Manga differences

This page is to list differences between the original anime version of Madoka Magica, and the manga adaptation.

This page will need extensive cleanup before posting in main namespace, it's just a scratchpad now.

General/recurring differences

Character designs - manga characters have more traditional proportions, while anime is more liberal in treatment of other aspects of Aoki Ume's original designs.
- Sayaka has a double-bladed sword in the manga, and a single-bladed one in the anime
- Kyubey has bigger eyes and actually shows facial expressions in the manga

Shots of Madoka running through the corridor and stairs are not shown in the manga; the manga begins straight with Homura's fight with Walpurgis Night.
Manga panels are framed in such a way that Walpurgis Night is not visible to the reader.

The scene of Madoka waking up is shown before the opening sequence in the anime; in the manga, it is after the title pages of the chapter (which are after the prologue scene nevertheless).
Madoka's short conversation with her dad, and the scene of waking the mom are omitted in the manga.
Madoka and her mom's conversation during the morning bathroom routine is greatly abbreviated in the manga. Exchange of current love life gossips and Junko putting on her makeup are omitted. Only choosing Madoka's hair ribbons and the related conversation is preserved.

Conversation between Madoka, Sayaka and Hitomi is abbreviated in the manga. As Madoka was not talking about love life with her mom in the manga, there is no talk about love letters and alike.
When Madoka and Homura are going to the nurse's office, Madoka says that Homura is a pretty name in the anime. In the manga, it was changed that Madoka asks whether they've met each other before.
Depiction of Homura solving math problems and getting outstanding results during sports class is retained only as a single illustration to Sayaka mentioning it during the later conversation between the girls in the cafeteria.
In the manga, Sayaka, having heard about Madoka seeing Homura in her dream, is almost literally suggesting a romantic pairing of them, which is further emphasized by an imaginary illustration of the two of them holding hands. In the anime, such explicit suggestions aren't made.

The building where Madoka meets Kyuubey is much more plain in the manga, and not as dark as in the anime.
While Homura is very sparing of words during the chase after Kyuubey and subsequent talk with Madoka, she is not as much so in the manga. She mentions Kyuubey's "dirty tricks" and using expressions like "I don't want to hurt you, but if you wont move...".
Anthonies are more regular and geometric in shape, and have noses and mouths.
While Mami is having a short conversation with Madoka and Sayaka while still in human form, in the manga she appears already transformed. Likewise, the conversation with Homura after the fight is also omitted.
Mami summons just a single cannon in the manga, in contrast to her multiple muskets in the anime.
While Mami doesn't introduce herself to the girls until Episode 2 of the anime, she does so in the manga's Chapter 1.
While Kyuubey introduces himself in the anime, he is introduced by Mami in the manga.
Mami expresses suprise to Kyuubey's intention of making contracts with Madoka and Sayaka, The anime has no such line.