On the big screen, after Madoka left her house, the opening sequence for Rebellion Story, the theatrical film version, began.
The opening was different from the TV series' main opening, but the singer remained the same, and the musical style was very similar. Both songs were excellent.
The music itself wasn't the issue. What stood out was the visual style of the opening sequence, which differed from the TV series' opening.
Instead of being heartwarming, it felt like it was tormenting Homura Akemi. One scene showed Homura kneeling on the ground, her expression hidden, as if shrouded in shadows. Bright surroundings contrasted with the four other magical girls dancing cheerfully.
Another scene featured Madoka smiling as she reached out to the kneeling Homura. Homura reciprocated, but just as their hands were about to touch, Madoka suddenly dissolved into a pile of fine sand, leaving Homura alone, kneeling on the ground, tears streaming down her face and dripping onto the ground.
Such scenes were absent from the TV series' opening sequence.
However, since the subsequent plot was unknown, Shiga Taka refrained from offering a detailed critique of the opening sequence.
After the opening sequence, the story continued.
On her way to school, Madoka ran into Sayaka and Kyoko.
Sayaka was her classmate, as expected. The surprise was that Kyoko was wearing the same school uniform and was also in Madoka and Sayaka's class.
During class, the identity of the transfer student was revealed to be Homura Akemi. However, this was clearly different from the TV series.
Here, Homura Akemi seemed to not know Madoka and the others at all. Yet this couldn't be the original timeline either, because Homura was already a magical girl. Though she wore her signature twin braids, she wasn't as timid as in the first timeline; she was merely shy.
After introducing herself, she brushed her hair aside, her magical girl ring glinting openly on her hand. Madoka, Sayaka, and Kyoko stared in astonishment.
During the break, on the rooftop of the school building, Senior Mami revealed that she had known about Homura's existence all along and had wanted to surprise them. She also mentioned that Homura had helped them deal with the Nightmare the previous night.
After they had properly met, the timeline jumped forward.
On a beautiful, starlit night, Madoka and Homura Akemi sat together in a flower garden, admiring the night view. Kyubey lay at Madoka's feet.
"It's so beautiful," Madoka said.
"Mm," Homura replied.
"Has it really been a month since you transferred here, Homura?"
"It's strange, isn't it? It feels like we've been together forever, and yet time just flew by."
"I wish we could all have a good night's sleep without the Nightmare appearing tonight. It's so magical. I've always wanted to just sit here with you, Homura, and chat like this. It's silly, I know. We'll see each other at school tomorrow anyway."
"Yeah, me too. I've always been waiting for moments like this with you, Madoka."
Their conversation was ordinary, but for Shiga Taka, watching the scene on the big screen, it stirred a faint sense of emotion. Having seen the original anime and knowing the tragic ending where Homura had to part with Madoka, this peaceful scene of them together felt poignant.
If only the Nightmare wouldn't appear, and they could sleep well...
This was the classic setup: the Nightmare would strike next, and the victim would be Hitomi, the best friend of both the Main Character and Sayaka.
The reason the Nightmare targeted Hitomi was because Kyosuke Kamijo was so utterly devoted to his violin that he had no time for her, leaving her feeling deeply wronged.
Upon learning of the Nightmare's appearance, the five magical girls, along with Charlotte—the Original Heart Demon Witch, who had somehow become like Senior Mami's pet—and Bebe, gathered to battle the Nightmare.
Though called a "Nightmare," the scene of its appearance bore striking similarities to the Witches from the main TV series, both in their bizarre visual style and their meticulously crafted, detail-rich designs.
Each of the five magical girls' transformation sequences was unique and equally brimming with detail.
Moreover, the ornaments or sculptures in Hitomi's room seemed to carry symbolic weight. One depicted a man in a suit playing a violin, while another resembled a mermaid. The violinist and the mermaid were positioned back-to-back, each facing in a different direction. In front of the mermaid was a goat-like sculpture, while the violinist gazed at a sculpture of a girl playing a piano.
These elements seemed to allude to the complex relationships between Kyoko, Sayaka, Kyosuke Kamijo, and Hitomi.
The battle with the Nightmare was also clearly meticulously designed, resulting in a dazzling visual spectacle.
After restraining the Nightmare, the five magical girls gathered around a round table, with the Original Point Heart Demon Girl Bebe at its center.
As the table rotated, they took turns singing the "Cake Song," a melody that was both catchy and somewhat brainwashing.
Each verse followed the same structure, but the specific lyrics varied, subtly reflecting details that were difficult to analyze thoroughly in the moment.
By the time the battle ended, dawn had broken. Senior Mami invited everyone to her home for tea. On the way, Homura Akemi suddenly felt a doubt: "Is... is this really how it should be?"
As this doubt arose, the scene shifted to a reflection in the water, creating the impression that the entire event might be nothing more than an illusion.
The animation's perspective then switched to Homura Akemi's viewpoint.
During class, Homura glanced back and noticed that many of the "passersby" seemed to have faces coated in wax. It was unclear whether this was to highlight the main characters or to emphasize Homura's detachment from others.
In the back rows of the classroom, Madoka was diligently taking notes. Sayaka held a pen and appeared to be taking notes, but her eyes were closed—clearly dozing off. Kyoko, meanwhile, was slumped over and snoring soundly.
Later, the group ate lunch on the rooftop, viewed through a unique perspective: through the gaps in the rooftop fence, as if another subtle hint. A close-up of Bebe was interspersed, making it seem as if she was up to something.
Homura Akemi grew increasingly uneasy. She found Kyoko alone and invited her to investigate together—to visit Kazamino City, Kyoko's hometown.
The two boarded a bus, ready to leave Mitakihara, but soon encountered a bizarre scene: the bus couldn't leave the city!
They got off and walked, but the road stretched endlessly, and they couldn't find their way out after hours of walking.
At this point, Kyoko finally understood that Mitakihara was truly problematic.
She immediately prepared to transform into a magical girl and cause a scene, but Homura stopped her.
Homura told her not to draw attention, lest they alert the enemy, and said she wanted to investigate alone. She asked Kyoko to return home first.
After Kyoko left, Homura lowered her head and thought to herself, "Am I the only one who remembers?"
She turned and removed her glasses as she walked away: "That's right. I know this method—a sealed dream space, a labyrinth without an exit, designed to lure and deceive its prey."
She untied the purple hair ribbon, her hairstyle changing from two large braids to the long, straight black hair seen in the main timeline of the TV series.
She brushed her hair aside, and her demeanor shifted accordingly.
"That's right, this is... a Witch's Barrier."
"Witches are harbingers of despair, agents of calamity. They are also the cursed forms that magical girls take when they fall into despair."
"Countless times, I've lived through the same cycle at this very time, fighting against cruel fate. In the end, it was through the sacrifice of a single girl that I severed the cruel chain of hope and despair."
"The world should have been guided toward a new path. Yet we forgot—no, we were forced to forget. Someone manipulated our memories, trying to trap us in this false Mitakihara Town."
Up until now, Shiga Taka had been utterly bewildered by the constant sense of dissonance on the big screen. But now, it all made sense.
Everything had been a lie, a "trap" set by the Witch.
Yet new questions immediately arose: The Witch was supposed to have disappeared. How could she be "making a comeback" now?
And how could she have constructed an entire Mitakihara Town as her Barrier, trapping several magical girls within it without their knowledge? That was way too powerful!
What about Madoka, Sayaka, and that "Bebe"? Why were they also trapped in this Barrier?
Many new questions remained, but at this point, Shiga Taka felt the story had truly become interesting. He was now even more eager to see how it would unfold.
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