Quote:
Originally Posted by Ficfactor
Or rather, is now for the first time in six episodes. Madoka's been a supporting character since episode four. Not that there was anything wrong with that. She (like Homura) is terribly generic, so having half of the entire show's run focus on what's usually a best friend, side-character's story was a breath of fresh air.
I'm worried that it's all downhill from here...
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Well, the cool thing about Madoka is she's NOT an idiot, and behaves a lot like a normal person put into that position would act. She comes off as generic, but not MAGICAL GIRL generic. And Homura seems generic, but I get the feeling there's quite a bit more to her than we're being led to believe. The two of them have generic personalities, but the way they're approaching the problem is unique (even if Homura could have avoided EVERYTHING after episode 1 by telling Sayaka, Mami, and Madoka the truth about how the Puella Magi work. Poor girl's got social issues, cuz if ANY of the other girls in the show were in her place, the result would be a lot different.)
Each one of the girls is a vicious deconstruction of older magical girl tropes:
Sayaka: Justice Freak, the "unselfish" type of hero.
Mami: Mentor type, shell-shocked survival
Homura: Dark Magical girl
Madoka: The Hero(ine), The Chosen One
Kyoko: The Rival (to Sayaka)
Kyubey: Magical Creature
Every one of them, in a more idealistic series, would be even more generic than Madoka and Homura come off.
But IMO the most BRUTAL deconstruction of the series is the "new info as the plot progresses" schtick. In shows like Cardcaptor Sakura, information is withheld from the heroine until it's needed, and it doesn't adversely affect her because the information wouldn't have made a previous situation any harder or easier.
This show? Vital information is "not told" to the characters involved (Kyubey "cheerfully" tells anyone who asks for information what they're asking for, but...) and has successfully bitten half the cast in the ass...actually, EVERYONE in the ass except one person: Madoka is probably the only person in the series who knows EXACTLY what she's getting into BEFORE she, well, gets soul-raped. Not that she has. Yet.
Poor Sayaka, though...