Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)

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Alternative Titles

Synonyms: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika, Magical Girl Madoka Magica

Japanese: 魔法少女まどか★マギカ

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Information

Type: TV

Episodes: 12

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Jan 7, 2011 to Apr 22, 2011

Premiered: Winter 2011

Broadcast: Fridays at 01:25 (JST)

Producers: Aniplex, Mainichi Broadcasting System, Movic, Nitroplus, Houbunsha

Licensors: Aniplex of America

Studios: Shaft

Source: Original

Genres: Award Winning, Drama, Fantasy, Suspense

Themes: Mahou Shoujo, Psychological

Duration: 24 min. per ep.

Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Statistics

Score: 8.36¹ (scored by 738,613 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #202²

² based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #101

Members: 1,261,808

Favorites: 54,028

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@madoka_magica

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Streaming Platforms

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8.36

Ranked #202Popularity #101Members 1,261,808

Winter 2011TVShaft

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Episodes: /12

PV Aniplex English Dub

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Synopsis

Madoka Kaname and Sayaka Miki are regular middle school girls with regular lives, but all that changes when they encounter Kyuubey, a cat-like magical familiar, and Homura Akemi, the new transfer student.

Kyuubey offers them a proposition: he will grant any one of their wishes and in exchange, they will each become a magical girl, gaining enough power to fulfill their dreams. However, Homura Akemi, a magical girl herself, urges them not to accept the offer, stating that everything is not what it seems.

A story of hope, despair, and friendship, Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica deals with the difficulties of being a magical girl and the price one has to pay to make a dream come true.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Background

Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica has garnered widespread critical acclaim, particularly in regards to its subversive approach toward the magical girl subgenre. In a 2012 interview, series writer Gen Urobuchi remarks that the original story was influenced by Hidamari Sketch, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, and Le Portrait de Petite Cossette.

The series has received various awards and nominations since its release. In 2011, it won the Grand Prize for Animation at the 15th Japan Media Arts Awards; the Television Award at the 16th Animation Kobe Awards; and 12 Newtype awards. In 2012, it won the 43rd Seiun Award for Best Media as well as the Television Award at the 11th Tokyo Anime Awards.

Released on Blu-ray and DVD in six volumes in Japan from April 27, 2011 to September 21, 2011, the anime was considered a commercial success, with each volume selling over 50,000 copies. It was also released in the same formats in North America by Aniplex from February 14, 2012 to June 12, 2012, spanning three volumes. The company later released a Blu-ray complete box set on September 27, 2016. The series has received multiple video game adaptations and cameos in other media.

Episode Videos

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Related Anime

Adaptation:	Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica, Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica
Other:	Mahou Shoujo Sonico★Magica, Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica: Concept Movie, Connect, Minna to Manner wo Manabou
Alternative version:	Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Movie 1: Hajimari no Monogatari, Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Movie 2: Eien no Monogatari
Sequel:	Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Movie 3: Hangyaku no Monogatari
Side story:	Magia Record: Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica Gaiden PV, Magia Record: Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica Gaiden

More characters

Characters & Voice Actors

Akemi, Homura

Main

Saitou, Chiwa
Japanese

Kaname, Madoka

Main

Yuuki, Aoi
Japanese

Sakura, Kyouko

Main

Nonaka, Ai
Japanese

Miki, Sayaka

Main

Kitamura, Eri
Japanese

Tomoe, Mami

Main

Mizuhashi, Kaori
Japanese

Kyuubey

Main

Katou, Emiri
Japanese

Charlotte

Supporting

Kaname, Junko

Supporting

Gotou, Yuuko
Japanese

Shizuki, Hitomi

Supporting

Shintani, Ryouko
Japanese

Walpurgis Night

Supporting

Mizuhashi, Kaori
Japanese

More staff

Staff

Iwakami, Atsuhiro

Producer

Kananiwa, Kozue

Producer

Mori, Yasunori

Producer

Maruyama, Hiroo

Producer

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Opening Theme

"Connect (コネクト)" by ClariS (eps 1-9,11)

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Ending Theme

	1: "Mata Ashita (またあした)" by Aoi Yuuki (eps 1-2)
	2: "Magia" by Kalafina (eps 3-8,11)
	3: "and I'm home" by Ai Nonaka and Eri Kitamura (eps 9)
	4: "Connect (コネクト)" by ClariS (eps 10,12)

Reviews

Oct 2, 2023

oturan219

Recommended

Mahou Shoujo is a masterpiece, here's why:

1. It's short. At 12 episodes, any ADHD person will have no trouble getting through the story before their attention span disappears.

2. Story. The story makes sure you will want to keep watching, however it's difficult to explain why without spoiling. Before I say more, just know the best experience with this one is to just watch it with no pre-existing knowledge.

3. the art style. This anime has an art style like no other. For some people, it is very deterring and they miss out on a masterpiece because of it. It creates a very eerie feeling that ...

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Jun 6, 2023

KitsGravity

Mixed Feelings

Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica is one of the shows which have a lot going for itself on the surface and despite a few shortcomings, does a decent job in engaging the viewer with its plot which engages heavily in philosophy and morality.

The show's premise is of young girls forming a pact with a catlike entity, which promises to grant them any wish in return for them having to fight witches, which are often the main cause behind human tragedies such as natural calamities and crimes committed. If this feels too generic of a plot featuring magical girls and attributing every unfortunate event to fantastical ... phenomenons, it's because it is. While the series does not get an A for originality, it does manage to deliver on other fronts such as strong character development, especially the oft-mysterious Homura or its main character Madoka, who might seem like another run-of-the-mill magical girl at a first glance but develops into an intriguing focal point for exploring the moral dilemmas presented in the latter half of the show. Kyuubey is the show stealer but more on him later. The animation is another dimension which the show gets right; with the psychedelic visuals during fight scenes and the minimalist clean art style not only giving the show its own unique identity but complimenting the uneasy and sterile atmosphere.

Now for the negatives - The plot of the show is handled poorly and leaves a lot of explanation even by the end as to why the witches exist in the first place, where does evil originate from, why are there no magical boys and without giving any spoilers, the whole argument about energy creation and destruction is unconvincing a little unconvincing. The series' other characters are weak and their goals while being too naive for mature audiences to comprehend, leave to lot to be desired. We are presented with Mami, a typical do-gooder and an ally of justice and Sayaka, a cliched case study of hope turning into despair, who would do everything in her power to follow her heart instead of choosing what's rational. While these attributes don't necessarily make for a bad character, having no other qualities make them one dimensional.

Coming to Kyuubey, he is probably the most interesting aspect of this entire show and fans of Lovecraftian stories might appreciate his morality (or rather lack of) and reasoning. Without giving any spoilers, his motivations, goals and brand of rationality is what the show's foundation is built upon and because of this, he is THE standout character in the 12 episode story. The viewer would be left pondering a lot of questions about him long after the end credits roll and a few enthusiastic ones might even embark on a lore hunt.

Overall, while the series is far from perfect but it is not without its merits. While it may not appeal to the audience more accustomed to watching more mature and nuanced shows such as Paranoia Agent, Texholyze, Made in Abyss, etc., it does have its place as one of the better philosophical series in shounen category and its strong set of characters and and an engaging story with philosophical elements are enough to warrant it a watch.

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Oct 22, 2023

DigiCat

Not Recommended

Funny

After initially dropping this there is only one reason i gave in to giving it a second chance: Kyuubey is adorable

Repeat after me, cats are adorable, cats can get away with anything, cats can rip your soul out of you and they'll still be the most eternally cute cuddlefluffs of the universe

Ok now onto the actual review

I'll admit, this wasn't quite as bad as i thought it'd be, it has a few redeaming qualities, the aesthetic for one, from Madoka's house to the school to the hospital, these imposingly large settings along with the series's borderline obsession with chairs gives it an incredibly eerie vibe. ...

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Poll: Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Episode 12 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) tsubasalover - Apr 21, 2011	1,529 replies	by Phixiately »» 11 hours ago
Poll: Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Episode 10 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) stevewiess01 - Mar 10, 2011	699 replies	by Phixiately »» Nov 27, 6:24 PM
Poll: Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) stevewiess01 - Jan 6, 2011	464 replies	by princess33 »» Nov 23, 6:58 AM
Poll: Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Episode 6 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) stevewiess01 - Feb 10, 2011	519 replies	by Phixiately »» Nov 22, 10:25 PM
Poll: Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Episode 5 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) stevewiess01 - Feb 3, 2011	377 replies	by Phixiately »» Nov 21, 5:53 PM

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Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica

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