Series Review: Puella Magi Modoka Magica (2011)

Konichiwa!

I apologise for my long absence. I actually haven't watched any anime for the past three or four months because my laptop died and I am actually at home right now, so I have the opportunity to actually be able to watch series. When I go back, I'm definitely going to get a new laptop so I can keep updates for you guys. Also, I don't know whether or not Movie Mondays has been scrapped, since I have a blog that now deals with Movies, TV and Video Games. I'll leave a note if I do scrap it. Probably won't scrap Throwback Thursdays though. Anyway, on with the review!

You know the old saying "looks can be deceiving"? There are plenty of things that may seem one thing but are another thing entirely. For example, Evangelion may seem like it's a good show because of its animation and cool action scenes, but then when you get to the thick of it Shinji is one of the worst characters ever created, Asuka is annoying, the whole plot doesn't make sense and the quality of the animation goes noticeably downhill as they go on. There's a review of Eva in a nutshell. Well, this show is the embodiment of this saying but in a more positive way.

Series: Puella Magi Modoka Magica
Year: 2011
Director: Akiyuki Shinbo
Screenwriter: Gen Urobuchi
Studio: Shaft
Original Run: January 7th - April 21st, 2011
Episodes: 12

Yes, believe it or not, there was actually a time a few years ago where Shaft actually made good material and not pieces of shit where the plot made no sense and their trademark is automatically identified by the characters being able to somehow not snap their own necks off with a backwards glance (Yes, I am talking about Mekaku City Actors). This series is actually a really, really intense, story-driven anime with tragic characters and mind-bending twists and turns. The poster isn't helping that image but please, believe me when I say that Madoka Magica is one of the best anime series that I have ever seen period. And that is an extremely bold statement to make considering its image of cute, magical girls. So, without further ado, let's get into it and find out exactly why even people who hate magical girl anime like me went absolutely nuts for it.

Story: 10/10

Gen Urobuchi is unrelenting in his
ways of making the main characters
suffer. Thankfully he has now moved
on to criticising the information age
in Psycho-Pass.

The story of Madoka Magica, at first, seems pretty standard. Two girls, Madoka and Sayaka, discover that they have the opportunity to become magical girls and that they get to make a wish in order to obtain these powers and that in order to pay for that wish, they will have to fight witches. However, before they can throw their wishes away, a mysterious girl called Homura tries to stop the unsuspected Kyubey from making Madoka a magical girl. In the middle of the conflict, another magical girl called Mami stops Homura from killing Kyubey and tells her to leave. From there, our story unfolds. And what a story it is. It is probably no secret that this anime is renowned for taking the Magical Girl genre and deconstructing it to the bones and then building a very dark and complicated storyline around it. There are literally so many twists and turns that to reveal anything other than the above would be a huge letdown for anyone who hasn't seen the show. What I will say is that the mood completely changes from episode three onwards. The themes that are incorporated into this anime are also very commendable because it focuses on human emotion, friendship, sacrifice, the tragic life cycle and the greater spirit of humanity. These constantly knock you down in each episode until you are metaphorically on your knees, just begging for something good to happen and for Urobuchi to just give these poor girls a break. I also think the length of the story is perfect. Anything longer than twelve episodes would have been too much and would have dragged the series out. So, I'm absolutely gushing about the story, but what about the characters?

Our six main characters from left to right: Kyoko, Homura,
Madoka, Kyubey, Sayaka and Mami.

Characters: 9/10
There are about six characters in this anime that are important to the plot. There is Madoka, who is a young, peace-loving girl; Sayaka, her fiery best friend; Homura, a new mysterious arrival in town; Kyubey, the alien who makes wishes come true; Mami, Madoka and Sayaka's mentor and Kyoko, a rival magical girl out for a new hunting ground. All six of these characters are developped superbly and all have different motivations for becoming magical girls that are quite real in the situations they are thrown into. Of all the character arcs, my favourite was Sayaka's slow deterioration as she begins to see how meaningless the wish she granted actually was (at least from her perspective). The tragedy of this character was something that really hit me hard and I loved her transformation over the course of the series. It also helps that each character has a distinct personality that separates them from each over. It is also funny how the development of all these characters makes you think something else of that character at the end of the series as to what you thought at the beginning. My only complaint is that I think that Madoka is a little bit bland. Since she is the main character and her name is in the title, you would think that they would give her something interesting to do. They do, but it's not til right at the end. That's my only complaint but overall these characters are definitive anime characters with definitive identities.

Just an example of the different artistic elements incorporated
into the show.

Animation & Sound: 10/10
One of the best things about this show and the thing that everyone seems to remember the most are its striking visuals. The very first frame lets you know that you are in for a visual explosion not experienced since Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo (2004). The animation director clearly decided that he did not just want typical anime stuff but also blends an almost collage feel for the labyrinths and the witches of the show. The result is an animated feast or the eyes that just seems to do every frame right. As for the sound, the music by Yuki Kajiura is just one of those soundtracks that is a delight to the ears and probably one of the best anime soundtracks I have heard. The English Dub is also excellently acted, with Cristina Vee, Sarah Williams, Lauren Landa really going for it and giving probably some of the best performances of their lives. But in this category, the visuals are what really matter because they are just stunning.

Overall Enjoyment: 10/10
Are you really surprised? From how much I've just gushed about this show, you can probably guess that I enjoyed it a lot. In fact, it goes deeper than that. For me, Madoka Magica is art. It's very strange of me to say that considering it's about magical girls fighting witches at its core but it really is a piece of art. The visuals alone would be enough to warrant it tons of awards and accolades, but the story (with its massive amounts of mindfucks and shock moments) and characters also make this one of the most special and unique viewing experiences I have had since I watched Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982). And, despite my hatred of magical girl anime, I really, really enjoyed this. It's a step up from Sailor Moon, to say the least.


Final Verdict: 9.75/10 with







Yes, the highest score I have ever given on this blog goes to a Magical Girl show. Blow me. I am absolutely encouraging you to buy it and it is one of the essential titles that every anime fan should have on their shelf. This anime is licensed by Madman Entertainment in Australia, Aniplex in the U.S.  and Manga Entertainment in the U.K. and is available in both DVD and Blu-Ray formats. For other anime recommendations, I have to point you in the direction of Neon Genesis Evangelion because, hey, it's one of the closest things to it, except when you see Eva, you'll immediately run back here, screaming about how awful it was; the other one I will tell you to watch is Black Rock Shooter for its unusual art style. I would have recommended Gankutsuou but I thought that Black Rock Shooter's story was more akin to Madoka Magica. Between these two, you'll probably find something you like, although I will warn you that Eva will either drag you into enjoying it or absolutely hating it.

Neon Genesis Evangelion: A show that
you will either gush over and become
passionate about or tear your hair out with
frustration whenever you argue with one
of  its fans.

Black Rock Shooter, a show about a
mysterious, black-haired and blue-eyed
girl who shoots rockets at high speeds.

So, thanks for reading my review, it's good to be back and hopefully I'll stay for good this time. Until next time,

Sayonara!