Continuing to look at Madoka spin-offs, it is the turn of Puella Magi Oriko Magica: Sadness Prayer. Some more familiar faces appear in this volume, and they naturally get involved in Oriko’s plan to save the world from the disaster she has had visions of.
There are six chapters in this volume of Puella Magi Oriko Magica: Sadness Prayer, starting with chapter fourteen and running through to chapter nineteen.
[New Testament]
Oriko’s plans to thwart the evil that would destroy the world have led her to intervene in the life of young Yuma Chitose. But her actions are taking their toll, and time draws short not only for Oriko but for Kirika as well. Rumours of the murderous “black magical girl” have forced Kyubey to step in, and it may only be a matter of time before Oriko’s plot begins to unravel as quickly as she is…As a quick side note, the cover of volume 3 features Yuma Chitose in her magical girl form.
In chapter 14, ‘That’s Why I Can’t Stay A Kid’, we start with a brief glimpse of Yuma’s past before we see that one Kyoko Sakura is looking after her. Yuma wants to become a magical girl for Kyoko’s sake, but Kyoko refuses to allow that to happen.
Oriko ends up having visions of Yuma, which dredges up painful memories of her own childhood.
Oriko insists to Kyubey that Yuma becomes a magical girl in chapter 15, ‘Don’t Make Me Remember My Own Weakness’.
Whilst Kyoko goes off to fight a witch, Oriko meets with Yuma and tells her that Kyoko may have been defeated. Ultimately, Oriko is able to persuade Yuma to become a magical girl.
Yuma ends up joining Kyoko to fight the witch.
Kirika confronts other magical girls in chapter 16, ‘That’s Why Onee-chan Was Always Mad At Me!’, and news of schoolgirls mysteriously dying quickly spreads.
Kyubey asks Mami Tomoe to look into it, though she isn’t able to come up with anything. Kyubey also tells Kirika about the magical girl murderer – she claims to know nothing, but Kyubey knows somebody is lying.
Elsewhere, Oriko meets with Koito and they talk about Koito’s sister, who met a tragic fate earlier on in the plot.
In chapter 17, ‘You Are Oriko’s Enemy’, Homura Akemi believes that something strange is going on, especially since Madoka was previously put in danger. Mami tries to approach her to talk, but Homura isn’t exactly the approachable type…
Rumours of the black magical girl causes Homura some problems, as other magical girls believe she is the one responsible for killing others. Homura decides not to get involved with all that, as she only has one priority.
Whilst that happens, Kirika makes a discovery about Oriko’s father that she decides to keep to herself.
Kirika hides the discovery she made in chapter 18, ‘She Is Someone I Know Nothing Of’.~
The magical girl that attacked Homura tells Kyubey about her, but Kyubey has no idea who she is talking about. Kyubey takes that information to Kyoko and Yuma. He also lets them know that he will be getting some more support, including from Oriko.
Oriko realises who this mysterious girl is, and she is pleased with that piece of information.
This chapter ends with an encounter between Mami and Kirika – Mami was able to find something precious that Kirika dropped.
Chapter 19, ‘Your Cake Will Never Be Finished’ begins with Kirika attacking Mami.
Oriko has delusions of herself as a child, which she claims to have abandoned. It seems that her sanity is somewhat slipping. She wants to know that she is doing the right thing, so she calls out for Kirika – who is occupied by the fight with Mami.
That brings volume 3 of Puella Magi Oriko Magica: Sadness Prayer to an end. Unlike volume 2, it felt like we got some actual plot progression here with Oriko more focused on her plan to save the world, and several familiar faces getting wrapped up in the plot.
Oriko isn’t exactly having an easy time of it, and it seems that Kyoko is quite eager to meet her for whatever reason.
Though Homura decides not to get involved, it seems like she won’t have much of a choice if Oriko manages to get her way.
Yuma Chitose also makes a return, and after seeing Kyoko looking after her, I have the desire to see a story about Kyoko and Sayaka raising her as their own child. For now, though, it is just Kyoko who acts as guardian for Yuma – which does have some pretty enjoyable stuff going on.
This third volume is definitely an improvement on the second volume, as I still feel that there hasn’t really been much pay off from it. Aside from Oriko’s meeting with Koito, there is nothing here that really connects to volume 2 in terms of plot at least – we still have the same central characters.
I’m glad things have picked up with volume 3, as there are some potentially interesting conflicts just waiting to happen – or in the case of Mami and Kirika, already happening. Oriko may have a plan, but her targets aren’t exactly the types to go down without a fight.
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