Kyoko Sakura

This section may contain major spoilers!

Please refrain from reading if you are not yet familiar with all the latest media released.

"Don't waste food. I'll kill you." - Kyoko Sakura, Episode 7.

Kyoko Sakura
File:RedHairedGirl.jpg
Japanese Name	佐倉 杏子 (Sakura Kyoko)
Seiyū	Ai Nonaka
Age	14-15 (estimated) younger than Mami, but older than Madoka and Sayaka
Weapon	Spear

As of Episode 3, Kyoko Sakura only appears in a shot in the opening and as a silhouette in the ending. She appears first at the end of Episode 4.

Official Info

"There's an easier way to make a guy you fell in love with yours, use that magic you worked so hard for. Rush in there right now and break his hands and legs so he'll never be able to use them again. Make him totally helpless without you. Then he'll be yours... body and soul." - Kyoko, Episode 6.

• A magical girl who came from another town, going after Mami's turf after hearing of her death, only to learn from Kyubey upon arrival that Sayaka has taken over.
  • According to the Drama CD "Farewell Story", Kyoko is from the neighboring city of Kasamino.
• Kyoko is always eating something.
• An egoist who doesn't take heed of the damage to the people around her.
  • Kyoko is a callous magical girl who doesn't even mind sacrifices, no matter how much, if it's to gain a Grief Seed.
• A magical girl who simply has supernatural powers and abandoned the premise of justice and benevolence. In short, she doesn't hesitate in any sense in using her magic powers for her own selfish benefit and desires. Kyoko débuts as an ultra selfish character
• Kyoko's regular clothes are the active type and leave a delinquent impression somewhere. She seems to be the type who doesn't mind her navel peeking out.
• Kyoko's special ability is confirmed in the Drama CD "Farewell Story", she can create some kind of illusion to entice or confuse others. Also, she is able to split herself into multiple images to confuse the opponents during battles.
• Kyoko seems to have a rather sadistic side. This is shown in episode 6 when she approaches Sayaka when Sayaka is about to visit her friend Kyousuke. Kyoko scoffs at Sayaka's wish, then says that if she wanted him that badly, she should just go in and break his hand and legs, leaving him crippled and they could be together.
• Kyoko was the daughter of a preacher. Her father started to deviate from regular doctrine and was excommunicated for it - Kyoko used her wish to get her father more followers; however, upon finding this out, her father went insane and killed the entire family but Kyoko, then committing suicide. From there on, Kyoko only uses her magical powers for herself.
• Kyoko values food and chastises those who waste it. After her father lost supporters, Kyoko and her family (parents, Kyoko herself, Momo, her little sister) nearly starved.
• While Kyoko was initially cold toward Sayaka, she grows to like her. This is because Kyoko sees Sayaka making the same mistakes as her. During the end of episode 7, Kyoko even monitors Sayaka's witch hunt. While it is unknown if Sayaka needed her help, Kyoko does protect Sayaka against one of the witch's attacks.
• Kyoko, as revealed in episode 9, liked Sayaka because Sayaka reminded her why she became a magical girl: Kyoko loved stories where love and courage prevail.
• Kyoko, in an effort to restore Sayaka to normal after having become a witch, takes Madoka to Octavia's lair. After taking many hits defending herself and watching Madoka's attempts to reach her prove futile, Kyoko sacrifices herself to stop Octavia so Sayaka would not die alone. This also allowed for Homura, who had just arrived, to rescue Madoka and leave the witch's lair with her.
• In a previous timeline, Kyoko is killed by a mentally broken Mami after the fight with Octavia. Having gone mad after learning what happens to magical girls with time, Mami shot and destroyed Kyoko's Soul Gem, killing her in what she saw as a mercy kill that would save Kyoko from becoming a witch.
• Kyoko is brought back to life by Madoka's wish in Episode 12
• Kyoko's backstory is told in the Drama CD "Farewell Story".

Trivia

"You know what the food chain is, right? I'm sure you learned about it in school. Witches prey on weak humans and we prey on the witches. That's the way how the world works, isn't?" - Kyoko Sakura, Episode 5.

• Fans also use the alternative spelling of Kyouko for her name. This is because the first 'o' in Kyoko is a long vowel which is written as 'ou' (おう) in Japanese. In proper Hepburn romanization, the long vowel is indicated by a macron on top (Kyōko). The macron is often left out in general usage.
• Before her name was officially revealed, she was nicknamed Condom-chan by Western fans because of the suggestive-looking ice lolly she had flapping in her mouth in the Opening animation. She is nicknamed Anko by Japanese fans due to an initial misreading of her name when she was first revealed in a magazine.
• The first character for Sakura (佐) means "to help" while the second (倉) means "warehouse."
• Her last name can also be used as a first name.
• Her first name (杏子) means "apricot." Apricot+ happens to be Ume Aoki's circle name [1].
• The first character of her name (杏) is the implied real first name (An) of Kafuka Fuura from Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. Both characters are voiced by Ai Nonaka.
• According to some fans, her somewhat tomboyish nature, reddish hair tied in a pony-tail and sporty style of clothing (when not transformed) which includes shorts and exposes her navel make her look rather like Yoko Littner from Gurenn Lagann (a mecha anime from Gainax).
  • She could also be said to resemble Hibiki Ganaha from THE iDOLM@STER franchise, to the point one could palette swap them into each other. Their hairstyles, expressions, and fangs are all similar. Even their casual and hyperactive personalities are the same. This has been noted in some fan art. (Danbooru SFW image)
• Aoi Yuuki (VA of Madoka) confessed that she was in love with the Kyoko character in the Magical Girls Tea Party bonus CD.
  • Ok, "in love" would be putting it lightly considering Aoi Yuuki claims Kyoko to be her waifu with extreme infatuation.
  • So is Chiwa Saito (VA of Homura) apparently.
  • And Ryouko Shintani (Hitomi).
  • Eri Kitamura (Sayaka) is the Seme to Kyoko's Uke.
• According with the Drama CD "Farewell Story", Kyoko has been a magical girl for a year before she met Mami. Since the Drama CD events takes place one year before the anime events, it is suspected that Kyoko has been a magical girl for at least two years. Making her the second veteran of the group, after Mami.
• Kyoko's special attack is called "Rosso Fantasma" (Red Illusion/Phantom) but for personal reasons she no longer has her illusory powers during the time of the anime events.
  • For obvious reasons she thinks that the name is embarrassing, you can blame Mami for that.
• Ai Nonaka describes Kyoko's speech style to be Shouwa-ish (Shouwa era, 1926-1989), meaning an old style of talking.
• In the Audio Commentary for Episode 7, Aoi Yuuki (Madoka) describes the character of Kyoko of being an anti-hero, a flawed human character that has to fight to overcome aspects of her unjust self, to attain an overall form of justice that she believes in.

Speculations & Observations

"I beg you, God... If this is how my life ends... Let me see a happy dream, just once..." - Kyoko, Episode 9.

File:The savior of a new world.jpg

his heresy

• Certain comments from Mami in Episode 2 and 3 seem to be referring to Kyoko, indicating that they had encountered each other in the past. She mentions Mami by name in Episode 4. In Episode 5, when Sayaka says that she blames Mami's death on people like Kyoko, Kyoko tells her to "Shut up. Just shut up", further implying some connection between the two. The prequel manga Oriko Magica, which will star Kyoko and Mami, is likely to explain this in detail.
  • Kyoko refers to Mami only by her first name with Kyubey in Episode 4. This was considered a sign that Kyoko and Mami had known each other previously.
  • The Drama CD "Farewell Story" tells the backstory of Kyoko and Mami meeting for the first time. It is suggested that the events take place prior to the beginning of the anime series.
    • In the same Drama CD, Kyoko addresses Mami as Mami-san, indicating that their relationship is as Senpai and Kōhai. By the end of the story Kyoko addresses Mami with her full name, indicating that their relationship has become distant.
• Her behavior and character hint to next possible past of hers. In episode seven, it is revealed that she too made a selfless wish for her father, and ended up losing her entire family due to her wish's repercussions. Thus, she eats gratuitously because her family never had enough to eat before she made her wish. Kyoko states that she has learned from this experience that using magic to help others is a mistake, and that magic should only be used to make one's own wishes come true.
  • It is possible that Kyoko is suffering from an eating disorder brought by the traumatic death of her family. Kyoko uses food as a way to comfort her loneliness or any sorrowful events.
    • It may be possible that Kyoko eats excessively to erase the memories of hunger, as those emotions are tied to her traumatic past.
  • A NewType article goes into more details regarding Kyoko's character and behavior.
• Kyoko's father was a priest who was responsible for the overseeing of a large cathedral. As a result of preaching new ideas and deviating from church doctrine he was excommunicated from the order, he was also alienated from his congregation as a result of preaching heresy (?).
  • Kyoko's father could be an Anglican priest since he is married with children, also his clergy outfit is similar to their style. Another evidence is that his cathedral shares some architectural similarities to the Canterbury Cathedral.
  • According to Kyoko, her father was an extremely kind and sensitive man. So sensitive that he was in constant worry due to the state of the world's affairs. In her own words: "He was too honest. Too kind. Every morning reading the paper, the worries of the world brought him to tears". As a result of this he started preaching new ideas born more from his convoluted (idealistic) emotions rather than continue to preach the acceptable doctrine, which got him and his family to become destitute and hungry. Driven by hunger and pity, Kyoko made her wish to help his father find new followers by making anyone who listened to him to believe his words. But Kyoko's father soon learned the truth behind the miracle that he experienced, that his preaching was only accepted as a result of magic and not by real devotion to his radical ideas. The fact that his followers' hearts and minds were manipulated by magic shattered his mind and worldview. Once Kyoko's father is confronted with the awful truth, probably driven by madness, he decides to kill his wife and Kyoko's little sister, after murdering his family in cold blood he commits suicide. It is unknown how or why Kyoko survived or if her father tried to take her life. It is assumed that she most likely survived as a result of her being a magical girl who cannot die unless her Soul Gem is destroyed.
    • It is possible to say that Kyoko's father would have never been able to trust anyone as a result of the spell that was cast upon him. Not only did he saw his daughter as a sort of monster (witch) but he probably saw himself to be an abomination, which is why he decided death was the only viable option.
• It's speculated by some fans that Momo, her younger sister may have secretly been turned into a Magical Girl, only to become the witch Elsa Maria in the end.
• In Episode 9, she stores Sayaka's soulless body in an expensively decorated room. Some viewers believe that this is her true home, but there has been speculation that it is merely a hotel room that she managed to somehow commandeer using her magic.
  • Episode 11 reveals that Sayaka's body was found in a hotel room with no leads to what happened. It is unlikely that was Kyoko's residency.
  • The Oriko manga reinforces the idea that Kyoko lacks a permanent residency, instead she takes shelter at a fancy hotel (it is never stated how is she able to afford it or what trick she used to obtain a room).
    • Rumor has it that there is a magazine article that states that Kyoko has mind trick powers that she gained when she made her wish (similar to her Father's ability to make people believe him) but she lost those powers due to the trauma caused by seeing her father killing her family and hanging himself. The same article indicates that Kyoko gets her monetary income by breaking and busting ATM machines, she uses the stolen money to buy food and pay rent on expensive hotel rooms.
      • This magazine article confirms the suspicion in regards to Kyoko's income, it also supports the idea that Kyoko has the ability from her wish to charm others ("mind trick") but doesn't use them as she suppresses them subconsciously because of the trauma with her family. Her powers had been described as persuasion/hallucination.
        • Same article illustrates that Kyoko's bad behavior and mischief is due to her attempt to cope with reality to survive her ordeal. It is thanks to this survival mechanism that she was able to avoid despair. Same article indicates that while Kyoko is no stranger to robbery, she would never harm anyone who was innocent in the process. Instead, she would commit her crimes without harming anyone physically by committing them at night.
          • Kyoko's full ability is finally displayed in the Drama CD "Farewell Story", she has the ability to confuse her opponents with illusions as well as split herself into multiple images.
• Her spear could be a reference to the scorpion's spear.
  • The spear appears as linked pieces during combat, like the scorpion's tail.
  • She uses a warding spell in battle. Scorpions often associated with protection/warding spells, in Egypt and Tibet the Scorpion is made into an amulet - signifying protection and warding off evil.
  • The scorpion character who appears in Goethe's Faust is caught between the extremes of heaven or hell. Kyoko commits sins like letting people die and (likely) steals food, but in the same time she's seen as praying and she never allows wasting food.
    • Kyoko offers an apple to Sayaka while she advises her to live a life of selfishness but Sayaka refuses both of them. Sayaka believes that Kyoko's self-centered philosophy is just wrong and also rejects the fruit because she apparently believes it was stolen. Her attempt to tempt Sayaka with an apple and her suggestion to follow a path of selfish survivalism could be interpreted as Kyoko acting as the snake advising Sayaka to abandon the path of justice.
    • Kyoko refuses to abandon Sayaka's soulless body in Episode 9 even after Homura told her it was hopeless, she even sacrifices some of her Soul Gem's purity to keep Sayaka's body warm at her own expense. Kyoko even admits to Madoka that one time she used to be an idealist just like Sayaka, that she used to believe in stories where love and courage could overcome anything.
• Her spear could be a reference to a Snake in it's elongated form or the Lance of Longinus.
• Kyoko's spear could be a reference to a unicorn's horn, as a picture of a mermaid wind-chime (which may represent Sayaka's witch form) next to a unicorn wind-chime appears in the Blu-Ray version of episode 9 while Kyoko speaks with Madoka about saving Sayaka.
  • The unicorn became the most important imaginary animal of the middle ages and the Renaissance when it was commonly described as an extremely wild woodland creature, a symbol of purity and grace, which could only be captured by a virgin.
    • According with antique encyclopedias, its horn was said to have the power to render poisoned water potable and to heal sickness.
      • This often gets extended to the lifting of curses and breaking of illusions.
• Kyoko is the only character who is the most affected by Sakaya's death in the both the previous timeline and the new world created by Madoka, even though she described her relationship with Sayaka as "finally being able to become friends". This lends credence to speculation that Kyoko's feelings for Sakaya go beyond that of normal friendship.
  • Interestingly, Kyoko never calls anyone by their name until near the end of Episode 8 when Sayaka's about to become a Witch. After that she mentions Sayaka's name constantly through Episode 9. Every other timeline in Episode 10 and Episode 12 Kyoko never addresses Madoka or Homura by name. Nor does she address Mami, although she doesn't exactly have any real dialogue with her. It is suspected that this puts an emphasis on how important Sayaka is to Kyoko.
• The "Sunny Day Life" Drama CD points out that Kyoko doesn't go to school.
• Production notes indicates that in Episode 9, Kyuoko damaged her entire right torso.

A Different Kyoko:

"It' be like a story where love and courage wins, you know? When I think about it, I became a mahou shoujo because I loved those stories." - Kyoko, Episode 9.

• Magazine articles and other Media have depicted another side of Kyoko that exists in the New World (or a happier parallel world version):
  • Kyoko's idealism is still intact and strong; she still has a strong desire to help people. Probably becoming a good girl and a self-respecting mahou shoujo. This could be a result that she never lost her family as it was the cataclysm for her character change.
    • It is speculated that Kyoko never lost her idealism, but instead she buried it after she understood the awful reality of the real world. Kyoko tries desperately to suppress her old self through out the series, but it would gradually start to come back as the series progresses.
      • It is suspected that her meeting with Sayaka and their gradual interaction was the triggering event that rekindled Kyoko's lost idealism.
      • This is confirmed in the Drama CD 3, in which it is revelaed that Kyouko had an illusory power named "Rosso Fantasma" (Red Illusion/Phantom) by Mami. After the death of her family, she loses this power since she becomes disillusioned and loses her ideals. It is heavily implied that that was the same attack she used to kill Oktavia, showing that she rekindled her idealism.
  • The "Sunny Day Life" depicts a Kyoko who is still "innocent" as she cannot understand why would anyone steal used panties.
    • It is speculated that this "Pure Maiden" characteristic resides in the New World version of Kyoko.
      • The same could be said in the Old World version too as there is nothing to indicate otherwise but because of lack of evidence this is only speculation.

Platonic or Yuri Love?

It is common to find yuri subtext on the Mahou Shoujo genre, sometimes it develops into shippings or pairings created by fans, even if it was not part of the creators original intention. The creators of the show may have been aware of this phenomenon so they decided to exploit the same yuri subtext phenomenon when it came to the relationship between Kyoko and Sayaka. However, the yuri subtext mostly comes from Kyoko making it one-sided; while it is officially recognized that Kyoko has feelings for Sayaka, it is uncertain what types of feelings they are. Fans would argue that Sayaka just never had the chance to return these feelings, and Kyoko was never really good in articulating them. Fans have also noticed that the feminine form of Kyousuke could be Kyoko.

You can find more details here.

Kyoko in Oriko Magica

This section may contain major spoilers!

Please refrain from reading if you are not yet familiar with all the latest media released.

"Kind of like a magical girl manga?"
--"But unlike in manga, love and courage are rare commodities. There is no salvation awaiting either." - Yuma and Kyoko, Puella Magi Oriko Magica, Chapter 1.

• In Chapter 1, Kyoko takes in Yuma, a young girl orphaned when her parents are killed by a witch shortly before Kyoko kills it. Yuma has no one to go back to, and together they break into bathhouses and share a hotel room. Kyoko tries to instill her own morals into Yuma, and tells her to never disrespect and waste food. Yuma accompanies Kyoko to fight Witches, and when checking for wounds on Yuma after she has a close call with a witch, Kyoko learns of Yuma's abusive past, and sympathizes with her even more. Kyubey appears and tells Kyoko about the murders of magical girls. He attempts to contract with Yuma, but Kyoko gets stops him and tells Yuma to never become a magical girl.
• In Chapter 2, Kyoko leaves Yuma in their hotel room and goes out to fight a witch alone. Kyoko nearly dies from having her legs and arms torn off by the witch. Yuma, who has just contracted with Kyubey, uses her new healing powers to save her. Kyoko is incredibly angry that the girl didn't heed her warnings about contracting, but after Yuma cries about fearing that she's useless and that she had been pushed to the edge by a girl named Oriko, Kyoko subsides. She does, however, promise to make Oriko pay for what she did.
• In Chapter 3, Kyoko appears only once, and speaks with Mami about the recent murders of magical girls. Mami is looking for a "black magical girl", but Kyoko knows only as much as Mami does. Yuma then flips Mami's skirt in defense of Kyoko, thinking that Mami was bullying her caretaker. Kyoko tells her that she is mistaken about Mami, but thanks her for trying to be helpful. She asks Mami about Oriko, but Mami doesn't know anything and Kyoko will tell her no more about it.
• In Chapter 6, Kyoko and Yuma fight together with Mami against Kirika after saving the blond magical girl. The fact that a magical girl will become a witch made her despair, but Yuma's words unite them again and together with Mami, they defeat the witch Kirika.
• In Chapter 7, Oriko is killed, and everyone seems to be safe, but Oriko's final attack killed Madoka. Kyoko asks Yuma if she can heal her, but it's too late, and Homura resets the timeline.

Magazine Article

• Animedia June 2011
• NewType July 2011
• Ai Nonaka's Data file

Gallery

Official art

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  Official character art (from the official website).

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  Official art of Kyoko's family (depiction of her father and younger sister)

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  Ume Aoki doujin "RKGKMDK" from COMIC1☆5, under Apricot+ alias

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  Ume shipping Kyoko and Sayaka in her doujin

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  Fan translation of Kyoko x Sayaka page 1

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  Fan translation of Kyoko x Sayaka page 2

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  Ume Aoki's 4koma from the Madoka BD 3 fanbook

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  Ume Aoki's 4koma from the Madoka BD 4 fanbook

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  Kyoko appearing in casual clothes in Oriko Magica.

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  Kyoko in her magical girl clothes in Oriko Magica.

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  Early production sketch of Kyoko.

• Nitroblog sayaka kyoko comiket.jpg

  art from Nitroplus blog

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  Guide Dog PR poster featuring Kyoko

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  Kyoko's spear design from the production notes.

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  from the Blu-Ray Volume 4 Booklet.

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  Sketch of Kyoko's hotel room.

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  Another Sketch of Kyoko's hotel room.

Screenshots

Kyoko as a regular girl

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  Kyoko captured from the opening.

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  Kyoko eating biscuit.

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  Kyoko dancing.

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  Kyoko making friends.

• Kyoko eats hamburger.gif

  Kyoko eats hamburger.

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  Kyoko eating chips.

• Kyoko gluttony.gif

  The Amazing Kyoko and her bottomless stomach.

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  Never change, Kyoko.

Kyoko as a Magical Girl

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  Kyoko's transformation sequence

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  Another transformation sequence

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  Killing Witches

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  Kyoko fighting with Sayaka

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  Kyoko fighting with Sayaka

• Prayer and kiss.png

  Kyoko prays and then kisses her soul gem (It is customary for Catholics to kiss their rosary beads as a part of their prayer).

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  Kyoko's ultimate attack looks snake-like, could also be interpreted as a scorpion's tail

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  Kyoko's final battle with Oktavia

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  Kyouko fighting with Oktavia

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  Kyoko and Sayaka

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  Kyoko in prayer

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  Kyouko get killed

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  Kyoko's soul gem.

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  Her ring during the church scene, which reads "kyoko" in runes.

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  Another shot of her ring, which had runes added in the BD version.

Fanart

This section contains fanart images

Everything in the following fan gallery is created, or the comments accompanying them are created, for entertainment value and should not be confused with actual canon events of the Puella Magi franchise.

• Kyouko little sis.jpg

  Fan depiction of Kyoko and her little sister.

• Kyouko lil sis flying.jpg

  Kyoko being an awesome sister.

• Sakura sisters young church.png

  The cute sisters.

• The Sakura Sisters.jpg

  The Sakura Sisters.

• Kyouko nun.jpg

  Kyoko Sakura as an Anglican nun.

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  How popular is Kyoko with fans? You tell me.

• Kyouko just wants friends.jpg
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  Fan coloring of Ume's work

• Fan creation kyouko gem jewelry.jpg

  Fan creation of Kyoko's jewelry.

• Fan creation Kyouko Soul Gem Jewelry.jpg

  Fan jewelry creation of Kyoko's Soul Gem with a crucifix.

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  She is not bad, she just wanted friends.

• Xenu.jpg

  Mr. Sakura's new doctrine wasn't too popular...

• Puella Magi Kyouko Magika.jpg

  "Puella Magi Kyoko Magica". All am saying is that she should get her own spinoff...

• Kyouko alt hairstyle.jpg
• (Ootsuka Rei) Whether you're a zombie or not.png

  Magical girls are basically interns that you pay only once.

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• Kyoko roasting Kyubey.gif

  Kyoko roasting Kyubey.

• Kyoko pixel mugen.gif
• Fanart Kyoko evaluates.jpg

  How much does Kyoko evaluate for each character?

• Kyouko momo fanart father.png
• Kyouko pocky addiction fanart.jpg
• Kyouko meets sayaka afterlife fan.gif

  Kyouko meets sayaka afterlife

• Unmaibou snacks kyouko fanart chibi.jpg

  How Kyouko got her Umaibou, she paid for it!

• Homeless kyouko speculah fanart.jpg

  Technically homeless but she does sleep on nicer places.

Miscellaneous

Location

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  Sakura Cathedral: Kyoko's father was a priest, and his cathedral could house a large congregation.

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  Kyoko's hotel room sketch design.

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  another sketch of the same hotel room.

Observations

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  Comparison of Kyoko's chain barrier emblem and a print of the Gojū-no-tō at Kōfuku-ji.

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  Kyoko's binoculars seem to be based on the High Eight Chocolate by Furuta Confectionary Co.

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  Transcription of the package label on the instant ramen Kyoko eats at Homura's home, according to 2ch. Accuracy unconfirmed, but the label says that the manufacturer is SHAFT.

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  Evidence that magical girls do age.

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  Kyoko's outfit design is similar to a sketching drawing from the Hidamari series, another Ume Aoki's creation.

External links

• Kyoko Sakura at Pixiv image repository (Japanese)
• Kyoko Sakura at Danbooru image repository (NSFW)
• Fan fabricates Kyoko's ring with silver clay