Ayaka Mariko
| Ayaka Mariko | |
|---|---|
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| Japanese Name | 毬子 あやか (Mariko Ayaka) |
| Voiced by | Japanese: Ari Ozawa |
Ayaka Mariko is one of the original characters of the 2017 mobile game Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story: Magia Record
General Info
Physical features
- Age: 16
- Height: 158cm
- Eye colour: Blue
- Hair colour: Black
- Birthplace: Chuo Ward
Other
- Soul Gem: Teal cross on her neck, however it could also be a four-pointed star
- Weapon: Toy Hammer
- Wish: "I want to become a bright person, just like my friend"
- Ability: Joke (Not taking another person's actions seriously. You can't change an event that's already happened, such as repairing an injury.)
- Witch form:
- Japanese pronoun: atashi (あたし)
- School: Chuo Academy, Tenth Grade
Game Info
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Summary
A Magical Girl who used to be dark and pessimistic but is now bright and optimistic thanks to her wish. Unlike her old self, she has a positive attitude no matter what happens. However, beneath that smile, she sometimes feels guilty about her new, fake outlook on life.
Side Story
The story begins with Ayaka and Shizuku Hozumi fighting a witch. Shizuku says she'll attack the witch from behind. Ayaka says she'll leave it to her partner, prompting Shizuku to think they only just met. The witch launches a surprise attack on Ayaka, causing her to claim it's cheating. Shizuku thinks the witch is more powerful than it looks and they should retreat. Ayaka disagrees and says it's fine. When Shizuku asks if she has a better idea, Ayaka says she doesn't as she's not very smart. Shizuku splutters that Ayaka sounded so confident earlier. Ayaka says it's baseless, but she still thinks they can beat the witch. Shizuku remarks it's just a gut feeling. Ayaka says it's what her heart is saying and that Shizuku should leave it to her. She then charges at the witch.
The witch is defeated, and Shizuku that Ayaka somehow defeated it through sheer will power. Ayaka celebrates her victory by rambling about things like her "Positive Heart" and "Clean Hit". Shizuku thinks that Ayaka is keeping the conversation going by herself. Ayaka then suddenly asks what time it is. When Shizuku tells her it's almost five o'clock, Ayaka screams and says she won't make it to the "Needle Roller" live show. Shizuku thinks she's talking about a punk rock band. When Ayaka says she's been waiting two weeks to see the show, Shizuku asks her where it is and what time it starts.
Shizuku explains her innate magic to Ayaka: Spacial Binding, which links two spaces together. Ayaka says with a power like that, Shizuku can get away with oversleeping. Shizuku thinks she never thought about using it that way. Shizuku says they can make it to the show with time to spare. Ayaka is still freaking out and says the show starts in fifteen minutes. Shizuku uses her power, and in a bright flash of light the girls appear in front of "Figure Eight Hall". The time is 10 minutes until 5 o'clock. Ayaka is happy she wasn't late for the show. Shizuku tells her she should get going. Ayaka thanks her and leaves, but then suddenly comes back.
Ayaka says she wants to offer Shizuku her thanks, and reveals she has a second ticket to the show. Shizuku says she's not into punk, but Ayaka asks what she's talking about. Ayaka then enters the building and tells Shizuku to come along. It turns out that Needle Roller is a comedy duo. However, Ayaka is the only person laughing at their jokes. Afterward, Ayaka says she enjoyed the show, while Shizuku is just puzzled. Ayaka asks if Shizuku thought the show was funny.
Shizuku thinks it wasn't, but feels she can't lie when Ayaka was just trying to show her gratitude. Before Shizuku can answer, Ayaka says that she doesn't need to worry since everyone has a different "breaking point" for laughing. Ayaka then asks what Shizuku's name is, pointing out they forgot to introduce each other. The girls do so. Ayaka narrates that their laughter points are different, but Shizuku seems like a good kid.
The next day, Ayaka is still laughing about the show. Suddenly she sees Shizuku walking along the street. She calls out to her, but Shizuku doesn't notice. Suddenly she runs up to Shizuku, who is startled and says as much. Ayaka says she's the one who was startled since Shizuku didn't notice her. Shizuku apologizes, but Ayaka says she's supposed to snap at her (as if they were a comedy duo). Ayaka then says Shizuku was spacing out and asks her if something bad happened. Shizuku asks if Ayaka could tell by looking, Ayaka says Shizuku has a sad look on her face. She asks if some old guy has been bothering Shizuku, and asks if she can go after him. Shizuku says Ayaka's moving the conversation too fast.
Shizuku claims she has a trivial worry that should be forgotten when she becomes a magical girl. She explains that she feels anxious about the future, feeling like she doesn't have one or it's disappearing. Shizuku says that when she fights witches she can forget her worries, but afterward she goes back to being a regular schoolgirl, and the worries come back. Shizuku says it's not a big deal, but Ayaka says that being anxious and worried is a big deal. Shizuku is silent, and then thanks Ayaka,
Ayaka decides she's going to cheer Shizuku up by making her laugh real loud. She then gives her "full-power, one hit killer goof"...which consists of Ayaka saying "Sushi roll". When Shizuku doesn't react, Ayaka says she remembers that Shizuku has a different laughter point than most people. She then tries something more surrealist: Saying "Carp sushi". Shizuku thinks she is startled by how unfunny that was. Ayaka then tries another "gag". Five "Minute Years" later, Ayaka still tries to make Shizuku laugh. Shizuku thinks she needs to let Ayaka quit and decides to laugh at her next "joke".
Ayaka makes a (Japanese) pun about the proverb "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil", monkeys, and somehow adds a "boss monkey" at the end of it. Shizuku fakes laughter and says it's funny. Ayaka sees right through it and says her joke wasn't any good. Shizuku thinks she needs to practice smiling or laughing more. Ayaka says that Shizuku's laughing point is just too different. Shizuku thinks that as long as Ayaka isn't too down about it this all can finally end. Ayaka wonders if Shizuku just doesn't understand the structure of the jokes. She then goes on to explain the joke in detail, explaining how it was based off the proverb, the pun, and then since it's the end she added a "boss monkey" which makes it a repetition joke. At that, Shizuku suddenly breaks out into laughter.
Ayaka says there wasn't anything to laugh at, but Shizuku says it's because Ayaka launched into her explanation so seriously. Ayaka says that Shizuku's laughter point is too different, but as long as she got her to laugh, it's good enough. Shizuku says it was a long time since she laughed that much, and thanks Ayaka for cheering her up. When she says this, Ayaka narrates that she was reminded of "Yuu-chan", an old friend she was close with. Yuu-chan was always thanked by other people for cheering them up.
In a flashback, two students discuss how they feel Yuu is saving them by how brightly she shines. Yuu says they're exaggerating and she relies on them when she's feeling down herself. Yuu then notices Ayaka and asks her to come on over. Ayaka narrates that her and Yuu lived in the same neighborhood and were close friends since they were kids. Ayaka felt that Yuu was always smiling, and that the space around her was brighter because of it. Ayaka can't count the number of times that brightness helped her. She compares Yuu to the sun, always sparkling in the center of a crowd. Back in the present Shizuku and Ayaka bid each other goodbye. Ayaka thinks she was thanked just like her friend. She narrates that she's really changed into someone like the friend she admired.
Later, Shizuku invites Ayaka to her family's cafe. When Ayaka arrives she says "Welcome" as part of a joke. Shizuku welcomes her, prompting Ayaka to say Shizuku should have scolded her for saying welcome when she's the customer. Shizuku apologizes for not finishing the joke, though she can't imagine anyone could do so. Ayaka then brings a cream soda, which she claims was kicked out by overpopulation. Ayaka explains that coffee floats, cola floats and orange floats are called just that, but cream soda isn't a float even though it's also a drink topped with ice cream. Therefore, according to Ayaka, it got pushed out from overpopulation.
One of the customers gives an annoyed grunt at Ayaka's antics. Shizuku asks Ayaka to lower her voice. She explains her family runs a traditional coffee shop, and so most of her customers are older people and dislike loud noise. Ayaka says that if she starts yelling all of a sudden, the old customer might have a heart attack, prompting another annoyed grunt. Shizuku and Ayaka apologize, then Shizuku starts chuckling and tells Ayaka to use her indoor voice. Ayaka sayays she isn't sure how to do that, and Shizuku tells her not to overthink it.
Shizuku then admits she's jealous of Ayaka. Ayaka asks if she wants to make old men angry too, but Shizuku explains of how Ayaka is always endlessly bright, so much that she draws other people into it. Shizuku calls it a power to get tangled up with other people. She then tells Ayaka she thinks she's amazing. Ayaka is silent for a moment, and then says she's not someone worth praising like that. She says she doesn't deserve to have people jealous of her or say she's amazing. Shizuku says it isn't like Ayaka to say such pessimistic things. Ayaka is about to explain, but then catches sight of the other customers. Shziuku asks Ayaka to wait a minute for her to clean up. She explains her mother will be coming back soon, and asks Ayaka if she can wait outside.
The girls then head to a park, where Ayaka explains her story. Before she became a magical girl, she wasn't such a bright person. In fact, she was Yuu's total opposite, even though they got along really well. However, because they were so different, other girls talked about them behind their back. They called Ayaka dull, or Yuu's shadow character. In a flashback, Ayaka hears these things before Yuu arrives and says she's making a gloomy face again. Yuu offers to listen if Ayaka has something wrong. Ayaka apologizes, but Yuu says that Ayaka cheers her up when she's down so they're even.
However, Ayaka can't accept that they're even, as she's always getting cheered up by Yuu. She knows the other schoolgirls didn't have ill intentions, but when they said she was nothing like Yuu, Ayaka wondered how she could change to be more like her. This feeling grew over time. And then one day, she was attacked by a witch and met Kyubey. Since a witch was attacking her, Ayaka had no choice but to be a magical girl. Thinking of Yuu, and that she was going to be a magical girl anyway, she wished to be a bright person, just like her friend.
Back in the present, Ayaka says that sometimes she annoys people by being noisy, sometimes she says silly things and then laughs, and sometimes she's thanked for cheering people up. She claims that none of those things are the real her. Ayaka says she's happy just when people feel better, but when Shizuku praised her she started to feel guilty. Ayaka says she's just a cheap imitation of her friend, and therefore shouldn't take all the praise and gratitude she gets. Shizuku is silent for a moment, and then brings up one of the performers from Needle Roller. She explains she heard that performer is a very quiet person in private.
Ayaka is shocked, since the performer always tells his jokes loudly. Shizuku says the performer wanted to change his shy self to achieve his profession. Ayaka says she didn't know that. Shizuku asked if Ayaka is now disappointed in the performer. Ayaka says she isn't, because it doesn't matter what the performer is like off-stage, and the happiness she gets from watching him isn't fake. Shizuku explains that whatever a person does, they never stop being themselves. She claims that just like the performer, Ayaka changed because she wanted to. She then asks for the name of Ayaka's friend. Ayaka says she calls her Yuu-chan, and Shizuku says it's the first time hearing that name. Shizuku doesn't know who Yuu is, and it wasn't Yuu who encouraged her - it was Ayaka.
Ayaka thanks Shizuku, who chuckles. Ayaka says that right now she is her true self. She thanks Shizuku for cheering her up. Shizuku thinks that Ayaka cheered her up more. As thanks, Ayaka gives her another ticket to a Needle Roller show. Ayaka explains she applied for two tickets because she didn't want to miss out on getting one. She says she was surprised she got both tickets and assumes they had some left over for some reason. Shizuku thinks she knows what the reason is - the implication being that the group isn't popular enough to sell out their shows.
Ayaka invites Shizuku to the show, but Shizuku says she has to pass. Ayaka says that Shizuku has to be a fan of Needle Roller if she knew so much about the performer. Shizuku thinks that the show was so unfunny that she looked up the performer just to find why he even became a performer in the first place. Before Shizuku answers, Ayaka says it's decided and that the show will be at five o'clock. Shizuku guesses it will be fine. Ayaka narrates that she won't lose to anyone when it comes to brightness.
Event Appearances
Other Appearances
Ayaka appears in Mitama Yakumo's side story. Mitama and Ayaka are determining the next place Shizuku will visit by throwing darts at a map.
Abilities
Etymology
- The characters of her last name mean "ball" (毬) and "child"(子), respectively.
Trivia
- Her illustrator is "Afro", who also drew Puella Magi Homura Tamura.
- Ayaka's halloween outfit is the same as the one Sayaka wears in this promotional [image].
Observations
- Her weapon appears to be a mallet hammer, or a toy hammer to be precise, this may reflect her playful and fun personality in accordence to her wish.
- Her magical girl outfit and transformation resemble that of a magician, most notably the top hat and how she appears out of nowhere from a present box.
- Although one could say she also resembles a circus ringmaster due to her colourful outfit and smart outfit.
Gallery
Magia Record Three Star card
Magia Record Four Star card
In-battle Sprite
Halloween 2019
Magical Girl Seal 2019
Memoria Cards
| Card | Effect | Cooldown | Eng Text | Jap Text |
| Max Limit Break: Chance to Chase [IX] & Endure (Self / 1 T) |
Max Limit Break: 8 turns |
I noticed it when we were on the stage.
Ayaka was next to me, and there's no time to lose with a lot of customers in front of us. I'm prepared to make up my mind and do my best to respond. "It's completely messed up! A werewolf that transforms when it looks at the sun!!" |
気づくと舞台の上だった
隣にはあやかがいて、目の前にはたくさんのお客さんたち 迷っている暇はない。覚悟を決めて、私も精一杯応えよう 「めちゃくちゃだよ！太陽見つめて変身しちゃう狼男か!!」 | |
| Normal: Charm Edge [I] (Single / 1T) Max Limit Break: Charm Edge [II] (Single / 1T) |
Passive | Ayaka: "It's been decided!! This time the dart will land... wh-wh-what!"
Mitama: "Mt. Osore huh. This is the place that Shizuku-chan is looking for." Shizuku: "That place...I went there a long time ago but, I feel different here..." Ayaka: "Indeed Shizuku-chan! It's almost like a submered net after the 3rd day!" |
あやか「きまったーッ!!今回ダーツが当ったのは、なななんとぉッ！」
みたま「恐山ねぇ～。ここが雫ちゃんの探し求めている場所かもっ」 雫「あの…だいぶ前に行ってきたけど、ここも違う気がして…」 あやか「さすが雫ちゃん！まるで沈めて３日目の地引き網だよ！」 | |
| Normal: Draw Blast Disks Max Limit Break: Draw Blast Disks |
Normal: 15 turns Max Limit Break: 13 turns |
**Unique to Ayaka Mariko** She admired her friend who was bright like the sun and had an infectious smile. Eventually, she resolved to become that kind of person herself. |
いつも笑顔で、周囲も笑顔にする
太陽の様な存在の友達に彼女は憧れていた 気付けば自分を変えたいと思うようになっていた | |
| Normal: Critical Rate UP [II] Max Limit Break: Critical Rate UP [III] |
Passive | Here we go...! Whooooooa! Feel the wrath of Chinese Kung Fu! Wh-wha?! Don't leap out from the hat yet! Grrr! You were supposed to wait for the punchline! | 「それじゃあ、いくよ！
ふぅおぉぉぉおお！中国拳法からのぉ!!って、ほわぁっ!? まだ帽子の中から出てきちゃダメだって！ くぅっ！せっかく爆笑必至のネタになるはずだったのに！」 |
