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Kazuo Koike's Nico Nico Character School! ~Lecture 13: Gen Urobuchi~

2026-08-14T05:40:24Z

Romi1908: /* Exerpted Transcriptions & Translations */

== Summary ==

Originally published on 2013/12/22, Gen Urobuchi did an interview with Kazuko Koike about the writing process he used, and several questions about Madoka Magica were asked, including about Rebellion.

The original video can be viewed here.<ref>https://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv162841750</ref>

=== Exerpted Transcriptions & Translations ===

Courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

'''Ｑ：「叛逆の意味」（0:59:55～）'''

虚淵「一度テレビで完全に終わらせちゃった話なので、ひっくり返すという意味合いが大きかったとは思いますね、キャラクターは世界に叛逆していますし、ぼくは最初の構想に自ら叛逆していますし、いろいろな意味合いを含めて叛逆というフレーズはいいよね、というのはありますね」

'''Q: "The meaning of Rebellion" (0:59:55–)'''

Urobuchi: Since it was a story that we had completely finished once on TV, I think the implication of 'turning things upside down' was a big part of it. The characters are rebelling against the world, and I myself am rebelling against my own initial concept. Including various meanings like that, there is this feeling that the phrase 'Rebellion' is really good, you see.

'''Ｑ：改変された世界では魔女はどうなるのでしょうか（1:00:00～1:02:00)'''

虚淵「ぼくの中では、あいかわらず魔獣がおおかたの世の中の歪みとして存在し、ただ、その歪みの中に反則の悪魔的な存在としてほむらがいるというスタンスなので」
「明確に魔女といえる存在はたぶんいないかな、とは思いますね」
「ただ、ほむらが、魔女のさらにいっこ上の悪魔と名乗り、存在するので、」
「そのへんは彼女の一存になっちゃうのかな、という気がしますね」

'''Q: What happens to witches in the rewritten world? (1:00:00-1:02:00)'''

Urobuchi: In my mind, Wraiths still exist as the majority of the world's distortion, but my stance is that Homura exists within that distortion as an anomalous, Devil-like presence. I think there probably aren't any beings that can clearly be called Witches. However, Homura calls herself a Devil, transcending Witches, and she exists as such, so I feel like that sort of thing would just be up to her own discretion.

'''Ｑ：子供向けのフィクションをつくるときのスタンス（1:03:??～)'''

虚淵「子供向けのフィクションっていうのは、ちょっと恐ろしい気持ち悪い寓話にしたいな、っていうのはありますね。」
虚淵「イメージトレーニングとして、もしも怖いものとあったとき自分はどういうふうに立ち向かえばいいのか、どういう人に助けを求めればいいのか、どういうところから勇気がわいてくるのか、そういったイメージを、実際に怪我するような体験じゃなくても鍛えられるのが、子供向けのフィクションじゃないかな、っていう気がしますよね。」

小池「それはありますね。昔は闇というものがあった。昔は外に出たらまっ暗闇があった。闇の中には必ず怖いものが潜んでいる、子供心にそう思ったんですね。闇の中になにかいるぞ、と思い描く本能を人間はもっているわけですから、暗い道を行くよりも明るい道を通ろう、という考え方が防御本能につながっていって、だけど、いまでは短距離」

虚淵「怖いのは、『この世に闇はありませんよ』という体裁を良かれと思って子供に教えるというのは、これはあとあと実際おそろしいことになると思いますね。」

'''Q: What is your approach when creating fiction for children? (1:03:??–)'''

Urobuchi: When it comes to fiction for children, I want it to be a somewhat frightening, unsettling fable. As a form of mental rehearsal, if you were ever to encounter something frightening, how should you face it? Whom should you ask for help? Where does courage come from? I think children's fiction is something that lets you cultivate those kinds of mental images without having to go through an experience where you actually get hurt.

Koike: That's true. In the past, there was such a thing as darkness. If you went outside, there was pitch-black darkness. As a child, you naturally thought that something frightening was always lurking in the dark. 'There's something in the darkness'—human beings are born with that instinct to imagine such things. So the idea of taking the well-lit road instead of the dark one became connected to our instinct for self-preservation. But nowadays, even over short distances...

Urobuchi: What's truly frightening is teaching children, with the best of intentions, to believe that 'there is no darkness in this world.' I think that ultimately leads to something genuinely terrible.

'''Ｑ：（最初の）叩き台のストーリーはどのようなものだったのでしょうか（1:06:47～）'''

虚淵「パンフレットにも書いたと思うんですけど、ほむらが魔女になり結界を張り、最後にまどかに救済される、そこで止めちゃったんですよ」
虚淵「書いて提出する段階でも、これ、わざわざ映像化にするほどの話かなぁ、っていう戸惑いはあったんですよね。ただの後日談で終わっちゃってるなぁ、という。案の定、これじゃものたりない、となり、それで、みんなで頭抱えている中で『いっそ、まどかとほむらが喧嘩になるような流れ』でもいいんじゃないか、と言われて、そこでひらめいたんですね。」
虚淵「よし、じゃあ神様が生まれる話を書いたのだから、そのあと、悪魔が生まれる話をつなげれば、表裏一体で、ある種の神話の始まり、みたいなものが作れる。それがひらめいたところで、これは作りがいのある続編になるって、一気にモチベーションがあがりましたね。」
虚淵「ぼくひとりの引き出しではでなかった発想なんですよ。最初のＴＶシリーズを終わらせた段階で、あの結末にに僕は縛られていたので、まさか、暁美ほむらというキャラクターが鹿目まどかに歯向かうような選択をするなんて、自分の中の選択肢として思いつかなかったんですね。
虚淵「ただ、彼女のメンタル、欲求や動機だったらありうる判断だ、というのは、まさに監督のアイディアもらった時点でひらめいて、いける。そこで出来上がったのがいまある脚本ですね。」
虚淵「考えてみればいろんな神話であるんですよね。もともとは、忠実に神に仕えていた者が、なにかのきっかけで歯向かう側にまわってしまうっていうのは。」

'''Q: What was the initial draft of the story like? (1:06:47–)'''

Urobuchi: I believe I mentioned this in the movie brochure as well, but the story idea was that Homura becomes a Witch, creates a barrier, and is saved by Madoka in the end. I had just stopped the story there. Even at the stage of writing and submitting it, I had some doubts, wondering, 'Is this a story that is really worth turning into a movie?' I felt like it just ended as a simple epilogue to the first TV series.

Sure enough, the feedback was that it wasn't enough. So, while everyone was scratching their heads, someone suggested, 'Why don't we go with a direction where Madoka and Homura actually clash with each other?' That was when I was inspired. So, since I had written a story about the birth of a God, by connecting it next to a story about the birth of a Devil, they were two sides of the same coin, and I could create something like the beginning of a mythology. The moment I was inspired by that, I was convinced this would be a sequel truly worth creating, and my motivation suddenly surged.

It was a new idea that couldn't have come from my own repertoire alone. At the stage of finishing the first TV series, I was bound by that ending, so it never crossed my mind as an option within myself that a character like Homura Akemi would make a choice to counter Madoka Kaname. However, the moment I received the director's new idea, I was inspired that this was a judgment that could happen given Homura's mental state, desires, and motivations, and that it could work. What came out of that is the script we have now.

When you think about it, you can find various mythologies like that. Someone who originally served a god faithfully is triggered by something into turning to the opposite side.

'''Ｑ：「ほむらは本当に悪魔なのでしょうか？」（1:12:43～)'''

虚淵「それも面白いところで、結構、劇場のラストで、脚本と印象ががらっと変わっているんですよ。」
虚淵「脚本だと。ほむらが悪魔だ、と言いきって、丘の上から街を見下ろして微笑んでいるだけで終わりなんですけど、絵コンテの段階で、彼女が葛藤しているかのような材料が一気に加っているんですよね。」
虚淵「それで一気にほむらのスタンスがミステリアスになったんですけれども、あれが脚本になかった深みにつながったな、と思っていまして、まさに、僕が想定した暁美ほむらよりも映像化の過程でさらにキャラが育ったんですよね。」
虚淵「悪魔だと自称しているけれども、彼女自身が神様すら傷つけてしまうような力を持ちつつ、実際どこに転がっていくのかわからないっていう風に演出を変えてもらえているんで、虚淵玄が答えられる分ではないんですけど、謎ですよね。」
虚淵「それこそ次に膨らませる部分になると思うんですよね
虚淵「脚本家の欲求として結論を出したくなっちゃうんですけど、それだと小さく小さくまとめていっちゃうんで」

'''Q: Is Homura really a devil? (1:12:43–)'''

Urobuchi: That's an interesting point as well. By the time we reached the ending in the theatrical version, the impression had changed quite dramatically from what was in the script.

In the script, it simply ends with Homura definitively declaring herself to be a devil, smiling as she looks down over the city from atop a hill. But at the storyboard stage, a whole range of elements was added that make it seem as though she's struggling internally.

That immediately made Homura's position much more mysterious. I think those additions gave the film a depth that wasn't present in the script. In that sense, during the process of bringing it to the screen, the character developed even further beyond the Akemi Homura I had originally envisioned.

Homura calls herself a Devil, while she herself possesses force that can even wound a God, and we don't know where things will head. Since they have changed the direction like that, it's not something Gen Urobuchi can answer, but it's a mystery, isn't it? I think that’s exactly the part to expand on next. As a screenwriter, I can't help wanting to provide a definitive conclusion. But if I do that, I just end up wrapping everything up into something smaller and smaller.

'''Ｑ：さやかちゃんは主役になれますか？（1:27:10～)'''

虚淵「劇場版を通じて特殊な立ち位置のキャラになったので、もしかしたら孤高のヒーローになるかもしれませんね。ほむらというキャラクターがなにか悪だくみしているという直感だけは引き継いでいるのですが、直感どまりなので人のの理解は得られないでしょうし、たぶん彼女はひとりでその直感だけを抱え込んでほむらに対抗することになるでしょうから、面白いキャラクターになると思いますね。」

'''Q: Could Sayaka become the main character? (1:27:10–)'''

Urobuchi: After the movie, she's ended up becoming a character in a rather unique position. So she might even become a solitary hero. She's retained only the intuition that the character Homura is plotting something sinister. But since it's nothing more than intuition, she probably won't be able to get anyone else to understand or believe her. So she'll most likely end up carrying that intuition all by herself as she stands against Homura. I think that would make her a very interesting character.

[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Interviews/Gen Urobuchi]]

Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion Official Guidebook "Only You"

2026-08-13T03:31:49Z

Romi1908: /* Akiyuki Shinbo, Ume Aoki, Gen Urobuchi, Mitsutoshi Kubota and Atsuhiro Iwakami */

[[File:Madoka Rebellion Guidebook Only You Cover.jpg|thumb|300px]]
'''Puella Magi Madoka Magica Movie The Rebellion Story Official Guidebook "Only You"''', a compilation on a wide variety of information about [[The Rebellion Story]], was released on [http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4832244299 April 12th, 2014].
==Contents==
* Illustration gallery, containing illustrations from magazines and other sources
* Summary of the movie
* Gekidan Inu Curry Artwork Gallery
* Staff Interviews
** Chiwa Saito and Kaori Mizuhashi
** Aoi Yuuki and Emiri Katou
** Eri Kitamura and Ai Nonaka
** Chiwa Saito and Kana Asumi
** Akiyuki Shinbo, Aoki Ume, Gen Urobuchi, Mitsutoshi Kubota and Atsuhiro Iwakami
** Yukihiro Miyamoto
** Shinsaku Sasaki
** Junichiro Taniguchi and Hiroki Yamamura
** Yota Tsuruoka
** Yasuhiro Okada
** Yuki Kajiura
** Gekidan Inu Curry
** Takashi Kawabata
** Koichi Kikuta
** Takashi Hashimoto
** Motoki Sakai
** Yoichi Nango
** Shinichiro Eto
** Hitoshi Hibino
** Izumi Takizawa
** Rie Matsubara
** ClariS
** Kalafina
** Yuuko Gotou
** Tetsuya Iwanaga
** Junko Iwao
** Ryouko Shintani
** Seiko Yoshida
* After-recording comic by Hanokage (also featured in [[Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.10]])

==Settings==

'''ART SETTINGS'''
[[File:033.jpg|200px|thumb]]

'''Park with a Hill'''

A park where Madoka and Homura converse one month after Homura’s transfer to Mitakihara Middle School. The flowerbeds are designed with mosaic art made from flowers, grass, and dragon’s beard plants.

'''Mami’s Magic Room'''

The room where Madoka and the others corner and purify the Nightmare in their first battle. Its warm atmosphere is created by the high ceiling and wooden walls, resembling a log house.
[[File:055.jpg|200px|thumb]]

'''Mami’s Dressing Room'''

The room where Mami is seen when Hitomi’s Nightmare appears. It is quite spacious and decorated with cute items like stuffed animals and penguin-shaped matryoshka dolls.

'''Waterside Café'''

The café where Homura calls Kyoko. Inside the dome-shaped building, trees and grass are planted, creating a lush environment.

'''Ghost Town'''

The ghost town where Homura and Mami engaged in intense combat. It is divided into three areas: the Uppermost Area (upper), Battleship Island Area (middle), and Cemetery Area (lower). According to the notes on the setting artwork, the interiors of the buildings in the lowermost section are all graves.

'''Bus Stop on the Bridge'''

The bus stop Homura headed toward while talking to Kyoko, who was at the arcade. The differing heights of the round streetlights and the multiple bus timetables lined up are striking features.

'''Bus'''

The bus Homura and Kyoko intended to take to Kazamino City. Homura also used it to check her physical condition. It is a double-decker bus, with wooden benches on the second floor that are gently curved.

'''ULTIMATE MADOKA - CHARACTER DESIGN NOTES'''

The color settings mention details such as "The ends of the hair should always remain outside the frame" and "The wings should not stick to the back," showing various instructions for the animation process. The elegant expressions, white-based dress, and the cosmic expanse inside the skirt create a very divine impression.

'''DEVIL HOMURA - CHARACTER DESIGN NOTES'''

Homura, as a devil, is characterized by her ribbon, a dress with an open back, and black wings. The underside of her skirt spreads into a dark abyss. Her sinister smile in the expression sheets perfectly captures the look of a devil who has desecrated a god.

==Staff Interviews==

===Opening theme===

"Colorful"

■ Song by: ClariS

■ Lyrics & Composition: Sho Watanabe

■ Arrangement: Atsushi Yuasa

[[File:021.jpg|300px|thumb]]

The non-credit version of the opening animation, included as a bonus feature on the Blu-ray and DVD, is introduced here. This animation includes numerous scenes that hint at the storyline of the main film: scenes with Homura alone, shadows and ear cuffs associated with Homura’s transformation into a demon, and many other suggestive elements. Additionally, the tower with the interference-blocking field set up by the incubators is depicted.

'''Opening Animation'''

Storyboarding & Direction: Takashi Kawabata

'''How did you come to be in charge of storyboarding and directing the opening?'''

Initially, I was only asked to handle the main film. However, partway through, I was also requested to work on the opening animation. Since it was such a valuable opportunity, I happily accepted.

'''What was your impression when you first heard "Colorful," and what did you discuss with General Director Akiyuki Shinbo?'''

I felt it was a fast-paced song, similar to "Connect" from the TV series. Director Shinbo said, "I’d like to show a cheerful side of Madoka and the others, something we don’t often see in the main story."

'''Were there any particular points you focused on while storyboarding and directing?'''

Since ''Madoka☆Magica'' isn’t a straightforwardly happy story, I aimed to create visuals that feel cheerful at first glance but leave a heavy emotional impact upon repeated viewing. I wanted to convey the disconnect in Madoka and Homura’s feelings for each other, Homura’s sense of loneliness, and the transition from the TV series’ ending to the movie. If that came through in the animation, I’d be very pleased.

===Ending theme===

"Kimi no Gin no Niwa"

■ Song by: Kalafina

■ Lyrics/Composition/Arrangement: Yuki Kajiura

Silhouettes resembling Madoka and Homura sway to the rhythm of the song, and at the end, they hold hands and disappear into the distance.

[[File:072.jpg|300px|thumb]]

'''Ending Animation'''

Hirofumi Suzuki

'''Could you share your impressions when you first heard "Kimi no Gin no Niwa," or anything you discussed with director Akiyuki Shinbo?'''

When I first heard "Kimi no Gin no Niwa," I thought it was a rather eerie piece of poetry. As with the TV series, there were no specific instructions from the chief director, so I was given complete freedom to create it. However, this freedom led to the content undergoing multiple revisions up until the very end of the process. Initially, I considered directly depicting the lyrics in the animation, but that turned out to be a bit too dark, so I made some changes. I aimed to keep the atmosphere of the visuals not too far removed from the TV series.

'''Were there any particular points you were particular about while creating the ending animation?'''

The cut where the two characters hold hands and run off together was something I had decided on from the very beginning. Regardless of the film's conclusion, I wanted to include that scene. Initially, the two characters were meant to be "girls who resembled Homura and Madoka," but they ended up becoming exactly "Homura and Madoka."

'''Is there anything else you considered or focused on?'''

The full-length chorus in the ending posed a challenge because its repetition of the refrain two or three times made it difficult to arrange the visuals. I had an impression that theater endings often use plain backgrounds with only credits, so I struggled with balancing the visuals and the song.

'''What are your overall impressions of being involved with this work?'''

After the TV series and the earlier movies, ''Puella Magi Madoka Magica'' has evolved into an unique movie unlike any other. It seems to be hugely popular, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to participate in such a remarkable project.

===Akiyuki Shinbo, Ume Aoki, Gen Urobuchi, Mitsutoshi Kubota and Atsuhiro Iwakami===

'''THOUGHTS AFTER SOME TIME HAS PASSED SINCE THE RELEASE'''

'''It’s been about six months since the release. How are you feeling now?'''

Shinbo: My memories of the project have faded quite a bit (laughs). Right after it ended, there were a lot of emotions, but now I feel pretty calm.

Urobuchi: It's like a sparkling memory for me. It’s like, "Wow, I was really shining back then" (laughs).

Aoki: I also feel like it was such a long time ago, especially since I was involved quite a while back. It feels like it was a distant past. However, some people I know who love ''Madoka Magica'' would report to me every time they went to the theater, posting on Twitter, saying things like, “It was a great six months." Thanks to all those supportive people, I somehow still have a sense that this project was ongoing until recently (laughs).

Kubota: For me, since I just finished the retake work for the home release packaging a few weeks ago, it still feels pretty fresh (laughs).

'''I see (laughs). How about you, Iwakami-san?'''

Iwakami: Well, quite a bit of time has passed, so it feels like a memory now. However, Kubota-san and I have been invited to the Japan Academy Awards ceremony soon. Receiving that kind of recognition and still hearing people say, "It’s amazing," makes me really happy.

'''THE NEW PROJECT THAT STARTED BEFORE THE TV SERIES ENDED'''

'''As for the production of the new chapter, could you tell us again how this project started?'''

Iwakami: It was around mid-March 2011 when Urobuchi-san first gave us a plot outline, something like "''Madoka'' 2".

Urobuchi: I think it was still during the time the TV series hadn't finished airing yet.

Kubota: Yes, it was right around the time of the earthquake.

Iwakami: That’s right. It was a difficult time, but we were already thinking, “Let’s do something next with ''Madoka Magica''”. At that point, we hadn’t yet decided whether it would be for TV or a theatrical release. First, we were focusing on how to finalize the idea, and then we planned to think about the format afterward. So, the first step was
to get the ideas turned into a script.

Kubota: I remember that when the initial plot was submitted, Iwakami-san said something like, “Wouldn’t this work better as a theatrical release?”

'''Urobuchi-san, do you remember what you were thinking when you wrote the initial plot?'''

Urobuchi: It was a hectic time, so my memory is a bit hazy, but I do remember that the beginning was tough. I didn’t know how to connect it to a sequel. I had come up with an epilogue of sorts, but I thought, "This feels like ''Jacob’s Ladder''" (a 1990 psychological thriller film about a Vietnam War veteran experiencing a nightmarish reality). I remember questioning myself—"Is it okay to end it with such a deceptive conclusion?" But at the same time, I also felt like, "What else can I do?" So, I submitted it like that, I think.

'''Does that mean that the plot you first submitted was similar to the final version of the new chapter that was actually produced?'''

Urobuchi: In the beginning, yes. The idea that the world in the new chapter is a barrier created by Homura—that was the central concept of that plot. However, at that time, the ending I had in mind was that the barrier would dissolve, and Homura would pass away peacefully.

'''At that stage, how was the idea communicated to Aoki-san?'''

Aoki: During the TV broadcast, I had heard that there might be something new, but it wasn’t definite, so my reaction was, “Huh? Are we really doing this?” I was really happy, but also surprised.

Iwakami: The plot kind of just arrived out of the blue, didn’t it? (laughs).

Aoki: Yes, exactly. I didn’t know what the chances were of the sequel actually happening, so when something fully fleshed out suddenly appeared in front of me, I was really shocked.

Iwakami: But even when you couldn’t attend meetings, Aoki-san, you always sent in your opinions through memos, right? I always thought your feedback was spot on.

Aoki: ...I don’t remember (laughs). I think I attended the first two or three meetings. I remember discussing in the conference room whether it would be a TV series or a TV special.

Iwakami: Yes, I remember everyone was there when we were having that conversation.

Aoki: The only idea I contributed was just a little bit at the end, something like, “I’d like it to end this way”.

'''What kind of request did you make?'''

Aoki: It’s a very minor detail, but in the scene where Homura says to Madoka, “I’ve been waiting,” and suddenly grabs her, the original plot made Madoka’s response sound more unpleasant than in the final version. Her line had a stronger “Stop!” vibe. I remember asking to soften it a bit. I didn’t want it to seem like Homura was doing something that Madoka would dislike. Homura is driven by her love for Madoka, so I didn’t want that to be misrepresented.

'''I see. Urobuchi-san, when did you start writing the script?'''

Urobuchi: I think it was right after I submitted the plot. By around summer 2013, the final draft was probably finished.

Kubota: Yeah, it was done by August or September. It didn’t take more than six months to write. The fourth draft was practically the final version, although there might have been some minor adjustments afterward, but nothing major was changed.

Urobuchi: The script lengthened quite a bit between the first and final drafts.

Kubota: That was due to Shinbo-san’s request, right?

Urobuchi: Yes. When working on the TV series, I had a habit of cramming too much into a short space, so for the movie, we took the opposite approach, trying to add more content.

Iwakami: Urobuchi-san’s scripts are always very concise. They’re sharp and to the point.

Urobuchi: That being said, this was my first time writing a movie script, so that had a big impact. I wasn’t sure how to estimate the length.

Kubota: The initial script gave the impression it would run about 70 minutes.

Urobuchi: We significantly extended the magical girl battles at the start. Basically, we decided to expand the happy dream world even more (laughs).

'''So, you decided to add more content to meet the fans' expectations?'''

Urobuchi: Well, since we had the opportunity, we thought we might as well take advantage of it.

'''Did the director have any requests when it came to extending the runtime?'''

Shinbo: It wasn’t about making it longer, but I did ask for an action scene at the start.

Iwakami: If we go back in time a bit, the structure that includes those happy moments came from Shinbo-san’s desire to show the characters in action again. The plot started with the question of how to create a setting where those characters, including Sayaka, could shine again.

Urobuchi: That’s right.

'''So, bringing the five girls together was a must?'''

Kubota: Yes, the idea was that we wanted to see them as magical girls again and, at the same time, in a happy space. That was definitely the underlying premise.

'''Not just having them appear, but having them all transformed into magical girls, and looking happy?

Kubota: Exactly. I don’t think we had fully decided to make it a direct continuation of the two recap movies from the TV series. The project started from the conversation about how we wanted to bring the five girls together again and see them happy.

'''So, the idea of reuniting the five girls came first, and it just happened to become a continuation of the story. Did you originally plan to promote it as a sequel?'''

Shinbo: We debated whether or not to explicitly call it a sequel.

Urobuchi: At first, we were talking about how it could be interpreted as a parallel development, and that would be fine.

Shinbo: I thought it would be more enjoyable if people watched it without knowing for sure.

Kubota: We discussed how it could be seen as just one of the loops Homura experienced.

Shinbo: In the end, we decided to market it as a sequel from the start, but if we hadn’t, I think the audience would have been even more confused. I realized how tricky it can be to promote a movie. It was Iwakami-san’s decision to clearly label it as a sequel, right?

Iwakami: Yeah, that was probably my call.

Shinbo: I think that was the right decision. It prevented unnecessary confusion.

Iwakami: I’m glad you think so.

Shinbo: If people went in unsure whether it was a sequel or not, they might have spent the whole movie wondering, "What is this?" and then it would end before they figured it out. It’s a delicate matter deciding how much to reveal in promotions, but we couldn’t afford to mislead people. I realized that magazine promotions differ between TV and film.

Iwakami: That’s true. TV shows are free to watch, so the approach is different.

Shinbo: We needed to first make sure people were willing to pay to see it. I realized that commercials for movies are different from TV shows too. I mean, there are plenty of movies where the best parts are all in the commercials, and you leave thinking, "That’s all there was?" But if you don’t show enough, people won’t come to the theater.

Kubota: At what point did the idea of making recap movies between the TV series and the sequel come up?

Iwakami: I think it was pretty early on. After receiving Urobuchi-san’s plot, we thought, "This would be great as a movie," and since it would be more enjoyable for the audience to know the TV story beforehand, we decided to release recap movies and then follow up with the new film. I remember that Urobuchi-san’s plot really shaped the format.

Urobuchi: To be honest, if you hadn’t watched the TV series, the movie wouldn’t make any sense (laughs).

Iwakami: I’m amazed that such a high-barrier movie still became a hit (laughs).

'''While making the sequel, were there any aspects of character development or the story that were influenced by fan reactions?'''

Urobuchi: Yes, I think so. In the main series, the characters didn’t get much closure, so I think the audience felt a need to "do something" for them themselves. Honestly, I
didn’t expect the characters to expand as much as they did, so it was both easier and harder in different ways. Since the characters were already so well-understood by the fans, I didn’t feel the need to dig deeper or make drastic changes, which was a relief. It’s rare for a one-season series to have its characters so firmly grasped and developed. On the other hand, there was pressure because the characters were already fully formed in everyone’s minds, and I couldn’t break that image. For example, it would’ve felt wrong if Sayaka had moved on to a completely new love interest. That wouldn’t have worked (laughs). I knew it wasn’t a series where we could make such bold changes.

Shinbo: But that kind of story for Sayaka is interesting (laughs).

Urobuchi: A new love, only to turn into a witch again? (laughs).

Shinbo: Right, she’d end up repeating the same thing over and over.

Urobuchi: She’d fall in love every time a handsome guy appeared, and then turn into a witch…

Iwakami: Like "Tora-san," constantly meeting new people and getting heartbroken (laughs).

'''There are many scenes featuring popular pairings among fans, like Sayaka and Kyoko, and Madoka and Homura, showing them in action. Were those pairings something you were consciously aware of?'''

Urobuchi: Well, those relationships inevitably follow from the original storyline. It wouldn’t make sense for Sayaka to come back and not greet Kyoko at all, for example.

Iwakami: The depiction of Sayaka and Kyoko also expanded a lot during the storyboard stage. It’s not just the dialogue; adding gestures for the characters really adds depth.

Aoki: There was a project for the magazine ''smart'' where I wrote letters to Kyoko and Sayaka, and I wrote all sorts of things pretty irresponsibly (laughs). But it made me
want to ask Urobuchi-san something. In the TV series, when Kyoko risked her life for Sayaka, Sayaka had already turned into a witch, so she probably didn’t know, right? But in the new film, Sayaka went to the Law of Cycles and then came back. Now she’s close with Kyoko and even says, "I regretted leaving you behind". Does that mean Sayaka knows everything?

Urobuchi: Once you go to the Law of Cycles, you become omniscient and omnipotent, so yes, you can assume she knows everything. In the TV series, Sayaka and Kyoko's story ended almost like a double suicide. But in the reset world with the wraiths, Sayaka ascended alone, leaving Kyoko behind. So in the new story, Kyoko doesn’t know Sayaka in her witch form, but Sayaka knows Kyoko and her actions. There’s even the line about "the boy you loved," so I think her ending in this world is similar to how it was in the TV series. Maybe she did something like a self-sacrificial attack again.

Aoki: I was so happy to see that in the new story, Sayaka seems to understand Kyoko’s efforts, which felt very one-sided in the TV series. It was like, "Sayaka, Kyoko worked really hard for you!" (laughs)

Urobuchi: Thinking about it, Madoka didn’t notice Homura at all until she became a god either. Until then, she was just that scary girl who popped up outside her window (laughs).

'''With all the character development building up like that, it must have been difficult to introduce Nagisa = Bebe. What kind of discussions did you have about that?'''

Urobuchi: The idea was that, to properly balance the story, we needed another character besides Sayaka who had become a witch and returned to this world. And if we were going to choose one, the most distinctive witch character would be the Dessert Witch [Charlotte], which led to the creation of Bebe.

'''So it was Urobuchi-san’s idea. What were everyone’s initial thoughts when they first heard it?'''

Shinbo: When I first read the plot, I thought, “This could be interesting”.

Iwakami: It wasn’t like we asked from the start to introduce a new character. Bebe really just appeared out of nowhere in Urobuchi-san’s plot.

Urobuchi: I felt that we needed her in that role. And if we were going to bring her in, I thought we should make it as compelling as possible.

Shinbo: I thought, "Ah, I see", and it made sense.

'''Even though the character was born from the setting, I imagine it was difficult for Aoki-san to bring the character to life through your illustrations, wasn’t it?'''

Aoki: Yes, I struggled with how much of her witch form’s elements to carry over and how much to leave behind or change. It wouldn’t have worked if she looked exactly the same, but making her entirely different wouldn’t feel right either.

Kubota: You were really struggling with that during the draft phase, weren’t you?

Aoki: I agonized over it quite a bit. I think Nagisa’s design is the one that changed the most from the initial draft to the final version out of all the characters I’ve worked on.

Shinbo: Wasn’t it you, Kubota-san, who came up with the idea to make Nagisa’s hair white?

'''In Aoki-sensei’s original draft, she had blonde hair, right?'''

Kubota: Yes, but we thought it might overlap too much with other characters, so we suggested going with a white color. Also, in the original draft, she was a bit older. She was still younger than the other girls, but she was about middle school age. So, her proportions were taller compared to the final design. I think it was Shinbo-san who requested that we lower her age, wasn’t it?

Shinbo: No, I don’t think that was me. I think it was Urobuchi-san who said, “A younger design would be better”.

Aoki: I also remember Urobuchi-san making a request along those lines.

Urobuchi: That might be true. But honestly, I saw many of the designs for the first time when I watched the completed animation. I did know about Nagisa, but Devil Homura was new to me when I saw it in the final version.

Aoki: Sorry about that! We were finalizing Devil Homura’s design right up to the last minute.

'''Did the staff refer to Homura in her devil form as “DebiHomu-sama” (Devil Homura) among yourselves?'''

Urobuchi: No, that’s a term we just came up with now (laughs).

Aoki: On set, we called her “Akuma Homura” (Devil Homura) (laughs).

'''In a way, Devil Homura is almost like a new character. How did you solidify her design?'''

Aoki: We didn’t really have meetings or anything like that.

Urobuchi: Her character portrayal evolved quite a bit during the storyboard process. In fact, even during the storyboards, there were different interpretations of how to portray her. Up until the last minute, we were deciding how to settle on her final character, and even after recording the dialogue, we had to ask Saito-san to re-record some lines because it was so challenging.

'''In what ways did her portrayal evolve?'''

Urobuchi: In the storyboards, she became much cuter. In the script, she was a much scarier character, almost as if she had completely abandoned her humanity (laughs). But during the storyboard phase, she regained some of her humanity, as if she was still partly the old Homura, trying her best to act like a devil.

Shinbo: When you get a script like that, storyboard artists often feel compelled to draw a sly smile for the character, like an evil smirk. I thought we needed to tone down the nuance from the storyboards during the actual animation. However, the first voice recording session was based on the storyboards, so it ended up being quite intense.

Urobuchi: Chiwa Saito’s performance was incredibly scary and dangerous.

Shinbo: Her performance made me think, “This is like Darth Vader”. At the time, I thought, “Yeah, that’s one way to approach it”, but after the recording, I felt something wasn’t quite right.

Urobuchi: Both Shinbo-san and I struggled with deciding whether to portray her as a fully realized devil or a devil in the process of becoming one.

Shinbo: A completely evil, devilish Homura didn’t feel right, but neither did one who was still unsure. In the end, we aimed to capture the moment just before she’s fully
consumed by her devil side, a subtle in-between state.

'''How did you all come to the decision to re-record that scene?'''

Iwakami: Everyone was feeling uncertain about it right after the initial recording ended.

Kubota: It felt like we had made a bit of a mistake with it.

Shinbo: That night, I couldn’t really sleep well. After the session, Tsuruoka-san (the sound director) asked me repeatedly, “Are you sure you have no regrets?” I started thinking maybe we hadn’t gotten it quite right.

Kubota: The conversation really started moving about two or three days after the recording ended.

Shinbo: We finished recording on a Saturday, took Sunday off, and I think we discussed it on Monday.

Kubota: Yes, that’s right. We confirmed Shinbo-san’s thoughts and then consulted with Urobuchi-san, Aoki-san, and the other key staff members. Saito-san’s initial performance was so well done that it was hard to consider changing it. She had delivered an impeccable performance based on the storyboard, to the point that it felt like it couldn’t be improved.

Urobuchi: I really wish I could’ve been there for that recording session.

Shinbo: If you had been there, Urobuchi-san, you probably would’ve said it was fine (laughs).

Urobuchi: When I listened to the first take they sent me, I thought, “This is perfect!” (laughs).

Iwakami: If Urobuchi-san had been there, we might not have done a retake at all (laughs).

Urobuchi: That’s very possible (laughs). I might have insisted, “This is the only way”. But if we had stuck with that version, Homura would have ended up being portrayed like a full-on monster.

Shinbo: And I think the fans who came to see the movie would’ve been completely turned off (laughs). That was the key issue. As a character, the original version was cool, and I personally like that kind of portrayal, but I realized that fans might be put off by it. That’s when I thought we needed to approach it more like a fan movie.

Urobuchi: That’s the kind of judgment I leave to the director. I don’t really think about those things (laughs).

Shinbo: A few years ago, I might have said, “This is the only way”, too. But as you get older, you start thinking differently.

Aoki: When I received the file along with the explanation that “the chief director and Kubota-san are feeling unsettled about it”, I was really surprised. But when I listened to it, I thought, “Ah, I see” (laughs).

Iwakami: My impression was a bit different from Urobuchi-san’s. From the script to the storyboard stage, I felt the portrayal was already getting a bit scary. And after the voice recording, it became even scarier.

Kubota: I felt that as the process moved further along, it kept intensifying. The storyboard was already scarier than what I had imagined when I first read the script. Then, the key animator and animation supervisor, Junichiro Taniguchi, really leaned into that feeling when designing the scene. My and Shinbo-san’s role was to make sure it didn’t go too far.

Shinbo: We were making sure we didn’t overdo it.

Kubota: You could tell the staff was really excited about it.

Shinbo: If we hadn’t stepped in, it might’ve never stopped (laughs). With movies, it’s hard to predict how much time you’ll need. Iwakami: You really pulled it all together. Both in terms of content and schedule.

Aoki: The final product had such a delicate balance.

Urobuchi: I think it hit the mark perfectly. Because of how the final portrayal turned out, Devil Homura became such a great character. She didn’t just become a devil—she became Devilman (laughs).

'''Changing the topic a bit, could you tell us about your interactions with Gekidan Inu Curry?'''

Iwakami: All the interactions with Inu Curry were mainly handled by Miyamoto-san, Shinbo-san, and the SHAFT team.

Shinbo: We did give them the directive to "make things unique", but I never imagined they’d come up with concepts like that for the café or the crossroads. They
definitely made it unique (laughs).

Urobuchi: The characters say "crossroads", so the audience has no choice but to accept it as such. That kind of visual approach is really fascinating.

Iwakami: It’s funny seeing Shinbo-san having to say something sensible for a change.

Shinbo: Right? Normally, I’d be the one pushing for even crazier ideas, but with Inu Curry’s designs, I didn’t need to. Take the crossroads scene—when Homura and Kyoko are riding the bus, I think the less you watch the visuals, the better you’ll understand the story (laughs).

'''We actually received a comment from Inu Curry about the crossroads, saying, "Since Homura and Kyoko are pure of heart, they can see the crossroads just fine, so there’s no problem".'''

''(Everyone laughs)''

Urobuchi: I have no retort.

Iwakami: In other words, "You adults are the impure ones".

Kubota: So, Homura and Kyoko could see it, and the audience probably could too.

Shinbo: It’s just the evil adults who can’t understand (laughs).

'''As chief director, were you okay with the visuals not fully aligning with the script from the beginning?'''

Shinbo: I wasn’t fully comfortable with it, but I had a feeling that this wasn’t the kind of project where things should be done normally. Allowing Inu Curry’s designs to pass through felt like a gamble. It would definitely make things harder to understand. The story was already complex, and adding these visuals would make it even more so, especially in a theatrical setting where you don’t have the luxury of rewinding and re-watching. I questioned whether it was okay to create something that’s hard to grasp in a single viewing. But at the same time, I felt, "Well, it’s going to be released as a home video later, so maybe this approach is acceptable". I went back and forth between these feelings. However, I realized that opportunities to express something this unique don’t come often, so I decided to go for it. In a TV show, the dialogue explaining everything would be paired with a simple background, but this time, the visuals themselves carry a lot of information. It might be disorienting, not knowing what to focus on, but I thought it would be fun to have scenes like that.

Urobuchi: In terms of storytelling, I believed the audience would understand they were witnessing an abnormal world. So, even if there’s a disconnect between the characters’ behavior and the audience’s sense of reality, I figured it would still come across. Viewers would realize that if the characters perceive the crossroads in this way, they must be under some sort of illusion. So, no matter how wild the visuals got, I was fine with it.

'''Aoki-san, as someone who also works as an illustrator, how do you feel about Inu Curry’s designs?'''

Aoki: My reaction is basically just "Wow" (laughs). It’s such a childlike response, but that’s really how I feel.

'''Was there anything that particularly stood out to you?'''

Aoki: Well, since we were inside Homura’s inner world from the very beginning, the entire movie takes place in Inu Curry’s space. Even when we step out of it, we’re thrown into scenes of Homura’s army marching around, and I was constantly like, "What is this!?" I was blown away. And then, there’s that part where the world starts collapsing, with all sorts of incomprehensible things pouring down from above. I loved that scene.

'''I see.'''

Aoki: The world Inu Curry creates is so unpredictable that it’s fun to look at no matter where you focus. There are always new surprises, even after multiple viewings.

Shinbo: The children speaking in German really caught me off guard. The attention to detail in the German expressions left a strong impression on me. It’s definitely one of those scenes that sticks in your mind.

Urobuchi: And the fact that Homura's familiars increased in number so dramatically was a surprise too. When I read Inu Curry’s notes, I found out each of them is as strong as a magical girl (laughs). That really shocked me.

'''What about you, Kubota-san?'''

Kubota: I’m always amazed by Inu Curry’s work. It’s not just the designs, but their entire process. SHAFT is always trying to create cutting-edge visuals under Shinbo-san’s direction, but for Inu Curry’s sections, they also use analog methods. For example, they hand-colored each frame of Homura as a witch using paint, and sometimes they’d use photographed objects as materials. These are old-fashioned techniques, but in a way, using them now feels fresh. It’s almost like doing something outdated has become avant-garde again. That’s what I was thinking as we worked through the process.

Shinbo: I was worried if they’d be able to finish it all in time…

Kubota: Since the output from Inu Curry’s team is the final piece, you can’t handle it alone when considering efficiency. So there was always some anxiety about whether we could complete everything on time.

Shinbo: If it exceeds the individual’s capacity, you can’t maintain balance.

Kubota: In the end, though, it became an all-hands-on-deck situation.

'''All-hands-on-deck?'''

Kubota: Yes, speaking of the coloring process, we printed out the frames on paper and manually colored them, then the digital team would come in and use paintbrushes to fill in the colors. It was a very unusual approach, and it almost felt like an event. It reminded me of the night before a school festival (laughs).

Shinbo: We also had Naito Ken from Studio Tulip involved, along with Yoichi Nangou, known for his unique color work in titles like ''The Eight Dog Chronicles'' and ''JoJo's Bizarre Adventure'' (OVA). His role was credited as "Alternative Space Art" in this film. It was a lot of fun. I had worked with Nangou-san before and had always wanted to collaborate again, but he’s very insistent on working with analog techniques, so it was hard to find a chance to work together since he avoids digital work. I was really happy to be able to collaborate with him again after so long.

Kubota: The combination of Inu Curry and Nangou-san worked really well. They even experimented with rotoscoping and claymation for the Nightmare sequences. This blending of digital and analog resulted in a technically rich film, in both form and content.

'''Speaking of digital, I heard that you considered using 3D CG for Kyubey’s animation?

Kubota: Yes, around the end of the TV series, Shinbo-san suggested trying 3D CG for Kyubey to stabilize his expressions. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out as smoothly as we hoped, and we struggled a bit.

Shinbo: It’s strange, but you can’t quite capture Kyubey’s facial nuances without traditional animation. So, we ended up using hand-drawn animation for close-ups and 3D for long shots.

Iwakami: I remember Shinbo-san really liked the scene where Kyubey flies like a sugar glider.

Shinbo: That was really cool. I thought, “Nice work!” (laughs).

'''Since this film was entirely new, unlike the previous two compilation films, were there any measures taken to improve efficiency during production?'''

Kubota: This was almost a first-time experience for us, so we didn’t have anything particularly special in mind. But one thing we did was set up a dedicated staff room for the ''Rebellion'' staff, concentrating the main team in one place. Since it was an original film, we were especially cautious about managing the story and other information, making sure that everything could be controlled within the studio as much as possible.

'''Having everyone in one place must have had some advantages.'''

Kubota: Yes, it minimized the movement of the production team, and it was a huge advantage that key staff, like the key animators and in-between animators, could quickly confirm things. This kind of opportunity is rare outside of a theatrical project.

Iwakami: At the wrap party, I remember SHAFT staff saying unanimously, “We didn’t think we’d finish it”. That left a strong impression on me.

Urobuchi: Well, of course!

Shinbo: You can put endless amounts of effort into a project if you want to. Unless you focus on how to finish it, you’ll never be done. That’s where the director’s judgment comes in. If the director doesn’t aim to finish, a theatrical production won’t reach completion. Just wanting to make something good won’t end it; it will drag on indefinitely. Miyamoto-san, the director, has a great sense of balance in this area, which is why I trust him so much. He can assess how much quality can be achieved
within a certain timeframe or when the schedule allows for pushing the quality a bit further.

Iwakami: And the final result wasn’t something that felt rushed either.

Kubota: I can’t take much credit (laughs), but thanks to Miyamoto-san and the entire main staff, everyone worked together really well.

Shinbo: Naito-san, who handled the art, really did a lot this time. This is a bit off-topic, but there’s currently a shortage of art staff in the industry.

Kubota: That’s true. Collecting art staff for both TV series and films is quite difficult right now.

'''What’s causing the shortage?'''

Kubota: I think it’s due to the increasing demand for detail in animation backgrounds. Even in TV series, high-density backgrounds are now expected, and the requirements become even higher for theatrical releases. As the demands rise, the workload increases. On top of that, the larger image size for films makes the work even harder. This time, I think Naito-san and his team had a really tough time. When the background art is delayed, it prevents us from seeing the film’s completed form, which in turn delays the process of reviewing the final product. In that sense, we were very fortunate to have the sound team, led by Tsurumaki-san, cooperate with us.

Shinbo: Absolutely.

Kubota: The post-production team was also very patient, waiting until the last possible moment to help us out.

'''Regarding character portrayal, were there any intentional changes in ''Rebellion'' compared to previous works in ''Madoka☆Magica''?'''

Shinbo: Not at all.

'''Does that apply to the cast’s performances as well?'''

Shinbo: Yes. I didn’t want them to change...or rather, the characters were already solidified in their minds, so there wasn’t anything I felt I needed to ask of them.

Urobuchi: If I had to point out one thing, it’d be Sayaka in “sage mode” during her confrontation with Homura.

Shinbo: True, in that scene, we asked for a performance where Sayaka wouldn’t lose out to Homura.

Iwakami: When it comes to adaptations of original works, we sometimes ask the cast to get closer to the character’s image. But with an original work like ''Madoka☆Magica'', the actors’ voices become an integral part of the characters themselves.

Shinbo: Exactly. When that happens, the fans accept any performance, thinking, “This is how the character is now”. Even if it’s different from before, the genuine performance convinces them that it’s authentic.

'''Aoki-san, did you get the chance to meet the cast?'''

Iwakami: Perhaps not much during ''Madoka☆Magica'', but many of them are also in ''Hidamari Sketch''. You’ve probably met them through that, right?

Aoki: Yes, I didn’t get to attend many of the recording sessions for ''Madoka'', but I did meet them at ''Hidamari''-related events or after-party venues. I distinctly remember hearing from Yuuki-san early on during the TV series recording that she had just entered university.

'''It’s surprising that Nagisa and Yuno have the same voice actor…'''

Aoki: I never expected that (laughs).

Shinbo: We’ve been asking Asumi-san to do a lot of work recently. She’s in ''Nisekoi'', and she’ll be in ''Mekakucity Actors'' as well.

'''It sounds like a very challenging production process, but when did you start feeling confident about the project?'''

Iwakami: To be honest, from the script stage, I thought it was interesting and had potential. But as the project developed and the amount of information in the animation increased, I became worried. I thought we were making an incredible anime, but I was unsure if many people would accept it. In the end, it was well-received, and the theaters were packed. Looking back, I feel that we aimed really high, and it moved me to realize that there was an audience who appreciated what we created.

Shinbo: Normally, you wouldn’t expect people to want to watch a film twice. Most would see it once, and if they didn’t get it, they’d just move on.

Iwakami: It’s unusual for a film to break those expectations. I’m deeply grateful to the audience.

'''Did you feel that the project was a challenge as a producer?'''

Iwakami: I believe it was more of a challenge for SHAFT and the animation staff than for me. This film wasn’t just about spectacle; it pushed boundaries in visuals, storytelling, and character depth. It’s rare to see a movie with such density in all directions.

'''Urobuchi-san, when did you feel confident about the film?'''

Urobuchi: When I received the storyboards. The stack of boards was thick like a grudge letter, and I thought, “Are you serious?” (laughs). But I knew if we could pull it off, it would be something extraordinary—and in the end, it really came together, which left me overwhelmed.

'''What about you, President Kubota?'''

Kubota: When we finished, I felt that we had given everything we had, and the staff had truly done their best. But like Iwakami-san, I started to wonder, “Did we go too far? Was it okay to go this far? Can this be enjoyed as entertainment?” When it was completed, I couldn’t tell anymore, and I was quite anxious. Not so much confused, but rather concerned that the audience might be put off by it. After the first screenings and hearing the reactions from people seeing it for the first time, I thought, “Maybe it’ll be appreciated, even if I’m not sure it’ll be a big hit”. But even then, I still wasn’t fully confident.

'''How about you, Director Shinbo?'''

Shinbo: I felt confident when we completed the transformation scene. We aimed to create a transformation scene unlike any other, and with the combination of the animation and the visuals, I felt like we’d made something new. That’s when I thought, “This will work”.

Iwakami: You could watch that transformation scene over and over.

Shinbo: It became a surreal scene that doesn’t even feel like a traditional transformation.

Kubota: I was nervous about it until the dubbing was finished. The scene was long, and the visuals were unlike anything we’d done before.

Shinbo: The music was great too. Kajiura-san’s work really elevated that scene. It felt like we finally achieved something we had always wanted to do. That alone gave the film its value. I had a sense of accomplishment as a fan. I never expected the film to have such a wide appeal, so I’m really grateful for its success.

'''How about you, Aoki-san?'''

Aoki: Like Urobuchi-san, I was already impressed by the storyboards. But at the same time, I kept thinking, “What’s going to happen with this?” So in terms of feeling confident, it was when I received the finished film on a disc and watched it. I thought, “What the heck is this!?” but at the same time, I knew we had made something incredible. However, even then, I was still worried. Since I had already read the script, I could follow along, but I wondered how people who hadn’t read it would take it. With so much going on in the story, I was concerned about how it would be received. Like Iwakami-san, I only felt reassured after seeing the fans' reactions.

'''Considering how dense the movie is, did you have to be very careful with how you promoted it?'''

Iwakami: Since ''Madoka☆Magica'''s story is so crucial, we wanted to approach the movie’s promotion with the same unpredictability we used for the TV series. While it’s a proper sequel, we also wanted it to be an enjoyable surprise.

Shinbo: I think Iwakami-san made the call on how much to reveal and which scenes to show in the promotional material.

Iwakami: It was actually Kubota-san’s idea to reveal Nagisa early. In many TV anime films, you often see a new enemy character introduced as a guest, and the story revolves around defeating them. We used that pattern to create a bit of a misdirection. Since there aren’t many new characters in that position, I think it worked as an interesting marketing approach.

'''People quickly started speculating that Nagisa had a connection to the Dessert Witch, which was pretty interesting.'''

Kubota: There were rumors. It’s amazing how quickly people figure things out.

'''''Madoka☆Magica'' fans seem to have particularly sharp instincts. The footage revealed on Mezamashi TV also generated a lot of buzz. Was that your decision as well, Iwakami-san?'''

Iwakami: I discussed it with Kubota-san and Shinbo-san before deciding.

Kubota: It wasn’t like we had that many options (laughs). It was more about choosing from what was already done.

Iwakami: That’s true too (laughs).

'''I remember the shot of Homura pointing the gun at her head generated an incredible amount of buzz.'''

Kubota: That was actually released early by coincidence (laughs).

Iwakami: But that shot really stood out. From the moment the storyboards came out, Shinbo-san was saying, “That’s a great scene, right?” It’s an impactful, great shot that also serves as a misdirection.

Aoki: Speaking of that scene, I was curious if it was intentional. Before the movie was released, there were interviews with the voice actors in various media, and someone mentioned something like, “There may be some mixed reactions”. That comment stirred up the audience’s expectations and, in the end, worked out positively.

Urobuchi: Yeah, it felt like we were preparing the audience.

Iwakami: We didn’t correct it because we thought, “Well, that’s fair”, but there wasn’t any calculation behind it (laughs). Shinbo-san, didn’t you say something even more intense?

Shinbo: I said, “Please watch with a strong heart” (laughs).

Iwakami: That’s right (laughs).

Urobuchi: But as creators, that’s just naturally how we feel.

Iwakami: Exactly. While we didn’t want any spoilers about the plot, we also weren’t trying to guide the audience's impressions about what kind of movie it was.

'''Although the information was tightly controlled before the release, the TV spots that aired right after included some pretty crucial scenes.'''

Iwakami: Now that I can talk about it, those spots actually aired a bit earlier than planned (laughs). The version with Kalafina’s song was supposed to air a week later, but due to various circumstances, it ended up airing sooner.

Urobuchi: But for people who haven’t seen the movie, those scenes wouldn’t make any sense. If you’ve watched it, you know they’re pivotal moments, but for others, it’s just a series of completely baffling shots.

Kubota: Speaking of releasing information, the idea to attach a teaser to the recap films was Iwakami-san’s idea. I think it worked really well.

Iwakami: I asked Shaft’s team to help out, even though it was a tough ask.

Kubota: The storyboards for the new film had just been completed, and we were about to begin the animation process. At that point, there weren’t any finished art boards. So, with Shinbo-san, Miyamoto-san, and Gekidan Inu Curry’s vision, we created a few early cuts specifically for the teaser. Shinbo-san even added some shots that didn’t appear in the final film. It turned out to be a great teaser that raised expectations.

Iwakami: I was really pleased with that. Kajiura-san even wrote a melody just for the teaser, which later became part of the main score.

'''Did any of you go to the theater to watch the film?'''

Aoki: I went once, early in the morning on a weekday.

Shinbo: I went once, because someone invited me.

Kubota: I went three times.

Shinbo: Why so many!?

Kubota: I went back to collect the film strip giveaways (laughs). The first time I went during the giveaway period, I got a background-only frame, and it made me so sad that I went again for a rematch with the staff.

'''Were you able to achieve your "revenge" with the film strips?'''

Kubota: Yes, the second time I went, I got a transformation shot of Madoka.

Aoki: Wow!

Kubota: I might have taken that chance away from some fans (laughs).

Urobuchi: I only saw the movie at a private screening. After hearing Kubota-san’s story, I didn’t want to go to the theater and take the giveaways from the fans. I felt a bit guilty about that.

Shinbo: Couldn’t you have just returned it?

Urobuchi: I didn’t want to be seen as the boring guy who gives it back (laughs). Plus, it feels awkward to admit you're part of the production staff while watching.

'''How was the theater experience for you, President?'''

Kubota: I went to the first screening on the release day, so I could feel the atmosphere and enjoy the audience’s reactions. For the second and third times, I went to a late-night screening at a local theater, and it was still half-full, so it didn’t feel lonely at all (laughs). Watching something I helped create on the big screen was such a pure joy. It’s rare to have something you’ve worked on shown on a big screen, so that experience alone made me feel incredibly fortunate. I felt that not only for myself, but also for the staff who got to see their work in such a format.

Aoki: The music in theaters is entirely different, too.

Kubota: Definitely! The sound quality and immersion are on another level.

Aoki: Watching it with the surround sound in a theater really pulls you into the world in a way that just doesn’t happen with the discs at home. I hope people who only saw it on Blu-ray get the chance to experience it in theaters.

Iwakami: A revival screening might be a good idea.

'''How did you feel watching it in theaters, Iwakami-san?'''

Iwakami: Like I mentioned earlier, I was worried about how the audience would react. As soon as it ended, I found myself looking around nervously (laughs). With a film like this, you can’t expect 100 people out of 100 people to have the same reaction, so the audience's response was a bit mixed. It took me a while to settle down afterward.

'''Urobuchi-san, did you hear any feedback from your friends?'''

Urobuchi: I was happy to get positive reactions from my friends. They all seemed to enjoy the unexpected twists, especially since they thought it would just end with Homura ascending, only to be surprised by the continuation. Although I had warned them that there would be mixed reactions, they didn’t seem too shocked by it in the end. In a good way, they accepted it like, “Well, that’s just what Homura would do”. I was relieved that they received it that way.

Shinbo: I’ve said this in other interviews, but in the previous work, it was a mistake for Madoka to make sure only Homura remembered her (laughs). The whole premise of the new film starts because of that decision. Even Madoka’s parents don’t remember her, but she wanted Homura to, which was her mistake.

Aoki: Oh! That makes sense!

Urobuchi: Yeah, Madoka probably still had some lingering attachment to this world. So, in a way, she wasn’t just a passive sacrifice. Homura didn’t completely deny Madoka’s wish either.

'''That means Homura wasn’t left completely alone—there was still a connection.'''

Shinbo: Madoka had some lingering attachments too, and that’s reflected in the creators' intentions as well.

Urobuchi: When Shinbo-san mentioned this to me, it really struck me. At the end of the previous work, Madoka became something beyond human, and it could have been a happy ending. But for a middle school girl, carrying the burden of becoming something more than human is way too heavy. She’s still a child, so it’s only natural for her to have doubts and lingering attachments. That thought process led us to continue the story.

Shinbo: I still think it was the right and beautiful ending for only Homura to remember her.

Urobuchi: If Madoka had just happily disappeared at the end, it might have made you wonder, “Did she secretly dislike humans?” (laughs).

Shinbo: But that’s not the case at all. In that sense, the new movie felt like an essential story. It wasn’t just a forced sequel. We were able to balance a meaningful continuation of the story with giving all the characters who had been developed in the TV series and recap movies their moments to shine. I think we were able to meet the fans’ expectations.

Iwakami: It’s amazing that we could incorporate both a proper sequel and showcase the characters’ development.

Aoki: It’s impressive to see that such balance is even possible!

'''The world that Homura created through her wish manages to balance both aspects. The depiction of a closed-off world that no one notices or can escape from was striking.'''

Shinbo: In the world of film, not just anime, this type of portrayal has been around for quite some time.

Urobuchi: Yes, it's a recognized genre, where someone becomes trapped in a fictional world. In the realm of ''bishoujo'' games, this concept is even more common. Games like ''Fate/hollow ataraxia'', for example. It's a common trope in fan discs for games, so I never felt like I was doing something particularly radical.

Iwakami: Connecting that to something Shinbo-san said earlier, it was interesting to hear, "If Homura had just gone to the Law of Cycles, that would have been the true bad ending".

Shinbo: If Homura had been guided to the Law of Cycles, Kyubey would simply continue doing the same thing. Eventually, the Law of Cycles would be uncovered. Someone has to keep resisting, but if Homura left, there would be no one left to resist. After that, Kyubey could freely experiment with other magical girls, and this time, he might truly capture the Law of Cycles. That would indeed be the bad ending. The story of ''Rebellion'' is structured that way.

Iwakami: Homura is acting purely out of love for Madoka, but in the end, she also ends up saving magical girls all over the world, right?

Shinbo: Exactly, so in a way, Homura is affirming what Madoka did. She takes on the mission of ensuring that Kyubey is stopped at all costs.

Urobuchi: Indeed.

Iwakami: A world where Kyubey has observed the Law of Cycles and figured out how to control soul gems, without Homura to stop him, is terrifying (laughs).

Shinbo: Right? That's why Homura had no choice but to act the way she did.

'''Homura's line, "It's love", also caused a strong reaction, but thinking about it that way, it feels even deeper, doesn't it?.'''

Urobuchi: Well, you see, the reason I brought up the word "love" was because I was kind of thinking, "When it comes to a power that can defeat even aliens, nothing else fits, right?" (laughs).

Shinbo: However, one thing I want to mention is that, in my opinion, that love feels like it might be "fraternal love" (philia).

'''Broader than romantic love.'''

Urobuchi: Romantic love, even when it gets all complicated, stops at Sayaka-chan's level (laughs).

Shinbo: (laughs). That's why I see it as fraternal love, not romantic love (eros). I think that what Homura directs towards Madoka is a broader kind of love.

'''THE NEXT WORK BY ''MAGICA QUARTET'''''

'''Finally, is there anything you'd like to explore in ''Puella Magi Madoka Magica'' in the future?'''

Shinbo: I want to animate Adult Mami (Ara-sā Mami-san), but some of the staff are strongly against it (laughs).

Aoki: Hmm, I want to take better care of Mami-san (laughs). I often find myself daydreaming about ''Madoka Magica'', especially about what happens after ''Rebellion''. It’s hard not to think about it.

Shinbo: Then please go ahead and draw ''Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Origin'' (laughs).

Urobuchi: You can change the original as much as you want. Like how Yoshikazu Yasuhiko reinterpreted ''Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin'', which is a completely different work (laughs).

Aoki: No way! (laughs).

'''And how about you, President? Anything you'd like to explore in the future?'''

Kubota: I'd love to make a sequel (laughs). That's the usual answer, but we really felt something special after making ''Rebellion''. Right after finishing a project, everyone tends to feel, "That's enough for now", but after some time, the main staff starts to feel like, "We want to create more". I sense that everyone feels like continuing.

Shinbo: Especially since everyone’s gotten used to the style. I’m sure the animators in particular want to keep going.

'''Iwakami-san, what would you like to try next?'''

Iwakami: I truly believe ''Rebellion'' was a miracle. To create something following the huge success of the TV series and to have it reach that level of completion, while also being well-received by fans, is nothing short of a miracle. Of course, we have thoughts like, "Wouldn't it be cool if we could do this next?" If everyone here at ''Magica Quartet'' comes up with something we all agree is special, I'd love to work on the next project. But this isn't the type of series where we ''have'' to keep making sequels for commercial reasons. We won't make a sequel unless it has a real purpose, so for now, I'm fine with waiting for something truly good to emerge.

Shinbo: I think it would be fun if this became Urobuchi-san's life work, like Tezuka's ''Phoenix''.

Urobuchi: But honestly, I'd like to see a ''Madoka'' that has gone beyond my own influence. I think that would expand the scope of the series. For a long time now, I've wanted to see a side-scrolling bullet-hell game with Kajiura-san handling the music and Inu Curry overseeing the art and direction. If someone could make that happen (laughs). You'd shoot down weird witches and familiars at crazy speeds with bizarre weapons, and they’d disappear off-screen at just as crazy a pace (laughs).

Aoki: That sounds like a nightmare to hit anything (laughs).

Urobuchi: It would definitely be something distinctive and absolutely fun.

Iwakami: I seriously want to make that (laughs).

Shinbo: That sounds like fun.

'''Aside from sequels, what about creating a completely different work with the members of ''Magica Quartet''?'''

Urobuchi: If we all made something, I feel like it would inevitably turn out to have a ''Madoka''-esque feel, no matter the project. We fit together too well, in a sense.

Shinbo: But I'd like to try something completely different for a change.

Urobuchi: We’d need some specific condition or technique to make sure it steps away from ''Madoka''. Maybe have a story with only male characters, for instance.

Iwakami: Aoki-san, do you find drawing handsome boys fun, or do you prefer drawing cute girls?

Aoki: Well, in the manga I’m currently working on, the majority of readers are male, so when I draw boys, I’m very conscious about not making them into "pretty boys". I avoid making them like boys from ''shoujo'' manga and instead aim for characters that feel more approachable, more down-to-earth.

Iwakami: I understand that balance.

Aoki: So if someone told me to draw a "pretty boy", I’d have to switch my mindset completely, and I think it would be a refreshing challenge. I’m curious to see how the art would turn out since it’s not something I’ve done often—only briefly when I was younger.

Iwakami: It sounds like creating a character targeted at female audiences might bring out a new side to your work.

Shinbo: I'd love to try making something aimed at women at least once. It’d be like a learning experience, or something to challenge and conquer—after all, even ''Gintama'' is a hit (laughs).

Urobuchi: I know some women who, after watching ''Koimonogatari'', were screaming, "Kaiki!" (laughs).

Shinbo: Really? I love Kaiki too. He’s one of my favorites.

Aoki: He’s so cool.

'''So, maybe one day ''Magica Quartet'' will make something for female audiences... That's a nice note to end on.'''

===Yukihiro Miyamoto===

'''How did you feel about the process from the initial stages to completing the storyboards for the new installment?'''

The TV anime commercials and the theatrical anime commercials somehow feel different, don’t they? Even though they’re both 15 seconds long, the atmosphere is distinct—it’s like, “Ah, this isn’t TV; it’s a film.” I think it’s not just the difference in quality between TV and theater, but there’s something unique about the way a theatrical
production is made, or the ambiance it carries. For ''Madoka☆Magica'', I wanted the commercials to convey that “theater-exclusive” feel just by watching them. I even watched a variety of other theatrical anime for reference and studied them. But in the end, I couldn’t quite figure out what makes something “theatrical” (laughs).

'''Still, the commercials for the new installment conveyed the atmosphere of a theatrical production quite strongly, don’t you think?'''

I’m glad to hear that. When I watched the commercial footage, my concerns were about something completely different. Things like, “This footage is unfinished, is it okay to use it?” or “Won’t showing this part now be a spoiler?” (laughs).

'''In theatrical releases, high-quality visuals are a key focus. What about that aspect?'''

Director Shinbo said he wanted the visuals to feel like a film, but he also wanted to maintain the essence of ''Madoka☆Magica''. So, while aiming for something cinematic in terms of visual design, we approached the directing and overall atmosphere as an extension of the TV series. I personally think that was the right choice.

'''It seems your work truly began in earnest after the final version of the script was completed. How was the process of creating the storyboards?'''

Sasaki-san poured a lot of effort into them, and I felt no anxiety at all because I trusted him completely. Sasaki-san works quite fast, but even so, the sheer volume of work was immense, so he devoted a significant amount of time to it.

'''The number of cuts exceeded 2,200.'''

It was a lot, for sure. Considering this as an extension of the TV series, that kind of volume was expected, but for Sasaki-san to handle all that on his own is genuinely amazing. On top of that, the content was dense. Especially the battle scenes between Homura and Mami—Sasaki packed so many ideas into those that when I saw them, I thought,
“Whoa!” To be honest, though, my initial reaction was, “This is impossible. If we’re doing this, it won’t be finished until 2020” (laughs).

'''UTILIZING GEKIDAN INU CURRY'S DESIGNS'''

'''What was your impression of the boards and designs created by Gekidan Inu Curry?'''

They were excellent, of course, and my first reaction was, “This is amazing.” But at the same time, I also thought, “So… who’s going to turn this into actual footage?” (laughs).

'''For example, the fact that the Nightmare was a live-action puppet seemed like a very unique expression.'''

It was Doroinu-san from Inu Curry who said, “I want it to be a stuffed doll,” and I responded, “Well, then we’ll have to make it.” So, we requested a company specializing in that kind of thing. However, I was worried about whether we’d have enough time to go as far as animating the live-action footage. The part supervised by Yuya Geshi-san was drawn so well that even if we couldn’t replace it with live-action, the Nightmare could stand on its own as an animated sequence. Ultimately, we managed to complete the live-action work in time, so that was a relief.

'''The tea party scene where the Nightmare is purified also left a strong impression.'''

That scene wasn’t in the script; it was an original creation by Inu Curry. The idea was that purifying the Nightmare by satisfying it with food would feel more magical-girl-like. It reflects the concept that magical girl battles aren’t about defeating the enemy but about pacifying them and bringing them to the negotiation table.

'''Could you share your thoughts on the new characters Nagisa Momoe and Bebe?'''

Doroinu-san said, “Nagisa is Aoki-sensei’s character, but Bebe is mine!” (laughs). I think the idea was not to alter Nagisa too much but to handle Bebe as a character designed by Inu Curry, especially since Bebe is a witch they created. Doroinu mentioned imagining Bebe as a “silly dog” (laughs). Although Bebe had normal lines in the script, he changed that and wrote all the mysterious language himself. So, Bebe’s lines weren’t ad-libbed—they were all part of the script.

'''The scene where letters come out of Bebe’s mouth was quite amusing. It felt reminiscent of ''Maria†Holic'', another Shaft anime.'''

It’s possible that Inu Curry had those past works in mind, but I couldn’t say for sure without asking them directly. The letters that come out of Bebe’s mouth were created by producing all 50 kana characters and digitizing them. That way, they could respond to anything Bebe “said.”

'''The Witch's Runes also appeared everywhere in the new installment.'''

We created a font for the Witch's Runes starting with the new installment. Until then, it seems they were painstakingly cut and pasted by hand (laughs). It made things much easier, and I think that’s why we were able to incorporate a lot more of them.

'''The ideas from Inu Curry seem unique. Was it difficult for you, as someone who had to organize them?'''

I worked through it by trying to understand their vision in my own way and thinking, "Maybe it’s like this," as I progressed. Whether that was the correct interpretation for Inu Curry, I can’t say, but I would at least present them with my take, saying, "This is how I saw it," and they would adjust things on their end. It was certainly challenging, but on the flip side, without Inu Curry’s input, some scenes might have turned out so ordinary that they’d lack anything interesting visually. That was something I found scary as well.

'''A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF WORK LEADING TO COMPLETION'''

'''You served as series director for the TV series, but for the theatrical version, you were the director. Did you notice any differences in your role?'''

I feel like the only real difference was the title; the work itself was similar. That said, with the TV series spanning 12 episodes, the sheer volume of material was overwhelming. Compared to that, the theatrical version had about 2,200 cuts, so I wonder if it might’ve been easier in some ways (laughs).

'''This time, you were credited not only as the director but also for direction.'''

The film as a whole was divided into five parts, from A to E. Initially, I thought each part would have its own director, and I would only need to oversee their work. However, it turned out that “this person is busy now” and “that person’s schedule is full,” which made me realize we were short on staff (laughs). There was no way I could handle everything alone, so Takashi Kawabata-san shared the workload. For the parts I assigned to him, I could completely trust his work, which was a big help.

'''The runtime for the new installment is two hours. Was it challenging to fit everything within that timeframe?'''

Sasaki-san created the storyboards to fit precisely within two hours. This didn’t include the opening and ending sequences, so it ended up slightly over, but I thought, “We’ll manage somehow.” However, Inu Curry then added even more content (laughs). In fact, the tea party purification ritual for the Nightmare was considered as a potential cut.

'''Were there any scenes that were completely removed?'''

I don’t think any scenes were entirely cut. Instead, we trimmed or condensed things here and there, and in the end, it was about 1 hour and 58 minutes. There was even a sense of, “Maybe we could still fit in two more minutes.”

'''SATISFYING VIEWERS WITH THE SHEER AMOUNT OF INFORMATION'''

'''When did you feel that the project was finally complete?'''

When we submitted the final delivery, I felt a sense of both completion and relief.

'''How did you feel about the reactions from fans who saw the film?'''

I was nervous. I wondered if we had achieved a level of quality that would satisfy viewers. When I first read the script and storyboards, I found them interesting, so I worked to retain that impression throughout production. But I was still worried about whether that sense of “interesting” was properly conveyed. Of course, we did everything we could, but having seen it so many times, I’d grown accustomed to it and lost some objectivity, which made me anxious.

'''But once it was released, it was a huge hit.'''

It was amazing that everyone understood and accepted the content. I think that’s incredible.

'''Some people watched it multiple times to analyze and interpret it.'''

That’s something I’m very grateful for. At the same time, it’s a bit scary, as if they’ll see through every little flaw (laughs). As one of the creators, I watched it repeatedly myself, but even then, I think it was about 500 times—not the entire film, but individual cuts played on repeat. Some fans mentioned watching it ten times, and I’ve met people who noticed details I wasn’t even aware of. Sometimes, certain things just happened to look meaningful when they weren’t intended to be. I felt a bit bad for ruining the illusion (laughs).

'''I think that's why this work is so worth considering and interpreting.'''

Thanks to Inu Curry and everyone else, a lot of elements were packed in. Even without me doing much, the sheer amount of information just kept increasing, which made things a lot easier for me (laughs). When the film was completed, I found myself focusing on the flaws and shortcomings, wondering, “Is this really okay at this level?” But Sakai
(Motoi)-san, who handled the visual effects, reassured me, saying, “It’ll be fine. The sheer volume of information will overwhelm viewers to the point they won’t even notice
any flaws.” That made me realize, "Ah, so overwhelming them with information is a valid approach" (laughs). Additionally, unlike TV recordings, you can’t pause or rewind a movie in the theater, which, in a way, works to its advantage. As the visuals keep progressing rapidly, new information is presented one after another, drawing the audience into the film while overwhelming them with the sheer density of it.

'''Fans are curious about the ending. The moon is split in half—what’s the meaning behind that?'''

That idea came from Inu Curry. It’s not a crescent moon but a depiction of it being physically cut in half. Of course, it doesn’t mean the actual moon is like that—it’s more of a symbolic image.

'''Kyubey’s clouded eyes also left an impression. What’s the story there?'''

We’ve deliberately left several mysteries like that. Most of them were probably the work of Inu Curry. As for Kyubey’s state in the final scene, that was already depicted that way in the storyboards. However, I believe the scenes after the ending theme were primarily expanded and added by Inu Curry. Once again, thanks to the additions and embellishments made by Inu Curry and everyone else, the film has received such positive acclaim. For my part, I feel a bit like “Heh, it all worked out nicely.” Even though I just rode the wave of everyone’s efforts, we were able to create something that fans are satisfied with, and I consider myself very lucky for that.

===Shinsaku Sasaki===

'''INVOLVEMENT WITH ''MADOKA☆MAGICA'' SINCE THE TV SERIES'''

'''Sasaki-san, you’ve been involved with ''Madoka☆Magica'' since the TV series.'''

I was invited to participate by Iwaki (Tadao)-san, who was the animation producer of the TV series. Until then, I had never worked with Studio Shaft, but I was, of course, aware of them as a studio that created unique visuals. However, I felt that their approach to animation and their philosophy were somewhat different from my own, and I never imagined I’d have the opportunity to work with them. By chance, I was invited, and when I read the plot and script, I found them incredibly interesting. I remember thinking, "Am I really allowed to participate in such a project?"

'''What were your impressions when you read Urobuchi-san's script?'''

Honestly, and I say this with all due respect, I initially misunderstood and thought, “A brilliant new writer has emerged!” At the time, I wasn’t aware of Urobuchi-san’s established reputation in the gaming industry or that he had already written several anime scripts. His script differed slightly from the screenwriting conventions I was familiar with, but I found it personally easy to translate into storyboards. The scripts clearly conveyed the necessary visuals, and I was deeply impressed by the strong dramatic world that existed within Urobuchi-san’s mind.

'''What were your impressions and experiences while storyboarding the TV series?'''

This relates more to Studio Shaft’s style than to ''Madoka☆Magica'', but I had the impression that Shaft had a production style where they invested heavily in certain parts
of the animation while simplifying others to streamline production. However, with ''Madoka☆Magica'', I found it difficult to gauge the volume of the action scenes. For the first storyboard I worked on (Episode 4), I drew the action scenes rather simply, attaching a note saying, "Feel free to make adjustments if it doesn’t match the intended
image." When the final animation was completed, I was surprised by the sheer number of cuts it had. The production team seemed to be very engaged, and the staff appeared to tackle each episode with enthusiasm. It was a wonder how the team managed to maintain this level of intensity throughout the production, but I think ''Madoka☆Magica'' came together exceptionally well.

'''REGARDING GEN UROBUCHI'S SCRIPT AND GEKIDAN INU CURRY'S DESIGNS'''

'''After working on the two-part movie, you also handled storyboards for the new chapter (''Rebellion'').

When I first read the script for ''Rebellion'', I found it incredibly challenging. I thought it must have been immensely difficult for Urobuchi-san to come up with a continuation to a story that had already concluded so perfectly. Reading the script, I felt a sense of responsibility to take on the confusion and challenges of creating something entirely new. It seemed like a daunting task. Another thing I noticed was that the writing style had changed. In the TV series, the descriptive detail in the
scripts increased as the story approached its climax, but in ''Rebellion'', the descriptions became much simpler. This meant I had to consider the scenes and situations more thoroughly myself, but that wasn’t particularly unusual for a Shaft production. I imagine that, having already experienced Shaft’s approach to visuals in the TV series, Urobuchi-san might have thought, "I’ll leave this up to Shaft; they’ll take care of it."

'''What considerations went into translating the script into storyboards?'''

Initially, I wondered if I should create something uniquely suited for a theatrical release. However, as I worked on it, I realized that approach didn’t suit ''Madoka☆Magica'' and made the storyboarding process difficult. I quickly gave up on that idea and shifted to storyboarding as an extension of the TV series, which made the work much smoother.

'''Did you collaborate with Gekidan Inu Curry while storyboarding?'''

By the time I began storyboarding, Gekidan Inu Curry had already created a substantial amount of settings. I thought, "With this much material, I won’t have any issues while
storyboarding." However, as I progressed, I found myself wanting even more. While their script was excellent, there were moments when my storyboard work and their design work overlapped, and we couldn’t fully coordinate due to time constraints. As a result, there were elements I couldn’t utilize in my storyboards, but they later enhanced those with their own work.

'''What initial settings from Gekidan Inu Curry were there?'''

I believe the café scene with Homura and Kyoko was present from the start. The flying ship and the children of the fake city also appeared early on. Additionally, the concept for the bus scene was available fairly early. Then came the settings for the Nightmares, in that order.

'''Were there any settings you created while progressing with the storyboards?'''

For example, the room where Mami was, Hitomi’s bedroom, and the ghost town where Homura and Mami fought were first drawn by me. Later, Gekidan Inu Curry turned them into concept art. For everyday scenes or locations not central to the story’s core, I worked on them with the idea that it would likely be acceptable to proceed with my designs. One notable example wasn’t exactly a setting but rather a recurring idea I contributed: the park overlooking the city, which appears multiple times as a key scene. Inspired by the initial key visual of the five characters standing together, I wanted to include a scene where they all watch the sunrise after the Nightmare battle.

'''BRINGING AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF STORYBOARD CUTS TO LIFE'''

''' It was surprising to many anime fans that ''Rebellion'' had over 2,200 cuts.'''

However, in Shaft’s anime productions, it’s not unusual for a single TV episode to have around 400–500 cuts. By that standard, it was inevitable that the total number of cuts would reach such a high count. It seems that your approach to the storyboards followed naturally as an extension of the TV series.

''' Let’s talk about specific scenes. How was the battle with the Nightmare at the beginning?'''

For this scene, I started storyboarding after working on the scene where Madoka wakes up in the morning. I waited for the Nightmare designs to be finalized before starting. Since most of the imagery had already been outlined, I based my storyboards on that. However, things like the Shadow Ballerina, Madoka’s entrance, and the "Not Yet" room were original additions from my side that were later incorporated.

''' The transformation scenes for the magical girls were also shaped by your storyboards, correct?'''

Yes, I hadn’t worked on scenes like that before, so I really had to push myself to come up with ideas. I drew them thinking, “Please adjust if this doesn’t match the vision.” While the flow remained largely unchanged, the final look was much more stylish and bold than I had imagined. I was also surprised that the scene, which I initially thought was too long, was extended even further (laughs).

''' The biggest action scene, the battle between Homura and Mami, was incredibly impactful. Could you share your thoughts on that?'''

The scene was fairly short in the script, but battles like this are an ideal motif to create a compelling highlight in animation, so I expanded it. After consulting with Director Miyamoto and doing a lot of research, it grew into a much larger sequence. The animators did an incredible job, and when I first saw the footage in the trailer, it exceeded the vision I had when drawing the storyboards. It made me appreciate just how amazing animation as a medium can be.

''' In contrast to the action, there were also slower dialogue-heavy parts.'''

Yes, like the scenes where Kyubey talks. To make those visually engaging, I decided early on to have multiple Kyubeys "die" to add some visual flair (laughs).

''' The climactic battle between Witch Homura and the magical girls was another highlight.'''

By that point, most of the sequences were essentially Gekidan Inu Curry’s work. Broadly speaking, I believe my storyboards formed the base up until the part where Kyubey starts speaking. Beyond that, due to the timing of when the designs were finalized, my storyboards served as a starting point, and then Director Shinbo and Gekidan Inu Curry made significant revisions.

'''TACKLING THE COMPLEX STORY OF ''REBELLION'''''

''' What was the most challenging aspect of storyboarding ''Rebellion'' for you?'''

It was figuring out how to highlight the characters’ appeal. The script made it difficult to capture and present each character clearly because it allowed for multiple interpretations depending on how you approached it. I worked with Director Shinbo and Director Miyamoto to ensure that the characters’ appeal would come through clearly and understandably. I did my best to interpret and execute the script, but looking back, I think there were other ways to approach it. I regret not thinking of them at the time.

''' Was Homura the most challenging character to interpret?'''

Yes, definitely. There was a concern that Homura’s emotions might not come across clearly, so I worked hard to ensure her feelings were conveyed in every scene. I wanted to preserve her charm while making her relatable to the audience. For the scene where Homura becomes a demon, I initially portrayed her in a slightly more negative light. My storyboards depicted her descending into madness and making the wrong choices, which led to her transformation into a demon. It wasn’t about condemning her actions entirely, but I interpreted ''Rebellion'' as a story about a girl spiraling into failure and ruin, so that’s how I drew it. However, that part was revised in the final animation. If my version had been kept, the audience might have left the theater feeling even more despair (laughs). In hindsight, I’m glad the revisions were made because
they helped shape the final product into what it is now.

'''Looking back, how do you feel about your work on ''Rebellion''?'''

I felt from the start that ''Rebellion'' was the kind of project where there was no single “correct” approach to the storyboards. It’s hard to say whether I succeeded, but I do feel like I gave it everything I had.

===Junichiro Taniguchi and Hiroki Yamamura===

'''THREE YEARS SUPPORTED BY THE HUGE RESPONSE TO ''MADOKA☆MAGICA'''''

'''Could you tell us your impressions and thoughts about ''Puella Magi Madoka☆Magica'' as a work?'''

Taniguchi: Looking back, it feels like a strange connection. Initially, I thought I'd just help out a little, but before I knew it, it turned into a project I was involved with for three years. Now, I can't imagine my life without it. As for the movies, during the ''Beginnings'' and ''Eternal'' compilation films, I was busy with another project and couldn’t be deeply involved, which was a bit disappointing. But for the new chapter (''Rebellion''), I was able to really give it my all, and I’m just glad it’s completed successfully.

Yamamura: In my case, when the TV series aired, I was just an ordinary viewer watching it. I cried, thinking, "What a great show...!" (laughs). So, my first involvement came with the compilation films, where I served as chief animation director. The transformation scene corrections I worked on for the compilation films were the most noticeable new content, and the positive reactions from fans left a strong impression. It motivated me to keep working hard to create something great for ''Rebellion''.

''' Did the production of ''Rebellion'' feel like a continuation of the compilation films?'''

Taniguchi: It did feel like a continuation of that flow. I was first tasked with revising and reassembling character sheets drawn by Takahiro Kishida during the TV series into versions for ''Rebellion''. While doing that, we waited for the storyboards to be finalized. Before starting actual production, the team—direction, animation, finishing, and filming departments—held about five or six meetings to discuss how to approach the storyboards.

Yamamura: Each meeting lasted about six hours, and since ''Rebellion'' had up to an E part, we discussed every storyboard together. We had a significant number of meetings. Essentially, [Gekidan] Inu Curry would propose their ideas, and director Yukihiro Miyamoto would convey them to everyone to deepen mutual understanding.

Taniguchi: Whether for the TV series or the movies, the “Inu Curry space” is unpredictable until the visuals are complete. Through meetings, we tried to imagine the final visuals as much as possible. Among us animators, the recurring sentiment during discussions was, “Let’s leave this to someone skilled” (laughs). That’s how the name of Takeshi Hashimoto, who served as effects animation director, came up. Personally, I knew Hashimoto-san, so I casually mentioned at a gathering, “You might hear from SHAFT,” and invited him. Ultimately, it was formalized through the studio, but I guess I played a part in bringing him on board.

Yamamura: Wait, it was you who invited him?! I’d always wondered who brought him in—it turns out it was you (laughs). Speaking of which, during the TV series, I heard Kishida-san joined as a key animator because director Yuki Yase invited him as a friend.

Taniguchi: That doesn’t happen much in TV anime, but for long-term projects like movies, animators often bring in people they know.

'''DELIVERING QUALITY ART DESPITE A SHORT PRODUCTION PERIOD'''

'''How did the production workflow progress?'''

Taniguchi: We worked sequentially from Part A. This was based on a suggestion from animation producer Yasuhiro Okada, who wanted to avoid disorganized work and keep to a proper schedule. Starting with the harder material upfront, like revealing Homura’s new sides, was seen as a better approach than leaving it for later. However, we divided work into two sections: A-C and D-E. There was a long period where A-C was done, but D-E hadn’t started at all, which made us quite anxious (laughs).

'''Were there any parts of the storyboards that seemed particularly challenging?'''

Taniguchi: Honestly... all of it (laughs).

Yamamura: Rather than a specific difficulty, I was relieved I didn’t have to handle Homura and Mami’s gunfight scene (laughs). Even from the rough cut, it was incredibly long and action-packed. By that time, we were running out of production time, so I was worried, thinking, “I hope we finish this...”

Taniguchi: That scene took a lot of time. The animation director for that part practically lived at the studio, sleeping on the floor. When I’d come in every morning, I’d only see their legs sticking out (laughs).

'''How was the workload overall?'''

Taniguchi: I started with the intention of working steadily, but even with that mindset, I realized that sometimes hard work alone isn’t enough (laughs). I tried not to let correction work pile up and tackled everything I was asked to check that day, but even so, it felt endless. It was like, “What more can we do?” (laughs).

Yamamura: I was animation director for Part A. The team consisted of very skilled people, and Shuuya Gekisha, who handled the opening scene, did such an excellent job that I barely had to make any corrections. I was really supported by the animation team.

Taniguchi: For this production, the chief animation directors were completely divided by parts.

Yamamura: Occasionally, we had irregular requests to help out on other parts, but the basic structure was strict separation. I handled all of Part D and the start of Part E as chief animation director. The rest was managed by Taniguchi-san. I also worked as animation director for all of Part A and parts of B and C.

'''THIS TIME, IT'S AN ENTIRELY NEW PRODUCTION—DIFFERENCES FROM THE COMPILATION FILMS'''

'''Since this is a completely new production, were there any differences in the work compared to the compilation films?'''

Taniguchi: The size of the animation paper was different. Normally, TV series use A4-sized paper, but this time, it was about twice as large.

Yamamura: It was B4. Even flipping through the sheets was a hassle. I imagine it must have been tough for the in-between animators as well. The reason for using larger paper was simple: it allows for a larger projection on the big screen and better quality for Blu-ray releases. Drawing on a larger scale helps make the lines look finer and prevents the in-between lines from getting crushed.

Taniguchi: Many theatrical productions still use TV-size paper, but this time, we decided to go with large sheets. However, it was challenging to keep an eye on the whole sheet while drawing. Especially for close-ups of faces, it was hard to gauge if the framing was right without stepping back and checking.

Yamamura: With the larger paper, the lines could be finer, but the level of detail needed was hard to judge. For example, if there’s a close-up of an eye, overdoing the shading on the eyelid could make it look unnatural.

Taniguchi: Another difference in this production was the focus on ensuring high-quality in-between animation since it was a theatrical work. Also, we had to maintain our energy throughout the process. The production time for ''Rebellion'' was extremely short for a feature-length work—around six months. So we made a conscious effort to avoid losing momentum.

Yamamura: I aimed to stay true to the styles of Kishida-san, Ume Aoki-sensei, and Taniguchi-san while still striving to create beautiful art. Since the parts I handled had many bright and lively scenes, I wanted the characters to feel vibrant and bring joy to viewers. For instance, I hoped viewers would grow to like Hitomi more. So, I added extra details like stray strands of hair and highlights to make her look prettier and more endearing.

'''THE CHALLENGES OF DEPICTING INU CURRY'S SPACE AND DEVIL HOMURA'''

'''Are there any memorable scenes or cuts from production? For example, the tea party scene during the Nightmare purification was a big talking point.'''

Taniguchi: That “Magical Banana” scene (laughs) took a lot of time. Honestly, I thought it would be cut for runtime reasons. I didn’t expect it to turn out the way it did. When Inu Curry first explained it, I couldn’t picture it at all (laughs).

Yamamura: Even during the voice recording, the rhythm wasn’t polished like the final version. The actors sang along to a plain metronome click (laughs). That made me even more curious about how the scene would turn out. Since the characters were seated and spinning around, it was also a challenge from a drawing perspective. We spent a considerable amount of time in meetings for that scene. That’s probably why it ended up being so well-executed and entertaining. I also remember it becoming a hot topic on Twitter, with people asking, “What were they saying in that part?”

Taniguchi: When the visuals were completed, I realized, “Scenes like this surreal one are essential.” Another notable scene related to Inu Curry was the part where Witch Homura goes on a rampage. When I first saw the storyboards, I couldn’t make sense of what was happening at all.

Yamamura: I felt the same, but part of me thought, “Inu Curry will make it work somehow.” Since that scene was almost entirely within Inu Curry’s domain, we had no choice but to entrust it to them.

'''How do you collaborate with Inu Curry on scenes like these?'''

Yamamura: In terms of the process, the key animators first create rough drafts based on Inu Curry’s storyboards and designs, illustrating how they envision the movement. Inu Curry then cuts, pastes, and animates the materials accordingly. Among all the work for ''Rebellion'', we were most worried about whether Inu Curry’s work would be finished in time. While we had discussions, their workload was immense, and they were responsible for things only they could do. We couldn’t even tell if something was wrong, so all we could do was trust them completely (laughs).

'''What about the scenes after Homura transforms into a witch? How were those handled?'''

Yamamura: From that point onward, I was the chief animation director. But honestly, I’m not very good at drawing Homura. I find it difficult to capture her subtle nuances. While her emotions are clear in a way, staying true to the character design and expressing those nuances was very challenging. This part, too, involved scenes handled by Inu Curry. Since they use their unique art style for storyboards and such, our task was to incorporate that imagery while keeping the character within their established design. Striking a balance between preserving Inu Curry’s distinct nuances and staying true to the character was tough.

Taniguchi: In the scene where Madoka comes to retrieve Homura, there’s a moment where Homura smirks. In the initial storyboard from Inu Curry, her mouth was drawn far wider, almost grotesque. It was a bit too much—it would have broken the character. So, we aimed to incorporate Inu Curry’s unique atmosphere without letting the character lose her essence. When designing Devil Homura, we referred to their storyboard, but figuring out how far we could push the design was tricky. Still, for me, it was fun to draw a different version of Homura. The previous iterations of Homura were expressionless and rigid, making her difficult to portray. With this new side of her, it became easier to illustrate her emotions. Personally, I prefer drawing characters with a melancholic air rather than bubbly ones, so I enjoyed working on her.

Yamamura: Actually, I didn’t draw much of Devil Homura (laughs). Like I said, I’m not great at drawing her. Even when I worked on a piece for ''Manga Time Kirara Magica'', I struggled with her expressions. It’s a lingering regret of mine. While drawing, I couldn’t get the expressions right, and I had to ask Taniguchi-san for corrections. It finally came together with his help.

'''THE NEW CHARACTER: NAGISA MOMOE (BEBE)'''

Yamamura: I like characters like Bebe, so I had fun drawing her. Nagisa, on the other hand, was harder to grasp. Since the other characters already appeared in the TV series, I had a sense of how they should look. But with Nagisa, I still don’t fully understand her emotions or personality.

Taniguchi: I felt the same way about Nagisa. Perhaps it’s because Ume Aoki’s original concept had her looking slightly troubled, so I only drew her with that expression. Since I wasn’t familiar with her as a character, there was a sense of dissonance. My approach was to stay as faithful as possible to Aoki-san’s designs. However, I couldn’t tell if she looked consistent alongside Mami until the colors and full visuals came together. It was nerve-wracking until I saw the final result.

'''Taniguchi-san, you also drew Devil Homura and Nagisa for the cover illustration of this book. What was your approach to their portrayal?'''

Taniguchi: I wanted to try drawing an illustration of the whole group together ''plus'' Devil Homura, since that kind of composition hadn’t really been done before. I also aimed to reflect the atmosphere of the movie by avoiding simple, smiling expressions. Instead, I focused on faces imbued with a sense of melancholy.

'''A UNIQUE STUDIO ENVIRONMENT WITH HIGHLY SKILLED STAFF'''

'''We heard that for ''Rebellion'', the ''Madoka Magica'' team worked together in a single studio.'''

Taniguchi: That’s true. However, we weren’t always working together in the same space all day. My routine was to arrive at the studio around 4:30 in the morning and work until noon.

Yamamura: Occasionally, I’d bump into Taniguchi-san and say something like, “Good morning. Are you just starting? I’m heading home,” and we’d have these brief exchanges (laughs). So, we didn’t really have many stories of working together as a unified animation team. For instance, when there were questions about how to handle Bebe’s eyes, those were typically relayed through the production team. Personally, I often wanted to work until I reached a good stopping point, which sometimes meant working straight through the night until morning.

Taniguchi: I remember hearing the sound of Abe Genichiro typing away on his keyboard, or even catching him napping in the studio (laughs). Sometimes you’d suddenly hear laughter echoing in the early morning hours—it was quite amusing.

Yamamura: Abe-san always had that kind of vibe, so to me, it just felt normal (laughs).

'''Were there any memorable interactions with the other staff members?'''

Taniguchi: Honestly… I didn’t meet many people (laughs). In fact, I never even saw Koichi Kikuta, one of the main animators, at the studio. I knew where he worked, but we just never crossed paths.

Yamamura: Same here (laughs). I had an idea of which desk he used, but I didn’t feel comfortable just walking up to him while he was working, and I didn’t even know what he looked like. I’m also not the type to pay much attention to people’s faces in general, though...

Taniguchi: Speaking of Kikuta-san, he handled some key scenes, like the one where Homura and Madoka are sitting in chairs in the flower field. The part where Madoka falls off the chair and melts into a liquid-like form was his work. That scene intentionally mirrors the opening sequence of the previous movies, which was very well-received. Because of that, I was a bit nervous about how fans would feel about such a starkly different, more unsettling depiction this time. Kikuta-san also worked on the transformation scenes and did an incredible job. As for another main animator, Yuuya Shimoji, he often collaborated with Inu Curry on various scenes. For example, he worked on the opening battle with the Nightmare up until the part where Madoka wakes up. When it came to animating the Nightmare plush toys, Shimoji-san would sketch the rough drafts, and then Inu Curry would incorporate them into the final work. That must have been challenging, but Shimoji-san remained very humble throughout the process. Even though the Nightmare animations were mainly Inu Curry’s domain, Shimoji-san’s sketches were incredibly detailed and well-developed. His version of the Nightmare was fantastic, and I hope people get to see it. Since plush toys don’t allow for squash-and-stretch animations typical in anime, his intentions might not have fully come through in the final product, which is a shame. But Shimoji-san is amazing—he can draw cute characters and handle action scenes effortlessly.

'''How was Keishi Hashimoto, who participated as the effects animation director?'''

Taniguchi: Hashimoto-san worked on scenes like the one where the airship crashes.

Yamamura: Those were directly his original keyframes. He requested quick checks on his work, but there was nothing to correct, of course. The areas he added effects to turned out wonderfully, elevating the final product. For instance, he also gave input for Shimoji-san’s opening scene effects, suggesting ideas like, “If we use color tracing here, it will create an even more unique effect.” He really brought depth to the visual presentation.

Taniguchi: The scene where the bus explodes was also something only Hashimoto-san could accomplish. The flames, which I initially thought were 3D, turned out to be hand-drawn. His skill and the final result were both amazing, but what stood out most was his work process. He’s like a living encyclopedia, with a vast library of techniques and knowledge that shows his veteran expertise.

'''What were your thoughts upon watching the finished ''Rebellion'' film?'''

Taniguchi: I couldn’t really watch it objectively (laughs). The two-hour runtime went by in a flash, but I couldn’t stop wondering, “Is this cut really okay?”

Yamamura: I felt the same. I kept thinking, “Maybe we could have improved this depiction a little more.” There was also anxiety about seeing it projected on a huge screen. But the scene where all the Kyubey are lined up was pretty entertaining.

Taniguchi: Personally, I was glad that we were able to standardize Kyubey’s design this time. In the TV series, the sizes and facial expressions were inconsistent.

Yamamura: Thanks to Taniguchi-san creating new designs for this film, we achieved a balanced and consistent look for Kyubey. Of course, the original designs by Kishida-san were excellent, but the clarified settings for size and facial expressions made the production much smoother this time around.

'''Did you attend any screenings at the theater? What was the audience's reaction?'''

Taniguchi: I went once and received a film strip (laughs). As for the audience’s reaction, it seemed like many people were left in a state of shock at the ending (laughs).

Yamamura: I also attended once. I wanted to go when the film strips were being handed out, but I ended up receiving a mini illustration board instead. I also bought the pamphlet, thinking, “Wow, they really put a lot of effort into this. Fans are going to love it.” As for the audience reaction, it was similar to what Taniguchi-san described. People seemed like they wanted to say something but didn’t know what, so they silently left their seats. It felt like they couldn’t process all their thoughts.

Taniguchi: Personally, I think that ambiguous ending is fitting for this work. I can’t imagine a happy ending for ''Madoka Magica''. “What even counts as a happy ending?” (laughs).

Yamamura: “What does ‘happy’ even mean!?” is what comes to mind (laughs). At least it didn’t feel like anyone was left in misery… Well, except for the viewers (laughs). As for me, I found the ending a bit unsettling. When I first saw it, I was worried fans might suddenly burst out crying or screaming (laughs).

'''What would you like to see in the future for ''Madoka☆Magica''?'''

Taniguchi: For me, it’s Madoka’s family. I’m especially curious about her younger brother, Tatsuya. I’d like to see a story exploring that. Of course, with Madoka becoming a god, a world without her might lead to an entirely different narrative.

Yamamura: In the first part of ''Rebellion'', Saotome-sensei appeared quite a bit, and I really enjoyed drawing her. However, her role wasn’t explored as deeply as in the TV series, which I thought was a bit of a missed opportunity. I’d love to see another development involving her—whether it’s something lighthearted or even more tragic (laughs).

Taniguchi: Spin-offs like that sound intriguing. But if it’s ''Madoka☆Magica'', even a spin-off should revolve around magical girls (laughs).

===Yota Tsuruoka===

'''“Rather than doing something special, I focused on capturing the essential parts of the film.”'''

'''INTERACTION WITH GEKIDAN INU CURRY AND YUKI KAJIURA'''

'''When you read the script for ''Rebellion'', what was your plan for the sound direction?'''

The story was simple, and it was clear that no matter how it turned out, it would be a fascinating work. Therefore, I felt that my role was to ensure that the sound direction remained faithful to the core elements of the story.

'''How did your discussions progress?'''

The main staff worked together in discussions. Particularly important was our collaboration with Gekidan Inu Curry. While the storyboard provided the emotional nuances and story beats, the atmosphere of the final visuals depended heavily on Inu Curry's imagery. Without those discussions, we couldn’t compose the music effectively. Regarding the musical tone and ideas, we extracted a significant portion of the visuals-to-sound image directly from Inu Curry. We structured the overall musical placement and themes from the storyboard, gathered ideas for individual tracks from Inu Curry, and had Yuki Kajiura compose the music. This process even led to unexpected songs being included.

'''Did you make specific proposals during production?'''

As I mentioned earlier, I aimed to ensure that the film’s critical moments were solidly handled rather than attempting anything out of the ordinary. For example, there’s a scene where all the characters transform. It’s a sequence that’s very detailed and challenging to unify while maintaining unique developments for each character. Balancing those individual transformations with a cohesive flow within the film was a key judgment I had to make. There’s also the climactic scene where everyone fights together. Though this sequence diverges from the overall tone of the film, I felt it needed a quintessentially ''magical girl'' touch, complete with a special insert song. These decisions, though challenging, were deliberate for the sake of the work. Additionally, regarding Homura, there was the question of where to integrate her theme melody from the TV series. I distinctly remember requesting Kajiura-san to include it in specific scenes. For other motifs, I trusted Kajiura-san to place them appropriately. For example, the placement of “Hikari Furu” was entirely Kajiura-san’s idea and was executed beautifully.

'''MAIN CAST PERFORMANCES'''

'''It seems you emphasized Homura’s importance to Chiwa Saito.'''

In ''Rebellion'', the dynamics between Homura and Sayaka are quite complex. But as long as Homura drives the story forward effectively, I believed the audience would stay engaged.

'''Did you provide any adjustments for Saito or Kitamura’s performances?'''

Kitamura may have taken some trial and error to fully grasp the character this time. My approach was to let everyone move beyond the image of their TV series portrayals. However, with Sayaka, we deliberately needed some adjustments. Since her character shifts throughout the TV series, we had to decide which version of Sayaka to anchor in as a starting point. As for Saito’s Homura, a key point for me was the moment she takes off her glasses near the end of the first half. I considered that to be the story's emotional peak. For me, Homura’s defining moment in the TV series was the end of Episode 1, and I wanted that same essence of “Homura-ness” to shine here. If that scene with the glasses hit the mark, I felt it could serve as one of the film's dramatic climaxes. And indeed, it was executed flawlessly.

'''How were the other cast members during recording?'''

The regular cast performed seamlessly, staying true to their characters without any surprises or radical departures. For Mami and Kyoko, the actors fully understood their charm points and brought them out wonderfully. Madoka, in particular, was outstanding this time. Her innocent and cheerful personality came through naturally in the performance. Compared to the TV series, where the focus on her struggles made her feel pitiful, the film allowed Madoka’s inherent charm to shine. I think this portrayal finally conveyed why Homura would fall for Madoka (laughs).

'''ON NAGISA MOMOE AND KANA ASUMI'''

'''How was Kana Asumi chosen for the role of Nagisa Momoe?'''

We shortlisted several candidates, recorded test performances, and then shared them with the main staff. The decision emerged naturally from those discussions.

'''What kind of voice were you looking for Nagisa?'''

I was more concerned about her alter ego, Bebe. In the TV series, the witch character was voiced by Aoi Yuuki, but we didn’t expect to fully materialize that concept into a proper character back then (laughs). This time, we sought balance, avoiding extremes, to determine the right fit.

'''What was the deciding factor in choosing Kana Asumi?'''

It was that her voice naturally aligned with everyone’s shared vision. As someone who could embody both Nagisa and Bebe, she felt like a choice that everyone could agree upon. Considering the process that led to this decision, it felt like a casting that was not only fitting but inevitable.

'''How was Kana Asumi’s performance?'''

Regarding Bebe, I approached the role without any fixed preconceptions or detailed imagery. So in a way, I came to understand the character through Asumi’s performance, thinking, “Ah, so this is what the character is like” (laughs). It felt very natural. She did an excellent job—Bebe is just so adorable.

'''HOMURA'S PERFORMANCE IN THE FINAL SCENE'''

'''The re-recording of Homura’s final scene garnered attention. Could you tell us about that?'''

After the initial recording, everyone involved was profoundly impacted. Comments like, “Saito-san is incredible,” echoed throughout. It was clear that her performance was ''the'' definitive interpretation for that scene and the film as a whole. However, this led to a concern: despite being a part of ''Rebellion'', the scene felt so conclusive it almost gave the impression of being the "final chapter." Because of this, we decided to re-record the take, using the initial one as a base but exploring a different nuance. That scene was undoubtedly a grand slam—a moment where Saito-san fully embodied Homura. She delivered a performance that I believe set a new benchmark for the character.

'''Why do you think Saito achieved such a standout performance?'''

I’d say it was her natural instinct. It wasn’t calculated; Saito-san ''is'' Homura. She wasn’t “trying to act as Homura”—she ''was'' Homura. That said, this wasn’t a performance she could’ve pulled off without years of building up the character. At a certain point, it’s as if the role just descends upon the actor. We didn’t direct her to perform that way, nor did she plan to; it just came through. When re-dubbing the original take for the Blu-ray, I rewatched the scene in its entirety, and her first take struck me as incredibly natural. Similar to what I mentioned about Yuuki-san earlier, there was an absence of artificiality. As a resolution to Homura’s journey, it felt undeniably fitting. It might not seem so shocking when viewed in the flow of the story, but if you were to watch just that scene on its own, it might hit you harder (laughs).

'''REFLECTING ON THE PRODUCTION OF ''REBELLION'''''

'''Were there any other notable sound-related aspects?'''

One small change is in the timing of the audio during the gunfight between Homura and Mami. There’s a brief pause, and then the action resumes—that timing was subtly adjusted for the Blu-ray. It’s such a minor change that you might not notice unless you compare it directly (laughs). Additionally, the cuts handled by Gekidan Inu Curry have evolved significantly. The audio for those sections was also updated to match. Those improvements are especially noticeable, and I think they look even cooler now. I’d love for viewers to pay attention to those details when watching the Blu-ray.

'''Were there any particularly memorable experiences?'''

The German dialogue for the children in the False Mitakihara. We brought in students from a German school for the recording. I think it turned out well, but the process was challenging—some of the kids were as young as ten, while the oldest were in high school (laughs).

'''The tea party song left an impression as well.'''

We practiced it a lot. The song had to sync with the animation, but as we followed the rhythm and lyrics, maintaining alignment became difficult. We had to carefully balance everything. Kitamura was instrumental in managing this challenge, though in the end, we had to adjust the visuals to match the performance.

'''FINAL THOUGHTS ON ''REBELLION'''''

'''What were your key takeaways from the project?'''

I’m very satisfied with how the film turned out. What resonated most was proving that even after the TV series concluded so beautifully, it was possible to extend the story in such an impactful way. This wasn’t just an epilogue—it was the beginning of a whole new narrative. And yet, it didn’t feel tacked on or diminish the foundation of what came before. We managed to build something fresh while respecting the legacy. From a sound perspective, I feel we succeeded in preserving the integrity of the story from the script to the final product. In other words, I’m relieved that we didn’t ruin what was entrusted to us. I think all the staff feel a sense of relief and accomplishment in that regard.

===Yuki Kajiura===

'''When you started composing for ''Rebellion'', who did you first discuss it with, and what was talked about?'''

As with all ''Madoka Magica'' music meetings, I sat down with Chief Director Akiyuki Shinbo, Sound Director Yota Tsuruoka, Gekidan Inu Curry, and the other staff. We spent time discussing the image of each track individually.

'''Approximately how many tracks were requested, and what kind of orders were given? Did you have any notable exchanges with Tsuruoka-san?'''

Around 60 tracks were requested, and the orders varied greatly depending on the scenes. For BGM with lyrics, the lyrics were already included in the script or storyboard, so I composed based on those. Tsuruoka-san provided a detailed “music menu” from the start, with clear scene specifications, so the meetings went smoothly.

'''As a theatrical release, did this film involve any new approaches or changes compared to the TV series?'''

The TV series, being structured in 30-minute episodes, naturally requires pacing adjustments, so even serious music often has a touch of “catchiness” to make it more accessible. In contrast, for the theatrical version, with its roughly two-hour runtime and closed setting, I could focus on clear peaks and let the emotional beats land strongly. Structurally, it’s easier to work with. Instrument-wise, I wanted to evoke a sense of nostalgia and melancholy in the initial world. For that, I incorporated the accordion, which wasn’t used in the TV series.

'''ON SPECIFIC SCENES AND MUSIC'''

'''Tell us about the music for the Nightmares’ appearance and the insert song.'''

For the Nightmares’ appearance, the storyboards included ballet scenes, and I received a request for “a waltz.” I composed it as dance music accordingly. For the insert song, both the lyrics and duration were specified. I wanted to make full use of the lyrics, so the challenge was fitting them within the given time.

'''How did you approach the magical girls’ transformation scenes?'''

For the transformation scenes, I added music to the completed storyboard videos. Syncing each character’s key moments with the music changes probably made this the most time-consuming track in the film. While I aimed for a rhythmic base overall, Mami’s part featured elegant dance visuals, so I intentionally gave her section a more ballet-like, overture-style tone.

'''What about the purification ritual tea party scene?'''

The request for the tea party scene was “make it a rap.” At first, I created a hard-hitting rap, but it felt too heavy. I reworked it to incorporate whimsical motifs and a more ''Madoka Magica''-esque sense of mystery.

'''What about the battle scene between Mami and Homura?'''

The battle between Mami and Homura was the most “action-heavy” part of the film, so I aimed to compose a track that would excite the audience to the fullest.

'''How did you approach the scene where Homura becomes a witch?'''

When I received the request for the witch transformation scene, I immediately marked it as a critical moment, as the music direction could go in many ways. During a meeting, I asked Shinbo-san about the tone, and he requested “beautiful music.” I composed it with that direction in mind.

'''What about the opening scene after Homura’s rewriting of the world?'''

From the beginning, the request for the epilogue was to use an arrangement of the insert song starting with “Not yet.” So, I worked on rearranging that piece for the scene.

'''How about the scene where Homura shows Madoka around as a transfer student?'''

The world is beautiful, but subtly unnatural. To reflect this, I infused the peaceful music with slight dissonance—a faint sense of unease—to highlight the artificiality of the setting.

'''ON THE THEMES AND ENDING SONGS'''

'''Tell us about composing the insert song “misterioso” and the ending theme “Kimi no Gin no Niwa.”'''

For “misterioso,” the goal was pure brilliance and grandeur. Although the CD version doesn’t include it, the theatrical version of “misterioso” incorporates Sayaka’s theme melody during a scene. For the ending theme, there weren’t specific requests, but I wanted to avoid composing a song that directly commented on or judged Homura’s conclusion. Deciding the tone and direction took considerable time. I aimed for a neutral piece that neither affirmed nor denied her decision. Typically, I write opening or ending songs from the characters’ perspectives, but this time I took a more detached, objective stance, akin to viewing the story alongside the audience.

'''Were there any particular challenges or memorable moments while working on ''Rebellion''?'''

The first half’s music came together relatively easily, but I struggled more with the second half. I drafted the overall musical tension flow beforehand, but many tracks needed revisions to avoid being overly emotional or dramatic in relation to the subsequent scenes. Especially in the latter half, I was careful not to overly steer the audience’s emotions through the music. Given the film’s nature, it’s not a story where everyone experiences the same emotional journey, so I composed with the intention of leaving space for individual interpretations.

'''What were your thoughts after watching the completed film on screen?'''

Even though I composed the music to match the visuals, during production, I was working with storyboard images. Seeing the finished film for the first time, I was awed by the visuals and the sheer impact of the direction. I feel truly honored and grateful to have contributed to this series and its continuation with ''Rebellion''. My only hope is that the music complements the film and resonates with the audience.

===Gekidan Inu Curry===

'''For the new film, what requests did you receive from Chief Director Akiyuki Shinbo or Director Yukihiro Miyamoto?'''

From Chief Director Shinbo, we were asked to make the café scene and the crossroads particularly impactful. For the transformation scenes, the request was to make the visuals feel “different from what’s been done before.” The transformation scenes were designed to feel the most unsettling part of the first half.

'''Having contributed to many scenes in the new film, was there anything you kept in mind or paid special attention to throughout?'''

Opportunities to work on a theatrical production are rare in one’s lifetime, so I approached it with a mindset of “just throw everything I’ve got into it.”

'''Were there any scenes you worked on that left a particularly strong impression on you?'''

One was when Homura’s Soul Gem transforms, paired with Nagisa’s line, ''“A color even more repulsive than a curse.”'' Since we had worked on the Soul Gem’s corruption effects for the TV series, we ended up handling the “repulsive version” (OZOMASHII version) of the corruption as well. It felt like a high-stakes creative challenge. The final result is what you see in the film.

'''How did you feel about the finished visuals?'''

I’m simply grateful that the film made it to screening, thanks to everyone’s efforts.

'''What other contributions did Gekidan Inu Curry make to the new film?'''

We subtly handled various details, like designing Mami’s bullet patterns and writing the lyrics for the opening “Not Yet” song.

'''Were there any memorable moments or exchanges during your work?'''

There wasn’t enough space to store the cut folders for the scenes we were working on. Like with the recap films, we were again at the “immovable back of the line.” The very last task we managed to slip into editing was adding the text on the signpost at the crossroads in the rewritten world.

'''Looking at the final product as a whole, what are your impressions or feelings?'''

It was a film where Homura just kept stealing the show, so I’m satisfied. It was a perfect ''Homu'' conclusion.

'''How do you feel about being involved in ''Madoka Magica'' again? How do you feel about the fans’ reactions?'''

It feels like I’ve warped through several years. I can’t remember much of what happened this past year. But when I went to the theater and saw it was sold out, I was thrilled.

==Gekidan Inu Curry Artwork Comments==

(Check the Gallery section for the artworks)

'''1. Bebe'''

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

We made her like a silly dog. Thanks to the way she moved quite well, she turned out cuter than expected, which was great. I particularly like the part where she falls off the sofa.

'''2. Introduction'''

The Nightmare that first appeared was cornered by the magical girls and then purified.

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

The main story takes place in spring, but for the alternate dimension this time, we’ve emphasized a winter (cold) image.

'''3. Hitomi's Nightmare'''

When her relationship with Kyousuke doesn't go well, Hitomi turns into a Nightmare.

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

We were torn between making it similar to a stuffed toy or giving it a completely different form. However, since we wanted to highlight the differences from witches, we went with a design that shared some common traits.

'''4. Tea Party'''

The magical girls purified Hitomi’s Nightmare through the ritual of a tea party.

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

Like the introduction, we are casting magic through words and food. Here, the witch’s ritual of fattening something up and devouring it has been turned into an act of good.
Since it’s a secret gathering, it’s fine if viewers feel a sense of alienation and a bit of unease.

'''5. Floating Café'''

At the café, Homura consults Kyouko about the strange feelings she has regarding the world.

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

The cups on the table keep increasing because the Children from the Fake City leave them there on their own. Somehow, money mysteriously disappears from Glasses Homura’s wallet without her noticing.

'''6. The Bus Stop and the Three-Way Intersection'''

The bus stop and three-way intersection that Homura and Kyoko went to in order to head to Kazamino.

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

Some of you might be wondering whether that was really a three-way intersection. However, as long as it looks like a proper three-way intersection to pure-hearted Homura and Kyouko, there’s absolutely no problem. It’s meant to evoke the image of the end of a dream.

'''7. The Path Leading Underground and the Well'''

After noticing the witch's barrier, Homura walked through the underground path from the well.

'''8. The Ghost Town'''

Homura and Mami engaged in a gunfight over Bebe in the ghost town.

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

While it’s not a quarry, this place allows them to fling as many lead bullets as they like to their hearts' content.

'''9. The Children of the False City'''

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

Rather than familiars, they’re more like phenomena occurring in the false city. They are imagined as being somewhat outside the framework of the story.

'''10. Gondola'''

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

Attractions wouldn’t be complete without a gondola. However, for friends who aren’t specially trained magical girls, please stay seated and behave quietly during the ride. It’s dangerous. Jumping on from a bridge is also prohibited.

'''11. The Cocoon Tower'''

When Homura became a witch, she confronted Kyubey in the Cocoon Tower.

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

On the Cocoon Tower: The arched design appears excessively throughout the movie.

On Homura’s black dress: She’s wearing mourning clothes to attend her own funeral. While the frills and such may seem a bit inappropriate, one might as well enjoy dressing up in their favorite mourning outfit for their own funeral.

'''12. Witch Homura'''

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

It was designed to allow for straightforward immersion within a short timeframe. According to the setting, she transformed into a witch within her Soul Gem, so she’s a half-boiled witch that retains a form close to her original self.

'''13. Before the battle with Homura'''

After Homura becomes a witch, the magical girls rush to her aid.

'''14. Tiro Finale (Special Deluxe Edition)'''

In the battle against the Nutcracker Witch, Mami showcases a magical attack with tremendous destructive power.

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

It's a movie! It's the festive Mami Matsuri (festival). This sense of exhilaration is something only a veteran magical girl can exude. Think of it as something akin to a portable shrine.

'''15. The Mermaid Witch and the Rose Garden Witch's familiars'''

The Mermaid Witch and the Rose Garden Witch's familiars fight against the Nutcracker Witch's familiars.

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

About the Mermaid Witch: If you look closely, the design is slightly different from the TV version. Its face and other details have become more armor-like. Since there are a lot of forward-leaning poses this time, we removed the apron.

About the Rose Garden Witch's familiars: In the script stage, there were no appearances of the bearded ones, but we shoved them in with a full burst of effort.

'''16. The Nutcracker Witch's familiars'''

They fight a fierce battle against the magical girls.

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

We debated for several days whether to add beards to the Homura soldiers and bird-shaped Nutcracker dolls. We refrained because we thought it might be too much for both sides to have beards everywhere. However, looking back now, we regret not going through with the 'beard inflation'.

'''17. Interference-Blocking Field'''

To control the Law of Cycles, the Incubators created an observation device.

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

Achieved through the Incubators' astonishing mechanism. Behold, Earthlings, this is entropy.

'''18. The Law of Cycles' Arrival'''

The Law of Cycles comes to greet Homura together with Sayaka and Nagisa.

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

We wanted to give it a vibe that's more like the afterlife than heaven. In the compilation film, the sparkly space where Madoka disappeared also lies beyond the pitch-black hole.

'''19. Dark Orb'''
[[File:Rebellion Guidebook Homura Earcuff.jpg|thumb]]
Homura steals a portion of the power of the Law of Cycles and rewrites the world.

Gekidan Inu Curry Comments:

It was designed with 3DCG in mind, so while it's simple, it has an incredibly troublesome shape depending on the angle. As for the lizard earcuff, we chose an accessory that hadn’t been commonly used as a transformation item yet.

'''Upper right:'''
'''Earcuff'''

{{Runes|HOMULILLY}} - The witch's name is written on the torso region.

'''Upper left:'''
Dark Orb - Alternate Form
* Worn only on the left ear.

Functions to whisper information seen and heard by the witch's familiars directly into Homura's ear.

'''Bottom left:'''
Due to its nature being close to that of a witch, the Dark Orb sometimes moves around on its own. It does follow orders, but for Homura, it can be troubling.

'''Bottom right:'''

Lizard-shaped.

The eyes are (purple) gemstones.

A pink gemstone hangs from its tail, containing Madoka's power.

Unlike her magical girl form, when using magic, patterns emerge on her body, her eyes glow, and the visual effects give the impression that the magic is not channeled through the gemstones.

'''SCREEN COMPOSITION BY GEKIDAN INU CURRY'''
[[File:092_.jpg|300px|thumb]]

In ''Rebellion'', Gekidan Inu Curry’s unique style is even more strongly expressed on screen compared to the TV series. Let’s introduce their methods of screen composition by focusing on two scenes.

'''''Battle with the Nightmare'''''

The method of creating animation based on live-action footage is called rotoscoping. This technique was used for the Nightmares in Rebellion, but instead of traditional animation, the movement was created using stop-motion photography.

'''① Creating the Plush Dolls'''

First, custom-made plush dolls were ordered from specialized professionals. Two plush dolls were created: one for the Nightmare at the beginning and one for Hitomi’s Nightmare.

'''② Drawing Layouts'''

During the drawing phase, the Nightmares are roughly sketched (as placeholders or guidelines for their shape and placement). Later, the live-action plush Nightmares are composited into these layouts.

'''③ Photographing the Plush Dolls'''

The plush dolls are posed and photographed in alignment with the drawn layouts. This painstaking process involves slightly adjusting the dolls and taking a photo for each frame, step by step.

'''Final Footage'''

The Nightmares stand out starkly, appearing disconnected and distinctly alien compared to Madoka and the others. This effect is achieved through the combination of live-action elements and stop-motion movements.

'''''Homura’s Salvation'''''

This is a scene from the film’s climax, where Madoka attempts to save Homura, who has become a witch. Rotoscoping is also employed here.

'''① Filming'''

A real person was asked to move in the poses intended for the scene. This includes the movements for the cut where Homura places her hands on the ground and the cut where she covers her face.

'''② Drawing and Coloring'''

Based on the filmed movements, the drawing and coloring are carried out. In this scene, Homura is not drawn with clear lines but instead painted as a silhouette-like figure.

'''Final Footage'''

The realistic movements, achieved by tracing an actual person, bring a palpable sense of emotion. Homura’s state of mind is vividly and rawly depicted.

==Trivia==

* '''The Former Witches'''

After a Nightmare escapes into a certain window, image cuts of witches such as the Rose Garden Witch, who appeared in the first and second films, are shown. Among them is one image that seems to resemble Madoka in her magical girl form.

* '''Reflections in the Glass'''

While the Nightmare itself is portrayed as a live-action doll, its reflection in the window is animated. This design choice reflects the dream world’s setting, where the mirror shows an idealized version of oneself.

* '''One Month Later'''

The TV series covers approximately three weeks following Homura’s transfer to Mitakihara Middle School. However, the story of the new film begins to move significantly one month after that period. By this time, Homura starts referring to Madoka by her first name instead of "Kaname-san."

* '''Bebe'''

In the script’s initial drafts, Bebe spoke in human language. However, the decision to have her current style of speech paired with subtitles was proposed by Gekidan Inu Curry.

* '''Magical Girls’ Transformation Scenes'''

The transformation scenes were shaped by Shinsaku Sasaki’s storyboards, combined with ideas from Gekidan Inu Curry. The animation was handled by main animator Koichi Kikuta. Each of the five girls has unique background music during their transformations, which are arrangements of their respective iconic themes from the TV series.

* '''Puella Magi Holy Quintet'''

After transforming, the five magical girls perform a heroic introduction, but their voices are slightly out of sync. Although a synchronized version was recorded during voiceovers, the unsynchronized version was chosen as it felt more fitting for their group dynamic.

* '''Lunchboxes'''

The lunchboxes Madoka and the others eat from were drawn based on actual lunches prepared by the staff. The character-shaped bento with the faces of the five is Madoka’s, the sandwiches are Mami’s, the traditional Japanese bento is Homura’s, the pastries are Kyoko’s, and the Kyubey and Bebe-themed bento is Sayaka’s.

* '''Homura vs. Mami'''

The fight between Homura and Mami, though only a few lines in the script, was greatly expanded during the storyboarding process. The action, reminiscent of "gun kata" scenes from the movie ''Equilibrium'', became a major highlight of the film. Both characters predict each other's movements and calculate ricochets, but neither lands a hit because they anticipate and evade each other’s shots. The scene’s tension is emphasized when, after the intense battle, the two characters audibly catch their breath for the first time, underscoring how exhausting and gripping the fight was.

* '''"Sagitta Luminis"'''

The song playing during the scene where Homura and Madoka converse on the hill is an arrangement of "Sagitta Luminis." The original track appears in the TV series during the scene where all magical girls are saved in Episode 12 and serves as the ending theme "Hikaru Furu" in the second film.

* '''Madoka’s Words'''

Madoka says, "I can’t bear to be alone." Homura’s internal monologue responding to this -"If those are your true feelings, then..."- was not in the original script but added later. Madoka’s words here become a pivotal moment that motivates Homura to transform into a demon to bring Madoka back, so it was possibly added to emphasize this turning point.

* '''The Nutcracker'''

Motifs from the fairy tale ''The Nutcracker and the Mouse King'', such as a clock striking twelve, an owl, and a Christmas tree, appear repeatedly on-screen. Following this, battles between magical girls and witch familiars unfold, echoing the conflict between the mice and the nutcracker army in the story.

* '''Disappearing Soul Gems'''

When Kyubey talks about the power to purify and erase magical girls, several Soul Gems are depicted as imagery. These represent the Soul Gems of magical girls worldwide whom Madoka saved in Episode 12 of the TV series.

* '''Kyubey’s Voice'''

Numerous Kyubeys simultaneously say to Homura, “It’s all being adjusted.” For this scene, multiple voice patterns were recorded during dubbing and layered together.

* '''Nutcracker Witch'''

Homura has fully succumbed to her curse and become a complete witch. She desires to be executed and marches toward the gallows accompanied by her familiars. According to Inu Curry’s setting, the gallows are located in the park with the hill where Homura and Madoka had a conversation.

* '''Former Witches'''

Sayaka summons the Mermaid Witch, and the Witch of Sweets’ familiars appear around Nagisa. Former witches and their familiars join the battle against the Nutcracker Witch. Notably, the Rose Garden Witch’s familiars have legs resembling those of the Mermaid Witch, unlike their appearance in the TV series.

* '''Sayaka and Kyoko'''

Sayaka expresses her lingering regret about Kyoko. After conveying her feelings, the two engage in seamless teamwork during the battle. Perhaps even the Mermaid Witch was influenced by Sayaka’s emotions, as the witch’s twin swords transform into a spear resembling Kyoko’s weapon.

* '''Tiro Finale'''

In this instance, Tiro Finale is fired from a railway cannon carrying a parfait. The parfait includes raspberries, apples, cheese, and melons, all of which were sung about during the Nightmare purification rituals. However, the pumpkin that Homura sang about is missing.

* '''“I don’t get it at all.”'''

Kyubey repeats this line from Episode 6 of the TV series. Like the earlier line “It’s all being adjusted,” Kyubey’s voice here is a composite of multiple recorded patterns.

* '''Pumpkin Carriage'''

When Madoka goes to retrieve Homura, Sayaka and Nagisa accompany her in a pumpkin carriage. Since Homura sang about a pumpkin during the Nightmare purification tea party, the carriage may have been created for her. Incidentally, the carriage is drawn by the elephant that appeared during Walpurgisnacht in the TV series.

* '''Homura’s Love for Madoka'''

The Law of Cycles is an entity that cannot be observed or interfered with. When a magical girl falls and begins to transform into a witch, it appears to guide her beyond the laws of the world. It came to Homura, with whom Madoka had once promised a reunion, but...

* '''Dark Orb'''

The pink thread-wrapped thread reel that had appeared repeatedly is transformed into a dark jewel-like object after Homura crushes her Soul Gem into fragments. This is called the Dark Orb, reconstructed from her Soul Gem by the extremity of Homura’s emotions.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:002.jpg
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File:057.jpg
File:058.jpg
File:059.jpg|Aoki Ume's original character design of Nagisa Momoe
File:68.jpg
File:69.jpg|Aoki Ume's original character design of Akuma Homura
File:0778.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry's Artworks
File:079.jpg
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</gallery>

== See Also ==
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone"]]
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Movie The Beginning Story/The Eternal Story Official Guidebook "With You"]]
* [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Official_Books_and_Games|Other official books, guides and games]]
* [[Translated_Official_Documents|Translated magazines]]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Products and merchandise]]

Tatsuya Kaname

2026-08-11T21:02:22Z

Romi1908: /* General Info */

{{Infobox_character
|name=Tatsuya Kaname
|image=[[File:Tatsuya Kaname.png|300px]]
|jname={{lang|ja|鹿目タツヤ}} (Kaname Tatsuya)
|designer=[[Ume Aoki]]
|voices=Japanese: [http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=creator&creatorid=591 Kaori Mizuhashi] English: [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1315809/ Stephanie Sheh] Italian: [http://myanimelist.net/people/7533/Francesca_Bielli Francesca Bielli] Spanish: [http://www.eldoblaje.com/datos/FichaActorDoblaje.asp?id=13908 Ariadna Jiménez]
}}

{{nihongo|'''Tatsuya Kaname'''|鹿目タツヤ|Kaname Tatsuya}} is a minor supporting character in ''[[Puella Magi Madoka Magica]]''. He is [[Madoka Kaname]]'s younger brother.

==General Info==
{{Character Details
|age=3
|eyes=Brown
|hair=Light Brown
|relatives=[[Tomohisa Kaname]] (Father), [[Junko Kaname]] (Mother), [[Madoka Kaname]] (Older sister)
|school=Unnamed kindergarten
|origin=[[Mitakihara Town]], [[Kaname Residence]]
|pronoun={{nihongo||タッくん|Takkun}}<ref>Shown in [[Kanameke]].</ref>
}}

==Etymology==
Tatsuya's name is written in katakana, which has no particular meaning. As there are multiple possible kanji renderings, it's not possible to get any meaning out of it.

==Trivia==
* Tatsuya's voice actress, Kaori Mizuhashi, also voiced [[Mami Tomoe]] and [[Walpurgisnacht]].
* In episode 12, it is revealed that he still has some attachment to Madoka even though she was wiped from physical existence; it's possible he can see her or has residual memories of her.
** In the audio commentary for episode 12, Urobuchi explained that the reason Tatsuya knows about Madoka is because he can see her. He says it's how little children can see things they're not suppose to, because they don't know they're not suppose to see it. Sadly, Urobuchi also said when he grows up, he won't be able to anymore and will likely forget all about it.

==Gallery==
===Official Art===
<gallery>
File:Artbook_New_24.jpg|Art from the [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Art Book|Art book]]
File:PN_10.jpg|Character height chart
File:Aoki ume early madoka family.jpg|Art of Madoka's family by Ume Aoki
</gallery>

===Anime Screenshots===
<gallery>
File:Madoka family.gif|Tatsuya with his family in the opening
File:466569.jpg|Tatsuya waking up [[Junko Kaname|Junko]] in [[Episode 1]]
File:Madokamadokamadoka.jpg|Tatsuya's drawing of Madoka from [[Episode 12]]
</gallery>

===Manga===
<gallery>
File:Manga dad tatsuya.png|Tatsuya in the [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Manga|manga]]
File:Manga tatsuya drawing.png|Drawing Madoka
File:Rmanga tatsuya.png|Tatsuya in the Rebellion manga
File:Kaname-Ke_vol_2.jpg|Tatsuya on the [[Kanameke]] cover, volume 2
</gallery>

====Magia☆Report====
{{MagiRepo by Character|character=Tatsuya Kaname}}

====Magia ☆ Et Cetera====
{{MagiaEtc by Character|character=Tatsuya Kaname}}

===Games===
====Madoka Magica Mobage====
<gallery>
Mobage7014.jpg|Tatsuya in [[Madoka Magica Mobage]]
</gallery>

====Madoka Magica Online====
<gallery>
見つめるタツヤ.jpg|Tatsuya in [[Madoka Magica Online]]
避難中の鹿目家.jpg
</gallery>

====Magia Record====
<gallery>
File:Memoria 1659.jpg|Tatsuya in [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]]
File:Memoria_1659_c.png|The card version
</gallery>

====Magia Exedra====
<gallery>
File:Exedra Live2D 837630.png
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Character Categories|Kaname}}

Homulilly

2026-08-11T17:18:51Z

Romi1908: /* Mortal World Form */

{{spoilers}}
<blockquote>
''"Despite her appearance, she's the most hurt."'' ~ Sayaka
</blockquote>
'''Homulilly''' ({{Runes|HOMULILLY}}) is the [[witch]] form of [[Homura Akemi]]. She is the {{Nihongo|'''Witch of the Mortal World'''|此岸の魔女|Shigan no Majō}}<ref>{{Nihongo|此岸|Shigan}} or "this shore" is the opposite of {{Nihongo|彼岸|Higan}} or "the other shore" of the [[wikipedia:Sanzu River|Sanzu river]]. Both terms are used in Buddhism to talk about attachment and enlightenment respectively. </ref>. Homulilly first appeared in the bonus material and special game over of ''[[Madoka Magica Portable]]''.

In ''[[The Rebellion Story]]'' {{spoiler|Homulilly reappears, now known as {{Nihongo|'''The Nutcracker Witch'''|くるみ割りの魔女|Kurumiwari no Majō}}. The movie takes place in her barrier and Homura transforms into Homulilly once she discovers the truth. Her appearance has been altered from Madoka Magica Portable.}} Homulilly also reappears in [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]] as Homura's doppel.

==Witch==
===Homulilly===
====Mortal World Form====
{{Witch Card
|sprite= Homulilly-Portable-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 370
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= Witch's Kiss Homulilly.png

|box_color= #3b0049
|name= Homulilly
|name_style= color:#FF0000;
|runes= {{Runes|HOMULILLY}}
|type= Witch of the Mortal World
|nature= Closed circuits / Karma<ref>"In the Portable version, as mentioned earlier, the specific nature and details of this witch were unclear. However, in Magia Record, Homura's Doppel of the Closed Circuits (閉鎖回路) and the Doppel of Karma (業因), which are based on this witch, have appeared. Given that Doppel names have so far been based on the nature of the corresponding witches, this increases the likelihood that the nature of the Witch of the Mortal World (此岸の魔女) is either "Closed Circuits" or "Karma" (Note: However, it should be kept in mind that the witch’s nature has not been officially revealed. Additionally, the nature of the Witch of the Mortal World may differ depending on whether she underwent witchification in her Glasses version or in the main story)." From https://dic.pixiv.net/a/%E6%AD%A4%E5%B2%B8%E3%81%AE%E9%AD%94%E5%A5%B3</ref>
|appearances= [[Madoka Portable]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]] (As [[Homura Akemi in Magia Record|Homura's Doppel]].)

|desc_english=
|desc_japanese=
}}

====Nutcracker Form====
<tabber>
|-| First Form =
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg adv 47416.jpg
|background_x= 0
|sprite= Homulilly First Form Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 300
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= PpKmad650 mns.png

|box_color= #2d3853
|name= Homulilly (First Form)
|runes= {{Runes|HOMULILLY}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch
|nature= Self-sufficiency
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Witches Artwork]]''': The Nutcracker Witch. Her nature is self-sufficiency. Her once gallant figure that crushed countless seeds is now broken beyond repair. This witch, who holds no other value, seeks her own execution as her final wish. However, merely beheading her will not erase her sins. This foolish witch will forever repeat the funeral procession to her execution in the mortal world.
|desc_japanese=
'''魔女図鑑'''：くるみ割りの魔女。その性質は自己完結。かつて数多くの種を砕いたその勇姿も壊れてしまっては仕様がない。他に価値など持たないこの魔女が最後に望むは自身の処刑。だが、首を刎ねる程度で魔女の罪は消えない。この愚かな魔女は永遠にこの此岸で処刑までの葬列を繰り返す。
}}

|-| Second Form =
{{Witch Card
|background= HomulillyFightBigCity.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Homulilly Second Form Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 300
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= PpKmad650 mns.png

|box_color= #2d3853
|name= Homulilly (Second Form)
|runes= {{Runes|HOMULILLY}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch
|nature= Self-sufficiency
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Witches Artwork]]''': The Nutcracker Witch. Her nature is self-sufficiency. Her teeth have crumbled, her skull has melted, and her eyeballs have fallen out. Only a pitiful promise remains rooted in her head, which can no longer crack seeds. Even so, this witch who awakened within her shell still vividly retains the appearance of a magical girl. Her familiars call this form "Failure" and feel ashamed of her.
|desc_japanese=
'''魔女図鑑'''：くるみ割りの魔女。その性質は自己完結。歯はこぼれ頭蓋はとろけ目玉も落ちた。もう種を砕けない頭には約束だけがみじめに植わるが、殻の中で目覚めた魔女はそれでもまだ魔法少女の姿を色濃く残す。手下達はその姿をデキソコナイと呼び恥ずかしく思っている。
}}

|-| Magia Record (Game) =
{{Witch Card
|background= HomulillyFightBigCity.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Homulilly-Second-Form-Transparent-2.png
|sprite_size= 280
|sprite_x= 5
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= PpKmad650 mns.png

|box_color= #2d3853
|name= Homulilly
|runes= {{Runes|HOMULILLY}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch
|nature= Self-sufficiency
|appearances= [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]]

|desc_english= The Nutcracker Witch. Her nature is self-sufficiency. Her teeth have crumbled, her skull has melted, and her eyeballs have fallen out. Only a pitiful promise remains rooted in her head, which can no longer crack seeds. Even so, this witch who awakened within her shell still vividly retains the appearance of a magical girl. Her minions call this form "Failure" and feel ashamed of her.
|desc_japanese= くるみ割りの魔女。その性質は自己完結。 歯はこぼれ頭蓋はとろけ目玉も落ちた。 もう種を砕けない頭には約束だけがみじめに植わるが、殻の中で目覚めた魔女はそれでもまだ魔法少女の姿を色濃く残す。 手下達はその姿をデキソコナイと呼び恥ずかしく思っている。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg 3d 650 01 01 001 original.png
|background_x= -185
|sprite= Homulilly-Exedra-1-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 280
|sprite_x= 15
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= PpKmad650 mns.png

|box_color= #2d3853
|name= Homulilly
|runes= {{Runes|HOMULILLY}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch
|nature= Independence
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Nature: Independence This Witch has spawned minions on a scale unimaginable under normal circumstances. Yet it remains an unrealized failure. If someone should come along and bless this horribly broken, immature doll with unconditional love, its heart may not be lost forever.
|desc_japanese= くるみ割りの魔女。その性質は自己完結。 この魔女の因果は通常では考えにくい規模で手下の軍勢を生み出した。 しかしこの魔女は未熟なデキソコナイ。 この醜く壊れた人形へも無償の愛を恵む者が現れれば、 このいやしくも未熟な魔女の心は永遠に失われたままとも限らない。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg 3d 650 02 01 001 original.png
|background_x= -185
|sprite= Homulilly-Exedra-2-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 330
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= PpKmad650 mns.png

|box_color= #2d3853
|name= Homulilly
|runes= {{Runes|HOMULILLY}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch
|nature= Independence
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Nature: Independence Its teeth has spilled from its melted skull, and its eyes have dropped from their sockets. Its head can no longer crack nuts. Only promises are sown in quiet misery. Yet the Witch who stirred within this ragged husk still bears a vivid resemblance to the Magical Girl it once was. Its minions call this lingering form "botched" and avert their eyes in shame.
|desc_japanese= くるみ割りの魔女。その性質は自己完結。 歯はこぼれ頭蓋はとろけ目玉も落ちた。もう種を砕けない頭には約束だけがみじめに植わるが、殻の中で目覚めた魔女はそれでもまだ魔法少女の姿を色濃く残す。手下達はその姿をデキソコナイと呼び恥ずかしく思っている。
}}
</tabber>

==Familiars==
===Clara Dolls===
<tabber>
|-|Rebellion=
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg adv 47416.jpg
|background_x= -60
|sprite= Clara Dolls Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 130
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 15

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Clara Dolls
|runes= {{Runes|CLARA DOLLS}}
|type= The Children of the False City
|role= Mourning
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]], [[Magia Exedra]], [[Walpurgisnacht: Rising]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Witches Artwork]]''': The Children of the False City. Their role is to be mourners. These dress-up dolls perform a play of tears in order to liven up the funeral procession. The dolls present are Arrogance, Gloominess, Liar, Coldheartedness, Selfishness, Bad-mouth, Slowpoke, Jealousy, Laziness, Show-off, Cowardice, Foolishness, Resentment, and Stubbornness, while the last one, Love, has yet to arrive. "Born from color, not in the sky, the abyss of this mortal world is our stage.” Their power is no less than that of a magical girl. [[Rebellion_Material_Book#Witches_Artwork|(Additional details here)]]
|desc_japanese=
'''魔女図鑑'''：偽街の子供達。その役割は泣き屋。葬列を盛り上げるために涙の芝居をする着せ替え少女人形。やってきた人形どもはイバリ、ネクラ、ウソツキ、レイケツ、ワガママ、ワルクチ、ノロマ、ヤキモチ、ナマケ、ミエ、オクビョウ、マヌケ、ヒガミ、ガンコ、最後のアイはまだ来ない。「色から生まれ空にはあらず、此岸の淵こそ我らが舞台」そのちからは魔法少女にも劣らない。
}}

|-|Magia Exedra=
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg 3d 650 00 01 001 original.png
|background_x= -185
|sprite= Ibari-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 270
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 5

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Clara Dolls
|runes= {{Runes|CLARA DOLLS}}
|type= Fake City Children
|role= Crybaby
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Fake City Children. Role: Crybaby. A dress-up doll that stages tearful performances to heighten the spectacle of funeral processions, proclaiming "Writhe! Wail! Yield not to reason! The brink of the world is our stage!" Their power is comparable to that of Magical Girls.
|desc_japanese= 偽街の子供達。その役割は泣き屋。 葬列を盛り上げるために涙の芝居をする着せ替え少女人形。 「足掻け、喚け、条理を許すな。此岸の淵こそ我らが舞台」 そのちからは魔法少女にも劣らない。
}}
</tabber>

===Lotte===
<tabber>
|-|Rebellion=
{{Witch Card
|background= HomulillyFightBigCity.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Lotte Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 260
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Lotte
|runes= {{Runes|LOTTE}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch's familiars
|role= Carry out punishment
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Witches Artwork]]''': The Nutcracker Witch's familiars. Their duty is to carry out punishment. They are the tin army who serve as the funeral procession of the witch being taken to the guillotine. They detest fools and comdemn them. Their bulky heads are diligent and inflexible, so they do not listen to the witch's words. Apart from the human-sized ones, there are also gigantic Brocken-type ones. They hate white rats.
|desc_japanese=
'''魔女図鑑'''：くるみ割りの魔女の手下。その役割は刑の執行。ギロチン台へ送られる魔女の葬列を務めるブリキの兵隊。愚か者を憎み愚か者を断罪する。その重たい頭は真面目で融通が利かないため、魔女の言葉に耳を貸すことはない。人間サイズの他、巨大なブロッケン級が存在。白いネズミが大嫌い。
}}

|-|Magia Exedra=
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg 3d 650 01 00 001 original.png
|background_x= -185
|sprite= Lotte-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 280
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 5

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Lotte
|runes= {{Runes|LOTTE}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch Minion
|role= Executioner
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
Nutcracker Witch Minion. Role: Executioner. Tin soldiers that form the funeral processions escorting Witches<ref>Only Homulilly is sent to the guilltoine, so it should be "the Witch", not "Witches".</ref> sent to the guilltoine. They both detest and punish those who are foolish. Their heavy heads are both stern and inflexible, making them unable to heed the Witch's words. In addition to human-sized ones, there are also gigantic "Brocken-class" variants. They hate white mice more than anything.
|desc_japanese=
くるみ割りの魔女の手下。その役割は刑の執行。 ギロチン台へ送られる魔女の葬列を務めるブリキの兵隊。 愚か者を憎み愚か者を断罪する。その重たい頭は真面目で融通が利かないため、魔女の言葉に耳を貸すことはない。 人間サイズの他、巨大なブロッケン級が存在。 白いネズミが大嫌い。
}}
</tabber>

===Luiselotte===
{{Witch Card
|background= HomulillyFightBigCity.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Luiselotte Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 350
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Luiselotte
|runes= {{Runes|LUISELOTTE}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch's familiars
|role= Exterminate rats
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Witches Artwork]]''': The Nutcracker Witch's familiars. Their duty is to exterminate rats. They are a cavalry of decaying teeth that hunt down the white rats. They also assist the tin army by removing any troublemakers who obstruct the progress of the funeral procession.
|desc_japanese=
'''魔女図鑑'''：くるみ割りの魔女の手下。その役割はネズミの駆除。白いネズミどもを狩り立てる虫歯の騎兵。他にもブリキの兵隊達を手伝い葬列の進行を邪魔する不届き者を排除したりする。
}}

===Liese===
{{Witch Card
|background= HomulillyFightBigCity.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Liese Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 330
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Liese
|runes= {{Runes|LIESE}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch's familiars
|role= Bring ill tidings
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Witches Artwork]]''': The Nutcracker Witch's familiars. Their role is to bring ill tidings. They are kigurumi birds that announce the start of the witch’s funeral procession. It seems they’re fed by the Children of the False City, so they follow some of their commands, though their intelligence is about on par with an average bird’s. They fly in flocks, but due to their headgear, their vision is impaired, and they tend to crash into anything that moves. In addition to their usual size, there are also gigantic Brocken-type ones.
|desc_japanese=
'''魔女図鑑'''：くるみ割りの魔女の手下。その役割は凶報。魔女の葬列の始まりを告げるキグルミ鳥。偽街の子供達から餌付けされているらしく、彼女らの言うことにはいくらか従うものの基本的に知能は鳥並み。群れを成して飛び回るが、被り物のせいで視界が悪くとりあえず動くものに突っ込む習性がある。通常サイズの他に巨大なブロッケン級が存在。
}}

===Lilia===
<tabber>
|-|Rebellion=
{{Witch Card
|background= HomulillyFightBigCity.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Lilia Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 280
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Lilia
|runes= {{Runes|LILIA}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch's familiars
|role= Chewing
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Witches Artwork]]''': The Nutcracker Witch's familiars. Their role is to chew. These nutcracker dolls, in the shape of teeth, crush any unwanted foreign objects in place of the witch, who can no longer crack seeds. They can fire walnut cannons from their mouths. Their enamel is so proudly hard that it is reputed to have a hardness of 10, and that's no exaggeration.
|desc_japanese=
'''魔女図鑑'''：くるみ割りの魔女の手下。その役割は咀嚼。もう種を噛み砕くことが出来なくなった魔女の代わりに余計な異物を噛み砕くための歯型くるみ割り人形。口の中からくるみ大砲を発射することができる。自慢のエナメル質は硬度10と言っても過言ではないと評判。
}}

|-|Magia Exedra=
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg 3d 650 01 00 001 original.png
|background_x= -185
|sprite= Lilia-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 290
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= -5

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Lilia
|runes= {{Runes|LILIA}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch Minion
|role= Masticator
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
Nutcracker Witch Minion. Role: Masticator. A tooth-shaped nutcracker that crakc any irregular object in the Witch's place. Can shoot nuts using the large cannon in its mouth. Their prized enamel is reputedly so hard that rating it Grade 10 would not be an exaggeration.
|desc_japanese=
くるみ割りの魔女の手下。その役割は咀嚼。 もう種を噛み砕くことが出来なくなった魔女の代わりに余計な異物を噛み砕くための歯型くるみ割り人形。 口の中からくるみ大砲を発射することができる。 自慢のエナメル質は硬度10と言っても過言ではないと評判。
}}
</tabber>

===Lisa===
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg_adv_23261.jpg
|background_x= -120
|sprite= Lisa Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 200
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Lisa
|runes= {{Runes|LISA}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch's familiars
|role= Ensuring that the cast of the play is thoroughly informed of their roles and managing the stage
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Rebellion Production Note]]''': The Nutcracker Witch's familiars. Their role is to ensure that the cast of the play is thoroughly informed of their roles and to manage the stage. They are iron airships that float above the fake Mitakihara. They rewrite the memories of the humans brought into the labyrinth and assign them new scripts for the sake of the witch. They are undoubtedly the witch's familiars, though their role is closer to that of tools, and they are also directly influenced by the witch's emotions.
|desc_japanese=
'''叛逆の物語 PRODUCTION NOTE'''：くるみ割りの魔女の手下。その役割は配役の周知徹底と舞台管理。偽見滝原の上空に浮かぶ鉄の飛行船。結界内へ連れ込まれた人間達の記憶を書き換え、魔女のための新しい脚本を与える。魔女の手下であることに違いないが、その役割は道具に近く魔女の感情からも直接的な影響を受ける。
}}

==History==
===Anime===
====The Rebellion Story====
See ''[[Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion]]''.

===Games===
====Madoka Magica Portable====
Unlike all other witches in the game, with the exception of [[Kriemhild Gretchen]], Homulilly doesn't appear in the game or bonus dungeons, nor is any other information provided in the game or bonus materials. She only appears in a Game Over screen in the game if a player loses to [[Walpurgis Night]] in Homura's route, under specific conditions. There is a dialogue of Homura losing hope and an illustration of Homulilly before the ''Game Over'' screen appears. The dialogue is as follows:

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;"
!colspan="2"|Japanese
!colspan="2"|English
!Image
|-
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|暁美ほむら
|style="vertical-align: top;"|これだけ準備して
それでも勝てない……。
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|Akemi Homura
|style="vertical-align: top;"|I prepared so much, and yet I can't win...
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 1.jpg|100px]]
|-
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|暁美ほむら
|style="vertical-align: top;"|そうだ……。
また時間を……。
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|Akemi Homura
|style="vertical-align: top;"|That's right, time can still be...
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 2.jpg|100px]]
|-
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|暁美ほむら
|style="vertical-align: top;"|！！
砂が……。
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|Akemi Homura
|style="vertical-align: top;"|!! The sand...
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 3.jpg|100px]]
|-
!style="vertical-align: top;"|暁美ほむら
|style="vertical-align: top;"|そうか。
魔法を……。
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|Akemi Homura
|style="vertical-align: top;"|So my magic...
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 4.jpg|100px]]
|-
!style="vertical-align: top;"|暁美ほむら
|style="vertical-align: top;"|ああ。
ここで終わりなんだ……。
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|Akemi Homura
|style="vertical-align: top;"|Ah. This is the end...
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 5.jpg|100px]]
|-
!style="vertical-align: top;"|暁美ほむら
|style="vertical-align: top;"|まどか。
あなたを救えなかった……。
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|Akemi Homura
|style="vertical-align: top;"|Madoka, I couldn't save you...
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 6.jpg|100px]]
|-
!style="vertical-align: top;"|暁美ほむら
|style="vertical-align: top;"|ごめんなさい……。
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|Akemi Homura
|style="vertical-align: top;"|I'm sorry...
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 7.jpg|100px]]
|-
|colspan="4" style="font-weight:bold;text-align:center;"|HOMULILLY

GAME OVER
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 8.jpg|100px]]
|-
|colspan="4" style="font-weight:bold;text-align:center;"|STANDARD GAME OVER
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 9.jpg|100px]]
|-
|}

====Magia Record====
Homulilly reappears in [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]] as Homura's doppel. Her eyeglass version (and swimsuit version) sports Homulilly's appearance from Madoka Magica Portable whereas her normal version is more similar to Homulilly's appearance from The Rebellion Story, even having Lotte-like shadows around her.

=====[[Homura Akemi (Eyeglass ver.)|Eyeglass]] Version description=====
Homulilly. The Doppel of Closed Circuits. Her form is the mortal world.<ref>Literally "this shore".</ref> The master of this emotion loops through time in an endless cycle of trial-and-error. Master and Doppel fuse together, her skin becomes glass, and her expression freezes into that of a doll. She launches volley after volley of attacks that only end when her target falls silent. In this way she is more like a Witch than other Magical Girls. Not only can she can manipulate the sands of time, but she can pluck information of low importance from the alien lifeforms on her hat and create anything around the level of an earthly weapon by solidifying the sand.

=====[[Homura Akemi (Swimsuit ver.)|Swimsuit]] version description=====
Homulilly. The Doppel of Closed Circuits. Her form is the mortal world.
The master of this emotion wound up on the beach during her trips of trial and error through time. She's got a holiday vibe, maybe due to the summer sun. By absorbing strange skills from the alien she has trapped on her straw hat, she conjures a palm tree that fires rounds of coconuts. No witch would enjoy being pelted with supersonic coconuts, and the Doppel's attacks are guaranteed to hit due to the game mechanics, so they forfeit the moment it aims. The palm tree boasts high accuracy and it can target and hit a lone enemy repeatedly. Consider it an improvement.

=====In-Game ([[Homura Akemi in Magia Record|Normal]] version) description=====
Homulilly. The Doppel of Karma. Her form is the mortal world. The master of this emotion visits many worlds in search of an exit, spinning giant threads of fate. Fourteen incomplete bodies born from emotion trail behind the master's body, which has almost completely transformed into glass. In order to achieve their mission, these 14 bodies work methodically and tirelessly to remove obstacles. Regardless of their master's will, they weave the threads of fate, which become tangled in ever more complex patterns, driving her yet further into a maze, the exit of which can hardly be found. These bodies of emotion have no names.

=====[[Homura Akemi (Haregi ver.)|Haregi]] version description=====
Homulilly. The Doppel of Karma. Her form is a treasure ship. The master of this emotion reminisces about a lost radiance left behind in the past year. The seven bodies carried by the treasure ship are remnants born from emotions the master tried to sever at the start of the new year. However, their expressions are painted over by the regret she holds, making it impossible to read the original emotions behind them. This Doppel crushes enemies by throwing out the entire treasure ship when the master can no longer endure the weight of regret. The more dazzling the first sunrise of the year feels, the heavier the master’s regret becomes and so, to avoid being blinded by the dawn light of the new year, the seven bodies wear glasses.

==In Magia Exedra==
{{Magia Exedra Game Info|character=Homulilly}}

==Observations==
[[File:Homu kiss close-up.jpg|thumb|Homulilly's witch kiss in the PSP game custom theme]]
[[File:Spider Lily Lycoris Radiata.jpg|thumb|Red Spider Lily]]
*"Shigan" is the opposite of "Higan" (nirvana). Higanbana (literally "higan flowers") is the Japanese name for [[wikipedia:Lycoris_radiata|red spider lillies]]. So shiganbana, or Homu lilly, could be a pun.
*All three alternative forms of Homulilly employ a record spinning as a hat. The top part looks like an old vinyl record, and the stylus has an odd shape. If you think about it, it almost makes it look like a stereotypical witches' hat. In Rebellion a wheel turns around revealing runes that refer to Homura's devotion of Madoka
**An endless record that keeps spinning - that could possibly refer back to her timeline reset ability and her ability to manipulate time, or never giving up as she keeps going on and on
**Alternatively, her record hat could symbolize a 'broken-record' considering Homura reset the same span of time over and over, much like a record skipping
*In Homulilly's original appearance, the section where the braided parts meet, there is something that looks like red sticks held by hands formed by the ends of her plaits
** If these are knitting needles, then her design could also be partially based off of the famous old quote "A stitch in time saves nine", meaning good preparation can prevent future hardship (or tragedy)
**Under the red stick, the hair forms the shape of what that looks like the number eight or the [[wikipedia:Infinity|infinite symbol]]
*Homulilly appears to have half of her head cut off, which is a reference to the guillotine in her barrier, guillotines are usually symbols of punishment and shame, which may reflect Homura's guilt for not being able to protect Madoka
*Her familiars, Lotte appear to be based on the English Queens guard due to their uniforms and hats
*The names 'Liese' - meaning 'God is my oath' and 'Lilia' - meaning 'innocence and purity' - could possibly be a reference to how Homura viewed Madoka in such a positive light and looked up to her
*Liese looks like a raven or a crow, crows are usually omens of death or a sign bad luck is about to befall
**In some parts of Japan, a crow's caw symbolizes that a fire is about to start.
***In Fukushima, crows are believed to be demonic because they were believed to carry fires into homes and burn them down.

*The Clara Dolls are most likely named after Clara from the Nutcracker, fitting Homulilly's title being the "Nutcracker Witch"
*In the new world created by Homura, the Clara dolls are seem jumping off an edge covered in discarded school shoes. It is Japanese tradition to remove your shoes before committing suicide
*In Japan the Red Spider Lily signals the arrival of fall. Many Buddhist will use it to celebrate the arrival of fall with a ceremony at the tomb of one of their ancestors. They plant them on graves because it shows a tribute to the dead. People believe that since the Red Spider Lily is mostly associated with death that one should never give a bouquet of these flowers

===[[wikipedia:Lycoris_radiata#Legends|Stories and Legends Regarding the Red Spider Lily]] ===
Since these scarlet flowers usually bloom near cemeteries around the autumnal equinox, they are described in Chinese and Japanese translations of the [[wikipedia:Lotus_Sutra|Lotus Sutra]] as ominous flowers that grow in [[wikipedia:Diyu|Diyu]] (also known as Hell), or Huángquán (Simplified Chinese: 黄泉; Traditional Chinese: 黃泉), and guide the dead into the next reincarnation.

When the flowers of ''lycoris'' bloom, their leaves would have fallen; when their leaves grow, the flowers would have wilted. This habit gave rise to various legends.

A famous one is the legend of two elves: Mañju (Simplified Chinese: 曼珠; Traditional Chinese: 曼珠), who guarded the flower, and Saka (Simplified Chinese: 沙华; Traditional Chinese: 沙華), who guarded the leaves. Out of curiosity, they defied their fate of guarding the herb alone, and managed to meet each other. At first sight, they fell in love with each other. [[wikipedia:Amaterasu|Amaterasu]], exasperated by their waywardness, separated the miserable couple, and laid a curse on them as a punishment: the flowers of Mañju shall never meet the leaves of Saka again. It was said that when the couple met after death in Diyu, they vowed to meet each other after reincarnation. However, neither of them could keep their words. In commemoration of the couple, some call the herbs 'Mañjusaka' (Simplified Chinese:曼珠沙华; Traditional Chinese: 曼珠沙華), a mixture of 'Mañju' and 'Saka', instead of their scientific name. The same name is used in Japanese, in which it is pronounced ''manjushage''.

Some other legends have it that when you see someone that you may never meet again, these flowers, also called red spider lilies, would bloom along the path. Perhaps because of these sorrowful legends, Japanese people often used these flowers in funerals. The popular Japanese name {{nihongo|''Higanbana''|彼岸花|Higan bana}} for lycoris radiata literally means [[wikipedia:higan|higan]] (the other or that shore of [[wikipedia:Sanzu_River|Sanzu River]]) flower, decorate and enjoyable, flower of afterlife in {{nihongo|''gokuraku jyōdo''|極楽浄土|gokuraku jyōdo}}.

The significance of red lillies is interpreted as the eternal separation of two friends/lovers; a relationship forced to be separated by obstacles, circumstances, and outside forces. This is interpreted as Homura's failure to reunite with Madoka as they are both doomed to fail to break the cycle of despair. The myth about the two lovers never meeting again, despite promising one another, reinforces the idea that to Homura, Madoka means more than just mere friendship.

===Broken Tooth Symbolism===
In {{spoiler|The Rebellion Story}} the witch has a new appearance, and is clad in an ornate dress resembling Homura's magical girl outfit. While she initially retains her record player-like witch hat from the PSP game, she quickly discards it to reveal a giant spider lily that replaces the top half of her head. Teeth constantly fall from the spider lily, like water droplets or tears.

This relates to the biblical depiction of Bruxism as sinners wailing and gnashing their teeth in hell.

:It also preludes Homura's eventual transformation into a {{spoiler|demon}} since her witch represents {{spoiler|a sinner and she is the first magical girl to sin and rebel against}} {{spoiler|goddess Madoka}} declaring herself to be {{spoiler|a force of evil}}.

It could also relate to the Nutcracker Ballet; in the story the nutcracker was once a human who was transformed into a nut cracker and later given as a gift a Christmas party where he was damaged, the girl felt sad for him and took care of him, then when the mice attacked he came to life and defended the girl. Similarly Homura started out as a normal girl and was held back by her heart condition, then she befriended Madoka and the others and became a Magical Girl and grew stronger with the intent of protecting Madoka; which would be similar to the role reversal in the ballet. However since Madoka died in most of the timelines until she finally ended up as a part of the universe, Homura could see herself as still being the damaged nutcracker doll who can't protect the girl who helped her or even fulfill her most basic purpose.

==Trivia==
*HOMU is a known nickname for Homura used by Inu Curry, revealed in [[:File:Episode_3_runes.jpg|runes]] in [[Episode 3]] Charlotte's barrier.
*Although not listed as Homulilly's familiar in the [[Witches Artwork]], the blimps seen around the false Mitakihara city are in fact familiars called Lisa. This was proven true in the [[Rebellion Production Note]].
*Her [[Witch's Kiss]] from the Special PlayStation Portable theme bundled with the limited edition of Madoka Magica Portable looks like an hourglass on top of a {{Nihongo|[[wikipedia:Lycoris radiata|red spider lily]]|彼岸花|Higanbana}} although it is Homura's character color purple, instead of the usual red color.
*Clara Dolls summoned by [[Devil Homura]] appear as silhouettes during gameplay in [[Magia Record]] and [[Magia Exedra]].
** In Magia Exedra's case, this results in multiple of the same Clara Doll appear as enemies.
** Only Ibari (Arrogance) and Usotsuki (Liar) appear as enemies in Magia Exedra, with a third one whose appearance does not match any of the existing Clara Dolls, having Ibari's appearance but with Higami (Resentment)'s hat.
*Homulilly is the first Final Boss in Magia Exedra to use completely original attack as her 'finisher' move, which is not depicted in Rebellion film.
* She is along with [[Ichizo]] the only Witch to speak properly. She is heard saying phrases like "Madoka! Thank you for coming all the way to a place like this. I'm sorry I couldn't even say goodbye to you in the end" in ''[[Rebellion]]''.

==Gallery==
See [[Gallery:Homulilly]]

==See also==
* [[Homura Akemi]]

== Notes and references ==
<references />

[[Category:Witches]]
[[Category:Doppel Witches]]

Homulilly

2026-08-10T14:22:58Z

Romi1908: /* Clara Dolls */

{{spoilers}}
<blockquote>
''"Despite her appearance, she's the most hurt."'' ~ Sayaka
</blockquote>
'''Homulilly''' ({{Runes|HOMULILLY}}) is the [[witch]] form of [[Homura Akemi]]. She is the {{Nihongo|'''Witch of the Mortal World'''|此岸の魔女|Shigan no Majō}}<ref>{{Nihongo|此岸|Shigan}} or "this shore" is the opposite of {{Nihongo|彼岸|Higan}} or "the other shore" of the [[wikipedia:Sanzu River|Sanzu river]]. Both terms are used in Buddhism to talk about attachment and enlightenment respectively. </ref>. Homulilly first appeared in the bonus material and special game over of ''[[Madoka Magica Portable]]''.

In ''[[The Rebellion Story]]'' {{spoiler|Homulilly reappears, now known as {{Nihongo|'''The Nutcracker Witch'''|くるみ割りの魔女|Kurumiwari no Majō}}. The movie takes place in her barrier and Homura transforms into Homulilly once she discovers the truth. Her appearance has been altered from Madoka Magica Portable.}} Homulilly also reappears in [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]] as Homura's doppel.

==Witch==
===Homulilly===
====Mortal World Form====
{{Witch Card
|sprite= Homulilly-Portable-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 370
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= Witch's Kiss Homulilly.png

|box_color= #3b0049
|name= Homulilly
|name_style= color:#FF0000;
|runes= {{Runes|HOMULILLY}}
|type= Witch of the Mortal World
|nature= Closed circuits / Karma<ref>"In the Portable version, as mentioned earlier, the specific nature and details of this witch were unclear. However, in Magia Record, Homura's Doppel of the Closed Circuits (閉鎖回路) and the Doppel of Karma (業因), which are based on this witch, have appeared. Given that Doppel names have so far been based on the nature of the corresponding witches, this increases the likelihood that the nature of the Witch of the Mortal World (此岸の魔女) is either "Closed Circuits" or "Karma" (Note: However, it should be kept in mind that the witch’s nature has not been officially revealed. Additionally, the nature of the Witch of the Mortal World may differ depending on whether she underwent witchification in her Glasses version or in the main story)."</ref>
|appearances= [[Madoka Portable]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]] (As [[Homura Akemi in Magia Record|Homura's Doppel]].)

|desc_english=
|desc_japanese=
}}

====Nutcracker Form====
<tabber>
|-| First Form =
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg adv 47416.jpg
|background_x= 0
|sprite= Homulilly First Form Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 300
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= PpKmad650 mns.png

|box_color= #2d3853
|name= Homulilly (First Form)
|runes= {{Runes|HOMULILLY}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch
|nature= Self-sufficiency
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Witches Artwork]]''': The Nutcracker Witch. Her nature is self-sufficiency. Her once gallant figure that crushed countless seeds is now broken beyond repair. This witch, who holds no other value, seeks her own execution as her final wish. However, merely beheading her will not erase her sins. This foolish witch will forever repeat the funeral procession to her execution in the mortal world.
|desc_japanese=
'''魔女図鑑'''：くるみ割りの魔女。その性質は自己完結。かつて数多くの種を砕いたその勇姿も壊れてしまっては仕様がない。他に価値など持たないこの魔女が最後に望むは自身の処刑。だが、首を刎ねる程度で魔女の罪は消えない。この愚かな魔女は永遠にこの此岸で処刑までの葬列を繰り返す。
}}

|-| Second Form =
{{Witch Card
|background= HomulillyFightBigCity.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Homulilly Second Form Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 300
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= PpKmad650 mns.png

|box_color= #2d3853
|name= Homulilly (Second Form)
|runes= {{Runes|HOMULILLY}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch
|nature= Self-sufficiency
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Witches Artwork]]''': The Nutcracker Witch. Her nature is self-sufficiency. Her teeth have crumbled, her skull has melted, and her eyeballs have fallen out. Only a pitiful promise remains rooted in her head, which can no longer crack seeds. Even so, this witch who awakened within her shell still vividly retains the appearance of a magical girl. Her familiars call this form "Failure" and feel ashamed of her.
|desc_japanese=
'''魔女図鑑'''：くるみ割りの魔女。その性質は自己完結。歯はこぼれ頭蓋はとろけ目玉も落ちた。もう種を砕けない頭には約束だけがみじめに植わるが、殻の中で目覚めた魔女はそれでもまだ魔法少女の姿を色濃く残す。手下達はその姿をデキソコナイと呼び恥ずかしく思っている。
}}

|-| Magia Record (Game) =
{{Witch Card
|background= HomulillyFightBigCity.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Homulilly-Second-Form-Transparent-2.png
|sprite_size= 280
|sprite_x= 5
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= PpKmad650 mns.png

|box_color= #2d3853
|name= Homulilly
|runes= {{Runes|HOMULILLY}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch
|nature= Self-sufficiency
|appearances= [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]]

|desc_english= The Nutcracker Witch. Her nature is self-sufficiency. Her teeth have crumbled, her skull has melted, and her eyeballs have fallen out. Only a pitiful promise remains rooted in her head, which can no longer crack seeds. Even so, this witch who awakened within her shell still vividly retains the appearance of a magical girl. Her minions call this form "Failure" and feel ashamed of her.
|desc_japanese= くるみ割りの魔女。その性質は自己完結。 歯はこぼれ頭蓋はとろけ目玉も落ちた。 もう種を砕けない頭には約束だけがみじめに植わるが、殻の中で目覚めた魔女はそれでもまだ魔法少女の姿を色濃く残す。 手下達はその姿をデキソコナイと呼び恥ずかしく思っている。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg 3d 650 01 01 001 original.png
|background_x= -185
|sprite= Homulilly-Exedra-1-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 280
|sprite_x= 15
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= PpKmad650 mns.png

|box_color= #2d3853
|name= Homulilly
|runes= {{Runes|HOMULILLY}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch
|nature= Independence
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Nature: Independence This Witch has spawned minions on a scale unimaginable under normal circumstances. Yet it remains an unrealized failure. If someone should come along and bless this horribly broken, immature doll with unconditional love, its heart may not be lost forever.
|desc_japanese= くるみ割りの魔女。その性質は自己完結。 この魔女の因果は通常では考えにくい規模で手下の軍勢を生み出した。 しかしこの魔女は未熟なデキソコナイ。 この醜く壊れた人形へも無償の愛を恵む者が現れれば、 このいやしくも未熟な魔女の心は永遠に失われたままとも限らない。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg 3d 650 02 01 001 original.png
|background_x= -185
|sprite= Homulilly-Exedra-2-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 330
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= PpKmad650 mns.png

|box_color= #2d3853
|name= Homulilly
|runes= {{Runes|HOMULILLY}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch
|nature= Independence
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Nature: Independence Its teeth has spilled from its melted skull, and its eyes have dropped from their sockets. Its head can no longer crack nuts. Only promises are sown in quiet misery. Yet the Witch who stirred within this ragged husk still bears a vivid resemblance to the Magical Girl it once was. Its minions call this lingering form "botched" and avert their eyes in shame.
|desc_japanese= くるみ割りの魔女。その性質は自己完結。 歯はこぼれ頭蓋はとろけ目玉も落ちた。もう種を砕けない頭には約束だけがみじめに植わるが、殻の中で目覚めた魔女はそれでもまだ魔法少女の姿を色濃く残す。手下達はその姿をデキソコナイと呼び恥ずかしく思っている。
}}
</tabber>

==Familiars==
===Clara Dolls===
<tabber>
|-|Rebellion=
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg adv 47416.jpg
|background_x= -60
|sprite= Clara Dolls Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 130
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 15

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Clara Dolls
|runes= {{Runes|CLARA DOLLS}}
|type= The Children of the False City
|role= Mourning
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]], [[Magia Exedra]], [[Walpurgisnacht: Rising]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Witches Artwork]]''': The Children of the False City. Their role is to be mourners. These dress-up dolls perform a play of tears in order to liven up the funeral procession. The dolls present are Arrogance, Gloominess, Liar, Coldheartedness, Selfishness, Bad-mouth, Slowpoke, Jealousy, Laziness, Show-off, Cowardice, Foolishness, Resentment, and Stubbornness, while the last one, Love, has yet to arrive. "Born from color, not in the sky, the abyss of this mortal world is our stage.” Their power is no less than that of a magical girl. [[Rebellion_Material_Book#Witches_Artwork|(Additional details here)]]
|desc_japanese=
'''魔女図鑑'''：偽街の子供達。その役割は泣き屋。葬列を盛り上げるために涙の芝居をする着せ替え少女人形。やってきた人形どもはイバリ、ネクラ、ウソツキ、レイケツ、ワガママ、ワルクチ、ノロマ、ヤキモチ、ナマケ、ミエ、オクビョウ、マヌケ、ヒガミ、ガンコ、最後のアイはまだ来ない。「色から生まれ空にはあらず、此岸の淵こそ我らが舞台」そのちからは魔法少女にも劣らない。
}}

|-|Magia Exedra=
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg 3d 650 00 01 001 original.png
|background_x= -185
|sprite= Ibari-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 270
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 5

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Clara Dolls
|runes= {{Runes|CLARA DOLLS}}
|type= Fake City Children
|role= Crybaby
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Fake City Children. Role: Crybaby. A dress-up doll that stages tearful performances to heighten the spectacle of funeral processions, proclaiming "Writhe! Wail! Yield not to reason! The brink of the world is our stage!" Their power is comparable to that of Magical Girls.
|desc_japanese= 偽街の子供達。その役割は泣き屋。 葬列を盛り上げるために涙の芝居をする着せ替え少女人形。 「足掻け、喚け、条理を許すな。此岸の淵こそ我らが舞台」 そのちからは魔法少女にも劣らない。
}}
</tabber>

===Lotte===
<tabber>
|-|Rebellion=
{{Witch Card
|background= HomulillyFightBigCity.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Lotte Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 260
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Lotte
|runes= {{Runes|LOTTE}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch's familiars
|role= Carry out punishment
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Witches Artwork]]''': The Nutcracker Witch's familiars. Their duty is to carry out punishment. They are the tin army who serve as the funeral procession of the witch being taken to the guillotine. They detest fools and comdemn them. Their bulky heads are diligent and inflexible, so they do not listen to the witch's words. Apart from the human-sized ones, there are also gigantic Brocken-type ones. They hate white rats.
|desc_japanese=
'''魔女図鑑'''：くるみ割りの魔女の手下。その役割は刑の執行。ギロチン台へ送られる魔女の葬列を務めるブリキの兵隊。愚か者を憎み愚か者を断罪する。その重たい頭は真面目で融通が利かないため、魔女の言葉に耳を貸すことはない。人間サイズの他、巨大なブロッケン級が存在。白いネズミが大嫌い。
}}

|-|Magia Exedra=
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg 3d 650 01 00 001 original.png
|background_x= -185
|sprite= Lotte-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 280
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 5

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Lotte
|runes= {{Runes|LOTTE}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch Minion
|role= Executioner
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
Nutcracker Witch Minion. Role: Executioner. Tin soldiers that form the funeral processions escorting Witches<ref>Only Homulilly is sent to the guilltoine, so it should be "the Witch", not "Witches".</ref> sent to the guilltoine. They both detest and punish those who are foolish. Their heavy heads are both stern and inflexible, making them unable to heed the Witch's words. In addition to human-sized ones, there are also gigantic "Brocken-class" variants. They hate white mice more than anything.
|desc_japanese=
くるみ割りの魔女の手下。その役割は刑の執行。 ギロチン台へ送られる魔女の葬列を務めるブリキの兵隊。 愚か者を憎み愚か者を断罪する。その重たい頭は真面目で融通が利かないため、魔女の言葉に耳を貸すことはない。 人間サイズの他、巨大なブロッケン級が存在。 白いネズミが大嫌い。
}}
</tabber>

===Luiselotte===
{{Witch Card
|background= HomulillyFightBigCity.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Luiselotte Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 350
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Luiselotte
|runes= {{Runes|LUISELOTTE}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch's familiars
|role= Exterminate rats
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Witches Artwork]]''': The Nutcracker Witch's familiars. Their duty is to exterminate rats. They are a cavalry of decaying teeth that hunt down the white rats. They also assist the tin army by removing any troublemakers who obstruct the progress of the funeral procession.
|desc_japanese=
'''魔女図鑑'''：くるみ割りの魔女の手下。その役割はネズミの駆除。白いネズミどもを狩り立てる虫歯の騎兵。他にもブリキの兵隊達を手伝い葬列の進行を邪魔する不届き者を排除したりする。
}}

===Liese===
{{Witch Card
|background= HomulillyFightBigCity.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Liese Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 330
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Liese
|runes= {{Runes|LIESE}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch's familiars
|role= Bring ill tidings
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Witches Artwork]]''': The Nutcracker Witch's familiars. Their role is to bring ill tidings. They are kigurumi birds that announce the start of the witch’s funeral procession. It seems they’re fed by the Children of the False City, so they follow some of their commands, though their intelligence is about on par with an average bird’s. They fly in flocks, but due to their headgear, their vision is impaired, and they tend to crash into anything that moves. In addition to their usual size, there are also gigantic Brocken-type ones.
|desc_japanese=
'''魔女図鑑'''：くるみ割りの魔女の手下。その役割は凶報。魔女の葬列の始まりを告げるキグルミ鳥。偽街の子供達から餌付けされているらしく、彼女らの言うことにはいくらか従うものの基本的に知能は鳥並み。群れを成して飛び回るが、被り物のせいで視界が悪くとりあえず動くものに突っ込む習性がある。通常サイズの他に巨大なブロッケン級が存在。
}}

===Lilia===
<tabber>
|-|Rebellion=
{{Witch Card
|background= HomulillyFightBigCity.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Lilia Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 280
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Lilia
|runes= {{Runes|LILIA}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch's familiars
|role= Chewing
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Witches Artwork]]''': The Nutcracker Witch's familiars. Their role is to chew. These nutcracker dolls, in the shape of teeth, crush any unwanted foreign objects in place of the witch, who can no longer crack seeds. They can fire walnut cannons from their mouths. Their enamel is so proudly hard that it is reputed to have a hardness of 10, and that's no exaggeration.
|desc_japanese=
'''魔女図鑑'''：くるみ割りの魔女の手下。その役割は咀嚼。もう種を噛み砕くことが出来なくなった魔女の代わりに余計な異物を噛み砕くための歯型くるみ割り人形。口の中からくるみ大砲を発射することができる。自慢のエナメル質は硬度10と言っても過言ではないと評判。
}}

|-|Magia Exedra=
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg 3d 650 01 00 001 original.png
|background_x= -185
|sprite= Lilia-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 290
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= -5

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Lilia
|runes= {{Runes|LILIA}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch Minion
|role= Masticator
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
Nutcracker Witch Minion. Role: Masticator. A tooth-shaped nutcracker that crakc any irregular object in the Witch's place. Can shoot nuts using the large cannon in its mouth. Their prized enamel is reputedly so hard that rating it Grade 10 would not be an exaggeration.
|desc_japanese=
くるみ割りの魔女の手下。その役割は咀嚼。 もう種を噛み砕くことが出来なくなった魔女の代わりに余計な異物を噛み砕くための歯型くるみ割り人形。 口の中からくるみ大砲を発射することができる。 自慢のエナメル質は硬度10と言っても過言ではないと評判。
}}
</tabber>

===Lisa===
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg_adv_23261.jpg
|background_x= -120
|sprite= Lisa Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 200
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #3f3247
|name= Lisa
|runes= {{Runes|LISA}}
|type= Nutcracker Witch's familiars
|role= Ensuring that the cast of the play is thoroughly informed of their roles and managing the stage
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Rebellion Production Note]]''': The Nutcracker Witch's familiars. Their role is to ensure that the cast of the play is thoroughly informed of their roles and to manage the stage. They are iron airships that float above the fake Mitakihara. They rewrite the memories of the humans brought into the labyrinth and assign them new scripts for the sake of the witch. They are undoubtedly the witch's familiars, though their role is closer to that of tools, and they are also directly influenced by the witch's emotions.
|desc_japanese=
'''叛逆の物語 PRODUCTION NOTE'''：くるみ割りの魔女の手下。その役割は配役の周知徹底と舞台管理。偽見滝原の上空に浮かぶ鉄の飛行船。結界内へ連れ込まれた人間達の記憶を書き換え、魔女のための新しい脚本を与える。魔女の手下であることに違いないが、その役割は道具に近く魔女の感情からも直接的な影響を受ける。
}}

==History==
===Anime===
====The Rebellion Story====
See ''[[Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion]]''.

===Games===
====Madoka Magica Portable====
Unlike all other witches in the game, with the exception of [[Kriemhild Gretchen]], Homulilly doesn't appear in the game or bonus dungeons, nor is any other information provided in the game or bonus materials. She only appears in a Game Over screen in the game if a player loses to [[Walpurgis Night]] in Homura's route, under specific conditions. There is a dialogue of Homura losing hope and an illustration of Homulilly before the ''Game Over'' screen appears. The dialogue is as follows:

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;"
!colspan="2"|Japanese
!colspan="2"|English
!Image
|-
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|暁美ほむら
|style="vertical-align: top;"|これだけ準備して
それでも勝てない……。
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|Akemi Homura
|style="vertical-align: top;"|I prepared so much, and yet I can't win...
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 1.jpg|100px]]
|-
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|暁美ほむら
|style="vertical-align: top;"|そうだ……。
また時間を……。
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|Akemi Homura
|style="vertical-align: top;"|That's right, time can still be...
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 2.jpg|100px]]
|-
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|暁美ほむら
|style="vertical-align: top;"|！！
砂が……。
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|Akemi Homura
|style="vertical-align: top;"|!! The sand...
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 3.jpg|100px]]
|-
!style="vertical-align: top;"|暁美ほむら
|style="vertical-align: top;"|そうか。
魔法を……。
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|Akemi Homura
|style="vertical-align: top;"|So my magic...
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 4.jpg|100px]]
|-
!style="vertical-align: top;"|暁美ほむら
|style="vertical-align: top;"|ああ。
ここで終わりなんだ……。
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|Akemi Homura
|style="vertical-align: top;"|Ah. This is the end...
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 5.jpg|100px]]
|-
!style="vertical-align: top;"|暁美ほむら
|style="vertical-align: top;"|まどか。
あなたを救えなかった……。
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|Akemi Homura
|style="vertical-align: top;"|Madoka, I couldn't save you...
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 6.jpg|100px]]
|-
!style="vertical-align: top;"|暁美ほむら
|style="vertical-align: top;"|ごめんなさい……。
!style="vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"|Akemi Homura
|style="vertical-align: top;"|I'm sorry...
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 7.jpg|100px]]
|-
|colspan="4" style="font-weight:bold;text-align:center;"|HOMULILLY

GAME OVER
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 8.jpg|100px]]
|-
|colspan="4" style="font-weight:bold;text-align:center;"|STANDARD GAME OVER
|style="width:100px;"|[[File:Homulilly Event 9.jpg|100px]]
|-
|}

====Magia Record====
Homulilly reappears in [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]] as Homura's doppel. Her eyeglass version (and swimsuit version) sports Homulilly's appearance from Madoka Magica Portable whereas her normal version is more similar to Homulilly's appearance from The Rebellion Story, even having Lotte-like shadows around her.

=====[[Homura Akemi (Eyeglass ver.)|Eyeglass]] Version description=====
Homulilly. The Doppel of Closed Circuits. Her form is the mortal world.<ref>Literally "this shore".</ref> The master of this emotion loops through time in an endless cycle of trial-and-error. Master and Doppel fuse together, her skin becomes glass, and her expression freezes into that of a doll. She launches volley after volley of attacks that only end when her target falls silent. In this way she is more like a Witch than other Magical Girls. Not only can she can manipulate the sands of time, but she can pluck information of low importance from the alien lifeforms on her hat and create anything around the level of an earthly weapon by solidifying the sand.

=====[[Homura Akemi (Swimsuit ver.)|Swimsuit]] version description=====
Homulilly. The Doppel of Closed Circuits. Her form is the mortal world.
The master of this emotion wound up on the beach during her trips of trial and error through time. She's got a holiday vibe, maybe due to the summer sun. By absorbing strange skills from the alien she has trapped on her straw hat, she conjures a palm tree that fires rounds of coconuts. No witch would enjoy being pelted with supersonic coconuts, and the Doppel's attacks are guaranteed to hit due to the game mechanics, so they forfeit the moment it aims. The palm tree boasts high accuracy and it can target and hit a lone enemy repeatedly. Consider it an improvement.

=====In-Game ([[Homura Akemi in Magia Record|Normal]] version) description=====
Homulilly. The Doppel of Karma. Her form is the mortal world. The master of this emotion visits many worlds in search of an exit, spinning giant threads of fate. Fourteen incomplete bodies born from emotion trail behind the master's body, which has almost completely transformed into glass. In order to achieve their mission, these 14 bodies work methodically and tirelessly to remove obstacles. Regardless of their master's will, they weave the threads of fate, which become tangled in ever more complex patterns, driving her yet further into a maze, the exit of which can hardly be found. These bodies of emotion have no names.

=====[[Homura Akemi (Haregi ver.)|Haregi]] version description=====
Homulilly. The Doppel of Karma. Her form is a treasure ship. The master of this emotion reminisces about a lost radiance left behind in the past year. The seven bodies carried by the treasure ship are remnants born from emotions the master tried to sever at the start of the new year. However, their expressions are painted over by the regret she holds, making it impossible to read the original emotions behind them. This Doppel crushes enemies by throwing out the entire treasure ship when the master can no longer endure the weight of regret. The more dazzling the first sunrise of the year feels, the heavier the master’s regret becomes and so, to avoid being blinded by the dawn light of the new year, the seven bodies wear glasses.

==In Magia Exedra==
{{Magia Exedra Game Info|character=Homulilly}}

==Observations==
[[File:Homu kiss close-up.jpg|thumb|Homulilly's witch kiss in the PSP game custom theme]]
[[File:Spider Lily Lycoris Radiata.jpg|thumb|Red Spider Lily]]
*"Shigan" is the opposite of "Higan" (nirvana). Higanbana (literally "higan flowers") is the Japanese name for [[wikipedia:Lycoris_radiata|red spider lillies]]. So shiganbana, or Homu lilly, could be a pun.
*All three alternative forms of Homulilly employ a record spinning as a hat. The top part looks like an old vinyl record, and the stylus has an odd shape. If you think about it, it almost makes it look like a stereotypical witches' hat. In Rebellion a wheel turns around revealing runes that refer to Homura's devotion of Madoka
**An endless record that keeps spinning - that could possibly refer back to her timeline reset ability and her ability to manipulate time, or never giving up as she keeps going on and on
**Alternatively, her record hat could symbolize a 'broken-record' considering Homura reset the same span of time over and over, much like a record skipping
*In Homulilly's original appearance, the section where the braided parts meet, there is something that looks like red sticks held by hands formed by the ends of her plaits
** If these are knitting needles, then her design could also be partially based off of the famous old quote "A stitch in time saves nine", meaning good preparation can prevent future hardship (or tragedy)
**Under the red stick, the hair forms the shape of what that looks like the number eight or the [[wikipedia:Infinity|infinite symbol]]
*Homulilly appears to have half of her head cut off, which is a reference to the guillotine in her barrier, guillotines are usually symbols of punishment and shame, which may reflect Homura's guilt for not being able to protect Madoka
*Her familiars, Lotte appear to be based on the English Queens guard due to their uniforms and hats
*The names 'Liese' - meaning 'God is my oath' and 'Lilia' - meaning 'innocence and purity' - could possibly be a reference to how Homura viewed Madoka in such a positive light and looked up to her
*Liese looks like a raven or a crow, crows are usually omens of death or a sign bad luck is about to befall
**In some parts of Japan, a crow's caw symbolizes that a fire is about to start.
***In Fukushima, crows are believed to be demonic because they were believed to carry fires into homes and burn them down.

*The Clara Dolls are most likely named after Clara from the Nutcracker, fitting Homulilly's title being the "Nutcracker Witch"
*In the new world created by Homura, the Clara dolls are seem jumping off an edge covered in discarded school shoes. It is Japanese tradition to remove your shoes before committing suicide
*In Japan the Red Spider Lily signals the arrival of fall. Many Buddhist will use it to celebrate the arrival of fall with a ceremony at the tomb of one of their ancestors. They plant them on graves because it shows a tribute to the dead. People believe that since the Red Spider Lily is mostly associated with death that one should never give a bouquet of these flowers

===[[wikipedia:Lycoris_radiata#Legends|Stories and Legends Regarding the Red Spider Lily]] ===
Since these scarlet flowers usually bloom near cemeteries around the autumnal equinox, they are described in Chinese and Japanese translations of the [[wikipedia:Lotus_Sutra|Lotus Sutra]] as ominous flowers that grow in [[wikipedia:Diyu|Diyu]] (also known as Hell), or Huángquán (Simplified Chinese: 黄泉; Traditional Chinese: 黃泉), and guide the dead into the next reincarnation.

When the flowers of ''lycoris'' bloom, their leaves would have fallen; when their leaves grow, the flowers would have wilted. This habit gave rise to various legends.

A famous one is the legend of two elves: Mañju (Simplified Chinese: 曼珠; Traditional Chinese: 曼珠), who guarded the flower, and Saka (Simplified Chinese: 沙华; Traditional Chinese: 沙華), who guarded the leaves. Out of curiosity, they defied their fate of guarding the herb alone, and managed to meet each other. At first sight, they fell in love with each other. [[wikipedia:Amaterasu|Amaterasu]], exasperated by their waywardness, separated the miserable couple, and laid a curse on them as a punishment: the flowers of Mañju shall never meet the leaves of Saka again. It was said that when the couple met after death in Diyu, they vowed to meet each other after reincarnation. However, neither of them could keep their words. In commemoration of the couple, some call the herbs 'Mañjusaka' (Simplified Chinese:曼珠沙华; Traditional Chinese: 曼珠沙華), a mixture of 'Mañju' and 'Saka', instead of their scientific name. The same name is used in Japanese, in which it is pronounced ''manjushage''.

Some other legends have it that when you see someone that you may never meet again, these flowers, also called red spider lilies, would bloom along the path. Perhaps because of these sorrowful legends, Japanese people often used these flowers in funerals. The popular Japanese name {{nihongo|''Higanbana''|彼岸花|Higan bana}} for lycoris radiata literally means [[wikipedia:higan|higan]] (the other or that shore of [[wikipedia:Sanzu_River|Sanzu River]]) flower, decorate and enjoyable, flower of afterlife in {{nihongo|''gokuraku jyōdo''|極楽浄土|gokuraku jyōdo}}.

The significance of red lillies is interpreted as the eternal separation of two friends/lovers; a relationship forced to be separated by obstacles, circumstances, and outside forces. This is interpreted as Homura's failure to reunite with Madoka as they are both doomed to fail to break the cycle of despair. The myth about the two lovers never meeting again, despite promising one another, reinforces the idea that to Homura, Madoka means more than just mere friendship.

===Broken Tooth Symbolism===
In {{spoiler|The Rebellion Story}} the witch has a new appearance, and is clad in an ornate dress resembling Homura's magical girl outfit. While she initially retains her record player-like witch hat from the PSP game, she quickly discards it to reveal a giant spider lily that replaces the top half of her head. Teeth constantly fall from the spider lily, like water droplets or tears.

This relates to the biblical depiction of Bruxism as sinners wailing and gnashing their teeth in hell.

:It also preludes Homura's eventual transformation into a {{spoiler|demon}} since her witch represents {{spoiler|a sinner and she is the first magical girl to sin and rebel against}} {{spoiler|goddess Madoka}} declaring herself to be {{spoiler|a force of evil}}.

It could also relate to the Nutcracker Ballet; in the story the nutcracker was once a human who was transformed into a nut cracker and later given as a gift a Christmas party where he was damaged, the girl felt sad for him and took care of him, then when the mice attacked he came to life and defended the girl. Similarly Homura started out as a normal girl and was held back by her heart condition, then she befriended Madoka and the others and became a Magical Girl and grew stronger with the intent of protecting Madoka; which would be similar to the role reversal in the ballet. However since Madoka died in most of the timelines until she finally ended up as a part of the universe, Homura could see herself as still being the damaged nutcracker doll who can't protect the girl who helped her or even fulfill her most basic purpose.

==Trivia==
*HOMU is a known nickname for Homura used by Inu Curry, revealed in [[:File:Episode_3_runes.jpg|runes]] in [[Episode 3]] Charlotte's barrier.
*Although not listed as Homulilly's familiar in the [[Witches Artwork]], the blimps seen around the false Mitakihara city are in fact familiars called Lisa. This was proven true in the [[Rebellion Production Note]].
*Her [[Witch's Kiss]] from the Special PlayStation Portable theme bundled with the limited edition of Madoka Magica Portable looks like an hourglass on top of a {{Nihongo|[[wikipedia:Lycoris radiata|red spider lily]]|彼岸花|Higanbana}} although it is Homura's character color purple, instead of the usual red color.
*Clara Dolls summoned by [[Devil Homura]] appear as silhouettes during gameplay in [[Magia Record]] and [[Magia Exedra]].
** In Magia Exedra's case, this results in multiple of the same Clara Doll appear as enemies.
** Only Ibari (Arrogance) and Usotsuki (Liar) appear as enemies in Magia Exedra, with a third one whose appearance does not match any of the existing Clara Dolls, having Ibari's appearance but with Higami (Resentment)'s hat.
*Homulilly is the first Final Boss in Magia Exedra to use completely original attack as her 'finisher' move, which is not depicted in Rebellion film.
* She is along with [[Ichizo]] the only Witch to speak properly. She is heard saying phrases like "Madoka! Thank you for coming all the way to a place like this. I'm sorry I couldn't even say goodbye to you in the end" in ''[[Rebellion]]''.

==Gallery==
See [[Gallery:Homulilly]]

==See also==
* [[Homura Akemi]]

== Notes and references ==
<references />

[[Category:Witches]]
[[Category:Doppel Witches]]

Rebellion Production Note

2026-08-01T00:43:47Z

Romi1908: /* Image Note Page 152 */

[[File:Rebellion Production Note Cover.jpg|thumb|Front cover]]
'''''Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Rebellion'' Production Note''' is a set of two volumes that was first sold in a limited edition version at Comic Market 87 from December 28 to December 30, 2014. It became available to the general public starting February 28, 2015. Each set also comes with a bookmark magnifying glass.

The first volume is 277 pages long and contains:
* Character Design, page 005
* Prop Design, page 115
* Art Design, page 127
* Imageboard, page 197
* Special: [[Ume Aoki]] Original Character Designs, page 265
* Index, page 278

The second volume is titled '''Inu Curry Image Note 2''' and contains 233 pages of illustrations and designs by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]:
* Images, page 002
* Part A, page 036
* Part B, page 064
* Part C, page 094
* Part D, page 136
* Part E, page 166
See [[Rebellion/Synopsis]] for details on how the movie is divided into parts.

==Translated pages==
===Image Note Page 081: Drosselmeyer's Theater Box===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 081.jpg|right|300px]]
Using the theater box from the sideshow, Drosselmeyer tells the Children the story of a lonely magical girl. The Children, imagining the world in the story, fantasize about how wonderful it would be if the present were filled with more thrill and violence.

This is not a familiar of the witch. It's a mechanical doll (''karakuri''); the witch's subconscious is what's turning the gears. This Drosselmeyer is a judge doll.

We thought about blending the sideshow into the background somewhere later in the second half as well, but in the end, it only appeared in the café.

'''Bottom left:''' [The End]
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 082 & 083: Clara Dolls===
[[File:082PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
[[File:083PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Initial Concept'''

The Children of the False City

* In a dome-shaped café, they watch a sideshow. All of them are girls.

* For character design, please make them appear around 6 years old in the world of Madoka. In the main story, no specific ages are set.

* Their faces are entirely obscured, and they are barefoot.

* From then on, they are sometimes seen riding a bus or blending into crowds. They exist discreetly, avoiding attention. (Mainly as silhouettes.)

* After the people of the city turn into paper dolls, the Children also become flat and flimsy. They aren’t held by hands; instead, their heads turn into bookmarks (Discarded concept.)

* As suggested by their names, all of the children have bad personalities but get along well with each other.

* Their role is to cry during the funeral procession. They are mourners.

* Since the funeral is delayed, they wander around, killing time.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 117===
[[File:117 part_c storyboard akemi_homura miki_sayaka oktavia_von_seckendorff lizard.jpg|right|300px]]
The image of the witch reflected in the water at Sayaka's feet and on her cape is an illusion created by Homura in response to the magic Sayaka is emitting. Since Homura only knows the old appearance of the Mermaid Witch, the reflected image uses the TV version’s design.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 123: Clara Dolls===
[[File:123 part_c character_design clara_dolls.jpg|right|300px]]

They do not close their eyes.

For the cel-drawn version with eyes, keep the eye design exactly as it is; it should look completely different from the other human characters.

'''Planned Appearances'''

● First Half

All of them are present inside the café where Homura and Kyoko have a conversation.

In other scenes, they are wandering around the city.

● Middle Stage 1

They appear during Homura's imagery scenes.

● Middle Stage 2

They are present when Homura transforms into a witch.

The cel animation pops → they turn into paper dolls.

From this point on, they appear as a symbol of Witch Homura's power.

● Middle Stage 3

They are present at Homura's throne as paper dolls.

They chase Kyubey around as paper dolls.

● Late Stage 1

They appear during the battle, entering partway through as paper dolls.

They attack exclusively through blunt-force strikes and are incredibly strong.

During their battle with Sayaka and Kyouko, they vanish somewhere with the collapse of the barrier.

● Late Stage 2

Undetermined.

● Late Stage 3

In the rewritten world, the cel versions with eyes are seen wandering around (symbolically representing an ominous, unsettling presence).

Homura is completely alone.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 124, 125 & 126: Clara Dolls===
[[File:124 part_c character_design clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukiii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:aa.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:126 part_c character_design clara_dolls yakimochi namake mie okubyouuu.jpg|right|300px]]
① Ibari ② Nekura ③ Usotsuki

④ Reiketsu ⑤ Wagamama ⑥ Warukuchi ⑦ Noroma

⑧ Yakimochi ⑨ Namake ⑩ Mie ⑪ Okubyou

* When in paper doll form, the Children carry knitting needles as weapons, all designed identically.

* The Children’s personalities largely align with their names.

* They are dress-up dolls Homura used to play with in the past.

* Even after Homura's world is rewritten again, the Dolls continue to wander and play freely as they please.

* The Children of the False City are less like the witch’s familiars and more akin to phenomena occurring within the False City. They are embodiments of the magic and karma that overflow from Homura.

* In the final draft, the Children lack jawlines.

* When in cel-animation style: they lack eyes, their noses aren't visible from the front, their faces resemble lizards', and they are doll-like.

* All the faces are identical.

* We agonized until the very last second over whether to make all 14 of them share the same hairstyle and clothing, but in the end, I chose to give them all completely unique hair, outfits, and heights. However, because of this, the workload instantly skyrocketed (we had to ask several other staff members to help out with the vast majority of the keyframe movement). Around two months before the movie's premiere date, we were deeply regretting that choice.

* When we based the design of Witch Homura’s familiars on Glasses Homura, they didn't look very strong while fighting Sayaka and the others. Therefore, by borrowing the café stage setting and some of the familiars' roles, we expanded their appearance scenes as the "Children of the False City."

* The Children all get along well. Though not explicitly shown in the main story, Ibari & Nekura, Yakimochi & Namake, and Mie & Okubyou are often seen together.

* Reiketsu and Noroma have vacant stares. Noroma’s head is perpetually tilted.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 127: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 127.jpg|right|300px]]
⑫ Manuke ⑬ Higami ⑭ Ganko

'''Top right:'''

All familiars and barriers are born from the witch’s subconscious.

The witch can summon them.

Furthermore, they arise on their own, even without being summoned.

They may obey the witch, or they may defy her.

Even the witch herself doesn’t fully understand her magic or the entities it creates.

'''Middle Right:'''

After Homura transforms into a witch*

'''Bottom right:'''

Yaa~

It's pitiful, shameful Mistress Failure.

Shunned, trampled,

And also despised.

Scatter ashes and strew flowers.

Change clothes, enter mourning.

From now, from here, let the funeral procession commence.

With these eyes, we gaze with envy.

And with these teeth, we gnaw at the future.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 128, 129, 130, 131 & 132: Clara Dolls===
[[File:128 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:129 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls reiketsu wagamama warukuchi_.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0130 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls noroma yakimochi namake.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0131 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls mie okubyou manuke.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0132 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls higami ganko.jpg|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Animation Reference Materials'''

* When a witch's familiars attack humans:

① Types that have not received magical power from the witch → For "mealtime."

② Because they hate humans or for the witch’s sake.

③ Out of boredom. For entertainment.

④ Due to the nature of their specific roles, leading to humans dying as a result.

The Children of the False City fall under ③, while the other familiars (The Nutcracker Witch's familiars) fall under ④.

* All the Children have the same face (same doll design).

* Short Hair + Pants Look: Ibari's design is the easiest for animators to create, making it the most convenient for production.

* Usotsuki: One of her eyes tends to be hidden by her hair.

* For the Children of the False City, we consciously aimed for "cute clothes that wouldn't really appeal to the opposite sex," but aside from her upper-body layering, Usotsuki has the vibe of someone who might be popular.

* When drawn normally, not as papercuts, the Children disguise themselves as humans. Even magical girls struggle to distinguish them.

* Just like the familiars of other witches, their thinking is animalistic.

* They are always sneering at Failure.

* Furthermore, even when the Devil appears, they burst out laughing.

* The Children acknowledge the Devil as a first-class comedic actress.

* When in a standing pose, Reiketsu's head is tilted.

* Reiketsu's go-to one-liner gag: "Flipping my hair like the Devil!" It's a huge hit (cracks everyone up).

* Wagamama: A jacket worn over a one-piece dress.

* Yakimochi's outfit has a "Mori Girl" (Forest Girl) style. Her mannerisms are also girly.

* Because it’s difficult to differentiate between the witch’s familiars, this time we’ve given them code names such as 'Tooth Cavalry' and 'Kigurumi Bird.' All the Children also have nicknames.

* During the dance inside the cabinet, Noroma is the only one who is slightly lagging behind.

* When she is standing still, Noroma's head is usually tilted.

* Leaving the witch aside, for her familiars, the Law of Cycles is truly a nuisance because they are immediately sent to achieve enlightenment before they are even born.

* The Children of the False City like Madoka, but think the Law of Cycles is underwhelming. The Devil is so-so. Only Manuke likes everyone.

* Although they take on a human form, their behavioral principles are completely alien to human values, just like other familiars.

* Higami's height: Short.

* Ganko's brooch: the top part is metal, the rest is ribbon.

* The Children love watching miniature stage plays at the floating café. Their absolute favorite play is 'The Pumpkin Left All Alone Because of the Goddess'. The Mermaid Story isn't very popular.

* Recently, they have been obsessed with a game where they throw tomatoes at a pretentious person at just the right moment.

* Their noses appear when looking sideways, even though they aren't there when facing forward.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 133: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 133.jpg|right|300px]]
What is it that you lack?

I only ever behave arrogantly (Ibari). It's okay to act proud once in a while.

I'm Gloominess (Nekura), and even if you force yourself to smile, you just end up exhausted.

I'm Liar (Usotsuki). Is the truth always right?

I'm Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). Being too kind can be troublesome as well.

I'm Selfishness (Wagamama). Value your own feelings.

I'm Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). You quickly lock away your emotions.

I'm Slowpoke (Noroma). Not rushing too much is also important.

I feel nothing but Jealousy (Yakimochi). Jealousy is necessary for Love.

I'm the Lazy one (Namake). If you don't take a break, you'll turn into butter.

I'm such a Show-off (Mie). You also push yourself past your limits for someone's sake.

I'm Cowardice (Okubyou). But deeply cautious.

I'm Foolishness (Manuke). Even so, don't forget to be charming, too.

I'm only filled with Resentment (Higami). Let's change this unsatisfying reality.

I'm Stubborness (Ganko). Just don't forget the important stuff.

These vices are Love (Ai)'s allies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 142 & 143: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 142.jpg|right|300px]]
:See also: [[Witches Artwork]]

The Children of the False City. Their role is to be mourners. These dress-up dolls perform a play of tears in order to liven up the funeral procession. The dolls present are Arrogance, Gloominess, Liar, Coldheartedness, Selfishness, Bad-mouth, Slowpoke, Jealousy, Laziness, Show-off, Cowardice, Foolishness, Resentment, and Stubbornness, while the last one, Love, has yet to arrive. "Born from color (form), not in the sky (emptiness)<ref>From Mahāyāna Buddhism's "Form Is Emptiness, Emptiness Is Form": https://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-studies/lam-rim/vipashyana/commentary-on-the-heart-sutra-dr-berzin/form-is-emptiness-emptiness-is-form</ref>, the abyss of this mortal world<ref>Literally "this shore", a Buddhist concept. https://buddhisttemple.ca/teaching/the-other-shore/</ref> is our stage.” Their power is no less than that of a magical girl.

* The first one to appear was Arrogance (Ibari). Stepping over Failure's head that tumbled across the bare earth, she bravely spoke on her behalf. “Cocky bastards. You shall not be forgiven. This feeling belongs to us alone.”

* The second one to come was Gloominess (Nekura). Sneaking forward, she sneered at Failure. “This is Failure. What an absolute disgrace.” These dolls are disciples of freedom alone and are loyal to their desires.

* The third one to come was Liar (Usotsuki). She put on a tearful performance dedicated to Failure's soul. “Pitiful Mistress Failure. That foolish soul is our pride.” These dolls sneer at the fool yet side with her.

* Following behind them is the fourth one, Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). She tripped over Failure's head, looking slightly irritated. “Why don't we cut Mistress Failure into smaller pieces to make her easier to carry around?” If the Devil speaks, these dolls will obediently follow.

* Further comes the fifth, Selfishness (Wagamama), walking angrily. “Hasn't the funeral procession started yet? I've been practicing how to cry as quickly as possible, you know? I can't wait any longer", she huffed. These dolls are someone and no one.

* Coming out with a look of annoyance is the sixth one, Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). As usual, she makes spiteful remarks. “Mistress Failure is quite the masterful comedian.” These dolls play house with utterly entangled karma.

* Finally arriving is the seventh, Slowpoke (Noroma). The silent doll laughs at the witch with her eyes. These dolls comply with the witch's wishes to a certain extent, unlike the diligent soldiers.

* The eighth to appear is Jealousy (Yakimochi). Entranced, she gazes at the sky. “Let's prepare a box. I want to keep that radiance locked away forever.” These dolls are a collection of colors (form). They don't belong to the sky (emptiness).
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 143.jpg|right|300px]]
* The ninth one, Laziness (Namake), chats while yawning. “Do I have to go to the extent of helping with this children's play? Knitting is such a troublesome bother.” She kicked Failure's head, which was lying in her way. These dolls, with the funeral not starting at all, grow bored and wander aimlessly around the city.

* The tenth to come running is Show-off (Mie). She dramatically avoids Failure's head, saying, “I wouldn't be able to bear staining my cape with sticky blood.” These dolls mock the witch's self-harm.

* The eleventh one, trembling, is Cowardice (Okubyou). “If I am taken up into the sky, I won't even be able to behead the rabbit.” These dolls, with the power of magic, are able to achieve a complete recurrence.

* Walking aimlessly comes the twelfth one, Foolishness (Manuke). She goes out of her way to tell everyone what she just heard from a bird. “I heard a story about the Goddess. She's a beautiful and radiant goddess. I'm sure she will love us, too.” These dolls only desire what is within their reach.

* The thirteenth's footsteps are Resentment (Higami)'s. “Let's have a wonderful funeral like the one I heard in a story once. Let's bury lots of beautiful girls and cute animals together, too.” These dolls have powers that rival those of magical girls.

* Further comes the fourteenth, Stubbornness (Ganko). She points to the ground and rejects the sky. “The abyss of this mortal world is our stage.”

So, the mourners have gathered. Though it's become quite late, it's alright. The night is not yet over. The night will not be allowed to end anymore.

Right now is always 
Before knowing that radiance. Before losing that radiance. 
Here is merely the eve of the festival. The night before Failure. 
All that's left is to wait for the funeral procession.

Now, now, oh pure-white, wondrously virtuous Goddess. We are just utterly moved that you have casually strolled on over here so deferentially after all this time. But might you, perhaps, turn a blind eye to this, just a tiny bit? Lined up here is the theater troupe of this mortal world. We are human, and this is simply human nature. Even if you destroy sorrow and resentment, to despair is what makes us human. Passion drives our bones, and only melancholy washes our organs. Anyway, in exchange, we could produce plenty of others to turn toward your side, if you would like. Would that not suffice to earn your forgiveness?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 152===
[[File:152PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]

* Small objects other than the bed: orange pot marigold flowers, rulers, yarn, knitting needles, syringes, IV stands, and socks.

The place where Witch Homura took refuge was the hospital room cabinet during Christmas.

A time slightly before the moment she repeated over and over again to save God.

A day from a slightly earlier life, a moment when she was happy.

A time when she didn’t even know what God looked like.

Had she remained unaware like this, she might have stayed in a state where she neither saved anyone nor was saved.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 158===
[[File:158PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
Kyubey is utterly despised by the witch and her familiars, but to the Children of the False City, the white animal is a convenient toy that never runs out no matter how much they play with it. Everyone is very impressed by its usefulness. Other living creatures dwindle if played with too much, so making them last as long as possible is quite a challenge.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 165===
[[File:165 part_d storyboard akemi_homura homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
《The Nutcracker Witch》

Her nature is self-sufficiency.

This witch's karma produced an army of familiars on a scale that is difficult to comprehend under normal circumstances.

However, this witch is a half-boiled failure.

Yet, if someone were to bestow unconditional love upon this ugly, broken doll, the heart of this wretched, half-boiled witch might not remain lost forever.<ref>This scene in ''Rebellion'' references ''The Nutcracker and the Mouse King'' by E. T. A. Hoffmann.</ref>
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 166===
[[File:166 part_e draft storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Initial Draft'''

Most witch barriers are composed of personal, single-minded, and inward-focused elements of the witch herself. The Nutcracker Witch's barrier is no exception, presenting a very narrow worldview. Her familiars are nothing but extensions of herself, evoking the image of a funeral procession taking place inside a house.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 170: Gooey Homura===
[[File:170 part_e storyboard homulilly soul.jpg|right|300px]]
Gooey Homura, located at the face portion of the Witch. Use rotoscoping if possible.

Basically the same as the Mermaid Witch's interior, which appeared for an instant. A slimy body with a giant eyeball.

The eyeball shifts and rolls around restlessly.

When her hand is taken by Madoka, Magical Girl Homura emerges from within the slime.

Homura's gooey form first melts away, then all at once scatters into snowflake crystals. It's as if an evil spell has been undone.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 171===
[[File:171 part_e character_design storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
A countdown like Walpurgisnacht's.

Homura's countdown from the compilation movies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 172===
[[File:172 part_e character_design homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Top text:'''

Right: Theatrical release

Bottom: Revised home video version

In the DVD & Blu-ray version, the number of ribbons around the witch's mouth has increased compared to the theatrical release.

'''Bottom text:'''

A magical girl’s mental state at the moment of her transformation is strongly reflected in the form of the witch she becomes.

The reason why the witch seen in the PSP game—the Witch of the Mortal World—and the Nutcracker Witch from ''Rebellion'' have different appearances is that the Witch of the Mortal World was born from a Homura who was unable to escape the one-month time loop.

Despair from yesterday is not necessarily the same as despair from today, so even for the same individual, different witches can be born depending on the time period.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 174: Nagisa's Transformation===
[[File:174 part_e storyboard charlotte bebe momoe_nagisa runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''☆ Nagisa Cooking ☆'''

'''An easy magical girl recipe.'''

The magical girl transformations this time around are split between two styles: types where they break out of themselves, and types involving a gooey, syrupy mixture.

As for Nagisa, after she and Bebe are thrown into a blender together, they are poured into a magical-girl-shaped mold to be successfully completed.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 181===
[[File:181 part_e storyboard illustration miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
Needles and gears sprout quickly out from Homu-Witch's (Homulilly's) head as well.

Gears and needles scatter in all directions. + Magic square/circle effect.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 188: Lotte===
[[File:188 part_e draft character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Toy soldiers'''

* Height: Same as Homura (though the head itself makes up the extra size).

* The ribbon worn across their chests is proof of their promise.

* The head is egg-shaped.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 189: Liese===
[[File:189 part_e draft character_design liese runes.jpg|right|300px]]
* It doesn't blink.

* Everything except for the head is a crow.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 191: Lotte===
[[File:191 part_e character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
The Luiselotte familiars have better athletic ability than the regular soldier ones.

Because they are Glasses-Homu (Moemura), their individual athletic ability is quite low.

At any rate, they are incredibly diligent, so they excel at group tactics. They are weak if scattered, so they deal with the mustache familiars (Anthony) by forming a dense, close-order formation. If they can group together and form a battle array, they are strong.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 192===
[[File:192 part_e character_design liese runes prop_design guillotine.jpg|right|300px]]
Even though Witch Homura fights Sayaka and the others to prevent her own barrier from being destroyed, she is simultaneously in a troublesome state of mind where she wants to "be defeated here." Therefore, our first priority was to visually convey the sense of preventing her suicide, so we installed a massive guillotine platform.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 194: Nagisa's Trumpet===
[[File:194 part_e prop_design bebe charlotte momoe_nagisa horn.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Bebe Horn'''

* If it's alright to use the witch settings as a basis, the wish she had granted was: "I want a single cheesecake."

Nagisa's magic ➔ Magic that allows her to assert herself and become more greedy.

➔ Upon turning into a witch, this manifested as the trait "Attachment," an aggravated form of emotional expression.

* Rather than being something given to her by Kyubey, the concept is that Nagisa came up with it herself. It's not a "cool weapon," but a "cute tool." It carries the vibe of "a magical item as imagined by Nagisa."
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 197===
[[File:197 part_e storyboard kiss anthony das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]
With the emblem of the Law of Cycles at the center, the emblems of the witches are linked together in a constellation-like shape. Each connecting line represents individuals whose souls are compatible, or who share a deep karmic connection.

An image of souls, as countless as the stars, revolving around the Law of Cycles at the center.

* As the Mermaid Witch tries to take Witch Homura's hand, she refuses by vigorously swinging her handcuffs up and down.

* Between the buildings, the Mermaid Witch's hand stretches out. There are many clocks around.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 198===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Dispatched familiars'''

When Sayaka materialized, the souls surrounding her within the Law of Cycles (in addition to the Rose Garden Witch's familiars) packed fragments of themselves into Sayaka’s bag to assist her.

Among the magical girls who have now become part of God, for those who know Homura, this operation is a major event—like a fleeting awakening within a long, long dream.

* Goddess Madoka's flag: Slightly modified from the [[Kriemhild Gretchen|Witch of Salvation]]'s emblem from the [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Portable|PSP game]].

* Sayaka: After the [[Oktavia von Seckendorff|Mermaid Witch]]'s appearance, Goddess Madoka's mark appears on her cape.

* On the stage of the concert hall raised by Sayaka, the Box Witch's familiars and the Birdcage Witch's familiars are playing violins.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 205: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:205 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon momoe_nagisa storyboard.jpg|right|300px]]
Carrying an overloaded bounty of presents, it shows up even if it wasn't called for—everyone's favorite, Tiro Finale.

The Extra Large version is a design that prioritizes a hype/festive festival feeling.

It is the pure crystallization of "Mami-ism" inside the brain of Gekidan Inu Curry.

● A mass of good dreams. A level of hope intense enough to give you heartburn.

● The parfait includes: raspberry, apple, cheese, and melon.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 206: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:206 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon.jpg|right|300px]]
● Cannonball Texture: Image pattern resembles a ''temari'' (traditional Japanese thread ball). Since Bebe's power is also being borrowed, it features the emblem of the Witch of Sweets.

● The railway gun created by Mami and Nagisa's magic. Since it is entirely a weapon conceived by a middle school girl, it lacks any consistency with real-world weaponry and features none of that "boyish" mechanical gimmickry. Visual appearance is the top priority. It feels as though they are using magic to forcefully move whatever image they have in their heads. Because of this, there are a few fatal design flaws scattered throughout, such as absolutely no consideration given to space for ejecting shell casings.

Simultaneous with the shell firing, the recoil causes a parfait explosion. The shell casing is ejected from inside the parfait.

Towed by two locomotives.

Erupting from the smokestack are the fluffy flowers that blew out at the start of the magical table scene.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 209: Pumpkin Carriage===
[[File:209 prop_design carriage miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
* The pumpkin part is the exact same color as the pumpkin that appeared during the magic table scene.

* The window frames attached to the pumpkin are white.

* The borrowed familiars are packed tightly inside.

The carriage used by Sayaka and Nagisa.

Though it is a design personally and graciously bestowed by Goddess Madoka, its reputation among the drivers is terrible because it is incredibly slow and shakes excessively.

Sayaka thinks a helicopter would have been better.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 215===
[[File:215STO~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''Table'''

The entire object, including the parasol portion, is made of tinplate.

A doll is sitting on a toy chair.

Please design it with a sense of scale resembling a miniature.

* Homura is happily chatting with an imaginary Madoka who is completely off-screen.

* The table where Homura sits is invisible to everyone except Sayaka.

* The parasol is rotating continuously.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 216: Dark Orb===
[[File:216 prop_design dark_orb.jpg|right|300px]]
The design motifs are a pumpkin, a crown, and a perfume bottle.

● Color: Basically black. The parts that are not black are made of glass.

The central core (the bottle part) is made of spherical glass.

There is a crest on the bottom of the spherical bottle.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 217===
[[File:217 storyboard roschach_blots akemi_homura akuma_homura miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
How the Devil appears varies from person to person, like a Rorschach test. Is she eerie, beautiful, sad, or happy? Is she right, or not quite so?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 218: Dark Orb===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 218.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Upper right: Earcuff'''

{{Runes|HOMULILLY}} - The witch's name is written on the torso region.

'''Upper left: Dark orb'''

Alternate form (worn only on the left ear). Equipped with a function that allows the witch's familiars to softly whisper the information they have seen and heard into Homura's ear.

'''Bottom left:'''

Due to its nature being close to that of a witch, the Dark Orb sometimes moves around on its own. It does follow orders, but for Homura, it can be troubling.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 219: Dark Orb===
[[File:219 character_design dark_orb prop_design lizard.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Middle left:'''

Crown. Perfume bottle.

Pink light (Madoka) inside the center.

The top is spherical, like the lid of a bottle.

* Initially, the surface of the Dark Orb was planned to have intricate patterns, but for the sake of distinguishing it from the Soul Gem, it was ultimately made simple.

'''Bottom left:'''

Crest pattern. Monochrome.

Simplified crest.

'''Top right:'''

The mark of the Devil is a lizard that crawls on the ground. Since snakes have strong biblical imagery and lizards felt more human to us, we decided on a design of a lizard laid over upside-down white wings. Unlike the Law of Cycles, we intended for it to look different from traditional Western coats of arms. It is not the mark of an evil being, but rather a symbol of a faith distinct from everyone else's God.

* Early rejected designs for the Devil's crest
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 220===
[[File:220 storyboard epilog akemi_homura akuma_homura dark_orb das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]

'''End Credits ~ Epilogue'''

For both the Law of Cycles and Homura, the moon is used as a shared motif.

* The grass and flowers are withered. The city lights are beautiful.

* Homura is sitting on the chair from the "Luminous" OP at the edge of the cliff. She is leaning against an unseen presence on her left side.

* Homura's humming plays continuously. No background music. It's lonely (T/N: the humming got replaced with "Not yet" in the theatrical version).

* On a hill, Homura dances alone with her right hand. The city slowly rotates like a clock.

* Homura is dancing alone with an imaginary Madoka.

'''Top right'''

* [Door] → Part A, Magic Room, Madoka's side door.

'''Bottom right'''

* The Anthonys changed from their "Sayaka version" back to their original forms.

* Country of Sweets/Good Morning: Because there are two versions of ''The Nutcracker'' ballet—one where they live in the Land of Sweets, and one with an "it was all a dream" ending.
{{-}}

==Observations==
* Laziness' phrase on page 133 is a reference to ''Little Black Sambo''. At one point in the story, Sambo, to appease three tigers trying to eat him, gives each of them his umbrella, shoes and clothing. Each tiger thinks they're the best looking one, and then chase each other around a tree. They run so quickly they melt into ghee (butter). Sambo's mother then uses the butter to make pancakes. This story is referenced briefly during the scene where Homura and Madoka are having tea at Mami's apartment, and Bebe becomes dazed. Three tigers circle around her head before a bubble with "Ghee" written in it appears and is followed by an image of pancakes.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Black dress homura production note.jpg|Black dress Homura art
File:Rconcept anthony 1.png|Anthony art
File:Rconcept anthony 2.png
File:Rconcept ulla.png|Ulla art
File:Rconcept mathieu.png|Mathieu art
File:Rconcept familiars.png|Gotz and Daniyyel & Jennifer art
File:Rconcept elly boat.png
File:inu curry image note 2 097.jpg|An exhaustive explanation of Bebe speak
File:Rconcept bebe 1.png|Bebe art
File:Rconcept bebe 2.png
File:Rconcept bebe 3.png
File:Rconcept bebe 4.png
File:Rconcept bebe 5.png
File:Rconcept bebe homu.png
File:Rconcept bebe 6.png|Art featuring Pyotr and Polina
File:Rconcept bebe 7.png
File:Rconcept bebe 8.png
File:Rconcept bebe 9.png
File:Rconcept bebe 10.png
File:Rconcept bebe 11.png
File:Rconcept bebe 12.png
File:Sayaka's Doppel in Rebellion.jpg|Oktavia art
File:Rconcept oktavia 1.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg
File:Rconcept familiar orchestra.png|Art of Oktavia and Sayaka's orchestra in full
File:Rconcept homu 1.png|Art of Homulilly
File:Rconcept homu 2.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rconcept homu fams.png
File:Rconcept lotte.png|Art of Lotte
File:Rconcept lotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lotte 2.png
File:Rconcept lotte 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 5.png|Art featuring an unused design for Lotte which was used in the [[Rebellion Manga|manga]]
File:Rconcept clara 1.png|Art of the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 2.png
File:Rconcept clara 3.png
File:Rconcept clara 6.png
File:Rconcept clara 4.png|Very early concept art for the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 5.png
File:Rconcept liese 1.png|Art of Liese
File:Rconcept liese.png|Art of Liese featuring an unused Homura styled Liese
File:Rconcept luiselotte.png|Art of Luiselotte and Lilia
File:Rconcept luiselotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lilia.png|Art of Lilia. Her more detailed design was used in the manga
File:Rconcept homu 3.png|Art of Homulilly's labyrinth
File:Rconcept lisa.png|Art of Lisa
File:Rconcept nightmare 1.png|Art which shows the Nightmare's appearance in reflections
File:Rconcept nightmare 2.png|Art of Hitomi's Nightmare and the first Nightmare
File:Rconcept nightmare 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 4.png|An unused [[Homura]] Nightmare
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Puella Magi Production Note]]
* [[Key Animation Note]]

==External links==
* [http://genga.booru.org/index.php?page=post&s=list&tags=production_note_rebellion&pid=0 Scans of Rebellion Production Note]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Documents/Anime-Production]]
[[Category:Products and merchandise]]

Rebellion Production Note

2026-08-01T00:07:56Z

Romi1908: /* Image Note Page 152 */

[[File:Rebellion Production Note Cover.jpg|thumb|Front cover]]
'''''Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Rebellion'' Production Note''' is a set of two volumes that was first sold in a limited edition version at Comic Market 87 from December 28 to December 30, 2014. It became available to the general public starting February 28, 2015. Each set also comes with a bookmark magnifying glass.

The first volume is 277 pages long and contains:
* Character Design, page 005
* Prop Design, page 115
* Art Design, page 127
* Imageboard, page 197
* Special: [[Ume Aoki]] Original Character Designs, page 265
* Index, page 278

The second volume is titled '''Inu Curry Image Note 2''' and contains 233 pages of illustrations and designs by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]:
* Images, page 002
* Part A, page 036
* Part B, page 064
* Part C, page 094
* Part D, page 136
* Part E, page 166
See [[Rebellion/Synopsis]] for details on how the movie is divided into parts.

==Translated pages==
===Image Note Page 081: Drosselmeyer's Theater Box===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 081.jpg|right|300px]]
Using the theater box from the sideshow, Drosselmeyer tells the Children the story of a lonely magical girl. The Children, imagining the world in the story, fantasize about how wonderful it would be if the present were filled with more thrill and violence.

This is not a familiar of the witch. It's a mechanical doll (''karakuri''); the witch's subconscious is what's turning the gears. This Drosselmeyer is a judge doll.

We thought about blending the sideshow into the background somewhere later in the second half as well, but in the end, it only appeared in the café.

'''Bottom left:''' [The End]
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 082 & 083: Clara Dolls===
[[File:082PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
[[File:083PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Initial Concept'''

The Children of the False City

* In a dome-shaped café, they watch a sideshow. All of them are girls.

* For character design, please make them appear around 6 years old in the world of Madoka. In the main story, no specific ages are set.

* Their faces are entirely obscured, and they are barefoot.

* From then on, they are sometimes seen riding a bus or blending into crowds. They exist discreetly, avoiding attention. (Mainly as silhouettes.)

* After the people of the city turn into paper dolls, the Children also become flat and flimsy. They aren’t held by hands; instead, their heads turn into bookmarks (Discarded concept.)

* As suggested by their names, all of the children have bad personalities but get along well with each other.

* Their role is to cry during the funeral procession. They are mourners.

* Since the funeral is delayed, they wander around, killing time.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 117===
[[File:117 part_c storyboard akemi_homura miki_sayaka oktavia_von_seckendorff lizard.jpg|right|300px]]
The image of the witch reflected in the water at Sayaka's feet and on her cape is an illusion created by Homura in response to the magic Sayaka is emitting. Since Homura only knows the old appearance of the Mermaid Witch, the reflected image uses the TV version’s design.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 123: Clara Dolls===
[[File:123 part_c character_design clara_dolls.jpg|right|300px]]

They do not close their eyes.

For the cel-drawn version with eyes, keep the eye design exactly as it is; it should look completely different from the other human characters.

'''Planned Appearances'''

● First Half

All of them are present inside the café where Homura and Kyoko have a conversation.

In other scenes, they are wandering around the city.

● Middle Stage 1

They appear during Homura's imagery scenes.

● Middle Stage 2

They are present when Homura transforms into a witch.

The cel animation pops → they turn into paper dolls.

From this point on, they appear as a symbol of Witch Homura's power.

● Middle Stage 3

They are present at Homura's throne as paper dolls.

They chase Kyubey around as paper dolls.

● Late Stage 1

They appear during the battle, entering partway through as paper dolls.

They attack exclusively through blunt-force strikes and are incredibly strong.

During their battle with Sayaka and Kyouko, they vanish somewhere with the collapse of the barrier.

● Late Stage 2

Undetermined.

● Late Stage 3

In the rewritten world, the cel versions with eyes are seen wandering around (symbolically representing an ominous, unsettling presence).

Homura is completely alone.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 124, 125 & 126: Clara Dolls===
[[File:124 part_c character_design clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukiii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:aa.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:126 part_c character_design clara_dolls yakimochi namake mie okubyouuu.jpg|right|300px]]
① Ibari ② Nekura ③ Usotsuki

④ Reiketsu ⑤ Wagamama ⑥ Warukuchi ⑦ Noroma

⑧ Yakimochi ⑨ Namake ⑩ Mie ⑪ Okubyou

* When in paper doll form, the Children carry knitting needles as weapons, all designed identically.

* The Children’s personalities largely align with their names.

* They are dress-up dolls Homura used to play with in the past.

* Even after Homura's world is rewritten again, the Dolls continue to wander and play freely as they please.

* The Children of the False City are less like the witch’s familiars and more akin to phenomena occurring within the False City. They are embodiments of the magic and karma that overflow from Homura.

* In the final draft, the Children lack jawlines.

* When in cel-animation style: they lack eyes, their noses aren't visible from the front, their faces resemble lizards', and they are doll-like.

* All the faces are identical.

* We agonized until the very last second over whether to make all 14 of them share the same hairstyle and clothing, but in the end, I chose to give them all completely unique hair, outfits, and heights. However, because of this, the workload instantly skyrocketed (we had to ask several other staff members to help out with the vast majority of the keyframe movement). Around two months before the movie's premiere date, we were deeply regretting that choice.

* When we based the design of Witch Homura’s familiars on Glasses Homura, they didn't look very strong while fighting Sayaka and the others. Therefore, by borrowing the café stage setting and some of the familiars' roles, we expanded their appearance scenes as the "Children of the False City."

* The Children all get along well. Though not explicitly shown in the main story, Ibari & Nekura, Yakimochi & Namake, and Mie & Okubyou are often seen together.

* Reiketsu and Noroma have vacant stares. Noroma’s head is perpetually tilted.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 127: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 127.jpg|right|300px]]
⑫ Manuke ⑬ Higami ⑭ Ganko

'''Top right:'''

All familiars and barriers are born from the witch’s subconscious.

The witch can summon them.

Furthermore, they arise on their own, even without being summoned.

They may obey the witch, or they may defy her.

Even the witch herself doesn’t fully understand her magic or the entities it creates.

'''Middle Right:'''

After Homura transforms into a witch*

'''Bottom right:'''

Yaa~

It's pitiful, shameful Mistress Failure.

Shunned, trampled,

And also despised.

Scatter ashes and strew flowers.

Change clothes, enter mourning.

From now, from here, let the funeral procession commence.

With these eyes, we gaze with envy.

And with these teeth, we gnaw at the future.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 128, 129, 130, 131 & 132: Clara Dolls===
[[File:128 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:129 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls reiketsu wagamama warukuchi_.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0130 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls noroma yakimochi namake.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0131 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls mie okubyou manuke.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0132 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls higami ganko.jpg|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Animation Reference Materials'''

* When a witch's familiars attack humans:

① Types that have not received magical power from the witch → For "mealtime."

② Because they hate humans or for the witch’s sake.

③ Out of boredom. For entertainment.

④ Due to the nature of their specific roles, leading to humans dying as a result.

The Children of the False City fall under ③, while the other familiars (The Nutcracker Witch's familiars) fall under ④.

* All the Children have the same face (same doll design).

* Short Hair + Pants Look: Ibari's design is the easiest for animators to create, making it the most convenient for production.

* Usotsuki: One of her eyes tends to be hidden by her hair.

* For the Children of the False City, we consciously aimed for "cute clothes that wouldn't really appeal to the opposite sex," but aside from her upper-body layering, Usotsuki has the vibe of someone who might be popular.

* When drawn normally, not as papercuts, the Children disguise themselves as humans. Even magical girls struggle to distinguish them.

* Just like the familiars of other witches, their thinking is animalistic.

* They are always sneering at Failure.

* Furthermore, even when the Devil appears, they burst out laughing.

* The Children acknowledge the Devil as a first-class comedic actress.

* When in a standing pose, Reiketsu's head is tilted.

* Reiketsu's go-to one-liner gag: "Flipping my hair like the Devil!" It's a huge hit (cracks everyone up).

* Wagamama: A jacket worn over a one-piece dress.

* Yakimochi's outfit has a "Mori Girl" (Forest Girl) style. Her mannerisms are also girly.

* Because it’s difficult to differentiate between the witch’s familiars, this time we’ve given them code names such as 'Tooth Cavalry' and 'Kigurumi Bird.' All the Children also have nicknames.

* During the dance inside the cabinet, Noroma is the only one who is slightly lagging behind.

* When she is standing still, Noroma's head is usually tilted.

* Leaving the witch aside, for her familiars, the Law of Cycles is truly a nuisance because they are immediately sent to achieve enlightenment before they are even born.

* The Children of the False City like Madoka, but think the Law of Cycles is underwhelming. The Devil is so-so. Only Manuke likes everyone.

* Although they take on a human form, their behavioral principles are completely alien to human values, just like other familiars.

* Higami's height: Short.

* Ganko's brooch: the top part is metal, the rest is ribbon.

* The Children love watching miniature stage plays at the floating café. Their absolute favorite play is 'The Pumpkin Left All Alone Because of the Goddess'. The Mermaid Story isn't very popular.

* Recently, they have been obsessed with a game where they throw tomatoes at a pretentious person at just the right moment.

* Their noses appear when looking sideways, even though they aren't there when facing forward.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 133: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 133.jpg|right|300px]]
What is it that you lack?

I only ever behave arrogantly (Ibari). It's okay to act proud once in a while.

I'm Gloominess (Nekura), and even if you force yourself to smile, you just end up exhausted.

I'm Liar (Usotsuki). Is the truth always right?

I'm Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). Being too kind can be troublesome as well.

I'm Selfishness (Wagamama). Value your own feelings.

I'm Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). You quickly lock away your emotions.

I'm Slowpoke (Noroma). Not rushing too much is also important.

I feel nothing but Jealousy (Yakimochi). Jealousy is necessary for Love.

I'm the Lazy one (Namake). If you don't take a break, you'll turn into butter.

I'm such a Show-off (Mie). You also push yourself past your limits for someone's sake.

I'm Cowardice (Okubyou). But deeply cautious.

I'm Foolishness (Manuke). Even so, don't forget to be charming, too.

I'm only filled with Resentment (Higami). Let's change this unsatisfying reality.

I'm Stubborness (Ganko). Just don't forget the important stuff.

These vices are Love (Ai)'s allies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 142 & 143: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 142.jpg|right|300px]]
:See also: [[Witches Artwork]]

The Children of the False City. Their role is to be mourners. These dress-up dolls perform a play of tears in order to liven up the funeral procession. The dolls present are Arrogance, Gloominess, Liar, Coldheartedness, Selfishness, Bad-mouth, Slowpoke, Jealousy, Laziness, Show-off, Cowardice, Foolishness, Resentment, and Stubbornness, while the last one, Love, has yet to arrive. "Born from color (form), not in the sky (emptiness)<ref>From Mahāyāna Buddhism's "Form Is Emptiness, Emptiness Is Form": https://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-studies/lam-rim/vipashyana/commentary-on-the-heart-sutra-dr-berzin/form-is-emptiness-emptiness-is-form</ref>, the abyss of this mortal world<ref>Literally "this shore", a Buddhist concept. https://buddhisttemple.ca/teaching/the-other-shore/</ref> is our stage.” Their power is no less than that of a magical girl.

* The first one to appear was Arrogance (Ibari). Stepping over Failure's head that tumbled across the bare earth, she bravely spoke on her behalf. “Cocky bastards. You shall not be forgiven. This feeling belongs to us alone.”

* The second one to come was Gloominess (Nekura). Sneaking forward, she sneered at Failure. “This is Failure. What an absolute disgrace.” These dolls are disciples of freedom alone and are loyal to their desires.

* The third one to come was Liar (Usotsuki). She put on a tearful performance dedicated to Failure's soul. “Pitiful Mistress Failure. That foolish soul is our pride.” These dolls sneer at the fool yet side with her.

* Following behind them is the fourth one, Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). She tripped over Failure's head, looking slightly irritated. “Why don't we cut Mistress Failure into smaller pieces to make her easier to carry around?” If the Devil speaks, these dolls will obediently follow.

* Further comes the fifth, Selfishness (Wagamama), walking angrily. “Hasn't the funeral procession started yet? I've been practicing how to cry as quickly as possible, you know? I can't wait any longer", she huffed. These dolls are someone and no one.

* Coming out with a look of annoyance is the sixth one, Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). As usual, she makes spiteful remarks. “Mistress Failure is quite the masterful comedian.” These dolls play house with utterly entangled karma.

* Finally arriving is the seventh, Slowpoke (Noroma). The silent doll laughs at the witch with her eyes. These dolls comply with the witch's wishes to a certain extent, unlike the diligent soldiers.

* The eighth to appear is Jealousy (Yakimochi). Entranced, she gazes at the sky. “Let's prepare a box. I want to keep that radiance locked away forever.” These dolls are a collection of colors (form). They don't belong to the sky (emptiness).
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 143.jpg|right|300px]]
* The ninth one, Laziness (Namake), chats while yawning. “Do I have to go to the extent of helping with this children's play? Knitting is such a troublesome bother.” She kicked Failure's head, which was lying in her way. These dolls, with the funeral not starting at all, grow bored and wander aimlessly around the city.

* The tenth to come running is Show-off (Mie). She dramatically avoids Failure's head, saying, “I wouldn't be able to bear staining my cape with sticky blood.” These dolls mock the witch's self-harm.

* The eleventh one, trembling, is Cowardice (Okubyou). “If I am taken up into the sky, I won't even be able to behead the rabbit.” These dolls, with the power of magic, are able to achieve a complete recurrence.

* Walking aimlessly comes the twelfth one, Foolishness (Manuke). She goes out of her way to tell everyone what she just heard from a bird. “I heard a story about the Goddess. She's a beautiful and radiant goddess. I'm sure she will love us, too.” These dolls only desire what is within their reach.

* The thirteenth's footsteps are Resentment (Higami)'s. “Let's have a wonderful funeral like the one I heard in a story once. Let's bury lots of beautiful girls and cute animals together, too.” These dolls have powers that rival those of magical girls.

* Further comes the fourteenth, Stubbornness (Ganko). She points to the ground and rejects the sky. “The abyss of this mortal world is our stage.”

So, the mourners have gathered. Though it's become quite late, it's alright. The night is not yet over. The night will not be allowed to end anymore.

Right now is always 
Before knowing that radiance. Before losing that radiance. 
Here is merely the eve of the festival. The night before Failure. 
All that's left is to wait for the funeral procession.

Now, now, oh pure-white, wondrously virtuous Goddess. We are just utterly moved that you have casually strolled on over here so deferentially after all this time. But might you, perhaps, turn a blind eye to this, just a tiny bit? Lined up here is the theater troupe of this mortal world. We are human, and this is simply human nature. Even if you destroy sorrow and resentment, to despair is what makes us human. Passion drives our bones, and only melancholy washes our organs. Anyway, in exchange, we could produce plenty of others to turn toward your side, if you would like. Would that not suffice to earn your forgiveness?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 152===
[[File:152PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]

* Small objects other than the bed: orange pot marigold flowers, rulers, yarn, knitting needles, syringes, IV stands, and socks.

The place where Witch Homura took refuge was Christmas inside the hospital room cabinet.

A time slightly before the moment she repeated over and over again to save God.

A day from a slightly earlier life, a moment when she was happy.

A time when she didn’t even know what God looked like.

Had she remained unaware like this, she might have stayed in a state where she neither saved anyone nor was saved.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 158===
[[File:158PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
Kyubey is utterly despised by the witch and her familiars, but to the Children of the False City, the white animal is a convenient toy that never runs out no matter how much they play with it. Everyone is very impressed by its usefulness. Other living creatures dwindle if played with too much, so making them last as long as possible is quite a challenge.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 165===
[[File:165 part_d storyboard akemi_homura homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
《The Nutcracker Witch》

Her nature is self-sufficiency.

This witch's karma produced an army of familiars on a scale that is difficult to comprehend under normal circumstances.

However, this witch is a half-boiled failure.

Yet, if someone were to bestow unconditional love upon this ugly, broken doll, the heart of this wretched, half-boiled witch might not remain lost forever.<ref>This scene in ''Rebellion'' references ''The Nutcracker and the Mouse King'' by E. T. A. Hoffmann.</ref>
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 166===
[[File:166 part_e draft storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Initial Draft'''

Most witch barriers are composed of personal, single-minded, and inward-focused elements of the witch herself. The Nutcracker Witch's barrier is no exception, presenting a very narrow worldview. Her familiars are nothing but extensions of herself, evoking the image of a funeral procession taking place inside a house.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 170: Gooey Homura===
[[File:170 part_e storyboard homulilly soul.jpg|right|300px]]
Gooey Homura, located at the face portion of the Witch. Use rotoscoping if possible.

Basically the same as the Mermaid Witch's interior, which appeared for an instant. A slimy body with a giant eyeball.

The eyeball shifts and rolls around restlessly.

When her hand is taken by Madoka, Magical Girl Homura emerges from within the slime.

Homura's gooey form first melts away, then all at once scatters into snowflake crystals. It's as if an evil spell has been undone.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 171===
[[File:171 part_e character_design storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
A countdown like Walpurgisnacht's.

Homura's countdown from the compilation movies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 172===
[[File:172 part_e character_design homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Top text:'''

Right: Theatrical release

Bottom: Revised home video version

In the DVD & Blu-ray version, the number of ribbons around the witch's mouth has increased compared to the theatrical release.

'''Bottom text:'''

A magical girl’s mental state at the moment of her transformation is strongly reflected in the form of the witch she becomes.

The reason why the witch seen in the PSP game—the Witch of the Mortal World—and the Nutcracker Witch from ''Rebellion'' have different appearances is that the Witch of the Mortal World was born from a Homura who was unable to escape the one-month time loop.

Despair from yesterday is not necessarily the same as despair from today, so even for the same individual, different witches can be born depending on the time period.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 174: Nagisa's Transformation===
[[File:174 part_e storyboard charlotte bebe momoe_nagisa runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''☆ Nagisa Cooking ☆'''

'''An easy magical girl recipe.'''

The magical girl transformations this time around are split between two styles: types where they break out of themselves, and types involving a gooey, syrupy mixture.

As for Nagisa, after she and Bebe are thrown into a blender together, they are poured into a magical-girl-shaped mold to be successfully completed.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 181===
[[File:181 part_e storyboard illustration miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
Needles and gears sprout quickly out from Homu-Witch's (Homulilly's) head as well.

Gears and needles scatter in all directions. + Magic square/circle effect.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 188: Lotte===
[[File:188 part_e draft character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Toy soldiers'''

* Height: Same as Homura (though the head itself makes up the extra size).

* The ribbon worn across their chests is proof of their promise.

* The head is egg-shaped.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 189: Liese===
[[File:189 part_e draft character_design liese runes.jpg|right|300px]]
* It doesn't blink.

* Everything except for the head is a crow.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 191: Lotte===
[[File:191 part_e character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
The Luiselotte familiars have better athletic ability than the regular soldier ones.

Because they are Glasses-Homu (Moemura), their individual athletic ability is quite low.

At any rate, they are incredibly diligent, so they excel at group tactics. They are weak if scattered, so they deal with the mustache familiars (Anthony) by forming a dense, close-order formation. If they can group together and form a battle array, they are strong.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 192===
[[File:192 part_e character_design liese runes prop_design guillotine.jpg|right|300px]]
Even though Witch Homura fights Sayaka and the others to prevent her own barrier from being destroyed, she is simultaneously in a troublesome state of mind where she wants to "be defeated here." Therefore, our first priority was to visually convey the sense of preventing her suicide, so we installed a massive guillotine platform.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 194: Nagisa's Trumpet===
[[File:194 part_e prop_design bebe charlotte momoe_nagisa horn.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Bebe Horn'''

* If it's alright to use the witch settings as a basis, the wish she had granted was: "I want a single cheesecake."

Nagisa's magic ➔ Magic that allows her to assert herself and become more greedy.

➔ Upon turning into a witch, this manifested as the trait "Attachment," an aggravated form of emotional expression.

* Rather than being something given to her by Kyubey, the concept is that Nagisa came up with it herself. It's not a "cool weapon," but a "cute tool." It carries the vibe of "a magical item as imagined by Nagisa."
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 197===
[[File:197 part_e storyboard kiss anthony das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]
With the emblem of the Law of Cycles at the center, the emblems of the witches are linked together in a constellation-like shape. Each connecting line represents individuals whose souls are compatible, or who share a deep karmic connection.

An image of souls, as countless as the stars, revolving around the Law of Cycles at the center.

* As the Mermaid Witch tries to take Witch Homura's hand, she refuses by vigorously swinging her handcuffs up and down.

* Between the buildings, the Mermaid Witch's hand stretches out. There are many clocks around.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 198===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Dispatched familiars'''

When Sayaka materialized, the souls surrounding her within the Law of Cycles (in addition to the Rose Garden Witch's familiars) packed fragments of themselves into Sayaka’s bag to assist her.

Among the magical girls who have now become part of God, for those who know Homura, this operation is a major event—like a fleeting awakening within a long, long dream.

* Goddess Madoka's flag: Slightly modified from the [[Kriemhild Gretchen|Witch of Salvation]]'s emblem from the [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Portable|PSP game]].

* Sayaka: After the [[Oktavia von Seckendorff|Mermaid Witch]]'s appearance, Goddess Madoka's mark appears on her cape.

* On the stage of the concert hall raised by Sayaka, the Box Witch's familiars and the Birdcage Witch's familiars are playing violins.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 205: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:205 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon momoe_nagisa storyboard.jpg|right|300px]]
Carrying an overloaded bounty of presents, it shows up even if it wasn't called for—everyone's favorite, Tiro Finale.

The Extra Large version is a design that prioritizes a hype/festive festival feeling.

It is the pure crystallization of "Mami-ism" inside the brain of Gekidan Inu Curry.

● A mass of good dreams. A level of hope intense enough to give you heartburn.

● The parfait includes: raspberry, apple, cheese, and melon.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 206: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:206 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon.jpg|right|300px]]
● Cannonball Texture: Image pattern resembles a ''temari'' (traditional Japanese thread ball). Since Bebe's power is also being borrowed, it features the emblem of the Witch of Sweets.

● The railway gun created by Mami and Nagisa's magic. Since it is entirely a weapon conceived by a middle school girl, it lacks any consistency with real-world weaponry and features none of that "boyish" mechanical gimmickry. Visual appearance is the top priority. It feels as though they are using magic to forcefully move whatever image they have in their heads. Because of this, there are a few fatal design flaws scattered throughout, such as absolutely no consideration given to space for ejecting shell casings.

Simultaneous with the shell firing, the recoil causes a parfait explosion. The shell casing is ejected from inside the parfait.

Towed by two locomotives.

Erupting from the smokestack are the fluffy flowers that blew out at the start of the magical table scene.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 209: Pumpkin Carriage===
[[File:209 prop_design carriage miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
* The pumpkin part is the exact same color as the pumpkin that appeared during the magic table scene.

* The window frames attached to the pumpkin are white.

* The borrowed familiars are packed tightly inside.

The carriage used by Sayaka and Nagisa.

Though it is a design personally and graciously bestowed by Goddess Madoka, its reputation among the drivers is terrible because it is incredibly slow and shakes excessively.

Sayaka thinks a helicopter would have been better.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 215===
[[File:215STO~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''Table'''

The entire object, including the parasol portion, is made of tinplate.

A doll is sitting on a toy chair.

Please design it with a sense of scale resembling a miniature.

* Homura is happily chatting with an imaginary Madoka who is completely off-screen.

* The table where Homura sits is invisible to everyone except Sayaka.

* The parasol is rotating continuously.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 216: Dark Orb===
[[File:216 prop_design dark_orb.jpg|right|300px]]
The design motifs are a pumpkin, a crown, and a perfume bottle.

● Color: Basically black. The parts that are not black are made of glass.

The central core (the bottle part) is made of spherical glass.

There is a crest on the bottom of the spherical bottle.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 217===
[[File:217 storyboard roschach_blots akemi_homura akuma_homura miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
How the Devil appears varies from person to person, like a Rorschach test. Is she eerie, beautiful, sad, or happy? Is she right, or not quite so?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 218: Dark Orb===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 218.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Upper right: Earcuff'''

{{Runes|HOMULILLY}} - The witch's name is written on the torso region.

'''Upper left: Dark orb'''

Alternate form (worn only on the left ear). Equipped with a function that allows the witch's familiars to softly whisper the information they have seen and heard into Homura's ear.

'''Bottom left:'''

Due to its nature being close to that of a witch, the Dark Orb sometimes moves around on its own. It does follow orders, but for Homura, it can be troubling.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 219: Dark Orb===
[[File:219 character_design dark_orb prop_design lizard.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Middle left:'''

Crown. Perfume bottle.

Pink light (Madoka) inside the center.

The top is spherical, like the lid of a bottle.

* Initially, the surface of the Dark Orb was planned to have intricate patterns, but for the sake of distinguishing it from the Soul Gem, it was ultimately made simple.

'''Bottom left:'''

Crest pattern. Monochrome.

Simplified crest.

'''Top right:'''

The mark of the Devil is a lizard that crawls on the ground. Since snakes have strong biblical imagery and lizards felt more human to us, we decided on a design of a lizard laid over upside-down white wings. Unlike the Law of Cycles, we intended for it to look different from traditional Western coats of arms. It is not the mark of an evil being, but rather a symbol of a faith distinct from everyone else's God.

* Early rejected designs for the Devil's crest
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 220===
[[File:220 storyboard epilog akemi_homura akuma_homura dark_orb das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]

'''End Credits ~ Epilogue'''

For both the Law of Cycles and Homura, the moon is used as a shared motif.

* The grass and flowers are withered. The city lights are beautiful.

* Homura is sitting on the chair from the "Luminous" OP at the edge of the cliff. She is leaning against an unseen presence on her left side.

* Homura's humming plays continuously. No background music. It's lonely (T/N: the humming got replaced with "Not yet" in the theatrical version).

* On a hill, Homura dances alone with her right hand. The city slowly rotates like a clock.

* Homura is dancing alone with an imaginary Madoka.

'''Top right'''

* [Door] → Part A, Magic Room, Madoka's side door.

'''Bottom right'''

* The Anthonys changed from their "Sayaka version" back to their original forms.

* Country of Sweets/Good Morning: Because there are two versions of ''The Nutcracker'' ballet—one where they live in the Land of Sweets, and one with an "it was all a dream" ending.
{{-}}

==Observations==
* Laziness' phrase on page 133 is a reference to ''Little Black Sambo''. At one point in the story, Sambo, to appease three tigers trying to eat him, gives each of them his umbrella, shoes and clothing. Each tiger thinks they're the best looking one, and then chase each other around a tree. They run so quickly they melt into ghee (butter). Sambo's mother then uses the butter to make pancakes. This story is referenced briefly during the scene where Homura and Madoka are having tea at Mami's apartment, and Bebe becomes dazed. Three tigers circle around her head before a bubble with "Ghee" written in it appears and is followed by an image of pancakes.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Black dress homura production note.jpg|Black dress Homura art
File:Rconcept anthony 1.png|Anthony art
File:Rconcept anthony 2.png
File:Rconcept ulla.png|Ulla art
File:Rconcept mathieu.png|Mathieu art
File:Rconcept familiars.png|Gotz and Daniyyel & Jennifer art
File:Rconcept elly boat.png
File:inu curry image note 2 097.jpg|An exhaustive explanation of Bebe speak
File:Rconcept bebe 1.png|Bebe art
File:Rconcept bebe 2.png
File:Rconcept bebe 3.png
File:Rconcept bebe 4.png
File:Rconcept bebe 5.png
File:Rconcept bebe homu.png
File:Rconcept bebe 6.png|Art featuring Pyotr and Polina
File:Rconcept bebe 7.png
File:Rconcept bebe 8.png
File:Rconcept bebe 9.png
File:Rconcept bebe 10.png
File:Rconcept bebe 11.png
File:Rconcept bebe 12.png
File:Sayaka's Doppel in Rebellion.jpg|Oktavia art
File:Rconcept oktavia 1.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg
File:Rconcept familiar orchestra.png|Art of Oktavia and Sayaka's orchestra in full
File:Rconcept homu 1.png|Art of Homulilly
File:Rconcept homu 2.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rconcept homu fams.png
File:Rconcept lotte.png|Art of Lotte
File:Rconcept lotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lotte 2.png
File:Rconcept lotte 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 5.png|Art featuring an unused design for Lotte which was used in the [[Rebellion Manga|manga]]
File:Rconcept clara 1.png|Art of the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 2.png
File:Rconcept clara 3.png
File:Rconcept clara 6.png
File:Rconcept clara 4.png|Very early concept art for the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 5.png
File:Rconcept liese 1.png|Art of Liese
File:Rconcept liese.png|Art of Liese featuring an unused Homura styled Liese
File:Rconcept luiselotte.png|Art of Luiselotte and Lilia
File:Rconcept luiselotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lilia.png|Art of Lilia. Her more detailed design was used in the manga
File:Rconcept homu 3.png|Art of Homulilly's labyrinth
File:Rconcept lisa.png|Art of Lisa
File:Rconcept nightmare 1.png|Art which shows the Nightmare's appearance in reflections
File:Rconcept nightmare 2.png|Art of Hitomi's Nightmare and the first Nightmare
File:Rconcept nightmare 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 4.png|An unused [[Homura]] Nightmare
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Puella Magi Production Note]]
* [[Key Animation Note]]

==External links==
* [http://genga.booru.org/index.php?page=post&s=list&tags=production_note_rebellion&pid=0 Scans of Rebellion Production Note]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Documents/Anime-Production]]
[[Category:Products and merchandise]]

Rebellion Production Note

2026-08-01T00:02:06Z

Romi1908: /* Image Note Pages 128, 129, 130, 131 & 132: Clara Dolls */

[[File:Rebellion Production Note Cover.jpg|thumb|Front cover]]
'''''Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Rebellion'' Production Note''' is a set of two volumes that was first sold in a limited edition version at Comic Market 87 from December 28 to December 30, 2014. It became available to the general public starting February 28, 2015. Each set also comes with a bookmark magnifying glass.

The first volume is 277 pages long and contains:
* Character Design, page 005
* Prop Design, page 115
* Art Design, page 127
* Imageboard, page 197
* Special: [[Ume Aoki]] Original Character Designs, page 265
* Index, page 278

The second volume is titled '''Inu Curry Image Note 2''' and contains 233 pages of illustrations and designs by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]:
* Images, page 002
* Part A, page 036
* Part B, page 064
* Part C, page 094
* Part D, page 136
* Part E, page 166
See [[Rebellion/Synopsis]] for details on how the movie is divided into parts.

==Translated pages==
===Image Note Page 081: Drosselmeyer's Theater Box===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 081.jpg|right|300px]]
Using the theater box from the sideshow, Drosselmeyer tells the Children the story of a lonely magical girl. The Children, imagining the world in the story, fantasize about how wonderful it would be if the present were filled with more thrill and violence.

This is not a familiar of the witch. It's a mechanical doll (''karakuri''); the witch's subconscious is what's turning the gears. This Drosselmeyer is a judge doll.

We thought about blending the sideshow into the background somewhere later in the second half as well, but in the end, it only appeared in the café.

'''Bottom left:''' [The End]
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 082 & 083: Clara Dolls===
[[File:082PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
[[File:083PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Initial Concept'''

The Children of the False City

* In a dome-shaped café, they watch a sideshow. All of them are girls.

* For character design, please make them appear around 6 years old in the world of Madoka. In the main story, no specific ages are set.

* Their faces are entirely obscured, and they are barefoot.

* From then on, they are sometimes seen riding a bus or blending into crowds. They exist discreetly, avoiding attention. (Mainly as silhouettes.)

* After the people of the city turn into paper dolls, the Children also become flat and flimsy. They aren’t held by hands; instead, their heads turn into bookmarks (Discarded concept.)

* As suggested by their names, all of the children have bad personalities but get along well with each other.

* Their role is to cry during the funeral procession. They are mourners.

* Since the funeral is delayed, they wander around, killing time.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 117===
[[File:117 part_c storyboard akemi_homura miki_sayaka oktavia_von_seckendorff lizard.jpg|right|300px]]
The image of the witch reflected in the water at Sayaka's feet and on her cape is an illusion created by Homura in response to the magic Sayaka is emitting. Since Homura only knows the old appearance of the Mermaid Witch, the reflected image uses the TV version’s design.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 123: Clara Dolls===
[[File:123 part_c character_design clara_dolls.jpg|right|300px]]

They do not close their eyes.

For the cel-drawn version with eyes, keep the eye design exactly as it is; it should look completely different from the other human characters.

'''Planned Appearances'''

● First Half

All of them are present inside the café where Homura and Kyoko have a conversation.

In other scenes, they are wandering around the city.

● Middle Stage 1

They appear during Homura's imagery scenes.

● Middle Stage 2

They are present when Homura transforms into a witch.

The cel animation pops → they turn into paper dolls.

From this point on, they appear as a symbol of Witch Homura's power.

● Middle Stage 3

They are present at Homura's throne as paper dolls.

They chase Kyubey around as paper dolls.

● Late Stage 1

They appear during the battle, entering partway through as paper dolls.

They attack exclusively through blunt-force strikes and are incredibly strong.

During their battle with Sayaka and Kyouko, they vanish somewhere with the collapse of the barrier.

● Late Stage 2

Undetermined.

● Late Stage 3

In the rewritten world, the cel versions with eyes are seen wandering around (symbolically representing an ominous, unsettling presence).

Homura is completely alone.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 124, 125 & 126: Clara Dolls===
[[File:124 part_c character_design clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukiii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:aa.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:126 part_c character_design clara_dolls yakimochi namake mie okubyouuu.jpg|right|300px]]
① Ibari ② Nekura ③ Usotsuki

④ Reiketsu ⑤ Wagamama ⑥ Warukuchi ⑦ Noroma

⑧ Yakimochi ⑨ Namake ⑩ Mie ⑪ Okubyou

* When in paper doll form, the Children carry knitting needles as weapons, all designed identically.

* The Children’s personalities largely align with their names.

* They are dress-up dolls Homura used to play with in the past.

* Even after Homura's world is rewritten again, the Dolls continue to wander and play freely as they please.

* The Children of the False City are less like the witch’s familiars and more akin to phenomena occurring within the False City. They are embodiments of the magic and karma that overflow from Homura.

* In the final draft, the Children lack jawlines.

* When in cel-animation style: they lack eyes, their noses aren't visible from the front, their faces resemble lizards', and they are doll-like.

* All the faces are identical.

* We agonized until the very last second over whether to make all 14 of them share the same hairstyle and clothing, but in the end, I chose to give them all completely unique hair, outfits, and heights. However, because of this, the workload instantly skyrocketed (we had to ask several other staff members to help out with the vast majority of the keyframe movement). Around two months before the movie's premiere date, we were deeply regretting that choice.

* When we based the design of Witch Homura’s familiars on Glasses Homura, they didn't look very strong while fighting Sayaka and the others. Therefore, by borrowing the café stage setting and some of the familiars' roles, we expanded their appearance scenes as the "Children of the False City."

* The Children all get along well. Though not explicitly shown in the main story, Ibari & Nekura, Yakimochi & Namake, and Mie & Okubyou are often seen together.

* Reiketsu and Noroma have vacant stares. Noroma’s head is perpetually tilted.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 127: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 127.jpg|right|300px]]
⑫ Manuke ⑬ Higami ⑭ Ganko

'''Top right:'''

All familiars and barriers are born from the witch’s subconscious.

The witch can summon them.

Furthermore, they arise on their own, even without being summoned.

They may obey the witch, or they may defy her.

Even the witch herself doesn’t fully understand her magic or the entities it creates.

'''Middle Right:'''

After Homura transforms into a witch*

'''Bottom right:'''

Yaa~

It's pitiful, shameful Mistress Failure.

Shunned, trampled,

And also despised.

Scatter ashes and strew flowers.

Change clothes, enter mourning.

From now, from here, let the funeral procession commence.

With these eyes, we gaze with envy.

And with these teeth, we gnaw at the future.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 128, 129, 130, 131 & 132: Clara Dolls===
[[File:128 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:129 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls reiketsu wagamama warukuchi_.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0130 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls noroma yakimochi namake.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0131 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls mie okubyou manuke.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0132 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls higami ganko.jpg|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Animation Reference Materials'''

* When a witch's familiars attack humans:

① Types that have not received magical power from the witch → For "mealtime."

② Because they hate humans or for the witch’s sake.

③ Out of boredom. For entertainment.

④ Due to the nature of their specific roles, leading to humans dying as a result.

The Children of the False City fall under ③, while the other familiars (The Nutcracker Witch's familiars) fall under ④.

* All the Children have the same face (same doll design).

* Short Hair + Pants Look: Ibari's design is the easiest for animators to create, making it the most convenient for production.

* Usotsuki: One of her eyes tends to be hidden by her hair.

* For the Children of the False City, we consciously aimed for "cute clothes that wouldn't really appeal to the opposite sex," but aside from her upper-body layering, Usotsuki has the vibe of someone who might be popular.

* When drawn normally, not as papercuts, the Children disguise themselves as humans. Even magical girls struggle to distinguish them.

* Just like the familiars of other witches, their thinking is animalistic.

* They are always sneering at Failure.

* Furthermore, even when the Devil appears, they burst out laughing.

* The Children acknowledge the Devil as a first-class comedic actress.

* When in a standing pose, Reiketsu's head is tilted.

* Reiketsu's go-to one-liner gag: "Flipping my hair like the Devil!" It's a huge hit (cracks everyone up).

* Wagamama: A jacket worn over a one-piece dress.

* Yakimochi's outfit has a "Mori Girl" (Forest Girl) style. Her mannerisms are also girly.

* Because it’s difficult to differentiate between the witch’s familiars, this time we’ve given them code names such as 'Tooth Cavalry' and 'Kigurumi Bird.' All the Children also have nicknames.

* During the dance inside the cabinet, Noroma is the only one who is slightly lagging behind.

* When she is standing still, Noroma's head is usually tilted.

* Leaving the witch aside, for her familiars, the Law of Cycles is truly a nuisance because they are immediately sent to achieve enlightenment before they are even born.

* The Children of the False City like Madoka, but think the Law of Cycles is underwhelming. The Devil is so-so. Only Manuke likes everyone.

* Although they take on a human form, their behavioral principles are completely alien to human values, just like other familiars.

* Higami's height: Short.

* Ganko's brooch: the top part is metal, the rest is ribbon.

* The Children love watching miniature stage plays at the floating café. Their absolute favorite play is 'The Pumpkin Left All Alone Because of the Goddess'. The Mermaid Story isn't very popular.

* Recently, they have been obsessed with a game where they throw tomatoes at a pretentious person at just the right moment.

* Their noses appear when looking sideways, even though they aren't there when facing forward.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 133: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 133.jpg|right|300px]]
What is it that you lack?

I only ever behave arrogantly (Ibari). It's okay to act proud once in a while.

I'm Gloominess (Nekura), and even if you force yourself to smile, you just end up exhausted.

I'm Liar (Usotsuki). Is the truth always right?

I'm Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). Being too kind can be troublesome as well.

I'm Selfishness (Wagamama). Value your own feelings.

I'm Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). You quickly lock away your emotions.

I'm Slowpoke (Noroma). Not rushing too much is also important.

I feel nothing but Jealousy (Yakimochi). Jealousy is necessary for Love.

I'm the Lazy one (Namake). If you don't take a break, you'll turn into butter.

I'm such a Show-off (Mie). You also push yourself past your limits for someone's sake.

I'm Cowardice (Okubyou). But deeply cautious.

I'm Foolishness (Manuke). Even so, don't forget to be charming, too.

I'm only filled with Resentment (Higami). Let's change this unsatisfying reality.

I'm Stubborness (Ganko). Just don't forget the important stuff.

These vices are Love (Ai)'s allies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 142 & 143: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 142.jpg|right|300px]]
:See also: [[Witches Artwork]]

The Children of the False City. Their role is to be mourners. These dress-up dolls perform a play of tears in order to liven up the funeral procession. The dolls present are Arrogance, Gloominess, Liar, Coldheartedness, Selfishness, Bad-mouth, Slowpoke, Jealousy, Laziness, Show-off, Cowardice, Foolishness, Resentment, and Stubbornness, while the last one, Love, has yet to arrive. "Born from color (form), not in the sky (emptiness)<ref>From Mahāyāna Buddhism's "Form Is Emptiness, Emptiness Is Form": https://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-studies/lam-rim/vipashyana/commentary-on-the-heart-sutra-dr-berzin/form-is-emptiness-emptiness-is-form</ref>, the abyss of this mortal world<ref>Literally "this shore", a Buddhist concept. https://buddhisttemple.ca/teaching/the-other-shore/</ref> is our stage.” Their power is no less than that of a magical girl.

* The first one to appear was Arrogance (Ibari). Stepping over Failure's head that tumbled across the bare earth, she bravely spoke on her behalf. “Cocky bastards. You shall not be forgiven. This feeling belongs to us alone.”

* The second one to come was Gloominess (Nekura). Sneaking forward, she sneered at Failure. “This is Failure. What an absolute disgrace.” These dolls are disciples of freedom alone and are loyal to their desires.

* The third one to come was Liar (Usotsuki). She put on a tearful performance dedicated to Failure's soul. “Pitiful Mistress Failure. That foolish soul is our pride.” These dolls sneer at the fool yet side with her.

* Following behind them is the fourth one, Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). She tripped over Failure's head, looking slightly irritated. “Why don't we cut Mistress Failure into smaller pieces to make her easier to carry around?” If the Devil speaks, these dolls will obediently follow.

* Further comes the fifth, Selfishness (Wagamama), walking angrily. “Hasn't the funeral procession started yet? I've been practicing how to cry as quickly as possible, you know? I can't wait any longer", she huffed. These dolls are someone and no one.

* Coming out with a look of annoyance is the sixth one, Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). As usual, she makes spiteful remarks. “Mistress Failure is quite the masterful comedian.” These dolls play house with utterly entangled karma.

* Finally arriving is the seventh, Slowpoke (Noroma). The silent doll laughs at the witch with her eyes. These dolls comply with the witch's wishes to a certain extent, unlike the diligent soldiers.

* The eighth to appear is Jealousy (Yakimochi). Entranced, she gazes at the sky. “Let's prepare a box. I want to keep that radiance locked away forever.” These dolls are a collection of colors (form). They don't belong to the sky (emptiness).
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 143.jpg|right|300px]]
* The ninth one, Laziness (Namake), chats while yawning. “Do I have to go to the extent of helping with this children's play? Knitting is such a troublesome bother.” She kicked Failure's head, which was lying in her way. These dolls, with the funeral not starting at all, grow bored and wander aimlessly around the city.

* The tenth to come running is Show-off (Mie). She dramatically avoids Failure's head, saying, “I wouldn't be able to bear staining my cape with sticky blood.” These dolls mock the witch's self-harm.

* The eleventh one, trembling, is Cowardice (Okubyou). “If I am taken up into the sky, I won't even be able to behead the rabbit.” These dolls, with the power of magic, are able to achieve a complete recurrence.

* Walking aimlessly comes the twelfth one, Foolishness (Manuke). She goes out of her way to tell everyone what she just heard from a bird. “I heard a story about the Goddess. She's a beautiful and radiant goddess. I'm sure she will love us, too.” These dolls only desire what is within their reach.

* The thirteenth's footsteps are Resentment (Higami)'s. “Let's have a wonderful funeral like the one I heard in a story once. Let's bury lots of beautiful girls and cute animals together, too.” These dolls have powers that rival those of magical girls.

* Further comes the fourteenth, Stubbornness (Ganko). She points to the ground and rejects the sky. “The abyss of this mortal world is our stage.”

So, the mourners have gathered. Though it's become quite late, it's alright. The night is not yet over. The night will not be allowed to end anymore.

Right now is always 
Before knowing that radiance. Before losing that radiance. 
Here is merely the eve of the festival. The night before Failure. 
All that's left is to wait for the funeral procession.

Now, now, oh pure-white, wondrously virtuous Goddess. We are just utterly moved that you have casually strolled on over here so deferentially after all this time. But might you, perhaps, turn a blind eye to this, just a tiny bit? Lined up here is the theater troupe of this mortal world. We are human, and this is simply human nature. Even if you destroy sorrow and resentment, to despair is what makes us human. Passion drives our bones, and only melancholy washes our organs. Anyway, in exchange, we could produce plenty of others to turn toward your side, if you would like. Would that not suffice to earn your forgiveness?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 152===
[[File:152PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]

* Small objects other than the bed: orange pot marigold flowers, rulers, yarn, knitting needles, syringes, IV stands, and socks.

The place where Witch Homura took refuge was Christmas inside the hospital room cupboard.

A time slightly before the moment she repeated over and over again to save God.

A day from a slightly earlier life, a moment when she was happy.

A time when she didn’t even know what God looked like.

Had she remained unaware like this, she might have stayed in a state where she neither saved anyone nor was saved.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 158===
[[File:158PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
Kyubey is utterly despised by the witch and her familiars, but to the Children of the False City, the white animal is a convenient toy that never runs out no matter how much they play with it. Everyone is very impressed by its usefulness. Other living creatures dwindle if played with too much, so making them last as long as possible is quite a challenge.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 165===
[[File:165 part_d storyboard akemi_homura homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
《The Nutcracker Witch》

Her nature is self-sufficiency.

This witch's karma produced an army of familiars on a scale that is difficult to comprehend under normal circumstances.

However, this witch is a half-boiled failure.

Yet, if someone were to bestow unconditional love upon this ugly, broken doll, the heart of this wretched, half-boiled witch might not remain lost forever.<ref>This scene in ''Rebellion'' references ''The Nutcracker and the Mouse King'' by E. T. A. Hoffmann.</ref>
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 166===
[[File:166 part_e draft storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Initial Draft'''

Most witch barriers are composed of personal, single-minded, and inward-focused elements of the witch herself. The Nutcracker Witch's barrier is no exception, presenting a very narrow worldview. Her familiars are nothing but extensions of herself, evoking the image of a funeral procession taking place inside a house.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 170: Gooey Homura===
[[File:170 part_e storyboard homulilly soul.jpg|right|300px]]
Gooey Homura, located at the face portion of the Witch. Use rotoscoping if possible.

Basically the same as the Mermaid Witch's interior, which appeared for an instant. A slimy body with a giant eyeball.

The eyeball shifts and rolls around restlessly.

When her hand is taken by Madoka, Magical Girl Homura emerges from within the slime.

Homura's gooey form first melts away, then all at once scatters into snowflake crystals. It's as if an evil spell has been undone.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 171===
[[File:171 part_e character_design storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
A countdown like Walpurgisnacht's.

Homura's countdown from the compilation movies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 172===
[[File:172 part_e character_design homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Top text:'''

Right: Theatrical release

Bottom: Revised home video version

In the DVD & Blu-ray version, the number of ribbons around the witch's mouth has increased compared to the theatrical release.

'''Bottom text:'''

A magical girl’s mental state at the moment of her transformation is strongly reflected in the form of the witch she becomes.

The reason why the witch seen in the PSP game—the Witch of the Mortal World—and the Nutcracker Witch from ''Rebellion'' have different appearances is that the Witch of the Mortal World was born from a Homura who was unable to escape the one-month time loop.

Despair from yesterday is not necessarily the same as despair from today, so even for the same individual, different witches can be born depending on the time period.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 174: Nagisa's Transformation===
[[File:174 part_e storyboard charlotte bebe momoe_nagisa runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''☆ Nagisa Cooking ☆'''

'''An easy magical girl recipe.'''

The magical girl transformations this time around are split between two styles: types where they break out of themselves, and types involving a gooey, syrupy mixture.

As for Nagisa, after she and Bebe are thrown into a blender together, they are poured into a magical-girl-shaped mold to be successfully completed.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 181===
[[File:181 part_e storyboard illustration miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
Needles and gears sprout quickly out from Homu-Witch's (Homulilly's) head as well.

Gears and needles scatter in all directions. + Magic square/circle effect.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 188: Lotte===
[[File:188 part_e draft character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Toy soldiers'''

* Height: Same as Homura (though the head itself makes up the extra size).

* The ribbon worn across their chests is proof of their promise.

* The head is egg-shaped.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 189: Liese===
[[File:189 part_e draft character_design liese runes.jpg|right|300px]]
* It doesn't blink.

* Everything except for the head is a crow.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 191: Lotte===
[[File:191 part_e character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
The Luiselotte familiars have better athletic ability than the regular soldier ones.

Because they are Glasses-Homu (Moemura), their individual athletic ability is quite low.

At any rate, they are incredibly diligent, so they excel at group tactics. They are weak if scattered, so they deal with the mustache familiars (Anthony) by forming a dense, close-order formation. If they can group together and form a battle array, they are strong.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 192===
[[File:192 part_e character_design liese runes prop_design guillotine.jpg|right|300px]]
Even though Witch Homura fights Sayaka and the others to prevent her own barrier from being destroyed, she is simultaneously in a troublesome state of mind where she wants to "be defeated here." Therefore, our first priority was to visually convey the sense of preventing her suicide, so we installed a massive guillotine platform.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 194: Nagisa's Trumpet===
[[File:194 part_e prop_design bebe charlotte momoe_nagisa horn.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Bebe Horn'''

* If it's alright to use the witch settings as a basis, the wish she had granted was: "I want a single cheesecake."

Nagisa's magic ➔ Magic that allows her to assert herself and become more greedy.

➔ Upon turning into a witch, this manifested as the trait "Attachment," an aggravated form of emotional expression.

* Rather than being something given to her by Kyubey, the concept is that Nagisa came up with it herself. It's not a "cool weapon," but a "cute tool." It carries the vibe of "a magical item as imagined by Nagisa."
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 197===
[[File:197 part_e storyboard kiss anthony das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]
With the emblem of the Law of Cycles at the center, the emblems of the witches are linked together in a constellation-like shape. Each connecting line represents individuals whose souls are compatible, or who share a deep karmic connection.

An image of souls, as countless as the stars, revolving around the Law of Cycles at the center.

* As the Mermaid Witch tries to take Witch Homura's hand, she refuses by vigorously swinging her handcuffs up and down.

* Between the buildings, the Mermaid Witch's hand stretches out. There are many clocks around.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 198===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Dispatched familiars'''

When Sayaka materialized, the souls surrounding her within the Law of Cycles (in addition to the Rose Garden Witch's familiars) packed fragments of themselves into Sayaka’s bag to assist her.

Among the magical girls who have now become part of God, for those who know Homura, this operation is a major event—like a fleeting awakening within a long, long dream.

* Goddess Madoka's flag: Slightly modified from the [[Kriemhild Gretchen|Witch of Salvation]]'s emblem from the [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Portable|PSP game]].

* Sayaka: After the [[Oktavia von Seckendorff|Mermaid Witch]]'s appearance, Goddess Madoka's mark appears on her cape.

* On the stage of the concert hall raised by Sayaka, the Box Witch's familiars and the Birdcage Witch's familiars are playing violins.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 205: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:205 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon momoe_nagisa storyboard.jpg|right|300px]]
Carrying an overloaded bounty of presents, it shows up even if it wasn't called for—everyone's favorite, Tiro Finale.

The Extra Large version is a design that prioritizes a hype/festive festival feeling.

It is the pure crystallization of "Mami-ism" inside the brain of Gekidan Inu Curry.

● A mass of good dreams. A level of hope intense enough to give you heartburn.

● The parfait includes: raspberry, apple, cheese, and melon.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 206: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:206 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon.jpg|right|300px]]
● Cannonball Texture: Image pattern resembles a ''temari'' (traditional Japanese thread ball). Since Bebe's power is also being borrowed, it features the emblem of the Witch of Sweets.

● The railway gun created by Mami and Nagisa's magic. Since it is entirely a weapon conceived by a middle school girl, it lacks any consistency with real-world weaponry and features none of that "boyish" mechanical gimmickry. Visual appearance is the top priority. It feels as though they are using magic to forcefully move whatever image they have in their heads. Because of this, there are a few fatal design flaws scattered throughout, such as absolutely no consideration given to space for ejecting shell casings.

Simultaneous with the shell firing, the recoil causes a parfait explosion. The shell casing is ejected from inside the parfait.

Towed by two locomotives.

Erupting from the smokestack are the fluffy flowers that blew out at the start of the magical table scene.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 209: Pumpkin Carriage===
[[File:209 prop_design carriage miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
* The pumpkin part is the exact same color as the pumpkin that appeared during the magic table scene.

* The window frames attached to the pumpkin are white.

* The borrowed familiars are packed tightly inside.

The carriage used by Sayaka and Nagisa.

Though it is a design personally and graciously bestowed by Goddess Madoka, its reputation among the drivers is terrible because it is incredibly slow and shakes excessively.

Sayaka thinks a helicopter would have been better.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 215===
[[File:215STO~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''Table'''

The entire object, including the parasol portion, is made of tinplate.

A doll is sitting on a toy chair.

Please design it with a sense of scale resembling a miniature.

* Homura is happily chatting with an imaginary Madoka who is completely off-screen.

* The table where Homura sits is invisible to everyone except Sayaka.

* The parasol is rotating continuously.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 216: Dark Orb===
[[File:216 prop_design dark_orb.jpg|right|300px]]
The design motifs are a pumpkin, a crown, and a perfume bottle.

● Color: Basically black. The parts that are not black are made of glass.

The central core (the bottle part) is made of spherical glass.

There is a crest on the bottom of the spherical bottle.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 217===
[[File:217 storyboard roschach_blots akemi_homura akuma_homura miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
How the Devil appears varies from person to person, like a Rorschach test. Is she eerie, beautiful, sad, or happy? Is she right, or not quite so?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 218: Dark Orb===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 218.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Upper right: Earcuff'''

{{Runes|HOMULILLY}} - The witch's name is written on the torso region.

'''Upper left: Dark orb'''

Alternate form (worn only on the left ear). Equipped with a function that allows the witch's familiars to softly whisper the information they have seen and heard into Homura's ear.

'''Bottom left:'''

Due to its nature being close to that of a witch, the Dark Orb sometimes moves around on its own. It does follow orders, but for Homura, it can be troubling.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 219: Dark Orb===
[[File:219 character_design dark_orb prop_design lizard.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Middle left:'''

Crown. Perfume bottle.

Pink light (Madoka) inside the center.

The top is spherical, like the lid of a bottle.

* Initially, the surface of the Dark Orb was planned to have intricate patterns, but for the sake of distinguishing it from the Soul Gem, it was ultimately made simple.

'''Bottom left:'''

Crest pattern. Monochrome.

Simplified crest.

'''Top right:'''

The mark of the Devil is a lizard that crawls on the ground. Since snakes have strong biblical imagery and lizards felt more human to us, we decided on a design of a lizard laid over upside-down white wings. Unlike the Law of Cycles, we intended for it to look different from traditional Western coats of arms. It is not the mark of an evil being, but rather a symbol of a faith distinct from everyone else's God.

* Early rejected designs for the Devil's crest
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 220===
[[File:220 storyboard epilog akemi_homura akuma_homura dark_orb das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]

'''End Credits ~ Epilogue'''

For both the Law of Cycles and Homura, the moon is used as a shared motif.

* The grass and flowers are withered. The city lights are beautiful.

* Homura is sitting on the chair from the "Luminous" OP at the edge of the cliff. She is leaning against an unseen presence on her left side.

* Homura's humming plays continuously. No background music. It's lonely (T/N: the humming got replaced with "Not yet" in the theatrical version).

* On a hill, Homura dances alone with her right hand. The city slowly rotates like a clock.

* Homura is dancing alone with an imaginary Madoka.

'''Top right'''

* [Door] → Part A, Magic Room, Madoka's side door.

'''Bottom right'''

* The Anthonys changed from their "Sayaka version" back to their original forms.

* Country of Sweets/Good Morning: Because there are two versions of ''The Nutcracker'' ballet—one where they live in the Land of Sweets, and one with an "it was all a dream" ending.
{{-}}

==Observations==
* Laziness' phrase on page 133 is a reference to ''Little Black Sambo''. At one point in the story, Sambo, to appease three tigers trying to eat him, gives each of them his umbrella, shoes and clothing. Each tiger thinks they're the best looking one, and then chase each other around a tree. They run so quickly they melt into ghee (butter). Sambo's mother then uses the butter to make pancakes. This story is referenced briefly during the scene where Homura and Madoka are having tea at Mami's apartment, and Bebe becomes dazed. Three tigers circle around her head before a bubble with "Ghee" written in it appears and is followed by an image of pancakes.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Black dress homura production note.jpg|Black dress Homura art
File:Rconcept anthony 1.png|Anthony art
File:Rconcept anthony 2.png
File:Rconcept ulla.png|Ulla art
File:Rconcept mathieu.png|Mathieu art
File:Rconcept familiars.png|Gotz and Daniyyel & Jennifer art
File:Rconcept elly boat.png
File:inu curry image note 2 097.jpg|An exhaustive explanation of Bebe speak
File:Rconcept bebe 1.png|Bebe art
File:Rconcept bebe 2.png
File:Rconcept bebe 3.png
File:Rconcept bebe 4.png
File:Rconcept bebe 5.png
File:Rconcept bebe homu.png
File:Rconcept bebe 6.png|Art featuring Pyotr and Polina
File:Rconcept bebe 7.png
File:Rconcept bebe 8.png
File:Rconcept bebe 9.png
File:Rconcept bebe 10.png
File:Rconcept bebe 11.png
File:Rconcept bebe 12.png
File:Sayaka's Doppel in Rebellion.jpg|Oktavia art
File:Rconcept oktavia 1.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg
File:Rconcept familiar orchestra.png|Art of Oktavia and Sayaka's orchestra in full
File:Rconcept homu 1.png|Art of Homulilly
File:Rconcept homu 2.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rconcept homu fams.png
File:Rconcept lotte.png|Art of Lotte
File:Rconcept lotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lotte 2.png
File:Rconcept lotte 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 5.png|Art featuring an unused design for Lotte which was used in the [[Rebellion Manga|manga]]
File:Rconcept clara 1.png|Art of the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 2.png
File:Rconcept clara 3.png
File:Rconcept clara 6.png
File:Rconcept clara 4.png|Very early concept art for the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 5.png
File:Rconcept liese 1.png|Art of Liese
File:Rconcept liese.png|Art of Liese featuring an unused Homura styled Liese
File:Rconcept luiselotte.png|Art of Luiselotte and Lilia
File:Rconcept luiselotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lilia.png|Art of Lilia. Her more detailed design was used in the manga
File:Rconcept homu 3.png|Art of Homulilly's labyrinth
File:Rconcept lisa.png|Art of Lisa
File:Rconcept nightmare 1.png|Art which shows the Nightmare's appearance in reflections
File:Rconcept nightmare 2.png|Art of Hitomi's Nightmare and the first Nightmare
File:Rconcept nightmare 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 4.png|An unused [[Homura]] Nightmare
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Puella Magi Production Note]]
* [[Key Animation Note]]

==External links==
* [http://genga.booru.org/index.php?page=post&s=list&tags=production_note_rebellion&pid=0 Scans of Rebellion Production Note]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Documents/Anime-Production]]
[[Category:Products and merchandise]]

Rebellion Production Note

2026-07-27T22:22:51Z

Romi1908: /* Image Note Pages 142 & 143: Clara Dolls */

[[File:Rebellion Production Note Cover.jpg|thumb|Front cover]]
'''''Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Rebellion'' Production Note''' is a set of two volumes that was first sold in a limited edition version at Comic Market 87 from December 28 to December 30, 2014. It became available to the general public starting February 28, 2015. Each set also comes with a bookmark magnifying glass.

The first volume is 277 pages long and contains:
* Character Design, page 005
* Prop Design, page 115
* Art Design, page 127
* Imageboard, page 197
* Special: [[Ume Aoki]] Original Character Designs, page 265
* Index, page 278

The second volume is titled '''Inu Curry Image Note 2''' and contains 233 pages of illustrations and designs by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]:
* Images, page 002
* Part A, page 036
* Part B, page 064
* Part C, page 094
* Part D, page 136
* Part E, page 166
See [[Rebellion/Synopsis]] for details on how the movie is divided into parts.

==Translated pages==
===Image Note Page 081: Drosselmeyer's Theater Box===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 081.jpg|right|300px]]
Using the theater box from the sideshow, Drosselmeyer tells the Children the story of a lonely magical girl. The Children, imagining the world in the story, fantasize about how wonderful it would be if the present were filled with more thrill and violence.

This is not a familiar of the witch. It's a mechanical doll (''karakuri''); the witch's subconscious is what's turning the gears. This Drosselmeyer is a judge doll.

We thought about blending the sideshow into the background somewhere later in the second half as well, but in the end, it only appeared in the café.

'''Bottom left:''' [The End]
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 082 & 083: Clara Dolls===
[[File:082PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
[[File:083PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Initial Concept'''

The Children of the False City

* In a dome-shaped café, they watch a sideshow. All of them are girls.

* For character design, please make them appear around 6 years old in the world of Madoka. In the main story, no specific ages are set.

* Their faces are entirely obscured, and they are barefoot.

* From then on, they are sometimes seen riding a bus or blending into crowds. They exist discreetly, avoiding attention. (Mainly as silhouettes.)

* After the people of the city turn into paper dolls, the Children also become flat and flimsy. They aren’t held by hands; instead, their heads turn into bookmarks (Discarded concept.)

* As suggested by their names, all of the children have bad personalities but get along well with each other.

* Their role is to cry during the funeral procession. They are mourners.

* Since the funeral is delayed, they wander around, killing time.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 117===
[[File:117 part_c storyboard akemi_homura miki_sayaka oktavia_von_seckendorff lizard.jpg|right|300px]]
The image of the witch reflected in the water at Sayaka's feet and on her cape is an illusion created by Homura in response to the magic Sayaka is emitting. Since Homura only knows the old appearance of the Mermaid Witch, the reflected image uses the TV version’s design.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 123: Clara Dolls===
[[File:123 part_c character_design clara_dolls.jpg|right|300px]]

They do not close their eyes.

For the cel-drawn version with eyes, keep the eye design exactly as it is; it should look completely different from the other human characters.

'''Planned Appearances'''

● First Half

All of them are present inside the café where Homura and Kyoko have a conversation.

In other scenes, they are wandering around the city.

● Middle Stage 1

They appear during Homura's imagery scenes.

● Middle Stage 2

They are present when Homura transforms into a witch.

The cel animation pops → they turn into paper dolls.

From this point on, they appear as a symbol of Witch Homura's power.

● Middle Stage 3

They are present at Homura's throne as paper dolls.

They chase Kyubey around as paper dolls.

● Late Stage 1

They appear during the battle, entering partway through as paper dolls.

They attack exclusively through blunt-force strikes and are incredibly strong.

During their battle with Sayaka and Kyouko, they vanish somewhere with the collapse of the barrier.

● Late Stage 2

Undetermined.

● Late Stage 3

In the rewritten world, the cel versions with eyes are seen wandering around (symbolically representing an ominous, unsettling presence).

Homura is completely alone.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 124, 125 & 126: Clara Dolls===
[[File:124 part_c character_design clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukiii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:aa.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:126 part_c character_design clara_dolls yakimochi namake mie okubyouuu.jpg|right|300px]]
① Ibari ② Nekura ③ Usotsuki

④ Reiketsu ⑤ Wagamama ⑥ Warukuchi ⑦ Noroma

⑧ Yakimochi ⑨ Namake ⑩ Mie ⑪ Okubyou

* When in paper doll form, the Children carry knitting needles as weapons, all designed identically.

* The Children’s personalities largely align with their names.

* They are dress-up dolls Homura used to play with in the past.

* Even after Homura's world is rewritten again, the Dolls continue to wander and play freely as they please.

* The Children of the False City are less like the witch’s familiars and more akin to phenomena occurring within the False City. They are embodiments of the magic and karma that overflow from Homura.

* In the final draft, the Children lack jawlines.

* When in cel-animation style: they lack eyes, their noses aren't visible from the front, their faces resemble lizards', and they are doll-like.

* All the faces are identical.

* We agonized until the very last second over whether to make all 14 of them share the same hairstyle and clothing, but in the end, I chose to give them all completely unique hair, outfits, and heights. However, because of this, the workload instantly skyrocketed (we had to ask several other staff members to help out with the vast majority of the keyframe movement). Around two months before the movie's premiere date, we were deeply regretting that choice.

* When we based the design of Witch Homura’s familiars on Glasses Homura, they didn't look very strong while fighting Sayaka and the others. Therefore, by borrowing the café stage setting and some of the familiars' roles, we expanded their appearance scenes as the "Children of the False City."

* The Children all get along well. Though not explicitly shown in the main story, Ibari & Nekura, Yakimochi & Namake, and Mie & Okubyou are often seen together.

* Reiketsu and Noroma have vacant stares. Noroma’s head is perpetually tilted.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 127: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 127.jpg|right|300px]]
⑫ Manuke ⑬ Higami ⑭ Ganko

'''Top right:'''

All familiars and barriers are born from the witch’s subconscious.

The witch can summon them.

Furthermore, they arise on their own, even without being summoned.

They may obey the witch, or they may defy her.

Even the witch herself doesn’t fully understand her magic or the entities it creates.

'''Middle Right:'''

After Homura transforms into a witch*

'''Bottom right:'''

Yaa~

It's pitiful, shameful Mistress Failure.

Shunned, trampled,

And also despised.

Scatter ashes and strew flowers.

Change clothes, enter mourning.

From now, from here, let the funeral procession commence.

With these eyes, we gaze with envy.

And with these teeth, we gnaw at the future.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 128, 129, 130, 131 & 132: Clara Dolls===
[[File:128 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:129 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls reiketsu wagamama warukuchi_.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0130 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls noroma yakimochi namake.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0131 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls mie okubyou manuke.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0132 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls higami ganko.jpg|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Animation Reference Materials'''

* When a witch's familiars attack humans:

① Types that have not received magical power from the witch → For "mealtime."

② Because they hate humans or for the witch’s sake.

③ Out of boredom. For entertainment.

④ Due to the nature of their specific roles, leading to humans dying as a result.

The Children of the False City fall under ③, while the other familiars (The Nutcracker Witch's familiars) fall under ④.

* All the Children have the same face (same doll design).

* Short Hair + Pants Look: Ibari's design is the easiest for animators to create, making it the most convenient for production.

* Usotsuki: One of her eyes tends to be hidden by her hair.

* For the Children of the False City, we consciously aimed for "cute clothes that wouldn't really appeal to the opposite sex," but aside from her upper-body layering, Usotsuki has the vibe of someone who might be popular.

* When drawn normally, not as papercuts, the Children disguise themselves as humans. Even magical girls struggle to distinguish them.

* Just like the familiars of other witches, their thinking is animalistic.

* They are always sneering at Failure.

* Furthermore, even when the Devil appears, they burst out laughing.

* The Children acknowledge the Devil as a first-class comedic actress.

* When in a standing pose, Reiketsu's head is tilted.

* Reiketsu's go-to one-liner gag: "Flipping my hair like the Devil!" It's a huge hit (cracks everyone up).

* Wagamama: A jacket worn over a one-piece dress.

* Yakimochi's outfit has a "Mori Girl" (Forest Girl) style. Her mannerisms are also girly.

* Because it’s difficult to differentiate between the witch’s familiars, this time we’ve given them code names such as 'Tooth Cavalry' and 'Kigurumi Bird.' All the Children also have nicknames.

* During the dance inside the cupboard, Noroma is the only one who is slightly lagging behind.

* When she is standing still, Noroma's head is usually tilted.

* Leaving the witch aside, for her familiars, the Law of Cycles is truly a nuisance because they are immediately sent to achieve enlightenment before they are even born.

* The Children of the False City like Madoka, but think the Law of Cycles is underwhelming. The Devil is so-so. Only Manuke likes everyone.

* Although they take on a human form, their behavioral principles are completely alien to human values, just like other familiars.

* Higami's height: Short.

* Ganko's brooch: the top part is metal, the rest is ribbon.

* The Children love watching miniature stage plays at the floating café. Their absolute favorite play is 'The Pumpkin Left All Alone Because of the Goddess'. The Mermaid Story isn't very popular.

* Recently, they have been obsessed with a game where they throw tomatoes at a pretentious person at just the right moment.

* Their noses appear when looking sideways, even though they aren't there when facing forward.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 133: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 133.jpg|right|300px]]
What is it that you lack?

I only ever behave arrogantly (Ibari). It's okay to act proud once in a while.

I'm Gloominess (Nekura), and even if you force yourself to smile, you just end up exhausted.

I'm Liar (Usotsuki). Is the truth always right?

I'm Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). Being too kind can be troublesome as well.

I'm Selfishness (Wagamama). Value your own feelings.

I'm Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). You quickly lock away your emotions.

I'm Slowpoke (Noroma). Not rushing too much is also important.

I feel nothing but Jealousy (Yakimochi). Jealousy is necessary for Love.

I'm the Lazy one (Namake). If you don't take a break, you'll turn into butter.

I'm such a Show-off (Mie). You also push yourself past your limits for someone's sake.

I'm Cowardice (Okubyou). But deeply cautious.

I'm Foolishness (Manuke). Even so, don't forget to be charming, too.

I'm only filled with Resentment (Higami). Let's change this unsatisfying reality.

I'm Stubborness (Ganko). Just don't forget the important stuff.

These vices are Love (Ai)'s allies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 142 & 143: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 142.jpg|right|300px]]
:See also: [[Witches Artwork]]

The Children of the False City. Their role is to be mourners. These dress-up dolls perform a play of tears in order to liven up the funeral procession. The dolls present are Arrogance, Gloominess, Liar, Coldheartedness, Selfishness, Bad-mouth, Slowpoke, Jealousy, Laziness, Show-off, Cowardice, Foolishness, Resentment, and Stubbornness, while the last one, Love, has yet to arrive. "Born from color (form), not in the sky (emptiness)<ref>From Mahāyāna Buddhism's "Form Is Emptiness, Emptiness Is Form": https://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-studies/lam-rim/vipashyana/commentary-on-the-heart-sutra-dr-berzin/form-is-emptiness-emptiness-is-form</ref>, the abyss of this mortal world<ref>Literally "this shore", a Buddhist concept. https://buddhisttemple.ca/teaching/the-other-shore/</ref> is our stage.” Their power is no less than that of a magical girl.

* The first one to appear was Arrogance (Ibari). Stepping over Failure's head that tumbled across the bare earth, she bravely spoke on her behalf. “Cocky bastards. You shall not be forgiven. This feeling belongs to us alone.”

* The second one to come was Gloominess (Nekura). Sneaking forward, she sneered at Failure. “This is Failure. What an absolute disgrace.” These dolls are disciples of freedom alone and are loyal to their desires.

* The third one to come was Liar (Usotsuki). She put on a tearful performance dedicated to Failure's soul. “Pitiful Mistress Failure. That foolish soul is our pride.” These dolls sneer at the fool yet side with her.

* Following behind them is the fourth one, Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). She tripped over Failure's head, looking slightly irritated. “Why don't we cut Mistress Failure into smaller pieces to make her easier to carry around?” If the Devil speaks, these dolls will obediently follow.

* Further comes the fifth, Selfishness (Wagamama), walking angrily. “Hasn't the funeral procession started yet? I've been practicing how to cry as quickly as possible, you know? I can't wait any longer", she huffed. These dolls are someone and no one.

* Coming out with a look of annoyance is the sixth one, Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). As usual, she makes spiteful remarks. “Mistress Failure is quite the masterful comedian.” These dolls play house with utterly entangled karma.

* Finally arriving is the seventh, Slowpoke (Noroma). The silent doll laughs at the witch with her eyes. These dolls comply with the witch's wishes to a certain extent, unlike the diligent soldiers.

* The eighth to appear is Jealousy (Yakimochi). Entranced, she gazes at the sky. “Let's prepare a box. I want to keep that radiance locked away forever.” These dolls are a collection of colors (form). They don't belong to the sky (emptiness).
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 143.jpg|right|300px]]
* The ninth one, Laziness (Namake), chats while yawning. “Do I have to go to the extent of helping with this children's play? Knitting is such a troublesome bother.” She kicked Failure's head, which was lying in her way. These dolls, with the funeral not starting at all, grow bored and wander aimlessly around the city.

* The tenth to come running is Show-off (Mie). She dramatically avoids Failure's head, saying, “I wouldn't be able to bear staining my cape with sticky blood.” These dolls mock the witch's self-harm.

* The eleventh one, trembling, is Cowardice (Okubyou). “If I am taken up into the sky, I won't even be able to behead the rabbit.” These dolls, with the power of magic, are able to achieve a complete recurrence.

* Walking aimlessly comes the twelfth one, Foolishness (Manuke). She goes out of her way to tell everyone what she just heard from a bird. “I heard a story about the Goddess. She's a beautiful and radiant goddess. I'm sure she will love us, too.” These dolls only desire what is within their reach.

* The thirteenth's footsteps are Resentment (Higami)'s. “Let's have a wonderful funeral like the one I heard in a story once. Let's bury lots of beautiful girls and cute animals together, too.” These dolls have powers that rival those of magical girls.

* Further comes the fourteenth, Stubbornness (Ganko). She points to the ground and rejects the sky. “The abyss of this mortal world is our stage.”

So, the mourners have gathered. Though it's become quite late, it's alright. The night is not yet over. The night will not be allowed to end anymore.

Right now is always 
Before knowing that radiance. Before losing that radiance. 
Here is merely the eve of the festival. The night before Failure. 
All that's left is to wait for the funeral procession.

Now, now, oh pure-white, wondrously virtuous Goddess. We are just utterly moved that you have casually strolled on over here so deferentially after all this time. But might you, perhaps, turn a blind eye to this, just a tiny bit? Lined up here is the theater troupe of this mortal world. We are human, and this is simply human nature. Even if you destroy sorrow and resentment, to despair is what makes us human. Passion drives our bones, and only melancholy washes our organs. Anyway, in exchange, we could produce plenty of others to turn toward your side, if you would like. Would that not suffice to earn your forgiveness?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 152===
[[File:152PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]

* Small objects other than the bed: orange pot marigold flowers, rulers, yarn, knitting needles, syringes, IV stands, and socks.

The place where Witch Homura took refuge was Christmas inside the hospital room cupboard.

A time slightly before the moment she repeated over and over again to save God.

A day from a slightly earlier life, a moment when she was happy.

A time when she didn’t even know what God looked like.

Had she remained unaware like this, she might have stayed in a state where she neither saved anyone nor was saved.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 158===
[[File:158PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
Kyubey is utterly despised by the witch and her familiars, but to the Children of the False City, the white animal is a convenient toy that never runs out no matter how much they play with it. Everyone is very impressed by its usefulness. Other living creatures dwindle if played with too much, so making them last as long as possible is quite a challenge.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 165===
[[File:165 part_d storyboard akemi_homura homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
《The Nutcracker Witch》

Her nature is self-sufficiency.

This witch's karma produced an army of familiars on a scale that is difficult to comprehend under normal circumstances.

However, this witch is a half-boiled failure.

Yet, if someone were to bestow unconditional love upon this ugly, broken doll, the heart of this wretched, half-boiled witch might not remain lost forever.<ref>This scene in ''Rebellion'' references ''The Nutcracker and the Mouse King'' by E. T. A. Hoffmann.</ref>
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 166===
[[File:166 part_e draft storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Initial Draft'''

Most witch barriers are composed of personal, single-minded, and inward-focused elements of the witch herself. The Nutcracker Witch's barrier is no exception, presenting a very narrow worldview. Her familiars are nothing but extensions of herself, evoking the image of a funeral procession taking place inside a house.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 170: Gooey Homura===
[[File:170 part_e storyboard homulilly soul.jpg|right|300px]]
Gooey Homura, located at the face portion of the Witch. Use rotoscoping if possible.

Basically the same as the Mermaid Witch's interior, which appeared for an instant. A slimy body with a giant eyeball.

The eyeball shifts and rolls around restlessly.

When her hand is taken by Madoka, Magical Girl Homura emerges from within the slime.

Homura's gooey form first melts away, then all at once scatters into snowflake crystals. It's as if an evil spell has been undone.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 171===
[[File:171 part_e character_design storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
A countdown like Walpurgisnacht's.

Homura's countdown from the compilation movies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 172===
[[File:172 part_e character_design homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Top text:'''

Right: Theatrical release

Bottom: Revised home video version

In the DVD & Blu-ray version, the number of ribbons around the witch's mouth has increased compared to the theatrical release.

'''Bottom text:'''

A magical girl’s mental state at the moment of her transformation is strongly reflected in the form of the witch she becomes.

The reason why the witch seen in the PSP game—the Witch of the Mortal World—and the Nutcracker Witch from ''Rebellion'' have different appearances is that the Witch of the Mortal World was born from a Homura who was unable to escape the one-month time loop.

Despair from yesterday is not necessarily the same as despair from today, so even for the same individual, different witches can be born depending on the time period.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 174: Nagisa's Transformation===
[[File:174 part_e storyboard charlotte bebe momoe_nagisa runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''☆ Nagisa Cooking ☆'''

'''An easy magical girl recipe.'''

The magical girl transformations this time around are split between two styles: types where they break out of themselves, and types involving a gooey, syrupy mixture.

As for Nagisa, after she and Bebe are thrown into a blender together, they are poured into a magical-girl-shaped mold to be successfully completed.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 181===
[[File:181 part_e storyboard illustration miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
Needles and gears sprout quickly out from Homu-Witch's (Homulilly's) head as well.

Gears and needles scatter in all directions. + Magic square/circle effect.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 188: Lotte===
[[File:188 part_e draft character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Toy soldiers'''

* Height: Same as Homura (though the head itself makes up the extra size).

* The ribbon worn across their chests is proof of their promise.

* The head is egg-shaped.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 189: Liese===
[[File:189 part_e draft character_design liese runes.jpg|right|300px]]
* It doesn't blink.

* Everything except for the head is a crow.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 191: Lotte===
[[File:191 part_e character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
The Luiselotte familiars have better athletic ability than the regular soldier ones.

Because they are Glasses-Homu (Moemura), their individual athletic ability is quite low.

At any rate, they are incredibly diligent, so they excel at group tactics. They are weak if scattered, so they deal with the mustache familiars (Anthony) by forming a dense, close-order formation. If they can group together and form a battle array, they are strong.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 192===
[[File:192 part_e character_design liese runes prop_design guillotine.jpg|right|300px]]
Even though Witch Homura fights Sayaka and the others to prevent her own barrier from being destroyed, she is simultaneously in a troublesome state of mind where she wants to "be defeated here." Therefore, our first priority was to visually convey the sense of preventing her suicide, so we installed a massive guillotine platform.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 194: Nagisa's Trumpet===
[[File:194 part_e prop_design bebe charlotte momoe_nagisa horn.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Bebe Horn'''

* If it's alright to use the witch settings as a basis, the wish she had granted was: "I want a single cheesecake."

Nagisa's magic ➔ Magic that allows her to assert herself and become more greedy.

➔ Upon turning into a witch, this manifested as the trait "Attachment," an aggravated form of emotional expression.

* Rather than being something given to her by Kyubey, the concept is that Nagisa came up with it herself. It's not a "cool weapon," but a "cute tool." It carries the vibe of "a magical item as imagined by Nagisa."
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 197===
[[File:197 part_e storyboard kiss anthony das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]
With the emblem of the Law of Cycles at the center, the emblems of the witches are linked together in a constellation-like shape. Each connecting line represents individuals whose souls are compatible, or who share a deep karmic connection.

An image of souls, as countless as the stars, revolving around the Law of Cycles at the center.

* As the Mermaid Witch tries to take Witch Homura's hand, she refuses by vigorously swinging her handcuffs up and down.

* Between the buildings, the Mermaid Witch's hand stretches out. There are many clocks around.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 198===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Dispatched familiars'''

When Sayaka materialized, the souls surrounding her within the Law of Cycles (in addition to the Rose Garden Witch's familiars) packed fragments of themselves into Sayaka’s bag to assist her.

Among the magical girls who have now become part of God, for those who know Homura, this operation is a major event—like a fleeting awakening within a long, long dream.

* Goddess Madoka's flag: Slightly modified from the [[Kriemhild Gretchen|Witch of Salvation]]'s emblem from the [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Portable|PSP game]].

* Sayaka: After the [[Oktavia von Seckendorff|Mermaid Witch]]'s appearance, Goddess Madoka's mark appears on her cape.

* On the stage of the concert hall raised by Sayaka, the Box Witch's familiars and the Birdcage Witch's familiars are playing violins.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 205: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:205 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon momoe_nagisa storyboard.jpg|right|300px]]
Carrying an overloaded bounty of presents, it shows up even if it wasn't called for—everyone's favorite, Tiro Finale.

The Extra Large version is a design that prioritizes a hype/festive festival feeling.

It is the pure crystallization of "Mami-ism" inside the brain of Gekidan Inu Curry.

● A mass of good dreams. A level of hope intense enough to give you heartburn.

● The parfait includes: raspberry, apple, cheese, and melon.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 206: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:206 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon.jpg|right|300px]]
● Cannonball Texture: Image pattern resembles a ''temari'' (traditional Japanese thread ball). Since Bebe's power is also being borrowed, it features the emblem of the Witch of Sweets.

● The railway gun created by Mami and Nagisa's magic. Since it is entirely a weapon conceived by a middle school girl, it lacks any consistency with real-world weaponry and features none of that "boyish" mechanical gimmickry. Visual appearance is the top priority. It feels as though they are using magic to forcefully move whatever image they have in their heads. Because of this, there are a few fatal design flaws scattered throughout, such as absolutely no consideration given to space for ejecting shell casings.

Simultaneous with the shell firing, the recoil causes a parfait explosion. The shell casing is ejected from inside the parfait.

Towed by two locomotives.

Erupting from the smokestack are the fluffy flowers that blew out at the start of the magical table scene.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 209: Pumpkin Carriage===
[[File:209 prop_design carriage miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
* The pumpkin part is the exact same color as the pumpkin that appeared during the magic table scene.

* The window frames attached to the pumpkin are white.

* The borrowed familiars are packed tightly inside.

The carriage used by Sayaka and Nagisa.

Though it is a design personally and graciously bestowed by Goddess Madoka, its reputation among the drivers is terrible because it is incredibly slow and shakes excessively.

Sayaka thinks a helicopter would have been better.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 215===
[[File:215STO~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''Table'''

The entire object, including the parasol portion, is made of tinplate.

A doll is sitting on a toy chair.

Please design it with a sense of scale resembling a miniature.

* Homura is happily chatting with an imaginary Madoka who is completely off-screen.

* The table where Homura sits is invisible to everyone except Sayaka.

* The parasol is rotating continuously.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 216: Dark Orb===
[[File:216 prop_design dark_orb.jpg|right|300px]]
The design motifs are a pumpkin, a crown, and a perfume bottle.

● Color: Basically black. The parts that are not black are made of glass.

The central core (the bottle part) is made of spherical glass.

There is a crest on the bottom of the spherical bottle.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 217===
[[File:217 storyboard roschach_blots akemi_homura akuma_homura miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
How the Devil appears varies from person to person, like a Rorschach test. Is she eerie, beautiful, sad, or happy? Is she right, or not quite so?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 218: Dark Orb===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 218.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Upper right: Earcuff'''

{{Runes|HOMULILLY}} - The witch's name is written on the torso region.

'''Upper left: Dark orb'''

Alternate form (worn only on the left ear). Equipped with a function that allows the witch's familiars to softly whisper the information they have seen and heard into Homura's ear.

'''Bottom left:'''

Due to its nature being close to that of a witch, the Dark Orb sometimes moves around on its own. It does follow orders, but for Homura, it can be troubling.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 219: Dark Orb===
[[File:219 character_design dark_orb prop_design lizard.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Middle left:'''

Crown. Perfume bottle.

Pink light (Madoka) inside the center.

The top is spherical, like the lid of a bottle.

* Initially, the surface of the Dark Orb was planned to have intricate patterns, but for the sake of distinguishing it from the Soul Gem, it was ultimately made simple.

'''Bottom left:'''

Crest pattern. Monochrome.

Simplified crest.

'''Top right:'''

The mark of the Devil is a lizard that crawls on the ground. Since snakes have strong biblical imagery and lizards felt more human to us, we decided on a design of a lizard laid over upside-down white wings. Unlike the Law of Cycles, we intended for it to look different from traditional Western coats of arms. It is not the mark of an evil being, but rather a symbol of a faith distinct from everyone else's God.

* Early rejected designs for the Devil's crest
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 220===
[[File:220 storyboard epilog akemi_homura akuma_homura dark_orb das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]

'''End Credits ~ Epilogue'''

For both the Law of Cycles and Homura, the moon is used as a shared motif.

* The grass and flowers are withered. The city lights are beautiful.

* Homura is sitting on the chair from the "Luminous" OP at the edge of the cliff. She is leaning against an unseen presence on her left side.

* Homura's humming plays continuously. No background music. It's lonely (T/N: the humming got replaced with "Not yet" in the theatrical version).

* On a hill, Homura dances alone with her right hand. The city slowly rotates like a clock.

* Homura is dancing alone with an imaginary Madoka.

'''Top right'''

* [Door] → Part A, Magic Room, Madoka's side door.

'''Bottom right'''

* The Anthonys changed from their "Sayaka version" back to their original forms.

* Country of Sweets/Good Morning: Because there are two versions of ''The Nutcracker'' ballet—one where they live in the Land of Sweets, and one with an "it was all a dream" ending.
{{-}}

==Observations==
* Laziness' phrase on page 133 is a reference to ''Little Black Sambo''. At one point in the story, Sambo, to appease three tigers trying to eat him, gives each of them his umbrella, shoes and clothing. Each tiger thinks they're the best looking one, and then chase each other around a tree. They run so quickly they melt into ghee (butter). Sambo's mother then uses the butter to make pancakes. This story is referenced briefly during the scene where Homura and Madoka are having tea at Mami's apartment, and Bebe becomes dazed. Three tigers circle around her head before a bubble with "Ghee" written in it appears and is followed by an image of pancakes.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Black dress homura production note.jpg|Black dress Homura art
File:Rconcept anthony 1.png|Anthony art
File:Rconcept anthony 2.png
File:Rconcept ulla.png|Ulla art
File:Rconcept mathieu.png|Mathieu art
File:Rconcept familiars.png|Gotz and Daniyyel & Jennifer art
File:Rconcept elly boat.png
File:inu curry image note 2 097.jpg|An exhaustive explanation of Bebe speak
File:Rconcept bebe 1.png|Bebe art
File:Rconcept bebe 2.png
File:Rconcept bebe 3.png
File:Rconcept bebe 4.png
File:Rconcept bebe 5.png
File:Rconcept bebe homu.png
File:Rconcept bebe 6.png|Art featuring Pyotr and Polina
File:Rconcept bebe 7.png
File:Rconcept bebe 8.png
File:Rconcept bebe 9.png
File:Rconcept bebe 10.png
File:Rconcept bebe 11.png
File:Rconcept bebe 12.png
File:Sayaka's Doppel in Rebellion.jpg|Oktavia art
File:Rconcept oktavia 1.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg
File:Rconcept familiar orchestra.png|Art of Oktavia and Sayaka's orchestra in full
File:Rconcept homu 1.png|Art of Homulilly
File:Rconcept homu 2.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rconcept homu fams.png
File:Rconcept lotte.png|Art of Lotte
File:Rconcept lotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lotte 2.png
File:Rconcept lotte 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 5.png|Art featuring an unused design for Lotte which was used in the [[Rebellion Manga|manga]]
File:Rconcept clara 1.png|Art of the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 2.png
File:Rconcept clara 3.png
File:Rconcept clara 6.png
File:Rconcept clara 4.png|Very early concept art for the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 5.png
File:Rconcept liese 1.png|Art of Liese
File:Rconcept liese.png|Art of Liese featuring an unused Homura styled Liese
File:Rconcept luiselotte.png|Art of Luiselotte and Lilia
File:Rconcept luiselotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lilia.png|Art of Lilia. Her more detailed design was used in the manga
File:Rconcept homu 3.png|Art of Homulilly's labyrinth
File:Rconcept lisa.png|Art of Lisa
File:Rconcept nightmare 1.png|Art which shows the Nightmare's appearance in reflections
File:Rconcept nightmare 2.png|Art of Hitomi's Nightmare and the first Nightmare
File:Rconcept nightmare 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 4.png|An unused [[Homura]] Nightmare
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Puella Magi Production Note]]
* [[Key Animation Note]]

==External links==
* [http://genga.booru.org/index.php?page=post&s=list&tags=production_note_rebellion&pid=0 Scans of Rebellion Production Note]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Documents/Anime-Production]]
[[Category:Products and merchandise]]

Rebellion Production Note

2026-07-27T22:19:46Z

Romi1908: /* Image Note Pages 142 & 143: Clara Dolls */

[[File:Rebellion Production Note Cover.jpg|thumb|Front cover]]
'''''Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Rebellion'' Production Note''' is a set of two volumes that was first sold in a limited edition version at Comic Market 87 from December 28 to December 30, 2014. It became available to the general public starting February 28, 2015. Each set also comes with a bookmark magnifying glass.

The first volume is 277 pages long and contains:
* Character Design, page 005
* Prop Design, page 115
* Art Design, page 127
* Imageboard, page 197
* Special: [[Ume Aoki]] Original Character Designs, page 265
* Index, page 278

The second volume is titled '''Inu Curry Image Note 2''' and contains 233 pages of illustrations and designs by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]:
* Images, page 002
* Part A, page 036
* Part B, page 064
* Part C, page 094
* Part D, page 136
* Part E, page 166
See [[Rebellion/Synopsis]] for details on how the movie is divided into parts.

==Translated pages==
===Image Note Page 081: Drosselmeyer's Theater Box===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 081.jpg|right|300px]]
Using the theater box from the sideshow, Drosselmeyer tells the Children the story of a lonely magical girl. The Children, imagining the world in the story, fantasize about how wonderful it would be if the present were filled with more thrill and violence.

This is not a familiar of the witch. It's a mechanical doll (''karakuri''); the witch's subconscious is what's turning the gears. This Drosselmeyer is a judge doll.

We thought about blending the sideshow into the background somewhere later in the second half as well, but in the end, it only appeared in the café.

'''Bottom left:''' [The End]
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 082 & 083: Clara Dolls===
[[File:082PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
[[File:083PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Initial Concept'''

The Children of the False City

* In a dome-shaped café, they watch a sideshow. All of them are girls.

* For character design, please make them appear around 6 years old in the world of Madoka. In the main story, no specific ages are set.

* Their faces are entirely obscured, and they are barefoot.

* From then on, they are sometimes seen riding a bus or blending into crowds. They exist discreetly, avoiding attention. (Mainly as silhouettes.)

* After the people of the city turn into paper dolls, the Children also become flat and flimsy. They aren’t held by hands; instead, their heads turn into bookmarks (Discarded concept.)

* As suggested by their names, all of the children have bad personalities but get along well with each other.

* Their role is to cry during the funeral procession. They are mourners.

* Since the funeral is delayed, they wander around, killing time.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 117===
[[File:117 part_c storyboard akemi_homura miki_sayaka oktavia_von_seckendorff lizard.jpg|right|300px]]
The image of the witch reflected in the water at Sayaka's feet and on her cape is an illusion created by Homura in response to the magic Sayaka is emitting. Since Homura only knows the old appearance of the Mermaid Witch, the reflected image uses the TV version’s design.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 123: Clara Dolls===
[[File:123 part_c character_design clara_dolls.jpg|right|300px]]

They do not close their eyes.

For the cel-drawn version with eyes, keep the eye design exactly as it is; it should look completely different from the other human characters.

'''Planned Appearances'''

● First Half

All of them are present inside the café where Homura and Kyoko have a conversation.

In other scenes, they are wandering around the city.

● Middle Stage 1

They appear during Homura's imagery scenes.

● Middle Stage 2

They are present when Homura transforms into a witch.

The cel animation pops → they turn into paper dolls.

From this point on, they appear as a symbol of Witch Homura's power.

● Middle Stage 3

They are present at Homura's throne as paper dolls.

They chase Kyubey around as paper dolls.

● Late Stage 1

They appear during the battle, entering partway through as paper dolls.

They attack exclusively through blunt-force strikes and are incredibly strong.

During their battle with Sayaka and Kyouko, they vanish somewhere with the collapse of the barrier.

● Late Stage 2

Undetermined.

● Late Stage 3

In the rewritten world, the cel versions with eyes are seen wandering around (symbolically representing an ominous, unsettling presence).

Homura is completely alone.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 124, 125 & 126: Clara Dolls===
[[File:124 part_c character_design clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukiii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:aa.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:126 part_c character_design clara_dolls yakimochi namake mie okubyouuu.jpg|right|300px]]
① Ibari ② Nekura ③ Usotsuki

④ Reiketsu ⑤ Wagamama ⑥ Warukuchi ⑦ Noroma

⑧ Yakimochi ⑨ Namake ⑩ Mie ⑪ Okubyou

* When in paper doll form, the Children carry knitting needles as weapons, all designed identically.

* The Children’s personalities largely align with their names.

* They are dress-up dolls Homura used to play with in the past.

* Even after Homura's world is rewritten again, the Dolls continue to wander and play freely as they please.

* The Children of the False City are less like the witch’s familiars and more akin to phenomena occurring within the False City. They are embodiments of the magic and karma that overflow from Homura.

* In the final draft, the Children lack jawlines.

* When in cel-animation style: they lack eyes, their noses aren't visible from the front, their faces resemble lizards', and they are doll-like.

* All the faces are identical.

* We agonized until the very last second over whether to make all 14 of them share the same hairstyle and clothing, but in the end, I chose to give them all completely unique hair, outfits, and heights. However, because of this, the workload instantly skyrocketed (we had to ask several other staff members to help out with the vast majority of the keyframe movement). Around two months before the movie's premiere date, we were deeply regretting that choice.

* When we based the design of Witch Homura’s familiars on Glasses Homura, they didn't look very strong while fighting Sayaka and the others. Therefore, by borrowing the café stage setting and some of the familiars' roles, we expanded their appearance scenes as the "Children of the False City."

* The Children all get along well. Though not explicitly shown in the main story, Ibari & Nekura, Yakimochi & Namake, and Mie & Okubyou are often seen together.

* Reiketsu and Noroma have vacant stares. Noroma’s head is perpetually tilted.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 127: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 127.jpg|right|300px]]
⑫ Manuke ⑬ Higami ⑭ Ganko

'''Top right:'''

All familiars and barriers are born from the witch’s subconscious.

The witch can summon them.

Furthermore, they arise on their own, even without being summoned.

They may obey the witch, or they may defy her.

Even the witch herself doesn’t fully understand her magic or the entities it creates.

'''Middle Right:'''

After Homura transforms into a witch*

'''Bottom right:'''

Yaa~

It's pitiful, shameful Mistress Failure.

Shunned, trampled,

And also despised.

Scatter ashes and strew flowers.

Change clothes, enter mourning.

From now, from here, let the funeral procession commence.

With these eyes, we gaze with envy.

And with these teeth, we gnaw at the future.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 128, 129, 130, 131 & 132: Clara Dolls===
[[File:128 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:129 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls reiketsu wagamama warukuchi_.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0130 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls noroma yakimochi namake.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0131 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls mie okubyou manuke.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0132 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls higami ganko.jpg|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Animation Reference Materials'''

* When a witch's familiars attack humans:

① Types that have not received magical power from the witch → For "mealtime."

② Because they hate humans or for the witch’s sake.

③ Out of boredom. For entertainment.

④ Due to the nature of their specific roles, leading to humans dying as a result.

The Children of the False City fall under ③, while the other familiars (The Nutcracker Witch's familiars) fall under ④.

* All the Children have the same face (same doll design).

* Short Hair + Pants Look: Ibari's design is the easiest for animators to create, making it the most convenient for production.

* Usotsuki: One of her eyes tends to be hidden by her hair.

* For the Children of the False City, we consciously aimed for "cute clothes that wouldn't really appeal to the opposite sex," but aside from her upper-body layering, Usotsuki has the vibe of someone who might be popular.

* When drawn normally, not as papercuts, the Children disguise themselves as humans. Even magical girls struggle to distinguish them.

* Just like the familiars of other witches, their thinking is animalistic.

* They are always sneering at Failure.

* Furthermore, even when the Devil appears, they burst out laughing.

* The Children acknowledge the Devil as a first-class comedic actress.

* When in a standing pose, Reiketsu's head is tilted.

* Reiketsu's go-to one-liner gag: "Flipping my hair like the Devil!" It's a huge hit (cracks everyone up).

* Wagamama: A jacket worn over a one-piece dress.

* Yakimochi's outfit has a "Mori Girl" (Forest Girl) style. Her mannerisms are also girly.

* Because it’s difficult to differentiate between the witch’s familiars, this time we’ve given them code names such as 'Tooth Cavalry' and 'Kigurumi Bird.' All the Children also have nicknames.

* During the dance inside the cupboard, Noroma is the only one who is slightly lagging behind.

* When she is standing still, Noroma's head is usually tilted.

* Leaving the witch aside, for her familiars, the Law of Cycles is truly a nuisance because they are immediately sent to achieve enlightenment before they are even born.

* The Children of the False City like Madoka, but think the Law of Cycles is underwhelming. The Devil is so-so. Only Manuke likes everyone.

* Although they take on a human form, their behavioral principles are completely alien to human values, just like other familiars.

* Higami's height: Short.

* Ganko's brooch: the top part is metal, the rest is ribbon.

* The Children love watching miniature stage plays at the floating café. Their absolute favorite play is 'The Pumpkin Left All Alone Because of the Goddess'. The Mermaid Story isn't very popular.

* Recently, they have been obsessed with a game where they throw tomatoes at a pretentious person at just the right moment.

* Their noses appear when looking sideways, even though they aren't there when facing forward.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 133: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 133.jpg|right|300px]]
What is it that you lack?

I only ever behave arrogantly (Ibari). It's okay to act proud once in a while.

I'm Gloominess (Nekura), and even if you force yourself to smile, you just end up exhausted.

I'm Liar (Usotsuki). Is the truth always right?

I'm Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). Being too kind can be troublesome as well.

I'm Selfishness (Wagamama). Value your own feelings.

I'm Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). You quickly lock away your emotions.

I'm Slowpoke (Noroma). Not rushing too much is also important.

I feel nothing but Jealousy (Yakimochi). Jealousy is necessary for Love.

I'm the Lazy one (Namake). If you don't take a break, you'll turn into butter.

I'm such a Show-off (Mie). You also push yourself past your limits for someone's sake.

I'm Cowardice (Okubyou). But deeply cautious.

I'm Foolishness (Manuke). Even so, don't forget to be charming, too.

I'm only filled with Resentment (Higami). Let's change this unsatisfying reality.

I'm Stubborness (Ganko). Just don't forget the important stuff.

These vices are Love (Ai)'s allies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 142 & 143: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 142.jpg|right|300px]]
:See also: [[Witches Artwork]]

The Children of the False City. Their role is to be mourners. These dress-up dolls perform a play of tears in order to liven up the funeral procession. The dolls present are Arrogance, Gloominess, Liar, Coldheartedness, Selfishness, Bad-mouth, Slowpoke, Jealousy, Laziness, Show-off, Cowardice, Foolishness, Resentment, and Stubbornness, while the last one, Love, has yet to arrive. "Born from color (form), not in the sky (emptiness)<ref>From Mahāyāna Buddhism's "Form Is Emptiness, Emptiness Is Form": https://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-studies/lam-rim/vipashyana/commentary-on-the-heart-sutra-dr-berzin/form-is-emptiness-emptiness-is-form</ref>, the edge of this mortal world<ref>Literally "this shore", a Buddhist concept. https://buddhisttemple.ca/teaching/the-other-shore/</ref> is our stage.” Their power is no less than that of a magical girl.

* The first one to appear was Arrogance (Ibari). Stepping over Failure's head that tumbled across the bare earth, she bravely spoke on her behalf. “Cocky bastards. You shall not be forgiven. This feeling belongs to us alone.”

* The second one to come was Gloominess (Nekura). Sneaking forward, she sneered at Failure. “This is Failure. What an absolute disgrace.” These dolls are disciples of freedom alone and are loyal to their desires.

* The third one to come was Liar (Usotsuki). She put on a tearful performance dedicated to Failure's soul. “Pitiful Mistress Failure. That foolish soul is our pride.” These dolls sneer at the fool yet side with her.

* Following behind them is the fourth one, Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). She tripped over Failure's head, looking slightly irritated. “Why don't we cut Mistress Failure into smaller pieces to make her easier to carry around?” If the Devil speaks, these dolls will obediently follow.

* Further comes the fifth, Selfishness (Wagamama), walking angrily. “Hasn't the funeral procession started yet? I've been practicing how to cry as quickly as possible, you know? I can't wait any longer", she huffed. These dolls are someone and no one.

* Coming out with a look of annoyance is the sixth one, Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). As usual, she makes spiteful remarks. “Mistress Failure is quite the masterful comedian.” These dolls play house with utterly entangled karma.

* Finally arriving is the seventh, Slowpoke (Noroma). The silent doll laughs at the witch with her eyes. These dolls comply with the witch's wishes to a certain extent, unlike the diligent soldiers.

* The eighth to appear is Jealousy (Yakimochi). Entranced, she gazes at the sky. “Let's prepare a box. I want to keep that radiance locked away forever.” These dolls are a collection of colors (form). They don't belong to the sky (emptiness).
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 143.jpg|right|300px]]
* The ninth one, Laziness (Namake), chats while yawning. “Do I have to go to the extent of helping with this children's play? Knitting is such a troublesome bother.” She kicked Failure's head, which was lying in her way. These dolls, with the funeral not starting at all, grow bored and wander aimlessly around the city.

* The tenth to come running is Show-off (Mie). She dramatically avoids Failure's head, saying, “I wouldn't be able to bear staining my cape with sticky blood.” These dolls mock the witch's self-harm.

* The eleventh one, trembling, is Cowardice (Okubyou). “If I am taken up into the sky, I won't even be able to behead the rabbit.” These dolls, with the power of magic, are able to achieve a complete recurrence.

* Walking aimlessly comes the twelfth one, Foolishness (Manuke). She goes out of her way to tell everyone what she just heard from a bird. “I heard a story about the Goddess. She's a beautiful and radiant goddess. I'm sure she will love us, too.” These dolls only desire what is within their reach.

* The thirteenth's footsteps are Resentment (Higami)'s. “Let's have a wonderful funeral like the one I heard in a story once. Let's bury lots of beautiful girls and cute animals together, too.” These dolls have powers that rival those of magical girls.

* Further comes the fourteenth, Stubbornness (Ganko). She points to the ground and rejects the sky. “The abyss of this mortal world is our stage.”

So, the mourners have gathered. Though it's become quite late, it's alright. The night is not yet over. The night will not be allowed to end anymore.

Right now is always 
Before knowing that radiance. Before losing that radiance. 
Here is merely the eve of the festival. The night before Failure. 
All that's left is to wait for the funeral procession.

Now, now, oh pure-white, wondrously virtuous Goddess. We are just utterly moved that you have casually strolled on over here so deferentially after all this time. But might you, perhaps, turn a blind eye to this, just a tiny bit? Lined up here is the theater troupe of this mortal world. We are human, and this is simply human nature. Even if you destroy sorrow and resentment, to despair is what makes us human. Passion drives our bones, and only melancholy washes our organs. Anyway, in exchange, we could produce plenty of others to turn toward your side, if you would like. Would that not suffice to earn your forgiveness?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 152===
[[File:152PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]

* Small objects other than the bed: orange pot marigold flowers, rulers, yarn, knitting needles, syringes, IV stands, and socks.

The place where Witch Homura took refuge was Christmas inside the hospital room cupboard.

A time slightly before the moment she repeated over and over again to save God.

A day from a slightly earlier life, a moment when she was happy.

A time when she didn’t even know what God looked like.

Had she remained unaware like this, she might have stayed in a state where she neither saved anyone nor was saved.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 158===
[[File:158PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
Kyubey is utterly despised by the witch and her familiars, but to the Children of the False City, the white animal is a convenient toy that never runs out no matter how much they play with it. Everyone is very impressed by its usefulness. Other living creatures dwindle if played with too much, so making them last as long as possible is quite a challenge.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 165===
[[File:165 part_d storyboard akemi_homura homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
《The Nutcracker Witch》

Her nature is self-sufficiency.

This witch's karma produced an army of familiars on a scale that is difficult to comprehend under normal circumstances.

However, this witch is a half-boiled failure.

Yet, if someone were to bestow unconditional love upon this ugly, broken doll, the heart of this wretched, half-boiled witch might not remain lost forever.<ref>This scene in ''Rebellion'' references ''The Nutcracker and the Mouse King'' by E. T. A. Hoffmann.</ref>
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 166===
[[File:166 part_e draft storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Initial Draft'''

Most witch barriers are composed of personal, single-minded, and inward-focused elements of the witch herself. The Nutcracker Witch's barrier is no exception, presenting a very narrow worldview. Her familiars are nothing but extensions of herself, evoking the image of a funeral procession taking place inside a house.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 170: Gooey Homura===
[[File:170 part_e storyboard homulilly soul.jpg|right|300px]]
Gooey Homura, located at the face portion of the Witch. Use rotoscoping if possible.

Basically the same as the Mermaid Witch's interior, which appeared for an instant. A slimy body with a giant eyeball.

The eyeball shifts and rolls around restlessly.

When her hand is taken by Madoka, Magical Girl Homura emerges from within the slime.

Homura's gooey form first melts away, then all at once scatters into snowflake crystals. It's as if an evil spell has been undone.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 171===
[[File:171 part_e character_design storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
A countdown like Walpurgisnacht's.

Homura's countdown from the compilation movies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 172===
[[File:172 part_e character_design homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Top text:'''

Right: Theatrical release

Bottom: Revised home video version

In the DVD & Blu-ray version, the number of ribbons around the witch's mouth has increased compared to the theatrical release.

'''Bottom text:'''

A magical girl’s mental state at the moment of her transformation is strongly reflected in the form of the witch she becomes.

The reason why the witch seen in the PSP game—the Witch of the Mortal World—and the Nutcracker Witch from ''Rebellion'' have different appearances is that the Witch of the Mortal World was born from a Homura who was unable to escape the one-month time loop.

Despair from yesterday is not necessarily the same as despair from today, so even for the same individual, different witches can be born depending on the time period.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 174: Nagisa's Transformation===
[[File:174 part_e storyboard charlotte bebe momoe_nagisa runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''☆ Nagisa Cooking ☆'''

'''An easy magical girl recipe.'''

The magical girl transformations this time around are split between two styles: types where they break out of themselves, and types involving a gooey, syrupy mixture.

As for Nagisa, after she and Bebe are thrown into a blender together, they are poured into a magical-girl-shaped mold to be successfully completed.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 181===
[[File:181 part_e storyboard illustration miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
Needles and gears sprout quickly out from Homu-Witch's (Homulilly's) head as well.

Gears and needles scatter in all directions. + Magic square/circle effect.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 188: Lotte===
[[File:188 part_e draft character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Toy soldiers'''

* Height: Same as Homura (though the head itself makes up the extra size).

* The ribbon worn across their chests is proof of their promise.

* The head is egg-shaped.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 189: Liese===
[[File:189 part_e draft character_design liese runes.jpg|right|300px]]
* It doesn't blink.

* Everything except for the head is a crow.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 191: Lotte===
[[File:191 part_e character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
The Luiselotte familiars have better athletic ability than the regular soldier ones.

Because they are Glasses-Homu (Moemura), their individual athletic ability is quite low.

At any rate, they are incredibly diligent, so they excel at group tactics. They are weak if scattered, so they deal with the mustache familiars (Anthony) by forming a dense, close-order formation. If they can group together and form a battle array, they are strong.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 192===
[[File:192 part_e character_design liese runes prop_design guillotine.jpg|right|300px]]
Even though Witch Homura fights Sayaka and the others to prevent her own barrier from being destroyed, she is simultaneously in a troublesome state of mind where she wants to "be defeated here." Therefore, our first priority was to visually convey the sense of preventing her suicide, so we installed a massive guillotine platform.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 194: Nagisa's Trumpet===
[[File:194 part_e prop_design bebe charlotte momoe_nagisa horn.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Bebe Horn'''

* If it's alright to use the witch settings as a basis, the wish she had granted was: "I want a single cheesecake."

Nagisa's magic ➔ Magic that allows her to assert herself and become more greedy.

➔ Upon turning into a witch, this manifested as the trait "Attachment," an aggravated form of emotional expression.

* Rather than being something given to her by Kyubey, the concept is that Nagisa came up with it herself. It's not a "cool weapon," but a "cute tool." It carries the vibe of "a magical item as imagined by Nagisa."
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 197===
[[File:197 part_e storyboard kiss anthony das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]
With the emblem of the Law of Cycles at the center, the emblems of the witches are linked together in a constellation-like shape. Each connecting line represents individuals whose souls are compatible, or who share a deep karmic connection.

An image of souls, as countless as the stars, revolving around the Law of Cycles at the center.

* As the Mermaid Witch tries to take Witch Homura's hand, she refuses by vigorously swinging her handcuffs up and down.

* Between the buildings, the Mermaid Witch's hand stretches out. There are many clocks around.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 198===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Dispatched familiars'''

When Sayaka materialized, the souls surrounding her within the Law of Cycles (in addition to the Rose Garden Witch's familiars) packed fragments of themselves into Sayaka’s bag to assist her.

Among the magical girls who have now become part of God, for those who know Homura, this operation is a major event—like a fleeting awakening within a long, long dream.

* Goddess Madoka's flag: Slightly modified from the [[Kriemhild Gretchen|Witch of Salvation]]'s emblem from the [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Portable|PSP game]].

* Sayaka: After the [[Oktavia von Seckendorff|Mermaid Witch]]'s appearance, Goddess Madoka's mark appears on her cape.

* On the stage of the concert hall raised by Sayaka, the Box Witch's familiars and the Birdcage Witch's familiars are playing violins.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 205: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:205 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon momoe_nagisa storyboard.jpg|right|300px]]
Carrying an overloaded bounty of presents, it shows up even if it wasn't called for—everyone's favorite, Tiro Finale.

The Extra Large version is a design that prioritizes a hype/festive festival feeling.

It is the pure crystallization of "Mami-ism" inside the brain of Gekidan Inu Curry.

● A mass of good dreams. A level of hope intense enough to give you heartburn.

● The parfait includes: raspberry, apple, cheese, and melon.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 206: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:206 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon.jpg|right|300px]]
● Cannonball Texture: Image pattern resembles a ''temari'' (traditional Japanese thread ball). Since Bebe's power is also being borrowed, it features the emblem of the Witch of Sweets.

● The railway gun created by Mami and Nagisa's magic. Since it is entirely a weapon conceived by a middle school girl, it lacks any consistency with real-world weaponry and features none of that "boyish" mechanical gimmickry. Visual appearance is the top priority. It feels as though they are using magic to forcefully move whatever image they have in their heads. Because of this, there are a few fatal design flaws scattered throughout, such as absolutely no consideration given to space for ejecting shell casings.

Simultaneous with the shell firing, the recoil causes a parfait explosion. The shell casing is ejected from inside the parfait.

Towed by two locomotives.

Erupting from the smokestack are the fluffy flowers that blew out at the start of the magical table scene.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 209: Pumpkin Carriage===
[[File:209 prop_design carriage miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
* The pumpkin part is the exact same color as the pumpkin that appeared during the magic table scene.

* The window frames attached to the pumpkin are white.

* The borrowed familiars are packed tightly inside.

The carriage used by Sayaka and Nagisa.

Though it is a design personally and graciously bestowed by Goddess Madoka, its reputation among the drivers is terrible because it is incredibly slow and shakes excessively.

Sayaka thinks a helicopter would have been better.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 215===
[[File:215STO~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''Table'''

The entire object, including the parasol portion, is made of tinplate.

A doll is sitting on a toy chair.

Please design it with a sense of scale resembling a miniature.

* Homura is happily chatting with an imaginary Madoka who is completely off-screen.

* The table where Homura sits is invisible to everyone except Sayaka.

* The parasol is rotating continuously.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 216: Dark Orb===
[[File:216 prop_design dark_orb.jpg|right|300px]]
The design motifs are a pumpkin, a crown, and a perfume bottle.

● Color: Basically black. The parts that are not black are made of glass.

The central core (the bottle part) is made of spherical glass.

There is a crest on the bottom of the spherical bottle.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 217===
[[File:217 storyboard roschach_blots akemi_homura akuma_homura miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
How the Devil appears varies from person to person, like a Rorschach test. Is she eerie, beautiful, sad, or happy? Is she right, or not quite so?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 218: Dark Orb===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 218.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Upper right: Earcuff'''

{{Runes|HOMULILLY}} - The witch's name is written on the torso region.

'''Upper left: Dark orb'''

Alternate form (worn only on the left ear). Equipped with a function that allows the witch's familiars to softly whisper the information they have seen and heard into Homura's ear.

'''Bottom left:'''

Due to its nature being close to that of a witch, the Dark Orb sometimes moves around on its own. It does follow orders, but for Homura, it can be troubling.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 219: Dark Orb===
[[File:219 character_design dark_orb prop_design lizard.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Middle left:'''

Crown. Perfume bottle.

Pink light (Madoka) inside the center.

The top is spherical, like the lid of a bottle.

* Initially, the surface of the Dark Orb was planned to have intricate patterns, but for the sake of distinguishing it from the Soul Gem, it was ultimately made simple.

'''Bottom left:'''

Crest pattern. Monochrome.

Simplified crest.

'''Top right:'''

The mark of the Devil is a lizard that crawls on the ground. Since snakes have strong biblical imagery and lizards felt more human to us, we decided on a design of a lizard laid over upside-down white wings. Unlike the Law of Cycles, we intended for it to look different from traditional Western coats of arms. It is not the mark of an evil being, but rather a symbol of a faith distinct from everyone else's God.

* Early rejected designs for the Devil's crest
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 220===
[[File:220 storyboard epilog akemi_homura akuma_homura dark_orb das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]

'''End Credits ~ Epilogue'''

For both the Law of Cycles and Homura, the moon is used as a shared motif.

* The grass and flowers are withered. The city lights are beautiful.

* Homura is sitting on the chair from the "Luminous" OP at the edge of the cliff. She is leaning against an unseen presence on her left side.

* Homura's humming plays continuously. No background music. It's lonely (T/N: the humming got replaced with "Not yet" in the theatrical version).

* On a hill, Homura dances alone with her right hand. The city slowly rotates like a clock.

* Homura is dancing alone with an imaginary Madoka.

'''Top right'''

* [Door] → Part A, Magic Room, Madoka's side door.

'''Bottom right'''

* The Anthonys changed from their "Sayaka version" back to their original forms.

* Country of Sweets/Good Morning: Because there are two versions of ''The Nutcracker'' ballet—one where they live in the Land of Sweets, and one with an "it was all a dream" ending.
{{-}}

==Observations==
* Laziness' phrase on page 133 is a reference to ''Little Black Sambo''. At one point in the story, Sambo, to appease three tigers trying to eat him, gives each of them his umbrella, shoes and clothing. Each tiger thinks they're the best looking one, and then chase each other around a tree. They run so quickly they melt into ghee (butter). Sambo's mother then uses the butter to make pancakes. This story is referenced briefly during the scene where Homura and Madoka are having tea at Mami's apartment, and Bebe becomes dazed. Three tigers circle around her head before a bubble with "Ghee" written in it appears and is followed by an image of pancakes.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Black dress homura production note.jpg|Black dress Homura art
File:Rconcept anthony 1.png|Anthony art
File:Rconcept anthony 2.png
File:Rconcept ulla.png|Ulla art
File:Rconcept mathieu.png|Mathieu art
File:Rconcept familiars.png|Gotz and Daniyyel & Jennifer art
File:Rconcept elly boat.png
File:inu curry image note 2 097.jpg|An exhaustive explanation of Bebe speak
File:Rconcept bebe 1.png|Bebe art
File:Rconcept bebe 2.png
File:Rconcept bebe 3.png
File:Rconcept bebe 4.png
File:Rconcept bebe 5.png
File:Rconcept bebe homu.png
File:Rconcept bebe 6.png|Art featuring Pyotr and Polina
File:Rconcept bebe 7.png
File:Rconcept bebe 8.png
File:Rconcept bebe 9.png
File:Rconcept bebe 10.png
File:Rconcept bebe 11.png
File:Rconcept bebe 12.png
File:Sayaka's Doppel in Rebellion.jpg|Oktavia art
File:Rconcept oktavia 1.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg
File:Rconcept familiar orchestra.png|Art of Oktavia and Sayaka's orchestra in full
File:Rconcept homu 1.png|Art of Homulilly
File:Rconcept homu 2.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rconcept homu fams.png
File:Rconcept lotte.png|Art of Lotte
File:Rconcept lotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lotte 2.png
File:Rconcept lotte 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 5.png|Art featuring an unused design for Lotte which was used in the [[Rebellion Manga|manga]]
File:Rconcept clara 1.png|Art of the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 2.png
File:Rconcept clara 3.png
File:Rconcept clara 6.png
File:Rconcept clara 4.png|Very early concept art for the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 5.png
File:Rconcept liese 1.png|Art of Liese
File:Rconcept liese.png|Art of Liese featuring an unused Homura styled Liese
File:Rconcept luiselotte.png|Art of Luiselotte and Lilia
File:Rconcept luiselotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lilia.png|Art of Lilia. Her more detailed design was used in the manga
File:Rconcept homu 3.png|Art of Homulilly's labyrinth
File:Rconcept lisa.png|Art of Lisa
File:Rconcept nightmare 1.png|Art which shows the Nightmare's appearance in reflections
File:Rconcept nightmare 2.png|Art of Hitomi's Nightmare and the first Nightmare
File:Rconcept nightmare 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 4.png|An unused [[Homura]] Nightmare
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Puella Magi Production Note]]
* [[Key Animation Note]]

==External links==
* [http://genga.booru.org/index.php?page=post&s=list&tags=production_note_rebellion&pid=0 Scans of Rebellion Production Note]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Documents/Anime-Production]]
[[Category:Products and merchandise]]

Rebellion Production Note

2026-07-27T22:18:48Z

Romi1908: /* Image Note Pages 142 & 143: Clara Dolls */

[[File:Rebellion Production Note Cover.jpg|thumb|Front cover]]
'''''Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Rebellion'' Production Note''' is a set of two volumes that was first sold in a limited edition version at Comic Market 87 from December 28 to December 30, 2014. It became available to the general public starting February 28, 2015. Each set also comes with a bookmark magnifying glass.

The first volume is 277 pages long and contains:
* Character Design, page 005
* Prop Design, page 115
* Art Design, page 127
* Imageboard, page 197
* Special: [[Ume Aoki]] Original Character Designs, page 265
* Index, page 278

The second volume is titled '''Inu Curry Image Note 2''' and contains 233 pages of illustrations and designs by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]:
* Images, page 002
* Part A, page 036
* Part B, page 064
* Part C, page 094
* Part D, page 136
* Part E, page 166
See [[Rebellion/Synopsis]] for details on how the movie is divided into parts.

==Translated pages==
===Image Note Page 081: Drosselmeyer's Theater Box===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 081.jpg|right|300px]]
Using the theater box from the sideshow, Drosselmeyer tells the Children the story of a lonely magical girl. The Children, imagining the world in the story, fantasize about how wonderful it would be if the present were filled with more thrill and violence.

This is not a familiar of the witch. It's a mechanical doll (''karakuri''); the witch's subconscious is what's turning the gears. This Drosselmeyer is a judge doll.

We thought about blending the sideshow into the background somewhere later in the second half as well, but in the end, it only appeared in the café.

'''Bottom left:''' [The End]
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 082 & 083: Clara Dolls===
[[File:082PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
[[File:083PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Initial Concept'''

The Children of the False City

* In a dome-shaped café, they watch a sideshow. All of them are girls.

* For character design, please make them appear around 6 years old in the world of Madoka. In the main story, no specific ages are set.

* Their faces are entirely obscured, and they are barefoot.

* From then on, they are sometimes seen riding a bus or blending into crowds. They exist discreetly, avoiding attention. (Mainly as silhouettes.)

* After the people of the city turn into paper dolls, the Children also become flat and flimsy. They aren’t held by hands; instead, their heads turn into bookmarks (Discarded concept.)

* As suggested by their names, all of the children have bad personalities but get along well with each other.

* Their role is to cry during the funeral procession. They are mourners.

* Since the funeral is delayed, they wander around, killing time.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 117===
[[File:117 part_c storyboard akemi_homura miki_sayaka oktavia_von_seckendorff lizard.jpg|right|300px]]
The image of the witch reflected in the water at Sayaka's feet and on her cape is an illusion created by Homura in response to the magic Sayaka is emitting. Since Homura only knows the old appearance of the Mermaid Witch, the reflected image uses the TV version’s design.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 123: Clara Dolls===
[[File:123 part_c character_design clara_dolls.jpg|right|300px]]

They do not close their eyes.

For the cel-drawn version with eyes, keep the eye design exactly as it is; it should look completely different from the other human characters.

'''Planned Appearances'''

● First Half

All of them are present inside the café where Homura and Kyoko have a conversation.

In other scenes, they are wandering around the city.

● Middle Stage 1

They appear during Homura's imagery scenes.

● Middle Stage 2

They are present when Homura transforms into a witch.

The cel animation pops → they turn into paper dolls.

From this point on, they appear as a symbol of Witch Homura's power.

● Middle Stage 3

They are present at Homura's throne as paper dolls.

They chase Kyubey around as paper dolls.

● Late Stage 1

They appear during the battle, entering partway through as paper dolls.

They attack exclusively through blunt-force strikes and are incredibly strong.

During their battle with Sayaka and Kyouko, they vanish somewhere with the collapse of the barrier.

● Late Stage 2

Undetermined.

● Late Stage 3

In the rewritten world, the cel versions with eyes are seen wandering around (symbolically representing an ominous, unsettling presence).

Homura is completely alone.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 124, 125 & 126: Clara Dolls===
[[File:124 part_c character_design clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukiii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:aa.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:126 part_c character_design clara_dolls yakimochi namake mie okubyouuu.jpg|right|300px]]
① Ibari ② Nekura ③ Usotsuki

④ Reiketsu ⑤ Wagamama ⑥ Warukuchi ⑦ Noroma

⑧ Yakimochi ⑨ Namake ⑩ Mie ⑪ Okubyou

* When in paper doll form, the Children carry knitting needles as weapons, all designed identically.

* The Children’s personalities largely align with their names.

* They are dress-up dolls Homura used to play with in the past.

* Even after Homura's world is rewritten again, the Dolls continue to wander and play freely as they please.

* The Children of the False City are less like the witch’s familiars and more akin to phenomena occurring within the False City. They are embodiments of the magic and karma that overflow from Homura.

* In the final draft, the Children lack jawlines.

* When in cel-animation style: they lack eyes, their noses aren't visible from the front, their faces resemble lizards', and they are doll-like.

* All the faces are identical.

* We agonized until the very last second over whether to make all 14 of them share the same hairstyle and clothing, but in the end, I chose to give them all completely unique hair, outfits, and heights. However, because of this, the workload instantly skyrocketed (we had to ask several other staff members to help out with the vast majority of the keyframe movement). Around two months before the movie's premiere date, we were deeply regretting that choice.

* When we based the design of Witch Homura’s familiars on Glasses Homura, they didn't look very strong while fighting Sayaka and the others. Therefore, by borrowing the café stage setting and some of the familiars' roles, we expanded their appearance scenes as the "Children of the False City."

* The Children all get along well. Though not explicitly shown in the main story, Ibari & Nekura, Yakimochi & Namake, and Mie & Okubyou are often seen together.

* Reiketsu and Noroma have vacant stares. Noroma’s head is perpetually tilted.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 127: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 127.jpg|right|300px]]
⑫ Manuke ⑬ Higami ⑭ Ganko

'''Top right:'''

All familiars and barriers are born from the witch’s subconscious.

The witch can summon them.

Furthermore, they arise on their own, even without being summoned.

They may obey the witch, or they may defy her.

Even the witch herself doesn’t fully understand her magic or the entities it creates.

'''Middle Right:'''

After Homura transforms into a witch*

'''Bottom right:'''

Yaa~

It's pitiful, shameful Mistress Failure.

Shunned, trampled,

And also despised.

Scatter ashes and strew flowers.

Change clothes, enter mourning.

From now, from here, let the funeral procession commence.

With these eyes, we gaze with envy.

And with these teeth, we gnaw at the future.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 128, 129, 130, 131 & 132: Clara Dolls===
[[File:128 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:129 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls reiketsu wagamama warukuchi_.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0130 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls noroma yakimochi namake.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0131 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls mie okubyou manuke.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0132 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls higami ganko.jpg|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Animation Reference Materials'''

* When a witch's familiars attack humans:

① Types that have not received magical power from the witch → For "mealtime."

② Because they hate humans or for the witch’s sake.

③ Out of boredom. For entertainment.

④ Due to the nature of their specific roles, leading to humans dying as a result.

The Children of the False City fall under ③, while the other familiars (The Nutcracker Witch's familiars) fall under ④.

* All the Children have the same face (same doll design).

* Short Hair + Pants Look: Ibari's design is the easiest for animators to create, making it the most convenient for production.

* Usotsuki: One of her eyes tends to be hidden by her hair.

* For the Children of the False City, we consciously aimed for "cute clothes that wouldn't really appeal to the opposite sex," but aside from her upper-body layering, Usotsuki has the vibe of someone who might be popular.

* When drawn normally, not as papercuts, the Children disguise themselves as humans. Even magical girls struggle to distinguish them.

* Just like the familiars of other witches, their thinking is animalistic.

* They are always sneering at Failure.

* Furthermore, even when the Devil appears, they burst out laughing.

* The Children acknowledge the Devil as a first-class comedic actress.

* When in a standing pose, Reiketsu's head is tilted.

* Reiketsu's go-to one-liner gag: "Flipping my hair like the Devil!" It's a huge hit (cracks everyone up).

* Wagamama: A jacket worn over a one-piece dress.

* Yakimochi's outfit has a "Mori Girl" (Forest Girl) style. Her mannerisms are also girly.

* Because it’s difficult to differentiate between the witch’s familiars, this time we’ve given them code names such as 'Tooth Cavalry' and 'Kigurumi Bird.' All the Children also have nicknames.

* During the dance inside the cupboard, Noroma is the only one who is slightly lagging behind.

* When she is standing still, Noroma's head is usually tilted.

* Leaving the witch aside, for her familiars, the Law of Cycles is truly a nuisance because they are immediately sent to achieve enlightenment before they are even born.

* The Children of the False City like Madoka, but think the Law of Cycles is underwhelming. The Devil is so-so. Only Manuke likes everyone.

* Although they take on a human form, their behavioral principles are completely alien to human values, just like other familiars.

* Higami's height: Short.

* Ganko's brooch: the top part is metal, the rest is ribbon.

* The Children love watching miniature stage plays at the floating café. Their absolute favorite play is 'The Pumpkin Left All Alone Because of the Goddess'. The Mermaid Story isn't very popular.

* Recently, they have been obsessed with a game where they throw tomatoes at a pretentious person at just the right moment.

* Their noses appear when looking sideways, even though they aren't there when facing forward.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 133: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 133.jpg|right|300px]]
What is it that you lack?

I only ever behave arrogantly (Ibari). It's okay to act proud once in a while.

I'm Gloominess (Nekura), and even if you force yourself to smile, you just end up exhausted.

I'm Liar (Usotsuki). Is the truth always right?

I'm Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). Being too kind can be troublesome as well.

I'm Selfishness (Wagamama). Value your own feelings.

I'm Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). You quickly lock away your emotions.

I'm Slowpoke (Noroma). Not rushing too much is also important.

I feel nothing but Jealousy (Yakimochi). Jealousy is necessary for Love.

I'm the Lazy one (Namake). If you don't take a break, you'll turn into butter.

I'm such a Show-off (Mie). You also push yourself past your limits for someone's sake.

I'm Cowardice (Okubyou). But deeply cautious.

I'm Foolishness (Manuke). Even so, don't forget to be charming, too.

I'm only filled with Resentment (Higami). Let's change this unsatisfying reality.

I'm Stubborness (Ganko). Just don't forget the important stuff.

These vices are Love (Ai)'s allies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 142 & 143: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 142.jpg|right|300px]]
:See also: [[Witches Artwork]]

The Children of the False City. Their role is to be mourners. These dress-up dolls perform a play of tears in order to liven up the funeral procession. The dolls present are Arrogance, Gloominess, Liar, Coldheartedness, Selfishness, Bad-mouth, Slowpoke, Jealousy, Laziness, Show-off, Cowardice, Foolishness, Resentment, and Stubbornness, while the last one, Love, has yet to arrive. "Born from color (form), not in the sky (emptiness)<ref>From Mahāyāna Buddhism's "Form Is Emptiness, Emptiness Is Form": https://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-studies/lam-rim/vipashyana/commentary-on-the-heart-sutra-dr-berzin/form-is-emptiness-emptiness-is-form</ref>, the edge of this mortal world<ref>Literally "this shore", a Buddhist concept. https://buddhisttemple.ca/teaching/the-other-shore/<ref/> is our stage.” Their power is no less than that of a magical girl.

* The first one to appear was Arrogance (Ibari). Stepping over Failure's head that tumbled across the bare earth, she bravely spoke on her behalf. “Cocky bastards. You shall not be forgiven. This feeling belongs to us alone.”

* The second one to come was Gloominess (Nekura). Sneaking forward, she sneered at Failure. “This is Failure. What an absolute disgrace.” These dolls are disciples of freedom alone and are loyal to their desires.

* The third one to come was Liar (Usotsuki). She put on a tearful performance dedicated to Failure's soul. “Pitiful Mistress Failure. That foolish soul is our pride.” These dolls sneer at the fool yet side with her.

* Following behind them is the fourth one, Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). She tripped over Failure's head, looking slightly irritated. “Why don't we cut Mistress Failure into smaller pieces to make her easier to carry around?” If the Devil speaks, these dolls will obediently follow.

* Further comes the fifth, Selfishness (Wagamama), walking angrily. “Hasn't the funeral procession started yet? I've been practicing how to cry as quickly as possible, you know? I can't wait any longer", she huffed. These dolls are someone and no one.

* Coming out with a look of annoyance is the sixth one, Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). As usual, she makes spiteful remarks. “Mistress Failure is quite the masterful comedian.” These dolls play house with utterly entangled karma.

* Finally arriving is the seventh, Slowpoke (Noroma). The silent doll laughs at the witch with her eyes. These dolls comply with the witch's wishes to a certain extent, unlike the diligent soldiers.

* The eighth to appear is Jealousy (Yakimochi). Entranced, she gazes at the sky. “Let's prepare a box. I want to keep that radiance locked away forever.” These dolls are a collection of colors (form). They don't belong to the sky (emptiness).
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 143.jpg|right|300px]]
* The ninth one, Laziness (Namake), chats while yawning. “Do I have to go to the extent of helping with this children's play? Knitting is such a troublesome bother.” She kicked Failure's head, which was lying in her way. These dolls, with the funeral not starting at all, grow bored and wander aimlessly around the city.

* The tenth to come running is Show-off (Mie). She dramatically avoids Failure's head, saying, “I wouldn't be able to bear staining my cape with sticky blood.” These dolls mock the witch's self-harm.

* The eleventh one, trembling, is Cowardice (Okubyou). “If I am taken up into the sky, I won't even be able to behead the rabbit.” These dolls, with the power of magic, are able to achieve a complete recurrence.

* Walking aimlessly comes the twelfth one, Foolishness (Manuke). She goes out of her way to tell everyone what she just heard from a bird. “I heard a story about the Goddess. She's a beautiful and radiant goddess. I'm sure she will love us, too.” These dolls only desire what is within their reach.

* The thirteenth's footsteps are Resentment (Higami)'s. “Let's have a wonderful funeral like the one I heard in a story once. Let's bury lots of beautiful girls and cute animals together, too.” These dolls have powers that rival those of magical girls.

* Further comes the fourteenth, Stubbornness (Ganko). She points to the ground and rejects the sky. “The abyss of this mortal world is our stage.”

So, the mourners have gathered. Though it's become quite late, it's alright. The night is not yet over. The night will not be allowed to end anymore.

Right now is always 
Before knowing that radiance. Before losing that radiance. 
Here is merely the eve of the festival. The night before Failure. 
All that's left is to wait for the funeral procession.

Now, now, oh pure-white, wondrously virtuous Goddess. We are just utterly moved that you have casually strolled on over here so deferentially after all this time. But might you, perhaps, turn a blind eye to this, just a tiny bit? Lined up here is the theater troupe of this mortal world. We are human, and this is simply human nature. Even if you destroy sorrow and resentment, to despair is what makes us human. Passion drives our bones, and only melancholy washes our organs. Anyway, in exchange, we could produce plenty of others to turn toward your side, if you would like. Would that not suffice to earn your forgiveness?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 152===
[[File:152PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]

* Small objects other than the bed: orange pot marigold flowers, rulers, yarn, knitting needles, syringes, IV stands, and socks.

The place where Witch Homura took refuge was Christmas inside the hospital room cupboard.

A time slightly before the moment she repeated over and over again to save God.

A day from a slightly earlier life, a moment when she was happy.

A time when she didn’t even know what God looked like.

Had she remained unaware like this, she might have stayed in a state where she neither saved anyone nor was saved.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 158===
[[File:158PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
Kyubey is utterly despised by the witch and her familiars, but to the Children of the False City, the white animal is a convenient toy that never runs out no matter how much they play with it. Everyone is very impressed by its usefulness. Other living creatures dwindle if played with too much, so making them last as long as possible is quite a challenge.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 165===
[[File:165 part_d storyboard akemi_homura homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
《The Nutcracker Witch》

Her nature is self-sufficiency.

This witch's karma produced an army of familiars on a scale that is difficult to comprehend under normal circumstances.

However, this witch is a half-boiled failure.

Yet, if someone were to bestow unconditional love upon this ugly, broken doll, the heart of this wretched, half-boiled witch might not remain lost forever.<ref>This scene in ''Rebellion'' references ''The Nutcracker and the Mouse King'' by E. T. A. Hoffmann.</ref>
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 166===
[[File:166 part_e draft storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Initial Draft'''

Most witch barriers are composed of personal, single-minded, and inward-focused elements of the witch herself. The Nutcracker Witch's barrier is no exception, presenting a very narrow worldview. Her familiars are nothing but extensions of herself, evoking the image of a funeral procession taking place inside a house.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 170: Gooey Homura===
[[File:170 part_e storyboard homulilly soul.jpg|right|300px]]
Gooey Homura, located at the face portion of the Witch. Use rotoscoping if possible.

Basically the same as the Mermaid Witch's interior, which appeared for an instant. A slimy body with a giant eyeball.

The eyeball shifts and rolls around restlessly.

When her hand is taken by Madoka, Magical Girl Homura emerges from within the slime.

Homura's gooey form first melts away, then all at once scatters into snowflake crystals. It's as if an evil spell has been undone.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 171===
[[File:171 part_e character_design storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
A countdown like Walpurgisnacht's.

Homura's countdown from the compilation movies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 172===
[[File:172 part_e character_design homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Top text:'''

Right: Theatrical release

Bottom: Revised home video version

In the DVD & Blu-ray version, the number of ribbons around the witch's mouth has increased compared to the theatrical release.

'''Bottom text:'''

A magical girl’s mental state at the moment of her transformation is strongly reflected in the form of the witch she becomes.

The reason why the witch seen in the PSP game—the Witch of the Mortal World—and the Nutcracker Witch from ''Rebellion'' have different appearances is that the Witch of the Mortal World was born from a Homura who was unable to escape the one-month time loop.

Despair from yesterday is not necessarily the same as despair from today, so even for the same individual, different witches can be born depending on the time period.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 174: Nagisa's Transformation===
[[File:174 part_e storyboard charlotte bebe momoe_nagisa runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''☆ Nagisa Cooking ☆'''

'''An easy magical girl recipe.'''

The magical girl transformations this time around are split between two styles: types where they break out of themselves, and types involving a gooey, syrupy mixture.

As for Nagisa, after she and Bebe are thrown into a blender together, they are poured into a magical-girl-shaped mold to be successfully completed.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 181===
[[File:181 part_e storyboard illustration miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
Needles and gears sprout quickly out from Homu-Witch's (Homulilly's) head as well.

Gears and needles scatter in all directions. + Magic square/circle effect.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 188: Lotte===
[[File:188 part_e draft character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Toy soldiers'''

* Height: Same as Homura (though the head itself makes up the extra size).

* The ribbon worn across their chests is proof of their promise.

* The head is egg-shaped.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 189: Liese===
[[File:189 part_e draft character_design liese runes.jpg|right|300px]]
* It doesn't blink.

* Everything except for the head is a crow.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 191: Lotte===
[[File:191 part_e character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
The Luiselotte familiars have better athletic ability than the regular soldier ones.

Because they are Glasses-Homu (Moemura), their individual athletic ability is quite low.

At any rate, they are incredibly diligent, so they excel at group tactics. They are weak if scattered, so they deal with the mustache familiars (Anthony) by forming a dense, close-order formation. If they can group together and form a battle array, they are strong.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 192===
[[File:192 part_e character_design liese runes prop_design guillotine.jpg|right|300px]]
Even though Witch Homura fights Sayaka and the others to prevent her own barrier from being destroyed, she is simultaneously in a troublesome state of mind where she wants to "be defeated here." Therefore, our first priority was to visually convey the sense of preventing her suicide, so we installed a massive guillotine platform.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 194: Nagisa's Trumpet===
[[File:194 part_e prop_design bebe charlotte momoe_nagisa horn.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Bebe Horn'''

* If it's alright to use the witch settings as a basis, the wish she had granted was: "I want a single cheesecake."

Nagisa's magic ➔ Magic that allows her to assert herself and become more greedy.

➔ Upon turning into a witch, this manifested as the trait "Attachment," an aggravated form of emotional expression.

* Rather than being something given to her by Kyubey, the concept is that Nagisa came up with it herself. It's not a "cool weapon," but a "cute tool." It carries the vibe of "a magical item as imagined by Nagisa."
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 197===
[[File:197 part_e storyboard kiss anthony das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]
With the emblem of the Law of Cycles at the center, the emblems of the witches are linked together in a constellation-like shape. Each connecting line represents individuals whose souls are compatible, or who share a deep karmic connection.

An image of souls, as countless as the stars, revolving around the Law of Cycles at the center.

* As the Mermaid Witch tries to take Witch Homura's hand, she refuses by vigorously swinging her handcuffs up and down.

* Between the buildings, the Mermaid Witch's hand stretches out. There are many clocks around.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 198===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Dispatched familiars'''

When Sayaka materialized, the souls surrounding her within the Law of Cycles (in addition to the Rose Garden Witch's familiars) packed fragments of themselves into Sayaka’s bag to assist her.

Among the magical girls who have now become part of God, for those who know Homura, this operation is a major event—like a fleeting awakening within a long, long dream.

* Goddess Madoka's flag: Slightly modified from the [[Kriemhild Gretchen|Witch of Salvation]]'s emblem from the [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Portable|PSP game]].

* Sayaka: After the [[Oktavia von Seckendorff|Mermaid Witch]]'s appearance, Goddess Madoka's mark appears on her cape.

* On the stage of the concert hall raised by Sayaka, the Box Witch's familiars and the Birdcage Witch's familiars are playing violins.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 205: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:205 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon momoe_nagisa storyboard.jpg|right|300px]]
Carrying an overloaded bounty of presents, it shows up even if it wasn't called for—everyone's favorite, Tiro Finale.

The Extra Large version is a design that prioritizes a hype/festive festival feeling.

It is the pure crystallization of "Mami-ism" inside the brain of Gekidan Inu Curry.

● A mass of good dreams. A level of hope intense enough to give you heartburn.

● The parfait includes: raspberry, apple, cheese, and melon.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 206: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:206 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon.jpg|right|300px]]
● Cannonball Texture: Image pattern resembles a ''temari'' (traditional Japanese thread ball). Since Bebe's power is also being borrowed, it features the emblem of the Witch of Sweets.

● The railway gun created by Mami and Nagisa's magic. Since it is entirely a weapon conceived by a middle school girl, it lacks any consistency with real-world weaponry and features none of that "boyish" mechanical gimmickry. Visual appearance is the top priority. It feels as though they are using magic to forcefully move whatever image they have in their heads. Because of this, there are a few fatal design flaws scattered throughout, such as absolutely no consideration given to space for ejecting shell casings.

Simultaneous with the shell firing, the recoil causes a parfait explosion. The shell casing is ejected from inside the parfait.

Towed by two locomotives.

Erupting from the smokestack are the fluffy flowers that blew out at the start of the magical table scene.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 209: Pumpkin Carriage===
[[File:209 prop_design carriage miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
* The pumpkin part is the exact same color as the pumpkin that appeared during the magic table scene.

* The window frames attached to the pumpkin are white.

* The borrowed familiars are packed tightly inside.

The carriage used by Sayaka and Nagisa.

Though it is a design personally and graciously bestowed by Goddess Madoka, its reputation among the drivers is terrible because it is incredibly slow and shakes excessively.

Sayaka thinks a helicopter would have been better.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 215===
[[File:215STO~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''Table'''

The entire object, including the parasol portion, is made of tinplate.

A doll is sitting on a toy chair.

Please design it with a sense of scale resembling a miniature.

* Homura is happily chatting with an imaginary Madoka who is completely off-screen.

* The table where Homura sits is invisible to everyone except Sayaka.

* The parasol is rotating continuously.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 216: Dark Orb===
[[File:216 prop_design dark_orb.jpg|right|300px]]
The design motifs are a pumpkin, a crown, and a perfume bottle.

● Color: Basically black. The parts that are not black are made of glass.

The central core (the bottle part) is made of spherical glass.

There is a crest on the bottom of the spherical bottle.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 217===
[[File:217 storyboard roschach_blots akemi_homura akuma_homura miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
How the Devil appears varies from person to person, like a Rorschach test. Is she eerie, beautiful, sad, or happy? Is she right, or not quite so?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 218: Dark Orb===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 218.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Upper right: Earcuff'''

{{Runes|HOMULILLY}} - The witch's name is written on the torso region.

'''Upper left: Dark orb'''

Alternate form (worn only on the left ear). Equipped with a function that allows the witch's familiars to softly whisper the information they have seen and heard into Homura's ear.

'''Bottom left:'''

Due to its nature being close to that of a witch, the Dark Orb sometimes moves around on its own. It does follow orders, but for Homura, it can be troubling.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 219: Dark Orb===
[[File:219 character_design dark_orb prop_design lizard.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Middle left:'''

Crown. Perfume bottle.

Pink light (Madoka) inside the center.

The top is spherical, like the lid of a bottle.

* Initially, the surface of the Dark Orb was planned to have intricate patterns, but for the sake of distinguishing it from the Soul Gem, it was ultimately made simple.

'''Bottom left:'''

Crest pattern. Monochrome.

Simplified crest.

'''Top right:'''

The mark of the Devil is a lizard that crawls on the ground. Since snakes have strong biblical imagery and lizards felt more human to us, we decided on a design of a lizard laid over upside-down white wings. Unlike the Law of Cycles, we intended for it to look different from traditional Western coats of arms. It is not the mark of an evil being, but rather a symbol of a faith distinct from everyone else's God.

* Early rejected designs for the Devil's crest
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 220===
[[File:220 storyboard epilog akemi_homura akuma_homura dark_orb das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]

'''End Credits ~ Epilogue'''

For both the Law of Cycles and Homura, the moon is used as a shared motif.

* The grass and flowers are withered. The city lights are beautiful.

* Homura is sitting on the chair from the "Luminous" OP at the edge of the cliff. She is leaning against an unseen presence on her left side.

* Homura's humming plays continuously. No background music. It's lonely (T/N: the humming got replaced with "Not yet" in the theatrical version).

* On a hill, Homura dances alone with her right hand. The city slowly rotates like a clock.

* Homura is dancing alone with an imaginary Madoka.

'''Top right'''

* [Door] → Part A, Magic Room, Madoka's side door.

'''Bottom right'''

* The Anthonys changed from their "Sayaka version" back to their original forms.

* Country of Sweets/Good Morning: Because there are two versions of ''The Nutcracker'' ballet—one where they live in the Land of Sweets, and one with an "it was all a dream" ending.
{{-}}

==Observations==
* Laziness' phrase on page 133 is a reference to ''Little Black Sambo''. At one point in the story, Sambo, to appease three tigers trying to eat him, gives each of them his umbrella, shoes and clothing. Each tiger thinks they're the best looking one, and then chase each other around a tree. They run so quickly they melt into ghee (butter). Sambo's mother then uses the butter to make pancakes. This story is referenced briefly during the scene where Homura and Madoka are having tea at Mami's apartment, and Bebe becomes dazed. Three tigers circle around her head before a bubble with "Ghee" written in it appears and is followed by an image of pancakes.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Black dress homura production note.jpg|Black dress Homura art
File:Rconcept anthony 1.png|Anthony art
File:Rconcept anthony 2.png
File:Rconcept ulla.png|Ulla art
File:Rconcept mathieu.png|Mathieu art
File:Rconcept familiars.png|Gotz and Daniyyel & Jennifer art
File:Rconcept elly boat.png
File:inu curry image note 2 097.jpg|An exhaustive explanation of Bebe speak
File:Rconcept bebe 1.png|Bebe art
File:Rconcept bebe 2.png
File:Rconcept bebe 3.png
File:Rconcept bebe 4.png
File:Rconcept bebe 5.png
File:Rconcept bebe homu.png
File:Rconcept bebe 6.png|Art featuring Pyotr and Polina
File:Rconcept bebe 7.png
File:Rconcept bebe 8.png
File:Rconcept bebe 9.png
File:Rconcept bebe 10.png
File:Rconcept bebe 11.png
File:Rconcept bebe 12.png
File:Sayaka's Doppel in Rebellion.jpg|Oktavia art
File:Rconcept oktavia 1.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg
File:Rconcept familiar orchestra.png|Art of Oktavia and Sayaka's orchestra in full
File:Rconcept homu 1.png|Art of Homulilly
File:Rconcept homu 2.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rconcept homu fams.png
File:Rconcept lotte.png|Art of Lotte
File:Rconcept lotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lotte 2.png
File:Rconcept lotte 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 5.png|Art featuring an unused design for Lotte which was used in the [[Rebellion Manga|manga]]
File:Rconcept clara 1.png|Art of the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 2.png
File:Rconcept clara 3.png
File:Rconcept clara 6.png
File:Rconcept clara 4.png|Very early concept art for the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 5.png
File:Rconcept liese 1.png|Art of Liese
File:Rconcept liese.png|Art of Liese featuring an unused Homura styled Liese
File:Rconcept luiselotte.png|Art of Luiselotte and Lilia
File:Rconcept luiselotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lilia.png|Art of Lilia. Her more detailed design was used in the manga
File:Rconcept homu 3.png|Art of Homulilly's labyrinth
File:Rconcept lisa.png|Art of Lisa
File:Rconcept nightmare 1.png|Art which shows the Nightmare's appearance in reflections
File:Rconcept nightmare 2.png|Art of Hitomi's Nightmare and the first Nightmare
File:Rconcept nightmare 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 4.png|An unused [[Homura]] Nightmare
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Puella Magi Production Note]]
* [[Key Animation Note]]

==External links==
* [http://genga.booru.org/index.php?page=post&s=list&tags=production_note_rebellion&pid=0 Scans of Rebellion Production Note]

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[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
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Rebellion Production Note

2026-07-27T21:54:59Z

Romi1908: /* Image Note Pages 142 & 143: Clara Dolls */

[[File:Rebellion Production Note Cover.jpg|thumb|Front cover]]
'''''Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Rebellion'' Production Note''' is a set of two volumes that was first sold in a limited edition version at Comic Market 87 from December 28 to December 30, 2014. It became available to the general public starting February 28, 2015. Each set also comes with a bookmark magnifying glass.

The first volume is 277 pages long and contains:
* Character Design, page 005
* Prop Design, page 115
* Art Design, page 127
* Imageboard, page 197
* Special: [[Ume Aoki]] Original Character Designs, page 265
* Index, page 278

The second volume is titled '''Inu Curry Image Note 2''' and contains 233 pages of illustrations and designs by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]:
* Images, page 002
* Part A, page 036
* Part B, page 064
* Part C, page 094
* Part D, page 136
* Part E, page 166
See [[Rebellion/Synopsis]] for details on how the movie is divided into parts.

==Translated pages==
===Image Note Page 081: Drosselmeyer's Theater Box===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 081.jpg|right|300px]]
Using the theater box from the sideshow, Drosselmeyer tells the Children the story of a lonely magical girl. The Children, imagining the world in the story, fantasize about how wonderful it would be if the present were filled with more thrill and violence.

This is not a familiar of the witch. It's a mechanical doll (''karakuri''); the witch's subconscious is what's turning the gears. This Drosselmeyer is a judge doll.

We thought about blending the sideshow into the background somewhere later in the second half as well, but in the end, it only appeared in the café.

'''Bottom left:''' [The End]
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 082 & 083: Clara Dolls===
[[File:082PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
[[File:083PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Initial Concept'''

The Children of the False City

* In a dome-shaped café, they watch a sideshow. All of them are girls.

* For character design, please make them appear around 6 years old in the world of Madoka. In the main story, no specific ages are set.

* Their faces are entirely obscured, and they are barefoot.

* From then on, they are sometimes seen riding a bus or blending into crowds. They exist discreetly, avoiding attention. (Mainly as silhouettes.)

* After the people of the city turn into paper dolls, the Children also become flat and flimsy. They aren’t held by hands; instead, their heads turn into bookmarks (Discarded concept.)

* As suggested by their names, all of the children have bad personalities but get along well with each other.

* Their role is to cry during the funeral procession. They are mourners.

* Since the funeral is delayed, they wander around, killing time.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 117===
[[File:117 part_c storyboard akemi_homura miki_sayaka oktavia_von_seckendorff lizard.jpg|right|300px]]
The image of the witch reflected in the water at Sayaka's feet and on her cape is an illusion created by Homura in response to the magic Sayaka is emitting. Since Homura only knows the old appearance of the Mermaid Witch, the reflected image uses the TV version’s design.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 123: Clara Dolls===
[[File:123 part_c character_design clara_dolls.jpg|right|300px]]

They do not close their eyes.

For the cel-drawn version with eyes, keep the eye design exactly as it is; it should look completely different from the other human characters.

'''Planned Appearances'''

● First Half

All of them are present inside the café where Homura and Kyoko have a conversation.

In other scenes, they are wandering around the city.

● Middle Stage 1

They appear during Homura's imagery scenes.

● Middle Stage 2

They are present when Homura transforms into a witch.

The cel animation pops → they turn into paper dolls.

From this point on, they appear as a symbol of Witch Homura's power.

● Middle Stage 3

They are present at Homura's throne as paper dolls.

They chase Kyubey around as paper dolls.

● Late Stage 1

They appear during the battle, entering partway through as paper dolls.

They attack exclusively through blunt-force strikes and are incredibly strong.

During their battle with Sayaka and Kyouko, they vanish somewhere with the collapse of the barrier.

● Late Stage 2

Undetermined.

● Late Stage 3

In the rewritten world, the cel versions with eyes are seen wandering around (symbolically representing an ominous, unsettling presence).

Homura is completely alone.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 124, 125 & 126: Clara Dolls===
[[File:124 part_c character_design clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukiii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:aa.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:126 part_c character_design clara_dolls yakimochi namake mie okubyouuu.jpg|right|300px]]
① Ibari ② Nekura ③ Usotsuki

④ Reiketsu ⑤ Wagamama ⑥ Warukuchi ⑦ Noroma

⑧ Yakimochi ⑨ Namake ⑩ Mie ⑪ Okubyou

* When in paper doll form, the Children carry knitting needles as weapons, all designed identically.

* The Children’s personalities largely align with their names.

* They are dress-up dolls Homura used to play with in the past.

* Even after Homura's world is rewritten again, the Dolls continue to wander and play freely as they please.

* The Children of the False City are less like the witch’s familiars and more akin to phenomena occurring within the False City. They are embodiments of the magic and karma that overflow from Homura.

* In the final draft, the Children lack jawlines.

* When in cel-animation style: they lack eyes, their noses aren't visible from the front, their faces resemble lizards', and they are doll-like.

* All the faces are identical.

* We agonized until the very last second over whether to make all 14 of them share the same hairstyle and clothing, but in the end, I chose to give them all completely unique hair, outfits, and heights. However, because of this, the workload instantly skyrocketed (we had to ask several other staff members to help out with the vast majority of the keyframe movement). Around two months before the movie's premiere date, we were deeply regretting that choice.

* When we based the design of Witch Homura’s familiars on Glasses Homura, they didn't look very strong while fighting Sayaka and the others. Therefore, by borrowing the café stage setting and some of the familiars' roles, we expanded their appearance scenes as the "Children of the False City."

* The Children all get along well. Though not explicitly shown in the main story, Ibari & Nekura, Yakimochi & Namake, and Mie & Okubyou are often seen together.

* Reiketsu and Noroma have vacant stares. Noroma’s head is perpetually tilted.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 127: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 127.jpg|right|300px]]
⑫ Manuke ⑬ Higami ⑭ Ganko

'''Top right:'''

All familiars and barriers are born from the witch’s subconscious.

The witch can summon them.

Furthermore, they arise on their own, even without being summoned.

They may obey the witch, or they may defy her.

Even the witch herself doesn’t fully understand her magic or the entities it creates.

'''Middle Right:'''

After Homura transforms into a witch*

'''Bottom right:'''

Yaa~

It's pitiful, shameful Mistress Failure.

Shunned, trampled,

And also despised.

Scatter ashes and strew flowers.

Change clothes, enter mourning.

From now, from here, let the funeral procession commence.

With these eyes, we gaze with envy.

And with these teeth, we gnaw at the future.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 128, 129, 130, 131 & 132: Clara Dolls===
[[File:128 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:129 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls reiketsu wagamama warukuchi_.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0130 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls noroma yakimochi namake.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0131 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls mie okubyou manuke.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0132 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls higami ganko.jpg|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Animation Reference Materials'''

* When a witch's familiars attack humans:

① Types that have not received magical power from the witch → For "mealtime."

② Because they hate humans or for the witch’s sake.

③ Out of boredom. For entertainment.

④ Due to the nature of their specific roles, leading to humans dying as a result.

The Children of the False City fall under ③, while the other familiars (The Nutcracker Witch's familiars) fall under ④.

* All the Children have the same face (same doll design).

* Short Hair + Pants Look: Ibari's design is the easiest for animators to create, making it the most convenient for production.

* Usotsuki: One of her eyes tends to be hidden by her hair.

* For the Children of the False City, we consciously aimed for "cute clothes that wouldn't really appeal to the opposite sex," but aside from her upper-body layering, Usotsuki has the vibe of someone who might be popular.

* When drawn normally, not as papercuts, the Children disguise themselves as humans. Even magical girls struggle to distinguish them.

* Just like the familiars of other witches, their thinking is animalistic.

* They are always sneering at Failure.

* Furthermore, even when the Devil appears, they burst out laughing.

* The Children acknowledge the Devil as a first-class comedic actress.

* When in a standing pose, Reiketsu's head is tilted.

* Reiketsu's go-to one-liner gag: "Flipping my hair like the Devil!" It's a huge hit (cracks everyone up).

* Wagamama: A jacket worn over a one-piece dress.

* Yakimochi's outfit has a "Mori Girl" (Forest Girl) style. Her mannerisms are also girly.

* Because it’s difficult to differentiate between the witch’s familiars, this time we’ve given them code names such as 'Tooth Cavalry' and 'Kigurumi Bird.' All the Children also have nicknames.

* During the dance inside the cupboard, Noroma is the only one who is slightly lagging behind.

* When she is standing still, Noroma's head is usually tilted.

* Leaving the witch aside, for her familiars, the Law of Cycles is truly a nuisance because they are immediately sent to achieve enlightenment before they are even born.

* The Children of the False City like Madoka, but think the Law of Cycles is underwhelming. The Devil is so-so. Only Manuke likes everyone.

* Although they take on a human form, their behavioral principles are completely alien to human values, just like other familiars.

* Higami's height: Short.

* Ganko's brooch: the top part is metal, the rest is ribbon.

* The Children love watching miniature stage plays at the floating café. Their absolute favorite play is 'The Pumpkin Left All Alone Because of the Goddess'. The Mermaid Story isn't very popular.

* Recently, they have been obsessed with a game where they throw tomatoes at a pretentious person at just the right moment.

* Their noses appear when looking sideways, even though they aren't there when facing forward.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 133: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 133.jpg|right|300px]]
What is it that you lack?

I only ever behave arrogantly (Ibari). It's okay to act proud once in a while.

I'm Gloominess (Nekura), and even if you force yourself to smile, you just end up exhausted.

I'm Liar (Usotsuki). Is the truth always right?

I'm Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). Being too kind can be troublesome as well.

I'm Selfishness (Wagamama). Value your own feelings.

I'm Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). You quickly lock away your emotions.

I'm Slowpoke (Noroma). Not rushing too much is also important.

I feel nothing but Jealousy (Yakimochi). Jealousy is necessary for Love.

I'm the Lazy one (Namake). If you don't take a break, you'll turn into butter.

I'm such a Show-off (Mie). You also push yourself past your limits for someone's sake.

I'm Cowardice (Okubyou). But deeply cautious.

I'm Foolishness (Manuke). Even so, don't forget to be charming, too.

I'm only filled with Resentment (Higami). Let's change this unsatisfying reality.

I'm Stubborness (Ganko). Just don't forget the important stuff.

These vices are Love (Ai)'s allies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 142 & 143: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 142.jpg|right|300px]]
:See also: [[Witches Artwork]]

The Children of the False City. Their role is to be mourners. These dress-up dolls perform a play of tears in order to liven up the funeral procession. The dolls present are Arrogance, Gloominess, Liar, Coldheartedness, Selfishness, Bad-mouth, Slowpoke, Jealousy, Laziness, Show-off, Cowardice, Foolishness, Resentment, and Stubbornness, while the last one, Love, has yet to arrive. "Born from color (form), not in the sky (emptiness), the edge of this mortal world is our stage.” Their power is no less than that of a magical girl.

* The first one to appear was Arrogance (Ibari). Stepping over Failure's head that tumbled across the bare earth, she bravely spoke on her behalf. “Cocky bastards. You shall not be forgiven. This feeling belongs to us alone.”

* The second one to come was Gloominess (Nekura). Sneaking forward, she sneered at Failure. “This is Failure. What an absolute disgrace.” These dolls are disciples of freedom alone and are loyal to their desires.

* The third one to come was Liar (Usotsuki). She put on a tearful performance dedicated to Failure's soul. “Pitiful Mistress Failure. That foolish soul is our pride.” These dolls sneer at the fool yet side with her.

* Following behind them is the fourth one, Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). She tripped over Failure's head, looking slightly irritated. “Why don't we cut Mistress Failure into smaller pieces to make her easier to carry around?” If the Devil speaks, these dolls will obediently follow.

* Further comes the fifth, Selfishness (Wagamama), walking angrily. “Hasn't the funeral procession started yet? I've been practicing how to cry as quickly as possible, you know? I can't wait any longer", she huffed. These dolls are someone and no one.

* Coming out with a look of annoyance is the sixth one, Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). As usual, she makes spiteful remarks. “Mistress Failure is quite the masterful comedian.” These dolls play house with utterly entangled karma.

* Finally arriving is the seventh, Slowpoke (Noroma). The silent doll laughs at the witch with her eyes. These dolls comply with the witch's wishes to a certain extent, unlike the diligent soldiers.

* The eighth to appear is Jealousy (Yakimochi). Entranced, she gazes at the sky. “Let's prepare a box. I want to keep that radiance locked away forever.” These dolls are a collection of colors (form). They don't belong to the sky (emptiness).
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 143.jpg|right|300px]]
* The ninth one, Laziness (Namake), chats while yawning. “Do I have to go to the extent of helping with this children's play? Knitting is such a troublesome bother.” She kicked Failure's head, which was lying in her way. These dolls, with the funeral not starting at all, grow bored and wander aimlessly around the city.

* The tenth to come running is Show-off (Mie). She dramatically avoids Failure's head, saying, “I wouldn't be able to bear staining my cape with sticky blood.” These dolls mock the witch's self-harm.

* The eleventh one, trembling, is Cowardice (Okubyou). “If I am taken up into the sky, I won't even be able to behead the rabbit.” These dolls, with the power of magic, are able to achieve a complete recurrence.

* Walking aimlessly comes the twelfth one, Foolishness (Manuke). She goes out of her way to tell everyone what she just heard from a bird. “I heard a story about the Goddess. She's a beautiful and radiant goddess. I'm sure she will love us, too.” These dolls only desire what is within their reach.

* The thirteenth's footsteps are Resentment (Higami)'s. “Let's have a wonderful funeral like the one I heard in a story once. Let's bury lots of beautiful girls and cute animals together, too.” These dolls have powers that rival those of magical girls.

* Further comes the fourteenth, Stubbornness (Ganko). She points to the ground and rejects the sky. “The abyss of this mortal world is our stage.”

So, the mourners have gathered. Though it's become quite late, it's alright. The night is not yet over. The night will not be allowed to end anymore.

Right now is always 
Before knowing that radiance. Before losing that radiance. 
Here is merely the eve of the festival. The night before Failure. 
All that's left is to wait for the funeral procession.

Now, now, oh pure-white, wondrously virtuous Goddess. We are just utterly moved that you have casually strolled on over here so deferentially after all this time. But might you, perhaps, turn a blind eye to this, just a tiny bit? Lined up here is the theater troupe of this mortal world. We are human, and this is simply human nature. Even if you destroy sorrow and resentment, to despair is what makes us human. Passion drives our bones, and only melancholy washes our organs. Anyway, in exchange, we could produce plenty of others to turn toward your side, if you would like. Would that not suffice to earn your forgiveness?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 152===
[[File:152PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]

* Small objects other than the bed: orange pot marigold flowers, rulers, yarn, knitting needles, syringes, IV stands, and socks.

The place where Witch Homura took refuge was Christmas inside the hospital room cupboard.

A time slightly before the moment she repeated over and over again to save God.

A day from a slightly earlier life, a moment when she was happy.

A time when she didn’t even know what God looked like.

Had she remained unaware like this, she might have stayed in a state where she neither saved anyone nor was saved.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 158===
[[File:158PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
Kyubey is utterly despised by the witch and her familiars, but to the Children of the False City, the white animal is a convenient toy that never runs out no matter how much they play with it. Everyone is very impressed by its usefulness. Other living creatures dwindle if played with too much, so making them last as long as possible is quite a challenge.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 165===
[[File:165 part_d storyboard akemi_homura homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
《The Nutcracker Witch》

Her nature is self-sufficiency.

This witch's karma produced an army of familiars on a scale that is difficult to comprehend under normal circumstances.

However, this witch is a half-boiled failure.

Yet, if someone were to bestow unconditional love upon this ugly, broken doll, the heart of this wretched, half-boiled witch might not remain lost forever.<ref>This scene in ''Rebellion'' references ''The Nutcracker and the Mouse King'' by E. T. A. Hoffmann.</ref>
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 166===
[[File:166 part_e draft storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Initial Draft'''

Most witch barriers are composed of personal, single-minded, and inward-focused elements of the witch herself. The Nutcracker Witch's barrier is no exception, presenting a very narrow worldview. Her familiars are nothing but extensions of herself, evoking the image of a funeral procession taking place inside a house.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 170: Gooey Homura===
[[File:170 part_e storyboard homulilly soul.jpg|right|300px]]
Gooey Homura, located at the face portion of the Witch. Use rotoscoping if possible.

Basically the same as the Mermaid Witch's interior, which appeared for an instant. A slimy body with a giant eyeball.

The eyeball shifts and rolls around restlessly.

When her hand is taken by Madoka, Magical Girl Homura emerges from within the slime.

Homura's gooey form first melts away, then all at once scatters into snowflake crystals. It's as if an evil spell has been undone.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 171===
[[File:171 part_e character_design storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
A countdown like Walpurgisnacht's.

Homura's countdown from the compilation movies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 172===
[[File:172 part_e character_design homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Top text:'''

Right: Theatrical release

Bottom: Revised home video version

In the DVD & Blu-ray version, the number of ribbons around the witch's mouth has increased compared to the theatrical release.

'''Bottom text:'''

A magical girl’s mental state at the moment of her transformation is strongly reflected in the form of the witch she becomes.

The reason why the witch seen in the PSP game—the Witch of the Mortal World—and the Nutcracker Witch from ''Rebellion'' have different appearances is that the Witch of the Mortal World was born from a Homura who was unable to escape the one-month time loop.

Despair from yesterday is not necessarily the same as despair from today, so even for the same individual, different witches can be born depending on the time period.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 174: Nagisa's Transformation===
[[File:174 part_e storyboard charlotte bebe momoe_nagisa runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''☆ Nagisa Cooking ☆'''

'''An easy magical girl recipe.'''

The magical girl transformations this time around are split between two styles: types where they break out of themselves, and types involving a gooey, syrupy mixture.

As for Nagisa, after she and Bebe are thrown into a blender together, they are poured into a magical-girl-shaped mold to be successfully completed.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 181===
[[File:181 part_e storyboard illustration miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
Needles and gears sprout quickly out from Homu-Witch's (Homulilly's) head as well.

Gears and needles scatter in all directions. + Magic square/circle effect.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 188: Lotte===
[[File:188 part_e draft character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Toy soldiers'''

* Height: Same as Homura (though the head itself makes up the extra size).

* The ribbon worn across their chests is proof of their promise.

* The head is egg-shaped.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 189: Liese===
[[File:189 part_e draft character_design liese runes.jpg|right|300px]]
* It doesn't blink.

* Everything except for the head is a crow.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 191: Lotte===
[[File:191 part_e character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
The Luiselotte familiars have better athletic ability than the regular soldier ones.

Because they are Glasses-Homu (Moemura), their individual athletic ability is quite low.

At any rate, they are incredibly diligent, so they excel at group tactics. They are weak if scattered, so they deal with the mustache familiars (Anthony) by forming a dense, close-order formation. If they can group together and form a battle array, they are strong.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 192===
[[File:192 part_e character_design liese runes prop_design guillotine.jpg|right|300px]]
Even though Witch Homura fights Sayaka and the others to prevent her own barrier from being destroyed, she is simultaneously in a troublesome state of mind where she wants to "be defeated here." Therefore, our first priority was to visually convey the sense of preventing her suicide, so we installed a massive guillotine platform.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 194: Nagisa's Trumpet===
[[File:194 part_e prop_design bebe charlotte momoe_nagisa horn.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Bebe Horn'''

* If it's alright to use the witch settings as a basis, the wish she had granted was: "I want a single cheesecake."

Nagisa's magic ➔ Magic that allows her to assert herself and become more greedy.

➔ Upon turning into a witch, this manifested as the trait "Attachment," an aggravated form of emotional expression.

* Rather than being something given to her by Kyubey, the concept is that Nagisa came up with it herself. It's not a "cool weapon," but a "cute tool." It carries the vibe of "a magical item as imagined by Nagisa."
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 197===
[[File:197 part_e storyboard kiss anthony das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]
With the emblem of the Law of Cycles at the center, the emblems of the witches are linked together in a constellation-like shape. Each connecting line represents individuals whose souls are compatible, or who share a deep karmic connection.

An image of souls, as countless as the stars, revolving around the Law of Cycles at the center.

* As the Mermaid Witch tries to take Witch Homura's hand, she refuses by vigorously swinging her handcuffs up and down.

* Between the buildings, the Mermaid Witch's hand stretches out. There are many clocks around.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 198===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Dispatched familiars'''

When Sayaka materialized, the souls surrounding her within the Law of Cycles (in addition to the Rose Garden Witch's familiars) packed fragments of themselves into Sayaka’s bag to assist her.

Among the magical girls who have now become part of God, for those who know Homura, this operation is a major event—like a fleeting awakening within a long, long dream.

* Goddess Madoka's flag: Slightly modified from the [[Kriemhild Gretchen|Witch of Salvation]]'s emblem from the [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Portable|PSP game]].

* Sayaka: After the [[Oktavia von Seckendorff|Mermaid Witch]]'s appearance, Goddess Madoka's mark appears on her cape.

* On the stage of the concert hall raised by Sayaka, the Box Witch's familiars and the Birdcage Witch's familiars are playing violins.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 205: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:205 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon momoe_nagisa storyboard.jpg|right|300px]]
Carrying an overloaded bounty of presents, it shows up even if it wasn't called for—everyone's favorite, Tiro Finale.

The Extra Large version is a design that prioritizes a hype/festive festival feeling.

It is the pure crystallization of "Mami-ism" inside the brain of Gekidan Inu Curry.

● A mass of good dreams. A level of hope intense enough to give you heartburn.

● The parfait includes: raspberry, apple, cheese, and melon.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 206: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:206 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon.jpg|right|300px]]
● Cannonball Texture: Image pattern resembles a ''temari'' (traditional Japanese thread ball). Since Bebe's power is also being borrowed, it features the emblem of the Witch of Sweets.

● The railway gun created by Mami and Nagisa's magic. Since it is entirely a weapon conceived by a middle school girl, it lacks any consistency with real-world weaponry and features none of that "boyish" mechanical gimmickry. Visual appearance is the top priority. It feels as though they are using magic to forcefully move whatever image they have in their heads. Because of this, there are a few fatal design flaws scattered throughout, such as absolutely no consideration given to space for ejecting shell casings.

Simultaneous with the shell firing, the recoil causes a parfait explosion. The shell casing is ejected from inside the parfait.

Towed by two locomotives.

Erupting from the smokestack are the fluffy flowers that blew out at the start of the magical table scene.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 209: Pumpkin Carriage===
[[File:209 prop_design carriage miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
* The pumpkin part is the exact same color as the pumpkin that appeared during the magic table scene.

* The window frames attached to the pumpkin are white.

* The borrowed familiars are packed tightly inside.

The carriage used by Sayaka and Nagisa.

Though it is a design personally and graciously bestowed by Goddess Madoka, its reputation among the drivers is terrible because it is incredibly slow and shakes excessively.

Sayaka thinks a helicopter would have been better.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 215===
[[File:215STO~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''Table'''

The entire object, including the parasol portion, is made of tinplate.

A doll is sitting on a toy chair.

Please design it with a sense of scale resembling a miniature.

* Homura is happily chatting with an imaginary Madoka who is completely off-screen.

* The table where Homura sits is invisible to everyone except Sayaka.

* The parasol is rotating continuously.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 216: Dark Orb===
[[File:216 prop_design dark_orb.jpg|right|300px]]
The design motifs are a pumpkin, a crown, and a perfume bottle.

● Color: Basically black. The parts that are not black are made of glass.

The central core (the bottle part) is made of spherical glass.

There is a crest on the bottom of the spherical bottle.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 217===
[[File:217 storyboard roschach_blots akemi_homura akuma_homura miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
How the Devil appears varies from person to person, like a Rorschach test. Is she eerie, beautiful, sad, or happy? Is she right, or not quite so?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 218: Dark Orb===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 218.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Upper right: Earcuff'''

{{Runes|HOMULILLY}} - The witch's name is written on the torso region.

'''Upper left: Dark orb'''

Alternate form (worn only on the left ear). Equipped with a function that allows the witch's familiars to softly whisper the information they have seen and heard into Homura's ear.

'''Bottom left:'''

Due to its nature being close to that of a witch, the Dark Orb sometimes moves around on its own. It does follow orders, but for Homura, it can be troubling.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 219: Dark Orb===
[[File:219 character_design dark_orb prop_design lizard.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Middle left:'''

Crown. Perfume bottle.

Pink light (Madoka) inside the center.

The top is spherical, like the lid of a bottle.

* Initially, the surface of the Dark Orb was planned to have intricate patterns, but for the sake of distinguishing it from the Soul Gem, it was ultimately made simple.

'''Bottom left:'''

Crest pattern. Monochrome.

Simplified crest.

'''Top right:'''

The mark of the Devil is a lizard that crawls on the ground. Since snakes have strong biblical imagery and lizards felt more human to us, we decided on a design of a lizard laid over upside-down white wings. Unlike the Law of Cycles, we intended for it to look different from traditional Western coats of arms. It is not the mark of an evil being, but rather a symbol of a faith distinct from everyone else's God.

* Early rejected designs for the Devil's crest
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 220===
[[File:220 storyboard epilog akemi_homura akuma_homura dark_orb das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]

'''End Credits ~ Epilogue'''

For both the Law of Cycles and Homura, the moon is used as a shared motif.

* The grass and flowers are withered. The city lights are beautiful.

* Homura is sitting on the chair from the "Luminous" OP at the edge of the cliff. She is leaning against an unseen presence on her left side.

* Homura's humming plays continuously. No background music. It's lonely (T/N: the humming got replaced with "Not yet" in the theatrical version).

* On a hill, Homura dances alone with her right hand. The city slowly rotates like a clock.

* Homura is dancing alone with an imaginary Madoka.

'''Top right'''

* [Door] → Part A, Magic Room, Madoka's side door.

'''Bottom right'''

* The Anthonys changed from their "Sayaka version" back to their original forms.

* Country of Sweets/Good Morning: Because there are two versions of ''The Nutcracker'' ballet—one where they live in the Land of Sweets, and one with an "it was all a dream" ending.
{{-}}

==Observations==
* Laziness' phrase on page 133 is a reference to ''Little Black Sambo''. At one point in the story, Sambo, to appease three tigers trying to eat him, gives each of them his umbrella, shoes and clothing. Each tiger thinks they're the best looking one, and then chase each other around a tree. They run so quickly they melt into ghee (butter). Sambo's mother then uses the butter to make pancakes. This story is referenced briefly during the scene where Homura and Madoka are having tea at Mami's apartment, and Bebe becomes dazed. Three tigers circle around her head before a bubble with "Ghee" written in it appears and is followed by an image of pancakes.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Black dress homura production note.jpg|Black dress Homura art
File:Rconcept anthony 1.png|Anthony art
File:Rconcept anthony 2.png
File:Rconcept ulla.png|Ulla art
File:Rconcept mathieu.png|Mathieu art
File:Rconcept familiars.png|Gotz and Daniyyel & Jennifer art
File:Rconcept elly boat.png
File:inu curry image note 2 097.jpg|An exhaustive explanation of Bebe speak
File:Rconcept bebe 1.png|Bebe art
File:Rconcept bebe 2.png
File:Rconcept bebe 3.png
File:Rconcept bebe 4.png
File:Rconcept bebe 5.png
File:Rconcept bebe homu.png
File:Rconcept bebe 6.png|Art featuring Pyotr and Polina
File:Rconcept bebe 7.png
File:Rconcept bebe 8.png
File:Rconcept bebe 9.png
File:Rconcept bebe 10.png
File:Rconcept bebe 11.png
File:Rconcept bebe 12.png
File:Sayaka's Doppel in Rebellion.jpg|Oktavia art
File:Rconcept oktavia 1.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg
File:Rconcept familiar orchestra.png|Art of Oktavia and Sayaka's orchestra in full
File:Rconcept homu 1.png|Art of Homulilly
File:Rconcept homu 2.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rconcept homu fams.png
File:Rconcept lotte.png|Art of Lotte
File:Rconcept lotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lotte 2.png
File:Rconcept lotte 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 5.png|Art featuring an unused design for Lotte which was used in the [[Rebellion Manga|manga]]
File:Rconcept clara 1.png|Art of the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 2.png
File:Rconcept clara 3.png
File:Rconcept clara 6.png
File:Rconcept clara 4.png|Very early concept art for the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 5.png
File:Rconcept liese 1.png|Art of Liese
File:Rconcept liese.png|Art of Liese featuring an unused Homura styled Liese
File:Rconcept luiselotte.png|Art of Luiselotte and Lilia
File:Rconcept luiselotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lilia.png|Art of Lilia. Her more detailed design was used in the manga
File:Rconcept homu 3.png|Art of Homulilly's labyrinth
File:Rconcept lisa.png|Art of Lisa
File:Rconcept nightmare 1.png|Art which shows the Nightmare's appearance in reflections
File:Rconcept nightmare 2.png|Art of Hitomi's Nightmare and the first Nightmare
File:Rconcept nightmare 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 4.png|An unused [[Homura]] Nightmare
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Puella Magi Production Note]]
* [[Key Animation Note]]

==External links==
* [http://genga.booru.org/index.php?page=post&s=list&tags=production_note_rebellion&pid=0 Scans of Rebellion Production Note]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Documents/Anime-Production]]
[[Category:Products and merchandise]]

Walpurgisnacht

2026-07-24T17:39:53Z

Romi1908: /* Walpurgisnacht */

{{Spoilers}}

<blockquote>
''She will turn all of fate's misfortune to nothing.'' 
''She will flood the earth with magic,'' 
''and take all of humankind into her play.'' 
''A moving stage construction.'' 

''If all of this is a play, then there is no such thing as sadness.'' 
''It may be a tragedy, but it's merely the way that kind of script was performed.'' 

''The play stops on Walpurgisnacht,'' 
''and the earth does not turn even once more.'' 
''The story will not change.'' 
''Tomorrow, and the day after, is the night of Walpurgis.''

- From the [[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Walpurgisnacht.2C_Episode_10_version|Production Note]]
</blockquote>

'''{{nihongo|[[wikipedia:Walpurgis_Night|Walpurgisnacht]]|ワルプルギスの夜|Warupurugisu no Yoru|"Night of Walpurgis" or "Walpurgis' Night"}}''' is supposedly the strongest witch current magical girls would have to fight. Her real name is unknown, while "Walpurgisnacht" is a common moniker given to it by magical girls. Her nature had been kept mysterious during most of the series, which led to a lot of speculation from fans during the original broadcast.

She reappears in [[Madoka Magica Portable]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]] and [[Magia Exedra]].

For a compilation of historical, mythological, and literary information concerning Walpurgisnacht, a term first mentioned by [[Homura]] in [[Episode 6]], see [[Community:Walpurgis Night In Real Life]].

==Witch==
===Walpurgisnacht===
<tabber>
|-| Madoka Magica =
{{Witch Card
|background= 51049 walpurgisnacht.jpg
|background_x= -75
|sprite= Walpurgisnacht-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 300
|sprite_x= 10
|sprite_y= 10
|kiss= Walpurgisnacht Witch's Kiss.png

|box_color= #0B1548
|name= ????? (Walpurgisnacht)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Machinery Witch
|nature= Powerlessness
|appearances= [[Episode 1]], [[Episode 10]], [[Episode 11]], [[Episode 12]], [[Madoka Mobage]], [[Madoka Magica Portable]], [[Madoka Online]], [[Oriko Magica]], [[The Different Story]], [[Homura's Revenge!]], [[Battle Pentagram]], [[Madogatari Event]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
'''Official website:''' The Stage Machinery Witch (commonly known as Walpurgisnacht / true name unknown). Her nature is powerlessness. She symbolizes the fool who keeps spinning. A mysterious witch whose legend has been passed down through history. Commonly known as Walpurgisnacht. She aimlessly continues to rotate around the world until everything in this world has been transformed into a play. When the doll that is normally in the inverted position reaches the top, she flies at the speed of a violent storm, overturning the civilizations on the surface of the earth in the blink of an eye. 
'''Walpurgisnacht Rising:''' The Stage Machinery Witch (commonly known as Walpurgisnacht). Her nature is powerlessness. The symbol of the spinning fool, she is a calamity whose legend has been passed down through history. She aimlessly continues to rotate around the world until everything in this world has been transformed into a play. When the doll that is normally in the inverted position reaches the top, she flies at the speed of a violent storm, overturning the civilizations on the surface of the earth in the blink of an eye. This witch is a collective of people whom no one knows. 
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女（通称・ワルプルギスの夜 / 本名不明) その性質は無力。回り続ける愚者の象徴。歴史の中で語り継がれる謎の魔女。通称・ワルプルギスの夜。この世の全てを戯曲へ変えてしまうまで無軌道に世界中を回り続ける。普段逆さ位置にある人形が上部へ来た時、暴風の如き速度で飛行し瞬く間に地表の文明をひっくり返してしまう。 
'''ワルプルギスの廻天:''' 舞台装置の魔女（通称・ワルプルギスの夜）その性質は無力。回転する愚者の象徴にして、歴史の中で語り継がれる災厄。この世の全てを戯曲へ変えてしまうまで無軌道に世界中を回り続ける。普段逆さ位置にある人形が上部へ来た時、暴風の如き速度で飛行し瞬く間に地表の文明をひっくり返してしまうだろう。この魔女は誰も知らない誰かたちの集合体。
}}
|-| Madogatari Event =
{{Witch Card
|background= 1448627089 1 14 edddfdd880ac7959a6be71e2dc264254.jpg
|background_x= 0
|sprite= Walpurgisnacht-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 300
|sprite_x= 10
|sprite_y= 10
|kiss= Walpurgisnacht Witch's Kiss.png

|box_color= #0B1548
|name= ????? (Walpurgisnacht)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Machinery Witch
|nature= Powerlessness
|appearances= [[Madogatari Event]]

|desc_english= The Stage Machinery Witch (commonly known as Walpurgisnacht / true name unknown). Her nature is powerlessness. She symbolizes the fool who keeps spinning. A mysterious witch whose legend has been passed down through history. Commonly known as Walpurgisnacht. She aimlessly continues to rotate around the world until everything in this world has been transformed into a play. When the doll that is normally in the inverted position reaches the top, she flies at the speed of a violent storm, overturning the civilizations on the surface of the earth in the blink of an eye. All weight and friction in this witch's vicinity falls into disorder. Her exhalations become churning flames, and will surely reduce every last truth and lie to dust. The sight of her, acting as an extraordinary natural disaster, doth truly resemble the end of days.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女（通称・ワルプルギスの夜 / 本名不明）その性質は無力。回り続ける愚者の象徴。歴史の中で語り継がれる謎の魔女。通称・ワルプルギスの夜。この世の全てを戯曲へ変えてしまうまで無軌道に世界中を回り続ける。普段逆さ位置にある人形が上部へ来た時、暴風の如き速度で飛行し瞬く間に地表の文明をひっくり返してしまう。この魔女の周囲の重さや摩擦の全ては秩序を失い、その吐息は渦巻く炎になって、真実と嘘の一切を塵へと帰すだろう。尋常ならざる自然災害として振る舞うその様は、まさにこの世の終わり也。
}}

|-| Magia Record (Game) =
{{Witch Card
|background= 51049 walpurgisnacht.jpg
|background_x= -75
|sprite= Walpurgisnacht-MagiReco-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 320
|sprite_x= 5
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= Walpurgisnacht Witch's Kiss.png

|box_color= #0B1548
|name= ????? (Walpurgisnacht)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Machinery Witch
|nature= Powerlessness
|appearances= [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]]

|desc_english= The Stage Machinery Witch, her nature is powerlessness. She symbolizes the fool who continuously spins in circles. The witch's mysteries have been handed down through the course of history. She will continue to rotate aimlessly throughout the world until she completely changes the whole of this age into a drama. When the doll's usual upside-down position reaches the top part of the witch, she completely roils the civilization on the ground in a flash through her gale-like flight.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女。その性質は無力。 回り続ける愚者の象徴。 歴史の中で語り継がれる謎の魔女。 この世の全てを戯曲へ変えてしまうまで無軌道に世界中を回り続ける。 普段逆さ位置にある人形が上部へ来た時、暴風の如き速度で飛行し 瞬く間に地表の文明をひっくり返してしまう。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Stagecraft Witch - Floor 2 Witch Labyrinth.png
|background_x= -150
|sprite= Walpurgisnacht-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 280
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= 612001 emblem.png

|box_color= #0B1548
|name= ????? (Walpurgisnacht)
|name_style= color:white;text-shadow:
-1px -1px 0 #863763, 1px -1px 0 #863763, -1px 1px 0 #863763, 1px 1px 0 #863763;
|runes_image= 612001 runes name.png
|type= Stage Witch
|nature= Ineptitude
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Stagecraft Witch. Nature: Ineptitude. A mysterious Witch whose legend has endured through history. Representing the fool turning round and round, she will continue revolving about on a reckless path until all the world is her stage. Although she appears upside down, when she rights herself, all of civilization is overturned with her in a flash as she flies at zephyrous speed.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女。その性質は無力。 回り続ける愚者の象徴。歴史の中で語り継がれる謎の魔女。この世の全てを戯曲へ変えてしまうまで無軌道に世界中を回り続ける。普段逆さ位置にある人形が上部へ来た時、暴風の如き速度で飛行し瞬く間に地表の文明をひっくり返してしまう。
|desc_traditional_chinese= 舞台裝置的魔女，其性質為無力。 不斷旋轉的愚者象徵，在歷史中作為傳說被口耳相傳的神祕魔女。直到將世上一切都變成戲劇為止，她毫無章法地周遊世界。平時倒立著的人偶，一旦轉到上方，就會以暴風般的速度飛行，轉眼間便顚覆地表的文明。
}}
</tabber>

==Minions==
===Theatre Company===
{{Witch Card
|background= 51049 walpurgisnacht.jpg
|background_x= -65
|sprite= Walpurgis Familiars Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 335
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #2545a8
|name= ????? (Theatre Company)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Minions of the stage machinery witch
|role= Being clowns
|appearances= [[Episode 11]], [[Episode 12]], [[Madoka Mobage]], [[Madoka Magica Portable]], [[Madoka Online]]

|unique_id=
|desc_english= The stage machinery witch's minions. Their duty is to be clowns. Countless souls drawn to her vast magical power. Nobody knows whether Walpurgisnacht was initially a single person, or if it was a phantom born from the gathering of many spirits.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。その役割は道化役者。強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の魂。ワルプルギスの夜自身が元々一人の誰かであったのか、或いは多くの魂が集合することにより生まれた幻であるのか、今となっては分からない。
}}

===Bluenose===
<tabber>
|-| Madoka Magica =
{{Witch Card
|background= WalpurgiCarnivalBG.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Bluenose-MagiReco-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 250
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #59c4f1
|name= ????? (Bluenose)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Minions of the stage machinery witch
|role= Being clowns (Madoka Magica Portable)
|appearances= [[Episode 11]], [[Madoka Magica Portable]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= The stage machinery witch's minions (Bluenose). Their duty is to be clowns. Countless souls drawn to her vast magical power.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下（アオハナ）。その役割は道化役者。強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の魂。
}}

|-| Magia Record (Game)=
{{Witch Card
|background= WalpurgiCarnivalBG.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Bluenose-MagiReco-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 250
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #59c4f1
|name= ????? (Bluenose)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Minions of the stage machinery witch
|role= Being clowns
|appearances= [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]]

|desc_english= Minions of the stage machinery witch. Bluenose.Witch minions that appear alongside catastrophes brought about by the giant witch known as "Walpurgisnacht" .They pull the ropes connected to Walpurgisnacht's neck as she floats in the sky, forming a circus troupe and conducting a parade.All the members of the troupe are thought to be Walpurgisnacht's minions, but many facts of the matter are still unclear. Some documents refer to the ones riding four-legged beasts as "Bluenose" , and the red-and-black creatures with long ears as "Rednose" .
Unlike the aggressive, shadow-like minions that appear at the same time, these minions will not attack unless you obstruct their parade. Rather than attempting to fight them, it'd be much more advisable to flee as fast as possible.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。アオハナ。ワルプルギスの夜と呼ばれる巨大魔女がもたらす災害時に現れる魔女の手下。宙に浮かぶワルプルギスの夜の首に繋がれた綱を引きながら、まるでサーカスのような一団を形成しパレードを行う。これらの一団は全てワルプルギスの夜の手下であると考えられているが、その実態については不明な点も多い。一部の文献では、四足獣に乗っている者を"アオハナ"、赤と黒の長耳の者は"アカハナ"と記されている。同時期に出現する影の姿をした好戦的な手下達と違い、パレードを邪魔しない限り襲い掛かって来ることはない。彼らの相手をするぐらいなら一刻も早くその場から逃げた方が良いだろう。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Stagecraft Witch - Floor 1 Witch Labyrinth.png
|background_x= -130
|sprite= Bluenose-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 250
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #59c4f1
|name= ????? (Bluenose)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role= Clown
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Stagecraft Witch Minion. Role: Clown. An endless throng brought together by immense magical power. Summoned by omens of the Witch's coming, they come together like a circus troupe on parade. Unlike the hostile shadowy Familiars that will also appear, these will not attack unless one should disturb their parade. It would be wiser to quickly flee the scene than attempt to engage them.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。その役割は道化役者。 強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の魂。魔女の夜が始まる前兆に姿を現し、まるでサーカスのような一団を形成してパレードを行う。 同時期に出現する影の姿をした好戦的な手下達と違い、パレードの邪魔しない限り襲い掛かって来ることはない。彼らを目にしたら一刻も早くその場から逃げるべきだが、魔女の夜は諦めも肝心。
|desc_traditional_chinese= 舞台裝置魔女的手下，其職責為小丑演員。 被強大的魔力吸引而聚集成團。會在魔女之夜開始的前兆中現身，如馬戲團般結成一隊進行遊行。 不同於同時期出現，影子模樣且好戰的手下們，只要不妨礙遊行，就不會主動撲上來攻擊。一旦見到，理應立刻逃離現場，但面對魔女之夜，有時放棄也是必要的。
}}
</tabber>

===Rednose===
<tabber>
|-| Madoka Magica =
{{Witch Card
|background= WalpurgiCarnivalBG.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Rednose Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 240
|sprite_x= -5
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #d75154
|name= ????? (Rednose)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Minions of the stage machinery witch
|role= Being clowns (Madoka Magica Portable)
|appearances= [[Episode 11]], [[Madoka Magica Portable]], [[Homura's Revenge!]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= The stage machinery witch's minions (Rednose). Their duty is to be clowns. Countless souls drawn to her vast magical power.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下（アカハナ）。その役割は道化役者。強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の魂。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Stagecraft Witch - Floor 1 Witch Labyrinth.png
|background_x= -130
|sprite= Rednose-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 240
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 5

|box_color =#d75154
|name= ????? (Rednose)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role= Clown
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Stagecraft Witch Minion. Role: Clown. An endless throng brought together by immense magical power. They run around on busy feet, marching in the parade announcing their mistress's night. Though its career spans hundreds of years, it has only one act—a signature bit where it is crushed and flattened by an elephant's foot.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。その役割は道化役者。 強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の魂。 魔女の夜を告げるパレードに参加し。足元をせわしなく走り回る。象に踏みつぶされてペシャンコになる鉄板ネタを持っており、道化師として数百年近くこれ一本でやってきた。
|desc_traditional_chinese= 舞台裝置魔女的手下，其職責為小丑演員。 被強大的魔力吸引而聚集成團。 參加預告魔女之夜的遊行，在腳邊忙得團團轉。有個被大象踩扁的招牌老哏，作為小丑，數百年來都是靠這一招在表演。
}}
</tabber>

===Parade Elephant===
<tabber>
|-| Madoka Magica =
{{Witch Card
|background= WalpurgiCarnivalBG.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Online Walpurgisnacht Elephant.png
|sprite_size= 600
|sprite_x= -10
|sprite_y= 25

|box_color= #7ec379
|name= ????? (Parade Elephant)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role=
|appearances= [[Episode 11]], [[Madoka Online]], [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
|desc_japanese=
}}

|-| Rebellion =
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg adv 00 10060 02.png
|background_x= -175
|sprite= Parade-Elephant-Rebellion-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 280
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #7ec379
|name= ????? (Parade Elephant) (Rental ver.)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stagecraft Witch Minion (Rental ver.)
|role=
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Rebellion Production Note]]''': Stage Witch Minion (Rental ver.). An elephant participating in the Walpurgis Festival is pulling a pumpkin carriage.
|desc_japanese=
'''叛逆の物語 PRODUCTION NOTE'''：舞台装置の魔女の手下（レンタルver.）。ワルプルギスのお祭りに参加していた象さんがカボチャの馬車を引いている。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Stagecraft Witch - Floor 1 Witch Labyrinth.png
|background_x= -130
|sprite= Parade-Elephant-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 220
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 5

|box_color= #7ec379
|name= ????? (Parade Elephant)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role= Parade Elephant
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Stagecraft Witch Minion. Role: Parade Elephant. An endless throng brought together by immense magical power. Summoned by omens of the Witch's coming, they parade the streets in anticipation of its arrival. As their sole purpose is to lead the procession for Walpurgisnacht, they are indifferent to human presence. They will, however, show no mercy to those who would interrupt their parade.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。その役割は象車。 強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の塊。 魔女の夜が始まる前兆に姿を現しパレードを行う。ワルプルギスの夜を運んでくることだけが役割であるため人間には無関心だが、パレードの行進を遮る者には容赦しない。
|desc_traditional_chinese= 舞台裝置魔女的手下，其職責為象車。 被強大的魔力吸引而聚集成團。 會在魔女之夜開始的前兆中現身進行遊行。因其職責僅為運送瓦爾普吉斯之夜，對人類並無興趣，但對妨礙遊行的人絕不留情。
}}
</tabber>

===Parade Sheep===
<tabber>
|-| Madoka Magica =
{{Witch Card
|background= WalpurgiCarnivalBG.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Parade Sheep Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 260
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #b89adc
|name= ????? (Parade Sheep)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role=
|appearances= [[Episode 11]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
|desc_japanese=
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Stagecraft Witch - Floor 1 Witch Labyrinth.png
|background_x= -130
|sprite= Parade-Sheep-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 270
|sprite_x= -5
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #b89adc
|name= ????? (Parade Sheep)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role= Parade Sheep
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Stagecraft Witch Minion. Role: Parade Sheep. Summoned by omens of the Witch's coming, they parade the streets in anticipation of its arrival. Their true nature is not well understood, though many records of Walpurgisnacht have assumed them to be its minions. The prevailing theory is that they are not Familiars, but rather lost souls drawn to and given form by the Witch.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。その役割は羊車。 魔女の夜が始まる前兆に姿を現しパレードを行う。多くの文献では便宜上ワルプルギスの夜の手下であるとされているが、実際のところよく分かっていない。ワルプルギスの夜に引き寄せられた迷える魂が姿を得たもので、厳密には眷属ではないという説が有力。
|desc_traditional_chinese= 舞台裝置魔女的手下，其職責為羊車。 會在魔女之夜開始的前兆中現身進行遊行。在許多文獻中，為了方便，常被寫成是瓦爾普吉斯之夜的手下，但眞相如何並不明瞭。較可信的說法是，被瓦爾普吉斯之夜吸引而來的迷惘靈魂獲得了形體，嚴格來說並不算是其眷屬。
}}
</tabber>

==History==
===Anime===
====Original Anime====
Walpurgisnacht makes her first appearance in [[Episode 1]] where she appears in [[Madoka]]'s dream. She isn't given any name in her first appearance. This led to some speculations about the witch's identity before it was finally revealed in [[Episode 10]] as Walpurgisnacht. It is revealed that Walpurgisnacht will always attack on a set date during [[Homura]]'s time loops. Homura uses the month to not only protect Madoka but also try to prepare to defeat the witch. Homura is the only one aware of the attack because of the first timeline.

Walpurgisnacht kills [[Mami]] and Madoka in timeline 1 from episode 10 which causes Homura to contract. In timeline 2 and 4 Madoka is able to defeat Walpurgisnacht but the grief from it causes her [[Soul Gem]] to turn black and she transforms into a witch. In timeline 3 both Madoka and Homura defeat Walpurgisnacht but both their Soul Gems still darken.

In [[Episode 11]] Walpurgisnacht arrives in the current timeline and the city is evacuated as they think it's a storm. Homura begins to fight the witch with a large arsenal of weapons but they never seem to do damage. Homura is eventually shot down and runs out of time in her shield. With her leg crushed and all hope left her Soul Gem begins to darken but Madoka arrives and finally declares she's decided on a wish. Madoka wishes to destroy all witches and finally becomes a magical girl. The clouded sky clears and Madoka promises Walpurgisnacht she doesn't have to feel sorrow and pain anymore. The shots from Madoka's bow destroys Walpurgisnacht's humanoid form leaving only the cog left. As Madoka finishes her off, the familiars dance around the cog.

====Rebellion====
Walpurgisnacht doesn't appear in Rebellion, but one of her Parade Elephants minions is used by Sayaka and Nagisa at the end of the movie, pulling the Pumpkin Carriage they are in before {{spoiler|Homura rips apart Madoka from the Law of Cycles and thus becoming [[Akuma Homura]]}}.

;????? (Parade Elephant)
An elephant participating in the Walpurgis Festival is pulling a pumpkin carriage. (舞台装置の魔女の手下。ワルプルギスのお祭りに参加していた象さんがカボチャの馬車を引いている。)

====Walpurgisnacht: Rising====
Walpurgisnacht: "The Stage Witch. A symbol of the spinning fool and a calamity passed down through history. An aggregate of nameless entities known to no one."

===Games===
====Magia Exedra====
Walpurgisnacht, Bluenose, Rednose, Parade Elephant and Parade Sheep appear in [[Magia Exedra]], with Parade Elephant and Parade Sheep being first introduced as enemies. They appear in the [[Magia Exedra Main Quests|Main Quest]] Stagecraft Witch.

===Events===
====Madogatari====
=====Description=====
(Same as card) All weight and friction in this witch's vicinity falls into disorder.
Her exhalations become churning flames, and will surely reduce every last truth and lie to dust.
The sight of her, acting as an extraordinary natural disaster, doth truly resemble the end of days.
=====Song=====
The lyrics were first published in the [[Rakugaki Note]] (see gallery) 

{| class='wikitable
|+ '''The Witch of Stage Devices' Song'''
|-
! Original text
! Translation
|-
|＊かなり遠くのスピーカーからながれているように 

紳士淑女の皆様 
虫けらと　野良猫たち 
是非とも　チョッと　お立ち寄り 

幾時代かは零れ落ち 
星の因果が少女に報う。 
尻尾の記憶は宛てにはならぬ 
今夜　ここでの　一大戯曲 

ミルクは今のうちに飲んでおけ！ 
サァサァ　いそげ 
空はもう　歓声の虜(とりこ)！
|＊Sounds as if it's being played through speakers from far away 

Ladies and gentlemen, one and all 
Ye vermin and ye stray cats 
Please, by all means, drop by for just a titch. 

Countless generations spill out and fall away 
And the sins of the planet shall be visited upon the girls. 
The tail's memories shall serve no use 
Tonight, here, in this grand theater show. 

Drink your milk up while you still can. 
Come now, hurry up! 
The sky is long since captive to the crowd's applause. 
|}

==In Magia Exedra==
{{Magia Exedra Game Info|character=Walpurgisnacht}}

==Observations==
* While Walpurgisnacht does not need to hide in a barrier, like other witches, her arrival in Mitakihara Town is preceded by a carnival-like procession of familiars. This is apparently a reflection of her theatrical theme, and possibly also evidence of her desire to transform the world into a giant "stage."
* Walpurgrisnacht shown being the other half of [[Kriemhild Gretchen]] is likely Walpurgis fusing with her, completing the sand timer symbolism between the two
* Walpurgisnacht is named for '''Walpurgisnacht''', a traditional spring festival celebrated on 30 April or 1 May in large parts of Central and Northern Europe. For more information on the festival's history, cultural and literary impacts, and connection to witchcraft, see [[Speculah:Walpurgis Night]]
* In Japanese, Walpurgisnacht is described as a fool using the word ''gusha'' (愚者), which is also the term used for the tarot card ''The Fool''.

==Trivia==
* [[Kyoko]] confirmed that Walpurgisnacht was the most powerful witch in [[Episode 9]]. However in [[Episode 10]], [[Madoka]] eclipsed her in power in two of the timelines created by [[Homura]], becoming the god-like [[Kriemhild Gretchen]]. [[Episode 11]] showed that Walpurgisnacht can withstand repeated attacks from heavy artillery, and her mere appearance can cause hundreds of deaths.
* The witch's most prominent familiars take the form of former magical girls, as evidenced by their resemblance to the [[:File:Puellamagis.png|magical girls]] shown in the final scene of [[Episode 12]].
**The manga version even takes this one step further by explicitly featuring the deceased Sayaka, Kyouko and Mami, all of which are main characters, as Walpurgis's minions. It turns out that [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_%22You_Are_Not_Alone%22#episode_11|this depiction was in the original storyboard of Episode 11]]. It is unknown why this was changed
**They also bear similiarity to characters from the music video of Maaya Sakamoto's Universe. This is unsurprising as both the MV and witch sequences are designed by animators [[Gekidan Inu Curry]].
* Walpurgis never drops a Grief Seed in any of the timelines. Whether this is because she doesn't have one or because the Grief Seed is always lost in the confusion of battle is unknown.
**However, Walpurgisnacht is known to have a Grief Seed in Madoka Magica Portable.
* The mandala surrounding the witch has a [[wikipedia:Tomoe|tomoe]] pattern on it.
* Official description from [[Megami Magazine 2011-07#Walpurgis Night|July 2011 Megami]] interview with Urobuchi: ''In the last episode we saw the "Walpurgisnacht", but what kind of witch is it specifically?'' It has the destructive power to bring about natural disasters powerful enough to blow away an entire town, but originally it was a single witch. It's a witch that has grown from the combination of countless other witches. Walpurgisnacht combines with other witches in the same way two powerful tornadoes are able to combine and become larger. It's essentially a "conglomeration"-type witch. Because it's so powerful, it rarely shows itself.
**In this same interview, Urobuchi said that when she was a single witch, Walpurgis used to be the {{Nihongo|'''Theatre Witch'''|演劇の魔女|Engeki no Majō}}.
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Labyrinth_design|The Guidebook]] describing the Witch's labyrinth design contains the line, "Everything in this world is fake. My life is nothing more than a drama that you penned. Please, prove it. ''"Faust"'' is on show." （この世界はすべて嘘でした。私の人生はあなたの書いた戯曲にすぎません。それを証明して下さい。「ファウスト」が上演中）
*[[NewType_2011-07#InuCurry_.28bewitched_space_design.29_and_Yukihiro_Miyamoto_.28series_director.29|According to witch animator and designer InuCurry]], Walpurgisnacht's and Kriemhild Gretchen's silhouettes are supposed to make a pair.
** [[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Kriemhild_Gretchen.2C_Timeline_2_Version|Puella Magi Production Note]] further reveals that Walpurgisnacht is meant to look like the upper half of a sand timer, while Kriemhild Gretchen looks like the lower half. Interestingly, [[NewType_2011-05#Homura.27s_shield|Homura's shield has also been described as a sand timer]]
* According to Walpurgisnacht's page in the [[Guidebook]], the top part of the gear can turn into a stage where her familiars hold performances.
** Also according to the Guidebook, the familiars become as heavy as rocks when grabbed, like a [[wikipedia:Konaki-jiji|Konaki-jiji]].
* Walpurgisnacht was voiced by [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Walpurgis_Comic|Kaori Mizuhashi]].
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story]] mentions Walpurgisnacht as a colossal super-dreadful witch, whose existence is only known through rumors from other magical girls.
* In the German version, Walpurgisnacht is just called Walpurgis.
*In art from the [[Puella Magi Production Note]] by Inu Curry, the text reads: ''"She will turn all of fate's misfortune to nothing. She will flood the earth with magic, and take all of humankind into her play. A moving stage construction. If all of this is a play, then there is no such thing as sadness. It may be a tragedy, but it's merely the way that kind of script was performed. The play stops on Walpurgisnacht, and the earth does not turn even once more. The story will not change. Tomorrow, and the day after, is the night of Walpurgis."''
*The witch [[Hyades Daybreak]] from [[Puella Magi Kazumi Magica]] is very similar to Walpurgisnacht. Both are immensely powerful Witches that are amalgamations of other witches. Both also use the shadows of the magical girls that reside within them as familiars.
**In Kazumi Magica, Kyubey initially confused [[Hyades Daybreak]] for Walpurgisnacht.
*In Portable, the 'Charlotte' Shadow Magical Girl has a slightly altered appearance with a tiara and wand that no longer resembles a piece of candy.
**This may have been to change her appearance to make her look less like Charlotte if Nagisa's design was in production during this time. Despite this, this design has never been used in any other media. Media after it uses her original design.
*In early pieces of merchandise such as Walpurgisnacht's Nendoroid Petit, the top of her head features a black and white swirl instead of cogs.
*In Magia Exedra, Walpurgisnacht is currently the only witch to:
**Have more than one [[Memory Window]] design (if Gertrud and Shitori Egumo are not counted, as Gertrud's first window is technically for her familiars Labyrinth and Shitori's windows correspond to her two distinct forms).
**Have multiple boss battles against the witch in a single Memory Window. As there are no Area Bosses in her window, Walpurgisnacht fills in these positions and thus have multiple battles against her.
**Have a boss battle that ends in a forced 'defeat' (ending with her using her special attack once health is depleted).
**To have her whole labyrinth change appearance during progression.
**To be the final boss of more than one Memory Window, being in three of these Windows (Stage Witch, Witch of Good Fortune, and Scene 0 Finale).
* The shadow familiars also have nicknames in the PSP game as they are called: "Theatre Company" (劇団 ''Gekidan'').
** Three of the six shadow Gekidan familiars also have their own nicknames in the PSP, as they are referred to as: Stage Right (シモテ ''Shimote'') the candy/"Charlotte" girl shadow, Stage Wing (ソデ ''Sode'') the furisode girl shadow, and Stage Left (カミテ "Kamite") the outer space girl shadow.
* Although her carnival familiars, like Walpurgis, don't have official names they also have nicknames: Rednose (''Akahana'') and Bluenose (''Aohana'').
** Both share duties with the shadow familiars in being "clowns".
* The animal familiars (Elephants, Sheeps, etc.) all seem to have the duty of just being "parade animals that lead the procession of Walpurgis".
* In Eastern philosophy, mainly Hinduism and Buddhism, Elephants represent karma and the undeniable accumulation of past deeds.
* The Elephant familiars also seem to have the duty to crush the Rednose familiars.
* In Western philosophy, Sheep represent represent conformity, blind obedience, and the uncritical acceptance of societal norms. In christianity they are assosiated with dependence and the tendency to wander.
** Curiously the sheep familiars are blinded by cloths and lack wool.
*The Main Trailer of [[Walpurgisnacht: Rising]] provided a different description for the Witch, "The symbol of a fool that spins round and round, and a calamity passed down throughout history. A collective being of someone no one knows." (回転する愚者の象徴であり、歴史の中で語り継がれる災厄。誰も知らない誰かたちの集合体。)

==Gallery==
See [[Gallery:Walpurgisnacht]]

==See also==
* [[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Walpurgisnacht, Episode 10 version|Concept for Walpurgisnacht, Episode 10 version]]
* [[Glossary#Walpurgis Night]]: Definition from the official website

==External links==
* {{card_link|id=30}}

[[Category:Witches]]

Walpurgisnacht

2026-07-24T17:37:20Z

Romi1908: /* Walpurgisnacht */

{{Spoilers}}

<blockquote>
''She will turn all of fate's misfortune to nothing.'' 
''She will flood the earth with magic,'' 
''and take all of humankind into her play.'' 
''A moving stage construction.'' 

''If all of this is a play, then there is no such thing as sadness.'' 
''It may be a tragedy, but it's merely the way that kind of script was performed.'' 

''The play stops on Walpurgisnacht,'' 
''and the earth does not turn even once more.'' 
''The story will not change.'' 
''Tomorrow, and the day after, is the night of Walpurgis.''

- From the [[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Walpurgisnacht.2C_Episode_10_version|Production Note]]
</blockquote>

'''{{nihongo|[[wikipedia:Walpurgis_Night|Walpurgisnacht]]|ワルプルギスの夜|Warupurugisu no Yoru|"Night of Walpurgis" or "Walpurgis' Night"}}''' is supposedly the strongest witch current magical girls would have to fight. Her real name is unknown, while "Walpurgisnacht" is a common moniker given to it by magical girls. Her nature had been kept mysterious during most of the series, which led to a lot of speculation from fans during the original broadcast.

She reappears in [[Madoka Magica Portable]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]] and [[Magia Exedra]].

For a compilation of historical, mythological, and literary information concerning Walpurgisnacht, a term first mentioned by [[Homura]] in [[Episode 6]], see [[Community:Walpurgis Night In Real Life]].

==Witch==
===Walpurgisnacht===
<tabber>
|-| Madoka Magica =
{{Witch Card
|background= 51049 walpurgisnacht.jpg
|background_x= -75
|sprite= Walpurgisnacht-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 300
|sprite_x= 10
|sprite_y= 10
|kiss= Walpurgisnacht Witch's Kiss.png

|box_color= #0B1548
|name= ????? (Walpurgisnacht)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Machinery Witch
|nature= Powerlessness
|appearances= [[Episode 1]], [[Episode 10]], [[Episode 11]], [[Episode 12]], [[Madoka Mobage]], [[Madoka Magica Portable]], [[Madoka Online]], [[Oriko Magica]], [[The Different Story]], [[Homura's Revenge!]], [[Battle Pentagram]], [[Madogatari Event]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
'''Official website:''' The Stage Machinery Witch (commonly known as Walpurgisnacht / true name unknown). Her nature is powerlessness. She symbolizes the fool who keeps spinning. A mysterious witch whose legend has been passed down through history. Commonly known as Walpurgisnacht. She aimlessly continues to rotate around the world until everything in this world has been transformed into a play. When the doll that is normally in the inverted position reaches the top, she flies at the speed of a violent storm, overturning the civilizations on the surface of the earth in the blink of an eye. 
'''Walpurgisnacht Rising:''' The Stage Machinery Witch (commonly known as Walpurgisnacht). Her nature is powerlessness. The symbol of the spinning fool, she is a calamity whose legend has been passed down through history. She aimlessly continues to rotate around the world until everything in this world has been transformed into a play. When the doll that is normally in the inverted position reaches the top, she flies at the speed of a violent storm, overturning the civilizations on the surface of the earth in the blink of an eye. This witch is a collective of people whom no one knows. 
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女（通称・ワルプルギスの夜 / 本名不明) その性質は無力。回り続ける愚者の象徴。歴史の中で語り継がれる謎の魔女。通称・ワルプルギスの夜。この世の全てを戯曲へ変えてしまうまで無軌道に世界中を回り続ける。普段逆さ位置にある人形が上部へ来た時、暴風の如き速度で飛行し瞬く間に地表の文明をひっくり返してしまう。 
'''ワルプルギスの廻天:''' 舞台装置の魔女（通称・ワルプルギスの夜）その性質は無力。回転する愚者の象徴にして、歴史の中で語り継がれる災厄。この世の全てを戯曲へ変えてしまうまで無軌道に世界中を回り続ける。普段逆さ位置にある人形が上部へ来た時、暴風の如き速度で飛行し瞬く間に地表の文明をひっくり返してしまうだろう。この魔女は誰も知らない誰かたちの集合体。
}}
|-| Madogatari Event =
{{Witch Card
|background= 1448627089 1 14 edddfdd880ac7959a6be71e2dc264254.jpg
|background_x= 0
|sprite= Walpurgisnacht-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 300
|sprite_x= 10
|sprite_y= 10
|kiss= Walpurgisnacht Witch's Kiss.png

|box_color= #0B1548
|name= ????? (Walpurgisnacht)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage machinery witch
|nature= Powerlessness
|appearances= [[Madogatari Event]]

|desc_english= The Stage Machinery Witch (commonly known as Walpurgisnacht / true name unknown). Her nature is powerlessness. She symbolizes the fool who keeps spinning. A mysterious witch whose legend has been passed down through history. Commonly known as Walpurgisnacht. She aimlessly continues to rotate around the world until everything in this world has been transformed into a play. When the doll that is normally in the inverted position reaches the top, she flies at the speed of a violent storm, overturning the civilizations on the surface of the earth in the blink of an eye. All weight and friction in this witch's vicinity falls into disorder. Her exhalations become churning flames, and will surely reduce every last truth and lie to dust. The sight of her, acting as an extraordinary natural disaster, doth truly resemble the end of days.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女（通称・ワルプルギスの夜 / 本名不明）その性質は無力。回り続ける愚者の象徴。歴史の中で語り継がれる謎の魔女。通称・ワルプルギスの夜。この世の全てを戯曲へ変えてしまうまで無軌道に世界中を回り続ける。普段逆さ位置にある人形が上部へ来た時、暴風の如き速度で飛行し瞬く間に地表の文明をひっくり返してしまう。この魔女の周囲の重さや摩擦の全ては秩序を失い、その吐息は渦巻く炎になって、真実と嘘の一切を塵へと帰すだろう。尋常ならざる自然災害として振る舞うその様は、まさにこの世の終わり也。
}}

|-| Magia Record (Game) =
{{Witch Card
|background= 51049 walpurgisnacht.jpg
|background_x= -75
|sprite= Walpurgisnacht-MagiReco-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 320
|sprite_x= 5
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= Walpurgisnacht Witch's Kiss.png

|box_color= #0B1548
|name= ????? (Walpurgisnacht)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage machinery witch
|nature= Powerlessness
|appearances= [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]]

|desc_english= The Stage Machinery Witch, her nature is powerlessness. She symbolizes the fool who continuously spins in circles. The witch's mysteries have been handed down through the course of history. She will continue to rotate aimlessly throughout the world until she completely changes the whole of this age into a drama. When the doll's usual upside-down position reaches the top part of the witch, she completely roils the civilization on the ground in a flash through her gale-like flight.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女。その性質は無力。 回り続ける愚者の象徴。 歴史の中で語り継がれる謎の魔女。 この世の全てを戯曲へ変えてしまうまで無軌道に世界中を回り続ける。 普段逆さ位置にある人形が上部へ来た時、暴風の如き速度で飛行し 瞬く間に地表の文明をひっくり返してしまう。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Stagecraft Witch - Floor 2 Witch Labyrinth.png
|background_x= -150
|sprite= Walpurgisnacht-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 280
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= 612001 emblem.png

|box_color= #0B1548
|name= ????? (Walpurgisnacht)
|name_style= color:white;text-shadow:
-1px -1px 0 #863763, 1px -1px 0 #863763, -1px 1px 0 #863763, 1px 1px 0 #863763;
|runes_image= 612001 runes name.png
|type= Stage Witch
|nature= Ineptitude
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Stagecraft Witch. Nature: Ineptitude. A mysterious Witch whose legend has endured through history. Representing the fool turning round and round, she will continue revolving about on a reckless path until all the world is her stage. Although she appears upside down, when she rights herself, all of civilization is overturned with her in a flash as she flies at zephyrous speed.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女。その性質は無力。 回り続ける愚者の象徴。歴史の中で語り継がれる謎の魔女。この世の全てを戯曲へ変えてしまうまで無軌道に世界中を回り続ける。普段逆さ位置にある人形が上部へ来た時、暴風の如き速度で飛行し瞬く間に地表の文明をひっくり返してしまう。
|desc_traditional_chinese= 舞台裝置的魔女，其性質為無力。 不斷旋轉的愚者象徵，在歷史中作為傳說被口耳相傳的神祕魔女。直到將世上一切都變成戲劇為止，她毫無章法地周遊世界。平時倒立著的人偶，一旦轉到上方，就會以暴風般的速度飛行，轉眼間便顚覆地表的文明。
}}
</tabber>

==Minions==
===Theatre Company===
{{Witch Card
|background= 51049 walpurgisnacht.jpg
|background_x= -65
|sprite= Walpurgis Familiars Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 335
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #2545a8
|name= ????? (Theatre Company)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Minions of the stage machinery witch
|role= Being clowns
|appearances= [[Episode 11]], [[Episode 12]], [[Madoka Mobage]], [[Madoka Magica Portable]], [[Madoka Online]]

|unique_id=
|desc_english= The stage machinery witch's minions. Their duty is to be clowns. Countless souls drawn to her vast magical power. Nobody knows whether Walpurgisnacht was initially a single person, or if it was a phantom born from the gathering of many spirits.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。その役割は道化役者。強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の魂。ワルプルギスの夜自身が元々一人の誰かであったのか、或いは多くの魂が集合することにより生まれた幻であるのか、今となっては分からない。
}}

===Bluenose===
<tabber>
|-| Madoka Magica =
{{Witch Card
|background= WalpurgiCarnivalBG.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Bluenose-MagiReco-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 250
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #59c4f1
|name= ????? (Bluenose)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Minions of the stage machinery witch
|role= Being clowns (Madoka Magica Portable)
|appearances= [[Episode 11]], [[Madoka Magica Portable]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= The stage machinery witch's minions (Bluenose). Their duty is to be clowns. Countless souls drawn to her vast magical power.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下（アオハナ）。その役割は道化役者。強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の魂。
}}

|-| Magia Record (Game)=
{{Witch Card
|background= WalpurgiCarnivalBG.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Bluenose-MagiReco-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 250
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #59c4f1
|name= ????? (Bluenose)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Minions of the stage machinery witch
|role= Being clowns
|appearances= [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]]

|desc_english= Minions of the stage machinery witch. Bluenose.Witch minions that appear alongside catastrophes brought about by the giant witch known as "Walpurgisnacht" .They pull the ropes connected to Walpurgisnacht's neck as she floats in the sky, forming a circus troupe and conducting a parade.All the members of the troupe are thought to be Walpurgisnacht's minions, but many facts of the matter are still unclear. Some documents refer to the ones riding four-legged beasts as "Bluenose" , and the red-and-black creatures with long ears as "Rednose" .
Unlike the aggressive, shadow-like minions that appear at the same time, these minions will not attack unless you obstruct their parade. Rather than attempting to fight them, it'd be much more advisable to flee as fast as possible.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。アオハナ。ワルプルギスの夜と呼ばれる巨大魔女がもたらす災害時に現れる魔女の手下。宙に浮かぶワルプルギスの夜の首に繋がれた綱を引きながら、まるでサーカスのような一団を形成しパレードを行う。これらの一団は全てワルプルギスの夜の手下であると考えられているが、その実態については不明な点も多い。一部の文献では、四足獣に乗っている者を"アオハナ"、赤と黒の長耳の者は"アカハナ"と記されている。同時期に出現する影の姿をした好戦的な手下達と違い、パレードを邪魔しない限り襲い掛かって来ることはない。彼らの相手をするぐらいなら一刻も早くその場から逃げた方が良いだろう。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Stagecraft Witch - Floor 1 Witch Labyrinth.png
|background_x= -130
|sprite= Bluenose-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 250
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #59c4f1
|name= ????? (Bluenose)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role= Clown
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Stagecraft Witch Minion. Role: Clown. An endless throng brought together by immense magical power. Summoned by omens of the Witch's coming, they come together like a circus troupe on parade. Unlike the hostile shadowy Familiars that will also appear, these will not attack unless one should disturb their parade. It would be wiser to quickly flee the scene than attempt to engage them.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。その役割は道化役者。 強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の魂。魔女の夜が始まる前兆に姿を現し、まるでサーカスのような一団を形成してパレードを行う。 同時期に出現する影の姿をした好戦的な手下達と違い、パレードの邪魔しない限り襲い掛かって来ることはない。彼らを目にしたら一刻も早くその場から逃げるべきだが、魔女の夜は諦めも肝心。
|desc_traditional_chinese= 舞台裝置魔女的手下，其職責為小丑演員。 被強大的魔力吸引而聚集成團。會在魔女之夜開始的前兆中現身，如馬戲團般結成一隊進行遊行。 不同於同時期出現，影子模樣且好戰的手下們，只要不妨礙遊行，就不會主動撲上來攻擊。一旦見到，理應立刻逃離現場，但面對魔女之夜，有時放棄也是必要的。
}}
</tabber>

===Rednose===
<tabber>
|-| Madoka Magica =
{{Witch Card
|background= WalpurgiCarnivalBG.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Rednose Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 240
|sprite_x= -5
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #d75154
|name= ????? (Rednose)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Minions of the stage machinery witch
|role= Being clowns (Madoka Magica Portable)
|appearances= [[Episode 11]], [[Madoka Magica Portable]], [[Homura's Revenge!]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= The stage machinery witch's minions (Rednose). Their duty is to be clowns. Countless souls drawn to her vast magical power.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下（アカハナ）。その役割は道化役者。強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の魂。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Stagecraft Witch - Floor 1 Witch Labyrinth.png
|background_x= -130
|sprite= Rednose-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 240
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 5

|box_color =#d75154
|name= ????? (Rednose)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role= Clown
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Stagecraft Witch Minion. Role: Clown. An endless throng brought together by immense magical power. They run around on busy feet, marching in the parade announcing their mistress's night. Though its career spans hundreds of years, it has only one act—a signature bit where it is crushed and flattened by an elephant's foot.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。その役割は道化役者。 強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の魂。 魔女の夜を告げるパレードに参加し。足元をせわしなく走り回る。象に踏みつぶされてペシャンコになる鉄板ネタを持っており、道化師として数百年近くこれ一本でやってきた。
|desc_traditional_chinese= 舞台裝置魔女的手下，其職責為小丑演員。 被強大的魔力吸引而聚集成團。 參加預告魔女之夜的遊行，在腳邊忙得團團轉。有個被大象踩扁的招牌老哏，作為小丑，數百年來都是靠這一招在表演。
}}
</tabber>

===Parade Elephant===
<tabber>
|-| Madoka Magica =
{{Witch Card
|background= WalpurgiCarnivalBG.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Online Walpurgisnacht Elephant.png
|sprite_size= 600
|sprite_x= -10
|sprite_y= 25

|box_color= #7ec379
|name= ????? (Parade Elephant)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role=
|appearances= [[Episode 11]], [[Madoka Online]], [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
|desc_japanese=
}}

|-| Rebellion =
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg adv 00 10060 02.png
|background_x= -175
|sprite= Parade-Elephant-Rebellion-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 280
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #7ec379
|name= ????? (Parade Elephant) (Rental ver.)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stagecraft Witch Minion (Rental ver.)
|role=
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Rebellion Production Note]]''': Stage Witch Minion (Rental ver.). An elephant participating in the Walpurgis Festival is pulling a pumpkin carriage.
|desc_japanese=
'''叛逆の物語 PRODUCTION NOTE'''：舞台装置の魔女の手下（レンタルver.）。ワルプルギスのお祭りに参加していた象さんがカボチャの馬車を引いている。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Stagecraft Witch - Floor 1 Witch Labyrinth.png
|background_x= -130
|sprite= Parade-Elephant-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 220
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 5

|box_color= #7ec379
|name= ????? (Parade Elephant)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role= Parade Elephant
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Stagecraft Witch Minion. Role: Parade Elephant. An endless throng brought together by immense magical power. Summoned by omens of the Witch's coming, they parade the streets in anticipation of its arrival. As their sole purpose is to lead the procession for Walpurgisnacht, they are indifferent to human presence. They will, however, show no mercy to those who would interrupt their parade.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。その役割は象車。 強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の塊。 魔女の夜が始まる前兆に姿を現しパレードを行う。ワルプルギスの夜を運んでくることだけが役割であるため人間には無関心だが、パレードの行進を遮る者には容赦しない。
|desc_traditional_chinese= 舞台裝置魔女的手下，其職責為象車。 被強大的魔力吸引而聚集成團。 會在魔女之夜開始的前兆中現身進行遊行。因其職責僅為運送瓦爾普吉斯之夜，對人類並無興趣，但對妨礙遊行的人絕不留情。
}}
</tabber>

===Parade Sheep===
<tabber>
|-| Madoka Magica =
{{Witch Card
|background= WalpurgiCarnivalBG.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Parade Sheep Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 260
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #b89adc
|name= ????? (Parade Sheep)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role=
|appearances= [[Episode 11]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
|desc_japanese=
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Stagecraft Witch - Floor 1 Witch Labyrinth.png
|background_x= -130
|sprite= Parade-Sheep-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 270
|sprite_x= -5
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #b89adc
|name= ????? (Parade Sheep)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role= Parade Sheep
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Stagecraft Witch Minion. Role: Parade Sheep. Summoned by omens of the Witch's coming, they parade the streets in anticipation of its arrival. Their true nature is not well understood, though many records of Walpurgisnacht have assumed them to be its minions. The prevailing theory is that they are not Familiars, but rather lost souls drawn to and given form by the Witch.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。その役割は羊車。 魔女の夜が始まる前兆に姿を現しパレードを行う。多くの文献では便宜上ワルプルギスの夜の手下であるとされているが、実際のところよく分かっていない。ワルプルギスの夜に引き寄せられた迷える魂が姿を得たもので、厳密には眷属ではないという説が有力。
|desc_traditional_chinese= 舞台裝置魔女的手下，其職責為羊車。 會在魔女之夜開始的前兆中現身進行遊行。在許多文獻中，為了方便，常被寫成是瓦爾普吉斯之夜的手下，但眞相如何並不明瞭。較可信的說法是，被瓦爾普吉斯之夜吸引而來的迷惘靈魂獲得了形體，嚴格來說並不算是其眷屬。
}}
</tabber>

==History==
===Anime===
====Original Anime====
Walpurgisnacht makes her first appearance in [[Episode 1]] where she appears in [[Madoka]]'s dream. She isn't given any name in her first appearance. This led to some speculations about the witch's identity before it was finally revealed in [[Episode 10]] as Walpurgisnacht. It is revealed that Walpurgisnacht will always attack on a set date during [[Homura]]'s time loops. Homura uses the month to not only protect Madoka but also try to prepare to defeat the witch. Homura is the only one aware of the attack because of the first timeline.

Walpurgisnacht kills [[Mami]] and Madoka in timeline 1 from episode 10 which causes Homura to contract. In timeline 2 and 4 Madoka is able to defeat Walpurgisnacht but the grief from it causes her [[Soul Gem]] to turn black and she transforms into a witch. In timeline 3 both Madoka and Homura defeat Walpurgisnacht but both their Soul Gems still darken.

In [[Episode 11]] Walpurgisnacht arrives in the current timeline and the city is evacuated as they think it's a storm. Homura begins to fight the witch with a large arsenal of weapons but they never seem to do damage. Homura is eventually shot down and runs out of time in her shield. With her leg crushed and all hope left her Soul Gem begins to darken but Madoka arrives and finally declares she's decided on a wish. Madoka wishes to destroy all witches and finally becomes a magical girl. The clouded sky clears and Madoka promises Walpurgisnacht she doesn't have to feel sorrow and pain anymore. The shots from Madoka's bow destroys Walpurgisnacht's humanoid form leaving only the cog left. As Madoka finishes her off, the familiars dance around the cog.

====Rebellion====
Walpurgisnacht doesn't appear in Rebellion, but one of her Parade Elephants minions is used by Sayaka and Nagisa at the end of the movie, pulling the Pumpkin Carriage they are in before {{spoiler|Homura rips apart Madoka from the Law of Cycles and thus becoming [[Akuma Homura]]}}.

;????? (Parade Elephant)
An elephant participating in the Walpurgis Festival is pulling a pumpkin carriage. (舞台装置の魔女の手下。ワルプルギスのお祭りに参加していた象さんがカボチャの馬車を引いている。)

====Walpurgisnacht: Rising====
Walpurgisnacht: "The Stage Witch. A symbol of the spinning fool and a calamity passed down through history. An aggregate of nameless entities known to no one."

===Games===
====Magia Exedra====
Walpurgisnacht, Bluenose, Rednose, Parade Elephant and Parade Sheep appear in [[Magia Exedra]], with Parade Elephant and Parade Sheep being first introduced as enemies. They appear in the [[Magia Exedra Main Quests|Main Quest]] Stagecraft Witch.

===Events===
====Madogatari====
=====Description=====
(Same as card) All weight and friction in this witch's vicinity falls into disorder.
Her exhalations become churning flames, and will surely reduce every last truth and lie to dust.
The sight of her, acting as an extraordinary natural disaster, doth truly resemble the end of days.
=====Song=====
The lyrics were first published in the [[Rakugaki Note]] (see gallery) 

{| class='wikitable
|+ '''The Witch of Stage Devices' Song'''
|-
! Original text
! Translation
|-
|＊かなり遠くのスピーカーからながれているように 

紳士淑女の皆様 
虫けらと　野良猫たち 
是非とも　チョッと　お立ち寄り 

幾時代かは零れ落ち 
星の因果が少女に報う。 
尻尾の記憶は宛てにはならぬ 
今夜　ここでの　一大戯曲 

ミルクは今のうちに飲んでおけ！ 
サァサァ　いそげ 
空はもう　歓声の虜(とりこ)！
|＊Sounds as if it's being played through speakers from far away 

Ladies and gentlemen, one and all 
Ye vermin and ye stray cats 
Please, by all means, drop by for just a titch. 

Countless generations spill out and fall away 
And the sins of the planet shall be visited upon the girls. 
The tail's memories shall serve no use 
Tonight, here, in this grand theater show. 

Drink your milk up while you still can. 
Come now, hurry up! 
The sky is long since captive to the crowd's applause. 
|}

==In Magia Exedra==
{{Magia Exedra Game Info|character=Walpurgisnacht}}

==Observations==
* While Walpurgisnacht does not need to hide in a barrier, like other witches, her arrival in Mitakihara Town is preceded by a carnival-like procession of familiars. This is apparently a reflection of her theatrical theme, and possibly also evidence of her desire to transform the world into a giant "stage."
* Walpurgrisnacht shown being the other half of [[Kriemhild Gretchen]] is likely Walpurgis fusing with her, completing the sand timer symbolism between the two
* Walpurgisnacht is named for '''Walpurgisnacht''', a traditional spring festival celebrated on 30 April or 1 May in large parts of Central and Northern Europe. For more information on the festival's history, cultural and literary impacts, and connection to witchcraft, see [[Speculah:Walpurgis Night]]
* In Japanese, Walpurgisnacht is described as a fool using the word ''gusha'' (愚者), which is also the term used for the tarot card ''The Fool''.

==Trivia==
* [[Kyoko]] confirmed that Walpurgisnacht was the most powerful witch in [[Episode 9]]. However in [[Episode 10]], [[Madoka]] eclipsed her in power in two of the timelines created by [[Homura]], becoming the god-like [[Kriemhild Gretchen]]. [[Episode 11]] showed that Walpurgisnacht can withstand repeated attacks from heavy artillery, and her mere appearance can cause hundreds of deaths.
* The witch's most prominent familiars take the form of former magical girls, as evidenced by their resemblance to the [[:File:Puellamagis.png|magical girls]] shown in the final scene of [[Episode 12]].
**The manga version even takes this one step further by explicitly featuring the deceased Sayaka, Kyouko and Mami, all of which are main characters, as Walpurgis's minions. It turns out that [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_%22You_Are_Not_Alone%22#episode_11|this depiction was in the original storyboard of Episode 11]]. It is unknown why this was changed
**They also bear similiarity to characters from the music video of Maaya Sakamoto's Universe. This is unsurprising as both the MV and witch sequences are designed by animators [[Gekidan Inu Curry]].
* Walpurgis never drops a Grief Seed in any of the timelines. Whether this is because she doesn't have one or because the Grief Seed is always lost in the confusion of battle is unknown.
**However, Walpurgisnacht is known to have a Grief Seed in Madoka Magica Portable.
* The mandala surrounding the witch has a [[wikipedia:Tomoe|tomoe]] pattern on it.
* Official description from [[Megami Magazine 2011-07#Walpurgis Night|July 2011 Megami]] interview with Urobuchi: ''In the last episode we saw the "Walpurgisnacht", but what kind of witch is it specifically?'' It has the destructive power to bring about natural disasters powerful enough to blow away an entire town, but originally it was a single witch. It's a witch that has grown from the combination of countless other witches. Walpurgisnacht combines with other witches in the same way two powerful tornadoes are able to combine and become larger. It's essentially a "conglomeration"-type witch. Because it's so powerful, it rarely shows itself.
**In this same interview, Urobuchi said that when she was a single witch, Walpurgis used to be the {{Nihongo|'''Theatre Witch'''|演劇の魔女|Engeki no Majō}}.
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Labyrinth_design|The Guidebook]] describing the Witch's labyrinth design contains the line, "Everything in this world is fake. My life is nothing more than a drama that you penned. Please, prove it. ''"Faust"'' is on show." （この世界はすべて嘘でした。私の人生はあなたの書いた戯曲にすぎません。それを証明して下さい。「ファウスト」が上演中）
*[[NewType_2011-07#InuCurry_.28bewitched_space_design.29_and_Yukihiro_Miyamoto_.28series_director.29|According to witch animator and designer InuCurry]], Walpurgisnacht's and Kriemhild Gretchen's silhouettes are supposed to make a pair.
** [[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Kriemhild_Gretchen.2C_Timeline_2_Version|Puella Magi Production Note]] further reveals that Walpurgisnacht is meant to look like the upper half of a sand timer, while Kriemhild Gretchen looks like the lower half. Interestingly, [[NewType_2011-05#Homura.27s_shield|Homura's shield has also been described as a sand timer]]
* According to Walpurgisnacht's page in the [[Guidebook]], the top part of the gear can turn into a stage where her familiars hold performances.
** Also according to the Guidebook, the familiars become as heavy as rocks when grabbed, like a [[wikipedia:Konaki-jiji|Konaki-jiji]].
* Walpurgisnacht was voiced by [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Walpurgis_Comic|Kaori Mizuhashi]].
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story]] mentions Walpurgisnacht as a colossal super-dreadful witch, whose existence is only known through rumors from other magical girls.
* In the German version, Walpurgisnacht is just called Walpurgis.
*In art from the [[Puella Magi Production Note]] by Inu Curry, the text reads: ''"She will turn all of fate's misfortune to nothing. She will flood the earth with magic, and take all of humankind into her play. A moving stage construction. If all of this is a play, then there is no such thing as sadness. It may be a tragedy, but it's merely the way that kind of script was performed. The play stops on Walpurgisnacht, and the earth does not turn even once more. The story will not change. Tomorrow, and the day after, is the night of Walpurgis."''
*The witch [[Hyades Daybreak]] from [[Puella Magi Kazumi Magica]] is very similar to Walpurgisnacht. Both are immensely powerful Witches that are amalgamations of other witches. Both also use the shadows of the magical girls that reside within them as familiars.
**In Kazumi Magica, Kyubey initially confused [[Hyades Daybreak]] for Walpurgisnacht.
*In Portable, the 'Charlotte' Shadow Magical Girl has a slightly altered appearance with a tiara and wand that no longer resembles a piece of candy.
**This may have been to change her appearance to make her look less like Charlotte if Nagisa's design was in production during this time. Despite this, this design has never been used in any other media. Media after it uses her original design.
*In early pieces of merchandise such as Walpurgisnacht's Nendoroid Petit, the top of her head features a black and white swirl instead of cogs.
*In Magia Exedra, Walpurgisnacht is currently the only witch to:
**Have more than one [[Memory Window]] design (if Gertrud and Shitori Egumo are not counted, as Gertrud's first window is technically for her familiars Labyrinth and Shitori's windows correspond to her two distinct forms).
**Have multiple boss battles against the witch in a single Memory Window. As there are no Area Bosses in her window, Walpurgisnacht fills in these positions and thus have multiple battles against her.
**Have a boss battle that ends in a forced 'defeat' (ending with her using her special attack once health is depleted).
**To have her whole labyrinth change appearance during progression.
**To be the final boss of more than one Memory Window, being in three of these Windows (Stage Witch, Witch of Good Fortune, and Scene 0 Finale).
* The shadow familiars also have nicknames in the PSP game as they are called: "Theatre Company" (劇団 ''Gekidan'').
** Three of the six shadow Gekidan familiars also have their own nicknames in the PSP, as they are referred to as: Stage Right (シモテ ''Shimote'') the candy/"Charlotte" girl shadow, Stage Wing (ソデ ''Sode'') the furisode girl shadow, and Stage Left (カミテ "Kamite") the outer space girl shadow.
* Although her carnival familiars, like Walpurgis, don't have official names they also have nicknames: Rednose (''Akahana'') and Bluenose (''Aohana'').
** Both share duties with the shadow familiars in being "clowns".
* The animal familiars (Elephants, Sheeps, etc.) all seem to have the duty of just being "parade animals that lead the procession of Walpurgis".
* In Eastern philosophy, mainly Hinduism and Buddhism, Elephants represent karma and the undeniable accumulation of past deeds.
* The Elephant familiars also seem to have the duty to crush the Rednose familiars.
* In Western philosophy, Sheep represent represent conformity, blind obedience, and the uncritical acceptance of societal norms. In christianity they are assosiated with dependence and the tendency to wander.
** Curiously the sheep familiars are blinded by cloths and lack wool.
*The Main Trailer of [[Walpurgisnacht: Rising]] provided a different description for the Witch, "The symbol of a fool that spins round and round, and a calamity passed down throughout history. A collective being of someone no one knows." (回転する愚者の象徴であり、歴史の中で語り継がれる災厄。誰も知らない誰かたちの集合体。)

==Gallery==
See [[Gallery:Walpurgisnacht]]

==See also==
* [[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Walpurgisnacht, Episode 10 version|Concept for Walpurgisnacht, Episode 10 version]]
* [[Glossary#Walpurgis Night]]: Definition from the official website

==External links==
* {{card_link|id=30}}

[[Category:Witches]]

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone"

2026-07-17T05:49:23Z

Romi1908: /* Gekidan Inu Curry Artwork Comments */

[[File:Front cover homumado - you are not alone.jpg|thumb|400px]]

[[File:Guidebook TOC.jpg|thumb]]
'''Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone"''', a compilation on a wide variety of information on ''Madoka Magica'', was released on [http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4832240617/ August 27th, 2011]. The [[:Media:Guidebook TOC.jpg|table of contents]] reveals these categories of information: Illustrations, Episode and Characters, Cast Interviews, Materials, and Staff Interviews.

A look at the sample pages from the Guidebook reveals it contains a wide range of information, including:
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Prior_Illustrations|Prior illustrations]] from magazines and other sources
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Episodic_Coverage_and_Character_Pages|Episodic coverage and character pages]] including commentary
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Interviews|Staff Interviews]] with cast members
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_%22You_Are_Not_Alone%22#Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_After-recording_Report|After-recording report comic]] reported and illustrated by hanokage, author of the [[Madoka Magica (manga)|Madoka Magica manga]].
* Design, sketches and other [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Production_Materials|production-related material]] similar to [[Puella Magi Production Note|Production Note]] or [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Art Book]]
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Interviews|Staff Interviews]] with many staff members
* Staff behind-the-scenes [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Discussion|discussion]]
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Early_Character_Designs|Early character designs]] of initial concepts 

== Staff Discussion ==

Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.

===Page 100===

* [[Akiyuki Shinbo]]: Major works include Bakemonogatari, Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei, Hidamari Sketch, Arakawa under the Bridge (all as director)
*[[Gen Urobuchi]]: Works for Nitroplus. Involved in the screenplay writing for many games from this company. Major anime works include Blassreiter (series composition), Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~ (screenplay)
* [[Ume Aoki]]: Manga artist. Her manga Hidamari Sketch is being serialized in Manga Time Kirara Carat.
* Mitsutoshi Kubota: Chief Executive Officer of SHAFT. He also worked as Animation Producer in Shaft works like Bakemonogatari, Hidamari Sketch etc.
*Atsuhiro Iwakami: Works for Aniplex. Involved in anime works such as Bakemonogatari, Kara no Kyoukai, Hidamari Sketch, Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai.

'''LOOKING BACK FROM NOW AT THE INITIAL COMPOSITON PROPOSAL'''

''I heard that the project "Madoka Magica" started from some chats with Director Shinbo saying "I want to do a mahou shoujo anime".'' 

SHINBO: I cannot remember such a thing at all. When I asked later "Um? Didn't Iwakami-san first mention it?" and I was told "No, that's not the case." (LOL)

IWAKAMI: It's not like you assertively said "I want to do Mahou Shoujo!!". It was with nuance, like "For the mahou shoujo format, there should still be possibilities."

KUBOTA: Surely it must have been around 2008.

IWAKAMI: And then we had some talks about talking to Urobuchi-san and Ume-sensei about joining [the project]. I think it took place unexpectedly quickly, so much that I could not remember the process.

''When did all of you first gather together?'' 

IWAKAMI: According to the material from that time and the mail history, the first meeting was held in October 2008.

AOKI: It was at that time that I first met Urobuchi-san. I remember thinking, "Oh, he is a person who takes memos with a PC." (LOL)

IWAKAMI: There we threw in and exchanged many ideas, and then I gathered and summarized them ([[:File:Guidebook Production Related Material 01.jpg|cf p.124]]).

UROBUCHI: In particular I did not prepare in advance any idea. I just said one after another what I came up right at that place. And when I did that, almost everything I said were accepted with "This is good." "Let's do that." Then I got worried as I thought "Oh no. I will have to turn everything I've just said into plot lines myself." (LOL)

''How many times did you repeat this kind of discussion?'' 

KUBOTA: No, only once at the very beginning. Urobuchi-san summarized everything into a composition proposal before our next chance to meet.

UROBUCHI: I came up with a rough structure of around 3 stages: I will show the beginning of the story like this; and next these details of the truth will be revealed; and last that truth will be revealed. And then I divided them further and made it into a composition proposal for one cour. However at that stage, the flow from ep. 6 to around ep. 8 was still a bit tricky. When I look back from now, ep. 9 was really bad!

AOKI: That's right. [You were saying] "I am going to put Sayaka decisively into despair." (LOL)

UROBUCHI: The idea that I came up with anyways was to bully Sayaka (LOL). At that moment, the thinking for Sayaka falling into despair was that it was not due to Hitomi. For that, it was a part that got inserted at the stage when the screenplay was written.

''I heard the composition proposal had 13 episodes altogether?'' 

IWAKAMI: I went to talk [to Urobuchi] and said "Could we make it into 12 episodes?" I had this thought of packaging the series into 6 volumes with 2 episodes in each volume.

KUBOTA: Although the number of episodes was cut, basically the flow did not change. That Mami got killed in ep. 3 was not changed either.

SHINBO: I see. So the reason [you] did not show that much shock when you read the screenplay for ep. 3 was because you had already read the composition proposal.

AOKI: Or perhaps in text it was not that shocking...

SHINBO: If it were 2 cours a different flow might have been used instead. I would like to do another version in which I could show how the development could be like if the length were 2 cours.

UROBUCHI: I guess if there are that number of episodes, [the story] would have to be quite different if we do not put regular daily life scenes in between, like in the episode after [[Mami]] died, out of a sudden and without much coherence everyone went to the hot spring (LOL). And once they arrived the waitress in the ryokan somehow looks like Mami....

IWAKAMI: There are things that I'd like to draw out if there was enough room, but I think the speedy pace we have now is also good. Right from the beginning, with 1 cour, I had the image that I was going to a roller-coaster movie that was Urobuchi-like.

'''TEMPORARY TITLE WAS "MAHOU SHOUJO APOCALYPSE"'''

AOKI: Later when I re-watched it again from ep. 1, I got the impression that the heroine kept changing from one to another. From ep. 4 it was about [[Sayaka]] and [[Kyoko]], and as it got near the final stage, [[Homura]] started to get more noticeable. And finally [[Madoka]] became a proper protagonist on her own.

IWAKAMI: To be honest, regarding the characters, at the time when I read the screenplay I could not read this far. It is indeed something like an omnibus, where there is Mami chapter, Sayaka chapter, Kyoko chapter etc. In one sense it was a composition like Bakemonogatari in which the appeal of the heroines was highlighted by turn. And I thought, oh so it was how it became and it made so much sense.

''By the way, why did you make the girls including Madoka, the protagonist, junior high students?'' 

IWAKAMI: A primary school student, if you think in 3D, gives an impression of a child actor instead of an idol. I think that if they are junior high students, they will be recognized as idols and thus may get more people to watch. So before Urobuchi-san finished the plot, I had a talk (with him) saying, as a prerequisite, "Let's use junior high students as mahou shoujo".

===Page 101===

UROBUCHI: And besides, I really do not want to be put into the spot of having to impose my decision of letting live or killing off primary school students (LOL)

''How did you decide the title of the anime?'' 

UROBUCHI: At the beginning, I just put the temporary title myself. I think it was "Mahou Shoujo Apocalpyse Madoka Magica" for sure.

IWAKAMI: The name "Madoka Magica" stayed as the temporary title for some time, and as an unofficial name it stayed as the project made its progress. When 2010 came, we had the discussion about its official title.

UROBUCHI: And by then everyone was so used to the temporary title that (the discussion) came down to "Let's keep it like this." But there was also "obviously the Apocalypse got to go." (LOL) Come to think of it, there was also the idea of not having "Mahou Shoujo" and only go with "Madoka Magica."

SHINBO: But for me, I believe in the title the words "Mahou Shoujo" is absolutely necessary. To the extent that if it is not there, there is no meaning (for me) to do (the anime). On that I did not budge.

'''THE SCREENPLAY WAS ALMOST THE SAME AS THE FIRST DRAFT''' 

''How long did the writing of the screenplay take?'' 

UROBUCHI: It went from the end of 2008 to the end of 2009. Since there were other works going in parallel in that period, I went full gear and came up with one episode every month. And I did not talk anything about what would happen later, just saying things like "Just wait for the next issue!". (LOL)

IWAKAMI: It's just that even though the screenplay was being done, there was not much chance to discuss it. As at the stage of the first draft, it was already interesting.

SHINBO: There was almost nothing that I would want to ask for changes.

UROBUCHI: Up till then, for me the work reality was that it was only natural to have only 30% of the screenplay I wrote remain and the other 70% would be crushed away and had to be redone. So every time I was tilting my head, I was thinking "Is it really going to be alright just to keep it like this?" (LOL) Besides, I had the complex of being an absolute amateur when it came to writing for anime, and this got me even more worried.

SHINBO: Different people may think differently, but to me even if there are some places that may get stuck, it is still better to have the momentum. Therefore, I think the small details can be left at the end to consider.

IWAKAMI: When I read it, even though I thought it may need a few adjustments, it was interesting. And that was important. I would rather it run until the final episode than it being filled up with (things that go like), "In here it will be like this" using some deduction point system.

UROBUCHI: The contradictions that were not pointed out during the screenplay meetings were later noticed by (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-san.

SHINBO: And also editor (Rie) Matsuhara-san. Unlike us who read the story one episode at a time, they read everything in one go and from that viewpoint they pointed out issues, and I am thankful for that.

''How about using actual dialogues in the episode subtitles?''

UROBUCHI: That was because we were lazy (LOL)

AOKI: What! Is that so? (LOL)

UROBUCHI: I thought I would just put it there anyway first and then later I would give it more thought.... But it just stayed as it is.

SHINBO: For once we indeed talked about what we should do with the subtitles, but I think at the end we decided to stick to Urobuchi-san's idea. I think it was good that they were not changed.

AOKI: In the trailer for the next episode, just by seeing the subtitle people can get excited by guessing what kind of scene in the next episode would contain that dialogue.

'''BEFORE THE COMPLETION OF THE ORIGINAL CHARACTER DESIGN'''

''To continue, I would like to ask Aoki-sensei about what happened before all the original character designs took shape. ([[Guidebook#Early Character Designs|cf. p. 125-127]])''

AOKI: The first draft... it was October 2008. That draft was not changed much in the final draft...but between the two drafts, I got lost in the 2nd draft. The period when I did the 2nd draft, I really had my head in my arms.

SHINBO: But for all of us, the feeling at the stage of the first draft was "This is good. As expected from Aoki-san."

AOKI: But it was worry on my side (LOL) Ah, Kyubey was first proposed in the 2nd draft and I just wanted to draw it cute, really cute! (LOL). The basic details are the same as the final draft, but I wanted to bring out the "cosmic feeling" in the ear-ring part. Made them somehow float in space. But at that time over all, it was a period when I was in a "I just do not understand" state, or when I didn't know what and how I should do it. When I looked back at the first draft, I thought "What was I doing there?" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Truly our opinion was "it is wonderful" right from the beginning. Also Ume-sensei's design of the school uniform of the girls is good. It is the same in Hidamari Sketch. Here the uniform designed by Ume-sensei can be manifested in 3D and it is a costume that is ready for cosplay. Did you do it with that in mind?

AOKI: I did not really create it for cosplay but to some extent I thought about its structure like where a zipper is to be attached on the uniform.

''And in the final draft of the design, [[Hitomi]] and [[Kyousuke|Kyosuke]] were also there...''

AOKI: Hitomi was not changed much in the final draft. As Kyosuke is the only boy, it was fun drawing him.

IWAKAMI: I surely got the feeling that Kyosuke drawn by Ume-sensei really had a quite a bit of spirit put in, and that she seemed to have fun drawing him. (LOL)

''How about the mahou shoujo costumes?''

AOKI: For Madoka's costume, I started from the base design (settei) that it was "something designed by Madoka." As for Mami-san, Sayaka and Homura, I designed with the image of their weapons. Kyoko is the last character I designed, and the idea of her did not come from her weapon, but with the thought to distinguish her from other characters.

UROBUCHI: Since the idea is that Kyoko is a character who moves a lot, so when I received the costume design (Kyoko's) long dress was not what I expected.

AOKI: Perhaps I made it look too heavy (LOL)

UROBUCHI: No, when (the dress) moves it looks cool. There is also the thrill (I got) from kung-fu movies.

SHINBO: It's just that I think it would be good to have some ornaments on Sayaka's head... Even now I still think the same.

AOKI: Oh yes, since after transformation Sayaka lost her hairpins, I tried to put some ornaments on that place. I thought, for one Mami already has it from the beginning, and then Madoka has her ribbons, so I tried to match something for her. But if I put an Alice band (headband), then it does not look so much like an accessory and starts to get an image of a functional gadget. And then I tried to put things like stars or mysterious-looking spheres... But in serious fight scenes, the playful elements after transformation never fit well no matter how much you looked at it, so at the end I took it away. However, it is true that compared with other girls she indeed looks a bit plain. Poor little girl....

===Page 102===

SHINBO: I thought that perhaps it is better to go without anything and keep it simple, and I got the design done in such a style, but as the story progressed I thought, "at the end it is still better to have something (on her head)."

UROBUCHI: But I feel the cloak is quite some style though.

IWAKAMI: For the weapons of the mahou shoujo, at first the plan was to have Ume-sensei design them but at the end the decision was to have the anime production side to do the design.

UROBUCHI: That said, the pictures used for the initial notification were drawn by Aoki-san. The weapon design in those pictures were inherited in the anime.

AOKI: Homura's bow and Mami-san's gun were picked up from the designs I did. Madoka's bow was used in the cover art of the single Magia.

'''CHARACTERS IN "MADOKA MAGICA" ARE SIMILAR TO CHARACTERS IN "HIDAMARI"?'''

UROBUCHI: Before I saw the original character design by Aoki-san, the character image I had in my head was that of "Hidamari." I imagined by making replacements like Madoka becoming Yuno, Mami becoming Hiro-san... And so every time a character design is done I was relieved, thinking "Good, it is becoming an anime different from 'Hidamari!" (LOL)

SHINBO: Come to think of it, Mami is a onesan (elderly sister) character and there are some overlaps with the image of Hiro. If that's the case, Mami may also need to pay attention her weight (LOL).

UROBUCHI: No no... there is no such setting (settei) for Mami (LOL).

SHINBO: For one thing it seems easy to become a talking point - her position is the same as Hiro I guess. (LOL)

AOKI: And she also makes cakes. (LOL)

SHINBO: It is interesting that although they are different characters, there is such a coincidence.

UROBUCHI: In that sense, in fact I was most worried about Kyoko. I have never seen such a kind of girl who projects the image of a runaway child in Aoki-san's world.

AOKI: Indeed it seems so. Well what did you feel when you first saw Kyoko then?

UROBUCHI: Ugh well, when I saw the expression that could never have come from a Hidamari character, I gave it my OK.

AOKI: When you were writing the screenplay, did you find it hard to match Kyoko with a Hidamari character?

UROBUCHI: It was extremely hard to match. And so Kyoko almost became speaking in Hiroshima dialect just like the movie Battles Without Honor and Humanity (LOL). But at first I imagined the image color for Kyoko to be yellow instead of red. If anything this overlaps with Miyako...

AOKI: Do you think it was good that I made changes to the image color of the characters used in your proposal?

UROBUCHI: I think the result was good. Now I just cannot imagine a red Mami, you see.

KUBOTA: Looking back from now, it is also interesting to see that in the first draft the hair style of Sayaka was different.

AOKI: Ahh... I was really lost..(LOL)

''And then based on the final draft material, Takahiro Kishida-san produced the character design, what did you think of it?''

AOKI: I was glad that they grasped the details down to many small points. The use of double border lines also seems to have come from certain impressions of my pictures.

KUBOTA: That came as an overall decision as after checking many pictures and works by Aoki-san, we thought this touch style would be good. It was a challenge during the sakuga (animation) process.

AOKI: That drawing style is not commonly seen in the anime. I also did not think the oblique line of sight would be kept in use without change. Those eyes were even faithfully recreated in Nendroids. Perhaps doing that can bring out the feel of "Madoka Magica."

KUBOTA: But at the beginning that touch style did not really permeate much among the animators.

SHINBO: My feeling is that at around ep. 9 or ep. 10, the pictures finally came together (in unified style).

'''THE WORLD AS CREATED BY GEKIDAN INU-CURRY'''

''Gekidan Inu-Curry-san is the staff that was the key of "Madoka Magica".''

AOKI: This happened when we had the screenplay meeting. After the meeting that day, we were on our move to a drinking place, and the director said, "I think the witches should not have a conventional witch look. Even if they take a look of geometrical forms, it would be better.". And then, "I am thinking of asking Inu-Curry-san. They helped us on "Zetsubou Sensei" and "MariHolic". At that moment I felt the "Director is having some vision!" That was very impressive.

''And after asking Inu-Curry-san, what kind of talks took place?''

KUBOTA: There was discussions regarding Art Design (settei) that involved Inu-Curry-san. Looking at the minutes from that meeting ([[:File:Guidebook Production Related Material 01.jpg|cf p.124]]), Shinbo-san said "'Madoka Magica' should be a work that is on the extension line of 'Le Portrait de Petit Cossette' and has a different image from 'Lyrical Nanoha.'"

SHINBO: Did I say something like that?? .....Hmm? But indeed it was written here.

''The reactions from Inu-Curry-san at that time?''

KUBOTA: Inu-Curry-san had read the scenario in advance, and after that we had talks bouncing ideas to fine-tune the images we got. So although they are quiet people, they understood things without difficulty.

UROBUCHI: Inu-Curry-san themselves may be quiet, but they are very talkative about the stuff they came up with.

KUBOTA: They also have the stubbornness of absolutely not yielding to the worldview in which they thoroughly built in the images for settei (base design). Besides as creators, they do not compromise at all. As the production progressed, the weight of the part for Inu-Curry-san got bigger and bigger, I got quite worried about what to do if the time came when things could not be processed by just them.

SHINBO: Even in the retake for BD and DVD, just the parts of Inu-Curry-san got quite big.

KUBOTA: If given time, they will just keep coming up with good stuff.

SHINBO: (Yuki) Kajiura-san, who did the music, gave high praises for the bewitched space in ep. 9 and said it was wonderful. But even now I cannot let them hear it. You know, if I tell them, I don't know how far they will lay their hands on the retake (LOL). As we have raised the hurdle by ourselves, I plan to tell them after all the work is done (LOL).

===Page 103===

KUBOTA: But then since they have created that much stuff, I have the feeling that they must still have some regrets from their point of view.

IWAKAMI: When I was first shown the image pictures from Inu-Curry-san in the meeting room at Shaft, I was dumbfounded.

UROBUCHI: They were mainly static pictures, but there was also the mustachioed familiars of ep. 1 in GIF animation. Besides at the stage of screenplay there was no names or settei information for the witches. Those are all there thanks to Inu-Curry-san.

AOKI: I always had fun when I saw updates of the Witch Compendium in the official website. It got me to guess that besides the settei found there, in fact there must be a lot more that had been thought through.

'''CASTING OF THE MAHOU SHOUJO'''

''I would like to hear about the casting.''

IWAKAMI: Although the roles were decided by auditions, somehow by coincidence there were many actresses from "Hidamari".

UROBUCHI: Mizubashi-san was unexpected. Don't you think it is quite rare for Mizuhashi-san to act for an onesan (elder sister) character like Mami?

AOKI: And the acting was completely different from Miyako of "Hidamari."

SHINBO: As for Saito-san who took Homura's role, there was the image of Hitagi Senjogahara in "Bakemonogatari." I had this concern that no matter what, I still got the impression that Homura and Hitagi look similar. Of course I knew Saito-san was pretty good, but I still thought "perhaps as a change it is good to use another actress." But when I heard the acting performed by Saito-san during the audition, I could only come to the conviction that "This is it".

IWAKAMI: There was this acting that did not come up in the audition - the scenes in the second half when Homura cried and collapsed. If you consider that, it is easy to conclude that after all casting Saito-san was a good (decision).

SHINBO: Not only Saito-san, if you think about Yuki-san who took Madoka's role as well, there was the flow coming from the anime "Dance in the Vampire Bund." In "Vampire Bund", there were Yuki-san, who acted an aloof vampire princess, and Saito-san, who acted an ordinary human girl. And in "Madoka Magica" the position of the two were switched. And I think at that time the two may have developed a synchronized wavelength between them. So I have a feeling that in the actual recording actions the two, Yuki-san as the protagonist, and Saito-san, supporting her, managed their roles really well. The two also said so in the audio commentary.

''And about Kitamura-san who took Sayaka's role?''

AOKI: Seems every time drinking after the after-recording sessions, the director said "Kitamura-san was good."

SHINBO: Kitamura-san was really great acting as a suffering girl. She gave a feeling that she worked really hard but she was not really good at it and (her effort) got requited.

UROBUCHI: Considering the aspect that she worked hard a bit and behaved cheerfully but she herself in fact thought about serious matters, indeed she is like that.

''How about Nonaka-san who took Kyoko's role?''

UROBUCHI: Kyoko, while a character created by Aoki-san, is a heel ''[symbv: pro-wresting jargon for a villain character]''. So I could not guess how she could be acted. But it felt so good hearing the voice of Nonaka-san and I got hooked.

SHINBO: Since it is the voice of Nonaka-san, there is no way she is a bad person, I guess? (LOL)

AOKI: I was wondering how a seiyuu would handle the dialogues of Kyoko, and when the role was given to Nonaka-san, I thought "Oh, so it will be like this." She brought out the feeling that even when she acted like a bad person, somehow you just could not bring yourself to hate her that much.

SHINBO: Once I got asked by Nonaka-san, "Why is Kyoko (given to) me?" and I answered, "If it is Nonaka-san then nobody will hate her." She has such a mysterious charm.

'''AS THE START DATE OF BROADCAST APPROACHED'''

''And then the cast were decided. In fall 2010 the information starts to be released to the public...''

IWAKAMI: But the first thing that went out to the public were "oh it went out" type of leaks (LOL)

UROBUCHI: That was still at quite an early stage. Around spring I guess.

IWAKAMI: Rumors came out, down to mentions of Shinbo-san, Urobuchi-san, Ume-sensai and Shaft. At first there was the idea of doing it in phases, like at the beginning there was the notification "Shinbo-san and Ume-sensei will work on a mahou shoujo anime!", and then around one month later the name of Urobuchi-san will be announced. But with the information leaked out, (I said) let's release everybody's names in one go. Later, it was often said there was a plan to hide the name of Urobuchi-san until after ep. 3. Of course I did not think of that (LOL).

UROBUCHI: Although I was sure that this was going to happen. (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Well, it's just that I indeed think doing that way is interesting in its own way.

UROBUCHI: Like "Since the pictures are cute and you think the screenplay will be the same? Too bad! It's me!!" (LOL) ''[editor: reference to a certain [http://danbooru.donmai.us/wiki/show?title=too_bad!_it_was_just_me! 2ch Sayaka meme]]''.

''As the time approached for the start of broadcast, you went for a purification rite in a shrine.''

UROBUCHI: Because it is something involving the demons. I myself did not go, but I got them to buy me a charm and I always carried it with me during the after-recording sessions, since I thought if there was any curse around it would have to be with me (LOL)

SHINBO: For myself I was more for praying for a hit than being purified. Since the result is now we have a hit anime, I think our prayer was answered.

KUBOTA: Well, there is also a bit of the superstition thing in it.

IWAKAMI: Because there were some in the staff who cared about this. If no purification was held, it is "Since no purfication was held my arm got hurt.", while if purification was held, then it becomes like "although my arm got hurt, it is good that it is not my dominant arm.". The frame of mind will be different.

SHINBO: By the way, in the purification rite, Emiri Katoh-san came as a representative of the seiyuu.

UROBUCHI: Oh, there is such thing as "representative of the seiyuu". I thought it was because she played Kyubey's role.. (LOL)

===Page 120===

'''STAFF DISCUSSION PART 2'''

'''THE ROLE PLAYED BY MADOKA'S FAMILY'''

''In the first half, we talked mainly about things before the start of broadcast (of the series). From now on, I would like to ask something different. First when you were doing the creation work (for this anime), was there any character whom you held particularly strong feeling with?''

UROBUCHI: As I look at my own work from a vantage point, there is no particularly strong feeling I hold towards any specific character. But if I have to pick one, I guess it would have to be Madoka's mother. Since a character who does not appear frequently must have her character established with short dialogues, I came to hold a stronger impression (with her). She and Kazuko-sensei may have been the characters I worked hard on (even compared to other characters).

SHINBO: And (Yuuko) Gotoh-san, who voiced Madoka's mother, gave a really good performance. (Her acting) had the persuasive power of "This mother is a capable person!" I also want to see the past stories of her together with Kazuko-sensei. Let's find some way to do those kind of episodes!

IWAKAMI: It will then become a story without any mahou shoujo making appearance (LOL)

''Why did you make Junko, Madoka's mother, the way she looks in the anime?''

UROBUCHI: I had wanted to create such a character. For one, it is rare to see a mother who is macho and strong-minded in mahou shoujo works. Also I thought that to provide a reason for Madoka to become aware of heroism, it is perhaps more convincing for her to have such a family background. Because she will grow up while watching the back of an adult who is very close to her and has carved out the path of her own fate by herself.

''Usually in anime that would be the role played by a father.''

UROBUCHI: That's right. But I thought it would be good to have a family which does not confine itself to ideas like it must be men's role to makes all the heroic moves. I wanted to have some concrete example where women can also be heroic and strong. That being said, so (the next thing is:) OK, so what is a heroic mother like? The fact that after much consideration I gave her a speech style of a yankee [delinquent girl] is purely my own taste (LOL)

IWAKAMI: In anime, usually there is not much depiction regarding the family of the protagonist, isn't it? In "Madoka Magica" the weight of that is also not really that big, but we still have the ribbon in ep. 1, the consultation in ep. 6, the farewell in ep. 11 and then the epilogue in ep. 12.

UROBUCHI: For me, I had this image that "in general mahou shoujo works should have the family properly portrayed." In that sense, it can be said that Madoka's family, including her mother, are characters I forced myself to come up with, since usually in my works family almost never appear. And contrary to Madoka, there is absolutely no description about the family in Homura's case, and it is because she is a character who is not needed to be taken as a symbol for mahou shoujo. It is not that there is some reason that she must not have a family, but it is because there is no need to depict them so they do not appear. Conversely, for Madoka the family must be depicted.

'''HOW THE CHARACTERS ARE DEPICTED'''

''Director Shinbo, if you are to pick a character for whom you have particularly strong feelings, who would that be?''

IWAKAMI: According to the public, the answer must be: Shinbo-san is very fond of Sayaka (LOL).

SHINBO: Indeed, I am particularly attached to Sayaka. I may have that side in me.

IWAKAMI: From around which point did you start to feel that?

SHINBO: When the filming was done, I started to feel "she is such a poor girl," and moreover when I listened to the performance during the after-recording session my heart gradually started to ache more and more, and I started to think "couldn't there be a little bit salvation for her?". At first I took a rational point of view, thinking so she is (written as) such a character, but gradually my emotion gushed out and took over.

IWAKAMI: Indeed I went together with Shinbo-san to have a talk with Urobuchi-san, and asked "in the last episode, can't we get Sayaka to come back to life?" (LOL)

UROBUCHI: And then I answered, "That would be impossible now." (LOL)

SHINBO: It is uncommon for me to have such gushing emotions, so it has been an interesting experience.

UROBUCHI: Guess I bullied Sayaka a bit too much (LOL). But then the reason why I do not feel that sorry for Sayaka is this thing, that I just do not feel that even if she hooked up with Kyosuke that girl would really be happy ever after. Most likely Kyosuke is a guy who will stand her up in dates and go to practice the violin, I think.

AOKI: But at the very end Sayaka said "I do not have regrets". For Sayaka, perhaps it is something she had come to terms with.

SHINBO: I wonder. When I checked the after-recording, I got the mood of from Kitamura-san who voiced Sayaka, "I am not convinced." (LOL)

UROBUCHI: But also for Kyosuke, a man who could not notice that "Hm? this girl seems to have some feeling for me..." even after so much self-sacrifice from her is simply no good. (LOL)

''How about Mami then?''

AOKI: In ep. 2 when Mami-san got into a mood which seemed to be arguing with Homura, it got me to think "Although she is an onesan [elderly sister] character she does not act all that mature." I found this quite cute and I loved it. (LOL)

SHINBO: Although she dropped out (from the anime) in ep. 3, she still holds a strong sense of presence.

===Page 121===

UROBUCHI: I was also surprised by how popular she got. I think Mami's popularity was helped a lot by how cool she looked in the fighting scenes. Although she already looked cool since the point of ep. 1, in ep. 2 she elegantly danced and fought, and after all that a cup of tea. How more elegant can it be? What a girl! (LOL)

AOKI: That cup of tea was a total surprise (to me). I remember thinking "So cool!"

IWAKAMI: Really this can be put as the power of images. Showing it like that in pictures you will think it looks so cool, but if the same thing is written in the screenplay you would just think "What?!"

UROBUCHI: I think it is normal (for people) to doubt my sense. (LOL)

SHINBO: For that part, (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-san, series director, once came to me for advice, saying "Inu-Curry-san said they would like to have Mami drink tea at the end." At that time I did not have much idea (of what it was about), but I thought "They must be aiming for something. Guess it's fine." I gave my OK, thinking that if what they came up with looked odd, I would think up something at that point. And when I saw the result in video....well in fact it really looked quite odd (LOL). Perhaps it looked odd in a good way. People thought it cool and got hooked.

UROBUCHI: That "oddness" is in fact its charm. (LOL) At the stage of screenplay, the impression of Mami's fight scenes were more like that of a machine fighting, as the image was that of guns being fired off relentlessly as weapons.

AOKI: Here I have something I want to ask Urobuchi-san. Among fans, Mami-san is often categorized as a bit of a suffering girl, isn't she? What does Urobuchi-san think about that?

UROBUCHI: I could only say that it was too much of a surprise (LOL) In particular, I did not expect the "Law of the Circular Ring" ''[Editor's note: a term appearing in [[Episode 12]], also referred to as {{Nihongo|Law of Cycles|円環の理|Enkan no Kotowari}}]'' would be misunderstood as a term coined by Mami.

SHINBO: But popularity and talking points came from that kind of things. Like in the BD, it got the chapter title as "Dance of the Magic Bullets."

UROBUCHI: If you come down to that, I too got really high spirits. (LOL) I am sure Mami-san must have created a notebook that is even more amazing than the one Madoka made! And instead of a thin notebook it would be a scrapbook!

KUBOTA: Also, Mami is the only one who gave a name to her signature special move.

UROBUCHI: That was actually done in order to mislead viewers that they were watching some conventional mahou shoujo anime. From ep. 4 onwards such guidance became unnecessary, and there is no more need for anybody to call out the name of their signature special move. It is only Mami, who was active in the early stage, that needed a name for her move.

IWAKAMI: That is interesting. Although the name of the move was created only due to the necessity as required by the story, the understanding instead became that only Mami made up a name for her move. (LOL)

AOKI: When Mami-san's BGM starts to flow, although it looks cool, it also gets me to laugh just a little bit (LOL)

KUBOTA: But in fact that BGM was not written as Mami's theme. Originally it was planned to be used in a different scene, but we found it such a good fit for Mami...(Youta) Tsuruoka, the music director, really picked his tracks well.

'''THE UNEXPECTED REACTIONS FROM FANS'''

''I would like to continue with discussion of the characters. In certain sense Kyubey has become highly popular. (LOL)''

SHINBO: I did not think it would become so popular. This is the biggest surprise to me personally.

UROBUCHI: I was also surprised. At the beginning I had thought it would become a hated character. So my feeling towards Katoh-san who voiced it had been one of "My apologies!"

SHINBO: It just came cross my mind. I think it may be interesting to have Kyubey visit Hidamari-so in "Hidamari Sketch".

UROBUCHI: Since the girls in Hidamari-so are so smart, they will not be so easily conned. But then if it were to be Hiro-san... (LOL)

SHINBO: If she were told "If you become a mahou shoujo you will lose weight." she may be at risk (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Yoshinoya-sensei would surely be at risk too. She gave the impression that she seems to be susceptible to desires.

SHINBO: Yoshinoya-sensei would be fine. Since she is not a young girl any more, she will not be subject to persuasion talk. (LOL) Aoki-san, how about give this idea a try and draw a manga about it? If Aoki-san draws it, it will become "Madoka Magica the Origin".

AOKI: Oh well... I wonder....(LOL)

IWAKAMI: I think it would be interesting (LOL) Also for Kyubey, when it shows up it often gets a close-up. The reactions by the seiyuu (when this happened) during the after-recording sessions were interesting.

SHINBO: That's true. When Kyubey appears, everyone just shouted "Here it is!". This even got me to start thinking "I see. In this case I will do it even more often and surely everyone will be happy." (LOL) I have a feeling that even some scenes where originally it was not to be shown that way got a close-up, as I aimed for that reaction. Although I also felt that the aim was a bit off to another direction. (LOL)

AOKI: I talked to Katoh-san, who voiced Kyubey, in the closing day. I told her that after this "Madoka Magica" she would see a lot of topics related to Kyubey thrown her way in places like radio or twitter.

SHINBO: These should be some tasty topics for Katoh-san, because, well, to put it briefly, (Kyubey) got super popular, and there are things like "Make a contract with me" or "I just don't understand" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: "I just don't understand" are just some ordinary words. (LOL) Though somehow it became a longstanding gag....

===Page 122===

SHINBO: This is where it got mysteriously interesting. Although I have worked in anime industry many years, it is almost my first experience to see a dialogue get so widespread as some talking point.

UROBUCHI: The reason that happened was not because of the words themselves, but the impact generated by how the story was developing the moment those words were spoken. There is nothing pulled out with only the words, but here viewers grouped all their feelings at the moment when that dialogue was spoken, together with what got conveyed to the viewers, and burnt it onto their memory. There it is not just a matter of getting the character to say some elaborate dialogue or dialogue that targeted (the viewers).

''Besides those dialogues, is there anything else from fans' reactions that made a deep impression to you?''

SHINBO: I think it was amazing to see some fans decipher the runes that Inu-Curry-san created. When I did "Pani Poni Dash!", fans reacted to the symbols shown on the screen and it became a talking point among fans. They decoded them and discovered what parody that was supposed to be. As a general rule, if people fail to understand such talking points, the anime will be rejected with people saying "this anime is not interesting," right? But in "Madoka Magica," I was happy that there were even a group of fans who would have fun digging into that kind of thing.

IWAKAMI: And this is something about the general framework. I was very impressed with the fact that fans of "Madoka Magica" had so much fun in real time watching the anime without any prior information, as it is an original work. I found the mood was very refreshing as everyone must follow it as it was broadcast and all shared the same quickened heartbeats because nobody was sure what would come next.

''I heard that it was because of something Kubota-san said that resulted in the broadcast date of the final episode to be announced on an advertisement on Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper.''

KUBOTA: I don't know if it was because of me (LOL). At a book store near my home a bunch of "Madoka Magica" manga were put on display and I saw two girls who seemed to be junior high students in front of those manga. One said something like "This anime was interesting but the broadcast ended at ep. 9. I wonder when it will continue the show..." And I was shocked, thinking "Eh? I thought the broadcast date of the final episode has already been announced?" I then realized without the opportunity to be in touch with media like the internet, that kind of information may be difficult to come by. So I went to talk to Iwakami-san and he said "Let me come up with something."

IWAKAMI: Since I myself also wanted more people to watch the last episode, I thought about using some other way of approach to send out information about the broadcast date and time. With this thought, it suddenly became urgent to make a move. In fact it was only a few days before the broadcast when, half-asleep, I started to try to get the advertisement into the newspaper. The design of that advertisement was done by BALCOLONY.-san who is also responsible for the package design of the BD and DVD.

KUBOTA: Well, it may be just a newspaper advertisement placement, but it can also be thought as an event which simply showed that our anime is grabbing so much attention outside, and I was happy about that. (LOL)

AOKI: Since I could not leave home because I was hitting a bunch of deadlines, I asked my friends to go and buy the newspaper for me. And then I placed the advertisement in front of my desk facing my drafts, and thought "Tonight finally it will be broadcast!!" (LOL)

'''THE MEANING OF ORIGINAL ANIME IN ANIME INDUSTRY'''

''What do you think of the fact that "Madoka Magica", an original anime, became a big hit?''

SHINBO: Currently TV anime is dominated by adapations, so it is significant that in such a background an original anime gained such popularity. I have this feeling like I was able to protect the seedling of original anime.

IWAKAMI: Personally for me, I love video adaptations of works like manga or novels, since there is a strong sense of achievement when you managed to accomplish a video adaptation that does not fall short of the expectation of the readers (of the original work). But I think it is better to have many options. Aniplex also gets involved in producing many original anime, but not every one became a hit. The risk is indeed high. Given that, the fact that "Madoka Magica" became a big hit is very important regarding the future of original anime.

UROBUCHI: I am going to get a bit negative here. If we see an increase of only anime adapted from original works (of other media), its harmful effect will also spread to the related industries. In particular, I feel some sense of crisis regarding light novels, as every author now writes with anime adaptation in mind. Isn't everyone now writing novels that are meant to be taken as anime proposal documents, with anime adaptation being the goal? Hasn't the idea that a novel wins or loses by its contents been lost? When I think of that I got quite sad.

IWAKAMI: For example, "Fate/Zero" by Urobuchi-san is originally a novel that was written without considering anime adaptation at all. Therefore the hurdle to adapt it into video was high, but as a novel it was also very interesting and you got fired up reading it. Regardless of the genre, it would always be regrettable to have everything standardized, because somewhere somehow things will get too similar to each other.

AOKI: In the world of manga, it is often said that to get anime adaptation is one of the goals. Like, "This manga. Will it get anime adaptation?"

SHINBO: Perhaps it is for status. The prevailing thinking is that if it gets just a bit popular, it will only be natural to have an (anime adaptation).

===Page 123===

AOKI: For a popular manga, since there are existing fans, it is safe to adapt it into anime. This anime adapation that is based on expectations for a certain level of sales figure. On the other hand, an original anime starts without any guarantee that it will be absolutely safe, so it is risky.

IWAKAMI: That's true. In that sense it is 100% challenge.

SHINBO: Since now the number of anime titles have increased compared to the past, the industry is always trying to find original works for anime adaptation. That itself is not something bad. It is just that it is really no good if we have only that.

'''THOSE WHO BECAME FANS OF "MADOKA MAGICA" - WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE ARE THEY?'''

''Let's put aside the side topic of original anime for a while. Honestly, how do you take the huge popularity of "Madoka Magica"?''

AOKI: "Madoka Magica" did not cause much stir before its broadcast. But once people actually started to watch the broadcast, they found it interesting. I am happy with how it got more and more attention this way.

SHINBO: I think those people who became fans from a very early stage really have guts. Even for development that may cause people to abandon (the anime) if it tripped up, like when Mami died, instead it caused people to pay attention and get lively, didn't it? So I was happy with how "Madoka Magica" caught fire. I feel that it was those people who in old days would be described as having the sense of "We, and only we, know about this!", helped spread the popularity (of this anime).

UROBUCHI: Indeed the depth of those people who dug into this anime reached is like what old-time otaku would do.

SHINBO: Well, the prediction that "since it is a screenplay by Urobuchi-san you cannot just leave it as such or it will bite you back" is also one example of that. I guess it is precisely because people watched it with that expectation that people find it enjoyable, I guess. WIthout that, everyone would just be discouraged by ep. 3. But in fact there were many people who thought "Ah, so it is." "I have thought that it will come to this." I feel that because of this, people could still enjoy such tough development with characters by Aoki-san. It may be that challenging attitude or it may be that realization that there are so many anime fans who still got the temperament of old-time otaku, but anyway I am happy.

KUBOTA: I also found it great to see a sense of unity developed between those fans and our animation staff. Since in anime, work was done by an aggregation of individuals working in isolation, being able to hear the voices of those people who watched, they were able to take up a lot of courage. The very lively reactions became the strength for the staff, and the work benefited and got better over time.

SHINBO: Without the cheering on by fans, "Madoka Magica" would not have that quality in the second half.

KUBOTA: It is a fortunate work which was created, and ended, with fans joining us.

'''GOING THROUGH THE SUSPENSION OF BROADCAST AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE'''

''Right after ep. 10 was broadcast in theKansai region, "Madoka Magica" had to suspend its broadcast because of the earthquake. Were you affected in any way by that?''

UROBUCHI: First of all, of course the earthquake was such a big shock (to me).... From the viewpoint of my own creation, a work, once it is done, stays along, and it will last longer than myself. Because of this happy fact, I feel there is worth writing screenplays or novels or games. But if Japan should be gone, naturally my works would not remain. If there was no more country where they speak Japanese, what would happen to all the stuff I had done till now? I had this kind of worry.

IWAKAMI: It is the same feeling here. Right after the earthquake, I had a helpless feeling, thinking "With Japan in this mess, so what if I work on anime..."

SHINBO: In fact that was no occasion for anime. And out of many things I came to realize the power of music. It is music, not video images, that provided the emotional support. Even if some video images (could do the job) it will not be anime. For example, for a manga magazine, a bunch of children can pass it around and read it, and it becomes entertainment. But animation is not like that. It just hit me with an emptiness in a certain way.

IWAKAMI: That's right. This is why even though there was no broadcast right after the earthquake, I do not think there are viewers who would think "why there is no broadcast (of the anime)?". However, after one week, two weeks, and things started to calm down and normal life returned, you started to hear voices saying they want to see the remaining part.

SHINBO: (Anime) is that kind of entertainment. For example if war breaks out, it will be no occasion for anime. It reminded me of how (anime) is truly a kind of entertainment for an abundant world. It could not be helped if things got into such a crisis situation, but I just hope that if that did not happen anime could be something needed (by people).

''Happily everything including the last episode was finally broadcast.''

IWAKAMI: I was also counting my time waiting eagerly for the broadcast once the date had been decided.

SHINBO: With life changed one way or another by the earthquake, people still wait for the broadcast with excitement. I feel that they see it as something like a live event that is also related to actual life. I sense that "Madoka Magica" has become an anime with a label inseparable with the earthquake. But it is not that it is an anime that people don't want to remember. I think, together with the fact it is such a hit, it has become an anime in which big things, that could not be covered in a few words, unfolded before us.

===Episode Commentaries===
''Pages 100-103 and 120-122.''



'''EP. 1 - WE MET IN A DREAM...IT SEEMS'''

KUBOTA: During dubbing, at the point when the sound effect and BGM were put in, I got the feel (about the anime). Perhaps it was the combination of sound and images. With music from (Yuki) Kajiura-san synchronized to the visual images by Inu-Curry-san, I had the tactile feeling of what kind of anime it would become.

UROBUCHI: In terms of degree of shock, perhaps ep. 1 is the biggest. I thought, (ep. 1) being like this, there should be no need to play innocence since at the point of avant (pretitle) one can already see it is an ominous anime. (LOL) You see, the Inu-Curry monster was running on a rampage with that BGM. Also Part B, from the scene where Madoka got lost in the bewitched space made by a witch until the Mami fight scene, was amazing.

AOKI: I was also surprised, that in ep. 1 the mood of the anime could be thrust out to such extent.

IWAKAMI: However looking at the reactions after the broadcast of ep. 3, I think it managed to mislead (the audience) quite successfully.

UROBUCHI: No no... I thought if more carnage were there it could cheat (people more)..... Come to think of it, in the screenplay there was the description that, in the avant [pretitle], next to Madoka, who is about to make contract, the bodies of Mami and Kyoko are shown.

SHINBO: Although at first the direction of our thinking was to make use of it, but since we had not yet been able to see what mood the series would take on, we were cautious (about it). Besides there were viewers who would try to make predictions according to the fact that Urobuchi-san wrote the screenplay, we concluded it was better not to use that. Later when I thought about it, I believed it was a correct decision not to use it.

IWAKAMI: The ribbon in ep. 1 also became the key item in ep. 12. Did you plan to use that as the hidden plot device to be deployed at the end right from the beginning?

UROBUCHI: No, not at all (LOL). It was just something that I put in anyways when I had difficulty coming up with the dialogues between Madoka and her mother, as something that could be used in a plot device later. Since it got really good use in ep. 12, I thought "so the way is to put in many things in advance." (LOL)

SHINBO: For the ribbon, I have some regrets from a directing point of view. When Madoka held out two ribbons and asked "which ribbon I wonder?" it would be better to have another ribbon with even more flamboyant color beside her and her mother picked that one instead. With that the characters of both Madoka and her mother would have come out clearer....

UROBUCHI: I see. Doing that would be interesting.

SHINBO: Yeah. Among the students only one had a name - [[Nakazawa]]-kun. How come?

UROBUCHI: That is for the roll-call by the teacher and there is no particularly deep meaning. But since I have given him a name after all, I had him appeared again in ep. 7 (LOL)



'''EP. 2 - THAT WOULD BE REALLY WONDERFUL...'''

UROBUCHI: It is an episode for explaining the world in this anime, including the settings design [settei]. The amount of information is a lot.

SHINBO: Ep. 1 for impact, and Ep. 2 the follow-up. I think it is similar to the composition of standard anime work. However, since Kyubey's explanation is so interesting, it does not look boring.

IWAKAMI: The way cutback was used in Part A is interesting.

UROBUCHI: It was a complicated composition with flashback first and then back to exposition, then again flashback, and exposition....

IWAKAMI: And then there is the Madoka's notebook. That part was also used again at the end, just like the ribbon in Ep. 1. People who watch it the second time can have another moving experience.

SHINBO: Since the notebook will show up again later like you said, in order to give a deeper impression I had Aoki-san drew the front cover.

UROBUCHI: So there are such twists and turns behind that notebook... There is also how good Madoka's drawings are, or how bad they are. And what kind of thing a fantasy notebook from an actual junior high student is like...

AOKI: When I first drew it, I thought Madoka would have drawn it even more badly. And so I really drew it very ugly..... I was told "this is way too ugly" (LOL) and "please go a bit more towards something that we can draw".

IWAKAMI: If you ask someone who does not know about the background, the words "this is way too ugly" would be really harsh words for Ume-sensei (LOL). And using the pictures that Ume-sensei drew in the style of a junior high student as reference, we got Yuuki-san, who acted Madoka, to draw them inside the notebook.

SHINBO: Actually Yuuki-san's drawings are even better than that. But since they are drawings by Madoka, she deliberately drew them badly. We got just the right amount of realism.

UROBUCHI: By the way, since the setting [settei] is that they are the drawings of mahou shoujo that Madoka had seen by that time, Sayaka was not drawn there. I am definitely not trying to exclude her from the group (LOL). On the contrary if Sayaka was drawn there it would become a contradiction.

SHINBO: I guessed at the early stage of the series, in both ep. 1 and ep. 2, the viewers would probably think "When will Madoka transform?" Around those episodes I got quite excited.

UROBUCHI: It is still not yet the stage where they realize that in fact the point is she must not transform.



'''EP. 3 -- I'M NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING ANYMORE'''

AOKI: The first time I intruded into the dubbing operation was this ep. 3. Moreover it was precisely at the scene where Mami got eaten. Since it had to be rewound many times to repeat the checking, I came in and suddenly I had to watch the "GabuGabu Puraaan" [sound effect] scene many times (LOL). Seeing it in images, those are very shocking scenes. It was scary.

IWAKAMI: To be honest, I was also a bit scared, about how the fans would react after watching ep. 3. I thought there might be people who would think such a development is interesting, but there might be quite a number of people who would flinch and leave.

UROBUCHI: When I wrote it, I thought people would be clearly divided into those who love it and those who dislike it. I got worried I might be stabbed by some "Hidamari" fans. (LOL) My friends told me something like "You had better watch the date and disappear from twitter. Conceal yourself until the storm dies down." (LOL) So I was prepared. Unexpectedly, that kind of reaction did not happen.

SHINBO: Even the witch in ep. 3 did not get hated. In fact she got quite popular, so much so that she had her own merchandise.

UROBUCHI: That is some good job Inu-Curry-san did. Of all things, they designed the most cruel witch to look the cutest.

AOKI: Indeed she looks very cute.

UROBUCHI: The element of surprise worked.

SHINBO: I think many things in ep. 3 belong to the well-done side. However, I had a bit of regret over the scene at the beginning where Mami was in the limelight. It was cut due to the episode length time limit.



'''EP. 4 - BOTH MIRACLES AND MAGIC EXIST'''

UROBUCHI: My thinking is that, after ep. 3, since those who found it not to their taste would have already stopped watching and so only those who still had anticipation would remain and kept watching. Perhaps I can call it a certain type of me being defiant.

SHINBO: I was worried about being asked why Madoka could still eat breakfast the next day after seeing that kind of thing. I was relieved when such an attack about that part did not materialize. (LOL)

UROBUCHI: And from around this time, Kyubey began to stop hiding its evilness.

SHINBO: Since every member of the staff knew the real identity of Kyubey, they all ended up drawing it that way. Although personally I would like to have hidden it a bit more.

KUBOTA: I was particularly impressed with the scene where Kyosuke made a scene because he could no longer play violin. The impression is less about Kyosuke than feeling sorry for Sayaka who became the victim of Kyosuke venting his anger.

AOKI: But then I can understand the feeling of Kyosuke. I also used it as an idea behind a 4-koma manga in the BD booklet. (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Come to think of it, at the point of the initial composition proposal, there was no such setting [settei] of Kyosuke being a violinist. So he did not have an injured right arm, but instead he had an incurable illness. As for why it became violin related, by now I could not recall anything at all.

AOKI: Also I really love the scene where Madoka and Sayaka were looking very miserable on roof top. I can imagine that after such a shocking event, naturally it would be like that. Surely it would not be "I should take up the fight instead of Mami-san."

IWAKAMI: And there Kyubey pulled itself away for once, saying "farewell". (LOL)

SHINBO: Kyubey got a lot of popularity with that strategy. (LOL) Instead of pushing it pulls away. Saying "That's too bad," and then leave. And when Sayaka made up her mind, it just casually appeared next to her (LOL) Also later after Sayaka became a mahou shoujo, the feeling of "oops I did it" she projected. This is kind of hard to describe.

IWAKAMI: From here onwards, it will be the Sayaka arc for a while.

SHINBO: It's just that at first I was a bit concerned about the motivation of Sayaka's decision to become a mahou shoujo being Kyosuke, that is a boy. I wondered if fans might not like this. Although it was already written since the initial composition proposal, after I read the screenplay I remember raising the point and said "what should we do."

KUBOTA: Ep. 4 had Sayaka's first battle, the image Shinbo-san initially had was something like a magician and he said he wanted to do the battle where she fights with magic. In discussions he said it would not be something cliched like pulling some pigeon from the cloak but he would like to have attack like that.

SHINBO: In terms of adding some flourishes in action scenes, I was thinking perhaps it would be interesting to have something that is a good talking point as well as flourishes. For example, something like action scenes with magic tricks in them. But then it is just something I came up at the beginning. I did not do that in the actual animation.

AOKI: If there has to be someone who fights in that style, I think it would be Homura.

SHINBO: Also for me in the last scene when Kyoko first showed up, the way she looked just hit me as so shounen-manga. And the part where she looked down from high above at the top of a steel tower is also good. I think the dialogue she said at the end "So I can just crush her, right?" generated anticipation of where the story will go afterwards. Honestly, a viewer would like to keep watching if he cannot read the coming development.

IWAKAMI: It is difficult to link a story to the next stage after a character died. Naturally other characters will be depressed, and the question is to what extent you can invigorate the story under this situation. Therefore I believe this ep. 4 is important after that ep. 3. After I read the screenplay, I realized I was over-worried.

SHINBO: For example, in "Star of the Giants", when Hyuuma Hoshi's 'Major League Ball" was defeated, he got into depression for many weeks, right? I was so tough watching that week after week. (LOL) But in ep. 4 there was the transformation of Sayaka, and at the end a mysterious mahou shoujo appeared. The story got lively again. This is something that I will pay attention in future too.



'''EP. 5 - THERE'S NO WAY I'D REGRET THIS'''

UROBUCHI: When I was writing the screenplay I imagined that the the battle between Sayaka and Kyoko took place in some dirty little back alley...I was surprised even that back alley became such a cool looking place.

IWAKAMI: Is battle in a back alley something rare in Shaft's work?

KUBOTA: Yeah, indeed it seems there aren't many...

SHINBO: In "Tsukuyomi" there is. But other than that, there isn't I guess.

KUBOTA: Making the back alley look like that was from the beginning Shinbo-san's idea. Even the battle scenes have cool looking images.

SHINBO: In fact I had wanted to make the alley look narrower. I thought it would be interesting that in such confined place the spear would have to be turned into a (multi-section) staff which would be swung around. The idea was that Kyoko's original weapon is a spear and she will find it hard to wave it around in a back alley. So in the storyboard I made it a multi-section staff. It was a change rooted in such consideration but I think it was good that it also created variety in battle portrayal. It is a creative idea from combat movies, not mahou shoujo works, but I thought "Whatever" (LOL)

UROBUCHI: However now I think about it again, this is the screenplay being unreasonable, as I put a fight with spear swinging around in a narrow back alley. I should have thought things over a bit more... (LOL) It was my bad habit to have events take place in a back alley when I got absent-minded. Being a follower of Hideyuki Kikuchi, I also let my story go the way of a back alley before knowing it.

IWAKAMI: But this is a scene where I was excited to see it in images when it was still only in screenplay. I wondered what kind of hardboiled battle scene Shinbo-san and Shaft could come up. In fact that after watching the battle scene, it was worth the wait.

UROBUCHI: Sayaka fought better than she was in the screenplay.

SHINBO: I wanted to show some portrayal of ripostes. Also I wanted to immobilize Madoka in advance.

UROBUCHI: Indeed that is necessary. I also have that pointed to me when animation was being done.

SHINBO: And then another thing that made ep. 5 interesting is where Homura showed up and there the story was to continue in the next episode.

UROBUCHI: It could not be helped because of time restriction, but it turned out be something good.

KUBOTA: The original idea was to show up till the fighting ended and the episode ends with Kyoko leaving. That was instead carried on to be the avant [pre-title] in the next episode.

SHINBO: And it was better that way. It is more likely to generate excitement by ending with a scene where you'd say "Eh?! What will happen?" and letting the story continue (to the next episode).



'''EP. 6 - THIS IS JUST NOT RIGHT'''

UROBUCHI: This is an episode where the phrase "I just do not understand" made its debut. Kyubey started not to put up any excuse any more (LOL). But having reached this episode, the build-up of the story is now complete. I also had the expectation that those viewers who are still with us until this ep. 6 should find episodes from ep. 7 on very enjoyable. I thought ep. 3 would for once filter the audience, and if they would stay along in ep. 4 and ep. 5, then I guessed we should be fine.

SHINBO: However since in reality instead of seeing people drop out after ep. 3 it got a lot more attention, we did not really need to worry about that. And coming into this ep. 6, people should start to realize that the question is not "When will Madoka transform?" but instead "In this anime she must not transform."

UROBUCHI: Also in ep. 6, there is one whole scene that was cut out. That was something that I did on my own initiative. When I dug around some old files, I found there was a scene where Homura and Sayaka talked to each other. There is a scene where Homura met Kyoko in a game center, isn't it? My thought was that after Homura finished talking to Kyoko there, there was a scene where she advised Sayaka, saying "You are not fit to be mahou shoujo, so behave yourself and stay quiet." And of course Sayaka would reject that. But then it is hard to call a scene enjoyable when you just watch Homura and Sayaka going on and on doing nothing but arguing. (LOL)



'''EP. 7 - CAN YOU FACE YOUR TRUE FEELINGS?'''

UROBUCHI: The church scene was a surprise. I could not even imagine the conversation would take place in a background that is all stained glass.

SHINBO: The image of a church with stained glass was taken from the image at the beginning of the anime "The Soul Taker". Moreover, I wanted to show something other than what people usually draw when they think of a church like those long pews etc.

IWAKAMI: I really love the dialogue of Kyoko at the end of the church scene, when before she left she turned to Sayaka and said "We are mahou shoujo! There are no other people like us!"

UROBUCHI: That is almost gangster-like talk, like "Us fellas are different from those ordinary chaps!" (LOL)

SHINBO: It got very interesting to hear that dialogue spoken with Nonaka-san's acting. And I got a bit troubled with the scene where Kyoko threw out an apple. Since Kyoko valued food so much, what would she do with the core of an apple? Did she throw it away, or eat the core as well? And if I decided she would throw it away, then I thought she would eat until where there is nothing more to eat, and what would be the sound when that core dropped onto the ground? In order not to get the impression that "Didn't she only just say 'don't you waste food!' and now she was throwing apple away!" I put a subtle sound effect at the end.

UROBUCHI: But people may then think, if she eats that much already, why not eats the core as well? (LOL)

SHINBO: Indeed Kyoko's character may be just like that. But in that scene I think it looks cooler for her to throw it away. So I got help from the sound effect staff so that (the sound) would not invite criticism. I need to thank the sound effect people like (Hidemi) Tanaka-san. But then I did not expect to get troubled on this kind of thing (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Come to think of it, in that scene Kyoko was eating something healthy. Usually she just kept munching on junk food.

SHINBO: If she kept going with that kind of diet, don't you think Kyoko would get fat?

UROBUCHI: Probably won't. Thanks for the magical power. (LOL)

AOKI: My impression of Kyoko changed in ep. 7, I thought "Hmm? Surprisingly she is a nice girl!"

IWAKAMI: As it is the episode where the relationship between Sayaka and Kyoko got close very quickly.

SHINBO: But for me I started to think of Kyoko as a good girl from ep. 6. Didn't she give Homura some of her Pocky?

UROBUCHI: I am sure if you become a friend of Kyoko, you will get some food. (LOL)



'''EP. 8 - I AM REALLY SUCH A FOOL'''

UROBUCHI: This is the climax of the grim development.

AOKI: This episode was tough to watch. It was very tough to see the exchanges between Sayaka and Madoka.

IWAKAMI: The existence of Kyoko is significant as she went to save (Sayaka) from such a grim development.

UROBUCHI: When she first appeared, she was supposed to be a heel [e.g. villain] character, but before you know it she became the only conscience. (LOL)

SHINBO: In visual terms, in ep. 8 I aimed for something that I had not done before. Like the dialogue between Madoka and Sayaka in the rain, or the exchanges between Sayaka and Homura later.

UROBUCHI: The image where Kyubey became a hornet's nest by Homura's bullets is also very shocking. And right after that, it was revealed that its true identity is Incubator. By then it is very clear that it is not a creature that can live with humanity on friendly terms.

SHINBO: There is also the dialogue "Isn't it a waste?". I thought it would also become a talking point but turned out it did not cause a sensation like "I just don't understand." (LOL) As a Japanese who takes good care of things and stuff, I wish that would get popular too.

AOKI: In that scene I really feel sorry for Homura who was left behind by Madoka. I just want to call out to Madoka, "Spend a bit more time with (Homura)!"

UROBUCHI: Ah, that's because from Madoka's point of view, she "just doesn't understand" (LOL) But then, coming to ep. 8, all the setups prepared before that started to come off quickly one by one in a chain reaction.

KUBOTA: It was impressive that the dialogue between the two hosts in a train was something that actually happened in real life.

UROBUCHI: They were talking at a place very close to me in an overcrowded train.

SHINBO: For us that was the most out-of-place dialogue in the world of "Madoka Magica."

UROBUCHI: Since they are not characters who would appear in mahou shoujo works. (LOL)

SHINBO: That's why I got convinced when I heard from Urobuchi-san about the background. I just hope that the viewers would also know that that was originated from a real life situation.

UROBUCHI: It was not really like that when it happened, I had to summarize to that length because of the time limit. Besides, the dialogues are extremely stupid, as they spoke in cliches that made you think "is it some on-location filming out there?" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Since it is a dialogue that generates such an out-of-place feeling, we decided to use some unconventional treatment when we came to create the images for it.

SHINBO: Yeah, we deliberately made it black-and-white.

UROBUCHI: And the seiyuu casting of [[wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobuo_Tobita|(Nobuo) Tobita]] and [[wikipedia:Shin-ichiro_Miki|(Shinichiro) Miki]] as the hosts is deluxe class. (LOL)

SHINBO: For that scene, it would not work if it was not done by actors with solid acting skills. And (Youta) Tsuruoka, music director, helped me to cast these two veteran seiyuu.

IWAKAMI: Usually for such minor characters, it will go to young actors. With veteran seiyuu acting that part, the feel that Sayaka was pushed to a dead end little by little came out effectively.

SHINBO: But I guess Tobita-san (and Miki-san) did not understand why they were asked to do that.

UROBUCHI: Because they are minor characters and appeared only in one scene. On top of that, the title of the script has the words "mahou shoujo" written on it but strangely here is this scene which smells of blood. I can see that would be an after-recording session filled with many mysteries. (LOL)

SHINBO: And I think it should be good stimulation for some veterans to come and join these many actresses of around the same generation. Somehow I felt that the mood in the after-recording session got a bit sharpened as a result.

UROBUCHI: In fact Yuuki-san seemed to get very tense.

AOKI: And then there was the smiling face of Sayaka at the end of Ep. 8. I could not forget her expression when she said, "I am really such a fool."



'''EP. 9 - I WILL NEVER ALLOW THAT'''

AOKI: The visual image of Sayaka Witch surprised me.

UROBUCHI: What I imagined was a monster that looked even more grotesque, so I think that it already got quite a bit of beauty treatment, since in the screenplay there is something like "countless tentacles stretching out" written on it. I wonder what I was thinking of Sayaka. (LOL)

SHINBO: It was marvelous to see how the music by Kajiura-san matched with the video images in ep. 9.

IWAKAMI: She wrote one piece of music specifically for Sayaka who had become a witch. I think Kajiura-san found the work to be interesting after reading the screenplay so she was willing to respond to our sudden requests.

AOKI: When I saw Kyoko in ep. 9, I got filled with so much hope. I really think perhaps at the end they could somehow manage.

UROBUCHI: If it is a conventional mahou shoujo anime, I guess at the end they will somehow manage it.

IWAKAMI: But I think indeed it was structured very well, since a character that came out only in ep. 5 now stands out so prominently in ep. 9.

UROBUCHI: Although I had thought about letting Kyoko stay just a little bit longer. But in 12 episodes I think that is the limit.



'''EP. 10 - I WILL NOT DEPEND ON ANYONE ANYMORE'''

UROBUCHI: It is a miracle story to get everything into one episode. In fact this is something that requires at least 2 episodes. With only one episode everything has to be rushed. I submitted the first draft, thinking "Can this really be kept within 25 minutes?!" and I had expected it would be rejected...but it got through. (LOL)

KUBOTA: But then I got all fired up after reading that screenplay. I thought I must make it happen....

SHINBO: At the very beginning it was a little bit longer, we got it shortened by a little.

UROBUCHI: I did not cut down much actually. I just had this worry that the pace of ep. 10 is so fast that audience may get the feeling of being abandoned.

SHINBO: But the viewers were able to understand without difficulty. I was surprised to see the fans of this anime have such a strong ability to understanding.

IWAKAMI: Also I think it was good to see it filled with scenes fans want to see, like when the mahou shoujo teamed up to fight witches. It is just that from an animation process point of view, since there are a couple of situations (to draw), it took awfully large amounts of labor. Kubota-san remembered ep. 3 and ep. 10 as the episodes that took them a particularly amount of effort.

KUBOTA: Ep. 3 is the turning point in the early stage and so that was necessary no matter what. And for Ep. 10, since the structure of the screenplay has a really high degree of perfection, and there are tricky works we needed to do, it gave me the feeling that it was indeed the chokepoint. I do not intend to discriminate various episodes among all the 12 episodes, but I have no doubt that this is the most important episode within the series. This also came naturally to our staff.

UROBUCHI: I thought the anime databank system would be used more often. It was only (used) in the moment just before the last scene.

KUBOTA: That was because it was necessary to use the image from ep. 1. Even with the use of databank system, it was an episode that was complicated and technically demanding (to make). But the main staff, including (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-kun, copied with it perfectly.

SHINBO: It was also because (Shinsaku) Sasaki-san, who drew the storyboard, read the storyboard of ep. 1 very thoroughly. He grasped everything very well, like whether to use such and such cut in more than one situation, to put together the storyboard. Episode Director (Yuuki) Yase-san was also very good.

UROBUCHI: I was surprised that Inu-Curry Witches really showed up in quick succession. I had expected it would just reuse all the witches who had appeared earlier, and they really made new designs for every one of them.

IWAKAMI: The dialogue that Madoka said, "Keep it a secret to everyone in class.", also stood out. It was impressive because it was a dialogue where she showed her will clearly up front while up till then she looked so timid and indecisive.

SHINBO: Besides that, the acting by Yuuki-san on that scene was really good.

KUBOTA: And for me, the scenes where Homura's face got sterner and sterner each time she passed through the time loop were impressive.

UROBUCHI: She looks cool. I love the face of Homura when at the end she fell into total distrust of other human beings.

IWAKAMI: I wish I could taste the shock when, without knowing anything in advance before watching the TV broadcast, suddenly out came Homura with eyeglasses and braided hair. (LOL)

SHINBO: The Animation Director for this episode is (Yoshiaki) Itoh-san. He himself once said "I am so happy to be the animation director for ep. 10".



'''EP. 11 - THE LAST REMAINING SIGNPOST'''

AOKI: At my place, somehow the video of ep. 12 came before the video of ep. 11. But I thought "I absolutely must not watch it by skipping ep. 11!" and so I just stashed away ep.12. So I watched and enjoyed ep. 11 in real time just like every viewer. Also, in the closing day, (Tetsuya) Iwanaga-san, who voiced (Madoka's) father, said to me, the last word between Madoka and her father was "I need to go to the toilet." When I thought of what happened to Madoka later, it only gave me sadness.

IWAKAMI: I guess at that moment Madoka could not even dream that she herself would in fact become a concept.

UROBUCHI: From here on, I just threw up everything and wrote with a so-what attitude. It may have been challenge in certain sense, (to see) how much I can say this is absurdly unreasonable but I can still be told "This is not the case." (LOL)

SHINBO: In the storyboard of ep. 11, the silhouettes of Mami and Sayaka etc. were seen clinging close to the Walpurgisnacht. But this part was changed (later).

UROBUCHI: The manga version was drawn based on the storyboard before the change. Black Mami and Sayaka were drawn there.



'''EP. 12 - MY BEST FRIEND'''

UROBUCHI: Since in the screenplay I only wrote something like "Madoka turns into a concept," I think it was well adapted into images. Even regarding the location, I only wrote with self-indulgence, putting it as something like "void space" (LOL). But the power of images is strong, as in a world with only text, like novels, could not produce such persuasive power. When you read the part with text "they float in a space where there is nothing," you think "Ah, is it so." and then you are done. It is the power of images to get people to think "Wow...I see!"

IWAKAMI: Indeed the persuasive power of images in the last stage, from ep. 10 onwards, was amazing. In the early stage and middle stage the power of Urobuchi-san's story pulled along the story. I feel that in the last stage, it was due to the pulling power of images that were built up by animating the conceptual part of the screenplay.

UROBUCHI: Also since ep. 10-12 were broadcast at one go, it gave a feeling of watching a movie. In summary, it was the "Homura Chapter." And then even though quite some effort went into designing the ultimate form of Madoka, it was a waste that she did not appear that much. But then her existence loomed immensely large with that short appearance. I also thought people would get angry at me for that scene with mahou shojo in the past. Just think how many new characters needed to be created just for that one scene...I had expected somehow this would be resolved by finding some way out.... It came out as a straight ball. They did not even try to run away. (LOL) My hat off to them.

KUBOTA: The key animation of those mahou shojo (from the past) were drawn by (Takahiro) Kishida-san, the Character Designer, himself.

UROBUCHI: There is this thing that surprisingly became a talking point -- "The Law of Circular Path". That actually means "the ending that will, without exception, visit the girls who embraced hope and chose to take up the destiny of becoming a mahou shoujo." It is not something Mami-san coined herself, but something like an oral tradition that was passed along among mahou shoujo in that world. And so at that place and time, the only one who could not understand at all after hearing those words was Homura. Kyoko also knew and probably Sayaka in that world had also heard those words before.

AOKI: The black wings of Homura in the last scene - was it the intention of Urobuchi-san?

UROBUCHI: No, those wings were from Inu-Curry-san.

IWAKAMI: There are many interpretations regarding the last scene. What does Urobuchi-san think of that?

UROBUCHI: My intention when I wrote the screenplay was: The location is not Japan and Homura's fight just goes on. But I think it is fine for all the fans to come up with their own interpretation. There is even conjecture that "this is without doubt the world after humanity was annihilated." It is still a valid interpretation.

IWAKAMI: It looks something like a Bad End, with an ending that had Homura hearing Madoka's voice just before she went to a certain death. (LOL) Personally I believe it is a Good End.

AOKI: So what I thought and I felt proved to be correct after all.

SHINBO: Even though the world has changed, Homura will never forget Madoka. I think that is the most important thing. If there is another work for "Madoka Magica," this will be something that will never change.

== Puella Magi Madoka Magica After-recording Report ==
''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

:''Detailed translations at: [[Guidebook After Recording Report]]. See also translated comic of [[Animedia_2011-06#Madoka_After-Recording_Report_.28Seiyuu_Comic.29|Ep 12 After-Recording Session]].

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 1|Episode 11: Part 1]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 01 TL.jpg|Episode 11: Part 1 [[Media:Guidebook_comic_01.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 2: Pre-recording|Part 2: Pre-recording]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 02 TL.jpg|Part 2: Pre-recording [[Media:Guidebook_comic_02a.jpg|Original in Japanese]]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 3: Recording|Part 3: Recording]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 03 TL.jpg|Part 3: Recording [[Media:Guidebook_comic_03.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht|Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 04 TL.jpg|Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht [[Media:Guidebook Comic 02.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

==Opening Theme==

''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

CONNECT 
Composition, Lyrics: Sho Watanabe 
Singer: ClariS

It is an opening that contains a lot of scenes which you could not see much in the main part of the anime, including the mahou shoujo Madoka. The black cat that Madoka held in her arms appears again in the drama CD that came with BD/DVD Vol.1. Also at first the last cut has only Madoka, Sayaka and Mami, but in ep. 10 and ep. 11, Homura and Kyoko were added as well.

OPENING ANIMATION 
Storyboard, Direction 
Tomoyuki Sakamura

''What kind of opening did you think of making?''

I got the order from Shinbo-san that the animation plan for the opening must have the standard scenes and transformation scene of mahou shoujo. When I first heard the song, I got the simple impression that it is not some girl bouncing around but something serious. And after I read the scenario, I just fell and rolled over. This was a reaction that was no different from the shock experienced by audience when they first watched ep. 10 of the anime. It was in fact lyrics for Homura, but if you did not realize that and put Madoka in her place, instead it was basically an opening with cute mahou shoujo. Based on that concept, I started the work on storyboarding.

''There was controversy regarding the black cat held by Madoka.''

For the black cat, I created it as a little gimmick to show off the mahou shoujo Madoka in her regular daily life which has a different mood from what is in the main part, and also as a Madoka story that is in a parallel world which is different from the main part. I thank all the fans for doing so much research. By the way, Aoi Yuuki-san, who voiced Madoka, gave an upturned eye and asked "Is this the cat I am keeping?". Nakamura-san, the animation director, and I answered "Yes, that's right."

''How about the addition of Homura and Kyoko in the last cut starting from ep. 10?''

In fact at first, I did not think about adding Homura and Kyoko in the last cut from ep. 10 onwards. (LOL) When the opening and the main part of ep. 10 was about to be recorded, I decided (I wanted to do that) and rushed to create new images. And I felt sorry for Kyoko, so I added her too. This reminds me - there is also an interesting idea from Izumi-san who worked in coloring: Adding a "stalker Homura" in all the cuts in the opening where Homura would watch over and protect Madoka. ''[editor's note: the idea didn't make it to production but did for fanmade parodies.]''

''There is also the Madoka transformation scene. What kind of image did you have in mind when you created that?''

In the mahou shojo transformation scene, I added a maternal and mysterious mood by having a naked Madoka holding and kissing Madoka. The question of who is embracing Madoka became a talking point... It seems to be more fun by keeping this as a secret. I think the actual images, which were done by animator (Masaaki) Takiyama-san, who drew the heavenly Madoka in nude with gushing libido, and photographer (Takayuki) Aizu-san, who fine-toned the color palette and light transmission, came out beautifully.

''The slice-of-life scenes that we see so little in the actual anime are also depicted in the opening.''

I made them in order to compensate for the fact that in the first half of the series, it is difficult to draw cheerful scenes or the pleasure of a happy home. Commemorative photo with family, after-school (visit to) the cake shop, sports festival, concert, afternoon on the sofa etc etc. As the main part progresses, the focus is on more and more painful things, and (the opening) looks a bit mean-spirited (to have those scenes) inserted. It hurts to see the gentle face of Mami-san in sleep!

''Other than that, anything during the animation work you particularly remember?''

This is the first time I directed an opening, and what surprised me very much was the experience of editing. In the process of matching cuts (of images) against the music, even just the difference of one frame could change the impression regarding the visual image and how pleasant you feel about it. It needs a completely different sense from the dubbing of the main part, where you first made all the cuts, linked them together, and only after that had music and sound added. Experimenting and then checking the result could give rise to serendipitous discovery. It was difficult but also very interesting.

''Could I ask you for your memories and thoughts as you look back to the work you did this time?''

Being able to work on an opening this time is more than I deserved, and I called for outside help - I asked animator Ryo Imagawa-san to help me. I thank him for pulling me all along, from the stage of storyboard to actual animation, as well as directing. He was actively involved in everything like he had 8 faces and 6 arms. While he drew his own original animation, he also went through all the cuts and made fine adjustments and follow-ups. The animation work had so little time (LOL) - it was non-stop from Storyboard IN ''[symbv: when storyboard first started to get animated]'' to chapter-V ''[symbv: when all the retakes are done and the work shifts to post-production]''!! I want to say thanks to all the staff who were involved in the production. Oh yes oh yes, I suddenly called and woke up (Naoto) Nakamura-san, Animation Director, and he helped me out... That's some nice memory... I think... for him. [The opening] is different from the main part: There is no need to connect the scene as required by a story, and there is no restriction (or support) from dialogues or effect sound. It was very refreshing and appealing to create densely packed images for 90 seconds. I am honored and thankful for being able to participate in working in "Madoka Magica." And my apology to (Tadao) Iwaki-san (animation producer) for not being able to help in the main part.

==Ending Theme==

''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

ENDING THEME 
MAGIA 
Compose, Lyrics: Yuki Kajiura 
Singer: Kalafina

Madoka, in silhouette, runs and runs within an uncanny and eerie space.
It was used only in surprsingly infrequent times - from ep. 3-8. As an ending, it symbolized the dark side of this anime.

Ending Animation - Hirofumi Suzuki

''Can you tell me your impression when you heard the song?''

Until then, I had made only slow and laid-back type of endings for works by Director Shinbo, and I thought this time it would just be something similar, so I underestimated the job and accepted it. The song that I got turned out to be terribly grave and I was taken aback.

''What kind of things did you and Director Shinbo discuss (on this ending)?''

At the occasion when we came to discuss it, he told me that the ending "will start from ep. 3". And in the preparatory meeting, I think he said something to the effect that, "I think it may be better to have a different feeling from the image created by Gekidan Inu-Curry-san in the main part, and have something that hints at the future of Madoka and others."

''Can you tell me any happening during the production work or something about the completed video?''

I did everything of the production work from storyboard to filming by myself. They were all done on the PC. The contents just provide rough suggestions of (what happens) in the main part, so there is nothing particular I want to say. As for why only Homura turns around, I think if (the viewer) watches ep. 10 and later episodes, he should be able to find out.

MATA ASHITA (See You Tomorrow) 
Lyrics, Compose: hanawaya 
Arrangement: Ryuka / Tomonori Taguchi 
Singer: Madoka Kaname (Aoi Yuuki)

For Ep. 1 and 2 on BD/DVD, there is an ending which was not shown on broadcast TV. The song and the illustration to remind (listeners) of the time when Madoka and others were leading their lives as ordinary girls.

ENDING ILLUSTRATION 
UME AOKI

I heard about this plan to have the picture of Madoka-chan added to the ending, so I drew this illustration. I drew it with the thought that it would be good to have a picture which can only be associated to ep. 1 and 2. (LOL)

== Data in production stage ==
[[File:Guidebook_Production_Related_Material_01.jpg|Data in production stage|thumb]]

===Planning Memo (Upper right)===

====Story keyword====

*When the wish of a magical girl comes true, she becomes a witch.
*Based on friendship between an idealistic girl and a realistic girl.
*The idealistic girl claims that to become a witch is bad. But she exhausts her power for the world and becomes a witch...

*Main characters are the two above, with additional two, total 4.
*If sub characters are counted, total about 7 characters.
*Protagonists are about 15 years old.

*They may use magic to transform.
*But they are mainly wearing uniform.
*Although it is subtle whether they are in magical school, the school is serious and strict.

====Visual image====

*The image of 4 girls are as follows:
**The idealistic girl: bright, and looking forward.
**The realistic girl: seem to know everything as an adult. She is excellent in both knowledge and physical power.
**The talented girl: comes from witch's blood. She has inborn magic.
**The learned girl: learning magic systematically. She looks like an otaku.

*The tragic fate of magical girls, and the decision. ...(their serious face?)
*Needs some gadgets of magical girls, like sticks, bracelet or necklace.
*An animal who guides them to their fights.
** While looking cute, he will say something terrible like "Do you have desire to improve the world, even have to pay your life". He is so cruel because he knows everything.

===Minutes (Lower right)===

Translation courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Setting Meeting Minutes:
* Date/Time: May 12, 2010, 18:00–
* Location: Shaft 2nd Floor, Meeting Room
* Attendees:
** [[Akiyuki Shinbo]] (Director)
** Shiroinu ([[Gekidan Inu Curry]])
** Doroinu (Gekidan Inu Curry)
** Mitsutoshi Kubota ([[Shaft]])
** Tomoyo Kamiji (Shaft)

* Agenda: Overall Art Setting/Design

When entering a magical space, should it mix with the real world, or become a completely disconnected, separate space?
(The term "erosion/encroachment" is used in the scenario, but it can be changed.)
→ Dismantle the original elements and reassemble them (Inu Curry-sama's imagery).

Request Gekidan Inu Curry-sama to design the alternate dimensions and Witches.

Witch designs should not be instantly recognizable as "witches" to just anyone. They should evoke a sense of anxiety and uneasiness. Cute designs might also be good.

Alternate dimensions will change design with each episode, serving a role similar to a stage set/theatrical apparatus.

Both the alternate dimensions and Witches will be produced with specific themes, without being overly assertive.
(For example, Sayaka's Witch is designed to reflect her identity.)

While the story is told from the characters' subjective viewpoints, the design of the scenes should look objective.

Try applying a filter-like effect to characters when they enter an alternate dimension. (Inu Curry-sama's image change/style shift.)
→ Consult once other production staff, such as photography/compositing, are finalized.

The director wants to create an image animation completely different from the magical girl anime Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha. (Madoka Magica is a work that, in the director's mind, exists as an extension of Le Portrait de Petit Cossette.)

The real world will feature a modern cityscape. A design that feels slightly near-futuristic. However, power lines will remain.

The cityscape is urban. A well-planned, rigidly structured city. (Symmetrical layouts are also acceptable.)

The school should also reference foreign designs.

Overall, the coloring should be like that of a bishoujo anime. (Referencing Ume Aoki-sensei.)
→ Research and utilize color palettes currently trending in the industry.

Next Steps: Early June - Storyboarding begins → July - Director's check (Scheduled)
Battle scenes, alternate dimensions, etc., will be further developed by the main staff as soon as the storyboards are ready.

Gekidan Inu Curry-sama: Requested to submit overall image boards in 2 weeks. Shaft will issue orders for Witch designs for each individual episode under a detailed, segmented schedule.

* Next Meeting: May 26, 18:00
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Setting Meeting
Location: Shaft 2nd Floor, Meeting Room

===Series Proposal (left)===

{|class="wikitable"
|style="width:8%;"|Episode
|Story
|-
|01
|A scene of destruction. All characters are dead miserably. Homura is fighting a terrible monster with blood on her. 
Madoka is watching this but she can do nothing. However, it seem she can save all of them by becoming a magical girl. As soon as she makes up her mind to make contract with a fairy, she wakes up. Is this a dream? 
In a peaceful morning, she is going to school with her good friend, Sayaka, as usual. 
Here comes a transferred student called Homura. She is the girl in Madoka's dream.
But after school, Madoka sees her killing a cute animal.
Then Homura come to attack Madoka and Sayaka, who are trying to protect that animal. 
|-
|02
|(Mami appears. Mami explains about magical girl to them.)
|-
|03
|(Madoka almost makes a contract. But Mami dies, and Homura saves her. At the same time, Sayaka makes a contract)
|-
|04
|(Kamijou quarrels with Sayaka so that she makes a contract. Kyoko appears)
|-
|05
|(Kyoko attacks Sayaka. Homura agrees that Kyoko can be the backup. Madoka now in middle of Sayaka and Homura.)
|-
|06
|(Kyoko's past. Kamijou recovers. The three tiers (Sayaka, Homura & Kyoko, and witches) are fighting endlessly. Madoka is worried about how to help Sayaka.)
|-
|07
|(Kamijou fully recovered. But he is going the way out of Sayaka's expectation. Sayaka doesn't give up her duty as a magical girl. 
To make Sayaka back to a regular girl, Madoka steals and throws away her soul gem. To Madoka's surprise, Sayaka doesn't move anymore. The fairy tells her the truth.)
|-
|08
|(Sayaka is no longer human. But she overcomes the sadness. She simply bears the fate to do witch hunting just like Mami. 
Madoka considers to become a magical girl again to help her, and Homura comes to argue with her. At the beginning she rebounds strongly because of embarrassment from her over simple consideration, but Homura convinces her by all means. 
Meanwhile, Kyoko starts to have sympathy with Sayaka, although they are incompatible, still fighting against each other.)
|-
|09
|Sayaka falls into despair definitely (caused by Kamijou?)
|-
|10
|Sayaka finally become a grief seed and hatches a witch. Kyoko killed the witch but also sacrifice herself. 
The fairy tells the truth to desperate Madoka. He also tells her that he has seen countless examples of this but he is still unable to understand how human thinks. 
And a new witch with unseen power is approaching. It seems there's no way to protect the city unless Madoka becoming a magical girl. 
|-
|11
|Homura confesses to Madoka about her ability and object. She also tells Madoka that she has done that many times. This is the timeline Madoka keeping alive the longest. Although she cannot save other girls' lives, it might be a chance to change Madoka's fate. 
Homura swears that she will protect Madoka with her own life. But Madoka is still unable to understand. The final fight is coming in such situation.
|-
|12
|Madoka arranges her feelings about Homura. The fairy predicts that Homura won't have a change to win. He suggests Madoka to make a contract, and says her soul gem is so enormous that the power of her wish is much more than others. 
The final battle between Homura and witch comes. Homura cannot stand up with such a great power difference. This scene is the same as Madoka's dream. 
|-
|13
|Is there a way to save all magic girls? 
Madoka finally makes contract with the fairy. 
"I wish to become the existence to eliminate all witches from past to the future!" 
...... 
Madoka finally understand how hard Homura did for her, and the friendship between them. 
...... 
|}

== Witch Design ==

=== Labyrinth design ===

{|class="wikitable"
|style="width:8%;"|Episode
|Concept
|Words
|-
|3 (Part)
|Cafe for two （２人カフェ）
|"My dream is tea time." （私の夢はティータイム） 
When the witch dies, the magical girl steps on the cups and breaks them.
|-
|3 (Charlotte)
|One whole cheese cake
|"It's really a delicious cheesecake. My dying mother wanted to eat it, but maybe I should have cured her disease instead. But I'm sure that wasn't really the point." （とてもおいしいチーズケーキ。死にかけのお母さんが食べたがっていたの。でも、もしかするとお母さんの病気でも治してあげたらよかったカスラ。けれと、きっとそれはそおいうことでもないのダワ。）
|-
|4 (H.N Elly)
|Snowglobe （スノードーム）
|"I have only one wish. Box up that memory." （私の願いはただひとつ、あの思い出をとじこめて） 
When the witch dies, the lights on the Christmas tree and merry-go-round short out. There's a 'basssh!' sound.
|-
|7 (Elsa Maria)
|Church
|"May the you I haven't met yet find happiness." （まだ見ないあなたが幸せであるように） 
When the witch dies, the stained glass collapses and drops into the air. There's a 'baaaaaaahn' sound like from a pipe organ.
|-
|9
|Trains
|"My wish is somewhere not here." （私の願いはここではないどこか） 
In the final scene, the magical girl kills her from behind in the first carriage, and the train derails.
|-
|10 (Patricia)
|Blue Sky
|"How unlucky I am that today, of all days, turned out to be rainy." （今日という日が雨だなんて私はどれほどついていないんだろう） 
When the witch dies, it rains heavily. There is a sound like an aircraft crashing.
|-
|10 (Roberta)
|Dolls
|"I wish for friends. Friends who won't dislike me." （私の願いはお友達。私を嫌いにならないお友達） 
When the witch dies, the bird cage is getting shot down and spilling a circular rain of blood.
|-
|Set-constructing witch (Walpurgis Night)
|Stage
|"Everything in this world is fake. My life is nothing more than a drama that you penned. Please, prove it. ''"Faust"'' is on show." （この世界はすべて嘘でした。私の人生はあなたの書いた戯曲にすぎません。それを証明して下さい。「ファウスト」が上演中）
|}

===Gekidan Inu Curry Artwork Comments===
* Walpurgisnacht

"According to the lore settings, the inside of the skirt and the upper section of the gears serve as a stage, where the familiars can put on theatrical performances. Though we never actually ended up using that concept." (Both members)

* Walpurgisnacht's familiars

"Miyamoto-san mentioned that although it was never actually demonstrated in the main story, it possesses a ''Konaki-jijii''-style ability where if you get caught by it, your body becomes as heavy as a stone." (Both members)

"I was surprised by how cute their voices were." (2shiroinu)

* Anthony

"We were worried it might turn out too cute and end up requiring a retake, so it was a bit disappointing that nobody actually noticed the fact that it was cute." (Both members)

"To be clear, those are whiskers. It's a creature with whiskers growing out of it. It's a personal favorite of ours, so we're completely playing favorites with it on our own accord." (2shiroinu)

"We were still fumbling around in the dark regarding what to write for the Witch Picture Book descriptions, so this cleared things up quite a bit. The Witch Picture Book was actually proposed to us by Aniplex right before the broadcast, and thanks to having it, we were able to give the lore a lot more depth and variety." (Doroinu)

* Gertrud

"In the script, there was a line where Sayaka looks at her and says, 'Ugh, gross!' But since her actual appearance ended up looking rather cute, we consulted the series director about what we should do. It turned out nobody really questioned the contradiction, which was a bit disappointing." (Both members)

"I think her little scuttling legs are her best charm point." (Doroinu)

* Adelbert

"These are familiars whose role is vigilance. However, since their method of attack is a 'rocket headbutt,' if you think about it calmly, you get the feeling that the scissor attacks used by the whiskered familiars in Episode 1 might actually be stronger..." (Both members)

"At any rate, that office lady (OL) who was about to commit suicide was probably headbutted mercilessly by them, wasn't she?" (Doroinu)

* ? (Suleika)

"This is a Witch that didn't appear in the main story. To make the relationship between Witches and Familiars easier to understand, we went ahead and included even the unfeatured Witches in resources like the Witch Picture Book." (Both members)

* Ulla

"At the storyboarding stage, it actually fought with Mami a decent amount, but due to the overall runtime constraints, it ended up getting instantly killed." (Both members)

"It's a shame its moment in the spotlight was lost, but considering how grueling the workload was for the Witch of Sweets in that very same episode, I also kind of feel like we dodged a bullet." (Doroinu)

* Pyotr

"Its mouth area is all rustly-bustly and squishy-soft." (2shiroinu)

"It is no exaggeration to say it appeared solely for the purpose of being blown away by Mami." (Doroinu)

* Charlotte

"Fearing that Mami fans would get angry at us, we copped out and gave her a mascot-like appearance instead." (2shiroinu)

"Right after her initial appearance, her eye color was black during the TV broadcast. However, in the DVD and Blu-ray versions, the eye color has been changed to green. It wasn't a coloring mistake by the compositing staff; rather, we made a selfish, stubborn request after the TV airing to have them change it for us." (Both members)

* H.N. Elly (Kirsten)

"I felt like it would look really cool to have strands of hair spilling out from inside the machinery." (2shiroinu)

"It didn't pan out due to time constraints, but I really wanted to add much more detail and substance to the imagery projected on the screen." (Doroinu)

* Daniyyel & Jennifer

"Even though they are carrying the Witch around, they don't actually hold much affection for her. They feel more like they're just carrying her along as an afterthought." (Both members)

* ? (Albertine)

"She didn't appear." (Both members)

* Anja

"Aoi Yuuki-san, who plays Madoka, provided the voice for this one. We made a rather unfortunate request for her to make it sound 'as goofy as humanly possible,' and she pulled it off magnificently." (Both members)

"She's amazing." (2shiroinu)

* Dora

"This one is rusted as well. It plays ''The Godfather'' theme using the exhaust pipes protruding from its body." (Both members)

* Gisela

"This Witch was designed after the storyboards were already completed. We came up with her appearance and setting under the explicit premise that she would be included in the Witch Picture Book. The concept is basically a sci-fi robot capable of transforming into a motorcycle, except it's completely covered in rust." (Both members)

* Elsa Maria

"Our initial concept for her had a much more traditional Japanese style. The remnants of that idea can still be seen in the kimono-like patterns on the base of the monument held by the giant statue serving as the platform, as well as on the cloth that drapes down upon her death." (Both members)

* Sebastian's

"In the second half, what grows directly out of the Witch isn't her familiars—those are the Witch's own arms." (Both members)

* Bartels

"It's paper clay." (Both members)

* ? (Uhrmann)

"She didn't appear in the main story, but the design had already been decided. The one getting beaten up by Sayaka in the manga version was originally the design for the Dog Witch." (Both members)

* Holger

"Fantasia." (Both members)

* Oktavia von Seckendorff

"We worked hard, fully prepared to get reprimanded no matter how she turned out. And she turned out like that." (2shiroinu)

* Izabel

"In the first place, being told that a stationary triumphal arch is a 'Witch' might make absolutely no sense, but we thought, 'Well, it's already episode 10, so maybe it'll somehow get across?'" (Both members)

* Michaela

"For these familiars, we gave the key animators a few vague reference concepts and then let them draw them completely freely." (Both members)

* Patricia

"For both the Witch and the barrier, we intentionally chose a design and production style that looked the most like a conventional, normal magical girl show out of everything." (Both members)

"You'd think she was a spider, but since she has six arms, it turns out she wasn't a spider after all. If anything, she's a subspecies of Tien Shinhan (from Dragon Ball)." (Doroinu)

* Mathieu

"Underneath the skirt, they are wearing puffy lantern bloomers. Even if she is a Witch, we absolutely do not permit flashing underwear glimpses." (Both members)

"The blue sky inside the barrier actually incorporates footage of the sky above Iogi taken about two days before the TV broadcast." (Doroinu)

* Oktavia von Seckendorff, Timeline 3 Version

"In the main story, if you look closely, she's actually using dual-wielding swords. Well, even though in the end she doesn't actually attack with the swords anyway." (Both members)

* Klarissa

"Partway through, for some reason, they get caught up in the wheels. Talk about bad luck." (Both members)

* Gotz

"In our initial concept art they were paper birds, but somewhere along the line they became all muscular." (Both members)

"They are narcissistic birds who haven't even realized that the Witch despises them." (2shiroinu)

* Roberta

"She is constantly frustrated by her familiars. She ended up getting blown to pieces while she was still totally worked up." (Both members)

* Kriemhild Gretchen

"They never shared the screen together in the main story, but the concept was for her to form a matching pair with Walpurgisnacht. In our setting, there is a barrier the size of the Earth positioned right above the Witch's head, which sucks up everything from the ground. Because she is so gargantuan, we asked the staff to basically treat her as part of the background scenery." (Both members)

== General Gallery ==
<gallery position="center" captionalign="left">
File:You are not alone poster.jpg| Poster
File:You_Are_Not_Alone_advertisement.jpg| Advertisement
File:Guidebook extras.JPG| Japan-exclusive extras
</gallery>

== Prior Illustrations ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 03.jpg|Other ones of Homura and Madoka: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 04.jpg|1]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 05.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 07.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 14.jpg|4]]
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 06.jpg|More solo Madoka: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 11.jpg|1]]
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 08.jpg|More group pics: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 09.jpg|1]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 10.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 12.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 13.jpg|4]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 15.jpg|5]]
</gallery>

== Episodic Coverage and Character Pages ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0001.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0002.jpg|2]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0003.jpg|3]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0004.jpg|1-3]] and Mami character [[:Media:Guidebook 0005.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0006.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0007.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0008.jpg|5]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0009.jpg|6]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0010.jpg|4-6]] and Sayaka character [[:Media:Guidebook 0011.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0012.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0013.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0014.jpg|8]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0015.jpg|9]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0016.jpg|7-9]] and Kyoko character [[:Media:Guidebook 0017.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0018.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0019.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0020.jpg|11]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0021.jpg|12]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0022.jpg|10-12]] and Homura character [[:Media:Guidebook 0023.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0024.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0025.jpg|Madoka part [[:Media:Guidebook 0026.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0027.jpg|Kyubey]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0028.jpg|Madoka's family]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0029.jpg|other characters]].
</gallery>

== Production Materials ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0045.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0046.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0047.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0048.jpg|4]].
File:Guidebook 0049.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0050.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0051.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0052.jpg|4]].
File:Guidebook 0053.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0054.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0055.jpg|3]].
File:Guidebook 0056.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0057.jpg|2]].
File:080_1.jpg
File:Guidebook 0058.jpg|Episode storyboards 1-6: [[:Media:Guidebook 0059.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0060.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0061.jpg|4-6]].
File:Guidebook 0062.jpg|Episode storyboards 7-12: [[:Media:Guidebook 0063.jpg|8-9]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0064.jpg|10]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0065.jpg|11-12]].
File:Guidebook 0066.jpg|Witch designs and storyboards: [[:Media:Guidebook 0067.jpg|2]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0068.jpg|3]].
File:Guidebook 0069.jpg|More [[:Media:Guidebook 0070.jpg|architecture]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0071.jpg|weapons]].
</gallery>

== Staff Discussion ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0095.jpg|Staff and Cast List
</gallery>

== Early Character Designs ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0101.jpg
File:Guidebook 0102.jpg
File:Guidebook 0103.jpg
</gallery>

== See Also ==
* [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Official_Guides.2C_Books_and_Games|Other official books, guides and games]]
* [[Puella Magi Production Note]]
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Art Book]]
* [[Magazines|Translated magazines]]
* [[Tweets|Translated Tweets]]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Documents/Anime-Production]]
[[Category:Products and merchandise]]
[[Category:Translation request]]

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone"

2026-07-17T05:45:46Z

Romi1908: /* Gekidan Inu Curry Artwork Comments */

[[File:Front cover homumado - you are not alone.jpg|thumb|400px]]

[[File:Guidebook TOC.jpg|thumb]]
'''Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone"''', a compilation on a wide variety of information on ''Madoka Magica'', was released on [http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4832240617/ August 27th, 2011]. The [[:Media:Guidebook TOC.jpg|table of contents]] reveals these categories of information: Illustrations, Episode and Characters, Cast Interviews, Materials, and Staff Interviews.

A look at the sample pages from the Guidebook reveals it contains a wide range of information, including:
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Prior_Illustrations|Prior illustrations]] from magazines and other sources
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Episodic_Coverage_and_Character_Pages|Episodic coverage and character pages]] including commentary
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Interviews|Staff Interviews]] with cast members
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_%22You_Are_Not_Alone%22#Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_After-recording_Report|After-recording report comic]] reported and illustrated by hanokage, author of the [[Madoka Magica (manga)|Madoka Magica manga]].
* Design, sketches and other [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Production_Materials|production-related material]] similar to [[Puella Magi Production Note|Production Note]] or [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Art Book]]
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Interviews|Staff Interviews]] with many staff members
* Staff behind-the-scenes [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Discussion|discussion]]
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Early_Character_Designs|Early character designs]] of initial concepts 

== Staff Discussion ==

Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.

===Page 100===

* [[Akiyuki Shinbo]]: Major works include Bakemonogatari, Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei, Hidamari Sketch, Arakawa under the Bridge (all as director)
*[[Gen Urobuchi]]: Works for Nitroplus. Involved in the screenplay writing for many games from this company. Major anime works include Blassreiter (series composition), Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~ (screenplay)
* [[Ume Aoki]]: Manga artist. Her manga Hidamari Sketch is being serialized in Manga Time Kirara Carat.
* Mitsutoshi Kubota: Chief Executive Officer of SHAFT. He also worked as Animation Producer in Shaft works like Bakemonogatari, Hidamari Sketch etc.
*Atsuhiro Iwakami: Works for Aniplex. Involved in anime works such as Bakemonogatari, Kara no Kyoukai, Hidamari Sketch, Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai.

'''LOOKING BACK FROM NOW AT THE INITIAL COMPOSITON PROPOSAL'''

''I heard that the project "Madoka Magica" started from some chats with Director Shinbo saying "I want to do a mahou shoujo anime".'' 

SHINBO: I cannot remember such a thing at all. When I asked later "Um? Didn't Iwakami-san first mention it?" and I was told "No, that's not the case." (LOL)

IWAKAMI: It's not like you assertively said "I want to do Mahou Shoujo!!". It was with nuance, like "For the mahou shoujo format, there should still be possibilities."

KUBOTA: Surely it must have been around 2008.

IWAKAMI: And then we had some talks about talking to Urobuchi-san and Ume-sensei about joining [the project]. I think it took place unexpectedly quickly, so much that I could not remember the process.

''When did all of you first gather together?'' 

IWAKAMI: According to the material from that time and the mail history, the first meeting was held in October 2008.

AOKI: It was at that time that I first met Urobuchi-san. I remember thinking, "Oh, he is a person who takes memos with a PC." (LOL)

IWAKAMI: There we threw in and exchanged many ideas, and then I gathered and summarized them ([[:File:Guidebook Production Related Material 01.jpg|cf p.124]]).

UROBUCHI: In particular I did not prepare in advance any idea. I just said one after another what I came up right at that place. And when I did that, almost everything I said were accepted with "This is good." "Let's do that." Then I got worried as I thought "Oh no. I will have to turn everything I've just said into plot lines myself." (LOL)

''How many times did you repeat this kind of discussion?'' 

KUBOTA: No, only once at the very beginning. Urobuchi-san summarized everything into a composition proposal before our next chance to meet.

UROBUCHI: I came up with a rough structure of around 3 stages: I will show the beginning of the story like this; and next these details of the truth will be revealed; and last that truth will be revealed. And then I divided them further and made it into a composition proposal for one cour. However at that stage, the flow from ep. 6 to around ep. 8 was still a bit tricky. When I look back from now, ep. 9 was really bad!

AOKI: That's right. [You were saying] "I am going to put Sayaka decisively into despair." (LOL)

UROBUCHI: The idea that I came up with anyways was to bully Sayaka (LOL). At that moment, the thinking for Sayaka falling into despair was that it was not due to Hitomi. For that, it was a part that got inserted at the stage when the screenplay was written.

''I heard the composition proposal had 13 episodes altogether?'' 

IWAKAMI: I went to talk [to Urobuchi] and said "Could we make it into 12 episodes?" I had this thought of packaging the series into 6 volumes with 2 episodes in each volume.

KUBOTA: Although the number of episodes was cut, basically the flow did not change. That Mami got killed in ep. 3 was not changed either.

SHINBO: I see. So the reason [you] did not show that much shock when you read the screenplay for ep. 3 was because you had already read the composition proposal.

AOKI: Or perhaps in text it was not that shocking...

SHINBO: If it were 2 cours a different flow might have been used instead. I would like to do another version in which I could show how the development could be like if the length were 2 cours.

UROBUCHI: I guess if there are that number of episodes, [the story] would have to be quite different if we do not put regular daily life scenes in between, like in the episode after [[Mami]] died, out of a sudden and without much coherence everyone went to the hot spring (LOL). And once they arrived the waitress in the ryokan somehow looks like Mami....

IWAKAMI: There are things that I'd like to draw out if there was enough room, but I think the speedy pace we have now is also good. Right from the beginning, with 1 cour, I had the image that I was going to a roller-coaster movie that was Urobuchi-like.

'''TEMPORARY TITLE WAS "MAHOU SHOUJO APOCALYPSE"'''

AOKI: Later when I re-watched it again from ep. 1, I got the impression that the heroine kept changing from one to another. From ep. 4 it was about [[Sayaka]] and [[Kyoko]], and as it got near the final stage, [[Homura]] started to get more noticeable. And finally [[Madoka]] became a proper protagonist on her own.

IWAKAMI: To be honest, regarding the characters, at the time when I read the screenplay I could not read this far. It is indeed something like an omnibus, where there is Mami chapter, Sayaka chapter, Kyoko chapter etc. In one sense it was a composition like Bakemonogatari in which the appeal of the heroines was highlighted by turn. And I thought, oh so it was how it became and it made so much sense.

''By the way, why did you make the girls including Madoka, the protagonist, junior high students?'' 

IWAKAMI: A primary school student, if you think in 3D, gives an impression of a child actor instead of an idol. I think that if they are junior high students, they will be recognized as idols and thus may get more people to watch. So before Urobuchi-san finished the plot, I had a talk (with him) saying, as a prerequisite, "Let's use junior high students as mahou shoujo".

===Page 101===

UROBUCHI: And besides, I really do not want to be put into the spot of having to impose my decision of letting live or killing off primary school students (LOL)

''How did you decide the title of the anime?'' 

UROBUCHI: At the beginning, I just put the temporary title myself. I think it was "Mahou Shoujo Apocalpyse Madoka Magica" for sure.

IWAKAMI: The name "Madoka Magica" stayed as the temporary title for some time, and as an unofficial name it stayed as the project made its progress. When 2010 came, we had the discussion about its official title.

UROBUCHI: And by then everyone was so used to the temporary title that (the discussion) came down to "Let's keep it like this." But there was also "obviously the Apocalypse got to go." (LOL) Come to think of it, there was also the idea of not having "Mahou Shoujo" and only go with "Madoka Magica."

SHINBO: But for me, I believe in the title the words "Mahou Shoujo" is absolutely necessary. To the extent that if it is not there, there is no meaning (for me) to do (the anime). On that I did not budge.

'''THE SCREENPLAY WAS ALMOST THE SAME AS THE FIRST DRAFT''' 

''How long did the writing of the screenplay take?'' 

UROBUCHI: It went from the end of 2008 to the end of 2009. Since there were other works going in parallel in that period, I went full gear and came up with one episode every month. And I did not talk anything about what would happen later, just saying things like "Just wait for the next issue!". (LOL)

IWAKAMI: It's just that even though the screenplay was being done, there was not much chance to discuss it. As at the stage of the first draft, it was already interesting.

SHINBO: There was almost nothing that I would want to ask for changes.

UROBUCHI: Up till then, for me the work reality was that it was only natural to have only 30% of the screenplay I wrote remain and the other 70% would be crushed away and had to be redone. So every time I was tilting my head, I was thinking "Is it really going to be alright just to keep it like this?" (LOL) Besides, I had the complex of being an absolute amateur when it came to writing for anime, and this got me even more worried.

SHINBO: Different people may think differently, but to me even if there are some places that may get stuck, it is still better to have the momentum. Therefore, I think the small details can be left at the end to consider.

IWAKAMI: When I read it, even though I thought it may need a few adjustments, it was interesting. And that was important. I would rather it run until the final episode than it being filled up with (things that go like), "In here it will be like this" using some deduction point system.

UROBUCHI: The contradictions that were not pointed out during the screenplay meetings were later noticed by (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-san.

SHINBO: And also editor (Rie) Matsuhara-san. Unlike us who read the story one episode at a time, they read everything in one go and from that viewpoint they pointed out issues, and I am thankful for that.

''How about using actual dialogues in the episode subtitles?''

UROBUCHI: That was because we were lazy (LOL)

AOKI: What! Is that so? (LOL)

UROBUCHI: I thought I would just put it there anyway first and then later I would give it more thought.... But it just stayed as it is.

SHINBO: For once we indeed talked about what we should do with the subtitles, but I think at the end we decided to stick to Urobuchi-san's idea. I think it was good that they were not changed.

AOKI: In the trailer for the next episode, just by seeing the subtitle people can get excited by guessing what kind of scene in the next episode would contain that dialogue.

'''BEFORE THE COMPLETION OF THE ORIGINAL CHARACTER DESIGN'''

''To continue, I would like to ask Aoki-sensei about what happened before all the original character designs took shape. ([[Guidebook#Early Character Designs|cf. p. 125-127]])''

AOKI: The first draft... it was October 2008. That draft was not changed much in the final draft...but between the two drafts, I got lost in the 2nd draft. The period when I did the 2nd draft, I really had my head in my arms.

SHINBO: But for all of us, the feeling at the stage of the first draft was "This is good. As expected from Aoki-san."

AOKI: But it was worry on my side (LOL) Ah, Kyubey was first proposed in the 2nd draft and I just wanted to draw it cute, really cute! (LOL). The basic details are the same as the final draft, but I wanted to bring out the "cosmic feeling" in the ear-ring part. Made them somehow float in space. But at that time over all, it was a period when I was in a "I just do not understand" state, or when I didn't know what and how I should do it. When I looked back at the first draft, I thought "What was I doing there?" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Truly our opinion was "it is wonderful" right from the beginning. Also Ume-sensei's design of the school uniform of the girls is good. It is the same in Hidamari Sketch. Here the uniform designed by Ume-sensei can be manifested in 3D and it is a costume that is ready for cosplay. Did you do it with that in mind?

AOKI: I did not really create it for cosplay but to some extent I thought about its structure like where a zipper is to be attached on the uniform.

''And in the final draft of the design, [[Hitomi]] and [[Kyousuke|Kyosuke]] were also there...''

AOKI: Hitomi was not changed much in the final draft. As Kyosuke is the only boy, it was fun drawing him.

IWAKAMI: I surely got the feeling that Kyosuke drawn by Ume-sensei really had a quite a bit of spirit put in, and that she seemed to have fun drawing him. (LOL)

''How about the mahou shoujo costumes?''

AOKI: For Madoka's costume, I started from the base design (settei) that it was "something designed by Madoka." As for Mami-san, Sayaka and Homura, I designed with the image of their weapons. Kyoko is the last character I designed, and the idea of her did not come from her weapon, but with the thought to distinguish her from other characters.

UROBUCHI: Since the idea is that Kyoko is a character who moves a lot, so when I received the costume design (Kyoko's) long dress was not what I expected.

AOKI: Perhaps I made it look too heavy (LOL)

UROBUCHI: No, when (the dress) moves it looks cool. There is also the thrill (I got) from kung-fu movies.

SHINBO: It's just that I think it would be good to have some ornaments on Sayaka's head... Even now I still think the same.

AOKI: Oh yes, since after transformation Sayaka lost her hairpins, I tried to put some ornaments on that place. I thought, for one Mami already has it from the beginning, and then Madoka has her ribbons, so I tried to match something for her. But if I put an Alice band (headband), then it does not look so much like an accessory and starts to get an image of a functional gadget. And then I tried to put things like stars or mysterious-looking spheres... But in serious fight scenes, the playful elements after transformation never fit well no matter how much you looked at it, so at the end I took it away. However, it is true that compared with other girls she indeed looks a bit plain. Poor little girl....

===Page 102===

SHINBO: I thought that perhaps it is better to go without anything and keep it simple, and I got the design done in such a style, but as the story progressed I thought, "at the end it is still better to have something (on her head)."

UROBUCHI: But I feel the cloak is quite some style though.

IWAKAMI: For the weapons of the mahou shoujo, at first the plan was to have Ume-sensei design them but at the end the decision was to have the anime production side to do the design.

UROBUCHI: That said, the pictures used for the initial notification were drawn by Aoki-san. The weapon design in those pictures were inherited in the anime.

AOKI: Homura's bow and Mami-san's gun were picked up from the designs I did. Madoka's bow was used in the cover art of the single Magia.

'''CHARACTERS IN "MADOKA MAGICA" ARE SIMILAR TO CHARACTERS IN "HIDAMARI"?'''

UROBUCHI: Before I saw the original character design by Aoki-san, the character image I had in my head was that of "Hidamari." I imagined by making replacements like Madoka becoming Yuno, Mami becoming Hiro-san... And so every time a character design is done I was relieved, thinking "Good, it is becoming an anime different from 'Hidamari!" (LOL)

SHINBO: Come to think of it, Mami is a onesan (elderly sister) character and there are some overlaps with the image of Hiro. If that's the case, Mami may also need to pay attention her weight (LOL).

UROBUCHI: No no... there is no such setting (settei) for Mami (LOL).

SHINBO: For one thing it seems easy to become a talking point - her position is the same as Hiro I guess. (LOL)

AOKI: And she also makes cakes. (LOL)

SHINBO: It is interesting that although they are different characters, there is such a coincidence.

UROBUCHI: In that sense, in fact I was most worried about Kyoko. I have never seen such a kind of girl who projects the image of a runaway child in Aoki-san's world.

AOKI: Indeed it seems so. Well what did you feel when you first saw Kyoko then?

UROBUCHI: Ugh well, when I saw the expression that could never have come from a Hidamari character, I gave it my OK.

AOKI: When you were writing the screenplay, did you find it hard to match Kyoko with a Hidamari character?

UROBUCHI: It was extremely hard to match. And so Kyoko almost became speaking in Hiroshima dialect just like the movie Battles Without Honor and Humanity (LOL). But at first I imagined the image color for Kyoko to be yellow instead of red. If anything this overlaps with Miyako...

AOKI: Do you think it was good that I made changes to the image color of the characters used in your proposal?

UROBUCHI: I think the result was good. Now I just cannot imagine a red Mami, you see.

KUBOTA: Looking back from now, it is also interesting to see that in the first draft the hair style of Sayaka was different.

AOKI: Ahh... I was really lost..(LOL)

''And then based on the final draft material, Takahiro Kishida-san produced the character design, what did you think of it?''

AOKI: I was glad that they grasped the details down to many small points. The use of double border lines also seems to have come from certain impressions of my pictures.

KUBOTA: That came as an overall decision as after checking many pictures and works by Aoki-san, we thought this touch style would be good. It was a challenge during the sakuga (animation) process.

AOKI: That drawing style is not commonly seen in the anime. I also did not think the oblique line of sight would be kept in use without change. Those eyes were even faithfully recreated in Nendroids. Perhaps doing that can bring out the feel of "Madoka Magica."

KUBOTA: But at the beginning that touch style did not really permeate much among the animators.

SHINBO: My feeling is that at around ep. 9 or ep. 10, the pictures finally came together (in unified style).

'''THE WORLD AS CREATED BY GEKIDAN INU-CURRY'''

''Gekidan Inu-Curry-san is the staff that was the key of "Madoka Magica".''

AOKI: This happened when we had the screenplay meeting. After the meeting that day, we were on our move to a drinking place, and the director said, "I think the witches should not have a conventional witch look. Even if they take a look of geometrical forms, it would be better.". And then, "I am thinking of asking Inu-Curry-san. They helped us on "Zetsubou Sensei" and "MariHolic". At that moment I felt the "Director is having some vision!" That was very impressive.

''And after asking Inu-Curry-san, what kind of talks took place?''

KUBOTA: There was discussions regarding Art Design (settei) that involved Inu-Curry-san. Looking at the minutes from that meeting ([[:File:Guidebook Production Related Material 01.jpg|cf p.124]]), Shinbo-san said "'Madoka Magica' should be a work that is on the extension line of 'Le Portrait de Petit Cossette' and has a different image from 'Lyrical Nanoha.'"

SHINBO: Did I say something like that?? .....Hmm? But indeed it was written here.

''The reactions from Inu-Curry-san at that time?''

KUBOTA: Inu-Curry-san had read the scenario in advance, and after that we had talks bouncing ideas to fine-tune the images we got. So although they are quiet people, they understood things without difficulty.

UROBUCHI: Inu-Curry-san themselves may be quiet, but they are very talkative about the stuff they came up with.

KUBOTA: They also have the stubbornness of absolutely not yielding to the worldview in which they thoroughly built in the images for settei (base design). Besides as creators, they do not compromise at all. As the production progressed, the weight of the part for Inu-Curry-san got bigger and bigger, I got quite worried about what to do if the time came when things could not be processed by just them.

SHINBO: Even in the retake for BD and DVD, just the parts of Inu-Curry-san got quite big.

KUBOTA: If given time, they will just keep coming up with good stuff.

SHINBO: (Yuki) Kajiura-san, who did the music, gave high praises for the bewitched space in ep. 9 and said it was wonderful. But even now I cannot let them hear it. You know, if I tell them, I don't know how far they will lay their hands on the retake (LOL). As we have raised the hurdle by ourselves, I plan to tell them after all the work is done (LOL).

===Page 103===

KUBOTA: But then since they have created that much stuff, I have the feeling that they must still have some regrets from their point of view.

IWAKAMI: When I was first shown the image pictures from Inu-Curry-san in the meeting room at Shaft, I was dumbfounded.

UROBUCHI: They were mainly static pictures, but there was also the mustachioed familiars of ep. 1 in GIF animation. Besides at the stage of screenplay there was no names or settei information for the witches. Those are all there thanks to Inu-Curry-san.

AOKI: I always had fun when I saw updates of the Witch Compendium in the official website. It got me to guess that besides the settei found there, in fact there must be a lot more that had been thought through.

'''CASTING OF THE MAHOU SHOUJO'''

''I would like to hear about the casting.''

IWAKAMI: Although the roles were decided by auditions, somehow by coincidence there were many actresses from "Hidamari".

UROBUCHI: Mizubashi-san was unexpected. Don't you think it is quite rare for Mizuhashi-san to act for an onesan (elder sister) character like Mami?

AOKI: And the acting was completely different from Miyako of "Hidamari."

SHINBO: As for Saito-san who took Homura's role, there was the image of Hitagi Senjogahara in "Bakemonogatari." I had this concern that no matter what, I still got the impression that Homura and Hitagi look similar. Of course I knew Saito-san was pretty good, but I still thought "perhaps as a change it is good to use another actress." But when I heard the acting performed by Saito-san during the audition, I could only come to the conviction that "This is it".

IWAKAMI: There was this acting that did not come up in the audition - the scenes in the second half when Homura cried and collapsed. If you consider that, it is easy to conclude that after all casting Saito-san was a good (decision).

SHINBO: Not only Saito-san, if you think about Yuki-san who took Madoka's role as well, there was the flow coming from the anime "Dance in the Vampire Bund." In "Vampire Bund", there were Yuki-san, who acted an aloof vampire princess, and Saito-san, who acted an ordinary human girl. And in "Madoka Magica" the position of the two were switched. And I think at that time the two may have developed a synchronized wavelength between them. So I have a feeling that in the actual recording actions the two, Yuki-san as the protagonist, and Saito-san, supporting her, managed their roles really well. The two also said so in the audio commentary.

''And about Kitamura-san who took Sayaka's role?''

AOKI: Seems every time drinking after the after-recording sessions, the director said "Kitamura-san was good."

SHINBO: Kitamura-san was really great acting as a suffering girl. She gave a feeling that she worked really hard but she was not really good at it and (her effort) got requited.

UROBUCHI: Considering the aspect that she worked hard a bit and behaved cheerfully but she herself in fact thought about serious matters, indeed she is like that.

''How about Nonaka-san who took Kyoko's role?''

UROBUCHI: Kyoko, while a character created by Aoki-san, is a heel ''[symbv: pro-wresting jargon for a villain character]''. So I could not guess how she could be acted. But it felt so good hearing the voice of Nonaka-san and I got hooked.

SHINBO: Since it is the voice of Nonaka-san, there is no way she is a bad person, I guess? (LOL)

AOKI: I was wondering how a seiyuu would handle the dialogues of Kyoko, and when the role was given to Nonaka-san, I thought "Oh, so it will be like this." She brought out the feeling that even when she acted like a bad person, somehow you just could not bring yourself to hate her that much.

SHINBO: Once I got asked by Nonaka-san, "Why is Kyoko (given to) me?" and I answered, "If it is Nonaka-san then nobody will hate her." She has such a mysterious charm.

'''AS THE START DATE OF BROADCAST APPROACHED'''

''And then the cast were decided. In fall 2010 the information starts to be released to the public...''

IWAKAMI: But the first thing that went out to the public were "oh it went out" type of leaks (LOL)

UROBUCHI: That was still at quite an early stage. Around spring I guess.

IWAKAMI: Rumors came out, down to mentions of Shinbo-san, Urobuchi-san, Ume-sensai and Shaft. At first there was the idea of doing it in phases, like at the beginning there was the notification "Shinbo-san and Ume-sensei will work on a mahou shoujo anime!", and then around one month later the name of Urobuchi-san will be announced. But with the information leaked out, (I said) let's release everybody's names in one go. Later, it was often said there was a plan to hide the name of Urobuchi-san until after ep. 3. Of course I did not think of that (LOL).

UROBUCHI: Although I was sure that this was going to happen. (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Well, it's just that I indeed think doing that way is interesting in its own way.

UROBUCHI: Like "Since the pictures are cute and you think the screenplay will be the same? Too bad! It's me!!" (LOL) ''[editor: reference to a certain [http://danbooru.donmai.us/wiki/show?title=too_bad!_it_was_just_me! 2ch Sayaka meme]]''.

''As the time approached for the start of broadcast, you went for a purification rite in a shrine.''

UROBUCHI: Because it is something involving the demons. I myself did not go, but I got them to buy me a charm and I always carried it with me during the after-recording sessions, since I thought if there was any curse around it would have to be with me (LOL)

SHINBO: For myself I was more for praying for a hit than being purified. Since the result is now we have a hit anime, I think our prayer was answered.

KUBOTA: Well, there is also a bit of the superstition thing in it.

IWAKAMI: Because there were some in the staff who cared about this. If no purification was held, it is "Since no purfication was held my arm got hurt.", while if purification was held, then it becomes like "although my arm got hurt, it is good that it is not my dominant arm.". The frame of mind will be different.

SHINBO: By the way, in the purification rite, Emiri Katoh-san came as a representative of the seiyuu.

UROBUCHI: Oh, there is such thing as "representative of the seiyuu". I thought it was because she played Kyubey's role.. (LOL)

===Page 120===

'''STAFF DISCUSSION PART 2'''

'''THE ROLE PLAYED BY MADOKA'S FAMILY'''

''In the first half, we talked mainly about things before the start of broadcast (of the series). From now on, I would like to ask something different. First when you were doing the creation work (for this anime), was there any character whom you held particularly strong feeling with?''

UROBUCHI: As I look at my own work from a vantage point, there is no particularly strong feeling I hold towards any specific character. But if I have to pick one, I guess it would have to be Madoka's mother. Since a character who does not appear frequently must have her character established with short dialogues, I came to hold a stronger impression (with her). She and Kazuko-sensei may have been the characters I worked hard on (even compared to other characters).

SHINBO: And (Yuuko) Gotoh-san, who voiced Madoka's mother, gave a really good performance. (Her acting) had the persuasive power of "This mother is a capable person!" I also want to see the past stories of her together with Kazuko-sensei. Let's find some way to do those kind of episodes!

IWAKAMI: It will then become a story without any mahou shoujo making appearance (LOL)

''Why did you make Junko, Madoka's mother, the way she looks in the anime?''

UROBUCHI: I had wanted to create such a character. For one, it is rare to see a mother who is macho and strong-minded in mahou shoujo works. Also I thought that to provide a reason for Madoka to become aware of heroism, it is perhaps more convincing for her to have such a family background. Because she will grow up while watching the back of an adult who is very close to her and has carved out the path of her own fate by herself.

''Usually in anime that would be the role played by a father.''

UROBUCHI: That's right. But I thought it would be good to have a family which does not confine itself to ideas like it must be men's role to makes all the heroic moves. I wanted to have some concrete example where women can also be heroic and strong. That being said, so (the next thing is:) OK, so what is a heroic mother like? The fact that after much consideration I gave her a speech style of a yankee [delinquent girl] is purely my own taste (LOL)

IWAKAMI: In anime, usually there is not much depiction regarding the family of the protagonist, isn't it? In "Madoka Magica" the weight of that is also not really that big, but we still have the ribbon in ep. 1, the consultation in ep. 6, the farewell in ep. 11 and then the epilogue in ep. 12.

UROBUCHI: For me, I had this image that "in general mahou shoujo works should have the family properly portrayed." In that sense, it can be said that Madoka's family, including her mother, are characters I forced myself to come up with, since usually in my works family almost never appear. And contrary to Madoka, there is absolutely no description about the family in Homura's case, and it is because she is a character who is not needed to be taken as a symbol for mahou shoujo. It is not that there is some reason that she must not have a family, but it is because there is no need to depict them so they do not appear. Conversely, for Madoka the family must be depicted.

'''HOW THE CHARACTERS ARE DEPICTED'''

''Director Shinbo, if you are to pick a character for whom you have particularly strong feelings, who would that be?''

IWAKAMI: According to the public, the answer must be: Shinbo-san is very fond of Sayaka (LOL).

SHINBO: Indeed, I am particularly attached to Sayaka. I may have that side in me.

IWAKAMI: From around which point did you start to feel that?

SHINBO: When the filming was done, I started to feel "she is such a poor girl," and moreover when I listened to the performance during the after-recording session my heart gradually started to ache more and more, and I started to think "couldn't there be a little bit salvation for her?". At first I took a rational point of view, thinking so she is (written as) such a character, but gradually my emotion gushed out and took over.

IWAKAMI: Indeed I went together with Shinbo-san to have a talk with Urobuchi-san, and asked "in the last episode, can't we get Sayaka to come back to life?" (LOL)

UROBUCHI: And then I answered, "That would be impossible now." (LOL)

SHINBO: It is uncommon for me to have such gushing emotions, so it has been an interesting experience.

UROBUCHI: Guess I bullied Sayaka a bit too much (LOL). But then the reason why I do not feel that sorry for Sayaka is this thing, that I just do not feel that even if she hooked up with Kyosuke that girl would really be happy ever after. Most likely Kyosuke is a guy who will stand her up in dates and go to practice the violin, I think.

AOKI: But at the very end Sayaka said "I do not have regrets". For Sayaka, perhaps it is something she had come to terms with.

SHINBO: I wonder. When I checked the after-recording, I got the mood of from Kitamura-san who voiced Sayaka, "I am not convinced." (LOL)

UROBUCHI: But also for Kyosuke, a man who could not notice that "Hm? this girl seems to have some feeling for me..." even after so much self-sacrifice from her is simply no good. (LOL)

''How about Mami then?''

AOKI: In ep. 2 when Mami-san got into a mood which seemed to be arguing with Homura, it got me to think "Although she is an onesan [elderly sister] character she does not act all that mature." I found this quite cute and I loved it. (LOL)

SHINBO: Although she dropped out (from the anime) in ep. 3, she still holds a strong sense of presence.

===Page 121===

UROBUCHI: I was also surprised by how popular she got. I think Mami's popularity was helped a lot by how cool she looked in the fighting scenes. Although she already looked cool since the point of ep. 1, in ep. 2 she elegantly danced and fought, and after all that a cup of tea. How more elegant can it be? What a girl! (LOL)

AOKI: That cup of tea was a total surprise (to me). I remember thinking "So cool!"

IWAKAMI: Really this can be put as the power of images. Showing it like that in pictures you will think it looks so cool, but if the same thing is written in the screenplay you would just think "What?!"

UROBUCHI: I think it is normal (for people) to doubt my sense. (LOL)

SHINBO: For that part, (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-san, series director, once came to me for advice, saying "Inu-Curry-san said they would like to have Mami drink tea at the end." At that time I did not have much idea (of what it was about), but I thought "They must be aiming for something. Guess it's fine." I gave my OK, thinking that if what they came up with looked odd, I would think up something at that point. And when I saw the result in video....well in fact it really looked quite odd (LOL). Perhaps it looked odd in a good way. People thought it cool and got hooked.

UROBUCHI: That "oddness" is in fact its charm. (LOL) At the stage of screenplay, the impression of Mami's fight scenes were more like that of a machine fighting, as the image was that of guns being fired off relentlessly as weapons.

AOKI: Here I have something I want to ask Urobuchi-san. Among fans, Mami-san is often categorized as a bit of a suffering girl, isn't she? What does Urobuchi-san think about that?

UROBUCHI: I could only say that it was too much of a surprise (LOL) In particular, I did not expect the "Law of the Circular Ring" ''[Editor's note: a term appearing in [[Episode 12]], also referred to as {{Nihongo|Law of Cycles|円環の理|Enkan no Kotowari}}]'' would be misunderstood as a term coined by Mami.

SHINBO: But popularity and talking points came from that kind of things. Like in the BD, it got the chapter title as "Dance of the Magic Bullets."

UROBUCHI: If you come down to that, I too got really high spirits. (LOL) I am sure Mami-san must have created a notebook that is even more amazing than the one Madoka made! And instead of a thin notebook it would be a scrapbook!

KUBOTA: Also, Mami is the only one who gave a name to her signature special move.

UROBUCHI: That was actually done in order to mislead viewers that they were watching some conventional mahou shoujo anime. From ep. 4 onwards such guidance became unnecessary, and there is no more need for anybody to call out the name of their signature special move. It is only Mami, who was active in the early stage, that needed a name for her move.

IWAKAMI: That is interesting. Although the name of the move was created only due to the necessity as required by the story, the understanding instead became that only Mami made up a name for her move. (LOL)

AOKI: When Mami-san's BGM starts to flow, although it looks cool, it also gets me to laugh just a little bit (LOL)

KUBOTA: But in fact that BGM was not written as Mami's theme. Originally it was planned to be used in a different scene, but we found it such a good fit for Mami...(Youta) Tsuruoka, the music director, really picked his tracks well.

'''THE UNEXPECTED REACTIONS FROM FANS'''

''I would like to continue with discussion of the characters. In certain sense Kyubey has become highly popular. (LOL)''

SHINBO: I did not think it would become so popular. This is the biggest surprise to me personally.

UROBUCHI: I was also surprised. At the beginning I had thought it would become a hated character. So my feeling towards Katoh-san who voiced it had been one of "My apologies!"

SHINBO: It just came cross my mind. I think it may be interesting to have Kyubey visit Hidamari-so in "Hidamari Sketch".

UROBUCHI: Since the girls in Hidamari-so are so smart, they will not be so easily conned. But then if it were to be Hiro-san... (LOL)

SHINBO: If she were told "If you become a mahou shoujo you will lose weight." she may be at risk (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Yoshinoya-sensei would surely be at risk too. She gave the impression that she seems to be susceptible to desires.

SHINBO: Yoshinoya-sensei would be fine. Since she is not a young girl any more, she will not be subject to persuasion talk. (LOL) Aoki-san, how about give this idea a try and draw a manga about it? If Aoki-san draws it, it will become "Madoka Magica the Origin".

AOKI: Oh well... I wonder....(LOL)

IWAKAMI: I think it would be interesting (LOL) Also for Kyubey, when it shows up it often gets a close-up. The reactions by the seiyuu (when this happened) during the after-recording sessions were interesting.

SHINBO: That's true. When Kyubey appears, everyone just shouted "Here it is!". This even got me to start thinking "I see. In this case I will do it even more often and surely everyone will be happy." (LOL) I have a feeling that even some scenes where originally it was not to be shown that way got a close-up, as I aimed for that reaction. Although I also felt that the aim was a bit off to another direction. (LOL)

AOKI: I talked to Katoh-san, who voiced Kyubey, in the closing day. I told her that after this "Madoka Magica" she would see a lot of topics related to Kyubey thrown her way in places like radio or twitter.

SHINBO: These should be some tasty topics for Katoh-san, because, well, to put it briefly, (Kyubey) got super popular, and there are things like "Make a contract with me" or "I just don't understand" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: "I just don't understand" are just some ordinary words. (LOL) Though somehow it became a longstanding gag....

===Page 122===

SHINBO: This is where it got mysteriously interesting. Although I have worked in anime industry many years, it is almost my first experience to see a dialogue get so widespread as some talking point.

UROBUCHI: The reason that happened was not because of the words themselves, but the impact generated by how the story was developing the moment those words were spoken. There is nothing pulled out with only the words, but here viewers grouped all their feelings at the moment when that dialogue was spoken, together with what got conveyed to the viewers, and burnt it onto their memory. There it is not just a matter of getting the character to say some elaborate dialogue or dialogue that targeted (the viewers).

''Besides those dialogues, is there anything else from fans' reactions that made a deep impression to you?''

SHINBO: I think it was amazing to see some fans decipher the runes that Inu-Curry-san created. When I did "Pani Poni Dash!", fans reacted to the symbols shown on the screen and it became a talking point among fans. They decoded them and discovered what parody that was supposed to be. As a general rule, if people fail to understand such talking points, the anime will be rejected with people saying "this anime is not interesting," right? But in "Madoka Magica," I was happy that there were even a group of fans who would have fun digging into that kind of thing.

IWAKAMI: And this is something about the general framework. I was very impressed with the fact that fans of "Madoka Magica" had so much fun in real time watching the anime without any prior information, as it is an original work. I found the mood was very refreshing as everyone must follow it as it was broadcast and all shared the same quickened heartbeats because nobody was sure what would come next.

''I heard that it was because of something Kubota-san said that resulted in the broadcast date of the final episode to be announced on an advertisement on Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper.''

KUBOTA: I don't know if it was because of me (LOL). At a book store near my home a bunch of "Madoka Magica" manga were put on display and I saw two girls who seemed to be junior high students in front of those manga. One said something like "This anime was interesting but the broadcast ended at ep. 9. I wonder when it will continue the show..." And I was shocked, thinking "Eh? I thought the broadcast date of the final episode has already been announced?" I then realized without the opportunity to be in touch with media like the internet, that kind of information may be difficult to come by. So I went to talk to Iwakami-san and he said "Let me come up with something."

IWAKAMI: Since I myself also wanted more people to watch the last episode, I thought about using some other way of approach to send out information about the broadcast date and time. With this thought, it suddenly became urgent to make a move. In fact it was only a few days before the broadcast when, half-asleep, I started to try to get the advertisement into the newspaper. The design of that advertisement was done by BALCOLONY.-san who is also responsible for the package design of the BD and DVD.

KUBOTA: Well, it may be just a newspaper advertisement placement, but it can also be thought as an event which simply showed that our anime is grabbing so much attention outside, and I was happy about that. (LOL)

AOKI: Since I could not leave home because I was hitting a bunch of deadlines, I asked my friends to go and buy the newspaper for me. And then I placed the advertisement in front of my desk facing my drafts, and thought "Tonight finally it will be broadcast!!" (LOL)

'''THE MEANING OF ORIGINAL ANIME IN ANIME INDUSTRY'''

''What do you think of the fact that "Madoka Magica", an original anime, became a big hit?''

SHINBO: Currently TV anime is dominated by adapations, so it is significant that in such a background an original anime gained such popularity. I have this feeling like I was able to protect the seedling of original anime.

IWAKAMI: Personally for me, I love video adaptations of works like manga or novels, since there is a strong sense of achievement when you managed to accomplish a video adaptation that does not fall short of the expectation of the readers (of the original work). But I think it is better to have many options. Aniplex also gets involved in producing many original anime, but not every one became a hit. The risk is indeed high. Given that, the fact that "Madoka Magica" became a big hit is very important regarding the future of original anime.

UROBUCHI: I am going to get a bit negative here. If we see an increase of only anime adapted from original works (of other media), its harmful effect will also spread to the related industries. In particular, I feel some sense of crisis regarding light novels, as every author now writes with anime adaptation in mind. Isn't everyone now writing novels that are meant to be taken as anime proposal documents, with anime adaptation being the goal? Hasn't the idea that a novel wins or loses by its contents been lost? When I think of that I got quite sad.

IWAKAMI: For example, "Fate/Zero" by Urobuchi-san is originally a novel that was written without considering anime adaptation at all. Therefore the hurdle to adapt it into video was high, but as a novel it was also very interesting and you got fired up reading it. Regardless of the genre, it would always be regrettable to have everything standardized, because somewhere somehow things will get too similar to each other.

AOKI: In the world of manga, it is often said that to get anime adaptation is one of the goals. Like, "This manga. Will it get anime adaptation?"

SHINBO: Perhaps it is for status. The prevailing thinking is that if it gets just a bit popular, it will only be natural to have an (anime adaptation).

===Page 123===

AOKI: For a popular manga, since there are existing fans, it is safe to adapt it into anime. This anime adapation that is based on expectations for a certain level of sales figure. On the other hand, an original anime starts without any guarantee that it will be absolutely safe, so it is risky.

IWAKAMI: That's true. In that sense it is 100% challenge.

SHINBO: Since now the number of anime titles have increased compared to the past, the industry is always trying to find original works for anime adaptation. That itself is not something bad. It is just that it is really no good if we have only that.

'''THOSE WHO BECAME FANS OF "MADOKA MAGICA" - WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE ARE THEY?'''

''Let's put aside the side topic of original anime for a while. Honestly, how do you take the huge popularity of "Madoka Magica"?''

AOKI: "Madoka Magica" did not cause much stir before its broadcast. But once people actually started to watch the broadcast, they found it interesting. I am happy with how it got more and more attention this way.

SHINBO: I think those people who became fans from a very early stage really have guts. Even for development that may cause people to abandon (the anime) if it tripped up, like when Mami died, instead it caused people to pay attention and get lively, didn't it? So I was happy with how "Madoka Magica" caught fire. I feel that it was those people who in old days would be described as having the sense of "We, and only we, know about this!", helped spread the popularity (of this anime).

UROBUCHI: Indeed the depth of those people who dug into this anime reached is like what old-time otaku would do.

SHINBO: Well, the prediction that "since it is a screenplay by Urobuchi-san you cannot just leave it as such or it will bite you back" is also one example of that. I guess it is precisely because people watched it with that expectation that people find it enjoyable, I guess. WIthout that, everyone would just be discouraged by ep. 3. But in fact there were many people who thought "Ah, so it is." "I have thought that it will come to this." I feel that because of this, people could still enjoy such tough development with characters by Aoki-san. It may be that challenging attitude or it may be that realization that there are so many anime fans who still got the temperament of old-time otaku, but anyway I am happy.

KUBOTA: I also found it great to see a sense of unity developed between those fans and our animation staff. Since in anime, work was done by an aggregation of individuals working in isolation, being able to hear the voices of those people who watched, they were able to take up a lot of courage. The very lively reactions became the strength for the staff, and the work benefited and got better over time.

SHINBO: Without the cheering on by fans, "Madoka Magica" would not have that quality in the second half.

KUBOTA: It is a fortunate work which was created, and ended, with fans joining us.

'''GOING THROUGH THE SUSPENSION OF BROADCAST AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE'''

''Right after ep. 10 was broadcast in theKansai region, "Madoka Magica" had to suspend its broadcast because of the earthquake. Were you affected in any way by that?''

UROBUCHI: First of all, of course the earthquake was such a big shock (to me).... From the viewpoint of my own creation, a work, once it is done, stays along, and it will last longer than myself. Because of this happy fact, I feel there is worth writing screenplays or novels or games. But if Japan should be gone, naturally my works would not remain. If there was no more country where they speak Japanese, what would happen to all the stuff I had done till now? I had this kind of worry.

IWAKAMI: It is the same feeling here. Right after the earthquake, I had a helpless feeling, thinking "With Japan in this mess, so what if I work on anime..."

SHINBO: In fact that was no occasion for anime. And out of many things I came to realize the power of music. It is music, not video images, that provided the emotional support. Even if some video images (could do the job) it will not be anime. For example, for a manga magazine, a bunch of children can pass it around and read it, and it becomes entertainment. But animation is not like that. It just hit me with an emptiness in a certain way.

IWAKAMI: That's right. This is why even though there was no broadcast right after the earthquake, I do not think there are viewers who would think "why there is no broadcast (of the anime)?". However, after one week, two weeks, and things started to calm down and normal life returned, you started to hear voices saying they want to see the remaining part.

SHINBO: (Anime) is that kind of entertainment. For example if war breaks out, it will be no occasion for anime. It reminded me of how (anime) is truly a kind of entertainment for an abundant world. It could not be helped if things got into such a crisis situation, but I just hope that if that did not happen anime could be something needed (by people).

''Happily everything including the last episode was finally broadcast.''

IWAKAMI: I was also counting my time waiting eagerly for the broadcast once the date had been decided.

SHINBO: With life changed one way or another by the earthquake, people still wait for the broadcast with excitement. I feel that they see it as something like a live event that is also related to actual life. I sense that "Madoka Magica" has become an anime with a label inseparable with the earthquake. But it is not that it is an anime that people don't want to remember. I think, together with the fact it is such a hit, it has become an anime in which big things, that could not be covered in a few words, unfolded before us.

===Episode Commentaries===
''Pages 100-103 and 120-122.''



'''EP. 1 - WE MET IN A DREAM...IT SEEMS'''

KUBOTA: During dubbing, at the point when the sound effect and BGM were put in, I got the feel (about the anime). Perhaps it was the combination of sound and images. With music from (Yuki) Kajiura-san synchronized to the visual images by Inu-Curry-san, I had the tactile feeling of what kind of anime it would become.

UROBUCHI: In terms of degree of shock, perhaps ep. 1 is the biggest. I thought, (ep. 1) being like this, there should be no need to play innocence since at the point of avant (pretitle) one can already see it is an ominous anime. (LOL) You see, the Inu-Curry monster was running on a rampage with that BGM. Also Part B, from the scene where Madoka got lost in the bewitched space made by a witch until the Mami fight scene, was amazing.

AOKI: I was also surprised, that in ep. 1 the mood of the anime could be thrust out to such extent.

IWAKAMI: However looking at the reactions after the broadcast of ep. 3, I think it managed to mislead (the audience) quite successfully.

UROBUCHI: No no... I thought if more carnage were there it could cheat (people more)..... Come to think of it, in the screenplay there was the description that, in the avant [pretitle], next to Madoka, who is about to make contract, the bodies of Mami and Kyoko are shown.

SHINBO: Although at first the direction of our thinking was to make use of it, but since we had not yet been able to see what mood the series would take on, we were cautious (about it). Besides there were viewers who would try to make predictions according to the fact that Urobuchi-san wrote the screenplay, we concluded it was better not to use that. Later when I thought about it, I believed it was a correct decision not to use it.

IWAKAMI: The ribbon in ep. 1 also became the key item in ep. 12. Did you plan to use that as the hidden plot device to be deployed at the end right from the beginning?

UROBUCHI: No, not at all (LOL). It was just something that I put in anyways when I had difficulty coming up with the dialogues between Madoka and her mother, as something that could be used in a plot device later. Since it got really good use in ep. 12, I thought "so the way is to put in many things in advance." (LOL)

SHINBO: For the ribbon, I have some regrets from a directing point of view. When Madoka held out two ribbons and asked "which ribbon I wonder?" it would be better to have another ribbon with even more flamboyant color beside her and her mother picked that one instead. With that the characters of both Madoka and her mother would have come out clearer....

UROBUCHI: I see. Doing that would be interesting.

SHINBO: Yeah. Among the students only one had a name - [[Nakazawa]]-kun. How come?

UROBUCHI: That is for the roll-call by the teacher and there is no particularly deep meaning. But since I have given him a name after all, I had him appeared again in ep. 7 (LOL)



'''EP. 2 - THAT WOULD BE REALLY WONDERFUL...'''

UROBUCHI: It is an episode for explaining the world in this anime, including the settings design [settei]. The amount of information is a lot.

SHINBO: Ep. 1 for impact, and Ep. 2 the follow-up. I think it is similar to the composition of standard anime work. However, since Kyubey's explanation is so interesting, it does not look boring.

IWAKAMI: The way cutback was used in Part A is interesting.

UROBUCHI: It was a complicated composition with flashback first and then back to exposition, then again flashback, and exposition....

IWAKAMI: And then there is the Madoka's notebook. That part was also used again at the end, just like the ribbon in Ep. 1. People who watch it the second time can have another moving experience.

SHINBO: Since the notebook will show up again later like you said, in order to give a deeper impression I had Aoki-san drew the front cover.

UROBUCHI: So there are such twists and turns behind that notebook... There is also how good Madoka's drawings are, or how bad they are. And what kind of thing a fantasy notebook from an actual junior high student is like...

AOKI: When I first drew it, I thought Madoka would have drawn it even more badly. And so I really drew it very ugly..... I was told "this is way too ugly" (LOL) and "please go a bit more towards something that we can draw".

IWAKAMI: If you ask someone who does not know about the background, the words "this is way too ugly" would be really harsh words for Ume-sensei (LOL). And using the pictures that Ume-sensei drew in the style of a junior high student as reference, we got Yuuki-san, who acted Madoka, to draw them inside the notebook.

SHINBO: Actually Yuuki-san's drawings are even better than that. But since they are drawings by Madoka, she deliberately drew them badly. We got just the right amount of realism.

UROBUCHI: By the way, since the setting [settei] is that they are the drawings of mahou shoujo that Madoka had seen by that time, Sayaka was not drawn there. I am definitely not trying to exclude her from the group (LOL). On the contrary if Sayaka was drawn there it would become a contradiction.

SHINBO: I guessed at the early stage of the series, in both ep. 1 and ep. 2, the viewers would probably think "When will Madoka transform?" Around those episodes I got quite excited.

UROBUCHI: It is still not yet the stage where they realize that in fact the point is she must not transform.



'''EP. 3 -- I'M NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING ANYMORE'''

AOKI: The first time I intruded into the dubbing operation was this ep. 3. Moreover it was precisely at the scene where Mami got eaten. Since it had to be rewound many times to repeat the checking, I came in and suddenly I had to watch the "GabuGabu Puraaan" [sound effect] scene many times (LOL). Seeing it in images, those are very shocking scenes. It was scary.

IWAKAMI: To be honest, I was also a bit scared, about how the fans would react after watching ep. 3. I thought there might be people who would think such a development is interesting, but there might be quite a number of people who would flinch and leave.

UROBUCHI: When I wrote it, I thought people would be clearly divided into those who love it and those who dislike it. I got worried I might be stabbed by some "Hidamari" fans. (LOL) My friends told me something like "You had better watch the date and disappear from twitter. Conceal yourself until the storm dies down." (LOL) So I was prepared. Unexpectedly, that kind of reaction did not happen.

SHINBO: Even the witch in ep. 3 did not get hated. In fact she got quite popular, so much so that she had her own merchandise.

UROBUCHI: That is some good job Inu-Curry-san did. Of all things, they designed the most cruel witch to look the cutest.

AOKI: Indeed she looks very cute.

UROBUCHI: The element of surprise worked.

SHINBO: I think many things in ep. 3 belong to the well-done side. However, I had a bit of regret over the scene at the beginning where Mami was in the limelight. It was cut due to the episode length time limit.



'''EP. 4 - BOTH MIRACLES AND MAGIC EXIST'''

UROBUCHI: My thinking is that, after ep. 3, since those who found it not to their taste would have already stopped watching and so only those who still had anticipation would remain and kept watching. Perhaps I can call it a certain type of me being defiant.

SHINBO: I was worried about being asked why Madoka could still eat breakfast the next day after seeing that kind of thing. I was relieved when such an attack about that part did not materialize. (LOL)

UROBUCHI: And from around this time, Kyubey began to stop hiding its evilness.

SHINBO: Since every member of the staff knew the real identity of Kyubey, they all ended up drawing it that way. Although personally I would like to have hidden it a bit more.

KUBOTA: I was particularly impressed with the scene where Kyosuke made a scene because he could no longer play violin. The impression is less about Kyosuke than feeling sorry for Sayaka who became the victim of Kyosuke venting his anger.

AOKI: But then I can understand the feeling of Kyosuke. I also used it as an idea behind a 4-koma manga in the BD booklet. (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Come to think of it, at the point of the initial composition proposal, there was no such setting [settei] of Kyosuke being a violinist. So he did not have an injured right arm, but instead he had an incurable illness. As for why it became violin related, by now I could not recall anything at all.

AOKI: Also I really love the scene where Madoka and Sayaka were looking very miserable on roof top. I can imagine that after such a shocking event, naturally it would be like that. Surely it would not be "I should take up the fight instead of Mami-san."

IWAKAMI: And there Kyubey pulled itself away for once, saying "farewell". (LOL)

SHINBO: Kyubey got a lot of popularity with that strategy. (LOL) Instead of pushing it pulls away. Saying "That's too bad," and then leave. And when Sayaka made up her mind, it just casually appeared next to her (LOL) Also later after Sayaka became a mahou shoujo, the feeling of "oops I did it" she projected. This is kind of hard to describe.

IWAKAMI: From here onwards, it will be the Sayaka arc for a while.

SHINBO: It's just that at first I was a bit concerned about the motivation of Sayaka's decision to become a mahou shoujo being Kyosuke, that is a boy. I wondered if fans might not like this. Although it was already written since the initial composition proposal, after I read the screenplay I remember raising the point and said "what should we do."

KUBOTA: Ep. 4 had Sayaka's first battle, the image Shinbo-san initially had was something like a magician and he said he wanted to do the battle where she fights with magic. In discussions he said it would not be something cliched like pulling some pigeon from the cloak but he would like to have attack like that.

SHINBO: In terms of adding some flourishes in action scenes, I was thinking perhaps it would be interesting to have something that is a good talking point as well as flourishes. For example, something like action scenes with magic tricks in them. But then it is just something I came up at the beginning. I did not do that in the actual animation.

AOKI: If there has to be someone who fights in that style, I think it would be Homura.

SHINBO: Also for me in the last scene when Kyoko first showed up, the way she looked just hit me as so shounen-manga. And the part where she looked down from high above at the top of a steel tower is also good. I think the dialogue she said at the end "So I can just crush her, right?" generated anticipation of where the story will go afterwards. Honestly, a viewer would like to keep watching if he cannot read the coming development.

IWAKAMI: It is difficult to link a story to the next stage after a character died. Naturally other characters will be depressed, and the question is to what extent you can invigorate the story under this situation. Therefore I believe this ep. 4 is important after that ep. 3. After I read the screenplay, I realized I was over-worried.

SHINBO: For example, in "Star of the Giants", when Hyuuma Hoshi's 'Major League Ball" was defeated, he got into depression for many weeks, right? I was so tough watching that week after week. (LOL) But in ep. 4 there was the transformation of Sayaka, and at the end a mysterious mahou shoujo appeared. The story got lively again. This is something that I will pay attention in future too.



'''EP. 5 - THERE'S NO WAY I'D REGRET THIS'''

UROBUCHI: When I was writing the screenplay I imagined that the the battle between Sayaka and Kyoko took place in some dirty little back alley...I was surprised even that back alley became such a cool looking place.

IWAKAMI: Is battle in a back alley something rare in Shaft's work?

KUBOTA: Yeah, indeed it seems there aren't many...

SHINBO: In "Tsukuyomi" there is. But other than that, there isn't I guess.

KUBOTA: Making the back alley look like that was from the beginning Shinbo-san's idea. Even the battle scenes have cool looking images.

SHINBO: In fact I had wanted to make the alley look narrower. I thought it would be interesting that in such confined place the spear would have to be turned into a (multi-section) staff which would be swung around. The idea was that Kyoko's original weapon is a spear and she will find it hard to wave it around in a back alley. So in the storyboard I made it a multi-section staff. It was a change rooted in such consideration but I think it was good that it also created variety in battle portrayal. It is a creative idea from combat movies, not mahou shoujo works, but I thought "Whatever" (LOL)

UROBUCHI: However now I think about it again, this is the screenplay being unreasonable, as I put a fight with spear swinging around in a narrow back alley. I should have thought things over a bit more... (LOL) It was my bad habit to have events take place in a back alley when I got absent-minded. Being a follower of Hideyuki Kikuchi, I also let my story go the way of a back alley before knowing it.

IWAKAMI: But this is a scene where I was excited to see it in images when it was still only in screenplay. I wondered what kind of hardboiled battle scene Shinbo-san and Shaft could come up. In fact that after watching the battle scene, it was worth the wait.

UROBUCHI: Sayaka fought better than she was in the screenplay.

SHINBO: I wanted to show some portrayal of ripostes. Also I wanted to immobilize Madoka in advance.

UROBUCHI: Indeed that is necessary. I also have that pointed to me when animation was being done.

SHINBO: And then another thing that made ep. 5 interesting is where Homura showed up and there the story was to continue in the next episode.

UROBUCHI: It could not be helped because of time restriction, but it turned out be something good.

KUBOTA: The original idea was to show up till the fighting ended and the episode ends with Kyoko leaving. That was instead carried on to be the avant [pre-title] in the next episode.

SHINBO: And it was better that way. It is more likely to generate excitement by ending with a scene where you'd say "Eh?! What will happen?" and letting the story continue (to the next episode).



'''EP. 6 - THIS IS JUST NOT RIGHT'''

UROBUCHI: This is an episode where the phrase "I just do not understand" made its debut. Kyubey started not to put up any excuse any more (LOL). But having reached this episode, the build-up of the story is now complete. I also had the expectation that those viewers who are still with us until this ep. 6 should find episodes from ep. 7 on very enjoyable. I thought ep. 3 would for once filter the audience, and if they would stay along in ep. 4 and ep. 5, then I guessed we should be fine.

SHINBO: However since in reality instead of seeing people drop out after ep. 3 it got a lot more attention, we did not really need to worry about that. And coming into this ep. 6, people should start to realize that the question is not "When will Madoka transform?" but instead "In this anime she must not transform."

UROBUCHI: Also in ep. 6, there is one whole scene that was cut out. That was something that I did on my own initiative. When I dug around some old files, I found there was a scene where Homura and Sayaka talked to each other. There is a scene where Homura met Kyoko in a game center, isn't it? My thought was that after Homura finished talking to Kyoko there, there was a scene where she advised Sayaka, saying "You are not fit to be mahou shoujo, so behave yourself and stay quiet." And of course Sayaka would reject that. But then it is hard to call a scene enjoyable when you just watch Homura and Sayaka going on and on doing nothing but arguing. (LOL)



'''EP. 7 - CAN YOU FACE YOUR TRUE FEELINGS?'''

UROBUCHI: The church scene was a surprise. I could not even imagine the conversation would take place in a background that is all stained glass.

SHINBO: The image of a church with stained glass was taken from the image at the beginning of the anime "The Soul Taker". Moreover, I wanted to show something other than what people usually draw when they think of a church like those long pews etc.

IWAKAMI: I really love the dialogue of Kyoko at the end of the church scene, when before she left she turned to Sayaka and said "We are mahou shoujo! There are no other people like us!"

UROBUCHI: That is almost gangster-like talk, like "Us fellas are different from those ordinary chaps!" (LOL)

SHINBO: It got very interesting to hear that dialogue spoken with Nonaka-san's acting. And I got a bit troubled with the scene where Kyoko threw out an apple. Since Kyoko valued food so much, what would she do with the core of an apple? Did she throw it away, or eat the core as well? And if I decided she would throw it away, then I thought she would eat until where there is nothing more to eat, and what would be the sound when that core dropped onto the ground? In order not to get the impression that "Didn't she only just say 'don't you waste food!' and now she was throwing apple away!" I put a subtle sound effect at the end.

UROBUCHI: But people may then think, if she eats that much already, why not eats the core as well? (LOL)

SHINBO: Indeed Kyoko's character may be just like that. But in that scene I think it looks cooler for her to throw it away. So I got help from the sound effect staff so that (the sound) would not invite criticism. I need to thank the sound effect people like (Hidemi) Tanaka-san. But then I did not expect to get troubled on this kind of thing (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Come to think of it, in that scene Kyoko was eating something healthy. Usually she just kept munching on junk food.

SHINBO: If she kept going with that kind of diet, don't you think Kyoko would get fat?

UROBUCHI: Probably won't. Thanks for the magical power. (LOL)

AOKI: My impression of Kyoko changed in ep. 7, I thought "Hmm? Surprisingly she is a nice girl!"

IWAKAMI: As it is the episode where the relationship between Sayaka and Kyoko got close very quickly.

SHINBO: But for me I started to think of Kyoko as a good girl from ep. 6. Didn't she give Homura some of her Pocky?

UROBUCHI: I am sure if you become a friend of Kyoko, you will get some food. (LOL)



'''EP. 8 - I AM REALLY SUCH A FOOL'''

UROBUCHI: This is the climax of the grim development.

AOKI: This episode was tough to watch. It was very tough to see the exchanges between Sayaka and Madoka.

IWAKAMI: The existence of Kyoko is significant as she went to save (Sayaka) from such a grim development.

UROBUCHI: When she first appeared, she was supposed to be a heel [e.g. villain] character, but before you know it she became the only conscience. (LOL)

SHINBO: In visual terms, in ep. 8 I aimed for something that I had not done before. Like the dialogue between Madoka and Sayaka in the rain, or the exchanges between Sayaka and Homura later.

UROBUCHI: The image where Kyubey became a hornet's nest by Homura's bullets is also very shocking. And right after that, it was revealed that its true identity is Incubator. By then it is very clear that it is not a creature that can live with humanity on friendly terms.

SHINBO: There is also the dialogue "Isn't it a waste?". I thought it would also become a talking point but turned out it did not cause a sensation like "I just don't understand." (LOL) As a Japanese who takes good care of things and stuff, I wish that would get popular too.

AOKI: In that scene I really feel sorry for Homura who was left behind by Madoka. I just want to call out to Madoka, "Spend a bit more time with (Homura)!"

UROBUCHI: Ah, that's because from Madoka's point of view, she "just doesn't understand" (LOL) But then, coming to ep. 8, all the setups prepared before that started to come off quickly one by one in a chain reaction.

KUBOTA: It was impressive that the dialogue between the two hosts in a train was something that actually happened in real life.

UROBUCHI: They were talking at a place very close to me in an overcrowded train.

SHINBO: For us that was the most out-of-place dialogue in the world of "Madoka Magica."

UROBUCHI: Since they are not characters who would appear in mahou shoujo works. (LOL)

SHINBO: That's why I got convinced when I heard from Urobuchi-san about the background. I just hope that the viewers would also know that that was originated from a real life situation.

UROBUCHI: It was not really like that when it happened, I had to summarize to that length because of the time limit. Besides, the dialogues are extremely stupid, as they spoke in cliches that made you think "is it some on-location filming out there?" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Since it is a dialogue that generates such an out-of-place feeling, we decided to use some unconventional treatment when we came to create the images for it.

SHINBO: Yeah, we deliberately made it black-and-white.

UROBUCHI: And the seiyuu casting of [[wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobuo_Tobita|(Nobuo) Tobita]] and [[wikipedia:Shin-ichiro_Miki|(Shinichiro) Miki]] as the hosts is deluxe class. (LOL)

SHINBO: For that scene, it would not work if it was not done by actors with solid acting skills. And (Youta) Tsuruoka, music director, helped me to cast these two veteran seiyuu.

IWAKAMI: Usually for such minor characters, it will go to young actors. With veteran seiyuu acting that part, the feel that Sayaka was pushed to a dead end little by little came out effectively.

SHINBO: But I guess Tobita-san (and Miki-san) did not understand why they were asked to do that.

UROBUCHI: Because they are minor characters and appeared only in one scene. On top of that, the title of the script has the words "mahou shoujo" written on it but strangely here is this scene which smells of blood. I can see that would be an after-recording session filled with many mysteries. (LOL)

SHINBO: And I think it should be good stimulation for some veterans to come and join these many actresses of around the same generation. Somehow I felt that the mood in the after-recording session got a bit sharpened as a result.

UROBUCHI: In fact Yuuki-san seemed to get very tense.

AOKI: And then there was the smiling face of Sayaka at the end of Ep. 8. I could not forget her expression when she said, "I am really such a fool."



'''EP. 9 - I WILL NEVER ALLOW THAT'''

AOKI: The visual image of Sayaka Witch surprised me.

UROBUCHI: What I imagined was a monster that looked even more grotesque, so I think that it already got quite a bit of beauty treatment, since in the screenplay there is something like "countless tentacles stretching out" written on it. I wonder what I was thinking of Sayaka. (LOL)

SHINBO: It was marvelous to see how the music by Kajiura-san matched with the video images in ep. 9.

IWAKAMI: She wrote one piece of music specifically for Sayaka who had become a witch. I think Kajiura-san found the work to be interesting after reading the screenplay so she was willing to respond to our sudden requests.

AOKI: When I saw Kyoko in ep. 9, I got filled with so much hope. I really think perhaps at the end they could somehow manage.

UROBUCHI: If it is a conventional mahou shoujo anime, I guess at the end they will somehow manage it.

IWAKAMI: But I think indeed it was structured very well, since a character that came out only in ep. 5 now stands out so prominently in ep. 9.

UROBUCHI: Although I had thought about letting Kyoko stay just a little bit longer. But in 12 episodes I think that is the limit.



'''EP. 10 - I WILL NOT DEPEND ON ANYONE ANYMORE'''

UROBUCHI: It is a miracle story to get everything into one episode. In fact this is something that requires at least 2 episodes. With only one episode everything has to be rushed. I submitted the first draft, thinking "Can this really be kept within 25 minutes?!" and I had expected it would be rejected...but it got through. (LOL)

KUBOTA: But then I got all fired up after reading that screenplay. I thought I must make it happen....

SHINBO: At the very beginning it was a little bit longer, we got it shortened by a little.

UROBUCHI: I did not cut down much actually. I just had this worry that the pace of ep. 10 is so fast that audience may get the feeling of being abandoned.

SHINBO: But the viewers were able to understand without difficulty. I was surprised to see the fans of this anime have such a strong ability to understanding.

IWAKAMI: Also I think it was good to see it filled with scenes fans want to see, like when the mahou shoujo teamed up to fight witches. It is just that from an animation process point of view, since there are a couple of situations (to draw), it took awfully large amounts of labor. Kubota-san remembered ep. 3 and ep. 10 as the episodes that took them a particularly amount of effort.

KUBOTA: Ep. 3 is the turning point in the early stage and so that was necessary no matter what. And for Ep. 10, since the structure of the screenplay has a really high degree of perfection, and there are tricky works we needed to do, it gave me the feeling that it was indeed the chokepoint. I do not intend to discriminate various episodes among all the 12 episodes, but I have no doubt that this is the most important episode within the series. This also came naturally to our staff.

UROBUCHI: I thought the anime databank system would be used more often. It was only (used) in the moment just before the last scene.

KUBOTA: That was because it was necessary to use the image from ep. 1. Even with the use of databank system, it was an episode that was complicated and technically demanding (to make). But the main staff, including (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-kun, copied with it perfectly.

SHINBO: It was also because (Shinsaku) Sasaki-san, who drew the storyboard, read the storyboard of ep. 1 very thoroughly. He grasped everything very well, like whether to use such and such cut in more than one situation, to put together the storyboard. Episode Director (Yuuki) Yase-san was also very good.

UROBUCHI: I was surprised that Inu-Curry Witches really showed up in quick succession. I had expected it would just reuse all the witches who had appeared earlier, and they really made new designs for every one of them.

IWAKAMI: The dialogue that Madoka said, "Keep it a secret to everyone in class.", also stood out. It was impressive because it was a dialogue where she showed her will clearly up front while up till then she looked so timid and indecisive.

SHINBO: Besides that, the acting by Yuuki-san on that scene was really good.

KUBOTA: And for me, the scenes where Homura's face got sterner and sterner each time she passed through the time loop were impressive.

UROBUCHI: She looks cool. I love the face of Homura when at the end she fell into total distrust of other human beings.

IWAKAMI: I wish I could taste the shock when, without knowing anything in advance before watching the TV broadcast, suddenly out came Homura with eyeglasses and braided hair. (LOL)

SHINBO: The Animation Director for this episode is (Yoshiaki) Itoh-san. He himself once said "I am so happy to be the animation director for ep. 10".



'''EP. 11 - THE LAST REMAINING SIGNPOST'''

AOKI: At my place, somehow the video of ep. 12 came before the video of ep. 11. But I thought "I absolutely must not watch it by skipping ep. 11!" and so I just stashed away ep.12. So I watched and enjoyed ep. 11 in real time just like every viewer. Also, in the closing day, (Tetsuya) Iwanaga-san, who voiced (Madoka's) father, said to me, the last word between Madoka and her father was "I need to go to the toilet." When I thought of what happened to Madoka later, it only gave me sadness.

IWAKAMI: I guess at that moment Madoka could not even dream that she herself would in fact become a concept.

UROBUCHI: From here on, I just threw up everything and wrote with a so-what attitude. It may have been challenge in certain sense, (to see) how much I can say this is absurdly unreasonable but I can still be told "This is not the case." (LOL)

SHINBO: In the storyboard of ep. 11, the silhouettes of Mami and Sayaka etc. were seen clinging close to the Walpurgisnacht. But this part was changed (later).

UROBUCHI: The manga version was drawn based on the storyboard before the change. Black Mami and Sayaka were drawn there.



'''EP. 12 - MY BEST FRIEND'''

UROBUCHI: Since in the screenplay I only wrote something like "Madoka turns into a concept," I think it was well adapted into images. Even regarding the location, I only wrote with self-indulgence, putting it as something like "void space" (LOL). But the power of images is strong, as in a world with only text, like novels, could not produce such persuasive power. When you read the part with text "they float in a space where there is nothing," you think "Ah, is it so." and then you are done. It is the power of images to get people to think "Wow...I see!"

IWAKAMI: Indeed the persuasive power of images in the last stage, from ep. 10 onwards, was amazing. In the early stage and middle stage the power of Urobuchi-san's story pulled along the story. I feel that in the last stage, it was due to the pulling power of images that were built up by animating the conceptual part of the screenplay.

UROBUCHI: Also since ep. 10-12 were broadcast at one go, it gave a feeling of watching a movie. In summary, it was the "Homura Chapter." And then even though quite some effort went into designing the ultimate form of Madoka, it was a waste that she did not appear that much. But then her existence loomed immensely large with that short appearance. I also thought people would get angry at me for that scene with mahou shojo in the past. Just think how many new characters needed to be created just for that one scene...I had expected somehow this would be resolved by finding some way out.... It came out as a straight ball. They did not even try to run away. (LOL) My hat off to them.

KUBOTA: The key animation of those mahou shojo (from the past) were drawn by (Takahiro) Kishida-san, the Character Designer, himself.

UROBUCHI: There is this thing that surprisingly became a talking point -- "The Law of Circular Path". That actually means "the ending that will, without exception, visit the girls who embraced hope and chose to take up the destiny of becoming a mahou shoujo." It is not something Mami-san coined herself, but something like an oral tradition that was passed along among mahou shoujo in that world. And so at that place and time, the only one who could not understand at all after hearing those words was Homura. Kyoko also knew and probably Sayaka in that world had also heard those words before.

AOKI: The black wings of Homura in the last scene - was it the intention of Urobuchi-san?

UROBUCHI: No, those wings were from Inu-Curry-san.

IWAKAMI: There are many interpretations regarding the last scene. What does Urobuchi-san think of that?

UROBUCHI: My intention when I wrote the screenplay was: The location is not Japan and Homura's fight just goes on. But I think it is fine for all the fans to come up with their own interpretation. There is even conjecture that "this is without doubt the world after humanity was annihilated." It is still a valid interpretation.

IWAKAMI: It looks something like a Bad End, with an ending that had Homura hearing Madoka's voice just before she went to a certain death. (LOL) Personally I believe it is a Good End.

AOKI: So what I thought and I felt proved to be correct after all.

SHINBO: Even though the world has changed, Homura will never forget Madoka. I think that is the most important thing. If there is another work for "Madoka Magica," this will be something that will never change.

== Puella Magi Madoka Magica After-recording Report ==
''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

:''Detailed translations at: [[Guidebook After Recording Report]]. See also translated comic of [[Animedia_2011-06#Madoka_After-Recording_Report_.28Seiyuu_Comic.29|Ep 12 After-Recording Session]].

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 1|Episode 11: Part 1]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 01 TL.jpg|Episode 11: Part 1 [[Media:Guidebook_comic_01.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 2: Pre-recording|Part 2: Pre-recording]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 02 TL.jpg|Part 2: Pre-recording [[Media:Guidebook_comic_02a.jpg|Original in Japanese]]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 3: Recording|Part 3: Recording]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 03 TL.jpg|Part 3: Recording [[Media:Guidebook_comic_03.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht|Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 04 TL.jpg|Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht [[Media:Guidebook Comic 02.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

==Opening Theme==

''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

CONNECT 
Composition, Lyrics: Sho Watanabe 
Singer: ClariS

It is an opening that contains a lot of scenes which you could not see much in the main part of the anime, including the mahou shoujo Madoka. The black cat that Madoka held in her arms appears again in the drama CD that came with BD/DVD Vol.1. Also at first the last cut has only Madoka, Sayaka and Mami, but in ep. 10 and ep. 11, Homura and Kyoko were added as well.

OPENING ANIMATION 
Storyboard, Direction 
Tomoyuki Sakamura

''What kind of opening did you think of making?''

I got the order from Shinbo-san that the animation plan for the opening must have the standard scenes and transformation scene of mahou shoujo. When I first heard the song, I got the simple impression that it is not some girl bouncing around but something serious. And after I read the scenario, I just fell and rolled over. This was a reaction that was no different from the shock experienced by audience when they first watched ep. 10 of the anime. It was in fact lyrics for Homura, but if you did not realize that and put Madoka in her place, instead it was basically an opening with cute mahou shoujo. Based on that concept, I started the work on storyboarding.

''There was controversy regarding the black cat held by Madoka.''

For the black cat, I created it as a little gimmick to show off the mahou shoujo Madoka in her regular daily life which has a different mood from what is in the main part, and also as a Madoka story that is in a parallel world which is different from the main part. I thank all the fans for doing so much research. By the way, Aoi Yuuki-san, who voiced Madoka, gave an upturned eye and asked "Is this the cat I am keeping?". Nakamura-san, the animation director, and I answered "Yes, that's right."

''How about the addition of Homura and Kyoko in the last cut starting from ep. 10?''

In fact at first, I did not think about adding Homura and Kyoko in the last cut from ep. 10 onwards. (LOL) When the opening and the main part of ep. 10 was about to be recorded, I decided (I wanted to do that) and rushed to create new images. And I felt sorry for Kyoko, so I added her too. This reminds me - there is also an interesting idea from Izumi-san who worked in coloring: Adding a "stalker Homura" in all the cuts in the opening where Homura would watch over and protect Madoka. ''[editor's note: the idea didn't make it to production but did for fanmade parodies.]''

''There is also the Madoka transformation scene. What kind of image did you have in mind when you created that?''

In the mahou shojo transformation scene, I added a maternal and mysterious mood by having a naked Madoka holding and kissing Madoka. The question of who is embracing Madoka became a talking point... It seems to be more fun by keeping this as a secret. I think the actual images, which were done by animator (Masaaki) Takiyama-san, who drew the heavenly Madoka in nude with gushing libido, and photographer (Takayuki) Aizu-san, who fine-toned the color palette and light transmission, came out beautifully.

''The slice-of-life scenes that we see so little in the actual anime are also depicted in the opening.''

I made them in order to compensate for the fact that in the first half of the series, it is difficult to draw cheerful scenes or the pleasure of a happy home. Commemorative photo with family, after-school (visit to) the cake shop, sports festival, concert, afternoon on the sofa etc etc. As the main part progresses, the focus is on more and more painful things, and (the opening) looks a bit mean-spirited (to have those scenes) inserted. It hurts to see the gentle face of Mami-san in sleep!

''Other than that, anything during the animation work you particularly remember?''

This is the first time I directed an opening, and what surprised me very much was the experience of editing. In the process of matching cuts (of images) against the music, even just the difference of one frame could change the impression regarding the visual image and how pleasant you feel about it. It needs a completely different sense from the dubbing of the main part, where you first made all the cuts, linked them together, and only after that had music and sound added. Experimenting and then checking the result could give rise to serendipitous discovery. It was difficult but also very interesting.

''Could I ask you for your memories and thoughts as you look back to the work you did this time?''

Being able to work on an opening this time is more than I deserved, and I called for outside help - I asked animator Ryo Imagawa-san to help me. I thank him for pulling me all along, from the stage of storyboard to actual animation, as well as directing. He was actively involved in everything like he had 8 faces and 6 arms. While he drew his own original animation, he also went through all the cuts and made fine adjustments and follow-ups. The animation work had so little time (LOL) - it was non-stop from Storyboard IN ''[symbv: when storyboard first started to get animated]'' to chapter-V ''[symbv: when all the retakes are done and the work shifts to post-production]''!! I want to say thanks to all the staff who were involved in the production. Oh yes oh yes, I suddenly called and woke up (Naoto) Nakamura-san, Animation Director, and he helped me out... That's some nice memory... I think... for him. [The opening] is different from the main part: There is no need to connect the scene as required by a story, and there is no restriction (or support) from dialogues or effect sound. It was very refreshing and appealing to create densely packed images for 90 seconds. I am honored and thankful for being able to participate in working in "Madoka Magica." And my apology to (Tadao) Iwaki-san (animation producer) for not being able to help in the main part.

==Ending Theme==

''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

ENDING THEME 
MAGIA 
Compose, Lyrics: Yuki Kajiura 
Singer: Kalafina

Madoka, in silhouette, runs and runs within an uncanny and eerie space.
It was used only in surprsingly infrequent times - from ep. 3-8. As an ending, it symbolized the dark side of this anime.

Ending Animation - Hirofumi Suzuki

''Can you tell me your impression when you heard the song?''

Until then, I had made only slow and laid-back type of endings for works by Director Shinbo, and I thought this time it would just be something similar, so I underestimated the job and accepted it. The song that I got turned out to be terribly grave and I was taken aback.

''What kind of things did you and Director Shinbo discuss (on this ending)?''

At the occasion when we came to discuss it, he told me that the ending "will start from ep. 3". And in the preparatory meeting, I think he said something to the effect that, "I think it may be better to have a different feeling from the image created by Gekidan Inu-Curry-san in the main part, and have something that hints at the future of Madoka and others."

''Can you tell me any happening during the production work or something about the completed video?''

I did everything of the production work from storyboard to filming by myself. They were all done on the PC. The contents just provide rough suggestions of (what happens) in the main part, so there is nothing particular I want to say. As for why only Homura turns around, I think if (the viewer) watches ep. 10 and later episodes, he should be able to find out.

MATA ASHITA (See You Tomorrow) 
Lyrics, Compose: hanawaya 
Arrangement: Ryuka / Tomonori Taguchi 
Singer: Madoka Kaname (Aoi Yuuki)

For Ep. 1 and 2 on BD/DVD, there is an ending which was not shown on broadcast TV. The song and the illustration to remind (listeners) of the time when Madoka and others were leading their lives as ordinary girls.

ENDING ILLUSTRATION 
UME AOKI

I heard about this plan to have the picture of Madoka-chan added to the ending, so I drew this illustration. I drew it with the thought that it would be good to have a picture which can only be associated to ep. 1 and 2. (LOL)

== Data in production stage ==
[[File:Guidebook_Production_Related_Material_01.jpg|Data in production stage|thumb]]

===Planning Memo (Upper right)===

====Story keyword====

*When the wish of a magical girl comes true, she becomes a witch.
*Based on friendship between an idealistic girl and a realistic girl.
*The idealistic girl claims that to become a witch is bad. But she exhausts her power for the world and becomes a witch...

*Main characters are the two above, with additional two, total 4.
*If sub characters are counted, total about 7 characters.
*Protagonists are about 15 years old.

*They may use magic to transform.
*But they are mainly wearing uniform.
*Although it is subtle whether they are in magical school, the school is serious and strict.

====Visual image====

*The image of 4 girls are as follows:
**The idealistic girl: bright, and looking forward.
**The realistic girl: seem to know everything as an adult. She is excellent in both knowledge and physical power.
**The talented girl: comes from witch's blood. She has inborn magic.
**The learned girl: learning magic systematically. She looks like an otaku.

*The tragic fate of magical girls, and the decision. ...(their serious face?)
*Needs some gadgets of magical girls, like sticks, bracelet or necklace.
*An animal who guides them to their fights.
** While looking cute, he will say something terrible like "Do you have desire to improve the world, even have to pay your life". He is so cruel because he knows everything.

===Minutes (Lower right)===

Translation courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Setting Meeting Minutes:
* Date/Time: May 12, 2010, 18:00–
* Location: Shaft 2nd Floor, Meeting Room
* Attendees:
** [[Akiyuki Shinbo]] (Director)
** Shiroinu ([[Gekidan Inu Curry]])
** Doroinu (Gekidan Inu Curry)
** Mitsutoshi Kubota ([[Shaft]])
** Tomoyo Kamiji (Shaft)

* Agenda: Overall Art Setting/Design

When entering a magical space, should it mix with the real world, or become a completely disconnected, separate space?
(The term "erosion/encroachment" is used in the scenario, but it can be changed.)
→ Dismantle the original elements and reassemble them (Inu Curry-sama's imagery).

Request Gekidan Inu Curry-sama to design the alternate dimensions and Witches.

Witch designs should not be instantly recognizable as "witches" to just anyone. They should evoke a sense of anxiety and uneasiness. Cute designs might also be good.

Alternate dimensions will change design with each episode, serving a role similar to a stage set/theatrical apparatus.

Both the alternate dimensions and Witches will be produced with specific themes, without being overly assertive.
(For example, Sayaka's Witch is designed to reflect her identity.)

While the story is told from the characters' subjective viewpoints, the design of the scenes should look objective.

Try applying a filter-like effect to characters when they enter an alternate dimension. (Inu Curry-sama's image change/style shift.)
→ Consult once other production staff, such as photography/compositing, are finalized.

The director wants to create an image animation completely different from the magical girl anime Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha. (Madoka Magica is a work that, in the director's mind, exists as an extension of Le Portrait de Petit Cossette.)

The real world will feature a modern cityscape. A design that feels slightly near-futuristic. However, power lines will remain.

The cityscape is urban. A well-planned, rigidly structured city. (Symmetrical layouts are also acceptable.)

The school should also reference foreign designs.

Overall, the coloring should be like that of a bishoujo anime. (Referencing Ume Aoki-sensei.)
→ Research and utilize color palettes currently trending in the industry.

Next Steps: Early June - Storyboarding begins → July - Director's check (Scheduled)
Battle scenes, alternate dimensions, etc., will be further developed by the main staff as soon as the storyboards are ready.

Gekidan Inu Curry-sama: Requested to submit overall image boards in 2 weeks. Shaft will issue orders for Witch designs for each individual episode under a detailed, segmented schedule.

* Next Meeting: May 26, 18:00
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Setting Meeting
Location: Shaft 2nd Floor, Meeting Room

===Series Proposal (left)===

{|class="wikitable"
|style="width:8%;"|Episode
|Story
|-
|01
|A scene of destruction. All characters are dead miserably. Homura is fighting a terrible monster with blood on her. 
Madoka is watching this but she can do nothing. However, it seem she can save all of them by becoming a magical girl. As soon as she makes up her mind to make contract with a fairy, she wakes up. Is this a dream? 
In a peaceful morning, she is going to school with her good friend, Sayaka, as usual. 
Here comes a transferred student called Homura. She is the girl in Madoka's dream.
But after school, Madoka sees her killing a cute animal.
Then Homura come to attack Madoka and Sayaka, who are trying to protect that animal. 
|-
|02
|(Mami appears. Mami explains about magical girl to them.)
|-
|03
|(Madoka almost makes a contract. But Mami dies, and Homura saves her. At the same time, Sayaka makes a contract)
|-
|04
|(Kamijou quarrels with Sayaka so that she makes a contract. Kyoko appears)
|-
|05
|(Kyoko attacks Sayaka. Homura agrees that Kyoko can be the backup. Madoka now in middle of Sayaka and Homura.)
|-
|06
|(Kyoko's past. Kamijou recovers. The three tiers (Sayaka, Homura & Kyoko, and witches) are fighting endlessly. Madoka is worried about how to help Sayaka.)
|-
|07
|(Kamijou fully recovered. But he is going the way out of Sayaka's expectation. Sayaka doesn't give up her duty as a magical girl. 
To make Sayaka back to a regular girl, Madoka steals and throws away her soul gem. To Madoka's surprise, Sayaka doesn't move anymore. The fairy tells her the truth.)
|-
|08
|(Sayaka is no longer human. But she overcomes the sadness. She simply bears the fate to do witch hunting just like Mami. 
Madoka considers to become a magical girl again to help her, and Homura comes to argue with her. At the beginning she rebounds strongly because of embarrassment from her over simple consideration, but Homura convinces her by all means. 
Meanwhile, Kyoko starts to have sympathy with Sayaka, although they are incompatible, still fighting against each other.)
|-
|09
|Sayaka falls into despair definitely (caused by Kamijou?)
|-
|10
|Sayaka finally become a grief seed and hatches a witch. Kyoko killed the witch but also sacrifice herself. 
The fairy tells the truth to desperate Madoka. He also tells her that he has seen countless examples of this but he is still unable to understand how human thinks. 
And a new witch with unseen power is approaching. It seems there's no way to protect the city unless Madoka becoming a magical girl. 
|-
|11
|Homura confesses to Madoka about her ability and object. She also tells Madoka that she has done that many times. This is the timeline Madoka keeping alive the longest. Although she cannot save other girls' lives, it might be a chance to change Madoka's fate. 
Homura swears that she will protect Madoka with her own life. But Madoka is still unable to understand. The final fight is coming in such situation.
|-
|12
|Madoka arranges her feelings about Homura. The fairy predicts that Homura won't have a change to win. He suggests Madoka to make a contract, and says her soul gem is so enormous that the power of her wish is much more than others. 
The final battle between Homura and witch comes. Homura cannot stand up with such a great power difference. This scene is the same as Madoka's dream. 
|-
|13
|Is there a way to save all magic girls? 
Madoka finally makes contract with the fairy. 
"I wish to become the existence to eliminate all witches from past to the future!" 
...... 
Madoka finally understand how hard Homura did for her, and the friendship between them. 
...... 
|}

== Witch Design ==

=== Labyrinth design ===

{|class="wikitable"
|style="width:8%;"|Episode
|Concept
|Words
|-
|3 (Part)
|Cafe for two （２人カフェ）
|"My dream is tea time." （私の夢はティータイム） 
When the witch dies, the magical girl steps on the cups and breaks them.
|-
|3 (Charlotte)
|One whole cheese cake
|"It's really a delicious cheesecake. My dying mother wanted to eat it, but maybe I should have cured her disease instead. But I'm sure that wasn't really the point." （とてもおいしいチーズケーキ。死にかけのお母さんが食べたがっていたの。でも、もしかするとお母さんの病気でも治してあげたらよかったカスラ。けれと、きっとそれはそおいうことでもないのダワ。）
|-
|4 (H.N Elly)
|Snowglobe （スノードーム）
|"I have only one wish. Box up that memory." （私の願いはただひとつ、あの思い出をとじこめて） 
When the witch dies, the lights on the Christmas tree and merry-go-round short out. There's a 'basssh!' sound.
|-
|7 (Elsa Maria)
|Church
|"May the you I haven't met yet find happiness." （まだ見ないあなたが幸せであるように） 
When the witch dies, the stained glass collapses and drops into the air. There's a 'baaaaaaahn' sound like from a pipe organ.
|-
|9
|Trains
|"My wish is somewhere not here." （私の願いはここではないどこか） 
In the final scene, the magical girl kills her from behind in the first carriage, and the train derails.
|-
|10 (Patricia)
|Blue Sky
|"How unlucky I am that today, of all days, turned out to be rainy." （今日という日が雨だなんて私はどれほどついていないんだろう） 
When the witch dies, it rains heavily. There is a sound like an aircraft crashing.
|-
|10 (Roberta)
|Dolls
|"I wish for friends. Friends who won't dislike me." （私の願いはお友達。私を嫌いにならないお友達） 
When the witch dies, the bird cage is getting shot down and spilling a circular rain of blood.
|-
|Set-constructing witch (Walpurgis Night)
|Stage
|"Everything in this world is fake. My life is nothing more than a drama that you penned. Please, prove it. ''"Faust"'' is on show." （この世界はすべて嘘でした。私の人生はあなたの書いた戯曲にすぎません。それを証明して下さい。「ファウスト」が上演中）
|}

===Gekidan Inu Curry Artwork Comments===
* Walpurgisnacht

"According to the lore settings, the inside of the skirt and the upper section of the gears serve as a stage, where the familiars can put on theatrical performances. Though we never actually ended up using that concept." (Both members)

* Walpurgisnacht's familiars

"Miyamoto-san mentioned that although it was never actually demonstrated in the main story, it possesses a ''Konaki-jijii''-style ability where if you get caught by it, your body becomes as heavy as a stone." (Both members)

"I was surprised by how cute their voices were." (2shiroinu)

* Anthony

"We were worried it might turn out too cute and end up requiring a retake, so it was a bit disappointing that nobody actually noticed the fact that it was cute." (Both members)

"To be clear, those are whiskers. It's a creature with whiskers growing out of it. It's a personal favorite of ours, so we're completely playing favorites with it on our own accord." (2shiroinu)

"We were still fumbling around in the dark regarding what to write for the Witch Picture Book descriptions, so this cleared things up quite a bit. The Witch Picture Book was actually proposed to us by Aniplex right before the broadcast, and thanks to having it, we were able to give the lore a lot more depth and variety." (Doroinu)

* Gertrud

"In the script, there was a line where Sayaka looks at her and says, 'Ugh, gross!' But since her actual appearance ended up looking rather cute, we consulted the series director about what we should do. It turned out nobody really questioned the contradiction, which was a bit disappointing." (Both members)

"I think her little scuttling legs are her best charm point." (Doroinu)

* Adelbert

"These are familiars whose role is vigilance. However, since their method of attack is a 'rocket headbutt,' if you think about it calmly, you get the feeling that the scissor attacks used by the whiskered familiars in Episode 1 might actually be stronger..." (Both members)

"At any rate, that office lady (OL) who was about to commit suicide was probably headbutted mercilessly by them, wasn't she?" (Doroinu)

* ? (Suleika)

"This is a Witch that didn't appear in the main story. To make the relationship between Witches and Familiars easier to understand, we went ahead and included even the unfeatured Witches in resources like the Witch Picture Book." (Both members)

* Ulla

"At the storyboarding stage, it actually fought with Mami a decent amount, but due to the overall runtime constraints, it ended up getting instantly killed." (Both members)

"It's a shame its moment in the spotlight was lost, but considering how grueling the workload was for the Witch of Sweets in that very same episode, I also kind of feel like we dodged a bullet." (Doroinu)

* Pyotr

"Its mouth area is all rustly-bustly and squishy-soft." (2shiroinu)

"It is no exaggeration to say it appeared solely for the purpose of being blown away by Mami." (Doroinu)

* Charlotte

"Fearing that Mami fans would get angry at us, we copped out and gave her a mascot-like appearance instead." (2shiroinu)

"Right after her initial appearance, her eye color was black during the TV broadcast. However, in the DVD and Blu-ray versions, the eye color has been changed to green. It wasn't a coloring mistake by the compositing staff; rather, we made a selfish, stubborn request after the TV airing to have them change it for us." (Both members)

* H.N. Elly (Kirsten)

"I felt like it would look really cool to have strands of hair spilling out from inside the machinery." (2shiroinu)

"It didn't pan out due to time constraints, but I really wanted to add much more detail and substance to the imagery projected on the screen." (Doroinu)

* Daniyyel & Jennifer

"Even though they are carrying the Witch around, they don't actually hold much affection for her. They feel more like they're just carrying her along as an afterthought." (Both members)

* ? (Albertine)

"She didn't appear." (Both members)

* Anja

"Aoi Yuuki-san, who plays Madoka, provided the voice for this one. We made a rather unfortunate request for her to make it sound 'as goofy as humanly possible,' and she pulled it off magnificently." (Both members)

"She's amazing." (2shiroinu)

* Dora

"This one is rusted as well. It plays ''The Godfather'' theme using the exhaust pipes protruding from its body." (Both members)

* Gisela

"This Witch was designed after the storyboards were already completed. We came up with her appearance and setting under the explicit premise that she would be included in the Witch Picture Book. The concept is basically a sci-fi robot capable of transforming into a motorcycle, except it's completely covered in rust." (Both members)

* Elsa Maria

"Our initial concept for her had a much more traditional Japanese style. The remnants of that idea can still be seen in the kimono-like patterns on the base of the monument held by the giant statue serving as the platform, as well as on the cloth that drapes down upon her death." (Both members)

* Sebastian's

"In the second half, what grows directly out of the Witch isn't her familiars—those are the Witch's own arms." (Both members)

* Bartels

"It's paper clay." (Both members)

* ? (Uhrmann)

"She didn't appear in the main story, but the design had already been decided. The one getting beaten up by Sayaka in the manga version was originally the design for the Dog Witch."

* Holger

"Fantasia." (Both members)

* Oktavia von Seckendorff

"We worked hard, fully prepared to get reprimanded no matter how she turned out. And she turned out like that." (2shiroinu)

* Izabel

"In the first place, being told that a stationary triumphal arch is a 'Witch' might make absolutely no sense, but we thought, 'Well, it's already episode 10, so maybe it'll somehow get across?'" (Both members)

* Michaela

"For these familiars, we gave the key animators a few vague reference concepts and then let them draw them completely freely." (Both members)

* Patricia

"For both the Witch and the barrier, we intentionally chose a design and production style that looked the most like a conventional, normal magical girl show out of everything." (Both members)

"You'd think she was a spider, but since she has six arms, it turns out she wasn't a spider after all. If anything, she's a subspecies of Tien Shinhan (from Dragon Ball)." (Doroinu)

* Mathieu

"Underneath the skirt, they are wearing puffy lantern bloomers. Even if she is a Witch, we absolutely do not permit flashing underwear glimpses." (Both members)

"The blue sky inside the barrier actually incorporates footage of the sky above Iogi taken about two days before the TV broadcast." (Doroinu)

* Oktavia von Seckendorff, Timeline 3 Version

"In the main story, if you look closely, she's actually using dual-wielding swords. Well, even though in the end she doesn't actually attack with the swords anyway." (Both members)

* Klarissa

"Partway through, for some reason, they get caught up in the wheels. Talk about bad luck." (Both members)

* Gotz

"In our initial concept art they were paper birds, but somewhere along the line they became all muscular." (Both members)

"They are narcissistic birds who haven't even realized that the Witch despises them." (2shiroinu)

* Roberta

"She is constantly frustrated by her familiars. She ended up getting blown to pieces while she was still totally worked up." (Both members)

* Kriemhild Gretchen

"They never shared the screen together in the main story, but the concept was for her to form a matching pair with Walpurgisnacht. In our setting, there is a barrier the size of the Earth positioned right above the Witch's head, which sucks up everything from the ground. Because she is so gargantuan, we asked the staff to basically treat her as part of the background scenery." (Both members)

== General Gallery ==
<gallery position="center" captionalign="left">
File:You are not alone poster.jpg| Poster
File:You_Are_Not_Alone_advertisement.jpg| Advertisement
File:Guidebook extras.JPG| Japan-exclusive extras
</gallery>

== Prior Illustrations ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 03.jpg|Other ones of Homura and Madoka: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 04.jpg|1]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 05.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 07.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 14.jpg|4]]
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 06.jpg|More solo Madoka: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 11.jpg|1]]
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 08.jpg|More group pics: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 09.jpg|1]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 10.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 12.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 13.jpg|4]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 15.jpg|5]]
</gallery>

== Episodic Coverage and Character Pages ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0001.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0002.jpg|2]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0003.jpg|3]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0004.jpg|1-3]] and Mami character [[:Media:Guidebook 0005.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0006.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0007.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0008.jpg|5]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0009.jpg|6]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0010.jpg|4-6]] and Sayaka character [[:Media:Guidebook 0011.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0012.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0013.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0014.jpg|8]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0015.jpg|9]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0016.jpg|7-9]] and Kyoko character [[:Media:Guidebook 0017.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0018.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0019.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0020.jpg|11]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0021.jpg|12]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0022.jpg|10-12]] and Homura character [[:Media:Guidebook 0023.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0024.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0025.jpg|Madoka part [[:Media:Guidebook 0026.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0027.jpg|Kyubey]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0028.jpg|Madoka's family]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0029.jpg|other characters]].
</gallery>

== Production Materials ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0045.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0046.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0047.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0048.jpg|4]].
File:Guidebook 0049.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0050.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0051.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0052.jpg|4]].
File:Guidebook 0053.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0054.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0055.jpg|3]].
File:Guidebook 0056.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0057.jpg|2]].
File:080_1.jpg
File:Guidebook 0058.jpg|Episode storyboards 1-6: [[:Media:Guidebook 0059.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0060.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0061.jpg|4-6]].
File:Guidebook 0062.jpg|Episode storyboards 7-12: [[:Media:Guidebook 0063.jpg|8-9]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0064.jpg|10]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0065.jpg|11-12]].
File:Guidebook 0066.jpg|Witch designs and storyboards: [[:Media:Guidebook 0067.jpg|2]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0068.jpg|3]].
File:Guidebook 0069.jpg|More [[:Media:Guidebook 0070.jpg|architecture]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0071.jpg|weapons]].
</gallery>

== Staff Discussion ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0095.jpg|Staff and Cast List
</gallery>

== Early Character Designs ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0101.jpg
File:Guidebook 0102.jpg
File:Guidebook 0103.jpg
</gallery>

== See Also ==
* [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Official_Guides.2C_Books_and_Games|Other official books, guides and games]]
* [[Puella Magi Production Note]]
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Art Book]]
* [[Magazines|Translated magazines]]
* [[Tweets|Translated Tweets]]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Documents/Anime-Production]]
[[Category:Products and merchandise]]
[[Category:Translation request]]

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone"

2026-07-17T05:42:56Z

Romi1908: /* Gekidan Inu Curry Artwork Comments */

[[File:Front cover homumado - you are not alone.jpg|thumb|400px]]

[[File:Guidebook TOC.jpg|thumb]]
'''Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone"''', a compilation on a wide variety of information on ''Madoka Magica'', was released on [http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4832240617/ August 27th, 2011]. The [[:Media:Guidebook TOC.jpg|table of contents]] reveals these categories of information: Illustrations, Episode and Characters, Cast Interviews, Materials, and Staff Interviews.

A look at the sample pages from the Guidebook reveals it contains a wide range of information, including:
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Prior_Illustrations|Prior illustrations]] from magazines and other sources
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Episodic_Coverage_and_Character_Pages|Episodic coverage and character pages]] including commentary
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Interviews|Staff Interviews]] with cast members
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_%22You_Are_Not_Alone%22#Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_After-recording_Report|After-recording report comic]] reported and illustrated by hanokage, author of the [[Madoka Magica (manga)|Madoka Magica manga]].
* Design, sketches and other [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Production_Materials|production-related material]] similar to [[Puella Magi Production Note|Production Note]] or [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Art Book]]
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Interviews|Staff Interviews]] with many staff members
* Staff behind-the-scenes [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Discussion|discussion]]
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Early_Character_Designs|Early character designs]] of initial concepts 

== Staff Discussion ==

Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.

===Page 100===

* [[Akiyuki Shinbo]]: Major works include Bakemonogatari, Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei, Hidamari Sketch, Arakawa under the Bridge (all as director)
*[[Gen Urobuchi]]: Works for Nitroplus. Involved in the screenplay writing for many games from this company. Major anime works include Blassreiter (series composition), Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~ (screenplay)
* [[Ume Aoki]]: Manga artist. Her manga Hidamari Sketch is being serialized in Manga Time Kirara Carat.
* Mitsutoshi Kubota: Chief Executive Officer of SHAFT. He also worked as Animation Producer in Shaft works like Bakemonogatari, Hidamari Sketch etc.
*Atsuhiro Iwakami: Works for Aniplex. Involved in anime works such as Bakemonogatari, Kara no Kyoukai, Hidamari Sketch, Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai.

'''LOOKING BACK FROM NOW AT THE INITIAL COMPOSITON PROPOSAL'''

''I heard that the project "Madoka Magica" started from some chats with Director Shinbo saying "I want to do a mahou shoujo anime".'' 

SHINBO: I cannot remember such a thing at all. When I asked later "Um? Didn't Iwakami-san first mention it?" and I was told "No, that's not the case." (LOL)

IWAKAMI: It's not like you assertively said "I want to do Mahou Shoujo!!". It was with nuance, like "For the mahou shoujo format, there should still be possibilities."

KUBOTA: Surely it must have been around 2008.

IWAKAMI: And then we had some talks about talking to Urobuchi-san and Ume-sensei about joining [the project]. I think it took place unexpectedly quickly, so much that I could not remember the process.

''When did all of you first gather together?'' 

IWAKAMI: According to the material from that time and the mail history, the first meeting was held in October 2008.

AOKI: It was at that time that I first met Urobuchi-san. I remember thinking, "Oh, he is a person who takes memos with a PC." (LOL)

IWAKAMI: There we threw in and exchanged many ideas, and then I gathered and summarized them ([[:File:Guidebook Production Related Material 01.jpg|cf p.124]]).

UROBUCHI: In particular I did not prepare in advance any idea. I just said one after another what I came up right at that place. And when I did that, almost everything I said were accepted with "This is good." "Let's do that." Then I got worried as I thought "Oh no. I will have to turn everything I've just said into plot lines myself." (LOL)

''How many times did you repeat this kind of discussion?'' 

KUBOTA: No, only once at the very beginning. Urobuchi-san summarized everything into a composition proposal before our next chance to meet.

UROBUCHI: I came up with a rough structure of around 3 stages: I will show the beginning of the story like this; and next these details of the truth will be revealed; and last that truth will be revealed. And then I divided them further and made it into a composition proposal for one cour. However at that stage, the flow from ep. 6 to around ep. 8 was still a bit tricky. When I look back from now, ep. 9 was really bad!

AOKI: That's right. [You were saying] "I am going to put Sayaka decisively into despair." (LOL)

UROBUCHI: The idea that I came up with anyways was to bully Sayaka (LOL). At that moment, the thinking for Sayaka falling into despair was that it was not due to Hitomi. For that, it was a part that got inserted at the stage when the screenplay was written.

''I heard the composition proposal had 13 episodes altogether?'' 

IWAKAMI: I went to talk [to Urobuchi] and said "Could we make it into 12 episodes?" I had this thought of packaging the series into 6 volumes with 2 episodes in each volume.

KUBOTA: Although the number of episodes was cut, basically the flow did not change. That Mami got killed in ep. 3 was not changed either.

SHINBO: I see. So the reason [you] did not show that much shock when you read the screenplay for ep. 3 was because you had already read the composition proposal.

AOKI: Or perhaps in text it was not that shocking...

SHINBO: If it were 2 cours a different flow might have been used instead. I would like to do another version in which I could show how the development could be like if the length were 2 cours.

UROBUCHI: I guess if there are that number of episodes, [the story] would have to be quite different if we do not put regular daily life scenes in between, like in the episode after [[Mami]] died, out of a sudden and without much coherence everyone went to the hot spring (LOL). And once they arrived the waitress in the ryokan somehow looks like Mami....

IWAKAMI: There are things that I'd like to draw out if there was enough room, but I think the speedy pace we have now is also good. Right from the beginning, with 1 cour, I had the image that I was going to a roller-coaster movie that was Urobuchi-like.

'''TEMPORARY TITLE WAS "MAHOU SHOUJO APOCALYPSE"'''

AOKI: Later when I re-watched it again from ep. 1, I got the impression that the heroine kept changing from one to another. From ep. 4 it was about [[Sayaka]] and [[Kyoko]], and as it got near the final stage, [[Homura]] started to get more noticeable. And finally [[Madoka]] became a proper protagonist on her own.

IWAKAMI: To be honest, regarding the characters, at the time when I read the screenplay I could not read this far. It is indeed something like an omnibus, where there is Mami chapter, Sayaka chapter, Kyoko chapter etc. In one sense it was a composition like Bakemonogatari in which the appeal of the heroines was highlighted by turn. And I thought, oh so it was how it became and it made so much sense.

''By the way, why did you make the girls including Madoka, the protagonist, junior high students?'' 

IWAKAMI: A primary school student, if you think in 3D, gives an impression of a child actor instead of an idol. I think that if they are junior high students, they will be recognized as idols and thus may get more people to watch. So before Urobuchi-san finished the plot, I had a talk (with him) saying, as a prerequisite, "Let's use junior high students as mahou shoujo".

===Page 101===

UROBUCHI: And besides, I really do not want to be put into the spot of having to impose my decision of letting live or killing off primary school students (LOL)

''How did you decide the title of the anime?'' 

UROBUCHI: At the beginning, I just put the temporary title myself. I think it was "Mahou Shoujo Apocalpyse Madoka Magica" for sure.

IWAKAMI: The name "Madoka Magica" stayed as the temporary title for some time, and as an unofficial name it stayed as the project made its progress. When 2010 came, we had the discussion about its official title.

UROBUCHI: And by then everyone was so used to the temporary title that (the discussion) came down to "Let's keep it like this." But there was also "obviously the Apocalypse got to go." (LOL) Come to think of it, there was also the idea of not having "Mahou Shoujo" and only go with "Madoka Magica."

SHINBO: But for me, I believe in the title the words "Mahou Shoujo" is absolutely necessary. To the extent that if it is not there, there is no meaning (for me) to do (the anime). On that I did not budge.

'''THE SCREENPLAY WAS ALMOST THE SAME AS THE FIRST DRAFT''' 

''How long did the writing of the screenplay take?'' 

UROBUCHI: It went from the end of 2008 to the end of 2009. Since there were other works going in parallel in that period, I went full gear and came up with one episode every month. And I did not talk anything about what would happen later, just saying things like "Just wait for the next issue!". (LOL)

IWAKAMI: It's just that even though the screenplay was being done, there was not much chance to discuss it. As at the stage of the first draft, it was already interesting.

SHINBO: There was almost nothing that I would want to ask for changes.

UROBUCHI: Up till then, for me the work reality was that it was only natural to have only 30% of the screenplay I wrote remain and the other 70% would be crushed away and had to be redone. So every time I was tilting my head, I was thinking "Is it really going to be alright just to keep it like this?" (LOL) Besides, I had the complex of being an absolute amateur when it came to writing for anime, and this got me even more worried.

SHINBO: Different people may think differently, but to me even if there are some places that may get stuck, it is still better to have the momentum. Therefore, I think the small details can be left at the end to consider.

IWAKAMI: When I read it, even though I thought it may need a few adjustments, it was interesting. And that was important. I would rather it run until the final episode than it being filled up with (things that go like), "In here it will be like this" using some deduction point system.

UROBUCHI: The contradictions that were not pointed out during the screenplay meetings were later noticed by (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-san.

SHINBO: And also editor (Rie) Matsuhara-san. Unlike us who read the story one episode at a time, they read everything in one go and from that viewpoint they pointed out issues, and I am thankful for that.

''How about using actual dialogues in the episode subtitles?''

UROBUCHI: That was because we were lazy (LOL)

AOKI: What! Is that so? (LOL)

UROBUCHI: I thought I would just put it there anyway first and then later I would give it more thought.... But it just stayed as it is.

SHINBO: For once we indeed talked about what we should do with the subtitles, but I think at the end we decided to stick to Urobuchi-san's idea. I think it was good that they were not changed.

AOKI: In the trailer for the next episode, just by seeing the subtitle people can get excited by guessing what kind of scene in the next episode would contain that dialogue.

'''BEFORE THE COMPLETION OF THE ORIGINAL CHARACTER DESIGN'''

''To continue, I would like to ask Aoki-sensei about what happened before all the original character designs took shape. ([[Guidebook#Early Character Designs|cf. p. 125-127]])''

AOKI: The first draft... it was October 2008. That draft was not changed much in the final draft...but between the two drafts, I got lost in the 2nd draft. The period when I did the 2nd draft, I really had my head in my arms.

SHINBO: But for all of us, the feeling at the stage of the first draft was "This is good. As expected from Aoki-san."

AOKI: But it was worry on my side (LOL) Ah, Kyubey was first proposed in the 2nd draft and I just wanted to draw it cute, really cute! (LOL). The basic details are the same as the final draft, but I wanted to bring out the "cosmic feeling" in the ear-ring part. Made them somehow float in space. But at that time over all, it was a period when I was in a "I just do not understand" state, or when I didn't know what and how I should do it. When I looked back at the first draft, I thought "What was I doing there?" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Truly our opinion was "it is wonderful" right from the beginning. Also Ume-sensei's design of the school uniform of the girls is good. It is the same in Hidamari Sketch. Here the uniform designed by Ume-sensei can be manifested in 3D and it is a costume that is ready for cosplay. Did you do it with that in mind?

AOKI: I did not really create it for cosplay but to some extent I thought about its structure like where a zipper is to be attached on the uniform.

''And in the final draft of the design, [[Hitomi]] and [[Kyousuke|Kyosuke]] were also there...''

AOKI: Hitomi was not changed much in the final draft. As Kyosuke is the only boy, it was fun drawing him.

IWAKAMI: I surely got the feeling that Kyosuke drawn by Ume-sensei really had a quite a bit of spirit put in, and that she seemed to have fun drawing him. (LOL)

''How about the mahou shoujo costumes?''

AOKI: For Madoka's costume, I started from the base design (settei) that it was "something designed by Madoka." As for Mami-san, Sayaka and Homura, I designed with the image of their weapons. Kyoko is the last character I designed, and the idea of her did not come from her weapon, but with the thought to distinguish her from other characters.

UROBUCHI: Since the idea is that Kyoko is a character who moves a lot, so when I received the costume design (Kyoko's) long dress was not what I expected.

AOKI: Perhaps I made it look too heavy (LOL)

UROBUCHI: No, when (the dress) moves it looks cool. There is also the thrill (I got) from kung-fu movies.

SHINBO: It's just that I think it would be good to have some ornaments on Sayaka's head... Even now I still think the same.

AOKI: Oh yes, since after transformation Sayaka lost her hairpins, I tried to put some ornaments on that place. I thought, for one Mami already has it from the beginning, and then Madoka has her ribbons, so I tried to match something for her. But if I put an Alice band (headband), then it does not look so much like an accessory and starts to get an image of a functional gadget. And then I tried to put things like stars or mysterious-looking spheres... But in serious fight scenes, the playful elements after transformation never fit well no matter how much you looked at it, so at the end I took it away. However, it is true that compared with other girls she indeed looks a bit plain. Poor little girl....

===Page 102===

SHINBO: I thought that perhaps it is better to go without anything and keep it simple, and I got the design done in such a style, but as the story progressed I thought, "at the end it is still better to have something (on her head)."

UROBUCHI: But I feel the cloak is quite some style though.

IWAKAMI: For the weapons of the mahou shoujo, at first the plan was to have Ume-sensei design them but at the end the decision was to have the anime production side to do the design.

UROBUCHI: That said, the pictures used for the initial notification were drawn by Aoki-san. The weapon design in those pictures were inherited in the anime.

AOKI: Homura's bow and Mami-san's gun were picked up from the designs I did. Madoka's bow was used in the cover art of the single Magia.

'''CHARACTERS IN "MADOKA MAGICA" ARE SIMILAR TO CHARACTERS IN "HIDAMARI"?'''

UROBUCHI: Before I saw the original character design by Aoki-san, the character image I had in my head was that of "Hidamari." I imagined by making replacements like Madoka becoming Yuno, Mami becoming Hiro-san... And so every time a character design is done I was relieved, thinking "Good, it is becoming an anime different from 'Hidamari!" (LOL)

SHINBO: Come to think of it, Mami is a onesan (elderly sister) character and there are some overlaps with the image of Hiro. If that's the case, Mami may also need to pay attention her weight (LOL).

UROBUCHI: No no... there is no such setting (settei) for Mami (LOL).

SHINBO: For one thing it seems easy to become a talking point - her position is the same as Hiro I guess. (LOL)

AOKI: And she also makes cakes. (LOL)

SHINBO: It is interesting that although they are different characters, there is such a coincidence.

UROBUCHI: In that sense, in fact I was most worried about Kyoko. I have never seen such a kind of girl who projects the image of a runaway child in Aoki-san's world.

AOKI: Indeed it seems so. Well what did you feel when you first saw Kyoko then?

UROBUCHI: Ugh well, when I saw the expression that could never have come from a Hidamari character, I gave it my OK.

AOKI: When you were writing the screenplay, did you find it hard to match Kyoko with a Hidamari character?

UROBUCHI: It was extremely hard to match. And so Kyoko almost became speaking in Hiroshima dialect just like the movie Battles Without Honor and Humanity (LOL). But at first I imagined the image color for Kyoko to be yellow instead of red. If anything this overlaps with Miyako...

AOKI: Do you think it was good that I made changes to the image color of the characters used in your proposal?

UROBUCHI: I think the result was good. Now I just cannot imagine a red Mami, you see.

KUBOTA: Looking back from now, it is also interesting to see that in the first draft the hair style of Sayaka was different.

AOKI: Ahh... I was really lost..(LOL)

''And then based on the final draft material, Takahiro Kishida-san produced the character design, what did you think of it?''

AOKI: I was glad that they grasped the details down to many small points. The use of double border lines also seems to have come from certain impressions of my pictures.

KUBOTA: That came as an overall decision as after checking many pictures and works by Aoki-san, we thought this touch style would be good. It was a challenge during the sakuga (animation) process.

AOKI: That drawing style is not commonly seen in the anime. I also did not think the oblique line of sight would be kept in use without change. Those eyes were even faithfully recreated in Nendroids. Perhaps doing that can bring out the feel of "Madoka Magica."

KUBOTA: But at the beginning that touch style did not really permeate much among the animators.

SHINBO: My feeling is that at around ep. 9 or ep. 10, the pictures finally came together (in unified style).

'''THE WORLD AS CREATED BY GEKIDAN INU-CURRY'''

''Gekidan Inu-Curry-san is the staff that was the key of "Madoka Magica".''

AOKI: This happened when we had the screenplay meeting. After the meeting that day, we were on our move to a drinking place, and the director said, "I think the witches should not have a conventional witch look. Even if they take a look of geometrical forms, it would be better.". And then, "I am thinking of asking Inu-Curry-san. They helped us on "Zetsubou Sensei" and "MariHolic". At that moment I felt the "Director is having some vision!" That was very impressive.

''And after asking Inu-Curry-san, what kind of talks took place?''

KUBOTA: There was discussions regarding Art Design (settei) that involved Inu-Curry-san. Looking at the minutes from that meeting ([[:File:Guidebook Production Related Material 01.jpg|cf p.124]]), Shinbo-san said "'Madoka Magica' should be a work that is on the extension line of 'Le Portrait de Petit Cossette' and has a different image from 'Lyrical Nanoha.'"

SHINBO: Did I say something like that?? .....Hmm? But indeed it was written here.

''The reactions from Inu-Curry-san at that time?''

KUBOTA: Inu-Curry-san had read the scenario in advance, and after that we had talks bouncing ideas to fine-tune the images we got. So although they are quiet people, they understood things without difficulty.

UROBUCHI: Inu-Curry-san themselves may be quiet, but they are very talkative about the stuff they came up with.

KUBOTA: They also have the stubbornness of absolutely not yielding to the worldview in which they thoroughly built in the images for settei (base design). Besides as creators, they do not compromise at all. As the production progressed, the weight of the part for Inu-Curry-san got bigger and bigger, I got quite worried about what to do if the time came when things could not be processed by just them.

SHINBO: Even in the retake for BD and DVD, just the parts of Inu-Curry-san got quite big.

KUBOTA: If given time, they will just keep coming up with good stuff.

SHINBO: (Yuki) Kajiura-san, who did the music, gave high praises for the bewitched space in ep. 9 and said it was wonderful. But even now I cannot let them hear it. You know, if I tell them, I don't know how far they will lay their hands on the retake (LOL). As we have raised the hurdle by ourselves, I plan to tell them after all the work is done (LOL).

===Page 103===

KUBOTA: But then since they have created that much stuff, I have the feeling that they must still have some regrets from their point of view.

IWAKAMI: When I was first shown the image pictures from Inu-Curry-san in the meeting room at Shaft, I was dumbfounded.

UROBUCHI: They were mainly static pictures, but there was also the mustachioed familiars of ep. 1 in GIF animation. Besides at the stage of screenplay there was no names or settei information for the witches. Those are all there thanks to Inu-Curry-san.

AOKI: I always had fun when I saw updates of the Witch Compendium in the official website. It got me to guess that besides the settei found there, in fact there must be a lot more that had been thought through.

'''CASTING OF THE MAHOU SHOUJO'''

''I would like to hear about the casting.''

IWAKAMI: Although the roles were decided by auditions, somehow by coincidence there were many actresses from "Hidamari".

UROBUCHI: Mizubashi-san was unexpected. Don't you think it is quite rare for Mizuhashi-san to act for an onesan (elder sister) character like Mami?

AOKI: And the acting was completely different from Miyako of "Hidamari."

SHINBO: As for Saito-san who took Homura's role, there was the image of Hitagi Senjogahara in "Bakemonogatari." I had this concern that no matter what, I still got the impression that Homura and Hitagi look similar. Of course I knew Saito-san was pretty good, but I still thought "perhaps as a change it is good to use another actress." But when I heard the acting performed by Saito-san during the audition, I could only come to the conviction that "This is it".

IWAKAMI: There was this acting that did not come up in the audition - the scenes in the second half when Homura cried and collapsed. If you consider that, it is easy to conclude that after all casting Saito-san was a good (decision).

SHINBO: Not only Saito-san, if you think about Yuki-san who took Madoka's role as well, there was the flow coming from the anime "Dance in the Vampire Bund." In "Vampire Bund", there were Yuki-san, who acted an aloof vampire princess, and Saito-san, who acted an ordinary human girl. And in "Madoka Magica" the position of the two were switched. And I think at that time the two may have developed a synchronized wavelength between them. So I have a feeling that in the actual recording actions the two, Yuki-san as the protagonist, and Saito-san, supporting her, managed their roles really well. The two also said so in the audio commentary.

''And about Kitamura-san who took Sayaka's role?''

AOKI: Seems every time drinking after the after-recording sessions, the director said "Kitamura-san was good."

SHINBO: Kitamura-san was really great acting as a suffering girl. She gave a feeling that she worked really hard but she was not really good at it and (her effort) got requited.

UROBUCHI: Considering the aspect that she worked hard a bit and behaved cheerfully but she herself in fact thought about serious matters, indeed she is like that.

''How about Nonaka-san who took Kyoko's role?''

UROBUCHI: Kyoko, while a character created by Aoki-san, is a heel ''[symbv: pro-wresting jargon for a villain character]''. So I could not guess how she could be acted. But it felt so good hearing the voice of Nonaka-san and I got hooked.

SHINBO: Since it is the voice of Nonaka-san, there is no way she is a bad person, I guess? (LOL)

AOKI: I was wondering how a seiyuu would handle the dialogues of Kyoko, and when the role was given to Nonaka-san, I thought "Oh, so it will be like this." She brought out the feeling that even when she acted like a bad person, somehow you just could not bring yourself to hate her that much.

SHINBO: Once I got asked by Nonaka-san, "Why is Kyoko (given to) me?" and I answered, "If it is Nonaka-san then nobody will hate her." She has such a mysterious charm.

'''AS THE START DATE OF BROADCAST APPROACHED'''

''And then the cast were decided. In fall 2010 the information starts to be released to the public...''

IWAKAMI: But the first thing that went out to the public were "oh it went out" type of leaks (LOL)

UROBUCHI: That was still at quite an early stage. Around spring I guess.

IWAKAMI: Rumors came out, down to mentions of Shinbo-san, Urobuchi-san, Ume-sensai and Shaft. At first there was the idea of doing it in phases, like at the beginning there was the notification "Shinbo-san and Ume-sensei will work on a mahou shoujo anime!", and then around one month later the name of Urobuchi-san will be announced. But with the information leaked out, (I said) let's release everybody's names in one go. Later, it was often said there was a plan to hide the name of Urobuchi-san until after ep. 3. Of course I did not think of that (LOL).

UROBUCHI: Although I was sure that this was going to happen. (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Well, it's just that I indeed think doing that way is interesting in its own way.

UROBUCHI: Like "Since the pictures are cute and you think the screenplay will be the same? Too bad! It's me!!" (LOL) ''[editor: reference to a certain [http://danbooru.donmai.us/wiki/show?title=too_bad!_it_was_just_me! 2ch Sayaka meme]]''.

''As the time approached for the start of broadcast, you went for a purification rite in a shrine.''

UROBUCHI: Because it is something involving the demons. I myself did not go, but I got them to buy me a charm and I always carried it with me during the after-recording sessions, since I thought if there was any curse around it would have to be with me (LOL)

SHINBO: For myself I was more for praying for a hit than being purified. Since the result is now we have a hit anime, I think our prayer was answered.

KUBOTA: Well, there is also a bit of the superstition thing in it.

IWAKAMI: Because there were some in the staff who cared about this. If no purification was held, it is "Since no purfication was held my arm got hurt.", while if purification was held, then it becomes like "although my arm got hurt, it is good that it is not my dominant arm.". The frame of mind will be different.

SHINBO: By the way, in the purification rite, Emiri Katoh-san came as a representative of the seiyuu.

UROBUCHI: Oh, there is such thing as "representative of the seiyuu". I thought it was because she played Kyubey's role.. (LOL)

===Page 120===

'''STAFF DISCUSSION PART 2'''

'''THE ROLE PLAYED BY MADOKA'S FAMILY'''

''In the first half, we talked mainly about things before the start of broadcast (of the series). From now on, I would like to ask something different. First when you were doing the creation work (for this anime), was there any character whom you held particularly strong feeling with?''

UROBUCHI: As I look at my own work from a vantage point, there is no particularly strong feeling I hold towards any specific character. But if I have to pick one, I guess it would have to be Madoka's mother. Since a character who does not appear frequently must have her character established with short dialogues, I came to hold a stronger impression (with her). She and Kazuko-sensei may have been the characters I worked hard on (even compared to other characters).

SHINBO: And (Yuuko) Gotoh-san, who voiced Madoka's mother, gave a really good performance. (Her acting) had the persuasive power of "This mother is a capable person!" I also want to see the past stories of her together with Kazuko-sensei. Let's find some way to do those kind of episodes!

IWAKAMI: It will then become a story without any mahou shoujo making appearance (LOL)

''Why did you make Junko, Madoka's mother, the way she looks in the anime?''

UROBUCHI: I had wanted to create such a character. For one, it is rare to see a mother who is macho and strong-minded in mahou shoujo works. Also I thought that to provide a reason for Madoka to become aware of heroism, it is perhaps more convincing for her to have such a family background. Because she will grow up while watching the back of an adult who is very close to her and has carved out the path of her own fate by herself.

''Usually in anime that would be the role played by a father.''

UROBUCHI: That's right. But I thought it would be good to have a family which does not confine itself to ideas like it must be men's role to makes all the heroic moves. I wanted to have some concrete example where women can also be heroic and strong. That being said, so (the next thing is:) OK, so what is a heroic mother like? The fact that after much consideration I gave her a speech style of a yankee [delinquent girl] is purely my own taste (LOL)

IWAKAMI: In anime, usually there is not much depiction regarding the family of the protagonist, isn't it? In "Madoka Magica" the weight of that is also not really that big, but we still have the ribbon in ep. 1, the consultation in ep. 6, the farewell in ep. 11 and then the epilogue in ep. 12.

UROBUCHI: For me, I had this image that "in general mahou shoujo works should have the family properly portrayed." In that sense, it can be said that Madoka's family, including her mother, are characters I forced myself to come up with, since usually in my works family almost never appear. And contrary to Madoka, there is absolutely no description about the family in Homura's case, and it is because she is a character who is not needed to be taken as a symbol for mahou shoujo. It is not that there is some reason that she must not have a family, but it is because there is no need to depict them so they do not appear. Conversely, for Madoka the family must be depicted.

'''HOW THE CHARACTERS ARE DEPICTED'''

''Director Shinbo, if you are to pick a character for whom you have particularly strong feelings, who would that be?''

IWAKAMI: According to the public, the answer must be: Shinbo-san is very fond of Sayaka (LOL).

SHINBO: Indeed, I am particularly attached to Sayaka. I may have that side in me.

IWAKAMI: From around which point did you start to feel that?

SHINBO: When the filming was done, I started to feel "she is such a poor girl," and moreover when I listened to the performance during the after-recording session my heart gradually started to ache more and more, and I started to think "couldn't there be a little bit salvation for her?". At first I took a rational point of view, thinking so she is (written as) such a character, but gradually my emotion gushed out and took over.

IWAKAMI: Indeed I went together with Shinbo-san to have a talk with Urobuchi-san, and asked "in the last episode, can't we get Sayaka to come back to life?" (LOL)

UROBUCHI: And then I answered, "That would be impossible now." (LOL)

SHINBO: It is uncommon for me to have such gushing emotions, so it has been an interesting experience.

UROBUCHI: Guess I bullied Sayaka a bit too much (LOL). But then the reason why I do not feel that sorry for Sayaka is this thing, that I just do not feel that even if she hooked up with Kyosuke that girl would really be happy ever after. Most likely Kyosuke is a guy who will stand her up in dates and go to practice the violin, I think.

AOKI: But at the very end Sayaka said "I do not have regrets". For Sayaka, perhaps it is something she had come to terms with.

SHINBO: I wonder. When I checked the after-recording, I got the mood of from Kitamura-san who voiced Sayaka, "I am not convinced." (LOL)

UROBUCHI: But also for Kyosuke, a man who could not notice that "Hm? this girl seems to have some feeling for me..." even after so much self-sacrifice from her is simply no good. (LOL)

''How about Mami then?''

AOKI: In ep. 2 when Mami-san got into a mood which seemed to be arguing with Homura, it got me to think "Although she is an onesan [elderly sister] character she does not act all that mature." I found this quite cute and I loved it. (LOL)

SHINBO: Although she dropped out (from the anime) in ep. 3, she still holds a strong sense of presence.

===Page 121===

UROBUCHI: I was also surprised by how popular she got. I think Mami's popularity was helped a lot by how cool she looked in the fighting scenes. Although she already looked cool since the point of ep. 1, in ep. 2 she elegantly danced and fought, and after all that a cup of tea. How more elegant can it be? What a girl! (LOL)

AOKI: That cup of tea was a total surprise (to me). I remember thinking "So cool!"

IWAKAMI: Really this can be put as the power of images. Showing it like that in pictures you will think it looks so cool, but if the same thing is written in the screenplay you would just think "What?!"

UROBUCHI: I think it is normal (for people) to doubt my sense. (LOL)

SHINBO: For that part, (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-san, series director, once came to me for advice, saying "Inu-Curry-san said they would like to have Mami drink tea at the end." At that time I did not have much idea (of what it was about), but I thought "They must be aiming for something. Guess it's fine." I gave my OK, thinking that if what they came up with looked odd, I would think up something at that point. And when I saw the result in video....well in fact it really looked quite odd (LOL). Perhaps it looked odd in a good way. People thought it cool and got hooked.

UROBUCHI: That "oddness" is in fact its charm. (LOL) At the stage of screenplay, the impression of Mami's fight scenes were more like that of a machine fighting, as the image was that of guns being fired off relentlessly as weapons.

AOKI: Here I have something I want to ask Urobuchi-san. Among fans, Mami-san is often categorized as a bit of a suffering girl, isn't she? What does Urobuchi-san think about that?

UROBUCHI: I could only say that it was too much of a surprise (LOL) In particular, I did not expect the "Law of the Circular Ring" ''[Editor's note: a term appearing in [[Episode 12]], also referred to as {{Nihongo|Law of Cycles|円環の理|Enkan no Kotowari}}]'' would be misunderstood as a term coined by Mami.

SHINBO: But popularity and talking points came from that kind of things. Like in the BD, it got the chapter title as "Dance of the Magic Bullets."

UROBUCHI: If you come down to that, I too got really high spirits. (LOL) I am sure Mami-san must have created a notebook that is even more amazing than the one Madoka made! And instead of a thin notebook it would be a scrapbook!

KUBOTA: Also, Mami is the only one who gave a name to her signature special move.

UROBUCHI: That was actually done in order to mislead viewers that they were watching some conventional mahou shoujo anime. From ep. 4 onwards such guidance became unnecessary, and there is no more need for anybody to call out the name of their signature special move. It is only Mami, who was active in the early stage, that needed a name for her move.

IWAKAMI: That is interesting. Although the name of the move was created only due to the necessity as required by the story, the understanding instead became that only Mami made up a name for her move. (LOL)

AOKI: When Mami-san's BGM starts to flow, although it looks cool, it also gets me to laugh just a little bit (LOL)

KUBOTA: But in fact that BGM was not written as Mami's theme. Originally it was planned to be used in a different scene, but we found it such a good fit for Mami...(Youta) Tsuruoka, the music director, really picked his tracks well.

'''THE UNEXPECTED REACTIONS FROM FANS'''

''I would like to continue with discussion of the characters. In certain sense Kyubey has become highly popular. (LOL)''

SHINBO: I did not think it would become so popular. This is the biggest surprise to me personally.

UROBUCHI: I was also surprised. At the beginning I had thought it would become a hated character. So my feeling towards Katoh-san who voiced it had been one of "My apologies!"

SHINBO: It just came cross my mind. I think it may be interesting to have Kyubey visit Hidamari-so in "Hidamari Sketch".

UROBUCHI: Since the girls in Hidamari-so are so smart, they will not be so easily conned. But then if it were to be Hiro-san... (LOL)

SHINBO: If she were told "If you become a mahou shoujo you will lose weight." she may be at risk (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Yoshinoya-sensei would surely be at risk too. She gave the impression that she seems to be susceptible to desires.

SHINBO: Yoshinoya-sensei would be fine. Since she is not a young girl any more, she will not be subject to persuasion talk. (LOL) Aoki-san, how about give this idea a try and draw a manga about it? If Aoki-san draws it, it will become "Madoka Magica the Origin".

AOKI: Oh well... I wonder....(LOL)

IWAKAMI: I think it would be interesting (LOL) Also for Kyubey, when it shows up it often gets a close-up. The reactions by the seiyuu (when this happened) during the after-recording sessions were interesting.

SHINBO: That's true. When Kyubey appears, everyone just shouted "Here it is!". This even got me to start thinking "I see. In this case I will do it even more often and surely everyone will be happy." (LOL) I have a feeling that even some scenes where originally it was not to be shown that way got a close-up, as I aimed for that reaction. Although I also felt that the aim was a bit off to another direction. (LOL)

AOKI: I talked to Katoh-san, who voiced Kyubey, in the closing day. I told her that after this "Madoka Magica" she would see a lot of topics related to Kyubey thrown her way in places like radio or twitter.

SHINBO: These should be some tasty topics for Katoh-san, because, well, to put it briefly, (Kyubey) got super popular, and there are things like "Make a contract with me" or "I just don't understand" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: "I just don't understand" are just some ordinary words. (LOL) Though somehow it became a longstanding gag....

===Page 122===

SHINBO: This is where it got mysteriously interesting. Although I have worked in anime industry many years, it is almost my first experience to see a dialogue get so widespread as some talking point.

UROBUCHI: The reason that happened was not because of the words themselves, but the impact generated by how the story was developing the moment those words were spoken. There is nothing pulled out with only the words, but here viewers grouped all their feelings at the moment when that dialogue was spoken, together with what got conveyed to the viewers, and burnt it onto their memory. There it is not just a matter of getting the character to say some elaborate dialogue or dialogue that targeted (the viewers).

''Besides those dialogues, is there anything else from fans' reactions that made a deep impression to you?''

SHINBO: I think it was amazing to see some fans decipher the runes that Inu-Curry-san created. When I did "Pani Poni Dash!", fans reacted to the symbols shown on the screen and it became a talking point among fans. They decoded them and discovered what parody that was supposed to be. As a general rule, if people fail to understand such talking points, the anime will be rejected with people saying "this anime is not interesting," right? But in "Madoka Magica," I was happy that there were even a group of fans who would have fun digging into that kind of thing.

IWAKAMI: And this is something about the general framework. I was very impressed with the fact that fans of "Madoka Magica" had so much fun in real time watching the anime without any prior information, as it is an original work. I found the mood was very refreshing as everyone must follow it as it was broadcast and all shared the same quickened heartbeats because nobody was sure what would come next.

''I heard that it was because of something Kubota-san said that resulted in the broadcast date of the final episode to be announced on an advertisement on Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper.''

KUBOTA: I don't know if it was because of me (LOL). At a book store near my home a bunch of "Madoka Magica" manga were put on display and I saw two girls who seemed to be junior high students in front of those manga. One said something like "This anime was interesting but the broadcast ended at ep. 9. I wonder when it will continue the show..." And I was shocked, thinking "Eh? I thought the broadcast date of the final episode has already been announced?" I then realized without the opportunity to be in touch with media like the internet, that kind of information may be difficult to come by. So I went to talk to Iwakami-san and he said "Let me come up with something."

IWAKAMI: Since I myself also wanted more people to watch the last episode, I thought about using some other way of approach to send out information about the broadcast date and time. With this thought, it suddenly became urgent to make a move. In fact it was only a few days before the broadcast when, half-asleep, I started to try to get the advertisement into the newspaper. The design of that advertisement was done by BALCOLONY.-san who is also responsible for the package design of the BD and DVD.

KUBOTA: Well, it may be just a newspaper advertisement placement, but it can also be thought as an event which simply showed that our anime is grabbing so much attention outside, and I was happy about that. (LOL)

AOKI: Since I could not leave home because I was hitting a bunch of deadlines, I asked my friends to go and buy the newspaper for me. And then I placed the advertisement in front of my desk facing my drafts, and thought "Tonight finally it will be broadcast!!" (LOL)

'''THE MEANING OF ORIGINAL ANIME IN ANIME INDUSTRY'''

''What do you think of the fact that "Madoka Magica", an original anime, became a big hit?''

SHINBO: Currently TV anime is dominated by adapations, so it is significant that in such a background an original anime gained such popularity. I have this feeling like I was able to protect the seedling of original anime.

IWAKAMI: Personally for me, I love video adaptations of works like manga or novels, since there is a strong sense of achievement when you managed to accomplish a video adaptation that does not fall short of the expectation of the readers (of the original work). But I think it is better to have many options. Aniplex also gets involved in producing many original anime, but not every one became a hit. The risk is indeed high. Given that, the fact that "Madoka Magica" became a big hit is very important regarding the future of original anime.

UROBUCHI: I am going to get a bit negative here. If we see an increase of only anime adapted from original works (of other media), its harmful effect will also spread to the related industries. In particular, I feel some sense of crisis regarding light novels, as every author now writes with anime adaptation in mind. Isn't everyone now writing novels that are meant to be taken as anime proposal documents, with anime adaptation being the goal? Hasn't the idea that a novel wins or loses by its contents been lost? When I think of that I got quite sad.

IWAKAMI: For example, "Fate/Zero" by Urobuchi-san is originally a novel that was written without considering anime adaptation at all. Therefore the hurdle to adapt it into video was high, but as a novel it was also very interesting and you got fired up reading it. Regardless of the genre, it would always be regrettable to have everything standardized, because somewhere somehow things will get too similar to each other.

AOKI: In the world of manga, it is often said that to get anime adaptation is one of the goals. Like, "This manga. Will it get anime adaptation?"

SHINBO: Perhaps it is for status. The prevailing thinking is that if it gets just a bit popular, it will only be natural to have an (anime adaptation).

===Page 123===

AOKI: For a popular manga, since there are existing fans, it is safe to adapt it into anime. This anime adapation that is based on expectations for a certain level of sales figure. On the other hand, an original anime starts without any guarantee that it will be absolutely safe, so it is risky.

IWAKAMI: That's true. In that sense it is 100% challenge.

SHINBO: Since now the number of anime titles have increased compared to the past, the industry is always trying to find original works for anime adaptation. That itself is not something bad. It is just that it is really no good if we have only that.

'''THOSE WHO BECAME FANS OF "MADOKA MAGICA" - WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE ARE THEY?'''

''Let's put aside the side topic of original anime for a while. Honestly, how do you take the huge popularity of "Madoka Magica"?''

AOKI: "Madoka Magica" did not cause much stir before its broadcast. But once people actually started to watch the broadcast, they found it interesting. I am happy with how it got more and more attention this way.

SHINBO: I think those people who became fans from a very early stage really have guts. Even for development that may cause people to abandon (the anime) if it tripped up, like when Mami died, instead it caused people to pay attention and get lively, didn't it? So I was happy with how "Madoka Magica" caught fire. I feel that it was those people who in old days would be described as having the sense of "We, and only we, know about this!", helped spread the popularity (of this anime).

UROBUCHI: Indeed the depth of those people who dug into this anime reached is like what old-time otaku would do.

SHINBO: Well, the prediction that "since it is a screenplay by Urobuchi-san you cannot just leave it as such or it will bite you back" is also one example of that. I guess it is precisely because people watched it with that expectation that people find it enjoyable, I guess. WIthout that, everyone would just be discouraged by ep. 3. But in fact there were many people who thought "Ah, so it is." "I have thought that it will come to this." I feel that because of this, people could still enjoy such tough development with characters by Aoki-san. It may be that challenging attitude or it may be that realization that there are so many anime fans who still got the temperament of old-time otaku, but anyway I am happy.

KUBOTA: I also found it great to see a sense of unity developed between those fans and our animation staff. Since in anime, work was done by an aggregation of individuals working in isolation, being able to hear the voices of those people who watched, they were able to take up a lot of courage. The very lively reactions became the strength for the staff, and the work benefited and got better over time.

SHINBO: Without the cheering on by fans, "Madoka Magica" would not have that quality in the second half.

KUBOTA: It is a fortunate work which was created, and ended, with fans joining us.

'''GOING THROUGH THE SUSPENSION OF BROADCAST AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE'''

''Right after ep. 10 was broadcast in theKansai region, "Madoka Magica" had to suspend its broadcast because of the earthquake. Were you affected in any way by that?''

UROBUCHI: First of all, of course the earthquake was such a big shock (to me).... From the viewpoint of my own creation, a work, once it is done, stays along, and it will last longer than myself. Because of this happy fact, I feel there is worth writing screenplays or novels or games. But if Japan should be gone, naturally my works would not remain. If there was no more country where they speak Japanese, what would happen to all the stuff I had done till now? I had this kind of worry.

IWAKAMI: It is the same feeling here. Right after the earthquake, I had a helpless feeling, thinking "With Japan in this mess, so what if I work on anime..."

SHINBO: In fact that was no occasion for anime. And out of many things I came to realize the power of music. It is music, not video images, that provided the emotional support. Even if some video images (could do the job) it will not be anime. For example, for a manga magazine, a bunch of children can pass it around and read it, and it becomes entertainment. But animation is not like that. It just hit me with an emptiness in a certain way.

IWAKAMI: That's right. This is why even though there was no broadcast right after the earthquake, I do not think there are viewers who would think "why there is no broadcast (of the anime)?". However, after one week, two weeks, and things started to calm down and normal life returned, you started to hear voices saying they want to see the remaining part.

SHINBO: (Anime) is that kind of entertainment. For example if war breaks out, it will be no occasion for anime. It reminded me of how (anime) is truly a kind of entertainment for an abundant world. It could not be helped if things got into such a crisis situation, but I just hope that if that did not happen anime could be something needed (by people).

''Happily everything including the last episode was finally broadcast.''

IWAKAMI: I was also counting my time waiting eagerly for the broadcast once the date had been decided.

SHINBO: With life changed one way or another by the earthquake, people still wait for the broadcast with excitement. I feel that they see it as something like a live event that is also related to actual life. I sense that "Madoka Magica" has become an anime with a label inseparable with the earthquake. But it is not that it is an anime that people don't want to remember. I think, together with the fact it is such a hit, it has become an anime in which big things, that could not be covered in a few words, unfolded before us.

===Episode Commentaries===
''Pages 100-103 and 120-122.''



'''EP. 1 - WE MET IN A DREAM...IT SEEMS'''

KUBOTA: During dubbing, at the point when the sound effect and BGM were put in, I got the feel (about the anime). Perhaps it was the combination of sound and images. With music from (Yuki) Kajiura-san synchronized to the visual images by Inu-Curry-san, I had the tactile feeling of what kind of anime it would become.

UROBUCHI: In terms of degree of shock, perhaps ep. 1 is the biggest. I thought, (ep. 1) being like this, there should be no need to play innocence since at the point of avant (pretitle) one can already see it is an ominous anime. (LOL) You see, the Inu-Curry monster was running on a rampage with that BGM. Also Part B, from the scene where Madoka got lost in the bewitched space made by a witch until the Mami fight scene, was amazing.

AOKI: I was also surprised, that in ep. 1 the mood of the anime could be thrust out to such extent.

IWAKAMI: However looking at the reactions after the broadcast of ep. 3, I think it managed to mislead (the audience) quite successfully.

UROBUCHI: No no... I thought if more carnage were there it could cheat (people more)..... Come to think of it, in the screenplay there was the description that, in the avant [pretitle], next to Madoka, who is about to make contract, the bodies of Mami and Kyoko are shown.

SHINBO: Although at first the direction of our thinking was to make use of it, but since we had not yet been able to see what mood the series would take on, we were cautious (about it). Besides there were viewers who would try to make predictions according to the fact that Urobuchi-san wrote the screenplay, we concluded it was better not to use that. Later when I thought about it, I believed it was a correct decision not to use it.

IWAKAMI: The ribbon in ep. 1 also became the key item in ep. 12. Did you plan to use that as the hidden plot device to be deployed at the end right from the beginning?

UROBUCHI: No, not at all (LOL). It was just something that I put in anyways when I had difficulty coming up with the dialogues between Madoka and her mother, as something that could be used in a plot device later. Since it got really good use in ep. 12, I thought "so the way is to put in many things in advance." (LOL)

SHINBO: For the ribbon, I have some regrets from a directing point of view. When Madoka held out two ribbons and asked "which ribbon I wonder?" it would be better to have another ribbon with even more flamboyant color beside her and her mother picked that one instead. With that the characters of both Madoka and her mother would have come out clearer....

UROBUCHI: I see. Doing that would be interesting.

SHINBO: Yeah. Among the students only one had a name - [[Nakazawa]]-kun. How come?

UROBUCHI: That is for the roll-call by the teacher and there is no particularly deep meaning. But since I have given him a name after all, I had him appeared again in ep. 7 (LOL)



'''EP. 2 - THAT WOULD BE REALLY WONDERFUL...'''

UROBUCHI: It is an episode for explaining the world in this anime, including the settings design [settei]. The amount of information is a lot.

SHINBO: Ep. 1 for impact, and Ep. 2 the follow-up. I think it is similar to the composition of standard anime work. However, since Kyubey's explanation is so interesting, it does not look boring.

IWAKAMI: The way cutback was used in Part A is interesting.

UROBUCHI: It was a complicated composition with flashback first and then back to exposition, then again flashback, and exposition....

IWAKAMI: And then there is the Madoka's notebook. That part was also used again at the end, just like the ribbon in Ep. 1. People who watch it the second time can have another moving experience.

SHINBO: Since the notebook will show up again later like you said, in order to give a deeper impression I had Aoki-san drew the front cover.

UROBUCHI: So there are such twists and turns behind that notebook... There is also how good Madoka's drawings are, or how bad they are. And what kind of thing a fantasy notebook from an actual junior high student is like...

AOKI: When I first drew it, I thought Madoka would have drawn it even more badly. And so I really drew it very ugly..... I was told "this is way too ugly" (LOL) and "please go a bit more towards something that we can draw".

IWAKAMI: If you ask someone who does not know about the background, the words "this is way too ugly" would be really harsh words for Ume-sensei (LOL). And using the pictures that Ume-sensei drew in the style of a junior high student as reference, we got Yuuki-san, who acted Madoka, to draw them inside the notebook.

SHINBO: Actually Yuuki-san's drawings are even better than that. But since they are drawings by Madoka, she deliberately drew them badly. We got just the right amount of realism.

UROBUCHI: By the way, since the setting [settei] is that they are the drawings of mahou shoujo that Madoka had seen by that time, Sayaka was not drawn there. I am definitely not trying to exclude her from the group (LOL). On the contrary if Sayaka was drawn there it would become a contradiction.

SHINBO: I guessed at the early stage of the series, in both ep. 1 and ep. 2, the viewers would probably think "When will Madoka transform?" Around those episodes I got quite excited.

UROBUCHI: It is still not yet the stage where they realize that in fact the point is she must not transform.



'''EP. 3 -- I'M NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING ANYMORE'''

AOKI: The first time I intruded into the dubbing operation was this ep. 3. Moreover it was precisely at the scene where Mami got eaten. Since it had to be rewound many times to repeat the checking, I came in and suddenly I had to watch the "GabuGabu Puraaan" [sound effect] scene many times (LOL). Seeing it in images, those are very shocking scenes. It was scary.

IWAKAMI: To be honest, I was also a bit scared, about how the fans would react after watching ep. 3. I thought there might be people who would think such a development is interesting, but there might be quite a number of people who would flinch and leave.

UROBUCHI: When I wrote it, I thought people would be clearly divided into those who love it and those who dislike it. I got worried I might be stabbed by some "Hidamari" fans. (LOL) My friends told me something like "You had better watch the date and disappear from twitter. Conceal yourself until the storm dies down." (LOL) So I was prepared. Unexpectedly, that kind of reaction did not happen.

SHINBO: Even the witch in ep. 3 did not get hated. In fact she got quite popular, so much so that she had her own merchandise.

UROBUCHI: That is some good job Inu-Curry-san did. Of all things, they designed the most cruel witch to look the cutest.

AOKI: Indeed she looks very cute.

UROBUCHI: The element of surprise worked.

SHINBO: I think many things in ep. 3 belong to the well-done side. However, I had a bit of regret over the scene at the beginning where Mami was in the limelight. It was cut due to the episode length time limit.



'''EP. 4 - BOTH MIRACLES AND MAGIC EXIST'''

UROBUCHI: My thinking is that, after ep. 3, since those who found it not to their taste would have already stopped watching and so only those who still had anticipation would remain and kept watching. Perhaps I can call it a certain type of me being defiant.

SHINBO: I was worried about being asked why Madoka could still eat breakfast the next day after seeing that kind of thing. I was relieved when such an attack about that part did not materialize. (LOL)

UROBUCHI: And from around this time, Kyubey began to stop hiding its evilness.

SHINBO: Since every member of the staff knew the real identity of Kyubey, they all ended up drawing it that way. Although personally I would like to have hidden it a bit more.

KUBOTA: I was particularly impressed with the scene where Kyosuke made a scene because he could no longer play violin. The impression is less about Kyosuke than feeling sorry for Sayaka who became the victim of Kyosuke venting his anger.

AOKI: But then I can understand the feeling of Kyosuke. I also used it as an idea behind a 4-koma manga in the BD booklet. (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Come to think of it, at the point of the initial composition proposal, there was no such setting [settei] of Kyosuke being a violinist. So he did not have an injured right arm, but instead he had an incurable illness. As for why it became violin related, by now I could not recall anything at all.

AOKI: Also I really love the scene where Madoka and Sayaka were looking very miserable on roof top. I can imagine that after such a shocking event, naturally it would be like that. Surely it would not be "I should take up the fight instead of Mami-san."

IWAKAMI: And there Kyubey pulled itself away for once, saying "farewell". (LOL)

SHINBO: Kyubey got a lot of popularity with that strategy. (LOL) Instead of pushing it pulls away. Saying "That's too bad," and then leave. And when Sayaka made up her mind, it just casually appeared next to her (LOL) Also later after Sayaka became a mahou shoujo, the feeling of "oops I did it" she projected. This is kind of hard to describe.

IWAKAMI: From here onwards, it will be the Sayaka arc for a while.

SHINBO: It's just that at first I was a bit concerned about the motivation of Sayaka's decision to become a mahou shoujo being Kyosuke, that is a boy. I wondered if fans might not like this. Although it was already written since the initial composition proposal, after I read the screenplay I remember raising the point and said "what should we do."

KUBOTA: Ep. 4 had Sayaka's first battle, the image Shinbo-san initially had was something like a magician and he said he wanted to do the battle where she fights with magic. In discussions he said it would not be something cliched like pulling some pigeon from the cloak but he would like to have attack like that.

SHINBO: In terms of adding some flourishes in action scenes, I was thinking perhaps it would be interesting to have something that is a good talking point as well as flourishes. For example, something like action scenes with magic tricks in them. But then it is just something I came up at the beginning. I did not do that in the actual animation.

AOKI: If there has to be someone who fights in that style, I think it would be Homura.

SHINBO: Also for me in the last scene when Kyoko first showed up, the way she looked just hit me as so shounen-manga. And the part where she looked down from high above at the top of a steel tower is also good. I think the dialogue she said at the end "So I can just crush her, right?" generated anticipation of where the story will go afterwards. Honestly, a viewer would like to keep watching if he cannot read the coming development.

IWAKAMI: It is difficult to link a story to the next stage after a character died. Naturally other characters will be depressed, and the question is to what extent you can invigorate the story under this situation. Therefore I believe this ep. 4 is important after that ep. 3. After I read the screenplay, I realized I was over-worried.

SHINBO: For example, in "Star of the Giants", when Hyuuma Hoshi's 'Major League Ball" was defeated, he got into depression for many weeks, right? I was so tough watching that week after week. (LOL) But in ep. 4 there was the transformation of Sayaka, and at the end a mysterious mahou shoujo appeared. The story got lively again. This is something that I will pay attention in future too.



'''EP. 5 - THERE'S NO WAY I'D REGRET THIS'''

UROBUCHI: When I was writing the screenplay I imagined that the the battle between Sayaka and Kyoko took place in some dirty little back alley...I was surprised even that back alley became such a cool looking place.

IWAKAMI: Is battle in a back alley something rare in Shaft's work?

KUBOTA: Yeah, indeed it seems there aren't many...

SHINBO: In "Tsukuyomi" there is. But other than that, there isn't I guess.

KUBOTA: Making the back alley look like that was from the beginning Shinbo-san's idea. Even the battle scenes have cool looking images.

SHINBO: In fact I had wanted to make the alley look narrower. I thought it would be interesting that in such confined place the spear would have to be turned into a (multi-section) staff which would be swung around. The idea was that Kyoko's original weapon is a spear and she will find it hard to wave it around in a back alley. So in the storyboard I made it a multi-section staff. It was a change rooted in such consideration but I think it was good that it also created variety in battle portrayal. It is a creative idea from combat movies, not mahou shoujo works, but I thought "Whatever" (LOL)

UROBUCHI: However now I think about it again, this is the screenplay being unreasonable, as I put a fight with spear swinging around in a narrow back alley. I should have thought things over a bit more... (LOL) It was my bad habit to have events take place in a back alley when I got absent-minded. Being a follower of Hideyuki Kikuchi, I also let my story go the way of a back alley before knowing it.

IWAKAMI: But this is a scene where I was excited to see it in images when it was still only in screenplay. I wondered what kind of hardboiled battle scene Shinbo-san and Shaft could come up. In fact that after watching the battle scene, it was worth the wait.

UROBUCHI: Sayaka fought better than she was in the screenplay.

SHINBO: I wanted to show some portrayal of ripostes. Also I wanted to immobilize Madoka in advance.

UROBUCHI: Indeed that is necessary. I also have that pointed to me when animation was being done.

SHINBO: And then another thing that made ep. 5 interesting is where Homura showed up and there the story was to continue in the next episode.

UROBUCHI: It could not be helped because of time restriction, but it turned out be something good.

KUBOTA: The original idea was to show up till the fighting ended and the episode ends with Kyoko leaving. That was instead carried on to be the avant [pre-title] in the next episode.

SHINBO: And it was better that way. It is more likely to generate excitement by ending with a scene where you'd say "Eh?! What will happen?" and letting the story continue (to the next episode).



'''EP. 6 - THIS IS JUST NOT RIGHT'''

UROBUCHI: This is an episode where the phrase "I just do not understand" made its debut. Kyubey started not to put up any excuse any more (LOL). But having reached this episode, the build-up of the story is now complete. I also had the expectation that those viewers who are still with us until this ep. 6 should find episodes from ep. 7 on very enjoyable. I thought ep. 3 would for once filter the audience, and if they would stay along in ep. 4 and ep. 5, then I guessed we should be fine.

SHINBO: However since in reality instead of seeing people drop out after ep. 3 it got a lot more attention, we did not really need to worry about that. And coming into this ep. 6, people should start to realize that the question is not "When will Madoka transform?" but instead "In this anime she must not transform."

UROBUCHI: Also in ep. 6, there is one whole scene that was cut out. That was something that I did on my own initiative. When I dug around some old files, I found there was a scene where Homura and Sayaka talked to each other. There is a scene where Homura met Kyoko in a game center, isn't it? My thought was that after Homura finished talking to Kyoko there, there was a scene where she advised Sayaka, saying "You are not fit to be mahou shoujo, so behave yourself and stay quiet." And of course Sayaka would reject that. But then it is hard to call a scene enjoyable when you just watch Homura and Sayaka going on and on doing nothing but arguing. (LOL)



'''EP. 7 - CAN YOU FACE YOUR TRUE FEELINGS?'''

UROBUCHI: The church scene was a surprise. I could not even imagine the conversation would take place in a background that is all stained glass.

SHINBO: The image of a church with stained glass was taken from the image at the beginning of the anime "The Soul Taker". Moreover, I wanted to show something other than what people usually draw when they think of a church like those long pews etc.

IWAKAMI: I really love the dialogue of Kyoko at the end of the church scene, when before she left she turned to Sayaka and said "We are mahou shoujo! There are no other people like us!"

UROBUCHI: That is almost gangster-like talk, like "Us fellas are different from those ordinary chaps!" (LOL)

SHINBO: It got very interesting to hear that dialogue spoken with Nonaka-san's acting. And I got a bit troubled with the scene where Kyoko threw out an apple. Since Kyoko valued food so much, what would she do with the core of an apple? Did she throw it away, or eat the core as well? And if I decided she would throw it away, then I thought she would eat until where there is nothing more to eat, and what would be the sound when that core dropped onto the ground? In order not to get the impression that "Didn't she only just say 'don't you waste food!' and now she was throwing apple away!" I put a subtle sound effect at the end.

UROBUCHI: But people may then think, if she eats that much already, why not eats the core as well? (LOL)

SHINBO: Indeed Kyoko's character may be just like that. But in that scene I think it looks cooler for her to throw it away. So I got help from the sound effect staff so that (the sound) would not invite criticism. I need to thank the sound effect people like (Hidemi) Tanaka-san. But then I did not expect to get troubled on this kind of thing (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Come to think of it, in that scene Kyoko was eating something healthy. Usually she just kept munching on junk food.

SHINBO: If she kept going with that kind of diet, don't you think Kyoko would get fat?

UROBUCHI: Probably won't. Thanks for the magical power. (LOL)

AOKI: My impression of Kyoko changed in ep. 7, I thought "Hmm? Surprisingly she is a nice girl!"

IWAKAMI: As it is the episode where the relationship between Sayaka and Kyoko got close very quickly.

SHINBO: But for me I started to think of Kyoko as a good girl from ep. 6. Didn't she give Homura some of her Pocky?

UROBUCHI: I am sure if you become a friend of Kyoko, you will get some food. (LOL)



'''EP. 8 - I AM REALLY SUCH A FOOL'''

UROBUCHI: This is the climax of the grim development.

AOKI: This episode was tough to watch. It was very tough to see the exchanges between Sayaka and Madoka.

IWAKAMI: The existence of Kyoko is significant as she went to save (Sayaka) from such a grim development.

UROBUCHI: When she first appeared, she was supposed to be a heel [e.g. villain] character, but before you know it she became the only conscience. (LOL)

SHINBO: In visual terms, in ep. 8 I aimed for something that I had not done before. Like the dialogue between Madoka and Sayaka in the rain, or the exchanges between Sayaka and Homura later.

UROBUCHI: The image where Kyubey became a hornet's nest by Homura's bullets is also very shocking. And right after that, it was revealed that its true identity is Incubator. By then it is very clear that it is not a creature that can live with humanity on friendly terms.

SHINBO: There is also the dialogue "Isn't it a waste?". I thought it would also become a talking point but turned out it did not cause a sensation like "I just don't understand." (LOL) As a Japanese who takes good care of things and stuff, I wish that would get popular too.

AOKI: In that scene I really feel sorry for Homura who was left behind by Madoka. I just want to call out to Madoka, "Spend a bit more time with (Homura)!"

UROBUCHI: Ah, that's because from Madoka's point of view, she "just doesn't understand" (LOL) But then, coming to ep. 8, all the setups prepared before that started to come off quickly one by one in a chain reaction.

KUBOTA: It was impressive that the dialogue between the two hosts in a train was something that actually happened in real life.

UROBUCHI: They were talking at a place very close to me in an overcrowded train.

SHINBO: For us that was the most out-of-place dialogue in the world of "Madoka Magica."

UROBUCHI: Since they are not characters who would appear in mahou shoujo works. (LOL)

SHINBO: That's why I got convinced when I heard from Urobuchi-san about the background. I just hope that the viewers would also know that that was originated from a real life situation.

UROBUCHI: It was not really like that when it happened, I had to summarize to that length because of the time limit. Besides, the dialogues are extremely stupid, as they spoke in cliches that made you think "is it some on-location filming out there?" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Since it is a dialogue that generates such an out-of-place feeling, we decided to use some unconventional treatment when we came to create the images for it.

SHINBO: Yeah, we deliberately made it black-and-white.

UROBUCHI: And the seiyuu casting of [[wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobuo_Tobita|(Nobuo) Tobita]] and [[wikipedia:Shin-ichiro_Miki|(Shinichiro) Miki]] as the hosts is deluxe class. (LOL)

SHINBO: For that scene, it would not work if it was not done by actors with solid acting skills. And (Youta) Tsuruoka, music director, helped me to cast these two veteran seiyuu.

IWAKAMI: Usually for such minor characters, it will go to young actors. With veteran seiyuu acting that part, the feel that Sayaka was pushed to a dead end little by little came out effectively.

SHINBO: But I guess Tobita-san (and Miki-san) did not understand why they were asked to do that.

UROBUCHI: Because they are minor characters and appeared only in one scene. On top of that, the title of the script has the words "mahou shoujo" written on it but strangely here is this scene which smells of blood. I can see that would be an after-recording session filled with many mysteries. (LOL)

SHINBO: And I think it should be good stimulation for some veterans to come and join these many actresses of around the same generation. Somehow I felt that the mood in the after-recording session got a bit sharpened as a result.

UROBUCHI: In fact Yuuki-san seemed to get very tense.

AOKI: And then there was the smiling face of Sayaka at the end of Ep. 8. I could not forget her expression when she said, "I am really such a fool."



'''EP. 9 - I WILL NEVER ALLOW THAT'''

AOKI: The visual image of Sayaka Witch surprised me.

UROBUCHI: What I imagined was a monster that looked even more grotesque, so I think that it already got quite a bit of beauty treatment, since in the screenplay there is something like "countless tentacles stretching out" written on it. I wonder what I was thinking of Sayaka. (LOL)

SHINBO: It was marvelous to see how the music by Kajiura-san matched with the video images in ep. 9.

IWAKAMI: She wrote one piece of music specifically for Sayaka who had become a witch. I think Kajiura-san found the work to be interesting after reading the screenplay so she was willing to respond to our sudden requests.

AOKI: When I saw Kyoko in ep. 9, I got filled with so much hope. I really think perhaps at the end they could somehow manage.

UROBUCHI: If it is a conventional mahou shoujo anime, I guess at the end they will somehow manage it.

IWAKAMI: But I think indeed it was structured very well, since a character that came out only in ep. 5 now stands out so prominently in ep. 9.

UROBUCHI: Although I had thought about letting Kyoko stay just a little bit longer. But in 12 episodes I think that is the limit.



'''EP. 10 - I WILL NOT DEPEND ON ANYONE ANYMORE'''

UROBUCHI: It is a miracle story to get everything into one episode. In fact this is something that requires at least 2 episodes. With only one episode everything has to be rushed. I submitted the first draft, thinking "Can this really be kept within 25 minutes?!" and I had expected it would be rejected...but it got through. (LOL)

KUBOTA: But then I got all fired up after reading that screenplay. I thought I must make it happen....

SHINBO: At the very beginning it was a little bit longer, we got it shortened by a little.

UROBUCHI: I did not cut down much actually. I just had this worry that the pace of ep. 10 is so fast that audience may get the feeling of being abandoned.

SHINBO: But the viewers were able to understand without difficulty. I was surprised to see the fans of this anime have such a strong ability to understanding.

IWAKAMI: Also I think it was good to see it filled with scenes fans want to see, like when the mahou shoujo teamed up to fight witches. It is just that from an animation process point of view, since there are a couple of situations (to draw), it took awfully large amounts of labor. Kubota-san remembered ep. 3 and ep. 10 as the episodes that took them a particularly amount of effort.

KUBOTA: Ep. 3 is the turning point in the early stage and so that was necessary no matter what. And for Ep. 10, since the structure of the screenplay has a really high degree of perfection, and there are tricky works we needed to do, it gave me the feeling that it was indeed the chokepoint. I do not intend to discriminate various episodes among all the 12 episodes, but I have no doubt that this is the most important episode within the series. This also came naturally to our staff.

UROBUCHI: I thought the anime databank system would be used more often. It was only (used) in the moment just before the last scene.

KUBOTA: That was because it was necessary to use the image from ep. 1. Even with the use of databank system, it was an episode that was complicated and technically demanding (to make). But the main staff, including (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-kun, copied with it perfectly.

SHINBO: It was also because (Shinsaku) Sasaki-san, who drew the storyboard, read the storyboard of ep. 1 very thoroughly. He grasped everything very well, like whether to use such and such cut in more than one situation, to put together the storyboard. Episode Director (Yuuki) Yase-san was also very good.

UROBUCHI: I was surprised that Inu-Curry Witches really showed up in quick succession. I had expected it would just reuse all the witches who had appeared earlier, and they really made new designs for every one of them.

IWAKAMI: The dialogue that Madoka said, "Keep it a secret to everyone in class.", also stood out. It was impressive because it was a dialogue where she showed her will clearly up front while up till then she looked so timid and indecisive.

SHINBO: Besides that, the acting by Yuuki-san on that scene was really good.

KUBOTA: And for me, the scenes where Homura's face got sterner and sterner each time she passed through the time loop were impressive.

UROBUCHI: She looks cool. I love the face of Homura when at the end she fell into total distrust of other human beings.

IWAKAMI: I wish I could taste the shock when, without knowing anything in advance before watching the TV broadcast, suddenly out came Homura with eyeglasses and braided hair. (LOL)

SHINBO: The Animation Director for this episode is (Yoshiaki) Itoh-san. He himself once said "I am so happy to be the animation director for ep. 10".



'''EP. 11 - THE LAST REMAINING SIGNPOST'''

AOKI: At my place, somehow the video of ep. 12 came before the video of ep. 11. But I thought "I absolutely must not watch it by skipping ep. 11!" and so I just stashed away ep.12. So I watched and enjoyed ep. 11 in real time just like every viewer. Also, in the closing day, (Tetsuya) Iwanaga-san, who voiced (Madoka's) father, said to me, the last word between Madoka and her father was "I need to go to the toilet." When I thought of what happened to Madoka later, it only gave me sadness.

IWAKAMI: I guess at that moment Madoka could not even dream that she herself would in fact become a concept.

UROBUCHI: From here on, I just threw up everything and wrote with a so-what attitude. It may have been challenge in certain sense, (to see) how much I can say this is absurdly unreasonable but I can still be told "This is not the case." (LOL)

SHINBO: In the storyboard of ep. 11, the silhouettes of Mami and Sayaka etc. were seen clinging close to the Walpurgisnacht. But this part was changed (later).

UROBUCHI: The manga version was drawn based on the storyboard before the change. Black Mami and Sayaka were drawn there.



'''EP. 12 - MY BEST FRIEND'''

UROBUCHI: Since in the screenplay I only wrote something like "Madoka turns into a concept," I think it was well adapted into images. Even regarding the location, I only wrote with self-indulgence, putting it as something like "void space" (LOL). But the power of images is strong, as in a world with only text, like novels, could not produce such persuasive power. When you read the part with text "they float in a space where there is nothing," you think "Ah, is it so." and then you are done. It is the power of images to get people to think "Wow...I see!"

IWAKAMI: Indeed the persuasive power of images in the last stage, from ep. 10 onwards, was amazing. In the early stage and middle stage the power of Urobuchi-san's story pulled along the story. I feel that in the last stage, it was due to the pulling power of images that were built up by animating the conceptual part of the screenplay.

UROBUCHI: Also since ep. 10-12 were broadcast at one go, it gave a feeling of watching a movie. In summary, it was the "Homura Chapter." And then even though quite some effort went into designing the ultimate form of Madoka, it was a waste that she did not appear that much. But then her existence loomed immensely large with that short appearance. I also thought people would get angry at me for that scene with mahou shojo in the past. Just think how many new characters needed to be created just for that one scene...I had expected somehow this would be resolved by finding some way out.... It came out as a straight ball. They did not even try to run away. (LOL) My hat off to them.

KUBOTA: The key animation of those mahou shojo (from the past) were drawn by (Takahiro) Kishida-san, the Character Designer, himself.

UROBUCHI: There is this thing that surprisingly became a talking point -- "The Law of Circular Path". That actually means "the ending that will, without exception, visit the girls who embraced hope and chose to take up the destiny of becoming a mahou shoujo." It is not something Mami-san coined herself, but something like an oral tradition that was passed along among mahou shoujo in that world. And so at that place and time, the only one who could not understand at all after hearing those words was Homura. Kyoko also knew and probably Sayaka in that world had also heard those words before.

AOKI: The black wings of Homura in the last scene - was it the intention of Urobuchi-san?

UROBUCHI: No, those wings were from Inu-Curry-san.

IWAKAMI: There are many interpretations regarding the last scene. What does Urobuchi-san think of that?

UROBUCHI: My intention when I wrote the screenplay was: The location is not Japan and Homura's fight just goes on. But I think it is fine for all the fans to come up with their own interpretation. There is even conjecture that "this is without doubt the world after humanity was annihilated." It is still a valid interpretation.

IWAKAMI: It looks something like a Bad End, with an ending that had Homura hearing Madoka's voice just before she went to a certain death. (LOL) Personally I believe it is a Good End.

AOKI: So what I thought and I felt proved to be correct after all.

SHINBO: Even though the world has changed, Homura will never forget Madoka. I think that is the most important thing. If there is another work for "Madoka Magica," this will be something that will never change.

== Puella Magi Madoka Magica After-recording Report ==
''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

:''Detailed translations at: [[Guidebook After Recording Report]]. See also translated comic of [[Animedia_2011-06#Madoka_After-Recording_Report_.28Seiyuu_Comic.29|Ep 12 After-Recording Session]].

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 1|Episode 11: Part 1]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 01 TL.jpg|Episode 11: Part 1 [[Media:Guidebook_comic_01.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 2: Pre-recording|Part 2: Pre-recording]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 02 TL.jpg|Part 2: Pre-recording [[Media:Guidebook_comic_02a.jpg|Original in Japanese]]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 3: Recording|Part 3: Recording]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 03 TL.jpg|Part 3: Recording [[Media:Guidebook_comic_03.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht|Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 04 TL.jpg|Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht [[Media:Guidebook Comic 02.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

==Opening Theme==

''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

CONNECT 
Composition, Lyrics: Sho Watanabe 
Singer: ClariS

It is an opening that contains a lot of scenes which you could not see much in the main part of the anime, including the mahou shoujo Madoka. The black cat that Madoka held in her arms appears again in the drama CD that came with BD/DVD Vol.1. Also at first the last cut has only Madoka, Sayaka and Mami, but in ep. 10 and ep. 11, Homura and Kyoko were added as well.

OPENING ANIMATION 
Storyboard, Direction 
Tomoyuki Sakamura

''What kind of opening did you think of making?''

I got the order from Shinbo-san that the animation plan for the opening must have the standard scenes and transformation scene of mahou shoujo. When I first heard the song, I got the simple impression that it is not some girl bouncing around but something serious. And after I read the scenario, I just fell and rolled over. This was a reaction that was no different from the shock experienced by audience when they first watched ep. 10 of the anime. It was in fact lyrics for Homura, but if you did not realize that and put Madoka in her place, instead it was basically an opening with cute mahou shoujo. Based on that concept, I started the work on storyboarding.

''There was controversy regarding the black cat held by Madoka.''

For the black cat, I created it as a little gimmick to show off the mahou shoujo Madoka in her regular daily life which has a different mood from what is in the main part, and also as a Madoka story that is in a parallel world which is different from the main part. I thank all the fans for doing so much research. By the way, Aoi Yuuki-san, who voiced Madoka, gave an upturned eye and asked "Is this the cat I am keeping?". Nakamura-san, the animation director, and I answered "Yes, that's right."

''How about the addition of Homura and Kyoko in the last cut starting from ep. 10?''

In fact at first, I did not think about adding Homura and Kyoko in the last cut from ep. 10 onwards. (LOL) When the opening and the main part of ep. 10 was about to be recorded, I decided (I wanted to do that) and rushed to create new images. And I felt sorry for Kyoko, so I added her too. This reminds me - there is also an interesting idea from Izumi-san who worked in coloring: Adding a "stalker Homura" in all the cuts in the opening where Homura would watch over and protect Madoka. ''[editor's note: the idea didn't make it to production but did for fanmade parodies.]''

''There is also the Madoka transformation scene. What kind of image did you have in mind when you created that?''

In the mahou shojo transformation scene, I added a maternal and mysterious mood by having a naked Madoka holding and kissing Madoka. The question of who is embracing Madoka became a talking point... It seems to be more fun by keeping this as a secret. I think the actual images, which were done by animator (Masaaki) Takiyama-san, who drew the heavenly Madoka in nude with gushing libido, and photographer (Takayuki) Aizu-san, who fine-toned the color palette and light transmission, came out beautifully.

''The slice-of-life scenes that we see so little in the actual anime are also depicted in the opening.''

I made them in order to compensate for the fact that in the first half of the series, it is difficult to draw cheerful scenes or the pleasure of a happy home. Commemorative photo with family, after-school (visit to) the cake shop, sports festival, concert, afternoon on the sofa etc etc. As the main part progresses, the focus is on more and more painful things, and (the opening) looks a bit mean-spirited (to have those scenes) inserted. It hurts to see the gentle face of Mami-san in sleep!

''Other than that, anything during the animation work you particularly remember?''

This is the first time I directed an opening, and what surprised me very much was the experience of editing. In the process of matching cuts (of images) against the music, even just the difference of one frame could change the impression regarding the visual image and how pleasant you feel about it. It needs a completely different sense from the dubbing of the main part, where you first made all the cuts, linked them together, and only after that had music and sound added. Experimenting and then checking the result could give rise to serendipitous discovery. It was difficult but also very interesting.

''Could I ask you for your memories and thoughts as you look back to the work you did this time?''

Being able to work on an opening this time is more than I deserved, and I called for outside help - I asked animator Ryo Imagawa-san to help me. I thank him for pulling me all along, from the stage of storyboard to actual animation, as well as directing. He was actively involved in everything like he had 8 faces and 6 arms. While he drew his own original animation, he also went through all the cuts and made fine adjustments and follow-ups. The animation work had so little time (LOL) - it was non-stop from Storyboard IN ''[symbv: when storyboard first started to get animated]'' to chapter-V ''[symbv: when all the retakes are done and the work shifts to post-production]''!! I want to say thanks to all the staff who were involved in the production. Oh yes oh yes, I suddenly called and woke up (Naoto) Nakamura-san, Animation Director, and he helped me out... That's some nice memory... I think... for him. [The opening] is different from the main part: There is no need to connect the scene as required by a story, and there is no restriction (or support) from dialogues or effect sound. It was very refreshing and appealing to create densely packed images for 90 seconds. I am honored and thankful for being able to participate in working in "Madoka Magica." And my apology to (Tadao) Iwaki-san (animation producer) for not being able to help in the main part.

==Ending Theme==

''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

ENDING THEME 
MAGIA 
Compose, Lyrics: Yuki Kajiura 
Singer: Kalafina

Madoka, in silhouette, runs and runs within an uncanny and eerie space.
It was used only in surprsingly infrequent times - from ep. 3-8. As an ending, it symbolized the dark side of this anime.

Ending Animation - Hirofumi Suzuki

''Can you tell me your impression when you heard the song?''

Until then, I had made only slow and laid-back type of endings for works by Director Shinbo, and I thought this time it would just be something similar, so I underestimated the job and accepted it. The song that I got turned out to be terribly grave and I was taken aback.

''What kind of things did you and Director Shinbo discuss (on this ending)?''

At the occasion when we came to discuss it, he told me that the ending "will start from ep. 3". And in the preparatory meeting, I think he said something to the effect that, "I think it may be better to have a different feeling from the image created by Gekidan Inu-Curry-san in the main part, and have something that hints at the future of Madoka and others."

''Can you tell me any happening during the production work or something about the completed video?''

I did everything of the production work from storyboard to filming by myself. They were all done on the PC. The contents just provide rough suggestions of (what happens) in the main part, so there is nothing particular I want to say. As for why only Homura turns around, I think if (the viewer) watches ep. 10 and later episodes, he should be able to find out.

MATA ASHITA (See You Tomorrow) 
Lyrics, Compose: hanawaya 
Arrangement: Ryuka / Tomonori Taguchi 
Singer: Madoka Kaname (Aoi Yuuki)

For Ep. 1 and 2 on BD/DVD, there is an ending which was not shown on broadcast TV. The song and the illustration to remind (listeners) of the time when Madoka and others were leading their lives as ordinary girls.

ENDING ILLUSTRATION 
UME AOKI

I heard about this plan to have the picture of Madoka-chan added to the ending, so I drew this illustration. I drew it with the thought that it would be good to have a picture which can only be associated to ep. 1 and 2. (LOL)

== Data in production stage ==
[[File:Guidebook_Production_Related_Material_01.jpg|Data in production stage|thumb]]

===Planning Memo (Upper right)===

====Story keyword====

*When the wish of a magical girl comes true, she becomes a witch.
*Based on friendship between an idealistic girl and a realistic girl.
*The idealistic girl claims that to become a witch is bad. But she exhausts her power for the world and becomes a witch...

*Main characters are the two above, with additional two, total 4.
*If sub characters are counted, total about 7 characters.
*Protagonists are about 15 years old.

*They may use magic to transform.
*But they are mainly wearing uniform.
*Although it is subtle whether they are in magical school, the school is serious and strict.

====Visual image====

*The image of 4 girls are as follows:
**The idealistic girl: bright, and looking forward.
**The realistic girl: seem to know everything as an adult. She is excellent in both knowledge and physical power.
**The talented girl: comes from witch's blood. She has inborn magic.
**The learned girl: learning magic systematically. She looks like an otaku.

*The tragic fate of magical girls, and the decision. ...(their serious face?)
*Needs some gadgets of magical girls, like sticks, bracelet or necklace.
*An animal who guides them to their fights.
** While looking cute, he will say something terrible like "Do you have desire to improve the world, even have to pay your life". He is so cruel because he knows everything.

===Minutes (Lower right)===

Translation courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Setting Meeting Minutes:
* Date/Time: May 12, 2010, 18:00–
* Location: Shaft 2nd Floor, Meeting Room
* Attendees:
** [[Akiyuki Shinbo]] (Director)
** Shiroinu ([[Gekidan Inu Curry]])
** Doroinu (Gekidan Inu Curry)
** Mitsutoshi Kubota ([[Shaft]])
** Tomoyo Kamiji (Shaft)

* Agenda: Overall Art Setting/Design

When entering a magical space, should it mix with the real world, or become a completely disconnected, separate space?
(The term "erosion/encroachment" is used in the scenario, but it can be changed.)
→ Dismantle the original elements and reassemble them (Inu Curry-sama's imagery).

Request Gekidan Inu Curry-sama to design the alternate dimensions and Witches.

Witch designs should not be instantly recognizable as "witches" to just anyone. They should evoke a sense of anxiety and uneasiness. Cute designs might also be good.

Alternate dimensions will change design with each episode, serving a role similar to a stage set/theatrical apparatus.

Both the alternate dimensions and Witches will be produced with specific themes, without being overly assertive.
(For example, Sayaka's Witch is designed to reflect her identity.)

While the story is told from the characters' subjective viewpoints, the design of the scenes should look objective.

Try applying a filter-like effect to characters when they enter an alternate dimension. (Inu Curry-sama's image change/style shift.)
→ Consult once other production staff, such as photography/compositing, are finalized.

The director wants to create an image animation completely different from the magical girl anime Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha. (Madoka Magica is a work that, in the director's mind, exists as an extension of Le Portrait de Petit Cossette.)

The real world will feature a modern cityscape. A design that feels slightly near-futuristic. However, power lines will remain.

The cityscape is urban. A well-planned, rigidly structured city. (Symmetrical layouts are also acceptable.)

The school should also reference foreign designs.

Overall, the coloring should be like that of a bishoujo anime. (Referencing Ume Aoki-sensei.)
→ Research and utilize color palettes currently trending in the industry.

Next Steps: Early June - Storyboarding begins → July - Director's check (Scheduled)
Battle scenes, alternate dimensions, etc., will be further developed by the main staff as soon as the storyboards are ready.

Gekidan Inu Curry-sama: Requested to submit overall image boards in 2 weeks. Shaft will issue orders for Witch designs for each individual episode under a detailed, segmented schedule.

* Next Meeting: May 26, 18:00
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Setting Meeting
Location: Shaft 2nd Floor, Meeting Room

===Series Proposal (left)===

{|class="wikitable"
|style="width:8%;"|Episode
|Story
|-
|01
|A scene of destruction. All characters are dead miserably. Homura is fighting a terrible monster with blood on her. 
Madoka is watching this but she can do nothing. However, it seem she can save all of them by becoming a magical girl. As soon as she makes up her mind to make contract with a fairy, she wakes up. Is this a dream? 
In a peaceful morning, she is going to school with her good friend, Sayaka, as usual. 
Here comes a transferred student called Homura. She is the girl in Madoka's dream.
But after school, Madoka sees her killing a cute animal.
Then Homura come to attack Madoka and Sayaka, who are trying to protect that animal. 
|-
|02
|(Mami appears. Mami explains about magical girl to them.)
|-
|03
|(Madoka almost makes a contract. But Mami dies, and Homura saves her. At the same time, Sayaka makes a contract)
|-
|04
|(Kamijou quarrels with Sayaka so that she makes a contract. Kyoko appears)
|-
|05
|(Kyoko attacks Sayaka. Homura agrees that Kyoko can be the backup. Madoka now in middle of Sayaka and Homura.)
|-
|06
|(Kyoko's past. Kamijou recovers. The three tiers (Sayaka, Homura & Kyoko, and witches) are fighting endlessly. Madoka is worried about how to help Sayaka.)
|-
|07
|(Kamijou fully recovered. But he is going the way out of Sayaka's expectation. Sayaka doesn't give up her duty as a magical girl. 
To make Sayaka back to a regular girl, Madoka steals and throws away her soul gem. To Madoka's surprise, Sayaka doesn't move anymore. The fairy tells her the truth.)
|-
|08
|(Sayaka is no longer human. But she overcomes the sadness. She simply bears the fate to do witch hunting just like Mami. 
Madoka considers to become a magical girl again to help her, and Homura comes to argue with her. At the beginning she rebounds strongly because of embarrassment from her over simple consideration, but Homura convinces her by all means. 
Meanwhile, Kyoko starts to have sympathy with Sayaka, although they are incompatible, still fighting against each other.)
|-
|09
|Sayaka falls into despair definitely (caused by Kamijou?)
|-
|10
|Sayaka finally become a grief seed and hatches a witch. Kyoko killed the witch but also sacrifice herself. 
The fairy tells the truth to desperate Madoka. He also tells her that he has seen countless examples of this but he is still unable to understand how human thinks. 
And a new witch with unseen power is approaching. It seems there's no way to protect the city unless Madoka becoming a magical girl. 
|-
|11
|Homura confesses to Madoka about her ability and object. She also tells Madoka that she has done that many times. This is the timeline Madoka keeping alive the longest. Although she cannot save other girls' lives, it might be a chance to change Madoka's fate. 
Homura swears that she will protect Madoka with her own life. But Madoka is still unable to understand. The final fight is coming in such situation.
|-
|12
|Madoka arranges her feelings about Homura. The fairy predicts that Homura won't have a change to win. He suggests Madoka to make a contract, and says her soul gem is so enormous that the power of her wish is much more than others. 
The final battle between Homura and witch comes. Homura cannot stand up with such a great power difference. This scene is the same as Madoka's dream. 
|-
|13
|Is there a way to save all magic girls? 
Madoka finally makes contract with the fairy. 
"I wish to become the existence to eliminate all witches from past to the future!" 
...... 
Madoka finally understand how hard Homura did for her, and the friendship between them. 
...... 
|}

== Witch Design ==

=== Labyrinth design ===

{|class="wikitable"
|style="width:8%;"|Episode
|Concept
|Words
|-
|3 (Part)
|Cafe for two （２人カフェ）
|"My dream is tea time." （私の夢はティータイム） 
When the witch dies, the magical girl steps on the cups and breaks them.
|-
|3 (Charlotte)
|One whole cheese cake
|"It's really a delicious cheesecake. My dying mother wanted to eat it, but maybe I should have cured her disease instead. But I'm sure that wasn't really the point." （とてもおいしいチーズケーキ。死にかけのお母さんが食べたがっていたの。でも、もしかするとお母さんの病気でも治してあげたらよかったカスラ。けれと、きっとそれはそおいうことでもないのダワ。）
|-
|4 (H.N Elly)
|Snowglobe （スノードーム）
|"I have only one wish. Box up that memory." （私の願いはただひとつ、あの思い出をとじこめて） 
When the witch dies, the lights on the Christmas tree and merry-go-round short out. There's a 'basssh!' sound.
|-
|7 (Elsa Maria)
|Church
|"May the you I haven't met yet find happiness." （まだ見ないあなたが幸せであるように） 
When the witch dies, the stained glass collapses and drops into the air. There's a 'baaaaaaahn' sound like from a pipe organ.
|-
|9
|Trains
|"My wish is somewhere not here." （私の願いはここではないどこか） 
In the final scene, the magical girl kills her from behind in the first carriage, and the train derails.
|-
|10 (Patricia)
|Blue Sky
|"How unlucky I am that today, of all days, turned out to be rainy." （今日という日が雨だなんて私はどれほどついていないんだろう） 
When the witch dies, it rains heavily. There is a sound like an aircraft crashing.
|-
|10 (Roberta)
|Dolls
|"I wish for friends. Friends who won't dislike me." （私の願いはお友達。私を嫌いにならないお友達） 
When the witch dies, the bird cage is getting shot down and spilling a circular rain of blood.
|-
|Set-constructing witch (Walpurgis Night)
|Stage
|"Everything in this world is fake. My life is nothing more than a drama that you penned. Please, prove it. ''"Faust"'' is on show." （この世界はすべて嘘でした。私の人生はあなたの書いた戯曲にすぎません。それを証明して下さい。「ファウスト」が上演中）
|}

===Gekidan Inu Curry Artwork Comments===
* Walpurgisnacht

"According to the lore settings, the inside of the skirt and the upper section of the gears serve as a stage, where the familiars can put on theatrical performances. Though we never actually ended up using that concept." (Both members)

* Walpurgisnacht's familiars

"Miyamoto-san mentioned that although it was never actually demonstrated in the main story, it possesses a ''Konaki-jijii''-style ability where if you get caught by it, your body becomes as heavy as a stone." (Both members)

"I was surprised by how cute their voices were." (2shiroinu)

* Anthony

"We were worried it might turn out too cute and end up requiring a retake, so it was a bit disappointing that nobody actually noticed the fact that it was cute." (Both members)

"To be clear, those are whiskers. It's a creature with whiskers growing out of it. It's a personal favorite of ours, so we're completely playing favorites with it on our own accord." (2shiroinu)

"We were still fumbling around in the dark regarding what to write for the Witch Picture Book descriptions, so this cleared things up quite a bit. The Witch Picture Book was actually proposed to us by Aniplex right before the broadcast, and thanks to having it, we were able to give the lore a lot more depth and variety." (Doroinu)

* Gertrud

"In the script, there was a line where Sayaka looks at her and says, 'Ugh, gross!' But since her actual appearance ended up looking rather cute, we consulted the series director about what we should do. It turned out nobody really questioned the contradiction, which was a bit disappointing." (Both members)

"I think her little scuttling legs are her best charm point." (Doroinu)

* Adelbert

"These are familiars whose role is vigilance. However, since their method of attack is a 'rocket headbutt,' if you think about it calmly, you get the feeling that the scissor attacks used by the whiskered familiars in Episode 1 might actually be stronger..." (Both members)

"At any rate, that office lady (OL) who was about to commit suicide was probably headbutted mercilessly by them, wasn't she?" (Doroinu)

* ? (Suleika)

"This is a Witch that didn't appear in the main story. To make the relationship between Witches and Familiars easier to understand, we went ahead and included even the unfeatured Witches in resources like the Witch Picture Book." (Both members)

* Ulla

"At the storyboarding stage, it actually fought with Mami a decent amount, but due to the overall runtime constraints, it ended up getting instantly killed." (Both members)

"It's a shame its moment in the spotlight was lost, but considering how grueling the workload was for the Witch of Sweets in that very same episode, I also kind of feel like we dodged a bullet." (Doroinu)

* Pyotr

"Its mouth area is all rustly-bustly and squishy-soft." (2shiroinu)

"It is no exaggeration to say it appeared solely for the purpose of being blown away by Mami." (Doroinu)

* Charlotte

"Fearing that Mami fans would get angry at us, we copped out and gave her a mascot-like appearance instead." (2shiroinu)

"Right after her initial appearance, her eye color was black during the TV broadcast. However, in the DVD and Blu-ray versions, the eye color has been changed to green. It wasn't a coloring mistake by the compositing staff; rather, we made a selfish, stubborn request after the TV airing to have them change it for us." (Both members)

* H.N. Elly (Kirsten)

"I felt like it would look really cool to have strands of hair spilling out from inside the machinery." (2shiroinu)

"It didn't pan out due to time constraints, but I really wanted to add much more detail and substance to the imagery projected on the screen." (Doroinu)

* Daniyyel & Jennifer

"Even though they are carrying the Witch around, they don't actually hold much affection for her. They feel more like they're just carrying her along as an afterthought." (Both members)

* ? (Albertine)

"She didn't appear" (Both members)

* Anja

"Aoi Yuuki-san, who plays Madoka, provided the voice for this one. We made a rather unfortunate request for her to make it sound 'as goofy as humanly possible,' and she pulled it off magnificently." (Both members)

"She's amazing." (2shiroinu)

* Dora

"This one is rusted as well. It plays ''The Godfather'' theme using the exhaust pipes protruding from its body." (Both members)

* Gisela

"This Witch was designed after the storyboards were already completed. We came up with her appearance and setting under the explicit premise that she would be included in the Witch Picture Book. The concept is basically a sci-fi robot capable of transforming into a motorcycle, except it's completely covered in rust." (Both members)

* Elsa Maria

"Our initial concept for her had a much more traditional Japanese style. The remnants of that idea can still be seen in the kimono-like patterns on the base of the monument held by the giant statue serving as the platform, as well as on the cloth that drapes down upon her death." (Both members)

* Sebastian's

"In the second half, what grows directly out of the Witch isn't her familiars—those are the Witch's own arms." (Both members)

* Bartels

"It's paper clay." (Both members)

* ? (Uhrmann)

"She didn't appear in the main story, but the design had already been decided. The one getting beaten up by Sayaka in the manga version was originally the design for the Dog Witch."

* Holger

"Fantasia." (Both members)

* Oktavia von Seckendorff

"We worked hard, fully prepared to get reprimanded no matter how she turned out. And she turned out like that." (2shiroinu)

* Izabel

"In the first place, being told that a stationary triumphal arch is a 'Witch' might make absolutely no sense, but we thought, 'Well, it's already episode 10, so maybe it'll somehow get across?'" (Both members)

* Michaela

"For these familiars, we gave the key animators a few vague reference concepts and then let them draw them completely freely." (Both members)

* Patricia

"For both the Witch and the barrier, we intentionally chose a design and production style that looked the most like a conventional, normal magical girl show out of everything." (Both members)

"You'd think she was a spider, but since she has six arms, it turns out she wasn't a spider after all. If anything, she's a subspecies of Tien Shinhan (from Dragon Ball)." (Doroinu)

* Mathieu

"Underneath the skirt, they are wearing puffy lantern bloomers. Even if she is a Witch, we absolutely do not permit flashing underwear glimpses." (Both members)

"The blue sky inside the barrier actually incorporates footage of the sky above Iogi taken about two days before the TV broadcast." (Doroinu)

* Oktavia von Seckendorff, Timeline 3 Version

"In the main story, if you look closely, she's actually using dual-wielding swords. Well, even though in the end she doesn't actually attack with the swords anyway." (Both members)

* Klarissa

"Partway through, for some reason, they get caught up in the wheels. Talk about bad luck." (Both members)

* Gotz

"In our initial concept art they were paper birds, but somewhere along the line they became all muscular." (Both members)

"They are narcissistic birds who haven't even realized that the Witch despises them." (2shiroinu)

* Roberta

"She is constantly frustrated by her familiars. She ended up getting blown to pieces while she was still totally worked up." (Both members)

* Kriemhild Gretchen

"They never shared the screen together in the main story, but the concept was for her to form a matching pair with Walpurgisnacht. In our setting, there is a barrier the size of the Earth positioned right above the Witch's head, which sucks up everything from the ground. Because she is so gargantuan, we asked the staff to basically treat her as part of the background scenery." (Both members)

== General Gallery ==
<gallery position="center" captionalign="left">
File:You are not alone poster.jpg| Poster
File:You_Are_Not_Alone_advertisement.jpg| Advertisement
File:Guidebook extras.JPG| Japan-exclusive extras
</gallery>

== Prior Illustrations ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 03.jpg|Other ones of Homura and Madoka: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 04.jpg|1]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 05.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 07.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 14.jpg|4]]
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 06.jpg|More solo Madoka: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 11.jpg|1]]
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 08.jpg|More group pics: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 09.jpg|1]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 10.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 12.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 13.jpg|4]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 15.jpg|5]]
</gallery>

== Episodic Coverage and Character Pages ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0001.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0002.jpg|2]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0003.jpg|3]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0004.jpg|1-3]] and Mami character [[:Media:Guidebook 0005.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0006.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0007.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0008.jpg|5]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0009.jpg|6]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0010.jpg|4-6]] and Sayaka character [[:Media:Guidebook 0011.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0012.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0013.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0014.jpg|8]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0015.jpg|9]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0016.jpg|7-9]] and Kyoko character [[:Media:Guidebook 0017.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0018.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0019.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0020.jpg|11]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0021.jpg|12]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0022.jpg|10-12]] and Homura character [[:Media:Guidebook 0023.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0024.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0025.jpg|Madoka part [[:Media:Guidebook 0026.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0027.jpg|Kyubey]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0028.jpg|Madoka's family]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0029.jpg|other characters]].
</gallery>

== Production Materials ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0045.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0046.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0047.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0048.jpg|4]].
File:Guidebook 0049.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0050.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0051.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0052.jpg|4]].
File:Guidebook 0053.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0054.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0055.jpg|3]].
File:Guidebook 0056.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0057.jpg|2]].
File:080_1.jpg
File:Guidebook 0058.jpg|Episode storyboards 1-6: [[:Media:Guidebook 0059.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0060.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0061.jpg|4-6]].
File:Guidebook 0062.jpg|Episode storyboards 7-12: [[:Media:Guidebook 0063.jpg|8-9]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0064.jpg|10]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0065.jpg|11-12]].
File:Guidebook 0066.jpg|Witch designs and storyboards: [[:Media:Guidebook 0067.jpg|2]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0068.jpg|3]].
File:Guidebook 0069.jpg|More [[:Media:Guidebook 0070.jpg|architecture]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0071.jpg|weapons]].
</gallery>

== Staff Discussion ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0095.jpg|Staff and Cast List
</gallery>

== Early Character Designs ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0101.jpg
File:Guidebook 0102.jpg
File:Guidebook 0103.jpg
</gallery>

== See Also ==
* [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Official_Guides.2C_Books_and_Games|Other official books, guides and games]]
* [[Puella Magi Production Note]]
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Art Book]]
* [[Magazines|Translated magazines]]
* [[Tweets|Translated Tweets]]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Documents/Anime-Production]]
[[Category:Products and merchandise]]
[[Category:Translation request]]

Puella Magi Production Note

2026-07-17T04:45:18Z

Romi1908: /* Walpurgisnacht's Procession */

[[File:Production Notes Updated.jpg|Production Note|thumb]]
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Production Note are a set of 496 pages in two volumes that were first sold in a limited edition version at Comic Market 80 from August 12, 2011 to August 14 2011. It is currently on sale to the general public.
SHAFT, collaborating with graphics designer Milky Isobe, compiled and edited 352 pages of production materials and 144 pages of art by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]. The book set measures 268 x 195 x 47 millimeters (about 10.5 x 7.6 x 1.9 inches) and 1.629 kilograms (3.59 pounds).

Each set contains a B5-sized illustration sheet of Madoka by character designer Takahiro Kishida.

The limited first edition sold at Comic Market 80 also has:
*Gekidan Inu Curry designed postcard
*[[Charlotte]] bookmark
*[[Kyubey]] bookmark

This, along with other Madoka-related merchandise, was reportedly [http://yaraon.blog109.fc2.com/blog-entry-3343.html sold out] at the Aniplex booth around 11:15 am on the first day of Comic Market. Additional merchandise was added for sale the last two days of Comic Market 80.

A sequel was released in late 2014 for [[The Rebellion Story]] titled "[[Rebellion Production Note]]."

== Key Animation Note ==
A follow-up to the Production Note, please go [[Key_Animation_Note|here]] for more information. There are seven volumes of the Key Animation Note.

== Translations of Select Pages ==
=== Witch of cheesecake (early concept that later became [[Charlotte]]) ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Cheesecake_witch_cropped.png|250px]]
|''Full scan page [[:Media:Image Note 0067.jpg|here]]'' '''Topmost left lines:''' Weak witch One-whole cheesecake '''Upper middle:''' "It's really a delicious cheesecake. My dying mother wanted to eat it. But, perhaps, I should have cured her disease instead. However, that surely wasn't appropriate." '''Right, top-to-bottom:''' A witch-space that became the basis for the witch of dessert from ep. 3 and the minion of the witch of scribbles from ep. 5. She became a magical girl for one-whole cheesecake, and after becoming a witch, clings to that cheesecake. The witch of dessert in the main series is the reverse of this; she obtained "one single cheesecake" in strict accordance with her wish. After turning into a witch, the only thing her magic cannot make is cheese, and she became a very strong witch. '''Left diagram:''' It feels as if the scrambled-street parts keep having yellow paint dumped on them. Fork A single cheesecake floats in the air. The weird-looking witch stands atop it. '''Middle, with diagrams:''' Light source: Dim yellow light from the center They leer inward from under cover. Minions: Mouse-looking things that scurry around underfoot (small) '''Bottom diagram:''' When the witch escapes, its space moves with it. Aaa-h Spwohn After being caught up in it, the people who were in the previously-scrambled streets pop out into the normal streets. '''Bottom Right:''' Upon the witch's death Crushed into gooey-looking cheese There's a small, high, mouse-like 'kiii-' or 'chiii-' noise.
|'''Topmost left lines:''' ヨワイマジョ ワンホール・チーズケーキ '''Upper middle:''' 「とてもおいしいチーズケーキ。 死にかけのお母さんが食べたがっていたの。 でも、もしかすると、お母さんの病気でも治してあげたらよかったカスラ。 けれど、きっとそれはそおいうことでもないのダワ。」 '''Right, top-to-bottom:''' ３話お菓子の魔女と ５話落書きの魔女の使い魔の 元になった魔女空間です。 ワンホールのチーズケーキで魔法少女になり、 魔女化した後もチーズケーキにしがみついています。 本編お菓子の魔女はこれとは逆に、 厳密にその願い通り「ひとつきりのチーズケーキ」 を手に入れ、魔女化した後も チーズだけは魔法を使って出すことが出来なくなり とても強い魔女になりました。 '''Left diagram:''' ゴチャゴチャ街部分に 黄色いペンキをぶっかけまくってるカンジ フォーク チーズケーキがひとつ浮いてて。 その上に変なマジョがのってる '''Middle, with diagrams:''' 光源 ぼんやり中心部から黄色ライト 物陰からコソコソ見てるだけ 手下 ねずみみたいなの足元チョロチョロしてる・小さき '''Bottom diagram:''' マジョ逃げると空間ごと移動する わー スポン 中にいた人は 一度ゴチャゴチャ街へまきこまれてから スポンと普通の街へ '''Bottom Right:''' マジョ死ぬとき べちゃとチーズみたいにつぶれる 「キー」とか「チー」とか小さくカン高いネズミみたいな音。
|}

=== [[Anja]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

Note: She was originally designed as the witch, then [[Albertine]] replaced Anja as the witch and Anja became the familiar.

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0029.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃05 Back alley. '''Upper left:''' Weak witch 
There isn't a clearly-defined barrier. The green area is the barrier. Painted green, no shadows in the green area. 
Becomes like a stuck-on 2D poster. The boundary line moves and bounces around. '''Middle:''' Yellow balls bounce around only in the green area. The witch continually chases them. '''Middle left:''' Witch: A character reminiscent of a Showa-era poster. Stuck on. No shadow. No sense of depth. Her lower body turns into a car and an airplane and such. '''Lower Left:''' Zooms around in the green area and chases balls. In the end, it's less like she's fleeing and more like she's just chasing more balls and scooting off somewhere. '''Right:''' She changes the humans around her into new balls, and eats the balls if she gets hungry. No matter how many new balls she gets, though, because she isn't that bright, she loses them immediately. She chases after balls throughout her whole life.
|'''Topmost left line:''' 
＃０５　路地裏。 '''Upper left:''' 弱いマジョ 明確な結界はなし。 緑の中が結界。 緑色ベタぬり緑の中は影なし ベタッと２Dのポスター調になる 境界線ぽよんぽよんうごく '''Middle:''' ＊緑の中だけで黄色いボールがはねまわってる それを追いかけつづけるマジョ '''Middle left:''' マジョ 昭和のポスターみたいなキャラ ベタッと影なし。立体感無視。 下半身、車や飛行機になって '''Lower Left:''' 緑の中をとびまわってボールを追う。 最後も逃げるというよりボールを追いかけて そのままどこかへ行ってしまう。 '''Right:''' 彼女はまわりの人間を新しいボールへと変え、 おなかがすいたらボールを食べます。 どんなに新しいボールを手に入れても 彼女はあまり賢くないのですぐになくしてしまいます。 彼女は一生ボールを追いかけています。
|}

=== [[Walpurgis_Night|Walpurgisnacht]]===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0052.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' Rainbow light (Brocken spectre) '''Upper left:''' Basically the same as episode 1. +Feels like there's bonfires here and there. Episode 1 is "What on earth is going on here?" Episode 10 is "It's like a ceremony" Buildings are piled up '''Lower left:''' Bonfires here and there throughout downtown. Tires, debris and dead bodies are piled up. ＊In episode 10, Walpurgis is still only partially visible. The whole thing suddenly snaps into focus in episode 11. '''Right, top to bottom:''' She will turn all of fate's misfortune to nothing. She will flood the earth with magic, and take all of humankind into her play. A moving stage construction. If all of this is a play, then there is no such thing as sadness. It may be a tragedy, but it's merely the way that kind of script was performed. The play stops on Walpurgisnacht, and the earth does not turn even once more. The story will not change. Tomorrow, and the day after, is the night of Walpurgis.
|'''Topmost left line:''' 虹色の光（ブロッケン現象） '''Upper left:''' 基本は１話と同じ。 ＋カガリ火のイメージをあちこちに。 １話は「得体の知れない何か」 １０話は「儀式っぽい」 ビルを積んである '''Lower left:''' 街中のあちこちにもカガリ火。 
車やガレキ死体を積んである ＊１０話ではワルプルギスまだ部分的にしか見えない。 全体にピント合ってハッキリ見えるのは１１話。 '''Right, top to bottom:''' 全ての運命の不幸を無くそうとする。 地上をマホウで埋め尽くし、 全人類を戯曲の中へ取り込もうとする。 動く舞台装置。 この全てが戯曲ならば悲しい事など何もない。 悲劇ではあるかもしれないけれど、ただ、そおいう脚本を演じただけ。 ワルプルギスの夜で芝居は止まって もう地球は１周だって回転しない。 物語は転換しない。 明日も明後日も、ワルプルギスの夜。
|}

====#01_Beginning: Walpurgisnacht Image Cut====
[[File:033_1.jpg|right|300px]]
An upside-down city and a sky with a hole in it. Walpurgisnacht's halo over the top of an upside-down mountain.
{{-}}

====Early Walpurgis (Initial Designs)====
[[File:055_1.jpg|right|300px]]
Spreads out like dandelion fluff being blown. (たんぽぽのわたげが吹いたみたいにひろがった)

When you go "Fuuu~" (blow), flames come out. (ふうーってやると炎がでる。)

The form of the flames: A winding, wavy feel, like those seen in old Japanese paintings. (炎のフォルム、昔の日本画とかの、うねうね状のかんじ。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht Concept Draft (ワルプルギス案)====
[[File:056_1.png|right|300px]]

Text: Kyahaha (キャハハハハハ)

Behavior: Spinning around innocently, as if running around a field. (野原をかけ回るようなムジャキにくるくるまわっている。)

Main Body (本体): (Produces gears. / は出す。)

* Tip of the gear: Light (照明ピカ)

* When inverted, the rod part retracts (Normal state). (ひっくりかえると棒の部分ひっこむ（通常。）)

Design elements:

* Claws (つめ)

* Clock (とけい)

* Western person's (noble's) hat. Hard. (西洋の人（貴族）のぼうし。カタイ。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht's Procession====
[[File:110.jpg|right|300px]]
On both sides of Homura as she waits on the ground, the illusion of a parade appears first. (グラウンドで待つほむらの両サイドに先にパレードの幻が現れる)

(Elephants, marching bands, carriages, giant puppets/dolls, etc.) (象や楽団や馬車、巨大人形など）

While Walpurgis is a theatrical stage, the parade itself is a circus. (ワルプルギスは演劇舞台だけどパレード自体はサーカス。)

Upon arrival: Walpurgis's neck is being pulled along by the circus. (登場時ワルプルギス、首をサーカスに引っ張られてる。)

The net is severed by Homura's attack. (ほむらの攻撃で網は切れる。)
{{-}}

====Episode #11 Walpurgisnacht====
[[File:111.jpg|right|300px]]
In addition to the stage on Walpurgis's body, illusions of magical girls are performing a play throughout the city. (ワルプルギスの体の舞台に加えて、街中で、マホウ少女たちの幻影が芝居をしている。)

↑ (Avant-garde dance) Semi-transparent, hologram-like. Faces and expressions cannot be seen. (↑（前衛ダンス）半透明、ホログラム的な。顔や表情は見えない。)

Walpurgis destroys the city, but the illusions of the girls are just doing things like dancing on top of the rubble. (ワルプルギスは街を壊すけど、
少女の幻はがれきの上で踊ったりしてるだけ。)

● Performance of the Dancing Magical Girls (● 踊るマホウ少女達の公演)

The appearances of the witches from episodes #01 to #10 during their days as magical girls. (＃01～10に出てくる魔女のマホウ少女時代の姿。)

(Designed so they can be identified by their main color and items)（メインカラーとアイテムで分かるような）

＋ Also including the appearances of Mami, Sayaka, and Kyouko. (マミやさやか、杏子の姿も。)

• Voices and Lines (・声やセリフ)

A few lines selected from around the scene where Margarete goes mad in Faust, Part One ("Prison"). (ファウスト第一部「牢獄」での、発狂したマルガレーテのセリフらへんからいくつか。)

★ In German. (★ドイツ語で。)

Example) Song: 例) 歌

''My cruel mother,'' (わたしのひどい母さんが、)

''she killed me.'' (わたしを殺してしまったの。)

''And my wicked father,'' (そして悪者の父さんが、)

''he ate me.'' (わたしを食べてしまったの。)

''My little sister,'' (わたしの小さな妹さんが、)

''gathered up my bones,'' (わたしの骨を拾い上げ、)

''and buried them in a cold grave.'' (冷たいお墓に埋めました。)

''I became a beautiful bird,'' (わたしはきれいな鳥になり、)

''and flew far away.'' (遠くへ飛んで行くのです。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht (Night of Walpurgis) Settings====
[[File:122.jpg|right|300px]]
★ A massive entity that is somehow incomprehensible. (★ なんだかよくわからない巨大なもの)

* Stage

* Gears

* Gears / Retro-style machinery

The stage apparatus itself is the witch.

Stage dialogue: rather than the entity itself speaking... (舞台セリフ、本人がしゃべっているというより)

↑ It plays out from the stage speakers. → When Walpurgis takes damage, the audio quality of the dialogue speakers distorts and gets mixed with static/noise. (↑ 舞台のスピーカーから流れる → ワルプルギスがダメージをうけるとセリフのスピーカーに音質がゆがみ雑音がまじる。)

* The actors are other magical girls (large numbers). They have no faces, but figures like Sayaka and others are among them. (・役者は他のマホウショージョ達（多数）
顔はない、さやか等の姿も。)

* She moves around while putting on a performance: The performance is more important to her than attacking enemies. If she loses sight of her target, she begins moving toward densely populated areas. (The city is destroyed just by her movement.) (〇公演しながら移動している。→ 敵への攻撃よりも公演が大事。相手を見失うと、人の多い所目指して移動開始。
（移動だけで街はこわれていく。))

* Walpurgisnacht: All of the witches encountered up until now make an appearance. (・ワルプルギスの夜今までのマジョが全員出てくる。)

Initial concept image of Walpurgis. Later, a music-box-like doll was attached to it upside down. However, the main body itself remains gears. (ワルプルギスの初期イメージ。後にオルゴールのような人形をとりつけ逆さまに。でも本体は歯車のままです。)

A giant fate / massive destiny. (巨大な運命)

'''Inside Box:''' Like a circular saw, a massive number of gears attack while spinning around it. (Normally, they rotate in a circle underneath Walpurgis, continuously grinding away at the ground.) (大量の歯車が周りを回転しながら攻撃してくる（普段はワルプルギスの下を円形に回転して地面を削り続けている))

'''Right of Box:''' The gear attack is carried over into the Mermaid Witch's (Sayaka's witch form) wheel attack. We applied the imagery of rotating/spinning objects to witches in general. (歯車攻撃は人魚の魔女の車輪攻撃に引き継がれています。魔女全般には回転するもののイメージを当てはめました。)

Powerful Witch. Walpurgis of "Theatre" (ツヨイマジョ「演劇」のワルプルギス)

''"This world was entirely a lie. My life is nothing more than a play written by you. Please, prove it."'' (「この世界はすべて嘘でした。私の人生はあなたの書いた戯曲にすぎません。それを、証明して下さい。」)

''Faust'' is currently being performed. (On the upper stage) (「ファウスト」が上演中。（上部舞台にて）)

• The pact between Dr. Faust and the devil Mephisto (the beginning section) → leading into Walpurgisnacht. (・ファウスト博士と悪魔メフィストの契約（はじめのところ） → ワルプルギスの夜へ)

'''Pointing to the sphere:''' (Ground) It is so massive that it looks like a spaceship.

'''Pointing to the gears:''' Stage apparatus. Gears. Massive.

'''Top of right sketch:''' The barrier is huge. The sky is visible. (結界でかい空見えてる。)

'''Below right sketch:''' Buildings and the ground twist and warp around the perimeter like a fence.

At this stage, rather than the final anime's canon explanation that "she is so strong she doesn't need a barrier," it was being designed under the interpretation that the barrier is simply so colossally massive that its boundaries are impossible to discern.

Magical girl posters/flyers designed to look like theatrical play bills are plastered all over the surrounding city.

Pages from ''Faust'' are fluttering through the air.
{{-}}

=== [[Izabel]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0048.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃10A - Evening, on the road to the school. '''Upper left:''' A sky like a Van Gogh painting. An oil-painting-like taste. Orange and white. (Tomb.) Stone monuments. Incredibly large memorials. The ground. Ash-gray and white. '''Lower left:''' Minions. The entire ground. Undulating. Like Picasso's Guernica. Patchwork. ☆The witch's lines are spoken by her minions. '''Middle:''' Witch: Part of the relief. (Actually, though, the whole arch is the witch.) While Homura is distracted by the minions, something like a triumphal arch springs up behind her with incredible speed (stop-motion). '''Upper Right:''' Streaming out of the gate Since the scene where they appeared in the main part is brief, make them just about to come out... or something like that may be good '''Middle Right:''' She joins human parts together to build human statues that greatly resemble some person. She uses them to attack (minion #2).
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃10A - 夕方、通学路。 '''Upper left:''' ゴッホみたいな空。 油絵テイスト。オレンジと白。 [墓]。 碑石など。偉大な記念達。 地面。灰色と白。 '''Lower left:''' 手下。 地面のすべて。うねって動く ピカソのゲルニカぽい。パッチワーク ☆マジョのセリフは手下がしゃべっている。 '''Middle:''' マジョ レリーフの一部（実際は門全体がマジョ） 手下に気を取られるほむらの 背前に、すごいスピードで（コマ撮り） 凱旋門的なものが健つ。 '''Upper Right:''' 門からぞろぞろ出てくる 本編登場シーン短いので 出ようとしているとこで・・・ くらいでもいいかも '''Middle Right:''' 人間の部位を組み合わせた 誰かのそっくり彫像人間を練成したりする。 それを使って攻撃（手下２）。
|}

=== [[Suleika]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0014.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost line:''' #03A - Night Park ☆The witch is weak, so priority is given to the [barrier's] surroundings. Dies quickly. '''Upper left:''' Jungle gym Witch: A shooting star caught in a jungle gym. Dummy. '''Upper right:''' Feels like they're fighting in the night sky. It's pretty. Sparkly There's ''Book''-layer stars up front, too. ''[TN: The word 'Book', written in English, refers to a background layer placed above the character animation layer.]'' Lots of shooting stars. '''Bottom:''' The minions are (whitish) shadows projected on the night sky. They're always dancing repetitively. '''Lower right:''' Barrier. The surrounding-wall section: Actually soil or concrete. It's not like everything is floating. It's as if a starlit sky was packed up inside it.
|'''Topmost line:''' ＃０３ A 夜の公園 ☆マジョ弱いので環境優先。すぐ死ぬ。 '''Upper left:''' ジャングルジム マジョジャングルジムにひっかかった流れ星。 バカ '''Upper right:''' 夜空の中で戦ってるカンジ。キレイ。 キラキラ 手前にも Bookで星。 流れ星たくさん。 '''Bottom:''' 手下たちは夜空に映る影（白っぽい）ずっとリピートダンスしている。 '''Lower right:''' 結界 周囲カベ部分。実際は地面とかコンクリ。みんな浮いてる訳ではない。内側に星空がとじこめてある。
|}

=== [[Roberta]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0051.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Smashed-up doll parts fall like snow (2) Music box springs and doll parts (3) Birdmen flying around the cage (4) Clock face. Also gears. (5) Dead birdmen, trampled by the witch (6) A hysterically thrashing pair of legs in a cage. The chain it's tied to makes an annoying smashing sound. (7) A witch who lived for a long time as a magical girl. She is weak, as she was no longer a girl when she became a witch (mid-20s to 30s?). The form she takes in her barrier is how she would've turned out in the future (around 40s). What she desires is life. Enjoys alcohol and books. (8) The witch, post-explosion. Stuff drifting down around Homura: *Burning book pages *Sparkly bottle shards *Doll and bird parts *Witch blood (9) Rough background (far-off): Sparkly curtains. Shelves lined with books and liquor bottles. One layer. Feels a bit like a bar.
|(1) 雪みたいにバラバラの人形パーツ降ってる。 (2) オルゴールのゼンマイと人形のパーツ (3) かごのまゆりを飛んでる鳥人間 (4) 時計の盤面。歯車とか。 (5) 魔女踏まれて死んだ鳥人間 (6) かごの中でヒステリックにあばれる足。つながれている鎖ガチャガチャうるさい。 (7) 魔法少女としてけっこう長く生きた魔女。魔女化する頃はもう少女でもなかったので魔女としては弱い。（２０代中盤～３０代くらい？）結界の中の姿は来るハズだった未来の姿。（４０代くらい）欲しかった物は人生。お酒と本が好き。 (8) 魔女、爆破後ほむらの周りにゆっくり降りそそいでいる・燃える本のページ・キラキラビンの破片・人形と鳥のパーツ・魔女の血。 (9) 背景ボケ（遠い）キラキラ暖簾。本と酒ビンの並んだ棚。一面に。ちょっとバーみたいなイメージ。
|}

=== [[Oktavia von Seckendorff]], Timeline 3 Version ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0050.jpg|200px]]
|(1) A thumping laser light show in a dark concert hall. (2) Monitor (3) Empty seats (4) Lights (5) Homura and co. (6)This time only the top half appears. The bottom half is like the hanamichi stage from an enka performace. [''TN: this might refer to a TV show from the 70s called Enka no Hanamichi (演歌の花道)''] (7) Backup dancers (8) There's actually a band around here. There's no need to display it, though. (9) Overhead view (10) Witch Sayaka. Colors are different from episode 8. The basic colors are Sayaka's colors, the same as in episode 8, but the parts aside from those are different. (11) ☆ In the past, before the loops happened, Kyousuke was a guitarist.
|(1) 暗い会場にレーザーライトバシバシ。 (2) モニター (3) 空の客席 (4) ライト (5)ほむら達 (6) 今回は上半分しか出ない。下半分は演歌の花道ステージ。 (7) バックダンサーズ (8) 本当はこのへんにバンド。映らなくても良い。 (9) 上から見た図 (10) さやか魔女＃８と色違い。基本色はさやかの色。8話と同じ。それ以外の部分の色がちがう。 (11) ☆ くり返し前の過去では恭介はギタリスト。
|}

===Oktavia von Seckendorff's Interior (Episode 9)===
[[File:099.jpg|right|300px]]
Basic silhouette (Almost invisible.) 基本シルエット（ほぼみえない。）

Like a poorly-received hologram, when it flickers/glitches ("za-za-za"), you can see the inside just a little bit. (映りのわるいホログラムみたいに、ザザザッとなってるときちょっとだけ中身がみえる)

A feeling of oozing/melting downwards in a continuous, scrolling motion. (下に送りでどろどろしているかんじ。)

It’s not that she responds when Madoka speaks or calls out to her; she completely lacks any sense of self, and her inside is a gooey, pitch-black, hopeless mess. (まどかが語り呼びかけに応じるとかじゃなくて、完全に自我はなく、中身もどろどろのまっくろ、どうしようもないかんじ。)

Eyeballs are endlessly spilling out from where the eyes normally are. They are not tears. (通常目があるところからとめどなく目玉がこぼれおちてくる。涙ではない。)

=== [[Kriemhild Gretchen]], Timeline 2 (?) Version ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0049 bottom.jpg|250px]]
|''Full scan page [[:Media:Image Note 0049.jpg|here]]'' - [Editor's Note: Because of the placement on the same page as [[Patricia]], this is likely to refer to Kriemhild Gretchen of timeline 2.] '''Top Left:''' Giant Madoka Witch (Sky) Golden-colored. Divine. Size comparison: Walpurgis '''Bottom Left:''' Witch Madoka While Walpurgis looks like the upper half of a sand timer [Madoka Witch] looks like the lower half '''Right Side, Upper Left:''' Besides the few kilometers around Madoka not being affected (location where Sayaka lies), everything else is sucked in quickly on a continental scale '''Far Right:''' Madoka Witch plans to swallow the entire Earth whole into her barrier and create a new heaven '''Lower Left:''' The barrier is so enormous that it is trying to suck up the Earth along with it
|'''Top Left:''' 巨大まどかマジョ （空）黄金色　神々しい サイズ　比　ワルプルギス '''Bottom Left:''' マジョまどか ワルプルギス　砂時計の上半分に対して 下半分みたいな '''Right Side, Upper Left:''' まどかの周囲数km だけのこして（さやかの居る所） 他は、大陸規模でどんどん吸われてる '''Far Right:''' まどかマジョ結界へ地球をまるっと吸い込んで 新しい天国を作る予定 '''Lower Left:''' 結界が巨大すぎて地球ごと吸い上げようとしている
|}

=== [[Elsa Maria]] Storyboard 7 ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0037.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Sayaka just falls on top of the witch (2) Cross PAN　DOWN (3) In a position mounting the witch (4) pass the sword underhand to another hand (5) witch gradually falls down (6) color of blood compared with ep. 3 (7) more florescent spots (with feels of xx) [TN: not readable] when they are scattered in air, they turn immediately into black silhouettes (8) Sword, Fr (frame?), backlight (9) blood that look like a design decoration (to some extent, disregard any feel of depth) (10) very sticky blood (11) "A ha ha ha ha... it is true...." (12) like filled up with viscous red and black paint (13) eye in trance (14) witch arms frightened in spasms (15) (omitted) sword stab with crunching noise, rattling sound (16) witch in silhouette (17) keep chopping off (18) sound graphic (19) with hallelujah BGM (20) and graphic sounds of cutting flesh (21) to next episode
|(1) そのままマジョの上へ落下, (2) 十字架 (3) マジョにマウントポジション (4) 剣逆手に持ちかえてる (5) マジョゆっくりたおれてく (6) 血の色３話と比べて (7) 蛍光寄り（？）　光ってるカンジ空中に飛び散るとすぐ黒いシルエットに (8) 剣, Fr, 逆光 (9) 血デザイン的に（ある程度　立体感無視） (10) 血すごいねっとり (11) 「あはは、本当だあ・・・・～」 (12) ドロドロ赤と黒い絵の具でぬりつぶしたような (13) 目うっとり (14) マジョうでビクビクけいれん (15) （中略）剣　ザクザクさして (16) シルエットでマジョ (17) 切りきざみ続ける (18) 音　生々しい (19) ハレルヤBGMと (20) 生々しい肉切り音の中 (21) 次回へ
|}

===Wraith Concept Draft===
[[File:Image_Note_0062_TL.png|800px]]

=== "Giant Universe Witch Concept / Draft" | Witch of Despair Design Draft ===

Translation courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0063.jpg|200px]]
|(0) (Nobody's witch. An air doll born from the despair of all magical girls.) 
(1) Overall 
(2) Face: Only this area is faintly visible 
(3) Hand: Something dark, giant body 
(4) Chest: Lines like blood vessels, appearing shiny 
(5) Overall: The face could be in the center as well? 
(6) Background 
(7) Earth 
(8) Face part 
(9) Face sphere 
(10) Half of the face: Pure white 
(11) Hair part: Striped pattern of Jupiter 
(12) Eye: Planet 
(13) Mouth: Holding the Moon in its mouth 
(14) The face looks like Munch's painting 
 
(15) Description: 
(16) The witch expands and bursts on its own. 
(17) When something amoeba-like that came out from inside tries to swallow the Earth, Hyper Madoka Beam strikes. 
(18) An air doll expanded by despair. It keeps inflating like a balloon. 

|(0) 誰でもないマジョ。全てのマホウ少女の絶望から生まれた空気人形。) 
(1) (全体): 
(2) ( — このへんだけぼんやり見える) 
(3) ( ←なにか暗い巨大な体) 
(4) ( — 血管みたいな線光って見える) 
(5) (←カオ真ん中でも良いカモ？) 
(6) (背景): 
(7) (地球) 
(8) (顔部分): 
(9) (カオ球体) 
(10) ( — まっしろ) 
(11) ( — 木星のシマ模様。) 
(12) (惑星) 
(13) (月くわえている) 
(14) (カオ、ムンクの絵みたいな。) 
(15) (説明): 
(16) (マジョふくらんで勝手に割れる) 
(17) (中から出てきたアメーバ状の何かが出現し、地球をのみこもうとした時、ハイパーまどかビーム。) 
(18) (絶望でふくらんだ空気人形。風船のようにどんどんふくらんでいく。) 
|}

===Witch Nature Settings:===
[[File:116.jpg|right|300px]]

Puella Magi Production Note Ep. 12 Character Settings:

* The Rose Witch / Distrust (Trusts nothing but roses. Distrust of humans. Repels anyone who enters the rose garden.) バラのマジョ / 不信 (バラ以外は信用しない。人間不信。バラ園に入ってきた奴を撃退。)

* The Darkness Witch / Delusion (No such thing as morning will come. Doing nothing but dreaming. My surroundings remain night forever.) 暗闇のマジョ / 妄想 (朝など来ません。夢ばかり見ている。永遠に私の周りは夜のまま。)

* The Witch of Sweets / Attachment (#03 Setting (Ref)) お菓子のマジョ / 未練 (#03 設 (参))

* The Box Witch / Longing (A shut-in girl (→ The real me can go anywhere. Just like when I was a child.) Envy and yearning for the outside world.) ハコのマジョ / 憧憬 (ひきこもりの女の子 (→ 本当の私はどこへだって行ける。子供の頃みたいに。) 外の世界への妬みと憧れ。)

* The Ball Witch / Ignorance (#05 (Ref)) ボールのマジョ / 無知 (#5 (参))

* The Prayer Witch / Self-righteousness (#07 (Ref)) 祈りのマジョ / 独善 (#07(参))

* Sayaka Witch / Infatuation (Excessive power to protect their crush) さやかのマジョ / 恋慕 (恋を守るためにありあまる力)

* The Dog Witch / Craving (Wanting to receive affection from others) イヌのマジョ / 渇望 (他人から愛されたい）

* The Artist Witch / Vanity (#10 (Ref)) 芸術家のマジョ / 虚栄 (#10 (参))

* The Sky Witch / Onlooker (Witches and magical girls don't matter to me. I'll pretend I didn't see anything. I just want to enjoy my school life.) 空のマジョ / 傍観 (マジョもマホウも関係ない。見なかったことにする。私は学校生活をエンジョイしたいだけ。）

* The Leg Witch / Anger (#10 (Ref)) 足のマジョ / 憤怒 (#10 (参))

* Walpurgis / Powerlessness (There is nothing more that can be done. I shall turn everything into a fiction. I shall bring everything to a stop.) ワルプルギス / 無力 (もうどうにもできない。全てを嘘にしてしまおう。全てを止めてしまおう。)

* Madoka Witch / Mercy まどかマジョ / 慈悲

* Giant Universe Witch / Despair 巨大宇宙マジョ / 絶望

☆(The sins and hatred of the Witches forgiven by Hyper Madoka in Episode 12. Derived from the personality of each Witch. - Does it also affect how the effects appear?) ☆(12話でハイパーまどかに許されるマジョの罪と憎悪。各マジョの性格に由来。・エフェクトの出方にも影響？)

* Homura's Magic / Transgression (Breach of the law of time) ほむらのマホウ / 背徳 (時間のルール違反)
{{-}}

=== [[Madoka]] Early Character Design ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:PN 83.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Main heroine (2) cheerful and idealistic girl (3) of good pedigree (4) genius girl (5) "Ring" as an example design of item for transformation (6) ...is it a bit plain?
|(1) メインヒロイン (2) 明るく理想主義のコ (3) 血統の良い (4) 天才肌少女 (5) 変身アイテム案「指輪」 (6) ・・地味でしょうか、、
|}

== Trivia ==
*The Production Note, sometimes described as some variation of "Official Production Notes" is incorrectly cited as a source of false biographical information on the characters, such as birthdays, incorrect heights and blood types. There is no such information in the Production Note except for the height ranges provided in the [[:Media:PN 10.jpg|height comparison chart]].

== Gallery ==
=== Merchandise ===
<gallery>
File:Production_note_in_cover.jpg
File:Production_note_out_of_cover.jpg
File:Production note cover.jpg
File:Production notes2.jpg|Extras and illustration
File:Kisseymadokasketch.jpg|Takahiro Kishida illustration
File:Production Note Bookmark.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry Charlotte bookmark, front and back
File:Production_Note_0029.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry Kyubey bookmark, front and back
File:Production notes4.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry postcard, front and back
</gallery>

=== Early Character Designs ===
See also: [[Guidebook#Early_Character_Designs|Guidebook's Early Character Designs]]
<gallery>
File:Madohomu prodsketch.jpg|[[Madoka Kaname]] and [[Homura Akemi]]
File:Homura prodsketch.jpg|Homura Akemi
File:Production note Homura design.jpg|Homura Akemi
File:Mami prodsketch.jpg|[[Mami Tomoe]]
File:Production note Mami design 1.jpg|Mami Tomoe
File:Production note Mami design 2.jpg|Mami Tomoe
File:Sayaka prodsketch.jpg|[[Sayaka Miki]]
File:Kyoko prodsketch.jpg|[[Kyoko Sakura]]
</gallery>

=== Character Design ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[Guidebook#Episodic_Coverage_and_Character_Pages|Guidebook Character Pages]], [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]] and [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Blu-Ray_Booklets|Blu-Ray/DVD Booklets]].
<gallery>
File:PN 10.jpg|Height Comparison
File:PN 21.jpg|Madoka, [[Kyubey]]
File:PN 75.jpg|Madoka
File:PN 87.jpg|Madoka OP
File:PN 09.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 56.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 57.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 58.jpg|Goddess Madoka‎
File:PN 59.jpg|Goddess Madoka's wing
File:PN 47.jpg|Homura ‎
File:PN 35.jpg|Kyubey
File:Artbook New 15.jpg|Mami
File:Artbook New 17.jpg|Mami
|Kyoko
File:Production_Note_Kyoko_Injuries.jpg|Kyoko, ep. 9 injuries
File:Artbook_New_22.jpg|[[Junko‎ Kaname]]
File:PN 80.jpg|[[Kyousuke Kamijou]] and [[Kazuko Saotome]]
</gallery>

=== Weapons ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[:Media:Guidebook_0071.jpg|Guidebook Weapons page]] and [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]].
<gallery>
File:PN 13.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 14.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 22.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 55.jpg|Homura's shield
File:PN 65.jpg|Homura's pipe bombs
File:PN 67.jpg|Sayaka's cutlass
File:PN 66.jpg|Sayaka's cutlass
File:PN 70.jpg|Mami's muskets
File:PN 71.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 72.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 73.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 74.jpg|Kyoko's spear
</gallery>

=== Soul Gems and Grief Seeds ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]] and [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]].
<gallery>
File:Production Note 0007.jpg
File:Image Note 0072.jpg|[[Soul Gem]]/[[Grief Seed‎]]
File:PN 53.jpg|Soul Gem
File:PN 61.jpg|Grief Seeds
</gallery>

=== Witch Designs ===
See also [[Guidebook#Production_Materials|Guidebook's Production Materials]]
<gallery>
File:Production Notes Page 1.jpg|[[Walpurgis Night]]
File:Image Note 0002.jpg|Walpurgisnacht
File:PN 20.jpg|Walpurgis Night
File:PN 84.jpg|Walpurgis Night's Minions
File:PN 86.jpg
File:Production Note 0014.jpg|Other Magical Girls in the end credits
File:Production Note 0111.jpg|[[Gertrud]]'s Maze
File:PN 15.jpg|[[Charlotte]]
File:PN 24.jpg|Charlotte
File:Production note Charlotte 1.jpg|Charlotte
File:Image Note 0073.jpg|Charlotte
File:PN 81.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production note Charlotte 2.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production note Charlotte 3.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production Note 0011.jpg|[[Elsa Maria]]
File:PN 17.jpg|Elsa Maria
File:PN 18.jpg|Elsa Maria
File:PN 05.jpg|Character silhouettes within Elsa Maria's barrier
File:Production Notes Page 2.jpg|[[Oktavia von Seckendorff]]
File:Image Note 0076.jpg|Oktavia von Seckendorff
File:PN 27.jpg|[[Izabel]]
File:PN 28.jpg|Various
File:PN 88.jpg
File:PN 89.jpg
File:PN 90.jpg
File:Image Note 0075.jpg
</gallery>

=== Episode Sketches and Storyboards ===
See also [[Guidebook#Production_Materials|Guidebook's Production Materials]], [[Otona_Anime_Vol.21|Otona Anime Vol. 21]], [[Magical_Girl_Magazine_(Otona_Anime)|Otona Anime (Magical Girl)]] [[Storyboards_and_Sketches|Storyboards and Sketches]]
<gallery>
File:Image Note.jpg|Episodes overview
File:Image Note 0001.jpg
</gallery>
==== Episode 1 ====
<gallery>
File:Image_Note_0003.jpg
File:Image Note 0004.jpg|
File:Image Note 0005.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0006.jpg|
</gallery>
==== Episode 2 ====
<gallery>
File:Image_Note_0012.jpg|[[Witch Runes/Episode 1|Anthony's Poem / Runes]]
File:Image_Note_0013.jpg|[[Witch Runes/Episode 2|More Runes]]
File:Image Note 0007.jpg|Gertrud
File:Image Note 0008.jpg
File:Image Note 0009.jpg
File:Image Note 0010.jpg
File:Image Note 0011.jpg
</gallery>
==== Episode 3 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0014.jpg
File:Image Note 0015.jpg|Charlotte witch barrier
File:Image Note 0016.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0017.jpg|Charlotte
File:Image Note 0018.jpg|Nurse familiars
File:Image Note 0019.jpg|Storyboards
File:Image Note 0020.jpg
File:Image Note 0021.jpg
File:Image Note 0022.jpg
File:Image Note 0023.jpg
File:Image Note 0024.jpg
File:Image Note 0025.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 4 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0026.jpg|[[Elly]] (Kirsten) witch barrier
File:Image Note 0027.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0028.jpg|Elly
File:PN 19.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 5 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0029.jpg|Familiars, [[Puella Magi Production Note#Anja|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0030.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 6 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0031.jpg|[[Inu Daruma Brothers]] (Dog Drug Reinforcement)
File:Image Note 0032.jpg|More DDR
</gallery>

==== Episode 7 ====
<gallery>
File:Production Note 0009.jpg
File:Production Note 0010.jpg
File:Image Note 0033.jpg|Elsa Maria witch barrier
File:Image Note 0034.jpg
File:Production Note 0015.jpg|Elsa Maria and magical girl silhouettes
File:Image Note 0035.jpg|Storyboards
File:Image Note 0037.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Elsa_Maria_Storyboard_7|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0038.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 8 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0039.jpg
File:Image Note 0040.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 9 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0041.jpg|Oktavia's witch barrier
File:Image Note 0042.jpg
File:Image Note 0043.jpg
File:Image Note 0046.jpg
File:Image Note 0045.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 10 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0048.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Izabel|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0049.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Kriemhild_Gretchen.2C_Timeline_2_Version|Partially Translated]]
File:Image Note 0050.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Oktavia_von_Seckendorff.2C_Timeline_3_Version|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0051.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Roberta|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0052.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Walpurgisnacht, Episode 10 version|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0053.jpg|Octavia, timeline 3
File:Image Note 0054.jpg
File:Image Note 0055.jpg
File:Image Note 0056.jpg|Hitomi familiar
File:Image Note 0057.jpg|Roberta
</gallery>

==== Episode 11 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0060.jpg
File:Image Note 0061.jpg|Walpurgis Night
</gallery>

==== Compilation ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0065.jpg
File:Image Note 0066.jpg
File:Image Note 0067.jpg
File:Image Note 0068.jpg
File:Image Note 0069.jpg
File:Image Note 0070.jpg
File:Image Note 0071.jpg
File:Image_Note_0074.jpg
</gallery>

=== Background/Architecture ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[:Media:Guidebook_0069.jpg|Guidebook Architecture page 1]], and [[:Media:Guidebook_0070.jpg|Guidebook Architecture page 2]]
<gallery>
File:Sayaka's Room.jpg|Sayaka's Room </gallery>

== See Also ==
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Art Book]]
* [[Storyboards and Sketches]]
* [[Guidebook]]
* [[Key Animation Note]]
* [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Storyboards_and_Sketches|Miscellaneous Documents section on Storyboards and Sketches]]
* [[Translated_Official_Documents|Translated magazines]]

== Links ==
* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-08-02/madoka-magica-496-page-archive-weighs-in-at-1.6-kg ANN announcement on Production Note]
* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-12-12/2nd-madoka-magica-production-note-book-archive-to-be-sold ANN announcement on volume 2]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Products and merchandise]]
[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Translation request]]

Puella Magi Production Note

2026-07-17T02:02:22Z

Romi1908: /* Walpurgisnacht's Procession */

[[File:Production Notes Updated.jpg|Production Note|thumb]]
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Production Note are a set of 496 pages in two volumes that were first sold in a limited edition version at Comic Market 80 from August 12, 2011 to August 14 2011. It is currently on sale to the general public.
SHAFT, collaborating with graphics designer Milky Isobe, compiled and edited 352 pages of production materials and 144 pages of art by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]. The book set measures 268 x 195 x 47 millimeters (about 10.5 x 7.6 x 1.9 inches) and 1.629 kilograms (3.59 pounds).

Each set contains a B5-sized illustration sheet of Madoka by character designer Takahiro Kishida.

The limited first edition sold at Comic Market 80 also has:
*Gekidan Inu Curry designed postcard
*[[Charlotte]] bookmark
*[[Kyubey]] bookmark

This, along with other Madoka-related merchandise, was reportedly [http://yaraon.blog109.fc2.com/blog-entry-3343.html sold out] at the Aniplex booth around 11:15 am on the first day of Comic Market. Additional merchandise was added for sale the last two days of Comic Market 80.

A sequel was released in late 2014 for [[The Rebellion Story]] titled "[[Rebellion Production Note]]."

== Key Animation Note ==
A follow-up to the Production Note, please go [[Key_Animation_Note|here]] for more information. There are seven volumes of the Key Animation Note.

== Translations of Select Pages ==
=== Witch of cheesecake (early concept that later became [[Charlotte]]) ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Cheesecake_witch_cropped.png|250px]]
|''Full scan page [[:Media:Image Note 0067.jpg|here]]'' '''Topmost left lines:''' Weak witch One-whole cheesecake '''Upper middle:''' "It's really a delicious cheesecake. My dying mother wanted to eat it. But, perhaps, I should have cured her disease instead. However, that surely wasn't appropriate." '''Right, top-to-bottom:''' A witch-space that became the basis for the witch of dessert from ep. 3 and the minion of the witch of scribbles from ep. 5. She became a magical girl for one-whole cheesecake, and after becoming a witch, clings to that cheesecake. The witch of dessert in the main series is the reverse of this; she obtained "one single cheesecake" in strict accordance with her wish. After turning into a witch, the only thing her magic cannot make is cheese, and she became a very strong witch. '''Left diagram:''' It feels as if the scrambled-street parts keep having yellow paint dumped on them. Fork A single cheesecake floats in the air. The weird-looking witch stands atop it. '''Middle, with diagrams:''' Light source: Dim yellow light from the center They leer inward from under cover. Minions: Mouse-looking things that scurry around underfoot (small) '''Bottom diagram:''' When the witch escapes, its space moves with it. Aaa-h Spwohn After being caught up in it, the people who were in the previously-scrambled streets pop out into the normal streets. '''Bottom Right:''' Upon the witch's death Crushed into gooey-looking cheese There's a small, high, mouse-like 'kiii-' or 'chiii-' noise.
|'''Topmost left lines:''' ヨワイマジョ ワンホール・チーズケーキ '''Upper middle:''' 「とてもおいしいチーズケーキ。 死にかけのお母さんが食べたがっていたの。 でも、もしかすると、お母さんの病気でも治してあげたらよかったカスラ。 けれど、きっとそれはそおいうことでもないのダワ。」 '''Right, top-to-bottom:''' ３話お菓子の魔女と ５話落書きの魔女の使い魔の 元になった魔女空間です。 ワンホールのチーズケーキで魔法少女になり、 魔女化した後もチーズケーキにしがみついています。 本編お菓子の魔女はこれとは逆に、 厳密にその願い通り「ひとつきりのチーズケーキ」 を手に入れ、魔女化した後も チーズだけは魔法を使って出すことが出来なくなり とても強い魔女になりました。 '''Left diagram:''' ゴチャゴチャ街部分に 黄色いペンキをぶっかけまくってるカンジ フォーク チーズケーキがひとつ浮いてて。 その上に変なマジョがのってる '''Middle, with diagrams:''' 光源 ぼんやり中心部から黄色ライト 物陰からコソコソ見てるだけ 手下 ねずみみたいなの足元チョロチョロしてる・小さき '''Bottom diagram:''' マジョ逃げると空間ごと移動する わー スポン 中にいた人は 一度ゴチャゴチャ街へまきこまれてから スポンと普通の街へ '''Bottom Right:''' マジョ死ぬとき べちゃとチーズみたいにつぶれる 「キー」とか「チー」とか小さくカン高いネズミみたいな音。
|}

=== [[Anja]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

Note: She was originally designed as the witch, then [[Albertine]] replaced Anja as the witch and Anja became the familiar.

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0029.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃05 Back alley. '''Upper left:''' Weak witch 
There isn't a clearly-defined barrier. The green area is the barrier. Painted green, no shadows in the green area. 
Becomes like a stuck-on 2D poster. The boundary line moves and bounces around. '''Middle:''' Yellow balls bounce around only in the green area. The witch continually chases them. '''Middle left:''' Witch: A character reminiscent of a Showa-era poster. Stuck on. No shadow. No sense of depth. Her lower body turns into a car and an airplane and such. '''Lower Left:''' Zooms around in the green area and chases balls. In the end, it's less like she's fleeing and more like she's just chasing more balls and scooting off somewhere. '''Right:''' She changes the humans around her into new balls, and eats the balls if she gets hungry. No matter how many new balls she gets, though, because she isn't that bright, she loses them immediately. She chases after balls throughout her whole life.
|'''Topmost left line:''' 
＃０５　路地裏。 '''Upper left:''' 弱いマジョ 明確な結界はなし。 緑の中が結界。 緑色ベタぬり緑の中は影なし ベタッと２Dのポスター調になる 境界線ぽよんぽよんうごく '''Middle:''' ＊緑の中だけで黄色いボールがはねまわってる それを追いかけつづけるマジョ '''Middle left:''' マジョ 昭和のポスターみたいなキャラ ベタッと影なし。立体感無視。 下半身、車や飛行機になって '''Lower Left:''' 緑の中をとびまわってボールを追う。 最後も逃げるというよりボールを追いかけて そのままどこかへ行ってしまう。 '''Right:''' 彼女はまわりの人間を新しいボールへと変え、 おなかがすいたらボールを食べます。 どんなに新しいボールを手に入れても 彼女はあまり賢くないのですぐになくしてしまいます。 彼女は一生ボールを追いかけています。
|}

=== [[Walpurgis_Night|Walpurgisnacht]]===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0052.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' Rainbow light (Brocken spectre) '''Upper left:''' Basically the same as episode 1. +Feels like there's bonfires here and there. Episode 1 is "What on earth is going on here?" Episode 10 is "It's like a ceremony" Buildings are piled up '''Lower left:''' Bonfires here and there throughout downtown. Tires, debris and dead bodies are piled up. ＊In episode 10, Walpurgis is still only partially visible. The whole thing suddenly snaps into focus in episode 11. '''Right, top to bottom:''' She will turn all of fate's misfortune to nothing. She will flood the earth with magic, and take all of humankind into her play. A moving stage construction. If all of this is a play, then there is no such thing as sadness. It may be a tragedy, but it's merely the way that kind of script was performed. The play stops on Walpurgisnacht, and the earth does not turn even once more. The story will not change. Tomorrow, and the day after, is the night of Walpurgis.
|'''Topmost left line:''' 虹色の光（ブロッケン現象） '''Upper left:''' 基本は１話と同じ。 ＋カガリ火のイメージをあちこちに。 １話は「得体の知れない何か」 １０話は「儀式っぽい」 ビルを積んである '''Lower left:''' 街中のあちこちにもカガリ火。 
車やガレキ死体を積んである ＊１０話ではワルプルギスまだ部分的にしか見えない。 全体にピント合ってハッキリ見えるのは１１話。 '''Right, top to bottom:''' 全ての運命の不幸を無くそうとする。 地上をマホウで埋め尽くし、 全人類を戯曲の中へ取り込もうとする。 動く舞台装置。 この全てが戯曲ならば悲しい事など何もない。 悲劇ではあるかもしれないけれど、ただ、そおいう脚本を演じただけ。 ワルプルギスの夜で芝居は止まって もう地球は１周だって回転しない。 物語は転換しない。 明日も明後日も、ワルプルギスの夜。
|}

====#01_Beginning: Walpurgisnacht Image Cut====
[[File:033_1.jpg|right|300px]]
An upside-down city and a sky with a hole in it. Walpurgisnacht's halo over the top of an upside-down mountain.
{{-}}

====Early Walpurgis (Initial Designs)====
[[File:055_1.jpg|right|300px]]
Spreads out like dandelion fluff being blown. (たんぽぽのわたげが吹いたみたいにひろがった)

When you go "Fuuu~" (blow), flames come out. (ふうーってやると炎がでる。)

The form of the flames: A winding, wavy feel, like those seen in old Japanese paintings. (炎のフォルム、昔の日本画とかの、うねうね状のかんじ。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht Concept Draft (ワルプルギス案)====
[[File:056_1.png|right|300px]]

Text: Kyahaha (キャハハハハハ)

Behavior: Spinning around innocently, as if running around a field. (野原をかけ回るようなムジャキにくるくるまわっている。)

Main Body (本体): (Produces gears. / は出す。)

* Tip of the gear: Light (照明ピカ)

* When inverted, the rod part retracts (Normal state). (ひっくりかえると棒の部分ひっこむ（通常。）)

Design elements:

* Claws (つめ)

* Clock (とけい)

* Western person's (noble's) hat. Hard. (西洋の人（貴族）のぼうし。カタイ。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht's Procession====
[[File:110.jpg|right|300px]]
On both sides of Homura as she waits on the ground, the illusion of a parade appears first. (グラウンドで待つほむらの両サイドに先にパレードの幻が現れる)

(Elephants, marching bands, carriages, giant puppets/dolls, etc.) (象や楽団や馬車、巨大人形など）

While Walpurgis herself is a theatrical stage, the parade is a circus. (ワルプルギスは演劇舞台だけどパレード自体はサーカス。)

Upon arrival: Walpurgis's neck is being pulled along by the circus. (登場時ワルプルギス、首をサーカスに引っ張られてる。)

The net is severed by Homura's attack. (ほむらの攻撃で網は切れる。)
{{-}}

====Episode #11 Walpurgisnacht====
[[File:111.jpg|right|300px]]
In addition to the stage on Walpurgis's body, illusions of magical girls are performing a play throughout the city. (ワルプルギスの体の舞台に加えて、街中で、マホウ少女たちの幻影が芝居をしている。)

↑ (Avant-garde dance) Semi-transparent, hologram-like. Faces and expressions cannot be seen. (↑（前衛ダンス）半透明、ホログラム的な。顔や表情は見えない。)

Walpurgis destroys the city, but the illusions of the girls are just doing things like dancing on top of the rubble. (ワルプルギスは街を壊すけど、
少女の幻はがれきの上で踊ったりしてるだけ。)

● Performance of the Dancing Magical Girls (● 踊るマホウ少女達の公演)

The appearances of the witches from episodes #01 to #10 during their days as magical girls. (＃01～10に出てくる魔女のマホウ少女時代の姿。)

(Designed so they can be identified by their main color and items)（メインカラーとアイテムで分かるような）

＋ Also including the appearances of Mami, Sayaka, and Kyouko. (マミやさやか、杏子の姿も。)

• Voices and Lines (・声やセリフ)

A few lines selected from around the scene where Margarete goes mad in Faust, Part One ("Prison"). (ファウスト第一部「牢獄」での、発狂したマルガレーテのセリフらへんからいくつか。)

★ In German. (★ドイツ語で。)

Example) Song: 例) 歌

''My cruel mother,'' (わたしのひどい母さんが、)

''she killed me.'' (わたしを殺してしまったの。)

''And my wicked father,'' (そして悪者の父さんが、)

''he ate me.'' (わたしを食べてしまったの。)

''My little sister,'' (わたしの小さな妹さんが、)

''gathered up my bones,'' (わたしの骨を拾い上げ、)

''and buried them in a cold grave.'' (冷たいお墓に埋めました。)

''I became a beautiful bird,'' (わたしはきれいな鳥になり、)

''and flew far away.'' (遠くへ飛んで行くのです。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht (Night of Walpurgis) Settings====
[[File:122.jpg|right|300px]]
★ A massive entity that is somehow incomprehensible. (★ なんだかよくわからない巨大なもの)

* Stage

* Gears

* Gears / Retro-style machinery

The stage apparatus itself is the witch.

Stage dialogue: rather than the entity itself speaking... (舞台セリフ、本人がしゃべっているというより)

↑ It plays out from the stage speakers. → When Walpurgis takes damage, the audio quality of the dialogue speakers distorts and gets mixed with static/noise. (↑ 舞台のスピーカーから流れる → ワルプルギスがダメージをうけるとセリフのスピーカーに音質がゆがみ雑音がまじる。)

* The actors are other magical girls (large numbers). They have no faces, but figures like Sayaka and others are among them. (・役者は他のマホウショージョ達（多数）
顔はない、さやか等の姿も。)

* She moves around while putting on a performance: The performance is more important to her than attacking enemies. If she loses sight of her target, she begins moving toward densely populated areas. (The city is destroyed just by her movement.) (〇公演しながら移動している。→ 敵への攻撃よりも公演が大事。相手を見失うと、人の多い所目指して移動開始。
（移動だけで街はこわれていく。))

* Walpurgisnacht: All of the witches encountered up until now make an appearance. (・ワルプルギスの夜今までのマジョが全員出てくる。)

Initial concept image of Walpurgis. Later, a music-box-like doll was attached to it upside down. However, the main body itself remains gears. (ワルプルギスの初期イメージ。後にオルゴールのような人形をとりつけ逆さまに。でも本体は歯車のままです。)

A giant fate / massive destiny. (巨大な運命)

'''Inside Box:''' Like a circular saw, a massive number of gears attack while spinning around it. (Normally, they rotate in a circle underneath Walpurgis, continuously grinding away at the ground.) (大量の歯車が周りを回転しながら攻撃してくる（普段はワルプルギスの下を円形に回転して地面を削り続けている))

'''Right of Box:''' The gear attack is carried over into the Mermaid Witch's (Sayaka's witch form) wheel attack. We applied the imagery of rotating/spinning objects to witches in general. (歯車攻撃は人魚の魔女の車輪攻撃に引き継がれています。魔女全般には回転するもののイメージを当てはめました。)

Powerful Witch. Walpurgis of "Theatre" (ツヨイマジョ「演劇」のワルプルギス)

''"This world was entirely a lie. My life is nothing more than a play written by you. Please, prove it."'' (「この世界はすべて嘘でした。私の人生はあなたの書いた戯曲にすぎません。それを、証明して下さい。」)

''Faust'' is currently being performed. (On the upper stage) (「ファウスト」が上演中。（上部舞台にて）)

• The pact between Dr. Faust and the devil Mephisto (the beginning section) → leading into Walpurgisnacht. (・ファウスト博士と悪魔メフィストの契約（はじめのところ） → ワルプルギスの夜へ)

'''Pointing to the sphere:''' (Ground) It is so massive that it looks like a spaceship.

'''Pointing to the gears:''' Stage apparatus. Gears. Massive.

'''Top of right sketch:''' The barrier is huge. The sky is visible. (結界でかい空見えてる。)

'''Below right sketch:''' Buildings and the ground twist and warp around the perimeter like a fence.

At this stage, rather than the final anime's canon explanation that "she is so strong she doesn't need a barrier," it was being designed under the interpretation that the barrier is simply so colossally massive that its boundaries are impossible to discern.

Magical girl posters/flyers designed to look like theatrical play bills are plastered all over the surrounding city.

Pages from ''Faust'' are fluttering through the air.
{{-}}

=== [[Izabel]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0048.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃10A - Evening, on the road to the school. '''Upper left:''' A sky like a Van Gogh painting. An oil-painting-like taste. Orange and white. (Tomb.) Stone monuments. Incredibly large memorials. The ground. Ash-gray and white. '''Lower left:''' Minions. The entire ground. Undulating. Like Picasso's Guernica. Patchwork. ☆The witch's lines are spoken by her minions. '''Middle:''' Witch: Part of the relief. (Actually, though, the whole arch is the witch.) While Homura is distracted by the minions, something like a triumphal arch springs up behind her with incredible speed (stop-motion). '''Upper Right:''' Streaming out of the gate Since the scene where they appeared in the main part is brief, make them just about to come out... or something like that may be good '''Middle Right:''' She joins human parts together to build human statues that greatly resemble some person. She uses them to attack (minion #2).
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃10A - 夕方、通学路。 '''Upper left:''' ゴッホみたいな空。 油絵テイスト。オレンジと白。 [墓]。 碑石など。偉大な記念達。 地面。灰色と白。 '''Lower left:''' 手下。 地面のすべて。うねって動く ピカソのゲルニカぽい。パッチワーク ☆マジョのセリフは手下がしゃべっている。 '''Middle:''' マジョ レリーフの一部（実際は門全体がマジョ） 手下に気を取られるほむらの 背前に、すごいスピードで（コマ撮り） 凱旋門的なものが健つ。 '''Upper Right:''' 門からぞろぞろ出てくる 本編登場シーン短いので 出ようとしているとこで・・・ くらいでもいいかも '''Middle Right:''' 人間の部位を組み合わせた 誰かのそっくり彫像人間を練成したりする。 それを使って攻撃（手下２）。
|}

=== [[Suleika]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0014.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost line:''' #03A - Night Park ☆The witch is weak, so priority is given to the [barrier's] surroundings. Dies quickly. '''Upper left:''' Jungle gym Witch: A shooting star caught in a jungle gym. Dummy. '''Upper right:''' Feels like they're fighting in the night sky. It's pretty. Sparkly There's ''Book''-layer stars up front, too. ''[TN: The word 'Book', written in English, refers to a background layer placed above the character animation layer.]'' Lots of shooting stars. '''Bottom:''' The minions are (whitish) shadows projected on the night sky. They're always dancing repetitively. '''Lower right:''' Barrier. The surrounding-wall section: Actually soil or concrete. It's not like everything is floating. It's as if a starlit sky was packed up inside it.
|'''Topmost line:''' ＃０３ A 夜の公園 ☆マジョ弱いので環境優先。すぐ死ぬ。 '''Upper left:''' ジャングルジム マジョジャングルジムにひっかかった流れ星。 バカ '''Upper right:''' 夜空の中で戦ってるカンジ。キレイ。 キラキラ 手前にも Bookで星。 流れ星たくさん。 '''Bottom:''' 手下たちは夜空に映る影（白っぽい）ずっとリピートダンスしている。 '''Lower right:''' 結界 周囲カベ部分。実際は地面とかコンクリ。みんな浮いてる訳ではない。内側に星空がとじこめてある。
|}

=== [[Roberta]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0051.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Smashed-up doll parts fall like snow (2) Music box springs and doll parts (3) Birdmen flying around the cage (4) Clock face. Also gears. (5) Dead birdmen, trampled by the witch (6) A hysterically thrashing pair of legs in a cage. The chain it's tied to makes an annoying smashing sound. (7) A witch who lived for a long time as a magical girl. She is weak, as she was no longer a girl when she became a witch (mid-20s to 30s?). The form she takes in her barrier is how she would've turned out in the future (around 40s). What she desires is life. Enjoys alcohol and books. (8) The witch, post-explosion. Stuff drifting down around Homura: *Burning book pages *Sparkly bottle shards *Doll and bird parts *Witch blood (9) Rough background (far-off): Sparkly curtains. Shelves lined with books and liquor bottles. One layer. Feels a bit like a bar.
|(1) 雪みたいにバラバラの人形パーツ降ってる。 (2) オルゴールのゼンマイと人形のパーツ (3) かごのまゆりを飛んでる鳥人間 (4) 時計の盤面。歯車とか。 (5) 魔女踏まれて死んだ鳥人間 (6) かごの中でヒステリックにあばれる足。つながれている鎖ガチャガチャうるさい。 (7) 魔法少女としてけっこう長く生きた魔女。魔女化する頃はもう少女でもなかったので魔女としては弱い。（２０代中盤～３０代くらい？）結界の中の姿は来るハズだった未来の姿。（４０代くらい）欲しかった物は人生。お酒と本が好き。 (8) 魔女、爆破後ほむらの周りにゆっくり降りそそいでいる・燃える本のページ・キラキラビンの破片・人形と鳥のパーツ・魔女の血。 (9) 背景ボケ（遠い）キラキラ暖簾。本と酒ビンの並んだ棚。一面に。ちょっとバーみたいなイメージ。
|}

=== [[Oktavia von Seckendorff]], Timeline 3 Version ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0050.jpg|200px]]
|(1) A thumping laser light show in a dark concert hall. (2) Monitor (3) Empty seats (4) Lights (5) Homura and co. (6)This time only the top half appears. The bottom half is like the hanamichi stage from an enka performace. [''TN: this might refer to a TV show from the 70s called Enka no Hanamichi (演歌の花道)''] (7) Backup dancers (8) There's actually a band around here. There's no need to display it, though. (9) Overhead view (10) Witch Sayaka. Colors are different from episode 8. The basic colors are Sayaka's colors, the same as in episode 8, but the parts aside from those are different. (11) ☆ In the past, before the loops happened, Kyousuke was a guitarist.
|(1) 暗い会場にレーザーライトバシバシ。 (2) モニター (3) 空の客席 (4) ライト (5)ほむら達 (6) 今回は上半分しか出ない。下半分は演歌の花道ステージ。 (7) バックダンサーズ (8) 本当はこのへんにバンド。映らなくても良い。 (9) 上から見た図 (10) さやか魔女＃８と色違い。基本色はさやかの色。8話と同じ。それ以外の部分の色がちがう。 (11) ☆ くり返し前の過去では恭介はギタリスト。
|}

===Oktavia von Seckendorff's Interior (Episode 9)===
[[File:099.jpg|right|300px]]
Basic silhouette (Almost invisible.) 基本シルエット（ほぼみえない。）

Like a poorly-received hologram, when it flickers/glitches ("za-za-za"), you can see the inside just a little bit. (映りのわるいホログラムみたいに、ザザザッとなってるときちょっとだけ中身がみえる)

A feeling of oozing/melting downwards in a continuous, scrolling motion. (下に送りでどろどろしているかんじ。)

It’s not that she responds when Madoka speaks or calls out to her; she completely lacks any sense of self, and her inside is a gooey, pitch-black, hopeless mess. (まどかが語り呼びかけに応じるとかじゃなくて、完全に自我はなく、中身もどろどろのまっくろ、どうしようもないかんじ。)

Eyeballs are endlessly spilling out from where the eyes normally are. They are not tears. (通常目があるところからとめどなく目玉がこぼれおちてくる。涙ではない。)

=== [[Kriemhild Gretchen]], Timeline 2 (?) Version ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0049 bottom.jpg|250px]]
|''Full scan page [[:Media:Image Note 0049.jpg|here]]'' - [Editor's Note: Because of the placement on the same page as [[Patricia]], this is likely to refer to Kriemhild Gretchen of timeline 2.] '''Top Left:''' Giant Madoka Witch (Sky) Golden-colored. Divine. Size comparison: Walpurgis '''Bottom Left:''' Witch Madoka While Walpurgis looks like the upper half of a sand timer [Madoka Witch] looks like the lower half '''Right Side, Upper Left:''' Besides the few kilometers around Madoka not being affected (location where Sayaka lies), everything else is sucked in quickly on a continental scale '''Far Right:''' Madoka Witch plans to swallow the entire Earth whole into her barrier and create a new heaven '''Lower Left:''' The barrier is so enormous that it is trying to suck up the Earth along with it
|'''Top Left:''' 巨大まどかマジョ （空）黄金色　神々しい サイズ　比　ワルプルギス '''Bottom Left:''' マジョまどか ワルプルギス　砂時計の上半分に対して 下半分みたいな '''Right Side, Upper Left:''' まどかの周囲数km だけのこして（さやかの居る所） 他は、大陸規模でどんどん吸われてる '''Far Right:''' まどかマジョ結界へ地球をまるっと吸い込んで 新しい天国を作る予定 '''Lower Left:''' 結界が巨大すぎて地球ごと吸い上げようとしている
|}

=== [[Elsa Maria]] Storyboard 7 ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0037.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Sayaka just falls on top of the witch (2) Cross PAN　DOWN (3) In a position mounting the witch (4) pass the sword underhand to another hand (5) witch gradually falls down (6) color of blood compared with ep. 3 (7) more florescent spots (with feels of xx) [TN: not readable] when they are scattered in air, they turn immediately into black silhouettes (8) Sword, Fr (frame?), backlight (9) blood that look like a design decoration (to some extent, disregard any feel of depth) (10) very sticky blood (11) "A ha ha ha ha... it is true...." (12) like filled up with viscous red and black paint (13) eye in trance (14) witch arms frightened in spasms (15) (omitted) sword stab with crunching noise, rattling sound (16) witch in silhouette (17) keep chopping off (18) sound graphic (19) with hallelujah BGM (20) and graphic sounds of cutting flesh (21) to next episode
|(1) そのままマジョの上へ落下, (2) 十字架 (3) マジョにマウントポジション (4) 剣逆手に持ちかえてる (5) マジョゆっくりたおれてく (6) 血の色３話と比べて (7) 蛍光寄り（？）　光ってるカンジ空中に飛び散るとすぐ黒いシルエットに (8) 剣, Fr, 逆光 (9) 血デザイン的に（ある程度　立体感無視） (10) 血すごいねっとり (11) 「あはは、本当だあ・・・・～」 (12) ドロドロ赤と黒い絵の具でぬりつぶしたような (13) 目うっとり (14) マジョうでビクビクけいれん (15) （中略）剣　ザクザクさして (16) シルエットでマジョ (17) 切りきざみ続ける (18) 音　生々しい (19) ハレルヤBGMと (20) 生々しい肉切り音の中 (21) 次回へ
|}

===Wraith Concept Draft===
[[File:Image_Note_0062_TL.png|800px]]

=== "Giant Universe Witch Concept / Draft" | Witch of Despair Design Draft ===

Translation courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0063.jpg|200px]]
|(0) (Nobody's witch. An air doll born from the despair of all magical girls.) 
(1) Overall 
(2) Face: Only this area is faintly visible 
(3) Hand: Something dark, giant body 
(4) Chest: Lines like blood vessels, appearing shiny 
(5) Overall: The face could be in the center as well? 
(6) Background 
(7) Earth 
(8) Face part 
(9) Face sphere 
(10) Half of the face: Pure white 
(11) Hair part: Striped pattern of Jupiter 
(12) Eye: Planet 
(13) Mouth: Holding the Moon in its mouth 
(14) The face looks like Munch's painting 
 
(15) Description: 
(16) The witch expands and bursts on its own. 
(17) When something amoeba-like that came out from inside tries to swallow the Earth, Hyper Madoka Beam strikes. 
(18) An air doll expanded by despair. It keeps inflating like a balloon. 

|(0) 誰でもないマジョ。全てのマホウ少女の絶望から生まれた空気人形。) 
(1) (全体): 
(2) ( — このへんだけぼんやり見える) 
(3) ( ←なにか暗い巨大な体) 
(4) ( — 血管みたいな線光って見える) 
(5) (←カオ真ん中でも良いカモ？) 
(6) (背景): 
(7) (地球) 
(8) (顔部分): 
(9) (カオ球体) 
(10) ( — まっしろ) 
(11) ( — 木星のシマ模様。) 
(12) (惑星) 
(13) (月くわえている) 
(14) (カオ、ムンクの絵みたいな。) 
(15) (説明): 
(16) (マジョふくらんで勝手に割れる) 
(17) (中から出てきたアメーバ状の何かが出現し、地球をのみこもうとした時、ハイパーまどかビーム。) 
(18) (絶望でふくらんだ空気人形。風船のようにどんどんふくらんでいく。) 
|}

===Witch Nature Settings:===
[[File:116.jpg|right|300px]]

Puella Magi Production Note Ep. 12 Character Settings:

* The Rose Witch / Distrust (Trusts nothing but roses. Distrust of humans. Repels anyone who enters the rose garden.) バラのマジョ / 不信 (バラ以外は信用しない。人間不信。バラ園に入ってきた奴を撃退。)

* The Darkness Witch / Delusion (No such thing as morning will come. Doing nothing but dreaming. My surroundings remain night forever.) 暗闇のマジョ / 妄想 (朝など来ません。夢ばかり見ている。永遠に私の周りは夜のまま。)

* The Witch of Sweets / Attachment (#03 Setting (Ref)) お菓子のマジョ / 未練 (#03 設 (参))

* The Box Witch / Longing (A shut-in girl (→ The real me can go anywhere. Just like when I was a child.) Envy and yearning for the outside world.) ハコのマジョ / 憧憬 (ひきこもりの女の子 (→ 本当の私はどこへだって行ける。子供の頃みたいに。) 外の世界への妬みと憧れ。)

* The Ball Witch / Ignorance (#05 (Ref)) ボールのマジョ / 無知 (#5 (参))

* The Prayer Witch / Self-righteousness (#07 (Ref)) 祈りのマジョ / 独善 (#07(参))

* Sayaka Witch / Infatuation (Excessive power to protect their crush) さやかのマジョ / 恋慕 (恋を守るためにありあまる力)

* The Dog Witch / Craving (Wanting to receive affection from others) イヌのマジョ / 渇望 (他人から愛されたい）

* The Artist Witch / Vanity (#10 (Ref)) 芸術家のマジョ / 虚栄 (#10 (参))

* The Sky Witch / Onlooker (Witches and magical girls don't matter to me. I'll pretend I didn't see anything. I just want to enjoy my school life.) 空のマジョ / 傍観 (マジョもマホウも関係ない。見なかったことにする。私は学校生活をエンジョイしたいだけ。）

* The Leg Witch / Anger (#10 (Ref)) 足のマジョ / 憤怒 (#10 (参))

* Walpurgis / Powerlessness (There is nothing more that can be done. I shall turn everything into a fiction. I shall bring everything to a stop.) ワルプルギス / 無力 (もうどうにもできない。全てを嘘にしてしまおう。全てを止めてしまおう。)

* Madoka Witch / Mercy まどかマジョ / 慈悲

* Giant Universe Witch / Despair 巨大宇宙マジョ / 絶望

☆(The sins and hatred of the Witches forgiven by Hyper Madoka in Episode 12. Derived from the personality of each Witch. - Does it also affect how the effects appear?) ☆(12話でハイパーまどかに許されるマジョの罪と憎悪。各マジョの性格に由来。・エフェクトの出方にも影響？)

* Homura's Magic / Transgression (Breach of the law of time) ほむらのマホウ / 背徳 (時間のルール違反)
{{-}}

=== [[Madoka]] Early Character Design ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:PN 83.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Main heroine (2) cheerful and idealistic girl (3) of good pedigree (4) genius girl (5) "Ring" as an example design of item for transformation (6) ...is it a bit plain?
|(1) メインヒロイン (2) 明るく理想主義のコ (3) 血統の良い (4) 天才肌少女 (5) 変身アイテム案「指輪」 (6) ・・地味でしょうか、、
|}

== Trivia ==
*The Production Note, sometimes described as some variation of "Official Production Notes" is incorrectly cited as a source of false biographical information on the characters, such as birthdays, incorrect heights and blood types. There is no such information in the Production Note except for the height ranges provided in the [[:Media:PN 10.jpg|height comparison chart]].

== Gallery ==
=== Merchandise ===
<gallery>
File:Production_note_in_cover.jpg
File:Production_note_out_of_cover.jpg
File:Production note cover.jpg
File:Production notes2.jpg|Extras and illustration
File:Kisseymadokasketch.jpg|Takahiro Kishida illustration
File:Production Note Bookmark.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry Charlotte bookmark, front and back
File:Production_Note_0029.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry Kyubey bookmark, front and back
File:Production notes4.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry postcard, front and back
</gallery>

=== Early Character Designs ===
See also: [[Guidebook#Early_Character_Designs|Guidebook's Early Character Designs]]
<gallery>
File:Madohomu prodsketch.jpg|[[Madoka Kaname]] and [[Homura Akemi]]
File:Homura prodsketch.jpg|Homura Akemi
File:Production note Homura design.jpg|Homura Akemi
File:Mami prodsketch.jpg|[[Mami Tomoe]]
File:Production note Mami design 1.jpg|Mami Tomoe
File:Production note Mami design 2.jpg|Mami Tomoe
File:Sayaka prodsketch.jpg|[[Sayaka Miki]]
File:Kyoko prodsketch.jpg|[[Kyoko Sakura]]
</gallery>

=== Character Design ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[Guidebook#Episodic_Coverage_and_Character_Pages|Guidebook Character Pages]], [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]] and [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Blu-Ray_Booklets|Blu-Ray/DVD Booklets]].
<gallery>
File:PN 10.jpg|Height Comparison
File:PN 21.jpg|Madoka, [[Kyubey]]
File:PN 75.jpg|Madoka
File:PN 87.jpg|Madoka OP
File:PN 09.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 56.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 57.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 58.jpg|Goddess Madoka‎
File:PN 59.jpg|Goddess Madoka's wing
File:PN 47.jpg|Homura ‎
File:PN 35.jpg|Kyubey
File:Artbook New 15.jpg|Mami
File:Artbook New 17.jpg|Mami
|Kyoko
File:Production_Note_Kyoko_Injuries.jpg|Kyoko, ep. 9 injuries
File:Artbook_New_22.jpg|[[Junko‎ Kaname]]
File:PN 80.jpg|[[Kyousuke Kamijou]] and [[Kazuko Saotome]]
</gallery>

=== Weapons ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[:Media:Guidebook_0071.jpg|Guidebook Weapons page]] and [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]].
<gallery>
File:PN 13.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 14.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 22.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 55.jpg|Homura's shield
File:PN 65.jpg|Homura's pipe bombs
File:PN 67.jpg|Sayaka's cutlass
File:PN 66.jpg|Sayaka's cutlass
File:PN 70.jpg|Mami's muskets
File:PN 71.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 72.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 73.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 74.jpg|Kyoko's spear
</gallery>

=== Soul Gems and Grief Seeds ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]] and [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]].
<gallery>
File:Production Note 0007.jpg
File:Image Note 0072.jpg|[[Soul Gem]]/[[Grief Seed‎]]
File:PN 53.jpg|Soul Gem
File:PN 61.jpg|Grief Seeds
</gallery>

=== Witch Designs ===
See also [[Guidebook#Production_Materials|Guidebook's Production Materials]]
<gallery>
File:Production Notes Page 1.jpg|[[Walpurgis Night]]
File:Image Note 0002.jpg|Walpurgisnacht
File:PN 20.jpg|Walpurgis Night
File:PN 84.jpg|Walpurgis Night's Minions
File:PN 86.jpg
File:Production Note 0014.jpg|Other Magical Girls in the end credits
File:Production Note 0111.jpg|[[Gertrud]]'s Maze
File:PN 15.jpg|[[Charlotte]]
File:PN 24.jpg|Charlotte
File:Production note Charlotte 1.jpg|Charlotte
File:Image Note 0073.jpg|Charlotte
File:PN 81.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production note Charlotte 2.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production note Charlotte 3.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production Note 0011.jpg|[[Elsa Maria]]
File:PN 17.jpg|Elsa Maria
File:PN 18.jpg|Elsa Maria
File:PN 05.jpg|Character silhouettes within Elsa Maria's barrier
File:Production Notes Page 2.jpg|[[Oktavia von Seckendorff]]
File:Image Note 0076.jpg|Oktavia von Seckendorff
File:PN 27.jpg|[[Izabel]]
File:PN 28.jpg|Various
File:PN 88.jpg
File:PN 89.jpg
File:PN 90.jpg
File:Image Note 0075.jpg
</gallery>

=== Episode Sketches and Storyboards ===
See also [[Guidebook#Production_Materials|Guidebook's Production Materials]], [[Otona_Anime_Vol.21|Otona Anime Vol. 21]], [[Magical_Girl_Magazine_(Otona_Anime)|Otona Anime (Magical Girl)]] [[Storyboards_and_Sketches|Storyboards and Sketches]]
<gallery>
File:Image Note.jpg|Episodes overview
File:Image Note 0001.jpg
</gallery>
==== Episode 1 ====
<gallery>
File:Image_Note_0003.jpg
File:Image Note 0004.jpg|
File:Image Note 0005.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0006.jpg|
</gallery>
==== Episode 2 ====
<gallery>
File:Image_Note_0012.jpg|[[Witch Runes/Episode 1|Anthony's Poem / Runes]]
File:Image_Note_0013.jpg|[[Witch Runes/Episode 2|More Runes]]
File:Image Note 0007.jpg|Gertrud
File:Image Note 0008.jpg
File:Image Note 0009.jpg
File:Image Note 0010.jpg
File:Image Note 0011.jpg
</gallery>
==== Episode 3 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0014.jpg
File:Image Note 0015.jpg|Charlotte witch barrier
File:Image Note 0016.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0017.jpg|Charlotte
File:Image Note 0018.jpg|Nurse familiars
File:Image Note 0019.jpg|Storyboards
File:Image Note 0020.jpg
File:Image Note 0021.jpg
File:Image Note 0022.jpg
File:Image Note 0023.jpg
File:Image Note 0024.jpg
File:Image Note 0025.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 4 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0026.jpg|[[Elly]] (Kirsten) witch barrier
File:Image Note 0027.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0028.jpg|Elly
File:PN 19.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 5 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0029.jpg|Familiars, [[Puella Magi Production Note#Anja|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0030.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 6 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0031.jpg|[[Inu Daruma Brothers]] (Dog Drug Reinforcement)
File:Image Note 0032.jpg|More DDR
</gallery>

==== Episode 7 ====
<gallery>
File:Production Note 0009.jpg
File:Production Note 0010.jpg
File:Image Note 0033.jpg|Elsa Maria witch barrier
File:Image Note 0034.jpg
File:Production Note 0015.jpg|Elsa Maria and magical girl silhouettes
File:Image Note 0035.jpg|Storyboards
File:Image Note 0037.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Elsa_Maria_Storyboard_7|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0038.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 8 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0039.jpg
File:Image Note 0040.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 9 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0041.jpg|Oktavia's witch barrier
File:Image Note 0042.jpg
File:Image Note 0043.jpg
File:Image Note 0046.jpg
File:Image Note 0045.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 10 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0048.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Izabel|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0049.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Kriemhild_Gretchen.2C_Timeline_2_Version|Partially Translated]]
File:Image Note 0050.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Oktavia_von_Seckendorff.2C_Timeline_3_Version|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0051.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Roberta|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0052.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Walpurgisnacht, Episode 10 version|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0053.jpg|Octavia, timeline 3
File:Image Note 0054.jpg
File:Image Note 0055.jpg
File:Image Note 0056.jpg|Hitomi familiar
File:Image Note 0057.jpg|Roberta
</gallery>

==== Episode 11 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0060.jpg
File:Image Note 0061.jpg|Walpurgis Night
</gallery>

==== Compilation ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0065.jpg
File:Image Note 0066.jpg
File:Image Note 0067.jpg
File:Image Note 0068.jpg
File:Image Note 0069.jpg
File:Image Note 0070.jpg
File:Image Note 0071.jpg
File:Image_Note_0074.jpg
</gallery>

=== Background/Architecture ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[:Media:Guidebook_0069.jpg|Guidebook Architecture page 1]], and [[:Media:Guidebook_0070.jpg|Guidebook Architecture page 2]]
<gallery>
File:Sayaka's Room.jpg|Sayaka's Room </gallery>

== See Also ==
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Art Book]]
* [[Storyboards and Sketches]]
* [[Guidebook]]
* [[Key Animation Note]]
* [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Storyboards_and_Sketches|Miscellaneous Documents section on Storyboards and Sketches]]
* [[Translated_Official_Documents|Translated magazines]]

== Links ==
* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-08-02/madoka-magica-496-page-archive-weighs-in-at-1.6-kg ANN announcement on Production Note]
* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-12-12/2nd-madoka-magica-production-note-book-archive-to-be-sold ANN announcement on volume 2]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Products and merchandise]]
[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Translation request]]

Puella Magi Production Note

2026-07-17T01:59:09Z

Romi1908: /* Walpurgisnacht's Procession */

[[File:Production Notes Updated.jpg|Production Note|thumb]]
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Production Note are a set of 496 pages in two volumes that were first sold in a limited edition version at Comic Market 80 from August 12, 2011 to August 14 2011. It is currently on sale to the general public.
SHAFT, collaborating with graphics designer Milky Isobe, compiled and edited 352 pages of production materials and 144 pages of art by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]. The book set measures 268 x 195 x 47 millimeters (about 10.5 x 7.6 x 1.9 inches) and 1.629 kilograms (3.59 pounds).

Each set contains a B5-sized illustration sheet of Madoka by character designer Takahiro Kishida.

The limited first edition sold at Comic Market 80 also has:
*Gekidan Inu Curry designed postcard
*[[Charlotte]] bookmark
*[[Kyubey]] bookmark

This, along with other Madoka-related merchandise, was reportedly [http://yaraon.blog109.fc2.com/blog-entry-3343.html sold out] at the Aniplex booth around 11:15 am on the first day of Comic Market. Additional merchandise was added for sale the last two days of Comic Market 80.

A sequel was released in late 2014 for [[The Rebellion Story]] titled "[[Rebellion Production Note]]."

== Key Animation Note ==
A follow-up to the Production Note, please go [[Key_Animation_Note|here]] for more information. There are seven volumes of the Key Animation Note.

== Translations of Select Pages ==
=== Witch of cheesecake (early concept that later became [[Charlotte]]) ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Cheesecake_witch_cropped.png|250px]]
|''Full scan page [[:Media:Image Note 0067.jpg|here]]'' '''Topmost left lines:''' Weak witch One-whole cheesecake '''Upper middle:''' "It's really a delicious cheesecake. My dying mother wanted to eat it. But, perhaps, I should have cured her disease instead. However, that surely wasn't appropriate." '''Right, top-to-bottom:''' A witch-space that became the basis for the witch of dessert from ep. 3 and the minion of the witch of scribbles from ep. 5. She became a magical girl for one-whole cheesecake, and after becoming a witch, clings to that cheesecake. The witch of dessert in the main series is the reverse of this; she obtained "one single cheesecake" in strict accordance with her wish. After turning into a witch, the only thing her magic cannot make is cheese, and she became a very strong witch. '''Left diagram:''' It feels as if the scrambled-street parts keep having yellow paint dumped on them. Fork A single cheesecake floats in the air. The weird-looking witch stands atop it. '''Middle, with diagrams:''' Light source: Dim yellow light from the center They leer inward from under cover. Minions: Mouse-looking things that scurry around underfoot (small) '''Bottom diagram:''' When the witch escapes, its space moves with it. Aaa-h Spwohn After being caught up in it, the people who were in the previously-scrambled streets pop out into the normal streets. '''Bottom Right:''' Upon the witch's death Crushed into gooey-looking cheese There's a small, high, mouse-like 'kiii-' or 'chiii-' noise.
|'''Topmost left lines:''' ヨワイマジョ ワンホール・チーズケーキ '''Upper middle:''' 「とてもおいしいチーズケーキ。 死にかけのお母さんが食べたがっていたの。 でも、もしかすると、お母さんの病気でも治してあげたらよかったカスラ。 けれど、きっとそれはそおいうことでもないのダワ。」 '''Right, top-to-bottom:''' ３話お菓子の魔女と ５話落書きの魔女の使い魔の 元になった魔女空間です。 ワンホールのチーズケーキで魔法少女になり、 魔女化した後もチーズケーキにしがみついています。 本編お菓子の魔女はこれとは逆に、 厳密にその願い通り「ひとつきりのチーズケーキ」 を手に入れ、魔女化した後も チーズだけは魔法を使って出すことが出来なくなり とても強い魔女になりました。 '''Left diagram:''' ゴチャゴチャ街部分に 黄色いペンキをぶっかけまくってるカンジ フォーク チーズケーキがひとつ浮いてて。 その上に変なマジョがのってる '''Middle, with diagrams:''' 光源 ぼんやり中心部から黄色ライト 物陰からコソコソ見てるだけ 手下 ねずみみたいなの足元チョロチョロしてる・小さき '''Bottom diagram:''' マジョ逃げると空間ごと移動する わー スポン 中にいた人は 一度ゴチャゴチャ街へまきこまれてから スポンと普通の街へ '''Bottom Right:''' マジョ死ぬとき べちゃとチーズみたいにつぶれる 「キー」とか「チー」とか小さくカン高いネズミみたいな音。
|}

=== [[Anja]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

Note: She was originally designed as the witch, then [[Albertine]] replaced Anja as the witch and Anja became the familiar.

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0029.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃05 Back alley. '''Upper left:''' Weak witch 
There isn't a clearly-defined barrier. The green area is the barrier. Painted green, no shadows in the green area. 
Becomes like a stuck-on 2D poster. The boundary line moves and bounces around. '''Middle:''' Yellow balls bounce around only in the green area. The witch continually chases them. '''Middle left:''' Witch: A character reminiscent of a Showa-era poster. Stuck on. No shadow. No sense of depth. Her lower body turns into a car and an airplane and such. '''Lower Left:''' Zooms around in the green area and chases balls. In the end, it's less like she's fleeing and more like she's just chasing more balls and scooting off somewhere. '''Right:''' She changes the humans around her into new balls, and eats the balls if she gets hungry. No matter how many new balls she gets, though, because she isn't that bright, she loses them immediately. She chases after balls throughout her whole life.
|'''Topmost left line:''' 
＃０５　路地裏。 '''Upper left:''' 弱いマジョ 明確な結界はなし。 緑の中が結界。 緑色ベタぬり緑の中は影なし ベタッと２Dのポスター調になる 境界線ぽよんぽよんうごく '''Middle:''' ＊緑の中だけで黄色いボールがはねまわってる それを追いかけつづけるマジョ '''Middle left:''' マジョ 昭和のポスターみたいなキャラ ベタッと影なし。立体感無視。 下半身、車や飛行機になって '''Lower Left:''' 緑の中をとびまわってボールを追う。 最後も逃げるというよりボールを追いかけて そのままどこかへ行ってしまう。 '''Right:''' 彼女はまわりの人間を新しいボールへと変え、 おなかがすいたらボールを食べます。 どんなに新しいボールを手に入れても 彼女はあまり賢くないのですぐになくしてしまいます。 彼女は一生ボールを追いかけています。
|}

=== [[Walpurgis_Night|Walpurgisnacht]]===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0052.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' Rainbow light (Brocken spectre) '''Upper left:''' Basically the same as episode 1. +Feels like there's bonfires here and there. Episode 1 is "What on earth is going on here?" Episode 10 is "It's like a ceremony" Buildings are piled up '''Lower left:''' Bonfires here and there throughout downtown. Tires, debris and dead bodies are piled up. ＊In episode 10, Walpurgis is still only partially visible. The whole thing suddenly snaps into focus in episode 11. '''Right, top to bottom:''' She will turn all of fate's misfortune to nothing. She will flood the earth with magic, and take all of humankind into her play. A moving stage construction. If all of this is a play, then there is no such thing as sadness. It may be a tragedy, but it's merely the way that kind of script was performed. The play stops on Walpurgisnacht, and the earth does not turn even once more. The story will not change. Tomorrow, and the day after, is the night of Walpurgis.
|'''Topmost left line:''' 虹色の光（ブロッケン現象） '''Upper left:''' 基本は１話と同じ。 ＋カガリ火のイメージをあちこちに。 １話は「得体の知れない何か」 １０話は「儀式っぽい」 ビルを積んである '''Lower left:''' 街中のあちこちにもカガリ火。 
車やガレキ死体を積んである ＊１０話ではワルプルギスまだ部分的にしか見えない。 全体にピント合ってハッキリ見えるのは１１話。 '''Right, top to bottom:''' 全ての運命の不幸を無くそうとする。 地上をマホウで埋め尽くし、 全人類を戯曲の中へ取り込もうとする。 動く舞台装置。 この全てが戯曲ならば悲しい事など何もない。 悲劇ではあるかもしれないけれど、ただ、そおいう脚本を演じただけ。 ワルプルギスの夜で芝居は止まって もう地球は１周だって回転しない。 物語は転換しない。 明日も明後日も、ワルプルギスの夜。
|}

====#01_Beginning: Walpurgisnacht Image Cut====
[[File:033_1.jpg|right|300px]]
An upside-down city and a sky with a hole in it. Walpurgisnacht's halo over the top of an upside-down mountain.
{{-}}

====Early Walpurgis (Initial Designs)====
[[File:055_1.jpg|right|300px]]
Spreads out like dandelion fluff being blown. (たんぽぽのわたげが吹いたみたいにひろがった)

When you go "Fuuu~" (blow), flames come out. (ふうーってやると炎がでる。)

The form of the flames: A winding, wavy feel, like those seen in old Japanese paintings. (炎のフォルム、昔の日本画とかの、うねうね状のかんじ。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht Concept Draft (ワルプルギス案)====
[[File:056_1.png|right|300px]]

Text: Kyahaha (キャハハハハハ)

Behavior: Spinning around innocently, as if running around a field. (野原をかけ回るようなムジャキにくるくるまわっている。)

Main Body (本体): (Produces gears. / は出す。)

* Tip of the gear: Light (照明ピカ)

* When inverted, the rod part retracts (Normal state). (ひっくりかえると棒の部分ひっこむ（通常。）)

Design elements:

* Claws (つめ)

* Clock (とけい)

* Western person's (noble's) hat. Hard. (西洋の人（貴族）のぼうし。カタイ。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht's Procession====
[[File:110.jpg|right|300px]]
On both sides of Homura as she waits on the ground, the illusion of a parade appears first. (グラウンドで待つほむらの両サイドに先にパレードの幻が現れる)

(Elephants, marching bands, carriages, giant puppets/dolls, etc.) (象や楽団や馬車、巨大人形など）

While Walpurgis herself is a theatrical stage, the parade itself is a circus. (ワルプルギスは演劇舞台だけどパレード自体はサーカス。)

Upon arrival: Walpurgis's neck is being pulled along by the circus. (登場時ワルプルギス、首をサーカスに引っ張られてる。)

The net is severed by Homura's attack. (ほむらの攻撃で網は切れる。)
{{-}}

====Episode #11 Walpurgisnacht====
[[File:111.jpg|right|300px]]
In addition to the stage on Walpurgis's body, illusions of magical girls are performing a play throughout the city. (ワルプルギスの体の舞台に加えて、街中で、マホウ少女たちの幻影が芝居をしている。)

↑ (Avant-garde dance) Semi-transparent, hologram-like. Faces and expressions cannot be seen. (↑（前衛ダンス）半透明、ホログラム的な。顔や表情は見えない。)

Walpurgis destroys the city, but the illusions of the girls are just doing things like dancing on top of the rubble. (ワルプルギスは街を壊すけど、
少女の幻はがれきの上で踊ったりしてるだけ。)

● Performance of the Dancing Magical Girls (● 踊るマホウ少女達の公演)

The appearances of the witches from episodes #01 to #10 during their days as magical girls. (＃01～10に出てくる魔女のマホウ少女時代の姿。)

(Designed so they can be identified by their main color and items)（メインカラーとアイテムで分かるような）

＋ Also including the appearances of Mami, Sayaka, and Kyouko. (マミやさやか、杏子の姿も。)

• Voices and Lines (・声やセリフ)

A few lines selected from around the scene where Margarete goes mad in Faust, Part One ("Prison"). (ファウスト第一部「牢獄」での、発狂したマルガレーテのセリフらへんからいくつか。)

★ In German. (★ドイツ語で。)

Example) Song: 例) 歌

''My cruel mother,'' (わたしのひどい母さんが、)

''she killed me.'' (わたしを殺してしまったの。)

''And my wicked father,'' (そして悪者の父さんが、)

''he ate me.'' (わたしを食べてしまったの。)

''My little sister,'' (わたしの小さな妹さんが、)

''gathered up my bones,'' (わたしの骨を拾い上げ、)

''and buried them in a cold grave.'' (冷たいお墓に埋めました。)

''I became a beautiful bird,'' (わたしはきれいな鳥になり、)

''and flew far away.'' (遠くへ飛んで行くのです。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht (Night of Walpurgis) Settings====
[[File:122.jpg|right|300px]]
★ A massive entity that is somehow incomprehensible. (★ なんだかよくわからない巨大なもの)

* Stage

* Gears

* Gears / Retro-style machinery

The stage apparatus itself is the witch.

Stage dialogue: rather than the entity itself speaking... (舞台セリフ、本人がしゃべっているというより)

↑ It plays out from the stage speakers. → When Walpurgis takes damage, the audio quality of the dialogue speakers distorts and gets mixed with static/noise. (↑ 舞台のスピーカーから流れる → ワルプルギスがダメージをうけるとセリフのスピーカーに音質がゆがみ雑音がまじる。)

* The actors are other magical girls (large numbers). They have no faces, but figures like Sayaka and others are among them. (・役者は他のマホウショージョ達（多数）
顔はない、さやか等の姿も。)

* She moves around while putting on a performance: The performance is more important to her than attacking enemies. If she loses sight of her target, she begins moving toward densely populated areas. (The city is destroyed just by her movement.) (〇公演しながら移動している。→ 敵への攻撃よりも公演が大事。相手を見失うと、人の多い所目指して移動開始。
（移動だけで街はこわれていく。))

* Walpurgisnacht: All of the witches encountered up until now make an appearance. (・ワルプルギスの夜今までのマジョが全員出てくる。)

Initial concept image of Walpurgis. Later, a music-box-like doll was attached to it upside down. However, the main body itself remains gears. (ワルプルギスの初期イメージ。後にオルゴールのような人形をとりつけ逆さまに。でも本体は歯車のままです。)

A giant fate / massive destiny. (巨大な運命)

'''Inside Box:''' Like a circular saw, a massive number of gears attack while spinning around it. (Normally, they rotate in a circle underneath Walpurgis, continuously grinding away at the ground.) (大量の歯車が周りを回転しながら攻撃してくる（普段はワルプルギスの下を円形に回転して地面を削り続けている))

'''Right of Box:''' The gear attack is carried over into the Mermaid Witch's (Sayaka's witch form) wheel attack. We applied the imagery of rotating/spinning objects to witches in general. (歯車攻撃は人魚の魔女の車輪攻撃に引き継がれています。魔女全般には回転するもののイメージを当てはめました。)

Powerful Witch. Walpurgis of "Theatre" (ツヨイマジョ「演劇」のワルプルギス)

''"This world was entirely a lie. My life is nothing more than a play written by you. Please, prove it."'' (「この世界はすべて嘘でした。私の人生はあなたの書いた戯曲にすぎません。それを、証明して下さい。」)

''Faust'' is currently being performed. (On the upper stage) (「ファウスト」が上演中。（上部舞台にて）)

• The pact between Dr. Faust and the devil Mephisto (the beginning section) → leading into Walpurgisnacht. (・ファウスト博士と悪魔メフィストの契約（はじめのところ） → ワルプルギスの夜へ)

'''Pointing to the sphere:''' (Ground) It is so massive that it looks like a spaceship.

'''Pointing to the gears:''' Stage apparatus. Gears. Massive.

'''Top of right sketch:''' The barrier is huge. The sky is visible. (結界でかい空見えてる。)

'''Below right sketch:''' Buildings and the ground twist and warp around the perimeter like a fence.

At this stage, rather than the final anime's canon explanation that "she is so strong she doesn't need a barrier," it was being designed under the interpretation that the barrier is simply so colossally massive that its boundaries are impossible to discern.

Magical girl posters/flyers designed to look like theatrical play bills are plastered all over the surrounding city.

Pages from ''Faust'' are fluttering through the air.
{{-}}

=== [[Izabel]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0048.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃10A - Evening, on the road to the school. '''Upper left:''' A sky like a Van Gogh painting. An oil-painting-like taste. Orange and white. (Tomb.) Stone monuments. Incredibly large memorials. The ground. Ash-gray and white. '''Lower left:''' Minions. The entire ground. Undulating. Like Picasso's Guernica. Patchwork. ☆The witch's lines are spoken by her minions. '''Middle:''' Witch: Part of the relief. (Actually, though, the whole arch is the witch.) While Homura is distracted by the minions, something like a triumphal arch springs up behind her with incredible speed (stop-motion). '''Upper Right:''' Streaming out of the gate Since the scene where they appeared in the main part is brief, make them just about to come out... or something like that may be good '''Middle Right:''' She joins human parts together to build human statues that greatly resemble some person. She uses them to attack (minion #2).
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃10A - 夕方、通学路。 '''Upper left:''' ゴッホみたいな空。 油絵テイスト。オレンジと白。 [墓]。 碑石など。偉大な記念達。 地面。灰色と白。 '''Lower left:''' 手下。 地面のすべて。うねって動く ピカソのゲルニカぽい。パッチワーク ☆マジョのセリフは手下がしゃべっている。 '''Middle:''' マジョ レリーフの一部（実際は門全体がマジョ） 手下に気を取られるほむらの 背前に、すごいスピードで（コマ撮り） 凱旋門的なものが健つ。 '''Upper Right:''' 門からぞろぞろ出てくる 本編登場シーン短いので 出ようとしているとこで・・・ くらいでもいいかも '''Middle Right:''' 人間の部位を組み合わせた 誰かのそっくり彫像人間を練成したりする。 それを使って攻撃（手下２）。
|}

=== [[Suleika]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0014.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost line:''' #03A - Night Park ☆The witch is weak, so priority is given to the [barrier's] surroundings. Dies quickly. '''Upper left:''' Jungle gym Witch: A shooting star caught in a jungle gym. Dummy. '''Upper right:''' Feels like they're fighting in the night sky. It's pretty. Sparkly There's ''Book''-layer stars up front, too. ''[TN: The word 'Book', written in English, refers to a background layer placed above the character animation layer.]'' Lots of shooting stars. '''Bottom:''' The minions are (whitish) shadows projected on the night sky. They're always dancing repetitively. '''Lower right:''' Barrier. The surrounding-wall section: Actually soil or concrete. It's not like everything is floating. It's as if a starlit sky was packed up inside it.
|'''Topmost line:''' ＃０３ A 夜の公園 ☆マジョ弱いので環境優先。すぐ死ぬ。 '''Upper left:''' ジャングルジム マジョジャングルジムにひっかかった流れ星。 バカ '''Upper right:''' 夜空の中で戦ってるカンジ。キレイ。 キラキラ 手前にも Bookで星。 流れ星たくさん。 '''Bottom:''' 手下たちは夜空に映る影（白っぽい）ずっとリピートダンスしている。 '''Lower right:''' 結界 周囲カベ部分。実際は地面とかコンクリ。みんな浮いてる訳ではない。内側に星空がとじこめてある。
|}

=== [[Roberta]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0051.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Smashed-up doll parts fall like snow (2) Music box springs and doll parts (3) Birdmen flying around the cage (4) Clock face. Also gears. (5) Dead birdmen, trampled by the witch (6) A hysterically thrashing pair of legs in a cage. The chain it's tied to makes an annoying smashing sound. (7) A witch who lived for a long time as a magical girl. She is weak, as she was no longer a girl when she became a witch (mid-20s to 30s?). The form she takes in her barrier is how she would've turned out in the future (around 40s). What she desires is life. Enjoys alcohol and books. (8) The witch, post-explosion. Stuff drifting down around Homura: *Burning book pages *Sparkly bottle shards *Doll and bird parts *Witch blood (9) Rough background (far-off): Sparkly curtains. Shelves lined with books and liquor bottles. One layer. Feels a bit like a bar.
|(1) 雪みたいにバラバラの人形パーツ降ってる。 (2) オルゴールのゼンマイと人形のパーツ (3) かごのまゆりを飛んでる鳥人間 (4) 時計の盤面。歯車とか。 (5) 魔女踏まれて死んだ鳥人間 (6) かごの中でヒステリックにあばれる足。つながれている鎖ガチャガチャうるさい。 (7) 魔法少女としてけっこう長く生きた魔女。魔女化する頃はもう少女でもなかったので魔女としては弱い。（２０代中盤～３０代くらい？）結界の中の姿は来るハズだった未来の姿。（４０代くらい）欲しかった物は人生。お酒と本が好き。 (8) 魔女、爆破後ほむらの周りにゆっくり降りそそいでいる・燃える本のページ・キラキラビンの破片・人形と鳥のパーツ・魔女の血。 (9) 背景ボケ（遠い）キラキラ暖簾。本と酒ビンの並んだ棚。一面に。ちょっとバーみたいなイメージ。
|}

=== [[Oktavia von Seckendorff]], Timeline 3 Version ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0050.jpg|200px]]
|(1) A thumping laser light show in a dark concert hall. (2) Monitor (3) Empty seats (4) Lights (5) Homura and co. (6)This time only the top half appears. The bottom half is like the hanamichi stage from an enka performace. [''TN: this might refer to a TV show from the 70s called Enka no Hanamichi (演歌の花道)''] (7) Backup dancers (8) There's actually a band around here. There's no need to display it, though. (9) Overhead view (10) Witch Sayaka. Colors are different from episode 8. The basic colors are Sayaka's colors, the same as in episode 8, but the parts aside from those are different. (11) ☆ In the past, before the loops happened, Kyousuke was a guitarist.
|(1) 暗い会場にレーザーライトバシバシ。 (2) モニター (3) 空の客席 (4) ライト (5)ほむら達 (6) 今回は上半分しか出ない。下半分は演歌の花道ステージ。 (7) バックダンサーズ (8) 本当はこのへんにバンド。映らなくても良い。 (9) 上から見た図 (10) さやか魔女＃８と色違い。基本色はさやかの色。8話と同じ。それ以外の部分の色がちがう。 (11) ☆ くり返し前の過去では恭介はギタリスト。
|}

===Oktavia von Seckendorff's Interior (Episode 9)===
[[File:099.jpg|right|300px]]
Basic silhouette (Almost invisible.) 基本シルエット（ほぼみえない。）

Like a poorly-received hologram, when it flickers/glitches ("za-za-za"), you can see the inside just a little bit. (映りのわるいホログラムみたいに、ザザザッとなってるときちょっとだけ中身がみえる)

A feeling of oozing/melting downwards in a continuous, scrolling motion. (下に送りでどろどろしているかんじ。)

It’s not that she responds when Madoka speaks or calls out to her; she completely lacks any sense of self, and her inside is a gooey, pitch-black, hopeless mess. (まどかが語り呼びかけに応じるとかじゃなくて、完全に自我はなく、中身もどろどろのまっくろ、どうしようもないかんじ。)

Eyeballs are endlessly spilling out from where the eyes normally are. They are not tears. (通常目があるところからとめどなく目玉がこぼれおちてくる。涙ではない。)

=== [[Kriemhild Gretchen]], Timeline 2 (?) Version ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0049 bottom.jpg|250px]]
|''Full scan page [[:Media:Image Note 0049.jpg|here]]'' - [Editor's Note: Because of the placement on the same page as [[Patricia]], this is likely to refer to Kriemhild Gretchen of timeline 2.] '''Top Left:''' Giant Madoka Witch (Sky) Golden-colored. Divine. Size comparison: Walpurgis '''Bottom Left:''' Witch Madoka While Walpurgis looks like the upper half of a sand timer [Madoka Witch] looks like the lower half '''Right Side, Upper Left:''' Besides the few kilometers around Madoka not being affected (location where Sayaka lies), everything else is sucked in quickly on a continental scale '''Far Right:''' Madoka Witch plans to swallow the entire Earth whole into her barrier and create a new heaven '''Lower Left:''' The barrier is so enormous that it is trying to suck up the Earth along with it
|'''Top Left:''' 巨大まどかマジョ （空）黄金色　神々しい サイズ　比　ワルプルギス '''Bottom Left:''' マジョまどか ワルプルギス　砂時計の上半分に対して 下半分みたいな '''Right Side, Upper Left:''' まどかの周囲数km だけのこして（さやかの居る所） 他は、大陸規模でどんどん吸われてる '''Far Right:''' まどかマジョ結界へ地球をまるっと吸い込んで 新しい天国を作る予定 '''Lower Left:''' 結界が巨大すぎて地球ごと吸い上げようとしている
|}

=== [[Elsa Maria]] Storyboard 7 ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0037.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Sayaka just falls on top of the witch (2) Cross PAN　DOWN (3) In a position mounting the witch (4) pass the sword underhand to another hand (5) witch gradually falls down (6) color of blood compared with ep. 3 (7) more florescent spots (with feels of xx) [TN: not readable] when they are scattered in air, they turn immediately into black silhouettes (8) Sword, Fr (frame?), backlight (9) blood that look like a design decoration (to some extent, disregard any feel of depth) (10) very sticky blood (11) "A ha ha ha ha... it is true...." (12) like filled up with viscous red and black paint (13) eye in trance (14) witch arms frightened in spasms (15) (omitted) sword stab with crunching noise, rattling sound (16) witch in silhouette (17) keep chopping off (18) sound graphic (19) with hallelujah BGM (20) and graphic sounds of cutting flesh (21) to next episode
|(1) そのままマジョの上へ落下, (2) 十字架 (3) マジョにマウントポジション (4) 剣逆手に持ちかえてる (5) マジョゆっくりたおれてく (6) 血の色３話と比べて (7) 蛍光寄り（？）　光ってるカンジ空中に飛び散るとすぐ黒いシルエットに (8) 剣, Fr, 逆光 (9) 血デザイン的に（ある程度　立体感無視） (10) 血すごいねっとり (11) 「あはは、本当だあ・・・・～」 (12) ドロドロ赤と黒い絵の具でぬりつぶしたような (13) 目うっとり (14) マジョうでビクビクけいれん (15) （中略）剣　ザクザクさして (16) シルエットでマジョ (17) 切りきざみ続ける (18) 音　生々しい (19) ハレルヤBGMと (20) 生々しい肉切り音の中 (21) 次回へ
|}

===Wraith Concept Draft===
[[File:Image_Note_0062_TL.png|800px]]

=== "Giant Universe Witch Concept / Draft" | Witch of Despair Design Draft ===

Translation courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0063.jpg|200px]]
|(0) (Nobody's witch. An air doll born from the despair of all magical girls.) 
(1) Overall 
(2) Face: Only this area is faintly visible 
(3) Hand: Something dark, giant body 
(4) Chest: Lines like blood vessels, appearing shiny 
(5) Overall: The face could be in the center as well? 
(6) Background 
(7) Earth 
(8) Face part 
(9) Face sphere 
(10) Half of the face: Pure white 
(11) Hair part: Striped pattern of Jupiter 
(12) Eye: Planet 
(13) Mouth: Holding the Moon in its mouth 
(14) The face looks like Munch's painting 
 
(15) Description: 
(16) The witch expands and bursts on its own. 
(17) When something amoeba-like that came out from inside tries to swallow the Earth, Hyper Madoka Beam strikes. 
(18) An air doll expanded by despair. It keeps inflating like a balloon. 

|(0) 誰でもないマジョ。全てのマホウ少女の絶望から生まれた空気人形。) 
(1) (全体): 
(2) ( — このへんだけぼんやり見える) 
(3) ( ←なにか暗い巨大な体) 
(4) ( — 血管みたいな線光って見える) 
(5) (←カオ真ん中でも良いカモ？) 
(6) (背景): 
(7) (地球) 
(8) (顔部分): 
(9) (カオ球体) 
(10) ( — まっしろ) 
(11) ( — 木星のシマ模様。) 
(12) (惑星) 
(13) (月くわえている) 
(14) (カオ、ムンクの絵みたいな。) 
(15) (説明): 
(16) (マジョふくらんで勝手に割れる) 
(17) (中から出てきたアメーバ状の何かが出現し、地球をのみこもうとした時、ハイパーまどかビーム。) 
(18) (絶望でふくらんだ空気人形。風船のようにどんどんふくらんでいく。) 
|}

===Witch Nature Settings:===
[[File:116.jpg|right|300px]]

Puella Magi Production Note Ep. 12 Character Settings:

* The Rose Witch / Distrust (Trusts nothing but roses. Distrust of humans. Repels anyone who enters the rose garden.) バラのマジョ / 不信 (バラ以外は信用しない。人間不信。バラ園に入ってきた奴を撃退。)

* The Darkness Witch / Delusion (No such thing as morning will come. Doing nothing but dreaming. My surroundings remain night forever.) 暗闇のマジョ / 妄想 (朝など来ません。夢ばかり見ている。永遠に私の周りは夜のまま。)

* The Witch of Sweets / Attachment (#03 Setting (Ref)) お菓子のマジョ / 未練 (#03 設 (参))

* The Box Witch / Longing (A shut-in girl (→ The real me can go anywhere. Just like when I was a child.) Envy and yearning for the outside world.) ハコのマジョ / 憧憬 (ひきこもりの女の子 (→ 本当の私はどこへだって行ける。子供の頃みたいに。) 外の世界への妬みと憧れ。)

* The Ball Witch / Ignorance (#05 (Ref)) ボールのマジョ / 無知 (#5 (参))

* The Prayer Witch / Self-righteousness (#07 (Ref)) 祈りのマジョ / 独善 (#07(参))

* Sayaka Witch / Infatuation (Excessive power to protect their crush) さやかのマジョ / 恋慕 (恋を守るためにありあまる力)

* The Dog Witch / Craving (Wanting to receive affection from others) イヌのマジョ / 渇望 (他人から愛されたい）

* The Artist Witch / Vanity (#10 (Ref)) 芸術家のマジョ / 虚栄 (#10 (参))

* The Sky Witch / Onlooker (Witches and magical girls don't matter to me. I'll pretend I didn't see anything. I just want to enjoy my school life.) 空のマジョ / 傍観 (マジョもマホウも関係ない。見なかったことにする。私は学校生活をエンジョイしたいだけ。）

* The Leg Witch / Anger (#10 (Ref)) 足のマジョ / 憤怒 (#10 (参))

* Walpurgis / Powerlessness (There is nothing more that can be done. I shall turn everything into a fiction. I shall bring everything to a stop.) ワルプルギス / 無力 (もうどうにもできない。全てを嘘にしてしまおう。全てを止めてしまおう。)

* Madoka Witch / Mercy まどかマジョ / 慈悲

* Giant Universe Witch / Despair 巨大宇宙マジョ / 絶望

☆(The sins and hatred of the Witches forgiven by Hyper Madoka in Episode 12. Derived from the personality of each Witch. - Does it also affect how the effects appear?) ☆(12話でハイパーまどかに許されるマジョの罪と憎悪。各マジョの性格に由来。・エフェクトの出方にも影響？)

* Homura's Magic / Transgression (Breach of the law of time) ほむらのマホウ / 背徳 (時間のルール違反)
{{-}}

=== [[Madoka]] Early Character Design ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:PN 83.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Main heroine (2) cheerful and idealistic girl (3) of good pedigree (4) genius girl (5) "Ring" as an example design of item for transformation (6) ...is it a bit plain?
|(1) メインヒロイン (2) 明るく理想主義のコ (3) 血統の良い (4) 天才肌少女 (5) 変身アイテム案「指輪」 (6) ・・地味でしょうか、、
|}

== Trivia ==
*The Production Note, sometimes described as some variation of "Official Production Notes" is incorrectly cited as a source of false biographical information on the characters, such as birthdays, incorrect heights and blood types. There is no such information in the Production Note except for the height ranges provided in the [[:Media:PN 10.jpg|height comparison chart]].

== Gallery ==
=== Merchandise ===
<gallery>
File:Production_note_in_cover.jpg
File:Production_note_out_of_cover.jpg
File:Production note cover.jpg
File:Production notes2.jpg|Extras and illustration
File:Kisseymadokasketch.jpg|Takahiro Kishida illustration
File:Production Note Bookmark.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry Charlotte bookmark, front and back
File:Production_Note_0029.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry Kyubey bookmark, front and back
File:Production notes4.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry postcard, front and back
</gallery>

=== Early Character Designs ===
See also: [[Guidebook#Early_Character_Designs|Guidebook's Early Character Designs]]
<gallery>
File:Madohomu prodsketch.jpg|[[Madoka Kaname]] and [[Homura Akemi]]
File:Homura prodsketch.jpg|Homura Akemi
File:Production note Homura design.jpg|Homura Akemi
File:Mami prodsketch.jpg|[[Mami Tomoe]]
File:Production note Mami design 1.jpg|Mami Tomoe
File:Production note Mami design 2.jpg|Mami Tomoe
File:Sayaka prodsketch.jpg|[[Sayaka Miki]]
File:Kyoko prodsketch.jpg|[[Kyoko Sakura]]
</gallery>

=== Character Design ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[Guidebook#Episodic_Coverage_and_Character_Pages|Guidebook Character Pages]], [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]] and [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Blu-Ray_Booklets|Blu-Ray/DVD Booklets]].
<gallery>
File:PN 10.jpg|Height Comparison
File:PN 21.jpg|Madoka, [[Kyubey]]
File:PN 75.jpg|Madoka
File:PN 87.jpg|Madoka OP
File:PN 09.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 56.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 57.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 58.jpg|Goddess Madoka‎
File:PN 59.jpg|Goddess Madoka's wing
File:PN 47.jpg|Homura ‎
File:PN 35.jpg|Kyubey
File:Artbook New 15.jpg|Mami
File:Artbook New 17.jpg|Mami
|Kyoko
File:Production_Note_Kyoko_Injuries.jpg|Kyoko, ep. 9 injuries
File:Artbook_New_22.jpg|[[Junko‎ Kaname]]
File:PN 80.jpg|[[Kyousuke Kamijou]] and [[Kazuko Saotome]]
</gallery>

=== Weapons ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[:Media:Guidebook_0071.jpg|Guidebook Weapons page]] and [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]].
<gallery>
File:PN 13.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 14.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 22.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 55.jpg|Homura's shield
File:PN 65.jpg|Homura's pipe bombs
File:PN 67.jpg|Sayaka's cutlass
File:PN 66.jpg|Sayaka's cutlass
File:PN 70.jpg|Mami's muskets
File:PN 71.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 72.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 73.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 74.jpg|Kyoko's spear
</gallery>

=== Soul Gems and Grief Seeds ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]] and [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]].
<gallery>
File:Production Note 0007.jpg
File:Image Note 0072.jpg|[[Soul Gem]]/[[Grief Seed‎]]
File:PN 53.jpg|Soul Gem
File:PN 61.jpg|Grief Seeds
</gallery>

=== Witch Designs ===
See also [[Guidebook#Production_Materials|Guidebook's Production Materials]]
<gallery>
File:Production Notes Page 1.jpg|[[Walpurgis Night]]
File:Image Note 0002.jpg|Walpurgisnacht
File:PN 20.jpg|Walpurgis Night
File:PN 84.jpg|Walpurgis Night's Minions
File:PN 86.jpg
File:Production Note 0014.jpg|Other Magical Girls in the end credits
File:Production Note 0111.jpg|[[Gertrud]]'s Maze
File:PN 15.jpg|[[Charlotte]]
File:PN 24.jpg|Charlotte
File:Production note Charlotte 1.jpg|Charlotte
File:Image Note 0073.jpg|Charlotte
File:PN 81.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production note Charlotte 2.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production note Charlotte 3.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production Note 0011.jpg|[[Elsa Maria]]
File:PN 17.jpg|Elsa Maria
File:PN 18.jpg|Elsa Maria
File:PN 05.jpg|Character silhouettes within Elsa Maria's barrier
File:Production Notes Page 2.jpg|[[Oktavia von Seckendorff]]
File:Image Note 0076.jpg|Oktavia von Seckendorff
File:PN 27.jpg|[[Izabel]]
File:PN 28.jpg|Various
File:PN 88.jpg
File:PN 89.jpg
File:PN 90.jpg
File:Image Note 0075.jpg
</gallery>

=== Episode Sketches and Storyboards ===
See also [[Guidebook#Production_Materials|Guidebook's Production Materials]], [[Otona_Anime_Vol.21|Otona Anime Vol. 21]], [[Magical_Girl_Magazine_(Otona_Anime)|Otona Anime (Magical Girl)]] [[Storyboards_and_Sketches|Storyboards and Sketches]]
<gallery>
File:Image Note.jpg|Episodes overview
File:Image Note 0001.jpg
</gallery>
==== Episode 1 ====
<gallery>
File:Image_Note_0003.jpg
File:Image Note 0004.jpg|
File:Image Note 0005.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0006.jpg|
</gallery>
==== Episode 2 ====
<gallery>
File:Image_Note_0012.jpg|[[Witch Runes/Episode 1|Anthony's Poem / Runes]]
File:Image_Note_0013.jpg|[[Witch Runes/Episode 2|More Runes]]
File:Image Note 0007.jpg|Gertrud
File:Image Note 0008.jpg
File:Image Note 0009.jpg
File:Image Note 0010.jpg
File:Image Note 0011.jpg
</gallery>
==== Episode 3 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0014.jpg
File:Image Note 0015.jpg|Charlotte witch barrier
File:Image Note 0016.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0017.jpg|Charlotte
File:Image Note 0018.jpg|Nurse familiars
File:Image Note 0019.jpg|Storyboards
File:Image Note 0020.jpg
File:Image Note 0021.jpg
File:Image Note 0022.jpg
File:Image Note 0023.jpg
File:Image Note 0024.jpg
File:Image Note 0025.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 4 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0026.jpg|[[Elly]] (Kirsten) witch barrier
File:Image Note 0027.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0028.jpg|Elly
File:PN 19.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 5 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0029.jpg|Familiars, [[Puella Magi Production Note#Anja|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0030.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 6 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0031.jpg|[[Inu Daruma Brothers]] (Dog Drug Reinforcement)
File:Image Note 0032.jpg|More DDR
</gallery>

==== Episode 7 ====
<gallery>
File:Production Note 0009.jpg
File:Production Note 0010.jpg
File:Image Note 0033.jpg|Elsa Maria witch barrier
File:Image Note 0034.jpg
File:Production Note 0015.jpg|Elsa Maria and magical girl silhouettes
File:Image Note 0035.jpg|Storyboards
File:Image Note 0037.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Elsa_Maria_Storyboard_7|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0038.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 8 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0039.jpg
File:Image Note 0040.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 9 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0041.jpg|Oktavia's witch barrier
File:Image Note 0042.jpg
File:Image Note 0043.jpg
File:Image Note 0046.jpg
File:Image Note 0045.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 10 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0048.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Izabel|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0049.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Kriemhild_Gretchen.2C_Timeline_2_Version|Partially Translated]]
File:Image Note 0050.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Oktavia_von_Seckendorff.2C_Timeline_3_Version|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0051.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Roberta|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0052.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Walpurgisnacht, Episode 10 version|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0053.jpg|Octavia, timeline 3
File:Image Note 0054.jpg
File:Image Note 0055.jpg
File:Image Note 0056.jpg|Hitomi familiar
File:Image Note 0057.jpg|Roberta
</gallery>

==== Episode 11 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0060.jpg
File:Image Note 0061.jpg|Walpurgis Night
</gallery>

==== Compilation ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0065.jpg
File:Image Note 0066.jpg
File:Image Note 0067.jpg
File:Image Note 0068.jpg
File:Image Note 0069.jpg
File:Image Note 0070.jpg
File:Image Note 0071.jpg
File:Image_Note_0074.jpg
</gallery>

=== Background/Architecture ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[:Media:Guidebook_0069.jpg|Guidebook Architecture page 1]], and [[:Media:Guidebook_0070.jpg|Guidebook Architecture page 2]]
<gallery>
File:Sayaka's Room.jpg|Sayaka's Room </gallery>

== See Also ==
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Art Book]]
* [[Storyboards and Sketches]]
* [[Guidebook]]
* [[Key Animation Note]]
* [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Storyboards_and_Sketches|Miscellaneous Documents section on Storyboards and Sketches]]
* [[Translated_Official_Documents|Translated magazines]]

== Links ==
* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-08-02/madoka-magica-496-page-archive-weighs-in-at-1.6-kg ANN announcement on Production Note]
* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-12-12/2nd-madoka-magica-production-note-book-archive-to-be-sold ANN announcement on volume 2]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Products and merchandise]]
[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Translation request]]

Puella Magi Production Note

2026-07-17T01:57:37Z

Romi1908: /* Walpurgisnacht's Procession */

[[File:Production Notes Updated.jpg|Production Note|thumb]]
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Production Note are a set of 496 pages in two volumes that were first sold in a limited edition version at Comic Market 80 from August 12, 2011 to August 14 2011. It is currently on sale to the general public.
SHAFT, collaborating with graphics designer Milky Isobe, compiled and edited 352 pages of production materials and 144 pages of art by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]. The book set measures 268 x 195 x 47 millimeters (about 10.5 x 7.6 x 1.9 inches) and 1.629 kilograms (3.59 pounds).

Each set contains a B5-sized illustration sheet of Madoka by character designer Takahiro Kishida.

The limited first edition sold at Comic Market 80 also has:
*Gekidan Inu Curry designed postcard
*[[Charlotte]] bookmark
*[[Kyubey]] bookmark

This, along with other Madoka-related merchandise, was reportedly [http://yaraon.blog109.fc2.com/blog-entry-3343.html sold out] at the Aniplex booth around 11:15 am on the first day of Comic Market. Additional merchandise was added for sale the last two days of Comic Market 80.

A sequel was released in late 2014 for [[The Rebellion Story]] titled "[[Rebellion Production Note]]."

== Key Animation Note ==
A follow-up to the Production Note, please go [[Key_Animation_Note|here]] for more information. There are seven volumes of the Key Animation Note.

== Translations of Select Pages ==
=== Witch of cheesecake (early concept that later became [[Charlotte]]) ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Cheesecake_witch_cropped.png|250px]]
|''Full scan page [[:Media:Image Note 0067.jpg|here]]'' '''Topmost left lines:''' Weak witch One-whole cheesecake '''Upper middle:''' "It's really a delicious cheesecake. My dying mother wanted to eat it. But, perhaps, I should have cured her disease instead. However, that surely wasn't appropriate." '''Right, top-to-bottom:''' A witch-space that became the basis for the witch of dessert from ep. 3 and the minion of the witch of scribbles from ep. 5. She became a magical girl for one-whole cheesecake, and after becoming a witch, clings to that cheesecake. The witch of dessert in the main series is the reverse of this; she obtained "one single cheesecake" in strict accordance with her wish. After turning into a witch, the only thing her magic cannot make is cheese, and she became a very strong witch. '''Left diagram:''' It feels as if the scrambled-street parts keep having yellow paint dumped on them. Fork A single cheesecake floats in the air. The weird-looking witch stands atop it. '''Middle, with diagrams:''' Light source: Dim yellow light from the center They leer inward from under cover. Minions: Mouse-looking things that scurry around underfoot (small) '''Bottom diagram:''' When the witch escapes, its space moves with it. Aaa-h Spwohn After being caught up in it, the people who were in the previously-scrambled streets pop out into the normal streets. '''Bottom Right:''' Upon the witch's death Crushed into gooey-looking cheese There's a small, high, mouse-like 'kiii-' or 'chiii-' noise.
|'''Topmost left lines:''' ヨワイマジョ ワンホール・チーズケーキ '''Upper middle:''' 「とてもおいしいチーズケーキ。 死にかけのお母さんが食べたがっていたの。 でも、もしかすると、お母さんの病気でも治してあげたらよかったカスラ。 けれど、きっとそれはそおいうことでもないのダワ。」 '''Right, top-to-bottom:''' ３話お菓子の魔女と ５話落書きの魔女の使い魔の 元になった魔女空間です。 ワンホールのチーズケーキで魔法少女になり、 魔女化した後もチーズケーキにしがみついています。 本編お菓子の魔女はこれとは逆に、 厳密にその願い通り「ひとつきりのチーズケーキ」 を手に入れ、魔女化した後も チーズだけは魔法を使って出すことが出来なくなり とても強い魔女になりました。 '''Left diagram:''' ゴチャゴチャ街部分に 黄色いペンキをぶっかけまくってるカンジ フォーク チーズケーキがひとつ浮いてて。 その上に変なマジョがのってる '''Middle, with diagrams:''' 光源 ぼんやり中心部から黄色ライト 物陰からコソコソ見てるだけ 手下 ねずみみたいなの足元チョロチョロしてる・小さき '''Bottom diagram:''' マジョ逃げると空間ごと移動する わー スポン 中にいた人は 一度ゴチャゴチャ街へまきこまれてから スポンと普通の街へ '''Bottom Right:''' マジョ死ぬとき べちゃとチーズみたいにつぶれる 「キー」とか「チー」とか小さくカン高いネズミみたいな音。
|}

=== [[Anja]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

Note: She was originally designed as the witch, then [[Albertine]] replaced Anja as the witch and Anja became the familiar.

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0029.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃05 Back alley. '''Upper left:''' Weak witch 
There isn't a clearly-defined barrier. The green area is the barrier. Painted green, no shadows in the green area. 
Becomes like a stuck-on 2D poster. The boundary line moves and bounces around. '''Middle:''' Yellow balls bounce around only in the green area. The witch continually chases them. '''Middle left:''' Witch: A character reminiscent of a Showa-era poster. Stuck on. No shadow. No sense of depth. Her lower body turns into a car and an airplane and such. '''Lower Left:''' Zooms around in the green area and chases balls. In the end, it's less like she's fleeing and more like she's just chasing more balls and scooting off somewhere. '''Right:''' She changes the humans around her into new balls, and eats the balls if she gets hungry. No matter how many new balls she gets, though, because she isn't that bright, she loses them immediately. She chases after balls throughout her whole life.
|'''Topmost left line:''' 
＃０５　路地裏。 '''Upper left:''' 弱いマジョ 明確な結界はなし。 緑の中が結界。 緑色ベタぬり緑の中は影なし ベタッと２Dのポスター調になる 境界線ぽよんぽよんうごく '''Middle:''' ＊緑の中だけで黄色いボールがはねまわってる それを追いかけつづけるマジョ '''Middle left:''' マジョ 昭和のポスターみたいなキャラ ベタッと影なし。立体感無視。 下半身、車や飛行機になって '''Lower Left:''' 緑の中をとびまわってボールを追う。 最後も逃げるというよりボールを追いかけて そのままどこかへ行ってしまう。 '''Right:''' 彼女はまわりの人間を新しいボールへと変え、 おなかがすいたらボールを食べます。 どんなに新しいボールを手に入れても 彼女はあまり賢くないのですぐになくしてしまいます。 彼女は一生ボールを追いかけています。
|}

=== [[Walpurgis_Night|Walpurgisnacht]]===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0052.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' Rainbow light (Brocken spectre) '''Upper left:''' Basically the same as episode 1. +Feels like there's bonfires here and there. Episode 1 is "What on earth is going on here?" Episode 10 is "It's like a ceremony" Buildings are piled up '''Lower left:''' Bonfires here and there throughout downtown. Tires, debris and dead bodies are piled up. ＊In episode 10, Walpurgis is still only partially visible. The whole thing suddenly snaps into focus in episode 11. '''Right, top to bottom:''' She will turn all of fate's misfortune to nothing. She will flood the earth with magic, and take all of humankind into her play. A moving stage construction. If all of this is a play, then there is no such thing as sadness. It may be a tragedy, but it's merely the way that kind of script was performed. The play stops on Walpurgisnacht, and the earth does not turn even once more. The story will not change. Tomorrow, and the day after, is the night of Walpurgis.
|'''Topmost left line:''' 虹色の光（ブロッケン現象） '''Upper left:''' 基本は１話と同じ。 ＋カガリ火のイメージをあちこちに。 １話は「得体の知れない何か」 １０話は「儀式っぽい」 ビルを積んである '''Lower left:''' 街中のあちこちにもカガリ火。 
車やガレキ死体を積んである ＊１０話ではワルプルギスまだ部分的にしか見えない。 全体にピント合ってハッキリ見えるのは１１話。 '''Right, top to bottom:''' 全ての運命の不幸を無くそうとする。 地上をマホウで埋め尽くし、 全人類を戯曲の中へ取り込もうとする。 動く舞台装置。 この全てが戯曲ならば悲しい事など何もない。 悲劇ではあるかもしれないけれど、ただ、そおいう脚本を演じただけ。 ワルプルギスの夜で芝居は止まって もう地球は１周だって回転しない。 物語は転換しない。 明日も明後日も、ワルプルギスの夜。
|}

====#01_Beginning: Walpurgisnacht Image Cut====
[[File:033_1.jpg|right|300px]]
An upside-down city and a sky with a hole in it. Walpurgisnacht's halo over the top of an upside-down mountain.
{{-}}

====Early Walpurgis (Initial Designs)====
[[File:055_1.jpg|right|300px]]
Spreads out like dandelion fluff being blown. (たんぽぽのわたげが吹いたみたいにひろがった)

When you go "Fuuu~" (blow), flames come out. (ふうーってやると炎がでる。)

The form of the flames: A winding, wavy feel, like those seen in old Japanese paintings. (炎のフォルム、昔の日本画とかの、うねうね状のかんじ。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht Concept Draft (ワルプルギス案)====
[[File:056_1.png|right|300px]]

Text: Kyahaha (キャハハハハハ)

Behavior: Spinning around innocently, as if running around a field. (野原をかけ回るようなムジャキにくるくるまわっている。)

Main Body (本体): (Produces gears. / は出す。)

* Tip of the gear: Light (照明ピカ)

* When inverted, the rod part retracts (Normal state). (ひっくりかえると棒の部分ひっこむ（通常。）)

Design elements:

* Claws (つめ)

* Clock (とけい)

* Western person's (noble's) hat. Hard. (西洋の人（貴族）のぼうし。カタイ。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht's Procession====
[[File:110.jpg|right|300px]]
On both sides of Homura as she waits on the ground, the illusion of a parade appears first. (グラウンドで待つほむらの両サイドに先にパレードの幻が現れる)

(Elephants, marching bands, carriages, giant puppets/dolls, etc.) (象や楽団や馬車、巨大人形など）)

While Walpurgis itself is a theatrical stage, the parade itself is a circus. (ワルプルギスは演劇舞台だけどパレード自体はサーカス。)

Upon arrival: Walpurgis's neck is being pulled along by the circus. (登場時ワルプルギス、首をサーカスに引っ張られてる。)

The net is severed by Homura's attack. (ほむらの攻撃で網は切れる。)
{{-}}

====Episode #11 Walpurgisnacht====
[[File:111.jpg|right|300px]]
In addition to the stage on Walpurgis's body, illusions of magical girls are performing a play throughout the city. (ワルプルギスの体の舞台に加えて、街中で、マホウ少女たちの幻影が芝居をしている。)

↑ (Avant-garde dance) Semi-transparent, hologram-like. Faces and expressions cannot be seen. (↑（前衛ダンス）半透明、ホログラム的な。顔や表情は見えない。)

Walpurgis destroys the city, but the illusions of the girls are just doing things like dancing on top of the rubble. (ワルプルギスは街を壊すけど、
少女の幻はがれきの上で踊ったりしてるだけ。)

● Performance of the Dancing Magical Girls (● 踊るマホウ少女達の公演)

The appearances of the witches from episodes #01 to #10 during their days as magical girls. (＃01～10に出てくる魔女のマホウ少女時代の姿。)

(Designed so they can be identified by their main color and items)（メインカラーとアイテムで分かるような）

＋ Also including the appearances of Mami, Sayaka, and Kyouko. (マミやさやか、杏子の姿も。)

• Voices and Lines (・声やセリフ)

A few lines selected from around the scene where Margarete goes mad in Faust, Part One ("Prison"). (ファウスト第一部「牢獄」での、発狂したマルガレーテのセリフらへんからいくつか。)

★ In German. (★ドイツ語で。)

Example) Song: 例) 歌

''My cruel mother,'' (わたしのひどい母さんが、)

''she killed me.'' (わたしを殺してしまったの。)

''And my wicked father,'' (そして悪者の父さんが、)

''he ate me.'' (わたしを食べてしまったの。)

''My little sister,'' (わたしの小さな妹さんが、)

''gathered up my bones,'' (わたしの骨を拾い上げ、)

''and buried them in a cold grave.'' (冷たいお墓に埋めました。)

''I became a beautiful bird,'' (わたしはきれいな鳥になり、)

''and flew far away.'' (遠くへ飛んで行くのです。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht (Night of Walpurgis) Settings====
[[File:122.jpg|right|300px]]
★ A massive entity that is somehow incomprehensible. (★ なんだかよくわからない巨大なもの)

* Stage

* Gears

* Gears / Retro-style machinery

The stage apparatus itself is the witch.

Stage dialogue: rather than the entity itself speaking... (舞台セリフ、本人がしゃべっているというより)

↑ It plays out from the stage speakers. → When Walpurgis takes damage, the audio quality of the dialogue speakers distorts and gets mixed with static/noise. (↑ 舞台のスピーカーから流れる → ワルプルギスがダメージをうけるとセリフのスピーカーに音質がゆがみ雑音がまじる。)

* The actors are other magical girls (large numbers). They have no faces, but figures like Sayaka and others are among them. (・役者は他のマホウショージョ達（多数）
顔はない、さやか等の姿も。)

* She moves around while putting on a performance: The performance is more important to her than attacking enemies. If she loses sight of her target, she begins moving toward densely populated areas. (The city is destroyed just by her movement.) (〇公演しながら移動している。→ 敵への攻撃よりも公演が大事。相手を見失うと、人の多い所目指して移動開始。
（移動だけで街はこわれていく。))

* Walpurgisnacht: All of the witches encountered up until now make an appearance. (・ワルプルギスの夜今までのマジョが全員出てくる。)

Initial concept image of Walpurgis. Later, a music-box-like doll was attached to it upside down. However, the main body itself remains gears. (ワルプルギスの初期イメージ。後にオルゴールのような人形をとりつけ逆さまに。でも本体は歯車のままです。)

A giant fate / massive destiny. (巨大な運命)

'''Inside Box:''' Like a circular saw, a massive number of gears attack while spinning around it. (Normally, they rotate in a circle underneath Walpurgis, continuously grinding away at the ground.) (大量の歯車が周りを回転しながら攻撃してくる（普段はワルプルギスの下を円形に回転して地面を削り続けている))

'''Right of Box:''' The gear attack is carried over into the Mermaid Witch's (Sayaka's witch form) wheel attack. We applied the imagery of rotating/spinning objects to witches in general. (歯車攻撃は人魚の魔女の車輪攻撃に引き継がれています。魔女全般には回転するもののイメージを当てはめました。)

Powerful Witch. Walpurgis of "Theatre" (ツヨイマジョ「演劇」のワルプルギス)

''"This world was entirely a lie. My life is nothing more than a play written by you. Please, prove it."'' (「この世界はすべて嘘でした。私の人生はあなたの書いた戯曲にすぎません。それを、証明して下さい。」)

''Faust'' is currently being performed. (On the upper stage) (「ファウスト」が上演中。（上部舞台にて）)

• The pact between Dr. Faust and the devil Mephisto (the beginning section) → leading into Walpurgisnacht. (・ファウスト博士と悪魔メフィストの契約（はじめのところ） → ワルプルギスの夜へ)

'''Pointing to the sphere:''' (Ground) It is so massive that it looks like a spaceship.

'''Pointing to the gears:''' Stage apparatus. Gears. Massive.

'''Top of right sketch:''' The barrier is huge. The sky is visible. (結界でかい空見えてる。)

'''Below right sketch:''' Buildings and the ground twist and warp around the perimeter like a fence.

At this stage, rather than the final anime's canon explanation that "she is so strong she doesn't need a barrier," it was being designed under the interpretation that the barrier is simply so colossally massive that its boundaries are impossible to discern.

Magical girl posters/flyers designed to look like theatrical play bills are plastered all over the surrounding city.

Pages from ''Faust'' are fluttering through the air.
{{-}}

=== [[Izabel]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0048.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃10A - Evening, on the road to the school. '''Upper left:''' A sky like a Van Gogh painting. An oil-painting-like taste. Orange and white. (Tomb.) Stone monuments. Incredibly large memorials. The ground. Ash-gray and white. '''Lower left:''' Minions. The entire ground. Undulating. Like Picasso's Guernica. Patchwork. ☆The witch's lines are spoken by her minions. '''Middle:''' Witch: Part of the relief. (Actually, though, the whole arch is the witch.) While Homura is distracted by the minions, something like a triumphal arch springs up behind her with incredible speed (stop-motion). '''Upper Right:''' Streaming out of the gate Since the scene where they appeared in the main part is brief, make them just about to come out... or something like that may be good '''Middle Right:''' She joins human parts together to build human statues that greatly resemble some person. She uses them to attack (minion #2).
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃10A - 夕方、通学路。 '''Upper left:''' ゴッホみたいな空。 油絵テイスト。オレンジと白。 [墓]。 碑石など。偉大な記念達。 地面。灰色と白。 '''Lower left:''' 手下。 地面のすべて。うねって動く ピカソのゲルニカぽい。パッチワーク ☆マジョのセリフは手下がしゃべっている。 '''Middle:''' マジョ レリーフの一部（実際は門全体がマジョ） 手下に気を取られるほむらの 背前に、すごいスピードで（コマ撮り） 凱旋門的なものが健つ。 '''Upper Right:''' 門からぞろぞろ出てくる 本編登場シーン短いので 出ようとしているとこで・・・ くらいでもいいかも '''Middle Right:''' 人間の部位を組み合わせた 誰かのそっくり彫像人間を練成したりする。 それを使って攻撃（手下２）。
|}

=== [[Suleika]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0014.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost line:''' #03A - Night Park ☆The witch is weak, so priority is given to the [barrier's] surroundings. Dies quickly. '''Upper left:''' Jungle gym Witch: A shooting star caught in a jungle gym. Dummy. '''Upper right:''' Feels like they're fighting in the night sky. It's pretty. Sparkly There's ''Book''-layer stars up front, too. ''[TN: The word 'Book', written in English, refers to a background layer placed above the character animation layer.]'' Lots of shooting stars. '''Bottom:''' The minions are (whitish) shadows projected on the night sky. They're always dancing repetitively. '''Lower right:''' Barrier. The surrounding-wall section: Actually soil or concrete. It's not like everything is floating. It's as if a starlit sky was packed up inside it.
|'''Topmost line:''' ＃０３ A 夜の公園 ☆マジョ弱いので環境優先。すぐ死ぬ。 '''Upper left:''' ジャングルジム マジョジャングルジムにひっかかった流れ星。 バカ '''Upper right:''' 夜空の中で戦ってるカンジ。キレイ。 キラキラ 手前にも Bookで星。 流れ星たくさん。 '''Bottom:''' 手下たちは夜空に映る影（白っぽい）ずっとリピートダンスしている。 '''Lower right:''' 結界 周囲カベ部分。実際は地面とかコンクリ。みんな浮いてる訳ではない。内側に星空がとじこめてある。
|}

=== [[Roberta]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0051.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Smashed-up doll parts fall like snow (2) Music box springs and doll parts (3) Birdmen flying around the cage (4) Clock face. Also gears. (5) Dead birdmen, trampled by the witch (6) A hysterically thrashing pair of legs in a cage. The chain it's tied to makes an annoying smashing sound. (7) A witch who lived for a long time as a magical girl. She is weak, as she was no longer a girl when she became a witch (mid-20s to 30s?). The form she takes in her barrier is how she would've turned out in the future (around 40s). What she desires is life. Enjoys alcohol and books. (8) The witch, post-explosion. Stuff drifting down around Homura: *Burning book pages *Sparkly bottle shards *Doll and bird parts *Witch blood (9) Rough background (far-off): Sparkly curtains. Shelves lined with books and liquor bottles. One layer. Feels a bit like a bar.
|(1) 雪みたいにバラバラの人形パーツ降ってる。 (2) オルゴールのゼンマイと人形のパーツ (3) かごのまゆりを飛んでる鳥人間 (4) 時計の盤面。歯車とか。 (5) 魔女踏まれて死んだ鳥人間 (6) かごの中でヒステリックにあばれる足。つながれている鎖ガチャガチャうるさい。 (7) 魔法少女としてけっこう長く生きた魔女。魔女化する頃はもう少女でもなかったので魔女としては弱い。（２０代中盤～３０代くらい？）結界の中の姿は来るハズだった未来の姿。（４０代くらい）欲しかった物は人生。お酒と本が好き。 (8) 魔女、爆破後ほむらの周りにゆっくり降りそそいでいる・燃える本のページ・キラキラビンの破片・人形と鳥のパーツ・魔女の血。 (9) 背景ボケ（遠い）キラキラ暖簾。本と酒ビンの並んだ棚。一面に。ちょっとバーみたいなイメージ。
|}

=== [[Oktavia von Seckendorff]], Timeline 3 Version ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0050.jpg|200px]]
|(1) A thumping laser light show in a dark concert hall. (2) Monitor (3) Empty seats (4) Lights (5) Homura and co. (6)This time only the top half appears. The bottom half is like the hanamichi stage from an enka performace. [''TN: this might refer to a TV show from the 70s called Enka no Hanamichi (演歌の花道)''] (7) Backup dancers (8) There's actually a band around here. There's no need to display it, though. (9) Overhead view (10) Witch Sayaka. Colors are different from episode 8. The basic colors are Sayaka's colors, the same as in episode 8, but the parts aside from those are different. (11) ☆ In the past, before the loops happened, Kyousuke was a guitarist.
|(1) 暗い会場にレーザーライトバシバシ。 (2) モニター (3) 空の客席 (4) ライト (5)ほむら達 (6) 今回は上半分しか出ない。下半分は演歌の花道ステージ。 (7) バックダンサーズ (8) 本当はこのへんにバンド。映らなくても良い。 (9) 上から見た図 (10) さやか魔女＃８と色違い。基本色はさやかの色。8話と同じ。それ以外の部分の色がちがう。 (11) ☆ くり返し前の過去では恭介はギタリスト。
|}

===Oktavia von Seckendorff's Interior (Episode 9)===
[[File:099.jpg|right|300px]]
Basic silhouette (Almost invisible.) 基本シルエット（ほぼみえない。）

Like a poorly-received hologram, when it flickers/glitches ("za-za-za"), you can see the inside just a little bit. (映りのわるいホログラムみたいに、ザザザッとなってるときちょっとだけ中身がみえる)

A feeling of oozing/melting downwards in a continuous, scrolling motion. (下に送りでどろどろしているかんじ。)

It’s not that she responds when Madoka speaks or calls out to her; she completely lacks any sense of self, and her inside is a gooey, pitch-black, hopeless mess. (まどかが語り呼びかけに応じるとかじゃなくて、完全に自我はなく、中身もどろどろのまっくろ、どうしようもないかんじ。)

Eyeballs are endlessly spilling out from where the eyes normally are. They are not tears. (通常目があるところからとめどなく目玉がこぼれおちてくる。涙ではない。)

=== [[Kriemhild Gretchen]], Timeline 2 (?) Version ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0049 bottom.jpg|250px]]
|''Full scan page [[:Media:Image Note 0049.jpg|here]]'' - [Editor's Note: Because of the placement on the same page as [[Patricia]], this is likely to refer to Kriemhild Gretchen of timeline 2.] '''Top Left:''' Giant Madoka Witch (Sky) Golden-colored. Divine. Size comparison: Walpurgis '''Bottom Left:''' Witch Madoka While Walpurgis looks like the upper half of a sand timer [Madoka Witch] looks like the lower half '''Right Side, Upper Left:''' Besides the few kilometers around Madoka not being affected (location where Sayaka lies), everything else is sucked in quickly on a continental scale '''Far Right:''' Madoka Witch plans to swallow the entire Earth whole into her barrier and create a new heaven '''Lower Left:''' The barrier is so enormous that it is trying to suck up the Earth along with it
|'''Top Left:''' 巨大まどかマジョ （空）黄金色　神々しい サイズ　比　ワルプルギス '''Bottom Left:''' マジョまどか ワルプルギス　砂時計の上半分に対して 下半分みたいな '''Right Side, Upper Left:''' まどかの周囲数km だけのこして（さやかの居る所） 他は、大陸規模でどんどん吸われてる '''Far Right:''' まどかマジョ結界へ地球をまるっと吸い込んで 新しい天国を作る予定 '''Lower Left:''' 結界が巨大すぎて地球ごと吸い上げようとしている
|}

=== [[Elsa Maria]] Storyboard 7 ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0037.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Sayaka just falls on top of the witch (2) Cross PAN　DOWN (3) In a position mounting the witch (4) pass the sword underhand to another hand (5) witch gradually falls down (6) color of blood compared with ep. 3 (7) more florescent spots (with feels of xx) [TN: not readable] when they are scattered in air, they turn immediately into black silhouettes (8) Sword, Fr (frame?), backlight (9) blood that look like a design decoration (to some extent, disregard any feel of depth) (10) very sticky blood (11) "A ha ha ha ha... it is true...." (12) like filled up with viscous red and black paint (13) eye in trance (14) witch arms frightened in spasms (15) (omitted) sword stab with crunching noise, rattling sound (16) witch in silhouette (17) keep chopping off (18) sound graphic (19) with hallelujah BGM (20) and graphic sounds of cutting flesh (21) to next episode
|(1) そのままマジョの上へ落下, (2) 十字架 (3) マジョにマウントポジション (4) 剣逆手に持ちかえてる (5) マジョゆっくりたおれてく (6) 血の色３話と比べて (7) 蛍光寄り（？）　光ってるカンジ空中に飛び散るとすぐ黒いシルエットに (8) 剣, Fr, 逆光 (9) 血デザイン的に（ある程度　立体感無視） (10) 血すごいねっとり (11) 「あはは、本当だあ・・・・～」 (12) ドロドロ赤と黒い絵の具でぬりつぶしたような (13) 目うっとり (14) マジョうでビクビクけいれん (15) （中略）剣　ザクザクさして (16) シルエットでマジョ (17) 切りきざみ続ける (18) 音　生々しい (19) ハレルヤBGMと (20) 生々しい肉切り音の中 (21) 次回へ
|}

===Wraith Concept Draft===
[[File:Image_Note_0062_TL.png|800px]]

=== "Giant Universe Witch Concept / Draft" | Witch of Despair Design Draft ===

Translation courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0063.jpg|200px]]
|(0) (Nobody's witch. An air doll born from the despair of all magical girls.) 
(1) Overall 
(2) Face: Only this area is faintly visible 
(3) Hand: Something dark, giant body 
(4) Chest: Lines like blood vessels, appearing shiny 
(5) Overall: The face could be in the center as well? 
(6) Background 
(7) Earth 
(8) Face part 
(9) Face sphere 
(10) Half of the face: Pure white 
(11) Hair part: Striped pattern of Jupiter 
(12) Eye: Planet 
(13) Mouth: Holding the Moon in its mouth 
(14) The face looks like Munch's painting 
 
(15) Description: 
(16) The witch expands and bursts on its own. 
(17) When something amoeba-like that came out from inside tries to swallow the Earth, Hyper Madoka Beam strikes. 
(18) An air doll expanded by despair. It keeps inflating like a balloon. 

|(0) 誰でもないマジョ。全てのマホウ少女の絶望から生まれた空気人形。) 
(1) (全体): 
(2) ( — このへんだけぼんやり見える) 
(3) ( ←なにか暗い巨大な体) 
(4) ( — 血管みたいな線光って見える) 
(5) (←カオ真ん中でも良いカモ？) 
(6) (背景): 
(7) (地球) 
(8) (顔部分): 
(9) (カオ球体) 
(10) ( — まっしろ) 
(11) ( — 木星のシマ模様。) 
(12) (惑星) 
(13) (月くわえている) 
(14) (カオ、ムンクの絵みたいな。) 
(15) (説明): 
(16) (マジョふくらんで勝手に割れる) 
(17) (中から出てきたアメーバ状の何かが出現し、地球をのみこもうとした時、ハイパーまどかビーム。) 
(18) (絶望でふくらんだ空気人形。風船のようにどんどんふくらんでいく。) 
|}

===Witch Nature Settings:===
[[File:116.jpg|right|300px]]

Puella Magi Production Note Ep. 12 Character Settings:

* The Rose Witch / Distrust (Trusts nothing but roses. Distrust of humans. Repels anyone who enters the rose garden.) バラのマジョ / 不信 (バラ以外は信用しない。人間不信。バラ園に入ってきた奴を撃退。)

* The Darkness Witch / Delusion (No such thing as morning will come. Doing nothing but dreaming. My surroundings remain night forever.) 暗闇のマジョ / 妄想 (朝など来ません。夢ばかり見ている。永遠に私の周りは夜のまま。)

* The Witch of Sweets / Attachment (#03 Setting (Ref)) お菓子のマジョ / 未練 (#03 設 (参))

* The Box Witch / Longing (A shut-in girl (→ The real me can go anywhere. Just like when I was a child.) Envy and yearning for the outside world.) ハコのマジョ / 憧憬 (ひきこもりの女の子 (→ 本当の私はどこへだって行ける。子供の頃みたいに。) 外の世界への妬みと憧れ。)

* The Ball Witch / Ignorance (#05 (Ref)) ボールのマジョ / 無知 (#5 (参))

* The Prayer Witch / Self-righteousness (#07 (Ref)) 祈りのマジョ / 独善 (#07(参))

* Sayaka Witch / Infatuation (Excessive power to protect their crush) さやかのマジョ / 恋慕 (恋を守るためにありあまる力)

* The Dog Witch / Craving (Wanting to receive affection from others) イヌのマジョ / 渇望 (他人から愛されたい）

* The Artist Witch / Vanity (#10 (Ref)) 芸術家のマジョ / 虚栄 (#10 (参))

* The Sky Witch / Onlooker (Witches and magical girls don't matter to me. I'll pretend I didn't see anything. I just want to enjoy my school life.) 空のマジョ / 傍観 (マジョもマホウも関係ない。見なかったことにする。私は学校生活をエンジョイしたいだけ。）

* The Leg Witch / Anger (#10 (Ref)) 足のマジョ / 憤怒 (#10 (参))

* Walpurgis / Powerlessness (There is nothing more that can be done. I shall turn everything into a fiction. I shall bring everything to a stop.) ワルプルギス / 無力 (もうどうにもできない。全てを嘘にしてしまおう。全てを止めてしまおう。)

* Madoka Witch / Mercy まどかマジョ / 慈悲

* Giant Universe Witch / Despair 巨大宇宙マジョ / 絶望

☆(The sins and hatred of the Witches forgiven by Hyper Madoka in Episode 12. Derived from the personality of each Witch. - Does it also affect how the effects appear?) ☆(12話でハイパーまどかに許されるマジョの罪と憎悪。各マジョの性格に由来。・エフェクトの出方にも影響？)

* Homura's Magic / Transgression (Breach of the law of time) ほむらのマホウ / 背徳 (時間のルール違反)
{{-}}

=== [[Madoka]] Early Character Design ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:PN 83.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Main heroine (2) cheerful and idealistic girl (3) of good pedigree (4) genius girl (5) "Ring" as an example design of item for transformation (6) ...is it a bit plain?
|(1) メインヒロイン (2) 明るく理想主義のコ (3) 血統の良い (4) 天才肌少女 (5) 変身アイテム案「指輪」 (6) ・・地味でしょうか、、
|}

== Trivia ==
*The Production Note, sometimes described as some variation of "Official Production Notes" is incorrectly cited as a source of false biographical information on the characters, such as birthdays, incorrect heights and blood types. There is no such information in the Production Note except for the height ranges provided in the [[:Media:PN 10.jpg|height comparison chart]].

== Gallery ==
=== Merchandise ===
<gallery>
File:Production_note_in_cover.jpg
File:Production_note_out_of_cover.jpg
File:Production note cover.jpg
File:Production notes2.jpg|Extras and illustration
File:Kisseymadokasketch.jpg|Takahiro Kishida illustration
File:Production Note Bookmark.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry Charlotte bookmark, front and back
File:Production_Note_0029.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry Kyubey bookmark, front and back
File:Production notes4.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry postcard, front and back
</gallery>

=== Early Character Designs ===
See also: [[Guidebook#Early_Character_Designs|Guidebook's Early Character Designs]]
<gallery>
File:Madohomu prodsketch.jpg|[[Madoka Kaname]] and [[Homura Akemi]]
File:Homura prodsketch.jpg|Homura Akemi
File:Production note Homura design.jpg|Homura Akemi
File:Mami prodsketch.jpg|[[Mami Tomoe]]
File:Production note Mami design 1.jpg|Mami Tomoe
File:Production note Mami design 2.jpg|Mami Tomoe
File:Sayaka prodsketch.jpg|[[Sayaka Miki]]
File:Kyoko prodsketch.jpg|[[Kyoko Sakura]]
</gallery>

=== Character Design ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[Guidebook#Episodic_Coverage_and_Character_Pages|Guidebook Character Pages]], [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]] and [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Blu-Ray_Booklets|Blu-Ray/DVD Booklets]].
<gallery>
File:PN 10.jpg|Height Comparison
File:PN 21.jpg|Madoka, [[Kyubey]]
File:PN 75.jpg|Madoka
File:PN 87.jpg|Madoka OP
File:PN 09.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 56.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 57.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 58.jpg|Goddess Madoka‎
File:PN 59.jpg|Goddess Madoka's wing
File:PN 47.jpg|Homura ‎
File:PN 35.jpg|Kyubey
File:Artbook New 15.jpg|Mami
File:Artbook New 17.jpg|Mami
|Kyoko
File:Production_Note_Kyoko_Injuries.jpg|Kyoko, ep. 9 injuries
File:Artbook_New_22.jpg|[[Junko‎ Kaname]]
File:PN 80.jpg|[[Kyousuke Kamijou]] and [[Kazuko Saotome]]
</gallery>

=== Weapons ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[:Media:Guidebook_0071.jpg|Guidebook Weapons page]] and [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]].
<gallery>
File:PN 13.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 14.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 22.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 55.jpg|Homura's shield
File:PN 65.jpg|Homura's pipe bombs
File:PN 67.jpg|Sayaka's cutlass
File:PN 66.jpg|Sayaka's cutlass
File:PN 70.jpg|Mami's muskets
File:PN 71.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 72.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 73.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 74.jpg|Kyoko's spear
</gallery>

=== Soul Gems and Grief Seeds ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]] and [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]].
<gallery>
File:Production Note 0007.jpg
File:Image Note 0072.jpg|[[Soul Gem]]/[[Grief Seed‎]]
File:PN 53.jpg|Soul Gem
File:PN 61.jpg|Grief Seeds
</gallery>

=== Witch Designs ===
See also [[Guidebook#Production_Materials|Guidebook's Production Materials]]
<gallery>
File:Production Notes Page 1.jpg|[[Walpurgis Night]]
File:Image Note 0002.jpg|Walpurgisnacht
File:PN 20.jpg|Walpurgis Night
File:PN 84.jpg|Walpurgis Night's Minions
File:PN 86.jpg
File:Production Note 0014.jpg|Other Magical Girls in the end credits
File:Production Note 0111.jpg|[[Gertrud]]'s Maze
File:PN 15.jpg|[[Charlotte]]
File:PN 24.jpg|Charlotte
File:Production note Charlotte 1.jpg|Charlotte
File:Image Note 0073.jpg|Charlotte
File:PN 81.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production note Charlotte 2.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production note Charlotte 3.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production Note 0011.jpg|[[Elsa Maria]]
File:PN 17.jpg|Elsa Maria
File:PN 18.jpg|Elsa Maria
File:PN 05.jpg|Character silhouettes within Elsa Maria's barrier
File:Production Notes Page 2.jpg|[[Oktavia von Seckendorff]]
File:Image Note 0076.jpg|Oktavia von Seckendorff
File:PN 27.jpg|[[Izabel]]
File:PN 28.jpg|Various
File:PN 88.jpg
File:PN 89.jpg
File:PN 90.jpg
File:Image Note 0075.jpg
</gallery>

=== Episode Sketches and Storyboards ===
See also [[Guidebook#Production_Materials|Guidebook's Production Materials]], [[Otona_Anime_Vol.21|Otona Anime Vol. 21]], [[Magical_Girl_Magazine_(Otona_Anime)|Otona Anime (Magical Girl)]] [[Storyboards_and_Sketches|Storyboards and Sketches]]
<gallery>
File:Image Note.jpg|Episodes overview
File:Image Note 0001.jpg
</gallery>
==== Episode 1 ====
<gallery>
File:Image_Note_0003.jpg
File:Image Note 0004.jpg|
File:Image Note 0005.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0006.jpg|
</gallery>
==== Episode 2 ====
<gallery>
File:Image_Note_0012.jpg|[[Witch Runes/Episode 1|Anthony's Poem / Runes]]
File:Image_Note_0013.jpg|[[Witch Runes/Episode 2|More Runes]]
File:Image Note 0007.jpg|Gertrud
File:Image Note 0008.jpg
File:Image Note 0009.jpg
File:Image Note 0010.jpg
File:Image Note 0011.jpg
</gallery>
==== Episode 3 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0014.jpg
File:Image Note 0015.jpg|Charlotte witch barrier
File:Image Note 0016.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0017.jpg|Charlotte
File:Image Note 0018.jpg|Nurse familiars
File:Image Note 0019.jpg|Storyboards
File:Image Note 0020.jpg
File:Image Note 0021.jpg
File:Image Note 0022.jpg
File:Image Note 0023.jpg
File:Image Note 0024.jpg
File:Image Note 0025.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 4 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0026.jpg|[[Elly]] (Kirsten) witch barrier
File:Image Note 0027.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0028.jpg|Elly
File:PN 19.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 5 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0029.jpg|Familiars, [[Puella Magi Production Note#Anja|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0030.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 6 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0031.jpg|[[Inu Daruma Brothers]] (Dog Drug Reinforcement)
File:Image Note 0032.jpg|More DDR
</gallery>

==== Episode 7 ====
<gallery>
File:Production Note 0009.jpg
File:Production Note 0010.jpg
File:Image Note 0033.jpg|Elsa Maria witch barrier
File:Image Note 0034.jpg
File:Production Note 0015.jpg|Elsa Maria and magical girl silhouettes
File:Image Note 0035.jpg|Storyboards
File:Image Note 0037.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Elsa_Maria_Storyboard_7|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0038.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 8 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0039.jpg
File:Image Note 0040.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 9 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0041.jpg|Oktavia's witch barrier
File:Image Note 0042.jpg
File:Image Note 0043.jpg
File:Image Note 0046.jpg
File:Image Note 0045.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 10 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0048.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Izabel|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0049.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Kriemhild_Gretchen.2C_Timeline_2_Version|Partially Translated]]
File:Image Note 0050.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Oktavia_von_Seckendorff.2C_Timeline_3_Version|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0051.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Roberta|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0052.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Walpurgisnacht, Episode 10 version|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0053.jpg|Octavia, timeline 3
File:Image Note 0054.jpg
File:Image Note 0055.jpg
File:Image Note 0056.jpg|Hitomi familiar
File:Image Note 0057.jpg|Roberta
</gallery>

==== Episode 11 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0060.jpg
File:Image Note 0061.jpg|Walpurgis Night
</gallery>

==== Compilation ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0065.jpg
File:Image Note 0066.jpg
File:Image Note 0067.jpg
File:Image Note 0068.jpg
File:Image Note 0069.jpg
File:Image Note 0070.jpg
File:Image Note 0071.jpg
File:Image_Note_0074.jpg
</gallery>

=== Background/Architecture ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[:Media:Guidebook_0069.jpg|Guidebook Architecture page 1]], and [[:Media:Guidebook_0070.jpg|Guidebook Architecture page 2]]
<gallery>
File:Sayaka's Room.jpg|Sayaka's Room </gallery>

== See Also ==
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Art Book]]
* [[Storyboards and Sketches]]
* [[Guidebook]]
* [[Key Animation Note]]
* [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Storyboards_and_Sketches|Miscellaneous Documents section on Storyboards and Sketches]]
* [[Translated_Official_Documents|Translated magazines]]

== Links ==
* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-08-02/madoka-magica-496-page-archive-weighs-in-at-1.6-kg ANN announcement on Production Note]
* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-12-12/2nd-madoka-magica-production-note-book-archive-to-be-sold ANN announcement on volume 2]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Products and merchandise]]
[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Translation request]]

Gallery:Walpurgisnacht

2026-07-16T22:50:09Z

Romi1908: /* Other */

Image gallery for [[Walpurgisnacht]].

==Anime Screenshots==
===Original Anime===
<gallery>
File:Ep1 Witch Floating.jpg|Walpurgisnacht's first appearance in the series in [[Episode 1]]
File:Ep1_Witch_Cog.jpg|The gear portion under the witch's skirt, moments before blowing [[Homura]] away.
File:Witch_from_episode_1.jpg|A clearer shot of the gears
File:Ep1_Witch.jpg|Walpurgis's face can barely be discerned
File:Display 01.jpg|One of the screens in Homura's residence from [[Episode 8]] displays an elaborate woodcut of the witch. She seems to be holding her "hands" to her mouth
File:Display 03.jpg|On the right-hand side of the image, Walpurgisnacht is shown right-side-up and surrounded by flames. This is in line with her informational card, which states that she causes destruction when her upper body is righted.
File:Display 05.jpg|The witch's familiars are shown more closely here.
File:Display 06.jpg|A silhouette of an upside-down Walpurgisnacht is accompanied by the text "Ein Narr," which translates to "a fool" in German; the witch's informational card also refers to her as a "fool." However, the torn part of the image shows a part of a letter which might be part of another word, k ("kein narr" translates to "no fool"), or R ("Rein narr" means "pure fool").
File:Display 08.jpg|Note the green figure above the caption "Walpurgis Night" on the left-hand side. This may have been Walpurgisnacht's magical girl form, as a girl wearing a similar tulip-shaped skirt and conical headdress appears in the magical girl "lineup" at the end of the series
File:Walpurgis.PNG|Walpurgisnacht from one of the previous timelines in [[Episode 10]]
File:Walpurgis_Comparison.PNG|Her appearance seems to change every time [[Madoka]] and Homura encounter her
File:Madoka-mahou-shoujo.jpg|Walpurgisnacht is not upside-down. Something may happen according to the card
File:Worlf_after_Walpurgis_Night.png|Madoka's victory over the witch is a Pyrrhic one: Mitakihara is still in ruins, and she herself has become [[Kriemhild Gretchen]]

File:Walpurgisnacht_Procession.jpg|The procession of familiars (Parade Elephant and Parade Sheep) heralding the arrival of Walpurgisnacht from [[Episode 11]]
File:Episode 11 Rednose.PNG|Rednose
File:Episode 11 Bluenose.PNG|Bluenose
File:Walpurgis cog.gif|Walpurgisnacht beginning her attack on Mitakihara City
File:Walpurgignite.PNG|Walpurgisnacht breathes fire, fitting for her carnival theme
File:Walpurgis bout to be shot at.gif|Unaffected by previous attacks, Walpurgisnacht taunts Homura
File:Drawlpurgis.PNG|Flying towards Homura before being hit by missiles
File:Walpurgis_crash.PNG|Knocked down by Homura's attack
File:Familiars_appear.PNG|A beam fired by Walpurgisnacht breaks apart to reveal her familiars
File:Walpurgis_flames.PNG|Given the holiday's association with bonfires, Walpurgisnacht appears to be fireproof
File:Dancing_flames.PNG|Walpurgisnacht is surrounded by dancing figures that burst into flame
File:Familiar_block.PNG|The familiars attempt to stop Homura from reaching Walpurgisnacht
File:Walpurgis_float.PNG|Walpurgisnacht cuts a path of destruction through the city
File:Walpurgis mandela.gif
File:Dollpurgis.PNG|The doll half of Walpurgisnacht appears to be a decoy, as seen in [[Episode 12]]
File:Walpurgisbot.PNG|Walpurgisnacht's doll body looks mechanical in origin
File:Walpurgiscog.PNG|The gear positions itself before Madoka. It may be the true body of the witch
File:Familiar_dance.PNG|The familiars dance around Madoka before Walpurgisnacht is destroyed
</gallery>

===The Rebellion Story===
<gallery>
File:Ep1148432.jpg|Walpurgisnacht's parade elephant familiar makes a brief appearance pulling the carriage [[Sayaka]] and [[Nagisa]] are in in [[The Rebellion Story]]
</gallery>

===Magia Record Anime===
<gallery>
File:S2E6 Re Witches 1.PNG|In [[Magia Record Episode 19|Episode 19]]
File:Walpurgis_minion-1.png| Rednose and Parade Elephant familiar variants
File:Walpurgis_minion-2.png| Parade Elephant variants
File:Walpurgis_minion-3.png| Chicken familiars (probably Parade Chicken)
File:Walpurgis_minion-4.png| Gigant Parade Sheep familiars (variants)
File:Sayaka_ep24.png| Sayaka fighting a gigantic Parade Elephant
File:Madoka_ep24-2.png| Madoka fighting gigantic Chicken familiar
File:Homura_and_Madoka_ep24.png| Elephant head, Parade Elephants and Sheeps, and Bluenose (cat heads) behind Madoka and Homura
File:Homura_and_Madoka_ep24-2.png| Green and red Parade Elephants
File:Ep25 Eve 5.png|Walpurgisnacht's storm from outside
File:Anireco Walpurgis deferted 1.png
File:Anireco Walpurgis deferted 2.png
</gallery>

===Walpurgisnacht: Rising===
====Visuals====
<gallery>
File:Jul1525 Walpurgisnacht poster.jpeg
</gallery>

====100-Day Countdown====
<gallery>
File:100-Day Countdown (100).jpg
File:100-Day Countdown (72).jpg
File:100-Day Countdown (44).jpg
</gallery>

====Trailer====
<gallery>
File:WalpurgisnachtinTrailer.png
File:StageWitchdescription.png
File:Trailer (July 15th, 2025) (15).PNG|Walpurgisnacht
File:Main Trailer (June 29 2026) (25).jpeg
File:Main Trailer (June 29 2026) (26).jpeg
File:Main Trailer (June 29 2026) (27).jpeg
File:Main Trailer (June 29 2026) (28).jpeg
File:Main Trailer (June 29 2026) (29).jpeg
File:Main Trailer (June 29 2026) (30).jpeg
File:Main Trailer (June 29 2026) (81).jpeg
</gallery>

==Manga==
===Original Manga===
<gallery>
File:Manga walpurgis 1.png|Walpurgisnacht's first appearance in the [[Madoka Magica Manga|manga]]
File:Manga walpurgis 3.png
File:Manga walpurgis 5.png
File:Manga walpurgis 2.png|The circus troupe of familiars is briefly seen
File:Manga shadow magi 1.png|A familiar of [[Sayaka]]
File:Manga shadow magi 2.png|A familiar of [[Kyoko]]
File:Manga shadow magi 3.png|A familiar of [[Mami]]
File:Manga shadow magi 5.png|The shadow magical girls from the anime are replaced by the three fallen magical girls
</gallery>
===Reprint Manga===
<gallery>
File:Reprint manga walpurgisnacht.png|Walpurgisnacht in the reprint manga
File:Reprint manga walpurgis familiars.png|The circus troupe of familiars
File:Reprint manga shadow magical girls.png|The shadow magical girl familiars
</gallery>
===Other Manga===
<gallery>
File:Rmanga Walpurgis cameo.png|Walpurgisnacht's cameo in the [[Rebellion Manga]]
File:Rmanga Witch group 1.png|The shadow magical girls' cameo
File:Rmanga godoka carriage.png
File:O2 past witches 1.png|Walpurgisnacht and other witches in [[Puella Magi Oriko Magica: Extra Story]]
File:O2 walpurgis.png
File:O2 dumb looking walpurgis.png|Walpurgisnacht in [[Puella Magi Oriko Magica: Sadness Prayer]]
</gallery>

==Games==
===Madoka Magica Portable===
<gallery>
File:Por walpurgis introduction.png|Walpurgisnacht's introduction from [[Madoka Magica Portable]]
File:Por walpurgis runes 1.png|Walpurgisnacht's name in Runes, though it's displayed as '?????'
File:Por walpurgis runes 2.png
File:Por walpurgis.jpg
File:Bluenose 1.PNG|Bluenose
File:Magi girl 1.PNG|One of Walpurgisnacht's shadow magical girl familiars, the "Theatre Company".
File:Magi girl 2.PNG
File:Mystery barrier 1.PNG|Walpurgisnacht's barrier. It resembles the area Madoka runs through in her dream from [[Episode 1]]
File:Walpurgis barrier 1.PNG|The second version of Waplurgisnacht's barrier. This more resembles the ruined city
File:Por walpurgis bg.png|Walpurgisnacht can be seen in the sky of her barrier before you reach her
File:Portable Profile Stagecraft Witch.PNG|Walpurgisnacht's profile
File:Portable bluenose bio.jpg|Bluenose's profile
File:Walpurgisnacht minion (rednose) info.png|Rednose's profile
File:Portable Profile Stagecraft Witch Minion 1.PNG |Walpurgisnacht Stage Right's profile
File:Portable Profile Stagecraft Witch Minion 2.PNG |Walpurgisnacht Stage Wing's profile
File:Portable Profile Stagecraft Witch Minion 3.PNG |Walpurgisnacht Stage Left's profile
File:Por walpurgis kiss.png|Walpurgisnacht's witch kiss from the loading screen
File:Walpurgisnacht Witch's Kiss.png|Walpurgisnacht's Witch's Kiss
File:Walpurgisnacht grief seed.PNG|Walpurgisnacht's grief seed
</gallery>

===Madoka Magica Mobage===
<gallery>
File:Mobage walpurgisnacht.png|Walpurgisnacht in [[Madoka Magica Mobage]]
File:Mobile_Game_Madoka_Official_Site_SS.jpg
Mobage7044.jpg|Familiar cards from [[Madoka Magica Mobage]]
Mobage7045.jpg
Mobage7046.jpg
Mobage7047.jpg
Mobage7048.jpg
Mobage7049.jpg
Mobage7050.jpg|Witch card from [[Madoka Magica Mobage]]
</gallery>

===Madoka Magica Online===
<gallery>
File:Online Witches and Familiars (23).png
File:Online Walpurgisnacht.gif
File:Online Walpurgisnacht Familiars (1).png
File:Online Walpurgisnacht Familiars (2).png
File:Online Walpurgisnacht Familiars (1).gif
File:Online Walpurgisnacht Elephant.png
File:Online Walpurgisnacht Elephant.gif
File:Mmo walpurgisfight.PNG|Walpurgisnacht from [[Madoka Magica Online]]
</gallery>

===Madoka Magica: The Battle Pentagram===
<gallery>
File:Bp_walpurgis_intro.jpg|Walpurgisnacht's name in Runes from [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Battle Pentagram|The Battle Pentagram]]
File:Bp walpurgisnacht.png
</gallery>

===[[Madoka Magica (Flash Game)]]===
<gallery>
File:Flash Game (2).jpg
</gallery>

===[[TPS Featuring Tomoe Mami]]===
<gallery>
File:TPSMamiWalpurgis.jpg
</gallery>

===SLOT Puella Magi Madoka Magica 2===
<gallery>
File:Slot_2_walpurgis_chibi.jpg|Walpurgisnacht from SLOT Puella Magi Madoka Magica 2's Magica Quest mode
</gallery>

===Magia Record===
<gallery>
File:Screenshot 2019-03-26-09-46-01.png|Walpurgisnacht Card
File:Screenshot 2019-03-26-09-46-05.png|Bluenose Card
File:Walpurgisnacht 01.jpg|Art from [[Magia Archive Volume 2]]
File:Walpurgisnacht 02.jpg
File:102005 warupuru chara.png|Sprite
File:Enemy 6405 l.png
File:Enemy 7405 l.png
File:Rednose Bluenose 1.jpg
File:Rednose Bluenose 2.jpg
File:Aohana side attack.PNG
File:Aohana vertical attack 1.PNG
File:Aohana vertical attack 2.PNG
File:Walpurgis Magireco Battle.PNG
File:Walpurgis attack.PNG
File:Walpurgis side attack.PNG
File:Walpurgis vertical attack.PNG
File:Walpurgis take damage.PNG
File:Walpurgis magia 1.PNG|using magia
File:Walpurgis magia 2.PNG
File:Walpurgis magia 3.PNG
File:Walpurgis magia 4.PNG
File:51049 walpurgisnacht.jpg
File:Film09 scene11.jpg
File:Film09 scene12.jpg
File:Film09 scene13.jpg
File:Film13 scene21.jpg
File:Film13 scene22.jpg
File:Film13 scene23.jpg
File:Film13 scene24.jpg
File:Film13 scene25.jpg
File:Film13 scene26.jpg
File:Film13 scene27.jpg
File:Film13 scene28.jpg
File:Film13 scene29.jpg
File:Film13 scene30.jpg
File:Film13 scene31.jpg
File:Film13 scene32.jpg
File:Film13 scene33.jpg
</gallery>

===Magia Exedra===
<gallery>
File:Stagecraft Witch Enemy Portrait.png|Walpurgisnacht
File:Stagecraft Witch Minion 1 Enemy Portrait.png|Bluenose
File:Stagecraft Witch Minion 2 Enemy Portrait.png|Rednose
File:Stagecraft Witch Minion 4 Enemy Portrait.png|Parade Elephant
File:Stagecraft Witch Minion 5 Enemy Portrait.png|Parade Sheep
File:612001_runes_name.png|?????
File:612001 emblem.png|Walpurgisnacht Witch's Kiss
File:Stagecraft Witch Window I.png|Memory Window's first form
File:Stagecraft-Witch-Map-Exedra-(1).png|Stage Witch Labyrinth first form
File:Stagecraft Witch - Floor 1 Witch Labyrinth.png|Stage Witch Labyrinth - Floor 1
File:Stagecraft Witch - Floor 1 Boss Floor Witch Labyrinth.png|Stage Witch Labyrinth - Floor 1: Boss Floor
File:Stagecraft Witch Memory Window 2.png|Memory Window's second form
File:Stagecraft-Witch-Map-Exedra-(2).png|Stage Witch Labyrinth second form
File:Stagecraft Witch - Floor 2 Witch Labyrinth.png|Stage Witch Labyrinth - Floor 2
File:Stagecraft Witch - Floor 2 Boss Floor Witch Labyrinth.png|Stage Witch Labyrinth - Floor 2: Boss Floor
File:Stagecraft Witch Memory Window 3.png|Memory Window's final form
File:Stagecraft-Witch-Map-Exedra-(3).png|Stage Witch Labyrinth final form
File:Stagecraft Witch - Boss Floor Witch Labyrinth.png|Stage Witch Labyrinth - Boss Floor
File:Adv chara 00 032.png|Walpurgisnacht's sprite
File:FieldMapBG 61200 BOSS color.png|Walpurgisnacht's appearance in Witch of Good Fortune
File:FieldMapBG 61200 BOSS ribbon.png
File:FieldMapBG 61200 BOSS ribbon-2.png
File:Adv chara 01 039.png|Bluenose's sprite
File:Adv chara 01 038.png|Rednose's sprite
File:Adv chara 01 040.png|Parade Elephant's sprite
File:Adv chara 01 041.png|Parade Sheep's sprite
</gallery>

====Profiles====
<gallery>
File:Walpurgisnacht-Exedra-0.png|Walpurgisnacht's profile
File:Walpurgisnacht-Exedra.png
File:Walpurgisnacht-Exedra-00.png

File:Bluenose-Exedra-0.png|Bluenose's profile
File:Bluenose-Exedra.png
File:Bluenose-Exedra-00.png

File:Rednose-Exedra-0.png|Rednose's profile
File:Rednose-Exedra.png
File:Rednose-Exedra-00.png

File:Parade-Elephant-Exedra-0.png|Parade Elephant's profile
File:Parade-Elephant-Exedra.png
File:Parade-Elephant-Exedra-00.png

File:Parade-Sheep-Exedra-0.png|Parade Sheep's profile
File:Parade-Sheep-Exedra.png
File:Parade-Sheep-Exedra-00.png
</gallery>

====Sprites====
<gallery>
File:612001_original.png|Walpurgisnacht
File:612033_original.png
File:612034_original.png
File:612002_original.png|Bluenose
File:612007_original.png
File:612008_original.png
File:612009_original.png
File:612010_original.png
File:612011_original.png
File:612012_original.png
File:612003_original.png|Rednose
File:612013_original.png
File:612014_original.png
File:612015_original.png
File:612016_original.png
File:612017_original.png
File:612018_original.png
File:612005_original.png|Parade Elephant
File:612019_original.png
File:612020_original.png
File:612021_original.png
File:612022_original.png
File:612023_original.png
File:612024_original.png
File:612006_original.png|Parade Sheep
File:612025_original.png
File:612026_original.png
File:612027_original.png
File:612028_original.png
File:612029_original.png
File:612030_original.png
</gallery>

====Enemy Icons====
<gallery>
File:612001_thumbnail.png|Walpurgisnacht
File:612033_thumbnail.png
File:612034_thumbnail.png
File:612002_thumbnail.png|Bluenose
File:612007_thumbnail.png
File:612008_thumbnail.png
File:612009_thumbnail.png
File:612010_thumbnail.png
File:612011_thumbnail.png
File:612012_thumbnail.png
File:612003_thumbnail.png|Rednose
File:612013_thumbnail.png
File:612014_thumbnail.png
File:612015_thumbnail.png
File:612016_thumbnail.png
File:612017_thumbnail.png
File:612018_thumbnail.png
File:612005_thumbnail.png|Parade Elephant
File:612019_thumbnail.png
File:612020_thumbnail.png
File:612021_thumbnail.png
File:612022_thumbnail.png
File:612023_thumbnail.png
File:612024_thumbnail.png
File:612006_thumbnail.png|Parade Sheep
File:612025_thumbnail.png
File:612026_thumbnail.png
File:612027_thumbnail.png
File:612028_thumbnail.png
File:612029_thumbnail.png
File:612030_thumbnail.png
</gallery>

====Story Art====
<gallery>
File:Adv still 99 0014.png
File:Bg adv 01 90100 05.png
File:Bg adv 01 90102 04 -14969574178833.png
</gallery>

====Portraits====
{{Magia Exedra Portrait List|character=Walpurgisnacht}}

====Kioku Art====
<gallery>
File:Exedra Homura Art.jpg|Concentrated Missile Fire
</gallery>

====Other====
=====Teasers/Trailers=====
<gallery>
File:Magia_Exedra_KV1_PC.jpg
File:WalpExedTrailer.PNG
</gallery>

=====Steam Page=====
<gallery>
File:Magia_Exedra_Steam_6.jpg
File:Magia_Exedra_Steam_7.jpg
</gallery>

==Official Art==
===Concept Art===
<gallery>
File:Card Walpurgis.png
File:Card Walpurgis minions.png
File:PN 20.jpg|Art of Walpurgisnacht from the [[Puella Magi Production Note]]
File:production note walpurgisnacht 1.jpg
File:production note walpurgisnacht 2.jpg
File:Production note Walpurgis 1.jpg
File:Production note Walpurgis 2.jpg
File:walpurgisnacht production note 5.jpg
File:PN 84.jpg|Art of Walpurgisnacht's magical girl familiars
File:PN 86.jpg
File:production note walpurgisnacht 3.jpg|Art of Walpurgisnacht's parade familiars
File:production note walpurgisnacht 4.jpg
File:Puella Magi Production Note by Inu Curry Walpurgisnacht.jpg
File:Image note izabel.jpg
File:Image note klarissa and misc.jpg
File:Production Note 0007.jpg|Witch Kisses from the Production Note
File:key animation note walpurgisnact .jpg|Art from the [[Key Animation Note]]
</gallery>

===Collaboration Art===
<gallery>
File:Ameba pigg Walpurgisnacht.jpg|'''Ameba pigg'''
File:Avabel Online Walpurgisnacht 1.jpg|'''Avabel Online'''
File:Avabel Online Walpurgisnacht 2.jpg

File:Crash fever walpurgisnacht 1.png|'''Crash Fever'''
File:Crash fever walpurgisnacht 2.png
File:Crash fever walpurgisnacht background.png|Walpurgisnacht stage background

File:Dragon egg walpurgi.jpg|'''Dragon Egg'''
File:Dragon egg walpurgis familiars.jpg

File:Elemental Story Walpurgisnacht 1.png|'''Elemental Story'''
File:Elemental Story Walpurgisnacht 2.png

File:Full Bokko Heroes X Walpurgisnacht.png|'''Full Bokko Heroes X'''
File:Full Bokko Heroes X Walpurgisnacht Stage 2.png|Full Bokko Heroes X stage art
File:Full Bokko Heroes X Walpurgisnacht Stage 1.png

File:Othellonia walpurgisnacht.png|'''Gyakuten Othellonia'''

File:Kotodaman witch 4.png|'''Kotodaman'''
File:Kotodaman Witch Walpurgisnacht.jpg
File:Kotodaman Walpurgisnacht 6.png
File:Kotodaman Walpurgisnacht 5.png

File:Logres witches.jpeg|'''Logres of Sword and Sorcery: Goddess of Ancient'''
File:Logres of Sword and Sorcery Witches 2.jpg
File:Logres of Sword and Sorcery Witches 4.jpg

File:Monster Strike Walpurgisnacht 1.png|'''Monster Strike'''
File:Monster Strike Walpurgisnacht 2.png

File:Fankill.jpg|'''Phantom of Kill'''
File:Walbgfan.jpg|Background image for the Walpurgisnach's level in Phantom of Kill
File:Pocoron Dungeons Walpurgisnacht 1.png|'''Pocoron Dungeons'''
File:Pocoron walpurgisnacht forms.jpeg
File:Pocoron Dungeons Walpurgisnacht 2.png
File:Pocoron Dungeons Walpurgisnacht 3.png
File:Pocket kingdom art.png|'''Pocket Kingdom'''
File:Pocket Kingdom Ultimate Madoka.png
File:Princess punt banner 2.jpg|'''Princess Punt'''
File:Princess punt witches.jpg

File:SMTDx2promoimage.jpg|'''Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2'''
File:SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI Liberation Dx2 Walpurgisnacht.png
File:SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI Liberation Dx2 Walpurgisnacht 3.png
File:SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI Liberation Dx2 Walpurgisnacht 4.png
File:Summons board walpurgis.jpg|'''Summons Board'''

File:Battle cats walpurgisnact.png|'''The Battle Cats'''
File:Battle cats walpurgis tower.png
File:wizwalp.png|'''The World of Mystic Wiz'''
File:Mystical World of Wiz Walpurgisnacht.png
File:wizwalpf.png

File:Unision league walpurgisnacht 1.png|'''Unison League'''
File:Unision league walpurgisnacht 2.png
File:Unision league walpurgisnacht big.png

File:Valkyrie connect walpurgisnacht.png|'''Valkyrie Connect'''
File:ValkConSprites.png
File:Valkyrie connect walpurgis ring.png|Ring of Drama item
</gallery>

===Other Art===
<gallery>
Production_notes4.jpg|Postcard by [[Inu Curry]] from the Production Note, there's a tiny Rednose on the back
File:Guidebook 0045.jpg|Art from the [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone"]]
File:Guidebook 0066.jpg|Art featuring Walpurgisnacht's familiars
File:Key Animation Note Vol 1 32.jpg|Art of Walpurgisnacht from the [[Key Animation Note]] volume 1
File:Key Animation Note Vol 6 05.jpg||Art featuring Walpurgisnacht and her familiars from the [[Key Animation Note]] volume 6
File:Rakugaki Note Doroinu.jpg|Art of Walpurgisnacht by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]'s Doro Inu from the [[Rakugaki Note]]
File:Rakugaki Note S.jpg|Art featuring Walpurgisnacht by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]'s S from the [[Rakugaki Note]]
File:Scan 37.jpeg|Art of Walpurgisnacht from the [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica LOVE! Sayaka & Kyouko Version]]
File:Screen Shot 2015-07-29 at 2.56.32 AM.png|From Shafts 40th anniversary website
File:Walpi.jpeg|From the 10th Anniversary Exhibition
File:IMG_1675.jpeg|From the 10th Anniversary Exhibition
File:IMG_1660.jpeg| From the MADOGATARI event
File:Inukare.jpg|Official Gekidan Inu Curry shirt design

</gallery>

==Merchandise==
<gallery>
File:Petite_Extension_Set_02_(front).jpg|Walpurgisnacht from the Nendoroid Petite Extension set
File:Petite_Extension_Set_02_(rear).jpg
File:Petite_Extension_Set_02_(online_code).jpg|'Walpurgis' Clothes' and 'Walpurgis' Hat', special bonuses from the extension set for [[Madoka Magica Online]]
File:Movic_witch_coll2_ad.jpg |Walpurgisnacht from the Movic Witch Collection 2
File:Walp2.jpg|Phone strap from the Rebellion Witches and Mascots series
File:Walp.jpg|With the familiar accessory
File:Movic Grief Seed Collection 1.jpg|Movic Grief Seed Collection
File:Cards GS.jpg|Ichiban Kuji H prize playing cards
File:Walpurgis_glass.png|Ichiban Kuji G prize art glass
File:Shadow_magi_folder.png|Ichiban Kuji H prize clear file
File:Walpurgis_charm.png|Ichiban Kuji I prize phone charm
File:Scan_45.jpeg|Ad in [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica LOVE! Sayaka & Kyouko Version]]
File:Puella Magi Madoka Magica Witch's Minion Acrylic Key Chain With Stand Collection Box 1.jpg |Puella Magi Madoka Magica Witch's Minion Acrylic Key Chain With Stand Collection Box
File:Puella Magi Madoka Magica Witch's Minion Acrylic Key Chain With Stand Collection Box 2.jpg
File:Witch's Kiss Boxs.jpg|Witch's Kiss mini badge collection
</gallery>

==Other==
<gallery>
File:Madogatari walpurgis chandel.jpg|A Walpurgisnacht chandelier from the Madogatari event
File:Madoka 10 exhibition walpurgisnacht decoration.jpeg|The same chandelier from the 10th Anniversary exhibition
File:55575720 1223956117763226 1991674689906278400 o.jpg|Walpurgisnacht sculpture from Anime Japan 2019
File:D2UevKWU8AA6hss.jpg|Close-up of Walpurgisnacht's head from Anime Japan 2019
File:CharlotteCar3.jpeg
File:CharlotteCartrunk.jpg|Same image, digital version
</gallery>
[[Category:Gallery Page]]

File:D2UevKWU8AA6hss.jpg

2026-07-16T22:48:55Z

Romi1908: File uploaded with MsUpload

File uploaded with MsUpload

Walpurgisnacht

2026-07-16T22:40:13Z

Romi1908: /* Walpurgisnacht */

{{Spoilers}}

<blockquote>
''She will turn all of fate's misfortune to nothing.'' 
''She will flood the earth with magic,'' 
''and take all of humankind into her play.'' 
''A moving stage construction.'' 

''If all of this is a play, then there is no such thing as sadness.'' 
''It may be a tragedy, but it's merely the way that kind of script was performed.'' 

''The play stops on Walpurgisnacht,'' 
''and the earth does not turn even once more.'' 
''The story will not change.'' 
''Tomorrow, and the day after, is the night of Walpurgis.''

- From the [[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Walpurgisnacht.2C_Episode_10_version|Production Note]]
</blockquote>

'''{{nihongo|[[wikipedia:Walpurgis_Night|Walpurgisnacht]]|ワルプルギスの夜|Warupurugisu no Yoru|"Night of Walpurgis" or "Walpurgis' Night"}}''' is supposedly the strongest witch current magical girls would have to fight. Her real name is unknown, while "Walpurgisnacht" is a common moniker given to it by magical girls. Her nature had been kept mysterious during most of the series, which led to a lot of speculation from fans during the original broadcast.

She reappears in [[Madoka Magica Portable]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]] and [[Magia Exedra]].

For a compilation of historical, mythological, and literary information concerning Walpurgisnacht, a term first mentioned by [[Homura]] in [[Episode 6]], see [[Community:Walpurgis Night In Real Life]].

==Witch==
===Walpurgisnacht===
<tabber>
|-| Madoka Magica =
{{Witch Card
|background= 51049 walpurgisnacht.jpg
|background_x= -75
|sprite= Walpurgisnacht-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 300
|sprite_x= 10
|sprite_y= 10
|kiss= Walpurgisnacht Witch's Kiss.png

|box_color= #0B1548
|name= ????? (Walpurgisnacht)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Machinery Witch
|nature= Powerlessness
|appearances= [[Episode 1]], [[Episode 10]], [[Episode 11]], [[Episode 12]], [[Madoka Mobage]], [[Madoka Magica Portable]], [[Madoka Online]], [[Oriko Magica]], [[The Different Story]], [[Homura's Revenge!]], [[Battle Pentagram]], [[Madogatari Event]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
'''Official website:''' The Stage Machinery Witch (commonly known as Walpurgisnacht / true name unknown). Her nature is powerlessness. She symbolizes the fool who keeps spinning. A mysterious witch whose legend has been passed down through history. Commonly known as Walpurgisnacht. She aimlessly continues to travel around the world until everything in this world has been transformed into a play. When the doll that is normally in the inverted position reaches the top, she flies at the speed of a violent storm, overturning the civilizations on the surface of the earth in the blink of an eye. 
'''Walpurgisnacht Rising:''' The Stage Machinery Witch (commonly known as Walpurgisnacht). Her nature is powerlessness. The symbol of the spinning fool, she is a calamity whose legend has been passed down through history. She aimlessly continues to travel around the world until everything in this world has been transformed into a play. When the doll that is normally in the inverted position reaches the top, she flies at the speed of a violent storm, overturning the civilizations on the surface of the earth in the blink of an eye. This witch is a collective of people whom no one knows. 
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女（通称・ワルプルギスの夜 / 本名不明) その性質は無力。回り続ける愚者の象徴。歴史の中で語り継がれる謎の魔女。通称・ワルプルギスの夜。この世の全てを戯曲へ変えてしまうまで無軌道に世界中を回り続ける。普段逆さ位置にある人形が上部へ来た時、暴風の如き速度で飛行し瞬く間に地表の文明をひっくり返してしまう。 
'''ワルプルギスの廻天:''' 舞台装置の魔女（通称・ワルプルギスの夜）その性質は無力。回転する愚者の象徴にして、歴史の中で語り継がれる災厄。この世の全てを戯曲へ変えてしまうまで無軌道に世界中を回り続ける。普段逆さ位置にある人形が上部へ来た時、暴風の如き速度で飛行し瞬く間に地表の文明をひっくり返してしまうだろう。この魔女は誰も知らない誰かたちの集合体。
}}
|-| Madogatari Event =
{{Witch Card
|background= 1448627089 1 14 edddfdd880ac7959a6be71e2dc264254.jpg
|background_x= 0
|sprite= Walpurgisnacht-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 300
|sprite_x= 10
|sprite_y= 10
|kiss= Walpurgisnacht Witch's Kiss.png

|box_color= #0B1548
|name= ????? (Walpurgisnacht)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage machinery witch
|nature= Powerlessness
|appearances= [[Madogatari Event]]

|desc_english= The Stage Machinery Witch (commonly known as Walpurgisnacht / true name unknown). Her nature is powerlessness. She symbolizes the fool who keeps spinning. A mysterious witch whose legend has been passed down through history. Commonly known as Walpurgisnacht. She aimlessly continues to travel around the world until everything in this world has been transformed into a play. When the doll that is normally in the inverted position reaches the top, she flies at the speed of a violent storm, overturning the civilizations on the surface of the earth in the blink of an eye. All weight and friction in this witch's vicinity falls into disorder. Her exhalations become churning flames, and will surely reduce every last truth and lie to dust. The sight of her, acting as an extraordinary natural disaster, doth truly resemble the end of days.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女（通称・ワルプルギスの夜 / 本名不明）その性質は無力。回り続ける愚者の象徴。歴史の中で語り継がれる謎の魔女。通称・ワルプルギスの夜。この世の全てを戯曲へ変えてしまうまで無軌道に世界中を回り続ける。普段逆さ位置にある人形が上部へ来た時、暴風の如き速度で飛行し瞬く間に地表の文明をひっくり返してしまう。この魔女の周囲の重さや摩擦の全ては秩序を失い、その吐息は渦巻く炎になって、真実と嘘の一切を塵へと帰すだろう。尋常ならざる自然災害として振る舞うその様は、まさにこの世の終わり也。
}}

|-| Magia Record (Game) =
{{Witch Card
|background= 51049 walpurgisnacht.jpg
|background_x= -75
|sprite= Walpurgisnacht-MagiReco-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 320
|sprite_x= 5
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= Walpurgisnacht Witch's Kiss.png

|box_color= #0B1548
|name= ????? (Walpurgisnacht)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage machinery witch
|nature= Powerlessness
|appearances= [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]]

|desc_english= The stage machinery witch, her nature is powerlessness. She symbolizes the fool who continuously spins in circles. The witch's mysteries have been handed down through the course of history. She will continue to rotate aimlessly throughout the world until she completely changes the whole of this age into a drama. When the doll's usual upside-down position reaches the top part of the witch, she completely roils the civilization on the ground in a flash through her gale-like flight.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女。その性質は無力。 回り続ける愚者の象徴。 歴史の中で語り継がれる謎の魔女。 この世の全てを戯曲へ変えてしまうまで無軌道に世界中を回り続ける。 普段逆さ位置にある人形が上部へ来た時、暴風の如き速度で飛行し 瞬く間に地表の文明をひっくり返してしまう。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Stagecraft Witch - Floor 2 Witch Labyrinth.png
|background_x= -150
|sprite= Walpurgisnacht-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 280
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= 612001 emblem.png

|box_color= #0B1548
|name= ????? (Walpurgisnacht)
|name_style= color:white;text-shadow:
-1px -1px 0 #863763, 1px -1px 0 #863763, -1px 1px 0 #863763, 1px 1px 0 #863763;
|runes_image= 612001 runes name.png
|type= Stage Witch
|nature= Ineptitude
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Stagecraft Witch. Nature: Ineptitude. A mysterious Witch whose legend has endured through history. Representing the fool turning round and round, she will continue revolving about on a reckless path until all the world is her stage. Although she appears upside down, when she rights herself, all of civilization is overturned with her in a flash as she flies at zephyrous speed.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女。その性質は無力。 回り続ける愚者の象徴。歴史の中で語り継がれる謎の魔女。この世の全てを戯曲へ変えてしまうまで無軌道に世界中を回り続ける。普段逆さ位置にある人形が上部へ来た時、暴風の如き速度で飛行し瞬く間に地表の文明をひっくり返してしまう。
|desc_traditional_chinese= 舞台裝置的魔女，其性質為無力。 不斷旋轉的愚者象徵，在歷史中作為傳說被口耳相傳的神祕魔女。直到將世上一切都變成戲劇為止，她毫無章法地周遊世界。平時倒立著的人偶，一旦轉到上方，就會以暴風般的速度飛行，轉眼間便顚覆地表的文明。
}}
</tabber>

==Minions==
===Theatre Company===
{{Witch Card
|background= 51049 walpurgisnacht.jpg
|background_x= -65
|sprite= Walpurgis Familiars Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 335
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #2545a8
|name= ????? (Theatre Company)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Minions of the stage machinery witch
|role= Being clowns
|appearances= [[Episode 11]], [[Episode 12]], [[Madoka Mobage]], [[Madoka Magica Portable]], [[Madoka Online]]

|unique_id=
|desc_english= The stage machinery witch's minions. Their duty is to be clowns. Countless souls drawn to her vast magical power. Nobody knows whether Walpurgisnacht was initially a single person, or if it was a phantom born from the gathering of many spirits.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。その役割は道化役者。強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の魂。ワルプルギスの夜自身が元々一人の誰かであったのか、或いは多くの魂が集合することにより生まれた幻であるのか、今となっては分からない。
}}

===Bluenose===
<tabber>
|-| Madoka Magica =
{{Witch Card
|background= WalpurgiCarnivalBG.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Bluenose-MagiReco-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 250
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #59c4f1
|name= ????? (Bluenose)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Minions of the stage machinery witch
|role= Being clowns (Madoka Magica Portable)
|appearances= [[Episode 11]], [[Madoka Magica Portable]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= The stage machinery witch's minions (Bluenose). Their duty is to be clowns. Countless souls drawn to her vast magical power.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下（アオハナ）。その役割は道化役者。強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の魂。
}}

|-| Magia Record (Game)=
{{Witch Card
|background= WalpurgiCarnivalBG.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Bluenose-MagiReco-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 250
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #59c4f1
|name= ????? (Bluenose)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Minions of the stage machinery witch
|role= Being clowns
|appearances= [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]]

|desc_english= Minions of the stage machinery witch. Bluenose.Witch minions that appear alongside catastrophes brought about by the giant witch known as "Walpurgisnacht" .They pull the ropes connected to Walpurgisnacht's neck as she floats in the sky, forming a circus troupe and conducting a parade.All the members of the troupe are thought to be Walpurgisnacht's minions, but many facts of the matter are still unclear. Some documents refer to the ones riding four-legged beasts as "Bluenose" , and the red-and-black creatures with long ears as "Rednose" .
Unlike the aggressive, shadow-like minions that appear at the same time, these minions will not attack unless you obstruct their parade. Rather than attempting to fight them, it'd be much more advisable to flee as fast as possible.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。アオハナ。ワルプルギスの夜と呼ばれる巨大魔女がもたらす災害時に現れる魔女の手下。宙に浮かぶワルプルギスの夜の首に繋がれた綱を引きながら、まるでサーカスのような一団を形成しパレードを行う。これらの一団は全てワルプルギスの夜の手下であると考えられているが、その実態については不明な点も多い。一部の文献では、四足獣に乗っている者を"アオハナ"、赤と黒の長耳の者は"アカハナ"と記されている。同時期に出現する影の姿をした好戦的な手下達と違い、パレードを邪魔しない限り襲い掛かって来ることはない。彼らの相手をするぐらいなら一刻も早くその場から逃げた方が良いだろう。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Stagecraft Witch - Floor 1 Witch Labyrinth.png
|background_x= -130
|sprite= Bluenose-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 250
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #59c4f1
|name= ????? (Bluenose)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role= Clown
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Stagecraft Witch Minion. Role: Clown. An endless throng brought together by immense magical power. Summoned by omens of the Witch's coming, they come together like a circus troupe on parade. Unlike the hostile shadowy Familiars that will also appear, these will not attack unless one should disturb their parade. It would be wiser to quickly flee the scene than attempt to engage them.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。その役割は道化役者。 強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の魂。魔女の夜が始まる前兆に姿を現し、まるでサーカスのような一団を形成してパレードを行う。 同時期に出現する影の姿をした好戦的な手下達と違い、パレードの邪魔しない限り襲い掛かって来ることはない。彼らを目にしたら一刻も早くその場から逃げるべきだが、魔女の夜は諦めも肝心。
|desc_traditional_chinese= 舞台裝置魔女的手下，其職責為小丑演員。 被強大的魔力吸引而聚集成團。會在魔女之夜開始的前兆中現身，如馬戲團般結成一隊進行遊行。 不同於同時期出現，影子模樣且好戰的手下們，只要不妨礙遊行，就不會主動撲上來攻擊。一旦見到，理應立刻逃離現場，但面對魔女之夜，有時放棄也是必要的。
}}
</tabber>

===Rednose===
<tabber>
|-| Madoka Magica =
{{Witch Card
|background= WalpurgiCarnivalBG.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Rednose Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 240
|sprite_x= -5
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #d75154
|name= ????? (Rednose)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Minions of the stage machinery witch
|role= Being clowns (Madoka Magica Portable)
|appearances= [[Episode 11]], [[Madoka Magica Portable]], [[Homura's Revenge!]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= The stage machinery witch's minions (Rednose). Their duty is to be clowns. Countless souls drawn to her vast magical power.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下（アカハナ）。その役割は道化役者。強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の魂。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Stagecraft Witch - Floor 1 Witch Labyrinth.png
|background_x= -130
|sprite= Rednose-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 240
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 5

|box_color =#d75154
|name= ????? (Rednose)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role= Clown
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Stagecraft Witch Minion. Role: Clown. An endless throng brought together by immense magical power. They run around on busy feet, marching in the parade announcing their mistress's night. Though its career spans hundreds of years, it has only one act—a signature bit where it is crushed and flattened by an elephant's foot.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。その役割は道化役者。 強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の魂。 魔女の夜を告げるパレードに参加し。足元をせわしなく走り回る。象に踏みつぶされてペシャンコになる鉄板ネタを持っており、道化師として数百年近くこれ一本でやってきた。
|desc_traditional_chinese= 舞台裝置魔女的手下，其職責為小丑演員。 被強大的魔力吸引而聚集成團。 參加預告魔女之夜的遊行，在腳邊忙得團團轉。有個被大象踩扁的招牌老哏，作為小丑，數百年來都是靠這一招在表演。
}}
</tabber>

===Parade Elephant===
<tabber>
|-| Madoka Magica =
{{Witch Card
|background= WalpurgiCarnivalBG.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Online Walpurgisnacht Elephant.png
|sprite_size= 600
|sprite_x= -10
|sprite_y= 25

|box_color= #7ec379
|name= ????? (Parade Elephant)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role=
|appearances= [[Episode 11]], [[Madoka Online]], [[The Rebellion Story]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
|desc_japanese=
}}

|-| Rebellion =
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg adv 00 10060 02.png
|background_x= -175
|sprite= Parade-Elephant-Rebellion-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 280
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #7ec379
|name= ????? (Parade Elephant) (Rental ver.)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stagecraft Witch Minion (Rental ver.)
|role=
|appearances= [[The Rebellion Story]]

|desc_english=
'''[[Rebellion Production Note]]''': Stage Witch Minion (Rental ver.). An elephant participating in the Walpurgis Festival is pulling a pumpkin carriage.
|desc_japanese=
'''叛逆の物語 PRODUCTION NOTE'''：舞台装置の魔女の手下（レンタルver.）。ワルプルギスのお祭りに参加していた象さんがカボチャの馬車を引いている。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Stagecraft Witch - Floor 1 Witch Labyrinth.png
|background_x= -130
|sprite= Parade-Elephant-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 220
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 5

|box_color= #7ec379
|name= ????? (Parade Elephant)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role= Parade Elephant
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Stagecraft Witch Minion. Role: Parade Elephant. An endless throng brought together by immense magical power. Summoned by omens of the Witch's coming, they parade the streets in anticipation of its arrival. As their sole purpose is to lead the procession for Walpurgisnacht, they are indifferent to human presence. They will, however, show no mercy to those who would interrupt their parade.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。その役割は象車。 強大な魔力に引かれ集まった無数の塊。 魔女の夜が始まる前兆に姿を現しパレードを行う。ワルプルギスの夜を運んでくることだけが役割であるため人間には無関心だが、パレードの行進を遮る者には容赦しない。
|desc_traditional_chinese= 舞台裝置魔女的手下，其職責為象車。 被強大的魔力吸引而聚集成團。 會在魔女之夜開始的前兆中現身進行遊行。因其職責僅為運送瓦爾普吉斯之夜，對人類並無興趣，但對妨礙遊行的人絕不留情。
}}
</tabber>

===Parade Sheep===
<tabber>
|-| Madoka Magica =
{{Witch Card
|background= WalpurgiCarnivalBG.png
|background_x= -125
|sprite= Parade Sheep Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 260
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #b89adc
|name= ????? (Parade Sheep)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role=
|appearances= [[Episode 11]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english=
|desc_japanese=
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Stagecraft Witch - Floor 1 Witch Labyrinth.png
|background_x= -130
|sprite= Parade-Sheep-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 270
|sprite_x= -5
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #b89adc
|name= ????? (Parade Sheep)
|runes= {{Runes|?????}}
|type= Stage Witch Minion
|role= Parade Sheep
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Stagecraft Witch Minion. Role: Parade Sheep. Summoned by omens of the Witch's coming, they parade the streets in anticipation of its arrival. Their true nature is not well understood, though many records of Walpurgisnacht have assumed them to be its minions. The prevailing theory is that they are not Familiars, but rather lost souls drawn to and given form by the Witch.
|desc_japanese= 舞台装置の魔女の手下。その役割は羊車。 魔女の夜が始まる前兆に姿を現しパレードを行う。多くの文献では便宜上ワルプルギスの夜の手下であるとされているが、実際のところよく分かっていない。ワルプルギスの夜に引き寄せられた迷える魂が姿を得たもので、厳密には眷属ではないという説が有力。
|desc_traditional_chinese= 舞台裝置魔女的手下，其職責為羊車。 會在魔女之夜開始的前兆中現身進行遊行。在許多文獻中，為了方便，常被寫成是瓦爾普吉斯之夜的手下，但眞相如何並不明瞭。較可信的說法是，被瓦爾普吉斯之夜吸引而來的迷惘靈魂獲得了形體，嚴格來說並不算是其眷屬。
}}
</tabber>

==History==
===Anime===
====Original Anime====
Walpurgisnacht makes her first appearance in [[Episode 1]] where she appears in [[Madoka]]'s dream. She isn't given any name in her first appearance. This led to some speculations about the witch's identity before it was finally revealed in [[Episode 10]] as Walpurgisnacht. It is revealed that Walpurgisnacht will always attack on a set date during [[Homura]]'s time loops. Homura uses the month to not only protect Madoka but also try to prepare to defeat the witch. Homura is the only one aware of the attack because of the first timeline.

Walpurgisnacht kills [[Mami]] and Madoka in timeline 1 from episode 10 which causes Homura to contract. In timeline 2 and 4 Madoka is able to defeat Walpurgisnacht but the grief from it causes her [[Soul Gem]] to turn black and she transforms into a witch. In timeline 3 both Madoka and Homura defeat Walpurgisnacht but both their Soul Gems still darken.

In [[Episode 11]] Walpurgisnacht arrives in the current timeline and the city is evacuated as they think it's a storm. Homura begins to fight the witch with a large arsenal of weapons but they never seem to do damage. Homura is eventually shot down and runs out of time in her shield. With her leg crushed and all hope left her Soul Gem begins to darken but Madoka arrives and finally declares she's decided on a wish. Madoka wishes to destroy all witches and finally becomes a magical girl. The clouded sky clears and Madoka promises Walpurgisnacht she doesn't have to feel sorrow and pain anymore. The shots from Madoka's bow destroys Walpurgisnacht's humanoid form leaving only the cog left. As Madoka finishes her off, the familiars dance around the cog.

====Rebellion====
Walpurgisnacht doesn't appear in Rebellion, but one of her Parade Elephants minions is used by Sayaka and Nagisa at the end of the movie, pulling the Pumpkin Carriage they are in before {{spoiler|Homura rips apart Madoka from the Law of Cycles and thus becoming [[Akuma Homura]]}}.

;????? (Parade Elephant)
An elephant participating in the Walpurgis Festival is pulling a pumpkin carriage. (舞台装置の魔女の手下。ワルプルギスのお祭りに参加していた象さんがカボチャの馬車を引いている。)

====Walpurgisnacht: Rising====
Walpurgisnacht: "The Stage Witch. A symbol of the spinning fool and a calamity passed down through history. An aggregate of nameless entities known to no one."

===Games===
====Magia Exedra====
Walpurgisnacht, Bluenose, Rednose, Parade Elephant and Parade Sheep appear in [[Magia Exedra]], with Parade Elephant and Parade Sheep being first introduced as enemies. They appear in the [[Magia Exedra Main Quests|Main Quest]] Stagecraft Witch.

===Events===
====Madogatari====
=====Description=====
(Same as card) All weight and friction in this witch's vicinity falls into disorder.
Her exhalations become churning flames, and will surely reduce every last truth and lie to dust.
The sight of her, acting as an extraordinary natural disaster, doth truly resemble the end of days.
=====Song=====
The lyrics were first published in the [[Rakugaki Note]] (see gallery) 

{| class='wikitable
|+ '''The Witch of Stage Devices' Song'''
|-
! Original text
! Translation
|-
|＊かなり遠くのスピーカーからながれているように 

紳士淑女の皆様 
虫けらと　野良猫たち 
是非とも　チョッと　お立ち寄り 

幾時代かは零れ落ち 
星の因果が少女に報う。 
尻尾の記憶は宛てにはならぬ 
今夜　ここでの　一大戯曲 

ミルクは今のうちに飲んでおけ！ 
サァサァ　いそげ 
空はもう　歓声の虜(とりこ)！
|＊Sounds as if it's being played through speakers from far away 

Ladies and gentlemen, one and all 
Ye vermin and ye stray cats 
Please, by all means, drop by for just a titch. 

Countless generations spill out and fall away 
And the sins of the planet shall be visited upon the girls. 
The tail's memories shall serve no use 
Tonight, here, in this grand theater show. 

Drink your milk up while you still can. 
Come now, hurry up! 
The sky is long since captive to the crowd's applause. 
|}

==In Magia Exedra==
{{Magia Exedra Game Info|character=Walpurgisnacht}}

==Observations==
* While Walpurgisnacht does not need to hide in a barrier, like other witches, her arrival in Mitakihara Town is preceded by a carnival-like procession of familiars. This is apparently a reflection of her theatrical theme, and possibly also evidence of her desire to transform the world into a giant "stage."
* Walpurgrisnacht shown being the other half of [[Kriemhild Gretchen]] is likely Walpurgis fusing with her, completing the sand timer symbolism between the two
* Walpurgisnacht is named for '''Walpurgisnacht''', a traditional spring festival celebrated on 30 April or 1 May in large parts of Central and Northern Europe. For more information on the festival's history, cultural and literary impacts, and connection to witchcraft, see [[Speculah:Walpurgis Night]]
* In Japanese, Walpurgisnacht is described as a fool using the word ''gusha'' (愚者), which is also the term used for the tarot card ''The Fool''.

==Trivia==
* [[Kyoko]] confirmed that Walpurgisnacht was the most powerful witch in [[Episode 9]]. However in [[Episode 10]], [[Madoka]] eclipsed her in power in two of the timelines created by [[Homura]], becoming the god-like [[Kriemhild Gretchen]]. [[Episode 11]] showed that Walpurgisnacht can withstand repeated attacks from heavy artillery, and her mere appearance can cause hundreds of deaths.
* The witch's most prominent familiars take the form of former magical girls, as evidenced by their resemblance to the [[:File:Puellamagis.png|magical girls]] shown in the final scene of [[Episode 12]].
**The manga version even takes this one step further by explicitly featuring the deceased Sayaka, Kyouko and Mami, all of which are main characters, as Walpurgis's minions. It turns out that [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_%22You_Are_Not_Alone%22#episode_11|this depiction was in the original storyboard of Episode 11]]. It is unknown why this was changed
**They also bear similiarity to characters from the music video of Maaya Sakamoto's Universe. This is unsurprising as both the MV and witch sequences are designed by animators [[Gekidan Inu Curry]].
* Walpurgis never drops a Grief Seed in any of the timelines. Whether this is because she doesn't have one or because the Grief Seed is always lost in the confusion of battle is unknown.
**However, Walpurgisnacht is known to have a Grief Seed in Madoka Magica Portable.
* The mandala surrounding the witch has a [[wikipedia:Tomoe|tomoe]] pattern on it.
* Official description from [[Megami Magazine 2011-07#Walpurgis Night|July 2011 Megami]] interview with Urobuchi: ''In the last episode we saw the "Walpurgisnacht", but what kind of witch is it specifically?'' It has the destructive power to bring about natural disasters powerful enough to blow away an entire town, but originally it was a single witch. It's a witch that has grown from the combination of countless other witches. Walpurgisnacht combines with other witches in the same way two powerful tornadoes are able to combine and become larger. It's essentially a "conglomeration"-type witch. Because it's so powerful, it rarely shows itself.
**In this same interview, Urobuchi said that when she was a single witch, Walpurgis used to be the {{Nihongo|'''Theatre Witch'''|演劇の魔女|Engeki no Majō}}.
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Labyrinth_design|The Guidebook]] describing the Witch's labyrinth design contains the line, "Everything in this world is fake. My life is nothing more than a drama that you penned. Please, prove it. ''"Faust"'' is on show." （この世界はすべて嘘でした。私の人生はあなたの書いた戯曲にすぎません。それを証明して下さい。「ファウスト」が上演中）
*[[NewType_2011-07#InuCurry_.28bewitched_space_design.29_and_Yukihiro_Miyamoto_.28series_director.29|According to witch animator and designer InuCurry]], Walpurgisnacht's and Kriemhild Gretchen's silhouettes are supposed to make a pair.
** [[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Kriemhild_Gretchen.2C_Timeline_2_Version|Puella Magi Production Note]] further reveals that Walpurgisnacht is meant to look like the upper half of a sand timer, while Kriemhild Gretchen looks like the lower half. Interestingly, [[NewType_2011-05#Homura.27s_shield|Homura's shield has also been described as a sand timer]]
* According to Walpurgisnacht's page in the [[Guidebook]], the top part of the gear can turn into a stage where her familiars hold performances.
** Also according to the Guidebook, the familiars become as heavy as rocks when grabbed, like a [[wikipedia:Konaki-jiji|Konaki-jiji]].
* Walpurgisnacht was voiced by [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Walpurgis_Comic|Kaori Mizuhashi]].
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story]] mentions Walpurgisnacht as a colossal super-dreadful witch, whose existence is only known through rumors from other magical girls.
* In the German version, Walpurgisnacht is just called Walpurgis.
*In art from the [[Puella Magi Production Note]] by Inu Curry, the text reads: ''"She will turn all of fate's misfortune to nothing. She will flood the earth with magic, and take all of humankind into her play. A moving stage construction. If all of this is a play, then there is no such thing as sadness. It may be a tragedy, but it's merely the way that kind of script was performed. The play stops on Walpurgisnacht, and the earth does not turn even once more. The story will not change. Tomorrow, and the day after, is the night of Walpurgis."''
*The witch [[Hyades Daybreak]] from [[Puella Magi Kazumi Magica]] is very similar to Walpurgisnacht. Both are immensely powerful Witches that are amalgamations of other witches. Both also use the shadows of the magical girls that reside within them as familiars.
**In Kazumi Magica, Kyubey initially confused [[Hyades Daybreak]] for Walpurgisnacht.
*In Portable, the 'Charlotte' Shadow Magical Girl has a slightly altered appearance with a tiara and wand that no longer resembles a piece of candy.
**This may have been to change her appearance to make her look less like Charlotte if Nagisa's design was in production during this time. Despite this, this design has never been used in any other media. Media after it uses her original design.
*In early pieces of merchandise such as Walpurgisnacht's Nendoroid Petit, the top of her head features a black and white swirl instead of cogs.
*In Magia Exedra, Walpurgisnacht is currently the only witch to:
**Have more than one [[Memory Window]] design (if Gertrud and Shitori Egumo are not counted, as Gertrud's first window is technically for her familiars Labyrinth and Shitori's windows correspond to her two distinct forms).
**Have multiple boss battles against the witch in a single Memory Window. As there are no Area Bosses in her window, Walpurgisnacht fills in these positions and thus have multiple battles against her.
**Have a boss battle that ends in a forced 'defeat' (ending with her using her special attack once health is depleted).
**To have her whole labyrinth change appearance during progression.
**To be the final boss of more than one Memory Window, being in three of these Windows (Stage Witch, Witch of Good Fortune, and Scene 0 Finale).
* The shadow familiars also have nicknames in the PSP game as they are called: "Theatre Company" (劇団 ''Gekidan'').
** Three of the six shadow Gekidan familiars also have their own nicknames in the PSP, as they are referred to as: Stage Right (シモテ ''Shimote'') the candy/"Charlotte" girl shadow, Stage Wing (ソデ ''Sode'') the furisode girl shadow, and Stage Left (カミテ "Kamite") the outer space girl shadow.
* Although her carnival familiars, like Walpurgis, don't have official names they also have nicknames: Rednose (''Akahana'') and Bluenose (''Aohana'').
** Both share duties with the shadow familiars in being "clowns".
* The animal familiars (Elephants, Sheeps, etc.) all seem to have the duty of just being "parade animals that lead the procession of Walpurgis".
* In Eastern philosophy, mainly Hinduism and Buddhism, Elephants represent karma and the undeniable accumulation of past deeds.
* The Elephant familiars also seem to have the duty to crush the Rednose familiars.
* In Western philosophy, Sheep represent represent conformity, blind obedience, and the uncritical acceptance of societal norms. In christianity they are assosiated with dependence and the tendency to wander.
** Curiously the sheep familiars are blinded by cloths and lack wool.
*The Main Trailer of [[Walpurgisnacht: Rising]] provided a different description for the Witch, "The symbol of a fool that spins round and round, and a calamity passed down throughout history. A collective being of someone no one knows." (回転する愚者の象徴であり、歴史の中で語り継がれる災厄。誰も知らない誰かたちの集合体。)

==Gallery==
See [[Gallery:Walpurgisnacht]]

==See also==
* [[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Walpurgisnacht, Episode 10 version|Concept for Walpurgisnacht, Episode 10 version]]
* [[Glossary#Walpurgis Night]]: Definition from the official website

==External links==
* {{card_link|id=30}}

[[Category:Witches]]

Paola

2026-07-16T02:55:34Z

Romi1908: /* Paola */

'''Paola''' ({{Runes|PAOLA}}) is a [[witch]] that first appears in [[Madoka Magica Drama CD 4: Summer Magical Girl Training Camp!!]]. Material released with the Drama CD identified the witch as '''Paola Bona''' ({{Runes|PAOLA BONA}}).

Paola would reappear in the mobile game [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story: Magia Record]]. The game clarifies that Paola is the name of the witch, while "Bona" ({{Runes|BONA}}) is the name of the familiar the witch rides on. Paola would return as a boss in [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Magia Exedra]].

==Witch==
===Paola===
<tabber>
|-| Drama CD 4 =
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg adv 46108.jpg
|background_x= -75
|sprite= Paola-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 250
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= 613001 emblem.png

|box_color= #2f646f
|name= Paola
|runes= {{Runes|PAOLA}}
|type= Rubber Witch
|nature= Entropy elasticity
|appearances= [[Madoka Magica Drama CD 4: Summer Magical Girl Training Camp!!|Drama CD 4]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= The Rubber Witch, her nature is entropy elasticity. A terrifying witch that drowns humans with its minions' attacks and steals their souls. The witch herself can do various things, but she is clumsy and does nothing.
|desc_japanese= ゴムのマジョ 性質は「エントロピー弾性」 手下の攻撃で人間を溺れさせ魂をうばうおそろしいマジョ。 マジョ自身もいろいろ出来るらしいがカナヅチなので何もしてこない。
}}

|-| Magia Record (Game) =
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg adv 46108.jpg
|background_x= -75
|sprite= Paola-MagiReco-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 250
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= 6108 paola emblem.png

|box_color= #2f646f
|name= Paola
|runes= {{Runes|PAOLA}}
|type= Rubber Witch
|nature= Rebounding
|appearances= [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]]

|desc_english= The witch of rubber. Her nature is rebounding. She appears at ocean bathing resorts, and the interior of her barrier is an endless expanse of ocean. The witch herself can't swim at all, so it's essential for her to have very buoyant minions. Apparently, she can also perform high-speed bodyslams by bouncing herself around, but she's too busy clinging to her minions so she doesn't drown in her own barrier. She hibernates during seasons when there aren't many bathers visiting.
|desc_japanese= ゴムの魔女。その性質は、反発。 海水浴場に姿を現しその結界内も無限に広がる海面。魔女自身は全く泳げないためよく浮く手下が必須。全身を弾ませた高速攻撃も出来るらしいが、結界内では溺れないよう手下にしがみつくことで精一杯。海水浴客の少ない季節は冬眠している。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg 3d 613 00 00 001 original.png
|background_x= -210
|sprite= Paola-Exedra-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 250
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0
|kiss= 613001 emblem.png

|box_color= #2f646f
|name= Paola
|name_style= color:white;text-shadow:
-1px -1px 0 #863763, 1px -1px 0 #863763, -1px 1px 0 #863763, 1px 1px 0 #863763;
|runes_image= 613001 runes name.png
|type= Rubber Witch
|nature=
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= The Rubber Witch. Her nature is rebound. She appears at seaside beaches, and within her barrier stretches an endlessly expanding ocean surface. Since the witch herself cannot swim at all, her familiars that float well are indispensable. All alone, this witch continues searching among the waves for something she failed to pick up.
|desc_japanese= ゴムの魔女。その性質は反発。 海水浴場に姿を現しその結界内も無限に広がる海面。 魔女自身は全く泳げないためよく浮く手下が必須。ひとりぼっちのこの魔女は、拾い損ねたものを波間に探し続けている。
}}
</tabber>

==Minions==
===Bona===
<tabber>
|-| Drama CD 4 =
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg adv 47108.jpg
|background_x= -75
|sprite= Bona-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 230
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 5

|box_color= #0193b0
|name= Bona
|runes= {{Runes|BONA}}
|type= Rubber Witch's Minion
|role= Buoyancy
|appearances= [[Madoka Magica Drama CD 4: Summer Magical Girl Training Camp!!|Drama CD 4]], [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]], [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Minions: Their role is buoyancy. Ring-shaped. There's a lot. They float freely on the surface of the sea, but burst immediately when pricked.
|desc_japanese= 手下 役割は浮力。 浮き輪型、たくさんいる。 海面を自由に走り回るが、刺されるとすぐ割れる。
}}

|-| Magia Record (Game) =
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg adv 47108.jpg
|background_x= -75
|sprite= Bona-MagiReco-Transparent.png
|sprite_size= 270
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #0193b0
|name= Bona
|runes= {{Runes|BONA}}
|type= Rubber Witch's Minion
|role= Buoyancy
|appearances= [[Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story|Magia Record]]

|desc_english= Minions of the witch of rubber. Their role is buoyancy.
These Minions can glide along the surface of water like pond skater bugs. The beach balls they fire are capable of turning whoever they hit upside down, and many lost humans who wander into their Labyrinth are drowned in this manner. As they are filled with air, they fear sharp objects. You can usually find Minions like this floating on the water, disguised as inflatable rings.
|desc_japanese= ゴムの魔女の手下。その役割は、浮力。 アメンボのように海面を走り回ることが出来る。 中心の穴から触れた者の上下を入れ替えるビーチボールを発射し、結界に迷い込んだ人間を溺れさせてしまう。 体には空気が詰まっており、尖っている物は苦手。普段は浮き輪に擬態し海面を漂っている。
}}

|-| Magia Exedra =
{{Witch Card
|background= Bg 3d 613 00 01 001 original.png
|background_x= -300
|sprite= Bona Exedra Card.png
|sprite_size= 270
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 0

|box_color= #0193b0
|name= Bona
|runes= {{Runes|BONA}}
|type= Rubber Witch's Minion
|role=
|appearances= [[Magia Exedra]]

|desc_english= Rubber Witch Minion. These Minions can glide along the surface of water like pond skater bugs. As they are filled with air, they fear sharp objects. It's said the waters within the Labyrinth conceal countless lost objects.
|desc_japanese= ゴムの魔女の手下。その役割は、浮力。 アメンボのように海面を走り回ることが出来る。 体には空気が詰まっており、尖っている物は苦手。 結界に広がる海中には様々な落し物が沈んでいるらしい。
}}
</tabber>

==History==
===Drama CD===
====Drama CD 4====
See [[Madoka Magica Drama CD 4: Summer Magical Girl Training Camp!!]]

'''ゴムのマジョ''' 
性質は「エントロピー弾性」 
手下の攻撃で人間を溺れさせ魂をうばうおそろしいマジョ。 
マジョ自身もいろいろ出来るらしいがカナヅチなので何もしてこない。 
（陸の上でなら、マジョは全身をスーパーボール手先をムチのように使えるが、結界内が海なので使ったことはない。） 
（手下に乗って水面をチョロチョロしている） 
ゴムのような体は統弾も撥ね返す。 

(The Rubber Witch: Her nature is "entropy elasticity".
A terrifying qitch that drowns humans with its minions' attacks and steals their souls.
The witch herself can do various things, but she is clumsy and does nothing.
(On land, the witch can use her entire body like a super ball and her hands like whips, but since the barrier is underwater, she has never used them.)
(She rides her minions and moves around on the water surface.)
Her rubber-like body deflects bullets.)

'''マジョ''' 
泳げないので必ず手下に乗っている。 
海水浴客が少なくなると冬眠する。 

(Witch: Can't swim, and must ride on her minions. Hibernates when the number of beachgoers decreases.)

'''手下''' 
役割は浮力。 
浮き輪型、たくさんいる。 
海面を自由に走り回るが、刺されるとすぐ割れる。 

(Minions: Their role is buoyancy.
Ring-shaped. There's a lot.
They float freely on the surface of the sea, but burst immediately when pricked.)

'''結界''' 
海面に広がっている。 
（※マホウ少女は飛べない。） 
海水浴客がいつのまにか迷い込む 
結界内は一見普通の海、周囲に浮いていた無人の浮き輪が一斉に立ち上がる。 
(Barrier: It spreads across the sea surface.
(*Magical girls cannot fly.)
Swimmers wander in without realizing it.
The barrier looks like a normal sea at first glance, but the unattended floats floating around suddenly rise up.)

'''音''' 
チャプチャプ海面を走る手下の足音 
ビーチボールけったりする音 
手下の鳴き声「プーッ」「プーッ」みたいな風船系 
マジョの声は「キュッキュッ」みたいなゴム系の音 

(The sound of minions running across the choppy sea surface.
The sound of kicking a beach ball.
The minions' cries sound like “poof, poof,” like balloons.
Majyo's voice sounds like “squeak squeak,” like rubber.)

'''攻撃''' 
手下、中心の穴からビーチボールだして足でけってくる。 
ボールが体に当たった者（武器服含む）はくるりと一度体の上下が入れ替わり海水を飲んでしまう。 
連続でぶつけられたらくるくると回転しそのまま溺れてしまう。 

(Attack: The henchmen kick beach balls out of the hole in the center with their feet.
Anyone who is hit by a ball (including weapons and clothing) is flipped upside down and drinks seawater.
If hit repeatedly, they spin around and drown.)

===Games===
====Magia Record====
*First appearance is in [[Magia Record Story The Ribbon at the Brink Where the Waves Break|The Ribbon at the Brink Where the Waves Break ''(NA: Beachside Bonds)'']]

====Magia Exedra====
*Paola appears as an event boss in [[Magia Exedra Memspark Unlock Event Eternal Summer Days Part I|Eternal Summer Days Part I]], marking the first time an enemy is introduced during an event rather than part of a Main Story.

==In Magia Exedra==
{{Magia Exedra Game Info|character=Paola}}

==Trivia==
* Magia Record is the first instance of this witch being animated.
* This witch's nature was "Entropic elasticity" in an appendix to the Drama CD. After that, its nature has been changed to "Rebounding" in the game Magia Record.
* In Magia Exedra, as of Version 2.7.2, there are files of Paola and Bona's descriptions and images that were supposed to be put in the Witch section of Puella Pictura's Gallery, but are currently unused due to them currently being event exclusive enemies.

==Gallery==
See [[Gallery:Paola]]
[[Category:Witches]]

Movie 1 Brochure

2026-07-11T03:20:53Z

Romi1908: /* Homura */

[[File:Movie 1 Brochure Cover.jpg|thumb]]
The Madoka Magica The Beginning Story Brochure is a brochure released on October 6, 2012 together with the first [[Madoka Magica Movie]] and sold at theatre screenings in Japan.

Aniplex of America has also announced they are going to be selling it at the Los Angeles screenings between 19-25 October 2012.

==Translations==

===Madoka===
Due to the various conditions of her contract, Madoka is a special magical girl with wildly fluctuating potential. As a new magical girl, she may acquire nothing more than average ability, or she may suddenly awaken first-class magical power. Normally, Madoka will make a trivial wish when she contracts, and as such, her latent ability is unknown.

===Sayaka===
Created with the image of 'healing wounds,' Sayaka's soul gem manifests the power of 'recovery.' To Sayaka, who has very little experience, her power of self-regeneration could be considered her only power, as her other magics are still undeveloped. Her weapons are also restricted to simple swords, highly limited in their number, power, and adaptability. Even so, Sayaka's reflexes are slightly improved, and she can use a short-duration speed-boosting magecraft, so she can at least barely reach the average level in melee capability.

===Mami===
Created with the image of 'survival,' Mami's soul gem manifests the power of 'anchoring,' which Mami has developed into 'binding' and 'restricting' magecraft. In addition, using her specialty to its fullest extent, Mami has trained her long-distance attack magecraft, growing into an exceedingly powerful magical girl. Acquiring various other magecrafts such as 'healing,' 'transmutation,' and 'barriers,' she could be said to have a power for almost any situation. Mami is lacking only in melee defense capability, but she covers her weak point by predicting her enemies' actions and taking countermeasures.

===Kyouko===
Created with the image of 'mesmerizing others,' Kyouko's soul gem manifests the power of 'illusion,' but since she herself denies her original wish, this power is presently sealed. Even so, she has masterful command over the combat magecraft acquired through her vast experience. In defense, she prioritizes barrier magecraft over healing abilities, and always keeps her own pace while leading her enemy around, as Kyouko prefers tactics that maintain dominance.

===Homura===
The weapon that looks like a shield is an hourglass. It can stop the flow of time by blocking the path through which the "sands of the future" flow down into the "sands of the past" for a certain period of time. As a price for manifesting such an extremely unique basic characteristic magic, her other abilities have been significantly restricted, and she has no choice but to rely on means other than magic in her tactics as well. Her additionally acquired magic is also biased toward auxiliary abilities, such as "Transportation," "Concealment," and "Machinery Operation."

==Magical Parameters==
'''According to a couple of tweets from Urobuchi, these were written between when the script was finished and when the storyboarding was being done, so the information is slightly outdated. It should not be taken as final.'''
<gallery>
File:Magical parameters 1.jpg
File:Magical parameters 2.jpg
File:Magical parameters 3.jpg
File:Magical parameters 4.jpg
File:Magical parameters 5.jpg
File:Magistats.png
File:Madokastats-runes.jpg
File:Madokastats-english.jpg
</gallery>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Movie 1 Brochure 01.jpg
File:Movie 1 Brochure 02.jpg
File:Movie 1 Brochure 03.jpg
File:Movie 1 Brochure 04.jpg
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Movie 2 Brochure]]
*[[Movie 3 Brochure]]
*[[Madoka Magica Movie]]

Kazuo Koike's Nico Nico Character School! ~Lecture 13: Gen Urobuchi~

2026-07-10T00:11:08Z

Romi1908: /* Exerpted Transcriptions & Translations */

== Summary ==

Originally published on 2013/12/22, Gen Urobuchi did an interview with Kazuko Koike about the writing process he used, and several questions about Madoka Magica were asked, including about Rebellion.

The original video can be viewed here.<ref>https://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv162841750</ref>

=== Exerpted Transcriptions & Translations ===

Courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

'''Ｑ：「叛逆の意味」（0:59:55～）'''

虚淵「一度テレビで完全に終わらせちゃった話なので、ひっくり返すという意味合いが大きかったとは思いますね、キャラクターは世界に叛逆していますし、ぼくは最初の構想に自ら叛逆していますし、いろいろな意味合いを含めて叛逆というフレーズはいいよね、というのはありますね」

'''Q: "The meaning of Rebellion" (0:59:55–)'''

Urobuchi: Since it was a story that we had completely finished once on TV, I think the implication of 'turning things upside down' was a big part of it. The characters are rebelling against the world, and I myself am rebelling against my own initial concept. Including various meanings like that, there is this feeling that the phrase 'Rebellion' is really good, you see.

'''Ｑ：改変された世界では魔女はどうなるのでしょうか（1:00:00～1:02:00)'''

虚淵「ぼくの中では、あいかわらず魔獣がおおかたの世の中の歪みとして存在し、ただ、その歪みの中に反則の悪魔的な存在としてほむらがいるというスタンスなので」
「明確に魔女といえる存在はたぶんいないかな、とは思いますね」
「ただ、ほむらが、魔女のさらにいっこ上の悪魔と名乗り、存在するので、」
「そのへんは彼女の一存になっちゃうのかな、という気がしますね」

'''Q: What happens to witches in the altered world? (1:00:00-1:02:00)'''

Urobuchi: In my mind, Wraiths still exist as the majority of the world's distortion, but my stance is that Homura exists within that distortion as an unconventional, Devil-like presence. I think there probably aren't any beings that can clearly be called Witches. However, Homura calls herself a Devil, transcending Witches, and she exists as such, so I feel like that sort of thing would just be up to her own discretion.

'''Ｑ：子供向けのフィクションをつくるときのスタンス（1:03:??～)'''

虚淵「子供向けのフィクションっていうのは、ちょっと恐ろしい気持ち悪い寓話にしたいな、っていうのはありますね。」
虚淵「イメージトレーニングとして、もしも怖いものとあったとき自分はどういうふうに立ち向かえばいいのか、どういう人に助けを求めればいいのか、どういうところから勇気がわいてくるのか、そういったイメージを、実際に怪我するような体験じゃなくても鍛えられるのが、子供向けのフィクションじゃないかな、っていう気がしますよね。」

小池「それはありますね。昔は闇というものがあった。昔は外に出たらまっ暗闇があった。闇の中には必ず怖いものが潜んでいる、子供心にそう思ったんですね。闇の中になにかいるぞ、と思い描く本能を人間はもっているわけですから、暗い道を行くよりも明るい道を通ろう、という考え方が防御本能につながっていって、だけど、いまでは短距離」

虚淵「怖いのは、『この世に闇はありませんよ』という体裁を良かれと思って子供に教えるというのは、これはあとあと実際おそろしいことになると思いますね。」

'''Q: What is your approach when creating fiction for children? (1:03:??–)'''

Urobuchi: When it comes to fiction for children, I want it to be a somewhat frightening, unsettling fable. As a form of mental rehearsal, if you were ever to encounter something frightening, how should you face it? Whom should you ask for help? Where does courage come from? I think children's fiction is something that lets you cultivate those kinds of mental images without having to go through an experience where you actually get hurt.

Koike: That's true. In the past, there was such a thing as darkness. If you went outside, there was pitch-black darkness. As a child, you naturally thought that something frightening was always lurking in the dark. 'There's something in the darkness'—human beings are born with that instinct to imagine such things. So the idea of taking the well-lit road instead of the dark one became connected to our instinct for self-preservation. But nowadays, even over short distances...

Urobuchi: What's truly frightening is teaching children, with the best of intentions, to believe that 'there is no darkness in this world.' I think that ultimately leads to something genuinely terrible.

'''Ｑ：（最初の）叩き台のストーリーはどのようなものだったのでしょうか（1:06:47～）'''

虚淵「パンフレットにも書いたと思うんですけど、ほむらが魔女になり結界を張り、最後にまどかに救済される、そこで止めちゃったんですよ」
虚淵「書いて提出する段階でも、これ、わざわざ映像化にするほどの話かなぁ、っていう戸惑いはあったんですよね。ただの後日談で終わっちゃってるなぁ、という。案の定、これじゃものたりない、となり、それで、みんなで頭抱えている中で『いっそ、まどかとほむらが喧嘩になるような流れ』でもいいんじゃないか、と言われて、そこでひらめいたんですね。」
虚淵「よし、じゃあ神様が生まれる話を書いたのだから、そのあと、悪魔が生まれる話をつなげれば、表裏一体で、ある種の神話の始まり、みたいなものが作れる。それがひらめいたところで、これは作りがいのある続編になるって、一気にモチベーションがあがりましたね。」
虚淵「ぼくひとりの引き出しではでなかった発想なんですよ。最初のＴＶシリーズを終わらせた段階で、あの結末にに僕は縛られていたので、まさか、暁美ほむらというキャラクターが鹿目まどかに歯向かうような選択をするなんて、自分の中の選択肢として思いつかなかったんですね。
虚淵「ただ、彼女のメンタル、欲求や動機だったらありうる判断だ、というのは、まさに監督のアイディアもらった時点でひらめいて、いける。そこで出来上がったのがいまある脚本ですね。」
虚淵「考えてみればいろんな神話であるんですよね。もともとは、忠実に神に仕えていた者が、なにかのきっかけで歯向かう側にまわってしまうっていうのは。」

'''Q: What was the initial draft of the story like? (1:06:47–)'''

Urobuchi: I believe I mentioned this in the movie brochure as well, but the story idea was that Homura becomes a Witch, creates a barrier, and is saved by Madoka in the end. I had just stopped the story there. Even at the stage of writing and submitting it, I had some doubts, wondering, 'Is this a story that is really worth turning into a movie?' I felt like it just ended as a simple epilogue to the first TV series.

Sure enough, the feedback was that it wasn't enough. So, while everyone was scratching their heads, someone suggested, 'Why don't we go with a direction where Madoka and Homura actually clash with each other?' That was when I was inspired. So, since I had written a story about the birth of a God, by connecting it next to a story about the birth of a Devil, they were two sides of the same coin, and I could create something like the beginning of mythology. The moment I was inspired by that, I was convinced this would be a sequel truly worth creating, and my motivation suddenly surged.

It was a new idea that couldn't have come from my own repertoire alone. At the stage of finishing the first TV series, I was bound by that ending, so it never crossed my mind as an option within myself that a character like Homura Akemi would make a choice to counter Madoka Kaname. However, the moment I received the director's new idea, I was inspired that this was a judgment that could happen given Homura's mental state, desires, and motivations, and that it could work. What came out of that is the script we have now.

When you think about it, there are plenty of myths like that. Someone who originally served God faithfully ends up, because of some catalyst, joining the side that opposes Him.

'''Ｑ：「ほむらは本当に悪魔なのでしょうか？」（1:12:43～)'''

虚淵「それも面白いところで、結構、劇場のラストで、脚本と印象ががらっと変わっているんですよ。」
虚淵「脚本だと。ほむらが悪魔だ、と言いきって、丘の上から街を見下ろして微笑んでいるだけで終わりなんですけど、絵コンテの段階で、彼女が葛藤しているかのような材料が一気に加っているんですよね。」
虚淵「それで一気にほむらのスタンスがミステリアスになったんですけれども、あれが脚本になかった深みにつながったな、と思っていまして、まさに、僕が想定した暁美ほむらよりも映像化の過程でさらにキャラが育ったんですよね。」
虚淵「悪魔だと自称しているけれども、彼女自身が神様すら傷つけてしまうような力を持ちつつ、実際どこに転がっていくのかわからないっていう風に演出を変えてもらえているんで、虚淵玄が答えられる分ではないんですけど、謎ですよね。」
虚淵「それこそ次に膨らませる部分になると思うんですよね
虚淵「脚本家の欲求として結論を出したくなっちゃうんですけど、それだと小さく小さくまとめていっちゃうんで」

'''Q: Is Homura really a devil? (1:12:43–)'''

Urobuchi: That's an interesting point as well. By the time we reached the ending in the theatrical version, the impression had changed quite dramatically from what was in the script.

In the script, it simply ends with Homura definitively declaring herself to be a devil, smiling as she looks down over the city from atop a hill. But at the storyboard stage, a whole range of elements was added that make it seem as though she's struggling internally.

That immediately made Homura's position much more mysterious. I think those additions gave the film a depth that wasn't present in the script. In that sense, during the process of bringing it to the screen, the character developed even further beyond the Akemi Homura I had originally envisioned.

Homura calls herself a Devil, while she herself possesses force that can even wound a God, and we don't know where things will head. Since they have changed the direction like that, it's not something Gen Urobuchi can answer, but it's a mystery, isn't it? I think that’s exactly the part to expand on next. As a screenwriter, I can't help wanting to provide a definitive conclusion. But if I do that, I just end up wrapping everything up into something smaller and smaller.

'''Ｑ：さやかちゃんは主役になれますか？（1:27:10～)'''

虚淵「劇場版を通じて特殊な立ち位置のキャラになったので、もしかしたら孤高のヒーローになるかもしれませんね。ほむらというキャラクターがなにか悪だくみしているという直感だけは引き継いでいるのですが、直感どまりなので人のの理解は得られないでしょうし、たぶん彼女はひとりでその直感だけを抱え込んでほむらに対抗することになるでしょうから、面白いキャラクターになると思いますね。」

'''Q: Could Sayaka become the main character? (1:27:10–)'''

Urobuchi: After the movie, she's ended up becoming a character in a rather unique position. So she might even become a solitary hero. She's retained only the intuition that the character Homura is plotting something sinister. But since it's nothing more than intuition, she probably won't be able to get anyone else to understand or believe her. So she'll most likely end up carrying that intuition all by herself as she stands against Homura. I think that would make her a very interesting character.

[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Interviews/Gen Urobuchi]]

Kazuo Koike's Nico Nico Character School! ~Lecture 13: Gen Urobuchi~

2026-07-09T23:59:32Z

Romi1908: /* Exerpted Transcriptions & Translations */

== Summary ==

Originally published on 2013/12/22, Gen Urobuchi did an interview with Kazuko Koike about the writing process he used, and several questions about Madoka Magica were asked, including about Rebellion.

The original video can be viewed here.<ref>https://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv162841750</ref>

=== Exerpted Transcriptions & Translations ===

Courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

'''Ｑ：「叛逆の意味」（0:59:55～）'''

虚淵「一度テレビで完全に終わらせちゃった話なので、ひっくり返すという意味合いが大きかったとは思いますね、キャラクターは世界に叛逆していますし、ぼくは最初の構想に自ら叛逆していますし、いろいろな意味合いを含めて叛逆というフレーズはいいよね、というのはありますね」

'''Q: "The meaning of Rebellion" (0:59:55–)'''

Urobuchi: Since it was a story that we had completely finished once on TV, I think the implication of 'turning things upside down' was a big part of it. The characters are rebelling against the world, and I myself am rebelling against my own initial concept. Including various meanings like that, there is this feeling that the phrase 'Rebellion' is really good, you see.

'''Ｑ：改変された世界では魔女はどうなるのでしょうか（1:00:00～1:02:00)'''

虚淵「ぼくの中では、あいかわらず魔獣がおおかたの世の中の歪みとして存在し、ただ、その歪みの中に反則の悪魔的な存在としてほむらがいるというスタンスなので」
「明確に魔女といえる存在はたぶんいないかな、とは思いますね」
「ただ、ほむらが、魔女のさらにいっこ上の悪魔と名乗り、存在するので、」
「そのへんは彼女の一存になっちゃうのかな、という気がしますね」

'''Q: What happens to witches in the altered world? (1:00:00-1:02:00)'''

Urobuchi: In my mind, Wraiths still exist as the majority of the world's distortion, but my stance is that Homura exists within that distortion as an unconventional, Devil-like presence. I think there probably aren't any beings that can clearly be called Witches. However, Homura calls herself a Devil, transcending Witches, and she exists as such, so I feel like that sort of thing would just be up to her own discretion.

'''Ｑ：子供向けのフィクションをつくるときのスタンス（1:03:??～)'''

虚淵「子供向けのフィクションっていうのは、ちょっと恐ろしい気持ち悪い寓話にしたいな、っていうのはありますね。」
虚淵「イメージトレーニングとして、もしも怖いものとあったとき自分はどういうふうに立ち向かえばいいのか、どういう人に助けを求めればいいのか、どういうところから勇気がわいてくるのか、そういったイメージを、実際に怪我するような体験じゃなくても鍛えられるのが、子供向けのフィクションじゃないかな、っていう気がしますよね。」

小池「それはありますね。昔は闇というものがあった。昔は外に出たらまっ暗闇があった。闇の中には必ず怖いものが潜んでいる、子供心にそう思ったんですね。闇の中になにかいるぞ、と思い描く本能を人間はもっているわけですから、暗い道を行くよりも明るい道を通ろう、という考え方が防御本能につながっていって、だけど、いまでは短距離」

虚淵「怖いのは、『この世に闇はありませんよ』という体裁を良かれと思って子供に教えるというのは、これはあとあと実際おそろしいことになると思いますね。」

'''Q: What is your approach when creating fiction for children? (1:03:??–)'''

Urobuchi: When it comes to fiction for children, I want it to be a somewhat frightening, unsettling fable. As a form of mental rehearsal, if you were ever to encounter something frightening, how should you face it? Whom should you ask for help? Where does courage come from? I think children's fiction is something that lets you cultivate those kinds of mental images without having to go through an experience where you actually get hurt.

Koike: That's true. In the past, there was such a thing as darkness. If you went outside, there was pitch-black darkness. As a child, you naturally thought that something frightening was always lurking in the dark. 'There's something in the darkness'—human beings are born with that instinct to imagine such things. So the idea of taking the well-lit road instead of the dark one became connected to our instinct for self-preservation. But nowadays, even over short distances...

Urobuchi: What's truly frightening is teaching children, with the best of intentions, to believe that 'there is no darkness in this world.' I think that ultimately leads to something genuinely terrible.

'''Ｑ：（最初の）叩き台のストーリーはどのようなものだったのでしょうか（1:06:47～）'''

虚淵「パンフレットにも書いたと思うんですけど、ほむらが魔女になり結界を張り、最後にまどかに救済される、そこで止めちゃったんですよ」
虚淵「書いて提出する段階でも、これ、わざわざ映像化にするほどの話かなぁ、っていう戸惑いはあったんですよね。ただの後日談で終わっちゃってるなぁ、という。案の定、これじゃものたりない、となり、それで、みんなで頭抱えている中で『いっそ、まどかとほむらが喧嘩になるような流れ』でもいいんじゃないか、と言われて、そこでひらめいたんですね。」
虚淵「よし、じゃあ神様が生まれる話を書いたのだから、そのあと、悪魔が生まれる話をつなげれば、表裏一体で、ある種の神話の始まり、みたいなものが作れる。それがひらめいたところで、これは作りがいのある続編になるって、一気にモチベーションがあがりましたね。」
虚淵「ぼくひとりの引き出しではでなかった発想なんですよ。最初のＴＶシリーズを終わらせた段階で、あの結末にに僕は縛られていたので、まさか、暁美ほむらというキャラクターが鹿目まどかに歯向かうような選択をするなんて、自分の中の選択肢として思いつかなかったんですね。
虚淵「ただ、彼女のメンタル、欲求や動機だったらありうる判断だ、というのは、まさに監督のアイディアもらった時点でひらめいて、いける。そこで出来上がったのがいまある脚本ですね。」
虚淵「考えてみればいろんな神話であるんですよね。もともとは、忠実に神に仕えていた者が、なにかのきっかけで歯向かう側にまわってしまうっていうのは。」

'''Q: What was the initial draft of the story like? (1:06:47–)'''

Urobuchi: I believe I mentioned this in the movie brochure as well, but the story idea was that Homura becomes a Witch, creates a barrier, and is saved by Madoka in the end. I had just stopped the story there. Even at the stage of writing and submitting it, I had some doubts, wondering, 'Is this a story that is really worth turning into a movie?' I felt like it just ended as a simple epilogue to the first TV series.

Sure enough, the feedback was that it wasn't enough. So, while everyone was scratching their heads, someone suggested, 'Why don't we go with a direction where Madoka and Homura actually clash with each other?' That was when I was inspired. So, since I had written a story about the birth of a God, by connecting it next to a story about the birth of a Devil, they were two sides of the same coin, and I could create something like the beginning of mythology. The moment I was inspired by that, I was convinced this would be a sequel truly worth creating, and my motivation suddenly surged.

It was a new idea that couldn't have come from my own repertoire alone. At the stage of finishing the first TV series, I was bound by that ending, so it never crossed my mind as an option within myself that a character like Homura Akemi would make a choice to counter Madoka Kaname. However, the moment I received the director's new idea, I was inspired that this was a judgment that could happen given her mental state, desires, and motivations, and that it could work. What came out of that is the script we have now.

When you think about it, there are plenty of myths like that. Someone who originally served God faithfully ends up, because of some catalyst, joining the side that opposes Him.

'''Ｑ：「ほむらは本当に悪魔なのでしょうか？」（1:12:43～)'''

虚淵「それも面白いところで、結構、劇場のラストで、脚本と印象ががらっと変わっているんですよ。」
虚淵「脚本だと。ほむらが悪魔だ、と言いきって、丘の上から街を見下ろして微笑んでいるだけで終わりなんですけど、絵コンテの段階で、彼女が葛藤しているかのような材料が一気に加っているんですよね。」
虚淵「それで一気にほむらのスタンスがミステリアスになったんですけれども、あれが脚本になかった深みにつながったな、と思っていまして、まさに、僕が想定した暁美ほむらよりも映像化の過程でさらにキャラが育ったんですよね。」
虚淵「悪魔だと自称しているけれども、彼女自身が神様すら傷つけてしまうような力を持ちつつ、実際どこに転がっていくのかわからないっていう風に演出を変えてもらえているんで、虚淵玄が答えられる分ではないんですけど、謎ですよね。」
虚淵「それこそ次に膨らませる部分になると思うんですよね
虚淵「脚本家の欲求として結論を出したくなっちゃうんですけど、それだと小さく小さくまとめていっちゃうんで」

'''Q: Is Homura really a devil? (1:12:43–)'''

Urobuchi: That's an interesting point as well. By the time we reached the ending in the theatrical version, the impression had changed quite dramatically from what was in the script.

In the script, it simply ends with Homura definitively declaring herself to be a devil, smiling as she looks down over the city from atop a hill. But at the storyboard stage, a whole range of elements was added that make it seem as though she's struggling internally.

That immediately made Homura's position much more mysterious. I think those additions gave the film a depth that wasn't present in the script. In that sense, during the process of bringing it to the screen, the character developed even further beyond the Akemi Homura I had originally envisioned.

Homura calls herself a Devil, while she herself possesses force that can even wound a God, and we don't know where things will head. Since they have changed the direction like that, it's not something Gen Urobuchi can answer, but it's a mystery, isn't it? I think that’s exactly the part to expand on next. As a screenwriter, I can't help wanting to provide a definitive conclusion. But if I do that, I just end up wrapping everything up into something smaller and smaller.

'''Ｑ：さやかちゃんは主役になれますか？（1:27:10～)'''

虚淵「劇場版を通じて特殊な立ち位置のキャラになったので、もしかしたら孤高のヒーローになるかもしれませんね。ほむらというキャラクターがなにか悪だくみしているという直感だけは引き継いでいるのですが、直感どまりなので人のの理解は得られないでしょうし、たぶん彼女はひとりでその直感だけを抱え込んでほむらに対抗することになるでしょうから、面白いキャラクターになると思いますね。」

'''Q: Could Sayaka become the main character? (1:27:10–)'''

Urobuchi: After the movie, she's ended up becoming a character in a rather unique position. So she might even become a solitary hero. She's retained only the intuition that the character Homura is plotting something sinister. But since it's nothing more than intuition, she probably won't be able to get anyone else to understand or believe her. So she'll most likely end up carrying that intuition all by herself as she stands against Homura. I think that would make her a very interesting character.

[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Interviews/Gen Urobuchi]]

Kazuo Koike's Nico Nico Character School! ~Lecture 13: Gen Urobuchi~

2026-07-09T23:57:20Z

Romi1908: /* Exerpted Transcriptions & Translations */

== Summary ==

Originally published on 2013/12/22, Gen Urobuchi did an interview with Kazuko Koike about the writing process he used, and several questions about Madoka Magica were asked, including about Rebellion.

The original video can be viewed here.<ref>https://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv162841750</ref>

=== Exerpted Transcriptions & Translations ===

Courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

'''Ｑ：「叛逆の意味」（0:59:55～）'''

虚淵「一度テレビで完全に終わらせちゃった話なので、ひっくり返すという意味合いが大きかったとは思いますね、キャラクターは世界に叛逆していますし、ぼくは最初の構想に自ら叛逆していますし、いろいろな意味合いを含めて叛逆というフレーズはいいよね、というのはありますね」

'''Q: "The meaning of Rebellion" (0:59:55–)'''

Urobuchi: Since it was a story that we had completely finished once on TV, I think the implication of 'turning things upside down' was a big part of it. The characters are rebelling against the world, and I myself am rebelling against my own initial concept. Including various meanings like that, there is this feeling that the phrase 'Rebellion' is really good, you see.

'''Ｑ：改変された世界では魔女はどうなるのでしょうか（1:00:00～1:02:00)'''

虚淵「ぼくの中では、あいかわらず魔獣がおおかたの世の中の歪みとして存在し、ただ、その歪みの中に反則の悪魔的な存在としてほむらがいるというスタンスなので」
「明確に魔女といえる存在はたぶんいないかな、とは思いますね」
「ただ、ほむらが、魔女のさらにいっこ上の悪魔と名乗り、存在するので、」
「そのへんは彼女の一存になっちゃうのかな、という気がしますね」

'''Q: What happens to witches in the altered world? (1:00:00-1:02:00)'''

Urobuchi:In my mind, Wraiths still exist as the majority of the world's distortion, but my stance is that Homura exists within that distortion as an unconventional, Devil-like presence. I think there probably aren't any beings that can clearly be called Witches. However, Homura calls herself a Devil, transcending Witches, and she exists as such, so I feel like that sort of thing would just be up to her own discretion.

'''Ｑ：子供向けのフィクションをつくるときのスタンス（1:03:??～)'''

虚淵「子供向けのフィクションっていうのは、ちょっと恐ろしい気持ち悪い寓話にしたいな、っていうのはありますね。」
虚淵「イメージトレーニングとして、もしも怖いものとあったとき自分はどういうふうに立ち向かえばいいのか、どういう人に助けを求めればいいのか、どういうところから勇気がわいてくるのか、そういったイメージを、実際に怪我するような体験じゃなくても鍛えられるのが、子供向けのフィクションじゃないかな、っていう気がしますよね。」

小池「それはありますね。昔は闇というものがあった。昔は外に出たらまっ暗闇があった。闇の中には必ず怖いものが潜んでいる、子供心にそう思ったんですね。闇の中になにかいるぞ、と思い描く本能を人間はもっているわけですから、暗い道を行くよりも明るい道を通ろう、という考え方が防御本能につながっていって、だけど、いまでは短距離」

虚淵「怖いのは、『この世に闇はありませんよ』という体裁を良かれと思って子供に教えるというのは、これはあとあと実際おそろしいことになると思いますね。」

'''Q: What is your approach when creating fiction for children? (1:03:??–)'''

Urobuchi: When it comes to fiction for children, I want it to be a somewhat frightening, unsettling fable. As a form of mental rehearsal, if you were ever to encounter something frightening, how should you face it? Whom should you ask for help? Where does courage come from? I think children's fiction is something that lets you cultivate those kinds of mental images without having to go through an experience where you actually get hurt.

Koike: That's true. In the past, there was such a thing as darkness. If you went outside, there was pitch-black darkness. As a child, you naturally thought that something frightening was always lurking in the dark. 'There's something in the darkness'—human beings are born with that instinct to imagine such things. So the idea of taking the well-lit road instead of the dark one became connected to our instinct for self-preservation. But nowadays, even over short distances...

Urobuchi: What's truly frightening is teaching children, with the best of intentions, to believe that 'there is no darkness in this world.' I think that ultimately leads to something genuinely terrible.

'''Ｑ：（最初の）叩き台のストーリーはどのようなものだったのでしょうか（1:06:47～）'''

虚淵「パンフレットにも書いたと思うんですけど、ほむらが魔女になり結界を張り、最後にまどかに救済される、そこで止めちゃったんですよ」
虚淵「書いて提出する段階でも、これ、わざわざ映像化にするほどの話かなぁ、っていう戸惑いはあったんですよね。ただの後日談で終わっちゃってるなぁ、という。案の定、これじゃものたりない、となり、それで、みんなで頭抱えている中で『いっそ、まどかとほむらが喧嘩になるような流れ』でもいいんじゃないか、と言われて、そこでひらめいたんですね。」
虚淵「よし、じゃあ神様が生まれる話を書いたのだから、そのあと、悪魔が生まれる話をつなげれば、表裏一体で、ある種の神話の始まり、みたいなものが作れる。それがひらめいたところで、これは作りがいのある続編になるって、一気にモチベーションがあがりましたね。」
虚淵「ぼくひとりの引き出しではでなかった発想なんですよ。最初のＴＶシリーズを終わらせた段階で、あの結末にに僕は縛られていたので、まさか、暁美ほむらというキャラクターが鹿目まどかに歯向かうような選択をするなんて、自分の中の選択肢として思いつかなかったんですね。
虚淵「ただ、彼女のメンタル、欲求や動機だったらありうる判断だ、というのは、まさに監督のアイディアもらった時点でひらめいて、いける。そこで出来上がったのがいまある脚本ですね。」
虚淵「考えてみればいろんな神話であるんですよね。もともとは、忠実に神に仕えていた者が、なにかのきっかけで歯向かう側にまわってしまうっていうのは。」

'''Q: What was the initial draft of the story like? (1:06:47–)'''

Urobuchi: I believe I mentioned this in the movie brochure as well, but the story idea was that Homura becomes a Witch, creates a barrier, and is saved by Madoka in the end. I had just stopped the story there. Even at the stage of writing and submitting it, I had some doubts, wondering, 'Is this a story that is really worth turning into a movie?' I felt like it just ended as a simple epilogue to the first TV series.

Sure enough, the feedback was that it wasn't enough. So, while everyone was scratching their heads, someone suggested, 'Why don't we go with a direction where Madoka and Homura actually clash with each other?' That was when I was inspired. So, since I had written a story about the birth of a God, by connecting it next to a story about the birth of a Devil, they were two sides of the same coin, and I could create something like the beginning of mythology. The moment I was inspired by that, I was convinced this would be a sequel truly worth creating, and my motivation suddenly surged.

It was a new idea that couldn't have come from my own repertoire alone. At the stage of finishing the first TV series, I was bound by that ending, so it never crossed my mind as an option within myself that a character like Homura Akemi would make a choice to counter Madoka Kaname. However, the moment I received the director's new idea, I was inspired that this was a judgment that could happen given her mental state, desires, and motivations, and that it could work. What came out of that is the script we have now.

When you think about it, there are plenty of myths like that. Someone who originally served God faithfully ends up, because of some catalyst, joining the side that opposes Him.

'''Ｑ：「ほむらは本当に悪魔なのでしょうか？」（1:12:43～)'''

虚淵「それも面白いところで、結構、劇場のラストで、脚本と印象ががらっと変わっているんですよ。」
虚淵「脚本だと。ほむらが悪魔だ、と言いきって、丘の上から街を見下ろして微笑んでいるだけで終わりなんですけど、絵コンテの段階で、彼女が葛藤しているかのような材料が一気に加っているんですよね。」
虚淵「それで一気にほむらのスタンスがミステリアスになったんですけれども、あれが脚本になかった深みにつながったな、と思っていまして、まさに、僕が想定した暁美ほむらよりも映像化の過程でさらにキャラが育ったんですよね。」
虚淵「悪魔だと自称しているけれども、彼女自身が神様すら傷つけてしまうような力を持ちつつ、実際どこに転がっていくのかわからないっていう風に演出を変えてもらえているんで、虚淵玄が答えられる分ではないんですけど、謎ですよね。」
虚淵「それこそ次に膨らませる部分になると思うんですよね
虚淵「脚本家の欲求として結論を出したくなっちゃうんですけど、それだと小さく小さくまとめていっちゃうんで」

'''Q: Is Homura really a devil? (1:12:43–)'''

Urobuchi: That's an interesting point as well. By the time we reached the ending in the theatrical version, the impression had changed quite dramatically from what was in the script.

In the script, it simply ends with Homura definitively declaring herself to be a devil, smiling as she looks down over the city from atop a hill. But at the storyboard stage, a whole range of elements was added that make it seem as though she's struggling internally.

That immediately made Homura's position much more mysterious. I think those additions gave the film a depth that wasn't present in the script. In that sense, during the process of bringing it to the screen, the character developed even further beyond the Akemi Homura I had originally envisioned.

Homura calls herself a Devil, while she herself possesses force that can even wound a God, and we don't know where things will head. Since they have changed the direction like that, it's not something Gen Urobuchi can answer, but it's a mystery, isn't it? I think that’s exactly the part to expand on next. As a screenwriter, I can't help wanting to provide a definitive conclusion. But if I do that, I just end up wrapping everything up into something smaller and smaller.

'''Ｑ：さやかちゃんは主役になれますか？（1:27:10～)'''

虚淵「劇場版を通じて特殊な立ち位置のキャラになったので、もしかしたら孤高のヒーローになるかもしれませんね。ほむらというキャラクターがなにか悪だくみしているという直感だけは引き継いでいるのですが、直感どまりなので人のの理解は得られないでしょうし、たぶん彼女はひとりでその直感だけを抱え込んでほむらに対抗することになるでしょうから、面白いキャラクターになると思いますね。」

'''Q: Could Sayaka become the main character? (1:27:10–)'''

Urobuchi: After the movie, she's ended up becoming a character in a rather unique position. So she might even become a solitary hero. She's retained only the intuition that the character Homura is plotting something sinister. But since it's nothing more than intuition, she probably won't be able to get anyone else to understand or believe her. So she'll most likely end up carrying that intuition all by herself as she stands against Homura. I think that would make her a very interesting character.

[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Interviews/Gen Urobuchi]]

Kazuo Koike's Nico Nico Character School! ~Lecture 13: Gen Urobuchi~

2026-07-09T23:56:34Z

Romi1908: /* Exerpted Transcriptions & Translations */

== Summary ==

Originally published on 2013/12/22, Gen Urobuchi did an interview with Kazuko Koike about the writing process he used, and several questions about Madoka Magica were asked, including about Rebellion.

The original video can be viewed here.<ref>https://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv162841750</ref>

=== Exerpted Transcriptions & Translations ===

Courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

'''Ｑ：「叛逆の意味」（0:59:55～）'''

虚淵「一度テレビで完全に終わらせちゃった話なので、ひっくり返すという意味合いが大きかったとは思いますね、キャラクターは世界に叛逆していますし、ぼくは最初の構想に自ら叛逆していますし、いろいろな意味合いを含めて叛逆というフレーズはいいよね、というのはありますね」

'''Q: "The meaning of Rebellion" (0:59:55–)'''

Urobuchi: Since it was a story that we had completely finished once on TV, I think the implication of 'turning things upside down' was a big part of it. The characters are rebelling against the world, and I myself am rebelling against my own initial concept. Including various meanings like that, there is this feeling that the phrase 'Rebellion' is really good, you see.

'''Ｑ：改変された世界では魔女はどうなるのでしょうか（1:00:00～1:02:00)'''

虚淵「ぼくの中では、あいかわらず魔獣がおおかたの世の中の歪みとして存在し、ただ、その歪みの中に反則の悪魔的な存在としてほむらがいるというスタンスなので」
「明確に魔女といえる存在はたぶんいないかな、とは思いますね」
「ただ、ほむらが、魔女のさらにいっこ上の悪魔と名乗り、存在するので、」
「そのへんは彼女の一存になっちゃうのかな、という気がしますね」

'''Q: What happens to witches in the altered world? (1:00:00-1:02:00)'''

Urobuchi:In my mind, Wraiths still exist as the majority of the world's distortion, but my stance is that Homura exists within that distortion as an unconventional, Devil-like presence. I think there probably aren't any beings that can clearly be called Witches. However, Homura calls herself a Devil, transcending Witches, and she exists as such, so I feel like that sort of thing would just be up to her own discretion.

'''Ｑ：子供向けのフィクションをつくるときのスタンス（1:03:??～)'''

虚淵「子供向けのフィクションっていうのは、ちょっと恐ろしい気持ち悪い寓話にしたいな、っていうのはありますね。」
虚淵「イメージトレーニングとして、もしも怖いものとあったとき自分はどういうふうに立ち向かえばいいのか、どういう人に助けを求めればいいのか、どういうところから勇気がわいてくるのか、そういったイメージを、実際に怪我するような体験じゃなくても鍛えられるのが、子供向けのフィクションじゃないかな、っていう気がしますよね。」

小池「それはありますね。昔は闇というものがあった。昔は外に出たらまっ暗闇があった。闇の中には必ず怖いものが潜んでいる、子供心にそう思ったんですね。闇の中になにかいるぞ、と思い描く本能を人間はもっているわけですから、暗い道を行くよりも明るい道を通ろう、という考え方が防御本能につながっていって、だけど、いまでは短距離」

虚淵「怖いのは、『この世に闇はありませんよ』という体裁を良かれと思って子供に教えるというのは、これはあとあと実際おそろしいことになると思いますね。」

'''Q: What is your approach when creating fiction for children? (1:03:??–)'''

Urobuchi: When it comes to fiction for children, I want it to be a somewhat frightening, unsettling fable. As a form of mental rehearsal, if you were ever to encounter something frightening, how should you face it? Whom should you ask for help? Where does courage come from? I think children's fiction is something that lets you cultivate those kinds of mental images without having to go through an experience where you actually get hurt.

Koike: That's true. In the past, there was such a thing as darkness. If you went outside, there was pitch-black darkness. As a child, you naturally thought that something frightening was always lurking in the dark. 'There's something in the darkness'—human beings are born with that instinct to imagine such things. So the idea of taking the well-lit road instead of the dark one became connected to our instinct for self-preservation. But nowadays, even over short distances...

Urobuchi: What's truly frightening is teaching children, with the best of intentions, to believe that 'there is no darkness in this world.' I think that ultimately leads to something genuinely terrible.

'''Ｑ：（最初の）叩き台のストーリーはどのようなものだったのでしょうか（1:06:47～）'''

虚淵「パンフレットにも書いたと思うんですけど、ほむらが魔女になり結界を張り、最後にまどかに救済される、そこで止めちゃったんですよ」
虚淵「書いて提出する段階でも、これ、わざわざ映像化にするほどの話かなぁ、っていう戸惑いはあったんですよね。ただの後日談で終わっちゃってるなぁ、という。案の定、これじゃものたりない、となり、それで、みんなで頭抱えている中で『いっそ、まどかとほむらが喧嘩になるような流れ』でもいいんじゃないか、と言われて、そこでひらめいたんですね。」
虚淵「よし、じゃあ神様が生まれる話を書いたのだから、そのあと、悪魔が生まれる話をつなげれば、表裏一体で、ある種の神話の始まり、みたいなものが作れる。それがひらめいたところで、これは作りがいのある続編になるって、一気にモチベーションがあがりましたね。」
虚淵「ぼくひとりの引き出しではでなかった発想なんですよ。最初のＴＶシリーズを終わらせた段階で、あの結末にに僕は縛られていたので、まさか、暁美ほむらというキャラクターが鹿目まどかに歯向かうような選択をするなんて、自分の中の選択肢として思いつかなかったんですね。
虚淵「ただ、彼女のメンタル、欲求や動機だったらありうる判断だ、というのは、まさに監督のアイディアもらった時点でひらめいて、いける。そこで出来上がったのがいまある脚本ですね。」
虚淵「考えてみればいろんな神話であるんですよね。もともとは、忠実に神に仕えていた者が、なにかのきっかけで歯向かう側にまわってしまうっていうのは。」

'''Q: What was the initial draft of the story like? (1:06:47–)'''

Urobuchi: I believe I mentioned this in the movie brochure as well, but the story idea was that Homura becomes a Witch, creates a barrier, and is saved by Madoka in the end. I had just stopped the story there. Even at the stage of writing and submitting it, I had some doubts, wondering, 'Is this a story that is really worth turning into a movie?' I felt like it just ended as a simple epilogue to the first TV series.

Sure enough, the feedback was that it wasn't enough. So, while everyone was scratching their heads, someone suggested, 'Why don't we go with a direction where Madoka and Homura actually clash with each other?' That was when I was inspired. So, since I had written a story about the birth of a God, by connecting it next to a story about the birth of a Devil, they were two sides of the same coin, and I could create something like the beginning of mythology. The moment I was inspired by that, I was convinced this would be a sequel truly worth creating, and my motivation suddenly surged.

It was a new idea that couldn't have come from my own repertoire alone. At the stage of finishing the first TV series, I was bound by that ending, so it never crossed my mind as an option within myself that a character like Homura Akemi would make a choice to counter Madoka Kaname. However, the moment I received the director's new idea, I was inspired that this was a judgment that could happen given her mental state, desires, and motivations, and that it could work. What came out of that is the script we have now.

When you think about it, there are plenty of myths like that. Someone who originally served God faithfully ends up, because of some catalyst, joining the side that opposes Him.

'''Ｑ：「ほむらは本当に悪魔なのでしょうか？」（1:12:43～)'''

虚淵「それも面白いところで、結構、劇場のラストで、脚本と印象ががらっと変わっているんですよ。」
虚淵「脚本だと。ほむらが悪魔だ、と言いきって、丘の上から街を見下ろして微笑んでいるだけで終わりなんですけど、絵コンテの段階で、彼女が葛藤しているかのような材料が一気に加っているんですよね。」
虚淵「それで一気にほむらのスタンスがミステリアスになったんですけれども、あれが脚本になかった深みにつながったな、と思っていまして、まさに、僕が想定した暁美ほむらよりも映像化の過程でさらにキャラが育ったんですよね。」
虚淵「悪魔だと自称しているけれども、彼女自身が神様すら傷つけてしまうような力を持ちつつ、実際どこに転がっていくのかわからないっていう風に演出を変えてもらえているんで、虚淵玄が答えられる分ではないんですけど、謎ですよね。」
虚淵「それこそ次に膨らませる部分になると思うんですよね
虚淵「脚本家の欲求として結論を出したくなっちゃうんですけど、それだと小さく小さくまとめていっちゃうんで」

Q: Is Homura really a devil? (1:12:43–)

Urobuchi: That's an interesting point as well. By the time we reached the ending in the theatrical version, the impression had changed quite dramatically from what was in the script.

In the script, it simply ends with Homura definitively declaring herself to be a devil, smiling as she looks down over the city from atop a hill. But at the storyboard stage, a whole range of elements was added that make it seem as though she's struggling internally.

That immediately made Homura's position much more mysterious. I think those additions gave the film a depth that wasn't present in the script. In that sense, during the process of bringing it to the screen, the character developed even further beyond the Akemi Homura I had originally envisioned.

Homura calls herself a Devil, while she herself possesses force that can even wound a God, and we don't know where things will head. Since they have changed the direction like that, it's not something Gen Urobuchi can answer, but it's a mystery, isn't it? I think that’s exactly the part to expand on next. As a screenwriter, I can't help wanting to provide a definitive conclusion. But if I do that, I just end up wrapping everything up into something smaller and smaller.

'''Ｑ：さやかちゃんは主役になれますか？（1:27:10～)'''

虚淵「劇場版を通じて特殊な立ち位置のキャラになったので、もしかしたら孤高のヒーローになるかもしれませんね。ほむらというキャラクターがなにか悪だくみしているという直感だけは引き継いでいるのですが、直感どまりなので人のの理解は得られないでしょうし、たぶん彼女はひとりでその直感だけを抱え込んでほむらに対抗することになるでしょうから、面白いキャラクターになると思いますね。」

'''Q: Could Sayaka become the main character? (1:27:10–)'''

Urobuchi: After the movie, she's ended up becoming a character in a rather unique position. So she might even become a solitary hero. She's retained only the intuition that the character Homura is plotting something sinister. But since it's nothing more than intuition, she probably won't be able to get anyone else to understand or believe her. So she'll most likely end up carrying that intuition all by herself as she stands against Homura. I think that would make her a very interesting character.

[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Interviews/Gen Urobuchi]]

Kazuo Koike's Nico Nico Character School! ~Lecture 13: Gen Urobuchi~

2026-07-09T23:51:09Z

Romi1908: /* Exerpted Transcriptions & Translations */

== Summary ==

Originally published on 2013/12/22, Gen Urobuchi did an interview with Kazuko Koike about the writing process he used, and several questions about Madoka Magica were asked, including about Rebellion.

The original video can be viewed here.<ref>https://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv162841750</ref>

=== Exerpted Transcriptions & Translations ===

Courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

Ｑ：「叛逆の意味」（0:59:55～）

虚淵「一度テレビで完全に終わらせちゃった話なので、ひっくり返すという意味合いが大きかったとは思いますね、キャラクターは世界に叛逆していますし、ぼくは最初の構想に自ら叛逆していますし、いろいろな意味合いを含めて叛逆というフレーズはいいよね、というのはありますね」

Q: "The meaning of Rebellion" (0:59:55–)

Urobuchi: Since it was a story that we had completely finished once on TV, I think the implication of 'turning things upside down' was a big part of it. The characters are rebelling against the world, and I myself am rebelling against my own initial concept. Including various meanings like that, there is this feeling that the phrase 'Rebellion' is really good, you see.

Ｑ：改変された世界では魔女はどうなるのでしょうか（1:00:00～1:02:00）

虚淵「ぼくの中では、あいかわらず魔獣がおおかたの世の中の歪みとして存在し、ただ、その歪みの中に反則の悪魔的な存在としてほむらがいるというスタンスなので」
「明確に魔女といえる存在はたぶんいないかな、とは思いますね」
「ただ、ほむらが、魔女のさらにいっこ上の悪魔と名乗り、存在するので、」
「そのへんは彼女の一存になっちゃうのかな、という気がしますね」

Q: What happens to witches in the altered world? (1:00:00-1:02:00)

Urobuchi:In my mind, Wraiths still exist as the majority of the world's distortion, but my stance is that Homura exists within that distortion as an unconventional, Devil-like presence. I think there probably aren't any beings that can clearly be called Witches. However, Homura calls herself a Devil, transcending Witches, and she exists as such, so I feel like that sort of thing would just be up to her own discretion.

Ｑ：子供向けのフィクションをつくるときのスタンス（1:03:??～）

虚淵「子供向けのフィクションっていうのは、ちょっと恐ろしい気持ち悪い寓話にしたいな、っていうのはありますね。」
虚淵「イメージトレーニングとして、もしも怖いものとあったとき自分はどういうふうに立ち向かえばいいのか、どういう人に助けを求めればいいのか、どういうところから勇気がわいてくるのか、そういったイメージを、実際に怪我するような体験じゃなくても鍛えられるのが、子供向けのフィクションじゃないかな、っていう気がしますよね。」

小池「それはありますね。昔は闇というものがあった。昔は外に出たらまっ暗闇があった。闇の中には必ず怖いものが潜んでいる、子供心にそう思ったんですね。闇の中になにかいるぞ、と思い描く本能を人間はもっているわけですから、暗い道を行くよりも明るい道を通ろう、という考え方が防御本能につながっていって、だけど、いまでは短距離」

虚淵「怖いのは、『この世に闇はありませんよ』という体裁を良かれと思って子供に教えるというのは、これはあとあと実際おそろしいことになると思いますね。」

Q: What is your approach when creating fiction for children? (1:03:??–)

Urobuchi: When it comes to fiction for children, I want it to be a somewhat frightening, unsettling fable. As a form of mental rehearsal, if you were ever to encounter something frightening, how should you face it? Whom should you ask for help? Where does courage come from? I think children's fiction is something that lets you cultivate those kinds of mental images without having to go through an experience where you actually get hurt.

Koike: That's true. In the past, there was such a thing as darkness. If you went outside, there was pitch-black darkness. As a child, you naturally thought that something frightening was always lurking in the dark. 'There's something in the darkness'—human beings are born with that instinct to imagine such things. So the idea of taking the well-lit road instead of the dark one became connected to our instinct for self-preservation. But nowadays, even over short distances...

Urobuchi: What's truly frightening is teaching children, with the best of intentions, to believe that 'there is no darkness in this world.' I think that ultimately leads to something genuinely terrible.

Ｑ：（最初の）叩き台のストーリーはどのようなものだったのでしょうか（1:06:47～）

虚淵「パンフレットにも書いたと思うんですけど、ほむらが魔女になり結界を張り、最後にまどかに救済される、そこで止めちゃったんですよ」
虚淵「書いて提出する段階でも、これ、わざわざ映像化にするほどの話かなぁ、っていう戸惑いはあったんですよね。ただの後日談で終わっちゃってるなぁ、という。案の定、これじゃものたりない、となり、それで、みんなで頭抱えている中で『いっそ、まどかとほむらが喧嘩になるような流れ』でもいいんじゃないか、と言われて、そこでひらめいたんですね。」
虚淵「よし、じゃあ神様が生まれる話を書いたのだから、そのあと、悪魔が生まれる話をつなげれば、表裏一体で、ある種の神話の始まり、みたいなものが作れる。それがひらめいたところで、これは作りがいのある続編になるって、一気にモチベーションがあがりましたね。」
虚淵「ぼくひとりの引き出しではでなかった発想なんですよ。最初のＴＶシリーズを終わらせた段階で、あの結末にに僕は縛られていたので、まさか、暁美ほむらというキャラクターが鹿目まどかに歯向かうような選択をするなんて、自分の中の選択肢として思いつかなかったんですね。
虚淵「ただ、彼女のメンタル、欲求や動機だったらありうる判断だ、というのは、まさに監督のアイディアもらった時点でひらめいて、いける。そこで出来上がったのがいまある脚本ですね。」
虚淵「考えてみればいろんな神話であるんですよね。もともとは、忠実に神に仕えていた者が、なにかのきっかけで歯向かう側にまわってしまうっていうのは。」

Q: What was the initial draft of the story like? (1:06:47–)

Urobuchi: I believe I mentioned this in the movie brochure as well, but the story idea was that Homura becomes a Witch, creates a barrier, and is saved by Madoka in the end. I had just stopped the story there. Even at the stage of writing and submitting it, I had some doubts, wondering, 'Is this a story that is really worth turning into a movie?' I felt like it just ended as a simple epilogue to the first TV series.

Sure enough, the feedback was that it wasn't enough. So, while everyone was scratching their heads, someone suggested, 'Why don't we go with a direction where Madoka and Homura actually clash with each other?' That was when I was inspired. So, since I had written a story about the birth of a God, by connecting it next to a story about the birth of a Devil, they were two sides of the same coin, and I could create something like the beginning of mythology. The moment I was inspired by that, I was convinced this would be a sequel truly worth creating, and my motivation suddenly surged.

It was a new idea that couldn't have come from my own repertoire alone. At the stage of finishing the first TV series, I was bound by that ending, so it never crossed my mind as an option within myself that a character like Homura Akemi would make a choice to counter Madoka Kaname. However, the moment I received the director's new idea, I was inspired that this was a judgment that could happen given her mental state, desires, and motivations, and that it could work. What came out of that is the script we have now.

When you think about it, there are plenty of myths like that. Someone who originally served God faithfully ends up, because of some catalyst, joining the side that opposes Him.

Ｑ：「ほむらは本当に悪魔なのでしょうか？」（1:12:43～）

虚淵「それも面白いところで、結構、劇場のラストで、脚本と印象ががらっと変わっているんですよ。」
虚淵「脚本だと。ほむらが悪魔だ、と言いきって、丘の上から街を見下ろして微笑んでいるだけで終わりなんですけど、絵コンテの段階で、彼女が葛藤しているかのような材料が一気に加っているんですよね。」
虚淵「それで一気にほむらのスタンスがミステリアスになったんですけれども、あれが脚本になかった深みにつながったな、と思っていまして、まさに、僕が想定した暁美ほむらよりも映像化の過程でさらにキャラが育ったんですよね。」
虚淵「悪魔だと自称しているけれども、彼女自身が神様すら傷つけてしまうような力を持ちつつ、実際どこに転がっていくのかわからないっていう風に演出を変えてもらえているんで、虚淵玄が答えられる分ではないんですけど、謎ですよね。」
虚淵「それこそ次に膨らませる部分になると思うんですよね
虚淵「脚本家の欲求として結論を出したくなっちゃうんですけど、それだと小さく小さくまとめていっちゃうんで」

Urobuchi: That's an interesting point as well. By the time we reached the ending in the theatrical version, the impression had changed quite dramatically from what was in the script.

In the script, it simply ends with Homura definitively declaring herself to be a devil, smiling as she looks down over the city from atop a hill. But at the storyboard stage, a whole range of elements was added that make it seem as though she's struggling internally.

That immediately made Homura's position much more mysterious. I think those additions gave the film a depth that wasn't present in the script. In that sense, during the process of bringing it to the screen, the character developed even further beyond the Akemi Homura I had originally envisioned.

Homura calls herself a Devil, while she herself possesses force that can even wound a God, and we don't know where things will head. Since they have changed the direction like that, it's not something Gen Urobuchi can answer, but it's a mystery, isn't it? I think that’s exactly the part to expand on next. As a screenwriter, I can't help wanting to provide a definitive conclusion. But if I do that, I just end up wrapping everything up into something smaller and smaller.

Ｑ：さやかちゃんは主役になれますか？（1:27:10～）

虚淵「劇場版を通じて特殊な立ち位置のキャラになったので、もしかしたら孤高のヒーローになるかもしれませんね。ほむらというキャラクターがなにか悪だくみしているという直感だけは引き継いでいるのですが、直感どまりなので人のの理解は得られないでしょうし、たぶん彼女はひとりでその直感だけを抱え込んでほむらに対抗することになるでしょうから、面白いキャラクターになると思いますね。」

Q: Could Sayaka become the main character? (1:27:10–)

Urobuchi: After the movie, she's ended up becoming a character in a rather unique position. So she might even become a solitary hero. She's retained only the intuition that the character Homura is plotting something sinister. But since it's nothing more than intuition, she probably won't be able to get anyone else to understand or believe her. So she'll most likely end up carrying that intuition all by herself as she stands against Homura. I think that would make her a very interesting character.

[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Interviews/Gen Urobuchi]]

Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.12

2026-07-09T22:43:41Z

Romi1908: /* Interview with Gen Urobuchi */

[[File:Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.12 cover.jpg|thumb|200px|Volume 12 Cover]]

The twelfth volume of the bimonthly [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]], released on February 10, 2014. It features an interview with [[Akiyuki Shinbo]], [[Gen Urobuchi]] and [[Ai Nonaka]].

==Manga==
===Oneshots===
* Kouryukyoshinin, p. 179. "One time we were together"
* Korura, p. 189. "Don't tell everyone in the class!"

===Series===
====Continuing from the previous volume====
* [http://goldenpedone1.web.fc2.com Golden Pe Done], p. 17. 「[[Puella Magi Tart Magica|Puella Magi Tart☆Magica - The Legend of "Jeanne d'Arc]]"」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=303833 PAPA], p. 61. 「[[The Veranda of Madoka]]」
* [http://misachu.net/ Nash], p. 71. 「Kaname-Ke」　　
* [http://afro.futene.net/ afro], p. 83. 「[[Puella Magi Homura Tamura|Mahou Shoujo Homura Tamura 〜Parallel Worlds Do Not Remain Parallel Forever〜]]」
* Hige, p. 93. 「[[Mahou Shoujobu Madoka Magica]]」
* [http://linco.jp linco], p. 109. 「[[Mitakihara Kindergarten Mahougumi]]」
* [[Mura Kuroe|Mura Kuroe]], p.121. 「[[Sadness Prayer|Puella Magi Oriko☆Magica ~sadness prayer~]]」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 149. 「[[Pomu Magi]]」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 159. 「[[Sute Ma!|Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl]]」
* Aota Mei, p. 165. 「[[Floating Madoka]]」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=19317 Myama], p. 201. 「[[Mitakihara Anti-Materials]]」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 215. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl Again」
* [http://marie.saiin.net/~s-e-e Shinmai], p. 223. 「[[Mami's Everyday Life]]」

==Interviews==

===Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo===

Chief Director: Akiyuki Shinbo

'''Part 2'''

Continuing from the previous issue, we spoke once again with Chief Director Akiyuki Shinbo as he reflected on the production of the new film and discussed the intentions and feelings that went into it. This installment is just as full of substance, covering everything from the music used in the film to the ending that surprised everyone!

'''For the new film, I wanted both the background music and the insert songs to be unified in Kajiura-san's style'''

—Since the new film was released, it has generated an enormous response. Did you go to the theater yourself, Director Shinbo?

I went to see the opening-day stage greeting at the theater. I was sitting near the front, so I stayed as inconspicuous as possible and kept very still. The only time I turned around was when, during the stage greeting, the host asked the audience, "If you're watching it for the second time, please raise your hand." Even though it was the very first day, about half the audience raised their hands. I thought, "That's incredible." I knew there had been the earliest late-night screenings starting at midnight on opening day, but I was still amazed by the fans' enthusiasm.

—How do you feel now that you've seen the completed film?

I'm relieved that we were able to finish it. The fact that it ultimately became a film with such strong box-office results gives me a sense of relief that I've fulfilled my responsibility. There was a time when I made works thinking, "I don't care if they don't sell—I just want to make something I'm satisfied with," or "I don't care if it doesn't sell—as long as it's a good work." But I don't think that way anymore. If a work doesn't achieve results, there won't be another one afterward. As far as this work is concerned, it finally feels like I can sleep soundly at night.

—This time, we'd like to ask about the climax and the ending. During the climax, Kalafina's "misterioso" plays as an insert song. It had already been used in the trailers and promotional material beforehand. We heard that was your idea, Director Shinbo?

When we started making the new film, I knew from the beginning that I wanted an insert song. But I thought the song used as the insert should either be one that everyone in the audience already knew, or something with an energetic feel. When that kind of insert song plays during the film, it creates a kind of visual exhilaration. So I wanted to use "misterioso" in the trailers first, so that audiences would already be familiar with it. Then, when they watched the film in that state, I thought it would make the climax even more exciting. In the old days, movie soundtracks were sometimes released before the films themselves, so people would already know the music before seeing the movie. And when familiar music played during the film, it created a real sense of excitement. Even in TV series, there are times when the opening theme plays during the climactic scenes of the story. That's the kind of effect I wanted to achieve.

—"misterioso" certainly made the battle scene feel exhilarating.

At first, Gekidan Inu Curry-san actually suggested using "Connect," the TV series' opening theme, as the insert song. But I wanted the entire soundtrack of the new film to be unified through Yuki Kajiura-san's music. If something stylistically different is inserted into the film, it inevitably creates a sense of inconsistency. So, as part of keeping everything unified in Kajiura-san's style, we chose to use "misterioso" as the insert song.

'''The ending Homura chose in order to stop the Incubators'''

—Homura undergoes a shocking development this time. We've heard that during the script meetings, you suggested to Gen Urobuchi that "it might be interesting to have Akemi Homura become opposed to Kaname Madoka."

I honestly don't remember very well. The script meetings were over a year and a half ago now, so I don't remember them that clearly. But deep down, I think ''Devilman'' has always been at the root of my thinking. People of my generation have a hard time escaping the world of ''Devilman''. It makes you want to bring things toward the kind of relationship Akira Fudo and Ryo Asuka have.

—How did you go about creating Devil Homura?

Ume Aoki-san created the original character design, and then Junichiro Taniguchi-san adapted it into the final character design. I have complete trust in Aoki-san's design sense, so I've never given her detailed instructions. If the initial character concept ever came back and didn't quite feel right, Aoki-san herself would voluntarily revise it on her own. Taking that dedication into account as well, I left the design of Devil Homura entirely in her hands. Devil Homura turned into a wonderful character, so I hope she'll continue to be embraced by even more people going forward.

—According to Homura's voice actress, Chiwa Saito, the final scene had to be re-recorded.

The first recording came across a little too strongly. It gave the impression of being a complete ending. As a performance, I thought it was excellent. But if we'd left it that way, it wouldn't have given the audience much room to think about what might come afterward. So we had her record it again.

—As the chief director, how do you interpret this ending?

As for the final scene, I think everyone who watches it is free to come away with their own interpretation. However, I see Homura's actions as something that inevitably had to take that form. Even if Homura had prevented the Incubators' plan without summoning the Law of Cycles (Madoka), Kyubey would eventually have used another magical girl to attempt the same thing. In the end, the mechanism behind the Law of Cycles would have been uncovered, and that world would have collapsed. So, in order for Homura to stop the Incubators' plan, I think that ending was unavoidable.

—Since Kyubey had already learned about both the Law of Cycles and witches, what happened this time could no longer be avoided.

It really makes you think: "Why did Homura tell Kyubey about magical girls and witches at the end of the previous film?" If she hadn't accidentally let that slip to Kyubey back then, he never would have learned that witches existed. ''(laughs)''

—So the ending of the first two compilation films serves as foreshadowing for this.

Because Homura regrets having told Kyubey about the Law of Cycles and witches, she probably decided that she herself had to bring things to an end.

—What does the scene after the ending credits mean?

That scene was created based on an idea from Gekidan Inu Curry-san. It's meant to represent completion. It's the image of, "This is where the work ends." Personally, I'd like to continue it if the opportunity ever arose. But as of right now, I still don't know what will happen. I hope everyone will look forward to whatever comes next.

===Interview with Gen Urobuchi===

Screenplay: Gen Urobuchi (Nitroplus)

We spoke with Gen Urobuchi, who wrote the screenplay for the New Feature from a state of absolutely not anticipating a sequel, looking back on the production. He discusses what surprised him during the process from creating the script to its visual adaptation.

'''Preparedness Before the Release and Miscalculations After the Release'''

—Please tell us your impressions upon watching the new film.

When I saw the storyboards, they had such an overwhelming intensity that I wanted to ask, "Are you really going to make this happen?" The fact that it was completed as an animated video of even more wonderful quality was, in itself, a complete surprise.

—In terms of the visual direction greatly expanding upon the script, please let us know if there were any parts that left a strong impression on you.

I thought it was a given that the visuals would expand significantly through direction, considering it is a SHAFT production. However, the part that actually changed significantly from the script was the ending. It left a completely different impression, and I think that was a good thing. At the script stage, Homura's "devilishness" was thorough, so to speak. She was a cool and highly capable devil. On that front, thanks to the direction adding elements of vulnerability to the devil, I feel Homura became a deeply endearing character.

—So, the impression after watching changed from what you had envisioned?

Yes, the impression was different. However, I believe this ending was the correct choice. Before the theatrical release, I had braced myself, thinking that this work was structured in a quite risky way. I thought the fans would be much angrier. But when it was actually released, I breathed a sigh of relief to find that the audience got into the work way more than expected. It felt similar to when I made ''Saya no Uta'' (a PC game released in 2003 for which Gen Urobuchi handled the scenario). It was a pleasant miscalculation that they followed along with it quite well. It made me think that maybe I can trust the audience more.

—Come to think of it, you were quite filled with trepidation before the release, weren't you?

Yes, because I'm a coward ''(laughs)''. I felt as though I had used a forbidden move of sorts, so I was encouraged that it was accepted this time.

'''The Production Site Where I Felt the Difficulty of Creating a Sequel'''

—This new film is a work that serves as a sequel to the TV series or the two-part movies, but are you good at writing scripts for so-called sequels?

I think it is difficult to come up with a continuation as an afterthought for a story you intended to bring to a definitive end. After all, leaving no regrets behind is the primary motivation when creating a work. Of course, I have absolutely no intention of dismissing sequels themselves. For instance, I love ''Aliens''. However, when it comes to making one myself, it feels a bit difficult.

—So, that means this new film started out as a challenging job, didn't it?

However, anime is not something made by a single individual. For this work, we have the original creator team called Magica Quartet. Even if a story feels completely resolved within myself, if it isn't resolved within Shinbo-san, then there lies a breakthrough. Therefore, I started by drawing out clues as to what parts he was looking to expand upon.

—And the person you drew those clues for the sequel from was, as expected, Shinbo-san?

Yes. While listening to Shinbo-san speak, there were moments where I realized, "Ah, we hadn't fully exhausted this part," so I was able to use that as a starting point.

—Specifically, what was that clue?

At the end of the TV series, I personally believed that "Madoka Kaname had been rewarded." However, Shinbo-san said, "It is too heavy a fate for a middle school girl to bear." I thought, "Ah, I see." If the conclusion of the TV series can be viewed that way, then this work is not over. Since I could agree with that perspective myself, I decided to use it as my clue.

—Did you start by creating a plot first?

Yes. The point Shinbo-san made earlier about "Madoka not being saved" was actually brought up after I submitted the first plot. To be honest, the first plot was nothing more than an aftermath to the TV series, and I was hesitating over whether it even made sense to turn it into a movie.

—What kind of plot was it?

The first half of the plot had roughly the same developments as the screenplay for the new film. The setup where a happy world appears to be established was already written at the stage of the first plot. However, the ending was one where Homura is taken away by the Law of Cycles and ascends. It was designed not to break the final scene of the TV series. But then I received feedback from Shinbo-san. I thought, "Ah, I see, it's okay to make a work that breaks the final scene of the TV series." So I reconsidered and started thinking about how to save Madoka, who had stopped being human. Then, Shinbo-san offered the idea, "Maybe it's okay if Homura becomes Madoka's enemy." I realized, "Ah, it's fine to completely flip Homura's character." With those two ideas incorporated, I felt a solid sense of conviction that this would be worth making a sequel for as a movie.

—Did you have any hesitation about flipping the conclusion of the TV series?

No, I didn't. It's like if a coin has a heads side, it must have a tails side. When I thought of it as a story about the birth of a God (the TV series) followed by a story about the birth of a Devil (the new film), I felt that a complete "mythology" had been established.

—After that, I assume you entered the screenwriting phase, but where did you place the emphasis regarding the characters and story when writing the script this time?

This time, the positioning of the characters was clear, and since there was only ever one specific character to take the actions necessary for the story of the new film in any given situation, I didn't hesitate about that. I started writing the script for the new film right after the TV series broadcast ended, and it was completely written by that year's summer (August 2011), so there was very little inconsistency in the characters.

—Through what kind of process were characters like Bebe and Nagisa Momoe born?

Actually, I don't remember clearly. It seems to be the same for Shinbo-san; they were just characters who were suddenly there before we knew it. However, regarding Nagisa, I did have a desire to introduce one character who reverts from a witch back into a magical girl. If I recall correctly, within Gekidan Inu Curry-san's settings for the Witches, the Witch of Sweets had a childish impression. From there, the Magical Girl Nagisa inherited that youthful image. However, I didn't think up any of the settings myself for either Bebe or Nagisa. This time, Gekidan Inu Curry-san largely took charge of supervising the world when it came to the Witch settings.

—Earlier you mentioned that "the storyboards were amazing," but how did you feel when such incredible storyboards were completed?

After all, being shown the storyboards is the happiest moment for a screenwriter. Because you get to understand what kind of visuals will be made. I was deeply moved, feeling that I was allowed to participate in a truly blessed work this time. They depicted the emotions of Homura, who is practically the protagonist this time around, with incredible care. I thought Homura became an even more endearing character.

'''The Real Thrill of Anime as a Collective Effort'''

—Please tell us what parts left an impression on you when you watched the finished film.

As expected, the parts that were expanded upon by the production team on-site left a strong impression. For example, "Magical Banana"... and so on (laughs).

—That would be the scene of the magical girls' tea party where they cause the Nightmares to ascend, right?

I heard that the origin of that scene was an idea from Gekidan Inu Curry-san. Actually, the battle of the magical girls at the beginning was quite hollow at the script stage. With direction added to it, they were able to shape it into a glamorous magical girl work, which made me very happy.

—By the way, what do you mean by "hollow"?

I am not a writer who is thoroughly familiar with the know-how of so-called "magical girl shows." Because of that, looking back, I get the impression that I wrote the script based on a mutual understanding of, "This part is a standard trope, you get it, right?" The names of the techniques unleashed by the magical girls were also changed in the finished video, and if I wanted to write the battle scene between the magical girls and the Nightmares in the script, it would end in a single line. It is truly thanks to SHAFT's staff that they breathed life into that script and depicted it so glamorously.

—I think the scene in the middle where Homura investigates the mystery of the world was the true essence of an Urobuchi script.

That Homura would be the protagonist of this new feature was something I had decided from the stage of the initial plot. That part is, of course, very rich visually, but the development itself followed the script exactly. However, I never imagined that they would destroy an entire city in a gunfight...

—That's the gunfight between Mami-san and Homura. The gunfight with Homura controlling time resulted in visuals unlike anything seen before.

For that scene, unusually for me, I wrote a fair amount of stage directions. On top of that, even flashier direction was added, and as a result, it expanded to the point where the entire city was blown away.

—In the second half, Kyubey finally begins to speak. I think this character, Kyubey, is one of the great inventions in this work called ''Puella Magi Madoka Magica''. What kind of character is Kyubey to you, Urobuchi-san?

I think he became a trickster-like existence that smashes the standard tropes of so-called "magical girl shows" right off the bat.

—How did you feel about Kyubey's exposition this time?

Honestly, there were parts of Kyubey's lines this time that were a bit reluctant on my end. Since he is a character who inevitably drags out the crucial parts of the story, he could only explain things through words. However, this work is not a novel, after all. I think it would have been better if there were more elements that could be shown through visuals. That said, when it comes to turning "redundant talk" into visuals, SHAFT is very skilled at it, as seen in ''Bakemonogatari'' and various other works, so they beautifully sublimated it into visuals this time as well. I think Kyubey truly shines precisely because of that visual processing.

—What surprised you the most when you saw the storyboards and visuals this time?

That would be none other than the final Witch battle scene. When I saw the storyboards, I was simply amazed at how much they had expanded it. I never expected the Witches' familiars to appear in an all-star lineup. Mami-san's Tiro Finale was... written as "Tiro Railway Gun" in the storyboard's stage directions, wasn't it? ''(laughs)''.

—In this work, "love" is spoken of as the ultimate peak of human emotion. What is "love" to you, Urobuchi-san?

That... I think it is a state of madness. I believe it is an "impulse that drives you without any logic." Among the emotions that are exchanged as a matter of course, it is the one closest to insanity.

—And Homura comes to know that emotion, doesn't she?

I think it is one of those emotions capable of breaking through things built on logic, such as Kyubey's system or the system of the Law of Cycles.

—Your work with Chief Director Shinbo-san and SHAFT has spanned about 4 to 5 years now. What are your thoughts on this, Urobuchi-san?

It has been a continuous series of surprises, excitement, and discoveries, so to speak. They are people who take me to places I could absolutely never reach within the scope of working solely as a writer. Especially this new film—isn't it the culmination of expressions that could only be achieved through anime? I consider them truly irreplaceable.

—How do you personally accept the conclusion of the new film?

It's exactly that—there is a God, there is a Devil, and what's more, they are attending the same school. I feel that from here on out, there are finally various ways we can create things. By doing so, I hope it becomes content that expands even further.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Kirara Magica Vol 12 Poster.jpg | Cover Illustration Poster
File:Shinbo Interview 2-1.jpg | Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo (Second part)
File:Shinbo Interview 2-2.jpg
File:Urobuchi Interview 1.jpg | Interview with Gen Urobuchi
File:Urobuchi Interview 2.jpg
File:Urobuchi Interview 3.jpg
File:Ai Nonaka Interview 1.jpg | Interview with Ai Nonaka
File:Ai Nonaka Interview 2.jpg
File:Ai Nonaka Interview 3.jpg
File:v12 merchandise.jpg
File:v12 Fanart1.jpg
File:v12 Fanart2.jpg
</gallery>

==See Also==
* [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]]
* [[Magazines|More translated magazines]]
* [[Other Media|Other translated sources]]

[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Translation_request]]

Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.12

2026-07-09T22:43:06Z

Romi1908: /* Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo */

[[File:Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.12 cover.jpg|thumb|200px|Volume 12 Cover]]

The twelfth volume of the bimonthly [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]], released on February 10, 2014. It features an interview with [[Akiyuki Shinbo]], [[Gen Urobuchi]] and [[Ai Nonaka]].

==Manga==
===Oneshots===
* Kouryukyoshinin, p. 179. "One time we were together"
* Korura, p. 189. "Don't tell everyone in the class!"

===Series===
====Continuing from the previous volume====
* [http://goldenpedone1.web.fc2.com Golden Pe Done], p. 17. 「[[Puella Magi Tart Magica|Puella Magi Tart☆Magica - The Legend of "Jeanne d'Arc]]"」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=303833 PAPA], p. 61. 「[[The Veranda of Madoka]]」
* [http://misachu.net/ Nash], p. 71. 「Kaname-Ke」　　
* [http://afro.futene.net/ afro], p. 83. 「[[Puella Magi Homura Tamura|Mahou Shoujo Homura Tamura 〜Parallel Worlds Do Not Remain Parallel Forever〜]]」
* Hige, p. 93. 「[[Mahou Shoujobu Madoka Magica]]」
* [http://linco.jp linco], p. 109. 「[[Mitakihara Kindergarten Mahougumi]]」
* [[Mura Kuroe|Mura Kuroe]], p.121. 「[[Sadness Prayer|Puella Magi Oriko☆Magica ~sadness prayer~]]」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 149. 「[[Pomu Magi]]」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 159. 「[[Sute Ma!|Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl]]」
* Aota Mei, p. 165. 「[[Floating Madoka]]」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=19317 Myama], p. 201. 「[[Mitakihara Anti-Materials]]」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 215. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl Again」
* [http://marie.saiin.net/~s-e-e Shinmai], p. 223. 「[[Mami's Everyday Life]]」

==Interviews==

===Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo===

Chief Director: Akiyuki Shinbo

'''Part 2'''

Continuing from the previous issue, we spoke once again with Chief Director Akiyuki Shinbo as he reflected on the production of the new film and discussed the intentions and feelings that went into it. This installment is just as full of substance, covering everything from the music used in the film to the ending that surprised everyone!

'''For the new film, I wanted both the background music and the insert songs to be unified in Kajiura-san's style'''

—Since the new film was released, it has generated an enormous response. Did you go to the theater yourself, Director Shinbo?

I went to see the opening-day stage greeting at the theater. I was sitting near the front, so I stayed as inconspicuous as possible and kept very still. The only time I turned around was when, during the stage greeting, the host asked the audience, "If you're watching it for the second time, please raise your hand." Even though it was the very first day, about half the audience raised their hands. I thought, "That's incredible." I knew there had been the earliest late-night screenings starting at midnight on opening day, but I was still amazed by the fans' enthusiasm.

—How do you feel now that you've seen the completed film?

I'm relieved that we were able to finish it. The fact that it ultimately became a film with such strong box-office results gives me a sense of relief that I've fulfilled my responsibility. There was a time when I made works thinking, "I don't care if they don't sell—I just want to make something I'm satisfied with," or "I don't care if it doesn't sell—as long as it's a good work." But I don't think that way anymore. If a work doesn't achieve results, there won't be another one afterward. As far as this work is concerned, it finally feels like I can sleep soundly at night.

—This time, we'd like to ask about the climax and the ending. During the climax, Kalafina's "misterioso" plays as an insert song. It had already been used in the trailers and promotional material beforehand. We heard that was your idea, Director Shinbo?

When we started making the new film, I knew from the beginning that I wanted an insert song. But I thought the song used as the insert should either be one that everyone in the audience already knew, or something with an energetic feel. When that kind of insert song plays during the film, it creates a kind of visual exhilaration. So I wanted to use "misterioso" in the trailers first, so that audiences would already be familiar with it. Then, when they watched the film in that state, I thought it would make the climax even more exciting. In the old days, movie soundtracks were sometimes released before the films themselves, so people would already know the music before seeing the movie. And when familiar music played during the film, it created a real sense of excitement. Even in TV series, there are times when the opening theme plays during the climactic scenes of the story. That's the kind of effect I wanted to achieve.

—"misterioso" certainly made the battle scene feel exhilarating.

At first, Gekidan Inu Curry-san actually suggested using "Connect," the TV series' opening theme, as the insert song. But I wanted the entire soundtrack of the new film to be unified through Yuki Kajiura-san's music. If something stylistically different is inserted into the film, it inevitably creates a sense of inconsistency. So, as part of keeping everything unified in Kajiura-san's style, we chose to use "misterioso" as the insert song.

'''The ending Homura chose in order to stop the Incubators'''

—Homura undergoes a shocking development this time. We've heard that during the script meetings, you suggested to Gen Urobuchi that "it might be interesting to have Akemi Homura become opposed to Kaname Madoka."

I honestly don't remember very well. The script meetings were over a year and a half ago now, so I don't remember them that clearly. But deep down, I think ''Devilman'' has always been at the root of my thinking. People of my generation have a hard time escaping the world of ''Devilman''. It makes you want to bring things toward the kind of relationship Akira Fudo and Ryo Asuka have.

—How did you go about creating Devil Homura?

Ume Aoki-san created the original character design, and then Junichiro Taniguchi-san adapted it into the final character design. I have complete trust in Aoki-san's design sense, so I've never given her detailed instructions. If the initial character concept ever came back and didn't quite feel right, Aoki-san herself would voluntarily revise it on her own. Taking that dedication into account as well, I left the design of Devil Homura entirely in her hands. Devil Homura turned into a wonderful character, so I hope she'll continue to be embraced by even more people going forward.

—According to Homura's voice actress, Chiwa Saito, the final scene had to be re-recorded.

The first recording came across a little too strongly. It gave the impression of being a complete ending. As a performance, I thought it was excellent. But if we'd left it that way, it wouldn't have given the audience much room to think about what might come afterward. So we had her record it again.

—As the chief director, how do you interpret this ending?

As for the final scene, I think everyone who watches it is free to come away with their own interpretation. However, I see Homura's actions as something that inevitably had to take that form. Even if Homura had prevented the Incubators' plan without summoning the Law of Cycles (Madoka), Kyubey would eventually have used another magical girl to attempt the same thing. In the end, the mechanism behind the Law of Cycles would have been uncovered, and that world would have collapsed. So, in order for Homura to stop the Incubators' plan, I think that ending was unavoidable.

—Since Kyubey had already learned about both the Law of Cycles and witches, what happened this time could no longer be avoided.

It really makes you think: "Why did Homura tell Kyubey about magical girls and witches at the end of the previous film?" If she hadn't accidentally let that slip to Kyubey back then, he never would have learned that witches existed. ''(laughs)''

—So the ending of the first two compilation films serves as foreshadowing for this.

Because Homura regrets having told Kyubey about the Law of Cycles and witches, she probably decided that she herself had to bring things to an end.

—What does the scene after the ending credits mean?

That scene was created based on an idea from Gekidan Inu Curry-san. It's meant to represent completion. It's the image of, "This is where the work ends." Personally, I'd like to continue it if the opportunity ever arose. But as of right now, I still don't know what will happen. I hope everyone will look forward to whatever comes next.

==Interview with Gen Urobuchi==

Screenplay: Gen Urobuchi (Nitroplus)

We spoke with Gen Urobuchi, who wrote the screenplay for the New Feature from a state of absolutely not anticipating a sequel, looking back on the production. He discusses what surprised him during the process from creating the script to its visual adaptation.

'''Preparedness Before the Release and Miscalculations After the Release'''

—Please tell us your impressions upon watching the new film.

When I saw the storyboards, they had such an overwhelming intensity that I wanted to ask, "Are you really going to make this happen?" The fact that it was completed as an animated video of even more wonderful quality was, in itself, a complete surprise.

—In terms of the visual direction greatly expanding upon the script, please let us know if there were any parts that left a strong impression on you.

I thought it was a given that the visuals would expand significantly through direction, considering it is a SHAFT production. However, the part that actually changed significantly from the script was the ending. It left a completely different impression, and I think that was a good thing. At the script stage, Homura's "devilishness" was thorough, so to speak. She was a cool and highly capable devil. On that front, thanks to the direction adding elements of vulnerability to the devil, I feel Homura became a deeply endearing character.

—So, the impression after watching changed from what you had envisioned?

Yes, the impression was different. However, I believe this ending was the correct choice. Before the theatrical release, I had braced myself, thinking that this work was structured in a quite risky way. I thought the fans would be much angrier. But when it was actually released, I breathed a sigh of relief to find that the audience got into the work way more than expected. It felt similar to when I made ''Saya no Uta'' (a PC game released in 2003 for which Gen Urobuchi handled the scenario). It was a pleasant miscalculation that they followed along with it quite well. It made me think that maybe I can trust the audience more.

—Come to think of it, you were quite filled with trepidation before the release, weren't you?

Yes, because I'm a coward ''(laughs)''. I felt as though I had used a forbidden move of sorts, so I was encouraged that it was accepted this time.

'''The Production Site Where I Felt the Difficulty of Creating a Sequel'''

—This new film is a work that serves as a sequel to the TV series or the two-part movies, but are you good at writing scripts for so-called sequels?

I think it is difficult to come up with a continuation as an afterthought for a story you intended to bring to a definitive end. After all, leaving no regrets behind is the primary motivation when creating a work. Of course, I have absolutely no intention of dismissing sequels themselves. For instance, I love ''Aliens''. However, when it comes to making one myself, it feels a bit difficult.

—So, that means this new film started out as a challenging job, didn't it?

However, anime is not something made by a single individual. For this work, we have the original creator team called Magica Quartet. Even if a story feels completely resolved within myself, if it isn't resolved within Shinbo-san, then there lies a breakthrough. Therefore, I started by drawing out clues as to what parts he was looking to expand upon.

—And the person you drew those clues for the sequel from was, as expected, Shinbo-san?

Yes. While listening to Shinbo-san speak, there were moments where I realized, "Ah, we hadn't fully exhausted this part," so I was able to use that as a starting point.

—Specifically, what was that clue?

At the end of the TV series, I personally believed that "Madoka Kaname had been rewarded." However, Shinbo-san said, "It is too heavy a fate for a middle school girl to bear." I thought, "Ah, I see." If the conclusion of the TV series can be viewed that way, then this work is not over. Since I could agree with that perspective myself, I decided to use it as my clue.

—Did you start by creating a plot first?

Yes. The point Shinbo-san made earlier about "Madoka not being saved" was actually brought up after I submitted the first plot. To be honest, the first plot was nothing more than an aftermath to the TV series, and I was hesitating over whether it even made sense to turn it into a movie.

—What kind of plot was it?

The first half of the plot had roughly the same developments as the screenplay for the new film. The setup where a happy world appears to be established was already written at the stage of the first plot. However, the ending was one where Homura is taken away by the Law of Cycles and ascends. It was designed not to break the final scene of the TV series. But then I received feedback from Shinbo-san. I thought, "Ah, I see, it's okay to make a work that breaks the final scene of the TV series." So I reconsidered and started thinking about how to save Madoka, who had stopped being human. Then, Shinbo-san offered the idea, "Maybe it's okay if Homura becomes Madoka's enemy." I realized, "Ah, it's fine to completely flip Homura's character." With those two ideas incorporated, I felt a solid sense of conviction that this would be worth making a sequel for as a movie.

—Did you have any hesitation about flipping the conclusion of the TV series?

No, I didn't. It's like if a coin has a heads side, it must have a tails side. When I thought of it as a story about the birth of a God (the TV series) followed by a story about the birth of a Devil (the new film), I felt that a complete "mythology" had been established.

—After that, I assume you entered the screenwriting phase, but where did you place the emphasis regarding the characters and story when writing the script this time?

This time, the positioning of the characters was clear, and since there was only ever one specific character to take the actions necessary for the story of the new film in any given situation, I didn't hesitate about that. I started writing the script for the new film right after the TV series broadcast ended, and it was completely written by that year's summer (August 2011), so there was very little inconsistency in the characters.

—Through what kind of process were characters like Bebe and Nagisa Momoe born?

Actually, I don't remember clearly. It seems to be the same for Shinbo-san; they were just characters who were suddenly there before we knew it. However, regarding Nagisa, I did have a desire to introduce one character who reverts from a witch back into a magical girl. If I recall correctly, within Gekidan Inu Curry-san's settings for the Witches, the Witch of Sweets had a childish impression. From there, the Magical Girl Nagisa inherited that youthful image. However, I didn't think up any of the settings myself for either Bebe or Nagisa. This time, Gekidan Inu Curry-san largely took charge of supervising the world when it came to the Witch settings.

—Earlier you mentioned that "the storyboards were amazing," but how did you feel when such incredible storyboards were completed?

After all, being shown the storyboards is the happiest moment for a screenwriter. Because you get to understand what kind of visuals will be made. I was deeply moved, feeling that I was allowed to participate in a truly blessed work this time. They depicted the emotions of Homura, who is practically the protagonist this time around, with incredible care. I thought Homura became an even more endearing character.

'''The Real Thrill of Anime as a Collective Effort'''

—Please tell us what parts left an impression on you when you watched the finished film.

As expected, the parts that were expanded upon by the production team on-site left a strong impression. For example, "Magical Banana"... and so on (laughs).

—That would be the scene of the magical girls' tea party where they cause the Nightmares to ascend, right?

I heard that the origin of that scene was an idea from Gekidan Inu Curry-san. Actually, the battle of the magical girls at the beginning was quite hollow at the script stage. With direction added to it, they were able to shape it into a glamorous magical girl work, which made me very happy.

—By the way, what do you mean by "hollow"?

I am not a writer who is thoroughly familiar with the know-how of so-called "magical girl shows." Because of that, looking back, I get the impression that I wrote the script based on a mutual understanding of, "This part is a standard trope, you get it, right?" The names of the techniques unleashed by the magical girls were also changed in the finished video, and if I wanted to write the battle scene between the magical girls and the Nightmares in the script, it would end in a single line. It is truly thanks to SHAFT's staff that they breathed life into that script and depicted it so glamorously.

—I think the scene in the middle where Homura investigates the mystery of the world was the true essence of an Urobuchi script.

That Homura would be the protagonist of this new feature was something I had decided from the stage of the initial plot. That part is, of course, very rich visually, but the development itself followed the script exactly. However, I never imagined that they would destroy an entire city in a gunfight...

—That's the gunfight between Mami-san and Homura. The gunfight with Homura controlling time resulted in visuals unlike anything seen before.

For that scene, unusually for me, I wrote a fair amount of stage directions. On top of that, even flashier direction was added, and as a result, it expanded to the point where the entire city was blown away.

—In the second half, Kyubey finally begins to speak. I think this character, Kyubey, is one of the great inventions in this work called ''Puella Magi Madoka Magica''. What kind of character is Kyubey to you, Urobuchi-san?

I think he became a trickster-like existence that smashes the standard tropes of so-called "magical girl shows" right off the bat.

—How did you feel about Kyubey's exposition this time?

Honestly, there were parts of Kyubey's lines this time that were a bit reluctant on my end. Since he is a character who inevitably drags out the crucial parts of the story, he could only explain things through words. However, this work is not a novel, after all. I think it would have been better if there were more elements that could be shown through visuals. That said, when it comes to turning "redundant talk" into visuals, SHAFT is very skilled at it, as seen in ''Bakemonogatari'' and various other works, so they beautifully sublimated it into visuals this time as well. I think Kyubey truly shines precisely because of that visual processing.

—What surprised you the most when you saw the storyboards and visuals this time?

That would be none other than the final Witch battle scene. When I saw the storyboards, I was simply amazed at how much they had expanded it. I never expected the Witches' familiars to appear in an all-star lineup. Mami-san's Tiro Finale was... written as "Tiro Railway Gun" in the storyboard's stage directions, wasn't it? ''(laughs)''.

—In this work, "love" is spoken of as the ultimate peak of human emotion. What is "love" to you, Urobuchi-san?

That... I think it is a state of madness. I believe it is an "impulse that drives you without any logic." Among the emotions that are exchanged as a matter of course, it is the one closest to insanity.

—And Homura comes to know that emotion, doesn't she?

I think it is one of those emotions capable of breaking through things built on logic, such as Kyubey's system or the system of the Law of Cycles.

—Your work with Chief Director Shinbo-san and SHAFT has spanned about 4 to 5 years now. What are your thoughts on this, Urobuchi-san?

It has been a continuous series of surprises, excitement, and discoveries, so to speak. They are people who take me to places I could absolutely never reach within the scope of working solely as a writer. Especially this new film—isn't it the culmination of expressions that could only be achieved through anime? I consider them truly irreplaceable.

—How do you personally accept the conclusion of the new film?

It's exactly that—there is a God, there is a Devil, and what's more, they are attending the same school. I feel that from here on out, there are finally various ways we can create things. By doing so, I hope it becomes content that expands even further.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Kirara Magica Vol 12 Poster.jpg | Cover Illustration Poster
File:Shinbo Interview 2-1.jpg | Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo (Second part)
File:Shinbo Interview 2-2.jpg
File:Urobuchi Interview 1.jpg | Interview with Gen Urobuchi
File:Urobuchi Interview 2.jpg
File:Urobuchi Interview 3.jpg
File:Ai Nonaka Interview 1.jpg | Interview with Ai Nonaka
File:Ai Nonaka Interview 2.jpg
File:Ai Nonaka Interview 3.jpg
File:v12 merchandise.jpg
File:v12 Fanart1.jpg
File:v12 Fanart2.jpg
</gallery>

==See Also==
* [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]]
* [[Magazines|More translated magazines]]
* [[Other Media|Other translated sources]]

[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Translation_request]]

Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.12

2026-07-09T21:59:05Z

Romi1908: /* Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo */

[[File:Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.12 cover.jpg|thumb|200px|Volume 12 Cover]]

The twelfth volume of the bimonthly [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]], released on February 10, 2014. It features an interview with [[Akiyuki Shinbo]], [[Gen Urobuchi]] and [[Ai Nonaka]].

==Manga==
===Oneshots===
* Kouryukyoshinin, p. 179. "One time we were together"
* Korura, p. 189. "Don't tell everyone in the class!"

===Series===
====Continuing from the previous volume====
* [http://goldenpedone1.web.fc2.com Golden Pe Done], p. 17. 「[[Puella Magi Tart Magica|Puella Magi Tart☆Magica - The Legend of "Jeanne d'Arc]]"」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=303833 PAPA], p. 61. 「[[The Veranda of Madoka]]」
* [http://misachu.net/ Nash], p. 71. 「Kaname-Ke」　　
* [http://afro.futene.net/ afro], p. 83. 「[[Puella Magi Homura Tamura|Mahou Shoujo Homura Tamura 〜Parallel Worlds Do Not Remain Parallel Forever〜]]」
* Hige, p. 93. 「[[Mahou Shoujobu Madoka Magica]]」
* [http://linco.jp linco], p. 109. 「[[Mitakihara Kindergarten Mahougumi]]」
* [[Mura Kuroe|Mura Kuroe]], p.121. 「[[Sadness Prayer|Puella Magi Oriko☆Magica ~sadness prayer~]]」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 149. 「[[Pomu Magi]]」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 159. 「[[Sute Ma!|Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl]]」
* Aota Mei, p. 165. 「[[Floating Madoka]]」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=19317 Myama], p. 201. 「[[Mitakihara Anti-Materials]]」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 215. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl Again」
* [http://marie.saiin.net/~s-e-e Shinmai], p. 223. 「[[Mami's Everyday Life]]」

==Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo==

Chief Director: Akiyuki Shinbo

'''Part 2'''

Continuing from the previous issue, we spoke once again with Chief Director Akiyuki Shinbo as he reflected on the production of the new film and discussed the intentions and feelings that went into it. This installment is just as full of substance, covering everything from the music used in the film to the ending that surprised everyone!

'''For the new film, I wanted both the background music and the insert songs to be unified in Kajiura-san's style'''

—Since the new film was released, it has generated an enormous response. Did you go to the theater yourself, Director Shinbo?

I went to see the opening-day stage greeting at the theater. I was sitting near the front, so I stayed as inconspicuous as possible and kept very still. The only time I turned around was when, during the stage greeting, the host asked the audience, "If you're watching it for the second time, please raise your hand." Even though it was the very first day, about half the audience raised their hands. I thought, "That's incredible." I knew there had been the earliest late-night screenings starting at midnight on opening day, but I was still amazed by the fans' enthusiasm.

—How do you feel now that you've seen the completed film?

I'm relieved that we were able to finish it. The fact that it ultimately became a film with such strong box-office results gives me a sense of relief that I've fulfilled my responsibility. There was a time when I made works thinking, "I don't care if they don't sell—I just want to make something I'm satisfied with," or "I don't care if it doesn't sell—as long as it's a good work." But I don't think that way anymore. If a work doesn't achieve results, there won't be another one afterward. As far as this work is concerned, it finally feels like I can sleep soundly at night.

—This time, we'd like to ask about the climax and the ending. During the climax, Kalafina's "misterioso" plays as an insert song. It had already been used in the trailers and promotional material beforehand. We heard that was your idea, Director Shinbo?

When we started making the new film, I knew from the beginning that I wanted an insert song. But I thought the song used as the insert should either be one that everyone in the audience already knew, or something with an energetic feel. When that kind of insert song plays during the film, it creates a kind of visual exhilaration. So I wanted to use "misterioso" in the trailers first, so that audiences would already be familiar with it. Then, when they watched the film in that state, I thought it would make the climax even more exciting. In the old days, movie soundtracks were sometimes released before the films themselves, so people would already know the music before seeing the movie. And when familiar music played during the film, it created a real sense of excitement. Even in TV series, there are times when the opening theme plays during the climactic scenes of the story. That's the kind of effect I wanted to achieve.

—"misterioso" certainly made the battle scene feel exhilarating.

At first, Gekidan Inu Curry-san actually suggested using "Connect," the TV series' opening theme, as the insert song. But I wanted the entire soundtrack of the new film to be unified through Yuki Kajiura-san's music. If something stylistically different is inserted into the film, it inevitably creates a sense of inconsistency. So, as part of keeping everything unified in Kajiura-san's style, we chose to use "misterioso" as the insert song.

'''The ending Homura chose in order to stop the Incubators'''

—Homura undergoes a shocking development this time. We've heard that during the script meetings, you suggested to Gen Urobuchi that "it might be interesting to have Akemi Homura become opposed to Kaname Madoka."

I honestly don't remember very well. The script meetings were over a year and a half ago now, so I don't remember them that clearly. But deep down, I think ''Devilman'' has always been at the root of my thinking. People of my generation have a hard time escaping the world of ''Devilman''. It makes you want to bring things toward the kind of relationship Akira Fudo and Ryo Asuka have.

—How did you go about creating Devil Homura?

Ume Aoki-san created the original character design, and then Junichiro Taniguchi-san adapted it into the final character design. I have complete trust in Aoki-san's design sense, so I've never given her detailed instructions. If the initial character concept ever came back and didn't quite feel right, Aoki-san herself would voluntarily revise it on her own. Taking that dedication into account as well, I left the design of Devil Homura entirely in her hands. Devil Homura turned into a wonderful character, so I hope she'll continue to be embraced by even more people going forward.

—According to Homura's voice actress, Chiwa Saito, the final scene had to be re-recorded.

The first recording came across a little too strongly. It gave the impression of being a complete ending. As a performance, I thought it was excellent. But if we'd left it that way, it wouldn't have given the audience much room to think about what might come afterward. So we had her record it again.

—As the chief director, how do you interpret this ending?

As for the final scene, I think everyone who watches it is free to come away with their own interpretation. However, I see Homura's actions as something that inevitably had to take that form. Even if Homura had prevented the Incubators' plan without summoning the Law of Cycles (Madoka), Kyubey would eventually have used another magical girl to attempt the same thing. In the end, the mechanism behind the Law of Cycles would have been uncovered, and that world would have collapsed. So, in order for Homura to stop the Incubators' plan, I think that ending was unavoidable.

—Since Kyubey had already learned about both the Law of Cycles and witches, what happened this time could no longer be avoided.

It really makes you think: "Why did Homura tell Kyubey about magical girls and witches at the end of the previous film?" If she hadn't accidentally let that slip to Kyubey back then, he never would have learned that witches existed. ''(laughs)''

—So the ending of the first two compilation films serves as foreshadowing for this.

Because Homura regrets having told Kyubey about the Law of Cycles and witches, she probably decided that she herself had to bring things to an end.

—What does the scene after the ending credits mean?

That scene was created based on an idea from Gekidan Inu Curry-san. It's meant to represent completion. It's the image of, "This is where the work ends." Personally, I'd like to continue it if the opportunity ever arose. But as of right now, I still don't know what will happen. I hope everyone will look forward to whatever comes next.

==Interview with Gen Urobuchi==

Screenplay: Gen Urobuchi (Nitroplus)

We spoke with Gen Urobuchi, who wrote the screenplay for the New Feature from a state of absolutely not anticipating a sequel, looking back on the production. He discusses what surprised him during the process from creating the script to its visual adaptation.

'''Preparedness Before the Release and Miscalculations After the Release'''

—Please tell us your impressions upon watching the new film.

When I saw the storyboards, they had such an overwhelming intensity that I wanted to ask, "Are you really going to make this happen?" The fact that it was completed as an animated video of even more wonderful quality was, in itself, a complete surprise.

—In terms of the visual direction greatly expanding upon the script, please let us know if there were any parts that left a strong impression on you.

I thought it was a given that the visuals would expand significantly through direction, considering it is a SHAFT production. However, the part that actually changed significantly from the script was the ending. It left a completely different impression, and I think that was a good thing. At the script stage, Homura's "devilishness" was thorough, so to speak. She was a cool and highly capable devil. On that front, thanks to the direction adding elements of vulnerability to the devil, I feel Homura became a deeply endearing character.

—So, the impression after watching changed from what you had envisioned?

Yes, the impression was different. However, I believe this ending was the correct choice. Before the theatrical release, I had braced myself, thinking that this work was structured in a quite risky way. I thought the fans would be much angrier. But when it was actually released, I breathed a sigh of relief to find that the audience got into the work way more than expected. It felt similar to when I made ''Saya no Uta'' (a PC game released in 2003 for which Gen Urobuchi handled the scenario). It was a pleasant miscalculation that they followed along with it quite well. It made me think that maybe I can trust the audience more.

—Come to think of it, you were quite filled with trepidation before the release, weren't you?

Yes, because I'm a coward ''(laughs)''. I felt as though I had used a forbidden move of sorts, so I was encouraged that it was accepted this time.

'''The Production Site Where I Felt the Difficulty of Creating a Sequel'''

—This new film is a work that serves as a sequel to the TV series or the two-part movies, but are you good at writing scripts for so-called sequels?

I think it is difficult to come up with a continuation as an afterthought for a story you intended to bring to a definitive end. After all, leaving no regrets behind is the primary motivation when creating a work. Of course, I have absolutely no intention of dismissing sequels themselves. For instance, I love ''Aliens''. However, when it comes to making one myself, it feels a bit difficult.

—So, that means this new film started out as a challenging job, didn't it?

However, anime is not something made by a single individual. For this work, we have the original creator team called Magica Quartet. Even if a story feels completely resolved within myself, if it isn't resolved within Shinbo-san, then there lies a breakthrough. Therefore, I started by drawing out clues as to what parts he was looking to expand upon.

—And the person you drew those clues for the sequel from was, as expected, Shinbo-san?

Yes. While listening to Shinbo-san speak, there were moments where I realized, "Ah, we hadn't fully exhausted this part," so I was able to use that as a starting point.

—Specifically, what was that clue?

At the end of the TV series, I personally believed that "Madoka Kaname had been rewarded." However, Shinbo-san said, "It is too heavy a fate for a middle school girl to bear." I thought, "Ah, I see." If the conclusion of the TV series can be viewed that way, then this work is not over. Since I could agree with that perspective myself, I decided to use it as my clue.

—Did you start by creating a plot first?

Yes. The point Shinbo-san made earlier about "Madoka not being saved" was actually brought up after I submitted the first plot. To be honest, the first plot was nothing more than an aftermath to the TV series, and I was hesitating over whether it even made sense to turn it into a movie.

—What kind of plot was it?

The first half of the plot had roughly the same developments as the screenplay for the new film. The setup where a happy world appears to be established was already written at the stage of the first plot. However, the ending was one where Homura is taken away by the Law of Cycles and ascends. It was designed not to break the final scene of the TV series. But then I received feedback from Shinbo-san. I thought, "Ah, I see, it's okay to make a work that breaks the final scene of the TV series." So I reconsidered and started thinking about how to save Madoka, who had stopped being human. Then, Shinbo-san offered the idea, "Maybe it's okay if Homura becomes Madoka's enemy." I realized, "Ah, it's fine to completely flip Homura's character." With those two ideas incorporated, I felt a solid sense of conviction that this would be worth making a sequel for as a movie.

—Did you have any hesitation about flipping the conclusion of the TV series?

No, I didn't. It's like if a coin has a heads side, it must have a tails side. When I thought of it as a story about the birth of a God (the TV series) followed by a story about the birth of a Devil (the new film), I felt that a complete "mythology" had been established.

—After that, I assume you entered the screenwriting phase, but where did you place the emphasis regarding the characters and story when writing the script this time?

This time, the positioning of the characters was clear, and since there was only ever one specific character to take the actions necessary for the story of the new film in any given situation, I didn't hesitate about that. I started writing the script for the new film right after the TV series broadcast ended, and it was completely written by that year's summer (August 2011), so there was very little inconsistency in the characters.

—Through what kind of process were characters like Bebe and Nagisa Momoe born?

Actually, I don't remember clearly. It seems to be the same for Shinbo-san; they were just characters who were suddenly there before we knew it. However, regarding Nagisa, I did have a desire to introduce one character who reverts from a witch back into a magical girl. If I recall correctly, within Gekidan Inu Curry-san's settings for the Witches, the Witch of Sweets had a childish impression. From there, the Magical Girl Nagisa inherited that youthful image. However, I didn't think up any of the settings myself for either Bebe or Nagisa. This time, Gekidan Inu Curry-san largely took charge of supervising the world when it came to the Witch settings.

—Earlier you mentioned that "the storyboards were amazing," but how did you feel when such incredible storyboards were completed?

After all, being shown the storyboards is the happiest moment for a screenwriter. Because you get to understand what kind of visuals will be made. I was deeply moved, feeling that I was allowed to participate in a truly blessed work this time. They depicted the emotions of Homura, who is practically the protagonist this time around, with incredible care. I thought Homura became an even more endearing character.

'''The Real Thrill of Anime as a Collective Effort'''

—Please tell us what parts left an impression on you when you watched the finished film.

As expected, the parts that were expanded upon by the production team on-site left a strong impression. For example, "Magical Banana"... and so on (laughs).

—That would be the scene of the magical girls' tea party where they cause the Nightmares to ascend, right?

I heard that the origin of that scene was an idea from Gekidan Inu Curry-san. Actually, the battle of the magical girls at the beginning was quite hollow at the script stage. With direction added to it, they were able to shape it into a glamorous magical girl work, which made me very happy.

—By the way, what do you mean by "hollow"?

I am not a writer who is thoroughly familiar with the know-how of so-called "magical girl shows." Because of that, looking back, I get the impression that I wrote the script based on a mutual understanding of, "This part is a standard trope, you get it, right?" The names of the techniques unleashed by the magical girls were also changed in the finished video, and if I wanted to write the battle scene between the magical girls and the Nightmares in the script, it would end in a single line. It is truly thanks to SHAFT's staff that they breathed life into that script and depicted it so glamorously.

—I think the scene in the middle where Homura investigates the mystery of the world was the true essence of an Urobuchi script.

That Homura would be the protagonist of this new feature was something I had decided from the stage of the initial plot. That part is, of course, very rich visually, but the development itself followed the script exactly. However, I never imagined that they would destroy an entire city in a gunfight...

—That's the gunfight between Mami-san and Homura. The gunfight with Homura controlling time resulted in visuals unlike anything seen before.

For that scene, unusually for me, I wrote a fair amount of stage directions. On top of that, even flashier direction was added, and as a result, it expanded to the point where the entire city was blown away.

—In the second half, Kyubey finally begins to speak. I think this character, Kyubey, is one of the great inventions in this work called ''Puella Magi Madoka Magica''. What kind of character is Kyubey to you, Urobuchi-san?

I think he became a trickster-like existence that smashes the standard tropes of so-called "magical girl shows" right off the bat.

—How did you feel about Kyubey's exposition this time?

Honestly, there were parts of Kyubey's lines this time that were a bit reluctant on my end. Since he is a character who inevitably drags out the crucial parts of the story, he could only explain things through words. However, this work is not a novel, after all. I think it would have been better if there were more elements that could be shown through visuals. That said, when it comes to turning "redundant talk" into visuals, SHAFT is very skilled at it, as seen in ''Bakemonogatari'' and various other works, so they beautifully sublimated it into visuals this time as well. I think Kyubey truly shines precisely because of that visual processing.

—What surprised you the most when you saw the storyboards and visuals this time?

That would be none other than the final Witch battle scene. When I saw the storyboards, I was simply amazed at how much they had expanded it. I never expected the Witches' familiars to appear in an all-star lineup. Mami-san's Tiro Finale was... written as "Tiro Railway Gun" in the storyboard's stage directions, wasn't it? ''(laughs)''.

—In this work, "love" is spoken of as the ultimate peak of human emotion. What is "love" to you, Urobuchi-san?

That... I think it is a state of madness. I believe it is an "impulse that drives you without any logic." Among the emotions that are exchanged as a matter of course, it is the one closest to insanity.

—And Homura comes to know that emotion, doesn't she?

I think it is one of those emotions capable of breaking through things built on logic, such as Kyubey's system or the system of the Law of Cycles.

—Your work with Chief Director Shinbo-san and SHAFT has spanned about 4 to 5 years now. What are your thoughts on this, Urobuchi-san?

It has been a continuous series of surprises, excitement, and discoveries, so to speak. They are people who take me to places I could absolutely never reach within the scope of working solely as a writer. Especially this new film—isn't it the culmination of expressions that could only be achieved through anime? I consider them truly irreplaceable.

—How do you personally accept the conclusion of the new film?

It's exactly that—there is a God, there is a Devil, and what's more, they are attending the same school. I feel that from here on out, there are finally various ways we can create things. By doing so, I hope it becomes content that expands even further.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Kirara Magica Vol 12 Poster.jpg | Cover Illustration Poster
File:Shinbo Interview 2-1.jpg | Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo (Second part)
File:Shinbo Interview 2-2.jpg
File:Urobuchi Interview 1.jpg | Interview with Gen Urobuchi
File:Urobuchi Interview 2.jpg
File:Urobuchi Interview 3.jpg
File:Ai Nonaka Interview 1.jpg | Interview with Ai Nonaka
File:Ai Nonaka Interview 2.jpg
File:Ai Nonaka Interview 3.jpg
File:v12 merchandise.jpg
File:v12 Fanart1.jpg
File:v12 Fanart2.jpg
</gallery>

==See Also==
* [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]]
* [[Magazines|More translated magazines]]
* [[Other Media|Other translated sources]]

[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Translation_request]]

Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.12

2026-07-09T19:23:45Z

Romi1908: /* Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo */

Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.12

2026-07-09T19:21:13Z

Romi1908: /* Manga */

Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.11

2026-07-09T19:13:36Z

Romi1908: /* Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo */

[[File:Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.11 cover.jpg|thumb|200px|Volume 11 Cover]]

The eleventh volume of the bimonthly [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]], released on December 10, 2013. It features an interview with Akiyuki Shinbo, as well as an interview with all seven main voice actors of Madoka Magica.

==Manga==
===Oneshots===
* まろ,p.171.「ミタキハラ魔法少女好子会トーク」
* 七路ゆうき,p. 179. 「人魚姫はかってくれない」
* コト,p. 187. 「魔法少女たちのとる休日」

===Series===
====Continuing from the previous volume====
* [[Mura Kuroe|Mura Kuroe]], p.17. 「Puella Magi Oriko☆Magica ~sadness prayer~」
* [http://marie.saiin.net/~s-e-e Shinmai], p. 35. 「Mami's Everyday Life」
* Hige, p. 57. 「Mahou Shoujobu Madoka Magica」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 73. 「Pomu Magi①」
* [http://goldenpedone1.web.fc2.com Golden Pe Done], p. 83. 「Puella Magi Tart☆Magica - The Legend of "Jeanne d'Arc"」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 119. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl」
* [http://misachu.net/ Nash], p. 125. 「Kaname-Ke」　　
* [http://linco.jp linco], p. 137. 「Mitakihara Kindergarten Mahougumi」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=303833 PAPA], p. 149. 「The Veranda of Madoka」
* [http://afro.futene.net/ afro], p. 159. 「Mahou Shoujo Homura Tamura 〜Parallel Worlds Do Not Remain Parallel Forever〜」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 199. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl Again」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 205. 「Pomu Magi②」
* Aota Mei, p. 215. 「Floating Madoka」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=19317 Myama], p. 227. 「Mitakihara Anti-Materials」

==Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo==

Chief Director: Akiyuki Shinbo

'''Part 1'''

We spoke with Chief Director Akiyuki Shinbo, looking back on the production after completing the new film. Over the course of this issue and the next, we delve into how those shocking developments and striking visuals came together.

'''Until the script for the new film was completed'''

—Congratulations on completing the new film. This is a completely original theatrical installment of ''Puella Magi Madoka Magica''. When did production begin?

It started right after the TV series finished airing. I don't remember the exact timing, but we began holding meetings around April or May of 2011, and by around the summer, Gen Urobuchi-san had completed the script.

—What kind of ideas did you propose during those meetings?

Personally, there was something about Madoka's decision in the first two films that had been bothering me a little. At the end of the previous film, Madoka resolves to become a magical girl and becomes the concept that destroys witches before they are born—the Law of Cycles. But I felt that, for a middle school girl, that was perhaps a little too strong a decision. Certainly, with her friend Homura being hurt right in front of her, she might, in the heat of the moment, decide to become a magical girl. But I don't think she could possibly have imagined that she would end up becoming a concept. The other day, I rewatched the second compilation film. Before Madoka goes to see Homura, she tells her parents, "I'm just going to the bathroom," and then leaves. That made me think that, at that point, Madoka may simply have wanted to save Homura. She probably never imagined that something as enormous as the reorganization of the universe's causal order would happen. Madoka, after becoming the Law of Cycles, appears at first glance to have attained enlightenment, but I think she's probably confused somewhere inside as well. That was the part that personally stayed with me, and I wondered whether we could somehow address it in this new film.

—Homura learning "Madoka's true feelings" became the major catalyst that drives the story of the new film. After reading the script, was there anything you asked to have changed?

The reason we were able to give each of the five magical girls their own highlight moments this time was thanks to Urobuchi-san's script. However, among them, I initially felt that the protagonist, Madoka, somehow didn't stand out very much. Given the structure of this story, Madoka is in a position where she shouldn't stand out, so it couldn't really be helped. Still, I wondered whether we might be able to increase the number of times she appears just a little. So that was the only adjustment I requested for the script. As a result, I think it turned into a work where all five magical girls have their moments to shine, and I'm very pleased with that.

'''The world of the new film created by Gekidan Inu Curry'''

—Although this is a completely original theatrical film, it retains the same style as the TV series, including an opening and ending sequence.

Even though it was being shown in theaters, rather than approaching it as making a movie, we approached the new work with the same mindset as if we were creating another season of the ''Madoka Magica'' TV series. That's why it has both an opening and an ending. There are other examples as well. Normally, if you're making a film, you compose the screen in Cinemascope format. But we deliberately chose the Vista aspect ratio instead. With Cinemascope, when the film is released on DVD or Blu-ray Disc, black bars appear at the top and bottom of the screen. I thought ''Madoka Magica'' fans probably wouldn't be happy about that. Also, this time the number of cuts became extremely high—around 2,200 cuts. With a typical film, you'd probably want to let individual shots run longer, and you usually wouldn't use this many cuts. (A normal animated feature generally has around 1,200 to 1,500 cuts.) If we had made it as an ordinary film, then during Kyubey's explanatory scenes, the standard approach would have been to show only the background while letting the audience calmly listen to the dialogue. But in our version, we layered action sequences over Kyubey's narration. Of course, my own hope was that people would be able to understand everything about the work after seeing it just once. But in the end, we packed in a tremendous amount of sound, dialogue, and visuals. Someone seeing it for the first time might end up a little confused, but I also think it's a good thing that it's become a work that can be understood more deeply after watching it a second or third time.

—Within the overall Madoka Magica series, how do you view the place of this new film?

As a work, the Madoka Magica TV series tells a complete story. The theatrical trilogy represents a version of Madoka Magica that has gone through one or two additional time loops after that. So I would like people to think of the new film not as a continuation of the TV series, but as a sequel to the first two compilation films. For example, Sayaka's hair ornament isn't present in the TV series, but it is in the theatrical version. The dialogue was also re-recorded, so the theatrical version and the TV version are different works in that respect. The only thing that remains the same is the voice track from the TV series.

—The new film was overwhelming both visually and narratively. What served as the starting point for creating its visual style?

Since this story takes place inside a witch's barrier, we had Gekidan Inu Curry-san, who specialize in designing otherworldly spaces, play a major role. First, based on Gen Urobuchi-san's script, we had Inu Curry-san draw a large number of image boards. At the end of the second compilation film, there was a teaser for the new film, and the image boards used there were created by Inu Curry-san. Using those image boards as references, we asked Sasaki Shinsaku-san—who also worked on storyboards for episodes of the TV series—to create the storyboards. The overall visual direction of the film was ultimately decided by combining the ideas contributed by many members of the staff.

—Even though Mitakihara is once again the setting, strange buildings and vehicles appear one after another. Was that unsettling atmosphere also the work of Gekidan Inu Curry?

For example, the place where Homura asks Kyouko for advice is supposed to be a café. But it's such a strange space that it hardly looks like a café at all. That's because it's inside a witch's barrier, so it was intentionally designed that way. Those mysterious children in the café—the Children of the False City—were also Inu Curry-san's idea. That's how they deliberately created that sense of unease.

—Not just the Children of the False City, but symbolic characters appear all throughout the film as well.

According to Gekidan Inu Curry-san, Homura's motif is a lizard. Lizards appear throughout the film, and in the end one even becomes Homura's earring. As for what that means, I hope the people watching the film will interpret it for themselves.

—The newly introduced Bebe also has a rather unusual way of speaking.

Inu Curry-san were very clear in saying, "We don't want Bebe to speak," so that's the direction we took. Every spoken line Bebe utters—things like "Cheese" and "Mascarpone"—was supervised entirely by Inu Curry-san. The dialogue that appears in speech bubbles was written by Gen Urobuchi-san. Since it was a little difficult to understand, we added subtitles, and I think that resulted in a distinctive and effective style of expression.

—Why was Kana Asumi cast as Bebe (Nagisa Momoe)?

We chose Nagisa's voice through auditions. For both Bebe and Nagisa, we wanted the feeling that she had been there from the very beginning. As we held the auditions, Asumi-san was by far the best fit. Even if viewers found themselves wondering, "Huh? Who's Bebe?" and felt a slight sense of incongruity, the other magical girls interact with her completely naturally, making it feel as though she simply blends into the group. I'm glad we were able to create that feeling.

'''How to draw out everyone's ideas on the staff'''

—When creating the visuals for the new film, what were you especially careful about?

Everyone on the staff contributed all kinds of ideas. The difficult part was finding the balance between letting them go far enough without letting them go too far. For example, during the gunfight between Homura and Mami, there's a scene where Homura points a gun at her own head. That idea was added by storyboard artist Shinsaku Sasaki-san. Homura puts on an act in order to cut Mami's ribbons, but Mami—who's in top form—isn't fooled so easily. It's a very entertaining scene because it gives the battle a nice change of pace. At first, though, I wasn't sure whether we should include it. In the end, I'm glad we did. There were many moments like that where I hesitated, but I think they all ultimately contributed to making the film more interesting.

—The transformation sequences were also visually striking. How did those come together?

Those transformation sequences were also expanded upon by Sasaki-san through his storyboards. Then Inu Curry-san added their own ideas, and our lead animator, Nozomu Abe-san, animated them. The request I gave was that I wanted transformation scenes unlike those of any magical girl series that had come before. Transformation scenes often involve the characters becoming naked, but I specifically asked that we avoid those kinds of established conventions. For the first two films, we adopted ideas from the animators to create transformation scenes that were enjoyable simply to watch. This time, I think we took that concept one step further. And once Yuki Kajiura-san's music was added, the visuals became even more impactful.

—Earlier you mentioned that the new film becomes more rewarding on a second or third viewing. What aspects do you think viewers should pay particular attention to?

When you watch the opening sequence a second time, I think you'll start to understand the meanings behind many things. For example, all of the magical girls are dancing together, yet Homura alone isn't dancing. I think you'll probably come to understand why that is. There are plenty of other silhouettes, visual compositions, and situations throughout the film that I think will catch people's attention as well. Also, rather than simply watching the new film repeatedly, I think it's especially interesting to watch the first two theatrical films again and then return to the new film. In particular, Sayaka and Kyouko's conversations take on new meaning. There's a line in the new film where Kyouko says, "I had a bad dream." That keyword—"dream"—is actually something that had already been planted as foreshadowing in the first two films. Urobuchi-san has scattered devices like that throughout the story, so I think the more of them viewers discover, the more enjoyable the film becomes. And lastly, Mami was really at the top of her game in the new film, so after watching it, I think readers will enjoy the manga ''The Everyday Life of Mami Tomoe'' even more. ''(laughs)''

'''(To be continued in the next issue.)'''

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Kirara Magica vol 11 Navigation Cover.jpg
File:Kirara Magica vol 11 - Movie 3 Info.jpg
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p1.jpg |Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p2.jpg
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p3.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p1.jpg | Interview with VA's of Madoka Magica
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p2.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p3.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p4.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p5.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p6.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p7.jpg
File:TBP - krr vol 11.jpg
File:Kirara Magica Vol.11 Illustration.jpg | Cover Illustration : Part 3 of 3 ([[:File:Kirara Magica Rebellion Stitch.jpg|full spread]])
</gallery>

==See Also==
* [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]]
* [[Magazines|More translated magazines]]
* [[Other Media|Other translated sources]]

[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Translation_request]]

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone"

2026-07-09T18:05:43Z

Romi1908: /* Gekidan Inu Curry Artwork Comments */

[[File:Front cover homumado - you are not alone.jpg|thumb|400px]]

[[File:Guidebook TOC.jpg|thumb]]
'''Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone"''', a compilation on a wide variety of information on ''Madoka Magica'', was released on [http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4832240617/ August 27th, 2011]. The [[:Media:Guidebook TOC.jpg|table of contents]] reveals these categories of information: Illustrations, Episode and Characters, Cast Interviews, Materials, and Staff Interviews.

A look at the sample pages from the Guidebook reveals it contains a wide range of information, including:
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Prior_Illustrations|Prior illustrations]] from magazines and other sources
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Episodic_Coverage_and_Character_Pages|Episodic coverage and character pages]] including commentary
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Interviews|Staff Interviews]] with cast members
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_%22You_Are_Not_Alone%22#Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_After-recording_Report|After-recording report comic]] reported and illustrated by hanokage, author of the [[Madoka Magica (manga)|Madoka Magica manga]].
* Design, sketches and other [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Production_Materials|production-related material]] similar to [[Puella Magi Production Note|Production Note]] or [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Art Book]]
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Interviews|Staff Interviews]] with many staff members
* Staff behind-the-scenes [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Discussion|discussion]]
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Early_Character_Designs|Early character designs]] of initial concepts 

== Staff Discussion ==

Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.

===Page 100===

* [[Akiyuki Shinbo]]: Major works include Bakemonogatari, Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei, Hidamari Sketch, Arakawa under the Bridge (all as director)
*[[Gen Urobuchi]]: Works for Nitroplus. Involved in the screenplay writing for many games from this company. Major anime works include Blassreiter (series composition), Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~ (screenplay)
* [[Ume Aoki]]: Manga artist. Her manga Hidamari Sketch is being serialized in Manga Time Kirara Carat.
* Mitsutoshi Kubota: Chief Executive Officer of SHAFT. He also worked as Animation Producer in Shaft works like Bakemonogatari, Hidamari Sketch etc.
*Atsuhiro Iwakami: Works for Aniplex. Involved in anime works such as Bakemonogatari, Kara no Kyoukai, Hidamari Sketch, Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai.

'''LOOKING BACK FROM NOW AT THE INITIAL COMPOSITON PROPOSAL'''

''I heard that the project "Madoka Magica" started from some chats with Director Shinbo saying "I want to do a mahou shoujo anime".'' 

SHINBO: I cannot remember such a thing at all. When I asked later "Um? Didn't Iwakami-san first mention it?" and I was told "No, that's not the case." (LOL)

IWAKAMI: It's not like you assertively said "I want to do Mahou Shoujo!!". It was with nuance, like "For the mahou shoujo format, there should still be possibilities."

KUBOTA: Surely it must have been around 2008.

IWAKAMI: And then we had some talks about talking to Urobuchi-san and Ume-sensei about joining [the project]. I think it took place unexpectedly quickly, so much that I could not remember the process.

''When did all of you first gather together?'' 

IWAKAMI: According to the material from that time and the mail history, the first meeting was held in October 2008.

AOKI: It was at that time that I first met Urobuchi-san. I remember thinking, "Oh, he is a person who takes memos with a PC." (LOL)

IWAKAMI: There we threw in and exchanged many ideas, and then I gathered and summarized them ([[:File:Guidebook Production Related Material 01.jpg|cf p.124]]).

UROBUCHI: In particular I did not prepare in advance any idea. I just said one after another what I came up right at that place. And when I did that, almost everything I said were accepted with "This is good." "Let's do that." Then I got worried as I thought "Oh no. I will have to turn everything I've just said into plot lines myself." (LOL)

''How many times did you repeat this kind of discussion?'' 

KUBOTA: No, only once at the very beginning. Urobuchi-san summarized everything into a composition proposal before our next chance to meet.

UROBUCHI: I came up with a rough structure of around 3 stages: I will show the beginning of the story like this; and next these details of the truth will be revealed; and last that truth will be revealed. And then I divided them further and made it into a composition proposal for one cour. However at that stage, the flow from ep. 6 to around ep. 8 was still a bit tricky. When I look back from now, ep. 9 was really bad!

AOKI: That's right. [You were saying] "I am going to put Sayaka decisively into despair." (LOL)

UROBUCHI: The idea that I came up with anyways was to bully Sayaka (LOL). At that moment, the thinking for Sayaka falling into despair was that it was not due to Hitomi. For that, it was a part that got inserted at the stage when the screenplay was written.

''I heard the composition proposal had 13 episodes altogether?'' 

IWAKAMI: I went to talk [to Urobuchi] and said "Could we make it into 12 episodes?" I had this thought of packaging the series into 6 volumes with 2 episodes in each volume.

KUBOTA: Although the number of episodes was cut, basically the flow did not change. That Mami got killed in ep. 3 was not changed either.

SHINBO: I see. So the reason [you] did not show that much shock when you read the screenplay for ep. 3 was because you had already read the composition proposal.

AOKI: Or perhaps in text it was not that shocking...

SHINBO: If it were 2 cours a different flow might have been used instead. I would like to do another version in which I could show how the development could be like if the length were 2 cours.

UROBUCHI: I guess if there are that number of episodes, [the story] would have to be quite different if we do not put regular daily life scenes in between, like in the episode after [[Mami]] died, out of a sudden and without much coherence everyone went to the hot spring (LOL). And once they arrived the waitress in the ryokan somehow looks like Mami....

IWAKAMI: There are things that I'd like to draw out if there was enough room, but I think the speedy pace we have now is also good. Right from the beginning, with 1 cour, I had the image that I was going to a roller-coaster movie that was Urobuchi-like.

'''TEMPORARY TITLE WAS "MAHOU SHOUJO APOCALYPSE"'''

AOKI: Later when I re-watched it again from ep. 1, I got the impression that the heroine kept changing from one to another. From ep. 4 it was about [[Sayaka]] and [[Kyoko]], and as it got near the final stage, [[Homura]] started to get more noticeable. And finally [[Madoka]] became a proper protagonist on her own.

IWAKAMI: To be honest, regarding the characters, at the time when I read the screenplay I could not read this far. It is indeed something like an omnibus, where there is Mami chapter, Sayaka chapter, Kyoko chapter etc. In one sense it was a composition like Bakemonogatari in which the appeal of the heroines was highlighted by turn. And I thought, oh so it was how it became and it made so much sense.

''By the way, why did you make the girls including Madoka, the protagonist, junior high students?'' 

IWAKAMI: A primary school student, if you think in 3D, gives an impression of a child actor instead of an idol. I think that if they are junior high students, they will be recognized as idols and thus may get more people to watch. So before Urobuchi-san finished the plot, I had a talk (with him) saying, as a prerequisite, "Let's use junior high students as mahou shoujo".

===Page 101===

UROBUCHI: And besides, I really do not want to be put into the spot of having to impose my decision of letting live or killing off primary school students (LOL)

''How did you decide the title of the anime?'' 

UROBUCHI: At the beginning, I just put the temporary title myself. I think it was "Mahou Shoujo Apocalpyse Madoka Magica" for sure.

IWAKAMI: The name "Madoka Magica" stayed as the temporary title for some time, and as an unofficial name it stayed as the project made its progress. When 2010 came, we had the discussion about its official title.

UROBUCHI: And by then everyone was so used to the temporary title that (the discussion) came down to "Let's keep it like this." But there was also "obviously the Apocalypse got to go." (LOL) Come to think of it, there was also the idea of not having "Mahou Shoujo" and only go with "Madoka Magica."

SHINBO: But for me, I believe in the title the words "Mahou Shoujo" is absolutely necessary. To the extent that if it is not there, there is no meaning (for me) to do (the anime). On that I did not budge.

'''THE SCREENPLAY WAS ALMOST THE SAME AS THE FIRST DRAFT''' 

''How long did the writing of the screenplay take?'' 

UROBUCHI: It went from the end of 2008 to the end of 2009. Since there were other works going in parallel in that period, I went full gear and came up with one episode every month. And I did not talk anything about what would happen later, just saying things like "Just wait for the next issue!". (LOL)

IWAKAMI: It's just that even though the screenplay was being done, there was not much chance to discuss it. As at the stage of the first draft, it was already interesting.

SHINBO: There was almost nothing that I would want to ask for changes.

UROBUCHI: Up till then, for me the work reality was that it was only natural to have only 30% of the screenplay I wrote remain and the other 70% would be crushed away and had to be redone. So every time I was tilting my head, I was thinking "Is it really going to be alright just to keep it like this?" (LOL) Besides, I had the complex of being an absolute amateur when it came to writing for anime, and this got me even more worried.

SHINBO: Different people may think differently, but to me even if there are some places that may get stuck, it is still better to have the momentum. Therefore, I think the small details can be left at the end to consider.

IWAKAMI: When I read it, even though I thought it may need a few adjustments, it was interesting. And that was important. I would rather it run until the final episode than it being filled up with (things that go like), "In here it will be like this" using some deduction point system.

UROBUCHI: The contradictions that were not pointed out during the screenplay meetings were later noticed by (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-san.

SHINBO: And also editor (Rie) Matsuhara-san. Unlike us who read the story one episode at a time, they read everything in one go and from that viewpoint they pointed out issues, and I am thankful for that.

''How about using actual dialogues in the episode subtitles?''

UROBUCHI: That was because we were lazy (LOL)

AOKI: What! Is that so? (LOL)

UROBUCHI: I thought I would just put it there anyway first and then later I would give it more thought.... But it just stayed as it is.

SHINBO: For once we indeed talked about what we should do with the subtitles, but I think at the end we decided to stick to Urobuchi-san's idea. I think it was good that they were not changed.

AOKI: In the trailer for the next episode, just by seeing the subtitle people can get excited by guessing what kind of scene in the next episode would contain that dialogue.

'''BEFORE THE COMPLETION OF THE ORIGINAL CHARACTER DESIGN'''

''To continue, I would like to ask Aoki-sensei about what happened before all the original character designs took shape. ([[Guidebook#Early Character Designs|cf. p. 125-127]])''

AOKI: The first draft... it was October 2008. That draft was not changed much in the final draft...but between the two drafts, I got lost in the 2nd draft. The period when I did the 2nd draft, I really had my head in my arms.

SHINBO: But for all of us, the feeling at the stage of the first draft was "This is good. As expected from Aoki-san."

AOKI: But it was worry on my side (LOL) Ah, Kyubey was first proposed in the 2nd draft and I just wanted to draw it cute, really cute! (LOL). The basic details are the same as the final draft, but I wanted to bring out the "cosmic feeling" in the ear-ring part. Made them somehow float in space. But at that time over all, it was a period when I was in a "I just do not understand" state, or when I didn't know what and how I should do it. When I looked back at the first draft, I thought "What was I doing there?" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Truly our opinion was "it is wonderful" right from the beginning. Also Ume-sensei's design of the school uniform of the girls is good. It is the same in Hidamari Sketch. Here the uniform designed by Ume-sensei can be manifested in 3D and it is a costume that is ready for cosplay. Did you do it with that in mind?

AOKI: I did not really create it for cosplay but to some extent I thought about its structure like where a zipper is to be attached on the uniform.

''And in the final draft of the design, [[Hitomi]] and [[Kyousuke|Kyosuke]] were also there...''

AOKI: Hitomi was not changed much in the final draft. As Kyosuke is the only boy, it was fun drawing him.

IWAKAMI: I surely got the feeling that Kyosuke drawn by Ume-sensei really had a quite a bit of spirit put in, and that she seemed to have fun drawing him. (LOL)

''How about the mahou shoujo costumes?''

AOKI: For Madoka's costume, I started from the base design (settei) that it was "something designed by Madoka." As for Mami-san, Sayaka and Homura, I designed with the image of their weapons. Kyoko is the last character I designed, and the idea of her did not come from her weapon, but with the thought to distinguish her from other characters.

UROBUCHI: Since the idea is that Kyoko is a character who moves a lot, so when I received the costume design (Kyoko's) long dress was not what I expected.

AOKI: Perhaps I made it look too heavy (LOL)

UROBUCHI: No, when (the dress) moves it looks cool. There is also the thrill (I got) from kung-fu movies.

SHINBO: It's just that I think it would be good to have some ornaments on Sayaka's head... Even now I still think the same.

AOKI: Oh yes, since after transformation Sayaka lost her hairpins, I tried to put some ornaments on that place. I thought, for one Mami already has it from the beginning, and then Madoka has her ribbons, so I tried to match something for her. But if I put an Alice band (headband), then it does not look so much like an accessory and starts to get an image of a functional gadget. And then I tried to put things like stars or mysterious-looking spheres... But in serious fight scenes, the playful elements after transformation never fit well no matter how much you looked at it, so at the end I took it away. However, it is true that compared with other girls she indeed looks a bit plain. Poor little girl....

===Page 102===

SHINBO: I thought that perhaps it is better to go without anything and keep it simple, and I got the design done in such a style, but as the story progressed I thought, "at the end it is still better to have something (on her head)."

UROBUCHI: But I feel the cloak is quite some style though.

IWAKAMI: For the weapons of the mahou shoujo, at first the plan was to have Ume-sensei design them but at the end the decision was to have the anime production side to do the design.

UROBUCHI: That said, the pictures used for the initial notification were drawn by Aoki-san. The weapon design in those pictures were inherited in the anime.

AOKI: Homura's bow and Mami-san's gun were picked up from the designs I did. Madoka's bow was used in the cover art of the single Magia.

'''CHARACTERS IN "MADOKA MAGICA" ARE SIMILAR TO CHARACTERS IN "HIDAMARI"?'''

UROBUCHI: Before I saw the original character design by Aoki-san, the character image I had in my head was that of "Hidamari." I imagined by making replacements like Madoka becoming Yuno, Mami becoming Hiro-san... And so every time a character design is done I was relieved, thinking "Good, it is becoming an anime different from 'Hidamari!" (LOL)

SHINBO: Come to think of it, Mami is a onesan (elderly sister) character and there are some overlaps with the image of Hiro. If that's the case, Mami may also need to pay attention her weight (LOL).

UROBUCHI: No no... there is no such setting (settei) for Mami (LOL).

SHINBO: For one thing it seems easy to become a talking point - her position is the same as Hiro I guess. (LOL)

AOKI: And she also makes cakes. (LOL)

SHINBO: It is interesting that although they are different characters, there is such a coincidence.

UROBUCHI: In that sense, in fact I was most worried about Kyoko. I have never seen such a kind of girl who projects the image of a runaway child in Aoki-san's world.

AOKI: Indeed it seems so. Well what did you feel when you first saw Kyoko then?

UROBUCHI: Ugh well, when I saw the expression that could never have come from a Hidamari character, I gave it my OK.

AOKI: When you were writing the screenplay, did you find it hard to match Kyoko with a Hidamari character?

UROBUCHI: It was extremely hard to match. And so Kyoko almost became speaking in Hiroshima dialect just like the movie Battles Without Honor and Humanity (LOL). But at first I imagined the image color for Kyoko to be yellow instead of red. If anything this overlaps with Miyako...

AOKI: Do you think it was good that I made changes to the image color of the characters used in your proposal?

UROBUCHI: I think the result was good. Now I just cannot imagine a red Mami, you see.

KUBOTA: Looking back from now, it is also interesting to see that in the first draft the hair style of Sayaka was different.

AOKI: Ahh... I was really lost..(LOL)

''And then based on the final draft material, Takahiro Kishida-san produced the character design, what did you think of it?''

AOKI: I was glad that they grasped the details down to many small points. The use of double border lines also seems to have come from certain impressions of my pictures.

KUBOTA: That came as an overall decision as after checking many pictures and works by Aoki-san, we thought this touch style would be good. It was a challenge during the sakuga (animation) process.

AOKI: That drawing style is not commonly seen in the anime. I also did not think the oblique line of sight would be kept in use without change. Those eyes were even faithfully recreated in Nendroids. Perhaps doing that can bring out the feel of "Madoka Magica."

KUBOTA: But at the beginning that touch style did not really permeate much among the animators.

SHINBO: My feeling is that at around ep. 9 or ep. 10, the pictures finally came together (in unified style).

'''THE WORLD AS CREATED BY GEKIDAN INU-CURRY'''

''Gekidan Inu-Curry-san is the staff that was the key of "Madoka Magica".''

AOKI: This happened when we had the screenplay meeting. After the meeting that day, we were on our move to a drinking place, and the director said, "I think the witches should not have a conventional witch look. Even if they take a look of geometrical forms, it would be better.". And then, "I am thinking of asking Inu-Curry-san. They helped us on "Zetsubou Sensei" and "MariHolic". At that moment I felt the "Director is having some vision!" That was very impressive.

''And after asking Inu-Curry-san, what kind of talks took place?''

KUBOTA: There was discussions regarding Art Design (settei) that involved Inu-Curry-san. Looking at the minutes from that meeting ([[:File:Guidebook Production Related Material 01.jpg|cf p.124]]), Shinbo-san said "'Madoka Magica' should be a work that is on the extension line of 'Le Portrait de Petit Cossette' and has a different image from 'Lyrical Nanoha.'"

SHINBO: Did I say something like that?? .....Hmm? But indeed it was written here.

''The reactions from Inu-Curry-san at that time?''

KUBOTA: Inu-Curry-san had read the scenario in advance, and after that we had talks bouncing ideas to fine-tune the images we got. So although they are quiet people, they understood things without difficulty.

UROBUCHI: Inu-Curry-san themselves may be quiet, but they are very talkative about the stuff they came up with.

KUBOTA: They also have the stubbornness of absolutely not yielding to the worldview in which they thoroughly built in the images for settei (base design). Besides as creators, they do not compromise at all. As the production progressed, the weight of the part for Inu-Curry-san got bigger and bigger, I got quite worried about what to do if the time came when things could not be processed by just them.

SHINBO: Even in the retake for BD and DVD, just the parts of Inu-Curry-san got quite big.

KUBOTA: If given time, they will just keep coming up with good stuff.

SHINBO: (Yuki) Kajiura-san, who did the music, gave high praises for the bewitched space in ep. 9 and said it was wonderful. But even now I cannot let them hear it. You know, if I tell them, I don't know how far they will lay their hands on the retake (LOL). As we have raised the hurdle by ourselves, I plan to tell them after all the work is done (LOL).

===Page 103===

KUBOTA: But then since they have created that much stuff, I have the feeling that they must still have some regrets from their point of view.

IWAKAMI: When I was first shown the image pictures from Inu-Curry-san in the meeting room at Shaft, I was dumbfounded.

UROBUCHI: They were mainly static pictures, but there was also the mustachioed familiars of ep. 1 in GIF animation. Besides at the stage of screenplay there was no names or settei information for the witches. Those are all there thanks to Inu-Curry-san.

AOKI: I always had fun when I saw updates of the Witch Compendium in the official website. It got me to guess that besides the settei found there, in fact there must be a lot more that had been thought through.

'''CASTING OF THE MAHOU SHOUJO'''

''I would like to hear about the casting.''

IWAKAMI: Although the roles were decided by auditions, somehow by coincidence there were many actresses from "Hidamari".

UROBUCHI: Mizubashi-san was unexpected. Don't you think it is quite rare for Mizuhashi-san to act for an onesan (elder sister) character like Mami?

AOKI: And the acting was completely different from Miyako of "Hidamari."

SHINBO: As for Saito-san who took Homura's role, there was the image of Hitagi Senjogahara in "Bakemonogatari." I had this concern that no matter what, I still got the impression that Homura and Hitagi look similar. Of course I knew Saito-san was pretty good, but I still thought "perhaps as a change it is good to use another actress." But when I heard the acting performed by Saito-san during the audition, I could only come to the conviction that "This is it".

IWAKAMI: There was this acting that did not come up in the audition - the scenes in the second half when Homura cried and collapsed. If you consider that, it is easy to conclude that after all casting Saito-san was a good (decision).

SHINBO: Not only Saito-san, if you think about Yuki-san who took Madoka's role as well, there was the flow coming from the anime "Dance in the Vampire Bund." In "Vampire Bund", there were Yuki-san, who acted an aloof vampire princess, and Saito-san, who acted an ordinary human girl. And in "Madoka Magica" the position of the two were switched. And I think at that time the two may have developed a synchronized wavelength between them. So I have a feeling that in the actual recording actions the two, Yuki-san as the protagonist, and Saito-san, supporting her, managed their roles really well. The two also said so in the audio commentary.

''And about Kitamura-san who took Sayaka's role?''

AOKI: Seems every time drinking after the after-recording sessions, the director said "Kitamura-san was good."

SHINBO: Kitamura-san was really great acting as a suffering girl. She gave a feeling that she worked really hard but she was not really good at it and (her effort) got requited.

UROBUCHI: Considering the aspect that she worked hard a bit and behaved cheerfully but she herself in fact thought about serious matters, indeed she is like that.

''How about Nonaka-san who took Kyoko's role?''

UROBUCHI: Kyoko, while a character created by Aoki-san, is a heel ''[symbv: pro-wresting jargon for a villain character]''. So I could not guess how she could be acted. But it felt so good hearing the voice of Nonaka-san and I got hooked.

SHINBO: Since it is the voice of Nonaka-san, there is no way she is a bad person, I guess? (LOL)

AOKI: I was wondering how a seiyuu would handle the dialogues of Kyoko, and when the role was given to Nonaka-san, I thought "Oh, so it will be like this." She brought out the feeling that even when she acted like a bad person, somehow you just could not bring yourself to hate her that much.

SHINBO: Once I got asked by Nonaka-san, "Why is Kyoko (given to) me?" and I answered, "If it is Nonaka-san then nobody will hate her." She has such a mysterious charm.

'''AS THE START DATE OF BROADCAST APPROACHED'''

''And then the cast were decided. In fall 2010 the information starts to be released to the public...''

IWAKAMI: But the first thing that went out to the public were "oh it went out" type of leaks (LOL)

UROBUCHI: That was still at quite an early stage. Around spring I guess.

IWAKAMI: Rumors came out, down to mentions of Shinbo-san, Urobuchi-san, Ume-sensai and Shaft. At first there was the idea of doing it in phases, like at the beginning there was the notification "Shinbo-san and Ume-sensei will work on a mahou shoujo anime!", and then around one month later the name of Urobuchi-san will be announced. But with the information leaked out, (I said) let's release everybody's names in one go. Later, it was often said there was a plan to hide the name of Urobuchi-san until after ep. 3. Of course I did not think of that (LOL).

UROBUCHI: Although I was sure that this was going to happen. (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Well, it's just that I indeed think doing that way is interesting in its own way.

UROBUCHI: Like "Since the pictures are cute and you think the screenplay will be the same? Too bad! It's me!!" (LOL) ''[editor: reference to a certain [http://danbooru.donmai.us/wiki/show?title=too_bad!_it_was_just_me! 2ch Sayaka meme]]''.

''As the time approached for the start of broadcast, you went for a purification rite in a shrine.''

UROBUCHI: Because it is something involving the demons. I myself did not go, but I got them to buy me a charm and I always carried it with me during the after-recording sessions, since I thought if there was any curse around it would have to be with me (LOL)

SHINBO: For myself I was more for praying for a hit than being purified. Since the result is now we have a hit anime, I think our prayer was answered.

KUBOTA: Well, there is also a bit of the superstition thing in it.

IWAKAMI: Because there were some in the staff who cared about this. If no purification was held, it is "Since no purfication was held my arm got hurt.", while if purification was held, then it becomes like "although my arm got hurt, it is good that it is not my dominant arm.". The frame of mind will be different.

SHINBO: By the way, in the purification rite, Emiri Katoh-san came as a representative of the seiyuu.

UROBUCHI: Oh, there is such thing as "representative of the seiyuu". I thought it was because she played Kyubey's role.. (LOL)

===Page 120===

'''STAFF DISCUSSION PART 2'''

'''THE ROLE PLAYED BY MADOKA'S FAMILY'''

''In the first half, we talked mainly about things before the start of broadcast (of the series). From now on, I would like to ask something different. First when you were doing the creation work (for this anime), was there any character whom you held particularly strong feeling with?''

UROBUCHI: As I look at my own work from a vantage point, there is no particularly strong feeling I hold towards any specific character. But if I have to pick one, I guess it would have to be Madoka's mother. Since a character who does not appear frequently must have her character established with short dialogues, I came to hold a stronger impression (with her). She and Kazuko-sensei may have been the characters I worked hard on (even compared to other characters).

SHINBO: And (Yuuko) Gotoh-san, who voiced Madoka's mother, gave a really good performance. (Her acting) had the persuasive power of "This mother is a capable person!" I also want to see the past stories of her together with Kazuko-sensei. Let's find some way to do those kind of episodes!

IWAKAMI: It will then become a story without any mahou shoujo making appearance (LOL)

''Why did you make Junko, Madoka's mother, the way she looks in the anime?''

UROBUCHI: I had wanted to create such a character. For one, it is rare to see a mother who is macho and strong-minded in mahou shoujo works. Also I thought that to provide a reason for Madoka to become aware of heroism, it is perhaps more convincing for her to have such a family background. Because she will grow up while watching the back of an adult who is very close to her and has carved out the path of her own fate by herself.

''Usually in anime that would be the role played by a father.''

UROBUCHI: That's right. But I thought it would be good to have a family which does not confine itself to ideas like it must be men's role to makes all the heroic moves. I wanted to have some concrete example where women can also be heroic and strong. That being said, so (the next thing is:) OK, so what is a heroic mother like? The fact that after much consideration I gave her a speech style of a yankee [delinquent girl] is purely my own taste (LOL)

IWAKAMI: In anime, usually there is not much depiction regarding the family of the protagonist, isn't it? In "Madoka Magica" the weight of that is also not really that big, but we still have the ribbon in ep. 1, the consultation in ep. 6, the farewell in ep. 11 and then the epilogue in ep. 12.

UROBUCHI: For me, I had this image that "in general mahou shoujo works should have the family properly portrayed." In that sense, it can be said that Madoka's family, including her mother, are characters I forced myself to come up with, since usually in my works family almost never appear. And contrary to Madoka, there is absolutely no description about the family in Homura's case, and it is because she is a character who is not needed to be taken as a symbol for mahou shoujo. It is not that there is some reason that she must not have a family, but it is because there is no need to depict them so they do not appear. Conversely, for Madoka the family must be depicted.

'''HOW THE CHARACTERS ARE DEPICTED'''

''Director Shinbo, if you are to pick a character for whom you have particularly strong feelings, who would that be?''

IWAKAMI: According to the public, the answer must be: Shinbo-san is very fond of Sayaka (LOL).

SHINBO: Indeed, I am particularly attached to Sayaka. I may have that side in me.

IWAKAMI: From around which point did you start to feel that?

SHINBO: When the filming was done, I started to feel "she is such a poor girl," and moreover when I listened to the performance during the after-recording session my heart gradually started to ache more and more, and I started to think "couldn't there be a little bit salvation for her?". At first I took a rational point of view, thinking so she is (written as) such a character, but gradually my emotion gushed out and took over.

IWAKAMI: Indeed I went together with Shinbo-san to have a talk with Urobuchi-san, and asked "in the last episode, can't we get Sayaka to come back to life?" (LOL)

UROBUCHI: And then I answered, "That would be impossible now." (LOL)

SHINBO: It is uncommon for me to have such gushing emotions, so it has been an interesting experience.

UROBUCHI: Guess I bullied Sayaka a bit too much (LOL). But then the reason why I do not feel that sorry for Sayaka is this thing, that I just do not feel that even if she hooked up with Kyosuke that girl would really be happy ever after. Most likely Kyosuke is a guy who will stand her up in dates and go to practice the violin, I think.

AOKI: But at the very end Sayaka said "I do not have regrets". For Sayaka, perhaps it is something she had come to terms with.

SHINBO: I wonder. When I checked the after-recording, I got the mood of from Kitamura-san who voiced Sayaka, "I am not convinced." (LOL)

UROBUCHI: But also for Kyosuke, a man who could not notice that "Hm? this girl seems to have some feeling for me..." even after so much self-sacrifice from her is simply no good. (LOL)

''How about Mami then?''

AOKI: In ep. 2 when Mami-san got into a mood which seemed to be arguing with Homura, it got me to think "Although she is an onesan [elderly sister] character she does not act all that mature." I found this quite cute and I loved it. (LOL)

SHINBO: Although she dropped out (from the anime) in ep. 3, she still holds a strong sense of presence.

===Page 121===

UROBUCHI: I was also surprised by how popular she got. I think Mami's popularity was helped a lot by how cool she looked in the fighting scenes. Although she already looked cool since the point of ep. 1, in ep. 2 she elegantly danced and fought, and after all that a cup of tea. How more elegant can it be? What a girl! (LOL)

AOKI: That cup of tea was a total surprise (to me). I remember thinking "So cool!"

IWAKAMI: Really this can be put as the power of images. Showing it like that in pictures you will think it looks so cool, but if the same thing is written in the screenplay you would just think "What?!"

UROBUCHI: I think it is normal (for people) to doubt my sense. (LOL)

SHINBO: For that part, (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-san, series director, once came to me for advice, saying "Inu-Curry-san said they would like to have Mami drink tea at the end." At that time I did not have much idea (of what it was about), but I thought "They must be aiming for something. Guess it's fine." I gave my OK, thinking that if what they came up with looked odd, I would think up something at that point. And when I saw the result in video....well in fact it really looked quite odd (LOL). Perhaps it looked odd in a good way. People thought it cool and got hooked.

UROBUCHI: That "oddness" is in fact its charm. (LOL) At the stage of screenplay, the impression of Mami's fight scenes were more like that of a machine fighting, as the image was that of guns being fired off relentlessly as weapons.

AOKI: Here I have something I want to ask Urobuchi-san. Among fans, Mami-san is often categorized as a bit of a suffering girl, isn't she? What does Urobuchi-san think about that?

UROBUCHI: I could only say that it was too much of a surprise (LOL) In particular, I did not expect the "Law of the Circular Ring" ''[Editor's note: a term appearing in [[Episode 12]], also referred to as {{Nihongo|Law of Cycles|円環の理|Enkan no Kotowari}}]'' would be misunderstood as a term coined by Mami.

SHINBO: But popularity and talking points came from that kind of things. Like in the BD, it got the chapter title as "Dance of the Magic Bullets."

UROBUCHI: If you come down to that, I too got really high spirits. (LOL) I am sure Mami-san must have created a notebook that is even more amazing than the one Madoka made! And instead of a thin notebook it would be a scrapbook!

KUBOTA: Also, Mami is the only one who gave a name to her signature special move.

UROBUCHI: That was actually done in order to mislead viewers that they were watching some conventional mahou shoujo anime. From ep. 4 onwards such guidance became unnecessary, and there is no more need for anybody to call out the name of their signature special move. It is only Mami, who was active in the early stage, that needed a name for her move.

IWAKAMI: That is interesting. Although the name of the move was created only due to the necessity as required by the story, the understanding instead became that only Mami made up a name for her move. (LOL)

AOKI: When Mami-san's BGM starts to flow, although it looks cool, it also gets me to laugh just a little bit (LOL)

KUBOTA: But in fact that BGM was not written as Mami's theme. Originally it was planned to be used in a different scene, but we found it such a good fit for Mami...(Youta) Tsuruoka, the music director, really picked his tracks well.

'''THE UNEXPECTED REACTIONS FROM FANS'''

''I would like to continue with discussion of the characters. In certain sense Kyubey has become highly popular. (LOL)''

SHINBO: I did not think it would become so popular. This is the biggest surprise to me personally.

UROBUCHI: I was also surprised. At the beginning I had thought it would become a hated character. So my feeling towards Katoh-san who voiced it had been one of "My apologies!"

SHINBO: It just came cross my mind. I think it may be interesting to have Kyubey visit Hidamari-so in "Hidamari Sketch".

UROBUCHI: Since the girls in Hidamari-so are so smart, they will not be so easily conned. But then if it were to be Hiro-san... (LOL)

SHINBO: If she were told "If you become a mahou shoujo you will lose weight." she may be at risk (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Yoshinoya-sensei would surely be at risk too. She gave the impression that she seems to be susceptible to desires.

SHINBO: Yoshinoya-sensei would be fine. Since she is not a young girl any more, she will not be subject to persuasion talk. (LOL) Aoki-san, how about give this idea a try and draw a manga about it? If Aoki-san draws it, it will become "Madoka Magica the Origin".

AOKI: Oh well... I wonder....(LOL)

IWAKAMI: I think it would be interesting (LOL) Also for Kyubey, when it shows up it often gets a close-up. The reactions by the seiyuu (when this happened) during the after-recording sessions were interesting.

SHINBO: That's true. When Kyubey appears, everyone just shouted "Here it is!". This even got me to start thinking "I see. In this case I will do it even more often and surely everyone will be happy." (LOL) I have a feeling that even some scenes where originally it was not to be shown that way got a close-up, as I aimed for that reaction. Although I also felt that the aim was a bit off to another direction. (LOL)

AOKI: I talked to Katoh-san, who voiced Kyubey, in the closing day. I told her that after this "Madoka Magica" she would see a lot of topics related to Kyubey thrown her way in places like radio or twitter.

SHINBO: These should be some tasty topics for Katoh-san, because, well, to put it briefly, (Kyubey) got super popular, and there are things like "Make a contract with me" or "I just don't understand" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: "I just don't understand" are just some ordinary words. (LOL) Though somehow it became a longstanding gag....

===Page 122===

SHINBO: This is where it got mysteriously interesting. Although I have worked in anime industry many years, it is almost my first experience to see a dialogue get so widespread as some talking point.

UROBUCHI: The reason that happened was not because of the words themselves, but the impact generated by how the story was developing the moment those words were spoken. There is nothing pulled out with only the words, but here viewers grouped all their feelings at the moment when that dialogue was spoken, together with what got conveyed to the viewers, and burnt it onto their memory. There it is not just a matter of getting the character to say some elaborate dialogue or dialogue that targeted (the viewers).

''Besides those dialogues, is there anything else from fans' reactions that made a deep impression to you?''

SHINBO: I think it was amazing to see some fans decipher the runes that Inu-Curry-san created. When I did "Pani Poni Dash!", fans reacted to the symbols shown on the screen and it became a talking point among fans. They decoded them and discovered what parody that was supposed to be. As a general rule, if people fail to understand such talking points, the anime will be rejected with people saying "this anime is not interesting," right? But in "Madoka Magica," I was happy that there were even a group of fans who would have fun digging into that kind of thing.

IWAKAMI: And this is something about the general framework. I was very impressed with the fact that fans of "Madoka Magica" had so much fun in real time watching the anime without any prior information, as it is an original work. I found the mood was very refreshing as everyone must follow it as it was broadcast and all shared the same quickened heartbeats because nobody was sure what would come next.

''I heard that it was because of something Kubota-san said that resulted in the broadcast date of the final episode to be announced on an advertisement on Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper.''

KUBOTA: I don't know if it was because of me (LOL). At a book store near my home a bunch of "Madoka Magica" manga were put on display and I saw two girls who seemed to be junior high students in front of those manga. One said something like "This anime was interesting but the broadcast ended at ep. 9. I wonder when it will continue the show..." And I was shocked, thinking "Eh? I thought the broadcast date of the final episode has already been announced?" I then realized without the opportunity to be in touch with media like the internet, that kind of information may be difficult to come by. So I went to talk to Iwakami-san and he said "Let me come up with something."

IWAKAMI: Since I myself also wanted more people to watch the last episode, I thought about using some other way of approach to send out information about the broadcast date and time. With this thought, it suddenly became urgent to make a move. In fact it was only a few days before the broadcast when, half-asleep, I started to try to get the advertisement into the newspaper. The design of that advertisement was done by BALCOLONY.-san who is also responsible for the package design of the BD and DVD.

KUBOTA: Well, it may be just a newspaper advertisement placement, but it can also be thought as an event which simply showed that our anime is grabbing so much attention outside, and I was happy about that. (LOL)

AOKI: Since I could not leave home because I was hitting a bunch of deadlines, I asked my friends to go and buy the newspaper for me. And then I placed the advertisement in front of my desk facing my drafts, and thought "Tonight finally it will be broadcast!!" (LOL)

'''THE MEANING OF ORIGINAL ANIME IN ANIME INDUSTRY'''

''What do you think of the fact that "Madoka Magica", an original anime, became a big hit?''

SHINBO: Currently TV anime is dominated by adapations, so it is significant that in such a background an original anime gained such popularity. I have this feeling like I was able to protect the seedling of original anime.

IWAKAMI: Personally for me, I love video adaptations of works like manga or novels, since there is a strong sense of achievement when you managed to accomplish a video adaptation that does not fall short of the expectation of the readers (of the original work). But I think it is better to have many options. Aniplex also gets involved in producing many original anime, but not every one became a hit. The risk is indeed high. Given that, the fact that "Madoka Magica" became a big hit is very important regarding the future of original anime.

UROBUCHI: I am going to get a bit negative here. If we see an increase of only anime adapted from original works (of other media), its harmful effect will also spread to the related industries. In particular, I feel some sense of crisis regarding light novels, as every author now writes with anime adaptation in mind. Isn't everyone now writing novels that are meant to be taken as anime proposal documents, with anime adaptation being the goal? Hasn't the idea that a novel wins or loses by its contents been lost? When I think of that I got quite sad.

IWAKAMI: For example, "Fate/Zero" by Urobuchi-san is originally a novel that was written without considering anime adaptation at all. Therefore the hurdle to adapt it into video was high, but as a novel it was also very interesting and you got fired up reading it. Regardless of the genre, it would always be regrettable to have everything standardized, because somewhere somehow things will get too similar to each other.

AOKI: In the world of manga, it is often said that to get anime adaptation is one of the goals. Like, "This manga. Will it get anime adaptation?"

SHINBO: Perhaps it is for status. The prevailing thinking is that if it gets just a bit popular, it will only be natural to have an (anime adaptation).

===Page 123===

AOKI: For a popular manga, since there are existing fans, it is safe to adapt it into anime. This anime adapation that is based on expectations for a certain level of sales figure. On the other hand, an original anime starts without any guarantee that it will be absolutely safe, so it is risky.

IWAKAMI: That's true. In that sense it is 100% challenge.

SHINBO: Since now the number of anime titles have increased compared to the past, the industry is always trying to find original works for anime adaptation. That itself is not something bad. It is just that it is really no good if we have only that.

'''THOSE WHO BECAME FANS OF "MADOKA MAGICA" - WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE ARE THEY?'''

''Let's put aside the side topic of original anime for a while. Honestly, how do you take the huge popularity of "Madoka Magica"?''

AOKI: "Madoka Magica" did not cause much stir before its broadcast. But once people actually started to watch the broadcast, they found it interesting. I am happy with how it got more and more attention this way.

SHINBO: I think those people who became fans from a very early stage really have guts. Even for development that may cause people to abandon (the anime) if it tripped up, like when Mami died, instead it caused people to pay attention and get lively, didn't it? So I was happy with how "Madoka Magica" caught fire. I feel that it was those people who in old days would be described as having the sense of "We, and only we, know about this!", helped spread the popularity (of this anime).

UROBUCHI: Indeed the depth of those people who dug into this anime reached is like what old-time otaku would do.

SHINBO: Well, the prediction that "since it is a screenplay by Urobuchi-san you cannot just leave it as such or it will bite you back" is also one example of that. I guess it is precisely because people watched it with that expectation that people find it enjoyable, I guess. WIthout that, everyone would just be discouraged by ep. 3. But in fact there were many people who thought "Ah, so it is." "I have thought that it will come to this." I feel that because of this, people could still enjoy such tough development with characters by Aoki-san. It may be that challenging attitude or it may be that realization that there are so many anime fans who still got the temperament of old-time otaku, but anyway I am happy.

KUBOTA: I also found it great to see a sense of unity developed between those fans and our animation staff. Since in anime, work was done by an aggregation of individuals working in isolation, being able to hear the voices of those people who watched, they were able to take up a lot of courage. The very lively reactions became the strength for the staff, and the work benefited and got better over time.

SHINBO: Without the cheering on by fans, "Madoka Magica" would not have that quality in the second half.

KUBOTA: It is a fortunate work which was created, and ended, with fans joining us.

'''GOING THROUGH THE SUSPENSION OF BROADCAST AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE'''

''Right after ep. 10 was broadcast in theKansai region, "Madoka Magica" had to suspend its broadcast because of the earthquake. Were you affected in any way by that?''

UROBUCHI: First of all, of course the earthquake was such a big shock (to me).... From the viewpoint of my own creation, a work, once it is done, stays along, and it will last longer than myself. Because of this happy fact, I feel there is worth writing screenplays or novels or games. But if Japan should be gone, naturally my works would not remain. If there was no more country where they speak Japanese, what would happen to all the stuff I had done till now? I had this kind of worry.

IWAKAMI: It is the same feeling here. Right after the earthquake, I had a helpless feeling, thinking "With Japan in this mess, so what if I work on anime..."

SHINBO: In fact that was no occasion for anime. And out of many things I came to realize the power of music. It is music, not video images, that provided the emotional support. Even if some video images (could do the job) it will not be anime. For example, for a manga magazine, a bunch of children can pass it around and read it, and it becomes entertainment. But animation is not like that. It just hit me with an emptiness in a certain way.

IWAKAMI: That's right. This is why even though there was no broadcast right after the earthquake, I do not think there are viewers who would think "why there is no broadcast (of the anime)?". However, after one week, two weeks, and things started to calm down and normal life returned, you started to hear voices saying they want to see the remaining part.

SHINBO: (Anime) is that kind of entertainment. For example if war breaks out, it will be no occasion for anime. It reminded me of how (anime) is truly a kind of entertainment for an abundant world. It could not be helped if things got into such a crisis situation, but I just hope that if that did not happen anime could be something needed (by people).

''Happily everything including the last episode was finally broadcast.''

IWAKAMI: I was also counting my time waiting eagerly for the broadcast once the date had been decided.

SHINBO: With life changed one way or another by the earthquake, people still wait for the broadcast with excitement. I feel that they see it as something like a live event that is also related to actual life. I sense that "Madoka Magica" has become an anime with a label inseparable with the earthquake. But it is not that it is an anime that people don't want to remember. I think, together with the fact it is such a hit, it has become an anime in which big things, that could not be covered in a few words, unfolded before us.

===Episode Commentaries===
''Pages 100-103 and 120-122.''



'''EP. 1 - WE MET IN A DREAM...IT SEEMS'''

KUBOTA: During dubbing, at the point when the sound effect and BGM were put in, I got the feel (about the anime). Perhaps it was the combination of sound and images. With music from (Yuki) Kajiura-san synchronized to the visual images by Inu-Curry-san, I had the tactile feeling of what kind of anime it would become.

UROBUCHI: In terms of degree of shock, perhaps ep. 1 is the biggest. I thought, (ep. 1) being like this, there should be no need to play innocence since at the point of avant (pretitle) one can already see it is an ominous anime. (LOL) You see, the Inu-Curry monster was running on a rampage with that BGM. Also Part B, from the scene where Madoka got lost in the bewitched space made by a witch until the Mami fight scene, was amazing.

AOKI: I was also surprised, that in ep. 1 the mood of the anime could be thrust out to such extent.

IWAKAMI: However looking at the reactions after the broadcast of ep. 3, I think it managed to mislead (the audience) quite successfully.

UROBUCHI: No no... I thought if more carnage were there it could cheat (people more)..... Come to think of it, in the screenplay there was the description that, in the avant [pretitle], next to Madoka, who is about to make contract, the bodies of Mami and Kyoko are shown.

SHINBO: Although at first the direction of our thinking was to make use of it, but since we had not yet been able to see what mood the series would take on, we were cautious (about it). Besides there were viewers who would try to make predictions according to the fact that Urobuchi-san wrote the screenplay, we concluded it was better not to use that. Later when I thought about it, I believed it was a correct decision not to use it.

IWAKAMI: The ribbon in ep. 1 also became the key item in ep. 12. Did you plan to use that as the hidden plot device to be deployed at the end right from the beginning?

UROBUCHI: No, not at all (LOL). It was just something that I put in anyways when I had difficulty coming up with the dialogues between Madoka and her mother, as something that could be used in a plot device later. Since it got really good use in ep. 12, I thought "so the way is to put in many things in advance." (LOL)

SHINBO: For the ribbon, I have some regrets from a directing point of view. When Madoka held out two ribbons and asked "which ribbon I wonder?" it would be better to have another ribbon with even more flamboyant color beside her and her mother picked that one instead. With that the characters of both Madoka and her mother would have come out clearer....

UROBUCHI: I see. Doing that would be interesting.

SHINBO: Yeah. Among the students only one had a name - [[Nakazawa]]-kun. How come?

UROBUCHI: That is for the roll-call by the teacher and there is no particularly deep meaning. But since I have given him a name after all, I had him appeared again in ep. 7 (LOL)



'''EP. 2 - THAT WOULD BE REALLY WONDERFUL...'''

UROBUCHI: It is an episode for explaining the world in this anime, including the settings design [settei]. The amount of information is a lot.

SHINBO: Ep. 1 for impact, and Ep. 2 the follow-up. I think it is similar to the composition of standard anime work. However, since Kyubey's explanation is so interesting, it does not look boring.

IWAKAMI: The way cutback was used in Part A is interesting.

UROBUCHI: It was a complicated composition with flashback first and then back to exposition, then again flashback, and exposition....

IWAKAMI: And then there is the Madoka's notebook. That part was also used again at the end, just like the ribbon in Ep. 1. People who watch it the second time can have another moving experience.

SHINBO: Since the notebook will show up again later like you said, in order to give a deeper impression I had Aoki-san drew the front cover.

UROBUCHI: So there are such twists and turns behind that notebook... There is also how good Madoka's drawings are, or how bad they are. And what kind of thing a fantasy notebook from an actual junior high student is like...

AOKI: When I first drew it, I thought Madoka would have drawn it even more badly. And so I really drew it very ugly..... I was told "this is way too ugly" (LOL) and "please go a bit more towards something that we can draw".

IWAKAMI: If you ask someone who does not know about the background, the words "this is way too ugly" would be really harsh words for Ume-sensei (LOL). And using the pictures that Ume-sensei drew in the style of a junior high student as reference, we got Yuuki-san, who acted Madoka, to draw them inside the notebook.

SHINBO: Actually Yuuki-san's drawings are even better than that. But since they are drawings by Madoka, she deliberately drew them badly. We got just the right amount of realism.

UROBUCHI: By the way, since the setting [settei] is that they are the drawings of mahou shoujo that Madoka had seen by that time, Sayaka was not drawn there. I am definitely not trying to exclude her from the group (LOL). On the contrary if Sayaka was drawn there it would become a contradiction.

SHINBO: I guessed at the early stage of the series, in both ep. 1 and ep. 2, the viewers would probably think "When will Madoka transform?" Around those episodes I got quite excited.

UROBUCHI: It is still not yet the stage where they realize that in fact the point is she must not transform.



'''EP. 3 -- I'M NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING ANYMORE'''

AOKI: The first time I intruded into the dubbing operation was this ep. 3. Moreover it was precisely at the scene where Mami got eaten. Since it had to be rewound many times to repeat the checking, I came in and suddenly I had to watch the "GabuGabu Puraaan" [sound effect] scene many times (LOL). Seeing it in images, those are very shocking scenes. It was scary.

IWAKAMI: To be honest, I was also a bit scared, about how the fans would react after watching ep. 3. I thought there might be people who would think such a development is interesting, but there might be quite a number of people who would flinch and leave.

UROBUCHI: When I wrote it, I thought people would be clearly divided into those who love it and those who dislike it. I got worried I might be stabbed by some "Hidamari" fans. (LOL) My friends told me something like "You had better watch the date and disappear from twitter. Conceal yourself until the storm dies down." (LOL) So I was prepared. Unexpectedly, that kind of reaction did not happen.

SHINBO: Even the witch in ep. 3 did not get hated. In fact she got quite popular, so much so that she had her own merchandise.

UROBUCHI: That is some good job Inu-Curry-san did. Of all things, they designed the most cruel witch to look the cutest.

AOKI: Indeed she looks very cute.

UROBUCHI: The element of surprise worked.

SHINBO: I think many things in ep. 3 belong to the well-done side. However, I had a bit of regret over the scene at the beginning where Mami was in the limelight. It was cut due to the episode length time limit.



'''EP. 4 - BOTH MIRACLES AND MAGIC EXIST'''

UROBUCHI: My thinking is that, after ep. 3, since those who found it not to their taste would have already stopped watching and so only those who still had anticipation would remain and kept watching. Perhaps I can call it a certain type of me being defiant.

SHINBO: I was worried about being asked why Madoka could still eat breakfast the next day after seeing that kind of thing. I was relieved when such an attack about that part did not materialize. (LOL)

UROBUCHI: And from around this time, Kyubey began to stop hiding its evilness.

SHINBO: Since every member of the staff knew the real identity of Kyubey, they all ended up drawing it that way. Although personally I would like to have hidden it a bit more.

KUBOTA: I was particularly impressed with the scene where Kyosuke made a scene because he could no longer play violin. The impression is less about Kyosuke than feeling sorry for Sayaka who became the victim of Kyosuke venting his anger.

AOKI: But then I can understand the feeling of Kyosuke. I also used it as an idea behind a 4-koma manga in the BD booklet. (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Come to think of it, at the point of the initial composition proposal, there was no such setting [settei] of Kyosuke being a violinist. So he did not have an injured right arm, but instead he had an incurable illness. As for why it became violin related, by now I could not recall anything at all.

AOKI: Also I really love the scene where Madoka and Sayaka were looking very miserable on roof top. I can imagine that after such a shocking event, naturally it would be like that. Surely it would not be "I should take up the fight instead of Mami-san."

IWAKAMI: And there Kyubey pulled itself away for once, saying "farewell". (LOL)

SHINBO: Kyubey got a lot of popularity with that strategy. (LOL) Instead of pushing it pulls away. Saying "That's too bad," and then leave. And when Sayaka made up her mind, it just casually appeared next to her (LOL) Also later after Sayaka became a mahou shoujo, the feeling of "oops I did it" she projected. This is kind of hard to describe.

IWAKAMI: From here onwards, it will be the Sayaka arc for a while.

SHINBO: It's just that at first I was a bit concerned about the motivation of Sayaka's decision to become a mahou shoujo being Kyosuke, that is a boy. I wondered if fans might not like this. Although it was already written since the initial composition proposal, after I read the screenplay I remember raising the point and said "what should we do."

KUBOTA: Ep. 4 had Sayaka's first battle, the image Shinbo-san initially had was something like a magician and he said he wanted to do the battle where she fights with magic. In discussions he said it would not be something cliched like pulling some pigeon from the cloak but he would like to have attack like that.

SHINBO: In terms of adding some flourishes in action scenes, I was thinking perhaps it would be interesting to have something that is a good talking point as well as flourishes. For example, something like action scenes with magic tricks in them. But then it is just something I came up at the beginning. I did not do that in the actual animation.

AOKI: If there has to be someone who fights in that style, I think it would be Homura.

SHINBO: Also for me in the last scene when Kyoko first showed up, the way she looked just hit me as so shounen-manga. And the part where she looked down from high above at the top of a steel tower is also good. I think the dialogue she said at the end "So I can just crush her, right?" generated anticipation of where the story will go afterwards. Honestly, a viewer would like to keep watching if he cannot read the coming development.

IWAKAMI: It is difficult to link a story to the next stage after a character died. Naturally other characters will be depressed, and the question is to what extent you can invigorate the story under this situation. Therefore I believe this ep. 4 is important after that ep. 3. After I read the screenplay, I realized I was over-worried.

SHINBO: For example, in "Star of the Giants", when Hyuuma Hoshi's 'Major League Ball" was defeated, he got into depression for many weeks, right? I was so tough watching that week after week. (LOL) But in ep. 4 there was the transformation of Sayaka, and at the end a mysterious mahou shoujo appeared. The story got lively again. This is something that I will pay attention in future too.



'''EP. 5 - THERE'S NO WAY I'D REGRET THIS'''

UROBUCHI: When I was writing the screenplay I imagined that the the battle between Sayaka and Kyoko took place in some dirty little back alley...I was surprised even that back alley became such a cool looking place.

IWAKAMI: Is battle in a back alley something rare in Shaft's work?

KUBOTA: Yeah, indeed it seems there aren't many...

SHINBO: In "Tsukuyomi" there is. But other than that, there isn't I guess.

KUBOTA: Making the back alley look like that was from the beginning Shinbo-san's idea. Even the battle scenes have cool looking images.

SHINBO: In fact I had wanted to make the alley look narrower. I thought it would be interesting that in such confined place the spear would have to be turned into a (multi-section) staff which would be swung around. The idea was that Kyoko's original weapon is a spear and she will find it hard to wave it around in a back alley. So in the storyboard I made it a multi-section staff. It was a change rooted in such consideration but I think it was good that it also created variety in battle portrayal. It is a creative idea from combat movies, not mahou shoujo works, but I thought "Whatever" (LOL)

UROBUCHI: However now I think about it again, this is the screenplay being unreasonable, as I put a fight with spear swinging around in a narrow back alley. I should have thought things over a bit more... (LOL) It was my bad habit to have events take place in a back alley when I got absent-minded. Being a follower of Hideyuki Kikuchi, I also let my story go the way of a back alley before knowing it.

IWAKAMI: But this is a scene where I was excited to see it in images when it was still only in screenplay. I wondered what kind of hardboiled battle scene Shinbo-san and Shaft could come up. In fact that after watching the battle scene, it was worth the wait.

UROBUCHI: Sayaka fought better than she was in the screenplay.

SHINBO: I wanted to show some portrayal of ripostes. Also I wanted to immobilize Madoka in advance.

UROBUCHI: Indeed that is necessary. I also have that pointed to me when animation was being done.

SHINBO: And then another thing that made ep. 5 interesting is where Homura showed up and there the story was to continue in the next episode.

UROBUCHI: It could not be helped because of time restriction, but it turned out be something good.

KUBOTA: The original idea was to show up till the fighting ended and the episode ends with Kyoko leaving. That was instead carried on to be the avant [pre-title] in the next episode.

SHINBO: And it was better that way. It is more likely to generate excitement by ending with a scene where you'd say "Eh?! What will happen?" and letting the story continue (to the next episode).



'''EP. 6 - THIS IS JUST NOT RIGHT'''

UROBUCHI: This is an episode where the phrase "I just do not understand" made its debut. Kyubey started not to put up any excuse any more (LOL). But having reached this episode, the build-up of the story is now complete. I also had the expectation that those viewers who are still with us until this ep. 6 should find episodes from ep. 7 on very enjoyable. I thought ep. 3 would for once filter the audience, and if they would stay along in ep. 4 and ep. 5, then I guessed we should be fine.

SHINBO: However since in reality instead of seeing people drop out after ep. 3 it got a lot more attention, we did not really need to worry about that. And coming into this ep. 6, people should start to realize that the question is not "When will Madoka transform?" but instead "In this anime she must not transform."

UROBUCHI: Also in ep. 6, there is one whole scene that was cut out. That was something that I did on my own initiative. When I dug around some old files, I found there was a scene where Homura and Sayaka talked to each other. There is a scene where Homura met Kyoko in a game center, isn't it? My thought was that after Homura finished talking to Kyoko there, there was a scene where she advised Sayaka, saying "You are not fit to be mahou shoujo, so behave yourself and stay quiet." And of course Sayaka would reject that. But then it is hard to call a scene enjoyable when you just watch Homura and Sayaka going on and on doing nothing but arguing. (LOL)



'''EP. 7 - CAN YOU FACE YOUR TRUE FEELINGS?'''

UROBUCHI: The church scene was a surprise. I could not even imagine the conversation would take place in a background that is all stained glass.

SHINBO: The image of a church with stained glass was taken from the image at the beginning of the anime "The Soul Taker". Moreover, I wanted to show something other than what people usually draw when they think of a church like those long pews etc.

IWAKAMI: I really love the dialogue of Kyoko at the end of the church scene, when before she left she turned to Sayaka and said "We are mahou shoujo! There are no other people like us!"

UROBUCHI: That is almost gangster-like talk, like "Us fellas are different from those ordinary chaps!" (LOL)

SHINBO: It got very interesting to hear that dialogue spoken with Nonaka-san's acting. And I got a bit troubled with the scene where Kyoko threw out an apple. Since Kyoko valued food so much, what would she do with the core of an apple? Did she throw it away, or eat the core as well? And if I decided she would throw it away, then I thought she would eat until where there is nothing more to eat, and what would be the sound when that core dropped onto the ground? In order not to get the impression that "Didn't she only just say 'don't you waste food!' and now she was throwing apple away!" I put a subtle sound effect at the end.

UROBUCHI: But people may then think, if she eats that much already, why not eats the core as well? (LOL)

SHINBO: Indeed Kyoko's character may be just like that. But in that scene I think it looks cooler for her to throw it away. So I got help from the sound effect staff so that (the sound) would not invite criticism. I need to thank the sound effect people like (Hidemi) Tanaka-san. But then I did not expect to get troubled on this kind of thing (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Come to think of it, in that scene Kyoko was eating something healthy. Usually she just kept munching on junk food.

SHINBO: If she kept going with that kind of diet, don't you think Kyoko would get fat?

UROBUCHI: Probably won't. Thanks for the magical power. (LOL)

AOKI: My impression of Kyoko changed in ep. 7, I thought "Hmm? Surprisingly she is a nice girl!"

IWAKAMI: As it is the episode where the relationship between Sayaka and Kyoko got close very quickly.

SHINBO: But for me I started to think of Kyoko as a good girl from ep. 6. Didn't she give Homura some of her Pocky?

UROBUCHI: I am sure if you become a friend of Kyoko, you will get some food. (LOL)



'''EP. 8 - I AM REALLY SUCH A FOOL'''

UROBUCHI: This is the climax of the grim development.

AOKI: This episode was tough to watch. It was very tough to see the exchanges between Sayaka and Madoka.

IWAKAMI: The existence of Kyoko is significant as she went to save (Sayaka) from such a grim development.

UROBUCHI: When she first appeared, she was supposed to be a heel [e.g. villain] character, but before you know it she became the only conscience. (LOL)

SHINBO: In visual terms, in ep. 8 I aimed for something that I had not done before. Like the dialogue between Madoka and Sayaka in the rain, or the exchanges between Sayaka and Homura later.

UROBUCHI: The image where Kyubey became a hornet's nest by Homura's bullets is also very shocking. And right after that, it was revealed that its true identity is Incubator. By then it is very clear that it is not a creature that can live with humanity on friendly terms.

SHINBO: There is also the dialogue "Isn't it a waste?". I thought it would also become a talking point but turned out it did not cause a sensation like "I just don't understand." (LOL) As a Japanese who takes good care of things and stuff, I wish that would get popular too.

AOKI: In that scene I really feel sorry for Homura who was left behind by Madoka. I just want to call out to Madoka, "Spend a bit more time with (Homura)!"

UROBUCHI: Ah, that's because from Madoka's point of view, she "just doesn't understand" (LOL) But then, coming to ep. 8, all the setups prepared before that started to come off quickly one by one in a chain reaction.

KUBOTA: It was impressive that the dialogue between the two hosts in a train was something that actually happened in real life.

UROBUCHI: They were talking at a place very close to me in an overcrowded train.

SHINBO: For us that was the most out-of-place dialogue in the world of "Madoka Magica."

UROBUCHI: Since they are not characters who would appear in mahou shoujo works. (LOL)

SHINBO: That's why I got convinced when I heard from Urobuchi-san about the background. I just hope that the viewers would also know that that was originated from a real life situation.

UROBUCHI: It was not really like that when it happened, I had to summarize to that length because of the time limit. Besides, the dialogues are extremely stupid, as they spoke in cliches that made you think "is it some on-location filming out there?" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Since it is a dialogue that generates such an out-of-place feeling, we decided to use some unconventional treatment when we came to create the images for it.

SHINBO: Yeah, we deliberately made it black-and-white.

UROBUCHI: And the seiyuu casting of [[wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobuo_Tobita|(Nobuo) Tobita]] and [[wikipedia:Shin-ichiro_Miki|(Shinichiro) Miki]] as the hosts is deluxe class. (LOL)

SHINBO: For that scene, it would not work if it was not done by actors with solid acting skills. And (Youta) Tsuruoka, music director, helped me to cast these two veteran seiyuu.

IWAKAMI: Usually for such minor characters, it will go to young actors. With veteran seiyuu acting that part, the feel that Sayaka was pushed to a dead end little by little came out effectively.

SHINBO: But I guess Tobita-san (and Miki-san) did not understand why they were asked to do that.

UROBUCHI: Because they are minor characters and appeared only in one scene. On top of that, the title of the script has the words "mahou shoujo" written on it but strangely here is this scene which smells of blood. I can see that would be an after-recording session filled with many mysteries. (LOL)

SHINBO: And I think it should be good stimulation for some veterans to come and join these many actresses of around the same generation. Somehow I felt that the mood in the after-recording session got a bit sharpened as a result.

UROBUCHI: In fact Yuuki-san seemed to get very tense.

AOKI: And then there was the smiling face of Sayaka at the end of Ep. 8. I could not forget her expression when she said, "I am really such a fool."



'''EP. 9 - I WILL NEVER ALLOW THAT'''

AOKI: The visual image of Sayaka Witch surprised me.

UROBUCHI: What I imagined was a monster that looked even more grotesque, so I think that it already got quite a bit of beauty treatment, since in the screenplay there is something like "countless tentacles stretching out" written on it. I wonder what I was thinking of Sayaka. (LOL)

SHINBO: It was marvelous to see how the music by Kajiura-san matched with the video images in ep. 9.

IWAKAMI: She wrote one piece of music specifically for Sayaka who had become a witch. I think Kajiura-san found the work to be interesting after reading the screenplay so she was willing to respond to our sudden requests.

AOKI: When I saw Kyoko in ep. 9, I got filled with so much hope. I really think perhaps at the end they could somehow manage.

UROBUCHI: If it is a conventional mahou shoujo anime, I guess at the end they will somehow manage it.

IWAKAMI: But I think indeed it was structured very well, since a character that came out only in ep. 5 now stands out so prominently in ep. 9.

UROBUCHI: Although I had thought about letting Kyoko stay just a little bit longer. But in 12 episodes I think that is the limit.



'''EP. 10 - I WILL NOT DEPEND ON ANYONE ANYMORE'''

UROBUCHI: It is a miracle story to get everything into one episode. In fact this is something that requires at least 2 episodes. With only one episode everything has to be rushed. I submitted the first draft, thinking "Can this really be kept within 25 minutes?!" and I had expected it would be rejected...but it got through. (LOL)

KUBOTA: But then I got all fired up after reading that screenplay. I thought I must make it happen....

SHINBO: At the very beginning it was a little bit longer, we got it shortened by a little.

UROBUCHI: I did not cut down much actually. I just had this worry that the pace of ep. 10 is so fast that audience may get the feeling of being abandoned.

SHINBO: But the viewers were able to understand without difficulty. I was surprised to see the fans of this anime have such a strong ability to understanding.

IWAKAMI: Also I think it was good to see it filled with scenes fans want to see, like when the mahou shoujo teamed up to fight witches. It is just that from an animation process point of view, since there are a couple of situations (to draw), it took awfully large amounts of labor. Kubota-san remembered ep. 3 and ep. 10 as the episodes that took them a particularly amount of effort.

KUBOTA: Ep. 3 is the turning point in the early stage and so that was necessary no matter what. And for Ep. 10, since the structure of the screenplay has a really high degree of perfection, and there are tricky works we needed to do, it gave me the feeling that it was indeed the chokepoint. I do not intend to discriminate various episodes among all the 12 episodes, but I have no doubt that this is the most important episode within the series. This also came naturally to our staff.

UROBUCHI: I thought the anime databank system would be used more often. It was only (used) in the moment just before the last scene.

KUBOTA: That was because it was necessary to use the image from ep. 1. Even with the use of databank system, it was an episode that was complicated and technically demanding (to make). But the main staff, including (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-kun, copied with it perfectly.

SHINBO: It was also because (Shinsaku) Sasaki-san, who drew the storyboard, read the storyboard of ep. 1 very thoroughly. He grasped everything very well, like whether to use such and such cut in more than one situation, to put together the storyboard. Episode Director (Yuuki) Yase-san was also very good.

UROBUCHI: I was surprised that Inu-Curry Witches really showed up in quick succession. I had expected it would just reuse all the witches who had appeared earlier, and they really made new designs for every one of them.

IWAKAMI: The dialogue that Madoka said, "Keep it a secret to everyone in class.", also stood out. It was impressive because it was a dialogue where she showed her will clearly up front while up till then she looked so timid and indecisive.

SHINBO: Besides that, the acting by Yuuki-san on that scene was really good.

KUBOTA: And for me, the scenes where Homura's face got sterner and sterner each time she passed through the time loop were impressive.

UROBUCHI: She looks cool. I love the face of Homura when at the end she fell into total distrust of other human beings.

IWAKAMI: I wish I could taste the shock when, without knowing anything in advance before watching the TV broadcast, suddenly out came Homura with eyeglasses and braided hair. (LOL)

SHINBO: The Animation Director for this episode is (Yoshiaki) Itoh-san. He himself once said "I am so happy to be the animation director for ep. 10".



'''EP. 11 - THE LAST REMAINING SIGNPOST'''

AOKI: At my place, somehow the video of ep. 12 came before the video of ep. 11. But I thought "I absolutely must not watch it by skipping ep. 11!" and so I just stashed away ep.12. So I watched and enjoyed ep. 11 in real time just like every viewer. Also, in the closing day, (Tetsuya) Iwanaga-san, who voiced (Madoka's) father, said to me, the last word between Madoka and her father was "I need to go to the toilet." When I thought of what happened to Madoka later, it only gave me sadness.

IWAKAMI: I guess at that moment Madoka could not even dream that she herself would in fact become a concept.

UROBUCHI: From here on, I just threw up everything and wrote with a so-what attitude. It may have been challenge in certain sense, (to see) how much I can say this is absurdly unreasonable but I can still be told "This is not the case." (LOL)

SHINBO: In the storyboard of ep. 11, the silhouettes of Mami and Sayaka etc. were seen clinging close to the Walpurgisnacht. But this part was changed (later).

UROBUCHI: The manga version was drawn based on the storyboard before the change. Black Mami and Sayaka were drawn there.



'''EP. 12 - MY BEST FRIEND'''

UROBUCHI: Since in the screenplay I only wrote something like "Madoka turns into a concept," I think it was well adapted into images. Even regarding the location, I only wrote with self-indulgence, putting it as something like "void space" (LOL). But the power of images is strong, as in a world with only text, like novels, could not produce such persuasive power. When you read the part with text "they float in a space where there is nothing," you think "Ah, is it so." and then you are done. It is the power of images to get people to think "Wow...I see!"

IWAKAMI: Indeed the persuasive power of images in the last stage, from ep. 10 onwards, was amazing. In the early stage and middle stage the power of Urobuchi-san's story pulled along the story. I feel that in the last stage, it was due to the pulling power of images that were built up by animating the conceptual part of the screenplay.

UROBUCHI: Also since ep. 10-12 were broadcast at one go, it gave a feeling of watching a movie. In summary, it was the "Homura Chapter." And then even though quite some effort went into designing the ultimate form of Madoka, it was a waste that she did not appear that much. But then her existence loomed immensely large with that short appearance. I also thought people would get angry at me for that scene with mahou shojo in the past. Just think how many new characters needed to be created just for that one scene...I had expected somehow this would be resolved by finding some way out.... It came out as a straight ball. They did not even try to run away. (LOL) My hat off to them.

KUBOTA: The key animation of those mahou shojo (from the past) were drawn by (Takahiro) Kishida-san, the Character Designer, himself.

UROBUCHI: There is this thing that surprisingly became a talking point -- "The Law of Circular Path". That actually means "the ending that will, without exception, visit the girls who embraced hope and chose to take up the destiny of becoming a mahou shoujo." It is not something Mami-san coined herself, but something like an oral tradition that was passed along among mahou shoujo in that world. And so at that place and time, the only one who could not understand at all after hearing those words was Homura. Kyoko also knew and probably Sayaka in that world had also heard those words before.

AOKI: The black wings of Homura in the last scene - was it the intention of Urobuchi-san?

UROBUCHI: No, those wings were from Inu-Curry-san.

IWAKAMI: There are many interpretations regarding the last scene. What does Urobuchi-san think of that?

UROBUCHI: My intention when I wrote the screenplay was: The location is not Japan and Homura's fight just goes on. But I think it is fine for all the fans to come up with their own interpretation. There is even conjecture that "this is without doubt the world after humanity was annihilated." It is still a valid interpretation.

IWAKAMI: It looks something like a Bad End, with an ending that had Homura hearing Madoka's voice just before she went to a certain death. (LOL) Personally I believe it is a Good End.

AOKI: So what I thought and I felt proved to be correct after all.

SHINBO: Even though the world has changed, Homura will never forget Madoka. I think that is the most important thing. If there is another work for "Madoka Magica," this will be something that will never change.

== Puella Magi Madoka Magica After-recording Report ==
''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

:''Detailed translations at: [[Guidebook After Recording Report]]. See also translated comic of [[Animedia_2011-06#Madoka_After-Recording_Report_.28Seiyuu_Comic.29|Ep 12 After-Recording Session]].

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 1|Episode 11: Part 1]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 01 TL.jpg|Episode 11: Part 1 [[Media:Guidebook_comic_01.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 2: Pre-recording|Part 2: Pre-recording]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 02 TL.jpg|Part 2: Pre-recording [[Media:Guidebook_comic_02a.jpg|Original in Japanese]]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 3: Recording|Part 3: Recording]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 03 TL.jpg|Part 3: Recording [[Media:Guidebook_comic_03.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht|Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 04 TL.jpg|Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht [[Media:Guidebook Comic 02.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

==Opening Theme==

''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

CONNECT 
Composition, Lyrics: Sho Watanabe 
Singer: ClariS

It is an opening that contains a lot of scenes which you could not see much in the main part of the anime, including the mahou shoujo Madoka. The black cat that Madoka held in her arms appears again in the drama CD that came with BD/DVD Vol.1. Also at first the last cut has only Madoka, Sayaka and Mami, but in ep. 10 and ep. 11, Homura and Kyoko were added as well.

OPENING ANIMATION 
Storyboard, Direction 
Tomoyuki Sakamura

''What kind of opening did you think of making?''

I got the order from Shinbo-san that the animation plan for the opening must have the standard scenes and transformation scene of mahou shoujo. When I first heard the song, I got the simple impression that it is not some girl bouncing around but something serious. And after I read the scenario, I just fell and rolled over. This was a reaction that was no different from the shock experienced by audience when they first watched ep. 10 of the anime. It was in fact lyrics for Homura, but if you did not realize that and put Madoka in her place, instead it was basically an opening with cute mahou shoujo. Based on that concept, I started the work on storyboarding.

''There was controversy regarding the black cat held by Madoka.''

For the black cat, I created it as a little gimmick to show off the mahou shoujo Madoka in her regular daily life which has a different mood from what is in the main part, and also as a Madoka story that is in a parallel world which is different from the main part. I thank all the fans for doing so much research. By the way, Aoi Yuuki-san, who voiced Madoka, gave an upturned eye and asked "Is this the cat I am keeping?". Nakamura-san, the animation director, and I answered "Yes, that's right."

''How about the addition of Homura and Kyoko in the last cut starting from ep. 10?''

In fact at first, I did not think about adding Homura and Kyoko in the last cut from ep. 10 onwards. (LOL) When the opening and the main part of ep. 10 was about to be recorded, I decided (I wanted to do that) and rushed to create new images. And I felt sorry for Kyoko, so I added her too. This reminds me - there is also an interesting idea from Izumi-san who worked in coloring: Adding a "stalker Homura" in all the cuts in the opening where Homura would watch over and protect Madoka. ''[editor's note: the idea didn't make it to production but did for fanmade parodies.]''

''There is also the Madoka transformation scene. What kind of image did you have in mind when you created that?''

In the mahou shojo transformation scene, I added a maternal and mysterious mood by having a naked Madoka holding and kissing Madoka. The question of who is embracing Madoka became a talking point... It seems to be more fun by keeping this as a secret. I think the actual images, which were done by animator (Masaaki) Takiyama-san, who drew the heavenly Madoka in nude with gushing libido, and photographer (Takayuki) Aizu-san, who fine-toned the color palette and light transmission, came out beautifully.

''The slice-of-life scenes that we see so little in the actual anime are also depicted in the opening.''

I made them in order to compensate for the fact that in the first half of the series, it is difficult to draw cheerful scenes or the pleasure of a happy home. Commemorative photo with family, after-school (visit to) the cake shop, sports festival, concert, afternoon on the sofa etc etc. As the main part progresses, the focus is on more and more painful things, and (the opening) looks a bit mean-spirited (to have those scenes) inserted. It hurts to see the gentle face of Mami-san in sleep!

''Other than that, anything during the animation work you particularly remember?''

This is the first time I directed an opening, and what surprised me very much was the experience of editing. In the process of matching cuts (of images) against the music, even just the difference of one frame could change the impression regarding the visual image and how pleasant you feel about it. It needs a completely different sense from the dubbing of the main part, where you first made all the cuts, linked them together, and only after that had music and sound added. Experimenting and then checking the result could give rise to serendipitous discovery. It was difficult but also very interesting.

''Could I ask you for your memories and thoughts as you look back to the work you did this time?''

Being able to work on an opening this time is more than I deserved, and I called for outside help - I asked animator Ryo Imagawa-san to help me. I thank him for pulling me all along, from the stage of storyboard to actual animation, as well as directing. He was actively involved in everything like he had 8 faces and 6 arms. While he drew his own original animation, he also went through all the cuts and made fine adjustments and follow-ups. The animation work had so little time (LOL) - it was non-stop from Storyboard IN ''[symbv: when storyboard first started to get animated]'' to chapter-V ''[symbv: when all the retakes are done and the work shifts to post-production]''!! I want to say thanks to all the staff who were involved in the production. Oh yes oh yes, I suddenly called and woke up (Naoto) Nakamura-san, Animation Director, and he helped me out... That's some nice memory... I think... for him. [The opening] is different from the main part: There is no need to connect the scene as required by a story, and there is no restriction (or support) from dialogues or effect sound. It was very refreshing and appealing to create densely packed images for 90 seconds. I am honored and thankful for being able to participate in working in "Madoka Magica." And my apology to (Tadao) Iwaki-san (animation producer) for not being able to help in the main part.

==Ending Theme==

''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

ENDING THEME 
MAGIA 
Compose, Lyrics: Yuki Kajiura 
Singer: Kalafina

Madoka, in silhouette, runs and runs within an uncanny and eerie space.
It was used only in surprsingly infrequent times - from ep. 3-8. As an ending, it symbolized the dark side of this anime.

Ending Animation - Hirofumi Suzuki

''Can you tell me your impression when you heard the song?''

Until then, I had made only slow and laid-back type of endings for works by Director Shinbo, and I thought this time it would just be something similar, so I underestimated the job and accepted it. The song that I got turned out to be terribly grave and I was taken aback.

''What kind of things did you and Director Shinbo discuss (on this ending)?''

At the occasion when we came to discuss it, he told me that the ending "will start from ep. 3". And in the preparatory meeting, I think he said something to the effect that, "I think it may be better to have a different feeling from the image created by Gekidan Inu-Curry-san in the main part, and have something that hints at the future of Madoka and others."

''Can you tell me any happening during the production work or something about the completed video?''

I did everything of the production work from storyboard to filming by myself. They were all done on the PC. The contents just provide rough suggestions of (what happens) in the main part, so there is nothing particular I want to say. As for why only Homura turns around, I think if (the viewer) watches ep. 10 and later episodes, he should be able to find out.

MATA ASHITA (See You Tomorrow) 
Lyrics, Compose: hanawaya 
Arrangement: Ryuka / Tomonori Taguchi 
Singer: Madoka Kaname (Aoi Yuuki)

For Ep. 1 and 2 on BD/DVD, there is an ending which was not shown on broadcast TV. The song and the illustration to remind (listeners) of the time when Madoka and others were leading their lives as ordinary girls.

ENDING ILLUSTRATION 
UME AOKI

I heard about this plan to have the picture of Madoka-chan added to the ending, so I drew this illustration. I drew it with the thought that it would be good to have a picture which can only be associated to ep. 1 and 2. (LOL)

== Data in production stage ==
[[File:Guidebook_Production_Related_Material_01.jpg|Data in production stage|thumb]]

===Planning Memo (Upper right)===

====Story keyword====

*When the wish of a magical girl comes true, she becomes a witch.
*Based on friendship between an idealistic girl and a realistic girl.
*The idealistic girl claims that to become a witch is bad. But she exhausts her power for the world and becomes a witch...

*Main characters are the two above, with additional two, total 4.
*If sub characters are counted, total about 7 characters.
*Protagonists are about 15 years old.

*They may use magic to transform.
*But they are mainly wearing uniform.
*Although it is subtle whether they are in magical school, the school is serious and strict.

====Visual image====

*The image of 4 girls are as follows:
**The idealistic girl: bright, and looking forward.
**The realistic girl: seem to know everything as an adult. She is excellent in both knowledge and physical power.
**The talented girl: comes from witch's blood. She has inborn magic.
**The learned girl: learning magic systematically. She looks like an otaku.

*The tragic fate of magical girls, and the decision. ...(their serious face?)
*Needs some gadgets of magical girls, like sticks, bracelet or necklace.
*An animal who guides them to their fights.
** While looking cute, he will say something terrible like "Do you have desire to improve the world, even have to pay your life". He is so cruel because he knows everything.

===Minutes (Lower right)===

Translation courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Setting Meeting Minutes:
* Date/Time: May 12, 2010, 18:00–
* Location: Shaft 2nd Floor, Meeting Room
* Attendees:
** [[Akiyuki Shinbo]] (Director)
** Shiroinu ([[Gekidan Inu Curry]])
** Doroinu (Gekidan Inu Curry)
** Mitsutoshi Kubota ([[Shaft]])
** Tomoyo Kamiji (Shaft)

* Agenda: Overall Art Setting/Design

When entering a magical space, should it mix with the real world, or become a completely disconnected, separate space?
(The term "erosion/encroachment" is used in the scenario, but it can be changed.)
→ Dismantle the original elements and reassemble them (Inu Curry-sama's imagery).

Request Gekidan Inu Curry-sama to design the alternate dimensions and Witches.

Witch designs should not be instantly recognizable as "witches" to just anyone. They should evoke a sense of anxiety and uneasiness. Cute designs might also be good.

Alternate dimensions will change design with each episode, serving a role similar to a stage set/theatrical apparatus.

Both the alternate dimensions and Witches will be produced with specific themes, without being overly assertive.
(For example, Sayaka's Witch is designed to reflect her identity.)

While the story is told from the characters' subjective viewpoints, the design of the scenes should look objective.

Try applying a filter-like effect to characters when they enter an alternate dimension. (Inu Curry-sama's image change/style shift.)
→ Consult once other production staff, such as photography/compositing, are finalized.

The director wants to create an image animation completely different from the magical girl anime Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha. (Madoka Magica is a work that, in the director's mind, exists as an extension of Le Portrait de Petit Cossette.)

The real world will feature a modern cityscape. A design that feels slightly near-futuristic. However, power lines will remain.

The cityscape is urban. A well-planned, rigidly structured city. (Symmetrical layouts are also acceptable.)

The school should also reference foreign designs.

Overall, the coloring should be like that of a bishoujo anime. (Referencing Ume Aoki-sensei.)
→ Research and utilize color palettes currently trending in the industry.

Next Steps: Early June - Storyboarding begins → July - Director's check (Scheduled)
Battle scenes, alternate dimensions, etc., will be further developed by the main staff as soon as the storyboards are ready.

Gekidan Inu Curry-sama: Requested to submit overall image boards in 2 weeks. Shaft will issue orders for Witch designs for each individual episode under a detailed, segmented schedule.

* Next Meeting: May 26, 18:00
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Setting Meeting
Location: Shaft 2nd Floor, Meeting Room

===Series Proposal (left)===

{|class="wikitable"
|style="width:8%;"|Episode
|Story
|-
|01
|A scene of destruction. All characters are dead miserably. Homura is fighting a terrible monster with blood on her. 
Madoka is watching this but she can do nothing. However, it seem she can save all of them by becoming a magical girl. As soon as she makes up her mind to make contract with a fairy, she wakes up. Is this a dream? 
In a peaceful morning, she is going to school with her good friend, Sayaka, as usual. 
Here comes a transferred student called Homura. She is the girl in Madoka's dream.
But after school, Madoka sees her killing a cute animal.
Then Homura come to attack Madoka and Sayaka, who are trying to protect that animal. 
|-
|02
|(Mami appears. Mami explains about magical girl to them.)
|-
|03
|(Madoka almost makes a contract. But Mami dies, and Homura saves her. At the same time, Sayaka makes a contract)
|-
|04
|(Kamijou quarrels with Sayaka so that she makes a contract. Kyoko appears)
|-
|05
|(Kyoko attacks Sayaka. Homura agrees that Kyoko can be the backup. Madoka now in middle of Sayaka and Homura.)
|-
|06
|(Kyoko's past. Kamijou recovers. The three tiers (Sayaka, Homura & Kyoko, and witches) are fighting endlessly. Madoka is worried about how to help Sayaka.)
|-
|07
|(Kamijou fully recovered. But he is going the way out of Sayaka's expectation. Sayaka doesn't give up her duty as a magical girl. 
To make Sayaka back to a regular girl, Madoka steals and throws away her soul gem. To Madoka's surprise, Sayaka doesn't move anymore. The fairy tells her the truth.)
|-
|08
|(Sayaka is no longer human. But she overcomes the sadness. She simply bears the fate to do witch hunting just like Mami. 
Madoka considers to become a magical girl again to help her, and Homura comes to argue with her. At the beginning she rebounds strongly because of embarrassment from her over simple consideration, but Homura convinces her by all means. 
Meanwhile, Kyoko starts to have sympathy with Sayaka, although they are incompatible, still fighting against each other.)
|-
|09
|Sayaka falls into despair definitely (caused by Kamijou?)
|-
|10
|Sayaka finally become a grief seed and hatches a witch. Kyoko killed the witch but also sacrifice herself. 
The fairy tells the truth to desperate Madoka. He also tells her that he has seen countless examples of this but he is still unable to understand how human thinks. 
And a new witch with unseen power is approaching. It seems there's no way to protect the city unless Madoka becoming a magical girl. 
|-
|11
|Homura confesses to Madoka about her ability and object. She also tells Madoka that she has done that many times. This is the timeline Madoka keeping alive the longest. Although she cannot save other girls' lives, it might be a chance to change Madoka's fate. 
Homura swears that she will protect Madoka with her own life. But Madoka is still unable to understand. The final fight is coming in such situation.
|-
|12
|Madoka arranges her feelings about Homura. The fairy predicts that Homura won't have a change to win. He suggests Madoka to make a contract, and says her soul gem is so enormous that the power of her wish is much more than others. 
The final battle between Homura and witch comes. Homura cannot stand up with such a great power difference. This scene is the same as Madoka's dream. 
|-
|13
|Is there a way to save all magic girls? 
Madoka finally makes contract with the fairy. 
"I wish to become the existence to eliminate all witches from past to the future!" 
...... 
Madoka finally understand how hard Homura did for her, and the friendship between them. 
...... 
|}

== Witch Design ==

=== Labyrinth design ===

{|class="wikitable"
|style="width:8%;"|Episode
|Concept
|Words
|-
|3 (Part)
|Cafe for two （２人カフェ）
|"My dream is tea time." （私の夢はティータイム） 
When the witch dies, the magical girl steps on the cups and breaks them.
|-
|3 (Charlotte)
|One whole cheese cake
|"It's really a delicious cheesecake. My dying mother wanted to eat it, but maybe I should have cured her disease instead. But I'm sure that wasn't really the point." （とてもおいしいチーズケーキ。死にかけのお母さんが食べたがっていたの。でも、もしかするとお母さんの病気でも治してあげたらよかったカスラ。けれと、きっとそれはそおいうことでもないのダワ。）
|-
|4 (H.N Elly)
|Snowglobe （スノードーム）
|"I have only one wish. Box up that memory." （私の願いはただひとつ、あの思い出をとじこめて） 
When the witch dies, the lights on the Christmas tree and merry-go-round short out. There's a 'basssh!' sound.
|-
|7 (Elsa Maria)
|Church
|"May the you I haven't met yet find happiness." （まだ見ないあなたが幸せであるように） 
When the witch dies, the stained glass collapses and drops into the air. There's a 'baaaaaaahn' sound like from a pipe organ.
|-
|9
|Trains
|"My wish is somewhere not here." （私の願いはここではないどこか） 
In the final scene, the magical girl kills her from behind in the first carriage, and the train derails.
|-
|10 (Patricia)
|Blue Sky
|"How unlucky I am that today, of all days, turned out to be rainy." （今日という日が雨だなんて私はどれほどついていないんだろう） 
When the witch dies, it rains heavily. There is a sound like an aircraft crashing.
|-
|10 (Roberta)
|Dolls
|"I wish for friends. Friends who won't dislike me." （私の願いはお友達。私を嫌いにならないお友達） 
When the witch dies, the bird cage is getting shot down and spilling a circular rain of blood.
|-
|Set-constructing witch (Walpurgis Night)
|Stage
|"Everything in this world is fake. My life is nothing more than a drama that you penned. Please, prove it. ''"Faust"'' is on show." （この世界はすべて嘘でした。私の人生はあなたの書いた戯曲にすぎません。それを証明して下さい。「ファウスト」が上演中）
|}

===Gekidan Inu Curry Artwork Comments===
* Walpurgisnacht

"According to the lore settings, the inside of the skirt and the upper section of the gears serve as a stage, where the familiars can put on theatrical performances. Though we never actually ended up using that concept." (Both members)

* Walpurgisnacht's familiars

"Miyamoto-san mentioned that although it was never actually demonstrated in the main story, it possesses a ''Konaki-jijii''-style ability where if you get caught by it, your body becomes as heavy as a stone." (Both members)

"I was surprised by how cute their voices were." (2shiroinu)

* Anthony

"We were worried it might turn out too cute and end up requiring a retake, so it was a bit disappointing that nobody actually noticed the fact that it was cute." (Both members)

"To be clear, those are whiskers. It's a creature with whiskers growing out of it. It's a personal favorite of ours, so we're completely playing favorites with it on our own accord." (2shiroinu)

"We were still fumbling around in the dark regarding what to write for the Witch Picture Book descriptions, so this cleared things up quite a bit. The Witch Picture Book was actually proposed to us by Aniplex right before the broadcast, and thanks to having it, we were able to give the lore a lot more depth and variety." (Doroinu)

* Gertrud

"In the script, there was a line where Sayaka looks at her and says, 'Ugh, gross!' But since her actual appearance ended up looking rather cute, we consulted the series director about what we should do. It turned out nobody really questioned the contradiction, which was a bit disappointing." (Both members)

"I think her little scuttling legs are her best charm point." (Doroinu)

* Adelbert

"These are familiars whose role is vigilance. However, since their method of attack is a 'rocket headbutt,' if you think about it calmly, you get the feeling that the scissor attacks used by the whiskered familiars in Episode 1 might actually be stronger..." (Both members)

"At any rate, that office lady (OL) who was about to commit suicide was probably headbutted mercilessly by them, wasn't she?" (Doroinu)

* ? (Suleika)

"This is a Witch that didn't appear in the main story. To make the relationship between Witches and Familiars easier to understand, we went ahead and included even the unfeatured Witches in resources like the Witch Picture Book." (Both members)

* Ulla

"At the storyboarding stage, it actually fought with Mami a decent amount, but due to the overall runtime constraints, it ended up getting instantly killed." (Both members)

"It's a shame its moment in the spotlight was lost, but considering how grueling the workload was for the Witch of Sweets in that very same episode, I also kind of feel like we dodged a bullet." (Doroinu)

* Pyotr

"Its mouth area is all rustly-bustly and squishy-soft." (2shiroinu)

"It is no exaggeration to say it appeared solely for the purpose of being blown away by Mami." (Doroinu)

* Charlotte

"Fearing that Mami fans would get angry at us, we copped out and gave her a mascot-like appearance instead." (2shiroinu)

"Right after her initial appearance, her eye color was black during the TV broadcast. However, in the DVD and Blu-ray versions, the eye color has been changed to green. It wasn't a coloring mistake by the compositing staff; rather, we made a selfish, stubborn request after the TV airing to have them change it for us." (Both members)

* H.N. Elly (Kirsten)

"I felt like it would look really cool to have strands of hair spilling out from inside the machinery." (2shiroinu)

"It didn't pan out due to time constraints, but I really wanted to add much more detail and substance to the imagery projected on the screen." (Doroinu)

* Daniyyel & Jennifer

"Even though they are carrying the Witch around, they don't actually hold much affection for her. They feel more like they're just carrying her along as an afterthought." (Both members)

* ? (Albertine)

"She didn't appear" (2 members)

* Anja

"Aoi Yuuki-san, who plays Madoka, provided the voice for this one. We made a rather unfortunate request for her to make it sound 'as goofy as humanly possible,' and she pulled it off magnificently." (Both members)

"She's amazing." (2shiroinu)

* Dora

"This one is rusted as well. It plays ''The Godfather'' theme using the exhaust pipes protruding from its body." (Both members)

* Gisela

"This Witch was designed after the storyboards were already completed. We came up with her appearance and setting under the explicit premise that she would be included in the Witch Picture Book. The concept is basically a sci-fi robot capable of transforming into a motorcycle, except it's completely covered in rust." (Both members)

* Elsa Maria

"Our initial concept for her had a much more traditional Japanese style. The remnants of that idea can still be seen in the kimono-like patterns on the base of the monument held by the giant statue serving as the platform, as well as on the cloth that drapes down upon her death." (Both members)

* Sebastian's

"In the second half, what grows directly out of the Witch isn't her familiars—those are the Witch's own arms." (Both members)

* Bartels

"It's paper clay." (Both members)

* ? (Uhrmann)

"She didn't appear in the main story, but the design had already been decided. The one getting beaten up by Sayaka in the manga version was originally the design for the Dog Witch."

* Holger

"Fantasia." (Both members)

* Oktavia von Seckendorff

"We worked hard, fully prepared to get reprimanded no matter how she turned out. And she turned out like that." (2shiroinu)

* Izabel

"In the first place, being told that a stationary triumphal arch is a 'Witch' might make absolutely no sense, but we thought, 'Well, it's already episode 10, so maybe it'll somehow get across?'" (Both members)

* Michaela

"For these familiars, we gave the key animators a few vague reference concepts and then let them draw them completely freely." (Both members)

* Patricia

"For both the Witch and the barrier, we intentionally chose a design and production style that looked the most like a conventional, normal magical girl show out of everything." (Both members)

"You'd think she was a spider, but since she has six arms, it turns out she wasn't a spider after all. If anything, she's a subspecies of Tien Shinhan (from Dragon Ball)." (Doroinu)

* Mathieu

"Underneath the skirt, they are wearing puffy lantern bloomers. Even if she is a Witch, we absolutely do not permit flashing underwear glimpses." (Both members)

"The blue sky inside the barrier actually incorporates footage of the sky above Iogi taken about two days before the TV broadcast." (Doroinu)

* Oktavia von Seckendorff, Timeline 3 Version

"In the main story, if you look closely, she's actually using dual-wielding swords. Well, even though in the end she doesn't actually attack with the swords anyway." (Both members)

* Klarissa

"Partway through, for some reason, they get caught up in the wheels. Talk about bad luck." (Both members)

* Gotz

"In our initial concept art they were paper birds, but somewhere along the line they became all muscular." (Both members)

"They are narcissistic birds who haven't even realized that the Witch despises them." (2shiroinu)

* Roberta

"She is constantly frustrated by her familiars. She ended up getting blown to pieces while she was still totally worked up." (Both members)

* Kriemhild Gretchen

"They never shared the screen together in the main story, but the concept was for her to form a matching pair with Walpurgisnacht. In our setting, there is a barrier the size of the Earth positioned right above the Witch's head, which sucks up everything from the ground. Because she is so gargantuan, we asked the staff to basically treat her as part of the background scenery." (Both members)

== General Gallery ==
<gallery position="center" captionalign="left">
File:You are not alone poster.jpg| Poster
File:You_Are_Not_Alone_advertisement.jpg| Advertisement
File:Guidebook extras.JPG| Japan-exclusive extras
</gallery>

== Prior Illustrations ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 03.jpg|Other ones of Homura and Madoka: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 04.jpg|1]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 05.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 07.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 14.jpg|4]]
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 06.jpg|More solo Madoka: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 11.jpg|1]]
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 08.jpg|More group pics: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 09.jpg|1]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 10.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 12.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 13.jpg|4]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 15.jpg|5]]
</gallery>

== Episodic Coverage and Character Pages ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0001.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0002.jpg|2]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0003.jpg|3]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0004.jpg|1-3]] and Mami character [[:Media:Guidebook 0005.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0006.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0007.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0008.jpg|5]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0009.jpg|6]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0010.jpg|4-6]] and Sayaka character [[:Media:Guidebook 0011.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0012.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0013.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0014.jpg|8]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0015.jpg|9]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0016.jpg|7-9]] and Kyoko character [[:Media:Guidebook 0017.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0018.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0019.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0020.jpg|11]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0021.jpg|12]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0022.jpg|10-12]] and Homura character [[:Media:Guidebook 0023.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0024.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0025.jpg|Madoka part [[:Media:Guidebook 0026.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0027.jpg|Kyubey]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0028.jpg|Madoka's family]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0029.jpg|other characters]].
</gallery>

== Production Materials ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0045.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0046.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0047.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0048.jpg|4]].
File:Guidebook 0049.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0050.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0051.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0052.jpg|4]].
File:Guidebook 0053.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0054.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0055.jpg|3]].
File:Guidebook 0056.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0057.jpg|2]].
File:080_1.jpg
File:Guidebook 0058.jpg|Episode storyboards 1-6: [[:Media:Guidebook 0059.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0060.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0061.jpg|4-6]].
File:Guidebook 0062.jpg|Episode storyboards 7-12: [[:Media:Guidebook 0063.jpg|8-9]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0064.jpg|10]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0065.jpg|11-12]].
File:Guidebook 0066.jpg|Witch designs and storyboards: [[:Media:Guidebook 0067.jpg|2]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0068.jpg|3]].
File:Guidebook 0069.jpg|More [[:Media:Guidebook 0070.jpg|architecture]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0071.jpg|weapons]].
</gallery>

== Staff Discussion ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0095.jpg|Staff and Cast List
</gallery>

== Early Character Designs ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0101.jpg
File:Guidebook 0102.jpg
File:Guidebook 0103.jpg
</gallery>

== See Also ==
* [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Official_Guides.2C_Books_and_Games|Other official books, guides and games]]
* [[Puella Magi Production Note]]
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Art Book]]
* [[Magazines|Translated magazines]]
* [[Tweets|Translated Tweets]]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Documents/Anime-Production]]
[[Category:Products and merchandise]]
[[Category:Translation request]]

Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.11

2026-07-09T17:46:32Z

Romi1908: /* Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo */

[[File:Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.11 cover.jpg|thumb|200px|Volume 11 Cover]]

The eleventh volume of the bimonthly [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]], released on December 10, 2013. It features an interview with Akiyuki Shinbo, as well as an interview with all seven main voice actors of Madoka Magica.

==Manga==
===Oneshots===
* まろ,p.171.「ミタキハラ魔法少女好子会トーク」
* 七路ゆうき,p. 179. 「人魚姫はかってくれない」
* コト,p. 187. 「魔法少女たちのとる休日」

===Series===
====Continuing from the previous volume====
* [[Mura Kuroe|Mura Kuroe]], p.17. 「Puella Magi Oriko☆Magica ~sadness prayer~」
* [http://marie.saiin.net/~s-e-e Shinmai], p. 35. 「Mami's Everyday Life」
* Hige, p. 57. 「Mahou Shoujobu Madoka Magica」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 73. 「Pomu Magi①」
* [http://goldenpedone1.web.fc2.com Golden Pe Done], p. 83. 「Puella Magi Tart☆Magica - The Legend of "Jeanne d'Arc"」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 119. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl」
* [http://misachu.net/ Nash], p. 125. 「Kaname-Ke」　　
* [http://linco.jp linco], p. 137. 「Mitakihara Kindergarten Mahougumi」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=303833 PAPA], p. 149. 「The Veranda of Madoka」
* [http://afro.futene.net/ afro], p. 159. 「Mahou Shoujo Homura Tamura 〜Parallel Worlds Do Not Remain Parallel Forever〜」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 199. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl Again」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 205. 「Pomu Magi②」
* Aota Mei, p. 215. 「Floating Madoka」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=19317 Myama], p. 227. 「Mitakihara Anti-Materials」

==Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo==

Chief Director: Akiyuki Shinbo

'''Part 1'''

We spoke with Chief Director Akiyuki Shinbo, looking back on the production after completing the new film. Over the course of this issue and the next, we delve into how those shocking developments and striking visuals came together.

'''Until the script for the new film was completed'''

—Congratulations on completing the new film. This is a completely original theatrical installment of ''Puella Magi Madoka Magica''. When did production begin?

It started right after the TV series finished airing. I don't remember the exact timing, but we began holding meetings around April or May of 2011, and by around the summer, Gen Urobuchi-san had completed the script.

—What kind of ideas did you propose during those meetings?

Personally, there was something about Madoka's decision in the first two films that had been bothering me a little. At the end of the previous film, Madoka resolves to become a magical girl and becomes the concept that destroys witches before they are born—the Law of Cycles. But I felt that, for a middle school girl, that was perhaps a little too strong a decision. Certainly, with her friend Homura being hurt right in front of her, she might, in the heat of the moment, decide to become a magical girl. But I don't think she could possibly have imagined that she would end up becoming a concept. The other day, I rewatched the second compilation film. Before Madoka goes to see Homura, she tells her parents, "I'm just going to the bathroom," and then leaves. That made me think that, at that point, Madoka may simply have wanted to save Homura. She probably never imagined that something as enormous as the reorganization of the universe's causal order would happen. Madoka, after becoming the Law of Cycles, appears at first glance to have attained enlightenment, but I think she's probably confused somewhere inside as well. That was the part that personally stayed with me, and I wondered whether we could somehow address it in this new film.

—Homura learning "Madoka's true feelings" became the major catalyst that drives the story of the new film. After reading the script, was there anything you asked to have changed?

The reason we were able to give each of the five magical girls their own highlight moments this time was thanks to Urobuchi-san's script. However, among them, I initially felt that the protagonist, Madoka, somehow didn't stand out very much. Given the structure of this story, Madoka is in a position where she shouldn't stand out, so it couldn't really be helped. Still, I wondered whether we might be able to increase the number of times she appears just a little. So that was the only adjustment I requested for the script. As a result, I think it turned into a work where all five magical girls have their moments to shine, and I'm very pleased with that.

'''The world of the new film created by Gekidan Inu Curry'''

—Although this is a completely original theatrical film, it retains the same style as the TV series, including an opening and ending sequence.

Even though it was being shown in theaters, rather than approaching it as making a movie, we approached the new work with the same mindset as if we were creating another season of the ''Madoka Magica'' TV series. That's why it has both an opening and an ending. There are other examples as well. Normally, if you're making a film, you compose the screen in Cinemascope format. But we deliberately chose the Vista aspect ratio instead. With Cinemascope, when the film is released on DVD or Blu-ray Disc, black bars appear at the top and bottom of the screen. I thought ''Madoka Magica'' fans probably wouldn't be happy about that. Also, this time the number of cuts became extremely high—around 2,200 cuts. With a typical film, you'd probably want to let individual shots run longer, and you usually wouldn't use this many cuts. (A normal animated feature generally has around 1,200 to 1,500 cuts.) If we had made it as an ordinary film, then during Kyubey's explanatory scenes, the standard approach would have been to show only the background while letting the audience calmly listen to the dialogue. But in our version, we layered action sequences over Kyubey's narration. Of course, my own hope was that people would be able to understand everything about the work after seeing it just once. But in the end, we packed in a tremendous amount of sound, dialogue, and visuals. Someone seeing it for the first time might end up a little confused, but I also think it's a good thing that it's become a work that can be understood more deeply after watching it a second or third time.

—Within the overall Madoka Magica series, how do you view the place of this new film?

As a work, the Madoka Magica TV series tells a complete story. The theatrical trilogy represents a version of Madoka Magica that has gone through one or two additional time loops after that. So I would like people to think of the new film not as a continuation of the TV series, but as a sequel to the first two compilation films. For example, Sayaka's hair ornament isn't present in the TV series, but it is in the theatrical version. The dialogue was also re-recorded, so the theatrical version and the TV version are different works in that respect. The only thing that remains the same is the voice track from the TV series.

—The new film was overwhelming both visually and narratively. What served as the starting point for creating its visual style?

Since this story takes place inside a witch's barrier, we had Gekidan Inu Curry-san, who specialize in designing otherworldly spaces, play a major role. First, based on Gen Urobuchi-san's script, we had Inu Curry-san draw a large number of image boards. At the end of the second compilation film, there was a teaser for the new film, and the image boards used there were created by Inu Curry-san. Using those image boards as references, we asked Sasaki Shinsaku-san—who also worked on storyboards for episodes of the TV series—to create the storyboards. The overall visual direction of the film was ultimately decided by combining the ideas contributed by many members of the staff.

—Even though Mitakihara is once again the setting, strange buildings and vehicles appear one after another. Was that unsettling atmosphere also the work of Gekidan Inu Curry?

For example, the place where Homura asks Kyouko for advice is supposed to be a café. But it's such a strange space that it hardly looks like a café at all. That's because it's inside a witch's barrier, so it was intentionally designed that way. Those mysterious children in the café—the Children of the False City—were also Inu Curry-san's idea. That's how they deliberately created that sense of unease.

—Not just the Children of the False City, but symbolic characters appear all throughout the film as well.

According to Gekidan Inu Curry-san, Homura's motif is a lizard. Lizards appear throughout the film, and in the end one even becomes Homura's earring. As for what that means, I hope the people watching the film will interpret it for themselves.

—The newly introduced Bebe also has a rather unusual way of speaking.

Inu Curry-san were very clear in saying, "We don't want Bebe to speak," so that's the direction we took. Every spoken line Bebe utters—things like "Cheese" and "Mascarpone"—was supervised entirely by Inu Curry-san. The dialogue that appears in speech bubbles was written by Gen Urobuchi-san. Since it was a little difficult to understand, we added subtitles, and I think that resulted in a distinctive and effective style of expression.

—Why was Kana Asumi cast as Bebe (Nagisa Momoe)?

We chose Nagisa's voice through auditions. For both Bebe and Nagisa, we wanted the feeling that she had been there from the very beginning. As we held the auditions, Asumi-san was by far the best fit. Even if viewers found themselves wondering, "Huh? Who's Bebe?" and felt a slight sense of incongruity, the other magical girls interact with her completely naturally, making it feel as though she simply blends into the group. I'm glad we were able to create that feeling.

'''How to draw out everyone's ideas on the staff'''

—When creating the visuals for the new film, what were you especially careful about?

Everyone on the staff contributed all kinds of ideas. The difficult part was finding the balance between letting them go far enough without letting them go too far. For example, during the gunfight between Homura and Mami, there's a scene where Homura points a gun at her own head. That idea was added by storyboard artist Shinsaku Sasaki-san. Homura puts on an act in order to cut Mami's ribbons, but Mami—who's in top form—isn't fooled so easily. It's a very entertaining scene because it gives the battle a nice change of pace. At first, though, I wasn't sure whether we should include it. In the end, I'm glad we did. There were many moments like that where I hesitated, but I think they all ultimately contributed to making the film more interesting.

—The transformation sequences were also visually striking. How did those come together?

Those transformation sequences were also expanded upon by Sasaki-san through his storyboards. Then Inu Curry-san added their own ideas, and our lead animator, Nozomu Abe-san, animated them. The request I gave was that I wanted transformation scenes unlike those of any magical girl series that had come before. Transformation scenes often involve the characters becoming naked, but I specifically asked that we avoid those kinds of established conventions. For the first two films, we adopted ideas from the animators to create transformation scenes that were enjoyable simply to watch. This time, I think we took that concept one step further. And once Yuki Kajiura-san's music was added, the visuals became even more impactful.

—Earlier you mentioned that the new film becomes more rewarding on a second or third viewing. What aspects do you think viewers should pay particular attention to?

When you watch the opening sequence a second time, I think you'll start to understand the meanings behind many things. For example, all of the magical girls are dancing together, yet Homura alone isn't dancing. I think you'll probably come to understand why that is. There are plenty of other silhouettes, visual compositions, and situations throughout the film that I think will catch people's attention as well. Also, rather than simply watching the new film repeatedly, I think it's especially interesting to watch the first two theatrical films again and then return to the new film. In particular, Sayaka and Kyouko's conversations take on new meaning. There's a line in the new film where Kyouko says, "I had a bad dream." That keyword—"dream"—is actually something that had already been planted as foreshadowing in the first two films. Urobuchi-san has scattered devices like that throughout the story, so I think the more of them viewers discover, the more enjoyable the film becomes. And lastly, Mami was really at the top of her game in the new film, so after watching it, I think readers will enjoy the manga ''The Everyday Life of Mami Tomoe'' even more. (laughs)

'''(To be continued in the next issue.)'''

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Kirara Magica vol 11 Navigation Cover.jpg
File:Kirara Magica vol 11 - Movie 3 Info.jpg
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p1.jpg |Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p2.jpg
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p3.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p1.jpg | Interview with VA's of Madoka Magica
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p2.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p3.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p4.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p5.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p6.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p7.jpg
File:TBP - krr vol 11.jpg
File:Kirara Magica Vol.11 Illustration.jpg | Cover Illustration : Part 3 of 3 ([[:File:Kirara Magica Rebellion Stitch.jpg|full spread]])
</gallery>

==See Also==
* [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]]
* [[Magazines|More translated magazines]]
* [[Other Media|Other translated sources]]

[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Translation_request]]

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone"

2026-07-09T00:33:26Z

Romi1908: /* Gekidan Inu Curry Artwork Comments */

[[File:Front cover homumado - you are not alone.jpg|thumb|400px]]

[[File:Guidebook TOC.jpg|thumb]]
'''Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone"''', a compilation on a wide variety of information on ''Madoka Magica'', was released on [http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4832240617/ August 27th, 2011]. The [[:Media:Guidebook TOC.jpg|table of contents]] reveals these categories of information: Illustrations, Episode and Characters, Cast Interviews, Materials, and Staff Interviews.

A look at the sample pages from the Guidebook reveals it contains a wide range of information, including:
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Prior_Illustrations|Prior illustrations]] from magazines and other sources
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Episodic_Coverage_and_Character_Pages|Episodic coverage and character pages]] including commentary
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Interviews|Staff Interviews]] with cast members
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_%22You_Are_Not_Alone%22#Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_After-recording_Report|After-recording report comic]] reported and illustrated by hanokage, author of the [[Madoka Magica (manga)|Madoka Magica manga]].
* Design, sketches and other [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Production_Materials|production-related material]] similar to [[Puella Magi Production Note|Production Note]] or [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Art Book]]
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Interviews|Staff Interviews]] with many staff members
* Staff behind-the-scenes [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Discussion|discussion]]
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Early_Character_Designs|Early character designs]] of initial concepts 

== Staff Discussion ==

Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.

===Page 100===

* [[Akiyuki Shinbo]]: Major works include Bakemonogatari, Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei, Hidamari Sketch, Arakawa under the Bridge (all as director)
*[[Gen Urobuchi]]: Works for Nitroplus. Involved in the screenplay writing for many games from this company. Major anime works include Blassreiter (series composition), Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~ (screenplay)
* [[Ume Aoki]]: Manga artist. Her manga Hidamari Sketch is being serialized in Manga Time Kirara Carat.
* Mitsutoshi Kubota: Chief Executive Officer of SHAFT. He also worked as Animation Producer in Shaft works like Bakemonogatari, Hidamari Sketch etc.
*Atsuhiro Iwakami: Works for Aniplex. Involved in anime works such as Bakemonogatari, Kara no Kyoukai, Hidamari Sketch, Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai.

'''LOOKING BACK FROM NOW AT THE INITIAL COMPOSITON PROPOSAL'''

''I heard that the project "Madoka Magica" started from some chats with Director Shinbo saying "I want to do a mahou shoujo anime".'' 

SHINBO: I cannot remember such a thing at all. When I asked later "Um? Didn't Iwakami-san first mention it?" and I was told "No, that's not the case." (LOL)

IWAKAMI: It's not like you assertively said "I want to do Mahou Shoujo!!". It was with nuance, like "For the mahou shoujo format, there should still be possibilities."

KUBOTA: Surely it must have been around 2008.

IWAKAMI: And then we had some talks about talking to Urobuchi-san and Ume-sensei about joining [the project]. I think it took place unexpectedly quickly, so much that I could not remember the process.

''When did all of you first gather together?'' 

IWAKAMI: According to the material from that time and the mail history, the first meeting was held in October 2008.

AOKI: It was at that time that I first met Urobuchi-san. I remember thinking, "Oh, he is a person who takes memos with a PC." (LOL)

IWAKAMI: There we threw in and exchanged many ideas, and then I gathered and summarized them ([[:File:Guidebook Production Related Material 01.jpg|cf p.124]]).

UROBUCHI: In particular I did not prepare in advance any idea. I just said one after another what I came up right at that place. And when I did that, almost everything I said were accepted with "This is good." "Let's do that." Then I got worried as I thought "Oh no. I will have to turn everything I've just said into plot lines myself." (LOL)

''How many times did you repeat this kind of discussion?'' 

KUBOTA: No, only once at the very beginning. Urobuchi-san summarized everything into a composition proposal before our next chance to meet.

UROBUCHI: I came up with a rough structure of around 3 stages: I will show the beginning of the story like this; and next these details of the truth will be revealed; and last that truth will be revealed. And then I divided them further and made it into a composition proposal for one cour. However at that stage, the flow from ep. 6 to around ep. 8 was still a bit tricky. When I look back from now, ep. 9 was really bad!

AOKI: That's right. [You were saying] "I am going to put Sayaka decisively into despair." (LOL)

UROBUCHI: The idea that I came up with anyways was to bully Sayaka (LOL). At that moment, the thinking for Sayaka falling into despair was that it was not due to Hitomi. For that, it was a part that got inserted at the stage when the screenplay was written.

''I heard the composition proposal had 13 episodes altogether?'' 

IWAKAMI: I went to talk [to Urobuchi] and said "Could we make it into 12 episodes?" I had this thought of packaging the series into 6 volumes with 2 episodes in each volume.

KUBOTA: Although the number of episodes was cut, basically the flow did not change. That Mami got killed in ep. 3 was not changed either.

SHINBO: I see. So the reason [you] did not show that much shock when you read the screenplay for ep. 3 was because you had already read the composition proposal.

AOKI: Or perhaps in text it was not that shocking...

SHINBO: If it were 2 cours a different flow might have been used instead. I would like to do another version in which I could show how the development could be like if the length were 2 cours.

UROBUCHI: I guess if there are that number of episodes, [the story] would have to be quite different if we do not put regular daily life scenes in between, like in the episode after [[Mami]] died, out of a sudden and without much coherence everyone went to the hot spring (LOL). And once they arrived the waitress in the ryokan somehow looks like Mami....

IWAKAMI: There are things that I'd like to draw out if there was enough room, but I think the speedy pace we have now is also good. Right from the beginning, with 1 cour, I had the image that I was going to a roller-coaster movie that was Urobuchi-like.

'''TEMPORARY TITLE WAS "MAHOU SHOUJO APOCALYPSE"'''

AOKI: Later when I re-watched it again from ep. 1, I got the impression that the heroine kept changing from one to another. From ep. 4 it was about [[Sayaka]] and [[Kyoko]], and as it got near the final stage, [[Homura]] started to get more noticeable. And finally [[Madoka]] became a proper protagonist on her own.

IWAKAMI: To be honest, regarding the characters, at the time when I read the screenplay I could not read this far. It is indeed something like an omnibus, where there is Mami chapter, Sayaka chapter, Kyoko chapter etc. In one sense it was a composition like Bakemonogatari in which the appeal of the heroines was highlighted by turn. And I thought, oh so it was how it became and it made so much sense.

''By the way, why did you make the girls including Madoka, the protagonist, junior high students?'' 

IWAKAMI: A primary school student, if you think in 3D, gives an impression of a child actor instead of an idol. I think that if they are junior high students, they will be recognized as idols and thus may get more people to watch. So before Urobuchi-san finished the plot, I had a talk (with him) saying, as a prerequisite, "Let's use junior high students as mahou shoujo".

===Page 101===

UROBUCHI: And besides, I really do not want to be put into the spot of having to impose my decision of letting live or killing off primary school students (LOL)

''How did you decide the title of the anime?'' 

UROBUCHI: At the beginning, I just put the temporary title myself. I think it was "Mahou Shoujo Apocalpyse Madoka Magica" for sure.

IWAKAMI: The name "Madoka Magica" stayed as the temporary title for some time, and as an unofficial name it stayed as the project made its progress. When 2010 came, we had the discussion about its official title.

UROBUCHI: And by then everyone was so used to the temporary title that (the discussion) came down to "Let's keep it like this." But there was also "obviously the Apocalypse got to go." (LOL) Come to think of it, there was also the idea of not having "Mahou Shoujo" and only go with "Madoka Magica."

SHINBO: But for me, I believe in the title the words "Mahou Shoujo" is absolutely necessary. To the extent that if it is not there, there is no meaning (for me) to do (the anime). On that I did not budge.

'''THE SCREENPLAY WAS ALMOST THE SAME AS THE FIRST DRAFT''' 

''How long did the writing of the screenplay take?'' 

UROBUCHI: It went from the end of 2008 to the end of 2009. Since there were other works going in parallel in that period, I went full gear and came up with one episode every month. And I did not talk anything about what would happen later, just saying things like "Just wait for the next issue!". (LOL)

IWAKAMI: It's just that even though the screenplay was being done, there was not much chance to discuss it. As at the stage of the first draft, it was already interesting.

SHINBO: There was almost nothing that I would want to ask for changes.

UROBUCHI: Up till then, for me the work reality was that it was only natural to have only 30% of the screenplay I wrote remain and the other 70% would be crushed away and had to be redone. So every time I was tilting my head, I was thinking "Is it really going to be alright just to keep it like this?" (LOL) Besides, I had the complex of being an absolute amateur when it came to writing for anime, and this got me even more worried.

SHINBO: Different people may think differently, but to me even if there are some places that may get stuck, it is still better to have the momentum. Therefore, I think the small details can be left at the end to consider.

IWAKAMI: When I read it, even though I thought it may need a few adjustments, it was interesting. And that was important. I would rather it run until the final episode than it being filled up with (things that go like), "In here it will be like this" using some deduction point system.

UROBUCHI: The contradictions that were not pointed out during the screenplay meetings were later noticed by (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-san.

SHINBO: And also editor (Rie) Matsuhara-san. Unlike us who read the story one episode at a time, they read everything in one go and from that viewpoint they pointed out issues, and I am thankful for that.

''How about using actual dialogues in the episode subtitles?''

UROBUCHI: That was because we were lazy (LOL)

AOKI: What! Is that so? (LOL)

UROBUCHI: I thought I would just put it there anyway first and then later I would give it more thought.... But it just stayed as it is.

SHINBO: For once we indeed talked about what we should do with the subtitles, but I think at the end we decided to stick to Urobuchi-san's idea. I think it was good that they were not changed.

AOKI: In the trailer for the next episode, just by seeing the subtitle people can get excited by guessing what kind of scene in the next episode would contain that dialogue.

'''BEFORE THE COMPLETION OF THE ORIGINAL CHARACTER DESIGN'''

''To continue, I would like to ask Aoki-sensei about what happened before all the original character designs took shape. ([[Guidebook#Early Character Designs|cf. p. 125-127]])''

AOKI: The first draft... it was October 2008. That draft was not changed much in the final draft...but between the two drafts, I got lost in the 2nd draft. The period when I did the 2nd draft, I really had my head in my arms.

SHINBO: But for all of us, the feeling at the stage of the first draft was "This is good. As expected from Aoki-san."

AOKI: But it was worry on my side (LOL) Ah, Kyubey was first proposed in the 2nd draft and I just wanted to draw it cute, really cute! (LOL). The basic details are the same as the final draft, but I wanted to bring out the "cosmic feeling" in the ear-ring part. Made them somehow float in space. But at that time over all, it was a period when I was in a "I just do not understand" state, or when I didn't know what and how I should do it. When I looked back at the first draft, I thought "What was I doing there?" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Truly our opinion was "it is wonderful" right from the beginning. Also Ume-sensei's design of the school uniform of the girls is good. It is the same in Hidamari Sketch. Here the uniform designed by Ume-sensei can be manifested in 3D and it is a costume that is ready for cosplay. Did you do it with that in mind?

AOKI: I did not really create it for cosplay but to some extent I thought about its structure like where a zipper is to be attached on the uniform.

''And in the final draft of the design, [[Hitomi]] and [[Kyousuke|Kyosuke]] were also there...''

AOKI: Hitomi was not changed much in the final draft. As Kyosuke is the only boy, it was fun drawing him.

IWAKAMI: I surely got the feeling that Kyosuke drawn by Ume-sensei really had a quite a bit of spirit put in, and that she seemed to have fun drawing him. (LOL)

''How about the mahou shoujo costumes?''

AOKI: For Madoka's costume, I started from the base design (settei) that it was "something designed by Madoka." As for Mami-san, Sayaka and Homura, I designed with the image of their weapons. Kyoko is the last character I designed, and the idea of her did not come from her weapon, but with the thought to distinguish her from other characters.

UROBUCHI: Since the idea is that Kyoko is a character who moves a lot, so when I received the costume design (Kyoko's) long dress was not what I expected.

AOKI: Perhaps I made it look too heavy (LOL)

UROBUCHI: No, when (the dress) moves it looks cool. There is also the thrill (I got) from kung-fu movies.

SHINBO: It's just that I think it would be good to have some ornaments on Sayaka's head... Even now I still think the same.

AOKI: Oh yes, since after transformation Sayaka lost her hairpins, I tried to put some ornaments on that place. I thought, for one Mami already has it from the beginning, and then Madoka has her ribbons, so I tried to match something for her. But if I put an Alice band (headband), then it does not look so much like an accessory and starts to get an image of a functional gadget. And then I tried to put things like stars or mysterious-looking spheres... But in serious fight scenes, the playful elements after transformation never fit well no matter how much you looked at it, so at the end I took it away. However, it is true that compared with other girls she indeed looks a bit plain. Poor little girl....

===Page 102===

SHINBO: I thought that perhaps it is better to go without anything and keep it simple, and I got the design done in such a style, but as the story progressed I thought, "at the end it is still better to have something (on her head)."

UROBUCHI: But I feel the cloak is quite some style though.

IWAKAMI: For the weapons of the mahou shoujo, at first the plan was to have Ume-sensei design them but at the end the decision was to have the anime production side to do the design.

UROBUCHI: That said, the pictures used for the initial notification were drawn by Aoki-san. The weapon design in those pictures were inherited in the anime.

AOKI: Homura's bow and Mami-san's gun were picked up from the designs I did. Madoka's bow was used in the cover art of the single Magia.

'''CHARACTERS IN "MADOKA MAGICA" ARE SIMILAR TO CHARACTERS IN "HIDAMARI"?'''

UROBUCHI: Before I saw the original character design by Aoki-san, the character image I had in my head was that of "Hidamari." I imagined by making replacements like Madoka becoming Yuno, Mami becoming Hiro-san... And so every time a character design is done I was relieved, thinking "Good, it is becoming an anime different from 'Hidamari!" (LOL)

SHINBO: Come to think of it, Mami is a onesan (elderly sister) character and there are some overlaps with the image of Hiro. If that's the case, Mami may also need to pay attention her weight (LOL).

UROBUCHI: No no... there is no such setting (settei) for Mami (LOL).

SHINBO: For one thing it seems easy to become a talking point - her position is the same as Hiro I guess. (LOL)

AOKI: And she also makes cakes. (LOL)

SHINBO: It is interesting that although they are different characters, there is such a coincidence.

UROBUCHI: In that sense, in fact I was most worried about Kyoko. I have never seen such a kind of girl who projects the image of a runaway child in Aoki-san's world.

AOKI: Indeed it seems so. Well what did you feel when you first saw Kyoko then?

UROBUCHI: Ugh well, when I saw the expression that could never have come from a Hidamari character, I gave it my OK.

AOKI: When you were writing the screenplay, did you find it hard to match Kyoko with a Hidamari character?

UROBUCHI: It was extremely hard to match. And so Kyoko almost became speaking in Hiroshima dialect just like the movie Battles Without Honor and Humanity (LOL). But at first I imagined the image color for Kyoko to be yellow instead of red. If anything this overlaps with Miyako...

AOKI: Do you think it was good that I made changes to the image color of the characters used in your proposal?

UROBUCHI: I think the result was good. Now I just cannot imagine a red Mami, you see.

KUBOTA: Looking back from now, it is also interesting to see that in the first draft the hair style of Sayaka was different.

AOKI: Ahh... I was really lost..(LOL)

''And then based on the final draft material, Takahiro Kishida-san produced the character design, what did you think of it?''

AOKI: I was glad that they grasped the details down to many small points. The use of double border lines also seems to have come from certain impressions of my pictures.

KUBOTA: That came as an overall decision as after checking many pictures and works by Aoki-san, we thought this touch style would be good. It was a challenge during the sakuga (animation) process.

AOKI: That drawing style is not commonly seen in the anime. I also did not think the oblique line of sight would be kept in use without change. Those eyes were even faithfully recreated in Nendroids. Perhaps doing that can bring out the feel of "Madoka Magica."

KUBOTA: But at the beginning that touch style did not really permeate much among the animators.

SHINBO: My feeling is that at around ep. 9 or ep. 10, the pictures finally came together (in unified style).

'''THE WORLD AS CREATED BY GEKIDAN INU-CURRY'''

''Gekidan Inu-Curry-san is the staff that was the key of "Madoka Magica".''

AOKI: This happened when we had the screenplay meeting. After the meeting that day, we were on our move to a drinking place, and the director said, "I think the witches should not have a conventional witch look. Even if they take a look of geometrical forms, it would be better.". And then, "I am thinking of asking Inu-Curry-san. They helped us on "Zetsubou Sensei" and "MariHolic". At that moment I felt the "Director is having some vision!" That was very impressive.

''And after asking Inu-Curry-san, what kind of talks took place?''

KUBOTA: There was discussions regarding Art Design (settei) that involved Inu-Curry-san. Looking at the minutes from that meeting ([[:File:Guidebook Production Related Material 01.jpg|cf p.124]]), Shinbo-san said "'Madoka Magica' should be a work that is on the extension line of 'Le Portrait de Petit Cossette' and has a different image from 'Lyrical Nanoha.'"

SHINBO: Did I say something like that?? .....Hmm? But indeed it was written here.

''The reactions from Inu-Curry-san at that time?''

KUBOTA: Inu-Curry-san had read the scenario in advance, and after that we had talks bouncing ideas to fine-tune the images we got. So although they are quiet people, they understood things without difficulty.

UROBUCHI: Inu-Curry-san themselves may be quiet, but they are very talkative about the stuff they came up with.

KUBOTA: They also have the stubbornness of absolutely not yielding to the worldview in which they thoroughly built in the images for settei (base design). Besides as creators, they do not compromise at all. As the production progressed, the weight of the part for Inu-Curry-san got bigger and bigger, I got quite worried about what to do if the time came when things could not be processed by just them.

SHINBO: Even in the retake for BD and DVD, just the parts of Inu-Curry-san got quite big.

KUBOTA: If given time, they will just keep coming up with good stuff.

SHINBO: (Yuki) Kajiura-san, who did the music, gave high praises for the bewitched space in ep. 9 and said it was wonderful. But even now I cannot let them hear it. You know, if I tell them, I don't know how far they will lay their hands on the retake (LOL). As we have raised the hurdle by ourselves, I plan to tell them after all the work is done (LOL).

===Page 103===

KUBOTA: But then since they have created that much stuff, I have the feeling that they must still have some regrets from their point of view.

IWAKAMI: When I was first shown the image pictures from Inu-Curry-san in the meeting room at Shaft, I was dumbfounded.

UROBUCHI: They were mainly static pictures, but there was also the mustachioed familiars of ep. 1 in GIF animation. Besides at the stage of screenplay there was no names or settei information for the witches. Those are all there thanks to Inu-Curry-san.

AOKI: I always had fun when I saw updates of the Witch Compendium in the official website. It got me to guess that besides the settei found there, in fact there must be a lot more that had been thought through.

'''CASTING OF THE MAHOU SHOUJO'''

''I would like to hear about the casting.''

IWAKAMI: Although the roles were decided by auditions, somehow by coincidence there were many actresses from "Hidamari".

UROBUCHI: Mizubashi-san was unexpected. Don't you think it is quite rare for Mizuhashi-san to act for an onesan (elder sister) character like Mami?

AOKI: And the acting was completely different from Miyako of "Hidamari."

SHINBO: As for Saito-san who took Homura's role, there was the image of Hitagi Senjogahara in "Bakemonogatari." I had this concern that no matter what, I still got the impression that Homura and Hitagi look similar. Of course I knew Saito-san was pretty good, but I still thought "perhaps as a change it is good to use another actress." But when I heard the acting performed by Saito-san during the audition, I could only come to the conviction that "This is it".

IWAKAMI: There was this acting that did not come up in the audition - the scenes in the second half when Homura cried and collapsed. If you consider that, it is easy to conclude that after all casting Saito-san was a good (decision).

SHINBO: Not only Saito-san, if you think about Yuki-san who took Madoka's role as well, there was the flow coming from the anime "Dance in the Vampire Bund." In "Vampire Bund", there were Yuki-san, who acted an aloof vampire princess, and Saito-san, who acted an ordinary human girl. And in "Madoka Magica" the position of the two were switched. And I think at that time the two may have developed a synchronized wavelength between them. So I have a feeling that in the actual recording actions the two, Yuki-san as the protagonist, and Saito-san, supporting her, managed their roles really well. The two also said so in the audio commentary.

''And about Kitamura-san who took Sayaka's role?''

AOKI: Seems every time drinking after the after-recording sessions, the director said "Kitamura-san was good."

SHINBO: Kitamura-san was really great acting as a suffering girl. She gave a feeling that she worked really hard but she was not really good at it and (her effort) got requited.

UROBUCHI: Considering the aspect that she worked hard a bit and behaved cheerfully but she herself in fact thought about serious matters, indeed she is like that.

''How about Nonaka-san who took Kyoko's role?''

UROBUCHI: Kyoko, while a character created by Aoki-san, is a heel ''[symbv: pro-wresting jargon for a villain character]''. So I could not guess how she could be acted. But it felt so good hearing the voice of Nonaka-san and I got hooked.

SHINBO: Since it is the voice of Nonaka-san, there is no way she is a bad person, I guess? (LOL)

AOKI: I was wondering how a seiyuu would handle the dialogues of Kyoko, and when the role was given to Nonaka-san, I thought "Oh, so it will be like this." She brought out the feeling that even when she acted like a bad person, somehow you just could not bring yourself to hate her that much.

SHINBO: Once I got asked by Nonaka-san, "Why is Kyoko (given to) me?" and I answered, "If it is Nonaka-san then nobody will hate her." She has such a mysterious charm.

'''AS THE START DATE OF BROADCAST APPROACHED'''

''And then the cast were decided. In fall 2010 the information starts to be released to the public...''

IWAKAMI: But the first thing that went out to the public were "oh it went out" type of leaks (LOL)

UROBUCHI: That was still at quite an early stage. Around spring I guess.

IWAKAMI: Rumors came out, down to mentions of Shinbo-san, Urobuchi-san, Ume-sensai and Shaft. At first there was the idea of doing it in phases, like at the beginning there was the notification "Shinbo-san and Ume-sensei will work on a mahou shoujo anime!", and then around one month later the name of Urobuchi-san will be announced. But with the information leaked out, (I said) let's release everybody's names in one go. Later, it was often said there was a plan to hide the name of Urobuchi-san until after ep. 3. Of course I did not think of that (LOL).

UROBUCHI: Although I was sure that this was going to happen. (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Well, it's just that I indeed think doing that way is interesting in its own way.

UROBUCHI: Like "Since the pictures are cute and you think the screenplay will be the same? Too bad! It's me!!" (LOL) ''[editor: reference to a certain [http://danbooru.donmai.us/wiki/show?title=too_bad!_it_was_just_me! 2ch Sayaka meme]]''.

''As the time approached for the start of broadcast, you went for a purification rite in a shrine.''

UROBUCHI: Because it is something involving the demons. I myself did not go, but I got them to buy me a charm and I always carried it with me during the after-recording sessions, since I thought if there was any curse around it would have to be with me (LOL)

SHINBO: For myself I was more for praying for a hit than being purified. Since the result is now we have a hit anime, I think our prayer was answered.

KUBOTA: Well, there is also a bit of the superstition thing in it.

IWAKAMI: Because there were some in the staff who cared about this. If no purification was held, it is "Since no purfication was held my arm got hurt.", while if purification was held, then it becomes like "although my arm got hurt, it is good that it is not my dominant arm.". The frame of mind will be different.

SHINBO: By the way, in the purification rite, Emiri Katoh-san came as a representative of the seiyuu.

UROBUCHI: Oh, there is such thing as "representative of the seiyuu". I thought it was because she played Kyubey's role.. (LOL)

===Page 120===

'''STAFF DISCUSSION PART 2'''

'''THE ROLE PLAYED BY MADOKA'S FAMILY'''

''In the first half, we talked mainly about things before the start of broadcast (of the series). From now on, I would like to ask something different. First when you were doing the creation work (for this anime), was there any character whom you held particularly strong feeling with?''

UROBUCHI: As I look at my own work from a vantage point, there is no particularly strong feeling I hold towards any specific character. But if I have to pick one, I guess it would have to be Madoka's mother. Since a character who does not appear frequently must have her character established with short dialogues, I came to hold a stronger impression (with her). She and Kazuko-sensei may have been the characters I worked hard on (even compared to other characters).

SHINBO: And (Yuuko) Gotoh-san, who voiced Madoka's mother, gave a really good performance. (Her acting) had the persuasive power of "This mother is a capable person!" I also want to see the past stories of her together with Kazuko-sensei. Let's find some way to do those kind of episodes!

IWAKAMI: It will then become a story without any mahou shoujo making appearance (LOL)

''Why did you make Junko, Madoka's mother, the way she looks in the anime?''

UROBUCHI: I had wanted to create such a character. For one, it is rare to see a mother who is macho and strong-minded in mahou shoujo works. Also I thought that to provide a reason for Madoka to become aware of heroism, it is perhaps more convincing for her to have such a family background. Because she will grow up while watching the back of an adult who is very close to her and has carved out the path of her own fate by herself.

''Usually in anime that would be the role played by a father.''

UROBUCHI: That's right. But I thought it would be good to have a family which does not confine itself to ideas like it must be men's role to makes all the heroic moves. I wanted to have some concrete example where women can also be heroic and strong. That being said, so (the next thing is:) OK, so what is a heroic mother like? The fact that after much consideration I gave her a speech style of a yankee [delinquent girl] is purely my own taste (LOL)

IWAKAMI: In anime, usually there is not much depiction regarding the family of the protagonist, isn't it? In "Madoka Magica" the weight of that is also not really that big, but we still have the ribbon in ep. 1, the consultation in ep. 6, the farewell in ep. 11 and then the epilogue in ep. 12.

UROBUCHI: For me, I had this image that "in general mahou shoujo works should have the family properly portrayed." In that sense, it can be said that Madoka's family, including her mother, are characters I forced myself to come up with, since usually in my works family almost never appear. And contrary to Madoka, there is absolutely no description about the family in Homura's case, and it is because she is a character who is not needed to be taken as a symbol for mahou shoujo. It is not that there is some reason that she must not have a family, but it is because there is no need to depict them so they do not appear. Conversely, for Madoka the family must be depicted.

'''HOW THE CHARACTERS ARE DEPICTED'''

''Director Shinbo, if you are to pick a character for whom you have particularly strong feelings, who would that be?''

IWAKAMI: According to the public, the answer must be: Shinbo-san is very fond of Sayaka (LOL).

SHINBO: Indeed, I am particularly attached to Sayaka. I may have that side in me.

IWAKAMI: From around which point did you start to feel that?

SHINBO: When the filming was done, I started to feel "she is such a poor girl," and moreover when I listened to the performance during the after-recording session my heart gradually started to ache more and more, and I started to think "couldn't there be a little bit salvation for her?". At first I took a rational point of view, thinking so she is (written as) such a character, but gradually my emotion gushed out and took over.

IWAKAMI: Indeed I went together with Shinbo-san to have a talk with Urobuchi-san, and asked "in the last episode, can't we get Sayaka to come back to life?" (LOL)

UROBUCHI: And then I answered, "That would be impossible now." (LOL)

SHINBO: It is uncommon for me to have such gushing emotions, so it has been an interesting experience.

UROBUCHI: Guess I bullied Sayaka a bit too much (LOL). But then the reason why I do not feel that sorry for Sayaka is this thing, that I just do not feel that even if she hooked up with Kyosuke that girl would really be happy ever after. Most likely Kyosuke is a guy who will stand her up in dates and go to practice the violin, I think.

AOKI: But at the very end Sayaka said "I do not have regrets". For Sayaka, perhaps it is something she had come to terms with.

SHINBO: I wonder. When I checked the after-recording, I got the mood of from Kitamura-san who voiced Sayaka, "I am not convinced." (LOL)

UROBUCHI: But also for Kyosuke, a man who could not notice that "Hm? this girl seems to have some feeling for me..." even after so much self-sacrifice from her is simply no good. (LOL)

''How about Mami then?''

AOKI: In ep. 2 when Mami-san got into a mood which seemed to be arguing with Homura, it got me to think "Although she is an onesan [elderly sister] character she does not act all that mature." I found this quite cute and I loved it. (LOL)

SHINBO: Although she dropped out (from the anime) in ep. 3, she still holds a strong sense of presence.

===Page 121===

UROBUCHI: I was also surprised by how popular she got. I think Mami's popularity was helped a lot by how cool she looked in the fighting scenes. Although she already looked cool since the point of ep. 1, in ep. 2 she elegantly danced and fought, and after all that a cup of tea. How more elegant can it be? What a girl! (LOL)

AOKI: That cup of tea was a total surprise (to me). I remember thinking "So cool!"

IWAKAMI: Really this can be put as the power of images. Showing it like that in pictures you will think it looks so cool, but if the same thing is written in the screenplay you would just think "What?!"

UROBUCHI: I think it is normal (for people) to doubt my sense. (LOL)

SHINBO: For that part, (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-san, series director, once came to me for advice, saying "Inu-Curry-san said they would like to have Mami drink tea at the end." At that time I did not have much idea (of what it was about), but I thought "They must be aiming for something. Guess it's fine." I gave my OK, thinking that if what they came up with looked odd, I would think up something at that point. And when I saw the result in video....well in fact it really looked quite odd (LOL). Perhaps it looked odd in a good way. People thought it cool and got hooked.

UROBUCHI: That "oddness" is in fact its charm. (LOL) At the stage of screenplay, the impression of Mami's fight scenes were more like that of a machine fighting, as the image was that of guns being fired off relentlessly as weapons.

AOKI: Here I have something I want to ask Urobuchi-san. Among fans, Mami-san is often categorized as a bit of a suffering girl, isn't she? What does Urobuchi-san think about that?

UROBUCHI: I could only say that it was too much of a surprise (LOL) In particular, I did not expect the "Law of the Circular Ring" ''[Editor's note: a term appearing in [[Episode 12]], also referred to as {{Nihongo|Law of Cycles|円環の理|Enkan no Kotowari}}]'' would be misunderstood as a term coined by Mami.

SHINBO: But popularity and talking points came from that kind of things. Like in the BD, it got the chapter title as "Dance of the Magic Bullets."

UROBUCHI: If you come down to that, I too got really high spirits. (LOL) I am sure Mami-san must have created a notebook that is even more amazing than the one Madoka made! And instead of a thin notebook it would be a scrapbook!

KUBOTA: Also, Mami is the only one who gave a name to her signature special move.

UROBUCHI: That was actually done in order to mislead viewers that they were watching some conventional mahou shoujo anime. From ep. 4 onwards such guidance became unnecessary, and there is no more need for anybody to call out the name of their signature special move. It is only Mami, who was active in the early stage, that needed a name for her move.

IWAKAMI: That is interesting. Although the name of the move was created only due to the necessity as required by the story, the understanding instead became that only Mami made up a name for her move. (LOL)

AOKI: When Mami-san's BGM starts to flow, although it looks cool, it also gets me to laugh just a little bit (LOL)

KUBOTA: But in fact that BGM was not written as Mami's theme. Originally it was planned to be used in a different scene, but we found it such a good fit for Mami...(Youta) Tsuruoka, the music director, really picked his tracks well.

'''THE UNEXPECTED REACTIONS FROM FANS'''

''I would like to continue with discussion of the characters. In certain sense Kyubey has become highly popular. (LOL)''

SHINBO: I did not think it would become so popular. This is the biggest surprise to me personally.

UROBUCHI: I was also surprised. At the beginning I had thought it would become a hated character. So my feeling towards Katoh-san who voiced it had been one of "My apologies!"

SHINBO: It just came cross my mind. I think it may be interesting to have Kyubey visit Hidamari-so in "Hidamari Sketch".

UROBUCHI: Since the girls in Hidamari-so are so smart, they will not be so easily conned. But then if it were to be Hiro-san... (LOL)

SHINBO: If she were told "If you become a mahou shoujo you will lose weight." she may be at risk (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Yoshinoya-sensei would surely be at risk too. She gave the impression that she seems to be susceptible to desires.

SHINBO: Yoshinoya-sensei would be fine. Since she is not a young girl any more, she will not be subject to persuasion talk. (LOL) Aoki-san, how about give this idea a try and draw a manga about it? If Aoki-san draws it, it will become "Madoka Magica the Origin".

AOKI: Oh well... I wonder....(LOL)

IWAKAMI: I think it would be interesting (LOL) Also for Kyubey, when it shows up it often gets a close-up. The reactions by the seiyuu (when this happened) during the after-recording sessions were interesting.

SHINBO: That's true. When Kyubey appears, everyone just shouted "Here it is!". This even got me to start thinking "I see. In this case I will do it even more often and surely everyone will be happy." (LOL) I have a feeling that even some scenes where originally it was not to be shown that way got a close-up, as I aimed for that reaction. Although I also felt that the aim was a bit off to another direction. (LOL)

AOKI: I talked to Katoh-san, who voiced Kyubey, in the closing day. I told her that after this "Madoka Magica" she would see a lot of topics related to Kyubey thrown her way in places like radio or twitter.

SHINBO: These should be some tasty topics for Katoh-san, because, well, to put it briefly, (Kyubey) got super popular, and there are things like "Make a contract with me" or "I just don't understand" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: "I just don't understand" are just some ordinary words. (LOL) Though somehow it became a longstanding gag....

===Page 122===

SHINBO: This is where it got mysteriously interesting. Although I have worked in anime industry many years, it is almost my first experience to see a dialogue get so widespread as some talking point.

UROBUCHI: The reason that happened was not because of the words themselves, but the impact generated by how the story was developing the moment those words were spoken. There is nothing pulled out with only the words, but here viewers grouped all their feelings at the moment when that dialogue was spoken, together with what got conveyed to the viewers, and burnt it onto their memory. There it is not just a matter of getting the character to say some elaborate dialogue or dialogue that targeted (the viewers).

''Besides those dialogues, is there anything else from fans' reactions that made a deep impression to you?''

SHINBO: I think it was amazing to see some fans decipher the runes that Inu-Curry-san created. When I did "Pani Poni Dash!", fans reacted to the symbols shown on the screen and it became a talking point among fans. They decoded them and discovered what parody that was supposed to be. As a general rule, if people fail to understand such talking points, the anime will be rejected with people saying "this anime is not interesting," right? But in "Madoka Magica," I was happy that there were even a group of fans who would have fun digging into that kind of thing.

IWAKAMI: And this is something about the general framework. I was very impressed with the fact that fans of "Madoka Magica" had so much fun in real time watching the anime without any prior information, as it is an original work. I found the mood was very refreshing as everyone must follow it as it was broadcast and all shared the same quickened heartbeats because nobody was sure what would come next.

''I heard that it was because of something Kubota-san said that resulted in the broadcast date of the final episode to be announced on an advertisement on Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper.''

KUBOTA: I don't know if it was because of me (LOL). At a book store near my home a bunch of "Madoka Magica" manga were put on display and I saw two girls who seemed to be junior high students in front of those manga. One said something like "This anime was interesting but the broadcast ended at ep. 9. I wonder when it will continue the show..." And I was shocked, thinking "Eh? I thought the broadcast date of the final episode has already been announced?" I then realized without the opportunity to be in touch with media like the internet, that kind of information may be difficult to come by. So I went to talk to Iwakami-san and he said "Let me come up with something."

IWAKAMI: Since I myself also wanted more people to watch the last episode, I thought about using some other way of approach to send out information about the broadcast date and time. With this thought, it suddenly became urgent to make a move. In fact it was only a few days before the broadcast when, half-asleep, I started to try to get the advertisement into the newspaper. The design of that advertisement was done by BALCOLONY.-san who is also responsible for the package design of the BD and DVD.

KUBOTA: Well, it may be just a newspaper advertisement placement, but it can also be thought as an event which simply showed that our anime is grabbing so much attention outside, and I was happy about that. (LOL)

AOKI: Since I could not leave home because I was hitting a bunch of deadlines, I asked my friends to go and buy the newspaper for me. And then I placed the advertisement in front of my desk facing my drafts, and thought "Tonight finally it will be broadcast!!" (LOL)

'''THE MEANING OF ORIGINAL ANIME IN ANIME INDUSTRY'''

''What do you think of the fact that "Madoka Magica", an original anime, became a big hit?''

SHINBO: Currently TV anime is dominated by adapations, so it is significant that in such a background an original anime gained such popularity. I have this feeling like I was able to protect the seedling of original anime.

IWAKAMI: Personally for me, I love video adaptations of works like manga or novels, since there is a strong sense of achievement when you managed to accomplish a video adaptation that does not fall short of the expectation of the readers (of the original work). But I think it is better to have many options. Aniplex also gets involved in producing many original anime, but not every one became a hit. The risk is indeed high. Given that, the fact that "Madoka Magica" became a big hit is very important regarding the future of original anime.

UROBUCHI: I am going to get a bit negative here. If we see an increase of only anime adapted from original works (of other media), its harmful effect will also spread to the related industries. In particular, I feel some sense of crisis regarding light novels, as every author now writes with anime adaptation in mind. Isn't everyone now writing novels that are meant to be taken as anime proposal documents, with anime adaptation being the goal? Hasn't the idea that a novel wins or loses by its contents been lost? When I think of that I got quite sad.

IWAKAMI: For example, "Fate/Zero" by Urobuchi-san is originally a novel that was written without considering anime adaptation at all. Therefore the hurdle to adapt it into video was high, but as a novel it was also very interesting and you got fired up reading it. Regardless of the genre, it would always be regrettable to have everything standardized, because somewhere somehow things will get too similar to each other.

AOKI: In the world of manga, it is often said that to get anime adaptation is one of the goals. Like, "This manga. Will it get anime adaptation?"

SHINBO: Perhaps it is for status. The prevailing thinking is that if it gets just a bit popular, it will only be natural to have an (anime adaptation).

===Page 123===

AOKI: For a popular manga, since there are existing fans, it is safe to adapt it into anime. This anime adapation that is based on expectations for a certain level of sales figure. On the other hand, an original anime starts without any guarantee that it will be absolutely safe, so it is risky.

IWAKAMI: That's true. In that sense it is 100% challenge.

SHINBO: Since now the number of anime titles have increased compared to the past, the industry is always trying to find original works for anime adaptation. That itself is not something bad. It is just that it is really no good if we have only that.

'''THOSE WHO BECAME FANS OF "MADOKA MAGICA" - WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE ARE THEY?'''

''Let's put aside the side topic of original anime for a while. Honestly, how do you take the huge popularity of "Madoka Magica"?''

AOKI: "Madoka Magica" did not cause much stir before its broadcast. But once people actually started to watch the broadcast, they found it interesting. I am happy with how it got more and more attention this way.

SHINBO: I think those people who became fans from a very early stage really have guts. Even for development that may cause people to abandon (the anime) if it tripped up, like when Mami died, instead it caused people to pay attention and get lively, didn't it? So I was happy with how "Madoka Magica" caught fire. I feel that it was those people who in old days would be described as having the sense of "We, and only we, know about this!", helped spread the popularity (of this anime).

UROBUCHI: Indeed the depth of those people who dug into this anime reached is like what old-time otaku would do.

SHINBO: Well, the prediction that "since it is a screenplay by Urobuchi-san you cannot just leave it as such or it will bite you back" is also one example of that. I guess it is precisely because people watched it with that expectation that people find it enjoyable, I guess. WIthout that, everyone would just be discouraged by ep. 3. But in fact there were many people who thought "Ah, so it is." "I have thought that it will come to this." I feel that because of this, people could still enjoy such tough development with characters by Aoki-san. It may be that challenging attitude or it may be that realization that there are so many anime fans who still got the temperament of old-time otaku, but anyway I am happy.

KUBOTA: I also found it great to see a sense of unity developed between those fans and our animation staff. Since in anime, work was done by an aggregation of individuals working in isolation, being able to hear the voices of those people who watched, they were able to take up a lot of courage. The very lively reactions became the strength for the staff, and the work benefited and got better over time.

SHINBO: Without the cheering on by fans, "Madoka Magica" would not have that quality in the second half.

KUBOTA: It is a fortunate work which was created, and ended, with fans joining us.

'''GOING THROUGH THE SUSPENSION OF BROADCAST AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE'''

''Right after ep. 10 was broadcast in theKansai region, "Madoka Magica" had to suspend its broadcast because of the earthquake. Were you affected in any way by that?''

UROBUCHI: First of all, of course the earthquake was such a big shock (to me).... From the viewpoint of my own creation, a work, once it is done, stays along, and it will last longer than myself. Because of this happy fact, I feel there is worth writing screenplays or novels or games. But if Japan should be gone, naturally my works would not remain. If there was no more country where they speak Japanese, what would happen to all the stuff I had done till now? I had this kind of worry.

IWAKAMI: It is the same feeling here. Right after the earthquake, I had a helpless feeling, thinking "With Japan in this mess, so what if I work on anime..."

SHINBO: In fact that was no occasion for anime. And out of many things I came to realize the power of music. It is music, not video images, that provided the emotional support. Even if some video images (could do the job) it will not be anime. For example, for a manga magazine, a bunch of children can pass it around and read it, and it becomes entertainment. But animation is not like that. It just hit me with an emptiness in a certain way.

IWAKAMI: That's right. This is why even though there was no broadcast right after the earthquake, I do not think there are viewers who would think "why there is no broadcast (of the anime)?". However, after one week, two weeks, and things started to calm down and normal life returned, you started to hear voices saying they want to see the remaining part.

SHINBO: (Anime) is that kind of entertainment. For example if war breaks out, it will be no occasion for anime. It reminded me of how (anime) is truly a kind of entertainment for an abundant world. It could not be helped if things got into such a crisis situation, but I just hope that if that did not happen anime could be something needed (by people).

''Happily everything including the last episode was finally broadcast.''

IWAKAMI: I was also counting my time waiting eagerly for the broadcast once the date had been decided.

SHINBO: With life changed one way or another by the earthquake, people still wait for the broadcast with excitement. I feel that they see it as something like a live event that is also related to actual life. I sense that "Madoka Magica" has become an anime with a label inseparable with the earthquake. But it is not that it is an anime that people don't want to remember. I think, together with the fact it is such a hit, it has become an anime in which big things, that could not be covered in a few words, unfolded before us.

===Episode Commentaries===
''Pages 100-103 and 120-122.''



'''EP. 1 - WE MET IN A DREAM...IT SEEMS'''

KUBOTA: During dubbing, at the point when the sound effect and BGM were put in, I got the feel (about the anime). Perhaps it was the combination of sound and images. With music from (Yuki) Kajiura-san synchronized to the visual images by Inu-Curry-san, I had the tactile feeling of what kind of anime it would become.

UROBUCHI: In terms of degree of shock, perhaps ep. 1 is the biggest. I thought, (ep. 1) being like this, there should be no need to play innocence since at the point of avant (pretitle) one can already see it is an ominous anime. (LOL) You see, the Inu-Curry monster was running on a rampage with that BGM. Also Part B, from the scene where Madoka got lost in the bewitched space made by a witch until the Mami fight scene, was amazing.

AOKI: I was also surprised, that in ep. 1 the mood of the anime could be thrust out to such extent.

IWAKAMI: However looking at the reactions after the broadcast of ep. 3, I think it managed to mislead (the audience) quite successfully.

UROBUCHI: No no... I thought if more carnage were there it could cheat (people more)..... Come to think of it, in the screenplay there was the description that, in the avant [pretitle], next to Madoka, who is about to make contract, the bodies of Mami and Kyoko are shown.

SHINBO: Although at first the direction of our thinking was to make use of it, but since we had not yet been able to see what mood the series would take on, we were cautious (about it). Besides there were viewers who would try to make predictions according to the fact that Urobuchi-san wrote the screenplay, we concluded it was better not to use that. Later when I thought about it, I believed it was a correct decision not to use it.

IWAKAMI: The ribbon in ep. 1 also became the key item in ep. 12. Did you plan to use that as the hidden plot device to be deployed at the end right from the beginning?

UROBUCHI: No, not at all (LOL). It was just something that I put in anyways when I had difficulty coming up with the dialogues between Madoka and her mother, as something that could be used in a plot device later. Since it got really good use in ep. 12, I thought "so the way is to put in many things in advance." (LOL)

SHINBO: For the ribbon, I have some regrets from a directing point of view. When Madoka held out two ribbons and asked "which ribbon I wonder?" it would be better to have another ribbon with even more flamboyant color beside her and her mother picked that one instead. With that the characters of both Madoka and her mother would have come out clearer....

UROBUCHI: I see. Doing that would be interesting.

SHINBO: Yeah. Among the students only one had a name - [[Nakazawa]]-kun. How come?

UROBUCHI: That is for the roll-call by the teacher and there is no particularly deep meaning. But since I have given him a name after all, I had him appeared again in ep. 7 (LOL)



'''EP. 2 - THAT WOULD BE REALLY WONDERFUL...'''

UROBUCHI: It is an episode for explaining the world in this anime, including the settings design [settei]. The amount of information is a lot.

SHINBO: Ep. 1 for impact, and Ep. 2 the follow-up. I think it is similar to the composition of standard anime work. However, since Kyubey's explanation is so interesting, it does not look boring.

IWAKAMI: The way cutback was used in Part A is interesting.

UROBUCHI: It was a complicated composition with flashback first and then back to exposition, then again flashback, and exposition....

IWAKAMI: And then there is the Madoka's notebook. That part was also used again at the end, just like the ribbon in Ep. 1. People who watch it the second time can have another moving experience.

SHINBO: Since the notebook will show up again later like you said, in order to give a deeper impression I had Aoki-san drew the front cover.

UROBUCHI: So there are such twists and turns behind that notebook... There is also how good Madoka's drawings are, or how bad they are. And what kind of thing a fantasy notebook from an actual junior high student is like...

AOKI: When I first drew it, I thought Madoka would have drawn it even more badly. And so I really drew it very ugly..... I was told "this is way too ugly" (LOL) and "please go a bit more towards something that we can draw".

IWAKAMI: If you ask someone who does not know about the background, the words "this is way too ugly" would be really harsh words for Ume-sensei (LOL). And using the pictures that Ume-sensei drew in the style of a junior high student as reference, we got Yuuki-san, who acted Madoka, to draw them inside the notebook.

SHINBO: Actually Yuuki-san's drawings are even better than that. But since they are drawings by Madoka, she deliberately drew them badly. We got just the right amount of realism.

UROBUCHI: By the way, since the setting [settei] is that they are the drawings of mahou shoujo that Madoka had seen by that time, Sayaka was not drawn there. I am definitely not trying to exclude her from the group (LOL). On the contrary if Sayaka was drawn there it would become a contradiction.

SHINBO: I guessed at the early stage of the series, in both ep. 1 and ep. 2, the viewers would probably think "When will Madoka transform?" Around those episodes I got quite excited.

UROBUCHI: It is still not yet the stage where they realize that in fact the point is she must not transform.



'''EP. 3 -- I'M NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING ANYMORE'''

AOKI: The first time I intruded into the dubbing operation was this ep. 3. Moreover it was precisely at the scene where Mami got eaten. Since it had to be rewound many times to repeat the checking, I came in and suddenly I had to watch the "GabuGabu Puraaan" [sound effect] scene many times (LOL). Seeing it in images, those are very shocking scenes. It was scary.

IWAKAMI: To be honest, I was also a bit scared, about how the fans would react after watching ep. 3. I thought there might be people who would think such a development is interesting, but there might be quite a number of people who would flinch and leave.

UROBUCHI: When I wrote it, I thought people would be clearly divided into those who love it and those who dislike it. I got worried I might be stabbed by some "Hidamari" fans. (LOL) My friends told me something like "You had better watch the date and disappear from twitter. Conceal yourself until the storm dies down." (LOL) So I was prepared. Unexpectedly, that kind of reaction did not happen.

SHINBO: Even the witch in ep. 3 did not get hated. In fact she got quite popular, so much so that she had her own merchandise.

UROBUCHI: That is some good job Inu-Curry-san did. Of all things, they designed the most cruel witch to look the cutest.

AOKI: Indeed she looks very cute.

UROBUCHI: The element of surprise worked.

SHINBO: I think many things in ep. 3 belong to the well-done side. However, I had a bit of regret over the scene at the beginning where Mami was in the limelight. It was cut due to the episode length time limit.



'''EP. 4 - BOTH MIRACLES AND MAGIC EXIST'''

UROBUCHI: My thinking is that, after ep. 3, since those who found it not to their taste would have already stopped watching and so only those who still had anticipation would remain and kept watching. Perhaps I can call it a certain type of me being defiant.

SHINBO: I was worried about being asked why Madoka could still eat breakfast the next day after seeing that kind of thing. I was relieved when such an attack about that part did not materialize. (LOL)

UROBUCHI: And from around this time, Kyubey began to stop hiding its evilness.

SHINBO: Since every member of the staff knew the real identity of Kyubey, they all ended up drawing it that way. Although personally I would like to have hidden it a bit more.

KUBOTA: I was particularly impressed with the scene where Kyosuke made a scene because he could no longer play violin. The impression is less about Kyosuke than feeling sorry for Sayaka who became the victim of Kyosuke venting his anger.

AOKI: But then I can understand the feeling of Kyosuke. I also used it as an idea behind a 4-koma manga in the BD booklet. (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Come to think of it, at the point of the initial composition proposal, there was no such setting [settei] of Kyosuke being a violinist. So he did not have an injured right arm, but instead he had an incurable illness. As for why it became violin related, by now I could not recall anything at all.

AOKI: Also I really love the scene where Madoka and Sayaka were looking very miserable on roof top. I can imagine that after such a shocking event, naturally it would be like that. Surely it would not be "I should take up the fight instead of Mami-san."

IWAKAMI: And there Kyubey pulled itself away for once, saying "farewell". (LOL)

SHINBO: Kyubey got a lot of popularity with that strategy. (LOL) Instead of pushing it pulls away. Saying "That's too bad," and then leave. And when Sayaka made up her mind, it just casually appeared next to her (LOL) Also later after Sayaka became a mahou shoujo, the feeling of "oops I did it" she projected. This is kind of hard to describe.

IWAKAMI: From here onwards, it will be the Sayaka arc for a while.

SHINBO: It's just that at first I was a bit concerned about the motivation of Sayaka's decision to become a mahou shoujo being Kyosuke, that is a boy. I wondered if fans might not like this. Although it was already written since the initial composition proposal, after I read the screenplay I remember raising the point and said "what should we do."

KUBOTA: Ep. 4 had Sayaka's first battle, the image Shinbo-san initially had was something like a magician and he said he wanted to do the battle where she fights with magic. In discussions he said it would not be something cliched like pulling some pigeon from the cloak but he would like to have attack like that.

SHINBO: In terms of adding some flourishes in action scenes, I was thinking perhaps it would be interesting to have something that is a good talking point as well as flourishes. For example, something like action scenes with magic tricks in them. But then it is just something I came up at the beginning. I did not do that in the actual animation.

AOKI: If there has to be someone who fights in that style, I think it would be Homura.

SHINBO: Also for me in the last scene when Kyoko first showed up, the way she looked just hit me as so shounen-manga. And the part where she looked down from high above at the top of a steel tower is also good. I think the dialogue she said at the end "So I can just crush her, right?" generated anticipation of where the story will go afterwards. Honestly, a viewer would like to keep watching if he cannot read the coming development.

IWAKAMI: It is difficult to link a story to the next stage after a character died. Naturally other characters will be depressed, and the question is to what extent you can invigorate the story under this situation. Therefore I believe this ep. 4 is important after that ep. 3. After I read the screenplay, I realized I was over-worried.

SHINBO: For example, in "Star of the Giants", when Hyuuma Hoshi's 'Major League Ball" was defeated, he got into depression for many weeks, right? I was so tough watching that week after week. (LOL) But in ep. 4 there was the transformation of Sayaka, and at the end a mysterious mahou shoujo appeared. The story got lively again. This is something that I will pay attention in future too.



'''EP. 5 - THERE'S NO WAY I'D REGRET THIS'''

UROBUCHI: When I was writing the screenplay I imagined that the the battle between Sayaka and Kyoko took place in some dirty little back alley...I was surprised even that back alley became such a cool looking place.

IWAKAMI: Is battle in a back alley something rare in Shaft's work?

KUBOTA: Yeah, indeed it seems there aren't many...

SHINBO: In "Tsukuyomi" there is. But other than that, there isn't I guess.

KUBOTA: Making the back alley look like that was from the beginning Shinbo-san's idea. Even the battle scenes have cool looking images.

SHINBO: In fact I had wanted to make the alley look narrower. I thought it would be interesting that in such confined place the spear would have to be turned into a (multi-section) staff which would be swung around. The idea was that Kyoko's original weapon is a spear and she will find it hard to wave it around in a back alley. So in the storyboard I made it a multi-section staff. It was a change rooted in such consideration but I think it was good that it also created variety in battle portrayal. It is a creative idea from combat movies, not mahou shoujo works, but I thought "Whatever" (LOL)

UROBUCHI: However now I think about it again, this is the screenplay being unreasonable, as I put a fight with spear swinging around in a narrow back alley. I should have thought things over a bit more... (LOL) It was my bad habit to have events take place in a back alley when I got absent-minded. Being a follower of Hideyuki Kikuchi, I also let my story go the way of a back alley before knowing it.

IWAKAMI: But this is a scene where I was excited to see it in images when it was still only in screenplay. I wondered what kind of hardboiled battle scene Shinbo-san and Shaft could come up. In fact that after watching the battle scene, it was worth the wait.

UROBUCHI: Sayaka fought better than she was in the screenplay.

SHINBO: I wanted to show some portrayal of ripostes. Also I wanted to immobilize Madoka in advance.

UROBUCHI: Indeed that is necessary. I also have that pointed to me when animation was being done.

SHINBO: And then another thing that made ep. 5 interesting is where Homura showed up and there the story was to continue in the next episode.

UROBUCHI: It could not be helped because of time restriction, but it turned out be something good.

KUBOTA: The original idea was to show up till the fighting ended and the episode ends with Kyoko leaving. That was instead carried on to be the avant [pre-title] in the next episode.

SHINBO: And it was better that way. It is more likely to generate excitement by ending with a scene where you'd say "Eh?! What will happen?" and letting the story continue (to the next episode).



'''EP. 6 - THIS IS JUST NOT RIGHT'''

UROBUCHI: This is an episode where the phrase "I just do not understand" made its debut. Kyubey started not to put up any excuse any more (LOL). But having reached this episode, the build-up of the story is now complete. I also had the expectation that those viewers who are still with us until this ep. 6 should find episodes from ep. 7 on very enjoyable. I thought ep. 3 would for once filter the audience, and if they would stay along in ep. 4 and ep. 5, then I guessed we should be fine.

SHINBO: However since in reality instead of seeing people drop out after ep. 3 it got a lot more attention, we did not really need to worry about that. And coming into this ep. 6, people should start to realize that the question is not "When will Madoka transform?" but instead "In this anime she must not transform."

UROBUCHI: Also in ep. 6, there is one whole scene that was cut out. That was something that I did on my own initiative. When I dug around some old files, I found there was a scene where Homura and Sayaka talked to each other. There is a scene where Homura met Kyoko in a game center, isn't it? My thought was that after Homura finished talking to Kyoko there, there was a scene where she advised Sayaka, saying "You are not fit to be mahou shoujo, so behave yourself and stay quiet." And of course Sayaka would reject that. But then it is hard to call a scene enjoyable when you just watch Homura and Sayaka going on and on doing nothing but arguing. (LOL)



'''EP. 7 - CAN YOU FACE YOUR TRUE FEELINGS?'''

UROBUCHI: The church scene was a surprise. I could not even imagine the conversation would take place in a background that is all stained glass.

SHINBO: The image of a church with stained glass was taken from the image at the beginning of the anime "The Soul Taker". Moreover, I wanted to show something other than what people usually draw when they think of a church like those long pews etc.

IWAKAMI: I really love the dialogue of Kyoko at the end of the church scene, when before she left she turned to Sayaka and said "We are mahou shoujo! There are no other people like us!"

UROBUCHI: That is almost gangster-like talk, like "Us fellas are different from those ordinary chaps!" (LOL)

SHINBO: It got very interesting to hear that dialogue spoken with Nonaka-san's acting. And I got a bit troubled with the scene where Kyoko threw out an apple. Since Kyoko valued food so much, what would she do with the core of an apple? Did she throw it away, or eat the core as well? And if I decided she would throw it away, then I thought she would eat until where there is nothing more to eat, and what would be the sound when that core dropped onto the ground? In order not to get the impression that "Didn't she only just say 'don't you waste food!' and now she was throwing apple away!" I put a subtle sound effect at the end.

UROBUCHI: But people may then think, if she eats that much already, why not eats the core as well? (LOL)

SHINBO: Indeed Kyoko's character may be just like that. But in that scene I think it looks cooler for her to throw it away. So I got help from the sound effect staff so that (the sound) would not invite criticism. I need to thank the sound effect people like (Hidemi) Tanaka-san. But then I did not expect to get troubled on this kind of thing (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Come to think of it, in that scene Kyoko was eating something healthy. Usually she just kept munching on junk food.

SHINBO: If she kept going with that kind of diet, don't you think Kyoko would get fat?

UROBUCHI: Probably won't. Thanks for the magical power. (LOL)

AOKI: My impression of Kyoko changed in ep. 7, I thought "Hmm? Surprisingly she is a nice girl!"

IWAKAMI: As it is the episode where the relationship between Sayaka and Kyoko got close very quickly.

SHINBO: But for me I started to think of Kyoko as a good girl from ep. 6. Didn't she give Homura some of her Pocky?

UROBUCHI: I am sure if you become a friend of Kyoko, you will get some food. (LOL)



'''EP. 8 - I AM REALLY SUCH A FOOL'''

UROBUCHI: This is the climax of the grim development.

AOKI: This episode was tough to watch. It was very tough to see the exchanges between Sayaka and Madoka.

IWAKAMI: The existence of Kyoko is significant as she went to save (Sayaka) from such a grim development.

UROBUCHI: When she first appeared, she was supposed to be a heel [e.g. villain] character, but before you know it she became the only conscience. (LOL)

SHINBO: In visual terms, in ep. 8 I aimed for something that I had not done before. Like the dialogue between Madoka and Sayaka in the rain, or the exchanges between Sayaka and Homura later.

UROBUCHI: The image where Kyubey became a hornet's nest by Homura's bullets is also very shocking. And right after that, it was revealed that its true identity is Incubator. By then it is very clear that it is not a creature that can live with humanity on friendly terms.

SHINBO: There is also the dialogue "Isn't it a waste?". I thought it would also become a talking point but turned out it did not cause a sensation like "I just don't understand." (LOL) As a Japanese who takes good care of things and stuff, I wish that would get popular too.

AOKI: In that scene I really feel sorry for Homura who was left behind by Madoka. I just want to call out to Madoka, "Spend a bit more time with (Homura)!"

UROBUCHI: Ah, that's because from Madoka's point of view, she "just doesn't understand" (LOL) But then, coming to ep. 8, all the setups prepared before that started to come off quickly one by one in a chain reaction.

KUBOTA: It was impressive that the dialogue between the two hosts in a train was something that actually happened in real life.

UROBUCHI: They were talking at a place very close to me in an overcrowded train.

SHINBO: For us that was the most out-of-place dialogue in the world of "Madoka Magica."

UROBUCHI: Since they are not characters who would appear in mahou shoujo works. (LOL)

SHINBO: That's why I got convinced when I heard from Urobuchi-san about the background. I just hope that the viewers would also know that that was originated from a real life situation.

UROBUCHI: It was not really like that when it happened, I had to summarize to that length because of the time limit. Besides, the dialogues are extremely stupid, as they spoke in cliches that made you think "is it some on-location filming out there?" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Since it is a dialogue that generates such an out-of-place feeling, we decided to use some unconventional treatment when we came to create the images for it.

SHINBO: Yeah, we deliberately made it black-and-white.

UROBUCHI: And the seiyuu casting of [[wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobuo_Tobita|(Nobuo) Tobita]] and [[wikipedia:Shin-ichiro_Miki|(Shinichiro) Miki]] as the hosts is deluxe class. (LOL)

SHINBO: For that scene, it would not work if it was not done by actors with solid acting skills. And (Youta) Tsuruoka, music director, helped me to cast these two veteran seiyuu.

IWAKAMI: Usually for such minor characters, it will go to young actors. With veteran seiyuu acting that part, the feel that Sayaka was pushed to a dead end little by little came out effectively.

SHINBO: But I guess Tobita-san (and Miki-san) did not understand why they were asked to do that.

UROBUCHI: Because they are minor characters and appeared only in one scene. On top of that, the title of the script has the words "mahou shoujo" written on it but strangely here is this scene which smells of blood. I can see that would be an after-recording session filled with many mysteries. (LOL)

SHINBO: And I think it should be good stimulation for some veterans to come and join these many actresses of around the same generation. Somehow I felt that the mood in the after-recording session got a bit sharpened as a result.

UROBUCHI: In fact Yuuki-san seemed to get very tense.

AOKI: And then there was the smiling face of Sayaka at the end of Ep. 8. I could not forget her expression when she said, "I am really such a fool."



'''EP. 9 - I WILL NEVER ALLOW THAT'''

AOKI: The visual image of Sayaka Witch surprised me.

UROBUCHI: What I imagined was a monster that looked even more grotesque, so I think that it already got quite a bit of beauty treatment, since in the screenplay there is something like "countless tentacles stretching out" written on it. I wonder what I was thinking of Sayaka. (LOL)

SHINBO: It was marvelous to see how the music by Kajiura-san matched with the video images in ep. 9.

IWAKAMI: She wrote one piece of music specifically for Sayaka who had become a witch. I think Kajiura-san found the work to be interesting after reading the screenplay so she was willing to respond to our sudden requests.

AOKI: When I saw Kyoko in ep. 9, I got filled with so much hope. I really think perhaps at the end they could somehow manage.

UROBUCHI: If it is a conventional mahou shoujo anime, I guess at the end they will somehow manage it.

IWAKAMI: But I think indeed it was structured very well, since a character that came out only in ep. 5 now stands out so prominently in ep. 9.

UROBUCHI: Although I had thought about letting Kyoko stay just a little bit longer. But in 12 episodes I think that is the limit.



'''EP. 10 - I WILL NOT DEPEND ON ANYONE ANYMORE'''

UROBUCHI: It is a miracle story to get everything into one episode. In fact this is something that requires at least 2 episodes. With only one episode everything has to be rushed. I submitted the first draft, thinking "Can this really be kept within 25 minutes?!" and I had expected it would be rejected...but it got through. (LOL)

KUBOTA: But then I got all fired up after reading that screenplay. I thought I must make it happen....

SHINBO: At the very beginning it was a little bit longer, we got it shortened by a little.

UROBUCHI: I did not cut down much actually. I just had this worry that the pace of ep. 10 is so fast that audience may get the feeling of being abandoned.

SHINBO: But the viewers were able to understand without difficulty. I was surprised to see the fans of this anime have such a strong ability to understanding.

IWAKAMI: Also I think it was good to see it filled with scenes fans want to see, like when the mahou shoujo teamed up to fight witches. It is just that from an animation process point of view, since there are a couple of situations (to draw), it took awfully large amounts of labor. Kubota-san remembered ep. 3 and ep. 10 as the episodes that took them a particularly amount of effort.

KUBOTA: Ep. 3 is the turning point in the early stage and so that was necessary no matter what. And for Ep. 10, since the structure of the screenplay has a really high degree of perfection, and there are tricky works we needed to do, it gave me the feeling that it was indeed the chokepoint. I do not intend to discriminate various episodes among all the 12 episodes, but I have no doubt that this is the most important episode within the series. This also came naturally to our staff.

UROBUCHI: I thought the anime databank system would be used more often. It was only (used) in the moment just before the last scene.

KUBOTA: That was because it was necessary to use the image from ep. 1. Even with the use of databank system, it was an episode that was complicated and technically demanding (to make). But the main staff, including (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-kun, copied with it perfectly.

SHINBO: It was also because (Shinsaku) Sasaki-san, who drew the storyboard, read the storyboard of ep. 1 very thoroughly. He grasped everything very well, like whether to use such and such cut in more than one situation, to put together the storyboard. Episode Director (Yuuki) Yase-san was also very good.

UROBUCHI: I was surprised that Inu-Curry Witches really showed up in quick succession. I had expected it would just reuse all the witches who had appeared earlier, and they really made new designs for every one of them.

IWAKAMI: The dialogue that Madoka said, "Keep it a secret to everyone in class.", also stood out. It was impressive because it was a dialogue where she showed her will clearly up front while up till then she looked so timid and indecisive.

SHINBO: Besides that, the acting by Yuuki-san on that scene was really good.

KUBOTA: And for me, the scenes where Homura's face got sterner and sterner each time she passed through the time loop were impressive.

UROBUCHI: She looks cool. I love the face of Homura when at the end she fell into total distrust of other human beings.

IWAKAMI: I wish I could taste the shock when, without knowing anything in advance before watching the TV broadcast, suddenly out came Homura with eyeglasses and braided hair. (LOL)

SHINBO: The Animation Director for this episode is (Yoshiaki) Itoh-san. He himself once said "I am so happy to be the animation director for ep. 10".



'''EP. 11 - THE LAST REMAINING SIGNPOST'''

AOKI: At my place, somehow the video of ep. 12 came before the video of ep. 11. But I thought "I absolutely must not watch it by skipping ep. 11!" and so I just stashed away ep.12. So I watched and enjoyed ep. 11 in real time just like every viewer. Also, in the closing day, (Tetsuya) Iwanaga-san, who voiced (Madoka's) father, said to me, the last word between Madoka and her father was "I need to go to the toilet." When I thought of what happened to Madoka later, it only gave me sadness.

IWAKAMI: I guess at that moment Madoka could not even dream that she herself would in fact become a concept.

UROBUCHI: From here on, I just threw up everything and wrote with a so-what attitude. It may have been challenge in certain sense, (to see) how much I can say this is absurdly unreasonable but I can still be told "This is not the case." (LOL)

SHINBO: In the storyboard of ep. 11, the silhouettes of Mami and Sayaka etc. were seen clinging close to the Walpurgisnacht. But this part was changed (later).

UROBUCHI: The manga version was drawn based on the storyboard before the change. Black Mami and Sayaka were drawn there.



'''EP. 12 - MY BEST FRIEND'''

UROBUCHI: Since in the screenplay I only wrote something like "Madoka turns into a concept," I think it was well adapted into images. Even regarding the location, I only wrote with self-indulgence, putting it as something like "void space" (LOL). But the power of images is strong, as in a world with only text, like novels, could not produce such persuasive power. When you read the part with text "they float in a space where there is nothing," you think "Ah, is it so." and then you are done. It is the power of images to get people to think "Wow...I see!"

IWAKAMI: Indeed the persuasive power of images in the last stage, from ep. 10 onwards, was amazing. In the early stage and middle stage the power of Urobuchi-san's story pulled along the story. I feel that in the last stage, it was due to the pulling power of images that were built up by animating the conceptual part of the screenplay.

UROBUCHI: Also since ep. 10-12 were broadcast at one go, it gave a feeling of watching a movie. In summary, it was the "Homura Chapter." And then even though quite some effort went into designing the ultimate form of Madoka, it was a waste that she did not appear that much. But then her existence loomed immensely large with that short appearance. I also thought people would get angry at me for that scene with mahou shojo in the past. Just think how many new characters needed to be created just for that one scene...I had expected somehow this would be resolved by finding some way out.... It came out as a straight ball. They did not even try to run away. (LOL) My hat off to them.

KUBOTA: The key animation of those mahou shojo (from the past) were drawn by (Takahiro) Kishida-san, the Character Designer, himself.

UROBUCHI: There is this thing that surprisingly became a talking point -- "The Law of Circular Path". That actually means "the ending that will, without exception, visit the girls who embraced hope and chose to take up the destiny of becoming a mahou shoujo." It is not something Mami-san coined herself, but something like an oral tradition that was passed along among mahou shoujo in that world. And so at that place and time, the only one who could not understand at all after hearing those words was Homura. Kyoko also knew and probably Sayaka in that world had also heard those words before.

AOKI: The black wings of Homura in the last scene - was it the intention of Urobuchi-san?

UROBUCHI: No, those wings were from Inu-Curry-san.

IWAKAMI: There are many interpretations regarding the last scene. What does Urobuchi-san think of that?

UROBUCHI: My intention when I wrote the screenplay was: The location is not Japan and Homura's fight just goes on. But I think it is fine for all the fans to come up with their own interpretation. There is even conjecture that "this is without doubt the world after humanity was annihilated." It is still a valid interpretation.

IWAKAMI: It looks something like a Bad End, with an ending that had Homura hearing Madoka's voice just before she went to a certain death. (LOL) Personally I believe it is a Good End.

AOKI: So what I thought and I felt proved to be correct after all.

SHINBO: Even though the world has changed, Homura will never forget Madoka. I think that is the most important thing. If there is another work for "Madoka Magica," this will be something that will never change.

== Puella Magi Madoka Magica After-recording Report ==
''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

:''Detailed translations at: [[Guidebook After Recording Report]]. See also translated comic of [[Animedia_2011-06#Madoka_After-Recording_Report_.28Seiyuu_Comic.29|Ep 12 After-Recording Session]].

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 1|Episode 11: Part 1]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 01 TL.jpg|Episode 11: Part 1 [[Media:Guidebook_comic_01.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 2: Pre-recording|Part 2: Pre-recording]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 02 TL.jpg|Part 2: Pre-recording [[Media:Guidebook_comic_02a.jpg|Original in Japanese]]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 3: Recording|Part 3: Recording]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 03 TL.jpg|Part 3: Recording [[Media:Guidebook_comic_03.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht|Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 04 TL.jpg|Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht [[Media:Guidebook Comic 02.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

==Opening Theme==

''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

CONNECT 
Composition, Lyrics: Sho Watanabe 
Singer: ClariS

It is an opening that contains a lot of scenes which you could not see much in the main part of the anime, including the mahou shoujo Madoka. The black cat that Madoka held in her arms appears again in the drama CD that came with BD/DVD Vol.1. Also at first the last cut has only Madoka, Sayaka and Mami, but in ep. 10 and ep. 11, Homura and Kyoko were added as well.

OPENING ANIMATION 
Storyboard, Direction 
Tomoyuki Sakamura

''What kind of opening did you think of making?''

I got the order from Shinbo-san that the animation plan for the opening must have the standard scenes and transformation scene of mahou shoujo. When I first heard the song, I got the simple impression that it is not some girl bouncing around but something serious. And after I read the scenario, I just fell and rolled over. This was a reaction that was no different from the shock experienced by audience when they first watched ep. 10 of the anime. It was in fact lyrics for Homura, but if you did not realize that and put Madoka in her place, instead it was basically an opening with cute mahou shoujo. Based on that concept, I started the work on storyboarding.

''There was controversy regarding the black cat held by Madoka.''

For the black cat, I created it as a little gimmick to show off the mahou shoujo Madoka in her regular daily life which has a different mood from what is in the main part, and also as a Madoka story that is in a parallel world which is different from the main part. I thank all the fans for doing so much research. By the way, Aoi Yuuki-san, who voiced Madoka, gave an upturned eye and asked "Is this the cat I am keeping?". Nakamura-san, the animation director, and I answered "Yes, that's right."

''How about the addition of Homura and Kyoko in the last cut starting from ep. 10?''

In fact at first, I did not think about adding Homura and Kyoko in the last cut from ep. 10 onwards. (LOL) When the opening and the main part of ep. 10 was about to be recorded, I decided (I wanted to do that) and rushed to create new images. And I felt sorry for Kyoko, so I added her too. This reminds me - there is also an interesting idea from Izumi-san who worked in coloring: Adding a "stalker Homura" in all the cuts in the opening where Homura would watch over and protect Madoka. ''[editor's note: the idea didn't make it to production but did for fanmade parodies.]''

''There is also the Madoka transformation scene. What kind of image did you have in mind when you created that?''

In the mahou shojo transformation scene, I added a maternal and mysterious mood by having a naked Madoka holding and kissing Madoka. The question of who is embracing Madoka became a talking point... It seems to be more fun by keeping this as a secret. I think the actual images, which were done by animator (Masaaki) Takiyama-san, who drew the heavenly Madoka in nude with gushing libido, and photographer (Takayuki) Aizu-san, who fine-toned the color palette and light transmission, came out beautifully.

''The slice-of-life scenes that we see so little in the actual anime are also depicted in the opening.''

I made them in order to compensate for the fact that in the first half of the series, it is difficult to draw cheerful scenes or the pleasure of a happy home. Commemorative photo with family, after-school (visit to) the cake shop, sports festival, concert, afternoon on the sofa etc etc. As the main part progresses, the focus is on more and more painful things, and (the opening) looks a bit mean-spirited (to have those scenes) inserted. It hurts to see the gentle face of Mami-san in sleep!

''Other than that, anything during the animation work you particularly remember?''

This is the first time I directed an opening, and what surprised me very much was the experience of editing. In the process of matching cuts (of images) against the music, even just the difference of one frame could change the impression regarding the visual image and how pleasant you feel about it. It needs a completely different sense from the dubbing of the main part, where you first made all the cuts, linked them together, and only after that had music and sound added. Experimenting and then checking the result could give rise to serendipitous discovery. It was difficult but also very interesting.

''Could I ask you for your memories and thoughts as you look back to the work you did this time?''

Being able to work on an opening this time is more than I deserved, and I called for outside help - I asked animator Ryo Imagawa-san to help me. I thank him for pulling me all along, from the stage of storyboard to actual animation, as well as directing. He was actively involved in everything like he had 8 faces and 6 arms. While he drew his own original animation, he also went through all the cuts and made fine adjustments and follow-ups. The animation work had so little time (LOL) - it was non-stop from Storyboard IN ''[symbv: when storyboard first started to get animated]'' to chapter-V ''[symbv: when all the retakes are done and the work shifts to post-production]''!! I want to say thanks to all the staff who were involved in the production. Oh yes oh yes, I suddenly called and woke up (Naoto) Nakamura-san, Animation Director, and he helped me out... That's some nice memory... I think... for him. [The opening] is different from the main part: There is no need to connect the scene as required by a story, and there is no restriction (or support) from dialogues or effect sound. It was very refreshing and appealing to create densely packed images for 90 seconds. I am honored and thankful for being able to participate in working in "Madoka Magica." And my apology to (Tadao) Iwaki-san (animation producer) for not being able to help in the main part.

==Ending Theme==

''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

ENDING THEME 
MAGIA 
Compose, Lyrics: Yuki Kajiura 
Singer: Kalafina

Madoka, in silhouette, runs and runs within an uncanny and eerie space.
It was used only in surprsingly infrequent times - from ep. 3-8. As an ending, it symbolized the dark side of this anime.

Ending Animation - Hirofumi Suzuki

''Can you tell me your impression when you heard the song?''

Until then, I had made only slow and laid-back type of endings for works by Director Shinbo, and I thought this time it would just be something similar, so I underestimated the job and accepted it. The song that I got turned out to be terribly grave and I was taken aback.

''What kind of things did you and Director Shinbo discuss (on this ending)?''

At the occasion when we came to discuss it, he told me that the ending "will start from ep. 3". And in the preparatory meeting, I think he said something to the effect that, "I think it may be better to have a different feeling from the image created by Gekidan Inu-Curry-san in the main part, and have something that hints at the future of Madoka and others."

''Can you tell me any happening during the production work or something about the completed video?''

I did everything of the production work from storyboard to filming by myself. They were all done on the PC. The contents just provide rough suggestions of (what happens) in the main part, so there is nothing particular I want to say. As for why only Homura turns around, I think if (the viewer) watches ep. 10 and later episodes, he should be able to find out.

MATA ASHITA (See You Tomorrow) 
Lyrics, Compose: hanawaya 
Arrangement: Ryuka / Tomonori Taguchi 
Singer: Madoka Kaname (Aoi Yuuki)

For Ep. 1 and 2 on BD/DVD, there is an ending which was not shown on broadcast TV. The song and the illustration to remind (listeners) of the time when Madoka and others were leading their lives as ordinary girls.

ENDING ILLUSTRATION 
UME AOKI

I heard about this plan to have the picture of Madoka-chan added to the ending, so I drew this illustration. I drew it with the thought that it would be good to have a picture which can only be associated to ep. 1 and 2. (LOL)

== Data in production stage ==
[[File:Guidebook_Production_Related_Material_01.jpg|Data in production stage|thumb]]

===Planning Memo (Upper right)===

====Story keyword====

*When the wish of a magical girl comes true, she becomes a witch.
*Based on friendship between an idealistic girl and a realistic girl.
*The idealistic girl claims that to become a witch is bad. But she exhausts her power for the world and becomes a witch...

*Main characters are the two above, with additional two, total 4.
*If sub characters are counted, total about 7 characters.
*Protagonists are about 15 years old.

*They may use magic to transform.
*But they are mainly wearing uniform.
*Although it is subtle whether they are in magical school, the school is serious and strict.

====Visual image====

*The image of 4 girls are as follows:
**The idealistic girl: bright, and looking forward.
**The realistic girl: seem to know everything as an adult. She is excellent in both knowledge and physical power.
**The talented girl: comes from witch's blood. She has inborn magic.
**The learned girl: learning magic systematically. She looks like an otaku.

*The tragic fate of magical girls, and the decision. ...(their serious face?)
*Needs some gadgets of magical girls, like sticks, bracelet or necklace.
*An animal who guides them to their fights.
** While looking cute, he will say something terrible like "Do you have desire to improve the world, even have to pay your life". He is so cruel because he knows everything.

===Minutes (Lower right)===

Translation courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Setting Meeting Minutes:
* Date/Time: May 12, 2010, 18:00–
* Location: Shaft 2nd Floor, Meeting Room
* Attendees:
** [[Akiyuki Shinbo]] (Director)
** Shiroinu ([[Gekidan Inu Curry]])
** Doroinu (Gekidan Inu Curry)
** Mitsutoshi Kubota ([[Shaft]])
** Tomoyo Kamiji (Shaft)

* Agenda: Overall Art Setting/Design

When entering a magical space, should it mix with the real world, or become a completely disconnected, separate space?
(The term "erosion/encroachment" is used in the scenario, but it can be changed.)
→ Dismantle the original elements and reassemble them (Inu Curry-sama's imagery).

Request Gekidan Inu Curry-sama to design the alternate dimensions and Witches.

Witch designs should not be instantly recognizable as "witches" to just anyone. They should evoke a sense of anxiety and uneasiness. Cute designs might also be good.

Alternate dimensions will change design with each episode, serving a role similar to a stage set/theatrical apparatus.

Both the alternate dimensions and Witches will be produced with specific themes, without being overly assertive.
(For example, Sayaka's Witch is designed to reflect her identity.)

While the story is told from the characters' subjective viewpoints, the design of the scenes should look objective.

Try applying a filter-like effect to characters when they enter an alternate dimension. (Inu Curry-sama's image change/style shift.)
→ Consult once other production staff, such as photography/compositing, are finalized.

The director wants to create an image animation completely different from the magical girl anime Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha. (Madoka Magica is a work that, in the director's mind, exists as an extension of Le Portrait de Petit Cossette.)

The real world will feature a modern cityscape. A design that feels slightly near-futuristic. However, power lines will remain.

The cityscape is urban. A well-planned, rigidly structured city. (Symmetrical layouts are also acceptable.)

The school should also reference foreign designs.

Overall, the coloring should be like that of a bishoujo anime. (Referencing Ume Aoki-sensei.)
→ Research and utilize color palettes currently trending in the industry.

Next Steps: Early June - Storyboarding begins → July - Director's check (Scheduled)
Battle scenes, alternate dimensions, etc., will be further developed by the main staff as soon as the storyboards are ready.

Gekidan Inu Curry-sama: Requested to submit overall image boards in 2 weeks. Shaft will issue orders for Witch designs for each individual episode under a detailed, segmented schedule.

* Next Meeting: May 26, 18:00
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Setting Meeting
Location: Shaft 2nd Floor, Meeting Room

===Series Proposal (left)===

{|class="wikitable"
|style="width:8%;"|Episode
|Story
|-
|01
|A scene of destruction. All characters are dead miserably. Homura is fighting a terrible monster with blood on her. 
Madoka is watching this but she can do nothing. However, it seem she can save all of them by becoming a magical girl. As soon as she makes up her mind to make contract with a fairy, she wakes up. Is this a dream? 
In a peaceful morning, she is going to school with her good friend, Sayaka, as usual. 
Here comes a transferred student called Homura. She is the girl in Madoka's dream.
But after school, Madoka sees her killing a cute animal.
Then Homura come to attack Madoka and Sayaka, who are trying to protect that animal. 
|-
|02
|(Mami appears. Mami explains about magical girl to them.)
|-
|03
|(Madoka almost makes a contract. But Mami dies, and Homura saves her. At the same time, Sayaka makes a contract)
|-
|04
|(Kamijou quarrels with Sayaka so that she makes a contract. Kyoko appears)
|-
|05
|(Kyoko attacks Sayaka. Homura agrees that Kyoko can be the backup. Madoka now in middle of Sayaka and Homura.)
|-
|06
|(Kyoko's past. Kamijou recovers. The three tiers (Sayaka, Homura & Kyoko, and witches) are fighting endlessly. Madoka is worried about how to help Sayaka.)
|-
|07
|(Kamijou fully recovered. But he is going the way out of Sayaka's expectation. Sayaka doesn't give up her duty as a magical girl. 
To make Sayaka back to a regular girl, Madoka steals and throws away her soul gem. To Madoka's surprise, Sayaka doesn't move anymore. The fairy tells her the truth.)
|-
|08
|(Sayaka is no longer human. But she overcomes the sadness. She simply bears the fate to do witch hunting just like Mami. 
Madoka considers to become a magical girl again to help her, and Homura comes to argue with her. At the beginning she rebounds strongly because of embarrassment from her over simple consideration, but Homura convinces her by all means. 
Meanwhile, Kyoko starts to have sympathy with Sayaka, although they are incompatible, still fighting against each other.)
|-
|09
|Sayaka falls into despair definitely (caused by Kamijou?)
|-
|10
|Sayaka finally become a grief seed and hatches a witch. Kyoko killed the witch but also sacrifice herself. 
The fairy tells the truth to desperate Madoka. He also tells her that he has seen countless examples of this but he is still unable to understand how human thinks. 
And a new witch with unseen power is approaching. It seems there's no way to protect the city unless Madoka becoming a magical girl. 
|-
|11
|Homura confesses to Madoka about her ability and object. She also tells Madoka that she has done that many times. This is the timeline Madoka keeping alive the longest. Although she cannot save other girls' lives, it might be a chance to change Madoka's fate. 
Homura swears that she will protect Madoka with her own life. But Madoka is still unable to understand. The final fight is coming in such situation.
|-
|12
|Madoka arranges her feelings about Homura. The fairy predicts that Homura won't have a change to win. He suggests Madoka to make a contract, and says her soul gem is so enormous that the power of her wish is much more than others. 
The final battle between Homura and witch comes. Homura cannot stand up with such a great power difference. This scene is the same as Madoka's dream. 
|-
|13
|Is there a way to save all magic girls? 
Madoka finally makes contract with the fairy. 
"I wish to become the existence to eliminate all witches from past to the future!" 
...... 
Madoka finally understand how hard Homura did for her, and the friendship between them. 
...... 
|}

== Witch Design ==

=== Labyrinth design ===

{|class="wikitable"
|style="width:8%;"|Episode
|Concept
|Words
|-
|3 (Part)
|Cafe for two （２人カフェ）
|"My dream is tea time." （私の夢はティータイム） 
When the witch dies, the magical girl steps on the cups and breaks them.
|-
|3 (Charlotte)
|One whole cheese cake
|"It's really a delicious cheesecake. My dying mother wanted to eat it, but maybe I should have cured her disease instead. But I'm sure that wasn't really the point." （とてもおいしいチーズケーキ。死にかけのお母さんが食べたがっていたの。でも、もしかするとお母さんの病気でも治してあげたらよかったカスラ。けれと、きっとそれはそおいうことでもないのダワ。）
|-
|4 (H.N Elly)
|Snowglobe （スノードーム）
|"I have only one wish. Box up that memory." （私の願いはただひとつ、あの思い出をとじこめて） 
When the witch dies, the lights on the Christmas tree and merry-go-round short out. There's a 'basssh!' sound.
|-
|7 (Elsa Maria)
|Church
|"May the you I haven't met yet find happiness." （まだ見ないあなたが幸せであるように） 
When the witch dies, the stained glass collapses and drops into the air. There's a 'baaaaaaahn' sound like from a pipe organ.
|-
|9
|Trains
|"My wish is somewhere not here." （私の願いはここではないどこか） 
In the final scene, the magical girl kills her from behind in the first carriage, and the train derails.
|-
|10 (Patricia)
|Blue Sky
|"How unlucky I am that today, of all days, turned out to be rainy." （今日という日が雨だなんて私はどれほどついていないんだろう） 
When the witch dies, it rains heavily. There is a sound like an aircraft crashing.
|-
|10 (Roberta)
|Dolls
|"I wish for friends. Friends who won't dislike me." （私の願いはお友達。私を嫌いにならないお友達） 
When the witch dies, the bird cage is getting shot down and spilling a circular rain of blood.
|-
|Set-constructing witch (Walpurgis Night)
|Stage
|"Everything in this world is fake. My life is nothing more than a drama that you penned. Please, prove it. ''"Faust"'' is on show." （この世界はすべて嘘でした。私の人生はあなたの書いた戯曲にすぎません。それを証明して下さい。「ファウスト」が上演中）
|}

===Gekidan Inu Curry Artwork Comments===
* Walpurgisnacht

"According to the lore settings, the inside of the skirt and the upper section of the gears serve as a stage, where the familiars can put on theatrical performances. Though we never actually ended up using that concept." (Both members)

* Walpurgisnacht's familiars

"Miyamoto-san mentioned that although it was never actually demonstrated in the main story, it possesses a ''Konaki-jijii''-style ability where if you get caught by it, your body becomes as heavy as a stone." (Both members)

"I was surprised by how cute its voice was." (2shiroinu)

* Anthony

"We were worried it might turn out too cute and end up requiring a retake, so it was a bit disappointing that nobody actually noticed the fact that it was cute." (Both members)

"To be clear, those are whiskers. It's a creature with whiskers growing out of it. It's a personal favorite of ours, so we're completely playing favorites with it on our own accord." (2shiroinu)

"We were still fumbling around in the dark regarding what to write for the Witch Picture Book descriptions, so this cleared things up quite a bit. The Witch Picture Book was actually proposed to us by Aniplex right before the broadcast, and thanks to having it, we were able to give the lore a lot more depth and variety." (Doroinu)

* Gertrud

"In the script, there was a line where Sayaka looks at her and says, 'Ugh, gross!' But since her actual appearance ended up looking rather cute, we consulted the series director about what we should do. It turned out nobody really questioned the contradiction, which was a bit disappointing." (Both members)

"I think her little scuttling legs are her best charm point." (Doroinu)

* Adelbert

"These are familiars whose role is vigilance. However, since their method of attack is a 'rocket headbutt,' if you think about it calmly, you get the feeling that the scissor attacks used by the whiskered minions in Episode 1 might actually be stronger..." (Both members)

"At any rate, that office lady (OL) who was about to commit suicide was probably headbutted mercilessly by them, wasn't she?" (Doroinu)

* ? (Suleika)

"This is a Witch that didn't appear in the main story. To make the relationship between Witches and Familiars easier to understand, we went ahead and included even the unfeatured Witches in resources like the Witch Picture Book." (Both members)

* Ulla

"At the storyboarding stage, it actually fought with Mami a decent amount, but due to the overall runtime constraints, it ended up getting instantly killed." (Both members)

"It's a shame its moment in the spotlight was lost, but considering how grueling the workload was for the Witch of Sweets in that very same episode, I also kind of feel like we dodged a bullet." (Doroinu)

* Pyotr

"Its mouth area is all rustly-bustly and squishy-soft." (2shiroinu)

"It is no exaggeration to say it appeared solely for the purpose of being blown away by Mami." (Doroinu)

* Charlotte

"Fearing that Mami fans would get angry at us, we copped out and gave her a mascot-like appearance instead." (2shiroinu)

"Right after her initial appearance, her eye color was black during the TV broadcast. However, in the DVD and Blu-ray versions, the eye color has been changed to green. It wasn't a coloring mistake by the compositing staff; rather, we made a selfish, stubborn request after the TV airing to have them change it for us." (Both members)

* H.N. Elly (Kirsten)

"I felt like it would look really cool to have strands of hair spilling out from inside the machinery." (2shiroinu)

"It didn't pan out due to time constraints, but I really wanted to add much more detail and substance to the imagery projected on the screen." (Doroinu)

* Daniyyel & Jennifer

"Even though they are carrying the Witch around, they don't actually hold much affection for her. They feel more like they're just carrying her along as an afterthought." (Both members)

* ? (Albertine)

"She didn't appear" (2 members)

* Anja

"Aoi Yuki-san, who plays Madoka, provided the voice for this one. We made a rather unfortunate request for her to make it sound 'as goofy as humanly possible,' and she pulled it off magnificently." (Both members)

"She's amazing." (2shiroinu)

* Dora

"This one is rusted as well. It plays ''The Godfather'' theme using the exhaust pipes protruding from its body." (Both members)

* Gisela

"This Witch was designed after the storyboards were already completed. We came up with its appearance and setting under the explicit premise that it would be included in the Witch Picture Book. The concept is basically an sci-fi robot capable of transforming into a motorcycle, except it's completely covered in rust." (Both members)

* Elsa Maria

"Our initial concept for her had a much more traditional Japanese style. The remnants of that idea can still be seen in the kimono-like patterns on the base of the monument held by the giant statue serving as the platform, as well as on the cloth that drapes down upon her death." (Both members)

* Sebastian's

"In the second half, what grows directly out of the Witch isn't her familiars—those are the Witch's own arms." (Both members)

* Bartels

"It's paper clay." (Both members)

* Holger

"Fantasia." (Both members)

* Oktavia von Seckendorff

"We worked hard, fully prepared to get reprimanded no matter how she turned out. And she turned out like that." (2shiroinu)

* ? (Uhrmann)

"She didn't appear in the main story, but the design had already been decided. The one getting beaten up by Sayaka in the manga version was originally the design for the Dog Witch."

* Izabel

"In the first place, being told that a stationary triumphal arch is a 'Witch' might make absolutely no sense, but we thought, 'Well, it's already episode 10, so maybe it'll somehow get across?'" (Both members)

* Michaela

"For these familiars, we gave the key animators a few vague reference concepts and then let them draw them completely freely." (Both members)

* Patricia

"For both the Witch and the barrier, we intentionally chose a design and production style that looked the most like a conventional, normal magical girl show out of everything." (Both members)

"You'd think it was a spider, but since it has six arms, it turns out it wasn't a spider after all. If anything, it's a subspecies of Tien Shinhan (from Dragon Ball)." (Doroinu)

* Mathieu

"Underneath the skirt she is wearing puffy lantern bloomers. Even if she is a Witch, we absolutely do not permit flashing underwear glimpses." (Both members)

"The blue sky inside the barrier actually incorporates footage of the sky above Iogi taken about two days before the TV broadcast." (Doroinu)

* Oktavia von Seckendorff, Timeline 3 Version

"In the main story, if you look closely, she's actually using dual-wielding swords. Well, even though in the end she doesn't actually attack with the swords anyway." (Both members)

* Klarissa

"Partway through, for some reason, they get caught up in the wheels. Talk about bad luck." (Both members)

* Gotz

"In our initial concept art they were paper birds, but somewhere along the line they became all muscular." (Both members)

"They are narcissistic birds who haven't even realized that the Witch despises them." (2shiroinu)

* Roberta

"She is constantly frustrated by her familiars. She ended up getting blown to pieces while she was still totally worked up." (Both members)

* Kriemhild Gretchen

"They never shared the screen together in the main story, but the concept was for her to form a matching pair with Walpurgisnacht. In our setting, there is a barrier the size of the Earth positioned right above the Witch's head, which sucks up everything from the ground. Because she is so gargantuan, we asked the staff to basically treat her as part of the background scenery." (Both members)

== General Gallery ==
<gallery position="center" captionalign="left">
File:You are not alone poster.jpg| Poster
File:You_Are_Not_Alone_advertisement.jpg| Advertisement
File:Guidebook extras.JPG| Japan-exclusive extras
</gallery>

== Prior Illustrations ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 03.jpg|Other ones of Homura and Madoka: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 04.jpg|1]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 05.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 07.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 14.jpg|4]]
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 06.jpg|More solo Madoka: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 11.jpg|1]]
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 08.jpg|More group pics: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 09.jpg|1]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 10.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 12.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 13.jpg|4]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 15.jpg|5]]
</gallery>

== Episodic Coverage and Character Pages ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0001.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0002.jpg|2]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0003.jpg|3]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0004.jpg|1-3]] and Mami character [[:Media:Guidebook 0005.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0006.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0007.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0008.jpg|5]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0009.jpg|6]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0010.jpg|4-6]] and Sayaka character [[:Media:Guidebook 0011.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0012.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0013.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0014.jpg|8]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0015.jpg|9]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0016.jpg|7-9]] and Kyoko character [[:Media:Guidebook 0017.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0018.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0019.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0020.jpg|11]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0021.jpg|12]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0022.jpg|10-12]] and Homura character [[:Media:Guidebook 0023.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0024.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0025.jpg|Madoka part [[:Media:Guidebook 0026.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0027.jpg|Kyubey]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0028.jpg|Madoka's family]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0029.jpg|other characters]].
</gallery>

== Production Materials ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0045.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0046.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0047.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0048.jpg|4]].
File:Guidebook 0049.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0050.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0051.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0052.jpg|4]].
File:Guidebook 0053.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0054.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0055.jpg|3]].
File:Guidebook 0056.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0057.jpg|2]].
File:080_1.jpg
File:Guidebook 0058.jpg|Episode storyboards 1-6: [[:Media:Guidebook 0059.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0060.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0061.jpg|4-6]].
File:Guidebook 0062.jpg|Episode storyboards 7-12: [[:Media:Guidebook 0063.jpg|8-9]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0064.jpg|10]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0065.jpg|11-12]].
File:Guidebook 0066.jpg|Witch designs and storyboards: [[:Media:Guidebook 0067.jpg|2]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0068.jpg|3]].
File:Guidebook 0069.jpg|More [[:Media:Guidebook 0070.jpg|architecture]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0071.jpg|weapons]].
</gallery>

== Staff Discussion ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0095.jpg|Staff and Cast List
</gallery>

== Early Character Designs ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0101.jpg
File:Guidebook 0102.jpg
File:Guidebook 0103.jpg
</gallery>

== See Also ==
* [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Official_Guides.2C_Books_and_Games|Other official books, guides and games]]
* [[Puella Magi Production Note]]
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Art Book]]
* [[Magazines|Translated magazines]]
* [[Tweets|Translated Tweets]]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Documents/Anime-Production]]
[[Category:Products and merchandise]]
[[Category:Translation request]]

Rebellion Production Note

2026-07-07T21:24:24Z

Romi1908: /* Image Note Page 206: Tiro Finale (Extra Large) */

[[File:Rebellion Production Note Cover.jpg|thumb|Front cover]]
'''''Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Rebellion'' Production Note''' is a set of two volumes that was first sold in a limited edition version at Comic Market 87 from December 28 to December 30, 2014. It became available to the general public starting February 28, 2015. Each set also comes with a bookmark magnifying glass.

The first volume is 277 pages long and contains:
* Character Design, page 005
* Prop Design, page 115
* Art Design, page 127
* Imageboard, page 197
* Special: [[Ume Aoki]] Original Character Designs, page 265
* Index, page 278

The second volume is titled '''Inu Curry Image Note 2''' and contains 233 pages of illustrations and designs by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]:
* Images, page 002
* Part A, page 036
* Part B, page 064
* Part C, page 094
* Part D, page 136
* Part E, page 166
See [[Rebellion/Synopsis]] for details on how the movie is divided into parts.

==Translated pages==
===Image Note Page 081: Drosselmeyer's Theater Box===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 081.jpg|right|300px]]
Using the theater box from the sideshow, Drosselmeyer tells the Children the story of a lonely magical girl. The Children, imagining the world in the story, fantasize about how wonderful it would be if the present were filled with more thrill and violence.

This is not a familiar of the witch. It's a mechanical doll (''karakuri''); the witch's subconscious is what's turning the gears. This Drosselmeyer is a judge doll.

We thought about blending the sideshow into the background somewhere later in the second half as well, but in the end, it only appeared in the café.

'''Bottom left:''' [The End]
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 082 & 083: Clara Dolls===
[[File:082PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
[[File:083PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Initial Concept'''

The Children of the False City

* In a dome-shaped café, they watch a sideshow. All of them are girls.

* For character design, please make them appear around 6 years old in the world of Madoka. In the main story, no specific ages are set.

* Their faces are entirely obscured, and they are barefoot.

* From then on, they are sometimes seen riding a bus or blending into crowds. They exist discreetly, avoiding attention. (Mainly as silhouettes.)

* After the people of the city turn into paper dolls, the Children also become flat and flimsy. They aren’t held by hands; instead, their heads turn into bookmarks (Discarded concept.)

* As suggested by their names, all of the children have bad personalities but get along well with each other.

* Their role is to cry during the funeral procession. They are mourners.

* Since the funeral is delayed, they wander around, killing time.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 117===
[[File:117 part_c storyboard akemi_homura miki_sayaka oktavia_von_seckendorff lizard.jpg|right|300px]]
The image of the witch reflected in the water at Sayaka's feet and on her cape is an illusion created by Homura in response to the magic Sayaka is emitting. Since Homura only knows the old appearance of the Mermaid Witch, the reflected image uses the TV version’s design.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 123: Clara Dolls===
[[File:123 part_c character_design clara_dolls.jpg|right|300px]]

They do not close their eyes.

For the cel-drawn version with eyes, keep the eye design exactly as it is; it should look completely different from the other human characters.

'''Planned Appearances'''

● First Half

All of them are present inside the café where Homura and Kyoko have a conversation.

In other scenes, they are wandering around the city.

● Middle Stage 1

They appear during Homura's imagery scenes.

● Middle Stage 2

They are present when Homura transforms into a witch.

The cel animation pops → they turn into paper dolls.

From this point on, they appear as a symbol of Witch Homura's power.

● Middle Stage 3

They are present at Homura's throne as paper dolls.

They chase Kyubey around as paper dolls.

● Late Stage 1

They appear during the battle, entering partway through as paper dolls.

They attack exclusively through blunt-force strikes and are incredibly strong.

During their battle with Sayaka and Kyouko, they vanish somewhere with the collapse of the barrier.

● Late Stage 2

Undetermined.

● Late Stage 3

In the rewritten world, the cel versions with eyes are seen wandering around (symbolically representing an ominous, unsettling presence).

Homura is completely alone.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 124, 125 & 126: Clara Dolls===
[[File:124 part_c character_design clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukiii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:aa.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:126 part_c character_design clara_dolls yakimochi namake mie okubyouuu.jpg|right|300px]]
① Ibari ② Nekura ③ Usotsuki

④ Reiketsu ⑤ Wagamama ⑥ Warukuchi ⑦ Noroma

⑧ Yakimochi ⑨ Namake ⑩ Mie ⑪ Okubyou

* When in paper doll form, the Children carry knitting needles as weapons, all designed identically.

* The Children’s personalities largely align with their names.

* They are dress-up dolls Homura used to play with in the past.

* Even after Homura's world is rewritten again, the Dolls continue to wander and play freely as they please.

* The Children of the False City are less like the witch’s familiars and more akin to phenomena occurring within the False City. They are embodiments of the magic and karma that overflow from Homura.

* In the final draft, the Children lack jawlines.

* When in cel-animation style: they lack eyes, their noses aren't visible from the front, their faces resemble lizards', and they are doll-like.

* All the faces are identical.

* We agonized until the very last second over whether to make all 14 of them share the same hairstyle and clothing, but in the end, I chose to give them all completely unique hair, outfits, and heights. However, because of this, the workload instantly skyrocketed (we had to ask several other staff members to help out with the vast majority of the keyframe movement). Around two months before the movie's premiere date, we were deeply regretting that choice.

* When we based the design of Witch Homura’s familiars on Glasses Homura, they didn't look very strong while fighting Sayaka and the others. Therefore, by borrowing the café stage setting and some of the familiars' roles, we expanded their appearance scenes as the "Children of the False City."

* The Children all get along well. Though not explicitly shown in the main story, Ibari & Nekura, Yakimochi & Namake, and Mie & Okubyou are often seen together.

* Reiketsu and Noroma have vacant stares. Noroma’s head is perpetually tilted.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 127: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 127.jpg|right|300px]]
⑫ Manuke ⑬ Higami ⑭ Ganko

'''Top right:'''

All familiars and barriers are born from the witch’s subconscious.

The witch can summon them.

Furthermore, they arise on their own, even without being summoned.

They may obey the witch, or they may defy her.

Even the witch herself doesn’t fully understand her magic or the entities it creates.

'''Middle Right:'''

After Homura transforms into a witch*

'''Bottom right:'''

Yaa~

It's pitiful, shameful Mistress Failure.

Shunned, trampled,

And also despised.

Scatter ashes and strew flowers.

Change clothes, enter mourning.

From now, from here, let the funeral procession commence.

With these eyes, we gaze with envy.

And with these teeth, we gnaw at the future.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 128, 129, 130, 131 & 132: Clara Dolls===
[[File:128 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:129 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls reiketsu wagamama warukuchi_.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0130 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls noroma yakimochi namake.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0131 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls mie okubyou manuke.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0132 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls higami ganko.jpg|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Animation Reference Materials'''

* When a witch's familiars attack humans:

① Types that have not received magical power from the witch → For "mealtime."

② Because they hate humans or for the witch’s sake.

③ Out of boredom. For entertainment.

④ Due to the nature of their specific roles, leading to humans dying as a result.

The Children of the False City fall under ③, while the other familiars (The Nutcracker Witch's familiars) fall under ④.

* All the Children have the same face (same doll design).

* Short Hair + Pants Look: Ibari's design is the easiest for animators to create, making it the most convenient for production.

* Usotsuki: One of her eyes tends to be hidden by her hair.

* For the Children of the False City, we consciously aimed for "cute clothes that wouldn't really appeal to the opposite sex," but aside from her upper-body layering, Usotsuki has the vibe of someone who might be popular.

* When drawn normally, not as papercuts, the Children disguise themselves as humans. Even magical girls struggle to distinguish them.

* Just like the familiars of other witches, their thinking is animalistic.

* They are always sneering at Failure.

* Furthermore, even when the Devil appears, they burst out laughing.

* The Children acknowledge the Devil as a first-class comedic actress.

* When in a standing pose, Reiketsu's head is tilted.

* Reiketsu's go-to one-liner gag: "Flipping my hair like the Devil!" It's a huge hit (cracks everyone up).

* Wagamama: A jacket worn over a one-piece dress.

* Yakimochi's outfit has a "Mori Girl" (Forest Girl) style. Her mannerisms are also girly.

* Because it’s difficult to differentiate between the witch’s familiars, this time we’ve given them code names such as 'Tooth Cavalry' and 'Kigurumi Bird.' All the Children also have nicknames.

* During the dance inside the cupboard, Noroma is the only one who is slightly lagging behind.

* When she is standing still, Noroma's head is usually tilted.

* Leaving the witch aside, for her familiars, the Law of Cycles is truly a nuisance because they are immediately sent to achieve enlightenment before they are even born.

* The Children of the False City like Madoka, but think the Law of Cycles is underwhelming. The Devil is so-so. Only Manuke likes everyone.

* Although they take on a human form, their behavioral principles are completely alien to human values, just like other familiars.

* Higami's height: Short.

* Ganko's brooch: the top part is metal, the rest is ribbon.

* The Children love watching miniature stage plays at the floating café. Their absolute favorite play is 'The Pumpkin Left All Alone Because of the Goddess'. The Mermaid Story isn't very popular.

* Recently, they have been obsessed with a game where they throw tomatoes at a pretentious person at just the right moment.

* Their noses appear when looking sideways, even though they aren't there when facing forward.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 133: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 133.jpg|right|300px]]
What is it that you lack?

I only ever behave arrogantly (Ibari). It's okay to act proud once in a while.

I'm Gloominess (Nekura), and even if you force yourself to smile, you just end up exhausted.

I'm Liar (Usotsuki). Is the truth always right?

I'm Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). Being too kind can be troublesome as well.

I'm Selfishness (Wagamama). Value your own feelings.

I'm Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). You quickly lock away your emotions.

I'm Slowpoke (Noroma). Not rushing too much is also important.

I feel nothing but Jealousy (Yakimochi). Jealousy is necessary for Love.

I'm the Lazy one (Namake). If you don't take a break, you'll turn into butter.

I'm such a Show-off (Mie). You also push yourself past your limits for someone's sake.

I'm Cowardice (Okubyou). But deeply cautious.

I'm Foolishness (Manuke). Even so, don't forget to be charming, too.

I'm only filled with Resentment (Higami). Let's change this unsatisfying reality.

I'm Stubborness (Ganko). Just don't forget the important stuff.

These vices are Love (Ai)'s allies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 142 & 143: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 142.jpg|right|300px]]
:See also: [[Witches Artwork]]

The Children of the False City. Their role is to be mourners. These dress-up dolls perform a play of tears in order to liven up the funeral procession. The dolls present are Arrogance, Gloominess, Liar, Coldheartedness, Selfishness, Bad-mouth, Slowpoke, Jealousy, Laziness, Show-off, Cowardice, Foolishness, Resentment, and Stubbornness, while the last one, Love, has yet to arrive. "Born from color, not in the sky, the edge of this mortal world is our stage.” Their power is no less than that of a magical girl.

* The first one to appear was Arrogance (Ibari). Stepping over Failure's head that tumbled across the bare earth, she bravely spoke on her behalf. “Cocky bastards. You shall not be forgiven. This feeling belongs to us alone.”

* The second one to come was Gloominess (Nekura). Sneaking forward, she sneered at Failure. “This is Failure. What an absolute disgrace.” These dolls are disciples of freedom alone and are loyal to their desires.

* The third one to come was Liar (Usotsuki). She put on a tearful performance dedicated to Failure's soul. “Pitiful Mistress Failure. That foolish soul is our pride.” These dolls sneer at the fool yet side with her.

* Following behind them is the fourth one, Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). She tripped over Failure's head, looking slightly irritated. “Why don't we cut Mistress Failure into smaller pieces to make her easier to carry around?” If the Devil speaks, these dolls will obediently follow.

* Further comes the fifth, Selfishness (Wagamama), walking angrily. “Hasn't the funeral procession started yet? I've been practicing how to cry as quickly as possible, you know? I can't wait any longer", she huffed. These dolls are someone and no one.

* Coming out with a look of annoyance is the sixth one, Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). As usual, she makes spiteful remarks. “Mistress Failure is quite the masterful comedian.” These dolls play house with utterly entangled karma.

* Finally arriving is the seventh, Slowpoke (Noroma). The silent doll laughs at the witch with her eyes. These dolls comply with the witch's wishes to a certain extent, unlike the diligent soldiers.

* The eighth to appear is Jealousy (Yakimochi). Entranced, she gazes at the sky. “Let's prepare a box. I want to keep that radiance locked away forever.” These dolls are a collection of colors (form). They don't belong to the sky (emptiness).
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 143.jpg|right|300px]]
* The ninth one, Laziness (Namake), chats while yawning. “Do I have to go to the extent of helping with this children's play? Knitting is such a troublesome bother.” She kicked Failure's head, which was lying in her way. These dolls, with the funeral not starting at all, grow bored and wander aimlessly around the city.

* The tenth to come running is Show-off (Mie). She dramatically avoids Failure's head, saying, “I wouldn't be able to bear staining my cape with sticky blood.” These dolls mock the witch's self-harm.

* The eleventh one, trembling, is Cowardice (Okubyou). “If I am taken up into the sky, I won't even be able to behead the rabbit.” These dolls, with the power of magic, are able to achieve a complete recurrence.

* Walking aimlessly comes the twelfth one, Foolishness (Manuke). She goes out of her way to tell everyone what she just heard from a bird. “I heard a story about the Goddess. She's a beautiful and radiant goddess. I'm sure she will love us, too.” These dolls only desire what is within their reach.

* The thirteenth's footsteps are Resentment (Higami)'s. “Let's have a wonderful funeral like the one I heard in a story once. Let's bury lots of beautiful girls and cute animals together, too.” These dolls have powers that rival those of magical girls.

* Further comes the fourteenth, Stubbornness (Ganko). She points to the ground and rejects the sky. “The abyss of this mortal world is our stage.”

So, the mourners have gathered. Though it's become quite late, it's alright. The night is not yet over. The night will not be allowed to end anymore.

Right now is always 
Before knowing that radiance. Before losing that radiance. 
Here is merely the eve of the festival. The night before Failure. 
All that's left is to wait for the funeral procession.

Now, now, oh pure-white, wondrously virtuous Goddess. We are just utterly moved that you have casually strolled on over here so deferentially after all this time. But might you, perhaps, turn a blind eye to this, just a tiny bit? Lined up here is the theater troupe of this mortal world. We are human, and this is simply human nature. Even if you destroy sorrow and resentment, to despair is what makes us human. Passion drives our bones, and only melancholy washes our organs. Anyway, in exchange, we could produce plenty of others to turn toward your side, if you would like. Would that not suffice to earn your forgiveness?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 152===
[[File:152PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]

* Small objects other than the bed: orange pot marigold flowers, rulers, yarn, knitting needles, syringes, IV stands, and socks.

The place where Witch Homura took refuge was Christmas inside the hospital room cupboard.

A time slightly before the moment she repeated over and over again to save God.

A day from a slightly earlier life, a moment when she was happy.

A time when she didn’t even know what God looked like.

Had she remained unaware like this, she might have stayed in a state where she neither saved anyone nor was saved.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 158===
[[File:158PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
Kyubey is utterly despised by the witch and her familiars, but to the Children of the False City, the white animal is a convenient toy that never runs out no matter how much they play with it. Everyone is very impressed by its usefulness. Other living creatures dwindle if played with too much, so making them last as long as possible is quite a challenge.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 165===
[[File:165 part_d storyboard akemi_homura homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
《The Nutcracker Witch》

Her nature is self-sufficiency.

This witch's karma produced an army of familiars on a scale that is difficult to comprehend under normal circumstances.

However, this witch is a half-boiled failure.

Yet, if someone were to bestow unconditional love upon this ugly, broken doll, the heart of this wretched, half-boiled witch might not remain lost forever.<ref>This scene in ''Rebellion'' references ''The Nutcracker and the Mouse King'' by E. T. A. Hoffmann.</ref>
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 166===
[[File:166 part_e draft storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Initial Draft'''

Most witch barriers are composed of personal, single-minded, and inward-focused elements of the witch herself. The Nutcracker Witch's barrier is no exception, presenting a very narrow worldview. Her familiars are nothing but extensions of herself, evoking the image of a funeral procession taking place inside a house.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 170: Gooey Homura===
[[File:170 part_e storyboard homulilly soul.jpg|right|300px]]
Gooey Homura, located at the face portion of the Witch. Use rotoscoping if possible.

Basically the same as the Mermaid Witch's interior, which appeared for an instant. A slimy body with a giant eyeball.

The eyeball shifts and rolls around restlessly.

When her hand is taken by Madoka, Magical Girl Homura emerges from within the slime.

Homura's gooey form first melts away, then all at once scatters into snowflake crystals. It's as if an evil spell has been undone.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 171===
[[File:171 part_e character_design storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
A countdown like Walpurgisnacht's.

Homura's countdown from the compilation movies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 172===
[[File:172 part_e character_design homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Top text:'''

Right: Theatrical release

Bottom: Revised home video version

In the DVD & Blu-ray version, the number of ribbons around the witch's mouth has increased compared to the theatrical release.

'''Bottom text:'''

A magical girl’s mental state at the moment of her transformation is strongly reflected in the form of the witch she becomes.

The reason why the witch seen in the PSP game—the Witch of the Mortal World—and the Nutcracker Witch from ''Rebellion'' have different appearances is that the Witch of the Mortal World was born from a Homura who was unable to escape the one-month time loop.

Despair from yesterday is not necessarily the same as despair from today, so even for the same individual, different witches can be born depending on the time period.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 174: Nagisa's Transformation===
[[File:174 part_e storyboard charlotte bebe momoe_nagisa runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''☆ Nagisa Cooking ☆'''

'''An easy magical girl recipe.'''

The magical girl transformations this time around are split between two styles: types where they break out of themselves, and types involving a gooey, syrupy mixture.

As for Nagisa, after she and Bebe are thrown into a blender together, they are poured into a magical-girl-shaped mold to be successfully completed.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 181===
[[File:181 part_e storyboard illustration miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
Needles and gears sprout quickly out from Homu-Witch's (Homulilly's) head as well.

Gears and needles scatter in all directions. + Magic square/circle effect.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 188: Lotte===
[[File:188 part_e draft character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Toy soldiers'''

* Height: Same as Homura (though the head itself makes up the extra size).

* The ribbon worn across their chests is proof of their promise.

* The head is egg-shaped.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 189: Liese===
[[File:189 part_e draft character_design liese runes.jpg|right|300px]]
* It doesn't blink.

* Everything except for the head is a crow.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 191: Lotte===
[[File:191 part_e character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
The Luiselotte familiars have better athletic ability than the regular soldier ones.

Because they are Glasses-Homu (Moemura), their individual athletic ability is quite low.

At any rate, they are incredibly diligent, so they excel at group tactics. They are weak if scattered, so they deal with the mustache familiars (Anthony) by forming a dense, close-order formation. If they can group together and form a battle array, they are strong.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 192===
[[File:192 part_e character_design liese runes prop_design guillotine.jpg|right|300px]]
Even though Witch Homura fights Sayaka and the others to prevent her own barrier from being destroyed, she is simultaneously in a troublesome state of mind where she wants to "be defeated here." Therefore, our first priority was to visually convey the sense of preventing her suicide, so we installed a massive guillotine platform.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 194: Nagisa's Trumpet===
[[File:194 part_e prop_design bebe charlotte momoe_nagisa horn.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Bebe Horn'''

* If it's alright to use the witch settings as a basis, the wish she had granted was: "I want a single cheesecake."

Nagisa's magic ➔ Magic that allows her to assert herself and become more greedy.

➔ Upon turning into a witch, this manifested as the trait "Attachment," an aggravated form of emotional expression.

* Rather than being something given to her by Kyubey, the concept is that Nagisa came up with it herself. It's not a "cool weapon," but a "cute tool." It carries the vibe of "a magical item as imagined by Nagisa."
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 197===
[[File:197 part_e storyboard kiss anthony das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]
With the emblem of the Law of Cycles at the center, the emblems of the witches are linked together in a constellation-like shape. Each connecting line represents individuals whose souls are compatible, or who share a deep karmic connection.

An image of souls, as countless as the stars, revolving around the Law of Cycles at the center.

* As the Mermaid Witch tries to take Witch Homura's hand, she refuses by vigorously swinging her handcuffs up and down.

* Between the buildings, the Mermaid Witch's hand stretches out. There are many clocks around.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 198===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Dispatched familiars'''

When Sayaka materialized, the souls surrounding her within the Law of Cycles (in addition to the Rose Garden Witch's familiars) packed fragments of themselves into Sayaka’s bag to assist her.

Among the magical girls who have now become part of God, for those who know Homura, this operation is a major event—like a fleeting awakening within a long, long dream.

* Goddess Madoka's flag: Slightly modified from the [[Kriemhild Gretchen|Witch of Salvation]]'s emblem from the [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Portable|PSP game]].

* Sayaka: After the [[Oktavia von Seckendorff|Mermaid Witch]]'s appearance, Goddess Madoka's mark appears on her cape.

* On the stage of the concert hall raised by Sayaka, the Box Witch's familiars and the Birdcage Witch's familiars are playing violins.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 205: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:205 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon momoe_nagisa storyboard.jpg|right|300px]]
Carrying an overloaded bounty of presents, it shows up even if it wasn't called for—everyone's favorite, Tiro Finale.

The Extra Large version is a design that prioritizes a hype/festive festival feeling.

It is the pure crystallization of "Mami-ism" inside the brain of Gekidan Inu Curry.

● A mass of good dreams. A level of hope intense enough to give you heartburn.

● The parfait includes: raspberry, apple, cheese, and melon.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 206: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:206 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon.jpg|right|300px]]
● Cannonball Texture: Image pattern resembles a ''temari'' (traditional Japanese thread ball). Since Bebe's power is also being borrowed, it features the emblem of the Witch of Sweets.

● The railway gun created by Mami and Nagisa's magic. Since it is entirely a weapon conceived by a middle school girl, it lacks any consistency with real-world weaponry and features none of that "boyish" mechanical gimmickry. Visual appearance is the top priority. It feels as though they are using magic to forcefully move whatever image they have in their heads. Because of this, there are a few fatal design flaws scattered throughout, such as absolutely no consideration given to space for ejecting shell casings.

Simultaneous with the shell firing, the recoil causes a parfait explosion. The shell casing is ejected from inside the parfait.

Towed by two locomotives.

Erupting from the smokestack are the fluffy flowers that blew out at the start of the magical table scene.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 209: Pumpkin Carriage===
[[File:209 prop_design carriage miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
* The pumpkin part is the exact same color as the pumpkin that appeared during the magic table scene.

* The window frames attached to the pumpkin are white.

* The borrowed familiars are packed tightly inside.

The carriage used by Sayaka and Nagisa.

Though it is a design personally and graciously bestowed by Goddess Madoka, its reputation among the drivers is terrible because it is incredibly slow and shakes excessively.

Sayaka thinks a helicopter would have been better.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 215===
[[File:215STO~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''Table'''

The entire object, including the parasol portion, is made of tinplate.

A doll is sitting on a toy chair.

Please design it with a sense of scale resembling a miniature.

* Homura is happily chatting with an imaginary Madoka who is completely off-screen.

* The table where Homura sits is invisible to everyone except Sayaka.

* The parasol is rotating continuously.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 216: Dark Orb===
[[File:216 prop_design dark_orb.jpg|right|300px]]
The design motifs are a pumpkin, a crown, and a perfume bottle.

● Color: Basically black. The parts that are not black are made of glass.

The central core (the bottle part) is made of spherical glass.

There is a crest on the bottom of the spherical bottle.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 217===
[[File:217 storyboard roschach_blots akemi_homura akuma_homura miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
How the Devil appears varies from person to person, like a Rorschach test. Is she eerie, beautiful, sad, or happy? Is she right, or not quite so?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 218: Dark Orb===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 218.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Upper right: Earcuff'''

{{Runes|HOMULILLY}} - The witch's name is written on the torso region.

'''Upper left: Dark orb'''

Alternate form (worn only on the left ear). Equipped with a function that allows the witch's familiars to softly whisper the information they have seen and heard into Homura's ear.

'''Bottom left:'''

Due to its nature being close to that of a witch, the Dark Orb sometimes moves around on its own. It does follow orders, but for Homura, it can be troubling.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 219: Dark Orb===
[[File:219 character_design dark_orb prop_design lizard.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Middle left:'''

Crown. Perfume bottle.

Pink light (Madoka) inside the center.

The top is spherical, like the lid of a bottle.

* Initially, the surface of the Dark Orb was planned to have intricate patterns, but for the sake of distinguishing it from the Soul Gem, it was ultimately made simple.

'''Bottom left:'''

Crest pattern. Monochrome.

Simplified crest.

'''Top right:'''

The mark of the Devil is a lizard that crawls on the ground. Since snakes have strong biblical imagery and lizards felt more human to us, we decided on a design of a lizard laid over upside-down white wings. Unlike the Law of Cycles, we intended for it to look different from traditional Western coats of arms. It is not the mark of an evil being, but rather a symbol of a faith distinct from everyone else's God.

* Early rejected designs for the Devil's crest
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 220===
[[File:220 storyboard epilog akemi_homura akuma_homura dark_orb das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]

'''End Credits ~ Epilogue'''

For both the Law of Cycles and Homura, the moon is used as a shared motif.

* The grass and flowers are withered. The city lights are beautiful.

* Homura is sitting on the chair from the "Luminous" OP at the edge of the cliff. She is leaning against an unseen presence on her left side.

* Homura's humming plays continuously. No background music. It's lonely (T/N: the humming got replaced with "Not yet" in the theatrical version).

* On a hill, Homura dances alone with her right hand. The city slowly rotates like a clock.

* Homura is dancing alone with an imaginary Madoka.

'''Top right'''

* [Door] → Part A, Magic Room, Madoka's side door.

'''Bottom right'''

* The Anthonys changed from their "Sayaka version" back to their original forms.

* Country of Sweets/Good Morning: Because there are two versions of ''The Nutcracker'' ballet—one where they live in the Land of Sweets, and one with an "it was all a dream" ending.
{{-}}

==Observations==
* Laziness' phrase on page 133 is a reference to ''Little Black Sambo''. At one point in the story, Sambo, to appease three tigers trying to eat him, gives each of them his umbrella, shoes and clothing. Each tiger thinks they're the best looking one, and then chase each other around a tree. They run so quickly they melt into ghee (butter). Sambo's mother then uses the butter to make pancakes. This story is referenced briefly during the scene where Homura and Madoka are having tea at Mami's apartment, and Bebe becomes dazed. Three tigers circle around her head before a bubble with "Ghee" written in it appears and is followed by an image of pancakes.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Black dress homura production note.jpg|Black dress Homura art
File:Rconcept anthony 1.png|Anthony art
File:Rconcept anthony 2.png
File:Rconcept ulla.png|Ulla art
File:Rconcept mathieu.png|Mathieu art
File:Rconcept familiars.png|Gotz and Daniyyel & Jennifer art
File:Rconcept elly boat.png
File:inu curry image note 2 097.jpg|An exhaustive explanation of Bebe speak
File:Rconcept bebe 1.png|Bebe art
File:Rconcept bebe 2.png
File:Rconcept bebe 3.png
File:Rconcept bebe 4.png
File:Rconcept bebe 5.png
File:Rconcept bebe homu.png
File:Rconcept bebe 6.png|Art featuring Pyotr and Polina
File:Rconcept bebe 7.png
File:Rconcept bebe 8.png
File:Rconcept bebe 9.png
File:Rconcept bebe 10.png
File:Rconcept bebe 11.png
File:Rconcept bebe 12.png
File:Sayaka's Doppel in Rebellion.jpg|Oktavia art
File:Rconcept oktavia 1.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg
File:Rconcept familiar orchestra.png|Art of Oktavia and Sayaka's orchestra in full
File:Rconcept homu 1.png|Art of Homulilly
File:Rconcept homu 2.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rconcept homu fams.png
File:Rconcept lotte.png|Art of Lotte
File:Rconcept lotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lotte 2.png
File:Rconcept lotte 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 5.png|Art featuring an unused design for Lotte which was used in the [[Rebellion Manga|manga]]
File:Rconcept clara 1.png|Art of the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 2.png
File:Rconcept clara 3.png
File:Rconcept clara 6.png
File:Rconcept clara 4.png|Very early concept art for the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 5.png
File:Rconcept liese 1.png|Art of Liese
File:Rconcept liese.png|Art of Liese featuring an unused Homura styled Liese
File:Rconcept luiselotte.png|Art of Luiselotte and Lilia
File:Rconcept luiselotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lilia.png|Art of Lilia. Her more detailed design was used in the manga
File:Rconcept homu 3.png|Art of Homulilly's labyrinth
File:Rconcept lisa.png|Art of Lisa
File:Rconcept nightmare 1.png|Art which shows the Nightmare's appearance in reflections
File:Rconcept nightmare 2.png|Art of Hitomi's Nightmare and the first Nightmare
File:Rconcept nightmare 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 4.png|An unused [[Homura]] Nightmare
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Puella Magi Production Note]]
* [[Key Animation Note]]

==External links==
* [http://genga.booru.org/index.php?page=post&s=list&tags=production_note_rebellion&pid=0 Scans of Rebellion Production Note]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Documents/Anime-Production]]
[[Category:Products and merchandise]]

Rebellion Production Note

2026-07-07T21:19:37Z

Romi1908: /* Image Note Page 206: Tiro Finale (Extra Large) */

[[File:Rebellion Production Note Cover.jpg|thumb|Front cover]]
'''''Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Rebellion'' Production Note''' is a set of two volumes that was first sold in a limited edition version at Comic Market 87 from December 28 to December 30, 2014. It became available to the general public starting February 28, 2015. Each set also comes with a bookmark magnifying glass.

The first volume is 277 pages long and contains:
* Character Design, page 005
* Prop Design, page 115
* Art Design, page 127
* Imageboard, page 197
* Special: [[Ume Aoki]] Original Character Designs, page 265
* Index, page 278

The second volume is titled '''Inu Curry Image Note 2''' and contains 233 pages of illustrations and designs by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]:
* Images, page 002
* Part A, page 036
* Part B, page 064
* Part C, page 094
* Part D, page 136
* Part E, page 166
See [[Rebellion/Synopsis]] for details on how the movie is divided into parts.

==Translated pages==
===Image Note Page 081: Drosselmeyer's Theater Box===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 081.jpg|right|300px]]
Using the theater box from the sideshow, Drosselmeyer tells the Children the story of a lonely magical girl. The Children, imagining the world in the story, fantasize about how wonderful it would be if the present were filled with more thrill and violence.

This is not a familiar of the witch. It's a mechanical doll (''karakuri''); the witch's subconscious is what's turning the gears. This Drosselmeyer is a judge doll.

We thought about blending the sideshow into the background somewhere later in the second half as well, but in the end, it only appeared in the café.

'''Bottom left:''' [The End]
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 082 & 083: Clara Dolls===
[[File:082PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
[[File:083PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Initial Concept'''

The Children of the False City

* In a dome-shaped café, they watch a sideshow. All of them are girls.

* For character design, please make them appear around 6 years old in the world of Madoka. In the main story, no specific ages are set.

* Their faces are entirely obscured, and they are barefoot.

* From then on, they are sometimes seen riding a bus or blending into crowds. They exist discreetly, avoiding attention. (Mainly as silhouettes.)

* After the people of the city turn into paper dolls, the Children also become flat and flimsy. They aren’t held by hands; instead, their heads turn into bookmarks (Discarded concept.)

* As suggested by their names, all of the children have bad personalities but get along well with each other.

* Their role is to cry during the funeral procession. They are mourners.

* Since the funeral is delayed, they wander around, killing time.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 117===
[[File:117 part_c storyboard akemi_homura miki_sayaka oktavia_von_seckendorff lizard.jpg|right|300px]]
The image of the witch reflected in the water at Sayaka's feet and on her cape is an illusion created by Homura in response to the magic Sayaka is emitting. Since Homura only knows the old appearance of the Mermaid Witch, the reflected image uses the TV version’s design.
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===Image Note Page 123: Clara Dolls===
[[File:123 part_c character_design clara_dolls.jpg|right|300px]]

They do not close their eyes.

For the cel-drawn version with eyes, keep the eye design exactly as it is; it should look completely different from the other human characters.

'''Planned Appearances'''

● First Half

All of them are present inside the café where Homura and Kyoko have a conversation.

In other scenes, they are wandering around the city.

● Middle Stage 1

They appear during Homura's imagery scenes.

● Middle Stage 2

They are present when Homura transforms into a witch.

The cel animation pops → they turn into paper dolls.

From this point on, they appear as a symbol of Witch Homura's power.

● Middle Stage 3

They are present at Homura's throne as paper dolls.

They chase Kyubey around as paper dolls.

● Late Stage 1

They appear during the battle, entering partway through as paper dolls.

They attack exclusively through blunt-force strikes and are incredibly strong.

During their battle with Sayaka and Kyouko, they vanish somewhere with the collapse of the barrier.

● Late Stage 2

Undetermined.

● Late Stage 3

In the rewritten world, the cel versions with eyes are seen wandering around (symbolically representing an ominous, unsettling presence).

Homura is completely alone.
{{-}}

===Image Note Pages 124, 125 & 126: Clara Dolls===
[[File:124 part_c character_design clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukiii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:aa.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:126 part_c character_design clara_dolls yakimochi namake mie okubyouuu.jpg|right|300px]]
① Ibari ② Nekura ③ Usotsuki

④ Reiketsu ⑤ Wagamama ⑥ Warukuchi ⑦ Noroma

⑧ Yakimochi ⑨ Namake ⑩ Mie ⑪ Okubyou

* When in paper doll form, the Children carry knitting needles as weapons, all designed identically.

* The Children’s personalities largely align with their names.

* They are dress-up dolls Homura used to play with in the past.

* Even after Homura's world is rewritten again, the Dolls continue to wander and play freely as they please.

* The Children of the False City are less like the witch’s familiars and more akin to phenomena occurring within the False City. They are embodiments of the magic and karma that overflow from Homura.

* In the final draft, the Children lack jawlines.

* When in cel-animation style: they lack eyes, their noses aren't visible from the front, their faces resemble lizards', and they are doll-like.

* All the faces are identical.

* We agonized until the very last second over whether to make all 14 of them share the same hairstyle and clothing, but in the end, I chose to give them all completely unique hair, outfits, and heights. However, because of this, the workload instantly skyrocketed (we had to ask several other staff members to help out with the vast majority of the keyframe movement). Around two months before the movie's premiere date, we were deeply regretting that choice.

* When we based the design of Witch Homura’s familiars on Glasses Homura, they didn't look very strong while fighting Sayaka and the others. Therefore, by borrowing the café stage setting and some of the familiars' roles, we expanded their appearance scenes as the "Children of the False City."

* The Children all get along well. Though not explicitly shown in the main story, Ibari & Nekura, Yakimochi & Namake, and Mie & Okubyou are often seen together.

* Reiketsu and Noroma have vacant stares. Noroma’s head is perpetually tilted.
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===Image Note Page 127: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 127.jpg|right|300px]]
⑫ Manuke ⑬ Higami ⑭ Ganko

'''Top right:'''

All familiars and barriers are born from the witch’s subconscious.

The witch can summon them.

Furthermore, they arise on their own, even without being summoned.

They may obey the witch, or they may defy her.

Even the witch herself doesn’t fully understand her magic or the entities it creates.

'''Middle Right:'''

After Homura transforms into a witch*

'''Bottom right:'''

Yaa~

It's pitiful, shameful Mistress Failure.

Shunned, trampled,

And also despised.

Scatter ashes and strew flowers.

Change clothes, enter mourning.

From now, from here, let the funeral procession commence.

With these eyes, we gaze with envy.

And with these teeth, we gnaw at the future.
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===Image Note Pages 128, 129, 130, 131 & 132: Clara Dolls===
[[File:128 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls ibari nekura usotsukii.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:129 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls reiketsu wagamama warukuchi_.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0130 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls noroma yakimochi namake.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0131 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls mie okubyou manuke.jpg|right|300px]]
[[File:0132 part_c character_design reference clara_dolls higami ganko.jpg|right|300px]]
'''The Children of the False City - Animation Reference Materials'''

* When a witch's familiars attack humans:

① Types that have not received magical power from the witch → For "mealtime."

② Because they hate humans or for the witch’s sake.

③ Out of boredom. For entertainment.

④ Due to the nature of their specific roles, leading to humans dying as a result.

The Children of the False City fall under ③, while the other familiars (The Nutcracker Witch's familiars) fall under ④.

* All the Children have the same face (same doll design).

* Short Hair + Pants Look: Ibari's design is the easiest for animators to create, making it the most convenient for production.

* Usotsuki: One of her eyes tends to be hidden by her hair.

* For the Children of the False City, we consciously aimed for "cute clothes that wouldn't really appeal to the opposite sex," but aside from her upper-body layering, Usotsuki has the vibe of someone who might be popular.

* When drawn normally, not as papercuts, the Children disguise themselves as humans. Even magical girls struggle to distinguish them.

* Just like the familiars of other witches, their thinking is animalistic.

* They are always sneering at Failure.

* Furthermore, even when the Devil appears, they burst out laughing.

* The Children acknowledge the Devil as a first-class comedic actress.

* When in a standing pose, Reiketsu's head is tilted.

* Reiketsu's go-to one-liner gag: "Flipping my hair like the Devil!" It's a huge hit (cracks everyone up).

* Wagamama: A jacket worn over a one-piece dress.

* Yakimochi's outfit has a "Mori Girl" (Forest Girl) style. Her mannerisms are also girly.

* Because it’s difficult to differentiate between the witch’s familiars, this time we’ve given them code names such as 'Tooth Cavalry' and 'Kigurumi Bird.' All the Children also have nicknames.

* During the dance inside the cupboard, Noroma is the only one who is slightly lagging behind.

* When she is standing still, Noroma's head is usually tilted.

* Leaving the witch aside, for her familiars, the Law of Cycles is truly a nuisance because they are immediately sent to achieve enlightenment before they are even born.

* The Children of the False City like Madoka, but think the Law of Cycles is underwhelming. The Devil is so-so. Only Manuke likes everyone.

* Although they take on a human form, their behavioral principles are completely alien to human values, just like other familiars.

* Higami's height: Short.

* Ganko's brooch: the top part is metal, the rest is ribbon.

* The Children love watching miniature stage plays at the floating café. Their absolute favorite play is 'The Pumpkin Left All Alone Because of the Goddess'. The Mermaid Story isn't very popular.

* Recently, they have been obsessed with a game where they throw tomatoes at a pretentious person at just the right moment.

* Their noses appear when looking sideways, even though they aren't there when facing forward.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 133: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 133.jpg|right|300px]]
What is it that you lack?

I only ever behave arrogantly (Ibari). It's okay to act proud once in a while.

I'm Gloominess (Nekura), and even if you force yourself to smile, you just end up exhausted.

I'm Liar (Usotsuki). Is the truth always right?

I'm Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). Being too kind can be troublesome as well.

I'm Selfishness (Wagamama). Value your own feelings.

I'm Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). You quickly lock away your emotions.

I'm Slowpoke (Noroma). Not rushing too much is also important.

I feel nothing but Jealousy (Yakimochi). Jealousy is necessary for Love.

I'm the Lazy one (Namake). If you don't take a break, you'll turn into butter.

I'm such a Show-off (Mie). You also push yourself past your limits for someone's sake.

I'm Cowardice (Okubyou). But deeply cautious.

I'm Foolishness (Manuke). Even so, don't forget to be charming, too.

I'm only filled with Resentment (Higami). Let's change this unsatisfying reality.

I'm Stubborness (Ganko). Just don't forget the important stuff.

These vices are Love (Ai)'s allies.
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===Image Note Pages 142 & 143: Clara Dolls===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 142.jpg|right|300px]]
:See also: [[Witches Artwork]]

The Children of the False City. Their role is to be mourners. These dress-up dolls perform a play of tears in order to liven up the funeral procession. The dolls present are Arrogance, Gloominess, Liar, Coldheartedness, Selfishness, Bad-mouth, Slowpoke, Jealousy, Laziness, Show-off, Cowardice, Foolishness, Resentment, and Stubbornness, while the last one, Love, has yet to arrive. "Born from color, not in the sky, the edge of this mortal world is our stage.” Their power is no less than that of a magical girl.

* The first one to appear was Arrogance (Ibari). Stepping over Failure's head that tumbled across the bare earth, she bravely spoke on her behalf. “Cocky bastards. You shall not be forgiven. This feeling belongs to us alone.”

* The second one to come was Gloominess (Nekura). Sneaking forward, she sneered at Failure. “This is Failure. What an absolute disgrace.” These dolls are disciples of freedom alone and are loyal to their desires.

* The third one to come was Liar (Usotsuki). She put on a tearful performance dedicated to Failure's soul. “Pitiful Mistress Failure. That foolish soul is our pride.” These dolls sneer at the fool yet side with her.

* Following behind them is the fourth one, Coldheartedness (Reiketsu). She tripped over Failure's head, looking slightly irritated. “Why don't we cut Mistress Failure into smaller pieces to make her easier to carry around?” If the Devil speaks, these dolls will obediently follow.

* Further comes the fifth, Selfishness (Wagamama), walking angrily. “Hasn't the funeral procession started yet? I've been practicing how to cry as quickly as possible, you know? I can't wait any longer", she huffed. These dolls are someone and no one.

* Coming out with a look of annoyance is the sixth one, Bad-mouth (Warukuchi). As usual, she makes spiteful remarks. “Mistress Failure is quite the masterful comedian.” These dolls play house with utterly entangled karma.

* Finally arriving is the seventh, Slowpoke (Noroma). The silent doll laughs at the witch with her eyes. These dolls comply with the witch's wishes to a certain extent, unlike the diligent soldiers.

* The eighth to appear is Jealousy (Yakimochi). Entranced, she gazes at the sky. “Let's prepare a box. I want to keep that radiance locked away forever.” These dolls are a collection of colors (form). They don't belong to the sky (emptiness).
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 143.jpg|right|300px]]
* The ninth one, Laziness (Namake), chats while yawning. “Do I have to go to the extent of helping with this children's play? Knitting is such a troublesome bother.” She kicked Failure's head, which was lying in her way. These dolls, with the funeral not starting at all, grow bored and wander aimlessly around the city.

* The tenth to come running is Show-off (Mie). She dramatically avoids Failure's head, saying, “I wouldn't be able to bear staining my cape with sticky blood.” These dolls mock the witch's self-harm.

* The eleventh one, trembling, is Cowardice (Okubyou). “If I am taken up into the sky, I won't even be able to behead the rabbit.” These dolls, with the power of magic, are able to achieve a complete recurrence.

* Walking aimlessly comes the twelfth one, Foolishness (Manuke). She goes out of her way to tell everyone what she just heard from a bird. “I heard a story about the Goddess. She's a beautiful and radiant goddess. I'm sure she will love us, too.” These dolls only desire what is within their reach.

* The thirteenth's footsteps are Resentment (Higami)'s. “Let's have a wonderful funeral like the one I heard in a story once. Let's bury lots of beautiful girls and cute animals together, too.” These dolls have powers that rival those of magical girls.

* Further comes the fourteenth, Stubbornness (Ganko). She points to the ground and rejects the sky. “The abyss of this mortal world is our stage.”

So, the mourners have gathered. Though it's become quite late, it's alright. The night is not yet over. The night will not be allowed to end anymore.

Right now is always 
Before knowing that radiance. Before losing that radiance. 
Here is merely the eve of the festival. The night before Failure. 
All that's left is to wait for the funeral procession.

Now, now, oh pure-white, wondrously virtuous Goddess. We are just utterly moved that you have casually strolled on over here so deferentially after all this time. But might you, perhaps, turn a blind eye to this, just a tiny bit? Lined up here is the theater troupe of this mortal world. We are human, and this is simply human nature. Even if you destroy sorrow and resentment, to despair is what makes us human. Passion drives our bones, and only melancholy washes our organs. Anyway, in exchange, we could produce plenty of others to turn toward your side, if you would like. Would that not suffice to earn your forgiveness?
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===Image Note Page 152===
[[File:152PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]

* Small objects other than the bed: orange pot marigold flowers, rulers, yarn, knitting needles, syringes, IV stands, and socks.

The place where Witch Homura took refuge was Christmas inside the hospital room cupboard.

A time slightly before the moment she repeated over and over again to save God.

A day from a slightly earlier life, a moment when she was happy.

A time when she didn’t even know what God looked like.

Had she remained unaware like this, she might have stayed in a state where she neither saved anyone nor was saved.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 158===
[[File:158PAR~1.JPG|right|300px]]
Kyubey is utterly despised by the witch and her familiars, but to the Children of the False City, the white animal is a convenient toy that never runs out no matter how much they play with it. Everyone is very impressed by its usefulness. Other living creatures dwindle if played with too much, so making them last as long as possible is quite a challenge.
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===Image Note Page 165===
[[File:165 part_d storyboard akemi_homura homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
《The Nutcracker Witch》

Her nature is self-sufficiency.

This witch's karma produced an army of familiars on a scale that is difficult to comprehend under normal circumstances.

However, this witch is a half-boiled failure.

Yet, if someone were to bestow unconditional love upon this ugly, broken doll, the heart of this wretched, half-boiled witch might not remain lost forever.<ref>This scene in ''Rebellion'' references ''The Nutcracker and the Mouse King'' by E. T. A. Hoffmann.</ref>
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 166===
[[File:166 part_e draft storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Initial Draft'''

Most witch barriers are composed of personal, single-minded, and inward-focused elements of the witch herself. The Nutcracker Witch's barrier is no exception, presenting a very narrow worldview. Her familiars are nothing but extensions of herself, evoking the image of a funeral procession taking place inside a house.
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===Image Note Page 170: Gooey Homura===
[[File:170 part_e storyboard homulilly soul.jpg|right|300px]]
Gooey Homura, located at the face portion of the Witch. Use rotoscoping if possible.

Basically the same as the Mermaid Witch's interior, which appeared for an instant. A slimy body with a giant eyeball.

The eyeball shifts and rolls around restlessly.

When her hand is taken by Madoka, Magical Girl Homura emerges from within the slime.

Homura's gooey form first melts away, then all at once scatters into snowflake crystals. It's as if an evil spell has been undone.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 171===
[[File:171 part_e character_design storyboard homulilly.jpg|right|300px]]
A countdown like Walpurgisnacht's.

Homura's countdown from the compilation movies.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 172===
[[File:172 part_e character_design homulilly runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Top text:'''

Right: Theatrical release

Bottom: Revised home video version

In the DVD & Blu-ray version, the number of ribbons around the witch's mouth has increased compared to the theatrical release.

'''Bottom text:'''

A magical girl’s mental state at the moment of her transformation is strongly reflected in the form of the witch she becomes.

The reason why the witch seen in the PSP game—the Witch of the Mortal World—and the Nutcracker Witch from ''Rebellion'' have different appearances is that the Witch of the Mortal World was born from a Homura who was unable to escape the one-month time loop.

Despair from yesterday is not necessarily the same as despair from today, so even for the same individual, different witches can be born depending on the time period.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 174: Nagisa's Transformation===
[[File:174 part_e storyboard charlotte bebe momoe_nagisa runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''☆ Nagisa Cooking ☆'''

'''An easy magical girl recipe.'''

The magical girl transformations this time around are split between two styles: types where they break out of themselves, and types involving a gooey, syrupy mixture.

As for Nagisa, after she and Bebe are thrown into a blender together, they are poured into a magical-girl-shaped mold to be successfully completed.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 181===
[[File:181 part_e storyboard illustration miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
Needles and gears sprout quickly out from Homu-Witch's (Homulilly's) head as well.

Gears and needles scatter in all directions. + Magic square/circle effect.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 188: Lotte===
[[File:188 part_e draft character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Toy soldiers'''

* Height: Same as Homura (though the head itself makes up the extra size).

* The ribbon worn across their chests is proof of their promise.

* The head is egg-shaped.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 189: Liese===
[[File:189 part_e draft character_design liese runes.jpg|right|300px]]
* It doesn't blink.

* Everything except for the head is a crow.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 191: Lotte===
[[File:191 part_e character_design lotte runes.jpg|right|300px]]
The Luiselotte familiars have better athletic ability than the regular soldier ones.

Because they are Glasses-Homu (Moemura), their individual athletic ability is quite low.

At any rate, they are incredibly diligent, so they excel at group tactics. They are weak if scattered, so they deal with the mustache familiars (Anthony) by forming a dense, close-order formation. If they can group together and form a battle array, they are strong.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 192===
[[File:192 part_e character_design liese runes prop_design guillotine.jpg|right|300px]]
Even though Witch Homura fights Sayaka and the others to prevent her own barrier from being destroyed, she is simultaneously in a troublesome state of mind where she wants to "be defeated here." Therefore, our first priority was to visually convey the sense of preventing her suicide, so we installed a massive guillotine platform.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 194: Nagisa's Trumpet===
[[File:194 part_e prop_design bebe charlotte momoe_nagisa horn.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Bebe Horn'''

* If it's alright to use the witch settings as a basis, the wish she had granted was: "I want a single cheesecake."

Nagisa's magic ➔ Magic that allows her to assert herself and become more greedy.

➔ Upon turning into a witch, this manifested as the trait "Attachment," an aggravated form of emotional expression.

* Rather than being something given to her by Kyubey, the concept is that Nagisa came up with it herself. It's not a "cool weapon," but a "cute tool." It carries the vibe of "a magical item as imagined by Nagisa."
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 197===
[[File:197 part_e storyboard kiss anthony das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]
With the emblem of the Law of Cycles at the center, the emblems of the witches are linked together in a constellation-like shape. Each connecting line represents individuals whose souls are compatible, or who share a deep karmic connection.

An image of souls, as countless as the stars, revolving around the Law of Cycles at the center.

* As the Mermaid Witch tries to take Witch Homura's hand, she refuses by vigorously swinging her handcuffs up and down.

* Between the buildings, the Mermaid Witch's hand stretches out. There are many clocks around.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 198===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg|right|300px]]
'''Dispatched familiars'''

When Sayaka materialized, the souls surrounding her within the Law of Cycles (in addition to the Rose Garden Witch's familiars) packed fragments of themselves into Sayaka’s bag to assist her.

Among the magical girls who have now become part of God, for those who know Homura, this operation is a major event—like a fleeting awakening within a long, long dream.

* Goddess Madoka's flag: Slightly modified from the [[Kriemhild Gretchen|Witch of Salvation]]'s emblem from the [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Portable|PSP game]].

* Sayaka: After the [[Oktavia von Seckendorff|Mermaid Witch]]'s appearance, Goddess Madoka's mark appears on her cape.

* On the stage of the concert hall raised by Sayaka, the Box Witch's familiars and the Birdcage Witch's familiars are playing violins.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 205: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:205 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon momoe_nagisa storyboard.jpg|right|300px]]
Carrying an overloaded bounty of presents, it shows up even if it wasn't called for—everyone's favorite, Tiro Finale.

The Extra Large version is a design that prioritizes a hype/festive festival feeling.

It is the pure crystallization of "Mami-ism" inside the brain of Gekidan Inu Curry.

● A mass of good dreams. A level of hope intense enough to give you heartburn.

● The parfait includes: raspberry, apple, cheese, and melon.
{{-}}
===Image Note Page 206: Tiro Finale (Extra Large)===
[[File:206 prop_design tomoe_mami tiro_cannon.jpg|right|300px]]
● Cannonball Texture: Image pattern resembles a ''temari'' (traditional Japanese thread ball). Since Bebe's power is also being borrowed, it features the emblem of the Witch of Sweets.

● The railway gun created by Mami and Nagisa's magic. Since it is entirely a weapon conceived by a middle school girl, it lacks any consistency with real-world weaponry and features none of that "boyish" mechanical gimmickry. Visual appearance is the top priority. It feels as though they are using magic to forcefully move whatever image they have in their heads. Because of this, there are a few fatal design flaws scattered about, such as absolutely no consideration given to space for ejecting shell casings.

Simultaneous with the shell firing, the recoil causes a parfait explosion. The shell casing is ejected from inside the parfait.

Towed by two locomotives.

Erupting from the smokestack are the fluffy flowers that blew out at the start of the magical table scene.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 209: Pumpkin Carriage===
[[File:209 prop_design carriage miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
* The pumpkin part is the exact same color as the pumpkin that appeared during the magic table scene.

* The window frames attached to the pumpkin are white.

* The borrowed familiars are packed tightly inside.

The carriage used by Sayaka and Nagisa.

Though it is a design personally and graciously bestowed by Goddess Madoka, its reputation among the drivers is terrible because it is incredibly slow and shakes excessively.

Sayaka thinks a helicopter would have been better.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 215===
[[File:215STO~1.JPG|right|300px]]
'''Table'''

The entire object, including the parasol portion, is made of tinplate.

A doll is sitting on a toy chair.

Please design it with a sense of scale resembling a miniature.

* Homura is happily chatting with an imaginary Madoka who is completely off-screen.

* The table where Homura sits is invisible to everyone except Sayaka.

* The parasol is rotating continuously.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 216: Dark Orb===
[[File:216 prop_design dark_orb.jpg|right|300px]]
The design motifs are a pumpkin, a crown, and a perfume bottle.

● Color: Basically black. The parts that are not black are made of glass.

The central core (the bottle part) is made of spherical glass.

There is a crest on the bottom of the spherical bottle.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 217===
[[File:217 storyboard roschach_blots akemi_homura akuma_homura miki_sayaka.jpg|right|300px]]
How the Devil appears varies from person to person, like a Rorschach test. Is she eerie, beautiful, sad, or happy? Is she right, or not quite so?
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 218: Dark Orb===
[[File:Rebellion Image Note 218.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Upper right: Earcuff'''

{{Runes|HOMULILLY}} - The witch's name is written on the torso region.

'''Upper left: Dark orb'''

Alternate form (worn only on the left ear). Equipped with a function that allows the witch's familiars to softly whisper the information they have seen and heard into Homura's ear.

'''Bottom left:'''

Due to its nature being close to that of a witch, the Dark Orb sometimes moves around on its own. It does follow orders, but for Homura, it can be troubling.
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 219: Dark Orb===
[[File:219 character_design dark_orb prop_design lizard.jpg|right|300px]]

'''Middle left:'''

Crown. Perfume bottle.

Pink light (Madoka) inside the center.

The top is spherical, like the lid of a bottle.

* Initially, the surface of the Dark Orb was planned to have intricate patterns, but for the sake of distinguishing it from the Soul Gem, it was ultimately made simple.

'''Bottom left:'''

Crest pattern. Monochrome.

Simplified crest.

'''Top right:'''

The mark of the Devil is a lizard that crawls on the ground. Since snakes have strong biblical imagery and lizards felt more human to us, we decided on a design of a lizard laid over upside-down white wings. Unlike the Law of Cycles, we intended for it to look different from traditional Western coats of arms. It is not the mark of an evil being, but rather a symbol of a faith distinct from everyone else's God.

* Early rejected designs for the Devil's crest
{{-}}

===Image Note Page 220===
[[File:220 storyboard epilog akemi_homura akuma_homura dark_orb das_ewig_wiebliche.jpg|right|300px]]

'''End Credits ~ Epilogue'''

For both the Law of Cycles and Homura, the moon is used as a shared motif.

* The grass and flowers are withered. The city lights are beautiful.

* Homura is sitting on the chair from the "Luminous" OP at the edge of the cliff. She is leaning against an unseen presence on her left side.

* Homura's humming plays continuously. No background music. It's lonely (T/N: the humming got replaced with "Not yet" in the theatrical version).

* On a hill, Homura dances alone with her right hand. The city slowly rotates like a clock.

* Homura is dancing alone with an imaginary Madoka.

'''Top right'''

* [Door] → Part A, Magic Room, Madoka's side door.

'''Bottom right'''

* The Anthonys changed from their "Sayaka version" back to their original forms.

* Country of Sweets/Good Morning: Because there are two versions of ''The Nutcracker'' ballet—one where they live in the Land of Sweets, and one with an "it was all a dream" ending.
{{-}}

==Observations==
* Laziness' phrase on page 133 is a reference to ''Little Black Sambo''. At one point in the story, Sambo, to appease three tigers trying to eat him, gives each of them his umbrella, shoes and clothing. Each tiger thinks they're the best looking one, and then chase each other around a tree. They run so quickly they melt into ghee (butter). Sambo's mother then uses the butter to make pancakes. This story is referenced briefly during the scene where Homura and Madoka are having tea at Mami's apartment, and Bebe becomes dazed. Three tigers circle around her head before a bubble with "Ghee" written in it appears and is followed by an image of pancakes.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Black dress homura production note.jpg|Black dress Homura art
File:Rconcept anthony 1.png|Anthony art
File:Rconcept anthony 2.png
File:Rconcept ulla.png|Ulla art
File:Rconcept mathieu.png|Mathieu art
File:Rconcept familiars.png|Gotz and Daniyyel & Jennifer art
File:Rconcept elly boat.png
File:inu curry image note 2 097.jpg|An exhaustive explanation of Bebe speak
File:Rconcept bebe 1.png|Bebe art
File:Rconcept bebe 2.png
File:Rconcept bebe 3.png
File:Rconcept bebe 4.png
File:Rconcept bebe 5.png
File:Rconcept bebe homu.png
File:Rconcept bebe 6.png|Art featuring Pyotr and Polina
File:Rconcept bebe 7.png
File:Rconcept bebe 8.png
File:Rconcept bebe 9.png
File:Rconcept bebe 10.png
File:Rconcept bebe 11.png
File:Rconcept bebe 12.png
File:Sayaka's Doppel in Rebellion.jpg|Oktavia art
File:Rconcept oktavia 1.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rebellion Image Note 198.jpg
File:Rconcept familiar orchestra.png|Art of Oktavia and Sayaka's orchestra in full
File:Rconcept homu 1.png|Art of Homulilly
File:Rconcept homu 2.png
File:Rconcept oktavia homu.png
File:Rconcept homu fams.png
File:Rconcept lotte.png|Art of Lotte
File:Rconcept lotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lotte 2.png
File:Rconcept lotte 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 5.png|Art featuring an unused design for Lotte which was used in the [[Rebellion Manga|manga]]
File:Rconcept clara 1.png|Art of the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 2.png
File:Rconcept clara 3.png
File:Rconcept clara 6.png
File:Rconcept clara 4.png|Very early concept art for the Clara Dolls
File:Rconcept clara 5.png
File:Rconcept liese 1.png|Art of Liese
File:Rconcept liese.png|Art of Liese featuring an unused Homura styled Liese
File:Rconcept luiselotte.png|Art of Luiselotte and Lilia
File:Rconcept luiselotte 1.png
File:Rconcept lilia.png|Art of Lilia. Her more detailed design was used in the manga
File:Rconcept homu 3.png|Art of Homulilly's labyrinth
File:Rconcept lisa.png|Art of Lisa
File:Rconcept nightmare 1.png|Art which shows the Nightmare's appearance in reflections
File:Rconcept nightmare 2.png|Art of Hitomi's Nightmare and the first Nightmare
File:Rconcept nightmare 3.png
File:Rconcept homu 4.png|An unused [[Homura]] Nightmare
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Puella Magi Production Note]]
* [[Key Animation Note]]

==External links==
* [http://genga.booru.org/index.php?page=post&s=list&tags=production_note_rebellion&pid=0 Scans of Rebellion Production Note]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Documents/Anime-Production]]
[[Category:Products and merchandise]]

Puella Magi Production Note

2026-07-07T20:34:21Z

Romi1908: /* Witch Nature Settings: */

[[File:Production Notes Updated.jpg|Production Note|thumb]]
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Production Note are a set of 496 pages in two volumes that were first sold in a limited edition version at Comic Market 80 from August 12, 2011 to August 14 2011. It is currently on sale to the general public.
SHAFT, collaborating with graphics designer Milky Isobe, compiled and edited 352 pages of production materials and 144 pages of art by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]. The book set measures 268 x 195 x 47 millimeters (about 10.5 x 7.6 x 1.9 inches) and 1.629 kilograms (3.59 pounds).

Each set contains a B5-sized illustration sheet of Madoka by character designer Takahiro Kishida.

The limited first edition sold at Comic Market 80 also has:
*Gekidan Inu Curry designed postcard
*[[Charlotte]] bookmark
*[[Kyubey]] bookmark

This, along with other Madoka-related merchandise, was reportedly [http://yaraon.blog109.fc2.com/blog-entry-3343.html sold out] at the Aniplex booth around 11:15 am on the first day of Comic Market. Additional merchandise was added for sale the last two days of Comic Market 80.

A sequel was released in late 2014 for [[The Rebellion Story]] titled "[[Rebellion Production Note]]."

== Key Animation Note ==
A follow-up to the Production Note, please go [[Key_Animation_Note|here]] for more information. There are seven volumes of the Key Animation Note.

== Translations of Select Pages ==
=== Witch of cheesecake (early concept that later became [[Charlotte]]) ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Cheesecake_witch_cropped.png|250px]]
|''Full scan page [[:Media:Image Note 0067.jpg|here]]'' '''Topmost left lines:''' Weak witch One-whole cheesecake '''Upper middle:''' "It's really a delicious cheesecake. My dying mother wanted to eat it. But, perhaps, I should have cured her disease instead. However, that surely wasn't appropriate." '''Right, top-to-bottom:''' A witch-space that became the basis for the witch of dessert from ep. 3 and the minion of the witch of scribbles from ep. 5. She became a magical girl for one-whole cheesecake, and after becoming a witch, clings to that cheesecake. The witch of dessert in the main series is the reverse of this; she obtained "one single cheesecake" in strict accordance with her wish. After turning into a witch, the only thing her magic cannot make is cheese, and she became a very strong witch. '''Left diagram:''' It feels as if the scrambled-street parts keep having yellow paint dumped on them. Fork A single cheesecake floats in the air. The weird-looking witch stands atop it. '''Middle, with diagrams:''' Light source: Dim yellow light from the center They leer inward from under cover. Minions: Mouse-looking things that scurry around underfoot (small) '''Bottom diagram:''' When the witch escapes, its space moves with it. Aaa-h Spwohn After being caught up in it, the people who were in the previously-scrambled streets pop out into the normal streets. '''Bottom Right:''' Upon the witch's death Crushed into gooey-looking cheese There's a small, high, mouse-like 'kiii-' or 'chiii-' noise.
|'''Topmost left lines:''' ヨワイマジョ ワンホール・チーズケーキ '''Upper middle:''' 「とてもおいしいチーズケーキ。 死にかけのお母さんが食べたがっていたの。 でも、もしかすると、お母さんの病気でも治してあげたらよかったカスラ。 けれど、きっとそれはそおいうことでもないのダワ。」 '''Right, top-to-bottom:''' ３話お菓子の魔女と ５話落書きの魔女の使い魔の 元になった魔女空間です。 ワンホールのチーズケーキで魔法少女になり、 魔女化した後もチーズケーキにしがみついています。 本編お菓子の魔女はこれとは逆に、 厳密にその願い通り「ひとつきりのチーズケーキ」 を手に入れ、魔女化した後も チーズだけは魔法を使って出すことが出来なくなり とても強い魔女になりました。 '''Left diagram:''' ゴチャゴチャ街部分に 黄色いペンキをぶっかけまくってるカンジ フォーク チーズケーキがひとつ浮いてて。 その上に変なマジョがのってる '''Middle, with diagrams:''' 光源 ぼんやり中心部から黄色ライト 物陰からコソコソ見てるだけ 手下 ねずみみたいなの足元チョロチョロしてる・小さき '''Bottom diagram:''' マジョ逃げると空間ごと移動する わー スポン 中にいた人は 一度ゴチャゴチャ街へまきこまれてから スポンと普通の街へ '''Bottom Right:''' マジョ死ぬとき べちゃとチーズみたいにつぶれる 「キー」とか「チー」とか小さくカン高いネズミみたいな音。
|}

=== [[Anja]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

Note: She was originally designed as the witch, then [[Albertine]] replaced Anja as the witch and Anja became the familiar.

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0029.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃05 Back alley. '''Upper left:''' Weak witch 
There isn't a clearly-defined barrier. The green area is the barrier. Painted green, no shadows in the green area. 
Becomes like a stuck-on 2D poster. The boundary line moves and bounces around. '''Middle:''' Yellow balls bounce around only in the green area. The witch continually chases them. '''Middle left:''' Witch: A character reminiscent of a Showa-era poster. Stuck on. No shadow. No sense of depth. Her lower body turns into a car and an airplane and such. '''Lower Left:''' Zooms around in the green area and chases balls. In the end, it's less like she's fleeing and more like she's just chasing more balls and scooting off somewhere. '''Right:''' She changes the humans around her into new balls, and eats the balls if she gets hungry. No matter how many new balls she gets, though, because she isn't that bright, she loses them immediately. She chases after balls throughout her whole life.
|'''Topmost left line:''' 
＃０５　路地裏。 '''Upper left:''' 弱いマジョ 明確な結界はなし。 緑の中が結界。 緑色ベタぬり緑の中は影なし ベタッと２Dのポスター調になる 境界線ぽよんぽよんうごく '''Middle:''' ＊緑の中だけで黄色いボールがはねまわってる それを追いかけつづけるマジョ '''Middle left:''' マジョ 昭和のポスターみたいなキャラ ベタッと影なし。立体感無視。 下半身、車や飛行機になって '''Lower Left:''' 緑の中をとびまわってボールを追う。 最後も逃げるというよりボールを追いかけて そのままどこかへ行ってしまう。 '''Right:''' 彼女はまわりの人間を新しいボールへと変え、 おなかがすいたらボールを食べます。 どんなに新しいボールを手に入れても 彼女はあまり賢くないのですぐになくしてしまいます。 彼女は一生ボールを追いかけています。
|}

=== [[Walpurgis_Night|Walpurgisnacht]]===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0052.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' Rainbow light (Brocken spectre) '''Upper left:''' Basically the same as episode 1. +Feels like there's bonfires here and there. Episode 1 is "What on earth is going on here?" Episode 10 is "It's like a ceremony" Buildings are piled up '''Lower left:''' Bonfires here and there throughout downtown. Tires, debris and dead bodies are piled up. ＊In episode 10, Walpurgis is still only partially visible. The whole thing suddenly snaps into focus in episode 11. '''Right, top to bottom:''' She will turn all of fate's misfortune to nothing. She will flood the earth with magic, and take all of humankind into her play. A moving stage construction. If all of this is a play, then there is no such thing as sadness. It may be a tragedy, but it's merely the way that kind of script was performed. The play stops on Walpurgisnacht, and the earth does not turn even once more. The story will not change. Tomorrow, and the day after, is the night of Walpurgis.
|'''Topmost left line:''' 虹色の光（ブロッケン現象） '''Upper left:''' 基本は１話と同じ。 ＋カガリ火のイメージをあちこちに。 １話は「得体の知れない何か」 １０話は「儀式っぽい」 ビルを積んである '''Lower left:''' 街中のあちこちにもカガリ火。 
車やガレキ死体を積んである ＊１０話ではワルプルギスまだ部分的にしか見えない。 全体にピント合ってハッキリ見えるのは１１話。 '''Right, top to bottom:''' 全ての運命の不幸を無くそうとする。 地上をマホウで埋め尽くし、 全人類を戯曲の中へ取り込もうとする。 動く舞台装置。 この全てが戯曲ならば悲しい事など何もない。 悲劇ではあるかもしれないけれど、ただ、そおいう脚本を演じただけ。 ワルプルギスの夜で芝居は止まって もう地球は１周だって回転しない。 物語は転換しない。 明日も明後日も、ワルプルギスの夜。
|}

====#01_Beginning: Walpurgisnacht Image Cut====
[[File:033_1.jpg|right|300px]]
An upside-down city and a sky with a hole in it. Walpurgisnacht's halo over the top of an upside-down mountain.
{{-}}

====Early Walpurgis (Initial Designs)====
[[File:055_1.jpg|right|300px]]
Spreads out like dandelion fluff being blown. (たんぽぽのわたげが吹いたみたいにひろがった)

When you go "Fuuu~" (blow), flames come out. (ふうーってやると炎がでる。)

The form of the flames: A winding, wavy feel, like those seen in old Japanese paintings. (炎のフォルム、昔の日本画とかの、うねうね状のかんじ。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht Concept Draft (ワルプルギス案)====
[[File:056_1.png|right|300px]]

Text: Kyahaha (キャハハハハハ)

Behavior: Spinning around innocently, as if running around a field. (野原をかけ回るようなムジャキにくるくるまわっている。)

Main Body (本体): (Produces gears. / は出す。)

* Tip of the gear: Light (照明ピカ)

* When inverted, the rod part retracts (Normal state). (ひっくりかえると棒の部分ひっこむ（通常。）)

Design elements:

* Claws (つめ)

* Clock (とけい)

* Western person's (noble's) hat. Hard. (西洋の人（貴族）のぼうし。カタイ。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht's Procession====
[[File:110.jpg|right|300px]]
On both sides of Homura as she waits on the ground, the illusions of a parade appear first. (グラウンドで待つほむらの両サイドに先にパレードの幻が現れる)

(Elephants, marching bands, carriages, giant puppets/dolls, etc.) (（象や楽団や馬車、巨大人形など）))

While Walpurgis itself is a theatrical stage, the parade itself is a circus. (ワルプルギスは演劇舞台だけどパレード自体はサーカス。)

Upon arrival: Walpurgis's neck is being pulled along by the circus. (登場時ワルプルギス、首をサーカスに引っ張られてる。)

The net is severed by Homura's attack. (ほむらの攻撃で網は切れる。)
{{-}}
====Episode #11 Walpurgisnacht====
[[File:111.jpg|right|300px]]
In addition to the stage on Walpurgis's body, illusions of magical girls are performing a play throughout the city. (ワルプルギスの体の舞台に加えて、街中で、マホウ少女たちの幻影が芝居をしている。)

↑ (Avant-garde dance) Semi-transparent, hologram-like. Faces and expressions cannot be seen. (↑（前衛ダンス）半透明、ホログラム的な。顔や表情は見えない。)

Walpurgis destroys the city, but the illusions of the girls are just doing things like dancing on top of the rubble. (ワルプルギスは街を壊すけど、
少女の幻はがれきの上で踊ったりしてるだけ。)

● Performance of the Dancing Magical Girls (● 踊るマホウ少女達の公演)

The appearances of the witches from episodes #01 to #10 during their days as magical girls. (＃01～10に出てくる魔女のマホウ少女時代の姿。)

(Designed so they can be identified by their main color and items)（メインカラーとアイテムで分かるような）

＋ Also including the appearances of Mami, Sayaka, and Kyouko. (マミやさやか、杏子の姿も。)

• Voices and Lines (・声やセリフ)

A few lines selected from around the scene where Margarete goes mad in Faust, Part One ("Prison"). (ファウスト第一部「牢獄」での、発狂したマルガレーテのセリフらへんからいくつか。)

★ In German. (★ドイツ語で。)

Example) Song: 例) 歌

''My cruel mother,'' (わたしのひどい母さんが、)

''she killed me.'' (わたしを殺してしまったの。)

''And my wicked father,'' (そして悪者の父さんが、)

''he ate me.'' (わたしを食べてしまったの。)

''My little sister,'' (わたしの小さな妹さんが、)

''gathered up my bones,'' (わたしの骨を拾い上げ、)

''and buried them in a cold grave.'' (冷たいお墓に埋めました。)

''I became a beautiful bird,'' (わたしはきれいな鳥になり、)

''and flew far away.'' (遠くへ飛んで行くのです。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht (Night of Walpurgis) Settings====
[[File:122.jpg|right|300px]]
★ A massive entity that is somehow incomprehensible. (★ なんだかよくわからない巨大なもの)

* Stage

* Gears

* Gears / Retro-style machinery

The stage apparatus itself is the witch.

Stage dialogue: rather than the entity itself speaking... (舞台セリフ、本人がしゃべっているというより)

↑ It plays out from the stage speakers. → When Walpurgis takes damage, the audio quality of the dialogue speakers distorts and gets mixed with static/noise. (↑ 舞台のスピーカーから流れる → ワルプルギスがダメージをうけるとセリフのスピーカーに音質がゆがみ雑音がまじる。)

* The actors are other magical girls (large numbers). They have no faces, but figures like Sayaka and others are among them. (・役者は他のマホウショージョ達（多数）
顔はない、さやか等の姿も。)

* She moves around while putting on a performance: The performance is more important to her than attacking enemies. If she loses sight of her target, she begins moving toward densely populated areas. (The city is destroyed just by her movement.) (〇公演しながら移動している。→ 敵への攻撃よりも公演が大事。相手を見失うと、人の多い所目指して移動開始。
（移動だけで街はこわれていく。))

* Walpurgisnacht: All of the witches encountered up until now make an appearance. (・ワルプルギスの夜今までのマジョが全員出てくる。)

Initial concept image of Walpurgis. Later, a music-box-like doll was attached to it upside down. However, the main body itself remains gears. (ワルプルギスの初期イメージ。後にオルゴールのような人形をとりつけ逆さまに。でも本体は歯車のままです。)

A giant fate / massive destiny. (巨大な運命)

'''Inside Box:''' Like a circular saw, a massive number of gears attack while spinning around it. (Normally, they rotate in a circle underneath Walpurgis, continuously grinding away at the ground.) (大量の歯車が周りを回転しながら攻撃してくる（普段はワルプルギスの下を円形に回転して地面を削り続けている))

'''Right of Box:''' The gear attack is carried over into the Mermaid Witch's (Sayaka's witch form) wheel attack. We applied the imagery of rotating/spinning objects to witches in general. (歯車攻撃は人魚の魔女の車輪攻撃に引き継がれています。魔女全般には回転するもののイメージを当てはめました。)

Powerful Witch. Walpurgis of "Theatre" (ツヨイマジョ「演劇」のワルプルギス)

''"This world was entirely a lie. My life is nothing more than a play written by you. Please, prove it."'' (「この世界はすべて嘘でした。私の人生はあなたの書いた戯曲にすぎません。それを、証明して下さい。」)

''Faust'' is currently being performed. (On the upper stage) (「ファウスト」が上演中。（上部舞台にて）)

• The pact between Dr. Faust and the devil Mephisto (the beginning section) → leading into Walpurgisnacht. (・ファウスト博士と悪魔メフィストの契約（はじめのところ） → ワルプルギスの夜へ)

'''Pointing to the sphere:''' (Ground) It is so massive that it looks like a spaceship.

'''Pointing to the gears:''' Stage apparatus. Gears. Massive.

'''Top of right sketch:''' The barrier is huge. The sky is visible. (結界でかい空見えてる。)

'''Below right sketch:''' Buildings and the ground twist and warp around the perimeter like a fence.

At this stage, rather than the final anime's canon explanation that "she is so strong she doesn't need a barrier," it was being designed under the interpretation that the barrier is simply so colossally massive that its boundaries are impossible to discern.

Magical girl posters/flyers designed to look like theatrical play bills are plastered all over the surrounding city.

Pages from ''Faust'' are fluttering through the air.
{{-}}

=== [[Izabel]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0048.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃10A - Evening, on the road to the school. '''Upper left:''' A sky like a Van Gogh painting. An oil-painting-like taste. Orange and white. (Tomb.) Stone monuments. Incredibly large memorials. The ground. Ash-gray and white. '''Lower left:''' Minions. The entire ground. Undulating. Like Picasso's Guernica. Patchwork. ☆The witch's lines are spoken by her minions. '''Middle:''' Witch: Part of the relief. (Actually, though, the whole arch is the witch.) While Homura is distracted by the minions, something like a triumphal arch springs up behind her with incredible speed (stop-motion). '''Upper Right:''' Streaming out of the gate Since the scene where they appeared in the main part is brief, make them just about to come out... or something like that may be good '''Middle Right:''' She joins human parts together to build human statues that greatly resemble some person. She uses them to attack (minion #2).
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃10A - 夕方、通学路。 '''Upper left:''' ゴッホみたいな空。 油絵テイスト。オレンジと白。 [墓]。 碑石など。偉大な記念達。 地面。灰色と白。 '''Lower left:''' 手下。 地面のすべて。うねって動く ピカソのゲルニカぽい。パッチワーク ☆マジョのセリフは手下がしゃべっている。 '''Middle:''' マジョ レリーフの一部（実際は門全体がマジョ） 手下に気を取られるほむらの 背前に、すごいスピードで（コマ撮り） 凱旋門的なものが健つ。 '''Upper Right:''' 門からぞろぞろ出てくる 本編登場シーン短いので 出ようとしているとこで・・・ くらいでもいいかも '''Middle Right:''' 人間の部位を組み合わせた 誰かのそっくり彫像人間を練成したりする。 それを使って攻撃（手下２）。
|}

=== [[Suleika]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0014.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost line:''' #03A - Night Park ☆The witch is weak, so priority is given to the [barrier's] surroundings. Dies quickly. '''Upper left:''' Jungle gym Witch: A shooting star caught in a jungle gym. Dummy. '''Upper right:''' Feels like they're fighting in the night sky. It's pretty. Sparkly There's ''Book''-layer stars up front, too. ''[TN: The word 'Book', written in English, refers to a background layer placed above the character animation layer.]'' Lots of shooting stars. '''Bottom:''' The minions are (whitish) shadows projected on the night sky. They're always dancing repetitively. '''Lower right:''' Barrier. The surrounding-wall section: Actually soil or concrete. It's not like everything is floating. It's as if a starlit sky was packed up inside it.
|'''Topmost line:''' ＃０３ A 夜の公園 ☆マジョ弱いので環境優先。すぐ死ぬ。 '''Upper left:''' ジャングルジム マジョジャングルジムにひっかかった流れ星。 バカ '''Upper right:''' 夜空の中で戦ってるカンジ。キレイ。 キラキラ 手前にも Bookで星。 流れ星たくさん。 '''Bottom:''' 手下たちは夜空に映る影（白っぽい）ずっとリピートダンスしている。 '''Lower right:''' 結界 周囲カベ部分。実際は地面とかコンクリ。みんな浮いてる訳ではない。内側に星空がとじこめてある。
|}

=== [[Roberta]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0051.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Smashed-up doll parts fall like snow (2) Music box springs and doll parts (3) Birdmen flying around the cage (4) Clock face. Also gears. (5) Dead birdmen, trampled by the witch (6) A hysterically thrashing pair of legs in a cage. The chain it's tied to makes an annoying smashing sound. (7) A witch who lived for a long time as a magical girl. She is weak, as she was no longer a girl when she became a witch (mid-20s to 30s?). The form she takes in her barrier is how she would've turned out in the future (around 40s). What she desires is life. Enjoys alcohol and books. (8) The witch, post-explosion. Stuff drifting down around Homura: *Burning book pages *Sparkly bottle shards *Doll and bird parts *Witch blood (9) Rough background (far-off): Sparkly curtains. Shelves lined with books and liquor bottles. One layer. Feels a bit like a bar.
|(1) 雪みたいにバラバラの人形パーツ降ってる。 (2) オルゴールのゼンマイと人形のパーツ (3) かごのまゆりを飛んでる鳥人間 (4) 時計の盤面。歯車とか。 (5) 魔女踏まれて死んだ鳥人間 (6) かごの中でヒステリックにあばれる足。つながれている鎖ガチャガチャうるさい。 (7) 魔法少女としてけっこう長く生きた魔女。魔女化する頃はもう少女でもなかったので魔女としては弱い。（２０代中盤～３０代くらい？）結界の中の姿は来るハズだった未来の姿。（４０代くらい）欲しかった物は人生。お酒と本が好き。 (8) 魔女、爆破後ほむらの周りにゆっくり降りそそいでいる・燃える本のページ・キラキラビンの破片・人形と鳥のパーツ・魔女の血。 (9) 背景ボケ（遠い）キラキラ暖簾。本と酒ビンの並んだ棚。一面に。ちょっとバーみたいなイメージ。
|}

=== [[Oktavia von Seckendorff]], Timeline 3 Version ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0050.jpg|200px]]
|(1) A thumping laser light show in a dark concert hall. (2) Monitor (3) Empty seats (4) Lights (5) Homura and co. (6)This time only the top half appears. The bottom half is like the hanamichi stage from an enka performace. [''TN: this might refer to a TV show from the 70s called Enka no Hanamichi (演歌の花道)''] (7) Backup dancers (8) There's actually a band around here. There's no need to display it, though. (9) Overhead view (10) Witch Sayaka. Colors are different from episode 8. The basic colors are Sayaka's colors, the same as in episode 8, but the parts aside from those are different. (11) ☆ In the past, before the loops happened, Kyousuke was a guitarist.
|(1) 暗い会場にレーザーライトバシバシ。 (2) モニター (3) 空の客席 (4) ライト (5)ほむら達 (6) 今回は上半分しか出ない。下半分は演歌の花道ステージ。 (7) バックダンサーズ (8) 本当はこのへんにバンド。映らなくても良い。 (9) 上から見た図 (10) さやか魔女＃８と色違い。基本色はさやかの色。8話と同じ。それ以外の部分の色がちがう。 (11) ☆ くり返し前の過去では恭介はギタリスト。
|}

===Oktavia von Seckendorff's Interior (Episode 9)===
[[File:099.jpg|right|300px]]
Basic silhouette (Almost invisible.) 基本シルエット（ほぼみえない。）

Like a poorly-received hologram, when it flickers/glitches ("za-za-za"), you can see the inside just a little bit. (映りのわるいホログラムみたいに、ザザザッとなってるときちょっとだけ中身がみえる)

A feeling of oozing/melting downwards in a continuous, scrolling motion. (下に送りでどろどろしているかんじ。)

It’s not that she responds when Madoka speaks or calls out to her; she completely lacks any sense of self, and her inside is a gooey, pitch-black, hopeless mess. (まどかが語り呼びかけに応じるとかじゃなくて、完全に自我はなく、中身もどろどろのまっくろ、どうしようもないかんじ。)

Eyeballs are endlessly spilling out from where the eyes normally are. They are not tears. (通常目があるところからとめどなく目玉がこぼれおちてくる。涙ではない。)

=== [[Kriemhild Gretchen]], Timeline 2 (?) Version ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0049 bottom.jpg|250px]]
|''Full scan page [[:Media:Image Note 0049.jpg|here]]'' - [Editor's Note: Because of the placement on the same page as [[Patricia]], this is likely to refer to Kriemhild Gretchen of timeline 2.] '''Top Left:''' Giant Madoka Witch (Sky) Golden-colored. Divine. Size comparison: Walpurgis '''Bottom Left:''' Witch Madoka While Walpurgis looks like the upper half of a sand timer [Madoka Witch] looks like the lower half '''Right Side, Upper Left:''' Besides the few kilometers around Madoka not being affected (location where Sayaka lies), everything else is sucked in quickly on a continental scale '''Far Right:''' Madoka Witch plans to swallow the entire Earth whole into her barrier and create a new heaven '''Lower Left:''' The barrier is so enormous that it is trying to suck up the Earth along with it
|'''Top Left:''' 巨大まどかマジョ （空）黄金色　神々しい サイズ　比　ワルプルギス '''Bottom Left:''' マジョまどか ワルプルギス　砂時計の上半分に対して 下半分みたいな '''Right Side, Upper Left:''' まどかの周囲数km だけのこして（さやかの居る所） 他は、大陸規模でどんどん吸われてる '''Far Right:''' まどかマジョ結界へ地球をまるっと吸い込んで 新しい天国を作る予定 '''Lower Left:''' 結界が巨大すぎて地球ごと吸い上げようとしている
|}

=== [[Elsa Maria]] Storyboard 7 ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0037.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Sayaka just falls on top of the witch (2) Cross PAN　DOWN (3) In a position mounting the witch (4) pass the sword underhand to another hand (5) witch gradually falls down (6) color of blood compared with ep. 3 (7) more florescent spots (with feels of xx) [TN: not readable] when they are scattered in air, they turn immediately into black silhouettes (8) Sword, Fr (frame?), backlight (9) blood that look like a design decoration (to some extent, disregard any feel of depth) (10) very sticky blood (11) "A ha ha ha ha... it is true...." (12) like filled up with viscous red and black paint (13) eye in trance (14) witch arms frightened in spasms (15) (omitted) sword stab with crunching noise, rattling sound (16) witch in silhouette (17) keep chopping off (18) sound graphic (19) with hallelujah BGM (20) and graphic sounds of cutting flesh (21) to next episode
|(1) そのままマジョの上へ落下, (2) 十字架 (3) マジョにマウントポジション (4) 剣逆手に持ちかえてる (5) マジョゆっくりたおれてく (6) 血の色３話と比べて (7) 蛍光寄り（？）　光ってるカンジ空中に飛び散るとすぐ黒いシルエットに (8) 剣, Fr, 逆光 (9) 血デザイン的に（ある程度　立体感無視） (10) 血すごいねっとり (11) 「あはは、本当だあ・・・・～」 (12) ドロドロ赤と黒い絵の具でぬりつぶしたような (13) 目うっとり (14) マジョうでビクビクけいれん (15) （中略）剣　ザクザクさして (16) シルエットでマジョ (17) 切りきざみ続ける (18) 音　生々しい (19) ハレルヤBGMと (20) 生々しい肉切り音の中 (21) 次回へ
|}

===Wraith Concept Draft===
[[File:Image_Note_0062_TL.png|800px]]

=== "Giant Universe Witch Concept / Draft" | Witch of Despair Design Draft ===

Translation courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0063.jpg|200px]]
|(0) (Nobody's witch. An air doll born from the despair of all magical girls.) 
(1) Overall 
(2) Face: Only this area is faintly visible 
(3) Hand: Something dark, giant body 
(4) Chest: Lines like blood vessels, appearing shiny 
(5) Overall: The face could be in the center as well? 
(6) Background 
(7) Earth 
(8) Face part 
(9) Face sphere 
(10) Half of the face: Pure white 
(11) Hair part: Striped pattern of Jupiter 
(12) Eye: Planet 
(13) Mouth: Holding the Moon in its mouth 
(14) The face looks like Munch's painting 
 
(15) Description: 
(16) The witch expands and bursts on its own. 
(17) When something amoeba-like that came out from inside tries to swallow the Earth, Hyper Madoka Beam strikes. 
(18) An air doll expanded by despair. It keeps inflating like a balloon. 

|(0) 誰でもないマジョ。全てのマホウ少女の絶望から生まれた空気人形。) 
(1) (全体): 
(2) ( — このへんだけぼんやり見える) 
(3) ( ←なにか暗い巨大な体) 
(4) ( — 血管みたいな線光って見える) 
(5) (←カオ真ん中でも良いカモ？) 
(6) (背景): 
(7) (地球) 
(8) (顔部分): 
(9) (カオ球体) 
(10) ( — まっしろ) 
(11) ( — 木星のシマ模様。) 
(12) (惑星) 
(13) (月くわえている) 
(14) (カオ、ムンクの絵みたいな。) 
(15) (説明): 
(16) (マジョふくらんで勝手に割れる) 
(17) (中から出てきたアメーバ状の何かが出現し、地球をのみこもうとした時、ハイパーまどかビーム。) 
(18) (絶望でふくらんだ空気人形。風船のようにどんどんふくらんでいく。) 
|}

===Witch Nature Settings:===
[[File:116.jpg|right|300px]]

Puella Magi Production Note Ep. 12 Character Settings:

* The Rose Witch / Distrust (Trusts nothing but roses. Distrust of humans. Repels anyone who enters the rose garden.) バラのマジョ / 不信 (バラ以外は信用しない。人間不信。バラ園に入ってきた奴を撃退。)

* The Darkness Witch / Delusion (No such thing as morning will come. Doing nothing but dreaming. My surroundings remain night forever.) 暗闇のマジョ / 妄想 (朝など来ません。夢ばかり見ている。永遠に私の周りは夜のまま。)

* The Witch of Sweets / Attachment (#03 Setting (Ref)) お菓子のマジョ / 未練 (#03 設 (参))

* The Box Witch / Longing (A shut-in girl (→ The real me can go anywhere. Just like when I was a child.) Envy and yearning for the outside world.) ハコのマジョ / 憧憬 (ひきこもりの女の子 (→ 本当の私はどこへだって行ける。子供の頃みたいに。) 外の世界への妬みと憧れ。)

* The Ball Witch / Ignorance (#05 (Ref)) ボールのマジョ / 無知 (#5 (参))

* The Prayer Witch / Self-righteousness (#07 (Ref)) 祈りのマジョ / 独善 (#07(参))

* Sayaka Witch / Infatuation (Excessive power to protect their crush) さやかのマジョ / 恋慕 (恋を守るためにありあまる力)

* The Dog Witch / Craving (Wanting to receive affection from others) イヌのマジョ / 渇望 (他人から愛されたい）

* The Artist Witch / Vanity (#10 (Ref)) 芸術家のマジョ / 虚栄 (#10 (参))

* The Sky Witch / Onlooker (Witches and magical girls don't matter to me. I'll pretend I didn't see anything. I just want to enjoy my school life.) 空のマジョ / 傍観 (マジョもマホウも関係ない。見なかったことにする。私は学校生活をエンジョイしたいだけ。）

* The Leg Witch / Anger (#10 (Ref)) 足のマジョ / 憤怒 (#10 (参))

* Walpurgis / Powerlessness (There is nothing more that can be done. I shall turn everything into a fiction. I shall bring everything to a stop.) ワルプルギス / 無力 (もうどうにもできない。全てを嘘にしてしまおう。全てを止めてしまおう。)

* Madoka Witch / Mercy まどかマジョ / 慈悲

* Giant Universe Witch / Despair 巨大宇宙マジョ / 絶望

☆(The sins and hatred of the Witches forgiven by Hyper Madoka in Episode 12. Derived from the personality of each Witch. - Does it also affect how the effects appear?) ☆(12話でハイパーまどかに許されるマジョの罪と憎悪。各マジョの性格に由来。・エフェクトの出方にも影響？)

* Homura's Magic / Transgression (Breach of the law of time) ほむらのマホウ / 背徳 (時間のルール違反)
{{-}}

=== [[Madoka]] Early Character Design ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:PN 83.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Main heroine (2) cheerful and idealistic girl (3) of good pedigree (4) genius girl (5) "Ring" as an example design of item for transformation (6) ...is it a bit plain?
|(1) メインヒロイン (2) 明るく理想主義のコ (3) 血統の良い (4) 天才肌少女 (5) 変身アイテム案「指輪」 (6) ・・地味でしょうか、、
|}

== Trivia ==
*The Production Note, sometimes described as some variation of "Official Production Notes" is incorrectly cited as a source of false biographical information on the characters, such as birthdays, incorrect heights and blood types. There is no such information in the Production Note except for the height ranges provided in the [[:Media:PN 10.jpg|height comparison chart]].

== Gallery ==
=== Merchandise ===
<gallery>
File:Production_note_in_cover.jpg
File:Production_note_out_of_cover.jpg
File:Production note cover.jpg
File:Production notes2.jpg|Extras and illustration
File:Kisseymadokasketch.jpg|Takahiro Kishida illustration
File:Production Note Bookmark.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry Charlotte bookmark, front and back
File:Production_Note_0029.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry Kyubey bookmark, front and back
File:Production notes4.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry postcard, front and back
</gallery>

=== Early Character Designs ===
See also: [[Guidebook#Early_Character_Designs|Guidebook's Early Character Designs]]
<gallery>
File:Madohomu prodsketch.jpg|[[Madoka Kaname]] and [[Homura Akemi]]
File:Homura prodsketch.jpg|Homura Akemi
File:Production note Homura design.jpg|Homura Akemi
File:Mami prodsketch.jpg|[[Mami Tomoe]]
File:Production note Mami design 1.jpg|Mami Tomoe
File:Production note Mami design 2.jpg|Mami Tomoe
File:Sayaka prodsketch.jpg|[[Sayaka Miki]]
File:Kyoko prodsketch.jpg|[[Kyoko Sakura]]
</gallery>

=== Character Design ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[Guidebook#Episodic_Coverage_and_Character_Pages|Guidebook Character Pages]], [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]] and [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Blu-Ray_Booklets|Blu-Ray/DVD Booklets]].
<gallery>
File:PN 10.jpg|Height Comparison
File:PN 21.jpg|Madoka, [[Kyubey]]
File:PN 75.jpg|Madoka
File:PN 87.jpg|Madoka OP
File:PN 09.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 56.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 57.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 58.jpg|Goddess Madoka‎
File:PN 59.jpg|Goddess Madoka's wing
File:PN 47.jpg|Homura ‎
File:PN 35.jpg|Kyubey
File:Artbook New 15.jpg|Mami
File:Artbook New 17.jpg|Mami
|Kyoko
File:Production_Note_Kyoko_Injuries.jpg|Kyoko, ep. 9 injuries
File:Artbook_New_22.jpg|[[Junko‎ Kaname]]
File:PN 80.jpg|[[Kyousuke Kamijou]] and [[Kazuko Saotome]]
</gallery>

=== Weapons ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[:Media:Guidebook_0071.jpg|Guidebook Weapons page]] and [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]].
<gallery>
File:PN 13.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 14.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 22.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 55.jpg|Homura's shield
File:PN 65.jpg|Homura's pipe bombs
File:PN 67.jpg|Sayaka's cutlass
File:PN 66.jpg|Sayaka's cutlass
File:PN 70.jpg|Mami's muskets
File:PN 71.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 72.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 73.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 74.jpg|Kyoko's spear
</gallery>

=== Soul Gems and Grief Seeds ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]] and [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]].
<gallery>
File:Production Note 0007.jpg
File:Image Note 0072.jpg|[[Soul Gem]]/[[Grief Seed‎]]
File:PN 53.jpg|Soul Gem
File:PN 61.jpg|Grief Seeds
</gallery>

=== Witch Designs ===
See also [[Guidebook#Production_Materials|Guidebook's Production Materials]]
<gallery>
File:Production Notes Page 1.jpg|[[Walpurgis Night]]
File:Image Note 0002.jpg|Walpurgisnacht
File:PN 20.jpg|Walpurgis Night
File:PN 84.jpg|Walpurgis Night's Minions
File:PN 86.jpg
File:Production Note 0014.jpg|Other Magical Girls in the end credits
File:Production Note 0111.jpg|[[Gertrud]]'s Maze
File:PN 15.jpg|[[Charlotte]]
File:PN 24.jpg|Charlotte
File:Production note Charlotte 1.jpg|Charlotte
File:Image Note 0073.jpg|Charlotte
File:PN 81.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production note Charlotte 2.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production note Charlotte 3.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production Note 0011.jpg|[[Elsa Maria]]
File:PN 17.jpg|Elsa Maria
File:PN 18.jpg|Elsa Maria
File:PN 05.jpg|Character silhouettes within Elsa Maria's barrier
File:Production Notes Page 2.jpg|[[Oktavia von Seckendorff]]
File:Image Note 0076.jpg|Oktavia von Seckendorff
File:PN 27.jpg|[[Izabel]]
File:PN 28.jpg|Various
File:PN 88.jpg
File:PN 89.jpg
File:PN 90.jpg
File:Image Note 0075.jpg
</gallery>

=== Episode Sketches and Storyboards ===
See also [[Guidebook#Production_Materials|Guidebook's Production Materials]], [[Otona_Anime_Vol.21|Otona Anime Vol. 21]], [[Magical_Girl_Magazine_(Otona_Anime)|Otona Anime (Magical Girl)]] [[Storyboards_and_Sketches|Storyboards and Sketches]]
<gallery>
File:Image Note.jpg|Episodes overview
File:Image Note 0001.jpg
</gallery>
==== Episode 1 ====
<gallery>
File:Image_Note_0003.jpg
File:Image Note 0004.jpg|
File:Image Note 0005.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0006.jpg|
</gallery>
==== Episode 2 ====
<gallery>
File:Image_Note_0012.jpg|[[Witch Runes/Episode 1|Anthony's Poem / Runes]]
File:Image_Note_0013.jpg|[[Witch Runes/Episode 2|More Runes]]
File:Image Note 0007.jpg|Gertrud
File:Image Note 0008.jpg
File:Image Note 0009.jpg
File:Image Note 0010.jpg
File:Image Note 0011.jpg
</gallery>
==== Episode 3 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0014.jpg
File:Image Note 0015.jpg|Charlotte witch barrier
File:Image Note 0016.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0017.jpg|Charlotte
File:Image Note 0018.jpg|Nurse familiars
File:Image Note 0019.jpg|Storyboards
File:Image Note 0020.jpg
File:Image Note 0021.jpg
File:Image Note 0022.jpg
File:Image Note 0023.jpg
File:Image Note 0024.jpg
File:Image Note 0025.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 4 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0026.jpg|[[Elly]] (Kirsten) witch barrier
File:Image Note 0027.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0028.jpg|Elly
File:PN 19.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 5 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0029.jpg|Familiars, [[Puella Magi Production Note#Anja|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0030.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 6 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0031.jpg|[[Inu Daruma Brothers]] (Dog Drug Reinforcement)
File:Image Note 0032.jpg|More DDR
</gallery>

==== Episode 7 ====
<gallery>
File:Production Note 0009.jpg
File:Production Note 0010.jpg
File:Image Note 0033.jpg|Elsa Maria witch barrier
File:Image Note 0034.jpg
File:Production Note 0015.jpg|Elsa Maria and magical girl silhouettes
File:Image Note 0035.jpg|Storyboards
File:Image Note 0037.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Elsa_Maria_Storyboard_7|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0038.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 8 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0039.jpg
File:Image Note 0040.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 9 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0041.jpg|Oktavia's witch barrier
File:Image Note 0042.jpg
File:Image Note 0043.jpg
File:Image Note 0046.jpg
File:Image Note 0045.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 10 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0048.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Izabel|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0049.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Kriemhild_Gretchen.2C_Timeline_2_Version|Partially Translated]]
File:Image Note 0050.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Oktavia_von_Seckendorff.2C_Timeline_3_Version|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0051.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Roberta|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0052.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Walpurgisnacht, Episode 10 version|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0053.jpg|Octavia, timeline 3
File:Image Note 0054.jpg
File:Image Note 0055.jpg
File:Image Note 0056.jpg|Hitomi familiar
File:Image Note 0057.jpg|Roberta
</gallery>

==== Episode 11 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0060.jpg
File:Image Note 0061.jpg|Walpurgis Night
</gallery>

==== Compilation ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0065.jpg
File:Image Note 0066.jpg
File:Image Note 0067.jpg
File:Image Note 0068.jpg
File:Image Note 0069.jpg
File:Image Note 0070.jpg
File:Image Note 0071.jpg
File:Image_Note_0074.jpg
</gallery>

=== Background/Architecture ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[:Media:Guidebook_0069.jpg|Guidebook Architecture page 1]], and [[:Media:Guidebook_0070.jpg|Guidebook Architecture page 2]]
<gallery>
File:Sayaka's Room.jpg|Sayaka's Room </gallery>

== See Also ==
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Art Book]]
* [[Storyboards and Sketches]]
* [[Guidebook]]
* [[Key Animation Note]]
* [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Storyboards_and_Sketches|Miscellaneous Documents section on Storyboards and Sketches]]
* [[Translated_Official_Documents|Translated magazines]]

== Links ==
* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-08-02/madoka-magica-496-page-archive-weighs-in-at-1.6-kg ANN announcement on Production Note]
* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-12-12/2nd-madoka-magica-production-note-book-archive-to-be-sold ANN announcement on volume 2]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Products and merchandise]]
[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Translation request]]

Puella Magi Production Note

2026-07-07T20:32:40Z

Romi1908: /* Witch Nature Settings: */

[[File:Production Notes Updated.jpg|Production Note|thumb]]
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Production Note are a set of 496 pages in two volumes that were first sold in a limited edition version at Comic Market 80 from August 12, 2011 to August 14 2011. It is currently on sale to the general public.
SHAFT, collaborating with graphics designer Milky Isobe, compiled and edited 352 pages of production materials and 144 pages of art by [[Gekidan Inu Curry]]. The book set measures 268 x 195 x 47 millimeters (about 10.5 x 7.6 x 1.9 inches) and 1.629 kilograms (3.59 pounds).

Each set contains a B5-sized illustration sheet of Madoka by character designer Takahiro Kishida.

The limited first edition sold at Comic Market 80 also has:
*Gekidan Inu Curry designed postcard
*[[Charlotte]] bookmark
*[[Kyubey]] bookmark

This, along with other Madoka-related merchandise, was reportedly [http://yaraon.blog109.fc2.com/blog-entry-3343.html sold out] at the Aniplex booth around 11:15 am on the first day of Comic Market. Additional merchandise was added for sale the last two days of Comic Market 80.

A sequel was released in late 2014 for [[The Rebellion Story]] titled "[[Rebellion Production Note]]."

== Key Animation Note ==
A follow-up to the Production Note, please go [[Key_Animation_Note|here]] for more information. There are seven volumes of the Key Animation Note.

== Translations of Select Pages ==
=== Witch of cheesecake (early concept that later became [[Charlotte]]) ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Cheesecake_witch_cropped.png|250px]]
|''Full scan page [[:Media:Image Note 0067.jpg|here]]'' '''Topmost left lines:''' Weak witch One-whole cheesecake '''Upper middle:''' "It's really a delicious cheesecake. My dying mother wanted to eat it. But, perhaps, I should have cured her disease instead. However, that surely wasn't appropriate." '''Right, top-to-bottom:''' A witch-space that became the basis for the witch of dessert from ep. 3 and the minion of the witch of scribbles from ep. 5. She became a magical girl for one-whole cheesecake, and after becoming a witch, clings to that cheesecake. The witch of dessert in the main series is the reverse of this; she obtained "one single cheesecake" in strict accordance with her wish. After turning into a witch, the only thing her magic cannot make is cheese, and she became a very strong witch. '''Left diagram:''' It feels as if the scrambled-street parts keep having yellow paint dumped on them. Fork A single cheesecake floats in the air. The weird-looking witch stands atop it. '''Middle, with diagrams:''' Light source: Dim yellow light from the center They leer inward from under cover. Minions: Mouse-looking things that scurry around underfoot (small) '''Bottom diagram:''' When the witch escapes, its space moves with it. Aaa-h Spwohn After being caught up in it, the people who were in the previously-scrambled streets pop out into the normal streets. '''Bottom Right:''' Upon the witch's death Crushed into gooey-looking cheese There's a small, high, mouse-like 'kiii-' or 'chiii-' noise.
|'''Topmost left lines:''' ヨワイマジョ ワンホール・チーズケーキ '''Upper middle:''' 「とてもおいしいチーズケーキ。 死にかけのお母さんが食べたがっていたの。 でも、もしかすると、お母さんの病気でも治してあげたらよかったカスラ。 けれど、きっとそれはそおいうことでもないのダワ。」 '''Right, top-to-bottom:''' ３話お菓子の魔女と ５話落書きの魔女の使い魔の 元になった魔女空間です。 ワンホールのチーズケーキで魔法少女になり、 魔女化した後もチーズケーキにしがみついています。 本編お菓子の魔女はこれとは逆に、 厳密にその願い通り「ひとつきりのチーズケーキ」 を手に入れ、魔女化した後も チーズだけは魔法を使って出すことが出来なくなり とても強い魔女になりました。 '''Left diagram:''' ゴチャゴチャ街部分に 黄色いペンキをぶっかけまくってるカンジ フォーク チーズケーキがひとつ浮いてて。 その上に変なマジョがのってる '''Middle, with diagrams:''' 光源 ぼんやり中心部から黄色ライト 物陰からコソコソ見てるだけ 手下 ねずみみたいなの足元チョロチョロしてる・小さき '''Bottom diagram:''' マジョ逃げると空間ごと移動する わー スポン 中にいた人は 一度ゴチャゴチャ街へまきこまれてから スポンと普通の街へ '''Bottom Right:''' マジョ死ぬとき べちゃとチーズみたいにつぶれる 「キー」とか「チー」とか小さくカン高いネズミみたいな音。
|}

=== [[Anja]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

Note: She was originally designed as the witch, then [[Albertine]] replaced Anja as the witch and Anja became the familiar.

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0029.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃05 Back alley. '''Upper left:''' Weak witch 
There isn't a clearly-defined barrier. The green area is the barrier. Painted green, no shadows in the green area. 
Becomes like a stuck-on 2D poster. The boundary line moves and bounces around. '''Middle:''' Yellow balls bounce around only in the green area. The witch continually chases them. '''Middle left:''' Witch: A character reminiscent of a Showa-era poster. Stuck on. No shadow. No sense of depth. Her lower body turns into a car and an airplane and such. '''Lower Left:''' Zooms around in the green area and chases balls. In the end, it's less like she's fleeing and more like she's just chasing more balls and scooting off somewhere. '''Right:''' She changes the humans around her into new balls, and eats the balls if she gets hungry. No matter how many new balls she gets, though, because she isn't that bright, she loses them immediately. She chases after balls throughout her whole life.
|'''Topmost left line:''' 
＃０５　路地裏。 '''Upper left:''' 弱いマジョ 明確な結界はなし。 緑の中が結界。 緑色ベタぬり緑の中は影なし ベタッと２Dのポスター調になる 境界線ぽよんぽよんうごく '''Middle:''' ＊緑の中だけで黄色いボールがはねまわってる それを追いかけつづけるマジョ '''Middle left:''' マジョ 昭和のポスターみたいなキャラ ベタッと影なし。立体感無視。 下半身、車や飛行機になって '''Lower Left:''' 緑の中をとびまわってボールを追う。 最後も逃げるというよりボールを追いかけて そのままどこかへ行ってしまう。 '''Right:''' 彼女はまわりの人間を新しいボールへと変え、 おなかがすいたらボールを食べます。 どんなに新しいボールを手に入れても 彼女はあまり賢くないのですぐになくしてしまいます。 彼女は一生ボールを追いかけています。
|}

=== [[Walpurgis_Night|Walpurgisnacht]]===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0052.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' Rainbow light (Brocken spectre) '''Upper left:''' Basically the same as episode 1. +Feels like there's bonfires here and there. Episode 1 is "What on earth is going on here?" Episode 10 is "It's like a ceremony" Buildings are piled up '''Lower left:''' Bonfires here and there throughout downtown. Tires, debris and dead bodies are piled up. ＊In episode 10, Walpurgis is still only partially visible. The whole thing suddenly snaps into focus in episode 11. '''Right, top to bottom:''' She will turn all of fate's misfortune to nothing. She will flood the earth with magic, and take all of humankind into her play. A moving stage construction. If all of this is a play, then there is no such thing as sadness. It may be a tragedy, but it's merely the way that kind of script was performed. The play stops on Walpurgisnacht, and the earth does not turn even once more. The story will not change. Tomorrow, and the day after, is the night of Walpurgis.
|'''Topmost left line:''' 虹色の光（ブロッケン現象） '''Upper left:''' 基本は１話と同じ。 ＋カガリ火のイメージをあちこちに。 １話は「得体の知れない何か」 １０話は「儀式っぽい」 ビルを積んである '''Lower left:''' 街中のあちこちにもカガリ火。 
車やガレキ死体を積んである ＊１０話ではワルプルギスまだ部分的にしか見えない。 全体にピント合ってハッキリ見えるのは１１話。 '''Right, top to bottom:''' 全ての運命の不幸を無くそうとする。 地上をマホウで埋め尽くし、 全人類を戯曲の中へ取り込もうとする。 動く舞台装置。 この全てが戯曲ならば悲しい事など何もない。 悲劇ではあるかもしれないけれど、ただ、そおいう脚本を演じただけ。 ワルプルギスの夜で芝居は止まって もう地球は１周だって回転しない。 物語は転換しない。 明日も明後日も、ワルプルギスの夜。
|}

====#01_Beginning: Walpurgisnacht Image Cut====
[[File:033_1.jpg|right|300px]]
An upside-down city and a sky with a hole in it. Walpurgisnacht's halo over the top of an upside-down mountain.
{{-}}

====Early Walpurgis (Initial Designs)====
[[File:055_1.jpg|right|300px]]
Spreads out like dandelion fluff being blown. (たんぽぽのわたげが吹いたみたいにひろがった)

When you go "Fuuu~" (blow), flames come out. (ふうーってやると炎がでる。)

The form of the flames: A winding, wavy feel, like those seen in old Japanese paintings. (炎のフォルム、昔の日本画とかの、うねうね状のかんじ。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht Concept Draft (ワルプルギス案)====
[[File:056_1.png|right|300px]]

Text: Kyahaha (キャハハハハハ)

Behavior: Spinning around innocently, as if running around a field. (野原をかけ回るようなムジャキにくるくるまわっている。)

Main Body (本体): (Produces gears. / は出す。)

* Tip of the gear: Light (照明ピカ)

* When inverted, the rod part retracts (Normal state). (ひっくりかえると棒の部分ひっこむ（通常。）)

Design elements:

* Claws (つめ)

* Clock (とけい)

* Western person's (noble's) hat. Hard. (西洋の人（貴族）のぼうし。カタイ。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht's Procession====
[[File:110.jpg|right|300px]]
On both sides of Homura as she waits on the ground, the illusions of a parade appear first. (グラウンドで待つほむらの両サイドに先にパレードの幻が現れる)

(Elephants, marching bands, carriages, giant puppets/dolls, etc.) (（象や楽団や馬車、巨大人形など）))

While Walpurgis itself is a theatrical stage, the parade itself is a circus. (ワルプルギスは演劇舞台だけどパレード自体はサーカス。)

Upon arrival: Walpurgis's neck is being pulled along by the circus. (登場時ワルプルギス、首をサーカスに引っ張られてる。)

The net is severed by Homura's attack. (ほむらの攻撃で網は切れる。)
{{-}}
====Episode #11 Walpurgisnacht====
[[File:111.jpg|right|300px]]
In addition to the stage on Walpurgis's body, illusions of magical girls are performing a play throughout the city. (ワルプルギスの体の舞台に加えて、街中で、マホウ少女たちの幻影が芝居をしている。)

↑ (Avant-garde dance) Semi-transparent, hologram-like. Faces and expressions cannot be seen. (↑（前衛ダンス）半透明、ホログラム的な。顔や表情は見えない。)

Walpurgis destroys the city, but the illusions of the girls are just doing things like dancing on top of the rubble. (ワルプルギスは街を壊すけど、
少女の幻はがれきの上で踊ったりしてるだけ。)

● Performance of the Dancing Magical Girls (● 踊るマホウ少女達の公演)

The appearances of the witches from episodes #01 to #10 during their days as magical girls. (＃01～10に出てくる魔女のマホウ少女時代の姿。)

(Designed so they can be identified by their main color and items)（メインカラーとアイテムで分かるような）

＋ Also including the appearances of Mami, Sayaka, and Kyouko. (マミやさやか、杏子の姿も。)

• Voices and Lines (・声やセリフ)

A few lines selected from around the scene where Margarete goes mad in Faust, Part One ("Prison"). (ファウスト第一部「牢獄」での、発狂したマルガレーテのセリフらへんからいくつか。)

★ In German. (★ドイツ語で。)

Example) Song: 例) 歌

''My cruel mother,'' (わたしのひどい母さんが、)

''she killed me.'' (わたしを殺してしまったの。)

''And my wicked father,'' (そして悪者の父さんが、)

''he ate me.'' (わたしを食べてしまったの。)

''My little sister,'' (わたしの小さな妹さんが、)

''gathered up my bones,'' (わたしの骨を拾い上げ、)

''and buried them in a cold grave.'' (冷たいお墓に埋めました。)

''I became a beautiful bird,'' (わたしはきれいな鳥になり、)

''and flew far away.'' (遠くへ飛んで行くのです。)
{{-}}

====Walpurgisnacht (Night of Walpurgis) Settings====
[[File:122.jpg|right|300px]]
★ A massive entity that is somehow incomprehensible. (★ なんだかよくわからない巨大なもの)

* Stage

* Gears

* Gears / Retro-style machinery

The stage apparatus itself is the witch.

Stage dialogue: rather than the entity itself speaking... (舞台セリフ、本人がしゃべっているというより)

↑ It plays out from the stage speakers. → When Walpurgis takes damage, the audio quality of the dialogue speakers distorts and gets mixed with static/noise. (↑ 舞台のスピーカーから流れる → ワルプルギスがダメージをうけるとセリフのスピーカーに音質がゆがみ雑音がまじる。)

* The actors are other magical girls (large numbers). They have no faces, but figures like Sayaka and others are among them. (・役者は他のマホウショージョ達（多数）
顔はない、さやか等の姿も。)

* She moves around while putting on a performance: The performance is more important to her than attacking enemies. If she loses sight of her target, she begins moving toward densely populated areas. (The city is destroyed just by her movement.) (〇公演しながら移動している。→ 敵への攻撃よりも公演が大事。相手を見失うと、人の多い所目指して移動開始。
（移動だけで街はこわれていく。))

* Walpurgisnacht: All of the witches encountered up until now make an appearance. (・ワルプルギスの夜今までのマジョが全員出てくる。)

Initial concept image of Walpurgis. Later, a music-box-like doll was attached to it upside down. However, the main body itself remains gears. (ワルプルギスの初期イメージ。後にオルゴールのような人形をとりつけ逆さまに。でも本体は歯車のままです。)

A giant fate / massive destiny. (巨大な運命)

'''Inside Box:''' Like a circular saw, a massive number of gears attack while spinning around it. (Normally, they rotate in a circle underneath Walpurgis, continuously grinding away at the ground.) (大量の歯車が周りを回転しながら攻撃してくる（普段はワルプルギスの下を円形に回転して地面を削り続けている))

'''Right of Box:''' The gear attack is carried over into the Mermaid Witch's (Sayaka's witch form) wheel attack. We applied the imagery of rotating/spinning objects to witches in general. (歯車攻撃は人魚の魔女の車輪攻撃に引き継がれています。魔女全般には回転するもののイメージを当てはめました。)

Powerful Witch. Walpurgis of "Theatre" (ツヨイマジョ「演劇」のワルプルギス)

''"This world was entirely a lie. My life is nothing more than a play written by you. Please, prove it."'' (「この世界はすべて嘘でした。私の人生はあなたの書いた戯曲にすぎません。それを、証明して下さい。」)

''Faust'' is currently being performed. (On the upper stage) (「ファウスト」が上演中。（上部舞台にて）)

• The pact between Dr. Faust and the devil Mephisto (the beginning section) → leading into Walpurgisnacht. (・ファウスト博士と悪魔メフィストの契約（はじめのところ） → ワルプルギスの夜へ)

'''Pointing to the sphere:''' (Ground) It is so massive that it looks like a spaceship.

'''Pointing to the gears:''' Stage apparatus. Gears. Massive.

'''Top of right sketch:''' The barrier is huge. The sky is visible. (結界でかい空見えてる。)

'''Below right sketch:''' Buildings and the ground twist and warp around the perimeter like a fence.

At this stage, rather than the final anime's canon explanation that "she is so strong she doesn't need a barrier," it was being designed under the interpretation that the barrier is simply so colossally massive that its boundaries are impossible to discern.

Magical girl posters/flyers designed to look like theatrical play bills are plastered all over the surrounding city.

Pages from ''Faust'' are fluttering through the air.
{{-}}

=== [[Izabel]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0048.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃10A - Evening, on the road to the school. '''Upper left:''' A sky like a Van Gogh painting. An oil-painting-like taste. Orange and white. (Tomb.) Stone monuments. Incredibly large memorials. The ground. Ash-gray and white. '''Lower left:''' Minions. The entire ground. Undulating. Like Picasso's Guernica. Patchwork. ☆The witch's lines are spoken by her minions. '''Middle:''' Witch: Part of the relief. (Actually, though, the whole arch is the witch.) While Homura is distracted by the minions, something like a triumphal arch springs up behind her with incredible speed (stop-motion). '''Upper Right:''' Streaming out of the gate Since the scene where they appeared in the main part is brief, make them just about to come out... or something like that may be good '''Middle Right:''' She joins human parts together to build human statues that greatly resemble some person. She uses them to attack (minion #2).
|'''Topmost left line:''' ＃10A - 夕方、通学路。 '''Upper left:''' ゴッホみたいな空。 油絵テイスト。オレンジと白。 [墓]。 碑石など。偉大な記念達。 地面。灰色と白。 '''Lower left:''' 手下。 地面のすべて。うねって動く ピカソのゲルニカぽい。パッチワーク ☆マジョのセリフは手下がしゃべっている。 '''Middle:''' マジョ レリーフの一部（実際は門全体がマジョ） 手下に気を取られるほむらの 背前に、すごいスピードで（コマ撮り） 凱旋門的なものが健つ。 '''Upper Right:''' 門からぞろぞろ出てくる 本編登場シーン短いので 出ようとしているとこで・・・ くらいでもいいかも '''Middle Right:''' 人間の部位を組み合わせた 誰かのそっくり彫像人間を練成したりする。 それを使って攻撃（手下２）。
|}

=== [[Suleika]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0014.jpg|250px]]
|'''Topmost line:''' #03A - Night Park ☆The witch is weak, so priority is given to the [barrier's] surroundings. Dies quickly. '''Upper left:''' Jungle gym Witch: A shooting star caught in a jungle gym. Dummy. '''Upper right:''' Feels like they're fighting in the night sky. It's pretty. Sparkly There's ''Book''-layer stars up front, too. ''[TN: The word 'Book', written in English, refers to a background layer placed above the character animation layer.]'' Lots of shooting stars. '''Bottom:''' The minions are (whitish) shadows projected on the night sky. They're always dancing repetitively. '''Lower right:''' Barrier. The surrounding-wall section: Actually soil or concrete. It's not like everything is floating. It's as if a starlit sky was packed up inside it.
|'''Topmost line:''' ＃０３ A 夜の公園 ☆マジョ弱いので環境優先。すぐ死ぬ。 '''Upper left:''' ジャングルジム マジョジャングルジムにひっかかった流れ星。 バカ '''Upper right:''' 夜空の中で戦ってるカンジ。キレイ。 キラキラ 手前にも Bookで星。 流れ星たくさん。 '''Bottom:''' 手下たちは夜空に映る影（白っぽい）ずっとリピートダンスしている。 '''Lower right:''' 結界 周囲カベ部分。実際は地面とかコンクリ。みんな浮いてる訳ではない。内側に星空がとじこめてある。
|}

=== [[Roberta]] ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0051.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Smashed-up doll parts fall like snow (2) Music box springs and doll parts (3) Birdmen flying around the cage (4) Clock face. Also gears. (5) Dead birdmen, trampled by the witch (6) A hysterically thrashing pair of legs in a cage. The chain it's tied to makes an annoying smashing sound. (7) A witch who lived for a long time as a magical girl. She is weak, as she was no longer a girl when she became a witch (mid-20s to 30s?). The form she takes in her barrier is how she would've turned out in the future (around 40s). What she desires is life. Enjoys alcohol and books. (8) The witch, post-explosion. Stuff drifting down around Homura: *Burning book pages *Sparkly bottle shards *Doll and bird parts *Witch blood (9) Rough background (far-off): Sparkly curtains. Shelves lined with books and liquor bottles. One layer. Feels a bit like a bar.
|(1) 雪みたいにバラバラの人形パーツ降ってる。 (2) オルゴールのゼンマイと人形のパーツ (3) かごのまゆりを飛んでる鳥人間 (4) 時計の盤面。歯車とか。 (5) 魔女踏まれて死んだ鳥人間 (6) かごの中でヒステリックにあばれる足。つながれている鎖ガチャガチャうるさい。 (7) 魔法少女としてけっこう長く生きた魔女。魔女化する頃はもう少女でもなかったので魔女としては弱い。（２０代中盤～３０代くらい？）結界の中の姿は来るハズだった未来の姿。（４０代くらい）欲しかった物は人生。お酒と本が好き。 (8) 魔女、爆破後ほむらの周りにゆっくり降りそそいでいる・燃える本のページ・キラキラビンの破片・人形と鳥のパーツ・魔女の血。 (9) 背景ボケ（遠い）キラキラ暖簾。本と酒ビンの並んだ棚。一面に。ちょっとバーみたいなイメージ。
|}

=== [[Oktavia von Seckendorff]], Timeline 3 Version ===
''Translation courtesy of Neuchadjinys''

{| class='wikitable'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0050.jpg|200px]]
|(1) A thumping laser light show in a dark concert hall. (2) Monitor (3) Empty seats (4) Lights (5) Homura and co. (6)This time only the top half appears. The bottom half is like the hanamichi stage from an enka performace. [''TN: this might refer to a TV show from the 70s called Enka no Hanamichi (演歌の花道)''] (7) Backup dancers (8) There's actually a band around here. There's no need to display it, though. (9) Overhead view (10) Witch Sayaka. Colors are different from episode 8. The basic colors are Sayaka's colors, the same as in episode 8, but the parts aside from those are different. (11) ☆ In the past, before the loops happened, Kyousuke was a guitarist.
|(1) 暗い会場にレーザーライトバシバシ。 (2) モニター (3) 空の客席 (4) ライト (5)ほむら達 (6) 今回は上半分しか出ない。下半分は演歌の花道ステージ。 (7) バックダンサーズ (8) 本当はこのへんにバンド。映らなくても良い。 (9) 上から見た図 (10) さやか魔女＃８と色違い。基本色はさやかの色。8話と同じ。それ以外の部分の色がちがう。 (11) ☆ くり返し前の過去では恭介はギタリスト。
|}

===Oktavia von Seckendorff's Interior (Episode 9)===
[[File:099.jpg|right|300px]]
Basic silhouette (Almost invisible.) 基本シルエット（ほぼみえない。）

Like a poorly-received hologram, when it flickers/glitches ("za-za-za"), you can see the inside just a little bit. (映りのわるいホログラムみたいに、ザザザッとなってるときちょっとだけ中身がみえる)

A feeling of oozing/melting downwards in a continuous, scrolling motion. (下に送りでどろどろしているかんじ。)

It’s not that she responds when Madoka speaks or calls out to her; she completely lacks any sense of self, and her inside is a gooey, pitch-black, hopeless mess. (まどかが語り呼びかけに応じるとかじゃなくて、完全に自我はなく、中身もどろどろのまっくろ、どうしようもないかんじ。)

Eyeballs are endlessly spilling out from where the eyes normally are. They are not tears. (通常目があるところからとめどなく目玉がこぼれおちてくる。涙ではない。)

=== [[Kriemhild Gretchen]], Timeline 2 (?) Version ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0049 bottom.jpg|250px]]
|''Full scan page [[:Media:Image Note 0049.jpg|here]]'' - [Editor's Note: Because of the placement on the same page as [[Patricia]], this is likely to refer to Kriemhild Gretchen of timeline 2.] '''Top Left:''' Giant Madoka Witch (Sky) Golden-colored. Divine. Size comparison: Walpurgis '''Bottom Left:''' Witch Madoka While Walpurgis looks like the upper half of a sand timer [Madoka Witch] looks like the lower half '''Right Side, Upper Left:''' Besides the few kilometers around Madoka not being affected (location where Sayaka lies), everything else is sucked in quickly on a continental scale '''Far Right:''' Madoka Witch plans to swallow the entire Earth whole into her barrier and create a new heaven '''Lower Left:''' The barrier is so enormous that it is trying to suck up the Earth along with it
|'''Top Left:''' 巨大まどかマジョ （空）黄金色　神々しい サイズ　比　ワルプルギス '''Bottom Left:''' マジョまどか ワルプルギス　砂時計の上半分に対して 下半分みたいな '''Right Side, Upper Left:''' まどかの周囲数km だけのこして（さやかの居る所） 他は、大陸規模でどんどん吸われてる '''Far Right:''' まどかマジョ結界へ地球をまるっと吸い込んで 新しい天国を作る予定 '''Lower Left:''' 結界が巨大すぎて地球ごと吸い上げようとしている
|}

=== [[Elsa Maria]] Storyboard 7 ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image Note 0037.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Sayaka just falls on top of the witch (2) Cross PAN　DOWN (3) In a position mounting the witch (4) pass the sword underhand to another hand (5) witch gradually falls down (6) color of blood compared with ep. 3 (7) more florescent spots (with feels of xx) [TN: not readable] when they are scattered in air, they turn immediately into black silhouettes (8) Sword, Fr (frame?), backlight (9) blood that look like a design decoration (to some extent, disregard any feel of depth) (10) very sticky blood (11) "A ha ha ha ha... it is true...." (12) like filled up with viscous red and black paint (13) eye in trance (14) witch arms frightened in spasms (15) (omitted) sword stab with crunching noise, rattling sound (16) witch in silhouette (17) keep chopping off (18) sound graphic (19) with hallelujah BGM (20) and graphic sounds of cutting flesh (21) to next episode
|(1) そのままマジョの上へ落下, (2) 十字架 (3) マジョにマウントポジション (4) 剣逆手に持ちかえてる (5) マジョゆっくりたおれてく (6) 血の色３話と比べて (7) 蛍光寄り（？）　光ってるカンジ空中に飛び散るとすぐ黒いシルエットに (8) 剣, Fr, 逆光 (9) 血デザイン的に（ある程度　立体感無視） (10) 血すごいねっとり (11) 「あはは、本当だあ・・・・～」 (12) ドロドロ赤と黒い絵の具でぬりつぶしたような (13) 目うっとり (14) マジョうでビクビクけいれん (15) （中略）剣　ザクザクさして (16) シルエットでマジョ (17) 切りきざみ続ける (18) 音　生々しい (19) ハレルヤBGMと (20) 生々しい肉切り音の中 (21) 次回へ
|}

===Wraith Concept Draft===
[[File:Image_Note_0062_TL.png|800px]]

=== "Giant Universe Witch Concept / Draft" | Witch of Despair Design Draft ===

Translation courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:Image_Note_0063.jpg|200px]]
|(0) (Nobody's witch. An air doll born from the despair of all magical girls.) 
(1) Overall 
(2) Face: Only this area is faintly visible 
(3) Hand: Something dark, giant body 
(4) Chest: Lines like blood vessels, appearing shiny 
(5) Overall: The face could be in the center as well? 
(6) Background 
(7) Earth 
(8) Face part 
(9) Face sphere 
(10) Half of the face: Pure white 
(11) Hair part: Striped pattern of Jupiter 
(12) Eye: Planet 
(13) Mouth: Holding the Moon in its mouth 
(14) The face looks like Munch's painting 
 
(15) Description: 
(16) The witch expands and bursts on its own. 
(17) When something amoeba-like that came out from inside tries to swallow the Earth, Hyper Madoka Beam strikes. 
(18) An air doll expanded by despair. It keeps inflating like a balloon. 

|(0) 誰でもないマジョ。全てのマホウ少女の絶望から生まれた空気人形。) 
(1) (全体): 
(2) ( — このへんだけぼんやり見える) 
(3) ( ←なにか暗い巨大な体) 
(4) ( — 血管みたいな線光って見える) 
(5) (←カオ真ん中でも良いカモ？) 
(6) (背景): 
(7) (地球) 
(8) (顔部分): 
(9) (カオ球体) 
(10) ( — まっしろ) 
(11) ( — 木星のシマ模様。) 
(12) (惑星) 
(13) (月くわえている) 
(14) (カオ、ムンクの絵みたいな。) 
(15) (説明): 
(16) (マジョふくらんで勝手に割れる) 
(17) (中から出てきたアメーバ状の何かが出現し、地球をのみこもうとした時、ハイパーまどかビーム。) 
(18) (絶望でふくらんだ空気人形。風船のようにどんどんふくらんでいく。) 
|}

===Witch Nature Settings:===
[[File:116.jpg|right|300px]]

Puella Magi Production Note Ep. 12 Character Settings:

* The Rose Witch / Distrust (Trusts nothing but roses. Distrust of humans. Repels anyone who enters the rose garden.) バラのマジョ / 不信 (バラ以外は信用しない。人間不信。バラ園に入ってきた奴を撃退。)

* The Darkness Witch / Delusion (No such thing as morning will come. Doing nothing but dreaming. My surroundings remain night forever.) 暗闇のマジョ / 妄想 (朝など来ません。夢ばかり見ている。永遠に私の周りは夜のまま。)

* The Witch of Sweets / Attachment (#03 Setting (Ref)) お菓子のマジョ / 未練 (#03 設 (参))

* The Box Witch / longing (A shut-in girl (→ The real me can go anywhere. Just like when I was a child.) Envy and yearning for the outside world.) ハコのマジョ / 憧憬 (ひきこもりの女の子 (→ 本当の私はどこへだって行ける。子供の頃みたいに。) 外の世界への妬みと憧れ。)

* The Ball Witch / Ignorance (#05 (Ref)) ボールのマジョ / 無知 (#5 (参))

* The Prayer Witch / Self-righteousness (#07 (Ref)) 祈りのマジョ / 独善 (#07(参))

* Sayaka Witch / Infatuation (Excessive power to protect their crush) さやかのマジョ / 恋慕 (恋を守るためにありあまる力)

* The Dog Witch / Craving (Wanting to receive affection from others) イヌのマジョ / 渇望 (他人から愛されたい）

* The Artist Witch / Vanity (#10 (Ref)) 芸術家のマジョ / 虚栄 (#10 (参))

* The Sky Witch / Onlooker (Witches and magical girls don't matter to me. I'll pretend I didn't see anything. I just want to enjoy my school life.) 空のマジョ / 傍観 (マジョもマホウも関係ない。見なかったことにする。私は学校生活をエンジョイしたいだけ。）

* The Leg Witch / Anger (#10 (Ref)) 足のマジョ / 憤怒 (#10 (参))

* Walpurgis / Powerlessness (There is nothing more that can be done. I shall turn everything into a fiction. I shall bring everything to a stop.) ワルプルギス / 無力 (もうどうにもできない。全てを嘘にしてしまおう。全てを止めてしまおう。)

* Madoka Witch / Mercy まどかマジョ / 慈悲

* Giant Universe Witch / Despair 巨大宇宙マジョ / 絶望

☆(The sins and hatred of the Witches forgiven by Hyper Madoka in Episode 12. Derived from the personality of each Witch. - Does it also affect how the effects appear?) ☆(12話でハイパーまどかに許されるマジョの罪と憎悪。各マジョの性格に由来。・エフェクトの出方にも影響？)

* Homura's Magic / Transgression (Breach of the law of time) ほむらのマホウ / 背徳 (時間のルール違反)
{{-}}

=== [[Madoka]] Early Character Design ===
''Translation courtesy of symbv of evageeks forum''

{| class='wikitable' width='100%'
!Sketch || English || Japanese
|-
|[[File:PN 83.jpg|200px]]
|(1) Main heroine (2) cheerful and idealistic girl (3) of good pedigree (4) genius girl (5) "Ring" as an example design of item for transformation (6) ...is it a bit plain?
|(1) メインヒロイン (2) 明るく理想主義のコ (3) 血統の良い (4) 天才肌少女 (5) 変身アイテム案「指輪」 (6) ・・地味でしょうか、、
|}

== Trivia ==
*The Production Note, sometimes described as some variation of "Official Production Notes" is incorrectly cited as a source of false biographical information on the characters, such as birthdays, incorrect heights and blood types. There is no such information in the Production Note except for the height ranges provided in the [[:Media:PN 10.jpg|height comparison chart]].

== Gallery ==
=== Merchandise ===
<gallery>
File:Production_note_in_cover.jpg
File:Production_note_out_of_cover.jpg
File:Production note cover.jpg
File:Production notes2.jpg|Extras and illustration
File:Kisseymadokasketch.jpg|Takahiro Kishida illustration
File:Production Note Bookmark.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry Charlotte bookmark, front and back
File:Production_Note_0029.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry Kyubey bookmark, front and back
File:Production notes4.jpg|Gekidan Inu Curry postcard, front and back
</gallery>

=== Early Character Designs ===
See also: [[Guidebook#Early_Character_Designs|Guidebook's Early Character Designs]]
<gallery>
File:Madohomu prodsketch.jpg|[[Madoka Kaname]] and [[Homura Akemi]]
File:Homura prodsketch.jpg|Homura Akemi
File:Production note Homura design.jpg|Homura Akemi
File:Mami prodsketch.jpg|[[Mami Tomoe]]
File:Production note Mami design 1.jpg|Mami Tomoe
File:Production note Mami design 2.jpg|Mami Tomoe
File:Sayaka prodsketch.jpg|[[Sayaka Miki]]
File:Kyoko prodsketch.jpg|[[Kyoko Sakura]]
</gallery>

=== Character Design ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[Guidebook#Episodic_Coverage_and_Character_Pages|Guidebook Character Pages]], [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]] and [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Blu-Ray_Booklets|Blu-Ray/DVD Booklets]].
<gallery>
File:PN 10.jpg|Height Comparison
File:PN 21.jpg|Madoka, [[Kyubey]]
File:PN 75.jpg|Madoka
File:PN 87.jpg|Madoka OP
File:PN 09.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 56.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 57.jpg|Goddess Madoka
File:PN 58.jpg|Goddess Madoka‎
File:PN 59.jpg|Goddess Madoka's wing
File:PN 47.jpg|Homura ‎
File:PN 35.jpg|Kyubey
File:Artbook New 15.jpg|Mami
File:Artbook New 17.jpg|Mami
|Kyoko
File:Production_Note_Kyoko_Injuries.jpg|Kyoko, ep. 9 injuries
File:Artbook_New_22.jpg|[[Junko‎ Kaname]]
File:PN 80.jpg|[[Kyousuke Kamijou]] and [[Kazuko Saotome]]
</gallery>

=== Weapons ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[:Media:Guidebook_0071.jpg|Guidebook Weapons page]] and [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]].
<gallery>
File:PN 13.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 14.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 22.jpg|Madoka's bow
File:PN 55.jpg|Homura's shield
File:PN 65.jpg|Homura's pipe bombs
File:PN 67.jpg|Sayaka's cutlass
File:PN 66.jpg|Sayaka's cutlass
File:PN 70.jpg|Mami's muskets
File:PN 71.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 72.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 73.jpg|Kyoko's spear
File:PN 74.jpg|Kyoko's spear
</gallery>

=== Soul Gems and Grief Seeds ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]] and [[Megami_Magazine_2011-05|May 2011 Megami gallery]].
<gallery>
File:Production Note 0007.jpg
File:Image Note 0072.jpg|[[Soul Gem]]/[[Grief Seed‎]]
File:PN 53.jpg|Soul Gem
File:PN 61.jpg|Grief Seeds
</gallery>

=== Witch Designs ===
See also [[Guidebook#Production_Materials|Guidebook's Production Materials]]
<gallery>
File:Production Notes Page 1.jpg|[[Walpurgis Night]]
File:Image Note 0002.jpg|Walpurgisnacht
File:PN 20.jpg|Walpurgis Night
File:PN 84.jpg|Walpurgis Night's Minions
File:PN 86.jpg
File:Production Note 0014.jpg|Other Magical Girls in the end credits
File:Production Note 0111.jpg|[[Gertrud]]'s Maze
File:PN 15.jpg|[[Charlotte]]
File:PN 24.jpg|Charlotte
File:Production note Charlotte 1.jpg|Charlotte
File:Image Note 0073.jpg|Charlotte
File:PN 81.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production note Charlotte 2.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production note Charlotte 3.jpg|Charlotte's witch space
File:Production Note 0011.jpg|[[Elsa Maria]]
File:PN 17.jpg|Elsa Maria
File:PN 18.jpg|Elsa Maria
File:PN 05.jpg|Character silhouettes within Elsa Maria's barrier
File:Production Notes Page 2.jpg|[[Oktavia von Seckendorff]]
File:Image Note 0076.jpg|Oktavia von Seckendorff
File:PN 27.jpg|[[Izabel]]
File:PN 28.jpg|Various
File:PN 88.jpg
File:PN 89.jpg
File:PN 90.jpg
File:Image Note 0075.jpg
</gallery>

=== Episode Sketches and Storyboards ===
See also [[Guidebook#Production_Materials|Guidebook's Production Materials]], [[Otona_Anime_Vol.21|Otona Anime Vol. 21]], [[Magical_Girl_Magazine_(Otona_Anime)|Otona Anime (Magical Girl)]] [[Storyboards_and_Sketches|Storyboards and Sketches]]
<gallery>
File:Image Note.jpg|Episodes overview
File:Image Note 0001.jpg
</gallery>
==== Episode 1 ====
<gallery>
File:Image_Note_0003.jpg
File:Image Note 0004.jpg|
File:Image Note 0005.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0006.jpg|
</gallery>
==== Episode 2 ====
<gallery>
File:Image_Note_0012.jpg|[[Witch Runes/Episode 1|Anthony's Poem / Runes]]
File:Image_Note_0013.jpg|[[Witch Runes/Episode 2|More Runes]]
File:Image Note 0007.jpg|Gertrud
File:Image Note 0008.jpg
File:Image Note 0009.jpg
File:Image Note 0010.jpg
File:Image Note 0011.jpg
</gallery>
==== Episode 3 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0014.jpg
File:Image Note 0015.jpg|Charlotte witch barrier
File:Image Note 0016.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0017.jpg|Charlotte
File:Image Note 0018.jpg|Nurse familiars
File:Image Note 0019.jpg|Storyboards
File:Image Note 0020.jpg
File:Image Note 0021.jpg
File:Image Note 0022.jpg
File:Image Note 0023.jpg
File:Image Note 0024.jpg
File:Image Note 0025.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 4 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0026.jpg|[[Elly]] (Kirsten) witch barrier
File:Image Note 0027.jpg|Familiars
File:Image Note 0028.jpg|Elly
File:PN 19.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 5 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0029.jpg|Familiars, [[Puella Magi Production Note#Anja|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0030.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 6 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0031.jpg|[[Inu Daruma Brothers]] (Dog Drug Reinforcement)
File:Image Note 0032.jpg|More DDR
</gallery>

==== Episode 7 ====
<gallery>
File:Production Note 0009.jpg
File:Production Note 0010.jpg
File:Image Note 0033.jpg|Elsa Maria witch barrier
File:Image Note 0034.jpg
File:Production Note 0015.jpg|Elsa Maria and magical girl silhouettes
File:Image Note 0035.jpg|Storyboards
File:Image Note 0037.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Elsa_Maria_Storyboard_7|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0038.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 8 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0039.jpg
File:Image Note 0040.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 9 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0041.jpg|Oktavia's witch barrier
File:Image Note 0042.jpg
File:Image Note 0043.jpg
File:Image Note 0046.jpg
File:Image Note 0045.jpg
</gallery>

==== Episode 10 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0048.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Izabel|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0049.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Kriemhild_Gretchen.2C_Timeline_2_Version|Partially Translated]]
File:Image Note 0050.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Oktavia_von_Seckendorff.2C_Timeline_3_Version|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0051.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Roberta|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0052.jpg|[[Puella_Magi_Production_Note#Walpurgisnacht, Episode 10 version|Translated]]
File:Image Note 0053.jpg|Octavia, timeline 3
File:Image Note 0054.jpg
File:Image Note 0055.jpg
File:Image Note 0056.jpg|Hitomi familiar
File:Image Note 0057.jpg|Roberta
</gallery>

==== Episode 11 ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0060.jpg
File:Image Note 0061.jpg|Walpurgis Night
</gallery>

==== Compilation ====
<gallery>
File:Image Note 0065.jpg
File:Image Note 0066.jpg
File:Image Note 0067.jpg
File:Image Note 0068.jpg
File:Image Note 0069.jpg
File:Image Note 0070.jpg
File:Image Note 0071.jpg
File:Image_Note_0074.jpg
</gallery>

=== Background/Architecture ===
See also [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Artbook]], [[:Media:Guidebook_0069.jpg|Guidebook Architecture page 1]], and [[:Media:Guidebook_0070.jpg|Guidebook Architecture page 2]]
<gallery>
File:Sayaka's Room.jpg|Sayaka's Room </gallery>

== See Also ==
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Art Book]]
* [[Storyboards and Sketches]]
* [[Guidebook]]
* [[Key Animation Note]]
* [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Storyboards_and_Sketches|Miscellaneous Documents section on Storyboards and Sketches]]
* [[Translated_Official_Documents|Translated magazines]]

== Links ==
* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-08-02/madoka-magica-496-page-archive-weighs-in-at-1.6-kg ANN announcement on Production Note]
* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2011-12-12/2nd-madoka-magica-production-note-book-archive-to-be-sold ANN announcement on volume 2]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Products and merchandise]]
[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Translation request]]

Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.11

2026-07-06T15:01:06Z

Romi1908: /* Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo */

[[File:Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.11 cover.jpg|thumb|200px|Volume 11 Cover]]

The eleventh volume of the bimonthly [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]], released on December 10, 2013. It features an interview with Akiyuki Shinbo, as well as an interview with all seven main voice actors of Madoka Magica.

==Manga==
===Oneshots===
* まろ,p.171.「ミタキハラ魔法少女好子会トーク」
* 七路ゆうき,p. 179. 「人魚姫はかってくれない」
* コト,p. 187. 「魔法少女たちのとる休日」

===Series===
====Continuing from the previous volume====
* [[Mura Kuroe|Mura Kuroe]], p.17. 「Puella Magi Oriko☆Magica ~sadness prayer~」
* [http://marie.saiin.net/~s-e-e Shinmai], p. 35. 「Mami's Everyday Life」
* Hige, p. 57. 「Mahou Shoujobu Madoka Magica」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 73. 「Pomu Magi①」
* [http://goldenpedone1.web.fc2.com Golden Pe Done], p. 83. 「Puella Magi Tart☆Magica - The Legend of "Jeanne d'Arc"」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 119. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl」
* [http://misachu.net/ Nash], p. 125. 「Kaname-Ke」　　
* [http://linco.jp linco], p. 137. 「Mitakihara Kindergarten Mahougumi」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=303833 PAPA], p. 149. 「The Veranda of Madoka」
* [http://afro.futene.net/ afro], p. 159. 「Mahou Shoujo Homura Tamura 〜Parallel Worlds Do Not Remain Parallel Forever〜」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 199. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl Again」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 205. 「Pomu Magi②」
* Aota Mei, p. 215. 「Floating Madoka」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=19317 Myama], p. 227. 「Mitakihara Anti-Materials」

==Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo==

Chief Director: Akiyuki Shinbo

'''Part 1'''

We spoke with Chief Director Akiyuki Shinbo, looking back on the production after completing the new film. Over the course of this issue and the next, we delve into how those shocking developments and striking visuals came together.

'''Until the script for the new film was completed'''

—Congratulations on completing the new film. This is a completely original theatrical installment of ''Puella Magi Madoka Magica''. When did production begin?

It started right after the TV series finished airing. I don't remember the exact timing, but we began holding meetings around April or May of 2011, and by around the summer, Gen Urobuchi-san had completed the script.

—What kind of ideas did you propose during those meetings?

Personally, there was something about Madoka's decision in the first two films that had been bothering me a little. At the end of the previous film, Madoka resolves to become a magical girl and becomes the concept that destroys witches before they are born—the Law of Cycles. But I felt that, for a middle school girl, that was perhaps a little too strong a decision. Certainly, with her friend Homura being hurt right in front of her, she might, in the heat of the moment, decide to become a magical girl. But I don't think she could possibly have imagined that she would end up becoming a concept. The other day, I rewatched the second compilation film. Before Madoka goes to see Homura, she tells her parents, "I'm just going to the bathroom," and then leaves. That made me think that, at that point, Madoka may simply have wanted to save Homura. She probably never imagined that something as enormous as the reorganization of the universe's causal order would happen. Madoka, after becoming the Law of Cycles, appears at first glance to have attained enlightenment, but I think she's probably confused somewhere inside as well. That was the part that personally stayed with me, and I wondered whether we could somehow address it in this new film.

—Homura learning "Madoka's true feelings" became the major catalyst that drives the story of the new film. After reading the script, was there anything you asked to have changed?

The reason we were able to give each of the five magical girls their own highlight moments this time was thanks to Urobuchi-san's script. However, among them, I initially felt that the protagonist, Madoka, somehow didn't stand out very much. Given the structure of this story, Madoka is in a position where she shouldn't stand out, so it couldn't really be helped. Still, I wondered whether we might be able to increase the number of times she appears just a little. So that was the only adjustment I requested for the script. As a result, I think it turned into a work where all five magical girls have their moments to shine, and I'm very pleased with that.

'''The world of the new film created by Gekidan Inu Curry'''

—Although this is a completely original theatrical film, it retains the same style as the TV series, including an opening and ending sequence.

Even though it was being shown in theaters, rather than approaching it as making a movie, we approached the new work with the same mindset as if we were creating another season of the ''Madoka Magica'' TV series. That's why it has both an opening and an ending. There are other examples as well. Normally, if you're making a film, you compose the screen in Cinemascope format. But we deliberately chose the Vista aspect ratio instead. With Cinemascope, when the film is released on DVD or Blu-ray Disc, black bars appear at the top and bottom of the screen. I thought ''Madoka Magica'' fans probably wouldn't be happy about that. Also, this time the number of cuts became extremely high—around 2,200 cuts. With a typical film, you'd probably want to let individual shots run longer, and you usually wouldn't use this many cuts. (A normal animated feature generally has around 1,200 to 1,500 cuts.) If we had made it as an ordinary film, then during Kyubey's explanatory scenes, the standard approach would have been to show only the background while letting the audience calmly listen to the dialogue. But in our version, we layered action sequences over Kyubey's narration. Of course, my own hope was that people would be able to understand everything about the work after seeing it just once. But in the end, we packed in a tremendous amount of sound, dialogue, and visuals. Someone seeing it for the first time might end up a little confused, but I also think it's a good thing that it's become a work that can be understood more deeply after watching it a second or third time.

—Within the overall Madoka Magica series, how do you view the place of this new film?

As a work, the Madoka Magica TV series tells a complete story. The theatrical trilogy represents a version of Madoka Magica that has gone through one or two additional time loops after that. So I would like people to think of the new film not as a continuation of the TV series, but as a sequel to the first two compilation films. For example, Sayaka's hair ornament isn't present in the TV series, but it is in the theatrical version. The dialogue was also re-recorded, so the theatrical version and the TV version are different works in that respect. The only thing that remains the same is the voice track from the TV series.

—The new film was overwhelming both visually and narratively. What served as the starting point for creating its visual style?

Since this story takes place inside a witch's barrier, we had Gekidan Inu Curry-san, who specialize in designing otherworldly spaces, play a major role. First, based on Gen Urobuchi-san's script, we had Inu Curry-san draw a large number of image boards. At the end of the second compilation film, there was a teaser for the new film, and the image boards used there were created by Inu Curry-san. Using those image boards as references, we asked Sasaki Shinsaku-san—who also worked on storyboards for episodes of the TV series—to create the storyboards. The overall visual direction of the film was ultimately decided by combining the ideas contributed by many members of the staff.

—Even though Mitakihara is once again the setting, strange buildings and vehicles appear one after another. Was that unsettling atmosphere also the work of Gekidan Inu Curry?

For example, the place where Homura asks Kyouko for advice is supposed to be a café. But it's such a strange space that it hardly looks like a café at all. That's because it's inside a witch's barrier, so it was intentionally designed that way. Those mysterious children in the café—the Children of the False City—were also Inu Curry-san's idea. That's how they deliberately created that sense of unease.

—Not just the Children of the False City, but symbolic characters appear all throughout the film as well.

According to Gekidan Inu Curry-san, Homura's motif is a lizard. Lizards appear throughout the film, and in the end one even becomes Homura's earring. As for what that means, I hope the people watching the film will interpret it for themselves.

—The newly introduced Bebe also has a rather unusual way of speaking.

Inu Curry-san were very clear in saying, "We don't want Bebe to speak," so that's the direction we took. Every spoken line Bebe utters—things like "Cheese" and "Mascarpone"—was supervised entirely by Inu Curry-san. The dialogue that appears in speech bubbles was written by Gen Urobuchi-san. Since it was a little difficult to understand, we added subtitles, and I think that resulted in a distinctive and effective style of expression.

—Why was Kana Asumi cast as Bebe (Nagisa Momoe)?

We chose Nagisa's voice through auditions. For both Bebe and Nagisa, we wanted the feeling that she had been there from the very beginning. As we held the auditions, Asumi-san was by far the best fit. Even if viewers found themselves wondering, "Huh? Who's Bebe?" and felt a slight sense of incongruity, the other magical girls interact with her completely naturally, making it feel as though she simply blends into the group. I'm glad we were able to create that feeling.

'''How to draw out everyone's ideas on the staff'''

—When creating the visuals for the new film, what were you especially careful about?

Everyone on the staff contributed all kinds of ideas. The difficult part was finding the balance between letting them go far enough without letting them go too far. For example, during the gunfight between Homura and Mami, there's a scene where Homura points a gun at her own head. That idea was added by storyboard artist Shinsaku Sasaki-san. Homura puts on an act in order to cut Mami's ribbons, but Mami—who's in top form—isn't fooled so easily. It's a very entertaining scene because it gives the battle a nice change of pace. At first, though, I wasn't sure whether we should include it. In the end, I'm glad we did. There were many moments like that where I hesitated, but I think they all ultimately contributed to making the film more interesting.

—The transformation sequences were also visually striking. How did those come together?

Those transformation sequences were also expanded upon by Sasaki-san through his storyboards. Then Inu Curry-san added their own ideas, and our lead animator, Nozomu Abe-san, animated them. The request I gave was that I wanted transformation scenes unlike those of any magical girl series that had come before. Transformation scenes often involve the characters becoming naked, but I specifically asked that we avoid those kinds of established conventions. For the first two films, we adopted ideas from the animators to create transformation scenes that were enjoyable simply to watch. This time, I think we took that concept one step further. And once Yuki Kajiura-san's music was added, the visuals became even more impactful.

—Earlier you mentioned that the new film becomes more rewarding on a second or third viewing. What aspects do you think viewers should pay particular attention to?

When you watch the opening sequence a second time, I think you'll start to understand the meanings behind many things. For example, all of the magical girls are dancing together, yet Homura alone isn't dancing. I think you'll probably come to understand why that is. There are plenty of other silhouettes, visual compositions, and situations throughout the film that I think will catch people's attention as well. Also, rather than simply watching the new film repeatedly, I think it's especially interesting to watch the first two theatrical films again and then return to the new film. In particular, Sayaka and Kyouko's conversations take on new meaning. There's a line in the new film where Kyouko says, "I had a bad dream." That keyword—"dream"—is actually something that had already been planted as foreshadowing in the first two films. Urobuchi-san has scattered devices like that throughout the story, so I think the more of them viewers discover, the more enjoyable the film becomes. And lastly, Mami was really at the top of her game in the new film, so after watching it, I think readers will enjoy the manga ''The Everyday Life of Mami Tomoe'' even more. (laughs)

(To be continued in the next issue.)

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Kirara Magica vol 11 Navigation Cover.jpg
File:Kirara Magica vol 11 - Movie 3 Info.jpg
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p1.jpg |Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p2.jpg
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p3.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p1.jpg | Interview with VA's of Madoka Magica
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p2.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p3.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p4.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p5.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p6.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p7.jpg
File:TBP - krr vol 11.jpg
File:Kirara Magica Vol.11 Illustration.jpg | Cover Illustration : Part 3 of 3 ([[:File:Kirara Magica Rebellion Stitch.jpg|full spread]])
</gallery>

==See Also==
* [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]]
* [[Magazines|More translated magazines]]
* [[Other Media|Other translated sources]]

[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Translation_request]]

Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.11

2026-07-06T14:55:02Z

Romi1908: /* Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo */

[[File:Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.11 cover.jpg|thumb|200px|Volume 11 Cover]]

The eleventh volume of the bimonthly [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]], released on December 10, 2013. It features an interview with Akiyuki Shinbo, as well as an interview with all seven main voice actors of Madoka Magica.

==Manga==
===Oneshots===
* まろ,p.171.「ミタキハラ魔法少女好子会トーク」
* 七路ゆうき,p. 179. 「人魚姫はかってくれない」
* コト,p. 187. 「魔法少女たちのとる休日」

===Series===
====Continuing from the previous volume====
* [[Mura Kuroe|Mura Kuroe]], p.17. 「Puella Magi Oriko☆Magica ~sadness prayer~」
* [http://marie.saiin.net/~s-e-e Shinmai], p. 35. 「Mami's Everyday Life」
* Hige, p. 57. 「Mahou Shoujobu Madoka Magica」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 73. 「Pomu Magi①」
* [http://goldenpedone1.web.fc2.com Golden Pe Done], p. 83. 「Puella Magi Tart☆Magica - The Legend of "Jeanne d'Arc"」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 119. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl」
* [http://misachu.net/ Nash], p. 125. 「Kaname-Ke」　　
* [http://linco.jp linco], p. 137. 「Mitakihara Kindergarten Mahougumi」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=303833 PAPA], p. 149. 「The Veranda of Madoka」
* [http://afro.futene.net/ afro], p. 159. 「Mahou Shoujo Homura Tamura 〜Parallel Worlds Do Not Remain Parallel Forever〜」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 199. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl Again」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 205. 「Pomu Magi②」
* Aota Mei, p. 215. 「Floating Madoka」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=19317 Myama], p. 227. 「Mitakihara Anti-Materials」

==Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo==

Chief Director: Akiyuki Shinbo

'''Part 1'''

We spoke with Chief Director Akiyuki Shinbo, looking back on the production after completing the new film. Over the course of this issue and the next, we delve into how those shocking developments and striking visuals came together.

'''Until the script for the new film was completed'''

—Congratulations on completing the new film. This is a completely original theatrical installment of ''Puella Magi Madoka Magica''. When did production begin?

It started right after the TV series finished airing. I don't remember the exact timing, but we began holding meetings around April or May of 2011, and by around the summer, Gen Urobuchi-san had completed the script.

—What kind of ideas did you propose during those meetings?

Personally, there was something about Madoka's decision in the first two films that had been bothering me a little. At the end of the previous film, Madoka resolves to become a magical girl and becomes the concept that destroys witches before they are born—the Law of Cycles. But I felt that, for a middle school girl, that was perhaps a little too strong a decision. Certainly, with her friend Homura being hurt right in front of her, she might, in the heat of the moment, decide to become a magical girl. But I don't think she could possibly have imagined that she would end up becoming a concept. The other day, I rewatched the second compilation film. Before Madoka goes to see Homura, she tells her parents, "I'm just going to the bathroom," and then leaves. That made me think that, at that point, Madoka may simply have wanted to save Homura. She probably never imagined that something as enormous as the reorganization of the universe's causal order would happen. Madoka, after becoming the Law of Cycles, appears at first glance to have attained enlightenment, but I think she's probably confused somewhere inside as well. That was the part that personally stayed with me, and I wondered whether we could somehow address it in this new film.

—Homura learning "Madoka's true feelings" became the major catalyst that drives the story of the new film. After reading the script, was there anything you asked to have changed?

The reason we were able to give each of the five magical girls their own highlight moments this time was thanks to Urobuchi-san's script. However, among them, I initially felt that the protagonist, Madoka, somehow didn't stand out very much. Given the structure of this story, Madoka is in a position where she shouldn't stand out, so it couldn't really be helped. Still, I wondered whether we might be able to increase the number of times she appears just a little. So that was the only adjustment I requested for the script. As a result, I think it turned into a work where all five magical girls have their moments to shine, and I'm very pleased with that.

'''The world of the new film created by Gekidan Inu Curry'''

—Although this is a completely original theatrical film, it retains the same style as the TV series, including an opening and ending sequence.

Even though it was being shown in theaters, rather than approaching it as making a movie, we approached the new work with the same mindset as if we were creating another season of the ''Madoka Magica'' TV series. That's why it has both an opening and an ending. There are other examples as well. Normally, if you're making a film, you compose the screen in Cinemascope format. But we deliberately chose the Vista aspect ratio instead. With Cinemascope, when the film is released on DVD or Blu-ray Disc, black bars appear at the top and bottom of the screen. I thought ''Madoka Magica'' fans probably wouldn't be happy about that. Also, this time the number of cuts became extremely high—around 2,200 cuts. With a typical film, you'd probably want to let individual shots run longer, and you usually wouldn't use this many cuts. (A normal animated feature generally has around 1,200 to 1,500 cuts.) If we had made it as an ordinary film, then during Kyubey's explanatory scenes, the standard approach would have been to show only the background while letting the audience calmly listen to the dialogue. But in our version, we layered action sequences over Kyubey's narration. Of course, my own hope was that people would be able to understand everything about the work after seeing it just once. But in the end, we packed in a tremendous amount of sound, dialogue, and visuals. Someone seeing it for the first time might end up a little confused, but I also think it's a good thing that it's become a work that can be understood more deeply after watching it a second or third time.

—Within the overall Madoka Magica series, how do you view the place of this new film?

As a work, the Madoka Magica TV series tells a complete story. The theatrical trilogy represents a version of Madoka Magica that has gone through one or two additional time loops after that. So I would like people to think of the new film not as a continuation of the TV series, but as a sequel to the first two compilation films. For example, Sayaka's hair ornament isn't present in the TV series, but it is in the theatrical version. The dialogue was also re-recorded, so the theatrical version and the TV version are different works in that respect. The only thing that remains the same is the voice track from the TV series.

—The new film was overwhelming both visually and narratively. What served as the starting point for creating its visual style?

Since this story takes place inside a witch's barrier, we had Gekidan Inu Curry-san, who specialize in designing otherworldly spaces, play a major role. First, based on Gen Urobuchi-san's script, we had Inu Curry-san draw a large number of image boards. At the end of the second compilation film, there was a teaser for the new film, and the image boards used there were created by Inu Curry-san. Using those image boards as references, we asked Sasaki Shinsaku-san—who also worked on storyboards for episodes of the TV series—to create the storyboards. The overall visual direction of the film was ultimately decided by combining the ideas contributed by many members of the staff.

—Even though Mitakihara is once again the setting, strange buildings and vehicles appear one after another. Was that unsettling atmosphere also the work of Gekidan Inu Curry?

For example, the place where Homura asks Kyouko for advice is supposed to be a café. But it's such a strange space that it hardly looks like a café at all. That's because it's inside a witch's barrier, so it was intentionally designed that way. Those mysterious children in the café—the Children of the False City—were also Inu Curry-san's idea. That's how they deliberately created that sense of unease.

—Not just the Children of the False City, but symbolic characters appear all throughout the film as well.

According to Gekidan Inu Curry-san, Homura's motif is a lizard. Lizards appear throughout the film, and in the end one even becomes Homura's earring. As for what that means, I hope the people watching the film will interpret it for themselves.

—The newly introduced Bebe also has a rather unusual way of speaking.

Inu Curry-san were very clear in saying, "We don't want Bebe to speak," so that's the direction we took. Every spoken line Bebe utters—things like "Cheese" and "Mascarpone"—was supervised entirely by Inu Curry-san. The dialogue that appears in speech bubbles was written by Gen Urobuchi-san. Since it was a little difficult to understand, we added subtitles, and I think that resulted in a distinctive and effective style of expression.

—Why was Kana Asumi cast as Bebe (Nagisa Momoe)?

We chose Nagisa's voice through auditions. For both Bebe and Nagisa, we wanted the feeling that she had been there from the very beginning. As we held the auditions, Asumi-san was by far the best fit. Even if viewers found themselves wondering, "Huh? Who's Bebe?" and felt a slight sense of incongruity, the other magical girls interact with her completely naturally, making it feel as though she simply blends into the group. I'm glad we were able to create that feeling.

'''How to draw out everyone's ideas on the staff'''

—When creating the visuals for the new film, what were you especially careful about?

Everyone on the staff contributed all kinds of ideas. The difficult part was finding the balance between letting them go far enough without letting them go too far. For example, during the gunfight between Homura and Mami, there's a scene where Homura points a gun at her own head. That idea was added by storyboard artist Shinsaku Sasaki-san. Homura puts on an act in order to cut Mami's ribbons, but Mami—who's in top form—isn't fooled so easily. It's a very entertaining scene because it gives the battle a nice change of pace. At first, though, I wasn't sure whether we should include it. In the end, I'm glad we did. There were many moments like that where I hesitated, but I think they all ultimately contributed to making the film more interesting.

—The transformation sequences were also visually striking. How did those come together?

Those transformation sequences were also expanded upon by Sasaki-san through his storyboards. Then Inu Curry-san added their own ideas, and our lead animator, Nozomu Abe-san, animated them. The request I gave was that I wanted transformation scenes unlike those of any magical girl series that had come before. Transformation scenes often involve the characters becoming naked, but I specifically asked that we avoid those kinds of established conventions. For the first two films, we adopted ideas from the animators to create transformation scenes that were enjoyable simply to watch. This time, I think we took that concept one step further. And once Yuki Kajiura-san's music was added, the visuals became even more impactful.

—Earlier you mentioned that the new film becomes more rewarding on a second or third viewing. What aspects do you think viewers should pay particular attention to?

When you watch the opening sequence a second time, I think you'll start to understand the meanings behind many things. For example, all of the magical girls are dancing together, yet Homura alone isn't dancing. I think you'll probably come to understand why that is. There are plenty of other silhouettes, visual compositions, and situations throughout the film that I think will catch people's attention as well. Also, rather than simply watching the new film repeatedly, I think it's especially interesting to watch the first two theatrical films again and then return to the new film. In particular, Sayaka and Kyouko's conversations take on new meaning. There's a line in the new film where Kyouko says, "I had a bad dream." That keyword—"dream"—is actually something that had already been planted as foreshadowing in the first two films. Urobuchi-san has scattered devices like that throughout the story, so I think the more of them viewers discover, the more enjoyable the film becomes.

And lastly, Mami was really at the top of her game in the new film, so after watching it, I think readers will enjoy the manga ''The Everyday Life of Mami Tomoe'' even more. (laughs)

(To be continued in the next issue.)

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Kirara Magica vol 11 Navigation Cover.jpg
File:Kirara Magica vol 11 - Movie 3 Info.jpg
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p1.jpg |Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p2.jpg
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p3.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p1.jpg | Interview with VA's of Madoka Magica
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p2.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p3.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p4.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p5.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p6.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p7.jpg
File:TBP - krr vol 11.jpg
File:Kirara Magica Vol.11 Illustration.jpg | Cover Illustration : Part 3 of 3 ([[:File:Kirara Magica Rebellion Stitch.jpg|full spread]])
</gallery>

==See Also==
* [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]]
* [[Magazines|More translated magazines]]
* [[Other Media|Other translated sources]]

[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Translation_request]]

Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.11

2026-07-06T14:46:47Z

Romi1908: /* Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo */

[[File:Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.11 cover.jpg|thumb|200px|Volume 11 Cover]]

The eleventh volume of the bimonthly [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]], released on December 10, 2013. It features an interview with Akiyuki Shinbo, as well as an interview with all seven main voice actors of Madoka Magica.

==Manga==
===Oneshots===
* まろ,p.171.「ミタキハラ魔法少女好子会トーク」
* 七路ゆうき,p. 179. 「人魚姫はかってくれない」
* コト,p. 187. 「魔法少女たちのとる休日」

===Series===
====Continuing from the previous volume====
* [[Mura Kuroe|Mura Kuroe]], p.17. 「Puella Magi Oriko☆Magica ~sadness prayer~」
* [http://marie.saiin.net/~s-e-e Shinmai], p. 35. 「Mami's Everyday Life」
* Hige, p. 57. 「Mahou Shoujobu Madoka Magica」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 73. 「Pomu Magi①」
* [http://goldenpedone1.web.fc2.com Golden Pe Done], p. 83. 「Puella Magi Tart☆Magica - The Legend of "Jeanne d'Arc"」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 119. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl」
* [http://misachu.net/ Nash], p. 125. 「Kaname-Ke」　　
* [http://linco.jp linco], p. 137. 「Mitakihara Kindergarten Mahougumi」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=303833 PAPA], p. 149. 「The Veranda of Madoka」
* [http://afro.futene.net/ afro], p. 159. 「Mahou Shoujo Homura Tamura 〜Parallel Worlds Do Not Remain Parallel Forever〜」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 199. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl Again」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 205. 「Pomu Magi②」
* Aota Mei, p. 215. 「Floating Madoka」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=19317 Myama], p. 227. 「Mitakihara Anti-Materials」

==Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo==

Chief Director: Akiyuki Shinbo

'''Part 1'''

We spoke with Chief Director Akiyuki Shinbo, looking back on the production after completing the new film. Over the course of this issue and the next, we delve into how those shocking developments and striking visuals came together.

'''Until the script for the new film was completed'''

—Congratulations on completing the new film. This is a completely original theatrical installment of ''Puella Magi Madoka Magica''. When did production begin?

It started right after the TV series finished airing. I don't remember the exact timing, but we began holding meetings around April or May of 2011, and by around the summer, Gen Urobuchi-san had completed the script.

—What kind of ideas did you propose during those meetings?

Personally, there was something about Madoka's decision in the first two films that had been bothering me a little. At the end of the previous film, Madoka resolves to become a magical girl and becomes the concept that destroys witches before they are born—the Law of Cycles. But I felt that, for a middle school girl, that was perhaps a little too strong a decision. Certainly, with her friend Homura being hurt right in front of her, she might, in the heat of the moment, decide to become a magical girl. But I don't think she could possibly have imagined that she would end up becoming a concept. The other day, I rewatched the second compilation film. Before Madoka goes to see Homura, she tells her parents, "I'm just going to the bathroom," and then leaves. That made me think that, at that point, Madoka may simply have wanted to save Homura. She probably never imagined that something as enormous as the reorganization of the universe's causal order would happen. Madoka, after becoming the Law of Cycles, appears at first glance to have attained enlightenment, but I think she's probably confused somewhere inside as well. That was the part that personally stayed with me, and I wondered whether we could somehow address it in this new film.

—Homura learning "Madoka's true feelings" became the major catalyst that drives the story of the new film. After reading the script, was there anything you asked to have changed?

The reason we were able to give each of the five magical girls their own highlight moments this time was thanks to Urobuchi-san's script. However, among them, I initially felt that the protagonist, Madoka, somehow didn't stand out very much. Given the structure of this story, Madoka is in a position where she shouldn't stand out, so it couldn't really be helped. Still, I wondered whether we might be able to increase the number of times she appears just a little. So that was the only adjustment I requested for the script. As a result, I think it turned into a work where all five magical girls have their moments to shine, and I'm very pleased with that.

'''The world of the new film created by Gekidan Inu Curry'''

—Although this is a completely original theatrical film, it retains the same style as the TV series, including an opening and ending sequence.

Even though it was being shown in theaters, rather than approaching it as making a movie, we approached the new work with the same mindset as if we were creating another season of the ''Madoka Magica'' TV series. That's why it has both an opening and an ending. There are other examples as well. Normally, if you're making a film, you compose the screen in Cinemascope format. But we deliberately chose the Vista aspect ratio instead. With Cinemascope, when the film is released on DVD or Blu-ray Disc, black bars appear at the top and bottom of the screen. I thought ''Madoka Magica'' fans probably wouldn't be happy about that. Also, this time the number of cuts became extremely high—around 2,200 cuts. With a typical film, you'd probably want to let individual shots run longer, and you usually wouldn't use this many cuts. (A normal animated feature generally has around 1,200 to 1,500 cuts.) If we had made it as an ordinary film, then during Kyubey's explanatory scenes, the standard approach would have been to show only the background while letting the audience calmly listen to the dialogue. But in our version, we layered action sequences over Kyubey's narration. Of course, my own hope was that people would be able to understand everything about the work after seeing it just once. But in the end, we packed in a tremendous amount of sound, dialogue, and visuals. Someone seeing it for the first time might end up a little confused, but I also think it's a good thing that it's become a work that can be understood more deeply after watching it a second or third time.

—Within the overall Madoka Magica series, how do you view the place of this new film?

As a work, the Madoka Magica TV series tells a complete story. The theatrical trilogy represents a version of Madoka Magica that has gone through one or two additional time loops after that. So I would like people to think of the new film not as a continuation of the TV series, but as a sequel to the first two compilation films. For example, Sayaka's hair ornament isn't present in the TV series, but it is in the theatrical version. The dialogue was also re-recorded, so the theatrical version and the TV version are different works in that respect. The only thing that remains the same is the voice track from the TV series.

—The new film was overwhelming both visually and narratively. What served as the starting point for creating its visual style?

Since this story takes place inside a witch's barrier, we had Gekidan Inu Curry-san, who specialize in designing otherworldly spaces, play a major role. First, based on Gen Urobuchi-san's script, we had Inu Curry-san draw a large number of image boards. At the end of the second compilation film, there was a teaser for the new film, and the image boards used there were created by Inu Curry-san. Using those image boards as references, we asked Sasaki Shinsaku-san—who also worked on storyboards for episodes of the TV series—to create the storyboards. The overall visual direction of the film was ultimately decided by combining the ideas contributed by many members of the staff.

—Even though Mitakihara is once again the setting, strange buildings and vehicles appear one after another. Was that unsettling atmosphere also the work of Gekidan Inu Curry?

For example, the place where Homura asks Kyouko for advice is supposed to be a café. But it's such a strange space that it hardly looks like a café at all. That's because it's inside a witch's barrier, so it was intentionally designed that way. Those mysterious children in the café—the Children of the False City—were also Inu Curry-san's idea. That's how they deliberately created that sense of unease.

—Not just the Children of the False City, but symbolic characters appear all throughout the film as well.

According to Gekidan Inu Curry-san, Homura's motif is a lizard. Lizards appear throughout the film, and in the end one even becomes Homura's earring. As for what that means, I hope the people watching the film will interpret it for themselves.

—The newly introduced Bebe also has a rather unusual way of speaking.

Inu Curry-san were very clear in saying, "We don't want Bebe to speak," so that's the direction we took. Every spoken line Bebe utters—things like "Cheese" and "Mascarpone"—was supervised entirely by Inu Curry-san. The dialogue that appears in speech bubbles was written by Gen Urobuchi-san. Since it was a little difficult to understand, we added subtitles, and I think that resulted in a distinctive and effective style of expression.

—Why was Kana Asumi cast as Bebe (Nagisa Momoe)?

We chose Nagisa's voice through auditions. For both Bebe and Nagisa, we wanted the feeling that she had been there from the very beginning. As we held the auditions, Asumi-san was by far the best fit. Even if viewers found themselves wondering, "Huh? Who's Bebe?" and felt a slight sense of incongruity, the other magical girls interact with her completely naturally, making it feel as though she simply blends into the group. I'm glad we were able to create that feeling.

'''How to draw out everyone's ideas on the staff'''

—When creating the visuals for the new film, what were you especially careful about?

Everyone on the staff contributed all kinds of ideas. The difficult part was finding the balance between letting them go far enough without letting them go too far. For example, during the gunfight between Homura and Mami, there's a scene where Homura points a gun at her own head. That idea was added by storyboard artist Shinsaku Sasaki-san. Homura puts on an act in order to cut Mami's ribbons, but Mami—who's in top form—isn't fooled so easily. It's a very entertaining scene because it gives the battle a nice change of pace. At first, though, I wasn't sure whether we should include it. In the end, I'm glad we did. There were many moments like that where I hesitated, but I think they all ultimately contributed to making the film more interesting.

—The transformation sequences were also visually striking. How did those come together?

Those transformation sequences were also expanded upon by Sasaki-san through his storyboards. Then Inu Curry-san added their own ideas, and our lead animator, Nozomu Abe-san, animated them. The request I gave was that I wanted transformation scenes unlike those of any magical girl series that had come before.Transformation scenes often involve the characters becoming naked, but I specifically asked that we avoid those kinds of established conventions. For the first two films, we adopted ideas from the animators to create transformation scenes that were enjoyable simply to watch. This time, I think we took that concept one step further. And once Yuki Kajiura-san's music was added, the visuals became even more impactful.

—Earlier you mentioned that the new film becomes more rewarding on a second or third viewing. What aspects do you think viewers should pay particular attention to?

When you watch the opening sequence a second time, I think you'll start to understand the meanings behind many things. For example, all of the magical girls are dancing together, yet Homura alone isn't dancing. I think you'll probably come to understand why that is. There are plenty of other silhouettes, visual compositions, and situations throughout the film that I think will catch people's attention as well. Also, rather than simply watching the new film repeatedly, I think it's especially interesting to watch the first two theatrical films again and then return to the new film. In particular, Sayaka and Kyouko's conversations take on new meaning. There's a line in the new film where Kyouko says, "I had a bad dream." That keyword—"dream"—is actually something that had already been planted as foreshadowing in the first two films. Urobuchi-san has scattered devices like that throughout the story, so I think the more of them viewers discover, the more enjoyable the film becomes.

And lastly, Mami was really at the top of her game in the new film, so after watching it, I think readers will enjoy the manga ''The Everyday Life of Mami Tomoe'' even more. (laughs)

(To be continued in the next issue.)

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Kirara Magica vol 11 Navigation Cover.jpg
File:Kirara Magica vol 11 - Movie 3 Info.jpg
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p1.jpg |Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p2.jpg
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p3.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p1.jpg | Interview with VA's of Madoka Magica
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p2.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p3.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p4.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p5.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p6.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p7.jpg
File:TBP - krr vol 11.jpg
File:Kirara Magica Vol.11 Illustration.jpg | Cover Illustration : Part 3 of 3 ([[:File:Kirara Magica Rebellion Stitch.jpg|full spread]])
</gallery>

==See Also==
* [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]]
* [[Magazines|More translated magazines]]
* [[Other Media|Other translated sources]]

[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Translation_request]]

Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.11

2026-07-06T06:53:26Z

Romi1908: /* Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo */

[[File:Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.11 cover.jpg|thumb|200px|Volume 11 Cover]]

The eleventh volume of the bimonthly [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]], released on December 10, 2013. It features an interview with Akiyuki Shinbo, as well as an interview with all seven main voice actors of Madoka Magica.

==Manga==
===Oneshots===
* まろ,p.171.「ミタキハラ魔法少女好子会トーク」
* 七路ゆうき,p. 179. 「人魚姫はかってくれない」
* コト,p. 187. 「魔法少女たちのとる休日」

===Series===
====Continuing from the previous volume====
* [[Mura Kuroe|Mura Kuroe]], p.17. 「Puella Magi Oriko☆Magica ~sadness prayer~」
* [http://marie.saiin.net/~s-e-e Shinmai], p. 35. 「Mami's Everyday Life」
* Hige, p. 57. 「Mahou Shoujobu Madoka Magica」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 73. 「Pomu Magi①」
* [http://goldenpedone1.web.fc2.com Golden Pe Done], p. 83. 「Puella Magi Tart☆Magica - The Legend of "Jeanne d'Arc"」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 119. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl」
* [http://misachu.net/ Nash], p. 125. 「Kaname-Ke」　　
* [http://linco.jp linco], p. 137. 「Mitakihara Kindergarten Mahougumi」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=303833 PAPA], p. 149. 「The Veranda of Madoka」
* [http://afro.futene.net/ afro], p. 159. 「Mahou Shoujo Homura Tamura 〜Parallel Worlds Do Not Remain Parallel Forever〜」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 199. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl Again」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 205. 「Pomu Magi②」
* Aota Mei, p. 215. 「Floating Madoka」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=19317 Myama], p. 227. 「Mitakihara Anti-Materials」

==Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo==

Chief Director: Akiyuki Shinbo

'''Part 1'''

We spoke with Chief Director Akiyuki Shinbo, looking back on the production after completing the new film. Over the course of this issue and the next, we delve into how those shocking developments and striking visuals came together.

'''Until the script for the new film was completed'''

—Congratulations on completing the new film. This is a completely original theatrical installment of ''Puella Magi Madoka Magica''. When did production begin?

It started right after the TV series finished airing. I don't remember the exact timing, but we began holding meetings around April or May of 2011, and by around the summer, Gen Urobuchi-san had completed the script.

—What kind of ideas did you propose during those meetings?

Personally, there was something about Madoka's decision in the first two films that had been bothering me a little. At the end of the previous film, Madoka resolves to become a magical girl and becomes the concept that destroys witches before they are born—the Law of Cycles. But I felt that, for a middle school girl, that was perhaps a little too strong a decision. Certainly, with her friend Homura being hurt right in front of her, she might, in the heat of the moment, decide to become a magical girl. But I don't think she could possibly have imagined that she would end up becoming a concept. The other day, I rewatched the second compilation film. Before Madoka goes to see Homura, she tells her parents, "I'm just going to the bathroom," and then leaves. That made me think that, at that point, Madoka may simply have wanted to save Homura. She probably never imagined that something as enormous as the reorganization of the universe's causal order would happen. Madoka, after becoming the Law of Cycles, appears at first glance to have attained enlightenment, but I think she's probably confused somewhere inside as well. That was the part that personally stayed with me, and I wondered whether we could somehow address it in this new film.

—Homura learning "Madoka's true feelings" became the major catalyst that drives the story of the new film. After reading the script, was there anything you asked to have changed?

The reason we were able to give each of the five magical girls their own highlight moments this time was thanks to Urobuchi-san's script. However, among them, I initially felt that the protagonist, Madoka, somehow didn't stand out very much. Given the structure of this story, Madoka is in a position where she shouldn't stand out, so it couldn't really be helped. Still, I wondered whether we might be able to increase the number of times she appears just a little. So that was the only adjustment I requested for the script. As a result, I think it turned into a work where all five magical girls have their moments to shine, and I'm very pleased with that.

'''The world of the new film created by Gekidan Inu Curry'''

—Although this is a completely original theatrical film, it retains the same style as the TV series, including an opening and ending sequence.

Even though it was being shown in theaters, rather than approaching it as making a movie, we approached the new work with the same mindset as if we were creating another season of the Madoka Magica TV series. That's why it has both an opening and an ending. There are other examples as well. Normally, if you're making a film, you compose the screen in Cinemascope format. But we deliberately chose the Vista aspect ratio instead. With Cinemascope, when the film is released on DVD or Blu-ray Disc, black bars appear at the top and bottom of the screen. I thought Madoka Magica fans probably wouldn't be happy about that. Also, this time the number of cuts became extremely high—around 2,200 cuts. With a typical film, you'd probably want to let individual shots run longer, and you usually wouldn't use this many cuts. (A normal animated feature generally has around 1,200 to 1,500 cuts.) If we had made it as an ordinary film, then during Kyubey's explanatory scenes, the standard approach would have been to show only the background while letting the audience calmly listen to the dialogue. But in our version, we layered action sequences over Kyubey's narration. Of course, my own hope was that people would be able to understand everything about the work after seeing it just once. But in the end, we packed in a tremendous amount of sound, dialogue, and visuals. Someone seeing it for the first time might end up a little confused, but I also think it's a good thing that it's become a work that can be understood more deeply after watching it a second or third time.

—Within the overall Madoka Magica series, how do you view the place of this new film?

As a work, the Madoka Magica TV series tells a complete story. The theatrical trilogy represents a version of Madoka Magica that has gone through one or two additional time loops after that. So I would like people to think of the new film not as a continuation of the TV series, but as a sequel to the first two compilation films. For example, Sayaka's hair ornament isn't present in the TV series, but it is in the theatrical version. The dialogue was also re-recorded, so the theatrical version and the TV version are different works in that respect. The only thing that remains the same is the voice track from the TV series.

—The new film was overwhelming both visually and narratively. What served as the starting point for creating its visual style?

Since this story takes place inside a witch's barrier, we had Gekidan Inu Curry-san, who specialize in designing otherworldly spaces, play a major role. First, based on Gen Urobuchi-san's script, we had Inu Curry-san draw a large number of image boards. At the end of the second compilation film, there was a teaser for the new film, and the image boards used there were created by Inu Curry-san. Using those image boards as references, we asked Sasaki Shinsaku-san—who also worked on storyboards for episodes of the TV series—to create the storyboards. The overall visual direction of the film was ultimately decided by combining the ideas contributed by many members of the staff.

—Even though Mitakihara is once again the setting, strange buildings and vehicles appear one after another. Was that unsettling atmosphere also the work of Gekidan Inu Curry?

For example, the place where Homura asks Kyouko for advice is supposed to be a café. But it's such a strange space that it hardly looks like a café at all. That's because it's inside a witch's barrier, so it was intentionally designed that way. Those mysterious children in the café—the Children of the False City—were also Inu Curry-san's idea. That's how they deliberately created that sense of unease.

—Not just the Children of the False City, but symbolic characters appear all throughout the film as well.

According to Gekidan Inu Curry-san, Homura's motif is a lizard. Lizards appear throughout the film, and in the end one even becomes Homura's earring. As for what that means, I hope the people watching the film will interpret it for themselves.

—The newly introduced Bebe also has a rather unusual way of speaking.

Inu Curry-san were very clear in saying, "We don't want Bebe to speak," so that's the direction we took. Every spoken line Bebe utters—things like "Cheese" and "Mascarpone"—was supervised entirely by Inu Curry-san. The dialogue that appears in speech bubbles was written by Gen Urobuchi-san. Since it was a little difficult to understand, we added subtitles, and I think that resulted in a distinctive and effective style of expression.

—Why was Kana Asumi cast as Bebe (Nagisa Momoe)?

We chose Nagisa's voice through auditions. For both Bebe and Nagisa, we wanted the feeling that she had been there from the very beginning. As we held the auditions, Asumi-san was by far the best fit. Even if viewers found themselves wondering, "Huh? Who's Bebe?" and felt a slight sense of incongruity, the other magical girls interact with her completely naturally, making it feel as though she simply blends into the group. I'm glad we were able to create that feeling.

'''How to draw out everyone's ideas on the staff'''

—When creating the visuals for the new film, what were you especially careful about?

Everyone on the staff contributed all kinds of ideas. The difficult part was finding the balance between letting them go far enough without letting them go too far. For example, during the gunfight between Homura and Mami, there's a scene where Homura points a gun at her own head. That idea was added by storyboard artist Shinsaku Sasaki-san. Homura puts on an act in order to cut Mami's ribbons, but Mami—who's in top form—isn't fooled so easily. It's a very entertaining scene because it gives the battle a nice change of pace. At first, though, I wasn't sure whether we should include it. In the end, I'm glad we did. There were many moments like that where I hesitated, but I think they all ultimately contributed to making the film more interesting.

—The transformation sequences were also visually striking. How did those come together?

Those transformation sequences were also expanded upon by Sasaki-san through his storyboards. Then Inu Curry-san added their own ideas, and our lead animator, Nozomu Abe-san, animated them. The request I gave was that I wanted transformation scenes unlike those of any magical girl series that had come before.Transformation scenes often involve the characters becoming naked, but I specifically asked that we avoid those kinds of established conventions. For the first two films, we adopted ideas from the animators to create transformation scenes that were enjoyable simply to watch. This time, I think we took that concept one step further. And once Yuki Kajiura-san's music was added, the visuals became even more impactful.

—Earlier you mentioned that the new film becomes more rewarding on a second or third viewing. What aspects do you think viewers should pay particular attention to?

When you watch the opening sequence a second time, I think you'll start to understand the meanings behind many things. For example, all of the magical girls are dancing together, yet Homura alone isn't dancing. I think you'll probably come to understand why that is. There are plenty of other silhouettes, visual compositions, and situations throughout the film that I think will catch people's attention as well. Also, rather than simply watching the new film repeatedly, I think it's especially interesting to watch the first two theatrical films again and then return to the new film. In particular, Sayaka and Kyouko's conversations take on new meaning. There's a line in the new film where Kyouko says, "I had a bad dream." That keyword—"dream"—is actually something that had already been planted as foreshadowing in the first two films. Urobuchi-san has scattered devices like that throughout the story, so I think the more of them viewers discover, the more enjoyable the film becomes.

And lastly, Mami was really at the top of her game in the new film, so after watching it, I think readers will enjoy the manga ''The Everyday Life of Mami Tomoe'' even more. (laughs)

(To be continued in the next issue.)

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Kirara Magica vol 11 Navigation Cover.jpg
File:Kirara Magica vol 11 - Movie 3 Info.jpg
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p1.jpg |Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p2.jpg
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p3.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p1.jpg | Interview with VA's of Madoka Magica
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p2.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p3.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p4.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p5.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p6.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p7.jpg
File:TBP - krr vol 11.jpg
File:Kirara Magica Vol.11 Illustration.jpg | Cover Illustration : Part 3 of 3 ([[:File:Kirara Magica Rebellion Stitch.jpg|full spread]])
</gallery>

==See Also==
* [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]]
* [[Magazines|More translated magazines]]
* [[Other Media|Other translated sources]]

[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Translation_request]]

Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.11

2026-07-06T06:49:57Z

Romi1908: /* Manga */

[[File:Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.11 cover.jpg|thumb|200px|Volume 11 Cover]]

The eleventh volume of the bimonthly [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]], released on December 10, 2013. It features an interview with Akiyuki Shinbo, as well as an interview with all seven main voice actors of Madoka Magica.

==Manga==
===Oneshots===
* まろ,p.171.「ミタキハラ魔法少女好子会トーク」
* 七路ゆうき,p. 179. 「人魚姫はかってくれない」
* コト,p. 187. 「魔法少女たちのとる休日」

===Series===
====Continuing from the previous volume====
* [[Mura Kuroe|Mura Kuroe]], p.17. 「Puella Magi Oriko☆Magica ~sadness prayer~」
* [http://marie.saiin.net/~s-e-e Shinmai], p. 35. 「Mami's Everyday Life」
* Hige, p. 57. 「Mahou Shoujobu Madoka Magica」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 73. 「Pomu Magi①」
* [http://goldenpedone1.web.fc2.com Golden Pe Done], p. 83. 「Puella Magi Tart☆Magica - The Legend of "Jeanne d'Arc"」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 119. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl」
* [http://misachu.net/ Nash], p. 125. 「Kaname-Ke」　　
* [http://linco.jp linco], p. 137. 「Mitakihara Kindergarten Mahougumi」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=303833 PAPA], p. 149. 「The Veranda of Madoka」
* [http://afro.futene.net/ afro], p. 159. 「Mahou Shoujo Homura Tamura 〜Parallel Worlds Do Not Remain Parallel Forever〜」
* [http://fukashigi.sblo.jp/ YAMADA Ishito], p. 199. 「Sute Ma! I Found a Magical Girl Again」
* [http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/doraneko-21 Tsukumo], p. 205. 「Pomu Magi②」
* Aota Mei, p. 215. 「Floating Madoka」
* [http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=19317 Myama], p. 227. 「Mitakihara Anti-Materials」

==Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo==

Chief Director: Akiyuki Shinbo

'''Part 1'''

We spoke with Chief Director Akiyuki Shinbo, looking back on the production after completing the new film. Over the course of this issue and the next, we delve into how those shocking developments and striking visuals came together.

'''Until the script for the new film was completed'''

—Congratulations on completing the new film. This is a completely original theatrical installment of Puella Magi Madoka Magica. When did production begin?

It started right after the TV series finished airing. I don't remember the exact timing, but we began holding meetings around April or May of 2011, and by around the summer, Gen Urobuchi had completed the script.

—What kind of ideas did you propose during those meetings?

Personally, there was something about Madoka's decision in the first two films that had been bothering me a little. At the end of the previous film, Madoka resolves to become a magical girl and becomes the concept that destroys witches before they are born—the Law of Cycles. But I felt that, for a middle school girl, that was perhaps a little too strong a decision. Certainly, with her friend Homura being hurt right in front of her, she might, in the heat of the moment, decide to become a magical girl. But I don't think she could possibly have imagined that she would end up becoming a concept. The other day, I rewatched the second compilation film. Before Madoka goes to see Homura, she tells her parents, "I'm just going to the bathroom," and then leaves. That made me think that, at that point, Madoka may simply have wanted to save Homura. She probably never imagined that something as enormous as the reorganization of the universe's causal order would happen. Madoka, after becoming the Law of Cycles, appears at first glance to have attained enlightenment, but I think she's probably confused somewhere inside as well. That was the part that personally stayed with me, and I wondered whether we could somehow address it in this new film.

—Homura learning "Madoka's true feelings" became the major catalyst that drives the story of the new film. After reading the script, was there anything you asked to have changed?

The reason we were able to give each of the five magical girls their own highlight moments this time was thanks to Urobuchi-san's script. However, among them, I initially felt that the protagonist, Madoka, somehow didn't stand out very much. Given the structure of this story, Madoka is in a position where she shouldn't stand out, so it couldn't really be helped. Still, I wondered whether we might be able to increase the number of times she appears just a little. So that was the only adjustment I requested for the script. As a result, I think it turned into a work where all five magical girls have their moments to shine, and I'm very pleased with that.

'''The world of the new film created by Gekidan Inu Curry'''

—Although this is a completely original theatrical film, it retains the same style as the TV series, including an opening and ending sequence.

Even though it was being shown in theaters, rather than approaching it as making a movie, we approached the new work with the same mindset as if we were creating another season of the Madoka Magica TV series. That's why it has both an opening and an ending. There are other examples as well. Normally, if you're making a film, you compose the screen in Cinemascope format. But we deliberately chose the Vista aspect ratio instead. With Cinemascope, when the film is released on DVD or Blu-ray Disc, black bars appear at the top and bottom of the screen. I thought Madoka Magica fans probably wouldn't be happy about that. Also, this time the number of cuts became extremely high—around 2,200 cuts. With a typical film, you'd probably want to let individual shots run longer, and you usually wouldn't use this many cuts. (A normal animated feature generally has around 1,200 to 1,500 cuts.) If we had made it as an ordinary film, then during Kyubey's explanatory scenes, the standard approach would have been to show only the background while letting the audience calmly listen to the dialogue. But in our version, we layered action sequences over Kyubey's narration. Of course, my own hope was that people would be able to understand everything about the work after seeing it just once. But in the end, we packed in a tremendous amount of sound, dialogue, and visuals. Someone seeing it for the first time might end up a little confused, but I also think it's a good thing that it's become a work that can be understood more deeply after watching it a second or third time.

—Within the overall Madoka Magica series, how do you view the place of this new film?

As a work, the Madoka Magica TV series tells a complete story. The theatrical trilogy represents a version of Madoka Magica that has gone through one or two additional time loops after that. So I would like people to think of the new film not as a continuation of the TV series, but as a sequel to the first two compilation films. For example, Sayaka's hair ornament isn't present in the TV series, but it is in the theatrical version. The dialogue was also re-recorded, so the theatrical version and the TV version are different works in that respect. The only thing that remains the same is the voice track from the TV series.

—The new film was overwhelming both visually and narratively. What served as the starting point for creating its visual style?

Since this story takes place inside a witch's barrier, we had Gekidan Inu Curry-san, who specialize in designing otherworldly spaces, play a major role. First, based on Gen Urobuchi-san's script, we had Inu Curry-san draw a large number of image boards. At the end of the second compilation film, there was a teaser for the new film, and the image boards used there were created by Inu Curry-san. Using those image boards as references, we asked Sasaki Shinsaku-san—who also worked on storyboards for episodes of the TV series—to create the storyboards. The overall visual direction of the film was ultimately decided by combining the ideas contributed by many members of the staff.

—Even though Mitakihara is once again the setting, strange buildings and vehicles appear one after another. Was that unsettling atmosphere also the work of Gekidan Inu Curry?

For example, the place where Homura asks Kyouko for advice is supposed to be a café. But it's such a strange space that it hardly looks like a café at all. That's because it's inside a witch's barrier, so it was intentionally designed that way. Those mysterious children in the café—the Children of the False City—were also Inu Curry-san's idea. That's how they deliberately created that sense of unease.

—Not just the Children of the False City, but symbolic characters appear all throughout the film as well.

According to Gekidan Inu Curry-san, Homura's motif is a lizard. Lizards appear throughout the film, and in the end one even becomes Homura's earring. As for what that means, I hope the people watching the film will interpret it for themselves.

—The newly introduced Bebe also has a rather unusual way of speaking.

Inu Curry-san were very clear in saying, "We don't want Bebe to speak," so that's the direction we took. Every spoken line Bebe utters—things like "Cheese" and "Mascarpone"—was supervised entirely by Inu Curry-san. The dialogue that appears in speech bubbles was written by Gen Urobuchi-san. Since it was a little difficult to understand, we added subtitles, and I think that resulted in a distinctive and effective style of expression.

—Why was Kana Asumi cast as Bebe (Nagisa Momoe)?

We chose Nagisa's voice through auditions. For both Bebe and Nagisa, we wanted the feeling that she had been there from the very beginning. As we held the auditions, Asumi-san was by far the best fit. Even if viewers found themselves wondering, "Huh? Who's Bebe?" and felt a slight sense of incongruity, the other magical girls interact with her completely naturally, making it feel as though she simply blends into the group. I'm glad we were able to create that feeling.

'''How to draw out everyone's ideas on the staff'''

—When creating the visuals for the new film, what were you especially careful about?

Everyone on the staff contributed all kinds of ideas. The difficult part was finding the balance between letting them go far enough without letting them go too far. For example, during the gunfight between Homura and Mami, there's a scene where Homura points a gun at her own head. That idea was added by storyboard artist Shinsaku Sasaki-san. Homura puts on an act in order to cut Mami's ribbons, but Mami—who's in top form—isn't fooled so easily. It's a very entertaining scene because it gives the battle a nice change of pace. At first, though, I wasn't sure whether we should include it. In the end, I'm glad we did. There were many moments like that where I hesitated, but I think they all ultimately contributed to making the film more interesting.

—The transformation sequences were also visually striking. How did those come together?

Those transformation sequences were also expanded upon by Sasaki-san through his storyboards. Then Inu Curry-san added their own ideas, and our lead animator, Nozomu Abe-san, animated them. The request I gave was that I wanted transformation scenes unlike those of any magical girl series that had come before.Transformation scenes often involve the characters becoming naked, but I specifically asked that we avoid those kinds of established conventions. For the first two films, we adopted ideas from the animators to create transformation scenes that were enjoyable simply to watch. This time, I think we took that concept one step further. And once Yuki Kajiura-san's music was added, the visuals became even more impactful.

—Earlier you mentioned that the new film becomes more rewarding on a second or third viewing. What aspects do you think viewers should pay particular attention to?

When you watch the opening sequence a second time, I think you'll start to understand the meanings behind many things. For example, all of the magical girls are dancing together, yet Homura alone isn't dancing. I think you'll probably come to understand why that is. There are plenty of other silhouettes, visual compositions, and situations throughout the film that I think will catch people's attention as well. Also, rather than simply watching the new film repeatedly, I think it's especially interesting to watch the first two theatrical films again and then return to the new film. In particular, Sayaka and Kyouko's conversations take on new meaning. There's a line in the new film where Kyouko says, "I had a bad dream." That keyword—"dream"—is actually something that had already been planted as foreshadowing in the first two films. Urobuchi-san has scattered devices like that throughout the story, so I think the more of them viewers discover, the more enjoyable the film becomes.

And lastly, Mami was really at the top of her game in the new film, so after watching it, I think readers will enjoy the manga ''The Everyday Life of Mami Tomoe'' even more. (laughs)

(To be continued in the next issue.)

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Kirara Magica vol 11 Navigation Cover.jpg
File:Kirara Magica vol 11 - Movie 3 Info.jpg
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p1.jpg |Interview with Akiyuki Shinbo
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p2.jpg
File:Kirara vol 11 Shinbo Interview p3.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p1.jpg | Interview with VA's of Madoka Magica
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p2.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p3.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p4.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p5.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p6.jpg
File:Vol 11 VA Interview p7.jpg
File:TBP - krr vol 11.jpg
File:Kirara Magica Vol.11 Illustration.jpg | Cover Illustration : Part 3 of 3 ([[:File:Kirara Magica Rebellion Stitch.jpg|full spread]])
</gallery>

==See Also==
* [[Manga Time Kirara Magica]]
* [[Magazines|More translated magazines]]
* [[Other Media|Other translated sources]]

[[Category:Interviews]]
[[Category:Translation_request]]

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone"

2026-07-06T03:39:17Z

Romi1908: /* Production Materials */

[[File:Front cover homumado - you are not alone.jpg|thumb|400px]]

[[File:Guidebook TOC.jpg|thumb]]
'''Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone"''', a compilation on a wide variety of information on ''Madoka Magica'', was released on [http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4832240617/ August 27th, 2011]. The [[:Media:Guidebook TOC.jpg|table of contents]] reveals these categories of information: Illustrations, Episode and Characters, Cast Interviews, Materials, and Staff Interviews.

A look at the sample pages from the Guidebook reveals it contains a wide range of information, including:
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Prior_Illustrations|Prior illustrations]] from magazines and other sources
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Episodic_Coverage_and_Character_Pages|Episodic coverage and character pages]] including commentary
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Interviews|Staff Interviews]] with cast members
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_%22You_Are_Not_Alone%22#Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_After-recording_Report|After-recording report comic]] reported and illustrated by hanokage, author of the [[Madoka Magica (manga)|Madoka Magica manga]].
* Design, sketches and other [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Production_Materials|production-related material]] similar to [[Puella Magi Production Note|Production Note]] or [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Art_Book|Art Book]]
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Interviews|Staff Interviews]] with many staff members
* Staff behind-the-scenes [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Staff_Discussion|discussion]]
* [[Puella_Magi_Madoka_Magica_Official_Guidebook_"You_Are_Not_Alone"#Early_Character_Designs|Early character designs]] of initial concepts 

== Staff Discussion ==

Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.

===Page 100===

* [[Akiyuki Shinbo]]: Major works include Bakemonogatari, Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei, Hidamari Sketch, Arakawa under the Bridge (all as director)
*[[Gen Urobuchi]]: Works for Nitroplus. Involved in the screenplay writing for many games from this company. Major anime works include Blassreiter (series composition), Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~ (screenplay)
* [[Ume Aoki]]: Manga artist. Her manga Hidamari Sketch is being serialized in Manga Time Kirara Carat.
* Mitsutoshi Kubota: Chief Executive Officer of SHAFT. He also worked as Animation Producer in Shaft works like Bakemonogatari, Hidamari Sketch etc.
*Atsuhiro Iwakami: Works for Aniplex. Involved in anime works such as Bakemonogatari, Kara no Kyoukai, Hidamari Sketch, Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai.

'''LOOKING BACK FROM NOW AT THE INITIAL COMPOSITON PROPOSAL'''

''I heard that the project "Madoka Magica" started from some chats with Director Shinbo saying "I want to do a mahou shoujo anime".'' 

SHINBO: I cannot remember such a thing at all. When I asked later "Um? Didn't Iwakami-san first mention it?" and I was told "No, that's not the case." (LOL)

IWAKAMI: It's not like you assertively said "I want to do Mahou Shoujo!!". It was with nuance, like "For the mahou shoujo format, there should still be possibilities."

KUBOTA: Surely it must have been around 2008.

IWAKAMI: And then we had some talks about talking to Urobuchi-san and Ume-sensei about joining [the project]. I think it took place unexpectedly quickly, so much that I could not remember the process.

''When did all of you first gather together?'' 

IWAKAMI: According to the material from that time and the mail history, the first meeting was held in October 2008.

AOKI: It was at that time that I first met Urobuchi-san. I remember thinking, "Oh, he is a person who takes memos with a PC." (LOL)

IWAKAMI: There we threw in and exchanged many ideas, and then I gathered and summarized them ([[:File:Guidebook Production Related Material 01.jpg|cf p.124]]).

UROBUCHI: In particular I did not prepare in advance any idea. I just said one after another what I came up right at that place. And when I did that, almost everything I said were accepted with "This is good." "Let's do that." Then I got worried as I thought "Oh no. I will have to turn everything I've just said into plot lines myself." (LOL)

''How many times did you repeat this kind of discussion?'' 

KUBOTA: No, only once at the very beginning. Urobuchi-san summarized everything into a composition proposal before our next chance to meet.

UROBUCHI: I came up with a rough structure of around 3 stages: I will show the beginning of the story like this; and next these details of the truth will be revealed; and last that truth will be revealed. And then I divided them further and made it into a composition proposal for one cour. However at that stage, the flow from ep. 6 to around ep. 8 was still a bit tricky. When I look back from now, ep. 9 was really bad!

AOKI: That's right. [You were saying] "I am going to put Sayaka decisively into despair." (LOL)

UROBUCHI: The idea that I came up with anyways was to bully Sayaka (LOL). At that moment, the thinking for Sayaka falling into despair was that it was not due to Hitomi. For that, it was a part that got inserted at the stage when the screenplay was written.

''I heard the composition proposal had 13 episodes altogether?'' 

IWAKAMI: I went to talk [to Urobuchi] and said "Could we make it into 12 episodes?" I had this thought of packaging the series into 6 volumes with 2 episodes in each volume.

KUBOTA: Although the number of episodes was cut, basically the flow did not change. That Mami got killed in ep. 3 was not changed either.

SHINBO: I see. So the reason [you] did not show that much shock when you read the screenplay for ep. 3 was because you had already read the composition proposal.

AOKI: Or perhaps in text it was not that shocking...

SHINBO: If it were 2 cours a different flow might have been used instead. I would like to do another version in which I could show how the development could be like if the length were 2 cours.

UROBUCHI: I guess if there are that number of episodes, [the story] would have to be quite different if we do not put regular daily life scenes in between, like in the episode after [[Mami]] died, out of a sudden and without much coherence everyone went to the hot spring (LOL). And once they arrived the waitress in the ryokan somehow looks like Mami....

IWAKAMI: There are things that I'd like to draw out if there was enough room, but I think the speedy pace we have now is also good. Right from the beginning, with 1 cour, I had the image that I was going to a roller-coaster movie that was Urobuchi-like.

'''TEMPORARY TITLE WAS "MAHOU SHOUJO APOCALYPSE"'''

AOKI: Later when I re-watched it again from ep. 1, I got the impression that the heroine kept changing from one to another. From ep. 4 it was about [[Sayaka]] and [[Kyoko]], and as it got near the final stage, [[Homura]] started to get more noticeable. And finally [[Madoka]] became a proper protagonist on her own.

IWAKAMI: To be honest, regarding the characters, at the time when I read the screenplay I could not read this far. It is indeed something like an omnibus, where there is Mami chapter, Sayaka chapter, Kyoko chapter etc. In one sense it was a composition like Bakemonogatari in which the appeal of the heroines was highlighted by turn. And I thought, oh so it was how it became and it made so much sense.

''By the way, why did you make the girls including Madoka, the protagonist, junior high students?'' 

IWAKAMI: A primary school student, if you think in 3D, gives an impression of a child actor instead of an idol. I think that if they are junior high students, they will be recognized as idols and thus may get more people to watch. So before Urobuchi-san finished the plot, I had a talk (with him) saying, as a prerequisite, "Let's use junior high students as mahou shoujo".

===Page 101===

UROBUCHI: And besides, I really do not want to be put into the spot of having to impose my decision of letting live or killing off primary school students (LOL)

''How did you decide the title of the anime?'' 

UROBUCHI: At the beginning, I just put the temporary title myself. I think it was "Mahou Shoujo Apocalpyse Madoka Magica" for sure.

IWAKAMI: The name "Madoka Magica" stayed as the temporary title for some time, and as an unofficial name it stayed as the project made its progress. When 2010 came, we had the discussion about its official title.

UROBUCHI: And by then everyone was so used to the temporary title that (the discussion) came down to "Let's keep it like this." But there was also "obviously the Apocalypse got to go." (LOL) Come to think of it, there was also the idea of not having "Mahou Shoujo" and only go with "Madoka Magica."

SHINBO: But for me, I believe in the title the words "Mahou Shoujo" is absolutely necessary. To the extent that if it is not there, there is no meaning (for me) to do (the anime). On that I did not budge.

'''THE SCREENPLAY WAS ALMOST THE SAME AS THE FIRST DRAFT''' 

''How long did the writing of the screenplay take?'' 

UROBUCHI: It went from the end of 2008 to the end of 2009. Since there were other works going in parallel in that period, I went full gear and came up with one episode every month. And I did not talk anything about what would happen later, just saying things like "Just wait for the next issue!". (LOL)

IWAKAMI: It's just that even though the screenplay was being done, there was not much chance to discuss it. As at the stage of the first draft, it was already interesting.

SHINBO: There was almost nothing that I would want to ask for changes.

UROBUCHI: Up till then, for me the work reality was that it was only natural to have only 30% of the screenplay I wrote remain and the other 70% would be crushed away and had to be redone. So every time I was tilting my head, I was thinking "Is it really going to be alright just to keep it like this?" (LOL) Besides, I had the complex of being an absolute amateur when it came to writing for anime, and this got me even more worried.

SHINBO: Different people may think differently, but to me even if there are some places that may get stuck, it is still better to have the momentum. Therefore, I think the small details can be left at the end to consider.

IWAKAMI: When I read it, even though I thought it may need a few adjustments, it was interesting. And that was important. I would rather it run until the final episode than it being filled up with (things that go like), "In here it will be like this" using some deduction point system.

UROBUCHI: The contradictions that were not pointed out during the screenplay meetings were later noticed by (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-san.

SHINBO: And also editor (Rie) Matsuhara-san. Unlike us who read the story one episode at a time, they read everything in one go and from that viewpoint they pointed out issues, and I am thankful for that.

''How about using actual dialogues in the episode subtitles?''

UROBUCHI: That was because we were lazy (LOL)

AOKI: What! Is that so? (LOL)

UROBUCHI: I thought I would just put it there anyway first and then later I would give it more thought.... But it just stayed as it is.

SHINBO: For once we indeed talked about what we should do with the subtitles, but I think at the end we decided to stick to Urobuchi-san's idea. I think it was good that they were not changed.

AOKI: In the trailer for the next episode, just by seeing the subtitle people can get excited by guessing what kind of scene in the next episode would contain that dialogue.

'''BEFORE THE COMPLETION OF THE ORIGINAL CHARACTER DESIGN'''

''To continue, I would like to ask Aoki-sensei about what happened before all the original character designs took shape. ([[Guidebook#Early Character Designs|cf. p. 125-127]])''

AOKI: The first draft... it was October 2008. That draft was not changed much in the final draft...but between the two drafts, I got lost in the 2nd draft. The period when I did the 2nd draft, I really had my head in my arms.

SHINBO: But for all of us, the feeling at the stage of the first draft was "This is good. As expected from Aoki-san."

AOKI: But it was worry on my side (LOL) Ah, Kyubey was first proposed in the 2nd draft and I just wanted to draw it cute, really cute! (LOL). The basic details are the same as the final draft, but I wanted to bring out the "cosmic feeling" in the ear-ring part. Made them somehow float in space. But at that time over all, it was a period when I was in a "I just do not understand" state, or when I didn't know what and how I should do it. When I looked back at the first draft, I thought "What was I doing there?" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Truly our opinion was "it is wonderful" right from the beginning. Also Ume-sensei's design of the school uniform of the girls is good. It is the same in Hidamari Sketch. Here the uniform designed by Ume-sensei can be manifested in 3D and it is a costume that is ready for cosplay. Did you do it with that in mind?

AOKI: I did not really create it for cosplay but to some extent I thought about its structure like where a zipper is to be attached on the uniform.

''And in the final draft of the design, [[Hitomi]] and [[Kyousuke|Kyosuke]] were also there...''

AOKI: Hitomi was not changed much in the final draft. As Kyosuke is the only boy, it was fun drawing him.

IWAKAMI: I surely got the feeling that Kyosuke drawn by Ume-sensei really had a quite a bit of spirit put in, and that she seemed to have fun drawing him. (LOL)

''How about the mahou shoujo costumes?''

AOKI: For Madoka's costume, I started from the base design (settei) that it was "something designed by Madoka." As for Mami-san, Sayaka and Homura, I designed with the image of their weapons. Kyoko is the last character I designed, and the idea of her did not come from her weapon, but with the thought to distinguish her from other characters.

UROBUCHI: Since the idea is that Kyoko is a character who moves a lot, so when I received the costume design (Kyoko's) long dress was not what I expected.

AOKI: Perhaps I made it look too heavy (LOL)

UROBUCHI: No, when (the dress) moves it looks cool. There is also the thrill (I got) from kung-fu movies.

SHINBO: It's just that I think it would be good to have some ornaments on Sayaka's head... Even now I still think the same.

AOKI: Oh yes, since after transformation Sayaka lost her hairpins, I tried to put some ornaments on that place. I thought, for one Mami already has it from the beginning, and then Madoka has her ribbons, so I tried to match something for her. But if I put an Alice band (headband), then it does not look so much like an accessory and starts to get an image of a functional gadget. And then I tried to put things like stars or mysterious-looking spheres... But in serious fight scenes, the playful elements after transformation never fit well no matter how much you looked at it, so at the end I took it away. However, it is true that compared with other girls she indeed looks a bit plain. Poor little girl....

===Page 102===

SHINBO: I thought that perhaps it is better to go without anything and keep it simple, and I got the design done in such a style, but as the story progressed I thought, "at the end it is still better to have something (on her head)."

UROBUCHI: But I feel the cloak is quite some style though.

IWAKAMI: For the weapons of the mahou shoujo, at first the plan was to have Ume-sensei design them but at the end the decision was to have the anime production side to do the design.

UROBUCHI: That said, the pictures used for the initial notification were drawn by Aoki-san. The weapon design in those pictures were inherited in the anime.

AOKI: Homura's bow and Mami-san's gun were picked up from the designs I did. Madoka's bow was used in the cover art of the single Magia.

'''CHARACTERS IN "MADOKA MAGICA" ARE SIMILAR TO CHARACTERS IN "HIDAMARI"?'''

UROBUCHI: Before I saw the original character design by Aoki-san, the character image I had in my head was that of "Hidamari." I imagined by making replacements like Madoka becoming Yuno, Mami becoming Hiro-san... And so every time a character design is done I was relieved, thinking "Good, it is becoming an anime different from 'Hidamari!" (LOL)

SHINBO: Come to think of it, Mami is a onesan (elderly sister) character and there are some overlaps with the image of Hiro. If that's the case, Mami may also need to pay attention her weight (LOL).

UROBUCHI: No no... there is no such setting (settei) for Mami (LOL).

SHINBO: For one thing it seems easy to become a talking point - her position is the same as Hiro I guess. (LOL)

AOKI: And she also makes cakes. (LOL)

SHINBO: It is interesting that although they are different characters, there is such a coincidence.

UROBUCHI: In that sense, in fact I was most worried about Kyoko. I have never seen such a kind of girl who projects the image of a runaway child in Aoki-san's world.

AOKI: Indeed it seems so. Well what did you feel when you first saw Kyoko then?

UROBUCHI: Ugh well, when I saw the expression that could never have come from a Hidamari character, I gave it my OK.

AOKI: When you were writing the screenplay, did you find it hard to match Kyoko with a Hidamari character?

UROBUCHI: It was extremely hard to match. And so Kyoko almost became speaking in Hiroshima dialect just like the movie Battles Without Honor and Humanity (LOL). But at first I imagined the image color for Kyoko to be yellow instead of red. If anything this overlaps with Miyako...

AOKI: Do you think it was good that I made changes to the image color of the characters used in your proposal?

UROBUCHI: I think the result was good. Now I just cannot imagine a red Mami, you see.

KUBOTA: Looking back from now, it is also interesting to see that in the first draft the hair style of Sayaka was different.

AOKI: Ahh... I was really lost..(LOL)

''And then based on the final draft material, Takahiro Kishida-san produced the character design, what did you think of it?''

AOKI: I was glad that they grasped the details down to many small points. The use of double border lines also seems to have come from certain impressions of my pictures.

KUBOTA: That came as an overall decision as after checking many pictures and works by Aoki-san, we thought this touch style would be good. It was a challenge during the sakuga (animation) process.

AOKI: That drawing style is not commonly seen in the anime. I also did not think the oblique line of sight would be kept in use without change. Those eyes were even faithfully recreated in Nendroids. Perhaps doing that can bring out the feel of "Madoka Magica."

KUBOTA: But at the beginning that touch style did not really permeate much among the animators.

SHINBO: My feeling is that at around ep. 9 or ep. 10, the pictures finally came together (in unified style).

'''THE WORLD AS CREATED BY GEKIDAN INU-CURRY'''

''Gekidan Inu-Curry-san is the staff that was the key of "Madoka Magica".''

AOKI: This happened when we had the screenplay meeting. After the meeting that day, we were on our move to a drinking place, and the director said, "I think the witches should not have a conventional witch look. Even if they take a look of geometrical forms, it would be better.". And then, "I am thinking of asking Inu-Curry-san. They helped us on "Zetsubou Sensei" and "MariHolic". At that moment I felt the "Director is having some vision!" That was very impressive.

''And after asking Inu-Curry-san, what kind of talks took place?''

KUBOTA: There was discussions regarding Art Design (settei) that involved Inu-Curry-san. Looking at the minutes from that meeting ([[:File:Guidebook Production Related Material 01.jpg|cf p.124]]), Shinbo-san said "'Madoka Magica' should be a work that is on the extension line of 'Le Portrait de Petit Cossette' and has a different image from 'Lyrical Nanoha.'"

SHINBO: Did I say something like that?? .....Hmm? But indeed it was written here.

''The reactions from Inu-Curry-san at that time?''

KUBOTA: Inu-Curry-san had read the scenario in advance, and after that we had talks bouncing ideas to fine-tune the images we got. So although they are quiet people, they understood things without difficulty.

UROBUCHI: Inu-Curry-san themselves may be quiet, but they are very talkative about the stuff they came up with.

KUBOTA: They also have the stubbornness of absolutely not yielding to the worldview in which they thoroughly built in the images for settei (base design). Besides as creators, they do not compromise at all. As the production progressed, the weight of the part for Inu-Curry-san got bigger and bigger, I got quite worried about what to do if the time came when things could not be processed by just them.

SHINBO: Even in the retake for BD and DVD, just the parts of Inu-Curry-san got quite big.

KUBOTA: If given time, they will just keep coming up with good stuff.

SHINBO: (Yuki) Kajiura-san, who did the music, gave high praises for the bewitched space in ep. 9 and said it was wonderful. But even now I cannot let them hear it. You know, if I tell them, I don't know how far they will lay their hands on the retake (LOL). As we have raised the hurdle by ourselves, I plan to tell them after all the work is done (LOL).

===Page 103===

KUBOTA: But then since they have created that much stuff, I have the feeling that they must still have some regrets from their point of view.

IWAKAMI: When I was first shown the image pictures from Inu-Curry-san in the meeting room at Shaft, I was dumbfounded.

UROBUCHI: They were mainly static pictures, but there was also the mustachioed familiars of ep. 1 in GIF animation. Besides at the stage of screenplay there was no names or settei information for the witches. Those are all there thanks to Inu-Curry-san.

AOKI: I always had fun when I saw updates of the Witch Compendium in the official website. It got me to guess that besides the settei found there, in fact there must be a lot more that had been thought through.

'''CASTING OF THE MAHOU SHOUJO'''

''I would like to hear about the casting.''

IWAKAMI: Although the roles were decided by auditions, somehow by coincidence there were many actresses from "Hidamari".

UROBUCHI: Mizubashi-san was unexpected. Don't you think it is quite rare for Mizuhashi-san to act for an onesan (elder sister) character like Mami?

AOKI: And the acting was completely different from Miyako of "Hidamari."

SHINBO: As for Saito-san who took Homura's role, there was the image of Hitagi Senjogahara in "Bakemonogatari." I had this concern that no matter what, I still got the impression that Homura and Hitagi look similar. Of course I knew Saito-san was pretty good, but I still thought "perhaps as a change it is good to use another actress." But when I heard the acting performed by Saito-san during the audition, I could only come to the conviction that "This is it".

IWAKAMI: There was this acting that did not come up in the audition - the scenes in the second half when Homura cried and collapsed. If you consider that, it is easy to conclude that after all casting Saito-san was a good (decision).

SHINBO: Not only Saito-san, if you think about Yuki-san who took Madoka's role as well, there was the flow coming from the anime "Dance in the Vampire Bund." In "Vampire Bund", there were Yuki-san, who acted an aloof vampire princess, and Saito-san, who acted an ordinary human girl. And in "Madoka Magica" the position of the two were switched. And I think at that time the two may have developed a synchronized wavelength between them. So I have a feeling that in the actual recording actions the two, Yuki-san as the protagonist, and Saito-san, supporting her, managed their roles really well. The two also said so in the audio commentary.

''And about Kitamura-san who took Sayaka's role?''

AOKI: Seems every time drinking after the after-recording sessions, the director said "Kitamura-san was good."

SHINBO: Kitamura-san was really great acting as a suffering girl. She gave a feeling that she worked really hard but she was not really good at it and (her effort) got requited.

UROBUCHI: Considering the aspect that she worked hard a bit and behaved cheerfully but she herself in fact thought about serious matters, indeed she is like that.

''How about Nonaka-san who took Kyoko's role?''

UROBUCHI: Kyoko, while a character created by Aoki-san, is a heel ''[symbv: pro-wresting jargon for a villain character]''. So I could not guess how she could be acted. But it felt so good hearing the voice of Nonaka-san and I got hooked.

SHINBO: Since it is the voice of Nonaka-san, there is no way she is a bad person, I guess? (LOL)

AOKI: I was wondering how a seiyuu would handle the dialogues of Kyoko, and when the role was given to Nonaka-san, I thought "Oh, so it will be like this." She brought out the feeling that even when she acted like a bad person, somehow you just could not bring yourself to hate her that much.

SHINBO: Once I got asked by Nonaka-san, "Why is Kyoko (given to) me?" and I answered, "If it is Nonaka-san then nobody will hate her." She has such a mysterious charm.

'''AS THE START DATE OF BROADCAST APPROACHED'''

''And then the cast were decided. In fall 2010 the information starts to be released to the public...''

IWAKAMI: But the first thing that went out to the public were "oh it went out" type of leaks (LOL)

UROBUCHI: That was still at quite an early stage. Around spring I guess.

IWAKAMI: Rumors came out, down to mentions of Shinbo-san, Urobuchi-san, Ume-sensai and Shaft. At first there was the idea of doing it in phases, like at the beginning there was the notification "Shinbo-san and Ume-sensei will work on a mahou shoujo anime!", and then around one month later the name of Urobuchi-san will be announced. But with the information leaked out, (I said) let's release everybody's names in one go. Later, it was often said there was a plan to hide the name of Urobuchi-san until after ep. 3. Of course I did not think of that (LOL).

UROBUCHI: Although I was sure that this was going to happen. (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Well, it's just that I indeed think doing that way is interesting in its own way.

UROBUCHI: Like "Since the pictures are cute and you think the screenplay will be the same? Too bad! It's me!!" (LOL) ''[editor: reference to a certain [http://danbooru.donmai.us/wiki/show?title=too_bad!_it_was_just_me! 2ch Sayaka meme]]''.

''As the time approached for the start of broadcast, you went for a purification rite in a shrine.''

UROBUCHI: Because it is something involving the demons. I myself did not go, but I got them to buy me a charm and I always carried it with me during the after-recording sessions, since I thought if there was any curse around it would have to be with me (LOL)

SHINBO: For myself I was more for praying for a hit than being purified. Since the result is now we have a hit anime, I think our prayer was answered.

KUBOTA: Well, there is also a bit of the superstition thing in it.

IWAKAMI: Because there were some in the staff who cared about this. If no purification was held, it is "Since no purfication was held my arm got hurt.", while if purification was held, then it becomes like "although my arm got hurt, it is good that it is not my dominant arm.". The frame of mind will be different.

SHINBO: By the way, in the purification rite, Emiri Katoh-san came as a representative of the seiyuu.

UROBUCHI: Oh, there is such thing as "representative of the seiyuu". I thought it was because she played Kyubey's role.. (LOL)

===Page 120===

'''STAFF DISCUSSION PART 2'''

'''THE ROLE PLAYED BY MADOKA'S FAMILY'''

''In the first half, we talked mainly about things before the start of broadcast (of the series). From now on, I would like to ask something different. First when you were doing the creation work (for this anime), was there any character whom you held particularly strong feeling with?''

UROBUCHI: As I look at my own work from a vantage point, there is no particularly strong feeling I hold towards any specific character. But if I have to pick one, I guess it would have to be Madoka's mother. Since a character who does not appear frequently must have her character established with short dialogues, I came to hold a stronger impression (with her). She and Kazuko-sensei may have been the characters I worked hard on (even compared to other characters).

SHINBO: And (Yuuko) Gotoh-san, who voiced Madoka's mother, gave a really good performance. (Her acting) had the persuasive power of "This mother is a capable person!" I also want to see the past stories of her together with Kazuko-sensei. Let's find some way to do those kind of episodes!

IWAKAMI: It will then become a story without any mahou shoujo making appearance (LOL)

''Why did you make Junko, Madoka's mother, the way she looks in the anime?''

UROBUCHI: I had wanted to create such a character. For one, it is rare to see a mother who is macho and strong-minded in mahou shoujo works. Also I thought that to provide a reason for Madoka to become aware of heroism, it is perhaps more convincing for her to have such a family background. Because she will grow up while watching the back of an adult who is very close to her and has carved out the path of her own fate by herself.

''Usually in anime that would be the role played by a father.''

UROBUCHI: That's right. But I thought it would be good to have a family which does not confine itself to ideas like it must be men's role to makes all the heroic moves. I wanted to have some concrete example where women can also be heroic and strong. That being said, so (the next thing is:) OK, so what is a heroic mother like? The fact that after much consideration I gave her a speech style of a yankee [delinquent girl] is purely my own taste (LOL)

IWAKAMI: In anime, usually there is not much depiction regarding the family of the protagonist, isn't it? In "Madoka Magica" the weight of that is also not really that big, but we still have the ribbon in ep. 1, the consultation in ep. 6, the farewell in ep. 11 and then the epilogue in ep. 12.

UROBUCHI: For me, I had this image that "in general mahou shoujo works should have the family properly portrayed." In that sense, it can be said that Madoka's family, including her mother, are characters I forced myself to come up with, since usually in my works family almost never appear. And contrary to Madoka, there is absolutely no description about the family in Homura's case, and it is because she is a character who is not needed to be taken as a symbol for mahou shoujo. It is not that there is some reason that she must not have a family, but it is because there is no need to depict them so they do not appear. Conversely, for Madoka the family must be depicted.

'''HOW THE CHARACTERS ARE DEPICTED'''

''Director Shinbo, if you are to pick a character for whom you have particularly strong feelings, who would that be?''

IWAKAMI: According to the public, the answer must be: Shinbo-san is very fond of Sayaka (LOL).

SHINBO: Indeed, I am particularly attached to Sayaka. I may have that side in me.

IWAKAMI: From around which point did you start to feel that?

SHINBO: When the filming was done, I started to feel "she is such a poor girl," and moreover when I listened to the performance during the after-recording session my heart gradually started to ache more and more, and I started to think "couldn't there be a little bit salvation for her?". At first I took a rational point of view, thinking so she is (written as) such a character, but gradually my emotion gushed out and took over.

IWAKAMI: Indeed I went together with Shinbo-san to have a talk with Urobuchi-san, and asked "in the last episode, can't we get Sayaka to come back to life?" (LOL)

UROBUCHI: And then I answered, "That would be impossible now." (LOL)

SHINBO: It is uncommon for me to have such gushing emotions, so it has been an interesting experience.

UROBUCHI: Guess I bullied Sayaka a bit too much (LOL). But then the reason why I do not feel that sorry for Sayaka is this thing, that I just do not feel that even if she hooked up with Kyosuke that girl would really be happy ever after. Most likely Kyosuke is a guy who will stand her up in dates and go to practice the violin, I think.

AOKI: But at the very end Sayaka said "I do not have regrets". For Sayaka, perhaps it is something she had come to terms with.

SHINBO: I wonder. When I checked the after-recording, I got the mood of from Kitamura-san who voiced Sayaka, "I am not convinced." (LOL)

UROBUCHI: But also for Kyosuke, a man who could not notice that "Hm? this girl seems to have some feeling for me..." even after so much self-sacrifice from her is simply no good. (LOL)

''How about Mami then?''

AOKI: In ep. 2 when Mami-san got into a mood which seemed to be arguing with Homura, it got me to think "Although she is an onesan [elderly sister] character she does not act all that mature." I found this quite cute and I loved it. (LOL)

SHINBO: Although she dropped out (from the anime) in ep. 3, she still holds a strong sense of presence.

===Page 121===

UROBUCHI: I was also surprised by how popular she got. I think Mami's popularity was helped a lot by how cool she looked in the fighting scenes. Although she already looked cool since the point of ep. 1, in ep. 2 she elegantly danced and fought, and after all that a cup of tea. How more elegant can it be? What a girl! (LOL)

AOKI: That cup of tea was a total surprise (to me). I remember thinking "So cool!"

IWAKAMI: Really this can be put as the power of images. Showing it like that in pictures you will think it looks so cool, but if the same thing is written in the screenplay you would just think "What?!"

UROBUCHI: I think it is normal (for people) to doubt my sense. (LOL)

SHINBO: For that part, (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-san, series director, once came to me for advice, saying "Inu-Curry-san said they would like to have Mami drink tea at the end." At that time I did not have much idea (of what it was about), but I thought "They must be aiming for something. Guess it's fine." I gave my OK, thinking that if what they came up with looked odd, I would think up something at that point. And when I saw the result in video....well in fact it really looked quite odd (LOL). Perhaps it looked odd in a good way. People thought it cool and got hooked.

UROBUCHI: That "oddness" is in fact its charm. (LOL) At the stage of screenplay, the impression of Mami's fight scenes were more like that of a machine fighting, as the image was that of guns being fired off relentlessly as weapons.

AOKI: Here I have something I want to ask Urobuchi-san. Among fans, Mami-san is often categorized as a bit of a suffering girl, isn't she? What does Urobuchi-san think about that?

UROBUCHI: I could only say that it was too much of a surprise (LOL) In particular, I did not expect the "Law of the Circular Ring" ''[Editor's note: a term appearing in [[Episode 12]], also referred to as {{Nihongo|Law of Cycles|円環の理|Enkan no Kotowari}}]'' would be misunderstood as a term coined by Mami.

SHINBO: But popularity and talking points came from that kind of things. Like in the BD, it got the chapter title as "Dance of the Magic Bullets."

UROBUCHI: If you come down to that, I too got really high spirits. (LOL) I am sure Mami-san must have created a notebook that is even more amazing than the one Madoka made! And instead of a thin notebook it would be a scrapbook!

KUBOTA: Also, Mami is the only one who gave a name to her signature special move.

UROBUCHI: That was actually done in order to mislead viewers that they were watching some conventional mahou shoujo anime. From ep. 4 onwards such guidance became unnecessary, and there is no more need for anybody to call out the name of their signature special move. It is only Mami, who was active in the early stage, that needed a name for her move.

IWAKAMI: That is interesting. Although the name of the move was created only due to the necessity as required by the story, the understanding instead became that only Mami made up a name for her move. (LOL)

AOKI: When Mami-san's BGM starts to flow, although it looks cool, it also gets me to laugh just a little bit (LOL)

KUBOTA: But in fact that BGM was not written as Mami's theme. Originally it was planned to be used in a different scene, but we found it such a good fit for Mami...(Youta) Tsuruoka, the music director, really picked his tracks well.

'''THE UNEXPECTED REACTIONS FROM FANS'''

''I would like to continue with discussion of the characters. In certain sense Kyubey has become highly popular. (LOL)''

SHINBO: I did not think it would become so popular. This is the biggest surprise to me personally.

UROBUCHI: I was also surprised. At the beginning I had thought it would become a hated character. So my feeling towards Katoh-san who voiced it had been one of "My apologies!"

SHINBO: It just came cross my mind. I think it may be interesting to have Kyubey visit Hidamari-so in "Hidamari Sketch".

UROBUCHI: Since the girls in Hidamari-so are so smart, they will not be so easily conned. But then if it were to be Hiro-san... (LOL)

SHINBO: If she were told "If you become a mahou shoujo you will lose weight." she may be at risk (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Yoshinoya-sensei would surely be at risk too. She gave the impression that she seems to be susceptible to desires.

SHINBO: Yoshinoya-sensei would be fine. Since she is not a young girl any more, she will not be subject to persuasion talk. (LOL) Aoki-san, how about give this idea a try and draw a manga about it? If Aoki-san draws it, it will become "Madoka Magica the Origin".

AOKI: Oh well... I wonder....(LOL)

IWAKAMI: I think it would be interesting (LOL) Also for Kyubey, when it shows up it often gets a close-up. The reactions by the seiyuu (when this happened) during the after-recording sessions were interesting.

SHINBO: That's true. When Kyubey appears, everyone just shouted "Here it is!". This even got me to start thinking "I see. In this case I will do it even more often and surely everyone will be happy." (LOL) I have a feeling that even some scenes where originally it was not to be shown that way got a close-up, as I aimed for that reaction. Although I also felt that the aim was a bit off to another direction. (LOL)

AOKI: I talked to Katoh-san, who voiced Kyubey, in the closing day. I told her that after this "Madoka Magica" she would see a lot of topics related to Kyubey thrown her way in places like radio or twitter.

SHINBO: These should be some tasty topics for Katoh-san, because, well, to put it briefly, (Kyubey) got super popular, and there are things like "Make a contract with me" or "I just don't understand" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: "I just don't understand" are just some ordinary words. (LOL) Though somehow it became a longstanding gag....

===Page 122===

SHINBO: This is where it got mysteriously interesting. Although I have worked in anime industry many years, it is almost my first experience to see a dialogue get so widespread as some talking point.

UROBUCHI: The reason that happened was not because of the words themselves, but the impact generated by how the story was developing the moment those words were spoken. There is nothing pulled out with only the words, but here viewers grouped all their feelings at the moment when that dialogue was spoken, together with what got conveyed to the viewers, and burnt it onto their memory. There it is not just a matter of getting the character to say some elaborate dialogue or dialogue that targeted (the viewers).

''Besides those dialogues, is there anything else from fans' reactions that made a deep impression to you?''

SHINBO: I think it was amazing to see some fans decipher the runes that Inu-Curry-san created. When I did "Pani Poni Dash!", fans reacted to the symbols shown on the screen and it became a talking point among fans. They decoded them and discovered what parody that was supposed to be. As a general rule, if people fail to understand such talking points, the anime will be rejected with people saying "this anime is not interesting," right? But in "Madoka Magica," I was happy that there were even a group of fans who would have fun digging into that kind of thing.

IWAKAMI: And this is something about the general framework. I was very impressed with the fact that fans of "Madoka Magica" had so much fun in real time watching the anime without any prior information, as it is an original work. I found the mood was very refreshing as everyone must follow it as it was broadcast and all shared the same quickened heartbeats because nobody was sure what would come next.

''I heard that it was because of something Kubota-san said that resulted in the broadcast date of the final episode to be announced on an advertisement on Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper.''

KUBOTA: I don't know if it was because of me (LOL). At a book store near my home a bunch of "Madoka Magica" manga were put on display and I saw two girls who seemed to be junior high students in front of those manga. One said something like "This anime was interesting but the broadcast ended at ep. 9. I wonder when it will continue the show..." And I was shocked, thinking "Eh? I thought the broadcast date of the final episode has already been announced?" I then realized without the opportunity to be in touch with media like the internet, that kind of information may be difficult to come by. So I went to talk to Iwakami-san and he said "Let me come up with something."

IWAKAMI: Since I myself also wanted more people to watch the last episode, I thought about using some other way of approach to send out information about the broadcast date and time. With this thought, it suddenly became urgent to make a move. In fact it was only a few days before the broadcast when, half-asleep, I started to try to get the advertisement into the newspaper. The design of that advertisement was done by BALCOLONY.-san who is also responsible for the package design of the BD and DVD.

KUBOTA: Well, it may be just a newspaper advertisement placement, but it can also be thought as an event which simply showed that our anime is grabbing so much attention outside, and I was happy about that. (LOL)

AOKI: Since I could not leave home because I was hitting a bunch of deadlines, I asked my friends to go and buy the newspaper for me. And then I placed the advertisement in front of my desk facing my drafts, and thought "Tonight finally it will be broadcast!!" (LOL)

'''THE MEANING OF ORIGINAL ANIME IN ANIME INDUSTRY'''

''What do you think of the fact that "Madoka Magica", an original anime, became a big hit?''

SHINBO: Currently TV anime is dominated by adapations, so it is significant that in such a background an original anime gained such popularity. I have this feeling like I was able to protect the seedling of original anime.

IWAKAMI: Personally for me, I love video adaptations of works like manga or novels, since there is a strong sense of achievement when you managed to accomplish a video adaptation that does not fall short of the expectation of the readers (of the original work). But I think it is better to have many options. Aniplex also gets involved in producing many original anime, but not every one became a hit. The risk is indeed high. Given that, the fact that "Madoka Magica" became a big hit is very important regarding the future of original anime.

UROBUCHI: I am going to get a bit negative here. If we see an increase of only anime adapted from original works (of other media), its harmful effect will also spread to the related industries. In particular, I feel some sense of crisis regarding light novels, as every author now writes with anime adaptation in mind. Isn't everyone now writing novels that are meant to be taken as anime proposal documents, with anime adaptation being the goal? Hasn't the idea that a novel wins or loses by its contents been lost? When I think of that I got quite sad.

IWAKAMI: For example, "Fate/Zero" by Urobuchi-san is originally a novel that was written without considering anime adaptation at all. Therefore the hurdle to adapt it into video was high, but as a novel it was also very interesting and you got fired up reading it. Regardless of the genre, it would always be regrettable to have everything standardized, because somewhere somehow things will get too similar to each other.

AOKI: In the world of manga, it is often said that to get anime adaptation is one of the goals. Like, "This manga. Will it get anime adaptation?"

SHINBO: Perhaps it is for status. The prevailing thinking is that if it gets just a bit popular, it will only be natural to have an (anime adaptation).

===Page 123===

AOKI: For a popular manga, since there are existing fans, it is safe to adapt it into anime. This anime adapation that is based on expectations for a certain level of sales figure. On the other hand, an original anime starts without any guarantee that it will be absolutely safe, so it is risky.

IWAKAMI: That's true. In that sense it is 100% challenge.

SHINBO: Since now the number of anime titles have increased compared to the past, the industry is always trying to find original works for anime adaptation. That itself is not something bad. It is just that it is really no good if we have only that.

'''THOSE WHO BECAME FANS OF "MADOKA MAGICA" - WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE ARE THEY?'''

''Let's put aside the side topic of original anime for a while. Honestly, how do you take the huge popularity of "Madoka Magica"?''

AOKI: "Madoka Magica" did not cause much stir before its broadcast. But once people actually started to watch the broadcast, they found it interesting. I am happy with how it got more and more attention this way.

SHINBO: I think those people who became fans from a very early stage really have guts. Even for development that may cause people to abandon (the anime) if it tripped up, like when Mami died, instead it caused people to pay attention and get lively, didn't it? So I was happy with how "Madoka Magica" caught fire. I feel that it was those people who in old days would be described as having the sense of "We, and only we, know about this!", helped spread the popularity (of this anime).

UROBUCHI: Indeed the depth of those people who dug into this anime reached is like what old-time otaku would do.

SHINBO: Well, the prediction that "since it is a screenplay by Urobuchi-san you cannot just leave it as such or it will bite you back" is also one example of that. I guess it is precisely because people watched it with that expectation that people find it enjoyable, I guess. WIthout that, everyone would just be discouraged by ep. 3. But in fact there were many people who thought "Ah, so it is." "I have thought that it will come to this." I feel that because of this, people could still enjoy such tough development with characters by Aoki-san. It may be that challenging attitude or it may be that realization that there are so many anime fans who still got the temperament of old-time otaku, but anyway I am happy.

KUBOTA: I also found it great to see a sense of unity developed between those fans and our animation staff. Since in anime, work was done by an aggregation of individuals working in isolation, being able to hear the voices of those people who watched, they were able to take up a lot of courage. The very lively reactions became the strength for the staff, and the work benefited and got better over time.

SHINBO: Without the cheering on by fans, "Madoka Magica" would not have that quality in the second half.

KUBOTA: It is a fortunate work which was created, and ended, with fans joining us.

'''GOING THROUGH THE SUSPENSION OF BROADCAST AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE'''

''Right after ep. 10 was broadcast in theKansai region, "Madoka Magica" had to suspend its broadcast because of the earthquake. Were you affected in any way by that?''

UROBUCHI: First of all, of course the earthquake was such a big shock (to me).... From the viewpoint of my own creation, a work, once it is done, stays along, and it will last longer than myself. Because of this happy fact, I feel there is worth writing screenplays or novels or games. But if Japan should be gone, naturally my works would not remain. If there was no more country where they speak Japanese, what would happen to all the stuff I had done till now? I had this kind of worry.

IWAKAMI: It is the same feeling here. Right after the earthquake, I had a helpless feeling, thinking "With Japan in this mess, so what if I work on anime..."

SHINBO: In fact that was no occasion for anime. And out of many things I came to realize the power of music. It is music, not video images, that provided the emotional support. Even if some video images (could do the job) it will not be anime. For example, for a manga magazine, a bunch of children can pass it around and read it, and it becomes entertainment. But animation is not like that. It just hit me with an emptiness in a certain way.

IWAKAMI: That's right. This is why even though there was no broadcast right after the earthquake, I do not think there are viewers who would think "why there is no broadcast (of the anime)?". However, after one week, two weeks, and things started to calm down and normal life returned, you started to hear voices saying they want to see the remaining part.

SHINBO: (Anime) is that kind of entertainment. For example if war breaks out, it will be no occasion for anime. It reminded me of how (anime) is truly a kind of entertainment for an abundant world. It could not be helped if things got into such a crisis situation, but I just hope that if that did not happen anime could be something needed (by people).

''Happily everything including the last episode was finally broadcast.''

IWAKAMI: I was also counting my time waiting eagerly for the broadcast once the date had been decided.

SHINBO: With life changed one way or another by the earthquake, people still wait for the broadcast with excitement. I feel that they see it as something like a live event that is also related to actual life. I sense that "Madoka Magica" has become an anime with a label inseparable with the earthquake. But it is not that it is an anime that people don't want to remember. I think, together with the fact it is such a hit, it has become an anime in which big things, that could not be covered in a few words, unfolded before us.

===Episode Commentaries===
''Pages 100-103 and 120-122.''



'''EP. 1 - WE MET IN A DREAM...IT SEEMS'''

KUBOTA: During dubbing, at the point when the sound effect and BGM were put in, I got the feel (about the anime). Perhaps it was the combination of sound and images. With music from (Yuki) Kajiura-san synchronized to the visual images by Inu-Curry-san, I had the tactile feeling of what kind of anime it would become.

UROBUCHI: In terms of degree of shock, perhaps ep. 1 is the biggest. I thought, (ep. 1) being like this, there should be no need to play innocence since at the point of avant (pretitle) one can already see it is an ominous anime. (LOL) You see, the Inu-Curry monster was running on a rampage with that BGM. Also Part B, from the scene where Madoka got lost in the bewitched space made by a witch until the Mami fight scene, was amazing.

AOKI: I was also surprised, that in ep. 1 the mood of the anime could be thrust out to such extent.

IWAKAMI: However looking at the reactions after the broadcast of ep. 3, I think it managed to mislead (the audience) quite successfully.

UROBUCHI: No no... I thought if more carnage were there it could cheat (people more)..... Come to think of it, in the screenplay there was the description that, in the avant [pretitle], next to Madoka, who is about to make contract, the bodies of Mami and Kyoko are shown.

SHINBO: Although at first the direction of our thinking was to make use of it, but since we had not yet been able to see what mood the series would take on, we were cautious (about it). Besides there were viewers who would try to make predictions according to the fact that Urobuchi-san wrote the screenplay, we concluded it was better not to use that. Later when I thought about it, I believed it was a correct decision not to use it.

IWAKAMI: The ribbon in ep. 1 also became the key item in ep. 12. Did you plan to use that as the hidden plot device to be deployed at the end right from the beginning?

UROBUCHI: No, not at all (LOL). It was just something that I put in anyways when I had difficulty coming up with the dialogues between Madoka and her mother, as something that could be used in a plot device later. Since it got really good use in ep. 12, I thought "so the way is to put in many things in advance." (LOL)

SHINBO: For the ribbon, I have some regrets from a directing point of view. When Madoka held out two ribbons and asked "which ribbon I wonder?" it would be better to have another ribbon with even more flamboyant color beside her and her mother picked that one instead. With that the characters of both Madoka and her mother would have come out clearer....

UROBUCHI: I see. Doing that would be interesting.

SHINBO: Yeah. Among the students only one had a name - [[Nakazawa]]-kun. How come?

UROBUCHI: That is for the roll-call by the teacher and there is no particularly deep meaning. But since I have given him a name after all, I had him appeared again in ep. 7 (LOL)



'''EP. 2 - THAT WOULD BE REALLY WONDERFUL...'''

UROBUCHI: It is an episode for explaining the world in this anime, including the settings design [settei]. The amount of information is a lot.

SHINBO: Ep. 1 for impact, and Ep. 2 the follow-up. I think it is similar to the composition of standard anime work. However, since Kyubey's explanation is so interesting, it does not look boring.

IWAKAMI: The way cutback was used in Part A is interesting.

UROBUCHI: It was a complicated composition with flashback first and then back to exposition, then again flashback, and exposition....

IWAKAMI: And then there is the Madoka's notebook. That part was also used again at the end, just like the ribbon in Ep. 1. People who watch it the second time can have another moving experience.

SHINBO: Since the notebook will show up again later like you said, in order to give a deeper impression I had Aoki-san drew the front cover.

UROBUCHI: So there are such twists and turns behind that notebook... There is also how good Madoka's drawings are, or how bad they are. And what kind of thing a fantasy notebook from an actual junior high student is like...

AOKI: When I first drew it, I thought Madoka would have drawn it even more badly. And so I really drew it very ugly..... I was told "this is way too ugly" (LOL) and "please go a bit more towards something that we can draw".

IWAKAMI: If you ask someone who does not know about the background, the words "this is way too ugly" would be really harsh words for Ume-sensei (LOL). And using the pictures that Ume-sensei drew in the style of a junior high student as reference, we got Yuuki-san, who acted Madoka, to draw them inside the notebook.

SHINBO: Actually Yuuki-san's drawings are even better than that. But since they are drawings by Madoka, she deliberately drew them badly. We got just the right amount of realism.

UROBUCHI: By the way, since the setting [settei] is that they are the drawings of mahou shoujo that Madoka had seen by that time, Sayaka was not drawn there. I am definitely not trying to exclude her from the group (LOL). On the contrary if Sayaka was drawn there it would become a contradiction.

SHINBO: I guessed at the early stage of the series, in both ep. 1 and ep. 2, the viewers would probably think "When will Madoka transform?" Around those episodes I got quite excited.

UROBUCHI: It is still not yet the stage where they realize that in fact the point is she must not transform.



'''EP. 3 -- I'M NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING ANYMORE'''

AOKI: The first time I intruded into the dubbing operation was this ep. 3. Moreover it was precisely at the scene where Mami got eaten. Since it had to be rewound many times to repeat the checking, I came in and suddenly I had to watch the "GabuGabu Puraaan" [sound effect] scene many times (LOL). Seeing it in images, those are very shocking scenes. It was scary.

IWAKAMI: To be honest, I was also a bit scared, about how the fans would react after watching ep. 3. I thought there might be people who would think such a development is interesting, but there might be quite a number of people who would flinch and leave.

UROBUCHI: When I wrote it, I thought people would be clearly divided into those who love it and those who dislike it. I got worried I might be stabbed by some "Hidamari" fans. (LOL) My friends told me something like "You had better watch the date and disappear from twitter. Conceal yourself until the storm dies down." (LOL) So I was prepared. Unexpectedly, that kind of reaction did not happen.

SHINBO: Even the witch in ep. 3 did not get hated. In fact she got quite popular, so much so that she had her own merchandise.

UROBUCHI: That is some good job Inu-Curry-san did. Of all things, they designed the most cruel witch to look the cutest.

AOKI: Indeed she looks very cute.

UROBUCHI: The element of surprise worked.

SHINBO: I think many things in ep. 3 belong to the well-done side. However, I had a bit of regret over the scene at the beginning where Mami was in the limelight. It was cut due to the episode length time limit.



'''EP. 4 - BOTH MIRACLES AND MAGIC EXIST'''

UROBUCHI: My thinking is that, after ep. 3, since those who found it not to their taste would have already stopped watching and so only those who still had anticipation would remain and kept watching. Perhaps I can call it a certain type of me being defiant.

SHINBO: I was worried about being asked why Madoka could still eat breakfast the next day after seeing that kind of thing. I was relieved when such an attack about that part did not materialize. (LOL)

UROBUCHI: And from around this time, Kyubey began to stop hiding its evilness.

SHINBO: Since every member of the staff knew the real identity of Kyubey, they all ended up drawing it that way. Although personally I would like to have hidden it a bit more.

KUBOTA: I was particularly impressed with the scene where Kyosuke made a scene because he could no longer play violin. The impression is less about Kyosuke than feeling sorry for Sayaka who became the victim of Kyosuke venting his anger.

AOKI: But then I can understand the feeling of Kyosuke. I also used it as an idea behind a 4-koma manga in the BD booklet. (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Come to think of it, at the point of the initial composition proposal, there was no such setting [settei] of Kyosuke being a violinist. So he did not have an injured right arm, but instead he had an incurable illness. As for why it became violin related, by now I could not recall anything at all.

AOKI: Also I really love the scene where Madoka and Sayaka were looking very miserable on roof top. I can imagine that after such a shocking event, naturally it would be like that. Surely it would not be "I should take up the fight instead of Mami-san."

IWAKAMI: And there Kyubey pulled itself away for once, saying "farewell". (LOL)

SHINBO: Kyubey got a lot of popularity with that strategy. (LOL) Instead of pushing it pulls away. Saying "That's too bad," and then leave. And when Sayaka made up her mind, it just casually appeared next to her (LOL) Also later after Sayaka became a mahou shoujo, the feeling of "oops I did it" she projected. This is kind of hard to describe.

IWAKAMI: From here onwards, it will be the Sayaka arc for a while.

SHINBO: It's just that at first I was a bit concerned about the motivation of Sayaka's decision to become a mahou shoujo being Kyosuke, that is a boy. I wondered if fans might not like this. Although it was already written since the initial composition proposal, after I read the screenplay I remember raising the point and said "what should we do."

KUBOTA: Ep. 4 had Sayaka's first battle, the image Shinbo-san initially had was something like a magician and he said he wanted to do the battle where she fights with magic. In discussions he said it would not be something cliched like pulling some pigeon from the cloak but he would like to have attack like that.

SHINBO: In terms of adding some flourishes in action scenes, I was thinking perhaps it would be interesting to have something that is a good talking point as well as flourishes. For example, something like action scenes with magic tricks in them. But then it is just something I came up at the beginning. I did not do that in the actual animation.

AOKI: If there has to be someone who fights in that style, I think it would be Homura.

SHINBO: Also for me in the last scene when Kyoko first showed up, the way she looked just hit me as so shounen-manga. And the part where she looked down from high above at the top of a steel tower is also good. I think the dialogue she said at the end "So I can just crush her, right?" generated anticipation of where the story will go afterwards. Honestly, a viewer would like to keep watching if he cannot read the coming development.

IWAKAMI: It is difficult to link a story to the next stage after a character died. Naturally other characters will be depressed, and the question is to what extent you can invigorate the story under this situation. Therefore I believe this ep. 4 is important after that ep. 3. After I read the screenplay, I realized I was over-worried.

SHINBO: For example, in "Star of the Giants", when Hyuuma Hoshi's 'Major League Ball" was defeated, he got into depression for many weeks, right? I was so tough watching that week after week. (LOL) But in ep. 4 there was the transformation of Sayaka, and at the end a mysterious mahou shoujo appeared. The story got lively again. This is something that I will pay attention in future too.



'''EP. 5 - THERE'S NO WAY I'D REGRET THIS'''

UROBUCHI: When I was writing the screenplay I imagined that the the battle between Sayaka and Kyoko took place in some dirty little back alley...I was surprised even that back alley became such a cool looking place.

IWAKAMI: Is battle in a back alley something rare in Shaft's work?

KUBOTA: Yeah, indeed it seems there aren't many...

SHINBO: In "Tsukuyomi" there is. But other than that, there isn't I guess.

KUBOTA: Making the back alley look like that was from the beginning Shinbo-san's idea. Even the battle scenes have cool looking images.

SHINBO: In fact I had wanted to make the alley look narrower. I thought it would be interesting that in such confined place the spear would have to be turned into a (multi-section) staff which would be swung around. The idea was that Kyoko's original weapon is a spear and she will find it hard to wave it around in a back alley. So in the storyboard I made it a multi-section staff. It was a change rooted in such consideration but I think it was good that it also created variety in battle portrayal. It is a creative idea from combat movies, not mahou shoujo works, but I thought "Whatever" (LOL)

UROBUCHI: However now I think about it again, this is the screenplay being unreasonable, as I put a fight with spear swinging around in a narrow back alley. I should have thought things over a bit more... (LOL) It was my bad habit to have events take place in a back alley when I got absent-minded. Being a follower of Hideyuki Kikuchi, I also let my story go the way of a back alley before knowing it.

IWAKAMI: But this is a scene where I was excited to see it in images when it was still only in screenplay. I wondered what kind of hardboiled battle scene Shinbo-san and Shaft could come up. In fact that after watching the battle scene, it was worth the wait.

UROBUCHI: Sayaka fought better than she was in the screenplay.

SHINBO: I wanted to show some portrayal of ripostes. Also I wanted to immobilize Madoka in advance.

UROBUCHI: Indeed that is necessary. I also have that pointed to me when animation was being done.

SHINBO: And then another thing that made ep. 5 interesting is where Homura showed up and there the story was to continue in the next episode.

UROBUCHI: It could not be helped because of time restriction, but it turned out be something good.

KUBOTA: The original idea was to show up till the fighting ended and the episode ends with Kyoko leaving. That was instead carried on to be the avant [pre-title] in the next episode.

SHINBO: And it was better that way. It is more likely to generate excitement by ending with a scene where you'd say "Eh?! What will happen?" and letting the story continue (to the next episode).



'''EP. 6 - THIS IS JUST NOT RIGHT'''

UROBUCHI: This is an episode where the phrase "I just do not understand" made its debut. Kyubey started not to put up any excuse any more (LOL). But having reached this episode, the build-up of the story is now complete. I also had the expectation that those viewers who are still with us until this ep. 6 should find episodes from ep. 7 on very enjoyable. I thought ep. 3 would for once filter the audience, and if they would stay along in ep. 4 and ep. 5, then I guessed we should be fine.

SHINBO: However since in reality instead of seeing people drop out after ep. 3 it got a lot more attention, we did not really need to worry about that. And coming into this ep. 6, people should start to realize that the question is not "When will Madoka transform?" but instead "In this anime she must not transform."

UROBUCHI: Also in ep. 6, there is one whole scene that was cut out. That was something that I did on my own initiative. When I dug around some old files, I found there was a scene where Homura and Sayaka talked to each other. There is a scene where Homura met Kyoko in a game center, isn't it? My thought was that after Homura finished talking to Kyoko there, there was a scene where she advised Sayaka, saying "You are not fit to be mahou shoujo, so behave yourself and stay quiet." And of course Sayaka would reject that. But then it is hard to call a scene enjoyable when you just watch Homura and Sayaka going on and on doing nothing but arguing. (LOL)



'''EP. 7 - CAN YOU FACE YOUR TRUE FEELINGS?'''

UROBUCHI: The church scene was a surprise. I could not even imagine the conversation would take place in a background that is all stained glass.

SHINBO: The image of a church with stained glass was taken from the image at the beginning of the anime "The Soul Taker". Moreover, I wanted to show something other than what people usually draw when they think of a church like those long pews etc.

IWAKAMI: I really love the dialogue of Kyoko at the end of the church scene, when before she left she turned to Sayaka and said "We are mahou shoujo! There are no other people like us!"

UROBUCHI: That is almost gangster-like talk, like "Us fellas are different from those ordinary chaps!" (LOL)

SHINBO: It got very interesting to hear that dialogue spoken with Nonaka-san's acting. And I got a bit troubled with the scene where Kyoko threw out an apple. Since Kyoko valued food so much, what would she do with the core of an apple? Did she throw it away, or eat the core as well? And if I decided she would throw it away, then I thought she would eat until where there is nothing more to eat, and what would be the sound when that core dropped onto the ground? In order not to get the impression that "Didn't she only just say 'don't you waste food!' and now she was throwing apple away!" I put a subtle sound effect at the end.

UROBUCHI: But people may then think, if she eats that much already, why not eats the core as well? (LOL)

SHINBO: Indeed Kyoko's character may be just like that. But in that scene I think it looks cooler for her to throw it away. So I got help from the sound effect staff so that (the sound) would not invite criticism. I need to thank the sound effect people like (Hidemi) Tanaka-san. But then I did not expect to get troubled on this kind of thing (LOL)

UROBUCHI: Come to think of it, in that scene Kyoko was eating something healthy. Usually she just kept munching on junk food.

SHINBO: If she kept going with that kind of diet, don't you think Kyoko would get fat?

UROBUCHI: Probably won't. Thanks for the magical power. (LOL)

AOKI: My impression of Kyoko changed in ep. 7, I thought "Hmm? Surprisingly she is a nice girl!"

IWAKAMI: As it is the episode where the relationship between Sayaka and Kyoko got close very quickly.

SHINBO: But for me I started to think of Kyoko as a good girl from ep. 6. Didn't she give Homura some of her Pocky?

UROBUCHI: I am sure if you become a friend of Kyoko, you will get some food. (LOL)



'''EP. 8 - I AM REALLY SUCH A FOOL'''

UROBUCHI: This is the climax of the grim development.

AOKI: This episode was tough to watch. It was very tough to see the exchanges between Sayaka and Madoka.

IWAKAMI: The existence of Kyoko is significant as she went to save (Sayaka) from such a grim development.

UROBUCHI: When she first appeared, she was supposed to be a heel [e.g. villain] character, but before you know it she became the only conscience. (LOL)

SHINBO: In visual terms, in ep. 8 I aimed for something that I had not done before. Like the dialogue between Madoka and Sayaka in the rain, or the exchanges between Sayaka and Homura later.

UROBUCHI: The image where Kyubey became a hornet's nest by Homura's bullets is also very shocking. And right after that, it was revealed that its true identity is Incubator. By then it is very clear that it is not a creature that can live with humanity on friendly terms.

SHINBO: There is also the dialogue "Isn't it a waste?". I thought it would also become a talking point but turned out it did not cause a sensation like "I just don't understand." (LOL) As a Japanese who takes good care of things and stuff, I wish that would get popular too.

AOKI: In that scene I really feel sorry for Homura who was left behind by Madoka. I just want to call out to Madoka, "Spend a bit more time with (Homura)!"

UROBUCHI: Ah, that's because from Madoka's point of view, she "just doesn't understand" (LOL) But then, coming to ep. 8, all the setups prepared before that started to come off quickly one by one in a chain reaction.

KUBOTA: It was impressive that the dialogue between the two hosts in a train was something that actually happened in real life.

UROBUCHI: They were talking at a place very close to me in an overcrowded train.

SHINBO: For us that was the most out-of-place dialogue in the world of "Madoka Magica."

UROBUCHI: Since they are not characters who would appear in mahou shoujo works. (LOL)

SHINBO: That's why I got convinced when I heard from Urobuchi-san about the background. I just hope that the viewers would also know that that was originated from a real life situation.

UROBUCHI: It was not really like that when it happened, I had to summarize to that length because of the time limit. Besides, the dialogues are extremely stupid, as they spoke in cliches that made you think "is it some on-location filming out there?" (LOL)

IWAKAMI: Since it is a dialogue that generates such an out-of-place feeling, we decided to use some unconventional treatment when we came to create the images for it.

SHINBO: Yeah, we deliberately made it black-and-white.

UROBUCHI: And the seiyuu casting of [[wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobuo_Tobita|(Nobuo) Tobita]] and [[wikipedia:Shin-ichiro_Miki|(Shinichiro) Miki]] as the hosts is deluxe class. (LOL)

SHINBO: For that scene, it would not work if it was not done by actors with solid acting skills. And (Youta) Tsuruoka, music director, helped me to cast these two veteran seiyuu.

IWAKAMI: Usually for such minor characters, it will go to young actors. With veteran seiyuu acting that part, the feel that Sayaka was pushed to a dead end little by little came out effectively.

SHINBO: But I guess Tobita-san (and Miki-san) did not understand why they were asked to do that.

UROBUCHI: Because they are minor characters and appeared only in one scene. On top of that, the title of the script has the words "mahou shoujo" written on it but strangely here is this scene which smells of blood. I can see that would be an after-recording session filled with many mysteries. (LOL)

SHINBO: And I think it should be good stimulation for some veterans to come and join these many actresses of around the same generation. Somehow I felt that the mood in the after-recording session got a bit sharpened as a result.

UROBUCHI: In fact Yuuki-san seemed to get very tense.

AOKI: And then there was the smiling face of Sayaka at the end of Ep. 8. I could not forget her expression when she said, "I am really such a fool."



'''EP. 9 - I WILL NEVER ALLOW THAT'''

AOKI: The visual image of Sayaka Witch surprised me.

UROBUCHI: What I imagined was a monster that looked even more grotesque, so I think that it already got quite a bit of beauty treatment, since in the screenplay there is something like "countless tentacles stretching out" written on it. I wonder what I was thinking of Sayaka. (LOL)

SHINBO: It was marvelous to see how the music by Kajiura-san matched with the video images in ep. 9.

IWAKAMI: She wrote one piece of music specifically for Sayaka who had become a witch. I think Kajiura-san found the work to be interesting after reading the screenplay so she was willing to respond to our sudden requests.

AOKI: When I saw Kyoko in ep. 9, I got filled with so much hope. I really think perhaps at the end they could somehow manage.

UROBUCHI: If it is a conventional mahou shoujo anime, I guess at the end they will somehow manage it.

IWAKAMI: But I think indeed it was structured very well, since a character that came out only in ep. 5 now stands out so prominently in ep. 9.

UROBUCHI: Although I had thought about letting Kyoko stay just a little bit longer. But in 12 episodes I think that is the limit.



'''EP. 10 - I WILL NOT DEPEND ON ANYONE ANYMORE'''

UROBUCHI: It is a miracle story to get everything into one episode. In fact this is something that requires at least 2 episodes. With only one episode everything has to be rushed. I submitted the first draft, thinking "Can this really be kept within 25 minutes?!" and I had expected it would be rejected...but it got through. (LOL)

KUBOTA: But then I got all fired up after reading that screenplay. I thought I must make it happen....

SHINBO: At the very beginning it was a little bit longer, we got it shortened by a little.

UROBUCHI: I did not cut down much actually. I just had this worry that the pace of ep. 10 is so fast that audience may get the feeling of being abandoned.

SHINBO: But the viewers were able to understand without difficulty. I was surprised to see the fans of this anime have such a strong ability to understanding.

IWAKAMI: Also I think it was good to see it filled with scenes fans want to see, like when the mahou shoujo teamed up to fight witches. It is just that from an animation process point of view, since there are a couple of situations (to draw), it took awfully large amounts of labor. Kubota-san remembered ep. 3 and ep. 10 as the episodes that took them a particularly amount of effort.

KUBOTA: Ep. 3 is the turning point in the early stage and so that was necessary no matter what. And for Ep. 10, since the structure of the screenplay has a really high degree of perfection, and there are tricky works we needed to do, it gave me the feeling that it was indeed the chokepoint. I do not intend to discriminate various episodes among all the 12 episodes, but I have no doubt that this is the most important episode within the series. This also came naturally to our staff.

UROBUCHI: I thought the anime databank system would be used more often. It was only (used) in the moment just before the last scene.

KUBOTA: That was because it was necessary to use the image from ep. 1. Even with the use of databank system, it was an episode that was complicated and technically demanding (to make). But the main staff, including (Yukihiro) Miyamoto-kun, copied with it perfectly.

SHINBO: It was also because (Shinsaku) Sasaki-san, who drew the storyboard, read the storyboard of ep. 1 very thoroughly. He grasped everything very well, like whether to use such and such cut in more than one situation, to put together the storyboard. Episode Director (Yuuki) Yase-san was also very good.

UROBUCHI: I was surprised that Inu-Curry Witches really showed up in quick succession. I had expected it would just reuse all the witches who had appeared earlier, and they really made new designs for every one of them.

IWAKAMI: The dialogue that Madoka said, "Keep it a secret to everyone in class.", also stood out. It was impressive because it was a dialogue where she showed her will clearly up front while up till then she looked so timid and indecisive.

SHINBO: Besides that, the acting by Yuuki-san on that scene was really good.

KUBOTA: And for me, the scenes where Homura's face got sterner and sterner each time she passed through the time loop were impressive.

UROBUCHI: She looks cool. I love the face of Homura when at the end she fell into total distrust of other human beings.

IWAKAMI: I wish I could taste the shock when, without knowing anything in advance before watching the TV broadcast, suddenly out came Homura with eyeglasses and braided hair. (LOL)

SHINBO: The Animation Director for this episode is (Yoshiaki) Itoh-san. He himself once said "I am so happy to be the animation director for ep. 10".



'''EP. 11 - THE LAST REMAINING SIGNPOST'''

AOKI: At my place, somehow the video of ep. 12 came before the video of ep. 11. But I thought "I absolutely must not watch it by skipping ep. 11!" and so I just stashed away ep.12. So I watched and enjoyed ep. 11 in real time just like every viewer. Also, in the closing day, (Tetsuya) Iwanaga-san, who voiced (Madoka's) father, said to me, the last word between Madoka and her father was "I need to go to the toilet." When I thought of what happened to Madoka later, it only gave me sadness.

IWAKAMI: I guess at that moment Madoka could not even dream that she herself would in fact become a concept.

UROBUCHI: From here on, I just threw up everything and wrote with a so-what attitude. It may have been challenge in certain sense, (to see) how much I can say this is absurdly unreasonable but I can still be told "This is not the case." (LOL)

SHINBO: In the storyboard of ep. 11, the silhouettes of Mami and Sayaka etc. were seen clinging close to the Walpurgisnacht. But this part was changed (later).

UROBUCHI: The manga version was drawn based on the storyboard before the change. Black Mami and Sayaka were drawn there.



'''EP. 12 - MY BEST FRIEND'''

UROBUCHI: Since in the screenplay I only wrote something like "Madoka turns into a concept," I think it was well adapted into images. Even regarding the location, I only wrote with self-indulgence, putting it as something like "void space" (LOL). But the power of images is strong, as in a world with only text, like novels, could not produce such persuasive power. When you read the part with text "they float in a space where there is nothing," you think "Ah, is it so." and then you are done. It is the power of images to get people to think "Wow...I see!"

IWAKAMI: Indeed the persuasive power of images in the last stage, from ep. 10 onwards, was amazing. In the early stage and middle stage the power of Urobuchi-san's story pulled along the story. I feel that in the last stage, it was due to the pulling power of images that were built up by animating the conceptual part of the screenplay.

UROBUCHI: Also since ep. 10-12 were broadcast at one go, it gave a feeling of watching a movie. In summary, it was the "Homura Chapter." And then even though quite some effort went into designing the ultimate form of Madoka, it was a waste that she did not appear that much. But then her existence loomed immensely large with that short appearance. I also thought people would get angry at me for that scene with mahou shojo in the past. Just think how many new characters needed to be created just for that one scene...I had expected somehow this would be resolved by finding some way out.... It came out as a straight ball. They did not even try to run away. (LOL) My hat off to them.

KUBOTA: The key animation of those mahou shojo (from the past) were drawn by (Takahiro) Kishida-san, the Character Designer, himself.

UROBUCHI: There is this thing that surprisingly became a talking point -- "The Law of Circular Path". That actually means "the ending that will, without exception, visit the girls who embraced hope and chose to take up the destiny of becoming a mahou shoujo." It is not something Mami-san coined herself, but something like an oral tradition that was passed along among mahou shoujo in that world. And so at that place and time, the only one who could not understand at all after hearing those words was Homura. Kyoko also knew and probably Sayaka in that world had also heard those words before.

AOKI: The black wings of Homura in the last scene - was it the intention of Urobuchi-san?

UROBUCHI: No, those wings were from Inu-Curry-san.

IWAKAMI: There are many interpretations regarding the last scene. What does Urobuchi-san think of that?

UROBUCHI: My intention when I wrote the screenplay was: The location is not Japan and Homura's fight just goes on. But I think it is fine for all the fans to come up with their own interpretation. There is even conjecture that "this is without doubt the world after humanity was annihilated." It is still a valid interpretation.

IWAKAMI: It looks something like a Bad End, with an ending that had Homura hearing Madoka's voice just before she went to a certain death. (LOL) Personally I believe it is a Good End.

AOKI: So what I thought and I felt proved to be correct after all.

SHINBO: Even though the world has changed, Homura will never forget Madoka. I think that is the most important thing. If there is another work for "Madoka Magica," this will be something that will never change.

== Puella Magi Madoka Magica After-recording Report ==
''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

:''Detailed translations at: [[Guidebook After Recording Report]]. See also translated comic of [[Animedia_2011-06#Madoka_After-Recording_Report_.28Seiyuu_Comic.29|Ep 12 After-Recording Session]].

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 1|Episode 11: Part 1]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 01 TL.jpg|Episode 11: Part 1 [[Media:Guidebook_comic_01.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 2: Pre-recording|Part 2: Pre-recording]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 02 TL.jpg|Part 2: Pre-recording [[Media:Guidebook_comic_02a.jpg|Original in Japanese]]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 3: Recording|Part 3: Recording]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 03 TL.jpg|Part 3: Recording [[Media:Guidebook_comic_03.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

'''[[Guidebook After Recording Report#Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht|Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht]]''' 
[[File:Guidebook Comic 04 TL.jpg|Part 4: Walpurgis Nacht [[Media:Guidebook Comic 02.jpg|Original in Japanese]]|200px]]

==Opening Theme==

''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

CONNECT 
Composition, Lyrics: Sho Watanabe 
Singer: ClariS

It is an opening that contains a lot of scenes which you could not see much in the main part of the anime, including the mahou shoujo Madoka. The black cat that Madoka held in her arms appears again in the drama CD that came with BD/DVD Vol.1. Also at first the last cut has only Madoka, Sayaka and Mami, but in ep. 10 and ep. 11, Homura and Kyoko were added as well.

OPENING ANIMATION 
Storyboard, Direction 
Tomoyuki Sakamura

''What kind of opening did you think of making?''

I got the order from Shinbo-san that the animation plan for the opening must have the standard scenes and transformation scene of mahou shoujo. When I first heard the song, I got the simple impression that it is not some girl bouncing around but something serious. And after I read the scenario, I just fell and rolled over. This was a reaction that was no different from the shock experienced by audience when they first watched ep. 10 of the anime. It was in fact lyrics for Homura, but if you did not realize that and put Madoka in her place, instead it was basically an opening with cute mahou shoujo. Based on that concept, I started the work on storyboarding.

''There was controversy regarding the black cat held by Madoka.''

For the black cat, I created it as a little gimmick to show off the mahou shoujo Madoka in her regular daily life which has a different mood from what is in the main part, and also as a Madoka story that is in a parallel world which is different from the main part. I thank all the fans for doing so much research. By the way, Aoi Yuuki-san, who voiced Madoka, gave an upturned eye and asked "Is this the cat I am keeping?". Nakamura-san, the animation director, and I answered "Yes, that's right."

''How about the addition of Homura and Kyoko in the last cut starting from ep. 10?''

In fact at first, I did not think about adding Homura and Kyoko in the last cut from ep. 10 onwards. (LOL) When the opening and the main part of ep. 10 was about to be recorded, I decided (I wanted to do that) and rushed to create new images. And I felt sorry for Kyoko, so I added her too. This reminds me - there is also an interesting idea from Izumi-san who worked in coloring: Adding a "stalker Homura" in all the cuts in the opening where Homura would watch over and protect Madoka. ''[editor's note: the idea didn't make it to production but did for fanmade parodies.]''

''There is also the Madoka transformation scene. What kind of image did you have in mind when you created that?''

In the mahou shojo transformation scene, I added a maternal and mysterious mood by having a naked Madoka holding and kissing Madoka. The question of who is embracing Madoka became a talking point... It seems to be more fun by keeping this as a secret. I think the actual images, which were done by animator (Masaaki) Takiyama-san, who drew the heavenly Madoka in nude with gushing libido, and photographer (Takayuki) Aizu-san, who fine-toned the color palette and light transmission, came out beautifully.

''The slice-of-life scenes that we see so little in the actual anime are also depicted in the opening.''

I made them in order to compensate for the fact that in the first half of the series, it is difficult to draw cheerful scenes or the pleasure of a happy home. Commemorative photo with family, after-school (visit to) the cake shop, sports festival, concert, afternoon on the sofa etc etc. As the main part progresses, the focus is on more and more painful things, and (the opening) looks a bit mean-spirited (to have those scenes) inserted. It hurts to see the gentle face of Mami-san in sleep!

''Other than that, anything during the animation work you particularly remember?''

This is the first time I directed an opening, and what surprised me very much was the experience of editing. In the process of matching cuts (of images) against the music, even just the difference of one frame could change the impression regarding the visual image and how pleasant you feel about it. It needs a completely different sense from the dubbing of the main part, where you first made all the cuts, linked them together, and only after that had music and sound added. Experimenting and then checking the result could give rise to serendipitous discovery. It was difficult but also very interesting.

''Could I ask you for your memories and thoughts as you look back to the work you did this time?''

Being able to work on an opening this time is more than I deserved, and I called for outside help - I asked animator Ryo Imagawa-san to help me. I thank him for pulling me all along, from the stage of storyboard to actual animation, as well as directing. He was actively involved in everything like he had 8 faces and 6 arms. While he drew his own original animation, he also went through all the cuts and made fine adjustments and follow-ups. The animation work had so little time (LOL) - it was non-stop from Storyboard IN ''[symbv: when storyboard first started to get animated]'' to chapter-V ''[symbv: when all the retakes are done and the work shifts to post-production]''!! I want to say thanks to all the staff who were involved in the production. Oh yes oh yes, I suddenly called and woke up (Naoto) Nakamura-san, Animation Director, and he helped me out... That's some nice memory... I think... for him. [The opening] is different from the main part: There is no need to connect the scene as required by a story, and there is no restriction (or support) from dialogues or effect sound. It was very refreshing and appealing to create densely packed images for 90 seconds. I am honored and thankful for being able to participate in working in "Madoka Magica." And my apology to (Tadao) Iwaki-san (animation producer) for not being able to help in the main part.

==Ending Theme==

''Translation courtesy of symbv from evageeks forum.''

ENDING THEME 
MAGIA 
Compose, Lyrics: Yuki Kajiura 
Singer: Kalafina

Madoka, in silhouette, runs and runs within an uncanny and eerie space.
It was used only in surprsingly infrequent times - from ep. 3-8. As an ending, it symbolized the dark side of this anime.

Ending Animation - Hirofumi Suzuki

''Can you tell me your impression when you heard the song?''

Until then, I had made only slow and laid-back type of endings for works by Director Shinbo, and I thought this time it would just be something similar, so I underestimated the job and accepted it. The song that I got turned out to be terribly grave and I was taken aback.

''What kind of things did you and Director Shinbo discuss (on this ending)?''

At the occasion when we came to discuss it, he told me that the ending "will start from ep. 3". And in the preparatory meeting, I think he said something to the effect that, "I think it may be better to have a different feeling from the image created by Gekidan Inu-Curry-san in the main part, and have something that hints at the future of Madoka and others."

''Can you tell me any happening during the production work or something about the completed video?''

I did everything of the production work from storyboard to filming by myself. They were all done on the PC. The contents just provide rough suggestions of (what happens) in the main part, so there is nothing particular I want to say. As for why only Homura turns around, I think if (the viewer) watches ep. 10 and later episodes, he should be able to find out.

MATA ASHITA (See You Tomorrow) 
Lyrics, Compose: hanawaya 
Arrangement: Ryuka / Tomonori Taguchi 
Singer: Madoka Kaname (Aoi Yuuki)

For Ep. 1 and 2 on BD/DVD, there is an ending which was not shown on broadcast TV. The song and the illustration to remind (listeners) of the time when Madoka and others were leading their lives as ordinary girls.

ENDING ILLUSTRATION 
UME AOKI

I heard about this plan to have the picture of Madoka-chan added to the ending, so I drew this illustration. I drew it with the thought that it would be good to have a picture which can only be associated to ep. 1 and 2. (LOL)

== Data in production stage ==
[[File:Guidebook_Production_Related_Material_01.jpg|Data in production stage|thumb]]

===Planning Memo (Upper right)===

====Story keyword====

*When the wish of a magical girl comes true, she becomes a witch.
*Based on friendship between an idealistic girl and a realistic girl.
*The idealistic girl claims that to become a witch is bad. But she exhausts her power for the world and becomes a witch...

*Main characters are the two above, with additional two, total 4.
*If sub characters are counted, total about 7 characters.
*Protagonists are about 15 years old.

*They may use magic to transform.
*But they are mainly wearing uniform.
*Although it is subtle whether they are in magical school, the school is serious and strict.

====Visual image====

*The image of 4 girls are as follows:
**The idealistic girl: bright, and looking forward.
**The realistic girl: seem to know everything as an adult. She is excellent in both knowledge and physical power.
**The talented girl: comes from witch's blood. She has inborn magic.
**The learned girl: learning magic systematically. She looks like an otaku.

*The tragic fate of magical girls, and the decision. ...(their serious face?)
*Needs some gadgets of magical girls, like sticks, bracelet or necklace.
*An animal who guides them to their fights.
** While looking cute, he will say something terrible like "Do you have desire to improve the world, even have to pay your life". He is so cruel because he knows everything.

===Minutes (Lower right)===

Translation courtesy of @sosoma0231 of the /r/MadokaMagica/ Discord.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Setting Meeting Minutes:
* Date/Time: May 12, 2010, 18:00–
* Location: Shaft 2nd Floor, Meeting Room
* Attendees:
** [[Akiyuki Shinbo]] (Director)
** Shiroinu ([[Gekidan Inu Curry]])
** Doroinu (Gekidan Inu Curry)
** Mitsutoshi Kubota ([[Shaft]])
** Tomoyo Kamiji (Shaft)

* Agenda: Overall Art Setting/Design

When entering a magical space, should it mix with the real world, or become a completely disconnected, separate space?
(The term "erosion/encroachment" is used in the scenario, but it can be changed.)
→ Dismantle the original elements and reassemble them (Inu Curry-sama's imagery).

Request Gekidan Inu Curry-sama to design the alternate dimensions and Witches.

Witch designs should not be instantly recognizable as "witches" to just anyone. They should evoke a sense of anxiety and uneasiness. Cute designs might also be good.

Alternate dimensions will change design with each episode, serving a role similar to a stage set/theatrical apparatus.

Both the alternate dimensions and Witches will be produced with specific themes, without being overly assertive.
(For example, Sayaka's Witch is designed to reflect her identity.)

While the story is told from the characters' subjective viewpoints, the design of the scenes should look objective.

Try applying a filter-like effect to characters when they enter an alternate dimension. (Inu Curry-sama's image change/style shift.)
→ Consult once other production staff, such as photography/compositing, are finalized.

The director wants to create an image animation completely different from the magical girl anime Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha. (Madoka Magica is a work that, in the director's mind, exists as an extension of Le Portrait de Petit Cossette.)

The real world will feature a modern cityscape. A design that feels slightly near-futuristic. However, power lines will remain.

The cityscape is urban. A well-planned, rigidly structured city. (Symmetrical layouts are also acceptable.)

The school should also reference foreign designs.

Overall, the coloring should be like that of a bishoujo anime. (Referencing Ume Aoki-sensei.)
→ Research and utilize color palettes currently trending in the industry.

Next Steps: Early June - Storyboarding begins → July - Director's check (Scheduled)
Battle scenes, alternate dimensions, etc., will be further developed by the main staff as soon as the storyboards are ready.

Gekidan Inu Curry-sama: Requested to submit overall image boards in 2 weeks. Shaft will issue orders for Witch designs for each individual episode under a detailed, segmented schedule.

* Next Meeting: May 26, 18:00
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Setting Meeting
Location: Shaft 2nd Floor, Meeting Room

===Series Proposal (left)===

{|class="wikitable"
|style="width:8%;"|Episode
|Story
|-
|01
|A scene of destruction. All characters are dead miserably. Homura is fighting a terrible monster with blood on her. 
Madoka is watching this but she can do nothing. However, it seem she can save all of them by becoming a magical girl. As soon as she makes up her mind to make contract with a fairy, she wakes up. Is this a dream? 
In a peaceful morning, she is going to school with her good friend, Sayaka, as usual. 
Here comes a transferred student called Homura. She is the girl in Madoka's dream.
But after school, Madoka sees her killing a cute animal.
Then Homura come to attack Madoka and Sayaka, who are trying to protect that animal. 
|-
|02
|(Mami appears. Mami explains about magical girl to them.)
|-
|03
|(Madoka almost makes a contract. But Mami dies, and Homura saves her. At the same time, Sayaka makes a contract)
|-
|04
|(Kamijou quarrels with Sayaka so that she makes a contract. Kyoko appears)
|-
|05
|(Kyoko attacks Sayaka. Homura agrees that Kyoko can be the backup. Madoka now in middle of Sayaka and Homura.)
|-
|06
|(Kyoko's past. Kamijou recovers. The three tiers (Sayaka, Homura & Kyoko, and witches) are fighting endlessly. Madoka is worried about how to help Sayaka.)
|-
|07
|(Kamijou fully recovered. But he is going the way out of Sayaka's expectation. Sayaka doesn't give up her duty as a magical girl. 
To make Sayaka back to a regular girl, Madoka steals and throws away her soul gem. To Madoka's surprise, Sayaka doesn't move anymore. The fairy tells her the truth.)
|-
|08
|(Sayaka is no longer human. But she overcomes the sadness. She simply bears the fate to do witch hunting just like Mami. 
Madoka considers to become a magical girl again to help her, and Homura comes to argue with her. At the beginning she rebounds strongly because of embarrassment from her over simple consideration, but Homura convinces her by all means. 
Meanwhile, Kyoko starts to have sympathy with Sayaka, although they are incompatible, still fighting against each other.)
|-
|09
|Sayaka falls into despair definitely (caused by Kamijou?)
|-
|10
|Sayaka finally become a grief seed and hatches a witch. Kyoko killed the witch but also sacrifice herself. 
The fairy tells the truth to desperate Madoka. He also tells her that he has seen countless examples of this but he is still unable to understand how human thinks. 
And a new witch with unseen power is approaching. It seems there's no way to protect the city unless Madoka becoming a magical girl. 
|-
|11
|Homura confesses to Madoka about her ability and object. She also tells Madoka that she has done that many times. This is the timeline Madoka keeping alive the longest. Although she cannot save other girls' lives, it might be a chance to change Madoka's fate. 
Homura swears that she will protect Madoka with her own life. But Madoka is still unable to understand. The final fight is coming in such situation.
|-
|12
|Madoka arranges her feelings about Homura. The fairy predicts that Homura won't have a change to win. He suggests Madoka to make a contract, and says her soul gem is so enormous that the power of her wish is much more than others. 
The final battle between Homura and witch comes. Homura cannot stand up with such a great power difference. This scene is the same as Madoka's dream. 
|-
|13
|Is there a way to save all magic girls? 
Madoka finally makes contract with the fairy. 
"I wish to become the existence to eliminate all witches from past to the future!" 
...... 
Madoka finally understand how hard Homura did for her, and the friendship between them. 
...... 
|}

== Witch Design ==

=== Labyrinth design ===

{|class="wikitable"
|style="width:8%;"|Episode
|Concept
|Words
|-
|3 (Part)
|Cafe for two （２人カフェ）
|"My dream is tea time." （私の夢はティータイム） 
When the witch dies, the magical girl steps on the cups and breaks them.
|-
|3 (Charlotte)
|One whole cheese cake
|"It's really a delicious cheesecake. My dying mother wanted to eat it, but maybe I should have cured her disease instead. But I'm sure that wasn't really the point." （とてもおいしいチーズケーキ。死にかけのお母さんが食べたがっていたの。でも、もしかするとお母さんの病気でも治してあげたらよかったカスラ。けれと、きっとそれはそおいうことでもないのダワ。）
|-
|4 (H.N Elly)
|Snowglobe （スノードーム）
|"I have only one wish. Box up that memory." （私の願いはただひとつ、あの思い出をとじこめて） 
When the witch dies, the lights on the Christmas tree and merry-go-round short out. There's a 'basssh!' sound.
|-
|7 (Elsa Maria)
|Church
|"May the you I haven't met yet find happiness." （まだ見ないあなたが幸せであるように） 
When the witch dies, the stained glass collapses and drops into the air. There's a 'baaaaaaahn' sound like from a pipe organ.
|-
|9
|Trains
|"My wish is somewhere not here." （私の願いはここではないどこか） 
In the final scene, the magical girl kills her from behind in the first carriage, and the train derails.
|-
|10 (Patricia)
|Blue Sky
|"How unlucky I am that today, of all days, turned out to be rainy." （今日という日が雨だなんて私はどれほどついていないんだろう） 
When the witch dies, it rains heavily. There is a sound like an aircraft crashing.
|-
|10 (Roberta)
|Dolls
|"I wish for friends. Friends who won't dislike me." （私の願いはお友達。私を嫌いにならないお友達） 
When the witch dies, the bird cage is getting shot down and spilling a circular rain of blood.
|-
|Set-constructing witch (Walpurgis Night)
|Stage
|"Everything in this world is fake. My life is nothing more than a drama that you penned. Please, prove it. ''"Faust"'' is on show." （この世界はすべて嘘でした。私の人生はあなたの書いた戯曲にすぎません。それを証明して下さい。「ファウスト」が上演中）
|}

===Gekidan Inu Curry Artwork Comments===
* Walpurgisnacht

"According to the lore settings, the inside of the skirt and the upper section of the gears serve as a stage, where the familiars can put on theatrical performances. Though we never actually ended up using that concept." (Both members)

* Walpurgisnacht's familiars

"Miyamoto-san mentioned that although it was never actually demonstrated in the main story, it possesses a ''Konaki-jijii''-style ability where if you get caught by it, your body becomes as heavy as a stone." (Both members)

"I was surprised by how cute its voice was." (2shiroinu)

* Anthony

"We were worried it might turn out too cute and end up requiring a retake, so it was a bit disappointing that nobody actually noticed the fact that it was cute." (Both members)

"To be clear, those are whiskers. It's a creature with whiskers growing out of it. It's a personal favorite of ours, so we're completely playing favorites with it on our own accord." (2shiroinu)

"We were still fumbling around in the dark regarding what to write for the Witch Picture Book descriptions, so this cleared things up quite a bit. The Witch Picture Book was actually proposed to us by Aniplex right before the broadcast, and thanks to having it, we were able to give the lore a lot more depth and variety." (Doroinu)

* Gertrud

"In the script, there was a line where Sayaka looks at her and says, 'Ugh, gross!' But since her actual appearance ended up looking rather cute, we consulted the series director about what we should do. It turned out nobody really questioned the contradiction, which was a bit disappointing." (Both members)

"I think her little scuttling legs are her best charm point." (Doroinu)

* Adelbert

"These are familiars whose role is vigilance. However, since their method of attack is a 'rocket headbutt,' if you think about it calmly, you get the feeling that the scissor attacks used by the whiskered minions in Episode 1 might actually be stronger..." (Both members)

"At any rate, that office lady (OL) who was about to commit suicide was probably headbutted mercilessly by them, wasn't she?" (Doroinu)

* ? (Suleika)

"This is a Witch that didn't appear in the main story. To make the relationship between Witches and Familiars easier to understand, we went ahead and included even the unfeatured Witches in resources like the Witch Picture Book." (Both members)

* Ulla

"At the storyboarding stage, it actually fought with Mami a decent amount, but due to the overall runtime constraints, it ended up getting instantly killed." (Both members)

"It's a shame its moment in the spotlight was lost, but considering how grueling the workload was for the Witch of Sweets in that very same episode, I also kind of feel like we dodged a bullet." (Doroinu)

* Pyotr

"Its mouth area is all rustly-bustly and squishy-soft." (2shiroinu)

"It is no exaggeration to say it appeared solely for the purpose of being blown away by Mami." (Doroinu)

* Charlotte

"Fearing that Mami fans would get angry at us, we copped out and gave her a mascot-like appearance instead." (2shiroinu)

"Right after her initial appearance, her eye color was black during the TV broadcast. However, in the DVD and Blu-ray versions, the eye color has been changed to green. It wasn't a coloring mistake by the compositing staff; rather, we made a selfish, stubborn request after the TV airing to have them change it for us." (Both members)

* H.N. Elly (Kirsten)

"I felt like it would look really cool to have strands of hair spilling out from inside the machinery." (2shiroinu)

"It didn't pan out due to time constraints, but I really wanted to add much more detail and substance to the imagery projected on the screen." (Doroinu)

* Daniyyel & Jennifer

"Even though they are carrying the Witch around, they don't actually hold much affection for her. They feel more like they're just carrying her along as an afterthought." (Both members)

* ? (Albertine)

"She didn't appear" (2 members)

* Anja

"Aoi Yuki-san, who plays Madoka, provided the voice for this one. We made a rather unfortunate request for her to make it sound 'as goofy as humanly possible,' and she pulled it off magnificently." (Both members)

"She's amazing." (2shiroinu)

* Dora

"This one is rusted as well. It plays ''The Godfather'' theme using the exhaust pipes protruding from its body." (Both members)

* Gisela

"This Witch was designed after the storyboards were already completed. We came up with its appearance and setting under the explicit premise that it would be included in the Witch Picture Book. The concept is basically an sci-fi robot capable of transforming into a motorcycle, except it's completely covered in rust." (Both members)

* Elsa Maria

"Our initial concept for it had a much more traditional Japanese style. The remnants of that idea can still be seen in the kimono-like patterns on the base of the monument held by the giant statue serving as the platform, as well as on the cloth that drapes down upon its death." (Both members)

* Sebastian's

"In the second half, what grows directly out of the Witch isn't her familiars—those are the Witch's own arms." (Both members)

* Bartels

"It's paper clay." (Both members)

* Holger

"Fantasia." (Both members)

* Oktavia von Seckendorff

"We worked hard, fully prepared to get reprimanded no matter how she turned out. And she turned out like that." (2shiroinu)

* ? (Uhrmann)

"She didn't appear in the main story, but the design had already been decided. The one getting beaten up by Sayaka in the manga version was originally the design for the Dog Witch."

* Izabel

"In the first place, being told that a stationary triumphal arch is a 'Witch' might make absolutely no sense, but we thought, 'Well, it's already episode 10, so maybe it'll somehow get across?'" (Both members)

* Michaela

"For these familiars, we gave the key animators a few vague reference concepts and then let them draw them completely freely." (Both members)

* Patricia

"For both the Witch and the barrier, we intentionally chose a design and production style that looked the most like a conventional, normal magical girl show out of everything." (Both members)

"You'd think it was a spider, but since it has six arms, it turns out it wasn't a spider after all. If anything, it's a subspecies of Tien Shinhan (from Dragon Ball)." (Doroinu)

* Mathieu

"Underneath the skirt she is wearing puffy lantern bloomers. Even if she is a Witch, we absolutely do not permit flashing underwear glimpses." (Both members)

"The blue sky inside the barrier actually incorporates footage of the sky above Iogi taken about two days before the TV broadcast." (Doroinu)

* Oktavia von Seckendorff, Timeline 3 Version

"In the main story, if you look closely, she's actually using dual-wielding swords. Well, even though in the end she doesn't actually attack with the swords anyway." (Both members)

* Klarissa

"Partway through, for some reason, they get caught up in the wheels. Talk about bad luck." (Both members)

* Gotz

"In our initial concept art they were paper birds, but somewhere along the line they became all muscular." (Both members)

"They are narcissistic birds who haven't even realized that the Witch despises them." (2shiroinu)

* Roberta

"She is constantly frustrated by her familiars. She ended up getting blown to pieces while she was still totally worked up." (Both members)

* Kriemhild Gretchen

"They never shared the screen together in the main story, but the concept was for her to form a matching pair with Walpurgisnacht. In our setting, there is a barrier the size of the Earth positioned right above the Witch's head, which sucks up everything from the ground. Because she is so gargantuan, we asked the staff to basically treat her as part of the background scenery." (Both members)

== General Gallery ==
<gallery position="center" captionalign="left">
File:You are not alone poster.jpg| Poster
File:You_Are_Not_Alone_advertisement.jpg| Advertisement
File:Guidebook extras.JPG| Japan-exclusive extras
</gallery>

== Prior Illustrations ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 03.jpg|Other ones of Homura and Madoka: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 04.jpg|1]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 05.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 07.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 14.jpg|4]]
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 06.jpg|More solo Madoka: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 11.jpg|1]]
File:Guidebook Early Illustrations 08.jpg|More group pics: [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 09.jpg|1]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 10.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 12.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 13.jpg|4]], [[:Media:Guidebook Early Illustrations 15.jpg|5]]
</gallery>

== Episodic Coverage and Character Pages ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0001.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0002.jpg|2]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0003.jpg|3]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0004.jpg|1-3]] and Mami character [[:Media:Guidebook 0005.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0006.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0007.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0008.jpg|5]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0009.jpg|6]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0010.jpg|4-6]] and Sayaka character [[:Media:Guidebook 0011.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0012.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0013.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0014.jpg|8]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0015.jpg|9]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0016.jpg|7-9]] and Kyoko character [[:Media:Guidebook 0017.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0018.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0019.jpg|Episodes [[:Media:Guidebook 0020.jpg|11]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0021.jpg|12]], Summary [[:Media:Guidebook 0022.jpg|10-12]] and Homura character [[:Media:Guidebook 0023.jpg|1]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0024.jpg|2]].
File:Guidebook 0025.jpg|Madoka part [[:Media:Guidebook 0026.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0027.jpg|Kyubey]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0028.jpg|Madoka's family]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0029.jpg|other characters]].
</gallery>

== Production Materials ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0045.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0046.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0047.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0048.jpg|4]].
File:Guidebook 0049.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0050.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0051.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0052.jpg|4]].
File:Guidebook 0053.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0054.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0055.jpg|3]].
File:Guidebook 0056.jpg|More witches: [[:Media:Guidebook 0057.jpg|2]].
File:080_1.jpg
File:Guidebook 0058.jpg|Episode storyboards 1-6: [[:Media:Guidebook 0059.jpg|2]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0060.jpg|3]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0061.jpg|4-6]].
File:Guidebook 0062.jpg|Episode storyboards 7-12: [[:Media:Guidebook 0063.jpg|8-9]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0064.jpg|10]], [[:Media:Guidebook 0065.jpg|11-12]].
File:Guidebook 0066.jpg|Witch designs and storyboards: [[:Media:Guidebook 0067.jpg|2]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0068.jpg|3]].
File:Guidebook 0069.jpg|More [[:Media:Guidebook 0070.jpg|architecture]] and [[:Media:Guidebook 0071.jpg|weapons]].
</gallery>

== Staff Discussion ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0095.jpg|Staff and Cast List
</gallery>

== Early Character Designs ==
<gallery>
File:Guidebook 0101.jpg
File:Guidebook 0102.jpg
File:Guidebook 0103.jpg
</gallery>

== See Also ==
* [[Translated_Official_Documents_Miscellaneous#Official_Guides.2C_Books_and_Games|Other official books, guides and games]]
* [[Puella Magi Production Note]]
* [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Art Book]]
* [[Magazines|Translated magazines]]
* [[Tweets|Translated Tweets]]

{{Template:Navbox Supplimentary Materials}}

[[Category:Translated Official Documents]]
[[Category:Documents/Anime-Production]]
[[Category:Products and merchandise]]
[[Category:Translation request]]