Documents Status Updates

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Tracking interesting random things here for my personal thoughts. People are welcome to ask questions, comment or copy stuff elsewhere if they like. However, I will not be posting these on any other pages until they're at least in final draft form.

Measures of Madoka's Popularity

Madoka initial sales are 53k for BD and 9K for DVD. BD sales set a new record. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-05-03/madoka-magica-1-sells-53000-as-no.1-tv-anime-bd-in-1st-week

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-04-28/madoka-magica-1-sells-22000-as-no.1-selling-january-anime-bd "The first Blu-ray Disc volume of the Puella Magi Madoka Magica television anime series sold about 22,000 copies on its first day on Oricon's daily Blu-ray Disc ranking chart on April 27."

They talk about the DVD sale rankings but no number is given on DVD sales.

>>>/a/48905047

Naruto movie > Madoka > Kuroshitsuji Last Naruto movie sold around 22k in total. Last Kuroshitsuji volume sold around 7k. Assuming the trend subsist, the actual number should be somewhere between those two. 2chan speculated around 10-12k this week.

And here are Madoka's final BD sales estimation

下限　　　　　　　中央　　　　　　上限

78053　79747　81372　82930　84472

So according to this, the lowest it can hit is 78,053...damn. Although, the one who posted this noted that UC3 was 10% lower than its "lowest limit". http://www.mania.com/aodvb/showthread.php?p=1936364#post1936364

Somebody posted first day sales for other series on 2ch so now we have a reference.

  • 初日 195000　初動 357000　1.8倍　ヱヴァンゲリオン:破 BD
  • 初日 **6900　初動 *16000　2.3倍　デュラララ！ 7巻 DVD
  • 初日 **6000　初動 *12500　2.0倍　WORKING!! 5巻 DVD
  • 初日 *15000　初動 *34500　2.3倍　Angel Beats! 1巻 BD+DVD
  • 初日 *10000　初動 *22000　2.2倍　インフィニット・ストラトス 1巻 BD 　※品切れ
  • 初日 *22000　初動 ******　*.*倍　魔法少女まどか☆マギカ 1巻 BD

http://www.mania.com/aodvb/showthread.php?p=1937173#post1937173

EVA comparison >>>/a/48904969, 48905054, 48905198:

エヴァ

  • 01巻　12,479　VHS
  • 01巻　18,040　LD
  • 合計　30,519（初巻初動）
  • 14巻　36,617　VHS
  • 14巻　44,013　LD
  • 合計　80,630（最高初動）

Google-translation: Eva

  • Volume 01 12,479 VHS
  • Volume 01 18,040 LD
  • 30,519 total (first volume first week sales)
  • Volume 14 36,617 VHS
  • Volume 14 44,013 LD
  • 80,630 total (highest first week sales)

Note those are first week data only. Numbers for the last volume are more important, since apparently the show wasn't at its peak popularity yet when the first volume came out.

Other items of interest: 

2. “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya”(the 1st season) 464 threads
3. “K-on!!” 359 threads
4. “K-on!” 354 threads
5. “ANGEL BEATS!” 342 threads
6. “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya”(the 2nd season) 283 threads
7. “Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2? 277 threads
8. “Minamike -Okawari-” 254 threads
9. “Strike Witches” 253 threads
10. “Strike Witches 2” 233 threads

Yuri Discussion

As the person who made this jpg or rather this updated one here (http://i56.tinypic.com/rh3hmv.jpg), I'll try to explain it as best as I can to people who aren't familiar with yuri. I originally made the jpg for people on /u/ for a yuri audience who already know the significance behind the symbols and so there was no need for explanations. First, let me explain how important context is with an example like the ribbons Madoka gives to Homura. To someone who doesn't know yuri, this wouldn't mean anything. However, if you're a yuri fan, you recognize that as a reference to the scene that started yuri shipping for one of the most iconic mahou shoujo yuri couples, Nanoha and Fate. You also know this was done intentionally because Shinbo directed both Nanoha and Madoka anime. Watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmKTGB_QmKc where (while it's nice to watch it all and see the similarity in long embraces and talk of friendship, just skip to 4:40) and you see 1) giving of ribbons, 2) stating the ribbons will be a way to remember the other person, 3) a promise they'll meet again. This parallels what Madoka tells Homura as Madoka gives her the ribbons.

The importance of context is also true with the nearly identical pose for Madoka and Homura's naked embrace in space to one of the most iconic scenes known in yuri (as an example of how well-known this pose is, on /u/ there is a thread dedicated to nothing but this scene redone for dozens of yuri shipped couples...of which 95% are pure fanart because to see this actual pose in an anime or manga is actually quite rare). This original embrace was in Kannazuki no Miko (KnM), one of the most well-known couples in yuri that share many parallels to Homura and Madoka. In KnM, Chikane is very similar to Homura in being tall, dark-haired, competent, totally willing to sacrifice herself for another girl etc. whose ways are mysterious to the sweet, naive Himeko (who Madoka resembles). As it turns out, Chikane is the one who remembers her shared fate with Himeko of repeating the same cycle of lives together over and over again, with Himeko only discovering the full truth of their connection just before they are parted because they need to sacrifice themselves to save the world. And when this happens, Himeko gets to choose how she want the next world to be remade..e.g. whether they forget about each other or remember and meet one another again (she chooses the second option). So with that context of the similarity of these two couples, the embrace is basically hitting home the point of yes, yuri fans, we're comparing these two to KnM if you haven't already noticed. And again, this is done intentionally--much like the episode 9 similarity to the well-known yuri Utena symbolism--from a studio (SHAFT), director (Shinbo), character designer (Ume) among others on the production staff, who are well-known for being very genre-savvy about yuri and putting in intentional yuri subtext in their anime on a regular basis. Now whether someone sees something different in expression is a subjective view (and like with me, I happen to disagree and see it differently from my subjective view) and doesn't change the symbolic meaning behind that pose (to yuri-fans at least) nor the similarities of Homura and Madoka's situation to that in KnM.

I'm going to add Madoka's naked embrace in space also references one other famous yuri scene in anime (plus Diebuster and Lain for that matter--EoE too--but I rather not cover these scenes that have more ambigious interpretations). The third clear yuri reference is from the classic, Yami to Boshi. Hazuki is the Homura-like character (tall, long dark hair, fighter, obsessive etc.) who obsessively travels across different worlds to track down her pure-hearted, sweet Hatsumi (Madoka-like character). They finally meet in this otherworldly place outside the rest of the universe, and Hazuki confesses her feelings to Hatsumi, only to find out Hatsumi is a god and so they cannot stay together. Hatsumi users her god-like powers to reset Hazuki's world so she's suppose to forget her, but Hatzuki seems to have a vague recollection anyways, and yes, there's also a vague promise of meeting again one day.

Mahou Shoujo Discussion

How Madoka plays the mahou shoujo tropes straight and when they do a brilliant job of subverting them.

Example: Take exact heartwarming lines, "You finally called me by first name. I'm so glad," showing two magical girls overcoming animosity in Pretty Cure Splash Star (note to self, provide details, episode reference and clip if possible) to become close, and turn them into Madoka's final heart-breaking words to Homura prior to being mercy-killed in ep. 10, TL3. There really is an amazing amount of meta-references in Madoka where you can see exactly how twisted Urobuchi's mind works.

Notes to self:

  • Cover the genesis of Madoka's key production staff for prior work on mahou shoujo and yuri.
  • QB as mahou shoujo mascot. Make an extensive list or pick key ones? Show played straight examples and also how this is one of the biggest mahou shoujo subversions in Madoka.
  • Possible topics: Love friendship and courage themes, Working hard versus innate talent, Henshe (nudity, stock footage), Fightstyle, Enemies as Evil vs. Befriending them, Saving the world/universe, Death and Resets, Power-ups, Magical artifacts (soulgem!), Telepathy, Alien mascot/people/technology etc., Pseudo-science explanations, Color coding of girls, Dark magical girls (first impression as wrong, e.g. Homura and Kyouko) and how they change, self-sacrifice, when do they stop being magical girls (if ever), yuri subtext, use of boy interests, how family is portrayed, relationships between magical girls, gore (or lack thereof), psychological breakdown, knowing intrinsically how to fight vs. learning the job - note to self, add more.
  • Consider what is default/stereotypical "played straight" and what are subversions, as there will be examples of both. Consider when Madoka is the same or different.
  • Discuss how popular mahou shoujo of all flavors is in Japan (go find TV ratings and product sales). Discuss difference between seinen and shoujo mahou shoujo anime but also how the genre attracts fringe demographics from the other intended audience (hunt down Nanoha and PreCure numbers)
  • Decide which CCS and Sailor Moon series episodes to reference, preferably with English subs/dubs.
  • Find manga examples or only stick to anime? Reference Sailor Nothing in comparison or in its own section?
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