Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica

Wasn't quite the epic masterpiece I expected it to be, but still somewhat enjoyed it. Tried way too hard to be sad and depressing, so much that it often doesn't make sense. But I'll give it points for having an antagonist who isn't actually malevolent, and is only doing what he earnestly thinks is the right thing despite his amoral methods. I'm also fond of the trippy cosmic horror designs. Worth checking out to see what all the fuss is about.

I cry

When it wears the skin of a magical girl show to rely on shock value, and when it puts words in its "antagonist's" mouth, it comes across as poor and insincere. This is a shame, as once it starts being emotionally honest then Madoka Magica gets really, really good. The last three episodes in particular reach a high that few other shows have managed. Trippy visuals keep things interesting, but what really sticks with me is THAT'S FORBIDDEN LOVE, GIRLS CAN'T LOVE GIRLS!

The thing everyone misses is that this is not a deconstruction. It's not about the flaws of the magical girl genre; instead, it's something frankly much more meaningful, using these tropes to literalize emotional conflicts, questions of personal responsibility, and our ability to take an uncaring cosmos and put caring into it.

Madoka tries to take on the deconstruction angle but does so in a lackluster way. The visuals are definitely trippy and mesmerizing, but ultimately don't really serve much of a purpose. Characterization doesn't really make much sense a lot of the time, if Mami is suppose to be this experienced witch hunter then why would she just stand there and let herself get killed? It also has the typical Urobuchi writing with obnoxiously high amounts of suffering to the point it loses any meaning.

Greatest troll of a show - light fluffy magical girl anime oh no whoops it’s the darkest and most depressing genre deconstruction lol. Just a sliding grind from Sailor Moon with even more chibi style and pink hair to existential and inescapable horror in just twelve quick episodes. Become a magical girl today!

Ignore your first-instinct reaction to the aesthetics; this is an extremely well written, acted, and animated show. It's also dark, but not in any extreme way or for shock value. It is an epic, ageless tale of failing over and over and over and sacrificing everything, and one of the best executed stories in the TV format.