Manga Review: Oriko Magica Volume 2 Part 1: Too bad its Sunday those buildings would have been full tomorrow. (Spoilers)

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"Both are horribly crazy, loyal to their partners and are deadly with their claws. Though as deranged as Anime X-23 here is at least she won't kill the girl she loves over some deranged definition of heroism."

 So yep as I said I'm actually on schedule with these reviews of the Madoka Spin off Mangas. And just in time as the recent report of the anime and Manga Adaptations of the Japanese only mobile game Magica Record is coming next year. Whether they'll be actually good or not has yet to be seen but the story should at least be passable. Back to the business at hand here's the link to last week's review of Volume 1 of Oriko Magica. Read it, learn it, love it and move on.

http://ondavidsbrain.blogspot.com/2018/09/manga-review-oriko-magica-volume-1-i.html

 Now let's start the wrap up of our two volume story. Our last volume opens with Kirika remembering how she distanced herself from her classmates since all she saw was vapid boring people having vapid boring conversations and thus not worth her time. She pushes those thoughts aside to concentrate on killing Mami who realizes that her attacks are far too slow to hit Kirika. Kirika says that she's starting to get bored; Mami calls her boredom childish which sets her off again into another attack frenzy. Mami manages to set up a smokescreen but it's only a stalling tactic, especially with her leg wound. 

 But she then notices that the Witches barrier is still up even though the witch has been dead for a while, leading to a realization about Kirikas magic, it's not super speed but she can slow down her enemies. With that knowledge in hand she then hatches a very risky plan. Kirika notices that the Labyrinth is starting to fade so she doesn't have much time left. She's determined to kill Mami so that nobody could track the killings back to Oriko. She finds Mami and begins her assault, however she springs the trap and is critically injured from Mami's surprise Musket blast.

 Even with her bleeding like like that Kirika is determined to keep fighting even if it means her death. But before Mami can shoot her point blank Oriko intervenes, picks up Kirika and retreats, but not before giving Mami the death stare and promising her that next time she'll learn the extent of her foolishness. The barrier dissipates and Mami collapses in tears from how terrible Oriko's bloodlust was. Back home Kirika's bleeding won't stop and Oriko is overwhelmed about what she should do. She thinks she should get a doctor but Kirika tells her a doctor won't do any good in the state she's in and that she has something to tell her.

You see Oriko, I  borrowed your ChapStick from you without asking Oh, and I tried out your nose hair trimmer too And by the way, your "diamond" ring is cubic zirconium. I killed your goldfish accidentally, just replaced it with another one. And when I told you at breakfast we were out of Rice Krispies what I meant was, that there was only enough left for me, sorry.

 No no, her real confession was that after the two first met when she helped her Kirika searched the entire town for her. But when she finally found her at a train stop she got cold feet since while she told herself she wasn't interested in other people the truth was that she was jealous, that there was nobody who would give her a second thought. And cue the Simpsons clip.

 Regardless of her errors in definitions that's when Kyubey showed up and Kirika made her wish, to become someone worthy of Oriko. Oriko tells her that she won't forgive her for her deception and that the only way she'll forgive her is that if she dedicates her life to protect her. While that may sound heartless her body language tells a different story, that she needs Kirika just as much as Kirika needs Oriko. So our chapter ends with Oriko holding a cracked Soul Gem and Sayaka, Madoka and Homura deciding to get something to eat after school.

 Chapter 5 opens with yet another flashback, this time of people praising Oriko and how she's a shining example of her school and her father. Who then killed himself to avoid questioning about falsified expense reports. So a politician turns out to be a crooked, thieving, lying scumbag, in other news the sky is blue and the grass is green. Back in the present Mami telepathically questions Kyubey about what Oriko stands to gain from the killings. The morning announcements are interrupted by the duo hijacking the broadcast. 

 On the roof Kyubey figured out what Oriko's up to and will see her dead for this. Oriko gives a speech about how there is a great evil in the world and she will do everything in her power to see it eliminated; as Madoka watches she can't help but feel that Oriko was looking directly at her as she said it. When the broadcast ends Oriko springs her trap, a witches Labyrinth starts to appear and encompass the entire school. Familiars then start to appear then proceed to kill and devour everyone in sight, including Madoka's homeroom teacher. 

O_O

Maybe she won't have so many guy problems, IN THE NEXT DIMENSION!!!

But she's already in another dimension! 

And does she have any guy problems now? No? Point Vegeta!

 The students of course panic and run leaving Madoka behind. Just as she's about to be killed by the familiars Homura shows up and takes them out. Mami in turn transforms and protects the students from the familiars while making her way to the heart of the labyrinth. After some platforming she gets caught but is rescued by Kyoko and Little Green. Kyoko says that the only reason they're there was because Kyubey told them that Oriko would be there. 

 After a little bit of banter the trio make their way to Oriko and Kirika. Homura continues to protect Madoka but she points out an understandable problem with Homura's antics. If she's so damn powerful why is she only focused on her when she could be saving other students as well, including Sayaka and Hitomi. But Homura just tells her that she's her only priority and that the others are inconsequential to her goals.

I don't know what you're talking about Madoka. Look I can see their parachutes they're ok!

 Homura tells her that she's not as powerful as she thinks and that if she can save only one person she'd make it Madoka, no questions asked. She creates a barrier for Madoka and tells her not to leave it until she gets back and heads off with Madoka telling her to make sure they go home together. Homura finally makes it to the center of the Labyrinth and sure enough Oriko and Kirika are right there waiting for her. Homura wastes no time and tries to blow the two up with her bombs and time magic, but surprisingly they managed to dodge the attack. Oriko explains that she saw Homura in her vision, of the end of the world. 

 She knows what it is and she knows how to stop it, to save the world Madoka has to die. Homura is of course not about to let that happen and keeps attacking despite Kirika managing to counter her attacks and gunfire. Mami, Kyoko and Yuma arrive to back Homura up but all Oriko can do is shed tears since they refuse to listen to her. Kirika tells her that she's out of time since she was already close enough to set up the Labyrinth. Homura knows what she's talking about and the chapter ends with Kirika releasing the spell she placed on her Soul Gem, fully succumbing to despair and becoming a witch. 

Actually not that far off but much less perverted.

 Check in next time to see how our heroes react to learning the truth about Magical Girls firsthand and if Oriko will save the world by killing Madoka.

Special thanks to my Patreon backer Jesse for his support.

Oriko Magica is owned by Mura Kuroe, Magica Quartet and Yen Press.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story: Magia Record is owned by Aniplex, F4samurai and Magica Quartet.
Friday (1995) is owned by F. Gary Gray, Priority films, Ghetto Bird Productions, Cube Vision Productions and New Line Cinema.
The Simpsons are owned by Matt Groening, Gracie Films, and 20th Century Fox Television. 
Dragon Ball, Dragonball Z and Dragonball GT is owned by Funnimation, Toei animation, Fuji TV and Akira Toriyama.
Silent Hill Homecoming is owned by Double Helix games and Konami Digital Entertainment #FucKonami