Satomi Usagi
| Satomi Usagi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Japanese Name | 宇佐木 里美 (Usagi Satomi) |
| Weapon | A cat-shaped wand |
"Meow~!!" - Satomi Usagi, Chapter 3.
Satomi Usagi (宇佐木 里美) is a character in Puella Magi Kazumi Magica: The Innocent Malice.
A member of the Pleiades Saints, she loves animals, and wants to become a veterinarian when she grows up. Her wish was to gain the ability to talk to animals, which she uses to gather information.
Personality
She is kind-hearted girl who loves animals. She is also seen hugging Jubey, which annoys him. She is the most sensitive of the Pleiades, usually the first to start crying when someone is hurt or there's danger. Satomi appears to be more patient with people than the others.
History
This section may contain major spoilers for the Kazumi Magica manga!
Please refrain from reading if you haven't read the latest chapter yet.After a witch traps Kaoru and Umika inside of itself and takes off, Satomi, Saki, Nico, and Mirai come to Kazumi's aid. They introduce themselves as the Pleiades Saints, a seven-girl witch-hunting team of which Kazumi and her abducted friends are also a part of. Together, they search for Kaoru and Umika across town, with Satomi using her powers to get information from a cat. While they search, the mysterious girl from previous chapters, Yuuri, disguises herself as Satomi and separates Kazumi from the rest of the team. Upon meeting with the real Satomi, Saki realized they had been tricked, and leads the girls to where the fake Satomi brought Kazumi. They proceed to rescue Kazumi just as she is on the verge of defeat. Kazumi is then held by her opponent at gunpoint, causing them all to hesitate. Kazumi screams out for them to attack anyway, and they fire a joint attack at the mysterious girl: Fili Del Toano. It causes a large explosion, but the magical girl gets away. Kazumi is only lightly wounded.
They reunite at Umika's house for a strategy meeting, where they figure out the witch's likely location. After filling up on Kazumi's delicious food, they head out to intercept the witch. Upon arrival, Saki orders Kazumi to stay outside, explaining that their plan is to seal the witch and have Kazumi fire Limiti Esterni from the outside to finish it off. Satomi seems to protest herself, but Saki says "It dosen't matter. That was something the familiars did." The girls plunge into the witch's barrier, and rescue Kaoru and Umika just in time. Together, the six of them bind the witch with Episodio Incrocio. However, Nico's GPS/com unit breaks, leaving them unable to give Kazumi the needed signal. Umika, thinking quickly, commands them to use candy flutes given to them by Kazumi. The sound reaches her, and the witch is destroyed by Limiti Esterni.
While they reunite and celebrate their victory, they are approached by Jubey, the "fairy" (妖精) that turned them into Puellae Magi. He cleans up their Soul Gems, and gladly accepts the last witch's Grief Seed. He then refuses a couple of weird looking seeds, obtained from the pseudo-witches of Chapters 1 and 2, saying they were not real Grief Seeds. Umika theorized they imitated the Grief Seed's power and were created by the mysterious girl from before. Before they could draw further conclusions, they are attacked by that very girl, Yuuri. She kidnaps Kazumi, and orders them to go to the Asunaro Dome at midnight if they want Kazumi back. While waiting for the deadline at Umika's house, they speculate on Yuuri's motivations.
At the right time, they arrive at the dome, but to a force barrier they can do nothing but watch as Yuuri enacts her plans. Yuuri states her objective is to seek revenge on the Pleiades. She interprets the Pleiades' failure to recognize her as having been "just that insignificant" to the girls. She then removes her hat, causing a shocked Umika to recognize her, and proceeds to shove an Evil Nut, one of the awkward Grief Seeds from before, into Kazumi's forehead, while the Pleiades scream in horror.
However, Kazumi is able to free herself, and engages Yuuri. During the battle, Yuuri's Soul Gem begins to crack, prompting Saki to order Juubey to cleanse it. Yuuri shoots him first and becomes a witch. Along with the other Pleaides, Satomi is trapped on a cross in the witch's barrier, and is enveloped in thorny vines.
The magical girls are then shown a vision of the witch's past as Airi. After that, Kazumi falls under the influence of the Evil Nut and breaks free. Satomi is actually splattered with the witch's blood when Kazumi catches the attack with her mouth. However, Kazumi is unwilling to fight the witch and even attempts to change her back. Saki then shoots the witch, freeing Satomi and the other Saints. They then attack the witch as they explain to Kazumi that they have no choice but to kill her. Satomi is seen crying during this sequence. Finally Kazumi delivers the final blow, saying she wishes to share this burden with her friends.
Later, Satomi is seen with Kaoru, Saki, and Mirai confronting a magical girl named Sumire Akane (it's unclear if Umika or Nico are also present). Kaoru uses a spell called Tocco del Mare (English: Touch of the Sea), causing Sumire to scream. We then see Satomi untransformed, holding out her Soul Gem.
Satomi and the other Pleiades Saints then appear to rescue Kauzmi and Nico from Ayase and Luca Souju. Kaoru says they'll be taking the Soujus' gems. Saki tells Kaoru not to do it in front of Kazumi, but Nico says Kazumi already saw her doing it. Kaoru pulls out both Ayase and Luca's gems with the spell Tocco del Mare. Kazumi angrily asks the others why they're taking the Soul Gems of other magical girls, saying that she said earlier she would bear the burden with her friends. Against Saki's objections, Umika says she'll tell Kazumi the truth about the Pleiades Saints, but as she's speaking Satomi watches as Nico's Soul Gem begins glowing and Nico herself falls to her knees. Backing into Kaoru in horror, Satomi says Nico's name as a witch appears with Nico's body floating in front of it.
As Nico's Soul Gem cracks, we see background text of her thinking that that she'll die without a trace, and she wants everyone to remember. She thinks she doesn't want to kill anyone anymore. The runes coming out of her Soul Gem read "We have no future as long as he's around." The next page has a cover image of a golden-eyed Nico holding a gun, asking to be killed. The Pleiades are shocked to discover Nico has become a witch. Repeatedly shouting "Cut", the witch turns her hands into a single pair of scissors. Kaoru transforms and blocks the attack using Capitano Potenza ("Captain Power"), which encases her arms in a black metallic substance. The witch fires projectiles from its body. Kaoru turns to the others and tells them not to stand there. Umika encases herself, Kazumi, and Satomi in a barrier. Saki pushes Mirai in, but is wounded. Mirai flips out and uses her attack La Bestia ("The Beasts") causing an army of teddy-bears to appear and chew on the witch. When the witch throws them off, Mirai uses La Bestia Refare ("Remake the Beast"). The bears start hugging each other and turn into a giant bear that Mirai jumps on. The bear pounces on the witch and pulls it into a bear hug. Mirai leaps into the air, turns her wand into a giant sword, and cuts both the bear and the witch in half. The witch dies, yelling "Cut" one last time. She drops a Grief Seed (which notably looks different than Nico's Soul Gem).
Mirai asks Saki if she's alright, but she's still processing Nico's death. Mirai tells her she had to do it, but is interrupted by Satomi screaming that she doesn't want to die or turn into a witch. Jubey and Umika look at the Grief Seed, as Umika wonders how did things turn out like this. Kazumi takes the hand of Nico's body and finds it's cold. As she shouts Nico's name, a voice says "You called?" Everyone is shocked to see another Nico standing behind them. As Kazumi asks what's going on, the other Nico walks up to the first Nico's body, puts her arm around her neck, and with a disturbing expression says "Switch". She then touches the hair of the body, and it's face suddenly vanishes. Jubey, a disturbing grin on his face, says that the body was Nico's "spare" and "compensation for Nico's contract". Kaoru asks why Nico didn't tell them. Nico says that to deceive an enemy, you have to deceive your allies. Kaoru punches her, then gives her a hug. Nico then says they should cut to the chase. Kaoru tells Saki Kazumi can handle it.
The scene switches to Mirai's teddy bear museum, "Angelica Bears". Mirai says that in Japanese it's called "Ashitaba" (literally "tomorrow's leaf") and says that Kazumi came up with the name. As they walk inside, they step onto a magic circle. Umika holds out her ring, suddenly transporting them all somewhere else. Umika tells Kazumi that the museum was born from them meeting with her. The walk up to a giant door, which opens into a giant room filled with girls floating in tanks. The middle of the room contains a pile of Soul Gems. Umika explains that after they take Soul Gems, they put the empty shells of the magical girls into "the Freezer". Kazumi says that Ayase was right, and asks why they're doing this. Jubey says that it's their response to the magical girl system, which is full of contradictions: Rejection.
Umika explains that witches are the end state of magical girls. Umika tells Kazumi that they lied to her when they said that sometimes the Soul Gems of magical girls go out of control. Jubey, grinning, explains that Soul Gems are the extracted souls of magical girls. Kaoru admits that they're like zombies, but it's preferable to dying to a witch in one shot. Jubey then says that the Pleiades refuse to fight without feeling pain. Kaoru responds by saying that if they do that they'll cease being human. Umika explains that the magical girls they capture are placed in a barrier that separates them from their Soul Gems and puts them in suspended animation, preventing them from becoming witches. Kaoru says they hope to find a way to completely clean the gems and turn them back into humans. Until then, they'll keep fighting. This is their "rejection" of the magical girl system. Nico then takes out a container that has the Soujus, their Soul Gems, and the Soul Gem and body of another magical girl. The bodies of the magical girls have been shrunken to the point where they can be picked up by one hand. Nico puts into two new containers, saying they "will keep on waiting for the prince's kiss." Kazumi asks when everyone found out about the connection between magical girls and wishes. Umika touches her forehead to Kazumi's, telling her to remember everything.
The story flashes back into the past. Umika, Kaoru, Satomi, Mirai, Nico, and Saki are standing on a catwalk. They are all displaying a witch's kiss on their necks. Satomi's despair comes from the cat she was on her third birthday, which she named Sare. Years later, she goes out and leaves it alone in her house, despite it's protests. It's then seen in a veterinarian's office, dead. The vets says that if the cat was brought here earlier it might have survived, prompting Satomi to think that this wouldn't have happened if she had just listened.
The girls standing on the catwalk jump off, as a voice says, "Everyone should just die." The voice is cut-off by a familiar spell with ribbons wrapping around the girls, stopping their fall. Their savior is none other than Kazumi, who says, "Ciao! You suicidal girls!". Kazumi opens up a witch's barrier around herself and the girls. Familiars appear and start attacking the normal girls while Kazumi watches. Satomi asks why Kazumi isn't helping. Kazumi responds by asking why they don't want to be eaten if they want to die. She then pulls six firearms from her hat and drops them on the ground. The familiars combine, revealing that they were actually a witch. The girls pick up the weapons, Satomi saying she doesn't want to die and Nico musing she can't run away from guns. They fire at the witch, deflating it like a balloon. It re-inflates itself and charges. Kazumi stops the witch with her cross, saying that "As long as you keep trying to live, you won't fall into despair" and that there's always hope. She then fires "Limit Esterni", destroying the witch. Later, they eat together in Kazumi's house. Satomi, along with the other Pleiades, hear the story of how Kazumi contracted and woke her grandmother from a coma.
Mriai asks if she can be a magical girl. Jubey tells her she can if she accepts her fate of fighting witches. Mirai says she can accept anything. Umika, Kaoru, Satomi, Nico and Saki quickly chime in agreement. Kazumi cheers over having new friends. Satomi then wishes to talk to animals. The contracts are completed, and Kazumi names their team the Pleiades Saints. The scene cuts to the girls fighting a witch. Kaoru destroys it with her spiked shoes. Kazumi calls Kaoru's attack Capitano Potenza ("Captain Power"), and reveals she wants everyone to call their attacks, even recording them in a book. Kazumi says she won't cook for the girls if they don't do it.
Later, Kaoru and the other Pleiades (except Kazumi) wonder why Kazumi is late, having been told Kazumi was bringing a new friend. Jubey appears, saying a witch's barrier is nearby. They run to Asunaro Dome, where they see Yuuri Asuka transform into a witch. After the battle the girls are stunned. Satomi asks if magical girls turn into witches. Jubey explains how witches are created, and says his job is to gather the energy form the conversion of hope to despair. Kaoru grabs Jubey while he explains that immature witches should be called magical girls. Suddenly Umika grabs Jubey and slams her head against him. A laser fires from her eye into his. Jubey falls down and asks why Umika is looking scary. Umika explains to Kaoru that she rewrote Jubey's memories, preventing him from making contracts. The story then returns to the present. Kazumi says she remembers hunting magical girls after Yuuri, but then suddenly falls over. The symbol for the Evil Nuts appears in her eyes. Satomi looks on in shock, as Kaoru says everyone's tired. Umika leads Kazumi out as Kaoru says they should rest for the day. Saki remains in the Freezer, looking at the pile of Soul Gems. They include two Evil Nuts. An unstable-looking Satomi approaches Saki and suggests that they should kill Kazumi.
Powers, Weapons & Abilities
Due to her wish, she has the ability to talk to animals. It appears that she can also fire magic from her wand.
Trivia
- Satomi's surname is meaningful, given her love for animals. Usagi means rabbit.
- Twin cat-like fangs can be seen when Satomi fully opens her mouth. Together with her cat-like appearance when transformed, and her "Meow" shouts in battle, she was seen as the (mandatory) cat girl in the Madoka universe until Yuma Chitose came along.
- Satomi's magical girl outfit resembles her childhood cat, Sare.
- Like Mami, Satomi is kind and calm, and try to help the other girls. However, they both seem to have a fragile mind and an unstable attitude, as shown by Satomi's suggestion at the end of Chapter 12.
Gallery
Satomi showing her affection for animals with Juubey.
Satomi's wand.
A second view of Satomi's wand, this time with its mouth open.
