Friday, October 5th.
At 7:30 PM, Shiga Taka finally finished his workday.
After leaving the office, he immediately headed to a nearby cinema to watch the theatrical film of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Rebellion Story.
He had bought his ticket in advance; otherwise, he might not have been able to get one at all, let alone secure the best viewing seats.
The cinema lobby was bustling with activity, and many people were just leaving after their screenings.
Several groups of friends passed by Shiga Taka as they exited the theater, chatting as they went:
"It was absolutely amazing! I just came to see the Madoka Magica movie because I liked the TV series, but I never expected it to be this good."
"The quality was incredible."
"Yeah, I'd say it's the best theatrical anime film I've ever seen."
"That Lin Zhiyan guy, as detestable as he is, you have to admit his animation skills are top-notch."
"I'm already thinking of seeing it again. There were some details I didn't quite understand; I need to watch it one more time to figure them out."
"Let's come back tomorrow. It's too crowded tonight, and I couldn't get tickets."
"Agreed. We'll come back for a second viewing tomorrow."
As they chatted, the group gradually moved further away.
The lobby was crowded and noisy, so Shiga Taka couldn't catch the full conversation. Still, even the fragments he overheard surprised him.
Rebellion Story—was this theatrical film really that good?
As good as the original TV series?
He had been eagerly anticipating this theatrical film for a long time, but Shiga Taka had never been particularly confident in its quality.
After all, it was a theatrical film of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, created by Lin Zhiyan himself. It was said to be a continuation of the TV series' ending, not a completely new story, and it didn't introduce any new characters besides Nagisa Momoe. In such a situation, it was unlikely to be of poor quality.
However, in Shiga Taka's opinion, the TV series had been too perfect, too flawless. Using the TV series as a benchmark, the theatrical film would need to be more than just "not bad"—it had to be truly "excellent."
Those people hadn't just said "excellent"; they had called it "the most outstanding theatrical film of any late-night anime." Such high praise could only mean the theatrical film's quality was on par with the TV series itself.
Was that even possible?
Could it be that those people earlier just didn't have enough discernment, or hadn't seen many theatrical anime films, to think that Rebellion Story was the best theatrical film of a late-night anime?
With this thought, Shiga Taka pulled out his phone, intending to search online for reviews of Rebellion Story.
However, before he could even reach the review site, he realized he might encounter spoilers and immediately closed the browser. Forcing himself to suppress his curiosity, he put his phone away.
Fortunately, the ticket check for his screening began soon after.
He retrieved his ticket and joined the crowd through the gate, walking down the corridor to the designated theater.
After finding his seat, he glanced around and saw that it was quite full, with more people trickling in, creating the impression of a sold-out show.
Indeed, about a minute before the film officially started, the entire theater was nearly packed. Men and women of all ages were present—some as young as seventeen or eighteen, others in their thirties or forties, though Shiga Taka was only making a rough estimate based on their appearances.
It's truly popular, living up to its reputation as the theatrical film of the strongest TV anime in history.
Shiga Taka muttered to himself, quickly averted his gaze, and silenced his phone.
The lights dimmed, and the movie officially began on the big screen. Shiga Takaoya watched intently.
"A group of people who beg for hope, accept curses, and fight relentlessly—they are the magical girls."
"As the price for seizing miracles, their souls are burdened with the mission of combat. Their ultimate fate is salvation through annihilation—disappearing from this world to escape the endless cycle of despair."
"The day of reckoning will come. While we await guidance from the Law of Cycles, we continue to fight. In this hopeless world, where sorrow and hatred repeat endlessly, I dream of meeting that smile I once cherished."
First came Homura Akemi's voice, accompanied by a purple Soul Gem spinning endlessly in the darkness, creating bubbles that displayed bizarre images. A gentle, tinkling background score played softly, mixed with Madoka's barely audible voice, her words unintelligible.
After this narrative opening, the main story began.
In the night of Mitakihara City, Madoka, Sayaka, Kyoko, and Senior Mami appeared one by one, battling Nightmares—the very scenes shown in the animation's first promotional PV.
When the promotional video was first released, it left viewers with many questions. Now, watching the actual episode, Shiga Taka still couldn't understand why the Main Character, who had already become a God, was acting as a magical girl and hanging out with Sayaka, Kyoko, and Senior Mami. He was even more confused by the presence of the Dessert Witch.
Despite his confusion, Shiga Taka continued watching.
After dealing with the Nightmare, the scene shifted to morning. Madoka, the Main Character, woke up in bed, clutching an orange plush toy.
She blinked, stared blankly for a few seconds, then sat up and pressed her forehead against the plush toy. "Ah," she sighed, "is it morning already?"
On the nightstand, piled high with stuffed animals, Kyubey was curled up, eyes closed, tiny hands pressed to his mouth, sleeping soundly.
"Good morning, Kyubey," Madoka said, stroking his head.
Kyubey stirred, sat up, glanced around, then lay back down and went back to sleep.
Madoka left her room and stepped outside. She greeted her father, who was pruning cherry tomatoes in the yard, then woke her mother. She brushed her teeth, washed her face, got dressed, ate breakfast, and left the house.
The entire opening felt like a slice of everyday life, yet it carried a sense of déjà vu, as if it were similar to the first episode of the TV series. However, upon closer examination, there were many differences, such as the presence of Kyubey.
Moreover, the Main Character was wearing the ring of a magical girl, clearly indicating she had already become one. This proved that the earlier scene involving the Nightmare wasn't a dream or a fragment of a previous timeline.
Additionally, from the conversation with her mother while brushing her teeth and washing her face, it was revealed that her best friend Hitomi and Kyosuke Kamijo were now a couple, with the mother mentioning that their schedules never seemed to align.
There would also be a transfer student.
"I wonder what they'll be like? I hope we can become friends," the Main Character said.
Shiga Taka, watching the screen, was utterly bewildered by the entire opening.
It didn't quite feel like a story set after a timeline shift, nor was it a mere rearrangement of the TV series' first episode. It didn't even resemble a fragment from one of Homura Akemi's many timelines.
Everything felt off.
However, being a film, the animation quality was truly superb, and the overall style matched the TV series. Coupled with the highly positive reviews he had heard beforehand, Shiga Taka remained highly anticipating the rest of the story.
He eagerly awaited the plot's development and the unraveling of the mysteries.
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