Even more Madoka
Click to view...I love how dude is all "I don't even watch the show."
Added a few more discussion post links to the list. Further contributions continue to be welcome. I want to thank everyone who's participated and those who may yet do so; it's been very rewarding for me and for other readers although I've failed thus far (as usual -_-) at responding to everyone individually.
In spite of all this I have accomplished hardly any proper fangirling.
THE BIT I WATCH OVER AND OVER FOREVER
IS EPISODE 10, 3:44 - 4:24
Even knowing everything we do now, everything that came before and after, what the girls are really fighting and how the show ends and dubiously feminist readings and all of it, I watch this bit and poor Homura's all terrorized and then
BLAM
BLAM
BLAM!
and my stupid heart, it THRILLS IN MY BREAST because Mami and Madoka are being BIG DAMN HEROES and because THAT DAMN THEME MUSIC. KAJIURA YUKIIIIIIII. Fandom calls it "Mami's Theme" but for me it's not so much about Mami per se as it is about hope. HOOOOOOPE. It's about magical girls being BIG DAMN HEROES of GOODNESS AND LIGHT. And that doesn't feel hollow. In spite of everything. In spite of my awareness that this scene is calculated to provoke exactly this emotional reaction. I mean, it could be laughable or sad or it could feel like trolling, but it doesn't. Not to me. That music is not a troll. It gets me EVERY TIME.
(Also, if Mami and Madoka hadn't rescued Homura just then...! In conclusion, I will never not love this scene, THE END.)
p.s. The people demand the following fanarts:
☆ Main cast as ponies. Obligatory?? Not that I'm contemplating terrible fusions or anything. Yes, there was this and this but I require serious MLP:FiM animation-style verisimilitude. Manes 'n' tails must mimic hairstyles and WEAPONS = CUTIE MARKS I mean obviously. Also there should be a Celestia-style version of [spoiler]. Come on, internets. Make it happen.
☆ Campaign poster reading "HOPE" w/ Madoka instead of you-know-who