Sayaka Is the Most Important Character in Madoka Magica

[@kyoukokirigiri1220]

Ur so real for this, it's so hard being a kyosaya girl in a madohomu world 😔

[@santiagojpr4779]

HAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA,yeah, idk, i'm in both sides,also i like to think that mami is also lesbian since she witched out in the psp Game just bc she was jealous the relationship that Moemura and Madoka had in the first timeline,you not fall in despair just because your best friend has a girlfriend and you are jealous of them and You have absolutely not romantic feelings?Idk but is just My HEAD canon (du dumb bass)

[@kyosaya4life]

kyosaya for LIFE 💜 (they are my life)

[@bfdgreen]

Real.

[@asztan_]

FRRRRRRRRRR

[@amochikaay]

Finding out many people hated Sayaka or considered her ‘worst girl’ was like whiplash for me, as when I initially watched Madoka, Sayaka was my favorite character and stood out to me as a well written character. Finding out people hated her for being ‘selfish’ and overall being more childish(compared to the kyoka, homura or mami) was so crazy to me, because guys she’s literally 14? And it’s not like the other girls are more mature than her either, in fact, their character developments(especially mami’s) directly show how they are still children despite the fronts they put up.

[@nannombre2238]

These are the kind of people who would claim that "if I was in her situation, I would have made better choices!"

[@MadChips202]

I dislike Sayaka and Mami the most. I dislike Mami because to me she has a superiority complex. I think my initial dislike for sayaka was because she reminds me of a part of me I don’t like much. I don’t think either of them are bad characters or people though. They are young girls who were manipulated and groomed by Kyubei. And I strongly ship Sayaka with Kyoko (Kyoko is my fav)

[@yurisei6732]

Hating Sayaka is low-skill. The big brain play is hating the entire cast (except Junko, who is objectively fine - and not by mistake). That's what I did, and it's what made madomagi such an enduring masterpiece. Storytelling is all about building up and releasing tension. Just like in music, you have patterns that build tension and patterns that release tension, and if you cut out the tension-releasing patterns, the experience is extremely frustrating - but when you finally bring those patterns back in, they're far more satisfying than they would normally be. Madomagi is like that. The whole story is all tension-building past episode 3, with zero relief. Even when it ends, it refuses to offer a conclusion; then when it gets its second ending, you're still left wanting more. The upcoming movie will no doubt be the same. Doubling down on the tension being built by the plot is the tension being built by the characters, who are all constantly making terrible decisions and treating each other poorly. That's why Madoka has to be a pushover, you have to feel upset on her behalf by the actions of other characters, particularly Sayaka. All that frustration is the storytelling equivalent of edging, and because they don't give you a proper resolution, you have no choice but to keep thinking about the story until you can find resolution via coming to terms with the cast's flaws. People who were able to properly sympathise with the characters from the beginning never got that experience.

[@kumakiel8850]

I only hated rich girl bc she literally kickstarter sayaka’s witch transformation:/

[@FirstGentleman1]

There are no "worst girls" in Magica. They're all dope.

[@ElkatYuriWarlord]

I would like to point out the mermaid motif is very important to Sayaka as it is also ultimately foreshadowing her fate. She is the little mermaid and I'm not talking the happily ever after modern version that companies present it as but the tragedy that was the original Hans Aderson version of the story (that he then gave a "happily ever after"- at least for his time period, later on): 1.) Made a deal to transform herself into something else: For Sayaka it was to become a magical girl. For the mermaid it was to become human. 2.) Her decision was motivated largely knowing/meeting a member of the opposite sex: Her desire to have Kyosuke be grateful for her vs. the mermaid's love the world above being aggravated further by meeting the prince and saving his life. 3.) The transformation came with horrible draw backs: Sayaka is no longer even human and is doomed to become a witch where not only the mermaid's tongue ripped out rendering her mute, but her newly minted hurt and bled with each step. 4.) Her fate was sealed when another woman =took the man she loved from her. Hitomi ultimatum was made equally for Sayaka's sake as her own (either Sayaka will finally stop pining for Kyosuke from afar and progress their relationship or Hitomi will be able to pursue Kyosuke without feeling any regret for betraying Sayaka.) After the mermaid rescued the prince, he was found by a princess who was living at a nearby temple for the sake of her education. The prince mistakenly believed she was the person who saved his life and chose to marry her. 5.) Someone close to her offered a "solution" to her situation that she ultimately rejected: Kyoko had tried to Sayaka down to her level apathy and selfishness, living a cold, ruthless life, but Sayaka rejected. Even if she had accepted that offer, she would have still been doomed to become a magical girl as that's the fate of all magical girls (before Madoka's sacrifice); she would have just stalled it off for a time. The mermaid's sisters gave her a dagger and told her if she killed the prince and his new wife, she could return to being a mermaid, but her love for the prince forbade her from the heartless act of murder. 6.) In the end, she accepted her fate and was given a second chance for her sacrifice: Sayaka accepted her mistakes and didn't regret them when Madoka began erasing the other magical girls' wishes. Ultimately as one of the retainers of the "law of cycles" (Modoka), she essentially has become an angel in service to God. After the little mermaid turned to sea foam and died, she was given the chance to gain a soul and go to heaven if she did enough good deeds as a spirit.

[@HarrietHLE]

Thank you for the interesting analysis!! I've always liked the original Little Mermaid fairy tale but never thought about the connection to Sayaka, that's super fascinating! I wonder if other fairy tale motifs are similarly reflected in the show... no matter how many times I watch it, there's always new things to see :)

[@santiagojpr4779]

@@HarrietHLE also the mermaid motif comes from Goethe,i don't remember well but is explained in the videoessay Of mimikyuno "On Werther,Faust,and love",also explains the surname Of Oktavia ,Von Seckendorf.I highly recommend that video👍.

[@HarrietHLE]

@@santiagojpr4779 thank you! I'll check it out :)

[@L3onking]

​@@HarrietHLE(sorry for mentioning Magia Record again) The little mermaid parallel comes even more to the front in Sayaka's Swimsuit Surfer version. Check out the tranformation video. i love Magia record (namely the introduction of Void Type Magical girls like mitama, who's Coordinating can realign a magical girl changing her magic)

[@flux.aeterna]

WOW

[@marleybeavers]

“sayaka is the most important” ok kyouko whatever u say

[@jellyfishjan3498]

I like that Mami, Sayaka, and Kyouka all die differently, kinda representing the spectrum of the different ways Magical Girls die in this universe. Mami dies ignorant, she slips up during a fight and dies, never learning the dark truth of it all. Sayaka succumbs to grief and becomes a witch after everything becomes too much to bear, while Kyouka dies desperately fighting against the cruelty. If we include alt timeline Mami's mercy killing spree- I feel like they cover pretty much every possible end for a magical girl

[@yurisei6732]

Kyouko doesn't represent "dying fighting the cruelty", she represents "taking the easy way out". Not that that's a criticism of her though, I'd probably do the same thing.

[@EveRosell]

@@yurisei6732 I wouldn't say she "takes the easy way out", I'd say she decided to do one last selfless act and accompany Sayaka cause at this point there was no way to turn Sayaka back. (Also, my interpretation only, but I think Kyoko blaming herself for not being there enough for Sayaka due to "selfish is the way" philosophy and giving Sayaka a lot of pressure in the beginning played a big part in her decision).

[@runawaythoughts5183]

Finally someone who gets it! Sayaka and Kyouko have been my favorite characters of all times since I was 12 and I adore them to this day. Thank you for making this video

[@Thebeezzkneezz.]

Me too! I watched it when i was 11 and immediately sayaka became my favorite I am cosplaying her this year

[@oddballkimin]

So glad this got recommended to me! I never understood the hate for Sayaka and this video explains it perfectly.

[@tsumikiayato1560]

To be a KyoSaya girl is to be happy

[@yarshmellow2323]

Not so fun fact! Every timeline where Sayaka becomes a magical girl, she inevitably becomes a witch. This makes her and kyoko's arc so much more tragic in my opinion

[@ClubPuguin]

I see this a lot, do you know the source?

[@glistenin0]

Uhm actually in madoka portable sayakas good ending has her dying from walpurgisnacht and not becoming a witch

[@nannombre2238]

The spinoff Magia record would like to say otherwise, especially the game version.

[@baikaachyuplays5097]

Portable Sayaka Good Ending, Magia Record both the Game and Anime, Scene 0, Sayaka does not always become a witch if she becomes a Magical Girl.

[@nannombre2238]

Also the bonus route and certain choices in Homura's route as well.

[@abbie_gabi]

'Sayaka Is the Most Important Character' for Kyoko. Hehe

[@peanut4668]

I really liked this video! I feel like sayaka’s character tends to get misinterpreted sometimes due to her actions and only reduces her to not getting the guy she wanted when there’s a lot more to her than that. I will say the only thing i slightly disagree with is her wish only being for kyosuke to like her. There was definitely a part of her that wanted his gratitude, but she also wanted to help him get better. Even when her and madoka talk in the final episode she mentions how she wanted to just hear him play again. That’s not to say her wish was completely selfless though it’s like a weird in between. I had also read somewhere (idk how true it is) that Sayaka is also the weakest of the girls which could explain why she had such a tough time fighting and why homura was so surprised in rebellion that she became more agile. (Also I love that in rebellion, shes moved on and is close to Kyoko)

[@yurisei6732]

Sayaka's wish was wholely selfless. The problem was that she had expectations about what Kyousuke wanted, which failed to live up to reality. She didn't think "Once he's healed he'll want to date me", she just didn't realise how much her time with him would decrease once he was out of the hospital. Notice how she never tried to take credit for healing him, even though that would absolutely be an effective card for getting what she wanted, and never used magic to win (something Kyouko explicitly points out she could do), and only becomes upset after Hitomi becomes competition, since she expected to be content not having to advance her relationship with Kyousuke. That's also why she mirrors Kyouko: Kyouko didn't wish to receive the favour of her father, she wished for her father's suffering to be alleviated, and separately assumed that her fighting witches would be appreciated, not realising how taboo "magic" was. Both are selfless wishes, that do not directly result in suffering; the suffering is the result of incorrect assumptions about the subjects of their wish, and events that happen only as a tangential consequence of the wish. What Kyouko is really advocating is not "making a selfish wish", but "wishing for the specific thing that will make you happy, rather than hoping that someone else's happiness will result in your own".

[@peanut4668]

@ You make a good point, I should have worded things a bit better. I meant to say that how I interpreted it is that a part of sayaka hoped that maybe due to the wish she made they’d be closer but clearly that didn’t work out 😅. I do highly agree with your points about how she now has less time to spend with Kyousuke and it’s sorta interesting how hitomi gets hit with that same problem too in rebellion. I feel though that the reason she felt twisted up about hitomi wanting to confess Kyousuke was more so because she didn’t feel like she deserved to after finding out about how soul gems work (and possibly her strive for being selfless). She mentioned that she couldn’t tell him to hug or kiss her when she feels like she isn’t even human anymore (not directly quoting but kinda paraphrasing).

[@fr1lledjellyfish]

I've been screaming this at the top of my lungs since I really started to get invested in Sayaka's character. I'm beyond thrilled there are people who feel the same way!! Justice for Sayaka Miki in Walpurgisnacht Rising 🙏

[@yurisei6732]

Justice for Walpurgisnacht in Walpurgisnacht Rising, the true MVP.

[@palapeura375]

Merry Christmas. I'm a trans man and grew up in a very abusive, transphobic home. I watched PMMM in 2018 while in psychotherapy and god damn the concept of a cute girl growing up to be a tragical monster hit me in a painful spot. But in a world that would be less cruel, people like me wouldn't have to suffer as much. I'm very tired and may not be able to make myself understood too well but I love this anime and it helped me get through some stuff. I have legally transitioned but not yet medically due to medical transphobia, and it really does feel like my soul is outside my body. But yeah. PMMM is a masterpiece

[@JustLoro]

i hope someday you get the care you need

[@yurisei6732]

But in a world where people suffer less, there are fewer artistic masterpieces like madomagi.

[@lalabootz]

I'd say mami and syaka. As mami's death introduced the truth of magical girls vs witches, it's not a fun game, its a battel of life and death, a magical girls life is always at risk when fighting against grief, however even in the end mami didn't know the real danger of magical girls. which is why sayaka's role is also so important. She introduced the most important aspect of this cycle, that in the end witches are born from the wishes of magical girl. She exposed a lot of the truths about the contracts. I agree syaka is so important in this story. They all are. They all have an important role in madoka becoming a god. They're all best girls. I love them all equally....

[@Red.Decimo]

Amazing Sayaka analysis video aside, great and well thoughtout points aside Your Kyoko cosplay is spot on! I'm not sure if any one here pointed that out so I thought I should. It's about time I stumbled across a recent Madoka Magica video I can invest myself into or so to speak. While Homura still remains as my favorite character overall, Sayaka has become a very special character for me for the best reasons and the worst reasons as her struggles does resonate with me, but that's unrelated to the video. I just want to thank you for making an appreciation video on Sayaka Miki. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

[@Chyumiix]

As a Sayaka Stan this is SO refreshing to hear (She gets so much hate😭🙏)

[@tylermack4705]

honestly, I LOVE how this was recommended to me so thank you KZbin Algorithm! one thing I wanted to point out for Sayaka, is I think she is the most realistic person in the show we can ALL relate to. I mean who wanted to fight for those less fortunate than us. but I do think it goes along with the old saying my mom used to tell me & thats “no good deed goes unpunished.”

[@L3onking]

Sayaka in magia record really shows how far Sayaka would go to save Mami and prevent others from being hurt by Mami. I think it added so much more to her character.

[@ClubPuguin]

It added something.

[@L3onking]

@@ClubPuguin now If only they weren't canceled mid Season 2, would we have gotten a great series.

[@kriblar98]

The changes they made to the movie version made it hit so much harder too

[@sophieleetmaa4147]

best madoka discussion / analysis video I've ever seen. Thank you for your great work !

[@judahosborne8868]

yesss please make more madoka content I love madoka video essays

[@Betex9s]

This is such a good video, i hope it blows up soon!

[@Anonlyso]

Pretty Grateful for a in-depth Sayaka analysis and expansion of her main tragic motif as vital to the main Magical Girl - Witch tragedy, especially emphasizing the "Hero of Justice/Seigi no Mikata" aspect that Gen Urobuchi heavily themes around. I'm glad to see a Sayaka defense that also isn't "just" the entire shows plot summary in spite of how much her story intertwines with the main shows premise (like 8 eps at least). I'd definitely like to see your thoughts on Rebellion and Homura's ultimate selfishness in the same schema, tho whether you also need to refer to novels and other extraneous content for motives, including Madokas main one, is perhaps optional if disclosed. I'm also one tragic heroine fan to another, as one of the 14 people who watched the Magia Record spinoff completely and maybe one of 3 who actually liked it, Sayaka's tragedy gets similar parallels to girls like Kuroe who are similar yet different, in both their main focus of tragedy (being a Hero is suffering...but NOT being a Hero is ALSO suffering) as well as alongside the main characters tragedy, so I'm glad when you spell out Sayakas main place in both character and narrative that "some one actually gets it" after all the "Well if I was a teenager girl I would simply not take the malevolent mascot toys devil deal" takes. Thanks so much

[@Colorfulsaiii]

I love this video so much, it really explains sayakas and kyokos characters so well!! Live, laugh, love Sayaka!!

[@aquarianangel]

This was wonderful to watch. Thank you for explaining such a great character.

[@unripetheberrby6283]

Honestly she really is up there in narrative importance. Sayaka & Homura are like both big in it.

[@ponikoTV]

i dont trust people who hate sayaka or people who hate the other girls because i love all of them (the only thing im fine is people hating kyubey)

[@yurisei6732]

I don't trust anyone who hates Kyubey, because Homura did exactly the same things and Homura did nothing wrong.

[@chaoticlittlecat]

Amazing video!! Sorry this is going to be the weirdest coment but i swear i got a photo with you as kyoko and me as madoka at anime boston last year and was not expecting that today (your cosplay is amazing)

[@HarrietHLE]

@@chaoticlittlecat oh my gosh I remember you!! that’s so funny. thank you so much & glad we’re spreading the Madoka love ❤️

[@PinkHairPluto]

off topic, but your manga collection is so awesome!

[@HarrietHLE]

haha thank you!!

[@whimsibee4401]

Ive been a fan of madoka since the same age around the same time and I have made it a point to watch it at least once a year and focus on a different aspect of the show and how it effects or mirrors the story, and throughout all of it Sayaka has been my favorite character. Decretum was actually what got me to start learning piano, which ultimately has led to me getting a degree in music composition. Sayaka's tragic story, with how heartbreaking its themes were, how all of its accompanying music and visuals aided it, will always and forever influence my own personal art making. You did her character justice in this video, thank you for making such great content on my favorite character of all time from my favorite show of all time!!

[@abandonedchannel]

YES!!! sayaka has always been my favorite, i love you. seeing sayaka hate was so confuzzling to me

[@riosaharu]

Great vid for a deeply under-appreciated character! Would definitely love to hear more of your thoughts on Madoka :D

[@rhjubarb]

i love madoka and i love ur videos!! been subscribed since the ouran video u made and i gotta say ur super underrated!! cant wait for the rebellion video... these lesbians have my heart :3

[@Asehpe]

Thank you so very much for doing this video! I am quite the Sayaka fan, and she does need more love... The first literary character I actually really felt like hugging. I also consider PMMM the best anime I've ever seen, and I am an old timer (my daughter is about your age...). It's hard for me to even propose a favorite -- kyōsaya, madohomu... Mami, even Nagisa or Hitomi... I have noticed there are fewer people who admire the Sayaka-Kyōko story than those who fall for the Homura-Madoka one, and even though I admit madohomu is more 'cosmic' and poses deeper questions, kyōsaya is so deeply human, so immediately relatable! And when I remember that I, too, when I was in late adolescence, hid myself in the dark while a love interest went for another person... then it feels like Urobuchi created Sayaka thinking of me. (The feeling of that scene was so damn true, so similar to my own experience...) So even though madohomu tickles my brain and gives me terribly interesting ideas as food for thought, kyōsaya breaks my heart in the tiniest pieces. I am, after all, a Sayaka myself... All of this is simply to thank you for doing this video.

[@rekahrunanu]

Thank you for this video my love for Sayaka isnt just a me thing, starring t my shelf of sayaka figures lol.

[@eboni730]

Sayaka was always one of my fav characters from the series

[@EveliinaN97]

I’m here for more Madoka content! 🫶🏻

[@sarahchan5683]

i dont even need to watch this to say YES ur so right for this

[@Seraphita7]

I agree, that's why i have 2 tattoo's dedicated to her She's my favorite character out of every piece of media ever

[@ashunifallstevity8323]

Sayaka is also really good in Rebellion, I like her and Kyoko's moment.

[@weirdwondersIg]

As someone who's favorite character IS Sayaka, the fact she is so ignored as well as hated is P A I N.

[@nicholasshipman3238]

i really enjoyed this. Please do make more content about this anime, i love character analysis videos.

[@EspeonaSparkle]

Great video! I love Madoka Magica too! ❤

[@Ophelily]

YES YESYEYSYESYESYESYES I LOVE SAYAKA

[@Digital_is_silly]

Sayak on the kayak.

[@ClubPuguin]

on the what

[@Digital_is_silly]

@ i misspelled kayak because i slept only 4 hours

[@freindofdorothy5822]

Thanks God the later released we're able to see Sayaka in more stabled mind and she was actually strong! beyond cheating!!!!

[@jdm314]

This was great, thank you. I share your love of PMMM, and if this video is any indication, your further thoughts would be worth hearing!

[@opalwreck]

I like this video, merry christmas if you celebreate it!

[@Hastings555]

She also presumably kills the two hosts on the train when they hear her despising a woman (who might have turned into the dog witch).

[@david.g.9349]

Id love to see you do a video on Kyoko

[@curseddove]

As someone who just finished Rebellion, Sayaka is probably top 3 for me

[@GoldenWitchRoseBride]

She’s literally my favorite and feels more of a main character than Madoka

[@randychavez1979]

Clicked for the cosplay, stayed for the delay sadness 😢😢😢

[@Basil-]

I'm out so I can't watch this but BASED!!!! I relate to Sayaka so much and I know that's unrelated but I connect to her character a lot and she has a pivotal role in the series but is overlooked Also kyosaya solos

[@rulununu]

YOU ARE SO REALL

[@princewith1000friends]

Personally, I don't see Sayaka's wish as selfish, nor her comment that she'll 'never regret it' as childish.

[@princewith1000friends]

1. Sayaka isn't "selfish" for making a wish that heals someone else Tbh this gets said, a lot, but I don't understand how the takeaway from her arc is 'ah, but real reason she made her wish is because she *actually* wanted him to love her back!' No.. she didn't. Otherwise, why didn't she do as Kyoko said? Why not simply wish for him to love her and be happy with a broken arm? When she says 'she'll never regret it', does she seem upset when her only reward is to see the boy she loves happy?

[@princewith1000friends]

2. Saying she'll 'never regret it' isn't childish. This one hurts lol. Why does Sayaka eventually regret becoming a magical girl? Because a being far older than her withheld information about what would happen to her body after agreeing to a contract. When she learns and confronts him about it, he induces physical torment and says it's her own fault for not knowing something he intentionally withheld, which she internalizes. Should Sayaka "have known better"? Idk. I think that's the wrong question.

[@yurisei6732]

I won't tolerate this Kyubey erasure. If not for the incubators, there would be no madomagi.

[@PillowWillow007]

I would like to suggest you watch Symphogear.

[@Kitty-hf6vq]

How do people hate sayaka? 😢She's great!

[@PsychicJaylen]

None of them deserves this. That's why I should be in the Madoka Magica universe, so I can make the PMMM universe great again.

[@prowlandsasuke]

Madoka definitely has to be an anime you have to watch more the once to understand as I didnt understand at first why sayaka didnt return to life while everyone else did but I still don't understand why the girls are still magical girls when madoka made it so there didnt need to be magical girls anymore.

[@necromanti]

Madoka basically only ensured that magical girls don't turn into witches once their soul gems have become too corrupted. (Actually, can they even purify them anymore without grief seeds...?) Magical girls still exist since that system was only modified, and "curses" still exist, but only take another form to fill the vacuum. Incubators still need energy, and magical girls were a vital part of how humans managed to progress as a species.

[@yurisei6732]

Sayaka did "return to life"; the problem is that in the post-Madokami timeline, Sayaka still becomes a magical girl and still falls into despair because the thing she's upset about is no longer being human, which is still true, but instead of becoming a witch, she gets kidnapped by Madoka, who gives her a special role within the enkan no kotowari that other magical girls aren't given, presumably for sentimental reasons. Mami and Kyouko survive past their original timeline deaths in that new timeline because those original deaths were both the result of witches, and there are now no witches. @necromanti It's shown how purification works post-madokami. It's basically grief cubes instead of grief seeds, which presumably hatch into more wraiths instead of reviving the witch as a seed would.