Magia Record sure has a pretty big hurdle to pass: for everything it does there will be a comparison to its original – which for me is both fair and unfair at the same time. Every product should be judged on its own merits, but Magia Record gains its attention for being a Madoka’s spinoff (or else no one would be willing to watch it), so that it’s a show’s responsibility to justify why it needs to be here in the first place. As far as the first three episodes concern, they (mostly) manage to stand on its own terms. It keeps the spirits of the original – the sense of there is something wrong in this world is clear, and several mysteries remain in support for that uneasy feeling. What is the deal with this Kamihama city, for example? The magical girls there are more powerful than the rest, the witches don’t have Greed seed (which implies that they might not be witches in the first place), and Kyubei can’t enter the area. Then we have the mystery regarding Iroha’s little sister Ui, as she dreams of her sisters’ best friends while she was living in the hospital. What did she wish for that single handedly wipe out Ui’s existence from everyone’s memory, Kyubei included? I’m sure that wish is not for the faint of heart.
But Magia Record lets its mysteries as background for now, as it deals with more pressing concern: magical girls in Kamihama city dealing with the Chain witch. If there is one significant theme that Magia Record has been dealing so far, it’s the dark notion of friendship. The show deals with it slightly in the forth-and-back exchanges of Ui’s best friends (they end their friendship and then reconcile all over again), and that theme becomes apparent with Rena and Kaeda’s chemistry – when the latter getting abducted by the Chain Witch after Rena put their names in the cursed staircase. It raises some solid moments, but I found that they rescue her too soon to have any of the impact sinks in. Rena’s shapeshifting ability is interesting (but her characters can be annoying at times), makes me wonder what did she wish for that she possess this ability in the first place. It’s hinted that whenever she’s sad she transforms into Momoko – the cheerful leader of the group. So it’s a safe bet for now to assume that she wanted to be confident and popular like Momoko.
As for how Shaft adapts Magia Record visually, overall I’m pleased with what I saw. The CG model train at the beginning of episode 3 is an eyesore, but the witch battles are done quite impressively. Also, make sure to watch the after-credit scene in episode 3, as one of the original cast: Mami Tomoe returns to investigate the strange occurrence in Kamihama city. I believe it’s not a coincidence at all that in the original series, she made her exit at the end of episode 3 – and here, she makes her first appearance at the same time. How much of a role she will play remains a mystery (add to several mysteries Magia Record currently has), but you bet I’m still intrigued to learn more about all this.
I haven’t played the game myself, but I heard that Rena’s wish was to become another person or have a different personality than her abrasive tsundere one. Her ability to shapeshift and the use of mirrors reflects that. Ha, get it? Pun intended…sort of. I do appreciate the show painting neither Rena or Kaede as being entirely in the right, as both had their roles in their own fight but own up to them. Gray areas like that are great, though I do wonder why Kaede even puts up with Rena in the first place.