A great manga addition to the 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' franchise. Not having heard many positive things about its other spin-off titles, I stayed clear of them despite loving the original series so much. But that wasn't the case with 'The Different Story'. Plus it stars only the characters from the anime, so I was more than a little curious.
'Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story, Vol 1' doesn't just focus more on the backstories of the Magical Girls Mami Tomoe and Kyouko Sakura, nor does it only explore their never-seen-nor-established-before relationship with each other. When I read the last few pages I discovered that 'The Different Story' really is that: an alternative storyline from the one in the anime. The only tweak so far is the development of the tragic friendship (if you already know that 'Madoka Magica' is a tragic series, this shouldn't technically be considered a spoiler. If so, sorry) between Mami and Kyouko.
Mami is a Magical Girl who wants to save as many people from witches and familiars as possible. She doesn't want to be like the other Magical Girls who will wait for the familiars to kill people so that they will grow to become witches to destroy for power-ups for the Girls' soul gems. Yeah the story is already pretty dark and cynical for a manga of this genre. Having performed her self-appointed duties for a year now, Mami meets the newbie Kyouko, who is more willing to try different techniques to fighting witches. Kyouko even asks Mami to take her on as her disciple, her student. Mami is to be her senpai. The two instantly become best friends, having been lonely and lost for so long.
Mami even invents a phrase for Kyouko to yell out for one of her magical attacks. How adorable!
We see Kyouko's family in this manga, and the struggles she had to face in being both a Magical Girl and a priest's daughter. Her tragic past is explored in a lot more detail than in the anime series, making it more poignant towards the inevitable climax. I have never felt sorrier for Kyouko Sakura. It seems she really was an innocent, idealistic Magical Girl once.
And poor, poor little Momo...
Mami is perhaps the stronger of the two for sticking to her goals and ideals in the face of tragedy. She may even be interpreted as a big sisterly saint who only lets her guard down in the worst possible moments. But in a myriad of ways Kyouko's story is the most heartwrenching. You can't exactly blame the fourteen-year-old girl for turning and abandoning her senpai's view of life as a selfless Magical Girl. Heck I'm impressed she didn't commit suicide after all she suffered through. You understand her reasoning, and why Mami's logic of protecting people and their happiness could be flawed.
Mami Tomoe once again is alone in the world, with no family and friends who share her understanding, and her desperate need to be a good hero and teacher to others.
The girls had a sisterly bond which started out so hopefully; to have it shatter is the final tragedy of this volume.
Kyuubey doesn't appear much here, which is just as well. Madoka and Sayaka don't show up until the very end, with Homura drawn ominously in one panel...
'The Different Story' has nice, expressive artwork (I especially love Mami’s numerous facial expressions), as well as being a good companion tale to the 'Madoka Magica' series. It is not nearly as violent or horrific as the original story - those sorts of scenes are either off-panel, implied or merely told to us - and it is a little short, with well-drawn but too-brief battle scenes. But the themes of friendships being tested, knowing what you are doing when trying to make other people happy, and what it truly means to be a so-called powerful person who thinks she knows all the right answers, are all present. The manga presents one or two different angles in viewing what it entails to be a Magical Girl.
No romance with a boy in sight, too. Was the author intending a kind of closer-than-friends vibe between Mami and Kyouko? Either way I welcome it; they are good together.
Enjoyable yet sad, I recommend ‘The Different Story’ to 'Madoka Magica' fans everywhere, who don't mind reading into a bit more tragedy and melancholy.
Final Score: 4.5/5
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