Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica

Fifteen years after a certain anime deconstructed the mecha genre, another anime has arrived to do the same for magical girls—while also serving as my introduction to the genre. That anime is Puella Magi Madoka Magica, a series that challenges expectations and redefines what a magical girl story can be.

It also revives the appeal of original anime productions, solidifying itself as a modern masterpiece. The last four original anime I watched that reached this level were:
- Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995-96),
- Cowboy Bebop (1998-99),
- Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (2006-08), and...
- Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (2007).

Here’s what makes Madoka Magica stand out:

... Story (10/10)
- Unlike the typical lighthearted and whimsical magical girl series, Puella Magi Madoka Magica blends the genre with psychological drama and dark fantasy. It builds tension masterfully, subverting expectations with its twists and emotional depth. The result is a gripping narrative that keeps you invested from start to finish.

Characters (10/10)
- Homura Akemi is the heart of the series, a deeply complex character whose motives unfold in unexpected ways. Her emotional depth and moral ambiguity make her one of the most compelling figures in the story. Episode 10, in particular, recontextualizes her actions, making her an even more fascinating character.
- Madoka Kaname is a reluctant protagonist who struggles with self-doubt and insecurity. Her journey feels reminiscent of a certain mecha anime protagonist (you already know who), as she is thrust into an overwhelming and unforgiving world.
- The supporting cast, though small, is also well-developed, with each character adding emotional weight to the story.

Art & Animation (10/10)
- The animation is fluid, particularly during action sequences. The character designs use a soft color palette, contrasting with the dark and surreal elements of the story.
- The labyrinths—the surreal environments where witches reside—are a visual highlight. Their abstract, collage-like designs create an eerie and unsettling atmosphere.
- The witches themselves are bizarrely cute yet deeply unsettling, adding to the show’s distinct visual style.

Music (10/10)
- The opening theme, “Connect”, has a deceptively lighthearted tone that fits the magical girl aesthetic—until you realize how much deeper the story goes.
- The second ending theme, “Magia”, perfectly encapsulates the show’s dark and foreboding nature, making it the most memorable of the four ending songs.

Ending (10/10)
- The ending cements Puella Magi Madoka Magica as one of the greatest anime series ever made. Without delving into spoilers, it is both bittersweet and ambiguous, leaving a lasting impact that invites interpretation and discussion. It challenges the audience’s expectations, ensuring the series lingers in their minds long after the credits roll.

Overall
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica is an undeniable masterpiece, proving that the magical girl genre isn’t limited to lighthearted fun—it can also be dark, thought-provoking, and emotionally intense. This series is a must-watch for anime fans, whether they’re familiar with the genre or not.

This anime kinda frustrated me because most of the conflicts are resolved through endless talking and drama. The power system is decent, but the plot feels really slow and dragged out. If the execution were better, I think it could have had a lot more potential, and the message would have come across more effectively to the audience.

The drama didn’t really hit for me either. Since the screen time is limited and the story drags on, I feel like the connections between characters don’t come across as strongly as they should. It seems like the focus is more on the mystery and overall plot rather ... than building chemistry between the characters. But strong chemistry is what makes a story feel alive—it helps us really connect with the characters, feeling their sadness, despair, and the fact that they had no other choice after becoming magical girls.

Even though the pacing is slow in the beginning and feels kinda rushed at the end, the story is still solid and worth following. The fight scenes are pretty good for a magical girl anime. The drama and character depth are decent, though maybe my expectations were just too high. Overall, it’s a good watch. Others might see it differently, so feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. My English isn’t perfect, so don’t hesitate to point out any mistakes. Thanks for reading, peace! ✌

Overrated, edgy, and misogynist tryhard take on the magical girl genre.

So the initial premise and worldbuilding is good and interesting and the aesthetic, art, and music direction certainly helps make this world memorable.

However once certain developments pass you begin to see the edgy writer Gen Urobuchi's obsession with meaningless misery. For instance, one of the "plot twists" is just these middle schoolers reacting drastically negative as to the location of their soul, a metaphysical concept they have never thought about once in their majority-atheist-country, middle-schooler lives. On top of all of this is the reason why only girls are selected to be magical warriors, which ... is an extremely misogynist take that amounts to "girls are emotional lol" which stands out in an anime that has quite the air of subtlety and promise of nuance around it. Then there's the ending. There's nothing explicitly wrong with it, except for the execution in how the anime is very clearly trying to make you feel. It's supposed to be bittersweet, yet the fault lies in the protagonist. It's her fault that she's in the state she is in, because despite the power she was constantly hinted to have, she just had to solve the story's problems in the most convoluted way you can imagine, which of course worked and now everyone eats this anime up, hailing it as a masterpiece.

While the very strong, carefully-crafted atmosphere does indeed hide a lot of the show's flaws, it's these things that add on top of each other that reveal how superficial this anime and its "deconstructive" aspects are, especially when there was a lot of potential for expansion of feminist themes, such as the exploitation of women and the general misogyny of society all across the world; naturally, these potential thematic points all get handwaved away because Madoka Magica and Urobutcher ultimately skew in favor of shocking plot twists and shallow character archetypes.

At least the ending makes the bare amount of sense despite the emotional discrepancy, something a lot of works fail to achieve.