Madoka Magica - Movie 3 Spoilers and Speculations

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Monoriu

It occurs to me that, in the TV series, Homura tried to save all the other four girls alone. She failed in each and every case (Madoka saved herself, the other 3 died). Movie 3 is the complete opposite. The 4 girls joined forces (plus Nagisa/Bebe) to save Homura, and succeeded without too much trouble.

Yeah but Homura was fighting freaking Walpurgisnacht, so there's no comparison. Besides, Homura did try to recruit Kyouko to help her. It didn't work out, but she did try, so it's not like she wanted to do everything alone.

[Monoriu]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Yeah but Homura was fighting freaking Walpurgisnacht, so there's no comparison. Besides, Homura did try to recruit Kyouko to help her. It didn't work out, but she did try, so it's not like she wanted to do everything alone.

So is there any theory on the relative strength between Walpurgisnacht and Homulily? It seems Homura's witch form should be much stronger than a regular witch. She created a large barrier which contains an entire city. And she had hordes of familiars. But she still requires a barrier; Walpurgisnacht does not.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Monoriu

So is there any theory on the relative strength between Walpurgisnacht and Homulily? It seems Homura's witch form should be much stronger than a regular witch. She created a large barrier which contains an entire city. And she had hordes of familiars. But she still requires a barrier; Walpurgisnacht does not.

Well, no matter how strong Homulily is, Sayaka and the others weren't trying to defeat her. They were just keeping her busy while they broke the barrier.

Homura, on the other hand, needed to defeat Walpurgisnacht. A harder mission no matter how you look at it.

[AuraTwilight]

So is there any theory on the relative strength between Walpurgisnacht and Homulily? It seems Homura's witch form should be much stronger than a regular witch. She created a large barrier which contains an entire city.

I already addressed why the size of her barrier doesn't necessarily mean anything. That aside, by pure Familiar count, I'd argue she was a pretty powerful witch. Probably the strongest besides Walpurgisnacht and Kriemheld Gretchen.

[Sageblink]

Finally get to see the movie.

Well, from the spoilers I wasn't really getting everything but now it's fine.
I'm good with the ending as I'm not that surprise with how Homura is handle.

My only complain is that the TV show was much clearer with the facts and the plot.
Though I do get Homura turned into a witch inside her how soul gem and is unable to break free from it, the graphics + the explaination are too messy in the movie.

I saw earlier a discussion on this forum regarding the "I've waited for this moment for so long", or something like that. Well, it's just my opinion, but I don't think it's related to some kind of scheme Homura had regarding Madoka. She clearly wanted to see her once again. She just got a trick in her sleeve at the right time...

[Soverence]

Originally Posted by GDB

It was also great listening to the crowd's responses to scenes. In the pre-screening show with the voice actresses, when Sayaka's VA turns it over to Kyoko's VA, calling her "Sayaka's partner", a loud roar of applause began. Then later, when Sayaka confessed, another roar, then laughter when Nagisa flew by and ruined the moment. Then there was the ending, where Madoka came to retrieve Homura. You heard a lot of "awww" as Madoka said she'd been waiting, then a very audible gasp when Homura made the wicked smile.

Those were basically the exact same reactions that the people in my theater had, I guess I can't really be that surprised though with how popular Sayaka and Kyoko are, even I was smiling over those scenes . Also I think the ending moment shocked a lot of people, it makes sense but no one really saw it coming.

[LightDragonman]

I gotta say, seeing an anime film with a whole bunch of fellow fans is one heck of an experience. We were all ecstatic and/or dumbfounded at the end, and as we were walking out, we were chatting all about how we felt afterwards.

[blakstealth]

Just got home from watching Rebellion.

THE FUCK THOUGH. THE FUCK. WHAT THE FUCK. The movie has sooooo many amazing parts (fuckin Power Rangers/Sailor Moon 5 minute transformation sequence of the Puella Magi Holy Quintet, the roundtable of guessing who was the cake...shit, that was such an adorable scene, Mami vs. Homura, Kyoko being a student, Kyoko and Sayaka bein Magical Girl BFFs, I can go on...). But then Homura...goddammit.

The Madoka Magica app made everyone laugh to tears, including me. And I started the clap that would make everyone clap when credits rolled. Anyone watch the very last scene? :P

[Wanderer]

Seeing it in Japan was quite different. It was quiet for the whole movie, as well as after.

[blakstealth]

Damn. There were many instances of group laughter throughout the movie lol.

Japan ppls are mad serious about their magical gurls.

[Vegard Aune]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

A soul gem gets filled with despair as the magical girl exhausts all her magic in combat. Even in the magical girl wasn't feeling despair, the soul gem still gets corrupted with it.

Not just in combat, it was also stated that they exhaust just a little bit of magic just by continuing to live. (Probably as a side-effect of their bodies being, y'know, technically dead and all that.) So maybe I'm remembering things wrong and it actually was stated that Homura was already at the breaking point when Kyubey enacted his plan, but I got the impression that Kyubey just trapped her Soul Gem and simply waited for it to decay.

Originally Posted by blakstealth

Damn. There were many instances of group laughter throughout the movie lol.

Japan ppls are mad serious about their magical gurls.

That's just considered common courtesy in Japan though. I've been to plenty of movies here, and never once have I heard the audience make any significant amount of noise during the film. At most I might have heard some faint laughter here and there, or perhaps some young children gasping. (Obviously that wasn't for this movie though... Pretty sure there were no kids in the audience either times, thank goodness.) It's the same way in Norway too, so to me, the idea of audiences loudly reacting to the movie seems just thoroughly annoying.

[redgrnbluylw]

I saw the film last night as well. I loved every second of it. I mean it when I say that Shaft really did outdo itself this time around. Spectacular. Just spectacular.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Vegard Aune

but I got the impression that Kyubey just trapped her Soul Gem and simply waited for it to decay

That's unlikely. I don't remember if it was stated that she was at the breaking point already, but that's the most plausible explanation. I don't think it would be easy for QB to take Homura's soul gem otherwise. Homura is tougher than other magical girls, after all.

[Sagitta_Luminis]

Originally Posted by Vegard Aune

That's just considered common courtesy in Japan though. I've been to plenty of movies here, and never once have I heard the audience make any significant amount of noise during the film. At most I might have heard some faint laughter here and there, or perhaps some young children gasping. (Obviously that wasn't for this movie though... Pretty sure there were no kids in the audience either times, thank goodness.) It's the same way in Norway too, so to me, the idea of audiences loudly reacting to the movie seems just thoroughly annoying.

just want to confirm, a lot of asian nation, including Japan and my nation, may find loud noise and cheers was annoying------no taboo to an extend (in my nation case). I remember one of my friend get yelled by a man next to him, when we watch Thor 2 because he just "WHISPERING" to me, some theatre even have this kind of sign before the movie start "Please turn of your cellphone, no cheering or clapping, no talking. for your and the others audience enjoyment, thank you"

[blakstealth]

Originally Posted by Vegard Aune

That's just considered common courtesy in Japan though. I've been to plenty of movies here, and never once have I heard the audience make any significant amount of noise during the film. At most I might have heard some faint laughter here and there, or perhaps some young children gasping. (Obviously that wasn't for this movie though... Pretty sure there were no kids in the audience either times, thank goodness.) It's the same way in Norway too, so to me, the idea of audiences loudly reacting to the movie seems just thoroughly annoying.

Yeah, I figured as much. Luckily, there wasn't any loud or annoying disturbances when I watched it.

[Vegard Aune]

Originally Posted by Sagitta_Luminis

some theatre even have this kind of sign before the movie start "Please turn of your cellphone, no cheering or clapping, no talking. for your and the others audience enjoyment, thank you"

The local theater here in Akita, at least, actually has a little song that plays at the start of screenings... Oh and this movie in particular also had an animated clip repeating all those same requests. I don't know if that was included on international airings though. (And as a side-note, considering my own opinion on this film I found it rather annoying and pretentious how said clip flat-out referred to the movie as "the greatest movie".)

[NinjaRealist]

Originally Posted by blakstealth

The Madoka Magica app made everyone laugh to tears, including me. And I started the clap that would make everyone clap when credits rolled. Anyone watch the very last scene? :P

No...

I ran out once the credits started because I had to drive like an hour and a half to get home What happened?

[Wavedash]

I will post again after I have had more time to think on the movie, but coming out of the theater fresh, my most immediate impressions are about the emotional impact.

I don't think it's possible to examine the Madoka main series without referring to Buddhism and the karmic circle. While I'm not an expert on Buddhism (thus making my argument a bit half baked) I think the comparison between Buddhist concepts and the series is easy to make. I compare the path of the magical girl to samsara, or the endless circle of rebirth and suffering, and Madokami's escape from that to nirvana. In this scheme, Homura's successful use of desire and twisted love to tear and change the laws of karma themselves is really disturbing. Desire and the profane trumping the higher purpose of mastering oneself.

In Homura's words, evil tearing the goddess from her seat.

For a series originally about hope and will conquering adversity, this is a dismaying turnaround.

[Eater of All]

Originally Posted by MYWA

Homura takes the opportunity to nab Madoka, strip her [...] and imprison her

Totally late but, I love the sound of this.


I went to the Tuesday US premiere, and Mitsutoshi Kubota (president of SHAFT) was there to do a short Q&A session. The best part was when he said he considers it a happy ending, but when he asked the audience, about 5 people raised their hand at "happy" and about 200 at "tragic".

He also emphasized that there's zero plans for Madoka in the works, for whatever that's worth.

[LightDragonman]

Personally, I find the ending to be bittersweet. While it is indeed tragic, and has a downer note to it, it still has hope at the end, with Sayaka and Madoka still retaining a few of their memories.

It's a very Empire Strikes Back sort of conclusion. And I was satisfied by it.