Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica Episode 8: "I'm Such a Fool"

Sayaka after killing the Witch.

So I'm still sick.

But whatever.

Kyuube approaches Homura and Kyoko with information about Sayaka.

~story~

BIG EVENT. Witches are just dead magical girls! OMGOMGOMG MY MIND HAS BEEN BLOWN. So Sayaka has finally lost it and died and has become a witch because Kyuube has revealed that that's what happens when magical girls die. Kyuube has kept so many damn secrets. He is so sketchy it's unreal. Homura is also revealed to be from the future (which explains why she knows everything and why Kyuube doesn't remember making a contract with her). For some reason she is desperately trying to make sure that Madoka doesn't become a magical girl (even though Madoka is willing to sign up every possible moment that she gets). While there was a lot of important information in this episode, it was just too dry and moved at an unbelievably slow pace. It just dragged on and on! 

Hitomi and Kyosuke falling in love.

~art~

The art during Sayaka's death scene was really distracting and didn't honestly make a lot of sense. It was just a whole bunch of random thrown together in an explosion of lolwhut. 

Homura shoots Kyuube.

~sound~

Everything sounds sad and dark. 

Homura's breakdown.

~character~

Madoka, who is the titular character, seems to be more of a background character. The spotlight is (and has pretty much been on) Homura and Sayaka for the past five episodes or so. Madoka really isn't even on screen that much. She hasn't even been very important to each individual episode's story (but in the overall story she is like the most important character). Now that we're almost 3/4 of the way done she'll start to take on a more titular lead instead of being the loser in the back row that never gets picked. Sayaka has gone from super cool sidekick, to awesome power horse, to crazy delusion girl, to depressed suicidal maniac, to dead in just a matter of two or three episodes. Sayaka really has had a hard time adjusting to magical girl life and I guess in the end it was just too much for her. She didn't really seem all too upset about dying (I know if I was dying I'd be pretty darn pissed). Homura finally breaks down and shows some emotion. And Madoka STILL won't listen to her. Sigh... Some people just never will learn. Kyuube is even more sketchy and mysterious and full of lies and deception than ever before. Kyoko is actually becoming more and more likable because she's just trying to do what she believes is best for the girls. OH and Hitomi and Kyosuke have fallen and love and I hope that Sayaka's witch violently murders them in the next episode.

Sayaka's Soul Gem before she turns into a Witch.

~overall~

This episode receives a B. The information was important and some pretty necessary things happened but it moved too slowly and dragged on and on.