Puella Magi Madoka Magica

The End of Madoka

WARNING: Here be spoilers

After a month long delay Puella Magi Madoka Magica came to its long anticipated finale, which will no doubt polarize viewers. Going into it, I expected a sorrowful tragedy after a grueling 8 episodes (yeah the first two don't really count) of watching everything go to Hell in a hand basket. Between Sayaka turning into a Witch, to Kyoko's death, to watching Homoura go back time and time again to stop Madoka's untimely death. As a deconstruction series of Magical Girls one could only expect the worse, instead we got a Gainax Ending. Maybe.

In the end Madoka's ending is bittersweet, Madoka transcendens space to become a God so that other Magical Girls won't have to suffer the little bastard QB finds a new energy source, but alas the quest of being Maho Shoujo is not over as new demons take place of the witches. Okay this post may sound negative but in all actuality I really did enjoy Madoka's ending. After marathoning all 10 episodes to prepare for the finale, it started to get a bit soul crushing. Watching Homoura shoot Madoka again, that isn't easy! Good ending and all I did find it a tad funny and half expected the cast to start saying "Congratulations!"

CONGRATULATIONS! Okay sillyness aside while this ending may have bordered on a tad Deus Ex Machina, I'm quite willing and ready to forgive and forget. Madoka sacrificing her self (how appropriate for Good Friday) makes her all the more lovable now, but not as loved as Mami ;) and Homoura became my favorite character of all time! Some might find this a tad anti-climatic I however think it was perfect. We were treated to some badass action in episode 11 as Homoura unleashes a barrage of hard core artillery fire proving she is AWESOME.

Time to die Walpurgis!

Awesome as she is Homura is unable to defeat Walpurgis on her own, and as she prepares to turn back time Madoka comes to make her wish. As the universe erases it self to restart in a new way, Madoka is erased from time and space except for poor Homura. Now she can't get her lesyay.

Eat your heart out Michale Bay

A bitter-sweet ending at its finest without too much of an asspull this series will still remain among my top favorites. One can hope this will get a proper R1 License and not a royal screwing by Aniplex, less I mention $400 Garden of Sinners movie -_-

Post Script: There has been much talk of an alleged sequel or spin-off, if this does happen let us hope we won't get the same mind warping results of End of Evangelion, but all the same stay true to what made Madoka great.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica

The Winter series Puella Magi Madoka Magica has been running away with the popularity since episode 3 and is finally returning. (AT LAST!) It's only appropriate this blog take a long look at it as the epic 13 episode anime concludes this month.

Magical girl has long been a staple of anime and often pushed aside in the Western Markets (which dashes hopes of a potential license). Series like Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha are perhaps the best known series of this genre of Anime (if you could call it a genre). Now Madoka will go down in the category and perhaps even eclipse the others.

Neon Genesis Evangelion launched in the 90s and has forever been remembered as the series that changed Mecha forever. Magica will be the series that changed Magical Girls forever. The series written by Gen Urobuchi of the visual novel production company Nitro+ has deconstructed Magical Girls with a dark harrowing story of magic gone horribly wrong. This series has even shot to become one of my favorites of all time. Never before have I seen a show who's creators have enjoyed messing with people's heads. Between Urobuchi claiming this was going to be a happy show (and if you know his work, you know that's strangely off beat) and the terribly unfitting opening theme song well after the characters and their lives start going to Hell in a hand basket, then followed by the eerie ending song from Yuki Kajiura and Kalafina.

The animation style and character designs look very simplistic on the surface but looking deeper you'll find the art styles and the environments have exceptional detail. Between the massive fictional city to the school based on a glass prison (no really). The series earns an enthusiastic A+ from me!

Hyouge Mono

When you look up or hear of Bee Train you'll probably hear the fierce hatedom especially if your name starts with Clamp and ends in FAN. But aside from that, let's take a look at Bee Train's new spring series Hyouge Mono. Based on a award wining manga, the series follows a time long ago (late 1500s I suppose) a warrior by the name of Furuta Sasuke and his strange obsession with tea and pottery....Yeah I'm thinking the same thing.

Hyouge Mono is one of the few comedy series from the studio famous for it's gunslinging girls, it's take on the .hack// franchise and it's long forgotten series of the late 90s. If anything you could liken this to the opposite of their adaptation of the popular manga Blade of the Immortal. Blade being very serious and violent, this being comical and only slightly violent. If you are the one who likes quirky Seinen then you might actually like this, however general and casual anime fans would best avoid Hyouge Mono, as the series is downright silly and not in a very good way. Visually this is a pretty series to look at and so far that is about its strongest attribute compared to the very sloppy job of Blade of the Immortal. In my case being Bee Train fanatic that is the only reason I took a look at this series though my hopes are not high for this series to be all that interesting. This already following the trails of another bomb Psychic Detective Yakumo this isn't another high point from the already misunderstood and overly bashed studio.

If you want to see what the studio is really made of or if you are a general action lover, I recommend the six-part OVA Murder Princess (which most of my fellow Bee Train fans do not seem to like as much as I do).

Hansaku Iroha

Hansaku Iroha is this April's new series from P.A. Works. The story follows our main female, Ohana Matsumae who is sent to live with her estranged grandmother, who she has never met nor spoken to, at her Taisho-era (1920s) hot springs inn. It's not a lifestyle that Ohana would have chosen, but she decidesnot to be discouraged and to make the most of her new circumstances.

Tradition in anime tends to make hotsprings or beach episodes full of fanservice with busty girls and plenty of nudity. If that is your fancy then this series is not for you as so far it appears to be avoiding those ever common tropes. The series focuses more on a drama/slice-of-life esque storyline of Ohana adjusting to her new surroundings, having to realize not everything will live to her dream, fantasy, fairytale life. Having to put up with her irresponsible single mother who has fled with her boyfriend (Parental Abandonment yaaaay!) to avoid creditors and a cold unfeeling grandmother who disowned her child long ago and her work mates, Ohana will have her work cut out for her. Hanasaku Iroha is actually shaping up to be quality work and what might be the best series this season. P.A. Works has been around for ten years but only has a small handful of productions and everyone excels in quality.

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief

What to Know Before you Donate

Little explanation is needed for the devastation caused by the 2011 Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. Even for a modern country like Japan, the results have been crippling and downright terrible to hear. Recovery is a long rough road ahead and help is still needed. However much or little you give can help someone in need, someone displaced by this disaster. It's not too late to donate to charity at all. As anime fans I think we can all feel the same way about it, no doubt.

BUT WAIT

Before you donate check the charity in question. Organizations such as the Red Cross are noble to donate but you might not see your money go where you want it too. Simply put The American Red Cross nor the United States State Department have been requested for help. If you want to better assure your contribution will go where it needs to go, Charity Navigator can help you navigate which charity is likely going to give you the most for your money. Still if you want to donate to the Red Cross feel free.