Awane Kokoro

Kokoro Awane is the one of the original characters of the 2017 mobile game Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story: Magia Record. A Magical Girl who always tries to put on a happy face. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she's lived with her father ever since. Their relationship has become strained, leading her to become emotionally shutoff. Kokoro fights familiars with Masara Kagami. Afterwards they move on to the witch and defeat it. When the girls reappear in reality, Masara says they have to leave before the place closes. Kokoro says there's still time and says they should enjoy the view. She offers to buy Masara drinks, and when Masara says she doesn't need one, says she'll choose for her. Kokoro narrates that her and Masara became partners after they met, it's more like a one sided relationship. Kokoro is still surprised to find they're fighting witches together, and admits she didn't have the best impression of Masara at first. She thinks back to when they first met. The flashback begins shortly after Kokoro became a magical girl. In it, Kokoro enters a witch's barrier and finds the familiars have all been destroyed. She then sees Masara fighting a witch, and deduces she was the one who beat the familiars. She thinks Masara is strong, but as she fights the witch, Kokoro thinks that Masara acts like she's not afraid of dying. Masara then notices Kokoro, who says she didn't realize another magical girl had arrived. Kokoro says she will support her. After the battle, Kokoro says that while she's nowhere near Masara's level, she still thinks Masara should protect herself more. Masara says she doesn't really care if she dies, which shocks Kokoro. Masara says that if Kokoro think she's strong, she should agree that Masara is correct. Masara claims that a human can become invincible if they have nothing to lose. She says her strength comes from being indifferent to death. As Kokoro splutters, she narrates that the person who leaves doesn't understand the feelings of those they leave behind. Kokoro says that Masara's family would care if she dies. Masara says it's fine, explaining that she wished for money, and arranged things so that if she dies it will be transferred to her family. Masara also says it's easier if she dies inside a witch barrier, since to everyone else she'll just have gone missing. Kokoro says that's not what she's talking about and asks how her family would feel if she died. Masara thinks they'll be fine, claiming humans are strong creatures. Kokoro flashes back to her mother, who told Kokoro she's strong and will be fine even after she leaves. Kokoro thought she wasn't fine at all. Kokoro explains to Masara that she wished for her broken family to be made whole again, and for her mother to come back home. Kokoro narrates that she thought fighting witches was just compensation for repairing her family, but her mother didn't feel the way she did. Kokoro thinks back to her past when her parents were together and narrates that when she was little she went hiking in the mountains with her family. She believes it to be the most fun memory she has with them. Afterward, they stopped going hiking. In another flashback, Kokoro's father yells at her for not washing the dishes. Kokoro explains she has to do homework, prompting him to say that's too late. Kokoro replies she'll do the dishes if that's the case, but her father tells her to just be quiet and focus on her schoolwork. Kokoro narrates that her father kept getting upset after her mom left. She believed he didn't know what he was supposed to do, and was taking it out on her. Kokoro blames her mom for leaving. Later, Kokoro finishes ironing clothes, and her father apologizes for yelling earlier. Kokoro narrates that hiking became her hobby, but after her mom left she went hiking alone. Comparing her feelings to hiking, she thinks she won't complain about anything, and tells her father not to worry about it. She says she's completely fine. Back with Masara, Kokoro says that it might not have been much to her, but for most people being a magical girl is a huge decision. She says she would go that far to protect her family, and admonishes Masara to not let her break so easily. Masara says Kokoro is talking about her family, not Masara's, and that Masara's family are the only ones who have the right to criticize her. Kokoro apologizes and admits she selfishly got mad. She says it's her problem. Masara asks why she's blaming herself for protecting her family. Kokoro says she couldn't. Kokoro's wish was "I want my mom to come back", and that's precisely what happened. Kokoro narrates that she thought that would make everything go back to the way things were, but that's not the case. Her mother and father would argue at home over chores. Kokoro thought that if she knew that her happy family would disappear someday, she would wish she never have known it in the first place. However, since she knows what a happy family is like, she'll desire it always. Kokoro compares her desire to hiking up a mountain, and thinks hiking alone is painful. Because of this, Kokoro would mediate her family's arguments, telling them to leave it to her. With Masara, Kokoro starts crying after explaining what happened. Masara asks why she blames herself. Kokoro says she wished for it to happen. Masara says that Kokoro did nothing wrong - she wished to put her family back together, and got exactly that. Masara claims what happens afterward is something Kokoro shouldn't feel responsible for. Kokoro thinks back to all her friends and relatives who told her it wasn't her fault, but she wasn't able to accept those words until Masara spoke them without any sort of pity. Masara then asks if Kokoro's ideal is to kill her feelings to protect her family. Kokoro says that's not it at all, and says she doesn't want her parents to have painful memories either. Masara then asks why she thinks it's okay to hold back. Masara explains that if Kokoro's ideal family isn't built on someone's pain, then she shouldn't put that burden on herself. Masara tells Kokoro that she should live for her own sake, not another's. Masara says she's going to leave, but Kokoro asks if she can stay with her. Kokoro narrates that she was attracted to the girl who explained things to her, for reasons she couldn't put into words. Masara says there's no benefit to Kokoro, but Kokoro says she just wants to be with Masara. Masara says she can do what she wishes. Later, Kokoro's father complains the dishes aren't done. Kokoro says that her mother's at the neighborhood association meeting, and that it's not right to push all the chores on mom. Kokoro's father agrees and says he'll do the dishes. Kokoro says she'll help him out and make dinner. Kokoro thinks there's still quite a distance to the summit of her desires, but she won't ignore the pain anymore. Kokoro then welcomes her mother back with dinner. Kokoro's mother apologizes, but her father says he needs to do the cooking every so often. Sometime later, Kokoro and Masara defeat another witch. Kokoro invites Masara to a cafe she heard about, but Masara says she's not hungry or thirsty. Kokoro says she doesn't need to be and they can just take a look. When Masara asks what they would do, Kokoro says they can talk. Masara says if Kokoro wants to talk they can just do it here. Kokoro thinks that's how Masara is, but even so she can't help but be interested. Kokoro thinks she might be selfish, but she is worried about Masara's safety. Kokoro says they can go to the cafe the next time they finish hunting and if Masara is hungry or thirsty. Masara says she wouldn't mind. Kokoro thinks she can't just says she wants Masara to change because she's with her, but hopes Masara realizes it someday. As the girls say they'll see each other tomorrow, Kokoro hopes that Masara will see that there is a person who finds her important. Kokoro narrates that she won't ignore her heart, and that she's at "your" side for her own sake.