As most of the backstories for the different spinoffs take place during the same times as each other, discerning when specific events take place is not possible. For this reason, most have been delegated to their own sections based on where they happen, with exceptions to certain events which have taken place further in the past compared to most others. The placement of similar events in Magia Record, such as Another Daze and Cross Connection, were also used to create this order of events. Additionally, due to Kazumi Magica's cast interacting with Kyoko and Mami, it is also possible to make correlations between the two groups.
Around fifteen years before present day, Remi Shiina makes a contract with Kyubey and becomes a Magical Girl. At some point, her little sister either witnesses, or is told of this and eventually Remi disappears, likely dying in battle, or becoming a Witch herself. Her sister tells this to Remi's friend, Misako Ishijima, who would later on in life grow up to be a detective and find other evidence of Magical Girls.[1][2]
For her third birthday, Satomi Usagi receives a cat named Sare.[3]
As a child in California, while playing cowboy Kanna Hijiri plays with a loaded gun with her neighbors' kids. The gun accidentally fires, and the bullet ricochets off a vase, killing her neighbors. This incident would haunt her for the rest of her life.[3]
During a festival night, Tsubaki Mikoto loses her parents to a Witch that sings nursery rhymes while engulfing them in flames. Though Tsubaki makes her contract as a Magical Girl with the wish for the power to defeat Witches, which grants her fire-based powers, she is unable to do anything to save them and the Witch escapes. She is then taken in by a distant relative Yoriko Yanagi, a housewife and kendo instructor at her family's dojo in the town of Sazanka. Yoriko raises Tsubaki like her own daughter and trains her in kendo for physical skill and mental discipline. Tsubaki herself trains with the purpose of defeating the Witch that killed her parents.[4]
Tsubaki also meets and trains alongside Ichika Kasumi, another student at the dojo who becomes her first Magical Girl companion and self-proclaimed rival. Their relationship starts rocky, but with kendo practice and Magical Girl battles, they grow to respect and motivate each other, becoming true friends and rivals who push one another to improve. When Tsubaki tracks down the Witch that kills her parents and enters its Labyrinth for revenge, Yoriko follows out of concern, but Tsubaki and Ichika are so focused on defeating the Witch that they cannot protect her. While they do defeat the Witch, they are unable to retrieve Yoriko's body from the Labyrinth before it disappears, but Ichika manages to bring back Yoriko's bell charm as a keepsake for Tsubaki, which Tsubaki even knew the the "stay together forever" chant for.[4]
What became of Ichika is unknown, but it is likely that she died in battle, or became a Witch while Tsubaki wasn't there to witness it.[4]
Chisato Shion's father writes children's books, but they fail to reach a wide audience or success, and he starts to physically abuse his wife.[5]
After their mother's death, Tsubaki is hired as a nanny by their father for Matsuri and Kagari. She takes care of them, catering to Matsuri's special needs due to her blindness, as well as Kagari's emotional needs. One of the stories she read them, about a kind-hearted witch chastised by villagers, was written by Chisato's father.[6]
Michiru Kazusa's grandmother Maia, named after the eldest Pleiades sister, married a Japanese man, then stayed in Japan after his death, living next to Michiru's Italian-food-and-soccer-loving parents. Overjoyed at Michiru's birth, Maia adopts her after her parents' fatal accident when Michiru is five years old. On the funeral night at their vacation home, Maia shows Michiru the Pleiades as "her sisters' stars," revealing she was the eldest of seven and now the last alive. Michiru cries jealously that she can never have sisters, but Maia comforts her that family is made by connected hearts, not just blood, and invites Michiru to live as her child. They hug tearfully and Maia gives her rosetta bread, said to have fallen as the Rosetta Meteora. They share it in the kitchen, and Maia hopes Kazumi finds trustworthy friends, her own Pleiades.[7]
Suzune Amano and her parents are caught in a Witch's Labyrinth, and Tsubaki manages to save her. Afterwards, Tsubaki takes care of her, and Suzune makes a wish to Kyubey to be a Magical Girl just like Tsubaki.[8]
Tsubaki quits her job as a nanny in order to take care of Suzune, and after many battles, she turns into a Witch and Suzune is forced to kill her.[8][6][9]
Kyubey approaches Matsuri and Kagari, and Matsuri makes a wish to be able to see, and the two go outside to look for Tsubaki. They find Suzune wearing Tsubaki's charm and Kyubey tells them that she turned into a Witch and Suzune killed her. While Kagari isolates herself, Matsuri goes and befriends Suzune.[6]
Later on, Kagari makes a wish to make Suzune suffer, and rewrites her memories to make her into a Magical Girl assassin, as well as erase her and Matsuri's memories of each other. She also makes a deal with Kyubey to let her complete her plan by having her hunt Witches full-time to make up for the loss of energy for losing Suzune, so she erases herself from everyone's memory and leaves town as well.[6]
Haruka, due to feeling overshadowed by her older sister, Kanata, she makes a wish to erase her from existence, leaving only Haruka to remember her.[5]
After her mother died, Chisato's father started getting drunk and abusing Chisato, so she wished for him to change him into a proper father. This causes him to no longer abuse him and to start working as a police officer.[5]
Arisa Narumi is bullied at school, especially by a girl named Mika Nishinaka. When Kyubey approaches her, she wishes to become strong so she could stand up to them. After gaining her new strength, she becomes a bully herself, until she's confronted by Chisato, who challenges her to a fight as Magical Girls. After losing, Chisato offers Arisa her friendship and invites her to join the other Magical Girls in Hohzuki.[10]
Around two years from present day, Yuuri Asuka's class runs a café, and she handles the menu due to her love of cooking. After tasters fall ill, devastated Yuuri discards everything and isolates herself at home. Days later, on a rainy day, Airi Anri sits outside Yuuri's door all day begging her to come out. At sunset, Yuuri opens the door slightly and asks why Airi is there. Airi asks for food since she has not eaten, but Yuuri refuses until Airi confesses she ate all the discarded dishes because they were delicious, and the illness claims were lies from jealousy. Airi explains she saw Yuuri's careful hygiene and knew the food could not be bad. She dreamed of being a detective, inspired by Gourmet Detective Neko Ururu, and needed a chef partner, so she staged the day to befriend Yuuri. Airi then drags Yuuri out to cook dinner, with the spoon pendant that was given to Yuuri as a child by Slice Akiyama glittering.[11]
Mami Tomoe is involved in a car accident which kills her parents, and she makes a wish with Kyubey to survive.[12]
At some point after she has recently started her Magical Girl duties, she tries to save a mother and her son from a Gisela Witch. She is only able to save the mother and this incident leaves a deep emotional scar on her.[13]
Mami and two Magical Girls fight a large insect-like Witch. The two girls retreat when their plan fails, apologizing and suggesting Mami do the same. Mami refuses to run away and defeats the Witch alone. The two girls return, amazed, and offer her the Grief Seed. Mami suggests they share it, but they warn her not to trust other Magical Girls, as they are rivals who will use her. Disappointed, Mami watches them leave, finding herself alone again.[14]
Afterwards, the two girls would become Witches, resembling pins and a pincushion respectively.[15]
Around one year later, after Kyoko's father starts preaching things he deems moral, but that weren't in the bible, people stop attending his church and their family soon ends up in poverty. Kyoko Sakura makes a contract with Kyubey in exchange for people frequenting his church again and listening to him.[16] As a result, Kyoko gains a power to create illusions.[17]
Asurano
While studying abroad, Michiru Kazusa's grandmother becomes very ill and in critical condition. While running home, Michiru is caught in a Witch's Barrier but is quickly rescued by Mami. At her grandmother's house, the doctor explains that Maia didn't have long to live unless she receives life support, but she had rejected it by her own accord. Later, Kyubey approaches Michiru and she makes a contract to return her grandmother to normal for as long as she has left to live. Michiru spends the day learning cooking skills from her, including strawberry risotto, and the next day, her grandmother dies.[18]
At some point, Michiru saves Yuuri from a Witch and her and Kyubey explain Magical Girls to her.[11]
Around the same time in Asurano, Yuuri and six other girls go through difficult times.
Umika Misaki writes a novel draft, but her editor steals and publishes it under the name of a famous idol, earning widespread praise. When the editor calls to ask if she’ll write another story, Umika drops the phone in grief.[3]
Kaoru Maki suffers a severe injury during a soccer match, leaving her on crutches. The girl who caused the injury is later rushed to the same hospital where Kaoru is also recovering, and Kaoru overhears that the girl was bullied for ruining her career and attempted suicide.[3]
Satomi ignores Sare’s protests and leaves her cat alone at home while she went out. When she returns, Sare is taken to the vet's office where she's confirmed dead and the staff mention that the cat would have survived if brought in sooner.[3]
Mirai Wakaba is regularly ostracized by her classmates as weird, and she makes teddy bears as to be her friends. On this particular day, when she's made her 666th friend, she breaks down in tears and admits to wanting real friends.[3]
Kanna Hijiri reminisces about the friends she'd accidentally killed and cries over it at school.[3]
Saki Asami and her sister Miyuki are involved in a car crash, where Miyuki dies from a piece of glass lodged in her throat.[3]
Having been diagnosed with a terminal illness and given three months to live, Airi is devastated. Yuuri visits her and insists Airi's life is not over and that she will support Airi with everything she has if Airi chooses to live, but will not help if she gives up. Tearfully, Airi pleads for help, saying she wants to live, so Yuuri removes her spoon pendant and gives it to Airi, telling her to hold onto it until she returns. As she leaves, she passes a nurse exiting Miyuki Asami's room, where Saki weeps over her.[11]
Yuuri walks the streets at night, recalling first learning of Magical Girls when Michiru saved her from a Witch. Michiru reappears with Kyubey, both agreeing Yuuri's wish is fantastic. That night, Yuuri contracts as a Magical Girl for Airi's sake.[11]
Yuuri visits Airi in the hospital, and Airi is overjoyed to have been cured, and believes the spoon Yuuri gave her was magical.[19]
She would then continue to use her power of healing to help children with terminal illnesses in hospitals, though this would be very taxing for her.[19]
Overwhelmed by despair, Umika, Kaoru, Satomi, Mirai, Kanna and Saki are marked by a Witch's Kiss and attempt suicide by jumping off a building. They are saved by Michiru, who stops their fall with ribbons and throws them into the Witch's Barriers where they're attacked by Familiars. To prove they want to live, she gives them firearms she conjured and they fight back and protect each other. As they're about to be killed by the Witch, Michiru saves them and takes them to her house.[18] She shares her wish with them and Kyubey tells the other girls that they have the potential to become Magical Girls as well.[20] Inspired by Michiru, in order:
Mirai wishes for a big museum for her teddy bears, with Michiru naming it Angelica Bears.[20]
Satomi wishes for the power to talk to animals so she could help them.[20]
Kanna whispers in his ear and wishes to create a copy of herself which didn't have the memories of her accidentally killing her friends.[20][21]
Afterwards, she gives up the name Kanna Hijiri to her replacement, and introduces herself as Niko Kanna to the others.[21]
Saki wishes for her sister's flower to bloom forever.[20] Miyuki used to dream of growing flowers for her wedding bouquet.[3]
Umika wishes for an editor who values her work.[20]
Kaoru wishes to help those who were injured due to her soccer injury.[20]
The six of them become Magical Girls, and Michiru names their group the Pleiades Saints.[20]
The new Kanna Hijiri, replacing the one now known as Niko, lives a normal and happy life without any memories of the accident.[21]
After the Pleiades' first Witch battle, the group rests in a meadow and Kazumi points to the Pleiades constellation. Saki notes its location northwest of Taurus, around 444 light-years away. When Saki asks why the team name, Kazumi shyly explains how 8 years ago, when she was five, her grandmother took her in after her parents' deaths and told her her life story. She explained her grandmother was named Maia after the 7 stars, and now was the only one left alive. After telling her she could make her own family by connecting through their hearts, the two had Rosetta Meteora together.[7]
The Pleiades Saints gaze at the sky and Michiru says her grandmother, Saki's sister, and Satomi's cat watch from above. A shooting star passes and Michiru leads them home for a shared meal.[7]
The newly formed Pleiades fight a Witch and Michiru insists everyone name their attacks in Italian, even planning to record them in a book. She admits she is imitating the mysterious girl who saved her, Mami Tomoe, and threatens not to cook for them unless they comply. Saki notices Michiru's earrings are missing and Michiru assumes they were lost in battle but says it is fine, as her grandmother will never disappear from her heart. Later, Kaoru reveals that Saki asked her father to obtain a new pair of identical earrings during a business trip. Michiru thanks Saki warmly, while Mirai watches with an angry expression.[20]
At some point, Michiru finds out that Magical Girls become Witches. Feeling guilty due to having convinced 7 girls to make contracts, she overworks herself and goes out hunting Witches on her own. It is likely that during this time, Yuuri would have a hostile encounter with Kyoko, which Michiru would help break off.[1]
While preparing strawberry risotto for the Pleiades eating dinner, Michiru turns into a Witch, revealing the truth to the others as well. Kyubey delivers his cold explanation of the Magical Girl system and in fury, Umika slams him against the wall and impales him with her spear. However, a new Kyubey body appears behind them, explaining that killing him is pointless, but Niko decides to take the terminal Umika just killed for testing, since he no longer has any need for it.[22] Saki takes Michiru's Grief Seed and encases it within metal, shaping it to the shape of one of Michiru's earrings.[23] The girls later read Michiru's diary and learn of what she'd been through trying to protect them, and the girls decide they will reject the Magical Girl system entirely.[1]
Yuuri enters a cooking contest with Slice Akiyama, and Airi promises to treat Yuuri to bucket parfait if she wins. Airi also returns the spoon to Yuuri for good luck, vowing to protect her.[19]
Yuuri goes missing during the contest’s final round, and while searching for her, Airi is caught in a Witch's Labyrinth. The six Pleiades Saints arrive and destroy the Witch, warning her to forget what she saw. Airi finds Yuuri’s spoon dropped by the Witch, and Kyubey reveals the Witch was indeed Yuuri. He explains Yuuri's wish and how she overused her powers to save other terminal patients until she became a Witch in front of the Pleiades. Airi, devastated, curses herself for thanking Yuuri’s killers and vows not to forgive them. Kyubey offers to grant her wish, and Airi wishes to become Yuuri, taking over her life, memories and appearance. She transforms into a new form of the original Yuuri and declares her intent to kill them all.[19]
Kanna is also witness to this fight, shocked at seeing the Witch, as well as a girl who looked like her fighting it. Kyubey approaches her and explains the details of Niko's wish, as well as Kanna's own creation to her. After researching the incident, Kanna as an emotional breakdown upon finding out she isn't a real human. Seeing herself as Niko's puppet, she makes a contract with Kyubey for the power to "connect" and use others' powers without their knowledge, intending to cause Niko's downfall herself. She would then use her powers to observe the Pleiades, and then even create Evil Nuts by mixing Niko's and Umika's magics.[21]
Umika conducts intensive research on her computer and discovers a theoretical method to resurrect Michiru using a Witch's "Heart," which she termed a Cuore Maleficus, as the core component. Umika presents the idea to the Pleiades and leaves the final decision to them. Saki strongly supports it, reminding them that Michiru saved them multiple times by purifying their Soul Gems.[24]
The Pleiades would then start to use their joint powers, as well as the flesh of Michiru's Witch to create clones of her. Some of these clones turn out better than others, which they would judge by the similarities of their cooking to the real Michiru's, however when they were given Michiru's memories by Umika, they'd go berserk as the fighting instincts took them over. The Pleiades make 12 of these clones until they come to the conclusion that it was Michiru's will to remain dead. While Saki was supposed to get rid of the clones, she keeps them in stasis as she couldn't bear harming anyone who looked like Michiru.[25]
Niko conducts her own research on the captured Incubator body using her computer and Soul Gem. She successfully creates a new, dependent type of Incubator. Presenting him to the other Pleiades, she introduces him as "INCUBATOR VER. DEPENDENT. Sub-or-din-at-ed (Juu-zoku-su-ru) Incubator," abbreviated to "Juubey," who is able to absorb Grief Seeds as well as cleanse Soul Gems himself.[22]
In their next meeting with Kyubey on top of Asurano tower, the Pleiades bring Juubey along, informing Kyubey that his services for Grief Seed disposal are no longer required and demonstrates his ability to cleanse Soul Gems. Umika declares she will never allow him to make another contract in Asunaro City, but instead of repeatedly killing him, they will erase his existence entirely. Umika leads the Pleiades to cast a powerful spell that renders all Incubators except Juubey invisible to everyone in the city and rewrites the memories of all Magical Girls to remember Juubey in Kyubey's place. Their own memories of performing the spell are also erased.[22]
For the thirteenth clone, the Pleiades decide to not give her any of Michiru's memories and to call her by Michiru's nickname, Kazumi. Mirai plans to take Kazumi as her apprentice and she's crafted a special teddy bear adorned with a cat-charm necklace bearing Kazumi's name for the occasion. Satomi intends to give Toto, Michiru's cat to Kazumi, noting that Toto had begun warming to humans despite once scratching Satomi's hands. Umika plans to let Kazumi read her next novel before anyone else, while Kaoru wants to gift her an official All-Japan soccer uniform. Niko promises to take the group to America to view the Pleiades Star Cluster at the Grand Canyon and perhaps finally share her own story with them. Saki declares she would give Michiru's earrings to Kazumi, not to make her a replacement, but to pass on Michiru's wishes so the earrings would truly become Kazumi's.[24]
Souichirou is tricked by the owner of the shopping mall into selling his store. As revenge, he plans to detonate a bomb inside the shopping mall.[26]
After Kazumi is created, Yuuri manages to kidnap her and places her in a suitcase, likely to take her to Kanna. However, at the same mall Souichirou intended to blow up, the two mix their suitcases with each other's, with Yuuri receiving the bomb and Souichirou receiving Kazumi.[26]
Kazamino & Mitakihara
Around one year after Mami's interaction with the two girls, a classmate invites Mami shopping, but she declines, citing errands. Her classmates understand, noting she lives alone. After they leave, Mami brings out her Soul Gem and begins hunting Witches.[14]
While wandering the city, Mami finds a Witch's Barrier that seems warped, suggesting another Magical Girl is fighting it. Inside, Kyoko Sakura fights the Witch, Asiphae and uses an illusion to trick her, but the Witch reforms and traps her. Mami arrives, saving Kyoko by ensnaring the Witch's axe with ribbons. She notes the Witch has fascination magic like Kyoko's and soon deduces the axe is the Witch's true body, while the rest is a projection. She proposes Kyoko destroy the axe while she handles the familiars and projections. Kyoko agrees, strikes the axe, and destroys the witch for good.[14]
Kyoko thanks Mami for saving her and they introduce themselves, with Kyoko explaining she chased the Witch because it was the first she ever fought, breaking the unwritten rule of entering another's territory. Mami says she does not mind, as saving people matters more than territory. Kyoko prepares to leave, but Mami insists they share the Grief Seed and they both cleanse their Soul Gems.[14]
Mami invites Kyoko to her place for tea and dessert. Kyoko is amazed by Mami's cooking and preparation, noting Mami analyzes Witches and researches magic while Kyoko just fights whatever crosses her path. Kyoko then asks Mami to make her her disciple, surprising Mami.[14]
The next day at school, a classmate asks Mami why she has been in a happy daze. Mami denies having a boyfriend but says she made a new friend, Kyoko. She explains this friend is different from her normal friends, someone she hopes can entrust her life to. Her classmates joke that it sounds like a fiancé instead.[17]
Later that day at Mami's apartment, Kyoko repeats her request to be Mami's disciple. Mami says she would prefer to be friends, but agrees to act as a more experienced "senpai" and Kyoko joyfully accepts.[17]
Over the following days, Mami and Kyoko meet regularly to hunt Witches. They end each day with dinner at Mami's place and grow closer. [17]
One day after a Witch hunt, Kyoko asks how Mami finds witches so accurately and Mami explains she searches near places where humans feel despair, such as crossroads for troubled hearts. Kyoko then asks how old Mami was when she made her contract, and Mami decides to tell her about how she survived the car accident due to her wish around a year ago. She explains that she continues fighting Witches so that no one else suffers the same sorrow she did.[17]
After Mami finishes her story, Kyoko invites her to her house for dinner instead of going to Mami's place. That evening, Mami meets Kyoko's family: her mother, father, and younger sister Momo. Kyoko's father explains that he is a pastor whose church recently gained many followers after years of being ignored. Kyoko's mother notes Mami is the first friend Kyoko has ever brought over.[17]
Late that night, Mami walks home with Kyoko and asks about her wish. Kyoko explains she wished for people to listen to her father's sermons and that she is happy with her contract and wants to protect everyone's happiness. As they are about to shake hands, Mami's Soul Gem glows and Kyubey warns that a Grief Seed is hatching nearby. They transform and hunt the Witch together.[17]
After the fight, Kyoko and Mami walk out of a construction area, and Kyoko is confident that no witch can stand against them, even mentioning Walpurgisnacht by name. Mami agrees that together they could protect the town if that day ever comes.[17]
Later that same night, Kyoko wakes up in bed to find her Soul Gem glowing and Kyubey alerts her to something happening at the Sakura Church. She rushes over and finds people under a Witch's Kiss, tearing up books and pouring gasoline, intending to burn the church. Kyoko transforms, turns the matches into pocky and the gasoline-soaked books into sweets, then fights the messenger bird Witch. She defeats it, leaving the manipulated people unconscious on the floor. As she catches her breath, she turns around to find her father, who has seen her in her Magical Girl form.[17]
The same night, back at the house, Kyoko's sister Momo wakes up and asks where Kyoko is. Her father tells her nothing is wrong and sends her back to sleep. Kyoko stands beside him, still in her Magical Girl form. Despite Kyoko trying to explain her contract and Magical Girls to her father, but he labels her as an evil being.[17]
The next day, Kyoko eats dinner with Mami at her place and Mami notices Kyoko seems down. Kyoko asks if Mami ever had arguments with someone close to her because she was a Magical Girl and Mami admits she grew apart from classmates but does not regret it. Kyoko then asks if saving someone from a Witch always leads to a happy ending, presenting a hypothetical scenario about a witness who sees someone cursed. Mami says they cannot know the result in advance, and not saving people would cause more grief, also telling Kyoko not to push herself too hard.[27]
That evening, Kyoko returns home and passes her father's followers. She enters his room to find more liquor bottles than before. She tries to cheer him up, saying she defeated a Witch and saved someone from suicide. Her father interrupts, asking if it was all an illusion. He accuses Kyoko of bewitching his followers and calls her contract a deal with the devil. Kyoko argues Witches and Magical Girls are different, but her father says he would rather be an impotent failure than accept her power. He asks what else he can call her but a Witch and Kyoko walks away, speechless.[27]
The next day, Mami defeats a Witch alone, noting Kyoko has not shown up to meet her and wonders if Kyoko is alright. Mami remembers past arguments with other Magical Girls who told her to let Familiars kill people so they become Witches worth hunting due to their Grief Seeds. Mami wonders what has happened to Kyoko and thinks maybe they should take a break together with warm food.[27]
Kyoko's father kills his wife, Momo as well as himself, leaving only Kyoko behind and burning down the Sakura Church.[27]
The following day Kyoko is absent again from their meeting place and Mami asks Kyubey if he knows anything, then decides to hunt alone.[27]
Later that day, as it is snowing, Mami passes a broadcasting tower and hears a news report, learning that Kyoko's family's church had caught on fire and three bodies were recovered.[27]
Meanwhile, Kyubey asks Kyoko if she will fight any Witches, as she has not purified her Soul Gem in a while. Kyoko states she no longer needs the power, as her miracle destroyed her family and asks if she would simply die if she stopped hunting Witches. Kyubey does not answer.[27]
Later, Kyoko fights a large queen-like Witch in an icy Barrier and struggles to use her magic. The Witch freezes her to the ground, but she breaks free with a barrier and multiple spears, defeating the Witch, but then collapsing exhausted. After the fight, Kyubey explains that Kyoko's magic is failing because she has subconsciously rejected her wish. Her power of "fascination" is directly tied to her wish for her father's sermons to be heard, and without accepting her wish, her powers will not return. Kyoko laughs bitterly, and as she holds up her tainted Soul Gem, the Witch's Grief Seed falls and se is able to purify it as the Barrier fades.[27]
Mami finds Kyoko lying in the snow. She runs to her, hugs her, and heals her injuries, saying that she is so happy to see her and worried about what happened. She blames herself for not finding Kyoko earlier and says she is just happy Kyoko is still alive. Kyoko breaks down crying, saying it is all her fault her family died.[27]
That night, Mami takes Kyoko to her apartment and offers her ginger tea and loaned clothes. She suggests Kyoko stay with her until things settle down. Kyoko declines, not wanting to impose, but Mami asks her to stop trying to do everything alone and leaves to make dinner. Kyoko clutches her Soul Gem and apologizes silently, afraid she can no longer fight.[28]
The next day, Mami tends to Kyoko's injuries after a fight. She notes Kyoko is not acting like herself and warns that fighting without full effort is dangerous. Kyoko admits she has been avoiding her magic and then proposes they stop hunting Familiars and focus only on Witches. Mami is upset, saying they should save people regardless, but Kyoko snaps, arguing that people who want to die will die anyway, and suggests letting Familiars kill people to create more Witches for Grief Seeds.[28]
Mami tries to reason that Kyoko is just upset about her family and Kyoko retorts that Mami's family died in an accident, which is not the same as a family dying because of her. Kyoko declares she will no longer fight for others' happiness, only for herself. She turns to leave, and after Mami tries to stop her, Kyoko transforms and takes a fighting stance. Mami reluctantly does the same and the two fight, with Mami not aiming to kill. Kyoko lunges and points her spear at Mami, seemingly winning the fight and warning that next time she will be serious. She retracts her spear and walks away, saying she is returning to Kazamino to fight her own way. Mami cries, asking if Kyoko can truly stand the loneliness, but does not answer.[28]
Mami is left alone, crying that she is back to being alone again. Kyoko, on a rooftop, thinks Mami can find a better friend than her.[28]
Some time later, Mami and Kyubey spot Mabayu Aki as a potential Magical Girl. After Mabayu's mother, who had the inexplicable power to see the future, foresaw her own death, she became deathly terrified. With her low potential, Mabayu wished to erase her mother's memory of her prediction and became a Magical Girl.[29]
Mabayu and Mami form a partnership, and even convince other candidates to become Magical Girls. To make this happen, Mabayu uses her powers of predicting the future and wiping the memories from the girls. These girls would shortly after disappear, likely due to dying in battle or becoming Witches themselves.[30]
One day, Mabayu uses her future-seeing ability and hesitantly reveals to Mami that she saw her working as a waitress at Récompense in uniform. Mami is shocked at this supposed destiny, but later indeed begins briefly working at Récompense. Sakie and Mabayu are delighted with her natural customer service skills, noting she surpassed Mabayu's two-week training period in no time.[31]
Present Day
The events of Puella Magi Madoka Magica and some of its related media take place. For information on which month, or year the loop takes place, see Timeline/Original#Dating the Timeline Loops. In Magia Record, the events of Suzune Magica take place slightly before the events of Madoka Magica, while Kazumi Magica happens a bit later, followed by Oriko Magica, which takes place during the same time as Madoka Magica. The same framework has been adapted for this article.
This information may be considered incongruent with many Madoka Magica media, but the original Puella Magi Oriko Magica claims that these, and thus most other events of the Madoka Media, take place during 2011, with Kirika Kure being born in 1997 and dying in 2011. This detail has intentionally been excluded from retellings and adaptations of the story since the first version of the Oriko Magica story.[32]
While Witch-hunting at night, Suzune saves Kanami, another Magical Girl, from a Witch in an abandoned factory. However, after Kanami thanks her and introduces herself, Suzune kills her by slashing her Soul Gem.[33]
The next day, Suzune transfers to Akanegasaki Middle School, which Matsuri, Chisato, Arisa, and Haruka also attend.[33] At school, rumors of a "Ripper girl" circulate, and Suzune writes Kanami's name on a piece of paper. Matsuri tries to befriend Suzune, but their conversation is interrupted when Haruka calls Matsuri for a meeting. The Hohzuki quartet discusses the Ripper rumor, suspecting a Magical Girl is behind the murders, as all the victims were Magical Girls.[34]
That night, while patrolling, Chisato encounters Suzune, who kills her. Arisa arrives too late and attacks Suzune but is also overpowered. Haruka and Matsuri rescue Arisa, and Kyubey reveals Suzune is a Magical Girl assassin.[34]
Haruka confronts Suzune at school, accusing her of the murders, but Suzune dismisses her. Matsuri visits Suzune at her home at Yunagi Newspaper, and offers her friendship despite Suzune's threats.[10]
Chisato's funeral is held, and tensions rise between Arisa and Haruka over Chisato's death. Haruka, distracted by guilt, accidentally enters a Witch's Barrier. Meanwhile, Arisa and Matsuri search for Haruka and encounter Suzune. A battle ensues, with Suzune declaring her intent to kill Haruka.[35] In the Witch's Barrier, Haruka reflects on her wish for her sister to disappear while fighting the Witch.[5]
Suzune uses her power to teleport away and she quickly finds Haruka, preparing to kill her.[5] As Arisa and Matsuri arrive, Haruka's Soul Gem fully corrupts, and she transforms into a Witch. Suzune battles Haruka's Witch and reveals that all Witches were once Magical Girls, and their Soul Gems are their true selves. Suzune demonstrates this by stabbing herself, while blocking out the pain and healing, showing their bodies are mere shells. Kyubey confirms Suzune's claims, leaving Arisa and Matsuri in shock.[36]
Suzune, who has been killing Magical Girls to prevent them from becoming Witches, walks away, refusing to explain her actions. Kyubey then shows Arisa and Matsuri Suzune's past of being raised by Tsubaki after her parents were killed by a Witch, until Tsubaki eventually turned into a Witch herself, forcing Suzune to kill her, so Suzune vowed to end the cycle of Magical Girls becoming Witches.[8] Arisa, furious at Kyubey for deceiving them, destroys one of his bodies and later reflects on her own wish for strength, and regrets becoming a Magical Girl. Meanwhile, Suzune contemplates her actions, questioning whether she is doing the right thing.[37]
Suzune has a nightmare about Tsubaki and the Witches she has killed. At school, Arisa becomes increasingly aggressive, vowing to kill Suzune, while Matsuri tries to reason with her. Matsuri explains that she doesn't regret becoming a Magical Girl because her wish allowed her to overcome her disability, but Arisa still refuses to drop her vendetta against Suzune and leaves. Matsuri begins to have flashes of memories involving Tsubaki and a young Suzune, and that night, Kagari returns to Hohzuki and watches Suzune from afar.[38]
Suzune and Arisa confront each other in an alley, and Suzune explains that killing Magical Girls is no different from killing Witches, as both are destined to become monsters. Arisa, fueled by rage, attacks Suzune but is unable to defeat her. Meanwhile, Matsuri, sitting on a park bench, begins to remember her past with Tsubaki and Suzune, triggered by Kyubey's sharing of Suzune's past. When she remembers everything, Kagari approaches her.[39] She reveals that she erased her memories and manipulated Suzune into becoming a Magical Girl assassin to make her suffer. Before Matsuri can go and warn them, Kagari knocks her out with her magic and takes her home.[40]
Kagari then interrupts Suzune and Arisa's fight as Arisa is about to kill Suzune, killing Arisa by stabbing her Soul Gem. Suzune, shocked, demands to know who Kagari is.[40] Kagari shows her visions of her, Matsuri and Tsubaki, explaining how she made a wish for revenge, altering Suzune's memories to turn her into a killer.[6] Suzune breaks down, realizing the extent of Kagari's manipulation and the lives she has taken. Kagari taunts Suzune, urging her to turn into a Witch. Meanwhile, Matsuri awakens from a dream, now fully remembering her friendship with Suzune and Tsubaki.[41]
Suzune attacks Kagari but is easily outmatched. Kagari continues to taunt Suzune, pushing her closer to becoming a Witch. As she's about to kill her, Matsuri arrives, tending to Suzune with a Grief Seed and confronting Kagari. Kagari decides to no longer spare Matsuri and instead kill both of them.[9] Kagari uses her magic to disorient and taunt them, but Kyubey reveals to Matsuri how Kagari's magic works, and Matsuri uses her own magic of detection to help Suzune gain the upper hand by revealing Kagari's movements to her. The two win the fight and Matsuri pleads with Kagari to drop her vendetta, but she refuses and rewrites her own memories to create a terrible story for herself and turn into a Witch. As a Witch, Suzune's initially unable to attack her effectively, and Kagari's Witch consumes Matsuri.[42]
Suzune uses her full power by using the charm she's made, and enters the Witch's body and destroys her from the inside. After the battle, Suzune finds Matsuri unconscious and Kagari's Grief Seed. Kyubey informs Suzune that both she and Matsuri are near their limits, so she copies Kagari's magic and uses the Grief Seed on Matsuri, leaving her home. Matsuri wakes up and chases after Suzune, who threatens to rewrite Matsuri's memories. Matsuri tells her that she will always be her friend and comforts her, and Suzune crushes her own Soul Gem to prevent herself from becoming a Witch.[43]
The following days, on the school rooftop, Matsuri vows to continue living, and puts on a charm similar to Tsubaki's and Suzune's.[43]
Kazumi wakes up inside a suitcase with amnesia, only remembering her name. She is found by Souichirou Tachibana, who explains he bought a bomb in a similar suitcase to destroy a mall for revenge, but the suitcases were switched after he bumped into a mysterious girl. He receives a call offering to trade Kazumi for the bomb at the mall, and she agrees, hoping to find her kidnapper. During the trip, she pleads with him not to use the bomb, insisting he is good.[26]
At the mall, Umika and Kaoru open the bomb case, activating its timer. A police squad led by Misako Ishijima arrives to arrest Souichirou, and Kazumi breaks free to defend him. As the bomb is about to explode, Kazumi’s earrings glow and she wishes for it to stop. Umika passes it to Kaoru, who kicks it into the air, but Kazumi had unknowingly turned it into harmless confetti. Umika and Kaoru reveal they know Kazumi and take her to their home.[26]
Kazumi had been missing since the previous day. After resting, she wakes to a note saying Umika and Kaoru have gone to meet the detective. Kazumi cooks a large meal, and when the detective arrives alone, Kazumi accuses her of orchestrating the bomb plot for recognition and of coming to kill her. Misako admits this, stating she has the power to kill without evidence, then transforms into a monster and attacks Kazumi, triggering flashbacks.[26]
When Misako grabs her earring-bell, Kazumi breaks her wrist and transforms into a Magical Girl. Using her new powers, she defeats the monster, which reverts to human form. Umika and Kaoru rush in to find the battle over; Kazumi tells them she can use magic.[26] She collapses from exhaustion, while Umika and Kaoru find a Grief Seed-like object on the unconscious detective. Unbeknownst to them, Yuuri watches.[44]
Kazumi wakes up, encounters the cat Toto in her room and joins Umika and Kaoru downstairs. After eating, Umika takes Kazumi and Kaoru shopping at the mall to overcome her writer's block. There, Kazumi senses something wrong and runs off to find a monster attacking people. She transforms into a Magical Girl, and the monster recognizes her. Kazumi struggles in the fight, prompting Umika and Kaoru to reveal they can transform as well. Kazumi recalls their usual strategy but attacks too early, nearly hitting Umika and allowing the monster to escape.[44]
As a playful punishment, they take her for a haircut. Umika explains that a sprite scouts and contracts with Magical Girls, granting wishes in exchange for their powers. Kaoru says she wished for a healthy body to play soccer, while Umika wished for an editor who appreciates her novels. Kazumi wonders what her own wish was, but they say she never told anyone. They confirm the monsters are a new type of Witch unfamiliar to them.[44]
Kazumi’s haircut is messy and when Umika tries to fix a stray lock, Kazumi calls it her "Witch sensor," which helps them identify the half-Witch as a cosmetic saleswoman using harmful foundation. They confront the Witch, but the mysterious girl from earlier appears, reveals herself as a Magical Girl, and leaves. They defeat the Witch, turning her human and obtaining an Evil Nut.[44]
That night, while fighting a proper Witch, Kazumi hesitates due to her earlier mistake. The Witch devours Umika and Kaoru and escapes, leaving Kazumi with only a Witch's Kiss. Four other Magical Girls arrive: Satomi, Mirai, Saki, and Niko, revealing they form a seven-member team called the Pleiades Saints.[45]
Kazumi receives a call from Umika and Kaoru, trapped in a Barrier Umika created. She says she can only maintain it for five hours and instructs Kazumi to find the Witch with the others. The five use their Soul Gems to locate it, though Kazumi notes her hair detector isn’t working. Satomi reveals her wish to communicate with animals, and a cat tells her the mark on Kazumi’s hand has appeared around the city. Niko introduces a smartphone app that tracks Witches by converting wavelengths into Soul Gem signals.[45]
The group splits up. Yuuri, disguised as Satomi, lures Kazumi away, reveals herself as the one who put her in the suitcase, and declares her intent to kill her. She summons a giant bull named Cole and pins Kazumi to a wall, but the other Saints arrive and save her, allowing Yuuri to escape.[45]
Back at the house, Saki discovers the Witch's Kiss matches a bookmobile’s schedule. After Kazumi cooks a large meal, they rush to confront the Witch, with Kazumi bringing candy for Umika and Kaoru. Their plan has Kazumi wait outside the Barrier and fire in on a signal. When Niko’s communicator breaks, Umika uses flute candy from Kazumi’s bag to signal instead. Kazumi destroys the Witch. Saki finds it used an abandoned car for its Barrier, and Niko collects a proper Grief Seed.[45]
Juubey approaches and reveals he contracted the Pleiades Saints. He purifies their Soul Gems and devours the Grief Seed. When presented with the "Grief Seeds" from the half-Witches, he rejects them as fake "Evil Nuts." The Pleiades deduce Yuuri is behind them, when Yuuri suddenly appears, incapacitates the group, kidnaps Kazumi, and leaves a letter demanding they come to Asunaro Dome at midnight. They regroup to figure out her motivations.[46]
At midnight, the Pleiades arrive at Asunaro Dome, where Yuuri awaits with Kazumi trapped in a chair. When the Saints attempt to rescue her, they are blocked by a force field which damages them upon contact. Yuuri announces her plan to plant an Evil Nut into Kazumi’s forehead. Removing her hat, she is recognized by Umika and Yuuri declares her desire for vengeance and forcefully inserts the Evil Nut into Kazumi's forehead.[46]
A burst of energy erupts from Kazumi, who breaks free to fight Yuuri but is again overpowered. Yuuri accuses the Pleiades Saints of killing her, claiming they are a group that murders Magical Girls. She reveals the Pleiades took away what was most important to her, so she plans to take Kazumi from them in return. As Yuuri’s blackened Soul Gem cracks, Saki instructs Juubey to cleanse it, but Yuuri shoots him. Her Soul Gem hatches into a Grief Seed, turning her into a Witch.[19]
Her Barrier ties the Pleiades to crosses and projects Airi's memories, showing how she became Yuuri to enact revenge.[19] Kazumi pleads with Airi to stop, but the Witch attacks, seemingly crushing her head. Kazumi bites the attack, and the Evil Nut’s influence mutates her body, allowing her to break free until her earring's bell restores her.[47]
Kazumi tries to use her magic to revert Airi to human form, but Airi’s body emerges from the Witch, still attached. Saki frees her teammates. Kazumi protests killing Airi, but the Pleiades explain Witches cannot be saved. They destroy the Witch with Kazumi ultimately joining the attack. The Barrier collapses, and Kazumi picks up Airi’s spoon, vowing to share the Pleiades’ pain.[47]
Later, Kazumi encounters Souichirou Tachibana, now a store manager. She makes "Bucket Parfait," a dessert Airi and Yuuri longed to share. Souichirou initially refuses to add it to the menu, but as Kazumi eats, she breaks down, realizing they never got to enjoy it together. She falls asleep gripping their spoon, and Souichirou covers her with a blanket, later adding the parfait.[47]
That night, the rest of the Pleiades confront a Magical Girl named Sumire Akane, who used to play with Kaoru. As she pleads, Kaoru uses Tocco del Male to take her Soul Gem. Another Magical Girl, Ayase Souju, watches from afar, interested in collecting the Pleiades’ Soul Gems.[48]
Likely during this time, Kanna approaches them and supplies them with Evil Nuts to use against the Saints.
The next morning, Kazumi thanks Souichirou for the food and is delighted when he adds Bucket Parfait to the menu. She leaves upon spotting Niko and Juubey and joins them on patrol at La Vie Land amusement park. They encounter Ayase Souju, who introduces herself as a collector of Soul Gems, accuses the Pleiades of the same, and reveals her intent to add theirs to her collection. Niko battles Ayase and uses Tocco del Male on her, but Ayase's body continues moving, retrieving her Soul Gem and revealing that she shares her body with Luca, possessing two Soul Gems.[48]
Kazumi and Niko fight Souju, countering their synchronized fire and ice magic by mixing Kazumi's destruction with Niko's reformation. As Ayase/Luca prepares to use Evil Nuts on them, the other Pleiades arrive and intercept them. Souju accuses the Pleiades of being Magical Girl hunters, shocking Kazumi. Kaoru retrieves their Soul Gems as they reach their limit. Kazumi demands an explanation, and Umika agrees to reveal the truth. Suddenly, Niko collapses as her Soul Gem turns into a Grief Seed, transforming her into a Witch.[49]
The Pleiades are shocked until Kaoru blocks the Witch's attacks. When Saki is harmed, Mirai summons an army of teddy bears and cuts the Witch in half. The Witch drops a Grief Seed, leaving Niko's body lifeless. As they mourn, another Niko appears.[50]
In this moment, Kanna takes Niko's identity and pretends the original Niko is a "spare" she created with her wish, having likely rewritten Juubey's memories to confirm this.
Niko explains the body was a "preliminary" from her contract, causing mixed reactions. They take Kazumi to a hidden facility under Mirai's museum, called the Freezer, where they store the bodies of Magical Girls whose Soul Gems they’ve taken. Umika explains this is their way of rejecting the Magical Girl system, preventing Witch transformations while searching for a way to cleanse Soul Gems.[50]
Umika reveals that Witches are the ultimate fate of all Magical Girls and admits they lied about Soul Gems merely "going out of control." Juubey reveals Soul Gems contain the extracted souls of Magical Girls, making them akin to zombies. Kaoru argues this is better than dying instantly to a Witch. Umika describes their method: captured Magical Girls are placed in a specialized barrier that isolates them from their Soul Gems, inducing suspended animation. Kaoru states their goal is to avoid becoming Witches and restore the girls to normal life. Niko transfers Ayase and Luca's Soul Gems and body into new containers, declaring they will wait for revival.[3]
Kazumi asks when they learned the truth. Umika touches her forehead to Kazumi's, stating they must now restore her lost memories.[3]
Kazumi is shown an alternate past where Michiru's name was changed to Kazumi and Kyubey is replaced with Juubey.[22]
She relives memories of how each member fell to despair and how "Kazumi" saved them from suicide under a Witch's Kiss.[3] After forcing them to fight, she told them of her grandmother and her own contract. She then sees them make their wishes to Juubey, forming the Pleiades.[20]
The next memory shows the Pleiades waiting for Kazumi, who was to bring a new friend. Juubey alerts them to a nearby Witch's Barrier at Asunaro Dome, where they witness Yuuri Asuka transforming into a Witch. After the battle, Satomi asks if Magical Girls turn into Witches. Juubey explains the process and his role in collecting energy from hope's conversion into despair. Kaoru grabs him in anger, but Umika seizes him, slams her head against his, and rewrites his memories to prevent further contracts and make him work for them.[20]
In the present, Kazumi says she remembers hunting Magical Girls after Yuuri's transformation, but collapses as the Evil Nut symbol flashes in her eyes. Satomi looks on in shock as everyone decides to rest, and Umika and Kaoru lead Kazumi away.[20]
Later, as Saki lingers in the Freezer, Satomi approaches and asks if they can kill Kazumi, arguing she will inevitably revert to her Witch form and endanger everyone. Saki refuses, declaring her love for Kazumi. Satomi then uses her magic to compel Saki to go to the Misaki residence and kill Kazumi.[25]
At the residence, Kazumi sleeps while Kaoru and Umika discuss her condition. Kaoru confesses she had Umika fabricate details about her own wish during Kazumi's memory restoration. Saki arrives and asks if they understand the Evil Nut's effects. Umika theorizes someone else created the Evil Nuts and supplied them to Yuuri and the Souju twins, so finding that person may reveal the truth. Umika and Kaoru reassure Saki that things are progressing well "this time," but Saki panics at the mention of another repeat. She points out that even Niko's clone body transformed despite having a clear Soul Gem, suggesting they are all nearing their own transformations.[25]
Umika notices Saki referring to Kazumi with an honorific typically used by Satomi. Saki suddenly kicks Umika across the room. Through Saki, Satomi declares they cannot allow Kazumi to live and that it would be kinder for Saki to kill her now. Kaoru tries to restrain her, but Saki incapacitates her with a chandelier. Saki advances on Kazumi but breaks free of the brainwashing and stabs herself in the leg. Kazumi wakes, but Satomi forces Saki to grab her, and using Saki's magic, they vanish and reappear in the Freezer, with Saki's hair now much longer.[25]
Saki collapses from blood loss and urges Kazumi to run. Satomi appears and reveals that the restored memories were fabrications. The Pleiades already knew the truth about Witches because Kazumi's original self, Michiru Kazusa, had previously become a Witch and died. The Pleiades have been attempting to revive Michiru by cloning remnants of her Witch form and transplanting them into clone bodies, a process called Malefica Farce ("Witch Stuffing"). The current Kazumi is the thirteenth clone, and exposure to Evil Nuts is accelerating her reversion. Satomi intends to kill her before the transformation completes. She summons the twelve previous failed clones from beneath the Freezer and commands them to destroy Kazumi.[25]
She also reveals that Yuuri's transformation was a false memory implanted by Umika; it was Michiru's Witch transformation that first exposed them to the truth. Satomi explains that their attempts to revive Michiru using combined magic created imperfect clones with witch-like traits. She notes Saki was supposed to dispose of the clones but couldn't due to her love for Michiru. Outside, Mirai spies on them, while Niko and Juubey observe both parties.[51]
Satomi possesses Kazumi using her magic and forces her to fight the clones. Kazumi begs her to stop, but Satomi refuses. Under control, Kazumi wields the unique magics of each Pleiades member, convincing her she is composed of their magic fragments. She even absorbs the defeated clones' remains, repairing her own increasingly witch-like body. Satomi observes that Kazumi is "cannibalizing" them and brands her a monster.[51]
The battle continues until only Kazumi and one clone, marked with "IV," remain. As they clash, the clone pleads with Kazumi to kill her. Kazumi hesitates, but Satomi drives her staff through Kazumi's back and into the clone's chest. Satomi apologizes, then mutters she has finally eliminated all the clones.[51]
In her final moments, Kazumi grasps the clone's hand, absorbing its essence. Satomi prepares another attack, but her Soul Gem suddenly cracks and shatters without visible corruption, transforming her into the Witch Ritterrüstung von Heulsuse. Kazumi dodges the Witch's assaults while her own body mutates into a tentacled, Witch-like form. She redirects the Witch's Familiars against it using Mirai's "La Bestia" attack. The Witch's armor detonates, exposing a vulnerable core. Kazumi seizes it and smashes it against a wall, killing the Witch and reverting Satomi to her lifeless human form.[52]
The remaining Pleiades arrive and Mirai wakes Saki. They witness Kazumi savagely attacking Satomi's corpse. At Saki's voice, Kazumi snaps back to her normal appearance, horrified. Saki gently reassures her and calls her "Michiru." Kazumi pushes Saki away in distress, demanding to know if she is truly just a clone. Met with silence, she panics and uses Saki's magic to escape.[52]
Umika, Kaoru, Saki, Mirai, and Niko regroup. Niko attempts to track Kazumi but fails due to her using cloaking magic unconsciously. Saki apologizes for not destroying the clones, though the others don't blame her. They discuss their next steps, now that Kazumi's reversion is progressing and they lack Satomi's magic. Niko holds a container with Satomi's shrunken body and Grief Seed, calling them ingredients for revival. In a vote, everyone except Kaoru agrees to kill Kazumi and resume reviving Michiru and Satomi as many times as needed. Kaoru argues they cannot eliminate Kazumi now that she is beyond control, but Saki produces Michiru's diary and challenges her on whether she'd be willing to give it a bad ending.[52]
Saki and Mirai depart on patrol. Saki thanks Mirai for excusing her earlier actions, but Mirai responds coldly that the current Kazumi is not the Michiru they once knew, only a Witch with a human appearance.[52]
Meanwhile, Kazumi hides alone in a lighthouse atop a cliff, tearfully staring at a group picture of the Pleiades on her phone.[52] As she weeps, Misako Ishijima grabs her shoulder. She shows no memory of the bomb incident or her transformation. Misako urges Kazumi into her car to escape the rain.[1]
As they drive, Misako explains that over twenty young girls have vanished in Asunaro recently, including Yuuri. Fearing Kazumi could be next, she approached her. The only lead is that several victims' phones contained deleted texts from an anonymous address labeled "Hyades," with no trace on phone company servers. She asks if Kazumi has regained her memories, but Kazumi bursts into tears, prompting Misako to pull over at Souichirou Tachibana's café.[1]
Inside, Kazumi eats a meal and falls asleep from exhaustion. Souichirou prepares coffee for Misako with butter stirred in, a recipe from a popular manga. Misako shows a photo of a girl named Remi Shiina, her close friend from middle school who disappeared. Remi's little sister later told her Remi had been a Magical Girl, and Misako has encountered evidence of Magical Girls in her detective work. When Souichirou asks why she shares this now, Misako notes Remi loved the same manga the coffee recipe is from. He interprets the coincidence as proof that miracles and magic exist. Kazumi spends the night at the café.[1]
Six days after Detective Misako Ishijima brought a starving, soaked Kazumi to Kafe Lepa Mačka, the rain has continued, and Kazumi has remained upstairs. Near midnight, Souichirou Tachibana pauses his work to watch the unrelenting downpour. He sees her near-total loss of appetite as a sign of more than a simple runaway but respects her wish not to contact family. A small thump from upstairs breaks the quiet; when he checks, Kazumi is sleeping soundly but with fresh tear tracks on her face. He sighs, resolving to make irresistible food for her tomorrow.[2]
While descending the stairs, a piece of luggage collapses and a notebook falls out. He recognizes it as his late father's guestbook from Bistro Tachibana, now around fifteen years old, filled with joyful customer notes. Pausing at one particular page, he decides on a dish for Kazumi and begins cooking it in the empty café.[2]
Early that morning, Kaoru arrives and hands Souichirou a scorched diary for Kazumi, with a personal letter tucked inside. She says she has no home left and flees crying. Souichirou sets the diary aside and continues cooking hotcakes. Soon, Misako enters and he serves it with chocolate art, calling it "magical cooking to turn tears into smiles." He shows a guestbook entry from Remi, Misako's missing best friend from 15 years prior, who described the same "hotcake" with a chef's drawing and the pun "A girl's tears are hotcake." Misako eats tearfully, smiling at the memory. Souichirou decides this will be Kazumi's breakfast, the rain now seeming gentler.[2]
Alone, Kazumi opens the diary and reads entries detailing Michiru's life: her bond with her grandmother, her early encounter with Yuuri Asuka, her joyful time with the newly formed Pleiades, and her despair upon learning Magical Girls become Witches. Kaoru's letter pleads with Kazumi to flee before the others find and kill her, promising to protect her at any cost.[1]
Kazumi and Souichirou prepare one last meal together, which is strawberry risotto, following Michiru's grandmother's recipe from the diary. After eating, Kazumi thanks him and departs. She goes to the Freezer beneath Mirai's museum and uses telepathy to broadcast her location to the remaining Pleiades. She declares she will not run and demands they meet her to settle everything, warning that if they do not come, she will deactivate the facility's barrier, allowing the stored Soul Gems to hatch into Witches.[1]
The Pleiades arrive at the Freezer. Kazumi greets them, revealing she placed magic circles that will break the seal on the Soul Gems if they detect anyone's magic but her own. She says she has read Michiru's diary and pieced together the truth. She demands to know why they never gave her Michiru's actual memories. Saki explains that every prior clone given the full memories lost their sanity to fighting instincts and became mindless killers. Umika adds they interpreted this as "Michiru's will" and stopped attempting memory transfers, creating a new Magical Girl with a different personality instead.[53]
Kazumi declares she will not permit Magical Girls to perish from despair. She demands the Pleiades swear never to abandon efforts to revive Michiru and Satomi, no matter the failures, as it is their responsibility for rejecting the system and creating her. As her body begins transforming back into a Witch, she urges them to kill her. Kaoru objects, but Kazumi pleads with them to end her suffering. Holding up a group photo, she asks if they'd be friends if she were a normal human, which Kaoru affirms. Kazumi thanks them tearfully, consumes two Evil Nuts stored in the Freezer, and begs them to kill her.[53]
Kazumi lashes out with her newly-formed snake tail, slamming Kaoru into a wall and paralyzing her. Her expanding Barrier warps the room. Umika tries to rouse Kaoru but fails. Mirai tells Saki they must kill Kazumi to save her from torment. Saki transforms, steeling herself to kill every iteration of "Kazumi" until the true Michiru is restored, and Mirai pledges to share that burden. Kazumi blasts Niko unconscious. Saki and Mirai unleash a combined attack, Episodio Incrocio, manifesting a massive energy teddy bear that charges toward Kazumi.[53]
Umika continues calling for Kaoru until she notices Kazumi's magical symbol appearing on Kaoru's cheek. She uses Carcere Pausa on Kaoru, freeing her. Kaoru awakens to see the battle and rushes forward as Saki attacks, leaping in front of the strike. She pulls Saki close and argues that Kazumi is forcing herself to act as a Witch to make them kill her. When Kazumi's expression proves Kaoru right, Saki relents and breaks down.[53]
Kaoru declares she will be the one to kill Kazumi, but Mirai suddenly leaps behind Kazumi and slices her body in half. The Barrier collapses, and Kazumi's form reverts to a doll-like decoy identical to Niko's clones. The unconscious Niko is also a decoy. The real Niko emerges, revealing she has the true Kazumi sealed safely inside one of her containers.[53]
Mirai turns to see Saki's Soul Gem on the verge of hatching. Niko uses Prodotto Secondario to create a clone beside Saki. The clone calmly tells Saki she will put her to rest, then presses an Evil Nut into Saki's forehead. Saki screams as a pillar of lightning erupts around her, annihilating the clone. Niko, smiling, tells Kaoru she could never let humans hurt Kazumi.[53]
When Kaoru presses for an explanation, Niko declares that she and Kazumi are the only true composite Magical Girls. Mirai rushes to Saki's side as Saki begins transforming into a Witch and begs Juubey to cleanse her Soul Gem. He says it is too late and urges her to flee, but Mirai refuses.[21]
Mirai notices Saki's Soul Gem has fully become a Grief Seed. She professes her love to Saki's Witch, and the Witch decapitates her, killing her. Niko shouts "Connect" and uses her magic to restrain the rampaging Witch-Saki, claiming her revenge is nearly complete. She recounts a childhood gun tragedy where the sole survivor and the one who pulled the trigger was Kanna Hijiri. Consumed by "what if" thoughts, she imagined an alternate version of herself who never experienced the tragedy. Umika realizes the girl before them is not the original Niko, but Kanna Hijiri herself, created by Niko's wish.[21]
Kanna explains that she saw them battling Yuuri Asuka's Witch form and was horrified by the monster and a girl who looked identical to her. Juubey appeared and explained that the girl was her original self and that Kanna was created as a duplicate from Niko's wish. This led to her breakdown and desire for revenge. She wished for the ability to "connect" to others without drawing attention, to use their powers. She then created the Evil Nuts with Niko and Umika's magic, supplying them to Yuuri (Airi) and the Souju twins. Her goal is to eliminate normal humans and replace them with composite beings like herself and Kazumi, to be called the Hyades.[21]
Inside the Barrier of Saki's Witch, Kanna urges Kazumi to join her, offering to heal her impending Witch transformation. Kazumi refuses, declaring she wants no part of a world without her friends. She bursts free from the container and collapses next to Umika and Kaoru. Umika attempts to reason with Kanna, insisting that both she and Kazumi possess genuine human hearts. She admits the Pleiades' fear of becoming Witches drove them to try saving themselves, but Kazumi chose to confront the truths head-on. Enraged, Kanna commands Saki's Witch to attack. Before it can strike, teddy bears under Mirai's previous "La Bestia" spell breach the Barrier, arriving with the Soul Gems of the Souju sisters and other captured Magical Girls. The Gems immediately corrupt into Grief Seeds and hatch into Witches that rally to defend Saki's Witch. Umika casts Rosso Fantasma on Kaoru, who sends spectral clones toward Kanna. Umika sneaks behind Kanna and uses Tocco del Male in an attempt to extract her Soul Gem. Kanna reveals it was a decoy and strikes them both down.[54]
Kazumi prepares to fully transform, instructing Umika and Kaoru to kill her if she becomes a Witch and thanking them. Her Soul Gem rapidly corrupts. Juubey attempts to purify it, but his body begins disintegrating. With a final goodbye, Juubey breaks apart completely. Kyubey appears and explains that Juubey was an incomplete Incubator, incapable of full purification. Umika and Kaoru recall that standard Grief Seeds can cleanse Soul Gems. Kazumi faints, the sound from her earring bell echoing. This causes Saki's Witch to turn against the other Witches defending her, prompting them to overwhelm and destroy her. As Saki's Witch is defeated, she drops a Grief Seed, which Umika and Kaoru use to purify Kazumi's heavily corrupted Soul Gem. Her Witch-like markings fade, and she is restored to normal.[54]
Kazumi wakes up and swiftly defeats all the Witches except the combined Witch form of Souju, which is more resilient. Umika and Kaoru express regret, lamenting they wanted Kazumi to experience joy, not this confrontation. Kazumi finally destroys the Souju Witch, also wounding Kanna. Saki's Grief Seed is about to hatch, and a massive barrier spell bearing Umika's magic circle shatters above the city. Umika and Kaoru recall the one entity capable of consuming Grief Seeds and call out to Kyubey, who appears and eats the Grief Seed before it releases the Witch again.[24]
Kyubey states he never left Asunaro City and directs Umika for the full explanation. Kaoru and Umika recall that it was Kyubey who made their contracts and explained the truth about Witches after Michiru became one. In fury, Umika impaled him, but a new Kyubey body appeared, explaining Incubators share a collective consciousness and have countless terminals. Niko took the dead Kyubey and placed it in a container. After research, she used its body to purify her Soul Gem and created a new, dependent type of Incubator, presenting him as "Juubey." In their next encounter with Kyubey, the Pleiades brought Juubey, who informed Kyubey his services were no longer needed and demonstrated his ability to cleanse Soul Gems. Kyubey argued they should simply use Grief Seeds, but Saki stated no one wanted to sustain themselves on the remains of friends. Kyubey admitted he did not understand, and Umika declared she would never allow him to make another contract in Asunaro City. The Pleiades cast a spell rendering all Incubators except Juubey invisible to everyone in the city and rewrote memories to replace Kyubey with Juubey. Their own memories of the spell were erased. Kyubey complimented Umika's thorough plan.[22]
Kyubey notes that using modified Incubator bodies as a cleaning system was not a bad concept, but theorizes it failed because they could only "polish" Soul Gems superficially, not truly cleanse them. This is why the Pleiades gradually became Witches despite their Gems appearing untainted. Additionally, Juubey needed actual Grief Seeds to keep the cleaning function operational. Kaoru and Umika's Soul Gems are now darkened. Kazumi begs Kyubey to cleanse them, but he replies only Grief Seeds can perform true purification. The sole remaining Witch is the combined Souju form, pinned to the wall alongside Kanna. Kazumi kills the Witch, but no Grief Seed appears. Kyubey explains not every Witch produces one. Kazumi panics and rushes to her friends' sides, grasping their hands.[22]
Umika and Kaoru firmly reply they will never allow themselves to become Witches, their stomachs growling as they share weak smiles with Kazumi. Kazumi tearfully asks them to eat strawberry risotto together when they return home. Suddenly, her left earring-bell rings out, detaches, shatters open, and reveals Michiru's Grief Seed hidden inside. While her right earring held Kazumi's "Soul Gem," the left held Michiru's Grief Seed, which Saki had sealed in the form of one of Michiru's earrings when they killed Michiru's Witch.[23]
Kazumi realizes Michiru still wants to help and presses the Grief Seed to Umika and Kaoru's darkening Soul Gems, cleansing them completely. Meanwhile, Kanna escapes to the top of Asunaro Tower with the Soul Gems from the Freezer. Using her "Connect" magic, she links them as they turn into Grief Seeds and fuse into a single colossal Witch entity. Kyubey briefly mistakes it for Walpurgisnacht before recognizing Kanna's handiwork and names it "Hyades Daybreak." Umika and Kaoru instruct Kazumi to stay back, warning that further magic use will push her over the edge. Kazumi calmly explains she has never made a contract with Kyubey and can make one now, claiming she will never fall into despair.[23]
Kazumi makes her wish: to become a real human. Kyubey warns the wish is futile, as she will immediately become a Magical Girl upon its granting, thus undoing it. Kazumi counters that she needs a body of her own to move forward. She emerges with a new transformation, her hair long and free, wearing an entirely new, white costume.[23]
Her magic radiates outward, triggering an "upgrade" in Umika and Kaoru's costumes, enhancing their designs and magical potency. As they attack, Kanna is stunned that Kazumi made a contract. Kazumi gently tells her they are not so different, as composite beings who made contracts, they are both real Magical Girls. Kanna's rage and despair reach a breaking point, and she resolves to destroy Kazumi's world along with all ordinary humans, refusing a future where she remains a mere copy.[55]
Harnessing their upgraded powers, Kazumi, Kaoru, and Umika launch a coordinated assault on Hyades Daybreak. The combined attack overwhelms and defeats the entity, severely weakening Kanna and pushing her Soul Gem to the brink of hatching. Kazumi approaches the collapsing Kanna, takes her gem, and uses what's left of Michiru's Grief Seed to cleanse it as much as possible. She consoles her, understanding her fear that her loved ones might only see her as a reflection of the original Niko. Kazumi reassures her that everyone truly loved Kanna for who she was. While admitting she cannot save Kanna, she promises to watch over her loved ones. Tearfully, Kanna remarks that Kazumi's words are always heartrending, thanks her sincerely, and leaps from the building's edge. With a quiet "Ciao," she detonates her Soul Gem mid-air, ending her life. Kazumi kneels and finally cries. Umika and Kaoru embrace her, and the three gaze at the clear sky.[55][56]
The next morning, Kazumi wakes to the sounds and smell of cooking. Umika prepares breakfast normally and Kaoru pours tea. Over lemon pie, Kazumi asks about Niko and Kanna, worried about how to explain Kanna's death to her family. Kaoru reveals they plan to use Umika's magic to make Kanna's death appear as the result of a witnessed serious illness, rather than erasing her entirely. Kazumi then suggests they visit Kanna's house together.[56]
At the Hijiri home, Kanna's father, mother, and twin brothers greet them with suspicion. When asked how they knew Kanna, Kazumi blurts out that they were Magical Girl teammates and shows a photo of the Pleiades. She explains they met at the hospital, formed a team to cook for and cheer up unwell children, describing it as a secret activity with a "don't-tell-family-or-get-a-ladle-whack" rule. Kaoru and Umika back her up. Kanna's mother tears up, touched by her daughter's seriousness.[56]
Kazumi conjures ingredients while chanting "Chi-chin purin!", delighting the twins. They prepare Kanna's favorite dishes, ending with strawberry risotto, her top dish, described as a "magical risotto that makes everyone smile." They name it Niko Risotto after Kanna's gentle smile (a play on "niko," meaning smile). Together, all seven of them share the meal.[56]
Sometime later, Kazumi attends school in Asunaro City. During introductions, she chooses the surname "Subaru," meaning "Pleiades." Meanwhile, Umika and Kaoru confront Kyubey privately, asking if he is pleased by their supposed failure. Kyubey replies he feels no emotions but has obtained valuable data and a highly potent Witch in Kazumi, so he should thank them. Umika and Kaoru firmly declare they will never abandon their quest to find a way to reverse Witch transformations and restore Magical Girls to human life. Their conversation is cut short when Kyubey senses a Grief Seed beginning to hatch into a new Witch.[55]
In the middle of class, Kazumi senses the emerging Witch and bolts from the room. On her way, she encounters Souichirou Tachibana, Officer Misako Ishijima, Kyouka Shida (the former cosmetics pseudo-Witch), and Slice Akiyama (the chef who hosted the cooking competition where Yuuri Asuka was last seen). She reunites with Umika and Kaoru, and the three transform into their upgraded Magical Girl forms, with Kyubey accompanying them.[55]
These are the events that happen from Homura's release from the hospital, until she creates the first loop with her wish to save Madoka.[57][58] This timeline is depicted in:
Day 1 - Tuesday, the 16th: Homura is discharged from the hospital after a long absence from school due to a heart condition. She feels anxious about starting school and making friends.
Mami decides to return the bomb manual book to Mabayu.
Day 2 - Wednesday, the 17th: Madoka, Sayaka, and Hitomi search for their missing friend, a black cat named Amy. Madoka briefly sees a strange white creature, Kyubey.
That night, Madoka meets Kyubey on her windowsill, who prompts her to make a contract and become a Magical Girl.
Day 3 - Thursday, the 18th: The next morning, Madoka discusses dreams and wishes with Sayaka and Hitomi on the way to school.
After school, she finds Amy injured by a car near Récompense. Kyubey appears again and Madoka makes a contract to save her, becoming a Magical Girl. Amy being miraculously saved amazes Sayaka and Hitomi later.
Day 4 - Friday, the 19th: Mami meets up with Madoka and takes her on her first patrol. Madoka successfully defeats a Familiar under Mami's guidance.
Day 6 - Sunday, the 21st: During a school field trip to a car factory, Madoka leaves Sayaka alone to go fight it.
Mami is prevented from killing the Witch by Kyoko, who claims the territory as her own. Madoka enters the Barrier to kill the Witch, during which Kyubey asks her about contracting Sayaka, but she refuses. Madoka is overwhelmed, but the Witch is eventually defeated by Mami or Kyoko.
Day 10 - Thursday, the 25th: The following week, Homura attends school and befriends Madoka. On her walk home, she's lured into an Izabel's Barrier, but is rescued by Madoka and Mami, who reveal they're Magical Girls.
At the same time, Sayaka becomes lost in a Witch’s Barrier where she is killed by an Anthony Familiar.
Day 11 - Friday, the 26th: Hitomi informs Madoka and Homura that Sayaka has gone missing.
At Mami's apartment, Mami and Madoka explain Magical Girls to Homura and even mention Walpurgisnacht. Mabayu observes them in camouflage and hopes Homura will join their team.
Mami and Madoka take Homura on a Witch hunt to show her the ropes, but Homura is terrified and feels like a burden. After the hunt, Homura confesses her insecurities to Madoka, explaining that she is too scared of death to become a Magical Girl, despite the offer of healing her heart. She decides against making a contract.
Madoka comforts her, promising to protect the town and people like Homura. Despite Homura's decision, Madoka reaffirms their friendship and continues to include her in the group with Hitomi.
Day 16 - Wednesday, the 31st: Madoka and Mami save Hitomi and other people from H.N. Elly. Afterwards, Madoka expresses her worries to Mami about people they can't save in time, specifically mentioning the still-missing Sayaka.
Day 20 - Sunday, the 4th: That week, Kyosuke is discharged from the hospital and Hitomi gives him a congratulatory cake. They meet Mami, who is working part-time at the bakery Récompense.
Homura, remembering Madoka's warnings about windy days, researches Walpurgisnacht and realizes the great danger Madoka and Mami are facing.
Day 32 - Friday, the 16th: As Walpurgisnacht approaches, a storm triggers an evacuation in Mitakihara. Mabayu foresees their future against Walpurgisnacht and finds out Magical Girls become Witches and sees their loss in the battle. However, Mabayu hides the true, morbid prediction of how the fight would go to inspire hope.
During the fight with Walpurgisnacht, Mabayu admits to lying about her prediction, but cuts out the memory of the future she saw so that the end result of the battle would be different. Homura arrives at the battlefield and both Mabayu and Mami die in battle.
Madoka goes to fight against Walpurgisnacht alone and also dies. Homura laments her death and is then approached by Kyubey. She becomes a Magical Girl with the wish to go back in time and save Madoka, thus creating the second timeline.
