Movies / Animé and Toons

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Limited Edition Box Set 1 & 2

By Chris Zimmerman
May 6, 2012 - 16:08

The hype for Puella Magi Madoka Magica is not without warrant.

After promising to turn the magical girl genre on its head, the series did just that, and won several awards in the process. Boasting attractive visuals and a captivating story, Puella Magi Madoka Magica pulls of a feat that has often proved problematic for other series, and that is instilling darkness into the genre without ignoring the principal traits that make the genre what it is. The flashy costumes and moe girls wearing them are balanced with thoughtful concepts and ideology.

It’s not uncommon for a series to fall into the magical girl trappings of showing off happy-go-lucky girls effortlessly defeating monsters and collecting magical items while audiences can rest easy secure in the fact that the characters are never truly in any danger. These series often elude the concept of “death”, choosing instead to paint over such grimness with bright colors and infectious charm. But Puella Magi Madoka Magica is a different beast. It embraces concepts alien to the genre and effortlessly blends them.

Characters are fully fleshed out and genuinely feel multidimensional, regardless of their screen time. Each has their own set of interests and conflicts that plays into their character’s arc and establishes the tone of the series. The charm felt in the early episodes is quickly abolished with the exploration of the characters and their reasons for becoming magical girls. Their choices are as diverse as their personalities, and examine the reprocautions they have on the girl’s psyche.

The show’s central focus falls on the cheery Madoka, with her pink hair and overly pleasant personality, she is almost a blueprint for nearly every magical girl character. This doesn’t last long however, as the series diverts from idyllic to desperate almost immediately. Kyubi, a red-eyed cat-like creature offers Madoka a chance to make a contract with it for a chance to be a magical girl, and will even grant any wish of her choosing as payment.  But with the introduction of more magical girls’ the series takes a deeply sinister turn. From the first episode on there is an underlying sense that something is wrong and by the fourth episode, several revelations have steamrolled over Madoka’s halcyon world. Characters do die, and that is just the opening shot before things truly get out of control.

This isn’t a dream come true but a nightmare where innocents must be sacrificed if a magical girl is to survive, and the most likely outcome of any battle is death.  But arguably worse fates still await as episodes seven and eight explore one character’s descent into madness as a result of these revelations.  

The series visuals provide a wonderful contrast to its sinister tone - with wide eyed girls in candy colored costumes – that is until the witches show up. Once this happens the show descends into a collage of cutouts and psychedelic imagery that is reminiscent of an acid trip. Aesthetically, it’s different from anything else in anime, and is as entrancing as it is absurd.

Aniplex is releasing the series across three sets of 4 episodes each in both standard and limited edition sets. The limited edition packaging is a thing of beauty, with a gold foil stamped box housing two clear DVD cases, reversible cover art, postcards, stickers, a poster, and a CD. A booklet is also included containing interviews with the production crew, episode summaries, and sketches. Even with the bountiful amount of bonuses offered with these limited Editions, the asking price is a steep one. Aniplex has certainly pulled off all the frills to get fans biting, but for the cost conscious consumers, the hefty price tag of $94.98 SRP will surely give pause.  

Even with the series 2/3 finished, one cannot help but think it still has at least one more surprise hidden up its sleeve. With its deconstruction of the magical girl genre, it’s easy to see why the show has garnered so much attention. The costumes might be silly, but the characters wearing them are fully realized. The events these characters are dragged through are brutal and emotionally draining, and like a car crash, impossible to look away from.

Rating: 9.5 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12