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)
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| 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.
