Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica Ep 9: Seeking a Chance for Hope

Madoka continues to search for Sayaka only to find her limp in Kyoto’s arms alongside with Akemi who announces that she is dead. Breaking down into tears, Madoka cries while Kyoto grows frustrated how Akemi knew about this and warned no one. After Madoka gets home, she continues to grieve, overwhelmed with the fact Sayaka is no longer  alive, Kyubey appears to tell her about the situation and the reason behind it. He reveals that in fact, his kind cannot possess emotions (not like we haven’t noticed, you bastard) due to discovering Puella’s magic and that they have been searching the universe where they can obtain energy (souls anyone?) for themselves and that they discovered that humans were fitting candidates to supply them that energy.
The next day Madoka heads to school only to be called out by Kyoto to meet up. Kyoto tells her that she wants to try and save Sayaka and that maybe Madoka might be able to pull it off by talking to her. They two head out to the witch’s den only to fail miserably at trying to snap Sayaka out of it and find her human self. Left to no choice, as Akemi arrives, Kyoto entrusts Madoka into her care and decides that she will die alongside with Sayaka so that she will not be alone, and prays for the best outcome.
Now the only Puella left in town, Kyubey goes out to find Akemi and mocks her how she is now all alone and that it will be impossible for her to take down Walpurgis Night on her own and that this is the perfect and unavoidable set up for Madoka to finally become a Puella. Akemi furiously declares with determination that she will not let that happen and prevent Madoka from becoming one by all costs.

Impression:
D: KYOTOOOOOO!!!! ;A: NOOOO! NOT YOU TOO! NO GOD DAMN IT! NO! ;A; GOD, AND I WAS REALLY STARTING TO LIKE HER TOO! ;A;
Damnit, I knew that Kyubey was going to get some sort of benefit from Madoka’s powers and everyone’s loss. It’s all for its own fucking kind, and that’s just freaking messed up. God, now this is even more convenient for Kyubye now that this situation is putting Madoka in the spot where she must become a Puella in order to protect Akemi, as foreshadowed in the first episode, Akemi will not be able to hold up the fight on her own. Now back to Kyubey, he got fucking guts to show up before Madoka and try and encourage her to become a Puella still, I don’t give the shit about his kind unable to feel emotions and all that crap – in the end they are just sacrificing everyone for their own benefits.
Now that Sayaka is a witch, soon enough Kyoto as well unless she somehow makes it out alive without becoming one – I’m really starting (I said this a million times, I’m sure of it) to think that the Walpurgis Night could actually be a Puella as well just in the state of form as a witch, who happens to be connected or a dear friend of Akemi’s. While we know that Akemi controls time, and its hinted/said that she has traveled through time (from the previous episode) I wonder how she plans to take this witch down on her own, and at the same time prevent Madoka from making a contract.
I find it funny also that Kyoto said the EXACT same thing as Akemi did back in the first episode where as they were telling Madoka, “don’t become a Puella if you have a loving family, convenient life, and everything you really need”. And lets face it, they are right. What is there to wish if you got the key items of happiness? Why throw all of that away for one wish? But again, like Kyoto said, unless she has a good reason in becoming one despite knowing the consequences, so be it.

The key techniques in the animation this episode were very artistic. I also loved how they flipped back and forth between frames and  sequences, and was very satified with Sayaka’s witch form. I mean look at it, it represents what she wanted to do as a Puella, that is  protecting people.
As you can see, her witch is a knight in armor – the ones who protects society and fight for justice, with a mermaid fin – in this case I  suppose you could say it represents love and music since in some folklore/legends mermaids/sirens sing and charm the sailors which  ironically leads to their deaths where as they drown. Following that up, Sayaka drowned due to her despair. That’s how I see it  metaphorically.