That post I just reblogged was very interesting to read because like, I play JP, I donāt read the story translations, my entire exposure to Iroha as an actual character is through the Magia Record anime. And as I finished up the dub rewatch the other day, one thing I took note of that I guess I didnāt really process before was just how, distant Iroha is as a character.Ā
Like the post says, there are rarely any moments where sheās emoting all that strongly, and most of them sheās alone for. Post was made before the anime finished so I guess it missed some of her slightly more emotional moments, but even when it comes to the moments where sheās showing more kindness and fondness for like, Sana or Felicia, thereās still a sense of distance. Like Iroha herself doesnāt really know why she wants to be friends with these people. With the scenes in episode 13 where she expresses her discontent with Yachiyo disbanding their team, and how she promises Yachiyo not to die and stuff, I think itās clear that Iroha does get something out of her Mikazuki relationships, but she still reads as detached from them anyway, like what she has with them is more transactional than anything. Iroha wants to help these people and clearly wants to be friends with them, but the main way thatās expressed is that they now live together and operate as a magical girl team. I donāt think she wants to keep the distance that she does, but I donāt think she knows how to close that distance either.
I guess I am just rambling at this point, not really sure where to go with any of this. Itās interesting learning that this isnāt really how Iroha is in the game, but I do like this Iroha. I donāt know what it is thatās stopping her from connecting with people, maybe itās even just her desire to find Ui above all else, but the way she gives those impressions of distance remind me of like, I guess the best sorts of writing in Madoka proper actually. In that, the way Iroha is acting feels very inhuman, and unnatural, and yet it feels very important too, and realistic. Nobody would ever act like that, but if they did, thatās what it would look like. I guess? Itās 3 in the morning, hopefully Iām expressing this clearly.
