So You Want to Watch Madoka Magica? - a guide - pt 1 (Intro)

Part 1: Introduction

This blog post is written by a dedicated fan of the anime and is designed for new watchers to get the most out of the Madoka Magica experience! This is Part 1 out of 14.
Links to Episode: One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve

q: What is Madoka Magica?
a: Puella Magi Madoka Magica, or alternatively Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica, is an anime show of 12 episodes that originally aired in 2011. It has since become one of the most popular and original animes ever. It is written by Gen Urobochi, directed by Akiyuki Shinbo, animated by Studio SHAFT, and has original character designs by Ume Aoki.

q: Whoa, what the heck, it's only 12 episodes?
a: Well yeah. But it does such a dam-fine job of telling a story, there's almost literally a twist in every episode. There is no such thing as "filler", and every named character exists for a reason. The pacing is fantastic, and I bet at the end of the series you'll be feeling so satisfied, to the point of not wanting any more episodes or sequels.

q: What is the show about and why should I be compelled to watch it?
a: The official summary is thus:
There exist "Messengers of Magic" who have the power to grant one wish to a chosen girl. However, that girl must then become a Magical Girl and fight against witches, evil creatures born from curses that are responsible for murders and suicides. A schoolgirl named Madoka Kaname and her friend Sayaka Miki are approached by one of these Messengers of Magic named Kyubey and a Magical Girl named Mami Tomoe with an offering to become Magical Girls. But as this is all happening, Homura Akemi, another Magical Girl, tries to prevent Madoka and friends from making such a deal...
If that doesn't grab you, here is my summary of it:
Madoka Magica is a magical girl anime. But not like how you might expect. It's an ambitious deconstruction of a magical girl anime, and what it means to wield power, hope, and sacrifice. Throughout the show, there will be twists, turns, and an incredible amount of detail the audience will appreciate. It has a great script, heartrending soundtrack by the goddess Yuki Kajiura, and wonderful voice acting work. Give it a chance and you will learn to not be fooled by appearances. Especially recommended if you are a girl and are 12-18 years old (this is about the "contracting" age range), but beware it does get dark.

q: Okay, where can I watch it?
a: Madoka Magica is available on Crunchyroll, Hulu, Youtube, and generally on every major anime streaming site on the net.
There is something to be careful about though-- some older sites may have the original TV broadcast and not the Blu-Ray footage. The reason why this is important is that SHAFT has a habit of finishing shows late, resulting in production errors. When Madoka Magica was released on Blu-Ray, SHAFT made several revisions to the animations so that it looked cleaner/more consistent.

Examples. TV on the left, Blu-Ray on the right.

You do not need to watch the Blu-Ray version, but it does makes a difference visually. There are some changes I did not agree with, and I'll be discussing them later. A good way to gauge if you are watching the Blu-Ray version is to look at the color of the cloudy sky in the first scene of the first episode. If it is white, then you are. If it is brown, it is the TV version.

Alternatively, if you are watching the dubbed version, which is fine too, it will the Blu-Ray version.

q: Ay, there's a Madoka Magica manga and two movies. What do I do?
a: This guide is made for the anime series, and that's the one you should watch first. The first two movies are trimmed down and leave out some details, although the footage looks better than even the Blu-Ray. I love the manga, and you should definitely read it after you finish.

q: Cool, cool. Once I start watching, what kind of information will this guide tell me?
a: This guide aims to enrich one's experience of the show, not spoil it. There will be no spoilers, but there will be questions to help you think about the plot. I may ask, "What's happening with this character? Do you like her? What are her motivations?" to egg on the watcher a bit. I will also provide trivia, articles, theories, and even pieces of fanart to accompany each episode so that you have a comprehensive understanding.

q: As of August 11, 2013 onwards, there will be only one part of the guide released per day. I like to binge watch though! Help?
a: I try to give lots of analysis and reviews from other people in the form of blogs and videos. I think I provide enough material for each part so that you can spend the day chewing on it and thinking about my questions.

Now go watch Episode One and come back here later.