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Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story #3
Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story, Vol. 3
When she fails to save Sayaka, Mami is overcome by despair and loneliness. With the fate of every Magical Girl made clear before her, Mami chooses to embrace death rather than fight on. As Mami sets out to deliver herself into the hands of the witch, Kyouko rushes to confront her former mentor. Mami's soul gem steadily darkens-soon her doom will be certain. Can Kyouko give Mami a reason to fight on before her gem turns jet-black?
160 pages, Paperback
First published November 12, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 20, 2021
I much prefer the original story but I can appreciate the author wanting to know what it would be like if
August 5, 2017
Is it embarrassing for me to admit that it was through reading this final volume that I fully realised the series is indeed one of the many alternate timelines of 'Madoka Magica', the original series?
And upon completing this majestic, magnificent manga, I also realised that, despite saying in my previous review that Mami, Kyouko and Sayaka are the stars, in truth this story is and always has been about Mami, and Mami alone. Every decision made by the other Magical Girls - even those of the one-off Girls in the first volume - they all come right back to Mami. No MG is overlooked - especially not Madoka - but the focus is sorely on Mami Tomoe's own quest and inner demons as a Magical Girl.
She is more than a seeker of doing what's right, for the finale has her finally giving up hope upon learning the truth about Magical Girls. Now, realising she is in fact a curse on the world and has no reason to exist, the suicidal Mami chooses to fight to the death. She believes her sacrifice will save more lives than when she did so before by persevering after a near-death experience. It is not just failing her friends that she feels guilty for, but for not wishing to save the lives of her parents as well as herself in the tragedy which started her transformation into a Magical Girl - changing her life in so many ways.
'The Different Story' develops Mami with a vast grandeur that the anime series could not, for reasons obvious to those who have seen it. I love every panel she is in, every thought balloon and dialogue she has. Her loneliness and path towards self-ruin are shown brilliantly, I felt deeply sorry for her. She is an amazing and flawed character, and I'm happy her own story got to be told. It is dark, heavy, heartbreaking and devastating, yet like the anime, it ends on a beautiful and somewhat bittersweet note.
Mami receives the justice she deserves, and nothing - no lingering potential - is gone to waste.
Twists, turns, trust handling, battle strategies, mind tricks (Kyouko's illusion magic comes to play an important role in the plot), and the destruction of the layers of sanity aplenty. But at the end of her journey as a Magical Girl, Mami finally stops bottling up her feelings and accepts help when it's offered to her by the people she can call her friends, not the other way round. She discovers what true friendship and selflessness means (which is another reflection of the original series). Homura Akemi may be my favourite character in the franchise, but Mami Tomoe has a special place in my heart thanks to ‘The Different Story’.
I came so close to rating this manga volume five stars. However, while I enjoyed the ending, I thought that some aspects of it are too confusing, and it contradicts what the original series established concerning Magical Girls and their fate. Although perhaps 'The Different Story' isn't canon after all. That being said, it certainly doesn't read like an average fanfiction, written by the same people who adapted the anime to manga form. Also, Homura could have had a bit more panel time dedicated to her, in light of her choices and the power she has over the rest of the series. And where are Kyousuke and Hitomi? How are they affected by everything that's going on around them? I know Sayaka isn't exactly a focus here character-wise, but still.
In conclusion, I am glad I bought this series. It further explores the possibilities and ideals of the 'Madoka Magica' universe and its rules. Best of all, the characters are wonderful, perhaps more so than ever before. A few plot points and twists make no sense, but they dim in comparison to all the positive elements.
I shall now end on Mami's final words on the last page:
"... I realised that there were people who cared about me.
... I think that if I could have any wish in the world...
I would wish that I had met you all in a world without witches."
A truly meaningful wish.
Final Score: 4/5
And upon completing this majestic, magnificent manga, I also realised that, despite saying in my previous review that Mami, Kyouko and Sayaka are the stars, in truth this story is and always has been about Mami, and Mami alone. Every decision made by the other Magical Girls - even those of the one-off Girls in the first volume - they all come right back to Mami. No MG is overlooked - especially not Madoka - but the focus is sorely on Mami Tomoe's own quest and inner demons as a Magical Girl.
She is more than a seeker of doing what's right, for the finale has her finally giving up hope upon learning the truth about Magical Girls. Now, realising she is in fact a curse on the world and has no reason to exist, the suicidal Mami chooses to fight to the death. She believes her sacrifice will save more lives than when she did so before by persevering after a near-death experience. It is not just failing her friends that she feels guilty for, but for not wishing to save the lives of her parents as well as herself in the tragedy which started her transformation into a Magical Girl - changing her life in so many ways.
'The Different Story' develops Mami with a vast grandeur that the anime series could not, for reasons obvious to those who have seen it. I love every panel she is in, every thought balloon and dialogue she has. Her loneliness and path towards self-ruin are shown brilliantly, I felt deeply sorry for her. She is an amazing and flawed character, and I'm happy her own story got to be told. It is dark, heavy, heartbreaking and devastating, yet like the anime, it ends on a beautiful and somewhat bittersweet note.
Mami receives the justice she deserves, and nothing - no lingering potential - is gone to waste.
Twists, turns, trust handling, battle strategies, mind tricks (Kyouko's illusion magic comes to play an important role in the plot), and the destruction of the layers of sanity aplenty. But at the end of her journey as a Magical Girl, Mami finally stops bottling up her feelings and accepts help when it's offered to her by the people she can call her friends, not the other way round. She discovers what true friendship and selflessness means (which is another reflection of the original series). Homura Akemi may be my favourite character in the franchise, but Mami Tomoe has a special place in my heart thanks to ‘The Different Story’.
I came so close to rating this manga volume five stars. However, while I enjoyed the ending, I thought that some aspects of it are too confusing, and it contradicts what the original series established concerning Magical Girls and their fate. Although perhaps 'The Different Story' isn't canon after all. That being said, it certainly doesn't read like an average fanfiction, written by the same people who adapted the anime to manga form. Also, Homura could have had a bit more panel time dedicated to her, in light of her choices and the power she has over the rest of the series. And where are Kyousuke and Hitomi? How are they affected by everything that's going on around them? I know Sayaka isn't exactly a focus here character-wise, but still.
In conclusion, I am glad I bought this series. It further explores the possibilities and ideals of the 'Madoka Magica' universe and its rules. Best of all, the characters are wonderful, perhaps more so than ever before. A few plot points and twists make no sense, but they dim in comparison to all the positive elements.
I shall now end on Mami's final words on the last page:
"... I realised that there were people who cared about me.
... I think that if I could have any wish in the world...
I would wish that I had met you all in a world without witches."
A truly meaningful wish.
Final Score: 4/5
June 2, 2023
This series is pretty awesome, i really loved this alt timeline of the events!
December 31, 2017
Mamiiiiiii :((((((
I loved this spin off series as much as the original story! I love that Homura's re-do power allows for infinite alternate timelines. And I love the way this spin off explores one of those possibilities. It stays true to the tone of the original series and fleshes out the minor characters.
When Madoka was all, "Whenever I think of things from your perspective, Mami, I can't help crying," I'm like, "Oh my gosh, girl, me tooooo." Mami is probably my favorite of the magical girls. Whenever I take those silly "which character are you" quizzes, I get Homura, but I think I relate to Mami more.
The plot got a little confusing at points in this manga, because the author still doesn't indicate time jumps with little textboxes that say, like, "Meanwhile..." or "The next day..." or whatever, like many graphic novelists do. But reading a summary on TV Tropes helped clear up the more confusing bits. I still love it enough to give it 5/5 stars and a spot on the favorites shelf!
I loved this spin off series as much as the original story! I love that Homura's re-do power allows for infinite alternate timelines. And I love the way this spin off explores one of those possibilities. It stays true to the tone of the original series and fleshes out the minor characters.
When Madoka was all, "Whenever I think of things from your perspective, Mami, I can't help crying," I'm like, "Oh my gosh, girl, me tooooo." Mami is probably my favorite of the magical girls. Whenever I take those silly "which character are you" quizzes, I get Homura, but I think I relate to Mami more.
The plot got a little confusing at points in this manga, because the author still doesn't indicate time jumps with little textboxes that say, like, "Meanwhile..." or "The next day..." or whatever, like many graphic novelists do. But reading a summary on TV Tropes helped clear up the more confusing bits. I still love it enough to give it 5/5 stars and a spot on the favorites shelf!
April 9, 2019
This review contains spoilers for the whole series (volumes 1-3).
This miniseries answered the question: “What if Mami survived the battle in chapter 3 of the original series?” Mainly these three books follow Mami and Kyouko (pictured on the cover above), as they become magical girls and learn to fight witches. It’s the same premise from the original story in that the witches are still fallen magical girls. Kyubey is still evil and tricks all of the girls into making contracts with him that will ultimately seal their fate.
Mami and Kyouko mistakenly believe that they are saving humanity from the destructive powers of the witches. The story is still incredibly dark, as all versions of the Madoka series have been (that I’ve read or watched). Mami and Kyouko end up going their separate ways after Kyouko’s family is killed as a result of her being a magical girl. Mami, who previously lost her parents in an accident, is now alone as she feared. Soon however, Kyubey brings Sayaka and Madoka to her as apprentice magical girls. At the same time, Homura seeks Kyouko’s alliance against Mami and Sayaka after they refuse to join her. Madoka hasn’t turned into a magical girl yet at this point; She’s always the last to turn into a magical girl, at least in every version of the series I’ve read so far.
I honestly think that Mami was the favorite of the creators, which is why they gave her her own miniseries (if not to also explain Kyouko’s story better too). If you pay attention to all the extras, many of them revolve around Mami despite her dying so early in the series. I guess the Magica Quartet took the phrase “kill all your darlings” too literally in these series. Even though Kyouko is also important in this series, it truly begins and ends with Mami.
I gave this series three stars. I had hoped to see Mami survive just once, but even in this version where she is the main character, she dies. It seems that she and Sayaka will always die, no matter how many times Homura turns back time.
Triggers/content warning: Extreme violence and mentions of suicide
This miniseries answered the question: “What if Mami survived the battle in chapter 3 of the original series?” Mainly these three books follow Mami and Kyouko (pictured on the cover above), as they become magical girls and learn to fight witches. It’s the same premise from the original story in that the witches are still fallen magical girls. Kyubey is still evil and tricks all of the girls into making contracts with him that will ultimately seal their fate.
Mami and Kyouko mistakenly believe that they are saving humanity from the destructive powers of the witches. The story is still incredibly dark, as all versions of the Madoka series have been (that I’ve read or watched). Mami and Kyouko end up going their separate ways after Kyouko’s family is killed as a result of her being a magical girl. Mami, who previously lost her parents in an accident, is now alone as she feared. Soon however, Kyubey brings Sayaka and Madoka to her as apprentice magical girls. At the same time, Homura seeks Kyouko’s alliance against Mami and Sayaka after they refuse to join her. Madoka hasn’t turned into a magical girl yet at this point; She’s always the last to turn into a magical girl, at least in every version of the series I’ve read so far.
I honestly think that Mami was the favorite of the creators, which is why they gave her her own miniseries (if not to also explain Kyouko’s story better too). If you pay attention to all the extras, many of them revolve around Mami despite her dying so early in the series. I guess the Magica Quartet took the phrase “kill all your darlings” too literally in these series. Even though Kyouko is also important in this series, it truly begins and ends with Mami.
I gave this series three stars. I had hoped to see Mami survive just once, but even in this version where she is the main character, she dies. It seems that she and Sayaka will always die, no matter how many times Homura turns back time.
Triggers/content warning: Extreme violence and mentions of suicide
September 3, 2022
Un final a la altura de los tomos que precedieron a este. Muy satisfactorio. Es trágico, como habría que esperar de una historia de Madoka magica, y aún así siempre mantenes la esperanza de que no sea así. El viaje del personaje de Mami es desgarrador, aunque sabes que no puede terminar de otra manera. Lo mismo con Kyoko, aunque definitivamente Mami es la protagonista de esta historia, ella tambien tuvo un muy buen arco de personaje. Es una historia que claramente se apoya bastante en la historia principal de Madoka, pero si sos fan creo que puede ser de tus favoritas, como me pasó a mi.
March 9, 2025
Walpurgis Nacht is approaching; Sayaka has overexerted her magic and turned into a witch; Mami blames herself for losing a friend; Homura tells Sakura the truth about magical girls; Sakura rushes to save Mami from herself; and Madoka has been left out of the loop.
The tragic climax of this spinoff has come as true feelings are revealed and pain exposed.
And if you read the original series, you probably know what happens after "The End"
This spinoff has 3 volumes.
The tragic climax of this spinoff has come as true feelings are revealed and pain exposed.
And if you read the original series, you probably know what happens after "The End"
This spinoff has 3 volumes.
December 20, 2020
It's good. It's not the original, and Mami's survival still does not guarantee Mami's "survival" through it all. She was by far my favorite of the girls, though, and it was good to see her longer this time around, especially since we know in some stories she does not die where she does in I guess what can be considered the last arc.
November 25, 2022
Different Story was always gonna be bleaker than the original, just by how the original’s series conclusion happened. None of the timelines worked out. Different story doesn’t really add anything to the series thematically and it kind of places itself as a prequel+ side story. Which means it ends up kind of
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2018
Feeling unworthy of being with others is the theme.
February 7, 2021
Hu hu bitch wtf? Bộ này nằm trong một timeline khác với series chính, nhưng cực charaters driven và phát triển đa chiều các mối quan hệ. HU hu hay quá.
March 8, 2025
Me gustó bastante estos 3 volúmenes en general, aportan bastante a la historia original y es hermoso volver a ver a mis puella magi juntas. ✨️
April 7, 2025
imagine ler isso aqui e ainda ter a CAPACIDADE de falar que a homura só ligava pra madoka kkkkkkk tá
August 4, 2025
FINAL LINDO
September 6, 2025
What’s with every PMMM spin-off manga being the most beautiful and devastating thing ever??
April 21, 2021
(stand in for the whole series because I don't like adding multiple volumes of manga)
It's Madoka! I love madoka. Except Madoka is barely in it. I don't really love the characters this focuses on (Sayaka, Mami, Kyoko) though this made me appreciate Kyoko and Mami more. It's essential to understand them. But a lot of what makes madoka so great is in the aesthetics and sound. The manga is pretty but it's just not the same. I liked it well enough but if it got animated I probably would love it.
It's Madoka! I love madoka. Except Madoka is barely in it. I don't really love the characters this focuses on (Sayaka, Mami, Kyoko) though this made me appreciate Kyoko and Mami more. It's essential to understand them. But a lot of what makes madoka so great is in the aesthetics and sound. The manga is pretty but it's just not the same. I liked it well enough but if it got animated I probably would love it.
February 21, 2017
No esperaba que el spin-off estuviese a la altura de la historia original; es mucho más que un "qué hubiese ocurrido si...", llena huecos que en Madoka Mágica sólo se insinúan dando al conjunto una profundidad rica en matices. Para mí se ha convertido en una obra tan necesaria como es ver/leer Rebellion.
February 15, 2015
I hit a homework wall today and decided to start reading manga, though this certainly wasn't the cheeriest choice I could have made. Aside from the last chapter, though, I think this was a pretty good series. Mami's my favorite character, so I enjoy it on a superficial level because of that, but it's interesting to see how the whole cast behaves in such a different situation from that of the original series. I think that the "power of friendship" turn that this takes is disingenuous in terms of the bleakness of the story as a whole, but that doesn't take too much away from the story as a whole.
Madoka Magica: The Different Story is definitely a fans-only sort of thing, as I don't see it making the slightest bit of sense without knowing the story of the anime. By a fan's standards, though, I enjoyed it. The art was pretty, the story was well done, and the character development worked nicely. If you don't like Mami or Kyoko, you likely won't enjoy this so much, though, so be warned.
Madoka Magica: The Different Story is definitely a fans-only sort of thing, as I don't see it making the slightest bit of sense without knowing the story of the anime. By a fan's standards, though, I enjoyed it. The art was pretty, the story was well done, and the character development worked nicely. If you don't like Mami or Kyoko, you likely won't enjoy this so much, though, so be warned.
November 13, 2015
The ending was so depressing. I wonder if every Madoka manga will make you feel sad and depressed...? It is a beautifully drawn and narrated story. It's a "different story" as the title suggests. What would the world look like if Mami-san had survived longer than the third episode (in the anime)...? This manga gives the answer - and just as Homura, we all feel frustrated because it keeps on being a horrible world without a happy ending. It was very interesting reading this parallel world story. I guess it's supposed to be a prequel to the anime? In any case, we learn a little more about the characters Mami and Kyouko, and that's always a good thing. Can I have an anime version of this, please? Or more Madoka anime in general... Sighs... It's so good - even if it breaks my heart every single time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2022
🌸17th July 2020🌸
Final volume of The Different Story series and, as expected, it was emotional and moving. From the mid point of the last volume, this story has drifted from the main story, making it one of the many versions we know about from the original. It’s is heartbreaking, but not in the same way as the original, as it’s Mami’s story rather than Madoka’s. We begin with everyone finally finding out the truth about their contract and follow all the way through to Walpurgis Nacht. You can almost feel the characters depression and despair and it makes this a pretty hard read as you know that this story isn’t going to have a classic happy ending. It’s a good read, and I loved it as a fan of the main series, but it still surprised me just how deeply emotional and sad this magical girl story can get.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Final volume of The Different Story series and, as expected, it was emotional and moving. From the mid point of the last volume, this story has drifted from the main story, making it one of the many versions we know about from the original. It’s is heartbreaking, but not in the same way as the original, as it’s Mami’s story rather than Madoka’s. We begin with everyone finally finding out the truth about their contract and follow all the way through to Walpurgis Nacht. You can almost feel the characters depression and despair and it makes this a pretty hard read as you know that this story isn’t going to have a classic happy ending. It’s a good read, and I loved it as a fan of the main series, but it still surprised me just how deeply emotional and sad this magical girl story can get.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2015
La serie de Madoka Magica me tomó por sorpresa. Lo que parecía ser un tierno y alegre anime sobre chicas mágicas resulto ser una historia oscura y triste. Esta versión en manga toma un giro diferente en los hechos aunque no en el tomo, expandiendo en el rol y la historia de Mami Tomoe (que definitivamente es mi personaje favorito de esta franquicia) y mira a fondo su relación con los demas chicas, en especial con Kyoko.
Imprescindible para los fans del anime. Quienes no lo hayan visto no deben leerlo, pues toda la intención de la historia se pierde si no se sabe lo que ocurre en ella originalmente.
Imprescindible para los fans del anime. Quienes no lo hayan visto no deben leerlo, pues toda la intención de la historia se pierde si no se sabe lo que ocurre en ella originalmente.
December 1, 2015
kyouko :((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
March 3, 2015
Killing off my favourite character and keeping her dead while her "best friend" is basically going crazy. Thank you Magica Quartet for giving me this amazing series that made me cry for three days!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2015
Not as confusing as the other series in the MadoMagi franchise, but I read through it quickly before leaving somewhere so I didn't fully comprehend it. Will probably reread later
September 8, 2015
I really enjoyed this story, it's wonderfully tragic! Would you become a magical girl to have one wish come true? I know in my heart that I could not, but others may be able to handle such a fate.
March 16, 2016
Such a sad ending.
January 17, 2018
Well this one was weird in my opinion and I was hoping for it to be better . 🎀
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