On the show's ending, in the comments of
Madoka's ending leaves something to be desired. Emphasis mine.
"The more important/salient points to take from that though are to make sure you know what you’re really wishing for, and to be prepared to pay the cost for it. If you’re willing to accept that responsibility and those burdens, then the show’s theme is indeed that no, it’s not wrong to hope and believe in things."
Although this rebuttal
"If this is truly the case though, why does the show depict the girls falling into despair after they've made their wish? Clearly they weren't ready to accept the consequences..."
scares me a little.
“But when Madoka wishes for everyone’s safety, she gets that wish. ”
It’s possible that she doesn't, in one interpretation of the final scene. Homura’s wish was to protect Madoka, a girl who’s existence has been negated. So unlike any other magical girl who ever lived, Homura’s wish can never be fulfilled — and so she can never be saved. In a universe where witches cannot exist, Homura becomes the Last Witch, and her barrier fills the sky.
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All of the responses to this show only makes me worried about delving too deep into the realm of anime blogging (although that may change if I find someone fluent in Japanese blogging on the subject and some of the linguistic relevancy, or at least writing their PhD on fansubs? Have yet to find one), and although it is tempting, I will definitely NOT go browsing forums.
That reminds me, I had a joke to tell about that one guy's Tsundere is bad in real life and that anyone who watches anime or is fluent in Japanese language and culture needs to read it. Said joke being that the two are, for all intents and purposes, mutually exclusive.
Whenever I get around to that Durarara!! analysis maybe I'll wash my hands of this...
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On a side note, as a result of all this searching, I found a guy who is traveling the world with a cutout of bridal Holo* and feel incredibly disturbed and violated. Not only because of the attraction I feel for the dynamics of the Holo-Lawrence [why aren't they trying to call him Rawrence hahaha] banter-relationship, or that she has been inducted as one of those nijigen maidens who are used to define my tastes in real girls [funny that the Tsundere article referenced above really struck home! Maybe it's that, like girls with romance novels, I've learned to be too picky and unsatisfied.]. It's that, for heaven's sake I had just thought of going to the Wolf Sanctuary to commemorate my newfound fandom and determination to read the light novels and, if possible, play the games. Luckily the gap between seiyuu and character is still an incredibly wide chasm for me, and the radio shows do not hold much interest other than socialization (as in sociolinguistic stuff) and plain-old Japanese practice.
*I came upon a controversy as to whether her English name should be Horo or Holo. Anime geeks can be so infuriating sometimes! R and L are fairly indistinguishable in standard Japanese, but dammit Holo sounds much better! And I actually prefer the way Holo speaks in English rather than her Oiran language. Dunno if that's one of the accursed artifacts of being a native English speaker or what, but regardless damn western otaku need to get a grip!
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Add to the list of things I need to write about:
Learning how movie sound effects are made -> I Saw the Devil & Man from Nowhere -> Who's Camus, Anyway?
And the need to discuss this with my friends in film studies.
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Funny how I can write this much but I still have admissions essays to get cracking on! To-do-list for tomorrow:
Purpose essay, mail fin aid form and fee letter, update resume and upload
And whatever else I'm missing.
Gotta be productive!
