Puella Magi Wiki - User contributions [en]

Mabayu Aki

2026-05-25T14:08:26Z

SowingSorrowForTommorow: Added the theory that Mabayu is the identity of Itzli.

{{Infobox_character
|name=Mabayu Aki
|image=[[File:Scene0-mabayu-aki.png|x350px]]
|jname=愛生まばゆ (Aki Mabayu)
|designer=[[Ume Aoki]] [https://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=creator&creatorid=46267 Sasagi Koushi] Punyan
|voices=Japanese: [[:wikipedia:Saori_Hayami|Saori Hayami]]
|id=2009
|release1=JP:October 3, 2023
}}
{{nihongo|'''Mabayu Aki'''|愛生まばゆ|Aki Mabayu}} was a playable character in the 2017 mobile game [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story: Magia Record]] and is the main character of ''[[Puella Magi Madoka Magica: scene0]]''.

==General Info==
{{Magical Girl Details
|age=15
|agenote=<ref>In the Magia Day 2023, it was said that Mabayu is a year older than [[Madoka]], who is 14.</ref><ref>She is in the same grade as [[Mami Tomoe]] in ''[[Puella Magi Madoka Magica: scene0]]''.</ref>
|eyes=Purple
|hair=Green
|height=156 cm
|origin=[[Mitakihara City]]
|soulgem=Purple circle on left hip/side of pelvis (similar to a camera lens)
|weapon=Golden scissors
|powers=Optical camouflage and memory erasure
|wish="I want to erase the memory of my mother reading the future."
|relatives=[[Sakie Aki]] (aunt), [[Mrs. Aki|unnamed mother]] (deceased), unnamed father (deceased)
|school=Mitakihara Middle School, 9th grade
|pronoun={{nihongo|watashi|私|}}
|job=Waitress at Récompense
}}
{{reflist}}

==Game Info==
{{Magia Record Game Info|character=Mabayu Aki}}

==Appearances==
*[[Puella Magi Madoka Magica: scene0]]

===Other Appearances===
*[[Mabayu Aki in Magia Exedra]]

==Powers and Abilities==
Her innate ability is known as "optical camouflage" a light based magic, where she manipulates the light around her to hide herself or objects she desires hidden allowing her to basically be invisible. She is also capable of enhancing her eyesight, allowing her zoom in on far away locations. In addition to this, Mabayu can move while time is frozen and is also able to remember previous time loops. Due to her wish, Mabayu has the power to see the future of whoever she sees into their eyes (which is, curiously, an ability shared by her mother previously). However, her other main ability is to erase memories which is a more direct result of her wish - by imagining the memory as a film being cut, she can remove memories of an event from someone, like {{spoiler|erasing [[Nagisa Momoe in Magia Record|Nagisa Momoe's]] memory of her witch eating [[Mami Tomoe (scene0 ver.)|Mami Tomoe]] and later killing [[Kyoko Sakura (scene0 ver.)|Kyoko Sakura]]}}.

Mabayu does share some Coordinator capabilities, being a Void type, having poor fighting skills and being able to see other magical girls memories similar to a coordinator could when going through a tune up.

{{Template:Theory/Header|status=unknown}}She may also have the power to summon past Magical Girls (as shown in the opening to [[Magia Exedra]]), but how she would do this is unknown.

It is speculated that she is the identity of [[Itzli]] due to her cinephile theme and similar abilities.{{Template:Theory/Footer}}

==Etymology==
*Her given name (まばゆ) is contained in the phrase 'mabayui' (まばゆい), meaning "dazzling", "glaring", or "beautiful".
*Her surname is comprised of the kanji (愛), meaning "love", and (生), meaning "raw", "unrefined", "pure", or "undefiled", as well as "life" or "living".

==Trivia==
* The art on her "Next☆Actor" memoria, illustrated by PAPA, is a direct reference to the oil painting series [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_Crossing_the_Alps Napoleon Crossing the Alps] by Jacques-Louis David.
*Her design bears similarities to the design and motifs of [[Walpurgisnacht]], leading some to believe she may be the Magical Girl whose Witch ultimately became the catalyst for Walpurgisnacht’s existence.
** Her green hair, film strip motif used in her teaser trailer, and apparent ability to recall information across [[Homura Akemi|Homura Akemi's]] rewindings of time have also given rise to speculation that she may instead be [[Itzli]], originally implied to be the Witch of an alien Magical Girl not from Earth, or that Itzli's Magical Girl backstory has been repurposed for Mabayu and/or Walpurgisnacht.
*** The theory of her being Itzli was further theorized due to Itzlis barrier being a grand theatre, and her appearing in film reels.
**Mabayu also shares elements with the Witch Kirsten H.N Elly, due to the concept of boxing memories (With Mabayu's ability to cut memories), Screens (referencing mabayu's love for movies), and both their "wishes" relating to removing a Memory.
* She wears a golden hairpin that resembles the blades of scissors, like her weapon, or, appropriately, the hands of a clock.
* Mabayu's artwork often contains inconsistencies in her hat, which is commonly depicted as a camera dial (fitting for her film motif).
** In Magia Exedra, it is depicted as a camera dial cap.
* She shares her voice actress with [[Oriko Mikuni in Magia Record|Oriko Mikuni]].
* She works in a café named Récompense (lit. 'repay' or 'reward' in French), owned by her aunt and legal guardian Sakie Aki. Her aunt is trying to pet a black stray cat named [[Amy]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlQnKVpBty0&t=8317 Magia Day 2023 - Live Recording Session]</ref>
* She is a cinephile (someone who is obsessed with movies). Perhaps in a fourth-wall breaking element of this, her transformation video features various clips of the original anime, like:
** [[Madoka]] and [[Sayaka]] walking to [[Mitakihara Middle School|school]]
** [[Mami]] explaining the life of magical girls in her apartment
** Sayaka in [[Kyosuke]]'s hospital room
** [[Kyoko]] observing [[Mitakihara Town|Mitakihara]]
** [[Homura]] walking to [[Walpurgisnacht]]
** [[Kyuubey]] in [[Ultimate Madoka]]'s transformation

[[Madoka Kaname (scene0 ver.)]]
:* This video is simultaneous with/continued in [[Madoka Kaname (scene0 ver.)]]'s video, and appears twice in Madoka's:
::* The window Mabayu is looking through connects to the room Madoka is swinging in. Mabayu is first seen briefly in Madoka's video through this window.
::* She is seen in the [[Holy Quintet]] group shot of them floating. While Madoka's background features colorful circles, Mabayu's is completely black.
[[Homura Akemi (scene0 ver.)]]
:* In Mabayu's transformation sequence, Homura can be seen stopping and starting time, coherently affecting time in Mabayu's transformation
:* A glimpse of Homura's shadow running during these time stops
[[Kyoko Sakura (scene0 ver.)]]
:* In Kyoko's transformation sequence, we can catch a glimpse of Mabayu running down an alley as if spying on Kyoko.
:* She is absent from the floating scene with the other girls.

[[Sayaka Miki (scene0 ver.)]]
:* Mabayu appears to be absent in Sayaka's transformation.
:** However, Sayaka appears in a theatre very similar to that of [[Itzli]]'s barrier.
:** She also appears in café Récompense, where Mabayu works.

[[Mami Tomoe (scene0 ver.)]]
:* Mabayu, Sayaka, and Madoka all appear in Mami's transformation, walking to school.
:** Mabayu also appears in a film in Mami's transformation.
*She and [[Mami Tomoe (scene0 ver.)|Mami]] are the only [[scene0]] characters where the film in their 4 Star card arts do not mirror any other characters.

==Gallery==
See [[Gallery:Mabayu Aki]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://magireco.com Official Magia Record Website - Japanese]
*[https://magireco.com/madoka-magica-scene0/ scene0 Promotional site]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXf6q0NzvgM scene0 promotional trailer (JP)]

===Gameplay Videos===
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsejhVWk0k8 Recording of Mabayu's Transformation Video on Youtube (JP)]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wD9S7oCKpA Recording of Mabayu's Magia Video on Youtube (JP)]
*[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=A8ovPbTpyVY Recording of Mabayu's 2nd Magia Video on Youtube (JP)]

===Side Story and Dialogue===
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqOExzJu2sY Recording of Mabayu's MSS on Youtube (JP)]
**[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDQ0C9pqUaU Recording of Mabayu's MSS Episode 1 on Youtube (English Subs)]
**[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsFyzDacASw Recording of Mabayu's MSS Episode 2 on Youtube (English Subs)]
**[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30LbXx91b3I Recording of Mabayu's MSS Episode 3 on Youtube (English Subs)]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx1RkwdWD-g Recording of Mabayu's Dialogue lines on Youtube (JP)]

{{Character Categories|Aki|magicalgirl=yes}}
[[Category:Irregulars]]

Raspberry

2025-09-20T23:55:26Z

SowingSorrowForTommorow:

'''Raspberry''' ({{Runes|RASPBERRY}}) is a [[Witch|witch]] that appears in the [[Magia Record Episode 12: Why Is This So Unbearable?|twelfth episode]] of the [[Magia Record Anime]]. It was shown in a flashback fighting against [[Yachiyo Nanami]]'s team prior to [[Mel Anna]] becoming a Witch and managed to escape from them.

==Witch==
{{Witch Card
|background= Raspberry Barrier.png
|background_x= -75
|sprite= Enemy 6113 l.png
|sprite_size= 325
|sprite_x= 0
|sprite_y= 5
|kiss= 6113 raspberry.png

|box_color= #351252
|name= Raspberry
|name_style=color:#ff4e2c;
|runes= {{Runes|RASPBERRY}}
|type= Critic Witch
|nature= Authority
|appearances=[[Magia Record Episode 12: Why Is This So Unbearable? |Magia Record Episode 12]], [[Yachiyo Nanami (Anime ver.)]]'s side story.

|desc_english= A witch who passionately endeavors to sort out that which has value from that which does not. She apparently stabs stakes into the valueless things, and hands flowers to the valuable things, but it’s extraordinarily rare for anything besides the witch herself to receive a flower. Her standards of arbitration are unclear. Her Labyrinth is filled with light in the colors of the things and people that have been crushed by her stakes.
|desc_japanese= 批評家の魔女。その性質は権威。価値有るものとそうはで無いものをより分けることに熱心な魔女。無価値なものには杭を刺し価値あるものには花をつけるらしいが、魔女自身以外に花が与えられることはめったにない。裁定基準は不明。その結界は杭で潰された物や人が残した色の光であふれている。
}}

== Minions ==
===Razzie===
{{Witch Card
|background= Raspberry Barrier.png
|background_x= -75
|sprite= Enemy 7113 l.png
|sprite_size= 350
|sprite_x= 10
|sprite_y= -30

|box_color= #351252
|name= Razzie
|name_style=color:#ff4e2c;
|runes= {{Runes|RAZZIE}}
|type= Critic Witch's minion
|role= Jumping on bandwagons
|appearances= [[Magia Record Episode 12: Why Is This So Unbearable? |Magia Record Episode 12]], [[Yachiyo Nanami (Anime ver.)]]'s side story.

|desc_english= When something is deemed valueless by the witch, these jumping, flea-like minions will descend upon it en masse.
These minions only do so because they desperately want to gnaw at their target with their large, pincer-shaped mouths, and have zero interest in any of the “value” nonsense that their witch talks about.
|desc_japanese= 批評家の魔女の手下。その役割は便乗。魔女から無価値であると断定されると、蚤のように跳ねるこの手下どもが一斉に襲ってくる。この手下はその大きなハサミ状の口で相手をかじりたくてしょうがないので、魔女の言う価値云々には全く興味がない。
}}

==In the Anime==

==Trivia==
* The Witch's type, "Critic", was revealed in the game during the airing of the Episode 12 of the Anime by Doroinu's game profile.
** The term "Critic" is also mentioned in [[Izabel]]'s description, but it is unknown if these two Witches are related to each other, or the description simply telling her weakness by "bringing a critic".
* She and her Familiar are named after [[wikipedia:Golden_Raspberry_Awards|the Golden Raspberry Awards]], also known as "the Razzies" or "the Razzie Awards".
* Her Witch's Kiss in the [[Magia Record Manga]] adaptation is rotated 90 degrees compared to the game version.
* The Witch might be themed after trees, with branches sprouting out of her main shadow hand when she attacks.
** While possibly not intentional, she shares some similarities with Elsa Maria. Both having a completely obscured and shadowy body, and has attacks or body parts linked to plants.
* The white arms that holds the stakes are part of the Witch in the Magia Record game.

==Gallery==
===Game Gallery===
<gallery>
File:Enemy 6113 l.png|In-game sprite
File:Enemy 7113 l.png
File:6113 raspberry.png|Witch kiss
File:Raspberry's data.PNG
File:Razzie's data.png
File:Raspberry MR Archive.png|Magia Archive
File:Raspberry Barrier.png|Labyrinth
File:Razzie battle ss.png
File:Raspberry battle ss.PNG
File:Razzie's single attack.png
File:Razzie's vertical attack.png
File:Razzie's side attack.png
File:Raspberry's attack.PNG
File:Raspberry's single attack.PNG
File:Raspberry's vertical attack.PNG
File:Raspberry's side attack.PNG
File:Raspberry's defeated 1.PNG
File:Raspberry's defeated 2.PNG
File:Anime MagiReco 12 Doroinu tweet.jpg|Comment on Doroinu's account in the game which reveals her witch type: "Episode 12 [[Oshiti|Gokumon witch]], Critic witch, [[Etteilla|Fortune Teller witch]]"
</gallery>

===Anime===
<gallery>
Raspberry Runes and Witchkiss.png|The witch's name and Witch kiss from [[Magia Record Episode 12: Why Is This So Unbearable?|Episode 12]]
File:Raspberry Witch 1.png|The witch in full with her name in Runes behind her
File:Raspberry Witch 2.png
File:Raspberry Witch 3.png
File:12 Raspberry 12.png
File:Raspberry Familiar 1.png|Familiars
File:Raspberry Familiar 2.png
File:12 Raspberry 7.png
</gallery>

==External Links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTDiklWwMv4 Recording of Raspberry's battle animations]

==See Also==
*[[Magia Record Anime]]
*[[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story: Magia Record]]
[[Category:Witches]]

Oshiti

2025-09-20T23:52:40Z

SowingSorrowForTommorow:

'''Oshiti''' ({{Runes|OSHITI}}) is a [[Witch|witch]] that appears in the [[Magia Record Episode 12: Why Is This So Unbearable?|twelfth episode]] of the [[Magia Record Anime]]. It was shown in a flashback fighting against [[Yachiyo Nanami]]'s team prior to [[Kanae Yukino]]'s death and was defeated.

This witch was initially exclusive to the anime, but later appeared in the game in the [[Magia Record Story Deliver to the Beyond, A Piece of Hope|Deliver to the Beyond, A Piece of Hope]] event.

==Witch==
{{Witch Card
|background=Bg adv 47112.jpg
|background_x=-75
|sprite=Enemy 6112 l.png
|sprite_size=375
|sprite_x=0
|sprite_y=-10
|kiss=6112 Oshiti emblem.png

|box_color=#4f3284
|name=Oshiti
|runes={{Runes|OSHITI}}
|type=Gokumon<ref>Gokumon（獄門）is literally means "gate of jail" or a name of [[wikipedia:Fires_in_Edo#Rewards_for_capturing_arsonists_and_execution_by_burning|Japanese death penalty in Edo period]]. In this execution method, the criminal was beheaded and then the severed head was gibbeted.</ref> Witch
|nature=To weep sleevefuls of tears<ref>The term used for the witch's nature is 袖絞, literally means "to squeeze sleeves". It is a [https://kotobank.jp/word/%E8%A2%96%E3%82%92%E7%B5%9E%E3%82%8B-554725 Japanese idiom] meaning to cry hard for grief. This translation was quoted from [https://stellarcanopy.tumblr.com/post/189001509192/magia-record-witch-encyclopedia-translations here] </ref>
|appearances=[[Magia Record Episode 12: Why Is This So Unbearable?|Magia Record Episode 12]], [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story: Magia Record|Magia Record Game]]

|desc_english=A witch convicted of sin, who has been reduced to only a head and suspended upside-down. Upon finding a human who has wandered into her Labyrinth, she insistently attempts to appeal to them about something, but her voice is emitted as rays of heat that burn her surroundings to ash. She is apparently waiting for someone while suspended, but even if that someone were to enter the Labyrinth, they would surely meet the fate of being turned to ash by the witch’s voice. The graveyards crowding the witch’s Labyrinth are piled high with gravestones: one stone for each sin the witch has committed, and for each lingering regret of an innocent.
|desc_japanese=首だけとなり吊るされている罪人の魔女。結界内に迷い込んだ人間を見つけると、執拗に何かを訴えてくるが、その声は熱線として放出されるため、辺りを全て焼き払ってしまう。吊るされたまま誰かを待っているらしいが、仮にその誰かが結界へ入ってきたとして、魔女の声により灰となる運命を辿るだけだろう。結界内にひしめく墓場には、魔女が犯した罪の数、咎無き者の無念の数だけ墓石が積み重ねられている。
}}

<references/>

==Minions==
===Suzugamori===
{{Witch Card
|background=Bg adv 47112.jpg
|background_x=-75
|sprite=Enemy 7112 l.png
|sprite_size=300
|sprite_x=0
|sprite_y=5

|box_color=#4f3284
|name=Suzugamori
|runes={{Runes|SUZUGAMORI}}
|type=Gokumon Witch's Minion
|role=Strangle
|appearances=[[Magia Record Episode 12: Why Is This So Unbearable?|Magia Record Episode 12]], [[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story: Magia Record|Magia Record Game]]

|desc_english=Minions that exist to punish their sinful witch. Though they all worked together to string the witch up, they’re apparently dissatisfied with the fact that she’s just a head, and are searching for her torso. They and the witch display excellent teamwork, as the minions capture intruders and the witch incinerates them with her screams, but they’re not doing it intentionally. The minions are frequently caught in the witch’s appeals and incinerated as well. Sometimes, they venture outside the Labyrinth to select people, objects or animals that could serve as the witch’s torso, but they’re apparently not the type to particularly care about whether the size matches. It’s the vibe that’s important.
|desc_japanese=罪人である魔女に罰を与えるために存在する手下。自分たちで吊るした魔女が首だけなのが不満であるらしく、その胴体を探している。侵入者をこの手下が捕らえ魔女が叫んで燃やし尽くす見事な連携を見せるが、意図してやっているわけでなく魔女の訴えにより手下たちも巻き込まれて燃やされている。時折結界の外まで出向き魔女の胴体となりそうな人や物、動物を見繕ってくるそうだが、大きさが合ってるかどうかはあまり気にしないタイプらしい。雰囲気重視。
}}

==Trivia==
*In the anime, it was unclear if Oshiti is the witch's name, or simply a word used in its labyrinth; later in the same episode, [[Raspberry]]'s name is clearly presented both on the entrance to its labyrinth and behind the witch when it attacks Yachiyo, where no such runes are given to this witch.
** Its name was confirmed to be Oshiti when it was added to the game.
* [[wikipedia:Suzugamori execution grounds|Suzugamori execution grounds]] was a major execution site in Japan during the Edo period. It is recorded that crucifixions, execution by burning and Gokumon were carried out there. It is said that [[wikipedia:Yaoya Oshichi|Yaoya Oshichi]], probably the derivation of the Witch's name, was also burned here.

===About Yaoya Oshichi===
Oshiti is likely named after [[wikipedia:Yaoya Oshichi|Yaoya Oshichi]], a girl regarded as the tragedy's heroine attempted arson for love and executed by burning. Although she was probably a real person in 1680s Japan, little is known with historical certainty about her. However, her tragic story has became the subject of many literary works and plays, and has been interpreted and adapted in many ways.

* [http://jti.lib.virginia.edu/japanese/saikaku/gonin/IhaGoni.html ''Five Women Who Loved Love''] is one of the most famous stories about Yaoya Oshichi. Most of later works follow this story in greater or lesser degree.
** The main plot of the story is as follows：
:: Oshichi is a beautiful 16 year old girl and the only daughter of a greengrocer. She is burned out by [[wikipedia:ja:天和の大火|the fire]] and takes refuge in a temple. She falls in love with Kichizaburō, a young [[wikipedia:Rōnin|rōnin]] (the son of a samurai class who has no lord or master) who served as the temple's servant, but their love is thwarted by her parents and the social conditions of that time. She wails and plans to set another fire as she believe that by doing so, she will be reunited with him. Her arson ends in a small fire, and then, in her 17th spring, she is burned at the stake in Suzugamori execution site. Her lover who had been sick in bed during the series of incidents, finds a [https://sotouba.net/?mode=f34 sotoba] with her name written on it at the temple, laments learning of Oshichi's death and becomes a priest.
:* The sotoba written the name in Witch's barrier and the idiom "squeezing sleeves", the Nature of Witch, also appear in this novel.
:* Interestingly, [[Mifuyu Azusa]] mentions having read it in her in-game quotes.

* [[wikipedia:ja:八百屋お七#近世江都著聞集|''Kinsei Edo Chomonshu'']] ("A collection of stories about modern Edo") has a different plot. This work also influenced many later works.
** In this work, the name of Oshichi's lover is Sabē. Oshichi set fire to her family's greengrocer for their reunion, because she was incited by a rogue Kichizaburō who is planning to steal during fire. The official and the magistrate are reluctant to execute the young Oshichi and try to apply a law that exempts anyone under the age of 15 from the death penalty. However, they fail because Kichizaburō proves that she is 16 years old, born in [[wikipedia:Hinoe Uma|Hinoe Uma]] (a [[wikipedia:Sexagenary cycle|sexagenary cycle]] for recording years, literally indicating that she's born in the year of the "fire horse") year, and then, she is executed by fire.
** [[Uwasa of the Commoner's Horse]] and the source of the rumor, [[Magia Record Episode 4: This Isn't the Past|the legend of tragic love in Mizuna]] may be a reference to this story. Mifuyu is involved in these.
** The author of this work, [[wikipedia:ja:馬場文耕|Bunkō Baba]], was executed by Gokumon for another work that incurred the wrath of the government.

==Gallery==
===Magia Record===
<gallery>
File:Oshiti Card.PNG|Oshiti bio
File:Suzugamori Card.PNG|Suzugamori bio
File:Oshiti.png|Magia Archive
File:Enemy 6112 l.png|Oshiti sprite
File:Mini 611200 l0.png
File:Enemy 7112 l.png|Suzugamori sprite
File:Oshiti event.PNG
File:Suzugamori Battle.PNG
File:Oshiti Battle.PNG
File:OshitiLecture.jpg|Oshiti in Touka's lecture
</gallery>

====Barrier====
<gallery>
File:Oshiti Kiss.PNG|Entrance to Oshiti's Barrier
File:6112 Oshiti emblem.png|Witch's Kiss
File:Bg adv 47112.jpg
File:Bg quest 47112.png
File:Bg quest 46112.png
</gallery>

===Anime===
<gallery>
File:Oshiti Name Runes.png|Oshiti's name in Runes from [[Magia Record Episode 12: Why Is This So Unbearable?|Episode 12]]
File:Oshiti more Runes.png
File:Oshiti_full_1.png|The witch in full
File:Oshiti_full_2.png
File:Oshiti_full_3.png
File:8 Oshiti 16.png
File:Oshiti Familiars.png|Familiars
File:Oshiti laser 1.png
File:Oshiti barrier.png|Barrier
File:8 Oshiti 1.png
File:8 Oshiti 2.png
File:8 Oshiti 3.png
</gallery>
===Manga===
<gallery>
File:OshitiGS.jpeg|Her grief seed
</gallery>
==External Links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-p7KiKAVro Recording of Oshiti's battle animations]

==See Also==
*[[Magia Record Anime]]
*[[Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story: Magia Record]]
[[Category:Witches]]

Magia Record Episode 12: Why Is This So Unbearable?

2025-09-12T14:07:02Z

SowingSorrowForTommorow:

<blockquote>
''"Witch transformations are irreversible, so no Witch you encounter ever returns to being a magical girl. But Mifuyu Azusa went back to being human. That’s a reversible reaction, so it must be something else. If it’s not a Witch she’s turning into, then what? Time for our next theme, Magical Girls - Theory Application 1 - Doppels."'' ~ [[Touka Satomi]]
</blockquote>
{{Infobox_episode
|name = Why Is This So Unbearable?
|image = [[File:Subtitle 12.png|300px]]
|jname = どうしてこんなにみじめなんですか
|date = March 21, 2020
|script = Kaede Ogawa [[Gekidan Inu Curry]] (Doroinu)
|storyboard = Takashi Sakuma Tomoko Hiranao
|director = Yukihiro Miyamoto
|adirector = Daichi Kobayashi Tomohiro Yoshida Hiromi Kimura Erika Shino Kana Miyai Rina Iwamoto Akihisa Takano Yoshikatsu Matsuzaki Hitoshi Miyajima Tomomi Funakoshi Seiya Numata Yoshiaki Itou
}}

== Summary ==
It is raining outside as Yachiyo looks out the window of Mikazuki Villa alone, the others having left for [[Uwasa of the Memory Curator|the Memory Museum]]. She suddenly hears the sound of a guitar and sees an image of [[Kanae Yukino]] sitting on the couch asking her if she should be going after them. An image of [[Mel Anna]] then appears, making a reading that comes up as terrible luck. Kanae asks if Yachiyo would regret going and Mel adds that they're her friends, to which Yachiyo denies that they are and that she's never going to make friends again. She then puts on a raincoat and heads after the group (following the same tracker that she put on Felicia in the previous episodes), saying that she can't just stand by and do nothing when someone else is trying to deceive magical girls.

In the museum, [[Touka Satomi]] introduces herself to Iroha and her friends with Mifuyu showing up to warn them from trying anything as they are in the presence of a Magius. Upon hearing this Iroha asks if that means she's the boss of the black and white feathers and feels there must be a misunderstanding as she remembers Touka would never do such evil things that the Wings of the Magius does. She goes on asking if Touka remembers Ui, and Touka answers that she has no memory of knowing and being friends with anyone named Ui. Iroha asks if she lost her memories but Touka refutes her saying that her brilliant mind would never forget a friend and that if she doesn't know Ui then they've never met. Iroha says she remembers that she, Ui, Touka and Nemu were all great friends, but Touka restates her previous statements and warns her that if she keeps being a pest an Uwasa will take her away. Mifuyu suddenly interjects her and tells her that she promised to give the group a lecture today and assures that they will listen to it with Iroha saying they will.

Next scene begins the start of the lecture, the first theme being, "Fundamentals of Magical Girls Theory I" in a slideshow while elsewhere Momoko is preparing to tell Rena about what happened with Yachiyo and the others a year ago when Kaede suddenly shows up. The lecture starts on the topic of Soul Gems and details about the duties of magical girls. The next slide has an image of Kanae (named as Girl A) and Touka tells the group that while Girl A was fighting a powerful Witch, her soul gem was crushed. She stops and asks the group a question of what happened to the girl, first asking Sana. Sana answers that it means she can't use magic anymore, but Touka answers it's not the right answer exactly. She then asks for Tsuruno's answer, to which she answers that it means she'll be released from her duties as a magical girl. Touka says it's not wrong but it's still incorrect. She reveals the correct answer: she will die. The slide then shows a fallen Girl A and states that while she had no physical injuries, she died the second her soul gem was destroyed. The scene cuts away to Momoko's group, where Rena asks where Kaede's been as she runs up and hugs her saying she was worried about her. Kaede apologizes for worrying her and tells her to listen to Momoko about the truth about magical girls.

Back at the museum, Iroha is shocked to hear this answer and asks why the soul gem being crushed resulted in the girl's death. Touka answers that when they become magical girls their souls are removed from their bodies in order to create the soul gem itself. Iroha is confused by this revelation and Touka says she needs to have a better grasp of it if they're going to continue with the rest of the lecture. The second part covers "Fundamentals of Magical Girls Theory II" and is about Witches. The slideshow stops and Mifuyu offers to take the group for a ride on a gondola through the Memory Museum in order to teach the next lesson through her memories personally. Slowly the group starts to fall asleep as the gondola moves on.

When Iroha wakes up, she finds herself as an observer in the memory of Yachiyo's group in a Witch's barrier. Yachiyo says she can't believe how much stronger [[Oshiti|this Witch]] has gotten and Kyubey thinks it's because it had preyed upon many people in the span of a night. Kanae asks if they should leave but Yachiyo says that they wouldn't be able to carry out all of its victims out at once and that they need to defeat it. Kanae is the first to jump into a group of Familiars to clear the way for Yachiyo and Mifuyu, but the latter two get ensnared by the Witch. The Witch fires a huge laser at them but Kanae blocks it with her weapon. She continues to stand down and block the repeated attack. The real Mifuyu appears behind Iroha and quizzes her on the first part of the lecture on the meaning of a magical girl's soul gem. Kanae is still blocking the attack and notices that her soul gem is beginning to crack from the force on it. Using all of her strength, Kanae hits the blast back at the Witch, killing it instantly. After the barrier fades away, Yachiyo comes to Kanae's side where she is shocked to find her lying still and unresponsive. She tries to use a grief seed on her soul gem but finds it has been shattered to pieces and won't react. Kyubey reappears and says that once the gem breaks, restoration of it is impossible and there's nothing they can do now about Kanae. Yachiyo is in denial as she tries to fix Kanae's soul gem and call out to her alongside Mifuyu. The real Mifuyu then asks Iroha what happens to a magical girl when a soul gem breaks. Iroha asks if anything can be done, but Mifuyu says that this is only a memory that they are experiencing and that the past can't be changed. This ends the "Fundamentals of Magical Girls Theory I".

Outside the Museum, Yachiyo shows up and meets Touka, who tells her that she's late as the lecture began at 3:00pm. Yachiyo asks her if she's with the Wings of the Magius to which Touka responds that she's pretty sharp and that her long survival wasn't for nothing. Yachiyo transforms and points her weapon directly at Touka, demanding to know where Iroha and the others are. Touka simply looks in the direction of where the gondola once was and Yachiyo wordlessly breaks down the gate and runs down after them to the other girl's surprise.

Iroha wakes up again in another memory of Mikazuki Villa by the real Mifuyu who tells her the next part will relate to the "Fundamentals of Magical Girls Theory II" on Witches. Going downstairs, they find Yachiyo and Mifuyu's new group consisting of Tsuruno, Momoko and Mel. As Tsuruno talks about Banbanzai, Mel does a reading that tells her today will be the luckiest day of her life. Yachiyo says she thought Mel promised that she wouldn't do readings anymore as her predictions always come true, especially if it's a bad result. Momoko chimes in that if it's just a lucky day for her then there should be no problem with it, and Tsuruno adds if it's a bad one they will everything they can to avoid it. Mifuyu tells Iroha that her and Yachiyo were depressed after Kanae's death but after they made new friends to the group everything went back to normal.

The scene then changes to one at sunset with the group about ready to enter the barrier of another Witch. On the phone Tsuruno informs Yachiyo that because Banbanzai has a big reservation for a group of people, she will be unable to help them take down the Witch. The group decides to move on to fight [[Raspberry|a Witch]] that came from Daito Ward, having moved through Kosho, Chuo and Mizuna Wards in the past and finally being found in Shinsei Ward. Momoko thinks it's perfect since there's been a shortage of grief seeds and enter the barrier.

Inside, Yachiyo works on fighting off Familiars in order to lure the Witch away to let Mifuyu escape with an injured Mel with Momoko clearing a path for them. Momoko objects to Yachiyo taking it on alone, but she assures her that she'll be fine as she's been a magical girl for a long time. While Yachiyo confronts the Witch, Momoko clears some Familiars away and urges Mel and Mifuyu to run but stop when they see Yachiyo cornered and struggling to fight it off. Mel turns back and rushes to Yachiyo's aid in spite of her injuries and attacks to protect her.

The scene then cuts away to the group concerned over Mel's condition and her soul gem, having no grief seeds and being unable to get one from the Witch as it fled. Yachiyo begs for Mel to stay with them as she was going to go hunt down that Witch and get its grief seed now as it'd the only way to save her. Mel tells her not to leave as she already knows what will happen to her, and Yachiyo tells her to stop talking like that. She goes on about Mel's reading that this was suppose to be a lucky day when it's actually the worse but Mel tells her that's not true. Right after that, Mel's soul gem becomes fully dark and breaks, turning into a grief seed, the force of the energy knocking Iroha away. When she awakens, she walks up and finds to her shock a new Witch has appeared. The real Mifuyu then asks Iroha the next question on what happens when a soul gem becomes dirty. Iroha utters a Witch and Mifuyu says it's easier to understand when you see it happening yourself.
Back with Momoko's team, Rena is taken aback in complete shock over what she has heard over what happened to Mel a year ago. The scene then cuts to the past with Yachiyo, Mifuyu and Momoko confronting Kyubey about Mel becoming a Witch. Momoko asks Kyubey why and what is a magical girl. He recounts [[Madoka Magica Episode 8: I'm Such a Fool|his statement from the original series]] that magical girls become Witches. Yachiyo asks if he's serious and Momoko realizes that all the Witches they've been killing have been other magical girls. Kyubey tries to tell her that it's not as bad as she thinks as the purpose of it is to extend the life of the universe and that in the long term it's a good thing for the human race. Mifuyu states it's the same as with Kanae, that every time one of their friends died they learned a horrible truth, and the longer they survived she kept thinking how unbearable it all was. The narration and slideshow restate that when a magical girl's soul gem becomes completely dark, their gems become grief seeds and they turn into Witches.

Another scene appears showing Mifuyu walking along with Momoko, with the latter telling her to forget about what happened because as long as they're careful then nothing will change. Mifuyu asks Momoko if she can forget about what happened and Momoko says it's been half a year since then and that she does feel guilty about them being the only ones who know and have to hide their feelings. Mifuyu suddenly asks her about Tsuruno and Momoko says she won't tell her as she doesn't want to burden her with the same guilt. Up on a tower, Mifuyu wonders alone if she will have to bear this memory for the rest of her life and unable to tell anyone about it. Iroha gasps when she sees that Mifuyu's soul gem was becoming dark like Mel's and starts to break. Mifuyu's soul gem breaks and turns into a grief seed, but suddenly restores itself to normal as Mifuyu gets covered in her soul gem's grief and briefly becomes a Witch before shortly returning to normal. Iroha then notices that the soul gem is intact and purified as if a grief seed was used on it. Touka then suddenly appears and pauses the current memory and rewinds it. She says that Witchification is an irreversible reaction and that any Witch encountered in town can't turn back into a magical girl. But Mifuyu has managed to turn back into a person after witching out and that it's a strange reversible reaction. She asks Iroha that if it's not Witchification then what could it be. Touka reveals her next part of the lecture is "Magical Girls Theory Application I, Doppels". She calls the change that happened to Mifuyu a Doppel, a revolutionary system that she created for magical girls. Iroha asks if she really did create it, and Touka answers that she's smart enough to figure it out as Touka reject the fate of magical girls becoming Witches and that this is the liberation of magical girls that the Wings of the Magius offers. She reveals that the system was made to save magical girls from Kyubey's system and that she hopes to spread it across the world and that she also wants to help liberate Iroha as well.

On the bridge, Kaede comforts Rena as she cries about the truth about magical girls. Kaede expresses sympathy for her and all magical girls and tells her that everything's going to be okay. She tells Rena that if she comes with her, then magical girls can be saved, the same words said by the Wings of the Magius. The scene then changes back to the Memory Museum with the gondola slowly coming to a stop and Mifuyu asking the others to join the Magius.

==Translations==
{|class="wikitable" style="width: 100%"
!style="width: 275px;"|Screencap
!Notes
|-
|[[File:Oshiti Name Runes.png|275px]]
|Oshiti
|-
|[[File:Raspberry Runes and Witchkiss.png|275px]]
|Raspberry
|-
|[[File:Raspberry Witch 1.png|275px]]
|Raspberry (Behind the witch)
|}

==Observations==

===Changes===
*The interior of the Memory Museum has been changed from the game. One of the biggest changes is that the gondola did not appear in the game.
*The witch that caused Kanae's death has been changed from [[Rebecca]] to [[Oshiti]]. Oshiti initially only appeared in the anime, but was later imported into the game.
*The witch that caused Mel to become a witch has been changed from [[Zenobia]] to [[Raspberry]]. Raspberry also initially appeared in the anime, but was later imported into the game.

==Trivia==
* The tarot card that Mel pulls when reading fortunes for the day is #13 of the major arcana, the Death card. Generally, the Death card does not symbolize death as a reality in the context of someone dying. The Death card represents the end of one chapter in life and the beginning of another and actually registers positive news in most readings. This is also the card of change - off with the old and on with the new. Traditionally death only predicts an actual death around the querent when it is with the Nine or Ten of Swords.
** However, Mel drew the Death card upside down. When a tarot card is drawn upside down, its meaning is reversed. When reversed, the death card means total panic and disruption will be around the querent's life. The reader would normally advise the querent that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that she should keep battling on.
** Neither the regular or reversed meaning of the Death card indicates luck. It may be that Mel was being optimistic or lying to her friends. If she had had the greatest luck, she would have pulled #19 of the Major Arcana, the Sun card (possibly in conjunction with the Ace of Cups).
*The bridge on which Momoko and Mifuyu walked in memory is possibly [[Wikipedia:Circle Bridge|Circle Bridge]] in Copenhagen, Denmark.
* In the English dub of this episode, [[Raspberry]]'s name in Runes is translated into English. Not counting the instance of Beatrice (Cenci)'s name being written in both Runes and English in [[Magia Record Episode 7: I Want to Go Home with You|Episode 7]], this is the first time Runes have been translated in-show.
** For unknown reasons, although Raspberry's name was translated, no other instances of Runes have been translated for the English dub of Magia Record, including the first witch seen in this episode, [[Oshiti]].
* After [[Walpurgisnacht]] and [[Albertine]], [[Etteilla]] is the third instance of a witch whose name is not displayed in Runes at her debut.
* [[Oshiti]], [[ Raspberry]] and [[Etteilla]]'s witch type was revealed by Doroinu in the game during the airing of this episode.

== Gallery ==
''See:[[Gallery:Magia Record Episode 12]]
<gallery>
File:Episode12 soulgems maincast.png|From left to right the soul gems are Sana, Tsuruno, Iroha and Felicia's
File:Mel Grief Seed hatching.png|Mel's soul gem turning into a grief seed
File:Mel Witch 1.png|Mel's Witch, [[Etteilla]]
File:Mel Witch 2.png
File:Episode 12 Kanae lineart.jpg
File:Episode 12 Mel lineart.jpg
File:Anime MagiReco 12 Doroinu tweet.jpg|Comments on Doroinu's account in the game: "Episode 12 [[Oshiti|Gokumon witch]], Critic witch, [[Etteilla|Fortune Teller witch]]"
</gallery>

{{Episode navigation
|media = Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story Anime
|number = 12
|title = Why Is This So Unbearable?
|prev_title = Memory Museum at 3:00 PM
|prev_link = Magia Record Episode 11: Memory Museum at 3:00 PM
|next_title = A Faint Hope
|next_link = Magia Record Episode 13: A Faint Hope
}}

{{Template:Navbox Anime}}
[[Category:Episodes]]