Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion Official Guidebook "Only You"

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Movie The Rebellion Story Official Guidebook "Only You", a compilation on a wide variety of information about The Rebellion Story, was released on April 12th, 2014.

Contents

• Illustration gallery, containing illustrations from magazines and other sources
• Summary of the movie
• Gekidan Inu Curry Artwork Gallery
• Staff Interviews
  • Chiwa Saito and Kaori Mizuhashi
  • Aoi Yuuki and Emiri Katou
  • Eri Kitamura and Ai Nonaka
  • Chiwa Saito and Kana Asumi
  • Akiyuki Shinbo, Aoki Ume, Gen Urobuchi, Mitsutoshi Kubota and Atsuhiro Iwakami
  • Yukihiro Miyamoto
  • Shinsaku Sasaki
  • Junichiro Taniguchi and Hiroki Yamamura
  • Yota Tsuruoka
  • Yasuhiro Okada
  • Yuki Kajiura
  • Gekidan Inu Curry
  • Takashi Kawabata
  • Koichi Kikuta
  • Takashi Hashimoto
  • Motoki Sakai
  • Yoichi Nango
  • Shinichiro Eto
  • Hitoshi Hibino
  • Izumi Takizawa
  • Rie Matsubara
  • ClariS
  • Kalafina
  • Yuuko Gotou
  • Tetsuya Iwanaga
  • Junko Iwao
  • Ryouko Shintani
  • Seiko Yoshida
• After-recording comic by Hanokage (also featured in Manga Time Kirara Magica Vol.10)

Akiyuki Shinbo, Aoki Ume, Gen Urobuchi, Mitsutoshi Kubota and Atsuhiro Iwakami

Thoughts after some time has passed since the release

—It’s been about six months since the release. How are you feeling now?

Shinbo: My memories of the project have faded quite a bit (laughs). Right after it ended, there were a lot of emotions, but now I feel pretty calm.

Urobuchi: It's like a sparkling memory for me. It’s like, "Wow, I was really shining back then" (laughs).

Aoki: I also feel like it was such a long time ago, especially since I was involved quite a while back. It feels like it was a distant past. However, some people I know who love Madoka Magica would report to me every time they went to the theater, posting on Twitter, saying things like, “It was a great six months." Thanks to all those supportive people, I somehow still have a sense that this project was ongoing until recently (laughs).

Kubota: For me, since I just finished the retake work for the home release packaging a few weeks ago, it still feels pretty fresh (laughs).

—I see (laughs). How about you, Iwakami-san?

Iwakami: Well, quite a bit of time has passed, so it feels like a memory now. However, Kubota-san and I have been invited to the Japan Academy Awards ceremony soon. Receiving that kind of recognition and still hearing people say, "It’s amazing," makes me really happy.

The new project that started before the TV series ended

— As for the production of the new chapter, could you tell us again how this project started?

Iwakami: It was around mid-March 2011 when Urobuchi-san first gave us a plot outline, something like "Madoka 2".

Urobuchi: I think it was still during the time the TV series hadn't finished airing yet.

Kubota: Yes, it was right around the time of the earthquake.

Iwakami: That’s right. It was a difficult time, but we were already thinking, “Let’s do something next with Madoka Magica”. At that point, we hadn’t yet decided whether it would be for TV or a theatrical release. First, we were focusing on how to finalize the idea, and then we planned to think about the format afterward. So, the first step was to get the ideas turned into a script.

Kubota: I remember that when the initial plot was submitted, Iwakami-san said something like, “Wouldn’t this work better as a theatrical release?”

— Urobuchi-san, do you remember what you were thinking when you wrote the initial plot?

Urobuchi: It was a hectic time, so my memory is a bit hazy, but I do remember that the beginning was tough. I didn’t know how to connect it to a sequel. I had come up with an epilogue of sorts, but I thought, "This feels like Jacob’s Ladder" (a 1990 psychological thriller film about a Vietnam War veteran experiencing a nightmarish reality). I remember questioning myself—"Is it okay to end it with such a deceptive conclusion?" But at the same time, I also felt like, "What else can I do?" So, I submitted it like that, I think.

— Does that mean that the plot you first submitted was similar to the final version of the new chapter that was actually produced?

Urobuchi: In the beginning, yes. The idea that the world in the new chapter is a barrier created by Homura—that was the central concept of that plot. However, at that time, the ending I had in mind was that the barrier would dissolve, and Homura would pass away peacefully.

—At that stage, how was the idea communicated to Aoki-san?

Aoki: During the TV broadcast, I had heard that there might be something new, but it wasn’t definite, so my reaction was, “Huh? Are we really doing this?” I was really happy, but also surprised.

Iwakami: The plot kind of just arrived out of the blue, didn’t it? (laughs).

Aoki: Yes, exactly. I didn’t know what the chances were of the sequel actually happening, so when something fully fleshed out suddenly appeared in front of me, I was really shocked.

Iwakami: But even when you couldn’t attend meetings, Aoki-san, you always sent in your opinions through memos, right? I always thought your feedback was spot on.

Aoki: ...I don’t remember (laughs). I think I attended the first two or three meetings. I remember discussing in the conference room whether it would be a TV series or a TV special.

Iwakami: Yes, I remember everyone was there when we were having that conversation.

Aoki: The only idea I contributed was just a little bit at the end, something like, “I’d like it to end this way”.

—What kind of request did you make?

Aoki: It’s a very minor detail, but in the scene where Homura says to Madoka, “I’ve been waiting,” and suddenly grabs her, the original plot made Madoka’s response sound more unpleasant than in the final version. Her line had a stronger “Stop!” vibe. I remember asking to soften it a bit. I didn’t want it to seem like Homura was doing something that Madoka would dislike. Homura is driven by her love for Madoka, so I didn’t want that to be misrepresented.

—I see. Urobuchi-san, when did you start writing the script?

Urobuchi: I think it was right after I submitted the plot. By around summer 2013, the final draft was probably finished.

Kubota: Yeah, it was done by August or September. It didn’t take more than six months to write. The fourth draft was practically the final version, although there might have been some minor adjustments afterward, but nothing major was changed.

Urobuchi: The script lengthened quite a bit between the first and final drafts.

Kubota: That was due to Shinbo-san’s request, right?

Urobuchi: Yes. When working on the TV series, I had a habit of cramming too much into a short space, so for the movie, we took the opposite approach, trying to add more content.

Iwakami: Urobuchi-san’s scripts are always very concise. They’re sharp and to the point.

Urobuchi: That being said, this was my first time writing a movie script, so that had a big impact. I wasn’t sure how to estimate the length.

Kubota: The initial script gave the impression it would run about 70 minutes.

Urobuchi: We significantly extended the magical girl battles at the start. Basically, we decided to expand the happy dream world even more (laughs).

—So, you decided to add more content to meet the fans' expectations?

Urobuchi: Well, since we had the opportunity, we thought we might as well take advantage of it.

—Did the director have any requests when it came to extending the runtime?

Shinbo: It wasn’t about making it longer, but I did ask for an action scene at the start.

Iwakami: If we go back in time a bit, the structure that includes those happy moments came from Shinbo-san’s desire to show the characters in action again. The plot started with the question of how to create a setting where those characters, including Sayaka, could shine again.

Urobuchi: That’s right.

—So, bringing the five girls together was a must?

Kubota: Yes, the idea was that we wanted to see them as magical girls again and, at the same time, in a happy space. That was definitely the underlying premise.

— Not just having them appear, but having them all transformed into magical girls, and looking happy?

Kubota: Exactly. I don’t think we had fully decided to make it a direct continuation of the two recap movies from the TV series. The project started from the conversation about how we wanted to bring the five girls together again and see them happy.

— So, the idea of reuniting the five girls came first, and it just happened to become a continuation of the story. Did you originally plan to promote it as a sequel?

Shinbo: We debated whether or not to explicitly call it a sequel.

Urobuchi: At first, we were talking about how it could be interpreted as a parallel development, and that would be fine.

Shinbo: I thought it would be more enjoyable if people watched it without knowing for sure.

Kubota: We discussed how it could be seen as just one of the loops Homura experienced.

Shinbo: In the end, we decided to market it as a sequel from the start, but if we hadn’t, I think the audience would have been even more confused. I realized how tricky it can be to promote a movie. It was Iwakami-san’s decision to clearly label it as a sequel, right?

Iwakami: Yeah, that was probably my call.

Shinbo: I think that was the right decision. It prevented unnecessary confusion.

Iwakami: I’m glad you think so.

Shinbo: If people went in unsure whether it was a sequel or not, they might have spent the whole movie wondering, "What is this?" and then it would end before they figured it out. It’s a delicate matter deciding how much to reveal in promotions, but we couldn’t afford to mislead people. I realized that magazine promotions differ between TV and film.

Iwakami: That’s true. TV shows are free to watch, so the approach is different.

Shinbo: We needed to first make sure people were willing to pay to see it. I realized that commercials for movies are different from TV shows too. I mean, there are plenty of movies where the best parts are all in the commercials, and you leave thinking, "That’s all there was?" But if you don’t show enough, people won’t come to the theater.

Kubota: At what point did the idea of making recap movies between the TV series and the sequel come up?

Iwakami: I think it was pretty early on. After receiving Urobuchi-san’s plot, we thought, "This would be great as a movie," and since it would be more enjoyable for the audience to know the TV story beforehand, we decided to release recap movies and then follow up with the new film. I remember that Urobuchi-san’s plot really shaped the format.

Urobuchi: To be honest, if you hadn’t watched the TV series, the movie wouldn’t make any sense (laughs).

Iwakami: I’m amazed that such a high-barrier movie still became a hit (laughs).

—While making the sequel, were there any aspects of character development or the story that were influenced by fan reactions?

Urobuchi: Yes, I think so. In the main series, the characters didn’t get much closure, so I think the audience felt a need to "do something" for them themselves. Honestly, I didn’t expect the characters to expand as much as they did, so it was both easier and harder in different ways. Since the characters were already so well-understood by the fans, I didn’t feel the need to dig deeper or make drastic changes, which was a relief. It’s rare for a one-season series to have its characters so firmly grasped and developed. On the other hand, there was pressure because the characters were already fully formed in everyone’s minds, and I couldn’t break that image. For example, it would’ve felt wrong if Sayaka had moved on to a completely new love interest. That wouldn’t have worked (laughs). I knew it wasn’t a series where we could make such bold changes.

Shinbo: But that kind of story for Sayaka is interesting (laughs).

Urobuchi: A new love, only to turn into a witch again? (laughs).

Shinbo: Right, she’d end up repeating the same thing over and over.

Urobuchi: She’d fall in love every time a handsome guy appeared, and then turn into a witch…

Iwakami: Like "Tora-san," constantly meeting new people and getting heartbroken (laughs).

— There are many scenes featuring popular pairings among fans, like Sayaka and Kyoko, and Madoka and Homura, showing them in action. Were those pairings something you were consciously aware of?

Urobuchi: Well, those relationships inevitably follow from the original storyline. It wouldn’t make sense for Sayaka to come back and not greet Kyoko at all, for example.

Iwakami: The depiction of Sayaka and Kyoko also expanded a lot during the storyboard stage. It’s not just the dialogue; adding gestures for the characters really adds depth.

Aoki: There was a project for the magazine smart where I wrote letters to Kyoko and Sayaka, and I wrote all sorts of things pretty irresponsibly (laughs). But it made me want to ask Urobuchi-san something. In the TV series, when Kyoko risked her life for Sayaka, Sayaka had already turned into a witch, so she probably didn’t know, right? But in the new film, Sayaka went to the Law of Cycles and then came back. Now she’s close with Kyoko and even says, "I regretted leaving you behind". Does that mean Sayaka knows everything?

Urobuchi: Once you go to the Law of Cycles, you become omniscient, so yes, you can assume she knows everything. In the TV series, Sayaka and Kyoko's story ended almost like a double suicide. But in the reset world with the wraiths, Sayaka ascended alone, leaving Kyoko behind. So in the new story, Kyoko doesn’t know Sayaka in her witch form, but Sayaka knows Kyoko and her actions. There’s even the line about "the boy you loved," so I think her ending in this world is similar to how it was in the TV series. Maybe she did something like a self-sacrificial attack again.

Aoki: I was so happy to see that in the new story, Sayaka seems to understand Kyoko’s efforts, which felt very one-sided in the TV series. It was like, "Sayaka, Kyoko worked really hard for you!" (laughs)

Urobuchi: Thinking about it, Madoka didn’t notice Homura at all until she became a god either. Until then, she was just that scary girl who popped up outside her window (laughs).

— With all the character development building up like that, it must have been difficult to introduce Nagisa = Bebe. What kind of discussions did you have about that?

Urobuchi: The idea was that, to properly balance the story, we needed another character besides Sayaka who had become a witch and returned to this world. And if we were going to choose one, the most distinctive witch character would be the Dessert Witch [Charlotte], which led to the creation of Bebe.

— So it was Urobuchi-san’s idea. What were everyone’s initial thoughts when they first heard it?

Shinbo: When I first read the plot, I thought, “This could be interesting”.

Iwakami: It wasn’t like we asked from the start to introduce a new character. Bebe really just appeared out of nowhere in Urobuchi-san’s plot.

Urobuchi: I felt that we needed her in that role. And if we were going to bring her in, I thought we should make it as compelling as possible.

Shinbo: I thought, "Ah, I see", and it made sense.

—Even though the character was born from the setting, I imagine it was difficult for Aoki-san to bring the character to life through your illustrations, wasn’t it?

Aoki: Yes, I struggled with how much of her witch form’s elements to carry over and how much to leave behind or change. It wouldn’t have worked if she looked exactly the same, but making her entirely different wouldn’t feel right either.

Kubota: You were really struggling with that during the draft phase, weren’t you?

Aoki: I agonized over it quite a bit. I think Nagisa’s design is the one that changed the most from the initial draft to the final version out of all the characters I’ve worked on.

Shinbo: Wasn’t it you, Kubota-san, who came up with the idea to make Nagisa’s hair white?

—In Aoki-sensei’s original draft, she had blonde hair, right?

Kubota: Yes, but we thought it might overlap too much with other characters, so we suggested going with a white color. Also, in the original draft, she was a bit older. She was still younger than the other girls, but she was about middle school age. So, her proportions were taller compared to the final design. I think it was Shinbo-san who requested that we lower her age, wasn’t it?

Shinbo: No, I don’t think that was me. I think it was Urobuchi-san who said, “A younger design would be better”.

Aoki: I also remember Urobuchi-san making a request along those lines.

Urobuchi: That might be true. But honestly, I saw many of the designs for the first time when I watched the completed animation. I did know about Nagisa, but Devil Homura was new to me when I saw it in the final version.

Aoki: Sorry about that! We were finalizing Devil Homura’s design right up to the last minute.

—Did the staff refer to Homura in her devil form as “DebiHomu-sama” (Devil Homura) among yourselves?

Urobuchi: No, that’s a term we just came up with now (laughs).

Aoki: On set, we called her “Akuma Homura” (Devil Homura) (laughs).

—In a way, Devil Homura is almost like a new character. How did you solidify her design?

Aoki: We didn’t really have meetings or anything like that.

Urobuchi: Her character portrayal evolved quite a bit during the storyboard process. In fact, even during the storyboards, there were different interpretations of how to portray her. Up until the last minute, we were deciding how to settle on her final character, and even after recording the dialogue, we had to ask Saito-san to re-record some lines because it was so challenging.

—In what ways did her portrayal evolve?

Urobuchi: In the storyboards, she became much cuter. In the script, she was a much scarier character, almost as if she had completely abandoned her humanity (laughs). But during the storyboard phase, she regained some of her humanity, as if she was still partly the old Homura, trying her best to act like a devil.

Shinbo: When you get a script like that, storyboard artists often feel compelled to draw a sly smile for the character, like an evil smirk. I thought we needed to tone down the nuance from the storyboards during the actual animation. However, the first voice recording session was based on the storyboards, so it ended up being quite intense.

Urobuchi: Chiwa Saito’s performance was incredibly scary and dangerous.

Shinbo: Her performance made me think, “This is like Darth Vader”. At the time, I thought, “Yeah, that’s one way to approach it”, but after the recording, I felt something wasn’t quite right.

Urobuchi: Both Shinbo-san and I struggled with deciding whether to portray her as a fully realized devil or a devil in the process of becoming one.

Shinbo: A completely evil, devilish Homura didn’t feel right, but neither did one who was still unsure. In the end, we aimed to capture the moment just before she’s fully consumed by her devil side, a subtle in-between state.

—How did you all come to the decision to re-record that scene?

Iwakami: Everyone was feeling uncertain about it right after the initial recording ended.

Kubota: It felt like we had made a bit of a mistake with it.

Shinbo: That night, I couldn’t really sleep well. After the session, Tsuruoka-san (the sound director) asked me repeatedly, “Are you sure you have no regrets?” I started thinking maybe we hadn’t gotten it quite right.

Kubota: The conversation really started moving about two or three days after the recording ended.

Shinbo: We finished recording on a Saturday, took Sunday off, and I think we discussed it on Monday.

Kubota: Yes, that’s right. We confirmed Shinbo-san’s thoughts and then consulted with Urobuchi-san, Aoki-san, and the other key staff members. Saito-san’s initial performance was so well done that it was hard to consider changing it. She had delivered an impeccable performance based on the storyboard, to the point that it felt like it couldn’t be improved.

Urobuchi: I really wish I could’ve been there for that recording session.

Shinbo: If you had been there, Urobuchi-san, you probably would’ve said it was fine (laughs).

Urobuchi: When I listened to the first take they sent me, I thought, “This is perfect!” (laughs).

Iwakami: If Urobuchi-san had been there, we might not have done a retake at all (laughs).

Urobuchi: That’s very possible (laughs). I might have insisted, “This is the only way”. But if we had stuck with that version, Homura would have ended up being portrayed like a full-on monster.

Shinbo: And I think the fans who came to see the movie would’ve been completely turned off (laughs). That was the key issue. As a character, the original version was cool, and I personally like that kind of portrayal, but I realized that fans might be put off by it. That’s when I thought we needed to approach it more like a fan movie.

Urobuchi: That’s the kind of judgment I leave to the director. I don’t really think about those things (laughs).

Shinbo: A few years ago, I might have said, “This is the only way”, too. But as you get older, you start thinking differently.

Aoki: When I received the file along with the explanation that “the chief director and Kubota-san are feeling unsettled about it”, I was really surprised. But when I listened to it, I thought, “Ah, I see” (laughs).

Iwakami: My impression was a bit different from Urobuchi-san’s. From the script to the storyboard stage, I felt the portrayal was already getting a bit scary. And after the voice recording, it became even scarier.

Kubota: I felt that as the process moved further along, it kept intensifying. The storyboard was already scarier than what I had imagined when I first read the script. Then, the key animator and animation supervisor, Junichiro Taniguchi, really leaned into that feeling when designing the scene. My and Shinbo-san’s role was to make sure it didn’t go too far.

Shinbo: We were making sure we didn’t overdo it.

Kubota: You could tell the staff was really excited about it.

Shinbo: If we hadn’t stepped in, it might’ve never stopped (laughs). With movies, it’s hard to predict how much time you’ll need. Iwakami: You really pulled it all together. Both in terms of content and schedule.

Aoki: The final product had such a delicate balance.

Urobuchi: I think it hit the mark perfectly. Because of how the final portrayal turned out, Devil Homura became such a great character. She didn’t just become a devil—she became Devilman (laughs).

—Changing the topic a bit, could you tell us about your interactions with Gekidan Inu Curry?

Iwakami: All the interactions with Inu Curry were mainly handled by Miyamoto-san, Shinbo-san, and the SHAFT team.

Shinbo: We did give them the directive to "make things unique", but I never imagined they’d come up with concepts like that for the café or the crossroads. They definitely made it unique (laughs).

Urobuchi: The characters say "crossroads", so the audience has no choice but to accept it as such. That kind of visual approach is really fascinating.

Iwakami: It’s funny seeing Shinbo-san having to say something sensible for a change.

Shinbo: Right? Normally, I’d be the one pushing for even crazier ideas, but with Inu Curry’s designs, I didn’t need to. Take the crossroads scene—when Homura and Kyoko are riding the bus, I think the less you watch the visuals, the better you’ll understand the story (laughs).

—We actually received a comment from Inu Curry about the crossroads, saying, "Since Homura and Kyoko are pure of heart, they can see the crossroads just fine, so there’s no problem".

(Everyone laughs)

Urobuchi: I have no retort.

Iwakami: In other words, "You adults are the impure ones".

Kubota: So, Homura and Kyoko could see it, and the audience probably could too.

Shinbo: It’s just the evil adults who can’t understand (laughs).

—As chief director, were you okay with the visuals not fully aligning with the script from the beginning?

Shinbo: I wasn’t fully comfortable with it, but I had a feeling that this wasn’t the kind of project where things should be done normally. Allowing Inu Curry’s designs to pass through felt like a gamble. It would definitely make things harder to understand. The story was already complex, and adding these visuals would make it even more so, especially in a theatrical setting where you don’t have the luxury of rewinding and re-watching. I questioned whether it was okay to create something that’s hard to grasp in a single viewing. But at the same time, I felt, "Well, it’s going to be released as a home video later, so maybe this approach is acceptable". I went back and forth between these feelings. However, I realized that opportunities to express something this unique don’t come often, so I decided to go for it. In a TV show, the dialogue explaining everything would be paired with a simple background, but this time, the visuals themselves carry a lot of information. It might be disorienting, not knowing what to focus on, but I thought it would be fun to have scenes like that.

Urobuchi: In terms of storytelling, I believed the audience would understand they were witnessing an abnormal world. So, even if there’s a disconnect between the characters’ behavior and the audience’s sense of reality, I figured it would still come across. Viewers would realize that if the characters perceive the crossroads in this way, they must be under some sort of illusion. So, no matter how wild the visuals got, I was fine with it.

—Aoki-san, as someone who also works as an illustrator, how do you feel about Inu Curry’s designs?

Aoki: My reaction is basically just "Wow" (laughs). It’s such a childlike response, but that’s really how I feel.

—Was there anything that particularly stood out to you?

Aoki: Well, since we were inside Homura’s inner world from the very beginning, the entire movie takes place in Inu Curry’s space. Even when we step out of it, we’re thrown into scenes of Homura’s army marching around, and I was constantly like, "What is this!?" I was blown away. And then, there’s that part where the world starts collapsing, with all sorts of incomprehensible things pouring down from above. I loved that scene.

—I see.

Aoki: The world Inu Curry creates is so unpredictable that it’s fun to look at no matter where you focus. There are always new surprises, even after multiple viewings.

Shinbo: The children speaking in German really caught me off guard. The attention to detail in the German expressions left a strong impression on me. It’s definitely one of those scenes that sticks in your mind.

Urobuchi: And the fact that Homura's familiars increased in number so dramatically was a surprise too. When I read Inu Curry’s notes, I found out each of them is as strong as a magical girl (laughs). That really shocked me.

—What about you, Kubota-san?

Kubota: I’m always amazed by Inu Curry’s work. It’s not just the designs, but their entire process. SHAFT is always trying to create cutting-edge visuals under Shinbo-san’s direction, but for Inu Curry’s sections, they also use analog methods. For example, they hand-colored each frame of Homura as a witch using paint, and sometimes they’d use photographed objects as materials. These are old-fashioned techniques, but in a way, using them now feels fresh. It’s almost like doing something outdated has become avant-garde again. That’s what I was thinking as we worked through the process.

Shinbo: I was worried if they’d be able to finish it all in time…

Kubota: Since the output from Inu Curry’s team is the final piece, you can’t handle it alone when considering efficiency. So there was always some anxiety about whether we could complete everything on time.

Shinbo: If it exceeds the individual’s capacity, you can’t maintain balance.

Kubota: In the end, though, it became an all-hands-on-deck situation.

—All-hands-on-deck?

Kubota: Yes, speaking of the coloring process, we printed out the frames on paper and manually colored them, then the digital team would come in and use paintbrushes to fill in the colors. It was a very unusual approach, and it almost felt like an event. It reminded me of the night before a school festival (laughs).

Shinbo: We also had Naito Ken from Studio Tulip involved, along with Yoichi Nangou, known for his unique color work in titles like The Eight Dog Chronicles and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (OVA). His role was credited as "Alternative Space Art" in this film. It was a lot of fun. I had worked with Nangou-san before and had always wanted to collaborate again, but he’s very insistent on working with analog techniques, so it was hard to find a chance to work together since he avoids digital work. I was really happy to be able to collaborate with him again after so long.

Kubota: The combination of Inu Curry and Nangou-san worked really well. They even experimented with rotoscoping and claymation for the Nightmare sequences. This blending of digital and analog resulted in a technically rich film, in both form and content.

—Speaking of digital, I heard that you considered using 3D CG for Kyubey’s animation?

Kubota: Yes, around the end of the TV series, Shinbo-san suggested trying 3D CG for Kyubey to stabilize his expressions. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out as smoothly as we hoped, and we struggled a bit.

Shinbo: It’s strange, but you can’t quite capture Kyubey’s facial nuances without traditional animation. So, we ended up using hand-drawn animation for close-ups and 3D for long shots.

Iwakami: I remember Shinbo-san really liked the scene where Kyubey flies like a sugar glider.

Shinbo: That was really cool. I thought, “Nice work!” (laughs).

—Since this film was entirely new, unlike the previous two compilation films, were there any measures taken to improve efficiency during production?

Kubota: This was almost a first-time experience for us, so we didn’t have anything particularly special in mind. But one thing we did was set up a dedicated staff room for the Rebellion staff, concentrating the main team in one place. Since it was an original film, we were especially cautious about managing the story and other information, making sure that everything could be controlled within the studio as much as possible.

—Having everyone in one place must have had some advantages.

Kubota: Yes, it minimized the movement of the production team, and it was a huge advantage that key staff, like the key animators and in-between animators, could quickly confirm things. This kind of opportunity is rare outside of a theatrical project.

Iwakami: At the wrap party, I remember SHAFT staff saying unanimously, “We didn’t think we’d finish it”. That left a strong impression on me.

Urobuchi: Well, of course!

Shinbo: You can put endless amounts of effort into a project if you want to. Unless you focus on how to finish it, you’ll never be done. That’s where the director’s judgment comes in. If the director doesn’t aim to finish, a theatrical production won’t reach completion. Just wanting to make something good won’t end it; it will drag on indefinitely. Miyamoto-san, the director, has a great sense of balance in this area, which is why I trust him so much. He can assess how much quality can be achieved within a certain timeframe or when the schedule allows for pushing the quality a bit further.

Iwakami: And the final result wasn’t something that felt rushed either.

Kubota: I can’t take much credit (laughs), but thanks to Miyamoto-san and the entire main staff, everyone worked together really well.

Shinbo: Naito-san, who handled the art, really did a lot this time. This is a bit off-topic, but there’s currently a shortage of art staff in the industry.

Kubota: That’s true. Collecting art staff for both TV series and films is quite difficult right now.

—What’s causing the shortage?

Kubota: I think it’s due to the increasing demand for detail in animation backgrounds. Even in TV series, high-density backgrounds are now expected, and the requirements become even higher for theatrical releases. As the demands rise, the workload increases. On top of that, the larger image size for films makes the work even harder. This time, I think Naito-san and his team had a really tough time. When the background art is delayed, it prevents us from seeing the film’s completed form, which in turn delays the process of reviewing the final product. In that sense, we were very fortunate to have the sound team, led by Tsurumaki-san, cooperate with us.

Shinbo: Absolutely.

Kubota: The post-production team was also very patient, waiting until the last possible moment to help us out.

—Regarding character portrayal, were there any intentional changes in Rebellion compared to previous works in Madoka☆Magica?

Shinbo: Not at all.

—Does that apply to the cast’s performances as well?

Shinbo: Yes. I didn’t want them to change...or rather, the characters were already solidified in their minds, so there wasn’t anything I felt I needed to ask of them.

Urobuchi: If I had to point out one thing, it’d be Sayaka in “sage mode” during her confrontation with Homura.

Shinbo: True, in that scene, we asked for a performance where Sayaka wouldn’t lose out to Homura.

Iwakami: When it comes to adaptations of original works, we sometimes ask the cast to get closer to the character’s image. But with an original work like Madoka☆Magica, the actors’ voices become an integral part of the characters themselves.

Shinbo: Exactly. When that happens, the fans accept any performance, thinking, “This is how the character is now”. Even if it’s different from before, the genuine performance convinces them that it’s authentic.

—Aoki-san, did you get the chance to meet the cast?

Iwakami: Perhaps not much during Madoka☆Magica, but many of them are also in Hidamari Sketch. You’ve probably met them through that, right?

Aoki: Yes, I didn’t get to attend many of the recording sessions for Madoka, but I did meet them at Hidamari-related events or after-party venues. I distinctly remember hearing from Yuuki-san early on during the TV series recording that she had just entered university.

—It’s surprising that Nagisa and Yuno have the same voice actor…

Aoki: I never expected that (laughs).

Shinbo: We’ve been asking Asumi-san to do a lot of work recently. She’s in Nisekoi, and she’ll be in Mekakucity Actors as well.

—It sounds like a very challenging production process, but when did you start feeling confident about the project?

Iwakami: To be honest, from the script stage, I thought it was interesting and had potential. But as the project developed and the amount of information in the animation increased, I became worried. I thought we were making an incredible anime, but I was unsure if many people would accept it. In the end, it was well-received, and the theaters were packed. Looking back, I feel that we aimed really high, and it moved me to realize that there was an audience who appreciated what we created.

Shinbo: Normally, you wouldn’t expect people to want to watch a film twice. Most would see it once, and if they didn’t get it, they’d just move on.

Iwakami: It’s unusual for a film to break those expectations. I’m deeply grateful to the audience.

—Did you feel that the project was a challenge as a producer?

Iwakami: I believe it was more of a challenge for SHAFT and the animation staff than for me. This film wasn’t just about spectacle; it pushed boundaries in visuals, storytelling, and character depth. It’s rare to see a movie with such density in all directions.

—Urobuchi-san, when did you feel confident about the film?

Urobuchi: When I received the storyboards. The stack of boards was thick like a grudge letter, and I thought, “Are you serious?” (laughs). But I knew if we could pull it off, it would be something extraordinary—and in the end, it really came together, which left me overwhelmed.

—What about you, President Kubota?

Kubota: When we finished, I felt that we had given everything we had, and the staff had truly done their best. But like Iwakami-san, I started to wonder, “Did we go too far? Was it okay to go this far? Can this be enjoyed as entertainment?” When it was completed, I couldn’t tell anymore, and I was quite anxious. Not so much confused, but rather concerned that the audience might be put off by it. After the first screenings and hearing the reactions from people seeing it for the first time, I thought, “Maybe it’ll be appreciated, even if I’m not sure it’ll be a big hit”. But even then, I still wasn’t fully confident.

—How about you, Director Shinbo?

Shinbo: I felt confident when we completed the transformation scene. We aimed to create a transformation scene unlike any other, and with the combination of the animation and the visuals, I felt like we’d made something new. That’s when I thought, “This will work”.

Iwakami: You could watch that transformation scene over and over.

Shinbo: It became a surreal scene that doesn’t even feel like a traditional transformation.

Kubota: I was nervous about it until the dubbing was finished. The scene was long, and the visuals were unlike anything we’d done before.

Shinbo: The music was great too. Kajiura-san’s work really elevated that scene. It felt like we finally achieved something we had always wanted to do. That alone gave the film its value. I had a sense of accomplishment as a fan. I never expected the film to have such a wide appeal, so I’m really grateful for its success.

—How about you, Aoki-san?

Aoki: Like Urobuchi-san, I was already impressed by the storyboards. But at the same time, I kept thinking, “What’s going to happen with this?” So in terms of feeling confident, it was when I received the finished film on a disc and watched it. I thought, “What the heck is this!?” but at the same time, I knew we had made something incredible. However, even then, I was still worried. Since I had already read the script, I could follow along, but I wondered how people who hadn’t read it would take it. With so much going on in the story, I was concerned about how it would be received. Like Iwakami-san, I only felt reassured after seeing the fans' reactions.

—Considering how dense the movie is, did you have to be very careful with how you promoted it?

Iwakami: Since Madoka☆Magica's story is so crucial, we wanted to approach the movie’s promotion with the same unpredictability we used for the TV series. While it’s a proper sequel, we also wanted it to be an enjoyable surprise.

Shinbo: I think Iwakami-san made the call on how much to reveal and which scenes to show in the promotional material.

Iwakami: It was actually Kubota-san’s idea to reveal Nagisa early. In many TV anime films, you often see a new enemy character introduced as a guest, and the story revolves around defeating them. We used that pattern to create a bit of a misdirection. Since there aren’t many new characters in that position, I think it worked as an interesting marketing approach.

—People quickly started speculating that Nagisa had a connection to the Dessert Witch, which was pretty interesting.

Kubota: There were rumors. It’s amazing how quickly people figure things out.

—Madoka☆Magica fans seem to have particularly sharp instincts. The footage revealed on Mezamashi TV also generated a lot of buzz. Was that your decision as well, Iwakami-san?

Iwakami: I discussed it with Kubota-san and Shinbo-san before deciding.

Kubota: It wasn’t like we had that many options (laughs). It was more about choosing from what was already done.

Iwakami: That’s true too (laughs).

—I remember the shot of Homura pointing the gun at her head generated an incredible amount of buzz.

Kubota: That was actually released early by coincidence (laughs).

Iwakami: But that shot really stood out. From the moment the storyboards came out, Shinbo-san was saying, “That’s a great scene, right?” It’s an impactful, great shot that also serves as a misdirection.

Aoki: Speaking of that scene, I was curious if it was intentional. Before the movie was released, there were interviews with the voice actors in various media, and someone mentioned something like, “There may be some mixed reactions”. That comment stirred up the audience’s expectations and, in the end, worked out positively.

Urobuchi: Yeah, it felt like we were preparing the audience.

Iwakami: We didn’t correct it because we thought, “Well, that’s fair”, but there wasn’t any calculation behind it (laughs). Shinbo-san, didn’t you say something even more intense?

Shinbo: I said, “Please watch with a strong heart” (laughs).

Iwakami: That’s right (laughs).

Urobuchi: But as creators, that’s just naturally how we feel.

Iwakami: Exactly. While we didn’t want any spoilers about the plot, we also weren’t trying to guide the audience's impressions about what kind of movie it was.

—Although the information was tightly controlled before the release, the TV spots that aired right after included some pretty crucial scenes.

Iwakami: Now that I can talk about it, those spots actually aired a bit earlier than planned (laughs). The version with Kalafina’s song was supposed to air a week later, but due to various circumstances, it ended up airing sooner.

Urobuchi: But for people who haven’t seen the movie, those scenes wouldn’t make any sense. If you’ve watched it, you know they’re pivotal moments, but for others, it’s just a series of completely baffling shots.

Kubota: Speaking of releasing information, the idea to attach a teaser to the recap films was Iwakami-san’s idea. I think it worked really well.

Iwakami: I asked Shaft’s team to help out, even though it was a tough ask.

Kubota: The storyboards for the new film had just been completed, and we were about to begin the animation process. At that point, there weren’t any finished art boards. So, with Shinbo-san, Miyamoto-san, and Gekidan Inu Curry’s vision, we created a few early cuts specifically for the teaser. Shinbo-san even added some shots that didn’t appear in the final film. It turned out to be a great teaser that raised expectations.

Iwakami: I was really pleased with that. Kajiura-san even wrote a melody just for the teaser, which later became part of the main score.

—Did any of you go to the theater to watch the film?

Aoki: I went once, early in the morning on a weekday.

Shinbo: I went once, because someone invited me.

Kubota: I went three times.

Shinbo: Why so many!?

Kubota: I went back to collect the film strip giveaways (laughs). The first time I went during the giveaway period, I got a background-only frame, and it made me so sad that I went again for a rematch with the staff.

—Were you able to achieve your "revenge" with the film strips?

Kubota: Yes, the second time I went, I got a transformation shot of Madoka.

Aoki: Wow!

Kubota: I might have taken that chance away from some fans (laughs).

Urobuchi: I only saw the movie at a private screening. After hearing Kubota-san’s story, I didn’t want to go to the theater and take the giveaways from the fans. I felt a bit guilty about that.

Shinbo: Couldn’t you have just returned it?

Urobuchi: I didn’t want to be seen as the boring guy who gives it back (laughs). Plus, it feels awkward to admit you're part of the production staff while watching.

—How was the theater experience for you, President?

Kubota: I went to the first screening on the release day, so I could feel the atmosphere and enjoy the audience’s reactions. For the second and third times, I went to a late-night screening at a local theater, and it was still half-full, so it didn’t feel lonely at all (laughs). Watching something I helped create on the big screen was such a pure joy. It’s rare to have something you’ve worked on shown on a big screen, so that experience alone made me feel incredibly fortunate. I felt that not only for myself, but also for the staff who got to see their work in such a format.

Aoki: The music in theaters is entirely different, too.

Kubota: Definitely! The sound quality and immersion are on another level.

Aoki: Watching it with the surround sound in a theater really pulls you into the world in a way that just doesn’t happen with the discs at home. I hope people who only saw it on Blu-ray get the chance to experience it in theaters.

Iwakami: A revival screening might be a good idea.

—How did you feel watching it in theaters, Iwakami-san?

Iwakami: Like I mentioned earlier, I was worried about how the audience would react. As soon as it ended, I found myself looking around nervously (laughs). With a film like this, you can’t expect 100 people out of 100 people to have the same reaction, so the audience's response was a bit mixed. It took me a while to settle down afterward.

—Urobuchi-san, did you hear any feedback from your friends?

Urobuchi: I was happy to get positive reactions from my friends. They all seemed to enjoy the unexpected twists, especially since they thought it would just end with Homura ascending, only to be surprised by the continuation. Although I had warned them that there would be mixed reactions, they didn’t seem too shocked by it in the end. In a good way, they accepted it like, “Well, that’s just what Homura would do”. I was relieved that they received it that way.

Shinbo: I’ve said this in other interviews, but in the previous work, it was a mistake for Madoka to make sure only Homura remembered her (laughs). The whole premise of the new film starts because of that decision. Even Madoka’s parents don’t remember her, but she wanted Homura to, which was her mistake.

Aoki: Oh! That makes sense!

Urobuchi: Yeah, Madoka probably still had some lingering attachment to this world. So, in a way, she wasn’t just a passive sacrifice. Homura didn’t completely deny Madoka’s wish either.

—That means Homura wasn’t left completely alone—there was still a connection.

Shinbo: Madoka had some lingering attachments too, and that’s reflected in the creators' intentions as well.

Urobuchi: When Shinbo-san mentioned this to me, it really struck me. At the end of the previous work, Madoka became something beyond human, and it could have been a happy ending. But for a middle school girl, carrying the burden of becoming something more than human is way too heavy. She’s still a child, so it’s only natural for her to have doubts and lingering attachments. That thought process led us to continue the story.

Shinbo: I still think it was the right and beautiful ending for only Homura to remember her.

Urobuchi: If Madoka had just happily disappeared at the end, it might have made you wonder, “Did she secretly dislike humans?” (laughs).

Shinbo: But that’s not the case at all. In that sense, the new movie felt like an essential story. It wasn’t just a forced sequel. We were able to balance a meaningful continuation of the story with giving all the characters who had been developed in the TV series and recap movies their moments to shine. I think we were able to meet the fans’ expectations.

Iwakami: It’s amazing that we could incorporate both a proper sequel and showcase the characters’ development.

Aoki: It’s impressive to see that such balance is even possible!

―The world that Homura created through her wish manages to balance both aspects. The depiction of a closed-off world that no one notices or can escape from was striking.

Shinbo: In the world of film, not just anime, this type of portrayal has been around for quite some time.

Urobuchi: Yes, it's a recognized genre, where someone becomes trapped in a fictional world. In the realm of bishoujo games, this concept is even more common. Games like Fate/hollow ataraxia, for example. It's a common trope in fan discs for games, so I never felt like I was doing something particularly radical.

Iwakami: Connecting that to something Shinbo-san said earlier, it was interesting to hear, "If Homura had just gone to the Law of Cycles, that would have been the true bad ending".

Shinbo: If Homura had been guided to the Law of Cycles, Kyubey would simply continue doing the same thing. Eventually, the Law of Cycles would be uncovered. Someone has to keep resisting, but if Homura left, there would be no one left to resist. After that, Kyubey could freely experiment with other magical girls, and this time, he might truly capture the Law of Cycles. That would indeed be the bad ending. The story of Rebellion is structured that way.

Iwakami: Homura is acting purely out of love for Madoka, but in the end, she also ends up saving magical girls all over the world, right?

Shinbo: Exactly, so in a way, Homura is affirming what Madoka did. She takes on the mission of ensuring that Kyubey is stopped at all costs.

Urobuchi: Indeed.

Iwakami: A world where Kyubey has observed the Law of Cycles and figured out how to control soul gems, without Homura to stop him, is terrifying (laughs).

Shinbo: Right? That's why Homura had no choice but to act the way she did.

―Homura's line, "This is love", caused quite a stir, but hearing your thoughts, it seems even deeper now.

Urobuchi: Well, to be honest, when it came to using the word "love", I was just thinking, "What else could have the power to defeat even aliens?" (laughs).

Shinbo: However, if I had to say one thing, it’s that the kind of love we’re talking about here feels more like friendship to me.

―Broader than romantic love.

Urobuchi: Romantic love, when complicated, only reaches Sayaka's level (laughs).

Shinbo: (laughs). So I see it as friendship, not romantic love. The love that Homura directs toward Madoka feels like it's on a broader scale.

The next work by Magica Quartet

―Finally, is there anything you'd like to explore in Puella Magi Madoka Magica in the future?

Shinbo: I want to animate Adult Mami (Ara-sā Mami-san), but some of the staff are strongly against it (laughs).

Aoki: Hmm, I want to take better care of Mami-san (laughs). I often find myself daydreaming about Madoka Magica, especially about what happens after Rebellion. It’s hard not to think about it.

Shinbo: Then please go ahead and draw Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Origin (laughs).

Urobuchi: You can change the original as much as you want. Like how Yoshikazu Yasuhiko reinterpreted Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, which is a completely different work (laughs).

Aoki: No way! (laughs).

―And how about you, President? Anything you'd like to explore in the future?

Kubota: I'd love to make a sequel (laughs). That's the usual answer, but we really felt something special after making Rebellion. Right after finishing a project, everyone tends to feel, "That's enough for now", but after some time, the main staff starts to feel like, "We want to create more". I sense that everyone feels like continuing.

Shinbo: Especially since everyone’s gotten used to the style. I’m sure the animators in particular want to keep going.

―Iwakami-san, what would you like to try next?

Iwakami: I truly believe Rebellion was a miracle. To create something following the huge success of the TV series and to have it reach that level of completion, while also being well-received by fans, is nothing short of a miracle. Of course, we have thoughts like, "Wouldn't it be cool if we could do this next?" If everyone here at Magica Quartet comes up with something we all agree is special, I'd love to work on the next project. But this isn't the type of series where we have to keep making sequels for commercial reasons. We won't make a sequel unless it has a real purpose, so for now, I'm fine with waiting for something truly good to emerge.

Shinbo: I think it would be fun if this became Urobuchi-san's life work, like Tezuka's Phoenix.

Urobuchi: But honestly, I'd like to see a Madoka that has gone beyond my own influence. I think that would expand the scope of the series. For a long time now, I've wanted to see a side-scrolling bullet-hell game with Kajiura-san handling the music and Inu Curry overseeing the art and direction. If someone could make that happen (laughs). You'd shoot down weird witches and familiars at crazy speeds with bizarre weapons, and they’d disappear off-screen at just as crazy a pace (laughs).

Aoki: That sounds like a nightmare to hit anything (laughs).

Urobuchi: It would definitely be something distinctive and absolutely fun.

Iwakami: I seriously want to make that (laughs).

Shinbo: That sounds like fun.

―Aside from sequels, what about creating a completely different work with the members of Magica Quartet?

Urobuchi: If we all made something, I feel like it would inevitably turn out to have a Madoka-esque feel, no matter the project. We fit together too well, in a sense.

Shinbo: But I'd like to try something completely different for a change.

Urobuchi: We’d need some specific condition or technique to make sure it steps away from Madoka. Maybe have a story with only male characters, for instance.

Iwakami: Aoki-san, do you find drawing handsome boys fun, or do you prefer drawing cute girls?

Aoki: Well, in the manga I’m currently working on, the majority of readers are male, so when I draw boys, I’m very conscious about not making them into "pretty boys". I avoid making them like boys from shoujo manga and instead aim for characters that feel more approachable, more down-to-earth.

Iwakami: I understand that balance.

Aoki: So if someone told me to draw a "pretty boy", I’d have to switch my mindset completely, and I think it would be a refreshing challenge. I’m curious to see how the art would turn out since it’s not something I’ve done often—only briefly when I was younger.

Iwakami: It sounds like creating a character targeted at female audiences might bring out a new side to your work.

Shinbo: I'd love to try making something aimed at women at least once. It’d be like a learning experience, or something to challenge and conquer—after all, even Gintama is a hit (laughs).

Urobuchi: I know some women who, after watching Koimonogatari, were screaming, "Kaiki!" (laughs).

Shinbo: Really? I love Kaiki too. He’s one of my favorites.

Aoki: He’s so cool.

―So, maybe one day Magica Quartet will make something for female audiences... That's a nice note to end on.

Yukihiro Miyamoto

How did you feel about the process from the initial stages to completing the storyboards for the new installment?

The TV anime commercials and the theatrical anime commercials somehow feel different, don’t they? Even though they’re both 15 seconds long, the atmosphere is distinct—it’s like, “Ah, this isn’t TV; it’s a film.” I think it’s not just the difference in quality between TV and theater, but there’s something unique about the way a theatrical production is made, or the ambiance it carries. For Madoka☆Magica, I wanted the commercials to convey that “theater-exclusive” feel just by watching them. I even watched a variety of other theatrical anime for reference and studied them. But in the end, I couldn’t quite figure out what makes something “theatrical” (laughs).

Still, the commercials for the new installment conveyed the atmosphere of a theatrical production quite strongly, don’t you think?

I’m glad to hear that. When I watched the commercial footage, my concerns were about something completely different. Things like, “This footage is unfinished, is it okay to use it?” or “Won’t showing this part now be a spoiler?” (laughs).

In theatrical releases, high-quality visuals are a key focus. What about that aspect?

Director Shinbo said he wanted the visuals to feel like a film, but he also wanted to maintain the essence of Madoka☆Magica. So, while aiming for something cinematic in terms of visual design, we approached the directing and overall atmosphere as an extension of the TV series. I personally think that was the right choice.

It seems your work truly began in earnest after the final version of the script was completed. How was the process of creating the storyboards?

Sasaki-san poured a lot of effort into them, and I felt no anxiety at all because I trusted him completely. Sasaki-san works quite fast, but even so, the sheer volume of work was immense, so he devoted a significant amount of time to it.

The number of cuts exceeded 2,200.

It was a lot, for sure. Considering this as an extension of the TV series, that kind of volume was expected, but for Sasaki-san to handle all that on his own is genuinely amazing. On top of that, the content was dense. Especially the battle scenes between Homura and Mami—Sasaki packed so many ideas into those that when I saw them, I thought, “Whoa!” To be honest, though, my initial reaction was, “This is impossible. If we’re doing this, it won’t be finished until 2020” (laughs).

Utilizing Gekidan Inu Curry’s designs

What was your impression of the boards and designs created by Gekidan Inu Curry?

They were excellent, of course, and my first reaction was, “This is amazing.” But at the same time, I also thought, “So… who’s going to turn this into actual footage?” (laughs).

For example, the fact that the Nightmare was a live-action puppet seemed like a very unique expression.

It was Doroinu-san from Inu Curry who said, “I want it to be a stuffed doll,” and I responded, “Well, then we’ll have to make it.” So, we requested a company specializing in that kind of thing. However, I was worried about whether we’d have enough time to go as far as animating the live-action footage. The part supervised by Yuya Geshi-san was drawn so well that even if we couldn’t replace it with live-action, the Nightmare could stand on its own as an animated sequence. Ultimately, we managed to complete the live-action work in time, so that was a relief.

The tea party scene where the Nightmare is purified also left a strong impression.

That scene wasn’t in the script; it was an original creation by Inu Curry. The idea was that purifying the Nightmare by satisfying it with food would feel more magical-girl-like. It reflects the concept that magical girl battles aren’t about defeating the enemy but about pacifying them and bringing them to the negotiation table.

Could you share your thoughts on the new characters Nagisa Momoe and Bebe?

Doroinu-san said, “Nagisa is Aoki-sensei’s character, but Bebe is mine!” (laughs). I think the idea was not to alter Nagisa too much but to handle Bebe as a character designed by Inu Curry, especially since Bebe is a witch they created. Doroinu mentioned imagining Bebe as a “silly dog” (laughs). Although Bebe had normal lines in the script, he changed that and wrote all the mysterious language himself. So, Bebe’s lines weren’t ad-libbed—they were all part of the script.

The scene where letters come out of Bebe’s mouth was quite amusing. It felt reminiscent of Maria†Holic, another Shaft anime.

It’s possible that Inu Curry had those past works in mind, but I couldn’t say for sure without asking them directly. The letters that come out of Bebe’s mouth were created by producing all 50 kana characters and digitizing them. That way, they could respond to anything Bebe “said.”

The Witch's Runes also appeared everywhere in the new installment.

We created a font for the Witch's Runes starting with the new installment. Until then, it seems they were painstakingly cut and pasted by hand (laughs). It made things much easier, and I think that’s why we were able to incorporate a lot more of them.

The ideas from Inu Curry seem unique. Was it difficult for you, as someone who had to organize them?

I worked through it by trying to understand their vision in my own way and thinking, "Maybe it’s like this," as I progressed. Whether that was the correct interpretation for Inu Curry, I can’t say, but I would at least present them with my take, saying, "This is how I saw it," and they would adjust things on their end. It was certainly challenging, but on the flip side, without Inu Curry’s input, some scenes might have turned out so ordinary that they’d lack anything interesting visually. That was something I found scary as well.

A massive amount of work leading to completion

You served as series director for the TV series, but for the theatrical version, you were the director. Did you notice any differences in your role?

I feel like the only real difference was the title; the work itself was similar. That said, with the TV series spanning 12 episodes, the sheer volume of material was overwhelming. Compared to that, the theatrical version had about 2,200 cuts, so I wonder if it might’ve been easier in some ways (laughs).

This time, you were credited not only as the director but also for direction.

The film as a whole was divided into five parts, from A to E. Initially, I thought each part would have its own director, and I would only need to oversee their work. However, it turned out that “this person is busy now” and “that person’s schedule is full,” which made me realize we were short on staff (laughs). There was no way I could handle everything alone, so Takashi Kawabata-san shared the workload. For the parts I assigned to him, I could completely trust his work, which was a big help.

The runtime for the new installment is two hours. Was it challenging to fit everything within that timeframe?

Sasaki-san created the storyboards to fit precisely within two hours. This didn’t include the opening and ending sequences, so it ended up slightly over, but I thought, “We’ll manage somehow.” However, Inu Curry then added even more content (laughs). In fact, the tea party purification ritual for the Nightmare was considered as a potential cut.

Were there any scenes that were completely removed?

I don’t think any scenes were entirely cut. Instead, we trimmed or condensed things here and there, and in the end, it was about 1 hour and 58 minutes. There was even a sense of, “Maybe we could still fit in two more minutes.”

Satisfying viewers with the sheer amount of information

When did you feel that the project was finally complete?

When we submitted the final delivery, I felt a sense of both completion and relief.

How did you feel about the reactions from fans who saw the film?

I was nervous. I wondered if we had achieved a level of quality that would satisfy viewers. When I first read the script and storyboards, I found them interesting, so I worked to retain that impression throughout production. But I was still worried about whether that sense of “interesting” was properly conveyed. Of course, we did everything we could, but having seen it so many times, I’d grown accustomed to it and lost some objectivity, which made me anxious.

But once it was released, it was a huge hit.

It was amazing that everyone understood and accepted the content. I think that’s incredible.

Some people watched it multiple times to analyze and interpret it.

That’s something I’m very grateful for. At the same time, it’s a bit scary, as if they’ll see through every little flaw (laughs). As one of the creators, I watched it repeatedly myself, but even then, I think it was about 500 times—not the entire film, but individual cuts played on repeat. Some fans mentioned watching it ten times, and I’ve met people who noticed details I wasn’t even aware of. Sometimes, certain things just happened to look meaningful when they weren’t intended to be. I felt a bit bad for ruining the illusion (laughs).

I think that's why this work is so worth considering and interpreting.

Thanks to Inu Curry and everyone else, a lot of elements were packed in. Even without me doing much, the sheer amount of information just kept increasing, which made things a lot easier for me (laughs). When the film was completed, I found myself focusing on the flaws and shortcomings, wondering, “Is this really okay at this level?” But Sakai (Motoi)-san, who handled the visual effects, reassured me, saying, “It’ll be fine. The sheer volume of information will overwhelm viewers to the point they won’t even notice any flaws.” That made me realize, "Ah, so overwhelming them with information is a valid approach" (laughs). Additionally, unlike TV recordings, you can’t pause or rewind a movie in the theater, which, in a way, works to its advantage. As the visuals keep progressing rapidly, new information is presented one after another, drawing the audience into the film while overwhelming them with the sheer density of it.

Fans are curious about the ending. The moon is split in half—what’s the meaning behind that?

That idea came from Inu Curry. It’s not a crescent moon but a depiction of it being physically cut in half. Of course, it doesn’t mean the actual moon is like that—it’s more of a symbolic image.

Kyubey’s clouded eyes also left an impression. What’s the story there?"

We’ve deliberately left several mysteries like that. Most of them were probably the work of Inu Curry. As for Kyubey’s state in the final scene, that was already depicted that way in the storyboards. However, I believe the scenes after the ending theme were primarily expanded and added by Inu Curry. Once again, thanks to the additions and embellishments made by Inu Curry and everyone else, the film has received such positive acclaim. For my part, I feel a bit like “Heh, it all worked out nicely.” Even though I just rode the wave of everyone’s efforts, we were able to create something that fans are satisfied with, and I consider myself very lucky for that.

Shinsaku Sasaki

Involvement with Madoka☆Magica Since the TV Series

Sasaki-san, you’ve been involved with Madoka☆Magica since the TV series.

I was invited to participate by Iwaki (Tadao)-san, who was the animation producer of the TV series. Until then, I had never worked with Studio Shaft, but I was, of course, aware of them as a studio that created unique visuals. However, I felt that their approach to animation and their philosophy were somewhat different from my own, and I never imagined I’d have the opportunity to work with them. By chance, I was invited, and when I read the plot and script, I found them incredibly interesting. I remember thinking, "Am I really allowed to participate in such a project?"

What were your impressions when you read Urobuchi-san's script?

Honestly, and I say this with all due respect, I initially misunderstood and thought, “A brilliant new writer has emerged!” At the time, I wasn’t aware of Urobuchi-san’s established reputation in the gaming industry or that he had already written several anime scripts. His script differed slightly from the screenwriting conventions I was familiar with, but I found it personally easy to translate into storyboards. The scripts clearly conveyed the necessary visuals, and I was deeply impressed by the strong dramatic world that existed within Urobuchi-san’s mind.

What were your impressions and experiences while storyboarding the TV series?

This relates more to Studio Shaft’s style than to Madoka☆Magica, but I had the impression that Shaft had a production style where they invested heavily in certain parts of the animation while simplifying others to streamline production. However, with Madoka☆Magica, I found it difficult to gauge the volume of the action scenes. For the first storyboard I worked on (Episode 4), I drew the action scenes rather simply, attaching a note saying, "Feel free to make adjustments if it doesn’t match the intended image." When the final animation was completed, I was surprised by the sheer number of cuts it had. The production team seemed to be very engaged, and the staff appeared to tackle each episode with enthusiasm. It was a wonder how the team managed to maintain this level of intensity throughout the production, but I think Madoka☆Magica came together exceptionally well.

Regarding Urobuchi Gen’s script and Gekidan Inu Curry’s designs

After working on the two-part movie, you also handled storyboards for the new chapter (Rebellion).

When I first read the script for Rebellion, I found it incredibly challenging. I thought it must have been immensely difficult for Urobuchi-san to come up with a continuation to a story that had already concluded so perfectly. Reading the script, I felt a sense of responsibility to take on the confusion and challenges of creating something entirely new. It seemed like a daunting task. Another thing I noticed was that the writing style had changed. In the TV series, the descriptive detail in the scripts increased as the story approached its climax, but in Rebellion, the descriptions became much simpler. This meant I had to consider the scenes and situations more thoroughly myself, but that wasn’t particularly unusual for a Shaft production. I imagine that, having already experienced Shaft’s approach to visuals in the TV series, Urobuchi-san might have thought, "I’ll leave this up to Shaft; they’ll take care of it."

What considerations went into translating the script into storyboards?

Initially, I wondered if I should create something uniquely suited for a theatrical release. However, as I worked on it, I realized that approach didn’t suit Madoka☆Magica and made the storyboarding process difficult. I quickly gave up on that idea and shifted to storyboarding as an extension of the TV series, which made the work much smoother.

Did you collaborate with Gekidan Inu Curry while storyboarding?

By the time I began storyboarding, Gekidan Inu Curry had already created a substantial amount of settings. I thought, "With this much material, I won’t have any issues while storyboarding." However, as I progressed, I found myself wanting even more. While their script was excellent, there were moments when my storyboard work and their design work overlapped, and we couldn’t fully coordinate due to time constraints. As a result, there were elements I couldn’t utilize in my storyboards, but they later enhanced those with their own work.

What initial settings from Gekidan Inu Curry were there?

I believe the café scene with Homura and Kyoko was present from the start. The flying ship and the children of the fake city also appeared early on. Additionally, the concept for the bus scene was available fairly early. Then came the settings for the Nightmares, in that order.

Were there any settings you created while progressing with the storyboards?

For example, the room where Mami was, Hitomi’s bedroom, and the ghost town where Homura and Mami fought were first drawn by me. Later, Gekidan Inu Curry turned them into concept art. For everyday scenes or locations not central to the story’s core, I worked on them with the idea that it would likely be acceptable to proceed with my designs. One notable example wasn’t exactly a setting but rather a recurring idea I contributed: the park overlooking the city, which appears multiple times as a key scene. Inspired by the initial key visual of the five characters standing together, I wanted to include a scene where they all watch the sunrise after the Nightmare battle.

Bringing an Enormous Number of Storyboard Cuts to Life

It was surprising to many anime fans that Rebellion had over 2,200 cuts.

However, in Shaft’s anime productions, it’s not unusual for a single TV episode to have around 400–500 cuts. By that standard, it was inevitable that the total number of cuts would reach such a high count. It seems that your approach to the storyboards followed naturally as an extension of the TV series.

Let’s talk about specific scenes. How was the battle with the Nightmare at the beginning?

For this scene, I started storyboarding after working on the scene where Madoka wakes up in the morning. I waited for the Nightmare designs to be finalized before starting. Since most of the imagery had already been outlined, I based my storyboards on that. However, things like the Shadow Ballerina, Madoka’s entrance, and the "Not Yet" room were original additions from my side that were later incorporated.

The transformation scenes for the magical girls were also shaped by your storyboards, correct?

Yes, I hadn’t worked on scenes like that before, so I really had to push myself to come up with ideas. I drew them thinking, “Please adjust if this doesn’t match the vision.” While the flow remained largely unchanged, the final look was much more stylish and bold than I had imagined. I was also surprised that the scene, which I initially thought was too long, was extended even further (laughs).

The biggest action scene, the battle between Homura and Mami, was incredibly impactful. Could you share your thoughts on that?

The scene was fairly short in the script, but battles like this are an ideal motif to create a compelling highlight in animation, so I expanded it. After consulting with Director Miyamoto and doing a lot of research, it grew into a much larger sequence. The animators did an incredible job, and when I first saw the footage in the trailer, it exceeded the vision I had when drawing the storyboards. It made me appreciate just how amazing animation as a medium can be.

In contrast to the action, there were also slower dialogue-heavy parts.

Yes, like the scenes where Kyubey talks. To make those visually engaging, I decided early on to have multiple Kyubeys "die" to add some visual flair (laughs).

The climactic battle between Witch Homura and the magical girls was another highlight.

By that point, most of the sequences were essentially Gekidan Inu Curry’s work. Broadly speaking, I believe my storyboards formed the base up until the part where Kyubey starts speaking. Beyond that, due to the timing of when the designs were finalized, my storyboards served as a starting point, and then Director Shinbo and Gekidan Inu Curry made significant revisions.

Tackling the Complex Story of Rebellion

What was the most challenging aspect of storyboarding Rebellion for you?

It was figuring out how to highlight the characters’ appeal. The script made it difficult to capture and present each character clearly because it allowed for multiple interpretations depending on how you approached it. I worked with Director Shinbo and Director Miyamoto to ensure that the characters’ appeal would come through clearly and understandably. I did my best to interpret and execute the script, but looking back, I think there were other ways to approach it. I regret not thinking of them at the time.

Was Homura the most challenging character to interpret?

Yes, definitely. There was a concern that Homura’s emotions might not come across clearly, so I worked hard to ensure her feelings were conveyed in every scene. I wanted to preserve her charm while making her relatable to the audience. For the scene where Homura becomes a demon, I initially portrayed her in a slightly more negative light. My storyboards depicted her descending into madness and making the wrong choices, which led to her transformation into a demon. It wasn’t about condemning her actions entirely, but I interpreted Rebellion as a story about a girl spiraling into failure and ruin, so that’s how I drew it. However, that part was revised in the final animation. If my version had been kept, the audience might have left the theater feeling even more despair (laughs). In hindsight, I’m glad the revisions were made because they helped shape the final product into what it is now.

Looking back, how do you feel about your work on Rebellion?

I felt from the start that Rebellion was the kind of project where there was no single “correct” approach to the storyboards. It’s hard to say whether I succeeded, but I do feel like I gave it everything I had.

Junichiro Taniguchi and Hiroki Yamamura

Three Years Supported by the Huge Response to Madoka☆Magica

Could you tell us your impressions and thoughts about Puella Magi Madoka☆Magica as a work?

Taniguchi: Looking back, it feels like a strange connection. Initially, I thought I'd just help out a little, but before I knew it, it turned into a project I was involved with for three years. Now, I can't imagine my life without it. As for the movies, during the Beginnings and Eternal compilation films, I was busy with another project and couldn’t be deeply involved, which was a bit disappointing. But for the new chapter (Rebellion), I was able to really give it my all, and I’m just glad it’s completed successfully.

Yamamura: In my case, when the TV series aired, I was just an ordinary viewer watching it. I cried, thinking, "What a great show...!" (laughs). So, my first involvement came with the compilation films, where I served as chief animation director. The transformation scene corrections I worked on for the compilation films were the most noticeable new content, and the positive reactions from fans left a strong impression. It motivated me to keep working hard to create something great for Rebellion.

Did the production of Rebellion feel like a continuation of the compilation films?

Taniguchi: It did feel like a continuation of that flow. I was first tasked with revising and reassembling character sheets drawn by Takahiro Kishida during the TV series into versions for Rebellion. While doing that, we waited for the storyboards to be finalized. Before starting actual production, the team—direction, animation, finishing, and filming departments—held about five or six meetings to discuss how to approach the storyboards.

Yamamura: Each meeting lasted about six hours, and since Rebellion had up to an E part, we discussed every storyboard together. We had a significant number of meetings. Essentially, [Gekidan] Inu Curry would propose their ideas, and director Yukihiro Miyamoto would convey them to everyone to deepen mutual understanding.

Taniguchi: Whether for the TV series or the movies, the “Inu Curry space” is unpredictable until the visuals are complete. Through meetings, we tried to imagine the final visuals as much as possible. Among us animators, the recurring sentiment during discussions was, “Let’s leave this to someone skilled” (laughs). That’s how the name of Takeshi Hashimoto, who served as effects animation director, came up. Personally, I knew Hashimoto-san, so I casually mentioned at a gathering, “You might hear from SHAFT,” and invited him. Ultimately, it was formalized through the studio, but I guess I played a part in bringing him on board.

Yamamura: Wait, it was you who invited him?! I’d always wondered who brought him in—it turns out it was you (laughs). Speaking of which, during the TV series, I heard Kishida-san joined as a key animator because director Yuki Yase invited him as a friend.

Taniguchi: That doesn’t happen much in TV anime, but for long-term projects like movies, animators often bring in people they know.

Delivering Quality Art Despite a Short Production Period

How did the production workflow progress?

Taniguchi: We worked sequentially from Part A. This was based on a suggestion from animation producer Yasuhiro Okada, who wanted to avoid disorganized work and keep to a proper schedule. Starting with the harder material upfront, like revealing Homura’s new sides, was seen as a better approach than leaving it for later. However, we divided work into two sections: A-C and D-E. There was a long period where A-C was done, but D-E hadn’t started at all, which made us quite anxious (laughs).

Were there any parts of the storyboards that seemed particularly challenging?

Taniguchi: Honestly... all of it (laughs).

Yamamura: Rather than a specific difficulty, I was relieved I didn’t have to handle Homura and Mami’s gunfight scene (laughs). Even from the rough cut, it was incredibly long and action-packed. By that time, we were running out of production time, so I was worried, thinking, “I hope we finish this...”

Taniguchi: That scene took a lot of time. The animation director for that part practically lived at the studio, sleeping on the floor. When I’d come in every morning, I’d only see their legs sticking out (laughs).

How was the workload overall?

Taniguchi: I started with the intention of working steadily, but even with that mindset, I realized that sometimes hard work alone isn’t enough (laughs). I tried not to let correction work pile up and tackled everything I was asked to check that day, but even so, it felt endless. It was like, “What more can we do?” (laughs).

Yamamura: I was animation director for Part A. The team consisted of very skilled people, and Shuuya Gekisha, who handled the opening scene, did such an excellent job that I barely had to make any corrections. I was really supported by the animation team.

Taniguchi: For this production, the chief animation directors were completely divided by parts.

Yamamura: Occasionally, we had irregular requests to help out on other parts, but the basic structure was strict separation. I handled all of Part D and the start of Part E as chief animation director. The rest was managed by Taniguchi-san. I also worked as animation director for all of Part A and parts of B and C.

This Time, It’s an Entirely New Production—Differences from the Compilation Films

Since this is a completely new production, were there any differences in the work compared to the compilation films?

Taniguchi: The size of the animation paper was different. Normally, TV series use A4-sized paper, but this time, it was about twice as large.

Yamamura: It was B4. Even flipping through the sheets was a hassle. I imagine it must have been tough for the in-between animators as well. The reason for using larger paper was simple: it allows for a larger projection on the big screen and better quality for Blu-ray releases. Drawing on a larger scale helps make the lines look finer and prevents the in-between lines from getting crushed.

Taniguchi: Many theatrical productions still use TV-size paper, but this time, we decided to go with large sheets. However, it was challenging to keep an eye on the whole sheet while drawing. Especially for close-ups of faces, it was hard to gauge if the framing was right without stepping back and checking.

Yamamura: With the larger paper, the lines could be finer, but the level of detail needed was hard to judge. For example, if there’s a close-up of an eye, overdoing the shading on the eyelid could make it look unnatural.

Taniguchi: Another difference in this production was the focus on ensuring high-quality in-between animation since it was a theatrical work. Also, we had to maintain our energy throughout the process. The production time for Rebellion was extremely short for a feature-length work—around six months. So we made a conscious effort to avoid losing momentum.

Yamamura: I aimed to stay true to the styles of Kishida-san, Ume Aoki-sensei, and Taniguchi-san while still striving to create beautiful art. Since the parts I handled had many bright and lively scenes, I wanted the characters to feel vibrant and bring joy to viewers. For instance, I hoped viewers would grow to like Hitomi more. So, I added extra details like stray strands of hair and highlights to make her look prettier and more endearing.

The Challenges of Depicting Inu Curry’s Space and Devil Homura

Are there any memorable scenes or cuts from production? For example, the tea party scene during the Nightmare purification was a big talking point.

Taniguchi: That “Magical Banana” scene (laughs) took a lot of time. Honestly, I thought it would be cut for runtime reasons. I didn’t expect it to turn out the way it did. When Inu Curry first explained it, I couldn’t picture it at all (laughs).

Yamamura: Even during the voice recording, the rhythm wasn’t polished like the final version. The actors sang along to a plain metronome click (laughs). That made me even more curious about how the scene would turn out. Since the characters were seated and spinning around, it was also a challenge from a drawing perspective. We spent a considerable amount of time in meetings for that scene. That’s probably why it ended up being so well-executed and entertaining. I also remember it becoming a hot topic on Twitter, with people asking, “What were they saying in that part?”

Taniguchi: When the visuals were completed, I realized, “Scenes like this surreal one are essential.” Another notable scene related to Inu Curry was the part where Witch Homura goes on a rampage. When I first saw the storyboards, I couldn’t make sense of what was happening at all.

Yamamura: I felt the same, but part of me thought, “Inu Curry will make it work somehow.” Since that scene was almost entirely within Inu Curry’s domain, we had no choice but to entrust it to them.

How do you collaborate with Inu Curry on scenes like these?

Yamamura: In terms of the process, the key animators first create rough drafts based on Inu Curry’s storyboards and designs, illustrating how they envision the movement. Inu Curry then cuts, pastes, and animates the materials accordingly. Among all the work for Rebellion, we were most worried about whether Inu Curry’s work would be finished in time. While we had discussions, their workload was immense, and they were responsible for things only they could do. We couldn’t even tell if something was wrong, so all we could do was trust them completely (laughs).

What about the scenes after Homura transforms into a witch? How were those handled?

Yamamura: From that point onward, I was the chief animation director. But honestly, I’m not very good at drawing Homura. I find it difficult to capture her subtle nuances. While her emotions are clear in a way, staying true to the character design and expressing those nuances was very challenging. This part, too, involved scenes handled by Inu Curry. Since they use their unique art style for storyboards and such, our task was to incorporate that imagery while keeping the character within their established design. Striking a balance between preserving Inu Curry’s distinct nuances and staying true to the character was tough.

Taniguchi: In the scene where Madoka comes to retrieve Homura, there’s a moment where Homura smirks. In the initial storyboard from Inu Curry, her mouth was drawn far wider, almost grotesque. It was a bit too much—it would have broken the character. So, we aimed to incorporate Inu Curry’s unique atmosphere without letting the character lose her essence. When designing Devil Homura, we referred to their storyboard, but figuring out how far we could push the design was tricky. Still, for me, it was fun to draw a different version of Homura. The previous iterations of Homura were expressionless and rigid, making her difficult to portray. With this new side of her, it became easier to illustrate her emotions. Personally, I prefer drawing characters with a melancholic air rather than bubbly ones, so I enjoyed working on her.

Yamamura: Actually, I didn’t draw much of Devil Homura (laughs). Like I said, I’m not great at drawing her. Even when I worked on a piece for Manga Time Kirara Magica, I struggled with her expressions. It’s a lingering regret of mine. While drawing, I couldn’t get the expressions right, and I had to ask Taniguchi-san for corrections. It finally came together with his help.

The New Character: Nagisa Momoe (Bebe)

Yamamura: I like characters like Bebe, so I had fun drawing her. Nagisa, on the other hand, was harder to grasp. Since the other characters already appeared in the TV series, I had a sense of how they should look. But with Nagisa, I still don’t fully understand her emotions or personality.

Taniguchi: I felt the same way about Nagisa. Perhaps it’s because Ume Aoki’s original concept had her looking slightly troubled, so I only drew her with that expression. Since I wasn’t familiar with her as a character, there was a sense of dissonance. My approach was to stay as faithful as possible to Aoki-san’s designs. However, I couldn’t tell if she looked consistent alongside Mami until the colors and full visuals came together. It was nerve-wracking until I saw the final result.

Taniguchi-san, you also drew Devil Homura and Nagisa for the cover illustration of this book. What was your approach to their portrayal?

Taniguchi: I wanted to try drawing an illustration of the whole group together plus Devil Homura, since that kind of composition hadn’t really been done before. I also aimed to reflect the atmosphere of the movie by avoiding simple, smiling expressions. Instead, I focused on faces imbued with a sense of melancholy.

A Unique Studio Environment with Highly Skilled Staff

We heard that for Rebellion, the Madoka Magica team worked together in a single studio.

Taniguchi: That’s true. However, we weren’t always working together in the same space all day. My routine was to arrive at the studio around 4:30 in the morning and work until noon.

Yamamura: Occasionally, I’d bump into Taniguchi-san and say something like, “Good morning. Are you just starting? I’m heading home,” and we’d have these brief exchanges (laughs). So, we didn’t really have many stories of working together as a unified animation team. For instance, when there were questions about how to handle Bebe’s eyes, those were typically relayed through the production team. Personally, I often wanted to work until I reached a good stopping point, which sometimes meant working straight through the night until morning.

Taniguchi: I remember hearing the sound of Abe Genichiro typing away on his keyboard, or even catching him napping in the studio (laughs). Sometimes you’d suddenly hear laughter echoing in the early morning hours—it was quite amusing.

Yamamura: Abe-san always had that kind of vibe, so to me, it just felt normal (laughs).

Were there any memorable interactions with the other staff members?

Taniguchi: Honestly… I didn’t meet many people (laughs). In fact, I never even saw Koichi Kikuta, one of the main animators, at the studio. I knew where he worked, but we just never crossed paths.

Yamamura: Same here (laughs). I had an idea of which desk he used, but I didn’t feel comfortable just walking up to him while he was working, and I didn’t even know what he looked like. I’m also not the type to pay much attention to people’s faces in general, though...

Taniguchi: Speaking of Kikuta-san, he handled some key scenes, like the one where Homura and Madoka are sitting in chairs in the flower field. The part where Madoka falls off the chair and melts into a liquid-like form was his work. That scene intentionally mirrors the opening sequence of the previous movies, which was very well-received. Because of that, I was a bit nervous about how fans would feel about such a starkly different, more unsettling depiction this time. Kikuta-san also worked on the transformation scenes and did an incredible job. As for another main animator, Yuuya Shimoji, he often collaborated with Inu Curry on various scenes. For example, he worked on the opening battle with the Nightmare up until the part where Madoka wakes up. When it came to animating the Nightmare plush toys, Shimoji-san would sketch the rough drafts, and then Inu Curry would incorporate them into the final work. That must have been challenging, but Shimoji-san remained very humble throughout the process. Even though the Nightmare animations were mainly Inu Curry’s domain, Shimoji-san’s sketches were incredibly detailed and well-developed. His version of the Nightmare was fantastic, and I hope people get to see it. Since plush toys don’t allow for squash-and-stretch animations typical in anime, his intentions might not have fully come through in the final product, which is a shame. But Shimoji-san is amazing—he can draw cute characters and handle action scenes effortlessly.

How was Keishi Hashimoto, who participated as the effects animation director?

Taniguchi: Hashimoto-san worked on scenes like the one where the airship crashes.

Yamamura: Those were directly his original keyframes. He requested quick checks on his work, but there was nothing to correct, of course. The areas he added effects to turned out wonderfully, elevating the final product. For instance, he also gave input for Shimoji-san’s opening scene effects, suggesting ideas like, “If we use color tracing here, it will create an even more unique effect.” He really brought depth to the visual presentation.

Taniguchi: The scene where the bus explodes was also something only Hashimoto-san could accomplish. The flames, which I initially thought were 3D, turned out to be hand-drawn. His skill and the final result were both amazing, but what stood out most was his work process. He’s like a living encyclopedia, with a vast library of techniques and knowledge that shows his veteran expertise.

What were your thoughts upon watching the finished Rebellion film?

Taniguchi: I couldn’t really watch it objectively (laughs). The two-hour runtime went by in a flash, but I couldn’t stop wondering, “Is this cut really okay?”

Yamamura: I felt the same. I kept thinking, “Maybe we could have improved this depiction a little more.” There was also anxiety about seeing it projected on a huge screen. But the scene where all the Kyubey are lined up was pretty entertaining.

Taniguchi: Personally, I was glad that we were able to standardize Kyubey’s design this time. In the TV series, the sizes and facial expressions were inconsistent.

Yamamura: Thanks to Taniguchi-san creating new designs for this film, we achieved a balanced and consistent look for Kyubey. Of course, the original designs by Kishida-san were excellent, but the clarified settings for size and facial expressions made the production much smoother this time around.

Did you attend any screenings at the theater? What was the audience's reaction?

Taniguchi: I went once and received a film strip (laughs). As for the audience’s reaction, it seemed like many people were left in a state of shock at the ending (laughs).

Yamamura: I also attended once. I wanted to go when the film strips were being handed out, but I ended up receiving a mini illustration board instead. I also bought the pamphlet, thinking, “Wow, they really put a lot of effort into this. Fans are going to love it.” As for the audience reaction, it was similar to what Taniguchi-san described. People seemed like they wanted to say something but didn’t know what, so they silently left their seats. It felt like they couldn’t process all their thoughts.

Taniguchi: Personally, I think that ambiguous ending is fitting for this work. I can’t imagine a happy ending for Madoka Magica. “What even counts as a happy ending?” (laughs).

Yamamura: “What does ‘happy’ even mean!?” is what comes to mind (laughs). At least it didn’t feel like anyone was left in misery… Well, except for the viewers (laughs). As for me, I found the ending a bit unsettling. When I first saw it, I was worried fans might suddenly burst out crying or screaming (laughs).

What would you like to see in the future for Madoka Magica?

Taniguchi: For me, it’s Madoka’s family. I’m especially curious about her younger brother, Tatsuya. I’d like to see a story exploring that. Of course, with Madoka becoming a god, a world without her might lead to an entirely different narrative.

Yamamura: In the first part of Rebellion, Saotome-sensei appeared quite a bit, and I really enjoyed drawing her. However, her role wasn’t explored as deeply as in the TV series, which I thought was a bit of a missed opportunity. I’d love to see another development involving her—whether it’s something lighthearted or even more tragic (laughs).

Taniguchi: Spin-offs like that sound intriguing. But if it’s Madoka Magica, even a spin-off should revolve around magical girls (laughs).

Yota Tsuruoka

“Rather than doing something special, I focused on capturing the essential parts of the film.”

Interaction with Gekidan Inu Curry and Yuki Kajiura

—When you read the script for *Rebellion*, what was your plan for the sound direction?

The story was simple, and it was clear that no matter how it turned out, it would be a fascinating work. Therefore, I felt that my role was to ensure that the sound direction remained faithful to the core elements of the story.

—How did your discussions progress?

The main staff worked together in discussions. Particularly important was our collaboration with Gekidan Inu Curry. While the storyboard provided the emotional nuances and story beats, the atmosphere of the final visuals depended heavily on Inu Curry's imagery. Without those discussions, we couldn’t compose the music effectively. Regarding the musical tone and ideas, we extracted a significant portion of the visuals-to-sound image directly from Inu Curry. We structured the overall musical placement and themes from the storyboard, gathered ideas for individual tracks from Inu Curry, and had Yuki Kajiura compose the music. This process even led to unexpected songs being included.

—Did you make specific proposals during production?

As I mentioned earlier, I aimed to ensure that the film’s critical moments were solidly handled rather than attempting anything out of the ordinary. For example, there’s a scene where all the characters transform. It’s a sequence that’s very detailed and challenging to unify while maintaining unique developments for each character. Balancing those individual transformations with a cohesive flow within the film was a key judgment I had to make. There’s also the climactic scene where everyone fights together. Though this sequence diverges from the overall tone of the film, I felt it needed a quintessentially magical girl touch, complete with a special insert song. These decisions, though challenging, were deliberate for the sake of the work. Additionally, regarding Homura, there was the question of where to integrate her theme melody from the TV series. I distinctly remember requesting Kajiura-san to include it in specific scenes. For other motifs, I trusted Kajiura-san to place them appropriately. For example, the placement of “Hikari Furu” was entirely Kajiura-san’s idea and was executed beautifully.

Main Cast Performances

—It seems you emphasized Homura’s importance to Chiwa Saito.

In Rebellion, the dynamics between Homura and Sayaka are quite complex. But as long as Homura drives the story forward effectively, I believed the audience would stay engaged.

—Did you provide any adjustments for Saito or Kitamura’s performances?

Kitamura may have taken some trial and error to fully grasp the character this time. My approach was to let everyone move beyond the image of their TV series portrayals. However, with Sayaka, we deliberately needed some adjustments. Since her character shifts throughout the TV series, we had to decide which version of Sayaka to anchor in as a starting point. As for Saito’s Homura, a key point for me was the moment she takes off her glasses near the end of the first half. I considered that to be the story's emotional peak. For me, Homura’s defining moment in the TV series was the end of Episode 1, and I wanted that same essence of “Homura-ness” to shine here. If that scene with the glasses hit the mark, I felt it could serve as one of the film's dramatic climaxes. And indeed, it was executed flawlessly.

—How were the other cast members during recording?

The regular cast performed seamlessly, staying true to their characters without any surprises or radical departures. For Mami and Kyoko, the actors fully understood their charm points and brought them out wonderfully. Madoka, in particular, was outstanding this time. Her innocent and cheerful personality came through naturally in the performance. Compared to the TV series, where the focus on her struggles made her feel pitiful, the film allowed Madoka’s inherent charm to shine. I think this portrayal finally conveyed why Homura would fall for Madoka (laughs).

On Nagisa Momoe and Kana Asumi

—How was Kana Asumi chosen for the role of Nagisa Momoe?

We shortlisted several candidates, recorded test performances, and then shared them with the main staff. The decision emerged naturally from those discussions.

—What kind of voice were you looking for Nagisa?

I was more concerned about her alter ego, Bebe. In the TV series, the witch character was voiced by Aoi Yuuki, but we didn’t expect to fully materialize that concept into a proper character back then (laughs). This time, we sought balance, avoiding extremes, to determine the right fit.

—What was the deciding factor in choosing Kana Asumi?

It was that her voice naturally aligned with everyone’s shared vision. As someone who could embody both Nagisa and Bebe, she felt like a choice that everyone could agree upon. Considering the process that led to this decision, it felt like a casting that was not only fitting but inevitable.

—How was Kana Asumi’s performance?

Regarding Bebe, I approached the role without any fixed preconceptions or detailed imagery. So in a way, I came to understand the character through Asumi’s performance, thinking, “Ah, so this is what the character is like” (laughs). It felt very natural. She did an excellent job—Bebe is just so adorable.

Homura’s Performance in the Final Scene

—The re-recording of Homura’s final scene garnered attention. Could you tell us about that?

After the initial recording, everyone involved was profoundly impacted. Comments like, “Saito-san is incredible,” echoed throughout. It was clear that her performance was the definitive interpretation for that scene and the film as a whole. However, this led to a concern: despite being a part of Rebellion, the scene felt so conclusive it almost gave the impression of being the "final chapter." Because of this, we decided to re-record the take, using the initial one as a base but exploring a different nuance. That scene was undoubtedly a grand slam—a moment where Saito-san fully embodied Homura. She delivered a performance that I believe set a new benchmark for the character.

—Why do you think Saito achieved such a standout performance?

I’d say it was her natural instinct. It wasn’t calculated; Saito-san is Homura. She wasn’t “trying to act as Homura”—she was Homura. That said, this wasn’t a performance she could’ve pulled off without years of building up the character. At a certain point, it’s as if the role just descends upon the actor. We didn’t direct her to perform that way, nor did she plan to; it just came through. When re-dubbing the original take for the Blu-ray, I rewatched the scene in its entirety, and her first take struck me as incredibly natural. Similar to what I mentioned about Yuuki-san earlier, there was an absence of artificiality. As a resolution to Homura’s journey, it felt undeniably fitting. It might not seem so shocking when viewed in the flow of the story, but if you were to watch just that scene on its own, it might hit you harder (laughs).

Reflecting on the Production of Rebellion

—Were there any other notable sound-related aspects?

One small change is in the timing of the audio during the gunfight between Homura and Mami. There’s a brief pause, and then the action resumes—that timing was subtly adjusted for the Blu-ray. It’s such a minor change that you might not notice unless you compare it directly (laughs). Additionally, the cuts handled by Gekidan Inu Curry have evolved significantly. The audio for those sections was also updated to match. Those improvements are especially noticeable, and I think they look even cooler now. I’d love for viewers to pay attention to those details when watching the Blu-ray.

—Were there any particularly memorable experiences?

The German dialogue for the children in the False Mitakihara. We brought in students from a German school for the recording. I think it turned out well, but the process was challenging—some of the kids were as young as ten, while the oldest were in high school (laughs).

—The tea party song left an impression as well.

We practiced it a lot. The song had to sync with the animation, but as we followed the rhythm and lyrics, maintaining alignment became difficult. We had to carefully balance everything. Kitamura was instrumental in managing this challenge, though in the end, we had to adjust the visuals to match the performance.

Final Thoughts on Rebellion

—What were your key takeaways from the project?

I’m very satisfied with how the film turned out. What resonated most was proving that even after the TV series concluded so beautifully, it was possible to extend the story in such an impactful way. This wasn’t just an epilogue—it was the beginning of a whole new narrative. And yet, it didn’t feel tacked on or diminish the foundation of what came before. We managed to build something fresh while respecting the legacy. From a sound perspective, I feel we succeeded in preserving the integrity of the story from the script to the final product. In other words, I’m relieved that we didn’t ruin what was entrusted to us. I think all the staff feel a sense of relief and accomplishment in that regard.

Yuki Kajiura

—When you started composing for Rebellion, who did you first discuss it with, and what was talked about?

As with all Madoka Magica music meetings, I sat down with Chief Director Akiyuki Shinbo, Sound Director Yota Tsuruoka, Gekidan Inu Curry, and the other staff. We spent time discussing the image of each track individually.

—Approximately how many tracks were requested, and what kind of orders were given? Did you have any notable exchanges with Tsuruoka-san?

Around 60 tracks were requested, and the orders varied greatly depending on the scenes. For BGM with lyrics, the lyrics were already included in the script or storyboard, so I composed based on those. Tsuruoka-san provided a detailed “music menu” from the start, with clear scene specifications, so the meetings went smoothly.

—As a theatrical release, did this film involve any new approaches or changes compared to the TV series?

The TV series, being structured in 30-minute episodes, naturally requires pacing adjustments, so even serious music often has a touch of “catchiness” to make it more accessible. In contrast, for the theatrical version, with its roughly two-hour runtime and closed setting, I could focus on clear peaks and let the emotional beats land strongly. Structurally, it’s easier to work with. Instrument-wise, I wanted to evoke a sense of nostalgia and melancholy in the initial world. For that, I incorporated the accordion, which wasn’t used in the TV series.

On Specific Scenes and Music

—Tell us about the music for the Nightmares’ appearance and the insert song.

For the Nightmares’ appearance, the storyboards included ballet scenes, and I received a request for “a waltz.” I composed it as dance music accordingly. For the insert song, both the lyrics and duration were specified. I wanted to make full use of the lyrics, so the challenge was fitting them within the given time.

—How did you approach the magical girls’ transformation scenes?

For the transformation scenes, I added music to the completed storyboard videos. Syncing each character’s key moments with the music changes probably made this the most time-consuming track in the film. While I aimed for a rhythmic base overall, Mami’s part featured elegant dance visuals, so I intentionally gave her section a more ballet-like, overture-style tone.

—What about the purification ritual tea party scene?

The request for the tea party scene was “make it a rap.” At first, I created a hard-hitting rap, but it felt too heavy. I reworked it to incorporate whimsical motifs and a more Madoka Magica-esque sense of mystery.

—What about the battle scene between Mami and Homura?

The battle between Mami and Homura was the most “action-heavy” part of the film, so I aimed to compose a track that would excite the audience to the fullest.

—How did you approach the scene where Homura becomes a witch?

When I received the request for the witch transformation scene, I immediately marked it as a critical moment, as the music direction could go in many ways. During a meeting, I asked Shinbo-san about the tone, and he requested “beautiful music.” I composed it with that direction in mind.

—What about the opening scene after Homura’s rewriting of the world?

From the beginning, the request for the epilogue was to use an arrangement of the insert song starting with “Not yet.” So, I worked on rearranging that piece for the scene.

—How about the scene where Homura shows Madoka around as a transfer student?

The world is beautiful, but subtly unnatural. To reflect this, I infused the peaceful music with slight dissonance—a faint sense of unease—to highlight the artificiality of the setting.

On the Themes and Ending Songs

—Tell us about composing the insert song “misterioso” and the ending theme “Kimi no Gin no Niwa.”

For “misterioso,” the goal was pure brilliance and grandeur. Although the CD version doesn’t include it, the theatrical version of “misterioso” incorporates Sayaka’s theme melody during a scene. For the ending theme, there weren’t specific requests, but I wanted to avoid composing a song that directly commented on or judged Homura’s conclusion. Deciding the tone and direction took considerable time. I aimed for a neutral piece that neither affirmed nor denied her decision. Typically, I write opening or ending songs from the characters’ perspectives, but this time I took a more detached, objective stance, akin to viewing the story alongside the audience.

—Were there any particular challenges or memorable moments while working on Rebellion?

The first half’s music came together relatively easily, but I struggled more with the second half. I drafted the overall musical tension flow beforehand, but many tracks needed revisions to avoid being overly emotional or dramatic in relation to the subsequent scenes. Especially in the latter half, I was careful not to overly steer the audience’s emotions through the music. Given the film’s nature, it’s not a story where everyone experiences the same emotional journey, so I composed with the intention of leaving space for individual interpretations.

—What were your thoughts after watching the completed film on screen?

Even though I composed the music to match the visuals, during production, I was working with storyboard images. Seeing the finished film for the first time, I was awed by the visuals and the sheer impact of the direction. I feel truly honored and grateful to have contributed to this series and its continuation with Rebellion. My only hope is that the music complements the film and resonates with the audience.

Gekidan Inu Curry

—For the new film, what requests did you receive from Chief Director Akiyuki Shinbo or Director Yukihiro Miyamoto?

From Chief Director Shinbo, we were asked to make the café scene and the crossroads particularly impactful. For the transformation scenes, the request was to make the visuals feel “different from what’s been done before.” The transformation scenes were designed to feel the most unsettling part of the first half.

—Having contributed to many scenes in the new film, was there anything you kept in mind or paid special attention to throughout?

Opportunities to work on a theatrical production are rare in one’s lifetime, so I approached it with a mindset of “just throw everything I’ve got into it.”

—Were there any scenes you worked on that left a particularly strong impression on you?

One was when Homura’s Soul Gem transforms, paired with Nagisa’s line, “A color even more repulsive than a curse.” Since we had worked on the Soul Gem’s corruption effects for the TV series, we ended up handling the “repulsive version” (OZOMASHII version) of the corruption as well. It felt like a high-stakes creative challenge. The final result is what you see in the film.

—How did you feel about the finished visuals?

I’m simply grateful that the film made it to screening, thanks to everyone’s efforts.

—What other contributions did Gekidan Inu Curry make to the new film?

We subtly handled various details, like designing Mami’s bullet patterns and writing the lyrics for the opening “Not Yet” song.

—Were there any memorable moments or exchanges during your work?

There wasn’t enough space to store the cut folders for the scenes we were working on. Like with the recap films, we were again at the “immovable back of the line.” The very last task we managed to slip into editing was adding the text on the signpost at the crossroads in the rewritten world.

—Looking at the final product as a whole, what are your impressions or feelings?

It was a film where Homura just kept stealing the show, so I’m satisfied. It was a perfect Homu conclusion.

—How do you feel about being involved in Madoka Magica again? How do you feel about the fans’ reactions?

It feels like I’ve warped through several years. I can’t remember much of what happened this past year. But when I went to the theater and saw it was sold out, I was thrilled.

Gekidan Inu Curry Artwork Gallery

Upper right: Earcuff

HOMULILLY - Bears the name from her witch form.

Upper left: Dark Orb - Alternate Form

• Worn only on the left ear.

Functions to whisper information seen and heard by the witch's minions directly into Homura's ear.

Bottom left: Primarily leaning toward being witch-like, the Dark Orb sometimes acts on its own, spinning around randomly. It follows orders, but for Homura, it's no laughing matter.

Bottom right:

Lizard-shaped.

The eyes are (purple) gemstones.

A pink gemstone hangs from its tail, containing Madoka's power.

Unlike her magical girl form, when using magic, patterns emerge on her body, her eyes glow, and the visual effects give the impression that the magic is not channeled through the gemstones.

Gallery

• 

  Aoki Ume's original character design of Nagisa Momoe

• 

  Aoki Ume's original character design of Akuma Homura

See Also

• Puella Magi Madoka Magica Official Guidebook "You Are Not Alone"
• Puella Magi Madoka Magica Movie The Beginning Story/The Eternal Story Official Guidebook "With You"
• Other official books, guides and games
• Translated magazines