Short answers, pulled from the story.
Writer Gen Urobuchi imagined the heroine while character designer Ume Aoki used Yuno from Hidamari Sketch as a prototype. Aoki changed the theme color to pink and kept core traits intact despite exaggerating part of the image.
Her birthday October third was chosen because that date marked when the series project proposal file was first created on a computer in 2011. The initial planning meeting took place during that same year.
The team faced technical hurdles adapting the double ponytail hair design which required precise size and painting consistency. They avoided exaggerated expressions such as broken clothes or huge sweat beads to maintain character integrity.
She makes a wish to prevent all magical girls from past present future and alternate timelines from becoming witches forever. The laws rewrite so soul gems turn black with anguish but she purifies them before passing occurs.
Aoi Yūki portrays Madoka in Japanese versions starting in 2011 and won Best Actress in Leading Role at the sixth Seiyu Awards ceremony held in 2012. She aimed to do her best playing such an important role during early production phases.