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Apr 27, 2011
Puella Magi Madoka Magica is an action anime produced by SHAFT. One of the most compelling and interesting stories I have ever experienced in anime. I will be carefully avoiding any revealing of the surprises in the plot of the show, as a result, this post may be very vague.
The concept of the show is deceptively basic. Various demons, known as witches, exist in the world causing death and despair to anyone they come in contact with. Puella Magi, teenage girls given magical powers and combat abilities, are employed to fight these witches, in exchange for a single wish. What may seem like a standard
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magical girl series, quickly becomes an inevitable spiraling journey into darkness for the group of magical girls.
The central character of the show is Madoka, a teenage girl drawn into the secret life of the Puella magi. The main plot of the show is her contemplation as she decides whether she should join the fight against the witches, which becomes an increasingly complicated decision as more of the secrets behind the origin of the witches and the purpose and fate of the Puella Magi are revealed.
Every aspect of Puella Magi Madoka Magica is executed with an extremely high level of professionalism. SHAFT are a very original and imaginative anime studio, who have instilled that originality into this series. The magical girl anime genre is usually light and cheerful, SHAFT have taken the genre in a much darker direction, with plenty of death and depression. One of the main themes is inevitability, the Puella Magi are given many different choices and many different paths, but it quickly becomes obvious that they really do not have as much free will as they may think.
SHAFT have an easily identifiable art style, one using many different techniques not entirely common in anime, such as stop motion using various detailed textures. These techniques are used expertly in Puella Magi Madoka Magica to further the dark atmosphere of the scenes in the show, contrasting with the more traditional art styles of the characters in the show, but matching beautifully at the same time. Outside of these original techniques, the standard character art and designs is also of an extremely high level, with the character designs referencing the colour themed characters of standard magical girl series, but toned down slightly to fit the theme. The various backdrops, whether using the standard drawn style or the more standout stop motion style are all exquisitely drawn. The music and sound of the show must also be recognised, furthering the dark mood and setting of the show.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica has an excellent cast, all excellently voiced, each with their own well developed struggles and storylines within the overarching plot. One of the most important things to mention is how realistic the characters are, in how their backstory is developed and how they react to the strange and depressing events. The overall story is bleak and tragic, the characters are developed and identifiable, which only makes their struggles more relatable and ultimately tragic.
In conclusion, Puella Magi Madoka Magica is a series every anime fan must watch. Definitely the best anime series so far this year, I will be extremely surprised if any series manages to best it before the end of the year. An extremely original, well written storyline with weighted characters and an interesting and effective art style. Definitely reccomended to everyone, watch this series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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Apr 5, 2011
Kore wa zombie desu ka? is a comedy/action/harem anime series produced by Studio Deen, that aired in the Winter 2011 Anime season. The show is a crazy mishmash of genres, character tropes and various powers and supernatural beings that come together to create an extremely energetic and fast paced show.
Ayumu Aikawa is the central character of the show, a normal Japanese high school student who just happens to be a zombie. After being killed by a roaming serial killer and subsequently revived by the necromancer Eucliwood Hellscythe (Yuu), he is now a walking dead, with enhanced strength and invulnerability. While searching in a graveyard for
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a clue to the identity of his killer, Ayumu encounters Haruna, a “masou shoujo”, or magical girl, who inadvertently transfers her powers to him while attempting to heal him. Ayumu is now both a zombie and a magical girl, granting him magical powers, the use of Mystletainn, Haruna’s pink chainsaw (of course) and a full magical girl costume, frilly adornments, garters, stockings and all.
As the series progresses, many more characters join the cast, including Seraphim (Sera) a vampire ninja who wishes to become Eucliwood’s student and servant and Tomonori, a vampire ninja from a different faction who Ayumu accidentally marries after the two kiss. Ayumu and his harem fight a number of different monsters, called Megalo, including a giant demon bear, a giant lobster wearing a school uniform and a giant flying whale. Later on in the series, Ayumu also encounters his killer, as well as the king of the night, another zombie previously revived by Yuu, who serves as the main villain of the series.
Kore wa zombie desu ka? is a high-octane show, with most of the story progression and comedy being fuelled by the crazy and surreal situations Aikawa is put into. The premise doesn’t change too much, the characters and the comedy style in the first episode here still apply, the fight scenes are still of a very high quality and the characters are still extremely likeable. While the show continues to surprise with the surreal elements, throwing them into the mix at a very rapid pace, the actual plot of the show is never too deep and the story doesn’t progress too quickly either. The show attempts to show a love connection between Aikawa and Yuu, with occasional love interests in Haruna and Tomonori, but they come across as hackneyed and stale, never going further than the standard harem tropes and superficial, immature love stories portrayed in countless series before it.
The focus of the series is without a doubt the surrealist elements coupled with the action that is featured throughout. Kore wa Zombie desu ka? is a comedy show and it definitely succeeds there. The characters are voiced very well, especially Aikawa, who continues to show shock and disbelief at the random monsters he is forced to battle with and the ridiculous scenarios he is forced into. The art style and animation, while not among the best this season, are more than acceptable, with the monsters and the main cast being extremely detailed and animated very fluidly, especially in the action sequences. Aikawa’s design is very basic, but this is most likely to contrast the detailed designs of the other characters and to show how he is still a normal student forced into a ridiculous situation.
I’d have to say though, that where the series falls short is the forced story and attempt to provide depth to the show. It might sound weird, but I honestly think that the show would be a lot better if the love story and any other attempts at emotional content were taken out. It might sound weird for me to spite any form of depth in a show, but it seems like it would stand better as a pure comedy, focusing on the surreal elements and the action sequences rather than the relationship between Aikawa and Yuu. Kore wa Zombie desu ka? works best as a simple comedy/harem/action series, I really do think the other elements get in the way. Character relationships would obviously still remain, but in the form of playing against each other in comedic situations and working together to defeat enemies, rather than empty and dull pseudo-romantic speeches.
In conclusion, Kore wa zombie desu ka? is a very enjoyable show. While the show wasn’t too imaginative in terms of plot, the characters, concept and design do make up for it. The show doesn’t really do much more than merge a number of different genres together (Magical girl series, Ninja series, Vampire series), but the result is still very enjoyable. While I wouldn’t strongly recommend it, especially over the other incredible shows that aired in the Winter 2011 anime season, it is still a very well made series, and is still worth a watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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