The things the fandom cooks up have always been entertaining. Like Meduka Meguca, and the perverted Homura jokes. Of course the fandom's shown me it's dark side too. Wishing rape on someone just cause they said the show's unoriginal? Sheesh.
Honestly the only thing original about Madoka Magica is (as far as the genre is concerned) is how much it glosses over the negatives and horrific stuff. Most people who praise it like it's something original haven't seen more than a few episodes of Sailor Moon.
Whilst I don't agree with this review insofar as the show's concerned (the fandom, I wouldn't say they're all like that, but fans being fans I've no doubt there's a very vocal segment who are), beyond the fact that it's worth a watch at any rate, it's your opinion and naturally I respect it. The only thing I'd quibble with is the stuff relating to Urobuchi Gen. Whilst it's true that he admits freely that the series is as dark as it is because he finds it nigh impossible to write happy stories (see the Quotes page), unless I've missed something I don't believe there was any Creator Breakdown as such. Creator Breakdown is Anno going off his anti-depressants halfway through Evangelion and finishing up with two episodes of existential wank (whether it's good wank or not is another matter). In the case of Madoka, whilst Urobuchi no doubt has/had his issues, it seems pretty obvious the series was meant to be exactly as dark as it was right from the beginning. At the very least, it's not so egregious an example of Creator Breakdown as various other works I could name. Oh, and whilst I haven't read that many interviews with him, I'd be hesitant before claiming he's got a particularly nihilistic view on life; speaking from personal experience, I'd say it's perfectly possible to be a functional, happy, even optimistic person and then go and write something with loads and loads of played straight Grim Dark in it.
Still, everything I just said is, to me, just interesting trivia. Ardent Death Of The Author advocate that I am, I wouldn't say that it has anything to do with the work's quality.
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IT'S GOOD.
... and that's pretty much it.
It's a good series. It's entertaining, had good characters and an interesting premise. It will not make you cry blood for its epicness but it also wouldn't make you barf in hate. Its simply a good anime that happen's to be in the Magical Girl Genre.
Nothing more, nothing less.
The only problem I would have would be by the Fans of Tvtropes, who constantly use the term "Deconstruction" as if it was some meaningful, otherwordly label, but that is a normal problem with the community after all. In reality, is mostly a semi-deconstruction with a semi-reconstruction. Beside being darker and edgier (which doesn't make it a deconstruction per se) it take several tropes of the Magical Girl (price of power, the use on violence in prepubescent girls, Aliens being aliens) and what could happen if something was off. The other parts (the use of grief, the Entropy reason, the form of the witches and their origin) are in no way Deconstructions of the Genre (since this aren't an universal work within the genre) but born from the Creator Breakdown and his Nihilistic view in life. That' just sad, not meaningful or awe inspiring. I call it the "Evangelion syndrome" but that's another enchilada.
Which is funny, for why I would say its the best of the work are the Fans. Seriously, just like Evangelion, it's a meh work that its made awesome for the sheer effort of its Fandom... well, to be honest, not so much like Evangelion, which are kind of confusing and a little scary in their views, not to mention more than a little preachy to other Fandoms. ... ...
Mylittle Pony Friendship Is Magic Fandom. That's the one (snapping fingers). Honestly, I found more entertaining by reading the speculations, fanfic works, fan art and the insane jokes from the Wikis and Internet lore than for the work per se and that's just fantastic.
I would not say its a revolutionary work, because that's only asking to be brought down a peg by serious researches and be snarked by Nerd communities around the world (Evangelion again) for pretentiousness but its a well though, hard work, amusing/scary anime that you should see to broad your view in the Magical Girl Genre.
Watch it, it would be 6 hours you won't regret.