Puella Magi Madoka Magica Review

From left: Kyoko, Homura, Madoka, Sayaka and Mami with Kyubey (white creature)

Do not be fooled by these kawaii looking girls and mistaken this anime for something cute and trivial.

 This story goes deep. Puella Magi is an anime which got me not knowing what to expect - simply because it has been recommended a few times by a senior otaku friend of mine. I usually do not go for this kind of genre - cute looking small girls with their 'fancy' behaviors. However, the first episode got me asking a multitude of questions and....the final answer is only revealed in ep 10 with the final episode in ep 12. It is philosophical and futuristic, which makes you think. I quote from my friend, it's morally grey. In the beginning, we would probably feel outrage and stunned but upon the explanation given, things start to make sense and you are left on the fence, unable to decide.

Kyubey

So, what is it about? Firstly, this is not just some tale of magical girls saving the world. Puella Magi is a kind of technology from another universe which transforms prepubescent girls into Magical Girls, with the girls' permission of course. They will then sign a contract with Kyubey. Kyubey may look like one of those cute Pokemon creatures but he is emotionless and this is one reason why viewers may find him annoying. Like a pesky salesman (Oops spoiler alert but you will understand why I refer to him as the salesman). Anyway, a Magical Girl's duty is to kill the Witches, who is responsible for the misfortunes and catastrophes happening in our world. In order to make the contract, Kyubey will fulfill a wish (anything is possible!) and in exchange, they are given powers. Wow, sounds like a good deal!

You may wonder, so what's the fuss about? Well, the storyline can be summarized as: Kyubey identifies Madoka as someone with a lot of potential as a Magical Girl. Homura is determine to stop Madoka from transforming into a Magical Girl and tries to kill Kyubey to prevent it from meeting her. Mami is a Magical Girl who helps to save Kyubey and meets Madoka and Sayaka. She then becomes their senior and shares with them her experiences of being Magical Girls. Homura is ever persistent in ensuring that Madoka never signs a contract with Kyubey. This is why, you should watch, and find out why!

To be honest, I was slightly depressed after finishing the series, although it had a happy ending. Still, a good watch!

p/s: Some Physics and History are briefly mentioned! :)