Kyubey

• 1. Designing The Cute Monster

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  Writer Gen Urobuchi created Kyubey for the 2011 anime series Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Producer Atsuhiro Iwakami stated that the mash-up of cuteness and darkness is the central theme to the show. Kyubey serves as an epitome of that specific thematic goal. Urobuchi compared the character to monsters found in works by horror fiction author H. P. Lovecraft. He noted that the creature is not evil but lacks feelings which makes him scary. This design choice highlights the moral dissonance between the small cat-like being and the young girls it approaches. Actions within the series demonstrate this philosophy through scenes where Kyubey eats its own corpse to recycle energy.

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• 2. Soul Gems And Witch Cycles

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  A sexless extraterrestrial cat-like being poses as a familiar who can grant any wish to a certain girl. When the chosen girl makes a contract with them, they extract her soul and place it inside a soul gem. They reconstruct her body into a shell that is more resilient in order to fight witches. These creatures constantly try to get Madoka Kaname to make a contract with them. She allegedly possesses great magical potential within her that would allow her to become the most powerful magical girl. The Incubators developed technology to convert emotions into energy for their survival. They find ideal subjects among humans specifically pubescent and prepubescent girls. Their energy production reaches its zenith when a magical girl's soul gem turns into a grief seed.

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• 3. The Logic Of Deception

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  Kyubey claims their race lacks emotions or at least those in his race who have emotions are abnormal. They have little understanding of mortality or the value of life. They consider their actions to be simply utilitarian in nature despite appearing cruel to others. A skilled manipulator leaves out vital aspects of their contracts until asked directly. Kyubey neglects to explain that the creation of a soul gem involves the literal removal of the soul from their bodies until after its consequences are made evident. They claim the very existence of the Magi-Witch system allowed the evolution of mankind's civilization. Many main events in human history have involved magical girls according to their records. Despite answering all questions pointed their way there is still much about the universe they have not spoken of.

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• 4. Harvesting Emotions For Survival

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  The Incubators eat their dead and take their predecessor's place and identity within the hive-minded race. They use converted emotional energy to counter entropy and prevent the impending heat death of the universe. Having evaluated countless races throughout the universe they find ideal subjects among humans. Pubescent and prepubescent girls produce the most energy which reaches its zenith when a magical girl's soul gem turns into a grief seed. Their true goal in creating magical girls and witches is to stave off the heat death of the universe. This biological and metaphysical process drives every interaction with potential contractors. The system ensures continuous energy flow through the cycle of transformation and corruption.

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• 5. Sealing Homura And Rewriting Worlds

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  In The Rebellion Story Kyubey seals Homura outside the Law of Circles jurisdiction. They force Madoka back into the physical world in an attempt to restore the witch system of previous timelines. Their kind has been harvesting less energy in the new system so they seek to reverse the change. Unfortunately their plan backfires when Homura ends up stealing Madoka's powers for herself. She enslaves the Incubators to take Madoka's place in taking on the curses of the new world. In the post-credits scene Kyubey lies on the ground disheveled and shivering. He appears mentally scarred after the failure of his grand strategy against the timeline shift.

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• 6. Plush Dolls And Commercial Success

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  A large amount of merchandise based on Kyubey has been created by various manufacturers. A nendoroid figure was produced by the Good Smile Company for collectors. Fans purchased a QB Sofa and Bath Set designed specifically for the character. Plush dolls and hugging pillows became popular items among the audience base. The character won the 1st Newtype Anime Awards for Best Mascot Character in 2011. They took third place and fifth place in the following two years during 2013 and 2014. This commercial success established him as an iconic mascot within the anime industry.

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• 7. Villain Rankings And Critical Praise

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  Kyubey won the 2011 Net Buzzword's Bronze Prize for his popular catchphrase. He also won the 1st Nikkan Anime Grand Prix's Worst Dark Character award from the Nikkan Sports newspaper. Emiri Katō won the 6th Seiyu Awards for Best supporting actress in 2012 for her portrayal of Kyubey. In December 2015 Kyubey was included among the Anime's Most Despicable Villains poll conducted by MyNavi Student. They were voted third cutest mascot character by fans worldwide. Andy Hanley from UK Anime Network initially described them as an odd cat-like figure. Gabriella Ekens of Anime News Network characterized them as the alien embodiment of utilitarian logic. Jacob Churosh of THEM Anime Reviews noted that Emiri Katou conveys relentless strange rationality. EJ Rivera marking specialist for Aniplex of America stated in 2012 that fans love to hate him. Paste magazine listed Kyubey as the eighth-greatest anime villain while Comic Book Resources ranked him first on their strongest alien species list.

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