Friday, December 24, 2010

Review: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica 1


It's no secret that I like magical girl shows. So when I saw such a show on the season chart, I was thrilled. That show is Puella Magi Madoka Magica. A story regarding a girl who can grant wishes through magic, it looks interesting on paper. Was it interesting in application?

Well, first impressions are important. The art style, which almost looks hand-sketched, was unique, in an age where computer-generated images are commonplace. The show doesn't appear to follow the standard magical girl formula, which is: Monster of the Week appears, magical girl transforms and fights it, friendship speech, happy end. Granted, it's the first episode, so I'm not expecting immediate action.

When you think of a magical girl show, a surreal opening scene rarely comes to mind. That was different with this series. Even though it was a dream, such a dark opening scene might turn genre fans off to the series. And while a unique style is good, I think the animation staff could have put a bit more effort into this episode.

I do have high expectations for my favorite genre of anime. As such, this episode didn't quite live up to those expectations. While the art was unique, it left a lot to be desired, as I couldn't feel much depth in the animation. The dialogue was okay, but the script writers could have done better. I'll keep watching, but if the overall quality of the episode does not improve, I may not finish this series.


Madoka Magica 1

Plot Advancement: N/A
Comedy: 2.5/5
Episode Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 3/5

Overall: 3/5

No comments:

Post a Comment