Shortly after Madoka Magica released (to great success), everyone started trying to make the next big "magical girl misery" anime. I think the reason those ones didn't really take off is because they missed the point of Madoka: the love of others and self-sacrifice is center stage, and we only really feel bad for the characters of Madoka Magica because we see them happy.
Madoka Magica isn't just a misery fest; Mami's death matters because we understand Mami's dreams and struggles, Sayaka becoming Oktavia is impactful because we see her downfall that isn't her fault (or anyone's for that matter). Madoka (and to a secondary extent, Homura) never give up hope or trying.
Madoka isn't constantly victimised and abused (unlike some over-the-top edgy magical girl animes I know) she's in tragic circumstances and still tries her best; still WANTS the best for the world around her.
Making something sad isn't about how much we see a character suffer and struggle; it's about making the struggles and suffering they go through impactful through their story. Wants, relationships, traits, and flaws... That's what makes a character's pain painful for an audience.
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i think the reason that pmmm works so well for me is that first it hits you with the “girls’ dreams will be exploited so that it ultimately harms them, your love cannot save you, this is no fantasy but a horror show” and THEN it’s like “but love and friendship will still save everyone in the end”
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magical girls anime except they've already finished their magical mission as teenagers and now they're adults still grappling with physical and mental trauma from what they went through while they navigate a world that has commodified their identities as magical girls.
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i think men should be banned from creating magical girl series. especially """""dark and subversive"""" magical girl series. just fundamentally i don't think they respect the genre enough to be subverting it or really going anywhere near it
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