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Let's Blind Watch Puella Magi Madoka Magica

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I mean in terms of how long Mami could be gone without anybody knowing- it depends. Given that she doesn't have a deep social network none of her friends are going to get worried, she has no family, but teachers and then higher-up in the administration are eventually going to notice that Mami Tomoe is now no longer attending school at all, especially since she previously would have probably had a near-flawless attendance record (especially given the emphasis that she puts on appearance). Would anything come of that? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe they'd just call Mami's house, consistently get nothing, and that would be that and it'd be assumed that she became a problem student suddenly, had to move without telling anybody, something along those lines. I mean this sort of thing in a world of Witches and MGs is honestly probably pretty common. It's also possible that because it's pretty common, the message would get passed on and there would be some form of investigation.

It's more probable, particularly if this isn't a super-uncommon thing, that it'd just get written off. But I think it'd get noticed. I don't think anything would get done about it, nobody would care in the end, but I think people would notice.
 
Broken Base said:
I mean in terms of how long Mami could be gone without anybody knowing- it depends. Given that she doesn't have a deep social network none of her friends are going to get worried, she has no family, but teachers and then higher-up in the administration are eventually going to notice that Mami Tomoe is now no longer attending school at all, especially since she previously would have probably had a near-flawless attendance record (especially given the emphasis that she puts on appearance). Would anything come of that? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe they'd just call Mami's house, consistently get nothing, and that would be that and it'd be assumed that she became a problem student suddenly, had to move without telling anybody, something along those lines. I mean this sort of thing in a world of Witches and MGs is honestly probably pretty common. It's also possible that because it's pretty common, the message would get passed on and there would be some form of investigation.

It's more probable, particularly if this isn't a super-uncommon thing, that it'd just get written off. But I think it'd get noticed. I don't think anything would get done about it, nobody would care in the end, but I think people would notice.
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Its probably not too uncommon that the parents/guardian would move unexpectedly without informing the school, even without Witches. Corporate wage slaves can have unexpected transfers that they didn't tie up all the loose ends and moved in a hurry. So odds are good that there might be SOME kind of investigation, but barring evidence of something more alarming going on they're likely to investigate possibly a month later, at which point it just gets added to the big stack of cold cases of runaways.
 
veekie said:
Its probably not too uncommon that the parents/guardian would move unexpectedly without informing the school, even without Witches. Corporate wage slaves can have unexpected transfers that they didn't tie up all the loose ends and moved in a hurry. So odds are good that there might be SOME kind of investigation, but barring evidence of something more alarming going on they're likely to investigate possibly a month later, at which point it just gets added to the big stack of cold cases of runaways.
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And I agree. But as I say in my post a couple times, I'm not writing about "Would they investigate Mami in detail and come to a conclusion" as In other cases, I'm writing about "would anyone notice she was gone and would have absence be felt" bouncing off a post from the previous page because I think a lot of people, including Gen, massively underestimate how quickly people are going to notice a constant peripheral presence in their lives gone, even without close friends or family.
 
Broken Base said:
And I agree. But as I say in my post a couple times, I'm not writing about "Would they investigate Mami in detail and come to a conclusion" as In other cases, I'm writing about "would anyone notice she was gone and would have absence be felt" bouncing off a post from the previous page because I think a lot of people, including Gen, massively underestimate how quickly people are going to notice a constant peripheral presence in their lives gone, even without close friends or family.
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Oh absolutely. Just that its likely going to take weeks to even more than a month to see concerns convert to action. Especially given that from what we know, Mami doesn't really have much of a social life. Which probably is common for a lot of magical girls. Searching for Witches after school and still getting enough sleep to get along in school basically means they're locked out of most social activities
 
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Episode 4: "Miracles and Magic Are Real" and so is Existential Horror (Pt. 2)
  • Threadmarks
    • It is time for full disclosure. Firstly, I want you know that I'm not the most rational person alive. I can and often do receive enjoyment from works that actively try to goad me into feeling one emotion or another. Secondly, I like it when one does not try to forcefully and blatantly make me feel sad. There's a certain threshold, a line on the sand that you shouldn't cross because on the other side of this metaphorical line lies something wild and incredibly sarcastic.

    And inside this monster of spite and witticisms lives a sad little boy that doesn't know how to deal with his emotions, so he hides them behind a façade of indifference and pseudo-intellectualism… But we don't talk about him, Dr. Palmer! You're a charlatan and this therapy doesn't fucking work!

    … So, how much "look and weep" moments is too much? Well, we're on the fifteenth minute and there were three of those so far. That makes one fifth of a tear-jerking moment per minute. If your concentration of sheer, soul-destroying emotions this high, you officially deserve my special Award of Disapproval. Good job, you manipulative jerk.

    To conclude, Madoka cries. Again. She cries, finished a cup of lukewarm tea and leaves. However, she meets someone unexpected near the exit. It's Ghost of Mami Ghost of the Christmas Past Ghost of Tsushima (Exclusively for PlayStation 4) Akemi "Possibly Japanese Marty Mc Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)" Homura.

    Given the importance put upon this particular character and the amount of screen time put into her, I honestly either expect her to play a vital role to the plot or die like a punk because… Paulie, play the music.

    Everything's subversive, everything is cool when you do things other way!
    Everything's subversive, when you kill everyone!    ​

    That said, I honestly expect her to do something important. If only because the modern meme-culture is both a curse and a blessing double curse. It's all cursed. This thread? Cursed. This forum? Double cursed. All is cursed from now.

    Firstly, Homura reassures her that no one would blame Madoka for not wanting to die young and in anonymity. Honestly, I agree with her completely. That said, Homura also the extra mile and says that:

    delet dis
    ​
    Now, if I were as pessimistic as possible, I'd assume Homura was manipulating Madoka, so she wouldn't become another magical girl, thus pre-emptively erasing possible competition. Which still doesn't seem that wrong to me because that still means one person less likely to die fighting the world's most dangerous paper appliques.

    The other reading is that Homura genuinely doesn't want another person to die. You know, the normal one.

    Madoka, then, notices that Homura acts like a magical girl veteran, but in a different way than Mami. I assume she seems more like a "Vietnam veteran that polishes her rifle way too much is otherwise way too quiet" kind of a veteran as opposed to Mami and her "I've done this so many times I can do it without my head. Not" approach.

    Naturally, Madoka also asks if she had seen other people die like Mami.

    None of them… knew how to dodge
    ​
    Also, she adds that the precise number is "too many to count." Not sure if the math is right here, but whatever. I presume all Homura ever does is:

    1. Transfer to another town
    2. Watch someone get murdered
    3. Tell some girl she probably shouldn't get a job that ends with you getting murdered
    4. Skip town

    Yep. Looks about right.

    Finally, they talk about the eventual fate of Mami's belongings. Apparently, if you die on that side, there will be no body left and nobody to find once a missing person's report has been filed. Which is horrible. I don't have a snappy report for this. That is just sad.

    Whatever will happen to the black tea, though?

    While Homura admits that this is just another part of her job, Madoka replies that she will never forget her or Mami. Homura says that Madoka is kind and that her kindness can lead to a great tragedy, but honestly, even if that's a nice sentiment, remembering people isn't that hard. Especially if they're your friends. Like, the symbolic gesture is fine and the greater context does make it sound better, but honestly… remember me is an Oscar-winning song, a French videogame and a movie starring that pretty boy from Twilight. Which one? Goggle it.

    Next is another episode of "the World's Most Miserable Boy and his Sad Friend." Their entire conversation is filled with misery, grief and anger. This is what fun looks like. I'm having so much fun right now, you guys.

    There's also this Silent Hill-like vibe going on, with the miserable Kyousuke lashing out at the closest person, Sayaka. However, unlike Silent Hill 2, Sayaka isn't going to strange him with a pillow and go on a soul-searching journey to a rural town only to find out the entire plot happened because dogs.

    All of my posts have a random chance of featuring Silent Hill spoilers. Don't you slipping now.

    So, an interesting choice of words points out towards what I presume a rather tragic turn of events.

    Pack your shit. We're going to Kamar-Taj, bitch.
    ​
    Then, our point of view changes back to Madoka who notices her good friend, Japanese Female Richie Rich, who is either stoned out of her mind or under a Witch's spell. And I've never seen anyone have so much swagger on weed.

    Look. At. Her.
    ​
    Madoka follows… I don't actually remember the other girl's name. I honestly don't. I either refer to her as the No Homo girl or Japanese Richie Rich. Anyways, Madoka follows the Amazing No Homo Girl, or rather, gets awkwardly tugged along.

    Together, they have all kinds of amazing adventures and create bonds of friendship with a random bunch of lovable weirdoes. Well, if you swap "a random bunch of weirdoes" with "people that appear to be having the worst day of their life every day of their life" and "amazing adventures" with "certain death, dear god."

    All of the seemingly drugged people have one thing in common: clothes. Oh, and a strange, rectangular mark on their neck, but who gives a shit 'bout that anyways? I don't. Neither should you do. People have the right to choose their clothes, and the only right choice I accept is no clothes.

    The "fun people" (I call them that sarcastically, guys, because they are actually all sad and depressed, this is a joke) all gather around a bucket and start pouring chemicals of some kind into it.

    A flashback of Madoka and Madoka's mother appears to show us that the chemicals that are being poured are certainly of the bad-wrong-hurt-eyes-burn-skin kind and not the fun kind.


    "I am Madoka, I am Madoka, I am Madoka… Hmm, I am Madoka!"
    "Madoka, no!"
    ​
    So, to sum it all up, the fun people's plan essentially boils down to:


    ​
    But Madoka firmly decides that between getting killed and not getting killed, she'd rather not getting killed. Smart choice. She throws the bucket out of a window, but ends up in a mano-a-a-lot-of-mano conflict with the would-be self-murderers.

    Before any of them can capture her, Madoka dashes into an empty room and locks the door.

    And then shit gets fucking weird.
    Madoka fans: explain
    ​
    Madoka gets captured by the Witch that has been controlling people and enters the surrealistic, circus-like realm of televisions and angels, and I re-call every decision that resulted in me typing out this sentence… I really shouldn't have given up guitar that day.

    Madoka thinks this is a fitting punishment for a coward such as herself, but before the creatures kill her, someone comes to rescue her.

    A blue blur quickly cuts up all the enemies.

    A BLUE BLUR.

    We all know who this is. The grand cameo we've been waiting for. The one and only…

    Sonic the Fucking Hedgehog
    ​
    … That's not him.

    What the fuck, Madoka fans? You told it was a good show. You told it was a quality show.

    0/10. Fucking waste of my time. Go drown in your ideals or something.

    All kidding aside, I expected Sayaka to become a magical girl. Why? Because she already had a magical girl design, numerous wink-wink moments, an obvious motivation and even appeared in the opening.

    This is why I don't watch openings, people.

    Do you remember Dollar Bill? Watched a Naruto opening and now knows who the main villain is.

    Strato-gal! One Piece!

    Dyno-guy! My Hero Academia!

    No openings.

    Anyways, Sayaka destroys the angel-television-things and saves Madoka, leaving mind-controlled people unconscious. After which she meets Homura, who just stands there. And then we're shown that she used her wish to heal Kyousuke's hand.

    Well, that or the boy felt an unexplained urge to look at his palm. Dramatically.

    The episode concludes with Kyubey talking to another girl about how with Mami gone, her territory is now empty. As for what the newcomer girl is going to do with Sayaka, well…

    That's a nice turf ya got here, gal. Donnie, teach her a lesson about sharing.
    ​
    Next issue: Magical Girl Mobster Wars!
     
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    • Specifically, those are chemicals that give off a poisonous gas if mixed and are commonly available so the anime decided they shouldn't actually name them on air.
     
    Tada Y. Taro said:
    While Homura admits that this is just another part of her job, Madoka replies that she will never forget her or Mami. Homura says that Madoka is kind and that her kindness can lead to a great tragedy, but honestly, even if that's a nice sentiment, remembering people isn't that hard.
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    Unless you're that dude in Memento.
     
    Tada Y. Taro said:
    All of the seemingly drugged people have one thing in common: clothes. Oh, and a strange, rectangular mark on their neck, but who gives a shit 'bout that anyways? I don't. Neither should you do. People have the right to choose their clothes, and the only right choice I accept is no clothes.
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    Kill La Kill vibes smashing through the roof right now.
     
    Tada Y. Taro said:
    Madoka fans: explain
    ​
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    ​


    Since you asked...

    Madoka got ripped apart by that witch, and then put back together. The rest of the show is going to be heated philosophical debate about whether Madoka is really Madoka, or whether the original Madoka is dead and the pink-haired girl running around now is just a copy that is mostly indistinguishable from the original Madoka, and whether there's even a difference between those two things.

    It's totally deep, man.
     
    Tada Y. Taro said:
    Also, she adds that the precise number is "too many to count." Not sure if the math is right here, but whatever.
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    I actually think this is interesting. Like the exact phrasing depends on if you're watching the sub or a dub or whatever, but the point is that Homura has seen so many people die that she lost count/stopped counting (I like the latter translation more for reasons). That certainly sounds like a heck of a lot of people. How long has she been a magical girl? She could be older than she looks due to her wish, but assuming that she isn't, she's only Sayaka and Madoka's age after all, she couldn't have been one for that long, could she?

    This just raises a lot of questions is all I'm saying.

    Tada Y. Taro said:
    Madoka fans: explain.
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    It's worth noting that barriers don't operate by typical logic. I mean, they're magic! They seem to operate on some sort of other wavelength, and this sometimes utilizes the mind of the victim as a chewtoy- I see this as a whole metaphorical bit where Madoka is essentially getting pulled apart by the things that make her indecisive about being a magical girl- her family, her friends, and stuff like that. But her hesitancy, in her eyes, lead to Mami dying, something that has been eating her up inside all episode. So basically she's feeling pulled apart by all the commitments and promises and fears that keep her from MGdom, and the way that she genuinely admired Mami and everything that she was doing to help people, and how she ended up promising to fight alongside her, but because she decided too late, she couldn't do it. So it's literally pulling her apart inside- hence why the TVs in the scene show images of Mami and her dying and all that. The visuals actually tell the story really well here I think, with only a handful of lines from Madoka to provide context.

    (Btw Green hair girl is Hitomi.)

    I have so much to say about the arc that's coming up. So many feelings. But we'll save that for later.

    Good recap friend.
     
    Tada Y. Taro said:
    Madoka, then, notices that Homura acts like a magical girl veteran, but in a different way than Mami. I assume she seems more like a "Vietnam veteran that polishes her rifle way too much is otherwise way too quiet" kind of a veteran as opposed to Mami and her "I've done this so many times I can do it without my head. Not" approach.
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    Yes. Magical Girl Shell Shock Case is a hard conclusion not to come to at this point

    Tada Y. Taro said:
    Madoka thinks this is a fitting punishment for a coward such as herself,
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    How here is what gets me. You follow a girl you know to be under the influence of an eldritch abomination, prevent a mass suicide, and call yourself a coward? What do you consider courage you self-depreciating little...!?
     
    htgriffin said:
    How here is what gets me. You follow a girl you know to be under the influence of an eldritch abomination, prevent a mass suicide, and call yourself a coward? What do you consider courage you self-depreciating little...!?
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    Well if she wasn't a coward she would have responded to seeing Mami die by wishing her back to life immediately instead of being scared obviously. /Madokalogic
     
    Well, I'm pretty sure Madoka had some serious self-confidence issues even before the whole magical girl debacle, and the added stress of seeing a person she admired murdered only reinforced them.

    All I'm saying is that she might not be all that rational.
     
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    In case you were desperate and dying to know, har har har, the chemicals the suicidal people were mixing were bleach and ammonia.

    Depending on the ratio you mix them in, you get either chlorine gas, nitrogen trichloride or hydrazine. All three options are incredibly toxic, and in case that wasn't fun enough, two thirds of them are also horrifically explosive, so you can explode WHILE you're poisoned to death.
     
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    Axiomatic said:
    In case you were desperate and dying to know, har har har, the chemicals the suicidal people were mixing were bleach and ammonia.

    Depending on the ratio you mix them in, you get either chlorine gas, nitrogen trichloride or hydrazine. All three options and are incredibly toxic, and in case that wasn't fun enough,two thirds of them are also horrifically explosive, so you can explode WHILE you're poisoned to death.
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    "How did they die?"
    "They tried to poison themselves."
    "I get it."
    "Then, they exploded."
    "I don't get it."
     
    Axiomatic said:
    In case you were desperate and dying to know, har har har, the chemicals the suicidal people were mixing were bleach and ammonia.
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    They actually showed them in more-realistic bottles in the original television airing (blue and green, with actual labels). It's only the blu-ray release that turned them generic. Compare and contrast:


     
    tomoyo said:
    They actually showed them in more-realistic bottles in the original television airing (blue and green, with actual labels). It's only the blu-ray release that turned them generic. Compare and contrast:


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    Interesting. It appears people in charge of the Blu-Ray version hated the concept of color.
     
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