Magical Girl Stories: Sana Futaba
Part 1
...
...
...
Um...
Oh! Sorry!
You've been just staring for ages... Am I...doing something weird?
N-no!
It's just...th-that keychain...
It's just...th-that keychain...
Keychain? Oh, you mean this?
Do you know where it's from? There was this old puppet show on TV...
Do you know where it's from? There was this old puppet show on TV...
, isn't it?
Y-yes, it is...
Do you like Mr. Purrs-a-lot, Iroha?!
I loved it, I watched it all the time...
Mr. Purrs-a-lot is so good, isn't it? It makes you feel so warm inside.
Hajime Niboshi did such a great job with the script!
Then the director, Nekoyanagi, took it and brought it all to life!
The world they created was so peaceful, just like a fairytale...
Not to mention, the puppet troupe Futamiza did such a beautiful job too!
It was only a 15-minute act, but they performed it over 2,000 times!
My favorite episode was the one where Mr. Purrs-a-lot rides a balloon to space...
H-huh? Is something wrong?
Hajime Niboshi did such a great job with the script!
Then the director, Nekoyanagi, took it and brought it all to life!
The world they created was so peaceful, just like a fairytale...
Not to mention, the puppet troupe Futamiza did such a beautiful job too!
It was only a 15-minute act, but they performed it over 2,000 times!
My favorite episode was the one where Mr. Purrs-a-lot rides a balloon to space...
H-huh? Is something wrong?
It's just, the way you're talking, you must really love Mr. Purrs-a-lot.
Oh! S-s-sorry!
I've been rambling on...
I've been rambling on...
It's fine! Don't worry about it!
I'm so sorry! I...I...
I was about to make the same mistake. I need to keep my distance from people...
Or else everything will go sour again... Just like it did back ...
I have to remember not to make another mistake like that.
I have to remember why I became a Magical Girl.
I was about to make the same mistake. I need to keep my distance from people...
Or else everything will go sour again... Just like it did back ...
I have to remember not to make another mistake like that.
I have to remember why I became a Magical Girl.
Part 2
I've been treated like baggage ever since my mother remarried.
My real father got sick and died before I even knew him. And when I asked Mother...
My real father got sick and died before I even knew him. And when I asked Mother...
Marrying that guy was the BIGGEST mistake of my entire life!
I don't know the whole story, but it's obvious their marriage was rough...
My mother was always so hard on me. She was angry with me all the time.
My mother was always so hard on me. She was angry with me all the time.
Um, Mother...
What?
Um, there's something our teacher wanted us to give you...
What is it?
It's a handout...
Where is it, then?
Well, it's right— Huh?
It was just here in my bag... I know I put it in there...
It was just here in my bag... I know I put it in there...
Are you serious? You lost it?!
H-here it is! I found it...
...
Why are you always so disorganized?!
The problem is that you don't THINK! Think things through before you act!
Ugh, no matter how many times you're told, you stay as slow and thick-headed as ever...
You're such an embarrassment! Do you even realize that?!
Why are you always so disorganized?!
The problem is that you don't THINK! Think things through before you act!
Ugh, no matter how many times you're told, you stay as slow and thick-headed as ever...
You're such an embarrassment! Do you even realize that?!
I'm sorry...
My new father is a medical professor at Kamihama University.
All I know is that he's responsible for some kind of advanced medical research.
He only cared about my school work. He'd get so mad every time he saw my grades.
All I know is that he's responsible for some kind of advanced medical research.
He only cared about my school work. He'd get so mad every time he saw my grades.
Sana, sit down for a moment.
A-all right...
What is the meaning of this? These grades from your last exam...
You got Cs and Ds in every single subject...
You're an absolute idiot!
You got Cs and Ds in every single subject...
You're an absolute idiot!
I'm r-really sorry!
You're my daughter now, see? How can you be so stupid?!
Clearly you've NOT been studying. I'll have to hire ANOTHER tutor for you.
Don't you dare show me grades this pathetic again. Do you understand?!
Clearly you've NOT been studying. I'll have to hire ANOTHER tutor for you.
Don't you dare show me grades this pathetic again. Do you understand?!
Yes!
As far back as I can remember, my parents have been angry with me.
But we all still lived together as a family.
Until that ...
But we all still lived together as a family.
Until that ...
Part 3
I have two step-brothers... They're my new father's sons from his previous marriage.
My big brother is in high school, and he's always done really good in his classes.
He got the highest score on a national test. His abilities and mine are worlds apart.
There we go, that's my son! That's the Futaba blood in your veins!
...
My other brother is a year younger than me. He's known at school as a star athlete.
He's got fast reflexes, plus he's smart. Everybody likes him, too.
My mother can't stop doting on him. Not like how she treats her real daughter...
I wonder if by showering him with love, she was trying to change from being my mother to a 'Futaba' mother...
He's got fast reflexes, plus he's smart. Everybody likes him, too.
My mother can't stop doting on him. Not like how she treats her real daughter...
I wonder if by showering him with love, she was trying to change from being my mother to a 'Futaba' mother...
I just know that one day you're going to be a star player on a pro team!
...
I was the only one in the family who struggled.
But I still didn't want to be left out of the family.
I tried wherever I could to connect with them.
But I still didn't want to be left out of the family.
I tried wherever I could to connect with them.
U-um, Brother... Could I…ask you a favor?
What?
Sana, why so stiff? What do you need?
Oh, you're both here. Um...
I'd like you to teach me how to...study.
I'd like you to teach me how to...study.
...
Huh.
My grades are always so bad, and Father gets so angry with me...
I thought if you could tutor me, then maybe I could!
I thought if you could tutor me, then maybe I could!
Me tutor you? So you really ARE stupid!
Uh...
Think about it...
Why would he waste his precious time on you?
He's the pride of the Futaba family!
Why would he waste his precious time on you?
He's the pride of the Futaba family!
...
Every second I spend with you is a complete waste of my time.
That includes talking to you right now. How hard is that for you to understand?
That includes talking to you right now. How hard is that for you to understand?
Oh yeah, same here. Don't go expecting me to help you out either.
We just don't have the time to spare. So...we're done here.
We just don't have the time to spare. So...we're done here.
Okay...
Part 4
The distance between us never seemed to change.
In fact, one day something happened that would make that distance permanent.
U-um...Mother?
...
Mother?
Um...
Um...
Sana.
Y-yes!
We had a talk about you yesterday.
We're going to change how we treat you here.
We're going to change how we treat you here.
Change how you treat me?
As your parents, we'll make sure you have what you need to stay in school.
However, we are no longer going to consider you a part of our family.
However, we are no longer going to consider you a part of our family.
Wh-what do you mean?
You don't meet the standards of the Futaba family name at all.
Do you even realize how far you've already dragged our name through the mud?
Which is why you will no longer be treated as a Futaba.
Doing so, and bothering with you, would be nothing more than a waste of all of our time.
We won't hold you to our standards anymore, but we won't interact with you either.
We will treat you as if you don't exist.
Do you even realize how far you've already dragged our name through the mud?
Which is why you will no longer be treated as a Futaba.
Doing so, and bothering with you, would be nothing more than a waste of all of our time.
We won't hold you to our standards anymore, but we won't interact with you either.
We will treat you as if you don't exist.
But...
You have only yourself to blame, being such a complete waste of space!
Don't speak a word to us anymore. Send an e-mail if you need anything. Got it?
Don't speak a word to us anymore. Send an e-mail if you need anything. Got it?
...
I asked you a question! ANSWER ME!
Y-yes...
From that day forward, I never spoke another word to my family.
We were completely cut off from each other. No one spoke to me, even at home.
But I needed to live somewhere so I put up with it.
I was treated as if I didn't exist.
We were completely cut off from each other. No one spoke to me, even at home.
But I needed to live somewhere so I put up with it.
I was treated as if I didn't exist.
I had to keep absolutely quiet at home. I was afraid they might kick me out.
