The story ties together many ideas, concepts, themes and elements such as magical girls, logic vs emotions, sacrifice, good-intentions vs alterier motives, aliens, and a bunch of other stuff, but to me, the core theme was always the emotional side of things. Half way through the anime, the big twist reveals itself, I won't spoil anything but it has to do with both emotions and the lack of emotions. Now at that preteen age we fluxiuate between hope and dispear to the extremes to the point of extremes but I think this can speak to anyone really.
I think this is a great anime not because it's smart or clever but because I think it understands what it means to be over emotional and I think understanding counts for more than a clever, well-written story and it's presented in a really cool, imaginative and entertaining way.
I think the directing is great for this sort of thing. Yuki Kaijura did the music, you may know her work in Tsubasa Cronicles, .Hack//Sign and Nior. Her music really helped the show a lot, I don't think I'd enjoy the show if it had terrible music. This isn't Yuki's best work but it helps to make the scenes more interesting and when it does show off the best songs, it REALLY shows off.
The art/animation/cinematography is really worth noting. It works with the music, almost coregraphed to it at times. The action scenes are great, the dramatic scenes are beautiful, but what I was most surprised at is the talking scenes. I can't remember the last time I was entertained by listening to a plot twist being explained and lectured to me. The part I have in mind is in episode 9 (or was it 10?) The reveal, the secret exposed.
So with that, I have to say that Madoka is an amazing anime but I can't promise you'll like it if you lack sympathy, empathy or what-not and that's not a bad thing, also you'll probably won't like it if you hate melodrama because this series is chalked full of it but it is sort of nessesary to the theme of the show so you can't really blame it for that :P
But if you are looking for a very unique, cool, sad, emotional, epic, MODERN TRAGEDY check this show out.
Also, in my opinion, this is one of the best directed show out of any anime, movie, TV Show to come out since the year 2005.
