Sayaka Miki

This section may contain major spoilers!

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

Official Info

Madoka’s classmate and good friend. Energetic and lively, which is perhaps why her sword is the only melee weapon among the four.
Ms. Aoki’s Design Check!: Her personality is so boyish that I had to be careful not to make her look too boyish too. So I gave her hair a diagonal line in back, to straddle the line between short and medium length.
Magical girl outfit: Sayaka’s outfit is the closest to combat gear. Since her sword is a melee weapon, I paid attention to that while designing her clothes. (Aoki)
Her outfit features diagonal-cut skirt and shoulderless top for ease of movement. Add a cape, and she’s a picturesque swordswoman.
School uniform: Her figure is flat and plain, but her chest is bigger than Madoka’s. Her hairbow is a stitched design. Below, she wears simple navy-blue high socks.
Sayaka turns into a witch in Episode 8. While she has brought hope to others, the balance between hope and despair is then mitigated by an equal amount of despair appearing in Sayaka's soul. This despair eventually overcomes Sayaka, shatters her Soul Gem, and turns it into a Grief Seed.

The first character in her last name (美) means "beauty". The last character (樹) means "tree". Her name could also be written 幹 (tree trunk) or 神酒 (sake offered to the gods).
Her last name can also be used as a first name.
Her first name is written in hiragana, which has no special meaning. However, "sayaka" could also be written 明か (obvious) or 清か (clear).
She describes herself as having been born "Petit bourgeois." which is French for "petty bourgeois" or, essentially, middle class.
Although her character design depicts her with a two-edged sword she is seen using a katana with a saber-like guard in the anime. The manga uses the sword from her original design.

Many fans believe Sayaka is the witch in Madoka's dream at the beginning of Episode 1.
While using her magic, circles of notes are sometimes seen around or near her. This is believed to be related to her wish to heal Kamijou.