Just Another Reader

I did quickly reread the first book, but am not writing a new review. You can see my old one here. 

It's funny rereading that review. For one thing, I used to never write reviews unless I had some specific thoughts that I wanted to record. But last year I decided to write at least something for everything I read. I'm still not really comfortable with writing reviews. But I like being able to get a few thoughts out no matter how jumbled/crazy they may come off.

At the time I read the first volume, I didn't know anything about the series and it shows. After reading it, I did look it up and found that:

1) It's a manga adaptation of a completed anime series with only 12 episodes. Crunchyroll has all 12 episodes up for free here. There are a few movie adaptations but I haven't been able to see any yet.

2) The story fit into three volumes, each chapter adapting an episode of the anime. 

3) There are two side story manga series which I haven't been able to read. 

I actually watched the entire anime a few days after reading volume one, so I did know what would be happening. The entire story is fantastic and I highly recommend it.

Back to this volume. It adapts episodes 5 through 8 of the anime. In the first volume, Madoka meets a mysterious transfer student, Homura, who cautions her against changing anything in her life unless she wants to cause harm to her friends and family. Later that day she meets Mami, a magical girl who was granted a wish in exchange for magical powers which allowed her to fight witches and protect people. Kyubey, is a cute creature who contracts with the magical girls and grants the wishes. In the rest of the volume, she learns more about being a magical girl and the dangers it comes with. 

The second volume picks up with Sayaka, Madoka's friend, having contracted to be a magical girl in order to give her crush the ability to play violin again. However, another experienced (and deadly) magical girl, Kyouko, has traveled to the area and wants the region for herself. Homura, who was revealed as a magical girl with an unknown purpose, manages to keep them from killing each other. 

From there, they learn what exactly it means to become a magical girl. 

I highly recommend the series and am trying not to say to much so I don't spoil it. I will say that the anime is better and many of the fight scenes in the manga are confusing. But the storyline is the same and is still fantastic.