"Old Thief Lin really has the nerve to claim he's not lying! He's just like Kyubey. I suggest he change his avatar to Kyubey."
"We're doomed. The remaining three episodes will definitely be even more heartbreaking and depressing. After all, Old Thief Lin said himself that no matter how devastating the rest of the story gets, he won't give us any warnings to prepare ourselves."
"A total wipeout ending is inevitable. The world might even end."
"Based on the foreshadowing, if Madoka becomes a magical girl, she'll definitely be able to defeat Walpurgisnight, without even needing Homura's help. The problem is, once she becomes a magical girl, she'll quickly turn into a Witch herself. So my guess is that Madoka will become a magical girl first, and then, before she falls into despair, Homura will kill her. Finally, Homura will commit suicide out of grief, to prevent herself from becoming a Witch too."
"Suicide out of grief... Misa Amane did the same thing in Death Note. Now that I think about it, that's totally plausible."
"Am I the only one who thinks the last three episodes will be a healing arc? Old Thief Lin even said in his earlier post that Puella Magi Madoka Magica was originally meant to be a healing story, he just never said the middle parts wouldn't be depressing. So this animation is probably following the 'depressing first, then healing' formula, right? We're almost at the limit of the suffering, it's time for some real healing."
"Heh, as if I'd believe anything Old Thief Lin says. On the surface, he might seem truthful, but Old Man Kyubey never lied either. I don't trust a single punctuation mark he says anymore."
Netizens buzzed about Lin Zhiyan's posts.
Although Lin Zhiyan had been quietly monitoring the discussions all along, he stuck to his word, refraining from posting anything new, let alone teasing the tenth episode.
However, he was always open to suggestions. When a netizen suggested changing his avatar to Kyubey, he actually did it.
This simple act sparked a new wave of mockery.
Suddenly, Kyubey memes went viral, nearly being overused to death. Offline, sales of Kyubey merchandise surged.
While many posts criticized the animation and Lin Zhiyan, the majority were genuine expressions of admiration and in-depth analyses. For instance, popular threads included:
"Watching the first few episodes of this anime, I thought the Witches were just some weird, eye-searing designs Old Thief Lin came up with on the fly. But after seeing Sayaka's Mermaid Witch in Episode 9, it's clear they weren't just thrown together randomly. Each one is meticulously designed based on the person's life before they became a Witch. That makes them really worth studying."
"I can't believe this anime even tries to explain the creation of magical girls and Witches with a seemingly scientific theory. I'm impressed."
"This anime is so different from other Magical Girl Anime. In a typical one, Sayaka might have been awakened by Madoka and saved. But this is more realistic, right? Miracles don't just happen that easily."
"The ED in Episode 9 is so good, and the OP has been great all along. I'm waiting for the CD—I'll definitely buy it when it comes out."
"The ED is amazing, and the illustration is stunning too. It's no wonder Lord Hayashi drew it himself."
"I love this anime so much. I hope the remaining three episodes have a perfect conclusion."
Lin Zhiyan stopped posting online and ceased making any further announcements, but the animation's official promotion never let up.
Before the tenth episode aired, the official team arranged a special voice actor radio program featuring the five main characters: Madoka, Homura Akemi, Sayaka, Kyoko, and Mami.
During the program, the five voice actors discussed the animation, shared anecdotes about Lin Zhiyan, and offered both complaints and expressions of admiration for him.
For example:
Kaori Mizuhashi, the voice actor for Mami Tomoe, couldn't help but vent: "Mami was already a magical girl in the very first episode, and she was even presented as a senior who guides the Main Character into becoming one. I thought I'd have work right up to the final episode, but I never imagined she'd be killed off in the third episode. For the next several episodes, she could only live on in memories and conversations."
Eri Kitamura, the voice actor for Sayaka, said: "I think Sayaka, the character I play, might be the most tragic magical girl in the history of Magical Girl Anime."
Nonaka Ai, the voice actress for Sakura Kyoko, said, "My first time voicing a character for Mr. Hayashi was Yagami Sayu, the Male Lead's sister in Death Note. At the time, L.S Produ had just been established, and Mr. Hayashi was still a rookie animation director. To think he'd create several masterpieces and achieve such popularity in just a few years—it's truly remarkable."
With so many participants, each voice actor contributed their own thoughts, weaving together content from Puella Magi Madoka Magica and personal anecdotes about Lin Zhiyan. The broadcast offered a rich and varied discussion.
Given that the Puella Magi Madoka Magica anime was currently airing, the five voice actors were either already popular or on the rise, contributing to the radio program's high listenership.
Finally, as per official instructions, the five voice actors ended the show with a cryptic preview of episode ten. The gist was that every character, including those who had already died, would have significant roles.
"Fans of Mami (Kyoko, Sayaka), you absolutely must watch the next episode!" the voice actors urged.
If the magical girls in the anime were treated like celebrities, then, according to the voice actors, episode ten would be an all-star lineup.
The crucial point was that Mami, Kyoko, and Sayaka were all dead.
Given this, how could they still have so many scenes?
This led many listeners to speculate:
"Could the Main Character become a magical girl in the next episode and wish for Mami, Kyoko, and Sayaka to be resurrected?"
"Didn't Old Thief Lin say Puella Magi Madoka Magica was a story of despair followed by healing? I never believed it before, but now I'm starting to think he might actually be right."
"Reviving Mami, Kyoko, and Sayaka all at once—others might not be able to grant such a wish, but the Main Character definitely can. After all, Kyubey himself said her wish can even warp the laws of reality. Resurrecting a few people would be a piece of cake for her."
"Resurrection is definitely possible, but the real question is how to prevent Sayaka from turning into a Witch after being revived. One person can't make two wishes at once, right?"
"Maybe it'll involve Homura Akemi's powers to stop Sayaka from becoming cursed?"
"If Mami, Kyoko, and Sayaka all come back in the next episode... I'm so excited! I can't wait for the final battle between the five magical girls and the Walpurgisnight, and it would be great if they could finish off Kyubey too."
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