"Doko Ni Mo Yukanaide" - Madoka Magica: Rebellion

Yesterday, I rewatched Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion. Actually, I watched it twice: first by myself, and then a half hour later with my dad. There are so many hidden details in that movie, and I know I still haven't found them all. I felt inspired to make an illustration based off the movie, or perhaps the series in general.

For those who don't know, Puella Magi Madoka Magica is a one-season anime series that twists the "magical girl" trope into a dark and complex tragedy. (Rebellion is the movie-length sequel.)

The symbolism and the "making of" are under the cut.

Serpents Circling A Feather: The Missing Worlds

I've been rereading a wonderful fanfiction of Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, called The Missing Worlds. In one scene, a group of underwater serpents guard a magical glowing feather. I felt inspired to try to draw it.

I went based on this description: "They were serpents, or something like it; as they got closer Syaoran could make out undulating, smooth bodies with hides that reflected the light like an oil slick. Their mouths were full of needle-sharp teeth and their eyes glowed a smoky red, smoldering coals of rage and hate that strained against the water."
(The Missing Worlds, Chapter 4: Water World III)