I think Homura uses grenades and guns as a penalty
for a powerful magic that manipulates time 😛
Unlike the other magical girls who create their
own weapon and also use other magic spells
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
True, she’d be pretty overpowered if she could control time AND had a bunch of bonus attack spells. XD No weapon for you, Homura, go buy your own!
POWUH: iLurker with 17 comments
HOW CAN HOMURA-CHAN HAVE A BREAKDOWN?! She’s the rock of the show. The one who no matter what keeps her cool and instead she has a breakdown? What the hell is wrong with Madoka? Who leaves a person crying like that? I still can’t believe Homura actually is from a different time plane. I think maybe Homura and Madoka became friends or she was her mentor like Mami. Or lovers? And Kyubey not dying when Homura shot was horrible especially eating his dead body? I wonder what she meant by Incubator. An incubator keeps eggs warms so maybe Kyubey is holding something inside him.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 131 comments
Homura is a great character. She acts in a tricky way. That also explains why people thought that she was from the future. I’m really enjoying the way she does the things.
The most impressive thing for me was that she had that breakdown and just when kyuubey got near her she raised and did that hair flip like it was nothing…
was she pretending?
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I was pretty shocked that Madoka left Homura there when she knows how big of a deal it is for that girl to show ANY emotion, let alone cry on her hands and knees. Madoka must really be out of her mind now too.
I don’t think it’s gonna go the yuri route, but I thought that too XDD Homura seems a bit more devoted than a friend would though. So it seems like something…more.
…Oh my God, Kyubei has Grief Seeds inside him, is he incubating them? OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD WHAT DO THEY HATCH INTO?
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 20 comments
After Homura called him Incubator, I realized how much the Soul Gems look like eggs…O_o
POWUH: 600-699 and Romance Expert with 652 comments
sayaka is bit parallel with my life. I help people a lot, willing to help every time, and I rarely get any help or at least “thanks”. im even ignored or left alone several times.
its my nature to be good and help others but a part of me also wants them to be a bit grateful at times. im just in a better situation than sayaka because there are some people here that do actually pay me back, but its still quite small and only those who are good themselves.
like sayaka, I can either change to be jerk but I dont want to be like that, and I want to keep being good but I also want at least a bit of gratitude or people to help me once in a while.
that being said, the worst choice that made sayaka like that is either loving kamijo or pushing madoka away. I havent fallen in love yet and I also dont really have much close friends to me so those also make me different from her….
anyways, the manga was a bit disappointing. the manga has a lot more time than the anime but the fights are really small and dont show how cool mami is. kyubey also shows emotion, making him less suspicious than what he is.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
It’s a feeling I know all too well as the advisor of my friends/shoulder to cry on. There’s a price for having a level of loyalty that strong… It seems the only way to help someone sometimes without being bitter is if you share a mutual trust with them so they help you back. Like Sayaka, if you don’t get any sense of gratitude in return, it’s natural to feel taken for granted. Who is there to save the saviors?
Sometimes, people just don’t know how to show gratitude, so you just have to push that pain aside to help them. Especially if they’re really in danger (*cough* suicidal for example).
Sayaka can’t help loving Kamijo, but she isn’t dealing with her emotions rationally. She is simply acting on her first feeling (rage at Hitomi, disgust at her body) and not intellectualizing that her actions AREN’T HELPING HER. Because Sayaka is a person who keeps everything on the inside and Madoka never tried to push past that cheerful barrier hard enough, Sayaka is pushing her away in frustration. So she’s pushing away the only person that could help her *sigh* Poor Sayaka.
I don’t think I’ll be checking out the manga aside from the spin-offs which will be different from the anime, in that case.
POWUH: 600-699 and Romance Expert with 652 comments
ironically, from what ive read in the manga, the manga is much more rushing than the anime version. I could barely even feel the emotional impact, though admittedly I did already saw it in the anime.
il try to report the difference from the manga to the anime as I read through. so far again the anime is superior.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
It’s not a good idea to rush a manga, especially when people generally read manga faster than they watch anime <_< If there are any major differences I might take the bait and read it, otherwise the anime is doing just fine on its own.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 131 comments
OMG… Oh my God… OH MY GOOOOOOOOD !!!!!! D8
oh my god… God knows how many “omg” I’ve said while watching this. Specially after Kyuubey got pwned.
Well, about the relationship between Homura and Madoka I think that Homura-chan was her servant… dunno, just by the way she refers to Madoka and that she don’t try to get close to her… she’s pretty devoted… also, INCUBATOR. Kyuubey eating himself was kinda of… disturbing.
SO… Do you guys remenber that “place” where Madoka-chan end up at the ED? THAT right eye? Now, just think about the POSITION that Madoka was + black-hole into “INCUBATOR’s body” (stocking grief seeds = gathering power) + Madoka’s potencial able to rewrite the laws of nature…
OH, INCUBATOR-CHEESE! GIVE ME SOME.
My heart… what are we getting for next week? @_@
lulz, phoenix down.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 131 comments
*just to make things more clear …. >> (stocking used grief seeds ready to become witchs again = gathering EVIL power to destroy/control Madoka)
kyuubey must taste like morning resc.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
OMG indeed. That should’ve been my opening line before the jump lol.
Homura is very devoted, but still has a bit of distance, so it makes sense. But is that distance because she doesn’t want to reveal her identity or because they’re like that in the future? I think they might be a little closer than master and servant somehow, but I still can’t think HOW @_@
The Incubator deal seems to refer to how Kyubei makes witches and is harvesting Grief Seeds like an incubator. So he doesn’t want Madoka as a magical girl, he wants her as a witch. Imagine how powerful she’d be! How do witches and Grief seeds benefit Kyubei is the question here. Picturing Madoka in Kyubei’s body is an unpleasant image…
Next week I…I don’t even know…XD
POWUH: 400-499 with 406 comments
IGaKHAKRHJW GOTTA WAIT ANOTHER WEEEEK. And I don’t think I can take the suspense. AKHJAEKW Hang in there Kyoko! Don’t let witch Sayaka take you down!
Kyubei self cannibalism :I
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I love these anime that make you long for the next episode like a drug addict for their next fix…XDDD I DON’T WANT KYOKO TO DIE!
POWUH: 400-499 with 428 comments
EVERYTHING NOW FALLS INTO PLACE!
Whilst Index is one of my favourite series, which I am about to watch the ACTION episode, i have to say Madoka always keeps the pace on, whether characterization (like Sayaka’s spell into despair) or general plot (meaning, like EVERYTHING!). It’s like SHOOM and then SHOCKU, to be incoherent.
I had funny suspicions about Homura and how Witches form, since the theories have always been drifting around. Glad to see they were right. Now, there are only 4 episodes left! Don’t let up, Shinbo! Keep doing what you’re best at!
PS Just food for thought. Walpurgis= massive destruction in first episode?
POWUH: 1100-1199 and Meta's Evil rice-flour Product with 1137 comments
i think my mind exploded, so the magical girls are made to fight the witches, after a certain period of time they themselves become witches…and the vicous circle continues? it’s a pointless cycle unless someone benefits through it’s undertaking….COUGH KYUBEI COUGH COUGH
POWUH: 1100-1199 and Meta's Evil rice-flour Product with 1137 comments
And…when madoka becomes a witch…wouldn’t she be like impossible to kill?
POWUH: 400-499 with 428 comments
Madoka’s power levels…IT’S OVER 9000!!!
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I don’t watch Index, BUT I know Madoka is solid no matter whether it’s action or character development. Or both. I think Walpurgie is the behemoth in the first episode too.
Madoka as a witch is going to be BEAST if it ever happens.
POWUH: 1100-1199 and Meta's Evil rice-flour Product with 1137 comments
walpurgis night, some kinda drinking/dancing night…wtf?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walpurgis_Night
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 28 comments
SPECTACULAR.
THERE IS NO ANIME THIS SEASON THAT CAN EVER HOPE TO RIVAL THE MAGICKY GOODNESS THAT JUST HAPPENED IN MY FACE.
I’m very, very, very impressed. Sayaka going batshit witchy was probably something that i’ve been dreading/looking forward to/fascinated with for a looooong time…
POWUH: 600-699 and Wingman with 655 comments
Ayumu’s magical girl transformation did some shocking damage to my brain that rivaled MMM, but i guess that’s shocking in a different genre XP
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
IT IS THE CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS. ALL HAIL KYUBEI!
…Korezombie is admittedly another show I quite like, although it’s not as funny as it was in episode 1 now. XD
POWUH: 1100-1199 and Meta's Evil rice-flour Product with 1137 comments
HOLY CRAP DID THAT JUST HAPPEN, SHAFT this is the bomb, ngl best of the season
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
SHAFT LET ME BE YOUR WAIFU
POWUH: 600-699 and Wingman with 655 comments
EPISODE that put an end to all the speculations
well, almost all of them anyways 😛
as expected Sayaka went berserk,, i expect Kyoko to die
while trying to save her next ep, Hitomi was a bitch
what else? oh yeah KYUBEI YOU F’ING MONSTER
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
They pulled out all the stops for this one XD I’m worried for Kyoko! She’s in a lot of danger but I’m hoping she survives…I…I don’t think she will though TT.TT
Watch and see that Hitomi was telling Kamijo that Sayaka loves him OTL That would suck for her.
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 70 comments
heavily discussed topic, huh, Madoka. with no star driver posts to compete…ah well
awesome take Kyuubei = Incubator. that was one of the smartest English word plays I’ve witnessed, considering how Japan bastardizes the English language so often.
ah, and another speculation: Homura can either be: 1) Madoka’s daughter from the future. OR 2) Madoka’s mom from the past.
POWUH: 600-699 and Wingman with 655 comments
or the cat she was holding in the OP XP
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
lol Madoka is the hot topic this Winter. I can’t say much about Star Driver, ehehe.
Yeah, I’m glad they didn’t use EGGBOX or something dumb…Never thought about that >_< I've heard those 2 speculations too. I've even heard that Homura was the future Madoka as speculation o_o I think it's more likely that Homura is Madoka's daughter. Why? I'm not sure myself, it just seems more plausible.
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 71 comments
Madoka Magica = Fate/ZERO (surprise, something that Gen Urobuchi wrote).
Oriko Magica = Fate/SN.
I hope this doesn’t happen, but we might not see any closure this season, and just see the fallout in the follow-up story.
Also, aren’t we all forgetting the latest Megami cover?
http://i.imgur.com/PJ4Ril.jpg
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
That would be sneaky if they just left us hanging. As long as they tie up loose ends SOMEWHERE, even in an extra story, I’ll be fine though.
…I..wow..words fail me. This is just…wow. XD
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 131 comments
／ 人◕ ‿‿ ◕人 ＼
POWUH: 1100-1199 and Meta's Evil rice-flour Product with 1137 comments
MOAR MOAR MOARRRR!!!!!!