Tokyo: Oreimo

140. Senior's Fan Club >> 135

“Recalling Mami’s words, ‘It’s okay, I’m not alone anymore,’ really broke our guard, made us let our guard down, and then brought down a knife.”

"You deserve to die! I'm sending you a cursed doll!"

141 ......

The thread is still rapidly building, having already surpassed 300 posts in just half an hour.

......

The next morning, the heat not only did not subside, but instead grew bigger and bigger like a snowball.

Comments about "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" have appeared on almost every major online forum.

Overnight, comments everywhere were asking for the 'recorded' footage of the third episode.

Because it's currently being serialized, once you miss it, you won't be able to see it again. Influenced by the online buzz, many viewers have become curious about Madoka.

At the Takashiro residence, Ryosuke was on the phone; it was Ritsu Saito calling.

"Should we schedule a rebroadcast of three episodes this week?"

"Yes, that's right, the TV station's phone lines are practically bursting with calls."

"Is that so? No problem, let's do as they say."

After a brief conversation, Ryosuke hung up the phone.

The fact that anime series that was still running can be rebroadcast speaks volumes about the power of the public.

"That's hilarious. The negative reviews I posted online a while ago were all deleted because of the criticism. And you're pretty awful too, deliberately commenting on other people's posts."

"The comments about 'returning to normal' are now being followed by online petitions to 'protect Xiaoyuan'."

"Isn't it a good thing to give advance notice because you're worried the audience won't be able to handle it?"

Ryosuke tilted his head and looked at Ling Nai.

"You should know that this is just the beginning."

Takashiro Ryouno's lips twitched slightly.

Indeed, compared to the extremely cruel truth that follows, Mami Tomoe's death is just an appetizer.

"You're hopeless; your tendency to manipulate people is incurable."

"Likewise, aren't you quite happy too?"

Ryosuke shrugged.

This girl was just arguing with Gokou Mao in an online chat group, and it seems that she was completely defeated this time.

......

Three full days have passed since the third episode aired, but the topic's popularity has not only not subsided, but has instead spread in an almost frenzied manner.

Because NHK General TV started rebroadcasting the first three episodes of "Puella Magi Madoka Magica".

Due to the dramatic increase in viewers, the comments on online forums were once again subjected to a barrage of criticism.

"Looking at these people's reactions, I feel like I've gone through it all again," one comment wrote.

On the Lost Land/H-game community forum, a post titled "[Tragic News] Puella Magi Madoka Magica Episode 3: Mami Tomoe Dies" has been firmly occupying the top of the homepage for over 72 hours, with the number of replies exceeding four figures.

"I came here after watching the rebroadcast. All the heartwarming daily life in the first two episodes was just to maximize the impact of the third episode. It was a complete trap. The screenwriter's malice was practically overflowing from the screen."

"Famous scene: Senior's first biography."

"That's absolutely right."

"The performance style has always maintained a bright and cheerful tone, which makes people subconsciously think that because it is a magical girl, all that is needed is to be cute."

"Then Mami's head was gone."

"Stop mentioning his head, my heart can't take it."

"Speaking of which, did anyone notice the new ending theme song in the second half of episode three? 'Magia'? That song is so weird, it's from a completely different world than the ending themes of the first two episodes."

"A song produced by SP Company, composed by Takashiro, who is that? Put all unfamiliar names at the same table as Gen Urobuchi."

"So the true style of this anime is actually revealed by the ending theme of the third episode, and the first two episodes were all a lie?"

Animation production team: Surprised? Unexpected? You didn't expect that, did you? (laughs)

"What are you laughing at! Give me back my Mami-senpai!"

"Speaking of which, after watching Madoka Magica, going back to watch Magical Idol Yumi makes me feel like my IQ has been lowered. What kind of show did I used to like?"

"Indeed, it's hard to look at regular magical girl anime the same way."

"Right now, I just want to see the next episode of Madoka Magica. Who is Yumi? She's not even worth a hair on Mami-senpai's head."

.....

Chapter 141 Job Hopping

One week later, at the Kadokawa editorial department.

Iori Setsuna sat at her desk, browsing the comments on the online forum. Her face was unsightly, and she exuded an unapproachable aura.

The latest viewership ratings were displayed in front of her.

The viewership ratings for the fourth episode of "Magical Idol Yumi" plummeted to below 10%, at only 8.6%.

Meanwhile, the corresponding anime, "Puella Magi Madoka Magica," achieved an astonishing 40% viewership rating and a 90% completion rate on NHK General TV, which is simply terrifying.

"Impossible, how could this be?"

Setsuna Iori gripped the report tightly, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it into the trash can.

The huge contrast created by the third episode of Madoka Magica led to its rapid rise in popularity, and even people who don't usually watch anime inevitably came into contact with the information.

The phrases "turning head off," "being smitten by Mami," and the emoticons posted by a certain poster (/(????)/) have spread rapidly online.

As a result, the popularity of many magical girl anime that aired at the same time has plummeted.

Iori Setsuna was completely unprepared for this sudden attack, and the anime's previously promising ratings collapsed like an avalanche.

"That Saito guy, it turns out he wasn't kidding, he actually achieved such results, it's really surprising."

"His eye for talent is still as sharp as when he was an editor. He must have read the script before deciding to leave the company."

"It has innovated again in the magical girl genre, or rather, it has subverted the original framework, turning this seemingly cute and beautiful girl-exclusive profession into a high-risk profession."

"I can already imagine what kind of manuscripts the newcomers will submit; they'll probably all be scrambling to imitate them."

"It's really unlucky for Iori to be released at the same time as a work like this. It'll seriously affect his sales, won't it?"

"Heh, they have the editor-in-chief as their backer, so as long as it's not canceled, it should be fine."

"Stop talking, she's looking over here."

Hearing her colleagues' discussion, Iori Setsuna was furious.

These fence-sitters!

......

“Saito, you weren’t there, so you have no idea how interesting Iori’s expression was.”

Hideo Nomura laughed so hard he couldn't help but slap the table twice.

Monday, it's time to leave work.

With the animation production nearing completion, after urging his employees to leave work on time, Ritsu Saito went to a yakitori restaurant at the invitation of a former colleague.

"But I really didn't expect your trump card to be so powerful. It gave me quite a shock."

Hideo Nomura was quite moved.

He was completely stunned when he saw that famous scene last week.

"In the words of our president, this is just the beginning."

As Ritsu Saito chewed on the chicken skewer in his mouth, he suddenly remembered that he had similar thoughts when he first read the first draft.

The boy smiled and asked himself, "Is it interesting?"

He knew he had won the lottery at that time, and agreed without hesitation.

In fact, after seeing the later parts of the script, I was much more shocked than by the third episode.

Mami Tomoe's death merely serves to give the audience a 'surprise' and sets the tone for the work.

This kind of 'surprise' will continue.

"I really envy you. You just switched careers and you got such a great script and became the animation director. If it were me, I wouldn't even dare to dream of it."

Hideo Nomura looked on with envy.

"Why are you saying such things? Aren't you planning to work at Kadokawa until you die? Just stick to your own ideas."

Saito Ritsu knew his former colleague's personality all too well: easygoing, complacent, and while he might envy him, he would absolutely not want to leave his comfortable environment.

"That's true..."

Hideo Nomura smiled wryly, picked up the beer glass in front of him, and took a big gulp, completely unaware of the foam sticking to the corners of his mouth.

"However, Saito, there's something I haven't told you yet."

He put down his glass, his gaze falling on the bottles of liquor behind the bar, as if he were organizing his thoughts.

"Last week, the editor-in-chief came to see me."

Saito Ritsu paused in his chewing and looked at him with slight surprise.

"In front of the entire editorial department, they took away all the serials I was in charge of and distributed them to other people."

Hideo Nomura's voice was calm. "They said I'm an old editor, and that having 'Cardcaptor Sakura' on hand is enough. They told me to give others a chance, and then they gave me a manuscript by a new author and asked me to mentor him from scratch."

"Newbie?"

"Well, the drawing skills are mediocre, the paneling is a mess, and the story logic is also a mess." Hideo Nomura gave a self-deprecating smile. "Simply put, it's like I'm being sidelined."

The yakitori restaurant was noisy, filled with the sounds of clinking glasses, laughter, and sizzling on the grill, but to Ritsu Saito at that moment, all those sounds seemed distant.