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Dec 13, 2013

Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Movie 3: Hangyaku no Monogatari (Anime) add

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Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part III: Rebellion has the daunting task of meeting the standard of excellence set by its predecessors. The original television series was an amazing story supported by a haunting atmosphere and alarming revelations; each episode draws us deeper into a depressing fantasy. Ultimately, its success was dependent on the “shock and awe” value. The numerous plot twists such as Mami’s death in epsiode 3 or Homura’s back story in episode 10 defined this series as one filled with climactic moments. When the series transitioned to the movie format, the inherent length forces the story to sacrifice the tension for ... pacing. It does not have the same emotional impact as the television series but does add a sense of progression and haste. Luckily, director Shinbou Akiyuki utilizes the strengths from both versions for the third movie.

The atmosphere is unnerving and eerie just like the original series with its “paper-cut-out” style and ominous setting. At the start of the film, the once familiar world is turned on its head creating a sense of unease. As the story progress, the sense of dread creeps in as the world is set aflame. This is done well thanks to the gorgeous visuals. It is obvious from the beginning that this movie had the largest budget of the series; everything from the large set piece battles to the slightest facial expressions is displayed in stunning detail on the big screen. Couple that with the smooth animation one expects from a high-profile studio, this movie is an absolute treat for the eyes.

Surprisingly, the bulk of the tension in the movie is from the story itself. The “shock and awe” tactics of the original series were based on the unexpected unraveling of a twisted fantasy. Writer Urobuchi Gen pulled out all the stops to keep the drama fresh by using a character-driven tale as opposed to the plot-driven ones seen from previous entries. With the focus more on Homura’s plight rather than her struggle against the wraiths, the story is more emotive and characters are more relatable. The extra screen time allows for further development of the characters and their respective relationships. In addition, the movie is riddled with red herrings and plot twists that will keep the audience constantly guessing. There are several instances one would assume to be the conclusion, only for a shocking revelation to occur. By the time the credits are rolling, there is a sense of completeness for both the movie and series.

Without introducing any deus ex machina or presenting new plot holes, this story ties up every loose end cleanly. However, one may not get that impression immediately. While I found the story clever, many details are not revealed with clarity and this is not helped by the fact that the story is heavily dependent on knowing the lore. I do not mind when shows or movies require critical thinking; in fact, I would applaud it as half the fun is in the speculation and analysis. Yet it is frustrating when I fail to understand a logical progression due to missing a key plot point. This movie (and the whole series) has introduced some fascinating ideas and concepts, but the execution is lacking due to its incoherent presentation at times.

Specifically, I found the excessive use of the “paper-cut-out” style distracting. Using the aesthetic to define the frightening witch realms felt excessive, and the technique often creates discourse on the screen, impeding narrative focus. Whereas previous installments used such to dramatically contrast the two worlds, this movie abandons such motifs in favor for aesthetics. Though Shaft constructed something technically impressive, it is essentially noise distracting audience from the story. While these choices conflict with my personal philosophy of “elegance from simplicity”, they do not hinder the overall quality of the movie significantly.

While the first two movies had tolerable levels of fanservice, the third film has it at the point of it being detrimental to the story-telling. It is enjoyable to see your favorite magical girls laughing, fighting, and shining in the spotlight but most of those scenes provided no development to the story. Some scenes added purely for indulgence feel so pointless and dragged out that they inadvertently remove you from the experience. The transformation sequences are very uncharacteristic for our heroines, and the blatant flirting between characters simply humor yuri fans. The music also heavily relies on nostalgia by focusing on remixes to fan-favorite tracks, rather than developing new ones. Kajiura Yuki created an outstanding soundtrack for the television series. Not only does the movie soundtrack lack originality or creativity, it was not memorable. The first series has famous classics like “Credens Justitiam” and “Numquam Vincar” that still resound with me years later; I cannot recall a single track from this movie.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part III: Rebellion is the final chapter of a love letter from Shaft. Shinbou Akiyuki understood exactly what made the original series so exquisite, and made the necessary improvements to win the audience’s heart all over again. The movie is filled with outstanding visuals and fluid animation that surpasses the expectations. The continued story is much more character-centric, providing a gratifying conclusion that evades the shortfalls from the original series and provides closure sought out by many. This movie will not change the industry like the television series, but it is a worthy successor that must been watched by everyone who finished either the original.

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Jul 28, 2013

Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Movie 2: Eien no Monogatari (Anime) add

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The first movie covers the first eight episodes and the second movie covers the final four. Just like the first movie, Shaft added extra effort to ensure fans are treated with a visual tour de force. Subtle tweaks and greater attention to details build upon the drama created by the story. Combined with an excellent cinematography and an amazing soundtrack (which includes a couple brand new scores), viewers will experience a beautiful, yet haunting masterpiece. Yet no matter how stunning the art may be, these cosmetic enhancements cannot mask the underlying story and pacing issues. Caution: Major Spoilers.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part ... II: Eternal suffers from the “middle child” conundrum common in trilogy series. The second chapter must continue development of the plot and characters, but must not bring closure to the overarching universe (which is the ultimate purpose of the final installment). The movie does an excellent job continuing the story, but it does not create a satisfying conclusion. The story development introduces many new questions about the characters and their world, and yet offers no definitive answers or even hints. Some may consider this a strength, garnering fan’s interest and excitement for the final movie. Regardless, it leaves an unsettling feeling of incomplete development.

This fault lies in movie’s purpose, rather than the story. In the final episode of the anime, Madoka wishes to save all magical girls from their doomed fate, and the world we knew unravels at the seams. After watching the despair, desolation, and downfall of our protagonists, the show takes a reversal in tone to discuss the concept of hope. This controversial ending redirects the attention onto the psychological states of the characters, not the witch-hunt story. When a new universe is revealed in the final moments of the show, there’s no need to explain everything: the final message is about hope. However, the second movie does not convey this idea. Instead it remains focused on plot development for the third chapter.

The movie’s limitations also contribute to the sense of incompleteness. The first movie condenses the first eight episodes into one 120-minute movie. The streamlined story is more engaging as it accelerates the story and character development, but at cost of tension and drama. The second movie is shorter and covers fewer episodes, but disappointingly the pacing is even more uneven. Some of the most critical and powerful scenes in the show were tragically cut short. The absolutely essential initial confrontation between Kyuubey and Madoka, so well-executed in the show, was reduced to its barest bones. That was one of the biggest disappointments I had with the movie.

There was one mistake in particular that almost ruined the experience: Homura’s backstory. As expected, the movie would need to cover episode ten — the biggest revelation of the series. We learn that Homura is a time traveler repeatedly going back in time in order to save Madoka. The problem is not the story itself, but how it was included into the movie. Immediately after the Sayaka-Kyoko conflict, there is a long, narrated CG scene followed by a count-up to ten, clearly identifying the original’s episode count to that point. I question Shinbou’s judgement with this transition; it ruins the tension from the last battle. The movie then uses the original anime opening exactly like how it appears in the show. However, the opening was never used in the movies up to this point. Why is this moment, when the show hangs precipitously on a dramatic high note, the time to spring the opening on us? These jarring transitions completely ruin the atmosphere and tone of the story. Shinbo Akiyuki attempts at pandering to the fans backfires, disrupting the overall experience of the movie.

It is clear that Shaft has no intention on simply recreating the original. As I stated in the previous review, these movies are clearly a love-letter to the fans. Like the first movie, the second has outstanding audio and visual upgrades. However, it has even more problems than the first. This movie is just good — not bad, but not great. Despite my complaints, this is still a wonderful experience for both newcomers and old fans alike. Most importantly, both movies succeed in rekindling love for the franchise and building interest for the third installment.

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Oct 24, 2012

Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Movie 1: Hajimari no Monogatari (Anime) add

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The Puella Magi Madoka Magica franchise is a juggernaut. When it first aired in 2011, the series quickly became popular, appealing to fans around the world with its amazing visuals and suspenseful story. Riding on the success of the original series, Shaft decides to expand on the franchise with a movie trilogy.

Yet, was it needed?

Let's set the record straight: the first two movies cover the same story of the original series. However this is not a simple rehash of the original. It's a bit unfair to use the term "recap" simply because most fans know the story; the movie contains the same events, but everything ... in the film has been revamped. Newcomers will be treated with an amazing experience, and fans will be delighted by the subtle changes. Mostly.

After the first few seconds, it becomes quite clear that Shaft had no intention on simply recycling Blu-ray footage: it's even better. The visuals are absolutely stunning -- these changes extend beyond fixing the infamous "meduka meguca" quality drops; the art is much more polished, the animation is more fluid, and backgrounds are incredibly elaborate. The use of the paper-cut-out style returns, bringing an dynamic contrast between the two worlds. Fortunately, these changes are more than simply cosmetic. I have always praised Shaft for having amazing cinematography and this movie is no exception. Familiar scenes have subtle changes: pans, close ups, dynamic angles, head-tilts. When combined with the directing of Shinbo Akiyuki, all these tweaks enhance the tension and suspense.

Shaft also spent much time reworking the sound design. Compared to the original series, audio plays a more prominent role is establishing the atmosphere. Whispers and footsteps add to the eerie nature of the witch-hunts, while the crashes and explosions add power to the action. Of course, the biggest highlight would have to be the amazing soundtrack. Kajiura Yuki created an amazing score that reflects the magical yet horrific world. And just like the visuals, the movie boasts a few new tracks to please the returning fans.

The most controversial change is the pacing. By switching from a television format (12-episodes, 25 minutes each) to a movie format (120 minutes), the story is definitely accelerated giving a great sense of development and plot progression. The movie covers the first eight episodes of the original. The faster pace works to improve the drama (especially with Sayaka's arc later on) and help give more personality to the characters. However, this change is the Achilles' heel of the movie.

The original series excelled in "shock and awe" tactics. Before airing, there was mysterious nature to the show. The eerie aesthetics and haunting foreshadowing toyed with the audience's expectations in the early episodes, only to dramatically reveal its true nature in a stunning plot twist. By deconstructing the genre and using parallels to Goethe's Faust, it was a roller coaster of madness as the world witnessed the tragedy and downfall of our protagonists. Every week, we were treated with stunning revelations and jaw-dropping cliff-hangers. The pacing was slow yet methodical, only to enhance the suspense and drama. The movie does not have this. The story continuously progresses from scene to scene, granting no time to let it all settle. The audience has no chance to reflect. This isn't to say the movie is incompetent. The experience is all in the story and the directing, but it's clear sacrifices were made. This ultimately boils down to one question: What is the purpose of these movies?

Essentially, these movies are a love-letter to the fans. The enhanced audio and visuals definitely deliver a new experience, though the added benefit is quite minimal. Shaft could have simply reused old footage, but it's clear they chose to make something more. The movie is fantastic as a stand-alone product, but it's hard to critique it without comparing it to the original. Fundamentally, the story is faithful, yet it lacks the same emotional impact of the original. I'm confident that both die-hard fans and newcomers will enjoy this movie. However, for new fans I recommend the anime original instead.

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