Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica: The Different Story

Alternative Titles

English: Puella Magi Madoka★Magica: The different story

Japanese: 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ～The different story～

Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 3

Chapters: 12

Status: Finished

Published: Jun 12, 2012 to Nov 12, 2012

Genres: Drama, Horror, Magic, School, Seinen

Authors: Magica Quartet (Story), Hanokage (Art)

Serialization: None

Statistics

Score: 8.16¹ (scored by 5,994 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #427²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #897

Members: 12,066

Favorites: 600

8.16

Ranked #427Popularity #897Members 12,066

MangaMagica Quartet (Story), Hanokage (Art)

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Volumes: /3

Chapters: /12

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Available on Manga Store
Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story
Volume 1
$6.99

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Synopsis

Ninth-grader Mami Tomoe is not your average middle schooler. While she regularly attends Mitakihara Middle School, she also works as a magical girl—one who has made a wish in exchange for magical powers and a new duty to seek out and destroy otherworldly beings known as witches. But Mami is also a special case among magical girls—while most fight for their own sake, Mami prefers to work with others, becoming a guardian of justice who destroys any evil creatures she can find, whether it be a witch or a mere familiar. It is this selfless lack of self-interest that often distances her from other magical girls, and as a result, Mami is often lonely.

During one of her usual witch hunts, she finds a novice magical girl struggling against a particularly strong witch. After Mami lends her help, the magical girl introduces herself as Kyouko Sakura from the city of Kazamino. Impressed by Mami's skill and hospitality, Kyouko quickly requests to team up with her and become her apprentice.

Beginning as an adaptation of one of the hit anime's drama CDs, Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica: The Different Story is a tale of the relationship between two magical girls shown from an alternate perspective.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Background

Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica: The Different Story is loosely adapted from "Farewell Story", the third drama CD made from the story of Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica that covers the backstory of Mami and Kyouko.

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Related Manga

Alternative version:

Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica

More characters
Characters

Sakura, Kyouko

Main

Tomoe, Mami

Main

Akemi, Homura

Supporting

Kaname, Madoka

Supporting

Miki, Sayaka

Supporting

Kyuubey

Supporting

Shizuki, Hitomi

Supporting

Kamijou, Kyousuke

Supporting

Sakura, Mother

Supporting

Sakura, Momo

Supporting

More reviewsReviews

Jan 9, 2013

12 of 12 chapters read

Overall Rating: 9

NowItsAngeTime (All reviews)

49 people found this review helpful

Before you consider reading "Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica: The Different Story". It is highly recommended that you either watch the original anime series or read the manga adaptation (both called Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica) due to the Different Story not only referencing events from the original but it was pretty much written under the premise that the reader has seen the original.

That said I will keep spoilers to a minimum for both the original and Different Story so both people who are familiar with the original series and those who aren't can still read this review.

Now onto the actual review:
-------------------

Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica: The Different Story is actually read more

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Nov 20, 2012

12 of 12 chapters read

Overall Rating: 9

ihateeveryone (All reviews)

40 people found this review helpful

[Update: 2/24/13]

[b]One of the main issues that a lot of people had with Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica was the lack of screentime and development with quite a few of the characters. While other pieces of the franchise like the Drama CD and PSP Game go much more in depth with the story and characters, they are pretty much useless to those who don't know the Japanese language, which is why this manga adaption was such a useful idea.[/b]

Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica: The Different Story is adapted from one of the Drama CD's of the Madoka Magica franchise. It's set in the past right after Kyouko contracts as a Puella Magi and ends up meeting up with magical girl Mami. The story has more or less of a lighthearted feel and goes deeper into the past that connected these two girls, and also helps explain some of their motives in the present time. Like the parent story, it has its touch of lightheartedness in the beginning but soon takes a much sharper turn.

With only three volumes and twelve chapters, the pacing can feel a bit fast to some, though it isn't something you shouldn't expect if you're familiar with the pacing in the anime. Regardless, this isn't a manga that you should rush or skim through. It's definitely one that deserves to have it's detailed noted, seeing as everything will fall into place come the later chapters.

The story is important for our two characters, Mami and Kyouko. Not only does it prove more screentime for Mami, who got a meer 3 episodes in the anime, but it also gives more depth to her character and personality. Same can be said for Kyouko, who's backstory and family situation is covered much more then in the anime. In a sense, this story is far too important for their characters to be left unanimated, especially considering one of the main complaints for Madoka Magica was the lack of character development.

With that being said, the lack of character development is definitely not an issue here. The manga takes us further into the minds and motivations of both Mami and Kyouko. Two characters who before could be described with one or two words are fleshed out and explored wonderfully in this manga. It gives justification and background to many of their actions, something that the anime fell short on doing. This is easily the strongest aspect of The Different Story, and is the very thing that makes it such a must-read.

Art wise, The Different Story is most definitely an improvement from the original Puella Magi manga. While no mangaka can live up to SHAFT's art direction and style, it's definitely not an eyesore to look at it and you can tell there's been quite a lot of improvement from it's source manga.

If you aren't familiar with the Puella Magi franchise, it's recommended that you at least watch the anime before jumping into this manga. It's quite an enjoyable read for those who are fans of the anime/manga and can be for those who want more from these two characters. It definitely does them much more justice and is well-worth the read. Oh yeah, you may cry too. Or was that just me?

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Nov 12, 2013

12 of 12 chapters read

Overall Rating: 9

Bear1211 (All reviews)

23 people found this review helpful

When I started getting into the world of Anime and Manga Madoka Magica was one of the earlier things that I watched. I really enjoyed it, fell in love in fact. However this isn't a review about that story. This is a different story, another tale, from another time.

Story: 8

The "Different Story" locks in on the struggles of two different characters from the original show. Centered around Mami and Kyouko, this tale delves into a previously unseen life that happens per-original series. Going deeply into the roots of who these "new" characters were, as well as complementing the original work wonderfully. A "Different Story" read more

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Jun 25, 2018

12 of 12 chapters read

Overall Rating: 9

nothlit666 (All reviews)

5 people found this review helpful

Wonderfully drawn and well written, The Different Story is definitely a different story from much of the Madoka Magica manga universe. Quite frankly, it's a different story that I believe truly deserves 9/10 review.
I suppose my biggest issues with the manga universe of Madoka Magica mainly revolve around how mediocre and almost unlike the original anime it is. The signature dark atmosphere and nihilistic themes of Gen Urobuchi's screenwriting for the show doesn't really seem to be found in the manga, and much of the characters in the manga universe lack that special edge that made the original five girls stand out.
Luckily, this wasn't read more

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