Art:
The art is really well drawn, a lot of the panels look very detailed and the art stays very consistent throughout. The character designs really shine through with the costumes that each magical girl wears. I think that a lot of thought was put into how each outfit looks and the costumes go well with the characters personality.
Fight scenes:
One con that I experienced in the book is that the fighting scenes can be a bit difficult to read. The panels are very chaotic so it takes a bit to read. Each one seems to be spaced out fairly well with filler in some parts that make the plot enjoyable.
Characters:
I liked the characters. Madoka is a great protagonist and works well with all the other characters. My only complaint is that her naiveness throughout made it a bit irritating. Homuras dark and mysterious personality helps with pushing the story further. They are well rounded with motives, interesting backstories and their strengths and weaknesses are balanced out.
Plot (Slight spoilers ahead):
The plot is unique. This is a manga that takes the magical girl genre and twists it to be a horror that can give a refreshing change of pace. This is a big strength as a lot of magical girl mangas can be a bit repetitive with how the story goes. I wont give too much away with what happens but fair warning that there is violence. Not enough though to where you would have to reflect on your choices. The soul gem concept is very unique and gives a lot of debate on ethics. The witch concept is something that makes being a magical girl morally gray.
Who would I recommend this to?
I recommend this manga if you want something that is new. The mix of lighthearted magical girls and horror works well so if you want that give this a try.
