I’ve been waiting for the return of Puella Magi Madoka Magica (PMMM) since the third movie, Rebellion, came out in 2013. I love everything about the original series and based on this first episode, I’m going to love everything about this side story as well.
The first episode of Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story introduces our new protagonist, Iroha Tamaki. Iroha is a magical girl who can’t remember her wish – which is an incredibly important detail because the whole reason girls become magical girls is because they make a contract with Kyubey to have their wish granted. Iroha fights alongside another magical girl, Kuroe, who tells her about a rumor that magical girls can be saved if they go to Kamihami City.
This begs the question, what does it mean for a magical girl to be saved? Forcefully taken to Kamihama in a Witch’s labyrinth, Iroha and Kuroe encounter yet another magical girl, Yachiyo Nanami, who warns them to actually stay away from Kamihama. While in the labyrinth, Iroha witnessed something peculiar that neither Kuroe nor Yachiyo saw, a smaller, younger-looking Kyubey. Whatever this young Kyubey is or was, it’s clearly key to solving Iroha’s missing memories and that of Kamihama.
This debut episode of the side story is an intriguing one. It brings back the familiar eerie feelings from the original PMMM series as well as excellent music that really draws you in to the scene. Even when it’s just Iroha and Kuroe talking on the train, the music brings an unsettling, intense element to an otherwise boring scene. As with the first series and movies, the animation is fantastic, particularly for the Witches and labyrinths.
Despite knowing the secret of Kyubey and Witches already, there’s still plenty of mystery. I also can’t wait to see what unfolds when Iroha and the others learn the truth (as they surely will) and how Madoka and Homura are going to play a part. I already have so many theories spinning in my brain.
