[Let's Watch!] Puella Magi Madoka★Magica: magical girls with Faustian themes

[TWWK]

Madoka is genius. Genius. I feel like there's so much to write about it...and so, I wrote a few posts. If anyone's interested, I linked them in my blog thread.

[blkmage]

In vaguely related news, the TV adaptation of the light novel Fate/Zero, written by Urobuchi Gen and the prequel to the visual novel Fate/stay night, will be airing in October. Yuki Kajiura will be doing music.

[blkmage]

First week vol. 1 sales: 53000 BD, 9100 DVD

For comparison (again, first week vol. 1),

Winter 2011
Fractale: 833 BD
Infinite Stratos: 21500 BD, 7700 DVD
Dragon Crisis!: 562 BD
Freezing: 3600 BD, 2000 DVD
Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season: 6000 BD
Koreha Zombie Desuka?: 2200 BD, 1000 DVD
Level E: 1900 DVD
Mitsudomoe Zoryochu!: 1200 BD
Oniichan no...: 2000 BD
Yumekui Merry: 2300 BD, 1100 DVD

Previous record holders
Bakemonogatari: 29000 BD, 15500 DVD
K-ON!: 32500 BD, 8000 DVD
Macross F: 22000 BD, 17500 DVD
Angel Beats!: 23500 BD, 11400 DVD

Fun fact: Madoka sold 22000 in its first day, the same amount as IS did in its first week.

[MightiMidget]

Haha! That's funny...But wow. I wonder why Infinite Stratos sold so much. Huh.

[blkmage]

Haha! That's funny...But wow. I wonder why Infinite Stratos sold so much. Huh.

[Maokun]

First week vol. 1 sales: 53000 BD, 9100 DVD

For comparison (again, first week vol. 1),

Winter 2011
Fractale: 833 BD
Infinite Stratos: 21500 BD, 7700 DVD
Dragon Crisis!: 562 BD
Freezing: 3600 BD, 2000 DVD
Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season: 6000 BD
Koreha Zombie Desuka?: 2200 BD, 1000 DVD
Level E: 1900 DVD
Mitsudomoe Zoryochu!: 1200 BD
Oniichan no...: 2000 BD
Yumekui Merry: 2300 BD, 1100 DVD

Previous record holders
Bakemonogatari: 29000 BD, 15500 DVD
K-ON!: 32500 BD, 8000 DVD
Macross F: 22000 BD, 17500 DVD
Angel Beats!: 23500 BD, 11400 DVD

Fun fact: Madoka sold 22000 in its first day, the same amount as IS did in its first week.

Wow, that's insane! It absolutely crushed K-ON!'s record which was already remarkable.

I finally got around watching the first episode. It was good and I found it intriguing, but if it wasn't for this thread I wouldn't be seriously considering watching the second episode as I've kind of reached my saturation point with the Magical Girl genre. I also have encountered feelings about the experimental animation in the fighting scenes. (as a fan of european/Canadian animation, I'm all for experimentation, but it kind of feels out of place in this cutesy-widefaced girl world.

[blkmage]

The very different animation may seem strange, but I think if you give it three or four episodes, you'll see how it fits in with the themes of the show. I will say that this is a very different magical girl show and it's one that needs a few episodes before it's apparent.

[Maokun]

Sorry for necroing this, but I just finished this and I have to say it was absolutely amazing and I'm grateful for this thread for making me watch it (if later than all of you.) It was truly fascinating to see all the Magical Girl tropes be met, then subverted. [spoiler]I especially liked how the title Magical girl didn't become so in the first, but in the last episode. Or realizing that Faust wasn't Madoka but Homura and that Madoka was Gretchen -to a point, instead.[/spoiler]

Also, prepare to fall in love:

Pre-innocence lost http://www.cosrain.com/2011/06/kipis-cosplay-homura-akemi-20110616.html
Post (though a bit too smiley for this one) http://www.cosrain.com/2011/05/kipis-cosplay-homura-akemi-20110502.html

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Haha! That's funny...But wow. I wonder why Infinite Stratos sold so much. Huh.

[blkmage]

Oh yeah, the second BD release came out last month and with it, the first volume of the OST. The second volume of the OST is going to be included in the fourth BD release, along with another drama CD. The third BD release also has another drama CD.

Tracklist:

1. Decretum (1m48s)
2. Agmen clientum (1m44s)
3. Venari strigas (2m46s)
4. Signum malum (1m46s)
5. Amicae carae meae (2m01s)
6. Incertus (1m39s) (1m54s)
7. Inevitabilis (1m54s)
8. Serena ira (2m01s)
9. Anima mala (1m43s)
10. Pugna infinita (1m55s)
11. Vocalise Op.34 no.14 (3m35s)
12. Ave Maria (4m48s)

[Sapphire225]

Oh yeah, the second BD release came out last month and with it, the first volume of the OST. The second volume of the OST is going to be included in the fourth BD release, along with another drama CD. The third BD release also has another drama CD.

Tracklist:

1. Decretum (1m48s)
2. Agmen clientum (1m44s)
3. Venari strigas (2m46s)
4. Signum malum (1m46s)
5. Amicae carae meae (2m01s)
6. Incertus (1m39s) (1m54s)
7. Inevitabilis (1m54s)
8. Serena ira (2m01s)
9. Anima mala (1m43s)
10. Pugna infinita (1m55s)
11. Vocalise Op.34 no.14 (3m35s)
12. Ave Maria (4m48s)

I had been waiting for the soundtrack to come out ever since I finished the series! Isn't there one more?

[blkmage]

More Ume Aoki!





I'm guessing there's going to be one more OST volume, for a total of three.

[MightiMidget]

The Mami one was funny and sweet.

[blkmage]

Please make a contract with me AND BECOME A MAGICAL GIRL.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

That one with Mami is pretty adorable.

Edit: Oh man how did I miss Aniplex taking Madoka over. Buying that no matter what they price it. I just hope they don't dub it.

[Yamamaya]

Please make a contract with me AND BECOME A MAGICAL GIRL.

Well that was quick.

[Sapphire225]

Oh man how did I miss Aniplex taking Madoka over. Buying that no matter what they price it. I just hope they don't dub it.

I know, some things are better in japanese than in english. Besides, some terms won't work if turned into english.


[SPOILER] Like the Mahou Shojo actually capable of being abbreviated to Majo[/SPOILER]

[Kung_Fu_Master]

Like the Mahou Shojo actually capable of being abbreviated to Majo[/SPOILER]

[SPOILER] Yeah but, Magic + Girl = Magical girl/ Magic + Woman = Witch, seems easy. The rest might be harder.[/SPOILER]

The voices are what I'm worried about most.

[Sapphire225]

[SPOILER] Yeah but, Magic + Girl = Magical girl/ Magic + Woman = Witch, seems easy. The rest might be harder.[/SPOILER]

The voices are what I'm worried about most.

That too.

Anyway, the anime has two spin-off mangas off of it. Anyone read it?

[Tenchi]

I recently finished watching this series. In the end, my opinion of it is kind of complicated.

To put it quite simply, I didn't like it. And yet, I recognize how fantastic it is. It had great artistic direction, had a very captivating storyline, had many complicated, well thought out concepts (i.e., the whole thing people talk about with turning the mahou shoujo concept on its head), and was a unique, well done modern day anime.

However, I can't bring myself to like it. One might say that it's just my opinion. I guess it's true that I don't like endings that aren't crystal-clear, [SPOILER]or that end without a clear "and then they lived happily ever after," or something like that.[/SPOILER] But besides that, I can't help but think that there's something more besides all of that that I can't bring myself to like.

I've thought that it might be that the ending

[SPOILER]Brings about a conclusion involving a person pretty much becoming god (somewhat), and that that just doesn't feel right to me, but since the whole concept of the FICTIONAL Puella Magi universe is different from reality, that wouldn't be an excuse. Also, I've seen shows like Tenchi Muyo and thoroughly enjoyed them.[/SPOILER]

I think in the end it just comes down to this:

[SPOILER]The entire series is comprised of moving from episode to episode furthering the despair of it all, except for perhaps the ending. Instead of anyone reaching any solid conclusions about what is right and wrong, the logic continually becomes twisted and motivations keep on being destroyed as tragedy upon tragedy occurs. Strange concepts such as a soul being detached from the body are created, and how doom is inevitable as a price for those who want a miracle.

I'm fine with despair in anime, though. In this case, it might even be more realistic to say that things would turn out the way they did. No-one did say that life was easy. And I'm sure that middle-schoolers surpassing despair is something that itself is unrealistic.

But is despair really realistic? Now that I've thought about it, it isn't that I'm ignorant of how sadness is a reality, but rather, I don't like to think of a reality with sadness or despair. I'm not denying such things, but I think that reality is what you make it, since God has given you free will, and that besides that, God has died on the cross and given us all salvation, if we so choose. Having come to accept this... I can't enjoy watching even a fictional universe that leaves no room for such hope. (in the form of witches and girls that give up their souls)[/SPOILER]

That being said, I did enjoy Death Note, so who knows. I can't seem to pinpoint exactly what it is about this anime that I regret so much.

[blkmage]

In addition to the regular nendos and figmas, Good Smile is releasing this beast:





1/1 Soft Vinyl Kyubey

[TheSubtleDoctor]

OK, I know I can only see you from the neck down, but you seem like a nice girl so let me help you out...

DON'T BELIEVE HIS LIES! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, FAR AWAY! HE LOOKS CUTE, BUT HE IS EVIL! NO MATTER WHAT HE PROMISES YOU, IT ISN'T WORTH LIVING AS A DISEMBODIED SOUL! RUN!!!

[Falx]

Two words:

N. O.

...

...how much?

[MangaRocks!]

...

Link to the company's official English page for the figure.

[Atria35]

$100 for a full-size Kyubei....

Is it worth my soul? xD

[Sheol777]

I haven't read this whole thread, but this series is wonderful.

The theme, the characters and the simple fact that it is DIFFERENT.

Not something you can say about anime that much.

[Sheol777]

Oh yeah, and some Japanese flash games about this series:

http://void.heteml.jp/flash/throw_gem/


(spoilers abound)

[blkmage]

Another month, another volume, another Ume Aoki strip.



Also another OST volume.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

In 2ch's Saimoe character tournament thing, Homura, Kyoko and Mami got top seeds in groups 3, 5 and 8 respectively. Madoka herself is 14th in Group 5. And, of course, my favorite character, Sayaka, is nowhere to be found. Sadface.

[blkmage]

First round prelims (which involves literally every eligible character) are still going on, so she probably hasn't come up yet. Prelims take a while, with two rounds. The brackets aren't going to be populated until mid-August.

And a quick search finds that she's in Group 10, which is up for voting today.

Also, she's not very moe.

EDIT: Madoka hasn't come up yet, she's in Group 16.