 In the fictional city of Mitakihara , Japan , a middle school student named Madoka Kaname and her friend Sayaka Miki encounter a small , cat @-@ like creature named Kyubey . It offers a contract in which a girl may have any wish granted in exchange for obtaining magical powers and being tasked with fighting against witches . Meanwhile , a transfer student and magical girl named Homura Akemi tries to stop Madoka from making the contract with Kyubey at all costs . Madoka and Sayaka then meet Mami Tomoe , an upperclassman at the same school who is also a magical girl and offers to bring them along on her witch hunts so that they may learn of the responsibilities that come with being a magical girl . 
