Is it embarrassing for me to admit that it was through reading this final volume that I fully realised the series is indeed one of the many alternate timelines of 'Madoka Magica', the original series?
And upon completing this majestic, magnificent manga, I also realised that, despite saying in my previous review that Mami, Kyouko and Sayaka are the stars, in truth this story is and always has been about Mami, and Mami alone. Every decision made by the other Magical Girls - even those of the one-off Girls in the first volume - they all come right back to Mami. No MG is overlooked - especially not Madoka - but the focus is sorely on Mami Tomoe's own quest and inner demons as a Magical Girl.
She is more than a seeker of doing what's right, for the finale has her finally giving up hope upon learning the truth about Magical Girls. Now, realising she is in fact a curse on the world and has no reason to exist, the suicidal Mami chooses to fight to the death. She believes her sacrifice will save more lives than when she did so before by persevering after a near-death experience. It is not just failing her friends that she feels guilty for, but for not wishing to save the lives of her parents as well as herself in the tragedy which started her transformation into a Magical Girl - changing her life in so many ways.
'The Different Story' develops Mami with a vast grandeur that the anime series could not, for reasons obvious to those who have seen it. I love every panel she is in, every thought balloon and dialogue she has. Her loneliness and path towards self-ruin are shown brilliantly, I felt deeply sorry for her. She is an amazing and flawed character, and I'm happy her own story got to be told. It is dark, heavy, heartbreaking and devastating, yet like the anime, it ends on a beautiful and somewhat bittersweet note.
Mami receives the justice she deserves, and nothing - no lingering potential - is gone to waste.
Twists, turns, trust handling, battle strategies, mind tricks (Kyouko's illusion magic comes to play an important role in the plot), and the destruction of the layers of sanity aplenty. But at the end of her journey as a Magical Girl, Mami finally stops bottling up her feelings and accepts help when it's offered to her by the people she can call her friends, not the other way round. She discovers what true friendship and selflessness means (which is another reflection of the original series). Homura Akemi may be my favourite character in the franchise, but Mami Tomoe has a special place in my heart thanks to ‘The Different Story’.
I came so close to rating this manga volume five stars. However, while I enjoyed the ending, I thought that some aspects of it are too confusing, and it contradicts what the original series established concerning Magical Girls and their fate. Although perhaps 'The Different Story' isn't canon after all. That being said, it certainly doesn't read like an average fanfiction, written by the same people who adapted the anime to manga form. Also, Homura could have had a bit more panel time dedicated to her, in light of her choices and the power she has over the rest of the series. And where are Kyousuke and Hitomi? How are they affected by everything that's going on around them? I know Sayaka isn't exactly a focus here character-wise, but still.
In conclusion, I am glad I bought this series. It further explores the possibilities and ideals of the 'Madoka Magica' universe and its rules. Best of all, the characters are wonderful, perhaps more so than ever before. A few plot points and twists make no sense, but they dim in comparison to all the positive elements.
I shall now end on Mami's final words on the last page:
"... I realised that there were people who cared about me.
... I think that if I could have any wish in the world...
I would wish that I had met you all in a world without witches."
A truly meaningful wish.
Final Score: 4/5
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