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You don't need my review to tell you the story. I just want to tell you about my few gripes. Madoka Magica is my single favorite anime of all time. I believe it is perfect. I love the characters, I love the story, everything. It's my favorite media franchise, even outside anime. However, this movie removes TWO scenes that I think are incredibly important to character development, and thus, I believe you'll get a better experience of watching the series until episode 8, then switching to the second movie for the latter half of the series.

The two scenes take place fairly early on. One ... scene is in episode two, when Mami warns Sayaka to question whether or not she's making her wish truly because she wants to help the person, or if she wants it for their returned gratitude. After this, Madoka asks Mami what she wished for, and we learn a bit of Mami's backstory, being in an accident and having no time to think of her wish before making such a life altering decision, in order to save her own life. The second scene takes place during episode 7 when Kyoko asks Sayaka to talk. The movie skips their walk to the church, in which they talk a bit beforehand about Kyoko's view on the previous revelation, and in turn, I believe gives Sayaka time to reflect on what Kyoko said before the end of the conversation that plays out in the church.

these scenes are incredibly important to the characters, and I don't understand why they'd remove two scenes that add only 2 minutes of screentime at most, especially a moment that includes Mami, considering how little screentime she gets at all. Don't get me wrong, the movie is still great, it's incredibly beautiful, but cutting scenes like this make no sense, and if I'm showing the series to anyone, I generally show them the first 8 episodes, then pop in the second movie, as the second movie doesn't cut out anything at all, and is gorgeous.

So please, this isn't much a review, but if it's your first time watching the show, at least watch the series til episode 8, then put on movie 2. Only watch this one if you've seen the series before. The stuff it cuts out is far too important.

Simply one of the greatest pieces of animation to ever be made. Yes, it's vile. Yes, it's gruesome. Yes, it's disturbing. Everything about this movie can make you feel uncomfortable, but the fact that many dismiss it, without even bothering to understand the work that went into this film, is appalling. A single person animated this movie, frame by frame, with his own money. This fact alone is why I consider it to be an artistic masterpiece beyond many other films. the amount of detail, the amount of things happening, and the speed of which some of these scenes flow, truly show the passion, dedication, ... and mastery of an artistic genius. Midori is, quite honestly, the most sympathetic character in fiction I've ever known. My desire for her to come out of her nightmare goes beyond what I could say for most anime characters that experience supposed "suffering". It's definitely not for everyone, I'll give it that, but only a complete philistine could dismiss it as not being at least artistically brilliant.