WELCOME TO OCTOBER MAGICA!
'Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story, Vol. 2' - It's a solid drama piece, and direct follow up to 'Vol. 1'. It's about team-up trauma, inevitability, and history repeating itself. And humans, even the most noble and altruistic, always being inherently selfish and self-serving in their actions?
The focus remains on Mami and Kyouko, and Sayaka has a big chunk of her own tragic story told here, too, with never-before-seen clever tweaks added to it. Homura is still present and important - having kind of teamed up with Kyouko - though like Kyubey, she's more on the sidelines being ominous and foreboding than actually playing a proactive part. Madoka shows up the least, and is given the least to do, for understandable reasons. Ironic, seeing as she is on the cover of this volume (even more ironically, she's holding Kyubey). She ends up doing one brave if foolish and naïve thing, as a non-magical girl, yet again to help her best friend Sayaka. Her actions, regardless of her intentions, may have unwittingly caused Sayaka's downfall, more than the actions and words of the actual magical girls - the "senpais" - around the naïve and tragic "hero", in the same city.
Sayaka, the new and young "hero" in question, is at her full magical girl power, unlike the traumatised, bitter, and insecure Kyouko, and she can heal others, and herself.
...But can she?
Witches, and familiars, are not the only enemies of magical girls. Rivalries, broken hearts, and inner and outer deceptions, can destroy them, in many ways, and have deadly and devastating consequences...
Impressive, well written and thoughtful dialogue, and twists and turns, are present in 'The Different Story: Vol. 2'. 'Madoka Magica' fans will be in for a treat. The action scenes, as infrequently as they appear in between the drama and long character conversation scenes, are surprisingly tense and thrilling.
I love each character, as different and unique as they are, in this different 'Madoka' story/timeline. Everybody is so complex, and capable of doing and saying unexpected things, without them seeming out of character. It will, in fact, be inevitable - nay, inescapable - for them. In their locked fates...
Above all, it is all exceedingly, extremely exciting, as well as shocking; even for readers who are familiar with the 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' anime. You bet I can't wait for the conclusion in 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story, Vol. 3'. Even if it won't be as epic, smashing, cathartic, satisfying and gratifying as the OG canon finale.
Even if, for the reveal of some unanswered questions, nothing matters in the end anyway...
Taste the bittersweetness.
Feel the friendship turmoil... and fallout.
The imminent doom.
The choices we make.
...
And what about Walpurgis Nacht?
...
Ah, happy endings.
Happy October Magica, everyone!
My review below, which I wrote eleven years ago, strongly applies here, as well.
Final Score: 4/5
EDIT: Oh, and I love the moment on page 22 where Mami shoves food into Kyubey's mouth with a fork to shut him up. Mami is a badass and a hardass in the best manners, when she is obliged to be.
Original Review:
A worthy follow up to the first 'The Different Story' volume. This time Mami Tomoe is training Sayaka Miki, and her former "student" and friend Kyouko Sakura watches and judges from the sidelines, in Mami’s designated city territory where she fights witches.
I like how this manga series gives further depth to the characters and their roles as both "chess pieces" and human beings than in the anime (Sayaka's crush, Kyousuke, has an added presence here). This is probably due to not being constrained by 22-minute-long episodes adding up to only 12, and Madoka and Homura – the most important characters – taking a backseat to the action and development.
We learn more about Sayaka, and her feelings and choices as both a Magical Girl and a lovesick schoolgirl wanting the best for those she loves. They can be bad and irresponsible choices, but they are hers nonetheless. She has to learn to live with them, for the alternative - to wallow up in despair and self-pity - can be deadly for a Magical Girl. I love her relationship with Mami. Mami, who is more experienced at rationalising and restraining her emotions, tries to be a supportive teacher and friend, but Sayaka feels the older Magical Girl is being too soft on her; that she needs to be reprimanded for her terrible mistakes. And it all ends in a horrific tragedy worse than Mami could ever have expected.
Theirs is a mirror of Mami’s and Kyouko's relationship from the first volume, and a sense of time repeating itself for Mami, who refuses to give up on her ideals as a Magical Girl, no matter the myriad of tragedies befallen on her. Or does she...?
Poor, lonely, guilt-ridden Mami. The Magical Protector. The Great Pretender. She keeps moving forward, on and on, in spite of it all. What she needs is to be loved and hugged...
There is also a two-sides-of-the-same-coin connection between Sayaka and Kyouko which is nicely handled, though not much different than how it is presented in the anime. Madoka and Homura don't get nearly as much panel time as the other three Magical Girls, but that is where there is another contrast to the anime, which focuses a lot on them and their relationship.
Mami, Kyouko and Sayaka are the stars of this alternate storyline. Given how the manga ends, maybe they'd wish they weren't...
Ideas and established Magical Girl powers are explored plot-wise as well, such as Sayaka's healing abilities coming to use when saving others in battle. But despite these elements, ‘The Different Story’ – a parallel universe of ‘Madoka Magica’ – is a strong character-driven story more than anything else. Friendships and rivalries are tested to extremes.
The artwork - especially for the battle scenes - is very well-drawn and the characters’ facial expressions are perfect for all the scenes they are in. The ending is rather sudden and confusing, considering everything that’s been leading up to it, but what a twist!
My review of the third and final 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story' manga volume is to come.
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
A worthy follow up to the first 'The Different Story' volume. This time Mami Tomoe is training Sayaka Miki, and her former "student" and friend Kyouko Sakura watches and judges from the sidelines, in Mami’s designated city territory where she fights witches.
I like how this manga series gives further depth to the characters and their roles as both "chess pieces" and human beings than in the anime (Sayaka's crush, Kyousuke, has an added presence here). This is probably due to not being constrained by 22-minute-long episodes adding up to only 12, and Madoka and Homura – the most important characters – taking a backseat to the action and development.
We learn more about Sayaka, and her feelings and choices as both a Magical Girl and a lovesick schoolgirl wanting the best for those she loves. They can be bad and irresponsible choices, but they are hers nonetheless. She has to learn to live with them, for the alternative - to wallow up in despair and self-pity - can be deadly for a Magical Girl. I love her relationship with Mami. Mami, who is more experienced at rationalising and restraining her emotions, tries to be a supportive teacher and friend, but Sayaka feels the older Magical Girl is being too soft on her; that she needs to be reprimanded for her terrible mistakes. And it all ends in a horrific tragedy worse than Mami could ever have expected.
Theirs is a mirror of Mami’s and Kyouko's relationship from the first volume, and a sense of time repeating itself for Mami, who refuses to give up on her ideals as a Magical Girl, no matter the myriad of tragedies befallen on her. Or does she...?
Poor, lonely, guilt-ridden Mami. The Magical Protector. The Great Pretender. She keeps moving forward, on and on, in spite of it all. What she needs is to be loved and hugged...
There is also a two-sides-of-the-same-coin connection between Sayaka and Kyouko which is nicely handled, though not much different than how it is presented in the anime. Madoka and Homura don't get nearly as much panel time as the other three Magical Girls, but that is where there is another contrast to the anime, which focuses a lot on them and their relationship.
Mami, Kyouko and Sayaka are the stars of this alternate storyline. Given how the manga ends, maybe they'd wish they weren't...
Ideas and established Magical Girl powers are explored plot-wise as well, such as Sayaka's healing abilities coming to use when saving others in battle. But despite these elements, ‘The Different Story’ – a parallel universe of ‘Madoka Magica’ – is a strong character-driven story more than anything else. Friendships and rivalries are tested to extremes.
The artwork - especially for the battle scenes - is very well-drawn and the characters’ facial expressions are perfect for all the scenes they are in. The ending is rather sudden and confusing, considering everything that’s been leading up to it, but what a twist!
My review of the third and final 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story' manga volume is to come.
Final Score: 4/5
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