Interest
Madoka Magica Catchphrase on Net Buzzword 2011 List
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
The Sankei Shimbun paper's web editors announced the results of the Net Ryūkōgo Taishō 2011 (Net Buzzword Awards 2011) on Thursday, and the catchphrase used in the Puella Magi Madoka Magica anime was #3 on the list. The awards committee received 153,516 responses about this year's fad words and Internet memes.
The Gold Prize goes to "popopopon" — the onomatopoeia word sung in AC Japan's popular "Greeting Magic" television commercial. The commercial began airing after the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake (Higashi Nihon Daishinsai) disaster. Although intended for children, the commercial's buzzword became popular with a wide Japanese audience.
The Silver Prize winner is "Nadeshiko Japan," the name of Japan's 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup champion soccer team. The women became the first Asian team ever to win the competition. Captain Tsubasa soccer manga creator Youichi Takahashi revealed in September that he received an offer to create an anime inspired by Nadeshiko Japan.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica earned the Bronze Prize for the catchprase "Boku to keiyaku shite, _____ ni natte yo!" The acclaimed 12-episode drama series aired from January to April of this year. Aniplex of America will release the original television anime on Blu-ray Disc and DVD in three English-dubbed volumes, starting February 14 of next year, and Kadokawa Shoten's Monthly Newtype magazine revealed plans for a theatrical film trilogy based on the anime. Kyubey in Madoka Magica uses "Boku to keiyaku shite, _____ ni natte yo!" (If you make a contract with me, you will become _____!) catchphrase to promise to transform girls into magical girls.
The Joshi Chūkōsei Keitai Ryūkōgo Taishō 2010 (Female Junior High/High School Mobile Phone Buzzword Awards 2010) survey was conducted at the same time, and the top winner was "riajū." The word is now popular among Japanese junior high and high school girls and refers to satisfaction with one's real-world life.
The awards committee conducted the online surveys between November 18 and 24 with ten prominent sites: Nico Nico Douga, goo, MobaGe Town, BIGLOBE, Gadget Tsūshin, JustGiving Japan, Ameba, @peps!/Chip!!, Iza, and MSN Sankei News.
Last year, Shinryaku! Ika Musume earned the Bronze Prize for the sentence-ending phrases "-ika?" and "-geso."
Image © Magica Quartet/Aniplex, Madoka Partners, MBS
Update:Character corrected. Thanks, dm.
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