Back to matrograde's Profile matrograde's Profile

I enjoyed this story, mostly, but it was a little dull at times and very contrived. It appears that the series had a lower budget than many of the series I normally watch, although for me that isn't a real drawback. The series is chock full of cliches, and the characters don't have much depth to them. I could predict where the series was going after just the first episode, and I was probably 90 percent right, making exceptions for specific twists and turns regarding the supporting cast. The only reason I continued on with it was because it is a little more wholesome than ... what is generally available, and it is an uplifting story. It is more geared toward adolescent and pre-adolescent children, so don't expect to be challenged intellectually. I do think it works, however, for a young audience like that, so if you are a parent looking for something positive to show your children, this may work for you.

I was really surprised by how much this series grew on me by the halfway point. I'm usually not much for comedy series, but I initially gave it a shot because it was refreshing to get a story about not only an adult but a single father. I also liked the idea of a series that would poke fun at the world of manga artists. During the first four or five episodes, I thought it was a little ridiculous that a father would go to such lengths to hide things from his daughter, but the hints at something deeper at the end of each episode ... as well as the charming relationship between father and daughter kept me coming back. During the second half, once it became apparent where the series was heading, I just couldn't wait for each new episode. The finale is wonderful, so stick with it. To briefly mention downsides, I think it would've been nice to get more character development of the supporting cast. However, it appears that the manga upon which this is based is still publishing, so perhaps there will be a second series. I definitely plan to read the original work in the meantime!

I will start by saying that I think any kind of art review should be able to first and foremost consider the piece of art in question on its own. It would be simple to just compare this series to the original Madoka Magica, which was the original work upon which this series spins off. However, that would not be fair nor, in my opinion, helpful to people who are reading reviews.

Magia Record is better than most anime out there in every way. The art and sound, as virtually everything created by Shaft, is of the highest quality. It's creative and elicits strong emotions in ... the viewer. The use of lighting and backgrounds and action sequences are used effectively to provide something that is visually stunning and satisfying.

The story and characters are also strong, but they suffer a little due to the fact that this series is adapted from a mobile gacha game. As the reader is probably aware, gacha games are based on the idea that the player will collect as many characters as possible and develop them for play and story. This means that there are more named characters than are really appropriate for a story like this, and it means that none of them really gets developed as fully as one would hope, since most of them get their own arcs. That being said, each of the characters are still better developed and more interesting than the majority of anime characters out there. Additionally, this story, as opposed to the original Madoka Magica, has more potential to be an ongoing series, rather than having a beginning-middle-end all in one season. This means that what was started here will likely grow into something even more interesting as more is released.

Ultimately, if you enjoy the Madoka Magica universe, you will enjoy this.

I just finished the last episode, and I want to say that this is a very enjoyable series that made me feel good coming out of every episode. It has a tremendous amount of charm, and is fun and satisfying to the very end. It's definitely not thought-provoking or challenging in any way, but I felt like it was a great way to spend my time one evening a week. I especially appreciated that while the "villains" were a good challenge for the protagonist, they were not devious or cheap in the way that most anime villains, especially ones in video games, can be. Everyone ... had their honor, which is something I don't see often enough. I wish the novels were translated into English. Here's hoping a second season is in the future!

The fact that I had to go read several other explanations of this story is a tremendous problem. In general I find that the art, music, and technical production operate at a high level, but the story is too convoluted and abstract to really be enjoyable. It may be chock full of symbolism and mythological references, but in the end it is teenage psychoanalysis which doesn't have much to say about real life since it is so divorced from reality. The outlook is also pretty miserable and far out of line with real world experiences in general. Something like this could only come out of ... an egotistical and degraded perspective on life. The series in general may be a technical achievement, but the fact that is has been so influential on subsequent Japanese storytelling is perhaps a negative outcome rather than a positive one.

Overall, I enjoyed this anime. It was nice to have a story that revolved around wit and cleverness and not necessarily brute strength. Many of the episodes play out like puzzles where the protagonists have to find clever ways to maneuver in complex social situations while maintaining respectability and honor. The outcomes and solutions that they find are often surprising and unpredictable. There is some violence, but it is not bloody or disturbing, which I appreciated. The two protagonists were generally well-developed, but I feel like the story overall relies too much on the female protagonist's attractiveness (both physical and mental) to keep the story ... engaging. I do not think that it makes the story suffer, but it is just an overt element that I noticed as I watched the entire series. They use her a bit like a cheap ploy to draw in lots of viewers (and merchandise sales, I am sure). Despite this, I would definitely recommend it to friends who enjoy a more complex and mature story, and I definitely plan to give a second watch some time in the future. I also plan to watch the second series, and I may even read the original source material if I find the time for it.