Madoka Magica
Review
Madoka is a normal girl. She has loving friends and family, a good life and everything she could ever want - but that was all before the strange white 'recruiter' named Kyubey appeared to her, asking her to make a contract with him and become a magical girl to fight evil in exchange for one single wish. It all seems harmless enough and pretty fun too - but then the mysterious transfer student shows up, and tells her that if she makes the contract she will lose all that she loves and cares for. |
| "Make a contract with me." --Kyubey |
I was of the latter, being raised on Cardcaptor Sakura and coming to love it still to this day. Whenever I recall this innocent show I feel a mix of innocence and nostalgia. But of course just as for children series the theme of magical girls is very popular in Japan, popularity attracts people who desire to 'change' something - much in the similar sense of the Neon Genesis Evangelion series, which is a deconstruction of the mecha genre.
Introducing Madoka Magica. Madoka Magica is a show that aired in 2011, written by Gen Urobuchi - famous for writing very dark, bleak shows such as Phantom, Psychopath and Fate/Zero. It's also directed by Akiyuki Shinbou who did Nanohana and a few adorable series like Hidamari Sketch and the comedy Maria Holic.
The story starts with a girl named Madoka, and unfolds in a way you would expect from a show with the words in the title 'Mahou Shoujo.' For the first two episodes it mainly focuses on Madoka and the new mysterious transfer student who seems to know a lot about her (and also appeared in her nightmare the night before, despite the two never having met.) It all seems pretty standard magical girl fare, with the mentor-type being introduced, the tomboy best friend, and the adorable little 'mascot' who goes around asking young girls to make contracts with him and to fight witches to stave off evil.
But then things change and become...dark, at the end of episode three.
And so starts our psychological drama/thriller.
Let's cut down to the chase - is Madoka Magica good? Yes, very. It's highly entertaining, a show I've actually watched twice, and an anime I would recommend to those who like magical girl series and even those who may not. That said it is not without its flaws and while many praise it as a 'great, groundbreaking magical girl show' it cannot be forgotten that whilst it has many dark and interesting themes there are other magical girl shows that deal with dark themes too - maybe not to the extremity that Magica does, but it is worthy of a mention.
Starting with the technical side of things Shaft is the studio that animates Madoka Magica. As you can expect the animation is very trippy and surreal, specifically in battle scenes involving the witches' dimensions. The witches at first looked like deformed paper-cutouts of your spleen, and while creepy that idea is soon abandoned for the most part for normal animation and effects. The character designs are very moe and typical, but it surprisingly works for the 'horror' scenes later on and isn't of much distraction one might believe.
It has its fair share of rather jerky movements and awkward facial shots. However what should be also mentioned is that the blu-ray version has a great improvement on the quality, with re-drawn scenes and added detail to backgrounds. So if you're going to buy this series on DVD I do strongly recommend the blu-ray version.
In terms of atmosphere Madoka Magica can be very haunting at times, specifically in later episodes. Often the scariest of things are the things we're left in the dark about, which is what Madoka Magica upholds to. Things like Kyubey's shadow on the walls, disturbing imagery, or dark animation showing only the shadows of things for effect.There's a bleak sense of 'no-hope' surrounding the show, and this feeling intensifies as each episode passes.
The soundtrack accompanies the dark scenes well, with OSTs usually being dreary and an ending song that really keeps with the atmosphere and locks in the events of the last episode. It's such a great ending theme that it's even used as a battle soundtrack a few times and it couldn't have fitted the scenario better. Unfortunately the same cannot be said about the opening. While it is upbeat, catchy and by no means bad it feels out of place in the later episodes with its childlike innocence and bright colors, serving as a distraction.
Onto the actual story of things, Madoka Magica uses a rather common card, but one that fits well for this type of scenario - the "deal with the devil" situation. In that it deals with themes and questions I personally enjoyed. Questions like what is the price of our soul? Are humans too quick to judge when it involves their own desperate or selfish time of need? What makes a hero, and in this case a magical girl? And when such a huge responsibility is placed on their shoulders will they crack and lose sight of their dreams and ideals?
It's unique, dark, serious - not what you would expect from a magical girl show, and ultimately what makes it so popular. I can't say these themes were explored with the depth that I would have hoped but in its thirteen-episode length I do commend the fact that the show manages to take a cute and frilly genre and turn it upside down on its head.
If you look closely you may find plot-holes - things that I won't delve into, due to possible spoilers. The twists and turns can also be a bit too easy to figure out; you may find yourself guessing the 'twist' before it even happens, due to too much foreshadowing on the show's behalf. But that's all forgotten with a satisfying, tear-inducing finale which just further goes to prove that Gen just loves creating worlds for all his characters to suffer endlessly in. Yes it is a very sad ending - one mixed with despair and hope for a possible future. So if you don't like tragedy you'll want to steer clear of this one - but the ending is executed in such a way that leaves you fulfilled, and an ending that I absolutely loved.
The characters on the other hand are a mixed bag for me. The biggest flaw Madoka Magica has against it is that its characters could have been so much more. When it comes down to the characters I would have liked to have seen them with actual development, or less of the standard 'magical girl stereotype' and more of a deconstruction of the characters themselves. You see while the story is a deconstruction of the magical girl genre the characters don't really feel like that at all. The greatest character for me was Kyouko - she had a great voice actor, she had the personality, she was the least of the stereotypical and she had the brutal back story and damage that was needed for a character like her. The other characters are still likeable (the crybaby, the tomboy, the mentor and the transfer student), but I guess I just wish more came from them.
What I did love about the characters was the fact that they all had a goal in mind, and a reason for making the contract with Kyubey. Whether it's a selfish desire, a selfless act that ends up backfiring, a plea for a time in need or just for plain good intentions they all start off with clear motives that end up becoming blurred and broken as the true intentions and the nature of the contract are revealed. You can't help but despise Kyubey after you finish the series - but just as he says in the anime, "well you didn't ask, so I didn't tell."
A con-artist at it's finest and most despicable.
Another thing I also really liked was the fact that no these magical girls aren't teaming up and fighting for justice together; they start to clash, fight with each other, and some from the moment they're introduced start skirmishing over 'territory' to claim. It's a nice added touch.
I wouldn't say that the characters fail the series, definitely not. But if you expect them to deliver you a deep deconstruction of magical girl stereotypes with a darker twist than you may end up walking away disappointed.
But you know what? Despite this Madoka Magica still ends up being highly entertaining, highly enjoyable, and one heck of a surprisingly emotional ride.
There's a reason I've watched it twice and that's because despite it's flaws it's still a solid, re watchable anime. The characters aren't as great as they could have been, but you still end up hoping they'll get through safely while as each episode passes knowing that's not going to be the case; even if the plot-holes and the twists and turns can be easy to guess the sheer enjoyment of it all and the themes it presented make it a good choice of an anime for magical girl fans and just anime fans alike.
I wouldn't go as far to praise it as a flawless deconstruction, as it does take a hefty blow with its characters who could have been so much more; but it does come fully recommended by me. It's dark, seinen, eerie, bleak and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.
And now. In the famous words of Kyubey -
"Everybody wants to get paid."
8.5/10
Pros - It's highly entertaining; story-wise it's a solid deconstruction of the magical girl genre; it's a thrilling ride, with a tragedy-based but fulfilling conclusion; highly rewatchable (Yeah, I'll watch it again too)
Cons - A few notable plot-holes; the characters could have been much better but they still work well for the series
Highly Recommended
The story starts with a girl named Madoka, and unfolds in a way you would expect from a show with the words in the title 'Mahou Shoujo.' For the first two episodes it mainly focuses on Madoka and the new mysterious transfer student who seems to know a lot about her (and also appeared in her nightmare the night before, despite the two never having met.) It all seems pretty standard magical girl fare, with the mentor-type being introduced, the tomboy best friend, and the adorable little 'mascot' who goes around asking young girls to make contracts with him and to fight witches to stave off evil.
But then things change and become...dark, at the end of episode three.
And so starts our psychological drama/thriller.
Let's cut down to the chase - is Madoka Magica good? Yes, very. It's highly entertaining, a show I've actually watched twice, and an anime I would recommend to those who like magical girl series and even those who may not. That said it is not without its flaws and while many praise it as a 'great, groundbreaking magical girl show' it cannot be forgotten that whilst it has many dark and interesting themes there are other magical girl shows that deal with dark themes too - maybe not to the extremity that Magica does, but it is worthy of a mention.
Starting with the technical side of things Shaft is the studio that animates Madoka Magica. As you can expect the animation is very trippy and surreal, specifically in battle scenes involving the witches' dimensions. The witches at first looked like deformed paper-cutouts of your spleen, and while creepy that idea is soon abandoned for the most part for normal animation and effects. The character designs are very moe and typical, but it surprisingly works for the 'horror' scenes later on and isn't of much distraction one might believe.
It has its fair share of rather jerky movements and awkward facial shots. However what should be also mentioned is that the blu-ray version has a great improvement on the quality, with re-drawn scenes and added detail to backgrounds. So if you're going to buy this series on DVD I do strongly recommend the blu-ray version.
In terms of atmosphere Madoka Magica can be very haunting at times, specifically in later episodes. Often the scariest of things are the things we're left in the dark about, which is what Madoka Magica upholds to. Things like Kyubey's shadow on the walls, disturbing imagery, or dark animation showing only the shadows of things for effect.There's a bleak sense of 'no-hope' surrounding the show, and this feeling intensifies as each episode passes.
Onto the actual story of things, Madoka Magica uses a rather common card, but one that fits well for this type of scenario - the "deal with the devil" situation. In that it deals with themes and questions I personally enjoyed. Questions like what is the price of our soul? Are humans too quick to judge when it involves their own desperate or selfish time of need? What makes a hero, and in this case a magical girl? And when such a huge responsibility is placed on their shoulders will they crack and lose sight of their dreams and ideals?
It's unique, dark, serious - not what you would expect from a magical girl show, and ultimately what makes it so popular. I can't say these themes were explored with the depth that I would have hoped but in its thirteen-episode length I do commend the fact that the show manages to take a cute and frilly genre and turn it upside down on its head.
If you look closely you may find plot-holes - things that I won't delve into, due to possible spoilers. The twists and turns can also be a bit too easy to figure out; you may find yourself guessing the 'twist' before it even happens, due to too much foreshadowing on the show's behalf. But that's all forgotten with a satisfying, tear-inducing finale which just further goes to prove that Gen just loves creating worlds for all his characters to suffer endlessly in. Yes it is a very sad ending - one mixed with despair and hope for a possible future. So if you don't like tragedy you'll want to steer clear of this one - but the ending is executed in such a way that leaves you fulfilled, and an ending that I absolutely loved.
The characters on the other hand are a mixed bag for me. The biggest flaw Madoka Magica has against it is that its characters could have been so much more. When it comes down to the characters I would have liked to have seen them with actual development, or less of the standard 'magical girl stereotype' and more of a deconstruction of the characters themselves. You see while the story is a deconstruction of the magical girl genre the characters don't really feel like that at all. The greatest character for me was Kyouko - she had a great voice actor, she had the personality, she was the least of the stereotypical and she had the brutal back story and damage that was needed for a character like her. The other characters are still likeable (the crybaby, the tomboy, the mentor and the transfer student), but I guess I just wish more came from them.
What I did love about the characters was the fact that they all had a goal in mind, and a reason for making the contract with Kyubey. Whether it's a selfish desire, a selfless act that ends up backfiring, a plea for a time in need or just for plain good intentions they all start off with clear motives that end up becoming blurred and broken as the true intentions and the nature of the contract are revealed. You can't help but despise Kyubey after you finish the series - but just as he says in the anime, "well you didn't ask, so I didn't tell."
A con-artist at it's finest and most despicable.
Another thing I also really liked was the fact that no these magical girls aren't teaming up and fighting for justice together; they start to clash, fight with each other, and some from the moment they're introduced start skirmishing over 'territory' to claim. It's a nice added touch.
 |
| Kyouko really made the series for me. |
But you know what? Despite this Madoka Magica still ends up being highly entertaining, highly enjoyable, and one heck of a surprisingly emotional ride.
There's a reason I've watched it twice and that's because despite it's flaws it's still a solid, re watchable anime. The characters aren't as great as they could have been, but you still end up hoping they'll get through safely while as each episode passes knowing that's not going to be the case; even if the plot-holes and the twists and turns can be easy to guess the sheer enjoyment of it all and the themes it presented make it a good choice of an anime for magical girl fans and just anime fans alike.
I wouldn't go as far to praise it as a flawless deconstruction, as it does take a hefty blow with its characters who could have been so much more; but it does come fully recommended by me. It's dark, seinen, eerie, bleak and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.
And now. In the famous words of Kyubey -
"Everybody wants to get paid."
8.5/10
Pros - It's highly entertaining; story-wise it's a solid deconstruction of the magical girl genre; it's a thrilling ride, with a tragedy-based but fulfilling conclusion; highly rewatchable (Yeah, I'll watch it again too)
Cons - A few notable plot-holes; the characters could have been much better but they still work well for the series
Highly Recommended
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