Genres: psychological
Themes: magical girl, tragedy, witches
Number of episodes: 12
Vintage: 2011-01-06
Objectionable content: Significant

Plot Summary: After experiencing a bizarre dream, Madoka Kaname, a kind 14-year-old girl, encounters a magical creature named Kyube. Madoka and her friend Sayaka Miki are offered the opportunity of gaining magical powers if they agree to make a contract with the strange little being. He will also grant them one wish, but in exchange they shall risk their lives by accepting the responsibility of fighting witches. Invisible to human eyes, witches are catalysts of despair in the areas they inhabit. An ally of Kyube, a magical girl named Mami Tomoe, befriends and encourages the two girls to accept the contract. For an unknown reason, another magical girl named Homura Akemi is determined to prevent Madoka from accepting the deal.

New Shinbo/Shaft Anime to Be Maho Shojo Madoka Magica

posted on 2010-10-28 06:37 EDT
Magical girl story with Bakemonogatari's Shinbo, Hidamari Sketch's Aoki, Phantom's Urobuchi

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The December issue of Gakken's Megami Magazine is announcing on Saturday that the new project with director Akiyuki Shinbo, original character designer Ume Aoki, writer Gen Urobuchi, and the anime studio SHAFT is titled Maho Shojo Madoka Magica (Magical Girl Madoka Magica).

Aniplex had already confirmed that a television commercial aired on the MBS station for this project. Shinbo directed Bakemonogatari, Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei, Hidamari Sketch, and Arakawa under the Bridge, while Aoki is best known for creating the Hidamari Sketch manga which inspired several anime projects by Shinbo and SHAFT. Urobuchi wrote the Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~ and Blassreiter anime projects for Nitroplus, as well as the Fate/Zero and Black Lagoon novels. A silhouette of a female character appeared in a poster for the project.

Magica Anime Adds Composer Kajiura, Durarara's Kishida

posted on 2010-10-28 18:28 EDT
Gen Urobuchi of Nitroplus to script all episodes of SHAFT's Puella Magi Madoka Magica

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The official website and Twitter account for SHAFT's upcoming magical girl anime project Puella Magi Madoka Magica (Maho Shojo Madoka Magica) has launched with more details about the projects.

Prolific composer Yuki Kajiura (Tsubasa, RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, .hack, Noir, Kara no Kyoukai, Black Butler's "Lacrimosa") is scoring the music, and Takahiro Kishida (Durarara!!, Serial Experiments Lain, Noein - to your other self) is adapting the original characters designs by Hidamari Sketch creator Ume Aoki. Gen Urobuchi (Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~, Blassreiter, Fate/Zero) of Nitroplus is not only supervising the scripts, but also writing all of the episode scripts himself. The website also has more silhouettes of the characters and the original Aniplex teaser commercial that revealed the project.

Even if this turns out to be horrible, I hope Sentai picks this up!

Magical Girl anime + SHAFT + Yuki Kajiura = WIN!

Puella Magi Madoka Magica's Voice Samples Posted

posted on 2010-11-04 14:46 EDT
January TV anime about middle school girl (Aoi Yuki) who becomes a magical girl

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The official website for SHAFT's upcoming magical girl anime project Puella Magi Madoka Magica (Maho Shojo Madoka Magica) has added voice samples on Friday for Madoka Kaname, the title character as voiced by Aoi Yuki (Kure-nai, So-Ra-No-Wo-To, Yumeiro Pâtissière). The MBS station had just aired a new teaser commercial for the project during Thursday's showing of the togainu no chi -Bloody Curs- anime, and the commercial ended with an announcement of Madoka Magica's January 2011 broadcast premiere.

According to the commercial, Madoka is an kind, friendly, but ordinary second-year middle school girl. She wonders aloud what she should do if she can grant whatever you may wish through magic.

The anime features director Akiyuki Shinbo (Bakemonogatari, Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei, Hidamari Sketch, Arakawa under the Bridge), series script supervisor Gen Urobuchi (Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~, Blassreiter, Fate/Zero) of Nitroplus, original character designer Ume Aoki (Hidamari Sketch), animation character designer Takahiro Kishida (Durarara!!, Serial Experiments Lain), and musical composer Yuki Kajiura (Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, .hack, Noir, Kara no Kyoukai).