Madoka Magica Episode 3: I'm Not Afraid of Anything Anymore

I'm Not Afraid Anymore もう何も怖くない
First airing	21 January 2011
Script	Gen Urobuchi
Storyboard	Yoshiharu Ashino
Episode director	Yuki Yase
Animation Director	Tomohiro Kamitani Kazuya Shiotsuki

Summary

Sayaka visits a terminally ill boy named Kyousuke Kamijou, who was a violin player she admired when she was little. After another witch hunt where she defeated a familiar, Ulla, Mami tells Madoka and Sayaka that she was involved in a traffic accident and didn't have time to think about her wish. She also lets Sayaka know about the precedents of wishing for other people's sakes. Later that night, as Madoka helps her drunk mother and talks with her father, Mami is approached by Homura, who warns her about making Madoka a magical girl. The next day whilst visiting the hospital, Madoka and Sayaka find a Grief Seed that is close to activating, so Madoka goes in search of Mami whilst Sayaka and Kyubey remain near the seed and are engulfed by the forming barrier. As Madoka and Mami enter the portal and catch up with them, Homura tries to warn Mami about the witch she intends to face, but Mami places her in a bind to stop her from following them. As they continue, Madoka mentions her wish is to simply be a magical girl and help others. Mami laments that her job as a magical girl has left her lonely and afraid, but feels relieved that Madoka wishes to fight alongside her. The Grief Seed begins to activate and Mami fights off the minions of the witch, Charlotte, and appears to kill her. However the witch suddenly transforms into a giant caterpillar, catching her off-guard and killing her. Homura, her bonds dissolving with Mami's demise, steps in and defeats the witch, claiming the Grief Seed, as Madoka and Sayaka become saddened by Mami's death. (Wikipedia)

Trivia

• The music piece that Sayaka Miki and Kamijou heard in the hospital is Sergei Rachmaninoff's Vocalise. The cover with the violinist Dawd Ostrakh is a reference to the soviet violinist David Oistrakh (or Oistrach).
• The opening sequence got some visual upgrades compared to the first two episodes' original broadcast (see picture below)
• Mami mentioned in Episode 1 that witches also appear in hospitals.
• There are a number of drawing errors after the fight with charlotte.
• Cyrus Hamlin, Professor Emeritus of German and Comparative Literature at Yale University, died peacefully in New Haven on January 19th, 2011 approximately two days before this episode aired. As part of his career he spent four decades studying and writing about Goethe's Faust and Goethe himself, authoring or editing much of the literature on the subject.

Runes

See also Runes of episode 3

Images

• Ep3 Madoka OP compare.jpg

  OP comparison

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  2ch examines parallels between the ED and the OP

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  'in operation' as in surgery

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  In-progress Barcode runes deciphering

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  Theory stating the real Charlotte is just a doll sitting on the platform

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  2ch description of the same theory: that Charlotte can multiply herself until the doll is stepped on

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  Homura should be wearing her school uniform

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  Charlotte's name in roman letters.

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  Speculation chart of episode 3