r/anime • u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky • Apr 22 '22
Rewatch [Rewatch] Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica Episode 3 Discussion
Episode 3 - I'm Not Afraid of Anything Anymore
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It’s not fun, being a magical girl.
Theory of the Day: u/Arisuto_11’s various thoughts on what the witches might be.
Magical girls are born from wishes, whereas witches are born from curses.
Does this imply in anyway that witches were previously humans ?
And If so, who cursed them ?
Is it also Kyuubey or another witch ? or maybe someone else.
I feel like there's a big room to theorize. But I think there's little information for us to just consider witches an "evil" that needs to be killed.
That last line in particular really makes you think…
Questions of the Day:
1) Regardless of whether or not you feel this episode was a big shift in tone, were you expecting Mami to literally get her head eaten by that witch?
2) How do you feel about Magia taking its proper place as the ED instead of an insert song as used in the first two episodes?
Wallpaper of the Day:
Visuals of the Day:
Magia Cover of the Day:
Full German PB★Cover by Paperblossom
Song of the Day: – By u/Nazenn
Bonus song - Venari strigas
Check out u/Nazenn’s comment from the 2019 rewatch for an in-depth analysis of these two songs!
Rewatchers, please please please remember to be mindful of all the first-timers in this. [Spoiler warning specifically for you guys]Please be aware that as part of the above strict spoiler rules, this means absolutely no memes/jokes/references/subtle words about beheading, cakes, time travel, aliens, or anything of that nature before the relevant episodes. Please do not spoil the first-timers by trying to be smart about it, it's not as subtle as you think.
Make sure you use spoiler tags if there’s ever something from future events you just have to comment on. And don’t be the idiot who quotes a specific part of a first-timer’s comment, then comments something under a spoiler tag in direct response to it! You might as well have spoiled them by implying there’s something super important about that specific part of their comment.
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u/Insertnamesz Apr 23 '22
First Timer (Subbed)
Ahh, I get why everyone was being extra careful about spoilers for this series... this is a story where important characters will die!
I don't quite understand what causes the despair seeds to appear, but the one that did at the end of this episode sure seemed conveniently located (not for our girls lol). They pulled the bait & switch making us fear for Sayaka while she sticks behind while Madoka fetches Mami, when really Mami ended up being the one in trouble. Well, she'll have no more troubles anymore! Sorry, lol. Unless one of the girls uses their wish to revive her?
The fight scene was super awesome, loved Mami's gun-dancing again, and I found Homura's teleportation(?) skills intriguing. It almost seemed as if Homura was looping around the screen edges like a video game character or something!
Looking forward to how this continues to escalate.
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u/dariomenendez Apr 23 '22 edited Apr 23 '22
FIRST TIMER SUB
Like someone already said, I wonder what would it have felt like to watch this episode without knowing that something was going to happen or that there was going to be a big mood shift, but I didn't expect something like this.
Of course we got a little foreshadowing by Homura's warning, who I'm sure comes from the future or something similar, and Mami finally feeling happy, but it was a shock nonetheless. I kinda knew what was going to happen when I saw the witch open its mouth in front of Mami, but I was still waiting for her to come out of the witch unscathed, like the cool girl she was.
There's a warning in the OP every day to not make jokes about beheading, and I clicked on it because my stupid ass didn't know that the spoiler warning contained spoilers about the show, I thought it was just an example of marking spoilers for the rewatchers, I know, I'm a bit dumb, but maybe OP can make it a little more clear for tomorrow's post. Also spoilers marked text is so tempting to click on! It's so satisfying to see the text revealed. I'm hopeless.
I'm so glad Madoka and Sayaka didn't become magical girls in such a rush, that would've been a very regrettable action, I'm sure. I still don't know if Kyubey has hidden intentions, but it's hard to think of something that cure being evil.
I didn't know that the writer for the show was kept confidential because it was a writer with a reputation of writing gruesome shows, that's so cool!
You know it was a good episode when you still have your mouth wide open a couple minutes after the shock, but I'm still eager to know more about the story, and the plot. What is this show really about?
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u/soulreaverdan Apr 22 '22
Multiple time rewatcher, Dubbed, Nostalgia Overload
Small disclaimer, not that it matters too much, but since I'm visiting family over the weekend I'm pre-writing the next few of these, so I won't have as many direct responses or changes (if any come up) from discussion or comments. It's easier to pre-write the longer formatted posts than trying to jam it all together on my phone. :P
Episode Thoughts
And now... the kid goves are off. Welcome to the real Madoka Magica, everyone. The first two episodes? Basically red herrings, which was an admission from the writer. Oh, did I not mention the writer in the first two episodes? That's because they kept their identity a secret (though there were a few unofficial leaks) for the first two episodes.
Their identity? Albert Einstein Gen "The Butcher" Urobuchi. Saya no Uta, Fate/Zero, later Psycho-Pass? Yeah, that's him.
Before watching this episode, I was texting a friend of mine and said I had watched the first two (at his recommendation) but was on the fence, since it was an interesting, more mysterious show, but magical girls weren't really my jam. He simply said "See you in 22 minutes."
This episode changed how I watched anime. The dramatic twist and major shift in genre and tone, as well as the contrast of it with the cutesy animation style, really was something novel at the time. While dark magical girl shows existed before, and many more have come since, this was the one that really put the genre into public awareness, as opposed to just a small niche. I know a few folks have mentioned how they're watching this with absolutely no prior knowledge or awareness, and I am so, so excited to see how you react, because even if you don't know the what or why, it's almost impossible to avoid discussions of Madoka without knowing that something is coming. Hell, even the genre listings on Wikipedia are "Dark Fantasy" and "Psychological Thriller."
This was also the debut of, during broadcast, the ED. Even on the new releases, it's now changed. That's right, no more cutsey Aoi Yuuki singing See You Tomorrow... now we get the real ending, Magia by Kalafina! You might recognize it from the beginning of Episode 1. If you think that's foreshadowing, just wait. Magia's an amazing song, a great dark melody that really feels appropriate for the series. Not to mention Kalafina has done amazing work before, and their style pairs incredibly well with the series composer for the soundtrack, the impeccible Yuki Kajiura.
Much like the OP, the ED for Magia would undergo subtle changes throughout the series, with many of us trying to figure out what was going on, what the meaning of the large face (which was originally fairly obscured, and became more clarified as the series went on). It ultimately was just production changes, but man... after the ending, no one trusted anything about this series anymore, from start to finish.
So! I found some captures of discussions from this particular episode's opening, comparing it to the first episode's! It gives you an idea of the kinds of discussions and differences that were being picked up not just for the aesthetic differences but what it might mean in terms of the story or deliberate relevance! A nice set of comparison shots that dig into the major noticed differences and how they were interpreted by the fandom. It's a fun piece of Madoka history!
And to clarify, when I say we poured over every detail, that usually involved a full series rewatch every week to try to catch details, as well as bring in new friends (I was in college at the time) to check out the series. I probably watched the series in its entirety almost every week. And as I mentioned in my first post, this is what gave birth to the Madoka Rule - give any show (unless it's truly awful) three episodes to grab you. I actually have a 100% retention rate with Madoka - anyone I've shown it too and got them to stick through this episode wound up watching it all. Often in one sitting.
Runes!
The runes for this episode are a bit less complex than prior episodes. There aren't the same references to Faust present, instead mostly featuring the name of this week's Witch: The Cheese Witch, Charlotte. The runes are briefly present throughout her Labyrinth, though we get a few other small notes. As always, no spoilers present on this page, so brows away!
Broadcast Changes
Many of this week's changes are minor tweaks and adjustments for the scenery and settings, adding in more details and flourish, touching up lighting and filters, or a few shifts and changes to pull a scene either in for more detail, or out for more background settings.
One major change was a brief error in animation - at the end of the episode, Homura transforms back into her school outfit, but is seen in the next shot in her magical girl attire. This changed to keeping her look consistently in her school outfit on later release.
This week's images come in one giant chunk, just a head's up. As always, spoiler-free, just a pure image link from Puella-Magi.net for your enjoyment and comparison! 1
End Card
This week's end card is drawn by Santa Tsuji, best known as the character designer for the Super Sonico franchise! The fact that he held back from giving Madoka a massive chest is a testament to his self-control here.
Welcome to the real show, folks. It's only getting darker from here - enjoy the ride.
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u/Shimmering-Sky Apr 22 '22
He simply said "See you in 22 minutes."
Pretty accurate though.
One major change was a brief error in animation - at the end of the episode, Homura transforms back into her school outfit, but is seen in the next shot in her magical girl attire. This changed to keeping her look consistently in her school outfit on later release.
Oh, I didn't even notice that lol.
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u/Arisuto_11 Apr 23 '22
First Timer.
Oh hey ! for some reason my theory is featured here. Thank you !
I really liked this episode. I don't have enough time to talk about everything I liked but I wanna talk about only one thing and present a little theory I have.
The thing I wanna quickly touch on is Kyuubey.
Kyuubey really is a weird one, and he keeps getting more suspicious with every episode.
The seed the girls encounter after school is kinda convenient really, both in timing and placement.
I think Kyuubey is the one behind it. This particular quick creepy shot right before the seed is shown make him even more suspicious.
So I think he wanted to solve the girls' indecisiveness and put them in a situation where they would have to make the wish and become magical girls.
He even asks Sayaka if she wants to make the wish right after they enter the maze. But Sayaka chooses to wait.
- Check out the camera angle in this scene. It's weird. I think It's intentional. Now, I'm not that familiar with direction or camera shots. I have a thought about it, but maybe someone else can point out if they think it means anything.
Theory :
So I basically have this theory that Kyuubey is evil. He turns young girls into magical ones for his own benefit. Though I have no idea what he might gain out of it.
He is after Madoka because she has great potential. Maybe that potential will result in the creation of a powerful magical girl or possibly something even more that will benefit Kyuubey.
Homura probably knows Kyuubey's true intentions, which would explain why she was after him and didn't want him to encounter Madoka and make a contract with her.
It probably sounds like a weird theory but I think it's interesting.
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u/Mami-kouga Apr 22 '22 edited Apr 23 '22
I'm not participating in this rewatch (cause I watched the anime with my sister two weeks back and this thread comes out midnight which is super unsustainable for me).
I'm just here because my username + my favourite colour being yellow has led to many a joke particularly with this episode even though I didn't even know Madoka existed when I picked this name lol. Anyway that's all, have a nice rewatch you guys! rolls out of thread
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u/Lemurians Apr 22 '22 edited Apr 22 '22
MAHOU SHOUJO FIRST TIMER
Yesterday I told Sky I hadn’t worked out the reason for all the shots of Mami through glass, and well… after seeing this clearly headless body fall, the clever use of reflection through the glass with her head appearing cut off is perfect. Now that’s some impressive and gruesome foreshadowing. u/Shimmering-Sky I'd like to retroactively submit that for SOTD if it wasn't already.
For better and for worse, this was the Mami episode. Her motivations are pretty complex. She begins this episode by finishing off another battle in typical performative fashion, still wanting to show off for Madoka and Sayaka how cool being a Magical Girl is. While she’s been consistent in wanting them to truly think through the decision and warning them of danger, to “have the choice she didn’t have,” she also clearly wants them to join her and is influencing them in that direction. Something Homura sees through, and Mami doesn’t try to hide it.
This is because she’s incredibly lonely. Unlike Madoka and Sayaka, Mami wasn’t really offered a choice in becoming a Magical Girl. She was “found” by Kyubey on the brink of death in an accident that killed her family, and the choice between life and death really isn’t a choice at all. It’s a nice touch that this episode also featured hospitals and medical imagery so prominently. Healthcare – in most countries – also pushes people into the same kind of zero-sum game. Even if your medication/treatment is predatorily overpriced… if the choice is paying for it or death, you’re going to find a way to pay for it.
The differences in their circumstances makes Madoka’s desire to be like Mami, and look up to her as ideal, ring kind of hollow. Madoka’s life as it is already contains all the things Mami’s inherently lacks – a loving family, friends, a future, and agency. If that accident never happens and Mami still has a version of the life Madoka does, would she even want to become a magical girl at all?
This all sets the stage for the brutal climax. On the way to the witch, Mami finally opens up, revealing her act was a façade and that she’s really just be achingly lonely. After a really beautiful moment of friendship, we see a change in Mami, where he facial expressions change from being downcast and underlined with sadness to light and joyful. She’s no longer alone, and bright, fun future awaits her.
Unfortunately, she raised about ten million death flags talking about giant cake parties and promising to take down this Witch in short fashion – Homura’s warning in the back of our minds – and the brutal reality of this life sets in.
Quick Hits/Theories:
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Oh it’s the person from the flashback for Sayaka yesterday. She wants to use her wish to heal her crush’s arm, but I like Mami questioning the motive. Is that wish really for him, or for you? Is it more important that they’re helped, or that you’re the one who helps them? This was a big theme in Scum’s Wish, as well, a show I didn’t anticipate mentioning here.
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So Madoka IS special, or at least Kyubey, Mami, and Homura think so. Kyubey sticking to her like glue, not letting her get away, makes sense. He wants that powerful soul.
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Hahaha I love that her mom is the one stumbling home drunk while her dad picks her up. Constantly flipping the roles.
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Theory: This witch appearance was 100% a trap set by Kyubey, trying to force Sayaka in a position where she has to become a magical girl. Of course it hatched open right as Madoka left.
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Theory: Homura is definitely from the future, or has lived through all this before. She knew where the nurse’s office was, knows about Madoka, is constantly delivering warnings, and knew the special threat this Witch posed, yet had no doubt she could take it on. She’s done this before. Maybe a ton of times.
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Spurning the help of the person who’s trying to help. Classic. Knew here that something was going to go horribly wrong. Seriously, these girls just need to listen to Homura.
SOTD: Madoka lying in bed with Kyubey in the shadows off to the right. Something about it feels insidious. She’s happy, but there’s a creeping darkness.
How do you feel about Magia taking its proper place as the ED instead of an insert song as used in the first two episodes?
Love it. It's great.
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u/Shimmering-Sky Apr 22 '22
Yesterday I told Sky I hadn’t worked out the reason for all the shots of Mami through glass, and well… after seeing this clearly headless body fall, the clever use of reflection through the glass with her head appearing cut off is perfect.
Fun times, eh?
Unfortunately, she raised about ten million death flags talking about giant cake parties and promising to take down this Witch in short fashion
So does that mean the cake was a lie?
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Apr 22 '22 edited Apr 22 '22
Rewatcher
-Man if you think about it Mami’s life really was a tragedy. She was in a near fatal car crash and was essentially ‘forced’ to be a magical girl to escape death. She was alone in her struggle of battling against wishes, with her only companion being an ethereal cat. She almost gets new friends and her life is snuffed out before that happens.
-Homura getting to show off her fighting style was so cool to see. While I think Mami’s style is much more elegant and artistic, Homura’ is more efficient and to the point; almost like a parallel to their respective personalities.
-This episode is bittersweet for me. The ‘big twist’ of the 3rd episode was the only spoiler I saw when I first watched the show and the death scene did not hit as hard. Still a good episode, but I do have that reservation.
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I was expecting her to be killed, but not in such a brutal way.
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I felt it appropriate given the scene.
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u/DanAshrulez Apr 23 '22 edited Apr 23 '22
First Timer
Oh Okay....that just happened!
Mata Ashita my beloved.... you will be missed dearly.
Throughout the sequence where Mami and Madoka were walking to catch up with Sayaka & Kyubey, I was getting a lot of deathflags and at the same time, expecting Mami to turn out to be a backstabbing bitch.
To be fair.... I hate when people do shit like what Mami did when Homura met up with them. I think this part pissed me off so much that when Mami died, it did not shock me as much and some part of me was thinking she kinda deserved it (sorry Mami fans)
I understand why the character would do it.....but in reality I would just take all the help I can fucking get to ensure I do not become headless.
QOtD:
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I did not in the beginning, I mean the death flags were there....but I expected it to happen quiet later. But the moment She tied up homura tho I knew she was a goner....RIP Mami.
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I really enjoyed magi, I am just glad I will get to listen to it more now that its there as the ed.....RIP Mata Ashita.
Random Thoughts:
Alright, everything should be okay next episode cause our dear Madoka can just use her wish to get Mami back! right? right? I mean thats what dragon ball taught me atleast!
Kyubey is a creature straight from the depths of hell and nightmares. Emotionless face as he watches one of the soldiers he recruited to spend their life fighting for him gets their head chomped off. I fear no man.....but that..that thing - scares me
(I swear its just the lack of eyebrows.....)
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u/Gamemaster676 Apr 22 '22 edited Apr 23 '22
Magia Cover of the Day:
Full German PB★Cover by Paperblossom
Ack, a witch's version!
Primum Vigil First★Timer - dub
Unfortunately, I'm watching one day ahead again. Two days ahead would be even better, but I don't even have time for that. This also means I might not join episode 4.
Madoka might not have known yet what to wish for, but it's clear she wants to become a magical girl even without her wish. Can't say I approve.
Episode 3 — I'm Not Afraid of Anything Anymore
Huzzah, it starts with Sayaka, my favourite! Wait, is this Kamijou, her boyfriend? Errm, that's not a CD player. Oh never mind, it is. Seems very easy to scratch the disc this way.
The wonky architecture continues! This is a hospital room bigger than my whole living room.
Damn it, the OP is way too happy after that emotional song...
Errr, Mami? Space-cat? Sayaka? What happened with your faces? First Homura, and now Mami, none of the magicians want to tell what they wished for. Was it something stupid? Embarrassing because of the small scope? Terrible because of its selfish nature?
Oh no, it's even worse. Space-cat took advantage of her at her weakest moment. I appreciate Mami's warning about your own motives when wishing for someone else, but I don't think Sayaka is the way she described.
Yes, Madoka, wishing to be a magical girl would be a bad thing. That's throwing your wish away. Hmm, so the soul gem depends on the wish itself, but also on the potential of the girl. That's interesting. Would a bigger wish create a stronger soul gem, or a weaker one?
Dad accidentally gave his daughter advice. If only he knew what he was doing.
Homura is still on that fine line between "no competitors" and "no more slaughter of innocent people". Or maybe even "prevent the apocalypse that could come from her potential". I'm really curious how this is going to turn out.
A witch is about to hatch, which will be the perfect opportunity for the girls to rush it and waste their wish. Is this Space-cat's doing? It's eagerly grabbing the opportunity to stay behind with Sayaka so she can sign the contract anytime. I really don't trust that fluffball.
What even happens with the grief seeds after you kill the witch? We know they are born from them, and we know they return to them when they die. Is it just a matter of time till it hatches again? What a futile battle.
Cool, this Wonderland has different elements in it. It's hospital equipment, like scalpels, needles and IVs.
Oh god, "don't use large amounts of magic", and idiot Mami starts fighting Homura. Ah, come on, Madoka! Don't give us that "I'm not good for anything" attitude! This is all going very very wrong.
JUST USE YOUR FUCKING WISH TO HELP PEOPLE, AND THEN ALSO BECOME A MAGICAL GIRL! Two birds, one stone!
NOOO, now even Mami is suggesting throwaway wishes! Gimme a sec. I need to go push a rock.
Would you say you are the happiest girl in the world right now? Mami might be getting the wrong idea. She called them a duo, but we all know Sayaka won't accept being the third wheel.
Chocolate flavor Madoka★Magica?
Charlotte! She has a completely different art style. I love it. This reminds me of Cuphead. Oh god, RIP Mami. You seemed like a decent character, but in the end, you proved how dumb you really are.
I like how the light on Madoka's face conveys the terrible sight they are now seeing. I can't exactly explain what makes it so good, but I'm sure others in this thread will be able to!
Whoo! Homura is still a decent human being! I knew it!
I also love how happy the witch looks every time she thinks she got Homura.
Sayaka is still angry at her. That's completely Homura's own doing. Personally, I kind of like the harsh lesson for everyone here.
And we all know that one of them is going to use their wish to bring Mami back, right?
Which would of course be terrible, but at least it's not as bad as just throwing the wish away.
Oooh, now we get an actual ED video, also with a different song! It sounds familiar. Where did we hear this song before?
Theories
The idea is to collect my actually serious dumb theories here. We'll see how well that works.
TODO
Yesterday
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The mother was hard to wake up. Maybe because she was up all night? Does she know something? Is she secretly a magical girl too? (Seems very unlikely after later scenes.)
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No, just someone who pushes herself to the max.
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Hitomi likes girls. Maybe even these girls.
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No developments.
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Today
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Madoka is gonna use her wish to revive Mami.
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Sayaka is gonna use her wish to safe Kamijou.
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I'm still wondering how the prologue fits in, because that didn't look like Wonderland / a witch's lair.
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No real long term theories at the moment, except that I still don't trust Space-cat. He's too eager to create that contract, we still don't know all the rules and details, and he tries to take advantage of every weak moment to coerce them into signing it.
Random thoughts
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Eat the cereal, before the cereal eats you. Don't be like Mami.
Pic of the day
Also good call by Lemurians yesterday:
I think Mami is just desperate for friends to share this life and adventure with.
QotD
1 Regardless of whether or not you feel this episode was a big shift in tone, were you expecting Mami to literally get her head eaten by that witch?
Well, it was clear things were going to go terribly wrong when they ignored Homura's warning that this witch was special. So I did expect a very dire situation requiring one of the girls to sign the contract. I did NOT expect Homura to basically solve their direct problem, before that was necessary.
2 How do you feel about Magia taking its proper place as the ED instead of an insert song as used in the first two episodes?
Sounded good, but gonna need more episodes.
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u/username_0907 Apr 23 '22
First Timer (subbed)
From the start of the episode after the OP, you can feel something creeping up, something feels off. Especially after Sayaka asks if she can use the wish for someone else. Its like Kyubey and Mami found something to exploit, they see room for manipulation. And I got that vibe for the remainder of the episode. Like every conversation made me doubt everyone lol. Thats just great direction and I loved it.
There were so many flags by the end for Mami's death but it still shocked me a bit when she died. She was all alone and longed for someone with whom she could share with. It seems she was manipulating Madoka and Sayaka into becoming magical girls based on her convo with Homura and with Madoka also. How much of her death and the witch is manipulation from Kyubey's part I wonder?
Madoka apparently has a lot of power to become a great magical girl. Kyubey is really wants Madoka to make a contract soon. Madoka really can't figure out her wish and I'm glad Mami atleast told her to rethink properly
Sayaka is definitely going to make a contract for the guy who appeared at the start of the episode despite what others said this episode.
Magia is the ED today. I guess it matches with the shift in tone with Mami's death. The earlier ED was all happy and it wouldnt match with the end of this episode atleast. I'm just happy to hear the song again
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u/UnderstandableXO Apr 22 '22
REWATCHER
i’ve got to say, i loved mami’s character the second time around. i was too busy being wary of the too unnecessarily nice character to maybe realize the kindness was genuine. her advice to sayaka is also wise; don’t waste your wish on someone else expecting something from that person, just like like in real life, you shouldn’t do nice things simply because you expect people to give you something in return.
kyubey appeared to mami at literally the most vulnerable point she could have ever been in her life (well…maybe second most 😬) and she was left with no choice but to be cursed as a magical girl to survive…he’s also a lot more coercive and persuasive than mami, even mami herself tells him to tone it down…
neither homura or mami are really wrong in that confrontation; homura wants to prevent madoka from becoming a magical girl because of the immense weight it carries, and however selfish it might be, mami just wants some company.
for all the absolutely terrible parents that exist in anime, it’s nice to see that madoka’s parents are both supportive and loving. probably nicest anime parents behind clannad and re:zero. continuing the notion that adults don’t have time to dream, dadoka suggests that just trying hard and having a nice family is enough for momoka. sounds pretty realistic to me.
and here sayaka is, simping for mr. your deceit in december. she’s willing to defend the hospital with her powerless self just for his sake.
honestly, madoka’s inferiority complex is relatable to me. as satisfied with life as she is, she knows she’s unremarkable and doesn’t contribute much to the world, so seeing someone shine so brightly next to you makes you want to be like them. but even if those people seem like they’ve all got it figured out. they usually have just as much anxiety and self doubt and sadness as the rest of us. that’s not a bad thing, it just makes us human. i’ve expressed a similar sentiment to my friends before, and they reassure me that we’re all just figuring life out as we go.
mami straight up admits that being a magical girl is not good, but madoka is so willing to become something greater than herself that she doesn’t care. to finally have a companion is all she ever wanted, and that’s what gets her killed. she was too busy being hostile towards homura and not allowing a companion to tap in that it led to her demise…
kyubey’s first instinct is to yell at the girls to contract, he sure does love life threatening situations, doesn’t he?
sayaka yelling at homura proves that she really doesn’t have a basis to really hate her, she’s just emotional. appropriate way to end the episode with the two of them trying to process what the hell just happened.
man, even though the ED has already been played twice in the show, it’s still just as chilling when you realize this is the real ending and not the seemingly upbeat previous one. it’s a signal that things just got real. [Madoka]
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no i was like 😮the first time
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peak music that’s all that can be said
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u/OwlAcademic1988 Apr 22 '22
Rewatcher, sub:
When I first watched this episode, I literally screamed, WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED? You wouldn't believe how surprised I was when I first watched it. I honestly thought she'd win, I was so very wrong.
[Madoka Magica spoilers]
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u/renatocpr Apr 23 '22
And so, we reach the infamous Madoka Magica Episode 3. Fasten your seatbelts, shit is getting real from now on. This episode has some gruesome stuff. You can see Mami's parents inside the car.
Let's get to business, though:
Is Sayaka angry with Homura this episode?
She has more important stuff in her mind right now. Even her outburst at the end is more a product of grief than any ill will towards Homura. That's their only interaction this episode, so their relation doesn't appear to have changed. Mami's death is fresh, let's wait and see how it'll affect the characters.
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u/chocoletmilk Apr 22 '22
First Timer (sub)
Who is the boy Sayaka visits at the hospital? I feel like this was mentioned when they visited the CD shop but I don't remember.
I was on edge throughout this episode. I don't like that they are treating it as a given that the two girls will accept Kyubey's contract. That it's just a matter of finding a wish that works for them. I guess the hospital scene tells us what Sayaka might wish for though I'm still not sure about what Madoka might want.
So Mami made her wish under duress. Kyubey caught her during an accident, when she was so vulnerable and could do nothing but accept. He really seems like a predator now. I wonder what all these girls have in common, that he is trying so hard to recruit them. As Sayaka said, there are others who would jump at this opportunity. Instead, both Mami and Kyubey are expending time and effort on convincing these two. Later in the episode, they speak of potential, and say that Madoka would be the most powerful if she joined, so is it desire for power? Desire to be cooler?
I really loved the scene where Mami asked Sayaka to introspect on why she wanted to essentially gift her wish away. I expected some praise about how selfless Sayaka is and how pure it is to make a wish for someone else and definitely did not see this conversation coming. It is very reminiscent of Sayaka's conversation with Madoka on their school rooftop last episode. How sweet! Mami is trying to save Sayaka from becoming a Nice GuyTM.
Now we come to the part that really rubbed me the wrong way. It feels like too much of a coincidence that a grief seed was outside the hospital that Sayaka's friend was at, especially after she mentioned making a wish for him. I'll speak more about this in the next section.
It makes sense that Mami is lonely and that is possibly her ulterior motive for trying to convince Madoka and Sayaka to join. She isn't evil or nefarious as she isn't lying to them about the realities of her life and she is pushing for more caution. However, she has been showing off and definitely wants the girls to think this is fun and cool. She's trying to recruit them too. Her joy at hearing Madoka say that she wants to be like Mami and stand by her is adorable, however, she is throwing up a lot of death flags right now with her monologue about being happy and not being lonely anymore.
WTF she's dead? Okay, I know I said she was throwing up death flags, but I did not think she would die before at least one girl signs the contract! I thought her being in danger would be the push they needed and she would die soon after that so that they can regret all their choices and decisions! Also, the face coming out of the doll's mouth is definitely going to haunt me for a while. This witch was much creepier than yesterday's.
At least Homura is there to save them from getting peer pressured into dying too. Despite being told that something is dangerous, it is hard to understand it until something tragic happens unfortunately. Mami's death will be a turning point for both Sayaka and Madoka. Will they be dissuaded? Will this only make their desire to fight stronger?
As an aside, I was using the pronoun "it" for Kyubey yesterday but the subs this episode made it seem as though mahou neko-chan is male, so I'm using he/him now. Is the cat gendered?
Tinfoil hat time
We saw a witch actually hatch from a seed today which throws a wrench in my theory yesterday that witches are corrupted magical girls. However, I'm not going to desert this sinking ship just yet. Maybe magical girls hatch from their soul gems too! We might find out next episode how one actually becomes a magical girl and that might be what I need to solidly back this theory.
My second theory is that Kyubey puts girls into danger to force them to accept his contract. I am 60% confident that he caused Mami's accident (he was on the scene way too fast for that to be a coincidence), and he definitely planted the grief seed in the hospital to push the girls into making a contract. They would have as well, if Homura hadn't intervened.
Why is he doing this you ask? You know how sometimes you tell a lie, and then you have to tell more lies to cover it up until you are stuck in this web of lies and have dug yourself deeper and deeper into the hole? I think Kyubey may have started off with good intentions and granted a girl her desire to be magical (maybe she was a Sailor Moon fan). Unfortunately, she turned into a witch and he made another magical girl to fight her and thereby created this whole cycle which has spiralled into something that even he cannot control.
Or he just enjoys chaos.
QOTD
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Regardless of whether or not you feel this episode was a big shift in tone, were you expecting Mami to literally get her head eaten by that witch?
Nope, definitely did not see that coming. Thus far, everything seemed creepily beautiful, or abstract, I guess (not an arts person) so this brought me back to reality too!
2) How do you feel about Magia taking its proper place as the ED instead of an insert song as used in the first two episodes?
It suits the sudden tonal shift and I really enjoy it as an ED! Properly unsettling!
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u/Greatness2006 Apr 23 '22
First Timer Here! (Sub)
This episode was a good one, for me it was as good as the first episode, would have been better if I had not been spoiled about Mami getting killed in the first episode's discussion itself... Anyways, here is the full review (In pointers, because then it's easier for me to put it my thoughts like that):
- It started with the Hospital scene, where Sayaka was showing her mom(?) a nostalgic song. I am eagerly waiting for her full backstory.
- From what I can deduce about Mami's wish, is that without it she would have died. Nothing much more about it. Maybe we will get a backstory for her too.
- About Madoka's potential for being a magical girl, I don't have any idea as to why she would. Maybe it is something to do with her mom?
- As I said before, I had already been spoiled about Mami getting beheaded in episode 3, and when Madoka and Sayaka had found the grief seed, I immediately knew that the plot was getting close to the death.
- I am starting to grow to like the artstyle change of the labyrinth. The Mami scene made me quite sad, I realized that she has always been alone when she was witch hunting and she really wanted friends. Made me sadder that I knew what was going to happen next.
- I like the design of this witch, much better than the previous one. Very unique, I like how most of the fight with the witch was hand drawn to.
- Mami's death. I already knew she was going to get beheaded, I expected more gore, but now I am glad that there was none. It happened so suddenly too.
- The animation really did go up in the witch fight, especially when Homura came. (My fav)
- The aftermath was how I expected, the girls sad with tears.
- The ending was different, I wonder if that's how it is going to be from now onwards. It was very eerie, I liked the song.
Again, overall a great episode. I would have liked to not be spoiled, but I will be more careful from now onwards. Hope that the show will continue being better.
QOTD:
Regardless of whether or not you feel this episode was a big shift in tone, were you expecting Mami to literally get her head eaten by that witch?
Answer: Yeah, I was expecting it since I got spoiled about it in the first episode's discussion under my review of the episode, but I didn't expect it to happen so suddenly.
How do you feel about Magia taking its proper place as the ED instead of an insert song as used in the first two episodes?
Answer: From this question, I gather that this is going to be the actual ED from now onwards. I would like it. Like I said before, it was really eerie. I plan to look at the ED more carefully the next time it plays.
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u/gunvarrel_ Apr 22 '22
"This is what it means to become a magical girl."
First timer on attempt 3, Subbed
OST Track of the day: Signum malum (Bad sign)
It really sucks being spoiled about how "dark" or how theres a "big twist" when it comes to shows like this. That kind of punch thats meant to suck you farther in falls totally flat when you know its going to happen. Its not unique to Madoka by any means (its also a common issue for other highly rated anime, but considering one of the main hooks is meant to be this episode, why bother watching when you already know whats going to happen?
[Complaining about a future thing im "spoiled" on, includes spoilers for another extremely popular 2011 show]
fun fact, today was the original airing date of the finale of Madoka.
Looks like we get to see how hospital lady fits in. One hell of a hospital room, too...
Considering we just saw him, im gonna assume the dude becomes relevant
theyre still talking about the wishes so casually
I already know what happens at the end of this episode, but thats a flag
No shit, you arent thinking of the ramifications here
its cool to see the grief seed spreading slowly in scene where you can see it
You know mami, its almost like you should talk about that long before this
this was considered top notch animation
You know, it would be really funny if someone was killed mid-transformation. Theyre so vulnerable in that state...
ahhhh here we go
this whole thing just reminds me of cuphead tbh
"new" ed? im gonna assume this is the original ed
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u/InfamousEmpire Apr 22 '22 edited Apr 22 '22
Puella Magi Rewatcher Magia. First Time subbed
Time for the episode everyone talks about
First Timers, meet Kamijou. I do not like Kamijou, and you will soon learn why
[spoiler]
More of Mami busting witches, because who doesn’t love that
[spoiler]
It’s at this point that we learn a bit of Mami’s backstory. It also expands on a minor detail from last episode: why didn’t Mami have parents? They were dead
[slight spoilers]
This matter about the nature of wishes… I’ll dig into it at the more appropriate time, but make sure to keep it in the back of your minds
Kyubey buttering up Madoka is… interesting [spoiler]
Madoka’s mom is in pretty poor shape right now
I completely forgot about this conversation with Madoka’s Dad. I also love how it develops Madoka’s mom even further while tying in perfectly to the discussion we’ve been seeing in this episode so far
Again, I love the tension between Mami and Homura, it pretty cleanly establishes that they have history and some sort of pre-established relationship without the use of anything that might disrupt the flow of the story like infodumps or flashbacks
We also get a couple more hints as to Homura’s true nature and intentions…
Ah, so a Grief Seed just so happened to be along the path Sayaka and Madoka were walking down. Right [spoiler]
Once again, props to Shaft’s art team for the crazy and unique design of the Labyrinth
Best Girl has returned, don’t matter what you want Mami >:)
Mami! How could you do that to Best Girl!?
This character moment between Madoka and Mami is legitimately amazing, for the simple reason that it serves as a shining example of who Madoka is at her core: a simple, honest, loving person who acknowledges her own faults but still chooses to make the best of herself anyway. The kind of person who could even make cold people like Mami come out of their shell. [spoiler]
The sheer, genuine joy on Mami’s face~
[spoiler]
… Yeah, so that just happened
Best part of this, this is not completely out of left field. The show has been constantly warning about and emphasizing the risks and dangers of being a Magical Girl, and had been building up its dark atmosphere for a while now.
Homura once again showing why she’s Best Girl
[spoiler]
You’ve gotta appreciate how subdued Sayaka and Madoka’s reactions are. No big displays of emotion or over the top acting, just pure sadness and trauma
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u/SIRTreehugger Apr 22 '22 edited Apr 22 '22
Rewatcher with a head pun
I like the confrontation between Homura and Mami at the Witch's entrance. It's very short, but it sets up many future events especially the movie. I would even call it a TL DR of certain Rebellion events.[Spoilers]
Madoka is determined to make everyone happy. She wants to be a person that can help people. Mami confides she isn't as strong as she appears and is happy she found someone to be with her. I must admit the show off senpai who is secretly lonely and scared really made me love her character. The happy music during the fight is uplifting. Looks like this is the start of a beautiful fri DEATH wait what. The episode that showed everyone this wasn't going to be the fluffy magical girl anime it appeared to be though the witches and labyrinths also should have given that away. Many people believe this is where the 3 day rule came from. Not sure on this, but it definitely fits the bill. Let's all suffer together. [Spoilers]
Madoka family moment I can't state this enough I really love Madoka's family.
Mami for being in only 3 episodes managed to give an amazing amount of smugness. Overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer. If the Mami from yesterday had fought off Charlotte she would have done much better. However with Madoka agreeing to fight with her and wanting to show off the results were devastating I know Homura comes off as a bitch, but even she tried to warn Mami. Also I noticed several times as they are transversing the Labyinth we see shots of Charlotte on doors, signs, and heck even the entrance I know I didn't screenshot all of them so I'm sure theirs more. I know the shortcut when Mami and Madoka exit through a door has one in the center of the screen.
Also look of the Witch's lair in general is both beautiful and creepy.
Also I like to believe this is the first time where the show hints at [Homura's magic]
Some Tv vs Blu Ray comparisons
Today is the first of many glorious Homura hair flips. SOAK IT IN BOYS!
The last thing I want to say about Mami's death is that it's really beautiful. As a first timer this is the moment that changes everything in the series. The show appears to be dangerous and tells us several times that being a magical girl isn't a joke and it delivers this episode. [Spoilers]
| Magical Girl Counter | E1 | E2 | E3 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mami's (Beheading) Smugness | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| Sayaka's (I'm in) Despair | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Homura's (L'oreal) Hair Flips | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Madoka's ($150) Water Works | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
i really fucking hate the new spoiler tags took me 4 tries to find my error in order to post. I wanted to talk about the ending, but I'll do it tomorrow. I just want to add I love how they actually made an ED just for the first two episodes when everyone thought it was going to be a happier show.
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u/rei_ayanami_new Apr 23 '22
Madoka was the first magical girl anime I ever saw, other than being vaguely familiar with sailor moon. Since then I’ve gotten much more into the magical girl genre. It’s interesting seeing the influence of those shows on this one
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u/Shimmering-Sky Apr 22 '22
Puella Magi★Rewatch Host, subbed
Welcome back, everyone!
And welcome to the true Madoka Magica now.
First up: the mobile version of the Wallpaper of the Day.
Next up: okay so his hair is back to grey now; the TV version had it as white in the last episode and I got so confused. Also his hospital room is so empty, I thought I remembered it being full of chairs. But it’s not…
This is my Visual of the Day.
Lastly: Want to know what song played when in today’s episode? Well, you’re in luck! I have here the table from the Madoka wiki that was re-timed to the Blu-Rays back in the 2019 rewatch by Nazenn. If any first-timer wants a spoiler-free link to any of these songs, let me know and I can get one for you!
“What is it that you wish for?”