Madoka Magica: Another Anime Review

I don't really watch anime anymore. I used to be a big fan of the genre, back when I was into cartoons in general. Only, it was certain kinds of anime that got my attention. Y'all can keep your Dragonball and Mobile Suit Gundam. Sailor Moon was my gateway drug, and defined my taste in the burgeoning offerings from Japan. Most of the ones I got into, therefore, are about girls with powers. But after a while it became more of a hassle and everything started seeming like the same old, same old, so I lost interest. But I'm not totally against getting into new stuff.

Someone on the internet alluded to Madoka Magica, and it piqued my interest. The Wikipedia summary blew me away, and when I saw the entire series was available for free on Hulu, I was like, "I have to watch this!" And... it is FUCKING AMAZING.

The Wikipedia entry contains some spoilers, but it only intrigued me further. Like a lot of the anime I've enjoyed in the past, it's part of the magical girl genre, tropes and all. But you ain't never seen a magical girl anime like this before. This anime is dark, and an ominous atmosphere is present right in the beginning, before we technically know that something is off. Don't let the overly simplistic character designs fool you about the animation, either: it is at times strange, creepy, gorgeous, seizure-inducing, and experimental. There's not stock footage in use at all.

The story hinges on the protagonist Madoka's decision whether to become a magical girl. The current magical girl of fictional city Mitakihara, Mami, shows the ropes of being a magical girl to Madoka and her best friend, Sayaka. Meanwhile, a mysterious transfer student (another magical girl archetype), Homura, seems intent on preventing Madoka from becoming a magical girl at all costs. But fighting witches couldn't be that bad, right? (It only gets trippier, darker, and spoilery from there)

I've never seen a stare so sinister

 All the tropes are there: the protagonist is rather unexceptional in every way except for her kindness and compassion and capacity to believe, the magical girls wear elaborate, feminine costumes in themed colors, there's a magical creature companion who is more than what he seems, the source of their power resides at an emotional core, of sorts, and there comes a time when our heroine has to save the world. However, most of these are turned absolutely upside down and inside out. The main character doesn't become a magical girl until the end, and you absolutely don't want her to do it. One could even argue that Madoka isn't the protatgonist, but Homura, who makes the story possible, is the true protagonist (or at least a co-protagonist). Either way, you end up cheering for them both, and hope they manage to defeat Kyubey and change their fate.





There are so many things to love about this grown-up take on the possibilities of the magical girl genre. The animation, voice acting, music, and story interact at pivotal moments shake you to the marrow, possessing you entirely for hours after you've watched a particularly revealing episode. This happened to me several times while watching this series, rendering me incapable of thinking about anything else. I'm not sure if a TV show has ever affected me this deeply before. It was like reading a novel--I got so immersed in the world of the story that I needed time to process what just happened. (And with only one season and 12 episodes, it kind of was like a novel) The effect may not be the same the second time around, but I definitely want to watch it again at some point--and the movies.

Madoka Magica is also a pretty unique anime, and I'm confident in that even with my out of date anime knowledge. Thematically, the closest thing I've seen to Madoka Magica is Revolutionary Girl Utena, which is even less straightforward. That story also becomes more sinister as you go on, and the relationship between two young women are at its core. But it was more a part of the larger shoujo genre and not exactly magical girl, though magic factors in to the story. These stories are hardly similar at all, but I do enjoy both.

People who are not fans of anime may not understand or appreciate Madoka Magica, and if you're not a fan of the magical girl genre, either, you may also not like this too much. As a fan of both (or at least as an appreciator) I loved this. It is a truly immersive experience, like a novel, and will linger in your bones much longer than you can anticipate. Nine out of ten everything.