***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica: Beginnings. Reader discretions is advised.***
Film Synopsis
Madoka Kaname (voiced by Aoi Yuuki) sees herself as a pretty average girl. But that isn’t so bad. She has a family she loves. As well as a best friend she cares about, Sayaka Miki (voiced by Eri Kitamura). Such an ordinary life is alright.
Then one day, a transfer student arrives at Madoka’s school, Homura Akemi (voiced by Chiwa Saitou). Quiet and stoic, Homura comes off as a little cold. What's even more interesting, she seems to know Madoka.
Later, Madoka and Sayaka hear a mysterious voice calling for help. They find a strange cat-like creature being pursued by Homura. The two manage to save the animal’s life and it introduces itself as Kyubey (voiced by Emiri Katou).
Kyubey gives Madoka and Sayaka an offer. In exchange for one wish, they can become magical girls. As such, they will hunt dangerous entities known as witches who feed on despair.
This chance is enticing. But the details are a little more dangerous. The life of a magical girl doesn't exist in sunshine. It requires venturing into the deepest and darkest parts of the human heart. And it comes at the cost of one’s happiness.
Madoka and Sayaka must decide if there's a wish strong enough that's worth such a price for. But when the choice gets made, there's no turning back.
Madoka and Sayaka must decide if there's a wish strong enough that's worth such a price for. But when the choice gets made, there's no turning back.
Film Positives
Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica was an important series for this site. The reason for that is a story for another time.
And for this site's second anniversary, I felt it was time to return to the dark world of the magical girl. Describing this series is a little surreal. After all this time, Madoka Magica is still something quite special. 
So, what’s about to happen? To celebrate two years of LofZOdyssey Anime Reviews, we’ll be taking a look at the Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica film trilogy.
The first two, Beginnings and Eternal, are recaps of the series itself. While the third, Rebellion, is an all-new original story. Thus, the first two film reviews will actually be re-reviews of the anime. This then gives us one important question.
Which did the story better? The show or the films?
That answer will have to come next time. But if Beginnings is anything to go off of, we’re in for one hell of a battle. And I cannot be any more excited.The Story
A bit of housekeeping, as stated, the first two films are recaps of the series. Aside from redone voice work and a few new pieces of footage, most scenes were pulled straight from the show. After two years, I’m unable to tell you where any of the new stuff was. There were parts I recognized, but nothing more than that. 
Beginnings covered the first eight episodes of the anime. And right here is my first big praise of this film. 
One episode was around twenty-three minutes. To watch all them straight would take just over three hours. This was a two hour and ten-minute film. That’s about three episodes worth of time shaved off. That’s not insignificant.
An anime does need to fill up a much longer amount of time than a film needs to. Or even a film series for that matter. Because of this, a television series has a much better opportunity to expand. Depending on how a show does that, this can result as either great or frustrating. There’s a difference between things which are unnecessary and things which are a waste of time. 
Unnecessary scenes or information are extra bits. They can add lore. They can add character. They can flush out the world. But they’re not needed to enjoy the story. Or more to the point, they’re not needed to understand the story. 
Things that are a waste of time are as the name implies. They add nothing. Do nothing. And often they pad out a story that died a long time ago. This is the kind of information you don’t care about, but are getting told anyway.
Madoka Magica never felt like a waste of time. Everything felt important and added something to the story. Whether any of it was unnecessary is even harder to say. At the time of watching the show, I couldn’t have told you what could’ve got cut. It all seemed like it need to be there.
Beginnings proved that wasn’t the case.
Things got cut. Yet nothing was withheld. The story was smoother. It flowed well. It was a more focused package. It’s as if this story was always better suited for film.
Due to this fat trimming, some of Madoka Magica’s darker, heavier moments intensified. That’s something I never thought I'd say. The anime was thick. But Beginnings brought it to a whole other level.
For example, Mami Tomoe’s character (voiced by Kaori Mizuhashi) mattered a lot more to me. I understand the role she played in the anime. Her purpose has always been clear. But it wasn’t until Beginnings did I feel how pivotal she was. Plus, the weight of how f@#$ed up her story was became much more prominent.
For example, Mami Tomoe’s character (voiced by Kaori Mizuhashi) mattered a lot more to me. I understand the role she played in the anime. Her purpose has always been clear. But it wasn’t until Beginnings did I feel how pivotal she was. Plus, the weight of how f@#$ed up her story was became much more prominent.
In these two years, I’ve lost track how many versions of Mami’s inspirational speech I’ve heard. Yet it’s Mami’s I’m always going to remember. It wasn’t the first. It for sure won’t be the last. But it is one of the most memorable.
That was the film’s doing. Not the anime's.
That was the film’s doing. Not the anime's.
The Visuals
Since finishing the Madoka Magica anime, I’ve gotten through the Hidamari Sketch series; another Shaft production. And it was strange to see Ume Aoki’s character designs return in a much darker story. It’s a shame I couldn’t appreciate this when I first watched the show. But now I can.
I know I talked about this in the original review. So what could be left for me to talk about?
Well to start, let me repeat. Madoka Magica is stunning to look at. This is a Shaft production after all. They gave us the Monogatari series. So yeah, they know a thing or two about making a story look good.
Weather in anime or film form, this franchise is gorgeous. But after re-reading my review of the anime, I noticed something. I didn’t give enough attention to all the visuals. Most of my focus went to the witch labyrinths. While still stunning, how were these scenes the ones that caught my eye way back when.
Maybe it was due to a bigger budget. Maybe it was due to the fact the film didn’t spend as much time in the labyrinths. Or maybe it’s due to me doing this for two years. Whatever the case, what it takes to impress me has evolved.
Beginnings was beautiful. The settings. The backgrounds. It was all breathtaking. Sure, whenever a scene took place in a labyrinth, it was exciting. But when the story was outside talking and reflecting, that was where the power lied. This film’s intensity, volatility, and hardship were as prominent as the characters on screen.
And then when paired with the music. I don’t know how I failed to mention the soundtrack in the original review. But God damn it was great.
I would point to a single scene, but I don’t know which one to choose. There were so many of them. Actually, no. It’s not that there were so many good scenes, there were no weak scenes. From beginning to end, Beginnings nailed.
Of course, this all applies to the series as well. Beginnings was only a recap after all. But if Eternal manages to do the same, the series may no longer be necessary. And then if Rebellion lands, then we’ve got something real special.
Film Negatives
That said, Beginnings was a perfect length. A long run time isn’t a negative if there’s justification for it. And there was more than enough here. Yet, it’s important to know that this isn’t a watch-anytime kind of movie.
How does Beginnings stack up against the anime’s negatives?
Well one of them dealt with the ending. So, we’ll have to look at that when we get to Eternal. The other focused on where the story took place. And I can tell you, this couldn't be any more irrelevant. I must have been stretching back then.
There’s nothing for me to say. Or at least, there isn’t a big enough negative for me to go into detail over. I enjoyed this film to no end.
However, there was something the show did better than the movie. Sayaka’s story. As for its role in the film, there were no problems. As a stand-alone entity, there’s nothing bad to point out.
But when compared with the series, the film was the lesser. And I know why. It goes back to what I said about an anime having the better opportunity to expand. In the show, we spent more time with Sayaka. We got to know her a little better. We got to see her full journey in more detail.
Much of that had to have been cut in the movie. What was left were the core piece, don’t get me wrong. Yet knowing the alternative, I couldn’t help but notice something missing.
Again, this does not take away from the film. Beginnings didn’t need it to push it over the edge. It was already well past that point.
Final Thoughts
Step one is over. And step one was strong. What a way to cap off two years.
If you only see Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica: Beginnings as a simple re-telling, you’re not wrong. But if that’s preventing you from watching it, you’re making a mistake. This film was fantastic. It took the story we know and refined it. Less waste, better paced, and beautiful animation. It was a testament to how good this franchise is.
This really is a must see.
Anniversery Week will continue Wednesday, February 22, 2017, with Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica: Eternal.
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