Ophelia
Ophelia (OPHELIA) is the witch form of Kyoko Sakura, making an appearance in Madoka Magica Portable. Like the anime witches, she was designed by Gekidan Inu Curry. She also appears in Mami's Heart Pounding Tiro Finale.
Witch Card
武旦の魔女。その性質は自棄。霧の中を虚ろな足どりで永遠にさまよい続ける魔女。いつも傍らにいる馬が何だったのか魔女にはもう思い出せない。
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The witch of wǔdàn. Her nature is self-abandonment. A witch who eternally wanders with hollow footsteps within the fog. She can no longer remember what the horse that always accompanies her was. | ||||||||||
Minions
武旦の魔女の手下。その役割は行進。霧の中を規則正しく歩き続ける。主である魔女がこの使い魔の側に寄る事はない。
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The wǔdàn witch's minions, whose task is to march. They continually walk through the fog in an orderly fashion. Their master, the witch, never draws close to these familiars. | ||||||||||
History
Madoka Magica Portable
Ophelia and her familiars make their debut in Madoka Magica Portable. Ophelia appears in Kyoko's Route if met with the right conditions. She also appears as a boss in the Oblivious barrier on floor 30. Her familiars can appear in any Mysterious Witch's barrier.
Kyoko and Madoka try to save Sayaka who's transformed into Oktavia but find that Homura has already killed her. Kyoko is furious at her and if her Soul Gem is dark enough, Homura's words make Kyoko realise how meaningless her life is now. She laughs and says she can't save anyone she loves and will instead curse the world. Kyoko turns into Ophelia but is killed by Homura.
Magia Record
In-Game (Normal version) description
The Doppel of abandonment. Its form is a Wǔdàn. The master of this emotion doesn’t trust its mysterious power, she only borrows its weapon and wields it herself. To the master, it's no more than a hateful thing that drags up her painful past due to its power, a dubious hypnotic magic that controls mist to produce illusions. But even still, it possesses her regrets, hidden deep in her heart, so she allows it to aid her somewhat in battle, though she remains suspicious of it. The Doppel itself is the fluttering kimono-like thing, while the candlestick holder the master rides is a separate being altogether.
(This is the second version of the Doppel description. The Japanese text of the first version can be found the gallery, and a translation below)
The Doppel of abandonment. Its form is a Wǔdàn. The master of this emotion doesn’t trust her Doppel’s suspicious power, and borrows its weapon to attack instead. Even without its weapon, however, this Doppel is adorned with a variety of craftwork, which it uses to support its master by projecting mist from its sleeves, hypnotizing enemies with the pattern on its inner lining, and so forth. The candle holder upon which its master stands is adorned with not just horse legs, but also the head of the master’s younger sister. Though listless, it stands ever upright and protects its master. Should the master ever decide to exhaust everything she has, both she and her Doppel will become the flame atop the candle holder, and her sister will likely vanish along with them.
Swimsuit version description
The Doppel of self-abandonment. Its form is a warrior actress. The master of this emotion doesn’t trust her Doppel’s enigmatic power, but since she’s temporarily become able to swim, she’s actually on cloud nine. And though she normally views her Doppel as nothing but loathsome, it can use its hypnosis magic to project a vision of swimming freely through the sea, which transforms it into a source of elation for its master. This is also reflected in its method of attack: the Doppel has fused with a large mirror, with which its master can collect the sunlight beaming down behind her and concentrate it into a ferocious heat ray. If there is nothing left to attack, they ride away on the candle holder (now a sea turtle) and swim along with the fish.
Madogatari
Ophelia and her familiars are shown with a description similar to their Portable profile, but slighty expanded. For Ophelia, "She holds a will-o'-wisp within her body, always quietly burning herself away" is added as the third sentence, and Zoe has "Are they in the midst of a pilgrimage to somewhere? Or perhaps it's a funeral march?" in the same place.
Observations
- Ophelia can be thought of as a headless horseman.
- Technically, the witch seems to have an eye below the flame, making Ophelia more of a candle-headed horseman. The impression of being headless is likely intentional, as the witch's "head" is flat enough to resemble a neck.
- In Kyouko's puppet show in episode 7, candles are strongly associated with her father. They appear next to him several times, most notably during a sermon. When she describes how he killed the rest of her family and hung himself, his puppet falls with its head consumed by flame and ignites the rest of the puppets.
- Ophelia's familiars are colorfully attired warriors, most of whom march around aimlessly. To attack they retract their humanoid heads and stretch out dragon-like heads, then either attack directly or breathe fire. Those carrying torches can also summon more familiars.
- There are various colored fish swimming in her barrier. They are part of the scenery and not actually familiars. Fish have various symbolic meanings:
- Early Christians used a fish symbol to represent the Christian faith.
- In Buddhism, fish can represent abundance and fertility, or living beings who practice the dharma need have no fear to drown in the ocean of suffering, and can freely migrate (chose their rebirth) like fish in the water.
- Adaptability, change, and transformation in Greco-Roman, East Indian, and Norse mythology.
- Goldfish are associated with fortune and wealth. One of the eight auspicious signs of Buddhism is a pair of goldfish, representing the state of fearless suspension in a harmless ocean of samsara.
- It is suggested that the symbolism of the unicorn represents innocence. The fact that Ophelia is riding a horse, instead of a unicorn, has been speculated that the horse represents the loss of innocence and nobility. The image ingrains the idea that the unicorn has lost its horn along with its splendor and that it has become a regular equestrian animal
- If a unicorn is a symbol of purity and grace, then this may imply Kyoko lost both before she turned into the witch
- The spear was the symbol of the god Wodan and the most common weapon in Germanic armies; it was cheap to produce because it didn't need much iron and most types could be used for both stabbing or throwing. Most Germanic horsemen carried a shield and a spear though the footmen sometimes carried multiple spears; at the start of a battle these were thrown at the enemy and the last one was saved for close combat. According to Tacitus, the Germans were able to throw these spears immense distances.
- Horse meat is known as "sakura" in japan, which is also Kyoko's last name.
- Ophelia's familiars are based off the rokurokubi, a type of Japanese supernatural creature that look like normal humans by day but gain the ability to elongate their necks at night.
- The rokurokubi are related to the nukekubi, a similar monster that detaches it's head completely. This may tie into Ophelia resembling a headless horseman.
- Ophelia might be based off the Little Matchstick Girl, since it is written by the same writer of the Little Mermaid, Sayaka's witch form, Hans Kristian Andersen.
- Ophelia of Shakespeare's Hamlet was a young woman who had a famous and highly romanticized suicide. While she lived, Ophelia's main conflict was between obeying her father or her love interest. She had a fear of intimacy and eventually went mad under the pressure of her father's death and her lover's rejection of her. Kyoko lost her family (her father being the driving force behind that) and was spurned by Sayaka.
- Ophelia's famous death scene is represented in various paintings, including one painting by Millais.
- Shakespeare readers have interpreted the Ophelia character to be linked to the idea of regret, corrupted innocence, and unrequited love.
- Her name could also be a reference to the anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. In the book, there is a character named Ophelia St. Claire, who disagrees with the idea of slavery but still holds highly prejudiced views against black people. This could mirror how Kyoko agrees that killing all familiars would be the ideal, but she still goes after anyone who does it.
Etymology
- The name Ophelia is derived from the Greek οφελος (ophelos), meaning "help". This name was probably created by the 15th-century poet Jacopo Sannazaro for a character in his poem 'Arcadia'.[1]
Trivia
- The official website for Puella Magi Madoka Magica Portable refers to Ophelia as the witch of wǔdàn (武旦). A wǔdàn is a fierce female warrior in traditional Chinese opera.
- Ophelia is fought on a narrow, confined area blocked off on either side by her barriers, somewhat reminiscent of the alley where Kyoko fought Sayaka in Episode 5. It allows her to maximize her use of Rosso Fantasma (previously a lost ability to Kyoko) to create duplicates of herself. These duplicates are not purely illusionary. They are capable of powerful melee attacks. Ophelia can transform into a spear for a long-range attack.
- Ophelia's witch kiss looks like a heraldic banner.
Gallery
Magazines
Ophelia and her familiars from the March 2012 Dengeki PlayStation magazine
Madoka Magica Portable
Ophelia's name in Runes from Madoka Magica Portable
The dragon-headed Zoe
A torch wielding Zoe
Ophelia's barrier from Madoka Magica Portable
Ophelia's boss room
Ophelia's game profile
Zoe's profile
Torch wielding Zoe's profile
Art from the Inukare gallery
Art from the Inukare gallery
Art from the Inukare gallery
Ophelia's witch kiss
Ophelia's Witch's Kiss
Ophelia's Grief Seed
Witch kiss and grief seed in the PSP theme
Ophelia using Rosso Phantasma
Ophelia on a Madoka Magica PSP theme
Mami's Heart Pounding Tiro Finale
Ophelia in Mami's Heart Pounding Tiro Finale
Magia Record
Doppel sprite
Current Doppel bio
Original doppel bio. Note the differing Japanese
Concept art from Magia Archive Volume 1
Swimsuit Version
Doppel bio
Art from Magia Archive Volume 2
Kyoko (Doppel ver.) 4 Star card
5 Star card
In-battle Sprite
2nd Magia Sprite
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Merchandise
Movic Grief Seed Collection
Translations
From the March 2012 Dengeki PlayStation
| Source | Translation |
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Kyoko's witch form Kyoko's witch can generate separated bodies, similar to the effect of Rosso Fantasma. She can also assault by becoming a lance form. Her familiars can shoot fireballs or slash with their deformed heads. Homura fights Kyoko's witch by herself. It is better to utilize her magic to stop time and attack with powerful weapons to beat multiple enemies at once. |