Puella Magi Madoka Magica (魔法少女まどか☆マギカ, Mahō Shōjo Madoka Magika) is a production of studio SHAFT and Aniplex (under Atsuhiro Iwakami as main producer) directed by Akiyuki Shinbo, and written by Gen Urobuchi with original character designs by Ume Aoki, together forming a group called "Magica Quartet". Character designs were adapted by Takahiro Kishida and music was composed by Yuki Kajiura. It is an original anime from which many manga spin-off series have spawned. Puella Magi Madoka Magica began development after Akiyuki Shinbo expressed his desire to work on a new magical girl series to producer Atsuhiro Iwakami, while they were working on Hidamari Sketch and Bakemonogatari. The show's 12 episodes were broadcast on MBS, TBS and CBC, between January 6, 2011 and April 21, 2011, with a delay after episode 10 due to production and broadcast delays related to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
Plot
There exist "Messengers of Magic" who have the power to grant one wish to a chosen girl. However, that girl must then become a magical girl and fight against witches, evil creatures born from curses that are responsible for murders and suicides. A schoolgirl named
Madoka Kaname and her friend
Sayaka Miki are approached by one of those Messengers of Magic named
Kyubey and magical girl named
Mami Tomoe with offers of becoming magical girls, while another magical girl,
Homura Akemi, tries to prevent Madoka and friends from making such a deal...
