Gekijou-ban Mahou Shoujo Madoka*Magica: [Zenpen] Hajimari no Monogatari
2012 / 130m - Japan
Fantasy, Action - Animation
3.0*/5.0*
Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part 1: Beginnings poster

Watches

February 27, 2021

3.0*/5.0*

While I'm pretty familiar with the oddities of anime, I don't think I've ever seen something as puzzling as this film. One half is uber cutesy chibi magic stuff, the other half the awakening of Akiyuki Shinbo. There's such a big contrast between these two sides that I still hadn't gotten used to it when the credits started rolling.

The first two films are a recap of the series, but I can't say it's all that obvious to people unfamiliar with the franchise. It feels like a pretty typical trilogy opener, a little heavy on information and a finale that is a genuine cliffhanger. Or maybe I was just too puzzled by this film that I didn't even notice the plot.

I'm not quite sure who the target audience for this film is supposed to be. The chibi drama is childish and simplistic, the characters are bland and derivative, but the art style is outlandish and completely original, especially when the characters are crossing over into parallel worlds. It's not for kids, it's not for adults, it just is. Not my favorite Shinbo, but it has some superb scenes that kept me intrigued until the end.