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Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part 1: Beginnings

2012 · Movie · PG-13 · 131 min · ★ 7.5 · 75% critics

ThrillerAnimationFantasy

An ordinary middle-school student and her best friend are offered one wish in exchange for becoming magical girls who battle witches. As the tempting offer pulls them in, another magical girl urgently tries to keep one of them from making the choice.

Also known as Puella Magi Madoka☆Magica the Movie Part 1: Beginnings · Magical Girl Madoka☆Magica the Movie Part I: The Beginning Story

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Streaming on Doki.

2 hours to watch.

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Details
Original title
劇場版 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ [前編] 始まりの物語
Years
2012
Release date
2012-10-05
Language
Japanese
Rated
PG-13
Runtime
131 min
Critic score
75/100
TMDB rating
7.5/10 (144 votes)
Box office
$5,816,330
About

If you liked Puella Magi Madoka Magica or Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie, this offers a more mysterious, heavier take on magical-girl fantasy; Not for you if you want a fully standalone story or a light, carefree tone.

Pros: intriguing wish premise; mysterious magical conflict; strong fantasy hook | Cons: first-half story only; setup-heavy pacing; better with series context

Themes

  • saving the world
  • parent child relationship
  • magic
  • wish
  • surrealism
  • female friendship
  • teenage girl
  • psychological thriller
  • schoolgirl
  • schoolmates
  • dark fantasy
  • anime

Cast & crew