I was watching the Madoka Magica movies again and these scenes from the opening really stuck out to me. I think it’s a brilliant move, showcasing scenes from Madoka’s happy childhood when by this point we already know of the sacrifice she makes. I also love the contrast between Madoka’s scenes, which are full of happiness and loving friends and family, whereas the other magical girls (sans Sayaka, who shares Madoka’s happy life) are shown alone.
To me, this makes Madoka’s wish all the more meaningful. It’s brought up multiple times in the actual series that Madoka has no reason to become a magical girl, as nothing she could gain from it would come close to the happy and comfortable life she already has. Madoka herself can’t even think of anything to wish for when she first meets Kyubey. But she decides to become a magical girl anyway, not for herself, but out of pure and selfless empathy for the countless girls who have suffered throughout time and space.
Numerous times throughout the series, it’s questioned if there even is such a thing as a truly selfless wish; it’s argued that all wishes for others are, at least in part, motivated by some kind of selfish desire. But Madoka makes such a selfless wish that she actually becomes selfless, transcending to a higher plane of existence. Giving up her humanity was such a huge sacrifice for her to make, as these scenes show us, but she did it anyway because she didn’t want magical girls to suffer anymore. She had the most to lose out of anyone, as the scenes with Mami, Kyoko, and Homura demonstrate, and to me that makes her the bravest of all of them.
You know you can talk all the shit you want about Madoka Magica, but you have to admit that the Meduka Meguca memes gave us so many valuable phrases and ways to express important emotions and concepts.
this post is “MY CITY NOW” erasure and i wont stand for it
well i guess this is it 