ABOUT AN INCUBATOR

All good magical girls have a helpful animal companion. Often these little creatures are adorable, intelligent, perceptive and chock full of exposition, prepared to help both magical girl and viewer get through the villain-of-the-week and learn new moral lessons. Kyubey is quite the excellent animal companion, and a very convincing one at that.

Much like these other creatures, he is sickeningly cute (and very easily merchandised.) With a cat-like body, big round eyes and an upturned "smiling" mouth, he is the picture of innocence. His soft white fur and big fluffy tail make him positively adorable. His pink-tipped second "ears" and gold bangles and red jewels make him look appropriately supernatural. He loves to be carried, hanging off the arm or shoulder of some girl in ruffles and a puffy skirt, and he will happily sit on one's lap to munch on french fries or be scratched behind the ears. Luna, Kero, and Mokona can testify: when you're that cute, it's perfectly acceptable to curl up in a ball and nap between doling out advice and pep talks, and Kyubey does it with the best of them. And on top of that, his voice is so cute.

But there's one thing Kyubey does differently: when you "sign" a contract with him, there is absolutely no going back.