The "faux Justice" Part Of Sayaka Is My Favourite Part Of Her Character, And I Definitely Failed To Convey

The "faux justice" part of Sayaka is my favourite part of her character, and I definitely failed to convey it in the og post lol.

I think ever since her talk with Mami about being careful about who and what you wish for, Sayaka definitely started to delude herself about her intentions.

She became a literal white knight for Kyousuke, and felt so much entitlement to him it drove her crazy especially when she pushed aside her feelings and still refused to see her own misdoings. When deciding on her wish, she only considered wishing for others (adding to that selfless justice persona).

Her Witchifications are absolutely more than just boy-crazy. I like using Kyousuke as a symbolic object for Sayaka's mental state and characterization, but I failed in my original post to convey the idea I had.

It's mentioned that in every timeline Sayaka contracts and becomes a magical girl, she becomes Oktavia.

I think this says a lot about Sayaka's mental state. Even if Hitomi doesn't confess to Kyousuke, even if Sayaka and Kyousuke were to date, Sayaka would still become Oktavia.

Maybe it's a case of regretting what she wished for, or falling out of love with Kyousuke, or that her relationship with Kyousuke didn't work out how she had wanted it to. Regardless, something always goes wrong when she makes her wish; and I find that very fascinating.

"Whoopsie daisy we accidentally said it was the birthday of a character with an unconfirmed birthday 🤭🤪"

Nonono you just gave her a birthday no take backs.

Fuck Aniplex 5/9 her official birthday now I decree it as such

Nagisa living long enough to form bonds with other magical girls presents two wildly different AUs:

1. She meets Mami and the two help eachother through their mutual issues (fluff-fix-it-fic style)

2. She's mentored by Yuu and becomes an assassin who gets you with the bubble blower and puts a slice of cheese on your corpse (fix-it-fic but alot less fluff)

I'm pretty sure it's because the weight of her wish (the wish to end Walpurgisnoct, the most powerful witch made from several magical girls) overwhelmed her to the point her soul gem instantly (or shortly after wishing) darkened.

I think that's it (at least it's what I gathered from watching the scenes where Madoka becomes Gretchen)

It's mentioned that in every timeline Sayaka contracts and becomes a magical girl, she becomes Oktavia.

I think this says a lot about Sayaka's mental state. Even if Hitomi doesn't confess to Kyousuke, even if Sayaka and Kyousuke were to date, Sayaka would still become Oktavia.

Maybe it's a case of regretting what she wished for, or falling out of love with Kyousuke, or that her relationship with Kyousuke didn't work out how she had wanted it to. Regardless, something always goes wrong when she makes her wish; and I find that very fascinating.

Unlike other magical girls, Nagisa's magical girl outfit is super casual and cute (to the point it's hardly even a magical girl costume). It feels like such a perfect representation of her; like she's wearing fun clothes she normally can't.

DERANGED RANT TIME. THE FLOOD GATE HAS BROKEN.

While the obvious witch comparison for Mami is Charlotte/Bebe because... Y'know... I feel like Gertrud is a good contender for Mami-parallel too.

During the fight between Mami and Gertrud, Mami is "showing off" for Madoka and Sayaka, trying to show them the coolness of being a magical girl (in hopes they'd contract). While that is it's own Mami character moment, I think it's significant that Mami specifically is fighting Gertrud specifically and showing off to Sayaka and Madoka specifically.

Mami, finally having friends and becoming happy from the possibility of fighting alongside other (potential) magical girls, kills the lonely, depressed, and trapped looking Gertrud: a symbolic "killing of the past self" for Mami.

ALSO! To expand on that "butterfly emerging from its chrysalis" type movement, it feels yet another change metaphor.

As for the "foreshadowy" moments of the fight... on the surface this is a standard introductory fight: show off what a magical girl is, show off what a witch is, show off how grief seeds and soul gems work. But crucially, this is the inciting incident of a tragedy. Aside from Kyuubey's invention to Madoka, Mami is the "salesman" and the fight against Gertrud is her "sales pitch".

Something I find really neat and subtle amoung Madoka Magica's (many) foreshadowing and narrative contrast-y moments is Mami's fight against Gertrud.

Gertrud has a strong flower and butterfly motif, and Mami's soul gem is shaped like a flower (and maybe a stretch but in one of Mami's transformations she does an action that resembles a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis).

I think there's some parallels between the two that make Gertrud a surprisingly clever and well designed first enemy. (But perhaps I'm stuck in Mami fan mode, and just see Mami in everything)