Review of Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story

Prior to watching this I'd already played a mobile game so I thought for sure that I knew 100% what I was going to be getting into with this mobile game, but to my surprise there were some minor changes. But first, the majority of people watching this very likely jumped to this title because of the original TV series and that great 3rd movie. You're right in expecting something similar with this new series, but just remember that this is indeed a side story as stated in the title, and this will be one of those cases where if you go in expecting toomuch you'll probably be somewhat disappointed as this one is a little more slice of life-esque, but just know that it ISN'T a slice of life series.

While this new series shares the name Madoka Magica with the original series, it manages to become it's own new thing while still carrying on the essence of the original series; the art is the same, the OST mostly feels the same, and the characters themselves feel like they belong in the world of Madoka, but the line making this and the original distinctive is the narrative. While Madoka had a complex plot and narrative following Madoka Kaname and her friends' lives in the world of magical girls, Side Story takes a more direct and clear route of Iroha Tamaki, a girl trying to discover more information about her sister. There is almost nothing that should confuse or really grab your attention in the presentation of Side Story's narrative, aside from maybe Shaft's usual abstract style of story-telling in a few scenes. And another thing regarding plot. Remember that one scene in the original with a certain girl that made everyone drop their jaw? Well, there is none of that here as Side Story is a more lax approach to the foreboding world of magical girls in this series, you'll learn more crucial details that play a heavy role in the entire role of magical girls at a more lax pace.

NOW, about the characters overall. Character is probably a weak element in the presentation of this series because you're eventually introduced to a number of them, but because this adaptation moves a little faster than expected, you're not given much time to take more of a liking to them than some brief moments. One episode: meet Iroha, one episode: meet Yachiyo, one episode: meet Tsuruno, and it moves at that pace. Unless you've played the mobile game's character stories you unfortunately might not come to care for any individual character more than the other besides Yachiyo, who is a focus plot for the plot in general.

The aesthetics of this show shouldn't disappoint however. Shaft did a good job at making this FEEL like a Madoka based series with the colorful and abstract visualization used to illustrate the narrative of scenes as with the original TV series and the soundtrack still feels similarly as well.

While this season felt like it had difficulty maintaining focus and creating a more engaging story for the audience to want to further look into, it still leaves room for further development into it's plot at least.

Additionally, this adaptation deviates in a number of areas from how it presents everything from the way the mobile game did. Some changes appeared to be for the better, some I wish would've remained the same, but it's understandable why various elements got changed in order to make everything flow with each other and keep an active pace. If the season interested you enough to wanna look further into it, why not give the mobile game a go. Yeah, you shouldn't feel like you need to have read/play the source material to an anime to be able to keep up with it, but in this case you don't necessarily NEED to, it would just simply enhance your perspective on this TV season a little more.

I'd give this something close to a 7 overall. I think it makes for a good watch, but just comes off less compelling if you give it higher than necessary expectations riding off of the original Puella Magi Madoka Magica.