Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica 03

Well another week has passed and its time for another amazing episode of Madoka…and boy what an amazing episode this was….and did it give me mixed emotions… (P.S this post is quite a long summary so i apologize but this episode warrants it)

Looks can be deceiving

After watching this episode what i really want to say is F*****K U Urobochi GEN….really F U man….and dammit you’re good…too good at writing….

Well as you can see judging from what i have said…this episode really is crazy….and Urobochi Gen pulled his crazy magic on us and added more spice to the story…. Having read some of his work before, I was prepared for something like this happening but I expected it to occur much later in the show not like in the 3rd episode.

Before i start on what happened in this episode I just want to give a quick summary of the music and the animations. For this episode the music is still as superb as ever, with the tunes giving each scene its own unique feel as always. The animation too is terrific with the typical SHAFT style to be expected even showcasing a amazing fighting scene with fluid movements and animation.

Now for the important stuff, the episode starts on a happier note in which Miki goes to visit the Kamijou-chan( not the Index one) that was mentioned in the 2nd episode. It seems that he has been hospitalized for quite a while and Miki in nuturing some feelings from him and from the flashback scence, they seem to childhood friends and Miki is helping him in her own way.

After the Opening, it jumps to a fighting scene in which Mami fights and does her finisher on a “witch”.

Tiro Finale!

It is later revealed after the fight that they were only fighting a Familiar so it does not drop a Grief Seed after Madoka asks. Subsequently, Madoka asks Mami on how she became a Mahou Shoujo and Mami in turn reveals through some flashbacks that she did not really have a choice as she had to become one in order to survive the accident that she was involved in.

Kyube stare....chi~~ "the Contract...."

Miki then poses an important question about their wishes asking whether is it possible to use the wish for someone else(which everyone by now would know that she wants to help Kamijou). Mami then retorts with a superb answer, questioning her that is she wishing to really help the person or make the person indebted to her and that the person making the wish must be able to differentiate it first.

Then it jumps to a scene in Madoka’s room in which Kyube and her are discussing about becoming a Mahou Shoujo in which in the subsequent conversation, Kyube reveals that if Madoka has enormous potential and if she does become a Mahou Shoujo, she would become a very powerful one for that matter with a Soul Gem that even he will not know how big it will be.

After that, it moves to a scene in which Mami has a showdown with Homura where they hold a heated discussion over the matter of Madoka and Miki who Homura is trying to prevent from forming a contract with Kyube which ends in a stalemate.

Next it moves on till the next day in which Madoka and Miki find a Grief Seed near the hospital. Madoka then goes to get Mami while Kyube and Miki stays to guard it and to guide them ltr when they return.

After Madoka fetches Mami, they then venture into witches realm but they do not get very far before Homura appears. She warns Mami not to take this witch lightly as it is not like the previous ones that they have fought but Mami does not heed her warning and even proceeds to bind Homura up and leave her there.

Bondage FTW!

While searching for the witch, Madoka pours her feelings out to Mami saying that she does not need a wish as after watching Mami for so long, she sees her as her role model and hopes to emulate her and that being able to help people like what Mami has done is good enough a wish for her. Hearing that, Mami gets quite emotional as she is overjoyed that she finally has someone to fight with her and she even gets self critical at one point, showing a side that we have not seen yet.

Immediately after that discussion, the pace quickens and it jumps to a battle scene where Mami fight her way through the witches minions and in which the best animation of this series occurs with Mami showing a great Gun play sequence.

Then, after defeating the minions they meet up with Kyube and Mami where subsequently the Witch finally appears and the most important and critical part of the episode takes place.

This is a witch? LOL

Seeing such a weak-looking witch, Mami then proceeds to “own” it while being hyped up with a renewed sense of happiness that has been energised by Madoka and finishes the witch off with a bigger “Tiro Finale”…..

Super Photon Cannon

or so she thought……

At her moment of triumph, the Witch reveals its true form in which it is unscathed from the punishment Mami has given it…….and proceeds to attack her…with terrible results…..

OMG noooooo......

Mami was stunned at the sudden transformation and could not even react. Using this opportunity, the Witch proceeds to take a bite of Mami, promptly chomping her head off. The subsequent scene is quite graphic for a Mahou Shoujo Anime as it shows Mami’s headless body’s silhouette dropping to the ground and the Witch then goes to finish the act with Madoka and Miki watching the whole scene…..

Zetsubou-shi ta!!!

Zetsubou-shi ta!!!

Sensing the impending danger Kyube urges them to form a contract with him as fast as possible but it was prevented by the swift arrival of Homura who was freed when Mami’s spell broke. She then proceed to Utterly destroy the Witch with even more ease than that of Mami. The following scene is quite tragic as after the Witch was destroyed as

Whats left of Mami T_T

what was left was just some blood and the Grief Seed, not a trace of  Mami was left.

The episode ends with them returning to the real world and Madoka and Miki wallowing in despair following what has happened with Homura looking on unfeelingly. Another point to take note is that after what has happened, Kyube does not say anything and is seemingly unaffected by the loss of Mami.

On the whole, this episode gave a real roller-coaster ride with mixed feelings. I was so stunned after watching this that could not sleep after it. Urobochi Gen has really done a terrific job of writing the script, what better way of killing off a character by first making the audience like him/her so much and then proceeding to get rid of the character. Furthermore, it was scripted in such a way that the character’s life was taken at the peak of her joy, further compounding the feeling of loss. And to make matters worse Mami was initially introduced when the series was announced like on of the main characters so losing her is a big blow.

If you have not experienced this type of Urobochi Gen’s work before, let me tell you solemnly, from the interviews I have read about him, he has revealed that he does not like happy endings or completely happy stories and this series and episode is evidence of that.

The Ending theme kinds of makes matters worse with such a dark theme and animation which suits the song by Kalafina

Overall I feel that this is an EPIC episode defying the normal Mahou Shoujo stereotype providing a darker side to a much overly repeated genre and this show really is not for kids to watch as it may affect their pure sensibilities.

My predictions for the next episode? Well I really do not know what to expect anymore as this episode really shocked me to the max. After such an important juncture, I can only hope that it progresses positively as anymore losses would be quite terrible and some people may have been turned off by what has happened.

Lastly I can only say: Will this story have a happy ending? Well the answer is in Gen’s Hands.

~Arc

(P.S Sorry for the late and long post, I was really affect by this episode(sry for being so noob) and did not have the mood to post for a while)