October Magica - 'Magia Record: Side Story Volume 1'

WELCOME TO OCTOBER MAGICA!

Now's the time to look at the mobile-game-turned-manga-turned-anime, 'Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story'.

Click here for the rereview of volume 1.

It's a fun, interesting, engaging, action-packed, girl power mystery drama.

Nothing dark, depressing, horrific, and tragic happens in this magical girl 'Side Story'...yet. There's no dreaded, fatalistic, nihilistic, existential Faustian tale to be found here, not on this cute surface, oh no.

In fact, so far it could pass as a 'Pretty Cure' series, or a 'Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha' series. Heh.

Next up, the spinoff of the spinoff: 'Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica' - 'Another Story', not 'Side Story', starring Mami Tomoe in her role in 'Magia Record'.

Happy October Magica!

October Magica - 'Homura's Revenge! Volume 1'

WELCOME TO OCTOBER MAGICA!

'Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Homura's Revenge!, Vol. 1' - an interesting and entertaining "What if?" time travel/alternate timeline story for 'Madoka Magica', that I first read two years ago. You could call it my only guilty pleasure 'Madoka Magica' manga, with its oddball, inconsistent tone, and use of humour. Then there's its out-there story and character decisions, and plot holes.

Rereview link here.

Next up, I will relook at one of the mainstream 'Madoka' spinoff titles that do not directly involve Madoka or any of the original cast (except Mami, to an extent) - one that started as a mobile game, and then received its own anime.

That spinoff is:

'Magia Record'.

'Side Story'. First volume.

Happy October Magica!

October Magica - 'The Movie -Rebellion- Volume 1'

WELCOME TO OCTOBER MAGICA!

'There are some who carry on the fight... By making a wish for hope and accepting a curse.

They are called magical girls.'

We're now onto 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Movie -Rebellion-, Vol. 1'. And pretty much all I said in my previous review two years ago still applies.

You can read my rereview of it here.

Nothing is as it seems. Not this reality, of sweets and shadows, and dreams and nightmares.

It is a dream, and yet isn't. It is deconstruction still.

Next on the October Magica agenda, I'll revisit 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Homura's Revenge!, Vol. 1'!

Happy October Magica!

October Magica - 'Wraith Arc Volume 1'

WELCOME TO OCTOBER MAGICA!

'Wraith Arc' is set between the original 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' series and the 'Rebellion' movie.

A new story is developing.

The seeds are planted. The stars are aligned. The Law of Cycles is working and guiding away.

The wrath of the wraiths has been felt. Painfully. Fatally.

The ribbon of space-time has been stolen. An omen is beginning to be born...

But let's not dwell on that, for now.

Next up, I'll be revisiting the subsequent, consequent 'Rebellion' movie - in manga form, specifically its first volume.

Happy October Magica!

'Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Wraith Arc, Vol. 1' rereview link here.

October Magica ' 'The Different Story Volume 3'

WELCOME TO OCTOBER MAGICA!

Incredible. Extraordinary. Clever. Ingenious. Glorious.

'The Different Story' is a near-perfect spinoff and "What if?" manga companion to 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica', one of the greatest anime ever made.

Throughout the third and final volume, and especially the ending, I was left teary-eyed; mystified, in a good way.

'The Different Story' is a different way for things to go; for the characters to go, in their different choices, despite how they'll all end up meeting the same fate as in other timelines at the end...

...And it is wonderful, devastating, heartbreaking, and breathtaking to behold.

I am now halfway done with October Magica. I will only be rereading and rereviewing the first volumes of sequel and spinoff manga material from this point on.

Next, I'll briefly touch on the 'Wraith Arc'.

Happy October Magica, everyone.

Never give up hope, no matter what.

Even in a zero-sum, hope-and-despair world.

Read my rereview of 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story, Vol. 3' here for more.

October Magica - 'The Different Story Volume 2'

WELCOME TO OCTOBER MAGICA!

'Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story, Vol. 2' - It's a solid drama piece, and direct follow up to 'Vol. 1'. It's about team-up trauma, inevitability, and history repeating itself. And humans, even the most noble and altruistic, always being inherently selfish and self-serving in their actions?

Read my rereview for more.

Extra: an excerpt from the end of that rereview:

I love each character, as different and unique as they are, in this different 'Madoka' story/timeline. Everybody is so complex, and capable of doing and saying unexpected things, without them seeming out of character. It will, in fact, be inevitable - nay, inescapable - for them. In their locked fates...

Above all, it is all exceedingly, extremely exciting, as well as shocking; even for readers who are familiar with the 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' anime. You bet I can't wait for the conclusion in 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story, Vol. 3'. Even if it won't be as epic, smashing, cathartic, satisfying and gratifying as the OG canon finale.

Even if, for the reveal of some unanswered questions, nothing matters in the end anyway...

Taste the bittersweetness.

Feel the friendship turmoil... and fallout.

The imminent doom.

The choices we make.

...

And what about Walpurgis Nacht?

...

Ah, happy endings.

Happy October Magica, everyone!

October Magica - 'The Different Story Volume 1'

WELCOME TO OCTOBER MAGICA!

Today I reread the first volume of the first 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' spinoff manga I checked out, 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story, Vol 1'.

I confess to remembering pretty much nothing of 'The Different Story' spinoff before embarking on the October Magica quest. All I knew peripherally was that it is a, well, different story and retelling from the canon; it is from an alternate timeline, as opposed to the timeline we follow in the anime (time travel in stories opens up so much potential, doesn't it? As long as it's written thoughtfully and carefully). But I'm glad to be revisiting it, because it is really excellent, and it holds up well.

'Vol. 1' is, oddly, both a comfort read, and a deep dive depressing reel.

Read more on my rereview here.

Hope and horror, dreams and despair, wishes and warnings, miracles and melancholia, teams and tears and tragedy, soul sisterhood and cynicism, no light without darkness and vice versa, let's go!