Audio Commentary/Episode 12
| My Very Best Friend わたしの、最高の友達 | |
|---|---|
| Commentary | Aoi Yuuki Chiwa Saitou Gen Urobuchi Ume Aoki Yukihiro Miyamoto |
The final commentary has all of the staff who's been on, in addition to Aoi Yuuki and Chiwa Saitou. That's Gen Urobuchi, Ume Aoki, and Yukihiro Miyamoto.
The first thing they ask the staff is whether this ending was planned from the start. Gen says that most of the scenario was used without modification. However, they took liberties with things like the space scenes.
Saitou asks about the overall background style, how the backgrounds are wide open. Was that intended from the beginning? Urobuchi said that they had planned that, but Gekidan Inu Curry helped influence the final feel.
Next, Yuuki asks about Madoka's wish: do they think that it's 'correct'? Urobuchi says that he can't say it's not right; it's quite something for a middle school girl. Aoki says that Madoka was able to really gather a lot of experiences together before making her decision.
Urobuchi then cuts in saying that he really wanted to have that scene where Mami gives Madoka her sketches back.
Miyamoto really liked her wish. She really isn't saving the whole universe or the world, just the mahou shoujo. Yuuki thought that without Homura, they couldn't have had this wish.
Urobuchi then talked about the scene with Madoka saving all the girls. "Was it okay to do something this flashy?" Saitou then says that before this she hadn't considered that there were magical girls all over the world. Urobuchi says "Kyubey is world-wide."
It's amazing though, she's saving every magical girl not just around the world but the past and the future. Madoka really has a lot of work to do!
Saitou says that she really likes the warm, kind acting that Yuuki did here. (So do I.) Yuuki said that she was trying to avoid being too 'goddess-like'; as a girl she would actually find it painful and difficult, so she was trying to balance that with the kindness. Saitou said that she meant to talk more about it during episode 11's commentary, but here she says she really likes how Homura confessed that she's from the future. It's the first time she really was able to let out everything she was holding back. But as a result, Madoka made her decision based on that. Urobuchi said in response that in the end, he was intending it to be a story about Madoka and Homura. Aoki adds that she was super happy when she told Homura that she now knows everything; she knows everything that Homura went though.
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Next they talk about Godoka. So cool! She actually only shows up only once; Urobuchi was worried that it wouldn't be enough, but she really made an impression. Yuuki says "Of course, she's Hyper Ultimate Madoka!" (apparently that was actually written in the setting by Urobuchi when he was playing around) The skirt is the whole universe. Everyone really wanted to see it. Aoki did the design for it, but she just did whatever she felt like. She worried about whether it would be too tough to animate though. Apparently, the character designer spent several pages trying to figure out how best to adapt it to animation, even though it was only used once.
Then they're in space talking to each other. Madoka knows everything now, but Homura still is worried about her. How dedicated, says Saitou. Aoki says that at the beginning, Madoka was really self-deprecating, but now she's a special existence.
Saitou says that because this isn't a romantic relationship, it turned out differently. They're able to think about each other more selflessly. Also, if it were two guys, it'd be like "Good luck!" More like Gurren Lagann.
Here they talk about how Urobuchi really understands the way girls think. Is he a girl? They really like talking about that. The way the girls grow up through experiencing pain. Yuuki does say that Madoka is still unable to save people who were selfless; like Sayaka, who still died in this world. But she's probably still glad.
Then's the scene with Homura, Mami, and Kyouko. Saitou says that they're the least related in the story. They're the only ones that don't become witches in the story either, adds Urobuchi.
And then there's the scene with Tatsuya who seems to still remember Madoka. Saitou says that it'd probably be too hard if her parents remembered her though. But Urobuchi said that he's probably not remembering her, but rather actually seeing her, like a cat seeing things. Kids are more perceptive of things like that.
They're glad they get to see everyone's reactions, sorta. But at the same time, it's really sad.
And now we have the scene with Kyubey. Kyubey's past methods of deception and tricks are no longer necessary, so now he has a better relationship with magical girls as a normal ally. Madoka didn't erase curses themselves, but rather the witches. But now there's a new mechanism and there still have to be magical girls to be fight them. He'd be more forthgiving with information, like how you'll have to work hard and you'll disappear if you don't keep your soul gem clean.
Now they ask their last impressions. Miyamoto says that he really wants a season two. Aoki says that she was only useful until halfway through, but she was glad to be part of the staff. Urobuchi then says that this was the first time he wrote for anime, but he really liked the freeedom. Now, he's frantically looking forward to the next work. Second season maybe, the seiyuu ask? He says maybe, but he's not sure yet. He apparently had shown Aoki Ume some of the plot. She says "Urobuchi doesn't hand out happiness so easily..."
Finally, Saitou thanks Urobuchi for the work. She said that she'd never enjoyed playing a role as much as this before. Yuuki says that she thought she was really able to grow as a part of this.
And then finally, they thank you!