The impact of Episode 9 and the latest Fullmetal Alchemist chapter had already spread beyond Haruki's fans, reaching into wider anime communities. Madoka Magica was now being brought up in almost every discussion, while Fullmetal Alchemist readers were left shaken, cursing Mizushiro for what he had made them witness.
For most of the week, Haruki stayed in his apartment, avoiding public appearances as the spotlight shifted heavily toward him. Different platforms and channels kept bringing up Madoka Magica and Fullmetal Alchemist. When he did head to the studio, he drove there directly, keeping out of sight.
Meanwhile, over at Echo Shroud, the campaigns for Fullmetal Alchemist and JoJo were drawing in a new wave of fans. JoJo had climbed to fifth place, while Fullmetal Alchemist and Dream World were locked in a fight for first.
And so the week passed.
"I've waited a week for this. Finally, the day is here!"
"Oh, poor Kyōko and Sayaka... the emotional weight of that last episode still hasn't lifted. I adored both of them. That scene where Kyōko dies with Sayaka, just to let her rest peacefully… it's the most moving thing I've seen in anime these past two years."
"What about the ending of 5cm/s? Didn't that hit you too?"
"Hit me? After watching the endings of Five Centimeters per Second and Voice of the Stars, I just wanted to pick up a 40-meter-long sword and go pay a visit to Shimizu-sensei... Five Centimeters shattered my ideal of romance, and Voice of the Stars told me not to bother with long-distance love!"
"Haha, true — but maybe Sayaka and Kyōko aren't really dead! What if episode 9 was just a trick to make us cry?"
"What do you mean?"
"Think about it. Madoka, the protagonist, hasn't made her wish to become a magical girl yet. And it's been hinted over and over that her potential as a magical girl is far beyond normal. If she makes a wish equal to that potential… isn't it possible she could bring Sayaka and Kyōko back?"
"But wouldn't that risk her turning into a witch? The whole show's setup makes it clear — becoming a magical girl is a trap laid by Kyubey. Hope leads to despair, and magical girls inevitably become witches. Madoka wouldn't be that foolish… would she?"
"Come on, she's the protagonist! She's built different! Let's bring the two girls back first before worrying about Madoka going full witch mode."
That was just one thread among many in the online fan forums for Madoka Magica.
On Haruki's fend page, hundreds of thousands of fans gathered, pleading with him to show mercy in the upcoming episode. They begged him to let Madoka make a wish to resurrect Sayaka and Kyōko.
Of course, alongside the begging came threats: if the two girls weren't revived, they swore they'd boycott his future works.
Despite those outbursts, Madoka Magica had become no.1 anime this season, overtaking into the abyss with 300k views.
Sure, there were still people who claimed they hated "depressing anime," or had no interest in the magical girl genre, especially not the kind with soul-crushing tragedy.
But more and more were getting hooked.
And once they fell in, they made sure to let Haruki know.
They'd been through this many times now. They also understood that Episode 10 had been finished long ago. Still, fans hoped that maybe, just maybe, if their voices were loud enough, Haruki would change the ending in time to spare them.
Now, as the episode was about to air, thousands of fans had gathered around their screens with snacks in hand, ready to hit "play."
Among them were Saya and her team of animators, Kazuya and his studio crew, Haruki's friends, and even Ryuko — sitting in her dorm while her roommates teased her over her relationship with him, all waiting for the moment to come.
And finally... it did.
The site lagged briefly as Episode 10 launched. For a second, some thought the servers had crashed. But the stream quickly stabilized and then, confusion set in.
A shy, rural-looking girl with braids stood on-screen.
Wait… wasn't that Akemi Homura?
Why did she look so different?
The teacher at the front of the class introduced the new transfer student, Homura Akemi, and Madoka and Sayaka, sitting at their desks, looked at her curiously.
People with sharp memories immediately recognized this scene, it was from Episode 1. Homura's first appearance.
But something felt off.
Was this a flashback? A dream?
No. This Homura was different: meeker, softer. She wasn't the calm, confident version we'd seen so far.
For anime fans from Earth's parallel timeline, it would've clicked immediately, this was a time loop.
A storytelling structure popularized in works like Steins;Gate and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 4, where the antagonist Kira Yoshikage rewound time using his Stand ability.
Of course, in this world, Steins;Gate hadn't aired yet, and JoJo had only recently been introduced by Haruki himself.
So for most viewers, this twist felt completely fresh.
And what a twist it was.
What they were seeing wasn't just a memory, it was the first timeline. The original loop.
Back then, Madoka had cared for the frail, awkward Homura, and their bond had deepened quickly. But this version of Homura was nothing like the capable, battle-hardened warrior she had become across countless iterations.
This made fans pause.
What was this episode?
Wasn't it supposed to be Episode 10?
Why did it feel like an OVA or a spinoff?
But the story quickly darkened.
Homura, overwhelmed by self-doubt and unable to protect anyone, fell into a witch's labyrinth — and was saved by two magical girls: a pink-haired Madoka and a blonde Mami.
Fans blinked in shock.
Weren't they both dead?
Did this mean Madoka had already become a magical girl in this timeline?
And Sayaka… wasn't she dead too?
As the episode continued, the mystery deepened.
Madoka and Mami warmly welcomed Homura into their world, explaining what it meant to be a magical girl. For a moment, everything felt bright, even sweet.
But the show, true to its tone, didn't let that last.
Suddenly, the setting shifted. A ruined city. Mami, dead again. A titanic witch rampaging through the streets while a lone magical girl, Madoka, fought to stop her.
"Run, Homura!" Madoka shouted. "Don't die!"
She smiled softly. "I'm glad I met you. I'm proud that I could protect you. It's been an honor to be a magical girl."
Even though she was moments from death, Madoka showed no fear, because in this early timeline, she still believed in the hope Kyubey offered. She hadn't yet learned the truth.
The audience may not have fully understood what was happening, but in that moment, they all felt the same thing:
Sorrow.
Madoka's gentle farewell struck like a blade.
Was this what happened to magical girls before they died?
Was this how Sayaka and Kyōko had felt, too?
The dark truth hung heavy: magical girls died believing in justice, only to be betrayed and harvested by Kyubey.
And now… fans were finally beginning to understand Homura's burden.
She had seen Madoka die over and over again, and she had chosen to do the unthinkable:
Reset time.
Again and again.
(TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-a-t-r-e-o-n.com/Alioth23 for 60+ advanced chapters)