It really has been crazy this week. I've only gotten around to watching episode 8 and 9 is already out.

But before I forget, let me just share what was going through my mind by the time the episode ended.

The best thing about Madoka isn't that it's unpredictable. You know that the characters are going to slide deeper into tragedy. But no matter how convinced you are by your own dire predictions, you don't quite want to believe it because you've learned to care about these girls, or at the very least don't think anyone deserves to be put through what they've experienced. So upon seeing it being played before your eyes in its full, horrifying glory, the shock hits you anew. It's a masterfully executed trainwreck, and you can't look away because you've invested too much now and you need to see just how badly it's going to end up.

That being said, the show is not without its surprises. I did not expect that to be Kyubey's true motive, and while hints of Homura's identity indicate that a certain time-traveler theory may be on the mark, there are still things about her that need to be explained.

So bravo, Madoka. No matter what happens from now on, I've already been impressed enough.

My one major gripe is this: Homura, if you already knew everything, why the fuck didn't you explain earlier? In full? No, I'm not buying the whole "I tried but no one listened." Try harder.

Or maybe, for some reason, she can't...but we'll see.

I'm going to go get started on episode 9 now, and hopefully find some time to talk about it.