Yuri undertones

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Aside from its story and characters, the Madoka Magica series has gained popularity among many fans for its lesbian subtext. This page will try to explain what subtext there is between the characters, and what "evidence" there is in canon.

Please note, this section is very fanon-emphasized. As so, please take anything below that pertains to canon "with a grain of salt", as they say. Make up your own mind on the canonity status of the ships -- as much of them is left open for fan interpretation.

Madoka Magica

The list of relationships found in the original Madoka Magica series. Their canon status is debatable, especially depending on the media discussed, but it is well agreed that there are very explicit and strong undertones in the show.

Homura and Madoka

Homura's Love for Madoka

Homura's affection toward Madoka seems to go beyond the normal boundaries of friendship. Homura wasn't just content with saving Madoka's life or stopping her fate, she also wanted her feelings for Madoka to be reciprocated and acknowledged by her (as seen in Episode 11). For each cycle that Homura created, their relationship became more alienated and distant, causing despair on Homura's part (as it was demonstrated briefly in Episode 8). Yet, regardless of Madoka's feelings toward Homura, she was willing to sacrifice anything for Madoka's sake, absent of any rewards, take any risks against all odds, driven to repeat an endless cycle of personal loss and suffering, and willing to hurt the feelings of other people (including Madoka's) to attain her goal.

Philia

Philia is the concept of love among friends, a sense of brotherhood. According with Aristotle, there are three types of friendships, based on the motive for forming them: friendships of utility, friendships of pleasure and friendships of the good.

• Friendships of utility are relationships formed without regard to the other person at all. One could argue it is a type of shallow relationship for the sake of utility or using others, it could also be described as a form of business transaction.

• Friendships of pleasure are based on pure delight in the company of other people. This type of friendship could be described in terms of partaking together in social activities, the type developed with coworkers or classmates, they are playmates. However, these friends may also part—if they no longer enjoy the shared activity, or can no longer participate in it together.

• Friendships of the good are ones where both friends enjoy each other's characters. As long as both friends keep similar characters, the relationship will endure since the motive behind it is the care of the friend. This is the highest level of philia, and in modern English might be called true friendship

It can be argued that Homura's relationship with Madoka is the latter, the friendship of the good.

When Homura met Madoka for the first time, they were both strangers to each other. Homura was in a vulnerable mental state and with little self worth. Yet Madoka was willing to accept Homura, just as she was, as a friend. With time Homura started to get closer to Madoka and she started to gain self-confidence about herself, because of her interaction with Madoka. Memories of You depicts the slow and progressive growth of admiration, appreciation, and respect that Homura has for Madoka (even if Madoka doesn't think she is deserving of such admiration). Their relationship leads to a blossoming friendship. This becomes the perfect example of Philia.

However, while this may seem an accurate interpretation for the first timeline, this description may not be totally accurate for the pair as their relationship develops over the course of the series. Beyond the first timeline, after Homura gains her Soul Gem, she constantly has to restart her relationship with Madoka. It is only after several timeline repetitions that she is able to establish a jaded personality that assists in dealing with her state of mind, and in particular with the issue of having had her emotions for Madoka left suspended in a developmental Purgatory since Madoka's first death, and abused with renewed meetings and friendships with Madoka. Another consideration is the changes to both of their personalities; Madoka's feelings toward Homura are continually "reset" and thus cannot reciprocate any established feelings in Homura's mind, and Homura herself has become a more jaded person on the outside and possibly emotionally twisted on the inside.

By nature, this interpretation could conclusively overturn the very definition for a filial relationship of any degree, meaning that their relationship can only be treated as filial throughout the first and (at the end of the) final timelines. It is only by the end of the series that Madoka is able to acknowledge the sacrifices Homura has made. Though, even then, perhaps another issue arises by the end of the third movie, when Homura declares that the nature of her own feelings towards Madoka is "love." The nature of this love is critical in establishing if it is a true and tragic love, or contrived and unhealthy one. If it is something we can establish to have happened in the first timeline, which was reciprocated by Madoka, then it can be seen as the former, but it can only be unhealthy if it was established after Madoka's first death and contrived if Homura only used it as an excuse to continue on through her tribulations before the end of the series.

Eros

Eros refers to “intimate love” or romantic love, an affection of a sexual nature. In the classical world, erotic love was generally referred as a kind of madness or theia mania ("madness from the gods"). This passionate love was described through an elaborate metaphoric and mythological schema involving "love's arrows" or "love darts", the source of which was often the personified figure of Eros.

During Homura's transition of friendship, it is possible that she started to develop feelings of love for Madoka, perhaps it was a juvenile crush toward an object of admiration and respect. Perhaps it was this intimate love for Madoka that was the driving force for Homura to try to warn Madoka of Kyubey's schemes, and to try to stop Walpurgis Night. Prior to timeline 4, Homura's intention can be described to be noble and just, her attempt to save her friends, specially Madoka from the dangers to come. Homura was even willing to become a Witch together with Madoka if that was to be her fate.

However, all that changed when Madoka gave one last act of self-sacrifice and saved Homura's life with the grief seed that she had with her. Madoka made Homura promise her to stop her own self from making a contract with Kyubey and to save her from her own foolishness. This last act of kindness radically altered Homura, not just externally but perhaps even internally. One could argue that it also altered Homura's feelings for Madoka. It is after these events that Homura's noble act to save a friend became an obsession, an obsession that soon exposed the dark side of Eros, and Homura started to deploy less than noble ways to save Madoka from herself by any means necessary. That includes making enemies with the other girls, and even sacrificing them if they became a danger toward Madoka.

Homura's single goal wasn't just about to stop Walpurgis Night, but to stop Madoka from ever making a contract, and to do that she needed to defeat Walpurgis Night first. The reason that Homura would reset the timeline, was because either Madoka was dead or she became a witch, even when Walpurgis Night was defeated (setting aside the facts that the world would be destroyed by Gretchen when it happened).

Agape

Agape is one of the Koine Greek words translated into English as love, one which became particularly appropriated in Christian theology as the love of God or Christ for humankind. It is understood to mean “selfless love”, or “charity” as it is translated in the Christian scriptures (from the Latin caritas, dearness). Many have thought that this word represents divine, unconditional, self-sacrificing, active, volitional, and thoughtful love.

It is pretty clear that Homura doesn't represent the values of Agape. But Madoka, by Episode 12, breaks the cycle of despair by displaying the values of love found in the Agape concept. It is hard to say if Madoka reciprocates Homura's feelings. Madoka as a higher being was able to see all of Homura's struggles, past events, her suffering and her sacrifices, as well as her drive and motive. Madoka recognizes all parts of Homura, from all times and all events, and as such she accepts Homura as herself unconditionally. Yet even during that brief moment we are unable to determine what are Madoka's feelings for Homura. One could argue that Madoka responds to Homura's Eros with Agape, yet it is not very clear.

It is debatable if Homura's feelings for Madoka could be considered selfless or selfish in nature (Homura faced many personal dangers and took many risks, yet at the same time she had disdain toward others who got in her way), as it is the debate regarding the nature of Homura's feelings for Madoka. Was Homura's love for Madoka driven by Eros or is it more consisting with the idea of Philia? And was Madoka's acknowledgement of Homura's feelings for her a form of reciprocating those feelings, or was it a form of Agape as she became a natural force of the Universe?

Platonic Ideal

Some fans have constructed Homura's and Madoka's relationship as a form of relationship that transcends the norms of lust and romantic love. That their relationship is at a higher plane of existance.

"Platonic ideals" [1] as they are defined by Plato's philosophies are the "pure, unadulterated" forms of those ideals. The phrase "platonic love" as defined by Plato means a deeply romantic attraction which transcends physical lust and thus drives the experiences of the deep romantic attraction to attain higher ideals of themselves. It may include love, but it specifically meant to define it as "a romantic love not adulterated by sexual intimacy." Homura's and Madoka's relationship cannot be described as non-romantic, non-sexual. Nor the focus of their relationship should be on sexuality or sex alone. Instead, the relationship needs to be understood within its own context and to be described as a higher form of intimacy, a pure relationship driven beyond sex or the satisfaction of lust.

Homura's love for Madoka inspires her to transcend space and time. Madoka's love for Homura causes her to become the Platonic Ideal of hope.

Episode 11: Love Confession or a Pledge of Friendship

Mami and Homura's confessions

Fans are divided with the significance of this scene. Fans of Homura and Madoka see it as Homura's love confession to Madoka and a promise to protect her life. They see it as Homura promising to risk her life for Madoka's sake, even if it is an unrequited or one-sided love. Those who believe in the power of friendship see it as Homura's pledge to protect her most precious friend, Madoka, against a cruel fate.

Homura: How can I be honest with you? You wouldn’t believe me anyway.

Madoka: Homura…

Homura: The thing is… I’m… you and me… We’re not even from the same time!

Madoka: Ah…

Homura: The truth is, I’m from the future. I’ve met you over and over. And every time and every time, I’ve had to watch you die. What do I have to do to save you? What do I have to do to change your fate? I kept doing this month over again, searching for the answer.

Madoka: What’d you… huh…!

Homura: I’m sorry. I’m not making any sense. I’m scaring you, aren’t I? I mean you barely know me. I just started going to your school so it’s not like you really know me. But I know you. I know you so well [???]. Everything’s messed up. The more I redo this time, the further apart we get. My feelings, my words, nothing gets through to you. I’m out of options. I don’t know what to do anymore.

Madoka: Homura.

Homura: I will save you. That’s the one thing I wished for. That’s how it started. And now it’s the only thing I have left to guide me. And it’s okay if you don’t understand anything I’m saying. But please. Please let me protect you.

Episode 11 Trivia

• In the audio commentary for Episode 11, Chiwa Saito (Homura) found the confession scene to be touching and emotional, and left her with a huge impression. She confesses that she cried
  • Aoi Yuuki (Madoka) found the scene to be amazing and filled her with emotions. Aoi Yuuki felt that her and Madoka became synchronised during the emotional scene. Aoi Yuuki believes that, surely Madoka would have accepted Homura's feelings

Episode 11 Screenshots

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  A tender and emotional hug with a very surprised Madoka. Notice she is not pushing Homura away

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  Holographic projections reacting to Homura's strong emotions

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  Homura promises to protect Madoka, even though to Madoka she is just a stranger

Episode 12: Romantic Ending

Just like the ending with Kyoko and Sayaka, there is speculation with fans regarding Homura's relationship with Madoka and her willingness to sacrifice it all for her. On this new world Sayaka dies but she has no regrets, and Kyoko laments her death just when they have become friends (fans have interpreted this in many ways).

In Episode 10, we learn that Homura was willing to create new timelines for all eternity just for Madoka. Once she learns that each new timeline she creates only makes Madoka's fate into becoming a witch stronger, Homura starts to have doubts, but also becomes more resolute to save Madoka from her fate. Kyubey contests that Homura's hope is a trap, and that it is only a matter of time before despair consumes her. In Episode 11 Homura and Madoka have a conversation in which Homura confesses everything to Madoka: she professes her love for her, as well as how important Madoka is to her (this has been interpreted as a love confession, but others see it as a sign of deep friendship). At the end of Episode 11, Homura is tempted to travel back again for a "do-over," but she stops and gives up, knowing that it was her fault that Madoka now carries such a heavy cosmic karma. She realizes that the more she travels back in time the more certain it is that she will fail, as Homura has created a powerful reservoir of despair-based energy from different timelines -- all of them concentrating on Madoka. To end Madoka's suffering and her own, Homura comes close to becoming a witch; however, Madoka stops her and tells her to never stop hoping.

Once Madoka defeats the Witch version of herself, she creates a paradox: Madoka has become a deity of sorts, but at the cost that Madoka the person ceases to exist in her own world. Homura is not happy with this outcome, but Madoka promises to Homura that she will always be there for her, and that she hopes that one day they would meet again.

Episode 12 Trivia

• It is indicated that in the original Japanese lines at least, there is no homosexual expression. The relationship between Madoka and Homura can be interpreted as being important friends to each other. There are fans who point out that the nature of Homura and Madoka's relationship can be expressed as "親友" (shin-yu or best friend) which is generally different from romantic relationships
• Aside from the Utena reference in episode 9, other evidence yuri fans have included the following: The similarity to the KnM pose during the Homura and Madoka's extended nude embrace scene in episode 12. The gift of red ribbons from Madoka to Homura, which is similar to director Shinbo's prior work of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha between Nanoha and Fate, a favorite pairing among yuri fans, who also refer to each other as best friends. Some fans suggest the red ribbons may also represent the red string of fate, as "two people connected by the red thread are destined lovers, regardless of time, place or circumstances." Yuri fans also believe that Homura's single-minded, ceaseless desire to do anything for Madoka goes beyond friendship.
• Previous timelines (and Drama CDs) indicate that there were times when Homura was able to maintain a close relationship with Madoka. But with each reset, Madoka's feeling for Homura grew distant as key events started to change with each iteration, so their mutual feelings for each other that once existed in previous versions started to grow further and further apart (at least from Homura's perspective). In an interview with Urobuchi, he indicates that it required Madoka to acquire godlike powers to finally fully understand Homura's feelings and her resolve to save her. But this outcome comes with a price for they must be separated once again. According to Urobuchi "in a sense it is a cruel story". (Even Urobuchi thinks he was too cruel)
• Fans have pointed out that Kalafina's full lyrics of Magia, from the second verse to the last chorus, has been interpreted as a love song from Homura to Madoka. The verses to "Connect" (コネクト, Konekuto?) by ClariS, playing at the end of episode 10, also strongly indicate this is sung from Homura's perspective
• Fans of yuri have ranked "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" as #1 at the top ranking of Yuri Anime, toppling Kannazuki no Miko.
• In the audio commentary for Episode 12, with the possibility of a second season, Chiwa Saito asks Gen Urobuchi for a love-love scene with Madoka
  • Aoi Yuuki agrees with Chiwa Saito by replying, "I want to be happy~"
    • To their dismay, Ume Aoki warns Chiwa Saito and Aoi Yuuki that Gen Urobuchi doesn't give away happiness that easily

Episode 12 Screenshots

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  Similarities between Kannazuki no Miko and Madoka

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  Madoka holds Homura

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  Madoka promises Homura that they will meet again, someday

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  Madoka gives Homura her ribbons

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Manga Differences

The manga shows an additional scene that brings closure to the Madoka and Homura character. We don't know how their meeting was possible, if their encounter is taking place within the afterlife, or if it is the result of a miracle. All we know is that Homura finally reunites with Madoka, only this time Homura has been reverted to her original self (with plaits and glasses). It has been interpreted as a symbolic attempt to start over their relationship for their journey to the unknown.

One possible explanation as to why Homura's image and character was reverted is that Homura was always full of insecurities, that the tough exterior was a necessity to create a mask to cover her grief over the death of Madoka. Now that Homura has been freed from despair she reverts back to her old self, to a time when Madoka and Homura had their strongest emotional bond together before she ditched her glasses and braids. Some have interpreted the 'cool Homura' image as something Homura associates with her time of bad memories and difficult struggles. Now that her struggle is over Homura ditches her cool image and she reverts back to her old self so she can continue her relationship with Madoka where it was left off.

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Madoka Magica Portable: HomuSlap Event Transcript

To Homura and Madoka fans this is considered an alternative (love) confession to Episode 11 (or a parody of it), if events had been changed but the emotional bond had remained the same. Some fans have interpreted the scene as either Homura being honestly blunt or having a weird love confession toward Madoka:

Full transcript of the HomuSlap event in the bonus route:

Madoka: Mami-san's going to release a CD... Everything's going great for Sayaka-chan with Kyōsuke-kun, too, and Kyoko-chan is getting along with Sayaka-chan. Madoka: Everyone is changing in lots of ways... but what's changed for me? Homura: Do you want to change something? Madoka: Homura-chan... When did you...? Homura: Never mind that. So, do you want to change, Madoka? Madoka: I think maybe it's less like I want to change than like I feel like I have to change. Madoka: See, there's nothing that I really want to be. Not like Mami-san, Sayaka-chan, or Kyoko-chan. Madoka: But it's kind of hard just watching that. Madoka: Because I... became a magical girl with nothing but "I want to be a magical girl"... Madoka: I guess a girl who can't do anything except being a magical girl is no good. Madoka: I guess I'm jealous of everyone seeming like they're having so much fun right now. Madoka: I can't do anything at all besides being a magical girl. I'm a clumsy, slow... useless girl. Homura: That's not true! (slap) Madoka: Kya! Homura: Madoka, you're a clumsy and slow... and absolutely adorable magical girl! What else do you want?! Madoka: That... isn't a compliment... Homura: I... I... you.... over and over... That's why you have to stay you... Homura: Never change, the way you are now... Have confidence in yourself!! Homura: You... You're... someone very important and precious to me. Even though you may not remember. Madoka: Um, Homura-chan. I don't really understand, but I think I kind of get it anyway. Homura: Thank you... I'm sorry for hitting you even though you don't really understand. Madoka: No, it's okay. You're just trying to get things across to me. Madoka: I think it's probably my fault... But can I say just one thing? Homura: What? Madoka: ... I did want you to deny that I'm clumsy and slow, a little. Homura: (automatically) I'm sorry... Madoka: I knew it, you really do think that about me. Homura: Uh, um, well... (Madoka's emotion value increased 20 points)

Madoka Magica Portable: Homura's Sacrifice

Homura dies with a smile on her face and in Madoka's arms

In one of the alternate Homura routes of Madoka Magica Portable, Homura fights against Walpurgis Night by herself. The game subtext has a strong resonance to star-crossed lovers, with a sad bittersweet ending.

Prior to Walpurgis' arrival, Madoka begs Homura to take her along with her. Homura refuses, telling her that it would be safer if she stays in the shelter. Madoka then asks Homura to promise her that she will return safely, and that if she can't promise her that, then to come back with her to the shelter. Apparently, Madoka cares more about Homura's survival than she does about Walpurgis destroying the city. Homura reassures Madoka that she will be fine, and promises her that she will return alive to her. However, Homura's inner thoughts reveal that this is a lie and apologizes to Madoka for lying to her as it is an impossible promise to keep.

Homura finally defeats Walpurgis Night, but it comes with a cost, the fight against the Witch was too much for Homura and she knows that she is dying from her injuries. Madoka finds Homura as she lays mortally wounded. She wants Homura to get some medical help, but Homura begs Madoka to stay with her on her last moments. Homura tells Madoka that she finally won, that she was able to finally save Madoka. Homura confesses that she is very happy, after repeating endless cycles, her real wish was finally granted: to be able to change Madoka's fate. Madoka, in tears, tells Homura that it doesn't mean anything without Homura by her side. She understands that Homura has been protecting her all this time, she pleads to Homura to don't leave her, to don't leave her by herself.

Homura tells Madoka that it will be ok, that Madoka wont be alone since she has other important people in her life. Then Homura asks Madoka not to grieve so much, because it hurts her to see Madoka sad. Then on Homura's last words, she tells her that she is very glad to have Madoka there for her in her last moments, and thanks Madoka for letting Homura protect her like she always wished. Homura dies in Madoka's arms, with her last thoughts being that she got the wish she always wanted, she has no regrets nor doubts about sacrificing herself for Madoka. Homura dies with no regrets within her heart.

• There is a suspicion that there is a correlation between a magical girl dying while having regrets in their hearts, and becoming witches in the process. Since Homura died with no regrets in her heart, she never became a Witch. This implies that Homura's love for Madoka was able to overcome the transformation process and that she was sincere on saving the person she loved
• If Homura fails to defeat Walpurgis Night in this route, she becomes a witch

Stories and Legends Regarding the Red Spider Lily See: Homulilly

=Madoka Magica: The Battle Pentagram

Homura and Madoka's max level relationship scene.

• Madoka/Homura: "運命の人" -- "Person of Fate"
  • Youtube Video.
  • Transcript

Subtext in The Rebellion Story

If Madoka represents hope for Humanity (selfless love for many), then Homura represents her love for Madoka, (or selfish love for one). It is Homura's selfish love for Madoka that drives her to trap Madoka into a new reality to give her the happy life that Madoka denied to herself because of her noble sacrifice.

Some have interpreted Homura's action to that of Lucifer. According with the Islamic interpretation, Lucifer loved God but he refused to prostrate before Adam, an inferior and sinning creature not worthy of God's love. As a result Lucifer was evicted out of Heaven for his disobedience, because he loved God too much. Some would interpret Homura's actions as being driven by jealousy, and her attempt to turn magical girls away from Madoka is a way to monopolize Madoka's affection for herself. However, that is not the case, as Homura could have done just that by removing Sayaka, Kyoko, Mami, or anyone who could become a target of Madoka's affections or any attempt to monopolize her feelings for themselves. Instead, Homura allows their existence and their current friendship with her to keep Madoka happy. In addition, Homura admits to Madoka that one day they could become enemies to maintain Madoka's happiness. For Madoka's sake, Homura is risking any close bonds with her in order to protect Madoka's happiness. However, this does not mean Homura is acting selflessly. Rather, Homura is pursuing her desire to make Madoka happy at the expense of anything else, even if it means 'rebelling' against Madoka's will.

Previous interpretations of the Anime ending regarded the series' message to be interpreted as the triumph of Madoka's hope over the hopeless and despairing of the Mahou Shoujo system. However, "The Rebellion Story" seems to take a different meaningful approach to that ending. This new interpretation seems to suggest that instead of a hopeful ending it was actually a failure, a failure in part of Homura in trying to save Madoka, and her failure to make Madoka happy even if the end result was the complete alteration of the Mahou Shoujo System for the betterment of mankind. When Madoka became the embodiment of hope, the world was fine for most people, but it came at the cost of Madoka's freedom and happiness. To Homura this ending was not satisfactory once she realized the terrible cost, and it was only the beginning of her journey to save Madoka from her own noble sacrifice. She was trying to save Madoka from "her foolish self".

According with Shinbou, the Madoka inside Homura's world is the real Madoka, "who has lost her memories of becoming a god. She’s not a fake or Homura’s creation. What she says in the field of flowers is what she’s really feeling at the time. That scene may seem overly sentimental at first glance, but if you think of everything Homura does afterward, her feelings will come across more easily." If the flower bed scene really does involve the real Madoka with her real feelings, then that is the moment that Homura realizes that she must save Madoka from her foolish self.

The interesting part is that in the flower bed scene may have been Madoka's true feelings at the time, but we must also remember that that Madoka has no recollection of previous events. Would Madoka's feelings remained unchanged if she was aware of her past? Or would they differ if she had remembered why she became Ultima Madoka? According with Urobuchi, Madoka lost fragments of her memory, memories that were too inconvenient for Homura if Madoka remembered. To Urobuchi people are shaped by their memories, and this version of Madoka conveniently does not remember the awful past that drove her to make her noble sacrifice. We are seeing three different aspects of Madoka: The Madoka who has no memories of the past and who would never abandon her family and friends; the noble Madoka who became Ultimate Madoka that brought hope for the good of mankind; and the Madoka who moved to America who used to be Ultimate Madoka but now she is prisoner into an ideal happy world created by Homura. They are all the same person, and yet at the same time they are not.

In the flower bed scene Homura confesses to Madoka that she thought she was a figment of Homura's mind, yet Homura realized that she is the real Madoka. Homura takes Madoka's feelings at heart and she believes that she should have done more to stop her from being separated from her family and from those she loves. Homura knows that given the choice, Madoka would do the same noble sacrifice again to save the world no matter how difficult the choice. But thanks to Madoka's words, Homura is also reminded that Madoka loves her family and her friends a lot, and that given the choice she would never abandon them. These two conflicting messages are not a discrepancy but the result of Madoka's personality. Madoka is too kind to other people to ever think about hurting them intentionally or to voluntarily abandon them, yet too noble not to do the right thing in order to protect what is precious to her. Which is why Homura feels compelled to interfere to save Madoka once again. Homura wants to make Madoka's decision for her. Even if the feelings are coming from a Madoka who has no recollection of past events. Of course, we dont know if Homura is aware that the feelings coming from an amnesic Madoka would differ from Ultimate Madoka, yet it probably doesnt matter to Homura since the feelings are coming from the real Madoka, regardless if she remembers past events.

As a result we can agree that Homura's actions were driven by the flower bed event, but it is difficult to justify her actions based on a Madoka who has no recollection of past events.

Observations

Considering that Homura's mind created the dream world that she was trapped within (which is in fact her witch's barrier), it is safe to assume that the fantasy world she created reflected Homura's wishes, desires, and expectations. As a consequence we see that in the mind of Homura she made not only Sayaka and Kyoko friends, but she made them to live together. It is clear that in Homura's mind, she believes that these two belong together. Mami also had a companion given to her, in the form of Bebe--actually Nagisa Momoe in disguise--the Dessert Witch. This can be interpreted as Homura giving Mami a friend to be with, given how lonely Mami was previously and desperate wanting friends and a family to be with. The effect of having a good friend by her side had an incredibly positive effect on Mami, as seen in the movie itself--Mami lost all her negative self-esteem, her loneliness, and her issues, and became a very competent and strong fighter--it is safe to say she may have even become the strongest of the Puella Magi, without her crippling loneliness keeping her down, given she was even able to stand up to and confound Homura, of all people.

Another interesting observation is that in the witch's barrier, Homura assumes her original personality, instead of the cool and confident Homura image she had become over time. Since this was the image and person that met Madoka originally, this was likely an attempt to recreate their first meeting in more pleasant terms, and to fulfil their magical girl fantasy. The cool and confident Homura was too intimidating and demeaning towards Madoka, as seen in the anime, and Madoka wouldn't feel confident in saving and defending such a powerful personality. But since Moemura is more timid, more kinder and friendlier, and overall easier to approach, then she is the right personality to cement Homura's and Madoka's friendship--the one that deteriorated during the time loops of the anime, as Homura's personality gradually changed overtime.

Rebellion Trivia

15th Clara Doll, Ai (love), wearing a black dress. Ai represents Madoka, which is why she is wearing Madoka's magical girl outfit.

• Madoka is literally a prisoner of Homura's love.
• Homura becomes the opposite existence of Madoka.
  • The new entity known as Demon Homura is neither a magical girl nor a Witch. She is neither the product of hope/wish nor despair, she is the product of love.
    • But what type of love? Ai is described as the love that is always giving, and Koi the love that is always wanting. However, as Homura is acting out of her own desire to see Madoka happy, and is willing to rebel against Madoka's will to accomplish this, one cannot say her love is selfless.
    • Demon Homura is the product of selfish love, the opposite to Ultimate Madoka, the product of hope, which is usually associated with selfless love.
• The voice actresses in the film felt like Homura's feelings are very intense in the new movie.[2]
  • Miyamoto wasn't sure if she should actually say all of her lines when Homura had to confess her feelings to Madoka. She consulted Shinbou about it. They felt insecure about Homura's original confession line and came to the conclusion of altering her lines to what it is now on screen
  • Saitou thinks Homura's feelings are too intense to be just 'friendship' and perhaps even scary
  • Yuuki thinks Homura's feelings are selfish and possessive
  • Chiwa Saito outrightely suggests that Homura's feelings are romantic
• Homura's new earring looks suspiciously like the Lambda symbol, a symbol of LGBT rights

Trivia

"I love you Homura-chan!"

• Yurifans call Homura's affection for Madoka as the "Homulust".
  • Sometimes fans refer Homura's sexual orientation as being "Madosexual".
• This yuri pair is usually called HomuMado by fans, indicating Homura to be the dominant in the relationship and Madoka to be the submissive one. Sometimes fans of yuri create or see a role reversal on this pair, in which case the pair is labeled as MadoHomu or also known as the "Reverse Homulust".
• The premise of the story in Hanokage's comic in Puella Magi Madoka Magica Anthology is that Homura built a simulation game to interact with real life people and of course Homura uses it to interact with a virtual Madoka.
• Ume-tentei is not above adding yuri subtext in her Madoka doujin.
• The audio at the Movic Madoka Magica Exhibit has Madoka going homusexual for Moemura.
  • Apparently, the exhibit makes it sound like Madoka has a Meganekko fetish.
• Homura and Madoka take first place as a lesbian couple at the Megami reader's poll.
• In the Audio Commentary for Episode 7, Chiwa Saito said the following words, "I'm already... Madoka Love".
• In Madoka Magica Portable, when Madoka invites Homura to dinner with her family, her dad comments that Homura is beautiful as they were told by Madoka. Junko then mentions that Madoka has been talking a lot about Homura, Madoka gets embarrassed by this comment and tells her not to say such things in front of her friend
  • When Junko meets Homura, she states, "She looks and acts just like me when I was her age…"
    • Madoka's Questionare:

Do you have any marriage desires?

Madoka: "Would be nice if I can find a cool husband like [that resembles] my Mama..."

• On April 1, 2012 at the Nico Nico stream of the April 1st talk show, Chiwa Saito mentions that she ships Madoka and Homura, her fellow voice actors echo the same sentiment
• In the PSP game, Madoka with her low self-esteem tells Homura that she feels worthless. Homura slaps Madoka telling her, "Madoka, you're a clumsy and slow... and absolutely adorable magical girl! What else do you want?!". Making it into an awkward love confession.
  • Madoka was actually hoping Homura would deny Madoka's self-deprecating statement. Instead, Madoka confronts Homura that she sees her that way, which puts Homura in an awkward position.
• In the Mami route of the Madoka Magica Portable, glasses Homura tries to get closer to Madoka after being saved from a witch. Sayaka and Mami start to notice how close glasses Homura and Madoka are getting, so much so that they look adorable. This makes Sayaka and Mami jealous of them. Homura can only think about how wonderful and cool Madoka is
  • Sayaka is so jealous, that she even turned down an offer from Kyosuke to walk home together, or have lunch with him
    • Even Hitomi thinks there is something going on when she sees Madoka getting closer to Homura. After mentioning the possibility of "forbidden love" between girls, Hitomi adds that she thought Madoka had a forbidden relationship with Sayaka, but now Madoka was having an illicit relationship with Homura after they just met, "Is this what they call a love triangle?!"
• There is a role reversal in the game where magical girl Madoka becomes the stalker to human glasses Homura.
  • The first day when Homura arrives at school, Madoka keeps looking for Homura, even following her to the roof. Every time Madoka sees Homura, she wants to take her to the nurse's office.
    • Homura is too self-conscious and doesn't want to project the idea that she is helpless, so she keeps turning down Madoka's offer, but this doesn't deter Madoka's will. In fact, it only encourages Madoka to keep trying as she cannot leave Homura alone.
  • Homura is so attached to Madoka that she wants to join her on her hunt for witches as a human, she even decides to buy a golf club so Madoka doesn't have to worry about Homura's safety so Madoka can concentrate on her own fights.
    • Kyubey notices that Homura and Madoka are very close to each other. With Homura at Madoka's side, Madoka is more determined to become stronger as a magical girl so she can protect Homura. This is a huge role reversal from the original series.
      • If Homura learns the truth about witches before she contracts, she would still desire to save Madoka knowing full well the consequences. It demonstrates a strong devotion that Homura has for Madoka.
• In [Madoka Magica Portable Sayaka Route|Sayaka's route]], Homura tells Madoka that she enjoys spending time with her while making bombs with Madoka's help. Homura realizes that it is strange that she is having fun while the two of them are doing something so dangerous like making bombs. Madoka refutes her, telling her it is not weird at all and that she considers Homura to be more than a classmate, to Madoka she is an important friend
• On the day when all the girls are fighting against Walpurgis, when Madoka shows up, Homura would tells her that they are all fighting to protect everyone. However, Homura adds that she is personally fighting to protect Madoka. This is how everyone's response is in the game:

Mami: !!

Sayaka: !!

Kyoko: !!

• • The only one who isn't showing a response is Madoka as she already knew
    • Then Homura adds that she wouldn't know what to fight for if Madoka died
• In the Madoka Magica Drama CD 4: Summer Magical Girl Training Camp!!, Sayaka asks Madoka if there is someone she likes. Homura shows a suspicious interest to Madoka's response
• From an interview with Gen Urobuchi (see below in the Other section for more details):

Q: Is Homura in love with Madoka?

A: Probably.

• In another interview, Urobuchi revealed that Madoka Magica was started and revolved around the concept "where Homura saves Madoka". This concept may or may not include homosexual subtext
• From the Limited Edition Exhibition Booklet from Special Rebellion Screening Aoi Yuuki says: "No matter what form you take, Homura-chan is Homura-chan. Falling in love wirh with someone is wonderful, so don't call yourself the devil. I love you."
  • Madoka responds that it would be nice to have someone to like in the future, which means no.
    • Homura: "Oh I see."
• "Luminous" has become a slang term that refers to the cheek-rubbing scene from the movie's opening--whose song is titled ルミナス "Ruminasu"/"Luminous"
  • The cheek-rubbing scene is tagged as (っ´ω`(´ω`c)ﾙﾐﾅｽ on pixiv. Those last 4 characters are ル=ru, ミ=mi, ナ=na, ス=su. ルミナス "Ruminasu"="Luminous"

Gallery

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  Madoka and Homura in the movie opening

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  Madoka hugs Homura after she defeats Patricia in Episode 10

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  Homura hugs Madoka from Episode 11

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  Madoka plaits Homura's hair in Rebellion

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  Sayaka suggests the two are lovers from another life

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  Homura and Madoka from the Nitro+ Novel

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  On the manga cover, volume 3

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  From the Guidebook. Reaction to the "confession" scene

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  On the cover of the Guidebook

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  Card reads: "Dear Kaname Madoka."
  "...."
  by Homura.
  
  The red circle says, "What Saitou Chiwa-san imagined Homura's Valentine's message would be" and the card underneath reads, "She's the type to overthink it and end up unable to properly say what she wants to say (laugh)."

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  NewType magazine, Feb 2012 issue, "I'm always waiting for you."'

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  Ume Aoki illustration

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  Homura gives Madoka Valentine's Chocolates from Madoka Magica Mobage. Note, Valentines is less romantic in Japanese culture

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  Lines fromMadoka Magica Mobage

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  From The Battle Pentagram

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  From Madoka Magica Portable

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  Limited edition exhibition booklet "I love you Homura-chan!"

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  From the Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone".

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Kyoko and Sayaka

"Don't worry, Sayaka."
"It's lonely being by yourself."
"It's fine. I'll stay by your side, Sayaka." - Kyoko Sakura dying with Sayaka Miki in Episode 9

The ship of Kyoko and Sayaka is a popular one, however, the homosexual subtext mostly comes from Kyoko, making it one-sided. While it is officially recognised 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.

Many fans point out that the reason these two are paired up together is because of their opposing personalities. Sayaka and Kyoko differ not only philosophically but their personalities are bound to cause clashes; yet they are not that dissimilar once you study these characters. Sayaka is an idealist who pursues the path of a hero of justice, she wants to emulate Mami as an example of an ideal Puella Magi. To Sayaka the gift of being a Puella Magi was something sacred to be used for good only and not for selfish acts. Kyoko on the other hand is more of a rogue who would only use her powers to satiate her base desires. Kyoko scoffs at the idea of using her powers to help others, instead she believes a Puella Magi should only help herself (even at the expense of others). To Kyoko there are no rules except her own.

This unlikely pair started out as enemies and Kyoko was close on killing Sayaka, but as the story progressed it was Kyoko who took the first step to close their gap of distrust. Kyoko even went so far as to explain to Sayaka her painful past and to why she believes Sayaka is making a mistake with her life. But Sayaka refuses Kyoko's advice and subtly proclaims she will be a better Puella Magi than her, that she will still follow a righteous path. Sayaka's arrogance at first seems to anger Kyoko (it is not known if she is angry at Sayaka, at herself, or both) but this doesn't stop her from continually pursuing Sayaka to stop her from furthering her mistakes. (Some fans like to suggest that this moment would have alienated any other character from trying to pursue a friendship with Sayaka, yet it seems to have an opposite effect with Kyoko).

Soon the roles are reversed in Episode 8 and 9. Sayaka finally admits that deep down she was no different from others, that she had selfish desires that were never fulfilled and that she regrets her decision on becoming a Puella Magi (like the love of a boy that went unfulfilled, or the jealous regret of saving a friend's life). She starts to see society as a selfish group who would only exploit others with no remorse for those who suffer. Sayaka finally understands that her decision brought nothing but unhappiness and regrets on her part. Betrayed by the world and by her ideals she soon falls into despair and darkness. It is because of this event that Kyoko soon starts to reveal a different side of her.

With the loss of Sayaka, Kyoko starts to reclaim her older self. She admits to Madoka that there was a time she used to idealize stories of love, friendship, and courage but she abandoned those ideals when she lost her family. After seeing Sayaka's despair, Kyoko decides that she wants to save her and get the old Sayaka back. Kyoko was putting her faith on romantic ideals, a move that many would like to point out as being irrational and dangerous (even Kyubey agrees such a notion is illogical). Once Kyoko realizes that there is no way to save Sayaka, she decides to sacrifice her life so they could both be together. That way Sayaka wont be alone anymore. There is a division among fans regarding Kyoko's decision to die with Sayaka. There are those who say Kyoko did it as an act of love (the tragic yuri pair or maybe an act of friendship), others say Kyoko knew that even if she did survive it would only be a matter of time before she became a witch so she wanted to end her life her own way (a self sacrifice with practical motives). However, the reason that Kyoko would give up her own life to avoid becoming a witch looks a little unstable, as there is a scene in the episode where what appears to be the souls of both girls, colored respectively in blue and red, embracing each other tenderly before disappearing for good. By this logic, it is unlikely that Kyoko will make one last attempt to reach out to Sayaka before they both faded away if she never saw Sayaka as someone who is more than just a friend, and that the only purpose of her death was to escape her eventual fate of being a Puella Magi.

To fans that support this relationship, the reason that they find this pair strong and attractive is because they want Sayaka to be with someone who can love her and protect her. Kyoko was the only character who understood Sayaka's true nature (and her pain) since Kyoko admitted to her that she saw a fragment of herself in Sayaka. Kyoko was also the only one who chased after her to the bitter end, no matter the obstacles or how obstinate Sayaka was, Kyoko was still there for her. Last but not least, another strong indicator of Kyoko's feelings for Sayaka is shown in the last episode of the anime, where she is the only one who takes Sayaka's death the most personally, in spite of trying to brush it off as simply because they 'finally had a chance to become friends'. Kyoko fits the perfect role as Sayaka's protector and savior.

The relationship between Kyoko and Sayaka may have not been accidental or a tease but created to heighten emotional investments by the viewers. It is possible that this was part of the creator's intention to emotionally move groups of hardcore fans who support a Sayaka/Kyoko pairing, thus making their demise in Episode 9 more tragic (or as fans put it a "Yuri Tragedy" ending).

The Melusine Legend and Kyoko's Soul Gem

There is a Melusine legend that indicates that "a Melusina surfaces briefly every seven years as a beautiful woman or as a serpent, holding a small golden key in her mouth. Whoever takes the key from her will set her free and may claim her as his bride." In Episode 9, Kyoko undoes her hair and then uses her hairpin to pray, it is uncertain but it seems that her Soul Gem and her hairpin were fused together to create a new hairpin with a shape that resembles that of her father's religious symbol. After Kyoko's prayer she kisses the newly formed hairpin and tosses it into the air (before she destroys it with her spear), maybe as an offering to Sayaka to free her from her Witch form by sacrificing Kyoko's soul. The shape of the normal hairpin and of the Soul Gem fused hairpin looks like of a golden key. Sayaka's witch form could also be a reference to the Little Mermaid story.

The Legend of Unicorns and Magical Horns

During the Blu-ray version of Episode 9, there were wind-chimes depicting a Mermaid and a Unicorn. The unicorn is considered to be a wild, powerful, temperamental beast that could only be tamed by a maiden. A unicorn's horn is said to have the power to cleanse poisoned water and heal sickness. Another of its magical properties is the ability to lift curses and break illusions. It is suspected that Kyoko is compared to the unicorn because of its characteristics as well as the horn's magical properties. Both Kyoko and the unicorn are wild and temperamental creatures, free to roam and do whatever they want. Kyoko at one time had the power of illusion as well as the ability to break them ("shining light on illusions", according to a magazine article). The Unicorn's magical properties resides within its horn, and Kyoko's magical weapon is a spear. Fans speculate that Kyoko's spear could be a reference to a unicorn's horn. Another comparison is Kyoko's attempt to break Sayaka's curse during Episode 9. Since a unicorn's horn can magically cleanse poisoned water and the mermaid has connotation to the elements of water (in this case, the elements of water corrupted by the witch form), it could be interpreted as her attempt to purify its element back to its original form (in this case turn Sayaka back to normal). It is suggested that Sayaka is the maiden because she was the only one who was able to "tame" Kyoko. As Kyoko explained before, the only reason she got close to Sayaka was because Sayaka's idealism reminded Kyoko of her innocent, naive yet idealistic self.

The Unicorn symbolism seems to be implied in the Puella Magi Madoka Magica Portable game. See Ophelia.

Manga Differences

In the anime, when Kyoko dies in the explosion, it is the end of her story. However, in the manga, after Kyoko dies, we are presented with an image of Sayaka's back as she is sitting on the floor, presumably waiting for someone. Kyoko approaches Sayaka from behind her with an Umaibō in hand as a sign that Kyoko wants to start all over again with Sayaka (the same way she did with Madoka; and perhaps redo her offering of food in Episode 8). But Sayaka, wearing a mischievous expression, instead grabs Kyoko's hand and pulls her down with her. This has been interpreted as Sayaka accepting Kyoko's affection for her.

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  Kyoko finally understands what is like to protect someone precious to her

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  Several changes were made to this scene, yet the emotional impact remains the same

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  The new scene

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  Reunited

Subtext in The Rebellion Story

At the beginning of The Rebellion Story movie, Sayaka and Kyoko are shown to be Madoka's classmates, and it's later revealed that Kyoko is staying at Sayaka's place. The girls have a much friendlier relationship. They also fight as a team together in battles. Unfortunately, this world is an illusion created by a witch's barrier. Interestingly, it's revealed to be Homura's witch barrier, which suggests that on some level Homura wants Sayaka and Kyoko to be together.

Later on it's revealed that Sayaka came back from the Law of Cycles, and she is implied to have memories from previous timelines. This suggests that she has become aware of how much Kyoko cared for her, and how upset Kyoko became when she turned into a witch or vanished. (This creates an interesting parallel with Madoka and Homura's relationship - Sayaka could only understand Kyoko's feelings when she became part of the Law of Cycles, just as Madoka could only understand Homura's feelings when she became the Law of Cycles itself.) During the battle against Homulilly, Kyoko rescues Sayaka from a familiar, and she seems upset when she says that she remembered Sayaka was supposed to be dead. Sayaka comforts Kyoko and admits that while she thought she had no regrets when she died, it turned out she had one: Leaving Kyoko behind. They share a moment holding hands before Nagisa ruins it, much to Sayaka's displeasure. Kyoko seems to shed a single tear on her spear before she and Sayaka fight together against Homulilly's familiars. Later, Sayaka's witch Oktavia is shown fighting with Kyoko's spear, a clear indication of the bond between the two. After the battle finishes and Homulilly's barrier vanishes, Kyoko is shown to be unhappy that Sayaka has vanished again.

At the end of the movie Homura creates a new universe where all the girls live happy lives. One of the scenes at the end of the movie has Sayaka and Kyoko enjoying a box of pocky together.

Ultimately, Rebellion shows that Sayaka is now aware of Kyoko's feelings for her, whatever they may be, and to some extent she returns those feelings. At the very least, Kyoko and Sayaka have become friends who don't want to be separated again. Rebellion also shows that Kyoko and Sayaka would have become close friends under different circumstances.

Subtext in Madoka Magica Portable

In all of the routes where Sayaka could possibly be saved from becoming a witch, the only way to do so would be having Kyoko to talk some sense into her. That being said, there are also scenarios in the game wherein there is no way for Sayaka to be saved (Kyoko route). (Kyoko takes Sayaka's deaths in both her and Homura's route very heavily; much more than the other girls do, which is a strong indicator of how much Kyoko cares for her. More to be elaborated on afterwards.)

The Sayaka route

In the Sayaka route, it would require Kyoko to find Sayaka's soul gem on time without any excessive feel points on Sayaka's part in order to save Sayaka from becoming a witch or attaining either the bad end or the neutral end. After this, Sayaka is near to running away from Mitakihara until she bumps into Kyoko in the viewing platform. Therein does she cry in Kyoko's arms (similar to the Madoka-Sayaka scene in episode 7 outside Sayaka's apartment complex.) and sobs her frustrations out while Kyoko listens intently. Afterwards, Kyoko states that Sayaka is not as much of an idiot as she thinks, because if she was, then Kyoko would be a double idiot. (Ironic, considering how many times Kyoko refers to Sayaka as an idiot.)

Kyoko then begins to explain her painful past to Sayaka, which then Sayaka responds with by saying that Kyoko had noble intentions and was an outstanding magical girl. Kyoko tells Sayaka that when she saw her fight so single-mindedly for others, she remembered her past self, and that she knew that Sayaka was an outstanding magical girl of justice. Sayaka laments her lack of strength, and admits to Kyoko that she's simply too weak for anyone to need her.

This prompts Kyoko to vigorously encourage her to fight for what she wished for ; and even more importantly, to tell Sayaka that Kyoko needed her, and that she wanted to team up together and fight alongside her. That despite what Sayaka thought, Kyoko needed Sayaka. Upon this, a touched Sayaka sheds some tears which causes Kyoko to panic and ask her if she said something wrong to make her cry. Sayaka tells Kyoko that the reason she's crying is not because she's sad, but because she's so happy. Sayaka's FEEL points drop by 300 - a great amount - and they go fight a witch together.

Afterwards, Kyoko resolves to leave Mitakihara, much to a protesting and sad Sayaka. Kyoko decides to leave after making the choice to become a magical girl of justice once again because of Sayaka, and in order to do that, she would have to go back to Kazamino to protect the people she abandoned. Sayaka is not happy with this, telling Kyoko to "Never joke about leaving me!", and "Without you... I...". Kyoko tells Sayaka to not make a sad face, and that she was not lying about what she said before; that she needed Sayaka. She tells Sayaka to call her whenever she needed to, and that they'd meet again. Before she leaves, Kyoko reluctantly asks to confirm if they were friends, with a tearful Sayaka confirming her statement saying "Yeah... We're friends... Precious friends..."

Ultimately, this shows the newfound bond between the two, and how much Kyoko could change Sayaka in the way that Sayaka changes Kyoko. This absolutely reveals how much Kyoko truly needed her, and how sad Sayaka would be if Kyoko were to leave her side. This also shows how close they could have been, and to what extent Sayaka could reciprocate Kyoko's feelings before she would inevitably kick the bucket. Interestingly, this is the only route (and only timeline!) we are shown wherein Sayaka somewhat reciprocates Kyoko's feelings. Thought she is obviously not fully aware as to what extent Kyoko's feelings could go as Kyoko only ever reveals these feelings once Sayaka is dead (See Kyoko's sacrifice in the anime series, Kyoko's route and Homura's route), she, to some degree, is now aware of Kyoko's need and longing for her to be saved.

The Kyoko Route

The Kyoko route focuses a lot on Kyoko, Sayaka and Mami. There is a lot of Kyosaya context within it, that even her route name "The only hope I had left" is referring to Sayaka herself. However, the top 3 most prominent scenes are the only ones to be discussed below.

Kyoko explains her past to Sayaka:

Kyoko brings Sayaka to her cathedral. After a long, very detailed explanation of Kyoko's past, she opens up to Sayaka and painfully tells her that she couldn't stand watching her in the state that she was in any longer. Kyoko states that she wants Sayaka to live, and then asks Sayaka if she wanted to fight alongside her. She also says that she didn't mean to brag, but she was strong, and that there were many things she could teach Sayaka.

In this very intimate side of Kyoko, she obliges Sayaka, and says; "Let's live together! Let's live out the rest of our selfish lives together! Huh... that sounded kinda weird... haha..."

Like usual, Sayaka rejects her invitation and leaves,much to Kyoko's dismay, but not without telling her that she was happy that she asked her to be friends with her. Before Sayaka leaves, she mentions that she'll continue fighting for others, and especially, enough to make up for Kyoko's share. This throws Kyoko off, and makes her even more emotional than before.

Kyoko becomes depressed, lamenting over being spurned by Sayaka, saying that her chest hurts and that it has been a long time since she has felt loneliness. This is extremely important, meaning that she didn't know how true, potential company felt like until she met Sayaka; that when Sayaka left, she felt lonely after the longest time of not being able to feel such; despite being in (the now deceased) Mami's company. This scene is another very strong indicator of Kyoko's feelings for Sayaka.

Kyoko's route Good End;

In the Good Ending, when Oktavia is killed by Homura, Kyoko is furious, and wants to kill her. Madoka stops her, saying that Sayaka wouldn't want for her to do that. Kyoko is taken aback, and realizes that she should stay alive and keep hoping. Homura snidely remarks that it was a wise choice for her to make, with Kyoko retorting back at her, telling her to shut up because she was only doing it for Sayaka and Sayaka only.

Later on when Kyoko is torn whether to help Homura fight Walpurgisnacht, she fondly remembers Sayaka and their conversation in the Sakura Cathedral. She then says that Sayaka shouldered too much curses for Kyoko's sake, and because of that, she'll fight for her, and never lose hope because of her. Kyoko helps Homura in defeating Walpurgisnacht, but is killed on the spot by Krimhield Gretchen instead. This shows Kyoko's willingness to fight for Sayaka. Alongside other scenes (especially the scene in Homura's route), it is a fact that for sure; Kyoko's reason to fight is Sayaka.

Kyoko's route Bad End;

On much heavier events, Kyoko has a mental breakdown after Homura kills Oktavia. Kyoko screams at her, telling her that she had given up on just about everything, but saw Sayaka as the last and only hope that she had left. (The title of Kyoko's route. Now that really is just depressing.) She tells Homura that Sayaka was a glimmering sliver of hope, which Kyoko got envious of and proceeds to accuse Homura of killing.

Kyoko goes crazy and starts laughing at how stupid she acted and how she had nothing to hope for anymore. This proceeds to her final meltdown, crying while narrating all of the crap she has gone through, before arriving at Sayaka, and then claiming that by Sayaka's disappearance from the world, there is nothing left for her. With Sayaka gone, there's nothing at all left for Kyoko.

Kyoko lets out blood curdling screams, before saying that she'd damn it all and curse every last thing in this world, screaming her last words, calling everyone bastards, before becoming a witch.

Even further subtext is the fact that whatever appears in a witch's barrier is of relevance to whatever has been in the life of the magical girl before she had become a witch. (Orchestra and Kyosuke in Oktavia's barrier, Maid-Kyoko and Maid-Madoka in Candeloro's barrier, sweets in Charlotte's barrier, etc.)

In Ophelia's (Kyoko's witch form) barrier, there are long strings of blue musical notes and plenty of fish swimming around the barrier, a very obvious reference to Sayaka. She is also fought in a narrow space, reminiscent of the alley where both Sayaka and Kyoko first fought. Ophelia's witch kiss is also coloured in with red and blue, Kyoko and Sayaka's colors respectively.

This reveals how much of an impact Sayaka has on her. She didn't turn into a witch when her wish backfired on her, or when she separated with Mami, or when she spent a lot of her time alone. She turned into a witch because of Sayaka, a girl she barely knew for a month, but a girl she cared for so deeply that she'd drop everything in order to save her.

Homura's route, Homura follows Kyoko and Madoka to Oktavia's barrier;

This is probably one of the, if not the strongest indicator of Kyoko's feelings for Sayaka. In this scene, Kyoko is more gentle with Homura after Oktavia is defeated. More than anything, Kyoko does not have a violent meltdown, but an extremely heart wrenching emotional breakdown. She feels depressed and guilty over not being able to save Sayaka, and she shows this through her continuous sobbing throughout the scene.

Below is a fan translated transcript of the scene.

Kyouko: That... must have been so painful for Sayaka to go through... huh...

Kyouko: mm...nn..ngh.. uwaaaaaa-haaaaaaa! (translator's note; she is crying. quite violently.)

Kyouko: Sayakaaaa! I'm sorry... I couldn't save you...

Kyouko: Just by that one blow... Sayaka got killed... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...

Kyouko: uwaaaa-haaaaaaaaaaaa! (translator's note; she's still crying.)

Madoka: Kyoko-chan... It's okay... It's been done...

Madoka: I'm sure... Sayaka-chan would definitely understand your feelings for her...

Madoka: That's why...okay?

Kyouko: ...I...*heave* I...

Kyouko: I... I even put her best friend in danger...!

Homura: But it's all over now

Homura: By that action, Sayaka is now free of her suffering.

Kyouko: I guess. But even so... I...

Kyouko: I wanted to protect her. I thought that from the bottom of my heart.

Kyouko: By meeting her, I...

Kyouko: I thought I could regain my mind... my dreams... and my heart...

Kyouko: She was... my only... heart's anchor...

Kyouko: But now, Sayaka isn't even here in this world anymore!

Kyouko: Just.. what am I supposed to fight for now...?!

Homura: Sakura-san...

Kyouko: Homura, you still have someone you want to protect, right?

Homura: Yes.

Kyouko: Then protect them even until they die!

Kyouko: Whatever dreams I couldn't fulfill... Homura! You need to fulfill them!

Kyouko: I am...I am...*heave* Sorry. I'll go cool my head off.

Homura: ...

Kyouko: I can't think of anything else anymore.

Kyouko: Don't worry about me. The only person you have to worry about is yourself.

Kyouko: I'm so bitter. But right now...just... let me be alone.

Kyouko breaks down after Homura kills Oktavia (Homura Route)

Kyouko states several things which are strong indicators of what exactly she feels for Sayaka.

• She wanted to protect Sayaka from the bottom of her heart
• She thought that by meeting Sayaka, she could regain her mind, her dreams and her heart
• She knew that Sayaka was her hearts only anchor

With this, we could conclude that Sayaka means a lot to Kyoko, that she'd even go so far as to question why she's fighting if Sayaka isn't there for her to fight for.For Kyouko to be able to show this side of her to both Homura and Madoka takes some guts, strong feelings, and a lot of trauma.

Trivia

• In the anime, Sayaka never uses the honorific "-chan" when referring to anyone. However in Portable, Sayaka uses "-chan" occasionally to refer to herself and Kyoko
• The double-suicide is considered typical in romantic endings for two tragic lovers in Japanese storytelling
• The duet character song "And I'm Home", Kyoko and Sayaka's song, may have a romantic meaning
• Kyoko addresses Sayaka by her first name only from Episode 8 and afterwards. Some suggest this is an indication of how important Sayaka is to Kyoko
  • However, it should also be noted that this period of time is when Sayaka is at her worst mental state--as she is near to becoming a witch--or dead/turned into a witch. This means Kyoko's name addressing may have other implications
• Chiwa Saito (Homura) confesses that when she saw Kyouko's sacrifice scene with Aoi Yuuki (Madoka) and Emiri Kato (Kyubey), they all cried. They found the scene moving

Gallery

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  This image, according to Otona Anime, means Kyoko wants to save Sayaka but finally is in vain, represented by the blue breaking down when the red touches it

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  There seems to be a connection between the Melusine legend and Kyoko's hairpin/soul gem and her father's religious symbol

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  Kyoko as an unicorn and Sayaka as a mermaid, symbolically represented in wind-chimes

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  From Madoka Magica Portable

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  In Rebellion

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  From the ending of Rebellion

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  Blu-Ray cover, volume 4

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  Manga cover, volume 2

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  NitroPlus Novel art

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  From the manga

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  From Volume 5 of the Blu-Ray by Ume Aoki. Also appears in the movie version of Episode 9

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  Megami poster

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  Sayaka's horrible fortune from Madoka Magica Mobage It's not good to be alone

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  NyanType 2012-04

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  The witch kiss of Ophelia, Kyoko's witch, has the colours of Kyoko and Sayaka

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  From Madoka Magica Portable

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  Oktavia, Sayaka's witch, with Kyoko's spear

Madoka and Sayaka

"You're cute, but I won't let you become popular with the guys. You're going to be my wife!" - Sayaka in Episode 1.

In the Episode 1, Sayaka says that she will make Madoka her wife. After watching them communicate telepathically in Episode 2, Hitomi thinks that they are communicating simply through eye contact and must have become a couple, which she calls forbidden love. The two maintain a close friendship for most of the series. Sayaka is often seen holding Madoka or protecting her when in danger. This happens in Episode 1 when they're ambushed by Anthony, in Episode 2 when Homura speaks to them on the roof and in Episode 3 when Mami is killed.

In the Different Story, it is revealed that Madoka and Sayaka have been extremely close friends since elementary, and Sayaka usually protected Madoka from bullies and other mean people. Madoka and Sayaka were also a very close friend pairing before Hitomi came in, and even after they still remain fairly close. Scenes from the opening and movie opening show Sayaka and Madoka (and Hitomi) together.

The light novel, "Puella Magi Madoka☆Magica NitroPlus Novel", explores Madoka's early childhood and her first encounter with a tomboyish Sayaka.

Madoka Magica: The Battle Pentagram

Madoka and Sayaka's max level relationship scene.

• Madoka/Sayaka: ”運命共同体” -- "Those With a Shared Destiny"
  • YouTube Video.

Gallery

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  Sayaka teases Madoka

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  Madoka cries over Sayaka's corpse

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  Art from the light novel

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  Magazine art

Kyoko and Madoka

"I've always followed behind, never been useful for anything. But please, take me with you." — Madoka Kaname

(smiling) "You're a really weird girl." — Kyoko Sakura

In the Anime

In the little time Kyoko and Madoka interacted in the anime, they both were on good terms. Kyoko expressed concern for Madoka's safety and well being, and she tells her that she should not become a magical girl as she already has a perfect life. During their interaction Madoka shared her food with Kyoko as a way to bond with each other, considering how much Kyoko loves to eat. In the battle against Oktavia, Kyoko constantly protects Madoka against her attacks, expressing distress over Madoka's safety when endangered. This enrages Kyoko, and she eventually sacrifices her own life to save Madoka. Kyoko is also motivated to help Sayaka, because Madoka is concerned with Sayaka's well being, even thought Kyoko and Sayaka were on bad terms. Kyoko even goes so far as bringing Sayaka's lifeless body to Madoka after she became a Witch, and is seen showing a painful expression on her face when Madoka comes running, suggesting she does not wish to see Madoka's grief at the loss of her best friend. (Notably, Kyoko yelled at Homura for being so cold and callous over the situation).

Given Momo's resemblance to Madoka (both being small, young-looking, with pink hair and twin-tails, and also wearing pink clothes), it is also possible that some of Kyoko's feelings towards Madoka can be interpreted as Kyoko's feelings being projected to her dead little sister, which would mean a platonic relationship instead of a romantic one. Kyoko is actually projecting her feelings to someone who resembles her dead sibling, as a result Kyoko is trying to stop Madoka from becoming a magical girl so she doesn't suffer the same twisted fate that Kyoko went through.

Also, when Madoka offers Kyoko her hand to shake, Kyoko laughs and instead gives her a candy bar. At first this seems like Kyoko being... Kyoko, but when you consider Kyoko's attitude towards food you will realise that that giving Madoka that candy bar was Kyoko showing Madoka that she had her deepest respect.

In The Different Story

In The Different Story, after Kyoko's death, Madoka visits Mami's place. Madoka confesses to her that she met Kyoko a few days earlier, and became friends sharing many conversations, secrets, and fears.

Madoka tells Mami that the reason Kyoko left Mami's side was because she was afraid that the two of them could never reconcile for what happened. Kyoko admitted that she should have been happy for Mami for finding new friends, but instead they just bickered because of their ideological differences, just as she feared. Kyoko had told Madoka that she regrets her choice of words, but she believes that it is too late to mend their relationship. However, she promises to Madoka that she would check on Mami and Sayaka if anything ever happens to them.

Gallery

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  In Oktavia's labyrinth

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  From Madoka Magica Portable

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  From The Battle Pentagram

Madoka and Mami

In Episode 3, Madoka tells Mami that she wants to become a magical girl because of her admiration of Mami (admiration of an older sister figure is very common in yuri-themed works). Mami discourages her at her first, saying that she is not someone to admire because despite her trying to appear as a strong mentor, she is weak and lonely. When Madoka tells her that she will stay by her side, Mami is brought to tears. The two hold hands and face each other, and Madoka tells Mami that she really will stay with Mami and fight together with her. During the battle with the witch afterward, Mami states in her internal monologue that she has never been happier while fighting before, and that she no longer has any fears, no doubt due to joy from Madoka's confession. This attitude combined with overconfidence ultimately leads to Mami's untimely demise, but nonetheless many fans saw Madoka's confession and Mami's reaction as evidence of romantic feelings between the two girls.

In the first timeline of episode 10, Mami and Madoka fight as a pair and rescue Homura. Some fans believe that, because Madoka was already close with Mami before meeting Homura, Mami and Madoka were a couple in that timeline. It is revealed in Madoka Magica Portable that in one of the timelines Mami died because she protected Madoka from an attack of Walpurgisnacht.

Trivia

• In Mami's route, Mami saves Madoka from Gertrud. Madoka becomes a magical girl and returns the favour by saving Mami from Charlotte
  • Mami starts getting jealous that Madoka spends more time with Homura than her. Her jealousy is expressed in the form of depression that affects the mood of the scene when it happens. When Madoka drops by Mami's class, she gives Mami a pound cake that she made as a thank you for having her on Mami's tea parties. When Madoka mentions that Homura was involved in the making of the cake, the music stops and the mood changes, so much so that Mami's jealousy festers with dark thoughts

Gallery

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  Mami reveals her true feelings to Madoka

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  From Madoka Magica Portable

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  Mami protects Madoka from an attack from Walpurgisnacht

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  Artwork from NyanType magazine, March 2011 issue

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  Blu-Ray cover, volume 2

Kyoko and Mami

The Farewell Story

"Thank you, Mami-san. Please take care of me!" - Kyoko Sakura, Drama CD 3.

"I already told you. I have no intention of using my magic for anyone else’s sake. That’s why we can’t fight witches or familiars together. But… If something were to happen to you, you would still share a grief seed with me. I can’t stand the thought of abusing your kindness." - Kyoko Sakura, Drama CD 3.

"I’m not your enemy! After all… After all, you were… the first magical girl who shared the same ideals as I did!" - Mami Tomoe, Drama CD 3.

In Drama CD 3, titled The Farewell Story, Mami and Kyoko's first meeting is detailed. The two fought witches together, and Kyoko even introduced Mami to her family. Their early relationship could be described as between a senpai and kōhai (as Kyoko and Mami themselves describe it).

After Kyoko's family tragedy she tries to leave Mitakihara, intending to work alone. She had lost her "Rosso Phantasma" ability (named by Mami), and got injured by a witch. Mami, worried about Kyoko, doesn't want her to leave, as she had grown very attached to the younger girl. But Kyoko refuses to listen to her so they both end up fighting each other and Kyoko wins. Kyoko warns Mami that she won't be merciful next time; she leaves while Mami cries over her loss realizing that she is alone once again. Before Kyoko leaves, she reassures Mami that she will meet other girls who are suited to her expectations.

In the anime timeline, they never meet again. Kyoko only returns to Mitakihara after Mami's passing, which may imply that she regretted her past actions and wished to avoid another confrontation with her former senpai by entering her territory again.

Some fans suspect that the reason Kyoko fought with Mami was so she could end her relationship with her early, before it turned ugly. It is indicated by Kyoko that if they continued to stay together, they would only fight and bicker with each other because of their differences in their beliefs, and perhaps end up hating each other in the process. Others suspect that because Kyoko lost her secondary power, she feared that she would be putting Mami at risk, so she didn't want to become a burden. Perhaps Kyoko was afraid that Mami would also end up dead because of her, just like her family was.

Fans suspect that Mami's interaction as a senpai with Sayaka and Madoka was a bit distant, and that Mami might still have carried the lingering memory that she shared with Kyoko and feared it would become painful if she got too close with her new kôhai. Another possibility is that Mami feared she would be alone again once Madoka and Sayaka saw how difficult the world of a Puella Magi was; or maybe Mami was still hopeful that Kyoko would come back to her.

The Different Story

"I guess I was never anything more than your senpai, but I always wanted to be your friend, not some distant person." - Mami Tomoe, Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story

"I think I see you a little differently than I would see a friend..." - Kyoko Sakura about Mami Tomoe, Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story

Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story further explores their relationship in a different timeline, the tragic events from the Drama CD, "Farewell Story" are the same, but the manga adds further information to their backstory, making their relationship and their quarrel even more tragic. Both of them lost their family and both of them are alone/lonely, yet because of their ideological differences, both of them think they will never be able to reconcile and be friends again. Mami is afraid that she will be betrayed and abandoned by those that she get close to, and Kyoko thinks that she will be hated and never be forgiven for her sins. The two of them think their views are irreconcilable with each other and would only cause pain, so they avoid each other's territory.

Mami confesses to Kyoko that she always wanted to be more than just a senpai to her, but she never had the courage to get closer to Kyoko. Then Mami begs Kyoko to finish her off before she becomes a witch, but Kouko refuses. Kyoko confesses to Mami on how Mami saved her from her own despair, without Mami's help and her friendship Kyouko thinks she would have become a witch long ago. Kyoko tells her that their relationship goes beyond that of a senpai and a kōhai, to Kyoko, Mami is her 'big sister' and she thinks of Mami as being part of her family. Kyoko then admits to Mami that the real reason she came to town was to check on her to make sure she would be happy with the new magical girls.

It is speculated that the reason Kyoko was unhappy is that Kyoko was worried that Mami's beliefs would only hurt her and Sayaka, while others suspect that Kyoko was just jealous that she found a new magical girl to work with. When Kyuoko goes to confront Oktavia, Mami asks Kyoko to swear to her that she would never leave her again. Kyoko gives Mami her ribbon and her hair-pin, letting her hair down and swearing that she would not die, that she would return once she is done to reclaim her belongings. On the fight with Oktavia, Kyoko becomes aware that she must choose between saving Sayaka or saving Mami. Kyoko doesn't take the act of killing Oktavia lightly, but her priority is saving Mami, a person that she cares deeply. Once Kyoko obtains Oktavia's Grief Seed, she uses it on Mami, fully aware that she is running out of magic.

When Mami wakes up from her sleep she learns from Kyubey that Kyoko was low on magic and she died in a witch's labyrinth while trying to find a new Grief Seed for herself. Kyoko's demise means that her friend failed to keep her promise with Mami. On her despair, Mami asks Homura to kill her but she refuses, she tries to convince Mami to live and help her defeat Walpurgisnacht. When Homura leaves, Madoka arrives and confesses to Mami she met Kyoko a few days earlier, and became friends sharing many conversations, secrets, and fears.

Madoka tells Mami that the reason Kyoko left Mami's side was because she was afraid that the two of them could never reconcile for what happened. Kyoko admitted that she should have been happy for Mami for finding new friends, but instead they just bickered because of their ideological differences, just as she feared. Kyoko had told Madoka that she regrets her choice of words, but she believes that it is too late to mend their relationship. However, she promises to Madoka that she would check on Mami and Sayaka if anything ever happens to them.

Like a tragic story, after her conversation with Madoka and by the end of the storyline, Mami decides that she cannot live anymore, so she breaks her Soul Gem while holding Kyoko's ribbon and hair pin, also leaving a letter explaining herself. This image is interpreted as Mami killing herself so her spirit could follow that of Kyoko's, as Mami doesn't want to be left alone again, since Kyoko promised to her that they would be together.

Trivia

• According to Kyoko's mother, Mami is the first 'friend' Kyoko ever brought home
• It should be noted that in Oriko Magica, while their interactions in chapter 3 weren't particularly friendly, they don't seem to be in bad terms either. Given their status as magical girls and their differences (which in most cases may lead to fights or competition for the Grief Seeds), it could be suspected that they decided to maintain an unspoken truce
  • It should also be noted that despite Kyoko's distance from Mami, she (along with Yuma) came to her aid when Kyubey told them of the situation, implying that Kyoko still cares at least somewhat for her former senpai
• Madoka Magica Portable explores more about their relationship after they got separated
  • In Mami's route, Kyoko returns to Mitakihara to meet her, but they don't make up. Kyoko even asks Mami about her new companion, Madoka, but Mami thinks Kyoko will try to harm her, so she warns Kyoko not to come near them. Kyoko then returns to Kazamino, with regrets as to why she could not have been more straight-forward with Mami
  • In Kyoko's route, she makes a grave for Mami and leaves a teddy bear beside it
  • In Homura's route, while Oktavia's death upsets Kyoko, she will still help Homura in the fight against Walpurgisnacht. However, if Mami kills herself after knowing the truth about magical girls and witches, Kyoko will not show up and Homura will end up fighting alone
• In chapter 9 ofMadoka Magica Online, Kyoko is living in Mami's apartment. Kyoko says Mami invited her to practice a new 'finishing pose' for their spells and takes Mami's homemade snacks with her on witch hunts. She embarrassingly blurts out that she stays there because she felt sorry for Mami living alone. Mami is pleased to have her company, even if her home is now a mess with Kyoko living in it. Madoka and Sayaka congratulate them and tease Kyoko on their 'friendship'. However, Homura considers their relationship to be a jarring irregularity since she knows they were never that close in timelines similar to the anime or drama CD continuity
• Some fans consider Kyoko being the first of Mami's victims in Episode 10 to be significant. In that mental state, it's only natural for Mami to perform a mercy kill on the one she cares most about first

Gallery

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  Mami and Kyoko fighting together in Madoka Magica Portable

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  Mami speaks highly of Kyoko so much that her school friends think she's speaking of a fiancee

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  Mami confesses her desire to be friends with Kyoko, but that she was too afraid to get closer

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  Kyoko tells Mami that she is her only remaining family

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  Mami commits suicide, while holding Kyoko's belongings

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  Kyoko would be one of Mami's witch's familiars in this timeline

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  The two holding hands, from The Different Story manga

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  First cover of The Different Story manga

Homura and Mami

"I failed to save her again." - Homura Akemi, Madoka Magica Portable.

In the first timeline of episode 10, Mami and Madoka fight as a pair and rescue Homura. Much like the other girls, Homura seems to admire Mami and she is affected the first time she dies. They seem to be good friends, but not as much as Homura' friendship with Madoka. However this clashes in the third timeline, in which Mami breaks down after knowing the truth of the Puella Magi, kills Kyoko, and then restraints Homura with ribbons to kill her, but she is killed by Madoka.

It should also be noted that, as shown in Portable, Homura still cares for her, but they are enemies in the other timelines, because of Kyubey's interference. This is shown when it is revealed that Homura was thinking of defeating Gertrud and giving the Grief Seed to Mami, to form a token of friendship, but it backfired because of Kyubey

Gallery

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  From the Mami's Heart Pounding Tiro Finale

Mami and Sayaka

Mami is also shipped with the other kouhai she took under her wing, Sayaka. Sayaka admired Mami largely, was angry at Homura after Mami's death, then sad with Madoka. The two are usually portrayed as partners in battle. Notably, the two worked together as a close pair in The Different Story.

Gallery

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  From the opening of Rebellion

Homura and Sayaka

"She should not have agreed to the contract. That was my mistake. I should have kept as close an eye on her as I did on you." Homura Akemi, Episode 5.

"Madoka, what are you going to do after you get there? [...] I don't know why Homura is fighting against those things. But there is no way you can help, Madoka. You'll just slow down Homura. That's why...I'll go help her!" - Sayaka Miki, Puella Magi Oriko Magica, Chapter 7.

This pairing is quite well-known for being one that changes up a lot -- depending on the media/timeline discussed -- due to the fact that the relationship between the two changes according to Homura's attitude during the timelines, and because Sayaka judges based on first impressions and makes rash assumptions. When she first saw her, in Episode 1, she though Homura was pretty. However, after Homura's actions after Mami's death, she believes that Homura waited for Mami to fall in order to get the Grief Seed and distrusts her. In Episode 5, a concerned Madoka asks her to protect Sayaka as much as possible, since she became a Puella Magi. But Homura refuses to do it. However, she expresses a bit of regret of not protecting her before, since in the other timelines, she met Sayaka when she was already a Puella Magi.

In Episode 6, Homura rushes to retrieve Sayaka's Soul Gem, after Madoka threw her away and brings it back to Sayaka in order to revive her. Like Kyoko and Madoka, she expresses concern for Sayaka in Episode 8. She even tries to reason with her and gives her a Grief Seed, so her Soul Gem woudn't have to be tainted. Sayaka rejects the Grief Seed and accuses Homura of putting up false pretenses and always lying to them. Homura changes her attitude and admits she is just doing things for Madoka's sake, knowing that Sayaka's actions will contribute to Madoka's fate, Sayaka seems shocked and surprised and comments "This is all for her sake?" (Manga only). Homura decides to kill Sayaka until she was rescued by Kyoko.

She seemed unsurprised when Sayaka transformed into a witch, not out of concern, but her experience in the other timelines. She knew that every time Sayaka contracts, she becomes a witch and she couldn't be saved. In the Episode 10, in Timeline 3, Sayaka still distrusts Homura's warning about witches, but they seem to get along lately as Homura seems sad the first time Sayaka dies.

However, in Oriko Magica, Homura befriends Madoka, Sayaka and Hitomi. When Madoka goes to save Homura (who is fighting against Oriko) by herself, Sayaka seems to be surprised that Homura is a magical girl, but she decides to go help her, considering Homura a friend. In the Drama CD 2, they seem to get along.

In Rebellion Story, the two have more primary interactions with each other, with Sayaka even covertly praising Homura's underlying kindness when they discussing the nature of witch after Sayaka saving Homura from latter's battle against Mami; however, these ones are still rather aggressive.

In Madoka Magica Portable, Homura is depicted to care about Sayaka herself, especially in Homura's route, as she is shown giving lamenting remarks over Sayaka's tragic fate, hesitating to attack Oktavia during her debut and outright apologies if she confronts Oktavia alone.

Examples: (on Sayaka's funeral) Homura: The rain is just like the tear of regret of Miki Sayaka.

(during Octavia von Seckendoff's debut, if choose to retreat) Homura: After all she was Miki Sayaka, it is unthinkable for me to kill her without hesitation, let alone asking Tomoe Mami and Sakura Kyouko to do it.

(when facing Octavia von Seckendoff) Homura: I am sorry, but I have no choice. And since you do not have the 'heart' of Miki Sayaka, you are not her.

Gallery

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  Homura retrieves Sayaka's Soul Gem

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  Knowing about Sayaka's fate, maybe Homura thought it was the best to kill her

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  Homura seems concerned about Sayaka

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  Sayaka considers Homura as friend in Oriko Magica

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Hitomi and Sayaka

Hitomi and Sayaka is often shipped as a replacement for Sayaka and Kyosuke or Hitomi and Kyosuke. The two are friends already and seem to get along before Sayaka becomes a magical girl. Hitomi has feelings for Sayaka in the spin-off manga The Veranda of Madoka over a misunderstanding where Kyoko uses her magic to pretend to be Sayaka at school.

Gallery

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  From The Veranda of Madoka

Kyoko and Homura

"Man, you’re so mysterious. And so, can we win against Walpurgisnacht?" - Kyoko Sakura, Drama CD 3.

"We will win. The two of us can do it!" - Homura Akemi, Drama CD 3.

"Kyoko..." - Homura Akemi, Episode 9.

From past experience, Homura believes Kyoko may be the only ally left to help her in stopping Walpurgisnacht. They are often seen talking or discussing plans in Homura's house. Their relationship is more of a partnership than friendship. Homura is saddened after Kyoko dies in order to not leave Sayaka alone, in both the anime and manga, but she denies it by saying that she just didn't wanted Kyoko to lose face, although her expression shows otherwise. However this seems to be one-sided, since Kyoko doesn't consider her a friend. She is the only other person Homura calls by her first name, besides Madoka.

There is evidence that they had interacted on a more personal level in prior timelines, when at the start of episode 6 Homura says, "I'm on the side of those who maintain their composure, and I'm the enemy of idiots who initiate fights needlessly. Which are you, Sakura Kyoko?" It triggers a strong reaction from Kyoko, where she asks Homura if they'd ever met before.

Trivia

• As seen in the anime, manga and Portable, Homura is surprisingly mild toward Kyoko
• After Madoka dies in the Sayaka route against Walpurgisnacht (mainly because Sayaka didn’t want to call Kyoko to the fight), Homura convinces herself that she should partner with Kyoko in future timelines to save Madoka
  • In Kyoko's route, when Kyoko comes to help Homura with her fight against Walpurgis Night (despite she was mad at Homura for killing Oktavia, she later felt guilt for breaking their promise to fight Walpurgis together) after she tells her that she is not fighting for her sake and claims that she wants grief seeds from Walpurgisnacht, Homura simply smiles at her and calls her an idiot as she thanks her.

Kyoko: Don’t get the wrong idea. It’s not like I came to help you out. And I’m not interested in saving people either. It’s just that my Soul Gem got corrupted thanks to Sayaka. And I just need a huge ass grief seed, okay?!

Homura: *smiles* Idiot...

Kyoko: Takes one to know one!

Homura: Thank you

Kyoko: I’ve do nothing to be thankful for!

Homura: Are...we...friends?

Kyoko: Let’s set that aside for now! We’ll talk after we beat that thing down!

• After that Homura later asks Kyoko if they are friends but Kyoko changes the topic. Later they are defeated by Walpurgisnacht and Kyoko attempts to use her last attack, as she calls it, but a concerned Homura stops her from doing it so (probably believing that she would sacrifice herself) causing Kyoko to call her a creep. Homura openly shows concern when Kyoko is hurt by Walpurgisnacht and later when she is killed by Kriemhild Gretchen

Gallery

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  Kyoko's last words to Homura. Kyoko later admits she failed to do that, maybe an admission that she failed to protect Sayaka

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Homura and Hitomi

During the Bonus Route of Madoka Magica Portable, Madoka and Sayaka recognise Homura as a strangely strict magical girl and are surprised when Homura transfers to their class. When they try to describe Homura's personality to Hitomi, she fawns over Homura and admires her.

Madoka Magica Portable has a CG of Homura comforting a heartbroken Hitomi when Hitomi lost a duel to Sayaka over Kyosuke. After that she's unusually attached to Homura. Even before that Hitomi went on how beautiful Homura was when talking to Sayaka and Madoka, which makes Sayaka ask if she 'swings that way', to which Hitomi denies but admits being 'a little interested'.

Gallery

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  Homura hugs Hitomi in Madoka Magica Portable

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Madoka Magica: The Battle Pentagram

Max Level Relationship Scenes

Videos for the max level relationship scenes.

• Madoka/Homura: "運命の人" -- "Person of Fate"
  • Youtube Video.
  • Transcript
• Madoka/Sayaka: ”運命共同体” -- "Those With a Shared Destiny"
  • YouTube Video.
• Madoka/Kyoko: "憧れの存在” -- "A Yearned-for Existence"
  • YouTube Video.
• Madoka/Mami: "大好きな人" -- "Loved Person"
  • YouTube Video.
• Mami/Kyoko: "心許せる存在" -- "An Existence of Trust"
  • YouTube Video.
• Mami/Homura: "共に進む戦友" -- "Comrades Who Push Forward Together"
  • YouTube Video.
• Sayaka/Mami: "背中を守る者" -- "The One Who's Got Your Back"
  • YouTube Video.
• Sayaka/Kyoko: "相思相愛" -- "Mutual Affection/Love"
  • YouTube Video.
• Sayaka/Homura: "認め合った仲" -- "Mutually Recognized Friendship"
  • YouTube Video.
• Kyoko/Homura: "最後の切り札" -- "The Final Trump Card"
  • YouTube Video.
• All Relationships Max Slumber Party - Scene which plays when you max out all ten possible relationship values. Surgeon General's warning: may cause heart palpitations.
  • YouTube Video.
• Good Ending - The girls beat Walpurgisnacht! Everyone survived! Kyouko gets the girls to bathe in an open hot spring! The good ending, obtained by beating Walpurgisnacht with all relationships maxed out.
  • YouTube Video.

Observations

• It should be noted that Mami straight-up asks Madoka out on a date. Not "let's go somewhere together" or anything more vague like that, but she directly uses the word "date", complete with Madoka giving her the "but we're both girls" excuse. And during said date, Mami tells Madoka that the way she feels about her is a secret. This could very well be the most strongly-suggested pair in the game
• During the Kyoko and Sayaka date event, Kyoko apologies to Sayaka for making her go out with Kyoko in so many dates. Sayaka responds with "It's fun spending time with you." Perhaps a reference to Kyoko's last words, "Don't worry, Sayaka. It's lonely being by yourself... It's fine. I'll stay by your side, Sayaka."
• Kyoko tells Madoka that she met her in her dreams, Madoka tells the same to Kyoko
  • Perhaps this means -- in a scenario where Homura is out of the picture -- that Kyoko is Madoka's fated person
• The Good Ending reveals that the events in the game were all a dream

List of Relationship Levels

Madoka
Relationship level	Sayaka	Mami	Homura	Kyouko
1~3	Close Friend	Senpai & Kouhai	Friend	Comrade
4~6	Best Friend	Teacher & Disciple	Close Friend	Close Friend
7~9 (max)	Those With a Shared Destiny	Loved Person	Person of Fate	A Yearned-for Existence

Sayaka
Relationship level	Madoka	Mami	Homura	Kyouko
1~3	Close Friend	Senpai & Kouhai	Comrade	Comrade
4~6	Best Friend	Teacher & Disciple	Comrade-in-arms	Partner
7~9 (max)	Those With a Shared Destiny	The One Who's Got Your Back	Mutually Recognized Friendship	Mutual Affection/Love

Mami
Relationship level	Madoka	Sayaka	Homura	Kyouko
1 ~3	Senpai & Kouhai	Senpai & Kouhai	Collaborator	Old friend
4~6	Teacher & Disciple	Teacher & Disciple	Comrade	Close Friend
7~9 (max)	Loved Person	The One Who's Got Your Back	Comrades Who Push Forward Together	An Existence of Trust

Homura
Relationship level	Madoka	Sayaka	Mami	Kyouko
1 ~3	Friend	Comrade	Collaborator	Collaborator
4~6	Close Friend	Comrade-in-arms	Comrade	Comrade
7~9 (max)	Person of Fate	Mutually Recognized Friendship	Comrades Who Push Forward Together	The Final Trump Card

Kyouko
Relationship level	Madoka	Sayaka	Mami	Homura
1 ~3	Comrade	Comrade	Old friend	Collaborator
4~6	Close Friend	Partner	Close Friend	Comrade
7~9 (max)	A Yearned-for Existence	Mutual Affection	An Existence of Trust	The Final Trump Card

Other and Notable Scenes

Homura and Madoka in Bed

The transcript for Homura and Madoka's Max Relationship Scene, "運命の人" -- "Person of Fate".

Obviously, this scene contains Homura/Madoka.

Youtube Video.

Full transcript of the Homura and Madoka Bed Scene:

Madoka: This is my house. Homura: Indeed. Homura: What with your father's careful management of your vegetable garden and the excellent repair of the building, it truly is an excellent home. Madoka: Y-you sure know a lot about it. Homura: Anyway, is it alright for me to visit right now? Madoka: Of course! Come on in! Madoka: I'm home! Homura: Hello. Madoka: I guess they're out shopping? Want to have a bath before dinner? Homura: Huh? Sure... Homura: Madoka, you go ahead first. I can wait... Madoka: Don't be silly. Let's bathe together! Homura: Huh!? T-together? Madoka: Ehehe. Just kidding! Homura: Madoka... [scene change to bed] Homura: Hey, Madoka, are you still awake? Madoka: Yeah. Sleeping in the same bed is a bit embarrassing, huh. Homura: That's why I offered to sleep on the floor... Madoka: No, this is nice. Plus, you're so warm. Homura: So are you, Madoka. Madoka: [laughs] Homura: Why did you invite me to spend the night? Madoka: When you told me you lived alone, you seemed so lonely. Homura: I... seemed lonely? Madoka: And so I kind of wanted to spend a lot of talking with you. Homura: Madoka... Um, thank you. Madoka: You shouldn't thank me for that. Madoka: I'm so happy just spending time with you. Homura: Me too. Madoka: Can I sleep over at your place next time? Homura: S-sure. There's not much there, but if you're okay with that... Madoka: That's not true. You're there. Homura: Madoka... Madoka: I'm kind of tired now. Homura: Me too. I think I'll get a good sleep tonight. Madoka: Alright, I'm going to switch off the lights. Good night, Homura-chan. Homura: Good night, Madoka. >You have earned a trophy! >Achievement Unlocked: "My (other) best friend"

Homura/Sayaka Scenes

All Homura/Sayaka events can be seen in the below video, at the times listed below:

Nico-Nico Video.
Bonds Event #1: 00:00
Bonds Event #2: 02:34
Bonds Event #3: 05:19
CM Learning Event: 07:46
Bonus Event: 10:35

Homura's Obsession

Talk, dammit!

Transcript of a scene between Homura and Sayaka, with them attempting to make conversation with each other. Homura, unfortunately, ends up talking about her idealized views of Madoka, and not focusing on the person she's supposed to be focusing on in this scene.

Includes Homura/Madoka and some very small hints of Homura/Sayaka.

Nico-Nico Video.

Full transcript of the Homura's Obsession Scene:

Sayaka: Homura, that you? Good morning. Homura: Good morning, Sayaka. Sayaka: So you pass by this street too? I never knew. Homura: I've seen you several times. Sayaka: Huh, really? Say something next time, alright? Homura: I'll consider it. Homura: ... Sayaka: ... Sayaka: Homura, say something. Homura: Why? Sayaka: Aren't friends supposed to have fun conversations while they walk to school!? Homura: True. Sayaka: ... Homura: ... Sayaka: Come on! Talk, talk! Homura: ... Sayaka: Sigh... well, should I try to find something we have in common? Homura: Madoka- Sayaka: Huh? Homura: She's kind to everyone. She's a wonderful person who's very considerate to her friends. Homura: She always takes what I say seriously, and acts accordingly. Homura: The depths to her compassion are- Sayaka: Wa-wait a minute, Homura. What are you talking about? Homura: Madoka, of course. Sayaka: A-aren't you idealizing her a bit? Homura: Absolutely not. You surely know of her greatness as well, Sayaka. Homura: Madoka's famed for being kind to even animals- Sayaka: That's enough! Let's just go quietly, okay!?

Official Art Gallery

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  Kyouko: But... this is... your bed, isn't it?

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  Madoka: Sayaka-chan. Sayaka: Hm~? What~? Madoka: I love you.

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  Madoka: Open wide, Sayaka-chan.
  Madoka: Oh, you have some cream on your cheek.
  Madoka: I'll take it off.
  Sayaka: Thanks, Madoka.

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  Madoka: This cream is tasty~!
  Hitomi: How long has this been going on?
  Hitomi: Aren't the two of you... d-d-dating?
  Both: How did you come to that conclusion!?

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  Hitomi: I noticed you were getting along well. It looks like I have no business getting in between you to.
  Both: Th-that's not it!
  Sayaka: Oh, man. Looks like we gave you the wrong idea, Hitomi.
  Madoka: Ehehe... but, you know, that makes me kind of happy.

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  Madoka: I guess that means I've gotten that close to Sayaka-chan.
  Sayaka: Yeah, I... really like spending time with Madoka.
  Sayaka: I don't need to worry about anything, and I can kind of tell what she's thinking....
  Madoka: I hope we can be together forever and ever!

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  Sayaka: I think Madoka would make a pretty good girlfriend.
  Sayaka: Madoka's a great girl! I've got to stake my claim on her while I can!
  Madoka: Oh, cut it out, Sayaka-chan!

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Oriko Magica

Relationships found in Oriko Magica.

Oriko and Kirika

"Kirika, if you weren't here, I would be really broken." - Oriko Mikuni to Kirika Kure, Oriko Magica, Chapter 3.

"Love is infinitely finite, so I'll devote myself infinitely to her." - Kirika speaking of Oriko, Oriko Magica, Chapter 4.

In all of Madoka Magica, Oriko Mikuni and Kirika Kure are perhaps the least ambiguous pairing. Their feelings for each other are described many times - usually by Kirika, but Oriko shows it to be far from one-sided - as love, and a strong love that reveals them to be the most important person in the world to one another. They go on dates, display affection, act in each other's defense, refuse to tolerate insults, and consider the purpose of their lives to be their meeting. Though only shown in glimpses in the original manga (though still clearly close), Extra Story and Sadness Prayer further flesh out their relationship.

Kirika and Oriko shared a chance meeting, where Kirika, an extreme pessimist, was struck by the kindness she showed, and began following her around, trying to consider asking her out. However, unable to sum up the will, she thought she was unworthy of the other girl. Upon encountering Kyubey, she wished to change herself, and to keep changing, until she was a good match for Oriko. Meanwhile, Oriko developed an obsession with learning the meaning of her life and seeing it fulfilled after the death of her father, and wished to learn it.

The exact nature of Oriko and Kirika's relationship is demonstrated to change significantly from timeline to timeline, with the main difference being whether Oriko sees Walpurgisnacht or Kriemhild Gretchen. In the Extra Story timeline, they are largely sane, while in the Oriko Magica and Sadness Prayer timeline, they are driven to madness by the pressure of killing other magical girls and Madoka. In the former timeline, Kirika is shown to agonize over meeting Oriko, attempting to plan out a confession before working up the nerve properly, while in the latter, her memory of her wish and Oriko is initially erased and she meets Oriko in battle at first, and takes some time to warm up to her. Nonetheless, they end both timelines being extremely close.

In the Extra Story timeline, their feelings for each other largely remain conventional. Kirika is shown hemming and hawing over her confession, even while reading yuri manga, while Oriko is shown being physically affectionate, teasing Kirika about her feelings and even feeding her at one point. Oriko even feigns jealousy towards Kirika's relationship with Erika at one point, provoking a panicked response, at which Oriko promptly cups Kirika's chin and pulls their faces closer. Towards the end of Symmetry Diamond, the two of them share an outing, with Kirika being at first apprehensive at making Oriko look bad, to which Oriko reassures her that they are partners, and she has no problem with the world seeing that.

Meanwhile, Kirika's feelings for Oriko in the Oriko Magica timeline arise from the fact that Oriko was willing to forgive her for the accidental deaths of people Oriko knew, something she described as a "rebirth," as she declared that she now knew her purpose was to make Oriko's wish come true. Oriko initially sees Kirika as little more than a pawn, but still finds herself very reliant on Kirika's presence, smiling when Kirika hugs her. The revelation that her actions have been severely harming Kirika's sanity, coupled with Kirika being mortally wounded by Mami and the idea that the person who fell for her was a persona created by Kirika's wish, nearly breaks her. However, when Kirika declares that she can still fight for Oriko's wish to be fulfilled, due to the fact that her own wish will allow her to always be useful (transforming herself into the first known instance of a sane Witch), Oriko seemingly breaks down, and accepts Kirika's feelings for her, with them spending their last night together enjoying themselves on a date and sleeping in the same bed. During the fight with Homura and the other magical girls, Oriko takes a mortal wound to protect Kirika's corpse, and declares to Homura that her purpose was "to protect my world," something she mentally compares to Homura's own actions in protecting Madoka. In the afterlife, the two of them remain together, with Kirika promising to share Oriko's burdens, and Oriko declaring to Madoka that, cruel and unforgivable though her actions were, she still looks fondly on having met Kirika.

In Magia Archive Volume 2, Mura Kuroe, the designer of the two, explained that Oriko and Kirika were intentionally given a "bride and groom" motif.

Gallery

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  First meeting

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  They both paid a heavy price to protect what they love

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  They seem to remember each other in the afterlife

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  Kirika is very vocal about her feelings for Oriko

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  Kirika becomes Kirika

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  Oriko reminiscing about her time with Kirika.

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Kazumi Magica

Relationships from Kazumi Magica. Kazumi Magica features a whole new cast of girls to pair up, leading to many pairings in the fandom.

Saki and Kazumi

"We trust in you, Kazumi. Just like you trusted in us." - Saki Asami, Kazumi Magica, Chapter 3.

"I'll kill Kazumi...when Hell freezes over." - Saki Asami, Kazumi Magica, Chapter 13.

Like all the other Pleiades Saints, Saki cares for Kazumi, and tries to protect her innocence and keep the awful truths of their work away from her.

It is revealed by Satomi in chapters 13 and 14 that Saki loved Michiru Kazusa, but she also cares for her clones as well, which Kazumi is one of. It's possible that Saki likes the clones (and Kazumi) for themselves, or Saki likes them because they are reminders of Michiru. However, Saki was also willing to kill Kazumi (who was starting to turn back into a witch) for the sake of Michiru. It is unknown what are Kazumi's feelings for Saki, but when Satomi asked her if she loved Saki, she didn't say anything nor does she deny it either. Also, when Kazumi went out of control and nearly becomes a witch, she only calmed down and returned back to normal after Saki hugged her.

Saki's love for Kazumi goes even beyond death/witchification. After killing Mirai, Kanna orders Saki's witch form to kill Kazumi. However the witch stops after hearing the sound of Kazumi's earrings and instead protects her from Ayase/Luca's witch form, resulting in her death.

Gallery

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  Saki and Michiru, the original Kazumi

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  Saki and Michiru

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  Kazumi was shocked by the fact that Saki only loved her because she saw her as Michiru's clone

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  Saki's witch form recognizes Kazumi

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  Saki's witch form protects Kazumi at the cost of her life

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Umika and Kaoru

Umika and Kaoru are always seen together and even their attacks and transformations are combined. When they were trapped by the bookmobile witch and the Pleiades went to save them, they seemed okay and told the Pleiades not to rush in finding them. Curiously, when they first met (after they were dragged to a witch barrier by Kazumi) Umika rushed to protect Kaoru despite the fact they were strangers by that time.

Gallery

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  Umika and Kaoru trapped in a witch's barrier

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Saki and Mirai

"You hurt my Sakiii!" - Mirai Wakaba, Kazumi Magica, Chapter 9.

"You protected us. Thank you."
"Th... thank you, Saki!" - Saki Asami and Mirai Wakaba, Kazumi Magica, Chapter 12.

"Mirai, thanks for covering for me."
"Y...Yeah, it's not your fault, Saki. I know how you feel, Saki." - Saki Asami and Mirai Wakaba, Kazumi Magica, Chapter 15.

"Saki... I love you!" - Mirai Wakaba, Kazumi Magica, Chapter 18.

Mirai, from the onset, has appeared to be very attached to Saki. In chapter 3, Mirai is seen clinging to Saki when the Pleiades Saints first appear, and she also seems gleeful at the fact she's paired with Saki and Kazumi in their search for a witch. These small signs mostly went unnoticed by the fans until chapter 9, when Saki's face received a minor injury by the witch form of Niko's spare while trying to protect Mirai. Seeing this, Mirai went berserk, killing the witch in a fit of rage for daring to hurt Saki. Mirai doesn't react the same way when Umika, Kaoru and Kazumi have been injured or endangered in far worse ways, showing that this reaction and the feelings that accompany her are for Saki's alone.

When Saki was feeling especially down, Mirai viciously defended her from the other Pleiades, despite seeming to agree that what Saki had done wasn't in their best interests. Still, Mirai instantly forgives her, and blushes and seems to be pleased when Saki thanks her for it.

These feelings, however, may in fact be one-sided on Mirai's part, as Saki seems to be more attached to Kazumi than Mirai, to the point it's even stated by Satomi that Saki loves Kazumi. Mirai is clearly jealous of Kazumi's closeness with Saki, as seen in Chapter 12 and in subsequent chapters, she was willing to kill Kazumi, after she turned into a witch and she claimed that it was all for the sake of Saki. Saki compares Mirai to her sister, Miyuki, when they first meet, which has no clear meaning. Miyuki had promised to marry Saki one day, but it's unknown if Saki had romantic feelings for her sister, or was just familial affection, and therefore she may have seen Mirai as a younger sister figure.

During another flashback, Saki blushes when she says Mirai reminds her of her younger self. She admits the comparison is strange since they are the same age, but she is happy to have Mirai beside her. This causes Mirai to later say that she is Saki, and Saki is her. When Saki becomes a witch, Mirai refuses to kill her and doesn't defend herself from Saki's witch, allowing herself to be decapitated. However, her love for Saki remains unrequited until the end.

Mirai's love for Saki goes even beyond death/witchification. Mirai uses her magic to protect Saki's witch form from being hurt in chapter 19. However, Saki's witch form does not recognize her and decapitates her. Even so, Mirai's magic does not vanish after her death, and it continues to proect Saki's witch form.

SakiMira Manga Pages

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Airi and Yuuri

"If you want to live, then I'll save you, no matter what." - Yuuri Asuka, Kazumi Magica, Chapter 5.

"My most precious treasure was taken away from me. That's why I'm going to kill their most precious treasure. You." - "Yuuri" to Kazumi, Kazumi Magica, Chapter 5.

Airi and Yuuri Asuka started out as ordinary classmates. Yuuri, a very avid cooking fan, tried cooking for her entire class, but was sent into shock when one of the students claimed they had gotten food poisoning from her cooking. She did not return to school the next day, and Airi went to check on her and helped prove the student was lying to try to frame Yuuri. The two became very close friends.

Two years later, Airi was diagnosed with an incurable disease that would surely take her life. Yuuri asked a magical girl who saved her from a witch to cure Airi, but the girl told Yuuri that she should make her own contract. Yuuri followed her advice and made a contract with Kyubey to save her friend.

Yuuri and Airi remained close afterwards, with Airi believing that Yuuri cured her using a magical charm in the form of a spoon. They both loved food, and spoke of cooking competitions and going out to eat together (which could be interpreted as a date).

Yuuri eventually turned into a witch and attacked Airi. The Pleiades Saints killed her. Airi was so brokenhearted and mentally unhinged by this that she made a contract with Kyubey herself to take over Yuuri's life, transforming her appearance into her friend's and swearing vengeance on the girls who killed Yuuri, even though they saved her life. The newly christened "Yuuri" even has a magical girl costume that calls out to her lost friend: it heavily features stripes and a frilled skirt, which were what Yuuri commonly wore when in casual dress, and mimics Yuuri's magical girl costume's color scheme. Airi even mimics Yuuri's style of dress, which is very different from her own before contracting, while not transformed, implying that she tries to keep her friend alive in her heart even in everyday life.

By the time Airi reached the end of the life that Yuuri had saved, Airi had become obsessed with avenging her. Airi even rebuffed an attempt by her perceived enemies to clean her soul gem (similar to Sayaka's reaction to Homura's offer of help in the anime). Airi's witch form is a heart, with the ability to broadcast her memories: specifically, those of her past with Yuuri. The obvious symbolism in this (with a heart representing love, often of a romantic nature, in many cultures) indicates that Airi's feelings for Yuuri remained strong.

One can read into these facts two ways: a deep friendship where two girls are willing to give everything up for the other, or a romantic relationship where even the thought of living without her partner is enough to drive each girl to desperation and despair (the main qualification for becoming a magical girl).

YuuAiri Manga Pages

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  Yuuri makes a contract with Kyubey for her wish: to heal Airi and save her from a fatal illness

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  Airi speaking of Yuuri and calling her, "my most precious treasure."

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Ayase and Luca

Ayase and Luca Souju.

Gallery

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Kazumi and Niko

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Other

The section for misc. things that don't fit into the above sections on relationships. This section also contains meta info and trivia on and related to Madoka Magica.

Gen Urobuchi's Views on Relationships in Madoka Magica

In an interview with Black Past, Gen Urobuchi discussed his view of Homura and Madoka's relationship and his beliefs on same-sex relationships. Urobuchi clarified that while Homura's feelings for Madoka were present and unchanging throughout her timeloops, Madoka did not feel the same way prior to her wish, having only the experience of one time loop. Madoka made her wish not so much for Homura's sake but to save all mahou shoujo. However when Madoka made her wish, she learned about Homura's true feelings and only then was the bond between them established. Urobuchi even describes the circumstances of it is as a "little cruel" that it required Madoka leaving and becoming a goddess to understand Homura.

In talking about relationships in his body of works, Urobuchi revealed his beliefs about same sex relationships, "whatever relationship that could exist between male and female it should also exist between couples of same sex." Aside from the difference in body parts, he did not see a male and female relationship as special or unique. He believes that the same kind of love is possible between same sex couples as well. Urobuchi stated he may even write about a love relationship between two men in the future.

Because of the lack of evidence on-screen to establish Homura and Madoka as a canon yuri couple (or any other couple), the nature of their relationship is open to interpretation and debate. Even if we take into account evidence such as Urobuchi's views on sexuality, this relationship would not be considered canonical by some fans unless official recognition is given in future body of works that raises the yuri subtext to text on their relationship. One can speculate that this interview could add more fuel to the fanbase to produce more fan works out of frustration now that they are aware of Urobuchi's personal views.

In 2013, at a Nitro+ Q&A Panel, Gen Urobuchi was asked the following questions, which he answered:

Q: Is Homura in love with Madoka?
A: Probably.

Q: Why did you choose to portray a homosexual love?
A: I don't think it is that special -- a really strong friendship turns into a lovelike-relationship without the sexual attraction, in their case.

There are few ways to interpret his response. One way is that he is saying that Madoka's and Homura's relationship is nothing special, in the sense that their relationship is no different than that from other people's relationship. That their relationship started from friendship which later evolved into love without the drive of sexual attraction, this could be interpreted as saying that their love is pure and innocent, based on an emotional bonding that is still developing, as they are still 14-year old girls who are not sexually mature yet. It does not necessarily dismiss the notion of a relationship driven by romantic interest. How will that relationship turn later? It is still possible for their relationship to blossom into a homosexual relationship, but Urobuchi never states this so it is up to fan's interpretation. Urobuchi does indicate that Homura probably is in love with Madoka, but he doesn't specify the meaning or the nature of that affection, he tries to avoid in giving a clear answer.

Another way to interpret Urobuchi's answer is that he is saying that their relationship is based on friendship and admiration.

The answer has been considered to be vague by fans alike, one way to put it is that Urobuchi is leaving up to the fans to interpret their relationship without giving too much information. That he is trying to avoid being direct with their questions.

Magazines, Articles, Interviews, and Related

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone": An official guidebook with a compilation on a wide variety of information on Madoka Magica.

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  During the seiyuu interviews, Chiwa Saito and Aoi Yuki get paired up, as well as Eri Kitamura and Ai Nonaka in joint interviews, but all the other seiyuu are interviewed alone

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See the Lily Megami Magazine 2011-12. (Translation in progress)

External Links

• TV Tropes page for the anime, which discusses a few of the relationships listed above, but not all of them.