Manga Review: Madoka Magica The Different Story Volume 2 Part 2: Look at me!

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 For a recap of the first two parts of this review here you are. Chapter 7 starts with us seeing what lead Sayaka to where she is now; her making her contract, saving Mami from the Sweets Witch, Hitomi telling her about her plans to confess her love for Kyosuke and the one day deadline which is what sends Sayaka down her self destructive spiral. She tries to tell Kyosuke but she doesn't because she figures that if she does focus on Kyosuke then she'd be shirking on her magical girl duties. Yeah see what happens when you're not honest with yourself kids? On top of that she's trying to compare herself to her impressions of Mami and what she thinks she'd do instead of just nutting up and telling him already, he says yes then great, he says no then at least she knows and can move on, but no she doesn't even ask because she wants to be a completely selfless magical girl. 

Oh yes Sayaka, complete altruism had just nothing but positive results in my life. Care to see how my father died trying to save me or my mother trying to make me into a monster? No see love, you can afford to be a tad selfish in your life trust me.

 Things then take a comparatively better turn when on one of her hunts she sees Hitomi but dismisses it by thinking she must be at her lessons, but she knew that wasn't the case and that she must be under a Witches curse. Thus why Sayaka is leaving Mami; she doesn't think that someone like her should be pairing up with someone who would just allow someone under a witches curse to just wander off like that. Mami tries to justify her by saying that she didn't know it was Hitomi and that she was saved in the end. But long story short Sayaka says that she doesn't deserve to have Mami as her partner and if she says otherwise and tries to defend her actions regarding Hitomi then she'd be incredibly disappointed in Mami willing to put such blind faith in someone who would endanger a friend like that. 

 Later that night Kyoko confirms her prediction with Homura but isn't too happy about it. Homura tells Kyoko about her plans to ally with Mami against Whalpurgusnaught but says that it was a waste of time. She also tells Kyoko that she overheard her conversation with Mami and tells her to watch her temper, this of course sets her off and storms off. Homura just decides to lower her expectations since the city has far too many Magical Girls. Later we see Sayaka getting worse and worse and when Madoka tries to talk to her Sayaka just goes into full Shinji Akari levels of self loathing and just keeps rejecting Madonna's attempts to help by saying she's just useless, a back stabber and a coward. However Kyosuke shows up and gives Sayaka a present as thanks for always visiting him at the hospital and for putting up with his attitude. Sayaka tries to say she doesn't need his thanks and tries to talk about him and how Hitomi is making goo goo eyes at him but Madoka's had enough and tells Kyosuke the truth that Sayaka was the one who fixed his hands. 

 Kyosuke wants to know what's going on and Sayaka says that she needs at least a day to prepare for her explanation. This chapter ends with Sayaka deciding to head home early and thanks Madoka for her help. Chapter 8 opens with a flashback showing why Kyoko came back to Mitakihara after hearing about Sayaka making a contract and how she's furious with Mami for letting her make a contract for somebody else's sake knowing full well how that turned out for Kyoko. We then cut to familiar territory with Kyoko chewing out Sayaka telling her that if she keeps focusing on familiars without taking on Witches for their Grief Seeds she won't be able to fight anymore. Sayaka just asks why she'd care and that this should be better for her, Sayaka kills the familiars, Kyoko gets the witches. 

 Kyoko tells her that she's making the same mistakes as she did, Sayaka doesn't take it well. 

Ok yeah I know that misery is the basis of comedy but, yeah not gonna touch this one but I know who can and will.

"Poof"I'M MR MEESEEKS LOOK AT ME! Alright Mr Meeseeks make this scene funny. OH YEAH CAN DO!  ALRIGHT LET ME SEE HERE, OK BLUEBERRY AND BIG RED LET MEESEEKS HERE!.... I GOT IT, YOU KNOW HOW MISERY LOVES COMPANY RIGHT? WELL I GUESS THIS FINALLY EXPLAINS WHY PEOPLE SHIP KYOSAYA I"M MR MEESEEKS! "Poof" Pulled my ass out of the fire again Mr Meeseeks. Gonna be needing him A LOT MORE when we get to Oriko Magica.

 Sayaka confesses to Kyoko the reason she's run away, she doesn't want to face Kyosuke and tell him and Hitomi what she did. She figures that if she kept on fighting then she'd eventually be eaten by a witch; nobody would then learn about her horrible secrets and thus she'd just die without anyone hating her. Sayaka asks if she's a coward, and Kyoko says that she isn't since she thought those things too; drawing parallels between Sayaka's situation and what happened when Kyoko's dad found out about her becoming a Magical Girl.

 She tries to offer Sayaka some advice but it doesn't work too well as she just ignores her and walks off. Kyoko snaps at Mami who finally showed up, she tries to rille Mami up but she ignores her taunts and goes after Sayaka. Kyoko is grateful Mami figured it out and knows that she doesn't want history to repeat itself as well. Mami manages to save Sayaka before being killed by the Shadow witch. During the fight Mami confesses that Sayaka is doing the exact things she's been doing the whole time, only telling others about her good qualities, lying about their true pain and outing up a false persona of an ideal hero to hide from their loneliness. Sayaka confesses to Mami that she's grateful for knowing that she's wanted. 

 However we end this volume with a rainstorm over the city, Kyoko being stopped from finding the two by Homura. Elsewhere Madoka is desperately looking for Sayaka having been the one who put Mami on the search for her in the first place. We finally end with Kyubey observing that Mami managed to escape a labyrinth, Mami asking a question and Kyubey answering that question. 

 Did I say till Oriko Magica? Yeah I NEED HELP HERE BLUE MAN GROUP!!!

Madoka Magica The Different Story is owned by Magica Quartet, Masaki Hiramatsu, Hanokage and Yen Press.
Bioshock 2 is owned by Take2 interactive, 2K Marin, and 2K Australia.
Rick and Morty is owned by Justin Rolland, Dan Harmon, Justin Roiland's Solo Vanity Card Productions, Harmonious Claptrap, Starburns Industries, and Williams Street