Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica Episode 7: Receiving Wisdom & Acknowledging Regrets

Sayaka returns home in show and devastated as the truth about what had happened to hear when she formed the contract with Kyubey sinks in. She angrily questions the creature why he didn’t warn her. He simply states it was only because she never asked, and revealed that neither did Mami knew about what had happened to their soul. Kyubey also made a direct point and example to her by letting her know what kind of pain she would have felt when she was fighting Kyoto if her soul was still in her heart rather than a gem that is separated from the body itself. The next day Sayaka doesn’t go to school, instead she is called out by Kyoto who takes her to a demolished church and tells her about her past and why she became a Puella. When the finishes Sayaka asks her why she was bothering to tell her this, Kyoto remarks that she doesn’t want to see her make the same mistakes she did in the past.
Another day has passed, this time Sayaka goes to school only to not only see that her beloved Kyosuke is well enough to recover, but is confronted by her friend Hitomi who reveals to her that she too is in love with Kyosuke and is willing to give Sayaka one more chance to make her move, and if not she will continue as planned to confess to him the next day. Later in the evening, before she departs to fight a witch she is greeted by Madoka who had waited for her outside asking if she can come along with her. Unable to hold back her despair, Sayaka breaks down into tears crying out how she actually came across the thought of regretting that she had saved Hitomi, and how that now with her current body it’s impossible to love Kyosuke, it’s impossible to be the person she used to be. When she calms down, they go off to fight a witch. In the distance Kyoto observes staying out of the way, she is greeted by Akemi who is surprised to see that she was letting Sayaka have the witch. When Kyoto senses that Sayaka is at risk she joins the battle only to be told to back off as Sayaka successfully but brutally kills the witch while laughing in despair.

Impression:
This was, by far the most technical animated episode yet. The amount of different shots and frames made, and the astonishing gorgeous quality was like putting icing on a cake (is that how you say it?). The effects, colors, and directed sequences had a major influence on the mood of this episode, which were sadness and regret. While I did not cry like I did when Mami died, this certainly made my eyes sting and stare at the screen watching with a sorrowful expression glued to my face. I pity Sayaka not because of the wish she made, but lacking the knowledge for the potiential consequences – losing her human soul is one of them. Because of this I feel incredibly sad how she feels like she’s a zombie, no longer has the right to be identified as a human, incapable of being able to love someone as who she is now. She regrets of what she has become. It was even sadder while she was fighting the witch, she didn’t feel pain like her human self have felt as Kyubey demonstrated in the beginning of the episode, instead she started to laugh, but not a genuine laugh, a laugh that echos her despair deep from her soul.
Kyoto, her backstory was incredibly sad, and it was nice to see that she was looking out for Sayaka not wanting her to make the same mistakes she did. I really liked how they delivered her backstory and made it incredibly memorable and unique. I also liked how she jumped into the battle Sayaka was in against a witch trying to prevent her from getting killed only to be told to stay out of it. But considering Sayaka’s latest behavior, without a doubt she too is probably well aware this is the result of the girl’s despair.
As for Kyubey I’m not even going to get started. You all know how I feel about him, I’m going to continue venting about him week after week unless he actually does something stupid or whatever.
I’m not sure what to expect for the next episode. With only five episodes remaining, I wonder when the Walpurgis Night Witch will finally make its debut. I’m actually starting to consider that the wish Madoka would make in order to become a Puella despite the devastating consequences and danger, it would perhaps give Puella’s freedom of some sort, maybe somehow keep them connected to their human self. I’m not sure how to put it, but hopefully you get some sort of idea what I’m trying to say.