What do you think the fandom doesn't understand or frequently analyzes wrong with regards to Madoka Magica?
Most of the fandom takes I’ve seen on tumblr are pretty good actually, and since I wasn’t around for the show’s release (just watched it a year ago) I don’t know any specific bad takes to respond to. That said, I think there’s a few general opinions or descriptions of the series I heard secondhand that are just wrong? And since they put me off the series for a long time, I feel they’re worth responding to.
First off, PMMM isn’t grimdark. It’s not reveling in the suffering of its characters, and it’s not an edgy deconstruction of magical girls. If you are a misogynistic teenage shonen fan watching it in 2011 I can see why you might think this? But it’s just wrong.
Yes, the characters suffer. Yes, they die, many times, in fucked up ways. But that suffering is there to make a point! It’s trying to say something about the way teenage girls are treated in our world, it’s dealing with homophobia, mental illness, self image, coming of age in a world that hates you, and more I’m too tired to list. The series sympathizes with the girls, and wants you to as well! I don’t think that could be more obvious in that regard, and I’m too lazy to go find clips so trust me on that one :p
For the second point, it being deconstructive…I guess? You shouldn’t trust the weird alien trying to recruit you as a child soldier, I guess that’s deconstructive. But if it is, then by the end it’s become reconstructive. Fundamentally magical girls as a genre are a fantasy of empowerment for young girls; if it was a deconstruction it would have had the girls be corrupted by power and do terrible things, not entrapped by a charismatic conman. If it wad a deconstruction, we wouldn’t see Sayaka spiral with mental health issues, she would have used her power to try to take keisuke for herself. Kyoko wouldn’t have believed until the end that there had to be a way to save Sayaka. And certainly the series wouldn’t end with Madoka doing everything she could do save Homura and make sure what happened to her best friend never happens to anyone again.
I have other hot takes but this is the reason I didn’t watch what is now my favorite anime for over a decade and it’s baffling to hear people describe it as “edgy”
Also, a quick second one: Homura does care about the others she’s just in the most fucked up situation imaginable and is prioritizing the one person in her life who’s shown her genuine love. Her “I don’t care” persona is a facade that falls apart if you actually pay attention to her actions.
