Madoka Magica - Q & A

[Arkanis]

Charlotte is in a certain sense the rock to Mami's scissors (Tiro Finale hit, didn't it?). But the deciding point is imho that Mami was overconfident. I could bring a rather strong meta argument supporting this, but that could be some kind of spoiler.

[Oblivion]

Originally Posted by Arkanis

Charlotte is in a certain sense the rock to Mami's scissors (Tiro Finale hit, didn't it?). But the deciding point is imho that Mami was overconfident. I could bring a rather strong meta argument supporting this, but that could be some kind of spoiler.

I just finished the whole thing, so could you please go into a bit more detail about that? And does it say somewhere that the witch's name was Charlotte? I saw the whole thing and didn't find anything about it. I'm confused.

[GDB]

Her name appeared in runes when she first showed up, that's how we know various witches' names. As for Charlotte being Mami's counter, Mami's power comes from binding. Charlotte is a snake that can shed its skin and thus escape from bindings.

[Arkanis]

Originally Posted by Oblivion0101

I just finished the whole thing, so could you please go into a bit more detail about that? And does it say somewhere that the witch's name was Charlotte? I saw the whole thing and didn't find anything about it. I'm confused.

What GDB said Furthermore, in my opinion the deciding point is her overconfidence. Take a look at Mahou Shoujo Oriko Magica Chapter 3 Page 4. Also, Mami does survive Charlotte in a few time lines (where it could be argued she doesn't encounter her there, but well...), so it's not that Mami's death is certain or determined.

[Myssa Rei]

Originally Posted by Oblivion0101

And does it say somewhere that the witch's name was Charlotte?

The name of the witches were known as soon as the Runic Script was deciphered. These were then confirmed by the Witch Cards that were posted on the official website after the episodes were aired.

The Puella Magi wiki has the complete list of anime witches (as well as the ones in supplementary material like Oriko Magica), for those who can't read Japanese (for the main website I mean).

[Kudryavka]

What does Madoka wish for in the second to last run through? And what are Mami and Kyouko's wish given secondary powers?

Spoiler for am i right?:

Homura's power is the ability to speed up and reverse time, because she wished to repeat her life?
Sayaka's power is the ability to heal very quickly because she wished for someone else to heal.
In the last timeline, Madoka's power is to be Jesus. :3
Mami's power may be similar toSayaka's becauze she wished for life?
Kyouko's wish may be, er, persuasion? Because she wished for people to listen to her father? Maybe it's just strength.

Spoiler for dress:

Can magical girls choose their fighting costume? Did Madoka choose hers, or did she just "remember" what her costume was from previous timelines?

[Lord of Fire]

Originally Posted by Komari

What does Madoka wish for in the second to last run through?

Spoiler:

Save Homura from Walpurgis Night.

And what are Mami and Kyouko's wish given secondary powers?

Spoiler for am i right?:

Homura's power is the ability to speed up and reverse time, because she wished to repeat her life?
Sayaka's power is the ability to heal very quickly because she wished for someone else to heal.
In the last timeline, Madoka's power is to be Jesus. :3
Mami's power may be similar toSayaka's becauze she wished for life?
Kyouko's wish may be, er, persuasion? Because she wished for people to listen to her father? Maybe it's just strength.

Spoiler:

#1: Homura's ability is to stop time. Anyone holding onto her when time is stopped will be affected by Homura's power as well (and will thus be able to move around freely, until they let go).
#2: Yes. Sayaka's healing powers are a direct result of her wish to heal Kamijou's hand.
#3: More like, she became (similar to) Jesus, in the sense that she took on everyone's sin (in this case, grief) and sacrificed herself for the good of mankind. She became as close to being a god as you can probably get.
#4: Mami's wish had something to do with "connecting to life" (usually explained as "she wanted to live"). This is why you always see her summon ribbons to tie someone up. When she uses them as weapons, she can create guns out of them (I presume they mean the ones she uses for the finishing blow).
#5: Kyouko wished for her father to get more followers. Because of her wish, she can make illusions to confuse people and even make duplicate images of herself to confuse opponents during battle. However, after her family died, she started rejecting those powers, to the point where she lost the ability to use them, and only fights with the magic she learned afterwards.

Spoiler for dress:

Can magical girls choose their fighting costume? Did Madoka choose hers, or did she just "remember" what her costume was from previous timelines?

Spoiler:

Given that the magic comes from the girls themselves, and that Madoka already knew what her outfit would look like before she became a Magical Girl, I assume they decide what their uniform will look like.

Credit goes to the people at the Puella Magi Wiki for compiling the evidence I needed.

[bhl88]

Originally Posted by Lord of Fire

Spoiler:

#4: Mami's wish had something to do with "connecting to life" (usually explained as "she wanted to live"). This is why you always see her summon ribbons to tie someone up. When she uses them as weapons, she can create guns out of them (I presume they mean the ones she uses for the finishing blow).

Her powers were extended to making guns out of ribbons.

Did Mami's connecting to life also connected her to motherhood (indirect translation of: I want to have big boobs become motherly).

[Lord of Fire]

Originally Posted by bhl88

Did Mami's connecting to life also connected her to motherhood (indirect translation of: I want to have big boobs become motherly).

I have a hard time determining whether to take this question serious or not...

[Kudryavka]

Originally Posted by bhl88

Did Mami's connecting to life also connected her to motherhood (indirect translation of: I want to have big boobs become motherly).

That's clever there.

I seriously think her boobs are just fanservice, or maybe just to look different from the rest of the cast with their unnoticable chests. The character designer put them in just b/c she wanted to, not for a deep reason.

[Dawnstorm]

Originally Posted by Komari

That's clever there.

I seriously think her boobs are just fanservice, or maybe just to look different from the rest of the cast with their unnoticable chests. The character designer put them in just b/c she wanted to, not for a deep reason.

Actually, I always thought her breast size was supposed to emphasise her motherly status. I mean even her name, "Mami", sounds like "Mommy" or "Mamm-" ("breast"), as in "Mammography" or "Mammal". I don't actually think that's all a coincidence.

[Lord of Fire]

It's possible, especially if you take into account that Mami's name is written in katakana, which could imply she's of foreign descent one way or another (i.e. she's either a foreigner herself, or has foreign parents). However, it's said that Ume Aoki didn't really put any deeper meaning to it, so this will probably always remain speculation.

[bhl88]

Btw, the Grief Seed that Homura rolled over to Sayaka... Wasn't that Charlotte's Grief Seed (the same one Sayaka claimed to be Mami's)?

[AuraTwilight]

Probably. It'd be fitting.

[bhl88]

Originally Posted by AuraTwilight

Probably. It'd be fitting.

Sayaka: 'I don't want to accept your handstain with Mami's blood on it' or 'You are too different. I can't accept you' (probable reason for not accepting the Grief Seed)?

[Kudryavka]

Why are there only mahou shoujo? Can't mahou shounen also contribute their life forces? Why only girls?

[Nosauz]

Isn't it implied that Homura succumbs to the darkness of the new reality at the end of the series when she sits there with Kyubei? God this series is driving me nuts, because it is pure tragedy.

[Lord of Fire]

Originally Posted by Komari

Why are there only mahou shoujo? Can't mahou shounen also contribute their life forces? Why only girls?

Teenage girls are said (or at the very least implied) to be more emotional than boys, meaning that Kyubey can get a higher energy output from them once they become Witches. This means he would need to convert far less girls into Witches to counter entropy than boys. Not that he would mind sacrificing a few more boys compared to girls, but Kyubey seems to want the highest possible efficiency and if you can get more for less and target only girls, why not go that route?

[Kudryavka]

Originally Posted by Lord of Fire

Teenage girls are said (or at the very least implied) to be more emotional than boys, meaning that Kyubey can get a higher energy output from them once they become Witches. This means he would need to convert far less girls into Witches to counter entropy than boys. Not that he would mind sacrificing a few more boys compared to girls, but Kyubey seems to want the highest possible efficiency and if you can get more for less and target only girls, why not go that route?

Lol, so not true irl. But thank you.

[bhl88]

Could Walpurgis Night be one of Homura's many possibilities (or the first Puella Magi or Oriko)? Cause when you stick Walpurgis Night (removed face) and Gretchen (Madoka witch), they form an hourglass [related to Homura's Za Warudo powers].... (Madoka's wish removed that possibility)