Story: (33/35) Great all around story. There really isn't any bad points about it, aside from the fact that you should watch a different magical girl show before watching this.
Characters: (26/35) They played their roles properly, which is what keeps it from getting lower. They aren't really fleshed out that much and are not as important as the plot. They could have been better.
Sound: (15/15) Go on Youtube and listen to the song "Magia" right now. That should tell you how good the sound is (The english cover is also very good too).
Animation: (14/15) All around great. The character designs fit this show to a T and the Witches are just stunning to look at. You will wish the whole show looked as good as when the Witches are on screen.
Overall: (89/100) Watch it now.
Madoka Magica is a fun little show about a bunch of magical girls fighting crime with their furry little friend and living happily ever after... Not. Don't let the first few episodes fool you, Madoka Magica isn't your normal magical girl show, as it is a lot more dark and serious than say, Sailor Moon. It is essentially a deconstruction of the magical girl genre, which means that it uses the same tropes or plot devices (cute girls fighting crime, a cute furry cat that gives them the power, etc.) but uses them in a totally different way and to get a different effect. One problem with this is that you have to have seen a magical girl show before to get the full effect, and if you are like me, you probably haven't seen many. The plot in this show is very good, and knows how to take its audience for a ride. (33/35)
The characters are the only letdown of the show. They aren't bad per say, but they aren't particularly memorable. Because the show is so short (12 episodes), they don't feel very fleshed out. The characters felt like they served their purpose and that was it, as if they weren't an important part of the show. Thankfully, the show didn't mess up the characters, they just didn't give them enough attention. Granted, they weren't as important as the story, but I think it could have done a better job in this area. (26/35)
The production values for this show are stunning. The score is done by the amazing Yuki Kajiura (also know for the .hack series, as well as Kara no Kyokai and Fate/Zero) and is one of her better works. The music is truly stunning, especially the ending song Magia, which is probably my favorite ending theme of all time. (15/15) The animation is also very good. Because it is a magical girl show, the character designs look like your stock magical girls, even though the show is much more dark. The best thing about the animation are the witches, which were animated just beautifully. Overall, I have seen better though. (14/15)
Next to Steins;Gate, this is one of the best shows of 2011 (that I have seen). An amazing plot, with amazing production values. The characters could have been better, but I'd say they are adequate for the story and play their roles well. If you have time, watch this show ASAP, and if you don't have time, make time. Of course, try and watch at least one magical girl show before doing so.
