Madoka Magica: Walpurgisnacht Rising Review

A review of the new Madoka Magica film states it concludes character arcs for Homura and Sayaka but is the weakest main series entry, ending ambiguously.

The anime film Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie -Walpurgisnacht: Rising- provides a conclusion to Homura Akemi's character arc but is described as the weakest entry in the main franchise to date. According to a review from Anime News Network, the film ends with an ambiguous conclusion that some may find unsatisfying after a long wait.

Homura's Final Conflict

The review states the film is fundamentally Homura's story, focusing on her confronting her own arrogance. Having rewritten reality to create a world where her friends are safe and happy, Homura believes she can maintain this status quo. The arrival of three new magical girls she did not create forces her to admit she lacks total control and that her past actions threaten to undo both her work and Madoka Kaname's wish.

Through this, Homura reportedly reaches the end of her arc. She comes to accept that her obsessive love is not true love and that love involves respecting others' choices, even when they contradict your own. The film leaves her to make a final choice: to let Madoka go or to double down on her goal once more.

Sayaka and the New Threat

Sayaka Miki receives substantial development as the only original magical girl who senses something is wrong with the rewritten world. The review notes she grapples with her identity, having been a Magical Girl, a Witch, and part of the Law of Cycles. She also contends with the fact that, in Homura's altered world, she and her friends are safe and happier than ever before.

The three new magical girls possess the power to shatter Homura's world. While Walpurgisnacht is named, the review claims the primary antagonist is actually one of her companions, Selma Terez. Selma is described as a unique Magical Girl who fully supported the Incubators' plan, believing the creation of Witches to harvest energy was justified to save countless beings across the galaxy.

The film's world-building reportedly redefines understanding of Magical Girls by answering how the most powerful Witch can exist in a world without Witches.

Production and Final Verdict

The review praises the film's animation as the best the series has ever looked, with the exception of one fight in a previous film. It highlights a mixture of detailed traditional animation, CG, unnerving scrapbook animation, and psychedelic rotoscoping. The art design and music, including a new song by ClariS, are also commended.

However, the reviewer states that, after rewatching the series and previous film, Walpurgisnacht: Rising is the weakest main series entry. It allegedly never reaches the level of surreal mystery seen in Rebellion or the soul-crushing drama of the TV series. The ambiguous ending is cited as a particular point of contention.

Despite this, the review concludes it is still a great film for fans, offering satisfying conclusions for Homura and Sayaka, a terrific villain in Selma, and significant lore expansion. The reviewer recommends rewatching the original series and Rebellion before viewing to maximize the impact.

Source: Anime News Network