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Aug. 1st, 2015 10:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dmxratedCurrently thinking of continuing Unlucky Black Holes (mentioned a few entries ago). Suggested some ideas to author andyjay18 four months ago, but never heard back from him (unlike after previous ideas I shared with him). Given that it's been more than a year since he last updated it, it's safe to assume that he's pretty much dead by now.
So far, I've engaged in some discussion with Chelle as to what Konata's entry would be like, after having failed to garner interest on both deviantArt and the Lucky Star Shrine Forum. It's panned out pretty well, but right now, I'm awaiting a response from her after having already sent three email replies to her just yesterday (the reason I'm posting this here).
It is no secret that one of the most fundamental aspects of Puella Magi and/or Witch creation is the wish that a girl makes in her contract with an Incubator. Chelle asked me to specify that among other things, and while it helps that Konata did try to become a Puella Magi in Stars Above (which itself led to UBH through a spinoff fic), UBH itself has no actual story surrounding it. Technically, whatever wish anyone makes would depend on the actual circumstances involved when Kyubey meets them. (Downfalls are also scarce, with only Yutaka's being described at the end of her entry.)
But then again, neither does this article on Tumblr, in which the author uses herself as an example if she were to become a Puella Magi and subsequently a Witch.
So, let's go ahead analyze what's already there:
Tsukasa: Became Betty, the Volleyball Witch. Her nature, inferiority, could not possibly reflect her personality any more than it does. Her barrier is a cross between a kitchen and a gymnasium; cooking is where she excels, while sports are where she sucks particularly hard (as shown in anime episode 8 and the OVA). If she made a wish to improve at sports, then that might require another way for her to fail as a Puella Magi.
Patricia: Became Penny, the Cosplay Witch. Her nature, a tendency to pose, mostly reflects her otaku hobby of cosplay, which her part-time job directly involves, although she is never actually shown cosplaying after her first appearance. Her attacks, based on the American flag, obviously reflect her status as an exchange student from America, something which she takes great pride in. Her Familiars' duty to maintain her fantasies reflect how she sees Japan most importantly as the land of anime and otaku as the pride of the country.
It's stated that Penny constantly worries about being found out as a faker while endlessly dancing the Hare Hare Yukai, and her Familiars are thus also tasked with keeping her covered. That would reflect a potential downfall, except that Patricia is never shown trying to be someone she isn't, even though she does see Japan as only a portion of what it really is. According to all of that, though, her wish would obviously have been something an otaku like herself would have made, though that leaves open exactly what it is. Could be something that she made prior to canon, though, such as being able to speak Japanese for the sake of her time in Japan.
Hiyori: Became Catherine, the Doujinshi/Deadline Witch. Her nature, urgency, reflects how much of a rush she is in to meet deadlines at various times in the manga. Her Familiars' duties reflect her tendency to fall short on ideas and her yuri fantasies between Yutaka and Minami (the latter which she always comes to regret within seconds). If her wish was to become a doujinshi author prior to canon, then this would all make perfect sense.
Yutaka: Became Gemma, the Glass Witch. Her nature, fragility, reflects her physical condition as a human (that being perpetual illness). Her barrier is a cross between a hospital (again, reflecting her illness) and a medieval European castle (reflecting how she is seen as a princess, particularly in a special manga chapter titled The Flower That Melted the Snow). Her Familiars reflect her former best friend Minami, who acts in canon as her protector and caretaker. Her downfall, hearing that Minami is dead and blaming herself for being such a burden on her, is the only one described during the fic. Barring non-canon circumstances, it seems logical that Yutaka would wish for better health, although that would make her well-being less work for others to ensure. Making friends would have been a viable wish prior to canon, though (kinda like how Kyoko wished for followers in Madoka canon), and could have been what led to Minami meeting her in the restroom during her first visit to Ryouou High School.
Nanako: Became Zelda, the Gamer Witch. Everything about her entry is obviously themed around the MMORPG that she and Konata play, even though there is much more to her than that (such as her occupation as a teacher and that she's still single even past age 25). Even her nature, challenge, doesn't seem all that relevant to her former personality. It's obvious enough that her wish and downfall would have had to do with the aforementioned MMO, but that seems to be all one can determine.
Minami: Became Gerda, the Ice Witch. Everything about her stems from the fact that, while she is kind and selfless at heart, she is so quiet and introverted as to come across as "icy" or "chilling" to others. Like with Yutaka, it seems conceivable that Minami would have wished to make friends, although she does say upon receiving back the handkerchief she lent her that she didn't expect even to so much as see her again.
Miyuki: Became Anastasia, the Painkilling Witch. She has a soothing nature, which obviously reflects her softspoken mannerisms in canon, although how that might lead her to despair is anyone's guess. Everything described in the entry has to do with both her desire to become a doctor of some kind (specified early in episode 17) and her profound fear of dentists. She states in A Cluster of Stars (an original-flavor fic) that if she met a genie, her first wish would be for permanent indestructible teeth that never ache, and really, that sounds even more like something she'd make than one that Konata or Yutaka would make for increased stature or Minami for a bigger chest.
Kagami: Became Maria Sophia, the Mirror Witch. Her nature, a need for validation, is something I suggested based on what Dr. Nagisa Kishimoto chalks up from information the Hiiragi family provide to her about Kagami in I Was Kagami Hiiragi. The setting of her barrier reflects her deeply religious family who owned a shrine near their house, and one of her familiars is based on her mortal-life friend Konata, who has maids and miko as one of her otaku obsessions. I can't really draw what kind of wish she would have made from this, but her isolated position from the festival surrounding the shrine she resides can obviously be chalked up to a sense of isolation. (Part of what leads to Kagami's downfall in IWKH is the fear of losing a source of validation, when she would have started college in Osaka where nobody knows her.)
Misao: Became Georgina, the Monkey or Village Idiot Witch. Her capricious nature that was mistaken for stupidity obviously comes from her lack of a brain in canon. While the setting of her barrier could conceivably reflect her being institutionalized somewhere, the circumstances with her Familiars are a bit off. Canonically, Misao is friends with both Kagami (represented by Janet) and Ayano Minegishi (Diana), and has been for at least five years. Kagami does consider Ayano to be Misao's caretaker, though. Could her wish, prior to canon, have been to have someone watch out for her while she amuses herself most of the time?
Having just completed all that, this is pretty much the reverse of things, in that wishes are basically surmised from information provided in both the fic and canon. Kinda like how this wiki page determines possible wishes made and other mortal-life circumstances surrounding each Witch shown in the Madoka anime.
So far, I've engaged in some discussion with Chelle as to what Konata's entry would be like, after having failed to garner interest on both deviantArt and the Lucky Star Shrine Forum. It's panned out pretty well, but right now, I'm awaiting a response from her after having already sent three email replies to her just yesterday (the reason I'm posting this here).
It is no secret that one of the most fundamental aspects of Puella Magi and/or Witch creation is the wish that a girl makes in her contract with an Incubator. Chelle asked me to specify that among other things, and while it helps that Konata did try to become a Puella Magi in Stars Above (which itself led to UBH through a spinoff fic), UBH itself has no actual story surrounding it. Technically, whatever wish anyone makes would depend on the actual circumstances involved when Kyubey meets them. (Downfalls are also scarce, with only Yutaka's being described at the end of her entry.)
But then again, neither does this article on Tumblr, in which the author uses herself as an example if she were to become a Puella Magi and subsequently a Witch.
So, let's go ahead analyze what's already there:
Tsukasa: Became Betty, the Volleyball Witch. Her nature, inferiority, could not possibly reflect her personality any more than it does. Her barrier is a cross between a kitchen and a gymnasium; cooking is where she excels, while sports are where she sucks particularly hard (as shown in anime episode 8 and the OVA). If she made a wish to improve at sports, then that might require another way for her to fail as a Puella Magi.
Patricia: Became Penny, the Cosplay Witch. Her nature, a tendency to pose, mostly reflects her otaku hobby of cosplay, which her part-time job directly involves, although she is never actually shown cosplaying after her first appearance. Her attacks, based on the American flag, obviously reflect her status as an exchange student from America, something which she takes great pride in. Her Familiars' duty to maintain her fantasies reflect how she sees Japan most importantly as the land of anime and otaku as the pride of the country.
It's stated that Penny constantly worries about being found out as a faker while endlessly dancing the Hare Hare Yukai, and her Familiars are thus also tasked with keeping her covered. That would reflect a potential downfall, except that Patricia is never shown trying to be someone she isn't, even though she does see Japan as only a portion of what it really is. According to all of that, though, her wish would obviously have been something an otaku like herself would have made, though that leaves open exactly what it is. Could be something that she made prior to canon, though, such as being able to speak Japanese for the sake of her time in Japan.
Hiyori: Became Catherine, the Doujinshi/Deadline Witch. Her nature, urgency, reflects how much of a rush she is in to meet deadlines at various times in the manga. Her Familiars' duties reflect her tendency to fall short on ideas and her yuri fantasies between Yutaka and Minami (the latter which she always comes to regret within seconds). If her wish was to become a doujinshi author prior to canon, then this would all make perfect sense.
Yutaka: Became Gemma, the Glass Witch. Her nature, fragility, reflects her physical condition as a human (that being perpetual illness). Her barrier is a cross between a hospital (again, reflecting her illness) and a medieval European castle (reflecting how she is seen as a princess, particularly in a special manga chapter titled The Flower That Melted the Snow). Her Familiars reflect her former best friend Minami, who acts in canon as her protector and caretaker. Her downfall, hearing that Minami is dead and blaming herself for being such a burden on her, is the only one described during the fic. Barring non-canon circumstances, it seems logical that Yutaka would wish for better health, although that would make her well-being less work for others to ensure. Making friends would have been a viable wish prior to canon, though (kinda like how Kyoko wished for followers in Madoka canon), and could have been what led to Minami meeting her in the restroom during her first visit to Ryouou High School.
Nanako: Became Zelda, the Gamer Witch. Everything about her entry is obviously themed around the MMORPG that she and Konata play, even though there is much more to her than that (such as her occupation as a teacher and that she's still single even past age 25). Even her nature, challenge, doesn't seem all that relevant to her former personality. It's obvious enough that her wish and downfall would have had to do with the aforementioned MMO, but that seems to be all one can determine.
Minami: Became Gerda, the Ice Witch. Everything about her stems from the fact that, while she is kind and selfless at heart, she is so quiet and introverted as to come across as "icy" or "chilling" to others. Like with Yutaka, it seems conceivable that Minami would have wished to make friends, although she does say upon receiving back the handkerchief she lent her that she didn't expect even to so much as see her again.
Miyuki: Became Anastasia, the Painkilling Witch. She has a soothing nature, which obviously reflects her softspoken mannerisms in canon, although how that might lead her to despair is anyone's guess. Everything described in the entry has to do with both her desire to become a doctor of some kind (specified early in episode 17) and her profound fear of dentists. She states in A Cluster of Stars (an original-flavor fic) that if she met a genie, her first wish would be for permanent indestructible teeth that never ache, and really, that sounds even more like something she'd make than one that Konata or Yutaka would make for increased stature or Minami for a bigger chest.
Kagami: Became Maria Sophia, the Mirror Witch. Her nature, a need for validation, is something I suggested based on what Dr. Nagisa Kishimoto chalks up from information the Hiiragi family provide to her about Kagami in I Was Kagami Hiiragi. The setting of her barrier reflects her deeply religious family who owned a shrine near their house, and one of her familiars is based on her mortal-life friend Konata, who has maids and miko as one of her otaku obsessions. I can't really draw what kind of wish she would have made from this, but her isolated position from the festival surrounding the shrine she resides can obviously be chalked up to a sense of isolation. (Part of what leads to Kagami's downfall in IWKH is the fear of losing a source of validation, when she would have started college in Osaka where nobody knows her.)
Misao: Became Georgina, the Monkey or Village Idiot Witch. Her capricious nature that was mistaken for stupidity obviously comes from her lack of a brain in canon. While the setting of her barrier could conceivably reflect her being institutionalized somewhere, the circumstances with her Familiars are a bit off. Canonically, Misao is friends with both Kagami (represented by Janet) and Ayano Minegishi (Diana), and has been for at least five years. Kagami does consider Ayano to be Misao's caretaker, though. Could her wish, prior to canon, have been to have someone watch out for her while she amuses herself most of the time?
Having just completed all that, this is pretty much the reverse of things, in that wishes are basically surmised from information provided in both the fic and canon. Kinda like how this wiki page determines possible wishes made and other mortal-life circumstances surrounding each Witch shown in the Madoka anime.