Image source: https://x.com/mitsukiib/status/1857940513531551968.

Have you seen these five girls? Chances are kinda low that you would say yes.

These five girls belong to an anime series called Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Funny enough, the original JP title is 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ, which directly translates to Magical Girl Madoka Magica. For whatever reasons, the staff decided to use Latin on Magical Girl and thus we have Puella Magi.

It’s a story about magical girls, you might have heard about this genre. Teenage girls wearing colorful costumes, wielding comically large weapons, fighting bad guys and saving the day. Classic enough, right?

Well no.

In Madoka Magica, all the defining characteristics of a magical girl series are nothing but sidelines. You get to explore despair, hope and love. On a very different level.

The various different kinds of emotions that a person could go through in their life, well they’re brought to a new level when you bring in magical elements. Since magic allows just about anything to happen.

What started out as hope, became despair, far deeper than anything.

From such despair, came hope, far warmer than anything.

An endless intertwinement of hope and despair eventually gave birth to love.

That, is one way to sum up Madoka Magica. But there are so many nuances from the series that it would be best for you to discover them on your own (if you are into this kind of theme, that is).

On a personal note, I’m a yuri fan. A huge one. I’m also a fan of emotional stories. A huge one. And this series just ticked all the boxes for me. I like this series. I adore this series. You could call me obsessed or even insane and you still wouldn’t be far off.

Another thing that is often overlooked in movies in general. Music.

One does not simply understimate the impact that soundtracks bring to a movie.

And Madoka Magica has some of the most beautifully crafted soundtracks I’ve ever heard.

Even if you cannot find the time to watch the anime or read the manga, I still encourage you to listen to the soundtrack. You don’t really need to know the story. The soundtracks already tell a story themselves. The more details you learn about the story, the more impact the soundtracks will have on you.

I’ve said enough. Go experience Madoka Magica for yourself.

To conclude this, here’s my favorite quote from the series.

希望よりも熱く、絶望よりも深いもの、愛よ。