Volume three of Puella Magi Homura Tamura ~ Parallel Worlds Do Not Remain Parallel Forever~ is the final volume of AFRO’s Madoka comedy spin-off.
I think it is worth pointing out that AFRO is also the original creator of the Laid-Back Camp manga, and you can tell this from the style. Expect to see the :I face.
This final volume contains ten chapters – or episodes – starting with episode 21 and concluding with episode 30.
Tamura’s journey – indeed the journey of every “Homura Akemi” – has been long, arduous, and fraught with… utter nonsense. Skipping from time flow to time flow, Tamrua finds herself in prison facing Kyubey’s cruel(?) tortures, in space awaiting the imminent(?) arrival of a U.F.Witch, and in cahoots with Practical-Joke-Homura while subjecting Mami to increasingly hilarious(?) pranks. All before returning to the relative sanctuary(?) of Akemi-ya! Wherever she goes, Tamura can only expect the unexpected – and often the completely ridiculous.
Many of the Madoka spin-offs retain the relatively same dark tone of the main series, so it is nice that we get a break from that courtesy of Afro and Puella Magi Homura Tamura. This entire series has been nothing but silliness throughout its entire run, and that suits me just fine.
After all, almost (if not all) every other Madoka spin-off that has been published in English have at least ended up taking on a more serious tone. Not that there is anything wrong with it, but it is nice to see someone have fun with the characters.
Some of that fun does come at the expense of said characters – Kyubey’s generally the main victim, as it should be. You only ever see the end result of the Kyubey abuse, and those panels pretty much get me every time I see them.
However, the blurb mentions Tamura and Practical-Joke-Homura playing pranks on Mami – yep, Mami has to suffer for some comedy. That chapter may actually be my favourite one from this volume, as there is a good reason Mami becomes the sole target of the jokes.
The way it ends up is delightfully silly, as well.
Another highlight is a Madoka who was taught how to make bombs by one of the Homuras. However, she’s become quite a terror because of that…
There’s plenty of absurd situations for Tamura to experience throughout, and they all pretty much have me laughing. Afro’s pretty good when it comes to comedy – perhaps that is helped by seeing the Madoka characters being in and reacting to the absurd circumstances.
Tamura doesn’t take centre stage all the time, though. There are two chapters in this volume that focuses on Bar-Homura and her Big Sister Mura. Not sure how that relationship works when everyone involved is technically the same person, but there are just some things not worth thinking too hard about.
As you may have gathered by now, there is more than one Homura. Having them all congregate together at the bar Akemi-ya makes for some rather fun interactions between Homura and Homura… don’t forget Homura, either.
Professor Homura may be my favourite of the bunch, if we don’t take into account Tamura – or the main character of this manga, as it were.
As absurd the series is, it actually manages to work in a rather heart-warming ending. I won’t say anything else to avoid spoiling things for people.
So if you enjoyed Puella Magi Madoka Magica and would like to see the sillier side of the characters, I strongly recommend picking up Puella Magi Homura Tamura ~Parallel Worlds Do Not Remain Parallel Forever~.
I’d also recommend it if you like Laid-Back Camp, as they have the same mangaka.
I wouldn’t recommend it for those who want more dark elements from Madoka and its spin-offs – if that is the case, then you’d probably be best going for Puella Magi Kazumi Magica, which still remains as my favourite Madoka spin-off.
Rory Muses 