Manga Review: Madoka Magica The Different story Volume 2 Part 1: Better friends with blackjack and hookers!

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Follow this link for what happened in the first volume. Volume 2's inside cover gives us Mami sleeping with Kyubey on her couch. If only she knew what horror she was stroking she wouldn't be that damn happy I tell you what, but considering he's basically the only companion she has, well take what you can get I guess. We open on Sayaka taking on a royal bug witch who's obviously too fast for her. She gets some back up from Mami, and emotional support from Madoka. The two work together and take the witch out with the most handicapped game of whack a mole ever and get a grief seed. 

 On their way back Homura confronts the trio. She says that with Sayaka backing Mami up the two would be more then a match for any witch that crossed them yet she insists on increasing their numbers. Mami asks why she's so insistent on preventing Madoka from becoming a magical girl, theorizing it's either so she doesn't inconvenience her or so that she can get Madoka for her own purposes. Mami says that Kyubey told her of Homuras alliance with Kyoko and that if the two are planning on taking their territory then she'll hold nothing back. Homura just walks off without a word. Mami then recounts about how she met Sayaka and Madoka, basically how it went in the anime except for one detail, after Kyubey told the two of their potential Sayaka contracted much sooner then in the anime and as explained later in this story that's why Mami's still alive. During the fight with the Sweets witch Sayaka was able to back Mami up and save her from, well...... 

"You ok lady?"

 Back at Mami's place Madoka asks if in order to protect themselves they have to give up on the other Magical girls. Mami shares her sentiment saying that she wishes they didn't have to deal with rivalries. Madoka brings up Homura and says that she doesn't have malicious intent, Mami agrees but says that because Homura doesn't explain why she pursues them she can't in good conscious include her in their group. She says that she's responsible for protecting Madoka and Sayaka and if she brings in someone untrustworthy and things go pear shaped all three could be killed. She's definitely not wrong, in a unit everyone has to know they have their backs, so there's no secrets. 

 Ok maybe not to that extent but you get the idea. Sayaka chirps in saying that she'd never work with someone who has an attitude like Homura. She then brings up Kyoko, and how she outright despises her with her leaving familiars to go kill people, trying to kill her, insulting her wish and having an even more abrasive attitude then Homura. Sounds like they'd make the best couple eh? >:/ 

 Yeah slight fanboy tangent here sorry but Kyosaya never made any sense to me I mean who would honestly fall for someone who insults their reasons for fighting (flimsy and half thought out though it may be) tries to kill them, is a complete anathema to their code of protecting people and lest we forget offers to pull an Annie Welkes from Misery on your childhood friend? At least with Harley Quinn and the Joker he didn't try to kill her when they first met, he put on an act that made her think that he trusted her with his dark past and that she was the only one who can understand him, and when she bought the act that's when he started to draw her to his way of thinking and drove her to become what she is, and at least Harley manages to get some payback on her pudden. Now to be fair those are my reasons for the versions of Kyoko and Sayaka in both this story and the original anime. Now if a plausible reason occurs between those two in the Wraith Arc to justify the shipping I'll be perfectly content, but as of now those two look like they get along as well as politicians and common sense.

 Back to the recap, Sayaka apologizes for ruining the mood with her tone and after some scenes of lighthearted banter about hunting witches, homework and highlighting how much pressure Mami puts on herself she asks Kyubey what he knows about Homura and Kyoko's alliance. All he says is that he can't tell without compromising his neutral position. 

 Later after killing the box witch Mami and Madoka find Hitomi unconscious obviously under the influence of the witches kiss. Kyoko shows up mockingly asking where Sayaka is and if she already got sick of Mami. Mami says that unlike Kyoko; Sayaka isn't the type to stab people in the back; oh catty. She then goes on to say that she's been hearing rumors about Kyoko and none of them good. Kyoko asks if Mami's gonna do something about it, but she says not in front of Madoka. 

 Kyoko rightfully calls her out by pointing out that she's keeping out the girl who she's been bringing along on her Witch hunts. Mami points out Madoka's potential and feels she should at least get a demo of what its like to be a magical girl so she doesn't make a half cocked wish. Kyoko is shocked by this and tells Madoka that if she makes a worthless wish like Sayaka then she'll kill her without hesitation. Madoka then tells Kyoko that Sayaka's wish isn't worthless, who responds by saying that Mami doesn't give a rats ass about them and just wants the extra power; at that point Mami's had enough and warns Kyoko not to antagonize Madoka or Sayaka again. After the two walk off Kyoko vents to Homura.

 Back with Mami and Madoka, Madoka asks about Mami's history with Kyoko, Mami says it isn't important and tells her that ones reason for becoming a magical girl is theirs and theirs alone. Madoka tells her that she realized after Sayaka made her wish that she can't just be frivolous, but that she has to think long and hard before taking on such a burden. 

 The next day Hitomi comes to school as usual with Madoka and Sayaka though Sayaka seems distant, and when Madoka mentioned that Hitomi was attacked by a witch Sayaka gets a shocked look on her face. Later Mami and Sayaka are fighting a bee witch and are outnumbered by the constant swarm of familiars on top of Sayaka seeming out of it. Mami is about to finish off the witch when suddenly the labyrinth starts to change shape. Mami realizes that there's another witch inside of the labyrinth and tries to warn Sayaka but she blue screens. The chapter ends with Mami knocking Sayaka out of the way of the second witches attack and taking the blow.

Chomp!!!

 Part 6 opens with Mami barely managing to escape from the new witch. Sayaka prepares to face the two witches alone when Homura stops time and plants her bombs which stops the witches and then asks Sayaka what she'll do next; abandon Mami or abandon the witch. Sayaka is about to argue with her when Kyoko tells her to stop being a dumbass and save Mami. Sayaka remembers what Kyubey said when she made her contract, that since her wish was to heal someone her healing magic is far greater then normal. So she uses it to save Mami just in time.

 She recovers and regains consciousness just in time to see Sayaka healing her while Kyoko and Homura kill the witches. Once the barrier dissipates Kyoko reads Sayaka the riot act for holding back and spacing out during the fight; Sayaka screams that she knows that and doesn't need to hear it from her. Kyoko and Homura take their leave while Sayaka sees that Mami is alive. Mami apologizes for slowing Sayaka down and Sayaka cries saying that she's glad Mami is alive and says that it was all her fault.

 The next day Mami meets with Kyoko back at their old meeting spot. The two start to have a civil conversation which eventually leads to Mami asking if Kyoko is determined to never team up with her again. She starts to complement Kyoko on how much stronger she's gotten since last time but does the stupid thing and says that it's almost as if she's trying to make up for her lost powers.

 Well David her prize is getting yelled at by Kyoko who asks what the point would be if she did tell her. She says that what Mami would have done was give her, her useless powerless teammate Grief Seeds without so much as a nasty thought or second look and that part of Mami pisses her off the most, putting everyone else before herself and not even admitting that she needs help just as much as everyone else does, pretending that nothing's wrong when really she's dying inside. But of course Kyoko doesn't mention that last part but instead decides to trash talk her and Sayaka's teamwork. 

 Which then leads to Kyoko asking what she really wants to know, why the hell did Mami let Sayaka make a contract? She knew fully well what she'd wish for and they both know what happens to those who wish on the behalf of others. Kyoko says that she hopes Sayaka betrays Mami like she did and at that point Mami has had enough and storms off telling Kyoko to go back to her territory.

 Bravo miss relationship counselor, if what you were going for was "try to patch things up with Mami" you couldn't have missed more then if you had Ray Charles as your pitching coach.

 We then cut to class where we see Sayaka where she thanks Homura for saving Mami and Madoka, but Madoka notices Sayaka looking away when she sees Hitomi and Kyosuke together so later that night she calls Mami with her concerns. She agrees to help Sayaka and when she hangs up she promises to herself to never let history repeat itself. Elsewhere Sayaka runs into Kyoko again who tells her that she'll never become what Mami is, she dragging her down and to try to find her own way instead of that of a hero. Sayaka agrees and says that she just drags Mami down. Sayaka also says that she learned about Kyoko and Mami's relationship. She goes on to say that in terms of fighting capability Kyoko is the perfect match for Mami.

You know Kyoko maybe Mami was onto something about your diet, if you were eating properly you'd get enough nutrients to get a clue!

 We end this chapter the next day with Sayaka calling Mami to the roof to tell her that they should stop being partners. Why you may be asking? Because when Hitomi was under the witches kiss, Sayaka knew fully well what was happening and did nothing to save Hitomi. Yeah, yeah Sayaka that call was bad and you should feel bad. We'll finish up volume two next time were we see more of Sayaka's self destruction and how badly Mami'll take it.

Madoka Magica The Different Story is owned by Magica Quartet, Masaki Hiramatsu, Hanokage and Yen Press.

Venture Brothers is owned by Adult Swim, Williams Street, AstroBase GO!, World Leaders Entertainment, Noodlesoup Productions and Titmouse inc.

Doctor Who is Owned by BBC, Sydney Newman, C.E. Webber and Donald Wilson.

Liar Liar (1997) is owned by Tom Shadyac, Brain Grazer, Imagine Entertainment and Universal Pictures.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 is owned by Joel Hodgson,  Best Brains, Syfy, Comedy Central and Shout Factory.