Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Madoka Magica is one of the only non-mecha anime we’ll talk about on here, but it’s perhaps the show that’s most like Evangelion in the end. You know how Evangelion deconstructs mecha? Well, Madoka Magica is a complete and total deconstruction of the magical girl genre, and boy does it get intense.
The setup is about what you’d expect, in the fictional city of Mitakihara, a middle school student named Madoka Kaname and her friend Sayaka have a chance encounter with a mysterious cat creature named Kyubey. It offers them a contract; Kyubey will fulfill one wish for the girls, in exchange for them gaining magical powers and entering a contract to battle witches.
Without spoiling anything, things quickly take a decidedly dark turn. Despite the sweet exterior, Madoka Magica ramps up the horror and violence throughout the show. However, as Madoka Magica isn’t just about surprising violence; it’s a show that thoughtfully approaches adult themes, and the minds of its young characters.
Outside of Evangelion, Madoka Magica is probably the most successful genre deconstruction that anime has ever seen. That alone makes it worth a watch.
