As Madoka Magica was something that inspired my idea (more specifically, the magical girls) I am doing research into the anime, the characters, what it's about and how it inspired me.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica (or jsut Madoka Magica for short) is an anime made by studio SHAFT with original character designs by Ume Aoki, character design adaptation by Takahiro Kishida and music by Yuki Kajiura.

Plot:

"After experiencing a bizarre dream, Madoka Kaname, a kind 14-year-old girl, encounters a magical creature named Kyubey. Madoka and her friend, Sayaka Miki, are offered the opportunity of gaining magical powers if they agree to make a contract with the strange little being. He will also grant them one wish, but in exchange, they shall risk their lives by accepting the responsibility of fighting witches. Invisible to human eyes, witches are catalysts of despair in the areas they inhabit. An ally of Kyubey, a magical girl named Mami Tomoe, befriends and encourages the two girls to accept the contract. For an unknown reason, another magical girl named Homura Akemi is determined to prevent Madoka from accepting the deal."

Animenewsnetwork.com. (2018). Puella Magi Madoka Magica (TV) - Anime News Network:UK. [online] Available at: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=12120.

Characters

The original character designs for this anime were made by Ume Aoki, a Japanese mangaka. I have include what I believe to be the original character design sheets, and I found these by searching into google "Ume Aoki [insert character name here]". I thought it would make a nice comparison to see what the original sketches were vs the final characters.

Madoka Kaname

Madoka Kaname is the main protagonist and title character. She is a shy and kind girl who cares deeply for her friends, but has low self-confidence. After becoming a magical girl, she gains higher confidence.

Here is what I believe to be the original character sketches:

Homura Akemi

Homura Akemi is a young girl with long, black hair and violet eyes. She is depicted as being very intelligent, athletic, distant, and cold. It is revealed in episode four that she is only like this because she has seen so much suffering during her time as a magical girl.

Sayaka Miki

Sayaka is one of the main characters. She is shown to act slightly tomboyish and heroic.

Mami Tomoe

Mami has very curly blonde hair, usually in twin drills. She has yellow eyes. She wears a uniform-like outfit, with a checkered skirt and a beige coat. In her Magical Girl form, she has beige skirt with black tips, and her top is a long sleeved white shirt with puffs. In between her skirt and her top, she has a brown corset-like clothing garment. She also has a small brown hat with white fur coming out of it, as well as gray and white striped leggings, and black and yellow, knee-high boots.

In the designers design notes, she states that her twisty, curly hair and floral hairpin make her seem like a big sister.

Kyoko Sakura

Kyoko has long, pale red hair which is always seen up in a high ponytail tied by a black ribbon. She has a set of risen bangs which frame her red eyes. Kyoko is fairly stubborn and has a fiery personality. She can be self-centered when she wants to be, though this is just a facade she made to herself and to others, since she's actually really sympathetic and tender.

Kyubey

Kyubey is an Incubator, also known as a Messenger of Magic. It grants normal girls' wishes in return for their soul. Kyubey is a small, cat-like creature. It has white fur and four ears, one pair representing the average cat and the other similar to those of a rabbit's.