もう何も恐くない

*HUGE spoiler ahead unless you've seen past ep.3 of Puella Magi Madoka Magica*

Back when I saw the PV on Niconico and compiled a list for the winter season, I was kinda torn whether to watch it or not. I pointed out key staff members of Shinbou Akiyuki as the director, Urobuchi Gen as the script writer, Kajiura Yuki as the composer, and Kalafina as the ED singer. Normally this combination would lure me to watch almost anything, but I paused when the theme was announced to be mahou shoujo and my step faltered when I saw the character design.

Even now at ep.4, I still can't get over the faces. I don't think I'll ever be able to overcome this hurdle...

I don't usually pay attention to staff, at least until very recently, so I am not familiar with what Urobuchi Gen is capable of. But apparently he's so infamous, that even I have come to associate his name and Nitro+ with dark stories just by seeing ppl mentioning his name over the years.

So from the beginning, I never expected the show to be a typical mahou shoujo anime. Not that I know what a typical mahou shoujo anime series looks like, since technically I've never watched one.

I wasn't planning to watch the series at all because of the character design that I can't get over, but the great team of script writer/director/composer and Neko-tan's extremely fanatic praise finally lured me to the series...

...and I don't understand the shock and trauma people claim to experience with that universally infamous scene in ep.3.

Neko-tan considered it as mental torture when I commented that the scene was very clean. Friend-I found it a bit disturbing since the character looked like a kid (even after I corrected that the character is in junior high), and that the scene took place in such a happy cake-like environment.

Maybe it's because I'm not familiar with the mahou shoujo profession, so the shocking twist of such a thing happening to a mahou shoujo series is lost on me. By default, I treat all characters the same as long as there's a fighting/battle/war element in the show. I expect the characters to get hurt, go through hell physically or mentally, and even die.

The fact that I don't feel an affinity to the characters because of the design might also be another factor. And also the fact that I've only known the character for such a short time. (I tried to remember if there's another character that dies with such short screen time but made a bigger impact on me, but my failing memory couldn't give me a name after 20 seconds.)

I do admit, though, that the series is much better than I anticipated. If it weren't for the horrible faces that prohibit me from being fully emerged while watching the episodes, I might rate it as the best series for the winter season. It's great in all other aspects. 残念だ。