Author Archives: Mina N.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Review

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Puella Magi Madoka Magica (or Madoka Magica), a magical girl series created by the Magica Quartet, follows the journey of middle school girls in Mitakihara, Japan, who battle supernatural entities known as ‘Witches’ in exchange for their wishes to come true. The main protagonist, Madoka Kaname, along with her friends, must handle the burden and grief of fighting in the shadows while acting as bringers of hope in the world, adding a twist to the magical girl subgenre. Its original run began from January 17, 2011, to April 22, 2011, and became one of the most well-known and adored magical girl series with the psychological thriller and dark fantasy genres.

Characters and Pacing

Of course, it’s not only the setting or plot that makes a story phenomenal, but also the characters. While the premise of magical girls saving the world might seem like something only a younger audience would enjoy, the series delves into the psyches, agencies, and insecurities of the girls in such an exceptional manner. I’d like to believe that many people can relate to some of the characters, as the main themes in this series revolve around sacrifice, friendship, hope vs. despair, and discovering identity.

I do have to say that the original anime starts off relatively slow, in my opinion, but it’s a necessary build-up for the various plot twists and reveals to come… The narrative itself is not very difficult to keep up with, but it is worth taking note of the role each magical girl plays and the significance of their relationships with one another.

As far as I know, there isn’t a definite end to this series–not because it’s incredibly dense with world-building, but because the circumstances of the magical girls’ fates are complex and seemingly perpetual…

Visuals and Presentation

Madoka Magica: Witches and Magical Girls! — Nerdophiles
A Witch’s Labyrinth
A Rant on Symposium Magarum Piano Arrangements – The Vault Publication

One of the most eye-catching aspects of Madoka Magica has to be its artistic and unique visuals. It feels like entering a whole other world! The otherworldliness aspect ties in perfectly with the existence of magical girls, as they are ultimately estranged from the rest of the world because of their knowledge about miracles and the perils of fighting Witches.

The soundtrack is also amazing; my favorite songs include Pergo Pugnare, Another Episode, and Sis Puella Magica!

It’s important to mention that it includes some graphic imagery, so I’d recommend this to older teens and up.

Final Words

This is such a magnificent series, and I honestly wish that I could talk to more people about it without holding back the juicy spoilers. There’s no need to watch/read the spin-offs to enjoy it, but these two must be watched:

  • Puella Magi Madoka Magica (original 12-episode series)
  • Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion

That’s it!

Bleach by Tite Kubo: Manga Review

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Bleach chapter cover art Kubo,Tite | Bleach manga, Bleach anime art, Bleach anime

Even though he has the ability to see spirits, Ichigo Kurosaki strives to live as an ordinary high school student in Karakura Town, Japan. His life takes a drastic turn when he must obtain the powers of a Soul Reaper, which he receives from Rukia Kuchiki, to cleanse evil spirits known as Hollows. With these mysterious powers, he embarks on a journey to protect his loved ones and discovers hidden parts of the world and himself.

Characters and Pacing

Each character has unique thematic elements and distinct philosophies which make them stand out to me, although some aren’t obvious at first glance. Also, the character designs are super cool! Bleach is the type of manga where each page must be read carefully while taking the time for reflection, as it may be easy to overlook crucial details that give deeper insight into a character’s actions and agency.

The intense battle scenes and violence aren’t just for hype moments, but reflect conflicting ideals between its participants. Throughout his battles, Ichigo not only forms and strengthens bonds with those around him, but he gradually learns to accept the darkest and most vulnerable parts of himself.

Compared to the anime, the manga’s pacing is faster and much more consistent, though it might make the fighting scenes a little boring and anticlimactic.

Mayuri's speech on perfection, his relationship with Nemu, and the events of TYBW: what's your take? : r/bleach
In Kurotsuchi Mayuri’s battle with Szayelaporro

Not to mention, there are some amazing antagonists and plot twists! I would’ve liked to include my top favorites in this post, but revealing their existence spoils the surprise.

However, I personally find the emotional development and impact to be lacking, as the series focuses more on presenting ideals and battles.

World Building and Themes

Much of Bleach’s world building and themes are predicated on the concepts of life and death, and encourages the reader to ponder not only the meaning behind the characters’ actions, but how those same ideas exist and can be applied to our modern society. Yes, the existence of multiple supernatural realms is fascinating, but they serve more as narrative mechanisms to demonstrate how the balance between life and death is delicate and how accepting both gives meaning to our existence.

What does white ichigo poem mean? : r/bleach

There are more poems like this at the end of each volume, and they really tie everything together.

Afterword

This is one of my favorite series ever, and I recommend it to older folks. It is highly advised that the manga be read first before watching the anime, as there are pacing issues in the animated version.

If you are planning to watch the anime, it’s okay to only watch the Thousand Year Blood War arc since there’s additional content which wasn’t in the manga.

…That’s it!