History YMMV / PuellaMagiMadokaMagica

* UnfortunateImplications: A number of critical viewers have pointed out, in regards to the explanation that Kyubey contracts teenage girls because they are overly emotional--and thus have the most energy to harvest and exploit--that the show's crux(and the Magical Girl system in general) relies on the woefully tiring HystericalWoman stereotype. The inevitability of the witch process makes this even worse, as all it does is propel the notion that girls and women [[UnstablePoweredWoman are too weak-willed and capricious to handle power, and would only snap like twigs and succumb to their innate hysteria once it ultimately proves to be too much of a responsibility for them, wreaking havoc and suffering upon themselves and others.]] This is especially harrowing once you realize that MagicalGirl is supposed to [[FeministFantasy celebrate women with power]], not condemn it. And yet, despite the fact that Kyousuke is hospitalized, bedridden, and crippled, not to mention so consumed by grief and despair that(in the PSP games, at least) he attempts suicide, Kyubey never once approaches him with the prospect of becoming a Magical ''Boy''. Because apparently [[SarcasmMode only girls are susceptible enough to break and manipulate.]] Elaborated upon [[https://the-sun-is-up.dreamwidth.org/95051.html here]], [[https://ladyloveandjustice.tumblr.com/post/158563157552/i-cant-remember-if-youve-posted-about-this here]], and [[https://against.moe/madoka-the-profitability-of-lesbianism/ here]].

* VanillaProtagonist: This is a InvokedTrope. Madoka Kaname believes there's nothing special about herself and this feeling is highlighted by the four other members of the main cast becoming {{magical girl}}s, and beating the crap out of witches and each other. [[spoiler:As the story goes on, we find out that this is justified, as magical girls in the series are doomed to become the very witches they fight, and Homura has been keeping Madoka in this role to protect her. In the end Madoka becomes an ultimate savior]].

* FunnyAneurysmMoment:
** Rewatching early episodes is kind of uncomfortable in light of [[WhamEpisode certain events]].
** Kazuko's [[CharacterFilibuster wacky ramblings]] about her failed relationships. In the first episode she warns the girls about men who judge women by the eggs they can prepare; [[spoiler:Kyubey/Incubator]] turns out to be exactly that kind of guy. In episode 4 she goes off on a tangent about biological eligibility having nothing to do with finding or pursuing love; unfortunately, [[spoiler:Sayaka]] is in no state to listen, and only gets worse. It's also possible that, in light of what happens to [[spoiler:Sayaka]], her frustration, instead of something to be taken lightly, might be a symptom of deep depression.
** In episode 2, the line "Don't worry, I won't lose my head in front of my future juniors" is said. Just guess who said that and why it was a ''very'' wrong thing to say.
** The show is essentially ''Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt'' if it took itself seriously.
** Hitomi's memorable "forbidden love" line takes a much darker turn in ''Rebellion''.
** Remember [[WordOfGod Urobuchi's]] line on Page 120 of the "You Are Not Alone" Guidebook [[note]] "I just do not feel that even if she hooked up with him ([[TheScrappy Kyosuke]]), that girl would really be happy ever after." [[/note]]? Aoi Yuuki later reveals that she plans to stay single. (Though not because of never actually wanting to marry; it's mostly due to rabid fans feeling betrayed and angry to the point of almost every voice actress ending up with another man.)

* HarsherInHindsight:
** It's unfortunate that Mami just so happened to wear her soul gem on a hair clip, [[spoiler:since she loses it along with her head]].
** Mami accusing Homura of "thinking like a bullied child" in regards to not wanting Madoka to contract. Come episode 10 and drama CD 1, which reveal that [[spoiler:while not quite "bullied," Homura didn't have any friends besides Madoka in the first timeline, owing to her falling behind in school and doing poorly in gym class]].
** Mami tying up Homura in episode 3, to keep her from interfering with the fight with Charlotte. [[spoiler: Not only does this result in Mami's death, but in the third timeline, after finding out that {{magical girl}}s become witches from Sayaka turning into Oktavia, Mami attempted to MercyKill the rest of the group to prevent the same fate from happening to them, by shooting Kyoko and tying Homura up, leaving her powerless to do anything and only being saved by Madoka killing Mami.]]
** Madoka talking to Homura, episode 4: "I get the feeling you're a veteran at this too... and I guess you've seen lots of people die horribly, haven't you?" Yes, Madoka, she has. [[spoiler: Including you.]] This entire conversation is awful. It ends with Madoka promising to never forget Homura. [[spoiler: Not only has she repeatedly "forgotten" her in multiple timelines, but everyone (except Homura) will also forget Madoka once she becomes God.]]
** In episode 2, Madoka asks Homura what she wished for when she became a magical girl. It's a perfectly innocent question that becomes ''horrible'' if you've seen the show to the end. In fact if you watch the show twice, the first few episodes just seem like an exercise in how much Homura can be ''utterly tormented'' by otherwise innocuous comments.
*** Notice Homura's reaction to the question too; she turns and ''stares hard'' at Madoka for several seconds, before turning and leaving. [[spoiler:[[TearJerker After episode 10, those couple of shots suddenly carry a lot more weight]]]].
** Look at [[http://wiki.puella-magi.net/File:Madoka_grow_up_family_photo.jpg these]] adorable pictures from Madoka's childhood after finishing the show.
** [[spoiler: In [[WholeEpisodeFlashback episode 10]], the Sayaka in a previous timeline complains about Homura's reliance on [[StuffBlowingUp bombs]] because she thinks she might get caught up in one of the explosions. Later in that timeline, guess how [[OneWingedAngel Oktavia]] is defeated?]]
** In a more {{meta}} example, episode 10 featured the image of a destroyed and flooded Japanese city. Shortly after it aired, Japan got hit with a massive earthquake and tsunami.
*** Over late October and early November 2012, history repeats itself, as the International release of the Madoka compilation movies sees the US hit by Hurricane Sandy. Ouch.
*** ''Rebellion'' comes out, and a few weeks later the Philippines gets hit by a typhoon.
** Episode 11 has Madoka's mom allowing her to leave the shelter by herself to go out into a dangerous storm. Considering the dangerous weather real life Japan had to deal with mentioned above, along with the fact that it was in the middle of a supposed ''supercell'', it makes one wonder how Junko could have possibly allowed this.
** Madoka's ImageSong, "See You Tomorrow" is [[LyricalDissonance a surprisingly depressing]] song about Madoka's StepfordSmiler tendencies, but it falls squarely into this trope after the end of the anime, when people interpret it as [[spoiler:her saying goodbye to her friends and loved ones before AscendingToAHigherPlaneOfExistence]]. Come ''Rebellion'', [[spoiler:Homura ends up coming to the conclusion that Madoka regrets the sacrifice she made]].

* UncannyValley: Kyubey's blank and never-changing expression makes looking at it's face, particularly when it is "talking" can be very unnerving unnerving.

** The Witch system is incredibly intricate and thought out, with [[AllThereInTheManual supplemental information]] detailing all kinds of information about how Grief Seeds and Familiars can generate additional Witches under certain conditions. This never comes up in the series at all, which instead focuses on the interactions of the magical girls themselves; after a couple episodes, the Witches start fading into the background, with some battles being done entirely in montage.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: Given the confirmation that Homura went through ''nearly 100 loops'', there are those who felt that more than four previous timelines should have been shown.

** You'd be very hard-pressed to find a fan who ''likes'' Kyosuke. At best, fans are neutral towards him. At worst, people loathe him for being a male in a show full of yuri subtext and being an [[DieForOurShip "obstacle"]] to Kyoko/Sayaka, not telling Sayaka that he got out of the hospital, or being a "dense idiot" who committed the "crime" of being ObliviousToLove and didn't deserve Sayaka ''or'' [[spoiler:Hitomi's]] love. Fans gained more reason to hate him when he reacts [[FreakOut poorly]] to [[spoiler:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-na_Bzmvk4 Sayaka's appearance]] in a BadEnding of the PSP game]]. And because of this, many of the fans [[UpToEleven wanted him to]] '''''[[UpToEleven painfully die]]''''' from a possible KarmicDeath.

** Justified for [[TheScrappy Kyousuke Kamjiou]], as [[WordOfGod Urobuchi said that he's not a suitable boyfriend for (either) Sayaka (or Hitomi).]]

* FanPreferredCouple:
** Madoka and Homura. Even [[WordOfGod the author]] [[ShipTease acknowledges it]] in an omake at the beginning of ''[[Manga/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheDifferentStory The Different Story]]''.
** [[BetaCouple Sayaka and Kyoko]], which might have become more popular than the above couple ever since ''Rebellion'' painted Madoka/Homura in a darker light.

** Certain questionable statements, such as the statement in an interview that the show is about punishing girls for their "hubris" and comparing them to terrorists.

* FandomRivalry: A given considering the nature and tone of the series. Its fans not only quarrel with the fans of traditional MagicalGirl shows such as ''Anime/SailorMoon'' and ''Anime/PrettyCure'', but also the fandoms of fellow dark shows such as ''Anime/PrincessTutu'' and ''Anime/IlSolePenetraLeIllusioni''[[note]]and Sailor Moon itself can get pretty brutal, especially the original manga[[/note]]. The most contentious part is that Madoka led to a NewbieBoom of people who had never seen MagicalGirl stories before, and many of said newbies carry a fairly condescending attitude towards the genre despite many elements of Madoka being OlderThanTheyThink.

* UnfortunateImplications: A number of critical viewers have pointed out, in regards to the explanation that Kyubey contracts teenage girls because they are over-emotional--and thus have the most energy to harvest and exploit--that the show's crux(and the Magical Girl system in general) relies on the woefully tiring HystericalWoman stereotype. The inevitability of the witch process makes this even worse, as all it does is propel the notion that girls and women [[UnstablePoweredWoman are too weak-willed and capricious to handle power, and would only snap like twigs and succumb to their innate hysteria once it ultimately proves to be too much of a responsibility for them, wreaking havoc and suffering upon themselves and others.]] This is especially harrowing once you realize that MagicalGirl is supposed to [[FeministFantasy celebrate women with power]], not condemn it. And yet, despite the fact that Kyousuke is hospitalized, bedridden, and crippled, not to mention so consumed by grief and despair that(in the PSP games, at least) he attempts suicide, Kyubey never once approaches him with the prospect of becoming a Magical ''Boy''. Because apparently [[SarcasmMode only girls are susceptible enough to break and manipulate.]] Elaborated upon [[https://the-sun-is-up.dreamwidth.org/95051.html here]], [[https://ladyloveandjustice.tumblr.com/post/158563157552/i-cant-remember-if-youve-posted-about-this here]], and [[https://against.moe/madoka-the-profitability-of-lesbianism/ here]].

* UnfortunateImplications: A number of critical viewers have pointed this out in regards to the explanation that Kyubey contracts teenage girls because they are over-emotional and thus have the most energy to harvest and exploit relies on the woefully tiring HystericalWoman stereotype. The inevitability of the witch process makes this even worse, as all it does is propel the notion that girls and women [[UnstablePoweredWoman are too weak-willed and capricious to handle power, and would only snap like twigs and succumb to their inherent hysteria once it ultimately proves to be too much of a responsibility for them, wreaking havoc and suffering upon themselves and others.]] This is especially harrowing once you realize that MagicalGirl is supposed to [[FeministFantasy celebrate women with power]], not condemn it. And yet, despite the fact that Kyousuke is hospitalized, bedridden, and crippled, not to mention so consumed by grief and despair that(in the PSP games, at least) he attempts suicide, Kyubey never once approaches him with the prospect of becoming a Magical ''Boy''. Because apparently [[SarcasmMode only girls are susceptible enough to break and manipulate.]] Elaborated upon [[https://the-sun-is-up.dreamwidth.org/95051.html here]], [[https://ladyloveandjustice.tumblr.com/post/158563157552/i-cant-remember-if-youve-posted-about-this here]], and [[https://against.moe/madoka-the-profitability-of-lesbianism/ here]].

%% UnfortunateImplications require citations

* UnfortunateImplications: A number of critical viewers have pointed this out in regards to Kyubey's claim that he makes contracts with teenage girls exclusively because they are over-emotional and have the most energy to harvest and exploit out of any other human demographic, as this relies upon the woefully tiring HystericalWoman stereotype. Not to mention the inevitable witch process creating the notion that girls and women are [[UnstablePoweredWoman inherently incapable of holding power of any kind, much less using it wisely, and will just end up breaking down under the pressure, wreaking havoc and suffering upon themselves and everybody.]] Even worse when one considers the fact that the MagicalGirl genre really ought to be about [[FeministFantasy celebrating women with power.]] And yet, despite the fact that Kyousuke himself is bed-ridden, crippled, and overcome with grief and despair to the point of attempting suicide, Kyubey never once approaches him with the prospect of becoming a Magical ''Boy''. Because apparently [[SarcasmMode only girls are susceptible enough to break and manipulate.]]

* TearDryer: * ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': In the penultimate episode, Homura is reduced to tears over her inability to defeat [[TheJuggernaut Walpurgisnacht]] and save Madoka. She sobs and confesses to Madoka that she failed to save her and all her attempts have only made everything worse. This happens just before Madoka ascends to godhood and becomes the literal concept of hope, granting everyone a happy ending.

* WinTheCrowd: It starts off as a thoughtful, if somewhat ominous MagicalGirl series. Then, come [[WhamEpisode episode 3]], viewers were left screaming [[spoiler:"Did Mami's head just get bitten off by that cakeworm!?"]], at which point it became clear just what sort of [[DarkerAndEdgier series]] they were dealing with. Word spread out of the mahou shoujo/general anime viewership with intense speed and it is now considered one of the best anime of recent years. Matt Kamen wrote, "With its...daring approach to a dated genre, Puella Magi Madoka Magica essentially does for magical girls what Neon Genesis Evangelion did for giant robots." (From the other wiki).

** There were also guide dog posters featuring Rei Ayanami from the ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion'' films.
** [[ValuesDissonance It's Japan]]. Convenience stores like Seven-Eleven and Lawson's regularly run cross-promotions with such series as ''Manga/CaseClosed'', ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' and, yes, [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Evangelion]]. "Family friendly" has a very different, but more entertaining, meaning there than it does in the West. In this case ''Madoka'' is a {{Seinen}} series, meaning it's aimed at adults even in Japan. And it's easy to see why - [[spoiler:how many MagicalGirl series can you think of that feature ''decapitations'']]?
** Speaking of [[spoiler:decapitations]], there was a reversable plush of Charlotte that transforms from the cute form to the [[spoiler:evil form that ate Mami]], just like the WesternAnimation/{{Popples}}!

** ''[[VideoGame/{{Touhou}} Touhou]]'', likely because of the combination of {{Moe}} designs and magical MoreDakka.

* FridgeBrilliance / "Fridge Sadness": In the end, Homura didn't change Madoka's fate at all. Simply the circumstances. In the "original timeline" we saw that Madoka was already strong enough to take out Walpurgisnacht in a mutual kill effort. At least after Mami had softened the witch up a little, anyway. And in the end, both Madoka and Walpurgisnacht, as they are, still "die" together. It's just instead of a Witch being harvested and a Magical girl falling in battle, both are retconned into a large group of magical girls who at different points were taken away by the Magical Girl Goddess and said Goddess respectively. But in either case, Homura still has to face living in a future without Madoka the girl in her life.

** Homura is rather popular and frequently shipped with Madoka despite her often callous behavior and the ruthless lengths she goes to protect the one girl she cares about, not to mention [[spoiler:how much worse she gets in ''Rebellion.'']]

* AngstWhatAngst: Violently and intentionally averted. Unlike most MagicalGirl shows, where fighting evil is shown as an exciting adventure, this series deals head on with the consequences of children being forced into horrific circumstances. [[spoiler:A significant part of the fighting that characters do is in an attempt to avoid collapsing so thoroughly into sorrow that they lose their humanity. Ultimately, their suffering is, for Kyubey and his species, the entire point]].

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: In order to make others happy and become a true hero, you must sacrifice your own needs and happiness in exchange. Kind actions done with selfish reasons are bound to backfire [[spoiler:as Sayaka learned the hard way]].
** Also ReadTheFinePrint, although it's not like [[ManipulativeBastard Kyubey]] so much as hints that there's fine print to read. [[spoiler:Fortunately, Madoka is smart enough to learn about these messages, which is why her wish worked out since she understands the consequences and is willing to make the necessary sacrifice with pure altruistic intentions]].

** [[ValuesDissonance It's Japan]]. Convenience stores like Seven-Eleven and Lawson's regularly run cross-promotions with such series as ''Manga/DetectiveConan'', ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' and, yes, [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Evangelion]]. "Family friendly" has a very different, but more entertaining, meaning there than it does in the West. In this case ''Madoka'' is a {{Seinen}} series, meaning it's aimed at adults even in Japan. And it's easy to see why - [[spoiler:how many MagicalGirl series can you think of that feature ''decapitations'']]?

** And then there's the tag line on the box of Nendoroid Miki Sayaka, which also happens to be [[spoiler:her FamousLastWords before [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie turning into a witch]]]].

* MoralTranscendenceHorizon: [[spoiler: When it seems all hope is lost in the battle of Walpurgisnight, Homura is losing due to the actions of Kyubey. Madoka comes to the rescue by becoming the [[AbstractApotheosis embodiment of hope]] in order for every Magical Girl who suffered and defeat Kyubey's system.]]