Mahō Shōjo Madoka Magica

[Oblivious]

This thread is for the discussion of the named series that is airing at the current moment. I get my streaming downloads from the blog below:

http://shitteru2.net/anime/puella-magi-madoka-magica-episode-12/

This link contains eps 1 and 2. The videos are relatively decent even in full screen.

Now, about the series.

When you first watch the intro, what you are expecting is a run of the mill magical girl series. I don't really watch those. I am sure there is a charm to them, but they somehow always succeed in making me feel dirty on some level.

Aside from the introduction sequence (Standard magical girl fare) and the not so over the top transformation scenes (Quite bearable), I cannot find much to complain about. I would say that this is a magical girl show I almost would let my parents see. I think I like it that much.

One thing you would not be expecting from the introduction theme is the ending theme by kalafina. Blood red credits on a dark stormy background. A silhouette of the main character walking past apparitions of her peers. Heavy metal guitars. Melancholic vocals. I know what song I'll be jamming to next few days.

YouTube - Puella Magi Madoka Magica ED

The show itself starts off normal as far as magical girl shows go. You have the best friends, and the obligatory magical stuffed animal, the mysterious perfect rival and so on. However, one thing I like about this show is how well it subverts all the tropes. This series is anything but standard.

It would be quite obvious simply from watching the show that the director would be Akiyuki Shinbo. The distinct art style, fleshed out storylines and disturbing themes would be familiar to you if you've seen his other shows like Bakemonogatari and Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei.

You could frame this and hang this up and it would look like a real picture. At least until someone saw the mahou shoujo posing at the top.

The boss. Some sort of butterfly seaweed fish thing?

I like where this is going.

[Insert quote from the movie 300]

Other shows that I could compare this show to are: Bokurano, Higurashi, Bakemonogatari, and perhaps Claymore.

Bokurano is the first thing that comes to mind because the themes have so much in common. In Bokurano, a bunch of children are chosen to risk their lives piloting a giant robot in order to save the world. Now in many mecha shows, many of the very real implications are glossed over. It is a very terrible thing when a child is forced to take responsibility that he or she cannot even comprehend and is simply not ready for.

In Bokurano, the children sacrifice many things they take for granted they did not even know they had, which is why it was so tragic.

Replace giant mecha with magical girl, and you pretty much have Mahō Shōjo Madoka Magica.

Some have said that this might probably be the best show of the season, and though it might be too early to say, it will probably be close.

This seems to be a recurring theme.

 

[Fukyo]

Kalafina? Instant like.

I'm just getting ready to start the first episode.

(obligatory procrastination)

 

[Oblivious]

You people need to watch this. Episode 9 was just released.

All episodes released can be found here.
http://shitteru2.net/category/anime/puella-magi-madoka-magica/

If you have already watched it, you people need to post. Like. Now. The awesomeness of this show demands it

Hopefully the awesomeness will last till the end though.

 

[Fukyo]

Yeah, it's pretty good. I saw all of the episodes currently out, but I don't have much to say...

Madoka has been getting progressively more and more annoying with her idealistic thinking and self depreciation, but she's a valuable characters because she acts as a mirror for the emotional impacts of the events. Looks like it's going to be a nasty case of break the cutie with her though. It's already underway. Sayaka...no comment.

It sucks that the only reasonable person in the whole series is such a stock character.

Kyubey is just freaky, for the lack of a better word. Not because of the contract deal, but his unmoving glass eyes, and that constant :3 mouth. The guys at nihonreview all made posts about him being a sociopath and bastard, but I find myself agreeing with his views on the numbers of the human race.

Anyway, definitely interesting so far, visuals are great, the cute slice of life themes juxtapositioned to the rest of the...stuff are great, the plot is getting heavy...interesting philosophical questions are being raised...hopefully it doesn't get underwhelming toward the other half.

 

[Oblivious]

http://www.darkmirage.com/2011/03/06/the-physics-of-puella-magi/

Quite an interesting review of episode 9. Note how the blog is stained with the blood of a thousand cat girls.

It is recommended that Kyubey’s people explore a non-biological long-term solution based on the exploitation of either localized reversal of entropy or the feedback nature of time travel that is within their scientific capabilities. Should a biological solution be unavoidable due to other circumstances, a more scalable and systematic industrialized loli farm would be a more suitable alternative to insure against market fluctuations and sudden spikes in demand.

As far as philosophy is concerned, madoka magica seems strongly nihilist. Being a mahou shoujo seems to consign you to the fate of the shaggy dog.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ShootTheShaggyDog

Well, I guess its not as bad as Red Garden. That was just sadistic.

 

[crippli]

There's a few things that bothered me from the start of this. I'm not sure I like witch hunts....

 

[Oblivious]

Homura is Magical Girl Batman.

How else can she fire a full auto weapon accurately while standing even though she is a grade schooler?

There's a few things that bothered me from the start of this. I'm not sure I like witch hunts....

It has nothing to do with Salem witch hunts. It's a standard monster of the week thing, with a twist.

 

[Fukyo]

Homura is Magical Girl Batman.

How else can she fire a full auto weapon accurately while standing even though she is a grade schooler?

http://3-me.net/flashdir/shootqb/