Mahō Shōjo Madoka Magica

[CBlitz]

# of Episodes:
12

Opening Theme:
"Connect (コネクト)" by ClariS

Ending Theme:
"Magia" by Kalafina

Staff

Series Director: Yukihiro Miyamoto
Director: Akiyuki Shinbo
Series Composition: Gen Urobuchi
Script: Gen Urobuchi
Music: Yuki Kajiura
Original Character Design: Ume Aoki
Character Design: Takahiro Kishida
Art Director: Kunihiko Inaba
Sound Director: Yota Tsuruoka
Director of Photography: Shinichiro Eto
Art Setting: Morihito Ohara

Color design:
Izumi Takizawa
Jin Hibino

Editing: Rie Matsubara
Production Design: Gekidan Inu Curry

Theme Song Performance:
ClariS (OP)
Kalafina (ED)

Visual Effects: Motoi Sakai

Cast


Aoi Yūki as Madoka Kaname
Chiwa Saito as Homura Akemi
Eri Kitamura as Sayaka Miki
Kaori Mizuhashi as Mami Tomoe
Emiri Katou as Kyube

Animation Production: SHAFT

Individual Episode Credits (So far)

Episode 1
Script: Urobuchi Gen
Storyboard: Ashino Yoshiharu (Storyboard Claymore, Hanamaru Kindergarten)
Episode Director: Miyamoto Yukihiro (Series Director Madoka Magica)
Animation Director: Ebata Ryouma (Key animation/Chief animation director Tesuwan Birdy Decode, Key animation Noein)

Episode 2
Script: Urobuchi Gen
Storyboard: Ashino Yoshiharu (Tweeny Witches director)
Episode Director: Mukai Masahiro (Arakawa Under the Bridge×Bridge ep 11)
Animation Director: Takahashi Mika (Madoka Magica chief animation director)

Episode 3
Script: Urobuchi Gen
Storyboard: Ashino Yoshiharu
Episode Director: Yase Yuki (Shugo Chara! ep1-4 assist., Durarara! ep7, Soremachi ep5, 9)
Animation Director: Kamitani Tomohiro (Madoka Magica action director, Railgun ep1)

Episode 4
Script: Urobuchi Gen
Storyboard: Sasaki Shinsaku (FMA:B OP3, Eden of the East ep8)
Episode Director: Omata Shin'ichi (Arakawa Under the Bridge ep2)
Animation Director: Ozeki Miyabi (Daimaou character design, Milky Holmes ep10)

Episode 5
Script: Urobuchi Gen
Storyboard: Omata Shin'ichi (Hidamari Sketch×*** ep5, 10)
Episode Director: Majima Takahiro (Shugo Chara! ep59, 67, Macross F ep4, 10, 15)
Animation Director: Fukunaga Jun'ichi & Miyashima Hitoshi (Railgun ep14)

most hyped show of the Winter etc. The staff is basically a dream team, especially the Writer, Gen Urobuchi. He's mostly known for writing the VN "Saya no Uta" and the novel "Fate/Zero" (prequel to F/SN). In other words, he only writes grimdark stuff so don't let the frilly appearance of Madoka & Co fool you: it'll be a full blown horror-fest by the end. The composer, Yuki Kajiura is awesome and did the music for Kara no Kyoukai which was mind-blowing. And of course at the helm is Shinbo, Shaft's own protege. It's a completely original work, so nobody really knows what direction it'll go in. Although its not Kizumonogatari, it'll be have to do~

First episode just finished airing, so expect subs in the next 12 hours or so

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OP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jgd_sBdSb5U

[After_Image]

Wow, that was a great first episode. Right from the opening scene it had me captivated and wanting more. You're right about the appearance and how it can fool you into believing that it's frilly and whatnot but thanks to the different elements it has it makes a worthy show to watch. I especially like the dark element to the series which Shaft is portraying very well. Now all I have to do is wait for the next episode.

[raikou]

I just watched the first episode and it's awesome.SHAT really doing a good job for this anime. And you're right CBlitz, The staff is basically a dream team. Shinbo is one of my favorite director. And because that Urobuchi is the writer and Kajiura is the music composer i know that this is a mahou shoujo with dark stories. And it's like they put some Zan Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei element at the first episode. Man i love SHAFT. Their animation is always unique.

[raptor02_2001]

i am not fan of girl anime stuff but that is interesting .. i will watch esp 2 .. but esp 1 is very interesting plot because Shaft ...

but their choice of music ..is pretty good..

[CBlitz]

first episode was good, though fairly trippy even by Shaft's standards. The music that was playing the dream was awesome though, can't wait for some more epic scenes like that

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episode 2 was okay, some necessary exposition and a fight thrown in for good measure. The soundtrack is as amazing as ever though the animation is kinda QUALITY, but I guess that's to be expected from Shaft. Apparently the German written on the building's all are excerpts from Faust. Also using Faust as a key, anon managed to crack the wacky symbols in the show and apparently the witch was really called Gertrude or something. Also some of the other German in the episode alludes to some darker stuff, assuming that the Mahou Shoujous are the flower buds...

generally the show is building up to some dark stuff, its quite apparent that Mami and Kyubey are pulling some facade. The kanji that make up Mami's name can also be read as "deceiving spirit" and when she used her soul gem to "purify" the witch egg, it definitely looked off. And to top it all off there's this pic from the album cover or w/e

somebody over at Shaft said to give this show at least 3 episodes before deciding to continue or not, so I guess they're will a pick up in the pace soon

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Episode 3-


I really don't even know what to say



this show got hardcore fast

[Crude]

Whoa... after watching the third episode, I think I can safely say that this is the "Evangelion" of magical girl anime. And the show does seem to have some connections to Faust, I just read that the ending animation is similar to the poster of the movie Mephisto.

[MattC302]

Holy crap. Episode 3 was awesome. My mind is kind of blown in more ways than one. First off, the story may turn out deeper than I thought it would be and second,

OMG is Mami dead already?!?

My only gripe with this episode is that I just wish Madoka and Sayaka would turn into magical girls already.

Mami's gun magic is pretty badass. I can't wait to see what kind of them Madoka and Sayaka's magic will take.

[Zeltrax]

I'm the complete opposite of my above poster.
I know it's impossible for them to not become magical girls.
I don't want them to. Both of them are too naive for my taste.
I have a gut feeling that the cat, is evil. Yes, I don't know why but the cat is evil!


Mani is dead? Wow, that's fast. I don't really care because I don't like her character anyway but a few minutes after her bliss, she is killed off..

I think I'm going to continue watching this.

[CBlitz]

XFD Madoka has broken Bakemonogatari's pre-order ranking. Bake held the record of highest pre-orders to boot

so yeah, Anime of the Year right here folks

[raikou]

Agree with you CBlitz. This is my favorite anime this season. When i watched episode 3, ithought that maybe Mami is the bad one, but in the end, she's defeated. Is she dead already or just unconscious?

I hope Madoka and Sayaka's turning to mahou shoujo next episode.

[After_Image]

I'm pretty sure she got decapitated.

Episode 3 was amazing to say the very least and I now have no doubts that this is the anime to be watching. I'm sure going to miss Mami and her pulling guns out of thin air. I start to get this feeling that Kyubey is hiding something which makes me doubt his intentions. I guess only time will tell if he has a hidden agenda or not.

Much anticipation for the next episode.

[raikou]

You're right. I watched it again and her head is not shown,which means that she's really dead. Kyubey might be hiding something as you said. And Homura too.

[CBlitz]

I'm pretty sure Mami was eaten whole after the witch bit her head off. Anyway this week's witch was based off of Charlotte cake (lol) which has loads of layers. Homerun-chan blew it a couple times before it finally died. Also if you guys go back and watch the first couple minutes of episode 1, the witch Homura is fighting is probably Sayaka. Mahou Shoujos probably turn into witches after something or other happens. Who knows, maybe Mami will return as a witch

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http://tubedubber.com/#vQOQEVI5crQ:A...0:100:0:0:true

its scary how it fits so well >__>

alternatively

http://tubedubber.com/#A62011nyXNI:v...0:100:0:0:true

[MattC302]

Episode 4 was pretty cool. It started off boring, but really picked up toward the end. That little Kyubee is creepy and I don't trust him.

Sayaka had a pretty cool Big Damn Heroes moment. Predictable, but cool. Her wish was pretty obvious too, but I suppose it wasn't meant to be a big mystery in the first place. So Sayaka will have some sort of sword magic I guess? We only got a small taste. Next episode seems promising. With a new magical girl trying to take the territory, we will have an epic magical girl battle. Hopefully Madoka gets with the program and becomes a magical girl too. I want to see a magical girl battle royale.

[CBlitz]

her wish is just begging to be corrupted. That violinist kid is gonna get hit by a bus or something

and Kyubey is so evil, its not even funny. Oh hey let's pray on girls who are desperate for a miracle to occur!

inb4Sayakagetsherheadbittenoff