Barreiro, J.2023

Since its premiere in 2011, the anime series Puella Magi Madoka Magica has attained
praise from fans and critics alike. Since then, it has adapted the series into a movie, produced a continuation movie, and has had multiple spinoff games with its own series adaptations. Though Madoka Kaname is the titular character, many fans express their relation to Sayaka Miki, the character whose arc reveals the intricacies of what it means to be a magical girl and undergo the transition from hope into despair.

This paper examines if and how the Mahayana Buddhist concepts of nihilism and
sunyata, or emptiness, are present in the character of Sayaka Miki in the trilogy of anime movies, Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Movie. This thesis will use the definitions of the concepts as provided and elaborated by Keiji Nishitani of the Kyoto School of Philosophy, most known for their dialogue with Western philosophers. Understanding this necessitates us to understand how the series positions itself within the mahō shōjo genre. This study explores how a common and relatable genre character undergoes deep philosophical change through the lens of Mahayana Buddhism, thus making its philosophy more accessible to fans of the series and the character.

Keywords: buddhism, nihilism, sunyata, madoka magica, media, character analysis