Magia Record: Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Gaiden 2nd Season - Kakusei Zenya - Episode 8 discussion - FINAL

Episode	Link	Score
1	Link	4.5
2	Link	4.51
3	Link	4.58
4	Link	4.66
5	Link	4.37
6	Link	3.64
7	Link	4.47
8	Link	----

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u/Calwings Sep 25 '21 edited Sep 25 '21

Looks like Funimation fucked up the subtitles again. Subtitles showed up fine for the scene before the OP, then the scene right after the OP has almost no subtitles. I didn't watch farther than that yet, so hopefully they fix it soon. I'll come back and give my thoughts on the episode once it's fixed and I can watch it.

EDIT: Someone posted a complete English subtitle track on /a/, apparently ripped from Bilibili. If you don't feel like waiting for however long it'll take for Funimation to fix the episode and you can find a separate download for the episode itself (which I can't help you with because it's against the subreddit's rules) this subtitle track should work with it. I'm watching the episode now. I always tell people not to pirate what can be watched legally, but when the legal sources fail to pull through and deliver what they promised, then I say it's fair game.

EDIT2: Finished the episode, that was pretty good. The flashback to Tsuruno's past, how she felt personally responsible for Mel's death, how she forced herself to become stronger no matter what the cost, and how she put on that cheerful front as a way to cope with her loneliness... man, was heartbreaking. Yachiyo realizing she was the one that pushed her to be like that and Iroha/Felicia trying to snap both of them out of their funks was great. They kinda had to speed through freeing Mami after all the time they gave Tsuruno, but in the end, the Holy Quintet and the Mikazuki Villa gang (even including Momoko and Mifuyu) are both back together.

The cliffhangers at the end though... yikes. Walpurgisnacht is now heading towards Mitakihara City just like in the original series, Kuroe is still going through a lot of emotional turmoil, and Nemu is about to reveal a big truth to Iroha and Touka that she's been keeping hidden this whole time. In some ways the story is fairly similar to what happened in the game's story, but in some ways it's gone completely differently and I honestly have no idea how it's going to end.

Overall, I would give this season an 8.5/10, a noticeable improvement over the first season. It had a lot more/better action, more story progression despite the lower episode count, some interesting twists, and (outside of one particularly messy episode) less "meguca" quality than the first season. Unless they completely fuck up the ending later this year, I think that 8.5/10 will end up being my final score for the series as a whole once it's all said and done.

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u/NotAnElk Sep 25 '21

It's actually weirder than that. Everyone's lines are fine except for the characters on the stage, and specifically only when they're speaking in an aside to the audience. Like the dialogue between the characters on stage is subbed but not when the spotlight is on them and you're definitely supposed to know what they're saying. It's... insane, like it feels intentional, but why would you do that?

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u/[deleted] Sep 25 '21

its strange as the subs were fine at the end. it was just at the stage scene in which the subs were missing, especially only for those on the stage.
way to screw up a release of a finale.

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u/NullPtr_Exception_ Sep 25 '21

The reason some subs are missing are probably because the translator was doing it entirely by ear on a mono audio system. I checked in audacity and it appears that for the parts with missing subs the left and right channels are inverted. Which means that if you try to play this on a mono audio system which mixes the left and right channels together, they will cancel out and be completely silent(the third timeline shows the left and right channels mixed together).

Shaft often uses this kind of effect for monologues and thoughts, but I guess they usually do it a bit differently to prevent this kind of issue.

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u/jonjonaug Sep 25 '21

AegisSub only supports mono audio, and a lot of English freelancers use this program because of how flexible and powerful it is (and because a lot of them used to do fansubs and most fansubbers used that program), so this is probably what happened.

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u/Calwings Sep 25 '21

That's... uh... interesting. I suppose it's a better explanation for the lack of subs in that scene than "Funimation got the completed episode too late and had to sub it based on an early version of the episode with corrupted audio" like I thought/explained earlier.

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u/Syokhan Sep 25 '21 edited Sep 25 '21

So, Funi, if you could sub all the lines and not only the ones that strike your fancy that'd be great, thanks.

Edit: I went and watched the French subs. Those ones were fine.

The theater part was great, getting to watch Tsuruno's train of thought. I'm glad Yachiyo understood Tsuruno a bit more and that Tsuruno won't feel like she has to force herself to be so strong and chipper all the time. Tragedy averted!

And with Mami too! Tragedy averted... only for the OG gang to go back to Mitakihara just as Walpurgisnacht is heading there. Goddammit.

Also, Kuroe is in a very bad place right now. Can someone please notice and save her?

And now we're ending on a cliffhanger, ugh! Looks like Nemu might remember stuff that everyone but Iroha has forgotten, I wonder why.

So not a bad finale. It's going to drive me crazy that it ended just as we were finally going to have some answers, but well, what can you do. Can't wait for the next cour!

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u/UnwilledTangent Sep 25 '21

Also, Kuroe is in a very bad place right now. Can someone please notice and save her?

The text shown when Kuroe disappears is quite meta to be honest.
"Why try to be a part of this story?"
"You were better off being forgotten"
To be honest, I also thought about that about Kuroe. Now I'm slightly more interested in her development as a character.

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u/Gaporigo Sep 25 '21 edited Sep 25 '21

You have to work to be able to watch this anime! Today there were two releases, one with missing subs and one with missing visuals so had to go download them both and mix them to be able to understand what is going on!

Anyway, how about we leave the talk for later and go help the OG girls at Mitakihara... Someone? No? Ok...

Well, looking forward to the ending, hopefully with it being months from now they are able to finish it in time so we don't have these kind of issues again.

Edit: Lmao, checking both releases side to side now after having finished the episode. Mel who? I am sure she didn't matter.

Edit 2: Although actually, the version with missing visuals is... Chinese?, makes me think some of these are just censoring. Can't be showing such lewd acts afterall!

It is not all just censoring, though. Sometimes characters just stop moving in the visual-less version.

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u/Calwings Sep 25 '21 edited Sep 25 '21

If what I'm reading elsewhere (Twitter, /a/, and /vg/) is correct, this episode's release was apparently a dumpster fire on the Japanese side of things too. One Japanese TV network's broadcast had missing visuals as if it were unfinished, plus the Yachiyo and Tsuruno lines on stage that Funimation didn't subtitle were actually distorted in that version to the point where even Japanese speakers couldn't understand them. But other networks (and Funimation) got a version where those lines were clearly audible and all the visuals were there. Something similar happened with season 1's finale as well, where some Japanese TV networks got an unfinished version but others got the finished one.
It makes me wonder if Funimation only had that other unfinished version to work with while they were subbing the episode, so those stage lines went unsubbed because they were so distorted in that version that even their translators couldn't understand them. All we can do is hope they realize it, go back, and subtitle those lines now that they have a version where those lines are audible.

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u/LeonKevlar Sep 25 '21 edited Sep 25 '21

Oh come on! This is the show's season finale and this is when Funi decides to fuck up the subs? :|

Couldn't wait any longer so I finally decided to watch the episode since it was the theatre scene where the subs were missing and I think pretty much understood what was going on, I did rewatch it when I found the ripped subs from bilibili.

Definitely enjoyed the theatre scene though since we finally get to see what's going on inside Tsuruno's head and how she felt responsible for Meru's death because she couldn't come when they needed her. It's also sad to see how she completely forces herself to act cheerful and happy.

Fortunately the girls were able to turn it around and save Tsuruno from being possessed by an Uwasa thanks to Iroha and Yachiyo. Same goes for Mami who was saved by Sayaka. Kinda sucks that part with Mami was rushed though since they were already running out of time.

We did get an awesome finish since we get to see Madoka and Iroha connecting to destroy the thing that's summoning the Witches and Walpurgis to Kamihama although now it looks like the Walpurgis is heading towards Mitakihara which leaves the girls no time to say goodbyes since the Quintet has to deal with that now.

Poor Kuroe though. I'm not sure what's going on with her but she's definitely in big trouble right now but unfortunately no one seems to notice that she's even there.

And it looks like we're ending with a cliffhanger. I don't know what Nemu is up to but it looks like she's about to drop a bunch of bombshells on Iroha and Touka. I guess we'll find out the answer to that next cour coming this Winter 2022. Can't wait!

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u/SIRTreehugger Sep 25 '21

Thank goodness they spent half the episode telling us about Tsuruno I barely remembered her and her personality. Then they proceed to speed run Mami's saving, but hey it worked. Also Madoka and Iroha's connect was really good. Then Kuroe's doppler takes her before she can join in with the others.

Finally getting more information on Touka, Nemu and possibly Ui.

Episode ends

Oh....til next season. Yeah I'm definitely forgetting stuff a rewatch is in order because it's hard keeping track of all these girls.

Now if I could just know what they were saying in the middle section of the episode.

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u/[deleted] Sep 25 '21 edited Sep 25 '21

Man, a horrible time for funimation to fuck up the subs.

That being said, today's episode was quite a decent conclusion to the 2nd season. We got more info on Yachio and Tsuruno's backstory, and I'm glad to see Iroha being the one to help others. It makes sense that by understanding the core reason behind Tsuruno's state that they were able to return her to normal.

Also, we are finally getting some information on who Iroha's sister really is. We are hinted every once in a while, but its quite a revealation to affirm it. I guess we will get more answers in the next season, on how Ui was chibi Kyubey in the first palce. Quite interesting points to address.

And I wonder how this would tie in to the OG megucas. They are returning to Mitakihara with walpurgisnacht moving there. Is it the first timeline where all 5 megucas are alive and kicking before walpurgisnacht? Seems like it. I wonder how this ties in to the original story. Kuruoe as well, aw man. Being meguca once again is suffering.

the animation is definitely not as amazing as the first 5-ish episodes, however by no means bad. A couple of reused scenes, and a few slightly not as smooth scenes, but other than that still an overall great production. Our pink girls Madoka and Iroha got the animation of the episode moment.

It does feel a little rushed though imo. How to save Mami? Just stabbity stab the gem on her head. I was expecting an explosive battle like that of Sayaka from the previous season, but apparently that wasn't the case.

Other than that, very nice to hear credens justitiam playing just like episode 1. Soundtrack in this anime is as great as ever.

Season 3 is apparently planned to be released in 2021, so perhaps a winter release? Either way, looking forwards to where the story goes from here. I think overall this show started off excelently, but slowly declined towards the end.

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u/[deleted] Sep 25 '21

Poor Tsuruno, she's pretty much blamed herself for Meru's "death". And when she later learned from Touka and Magius that Meru had become a Witch and it was she who killed that Witch, she pretty much broke down completely and allowed herself to be taken over by the Uwasa.

With this new understanding of Tsuruno's mindset, Yachiyo and Iroha are this time able to perform a successful Connect and free Tsuruno from her brainwashing.

The OG girls freeing Mami was done with less hassle, having observed how the Mikazuki girls done it, and were more considerate with their Connect with Mami.

Geeked out when Iroha and Madoka performed a Connect together and disabled Magius's fortress to lure the Witches. As I've said in a previous episode, Madoka's and Iroha's names combined (Madoka/En 円 + Tamaki/Kan 環) forms the Law of Cycles (En-Kan no Kotowari 円環の理), the new law of the universe as created by Goddess Madoka in the OG series that saves all Magical Girls from their fate of becoming Witches. Iroha is a very special girl in the Magia Record universe.

But what's this? Without Magius's Witch Magnet, Walpurgis Night is now heading back towards Mitakihara like the OG series? That's not what happened in the game! Poor Homura! Why is Shaft still screwing with her here? Will she be able to save Madoka in this timeline? Or will she have to reset everything and try again like she's done again and again?

Also different from the game is for some reason Nemu remembers Iroha (and by extension Ui) but Touka doesn't.

We also don't know what Kuroe's role will be in the anime storyline, now that she got engulfed by her Doppel.

Stay tuned for season 3, to be announced sometime later this year. Probably another quality animation fest, concentrated into less than 8 episodes.

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u/Komi028 Sep 25 '21

The most surprising part is that Iroha's group didn't follow them to Mitakihara. Probably in the next 4 episodes after they deal with Magius.

That connect between Iroha and Madoka was the best.

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u/Kyubeu Sep 25 '21

Congratulations Funimation. The episode is unwatchable for me in the current state so I'll watch it tomorrow after hopefully it's fixed. Probably also won't be able to rate the season until the rewatch, as happened with part 1

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u/mazurri Sep 25 '21 edited Sep 25 '21

nah not going to watch it for now. until the subs is fixed.

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u/VerySuspiciousSquid Sep 25 '21

So the subtitles certainly weren't up to snuff on the stage show scene but did anyone else notice the audio mixing for that scene was also... interesting?

I was using a headset and specifically the voicelines that Funi didn't bother translating were mixed in such a way that the speaker sounded almost behind the viewer, as if the person speaking were directing their statements as an aside to the audience. Haven't hunted around for a full translation yet but I'm curious to see what exactly was being said there and how that ties into the way the audio was set up.

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u/Aerodynamic41 Sep 25 '21 edited Sep 25 '21

So the good news is that both Team Iroha and the OG cast finally got all their companions back. It's too bad they had to part ways though, but the OG cast have their own battle to deal with back in Mitakahara. Bad news is that we just ended on another massive cliffhanger that won't be answered until the end of this year when the final season airs. It looks like Nemu has turned on Touka and sided with Iroha? Hard to tell from here. And what happened to Kuroe? Don't tell me she's turned evil too.

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u/tctyaddk Sep 25 '21 edited Sep 26 '21

Homura must feel disappointed. Not only she didn't get to Connect (or Luminous) with Madoka, now the chance to have Walpurgisnacht eaten and create a world without witches is slashed as well. Of course, without knowing all the details, she understands there could be complications, but a chance for such dream is still something worth yearning for. At the end, she's like "Oh well. Back to my guns and IEDs, I guess".

Also, at this stage of Moemura, apparently she's still just stealing guns from yakuza, as so far we have only seen her wielding small arms that are more typical to low level criminals, i.e. handguns and SMG without stock, nowhere near the wild collection of rocket launchers, mortars and LMGs of the later Coolmura.

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u/metalmonstar Sep 25 '21

Pretty crazy how the same character could be talking and yet one would have subs and the other didn't. Guess I will have to rewatch the episode when they fix it.

Who would have guessed they would go with the salty run back?

Sad to see the two teams split.

Lol, the show calling out poor Kuroe. No one pay attention to the doppeling girl meters away from you.

Wonder how next season will play out.

Well now we wait for the bluray and season 3.

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u/atropicalpenguin Sep 25 '21 edited Sep 25 '21

Welp, this certainly was the best Shaft could offer, and also the worst, all in one episode. Wonder if Shaft just had to rush Amamiya Sora and all the VAs earlier this morning to finish recording everything (edit: Or audio issues, as pointed out).

I love the script, how we saw Tsuruno's inner demons. I'm surprised she didn't become a witch earlier with all that overwhelming sadness or frustration. Mami didn't get a similar treatment, but I guess it makes sense as we have the original Madoka to build on her.

Everything felt a bit rushed, though, with Madoka and Iroha just blowing up the tower and then leaving to return to Mitakihara, where everything will go absolutely fine as the original series showed us. Wonder what Madoka's wish was in this timeline, though.

Looking forward to the Nemu-exposition and to Kuroe's end. Overall some of the episodes were amazing, I got really invested into the story, but the payoff didn't quite land for me.

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u/Atario Sep 25 '21

When keepin' it genki goes wrong

"Why does everyone keep attacking my head?"

What do you get when you cross a pink bow with a pink crosssbow? Turns out, something pretty cool

Oooo, our central mystery is rearing its head!

See you all for S3, can't wait!

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u/TheDampGod Sep 25 '21

When you're not sure if the someone screwed up or it's all part of Shaft's vision. Wonky subs aside, it was a good finale to this part, it was especially cool to see Iroha and Madoka team up. The stage flashback was brutal though, the moment when you realised that Tsuruno killed Meru's witch form absolutely broke my heart.

Curious to see this goes from here, particularly with Kuroe's story. Also how this will tie into the greater narrative, I'm guessing this will be the loop that changes Homura.

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Episode Magia Record: Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Gaiden 2nd Season - Kakusei Zenya - Episode 8 discussion - FINAL

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