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
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!
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