Mahou Shoujo Tart Magica is among the more enjoyable spin-offs of the Madoka Magica franchise. It is quite unique in that it not only tells a typical magical girl story, but also fully integrates it into the real story of Jeanne d'Arc. It does both without becoming nonsensical or weird and manages to combine accurate history lessons with fantastical battles against witches.

It is always clear what's fictitious and what was real, and the manga actually goes out of its way to explain the political situation or the background of important historical figures to the reader at some points. Some may find these lengthy explanations boring, but if you are fascinated by history (and like the magical girl world that Madoka Magica has created) you will find these to be quite the interesting read!

The art is very good and the character designs unique. While the characters themselves never become that deep, their relationships are enjoyable to unfold and it's fun to root for them. The villains are a bit two-dimensional though. But the manga also expands on the actual Madoka Magica world with unique wishes, magical girl powers and witches! I can recommend this manga to any fan of the franchise, as long as you can also enjoy reading about some "dry" history facts every now and then.

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