Madoka Magica is a masterful subversion of the "magical girls" genre, and a fairy tale in the way that fairy tales were _originally_ told: dark, cautionary tales where characters who make foolish choices end up dead... or worse.
i agree but also disagree because there way be death it isn't permeate. The themes and beliefs of magical girls still overcome the hell they go through it doesn't really stick with the "subversion" so it made it disappointing in some aspects especially with the hype it gets.
It actually did. She found the one timeline that wasn't supposed to exist. But, it took 12 years. Now Homura is the God who is so broken that she wants to kill herself but she can't 😶
To me a piece of art has reached a pinnacle point in its medium if it couldn't be adapted into any other medium of art. Madoka fits this bill as its trippy aesthetics to its absurd and dark plot weaves a story that can only be anime.
This show exceeded my expectations. I knew the show was dark and the cover was a lie by people who watched the anime earlier. After knowing that I thought I wouldn’t really be shocked but boy was I wrong. After episode 3 I was jaw dropped and needed more of this anime. After finishing the anime and the movie (which I think is very underrated movie) I had a void inside me for at least a week. This is one of my top 5 anime’s.
This is literally my exact same experience with this show. I watched Magia Record first, so I thought I knew what I was going into, then I was traumatized the rest of day.
One of my favorite memories from my teenage years was watching Madoka Magica as it was airing. I cannot begin to accurately explain the whiplash in emotions and memes at the time, and how everyone was attempting to fully take in what is now regarded as part of anime canon if not a masterpiece. I still rewatch it about once a year if not more, and have seen the show about fifteen times in its' entirety. I feel like I am always dissecting it, discovering new interpretations, finding different connections. It's a hallmark of what anime is capable of as both a visual and storytelling medium, that can only be done through animation. I really think there is only before Madoka and after Madoka when it comes to your anime experience.
I didn't watch this show for a long time because I was sick of the whole magical girl trope.... Then a friend sent me a music video some made for it called a cruel demons game... After watching that I gave this show a try and loved every moment of it including the movies.
Excellent analysis. Madoka Magica is my favorite anime, and it’s one of the few pieces of media I can say changed my life. Homura is my favorite character across all of media. I deeply empathize with her suffering, and I relate to her in a lot of ways. I’ve rewatched the show countless times, an on each rewatch I pick up on a new detail or bit of foreshadowing I’d missed out on before. I’ve watched plenty of great anime, but I don’t think anything else I’ll ever watch will come close to it, at least for me. I have a deep personal connection to this anime, and although I am enjoying Magia Record, I hope we get a sequel to Rebellion soon.
Listening to the context of your video a little more closely I heard something that I realized was new. Usually Madoka Magica is framed in religious or spiritual contexts. You kind of flipped that on it's head and said (in essence) it's not. It's also why I love re-watching. Each time there is a new nugget of philosophical gold to extract.
I love how the "happy ending" isn't actually happy, it's just the best outcome. I haven't watched madoka for years but I just got into video essays about it and I can't get enough
@@roboticminer8843 it was really the whole intention of the team behind it. They purposely had it marketed as a traditional magical girl anime, but knew from day 1 that it would evolve to be dark. It’s what Gen Urobochi was known for. They asked him to write it knowing it would flip the genre on its head and have you leave shocked and confused.
This anime is also my favorite one. I won't lie the fact that this anime changed MAGICAL GIRL GENRE says a lot. My favorite character will always will be Homura, i love this show's art style, characters, music (which is a masterpiece).
I just watched this for the first time, and I am left simply devastated. It leaves you with such a melancholic feeling that you just can’t explain. ... Don’t talk to me.
I watched this show cause I wanted to space out on a Saturday night, watching cute anime girls doing cute magical girl things. But boy, was I wrong! It all looked to pink and fluffy, but how the story twisted and turned to dark, it completely captivated me. I ended up watching the entire show in one sitting, finished at 3'ish am in the morning. Then i ad to spend another 30-40 minutes trying to pull myself out of the emotional rollercoaster the show left me in. Ended up giving it a 10/10 on MAL due to the powerful story and how it completely turned my expectations. Even the intro looks all cute and fuzzy, it all shows off this cute vibe, only to go in a completely opposite direction. This is one of my favorite shows off all time, and even being new to anime (only been watching for about 1 or so), and having 45'ish shows under my belt, there are shows I've watching that I've already forgotten. This one hit me on an emotional level so hard, I stuck out to me in such a powerful level. I absolutely love this show!!!
So what I've noticed is that most series that have like morals, rather than just an obsession with hurting their characters *cough* *cough* 'I Have No Mouth But I Must Scream' is that they leave you with a depressing semi positive new outlook on life, it leaves you feeling different then what you were before you watched Houseki no kuni - Leaves you with incredible loneliness but it also leaves you with the feeling of being whole, Like you have memories definitely some more pleasant than others but you treasure them. Mob psycho 100 - Much more light hearted than the others I'll be listing but still leaves you with a darker tone, you are nothing. You are simply a being in time and space you aren't god itself nor are you a devil, you are nothing. It sounds so dark but then it turns around and says "Be kind" and you just ponder both those things as it fades with beautiful music. Madoka magica - You've done an amazing job with this dissection so this is just to add to the list. The Ancient Magus Bride - Coming to terms with not just death but with life, you live it horrified by the future and the present and it just says "You're right, isn't it pretty" and although terrified with that you feel calmer. Violet Evergarden - it's central theme is simply 'Empathy' something we often don't consider in our everyday life and yet we're forced to when reading/ watching Inyushiki The Last Hero - It's such a dark series and yet it's always strong on how valuable life is. Definitely more on series like this but the ones that stuck the most with me.
Kyubey's english dub voice, reminds me of Flounder, or any sidekick with a cute childlike voice, and for the first few episodes. that beautifully hid him for the terrifying creature he actually is.
Madoka Magica is easily one of my favorite anime shows of all time. And one of my favorite fictional series in a very long time. To me it surpasses Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, and pretty much every anime. It also surpasses every Nintendo Franchise (Except Mario) in my opinion, and even every Disney Franchise. I love the story, I love the music, I love the characters, and I love the animation. The show's a 10 out of 10 for me. Madoka Magica is one of my favorite fictional series along with Mario, Sonic, and Fate.
I just finished the anime. While watching the first few episodes, I wanted Madoka to become a magical girl so she and her friends could save the world. BOY I WAS WRONG
I relate to this anime on many many levels but the story no matter how many times I watch it never ceases to amaze me in both ways I can and cannot convey in words it’s helped me with some dark times and I can relate to the characters on a deep level so for me it’s my favorite show and movie and series of all time
I've recently started to compare this anime with "Pirates of the Caraibean". It's easier than you think: - Kyoko is Barbosa; - Hitomi is Elizabeth; - Madoka is Calypso; - Homura is Davey Jones; - Kyubey is Beckett; - Mami is Captain Teague; - Nagisa is Jack Sparrow; - Sayaka is...I don't know. Gibbs ? Will ? Maybe Will. - And the Magic Girls from the spin-offs are the Brethen Court.
The first time I saw this show was when it aired on abc 3 in 2013 - 2014 when I was around 10 and even the few episodes I saw never left me until I finally watched it front to back a few days ago. Definitely a great anime and probably my favourite, awesome review mate 👍
Things I disagree with: Madoka may have become a god, but similar to the Christian god in which she is simultaneously everywhere (there's a few other Christian metaphors/references/idk in the series). She says it herself, she is never alone. She never saw it as a burden. Homura misinterpreted and projected it as that way because she, herself, was lonely and missed Madoka. Kyubey doesn't totally lie directly, but the term "lie of omission" is a term for a reason. He intentionally misleads and omits so to coerce girls into making the contracts. He claims he doesn't understand tricking, but he absolutely does, which is in itself a lie and is malicious intent. Then he lies saying he has no emotions, but they know surprise, curiosity, uncertainty, pride, etc. The only emotions they think are acceptable are those that lead forward, the "ends justifies the means" manner of thinking which has made people act heinously in the past. Incubators are not so different from humans as they think they are. They even genocide those that think differently like we have done multiple times in the past. They are definitely aware of the harm they cause humans because they specifically sought out those that were in their most vulnerable. The solution that they see is all about them and none about those species they consider lesser (Kyubey even admits they searched the universe, implying they were ready and willing to harm anything the needed). It's likely that humans aren't their only source of energy, or that they have devastated other peoples previously.
madoka magica is a magical girl genre that woke me up 2 reality but in it's own way unique with a deep moral that makes u think and question of what u do about it and how 2 cope with it. the animation and the artstyle is what kept me watching but wow it changes my perspective of magical girls completely since i grew up with happy light magical girls in the past. madoka magica is the best masterpiece I ever watch.
Thanks for this great video review! I found Madoka Magica after reading the Saya no Uta visual novel, and looking for more works by Gen Urobuchi. I had never watched an anime before, outside of Ghibli movies. Initially I was a bit put off by the art style, but that grew on me, and a few episodes in I was blown away by the story and the characters. Since watching it, I have watched lots of anime, but Madoka Magica reamins my favourite.
When I watch this show for the first time, be like the normal cutesy anime but after episode 3, Boy it is dark. I love it! Trying to tell a story of naive girls wishing for something and that wish will become their greatest despair until they turn to witches. Even the title itself has a meaning, Magical girls as slaves. So well done. I just hope that other genres will do. a complete 180 of the story we expected but completely throw you off guard when it happened. Especially those dumb harem animes that seems to follow the copy paste bullshit.
I first watched it two years ago, and ive come back to it because of magia record. It left a huge impression on me like very few pieces of media have, and i can say your video is one of the best analysis i have ever seen. You managed to explain perfectly what ive been trying to put into words all this time, even down to talking about my favourite character(#stopTheHeadJokes). Anyways, i just wanted to thank you for making this video.
I love Madoka Magica so much and it's so sad that it only has 12 Episodes and a movie 😭😔 I want more of it! Madoka Magica is truly a masterpiece, I'm mesmerized by all the weird logic of Magical Girls and Witches and I'm truly stunned that it's so different and unique from other magical girls! I mean, I never thought of being a Magical Girl has very bad consequences, like in Sailor Moon, they never mentioned of being a Magical Girl can be sth. you will regret (well except or Haruka maybe and Usagi in one single scene but still). The characters were really unique, the animation is really good, the soundtracks are great, I just love everything about it (except a few little details that bothered me but yk, nobody is perfect). The anime is short, but it's told in such a beautiful and unique way, it's a really good anime! I love Madoka Magica so much! 😍
Im remember watching this when i was little, mistaking it as a normal magical girl cartoon in netflix, i never really understood what was happening lol
I feel horrible in every madoka analysis because I can’t help but think that kyubei’s actions make a lot of sense. Its not nice but I can’t blame him for having such perspective, specially since he’s unable to feel emotions. Maybe the fault is with the girls that just feel like a magical creature will magically fix all of the worlds problems without a sacrifice of the same weight. Is there something wrong with me?
Pepper the Mint maybe that wish causes someone else to turn into a witch. Not being able to empathise with your friend may cause them to become a witch instead, for example
11:01 the puppeteer and not-as-fluid style of animation that went into those renders was really weird tbh but i loved it. It gave a stark contrast to an otherwise animated show.
Just started watching it now right around when they announced a sequel movie. So far very dark and depressing but well written without being unbelievable. The other world is psychedelic lol. Kyubey is creepy and in a way is like lots of the cute magical girl creatures. Hope you review the new movie when you can
I remember this was my first anime I was only 9 and I remember watching the episode where Mami first died I'm planning to re-watch all of the show and movies
I love this series so much. It def is my fave anime of all time. Esp for the fact that, despite being darker than your average magical girl show, it still delivers the core message that all MGs carry: hope. I think Madoka Magicas environment is perfect to showcase how, despite everything, it is still worth living.
When I first watched it ( at the time I was into not very good anime) I didnt really appreciate the anime very much but still loved it, I watched it again a year or two later and damn I love it so much more than I did before. I've also had Gaiden since the week the EN version came out
@@mlgproplayer2915 Yes, but she isn't my Lord and Savior because she is not a God. She is a concept, a part of the Law of Cycle and humane, as shown after Rebellion that she is not a deity anymore. I worship God and God alone :)
Once you said the sets are supposed to display loneliness through lots of empty space I remembered how much they use empty chairs… in the hospital room of the boy Sayaka loved, & Madoka’s room. empty chairs all over the place
I legit guessed that homora's wish was to save madoka from how she acted it seemed very personal and that turn to madoka when madoka asked what was her wish madoka if it wasn't to protect her, it was for someone like her.
This is why I’d wish for assistance rather than the actual goal itself. I’d wish for the motivation to do the things I want to, not for what I want to do to be done? A lot of stuff I want to do are projects and such so yeah
Watching this show is aslo shocking reflective on Japanese society when it comes to isolation especially when it comes to Japanese schools, their way of believing to live in life and how "don't bother anyone, don't ask for help, or don't be a burden or else your just nothing but regret and trouble" It came to my surprise since I didn't noticed it before but after doing research and watch this series shocked me I know why this series is still memorable and popular in Japan and the world but its own message of Japan crying for help and needs to change. It's actually Brilliant. 😳
THANK YOU. Kyube IS NOT evil it just can't and will never understand the human emotion these girls are put through just like the girls can never understand what it means to be kyube. To be everywhere at once among many other things.
There was an interesting fanfic I was reading in which a being from Kyubey's race gained emotional freedom and tried to help the girls in the timeline the show happens in... but it ruined it with the introduction of Slenderman. Seriously, there were so many other characters the author could have brought to the story that fitted way better, such as Elizabeth from "BioShock"...but maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe I should try to reread it and see if there's any logic to this character being included in the story. Do you think this course of action makes sense ?
its a phenomenal anime. honestly, its fantastic. i didnt really enjoy it though, im a bit of a wimp, and i found this anime really tough to watch. it was very heartbreaking, and i was impressed with how
The more that you think about Homura's story, the sadder it gets. How?? U do realize that Madoka's wish wasn't enough. This is my theory. Kyubee will never grant a wish that it won't benefit from. Isn't it strange how Homura's wish made it possible for Madoka to become a god and Kyubee stuck to Madoka like glue in that one timeline. Isn't it strange that Madoka became an observable phenomenon. And in rebellion they essentially captured her. If you don't ask, Kyubee doesn't tell, therefore Kyubee doesn't lie. Kyubee definitely had something evil in mind when he granted Madoka's wish. That's y when he told his best friend Homura, who he's tormented for 12 years, what he was scheming in rebellion she had a 200 IQ moment. Instead of being saved by Madoka, she uses her power due to the evolution that the experiment on her causes. And she splits Madoka, giving her the power to alter the universe. Not bound by having to make a wish through Kyubee, Homura can make a change that doesn't benefit him. She rewrites the universe to enslave Kyubee and cast all evil on misfortune onto him. Thus she is able to not only stop Kyubee, but she frees Madoka from the price of her wish. And suppresses her memory because that's the only way to stop Madoka's self-sacrificial nature. Thus, through betrayal Homura is able save all of the magical girls shown in the story. But, because it's all founded on her oppression, she can't be with everyone(she has to become the villain) after fighting for 12+ years, only able to push on because of her dream ending. Thus combined with the trauma of becoming a witch, she finally broke.
It's just a damn shame it's so short. Magia Record's nice but it's not the same by a mile. Rebellion is a damn good sequel movie too. *2ND MOVIE HYPE BABYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY*
"If a white animal asks you if you want some rare gem and a wish that can be whatever you want don't say yes! You're going to be in despairrrrr!" Random girl: I wish you wouldn't have told me that.... Kyuubey: I SEE YOU'VE CHOSEN DEATH
tbh when i was younger and first watched this anime i agreed with madoka about how horrifying kyubey's plans are, but then when i watched it years later i understood what kyubey was saying and agreed with him that it's logical and idk what exactly that says about me but I'm kinda scared to know
I just found this anime. Not by similarity to another anime. Just by a song I found in a mod, I installed in stellaris. Though I'm not going to watch these types of animes. Unless is mixed with something that overtakes the genre. Just my preference. Good review and explanation. 👌👍
If I had a nickle for every psychological horror anime that looks like an innocent anime on the surface, and revolves around young girls caught a time loop caused by a wish of one of the main characters, where she sees all of her friends die in horrible ways over and over again, all centered around a single day of the year when a strange supernatural event occurs… I’d have 2 nickels, which isn’t much but it’s weird that it happened twice
That little Demon Fucker wouldn't have a Chance Against Dark~Blade. Being the Vessel of the Ruler of the Gods had Created his Species to be the Ultimate Beings of War, with Scythe like Tail-Blades and Razor Claws that can cut through anything, not only that, but also use Magic. Dark~Blade is the Master of Dark Magic, and doesn't take Shit any little Demon Fucker. Not to mention that his Species has a Tri-Scale System, Overlapping Scales, Mid Scales, and Under Scales that would take a Ton of Force to even get through the Overlapping Scales. Think of him as Darth Vader, with the Tactical Mind of Lelouche/Zero, Determination of Ichigo, the Lonely Life of Naruto (before becoming a Ninja), the Ferocity of the Fierce Deity Link, a Stealthy Assassin, and a Cold, Experienced Veteran Soldier. He's someone who wouldn't ever be caught off guard, because his Planet has Creatures that could possibly be worse than anything else. So he has to stay on top of everything.
How do we know Kyubey is even telling the truth? He says his species see emotion as a mental disease but I'm wondering if Kyubey's race is lying about the whole "Universe Energy Crisis"
The point of Kyubey is it doesn't lie, because it feels no emotions it doesn't go out of its way to tell the girls the bad things could happen as they didn't ask. But it never lies
@@AHBrandonReviews he lies by omission at best. He withholds information in order to secure his plan, but he never tells an outright falsehood. That’s really what makes his villainy compelling, because we get used to villains lying and actively deceiving people to reach a goal, but Kyubey almost seems like he’s incapable of lying, but fully capable of withholding vital information to inform your decisions.
This show came out when I was about 18, but I didn’t get around to seeing it until I was about 22, I’m sure glad it didn’t come out when I was younger than 12 or that I was that age when it came out and I saw it, It would’ve scarred me for life in that case....
