Inside the theater, the audience gradually rose to their feet, occasional murmurs of conversation drifting through the crowd:
"That was incredible! This theatrical film was amazing!"
"Yeah, especially when Homura Akemi transformed into a demon at the end—it really blew me away."
"The first part was just brilliant, but the final twenty minutes were stunning."
"I really want to watch it again."
"I'm already planning to come back for a second viewing in a few days."
"A few days? Why not tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow's tickets will probably be sold out or have bad seats. It's better to wait a few days."
Satisfied, five stars, can't wait to see it again.
Not a single person left during the screening, and afterward, no one expressed any dissatisfaction. The theatrical film's overwhelmingly positive reception is undeniable.
As Shiga Taka flowed out of the theater with the crowd, he couldn't resist pulling out his phone to text his girlfriend, Shiozawa Makoto: "The Puella Magi Madoka Magica theatrical film was amazing! Let me know when you're free, and we can watch it together. I'll treat you to a second viewing."
He received a reply the moment he stepped outside: "Sure! I should be free the day after tomorrow afternoon. Can you buy me a ticket in advance?"
"Okay," he replied.
He went to the ticket booth and bought two new tickets.
When he got home, he eagerly logged onto a review site to check the Puella Magi Madoka Magica theatrical anime film's ratings.
Unsurprisingly, the film had received exceptionally high scores and rave reviews across all major review sites:
"After watching this theatrical film, I can only say I'm deeply impressed. The storyboards are packed with details worth digging into, and both the action and slice-of-life animation are fluid and natural, making it a joy to watch. The music is top-tier, the voice actors' emotional performances are spot-on, and the script is exceptionally well-written. When Homura Akemi transformed into a demon at the end, it sent chills down my spine—truly magnificent!"
"I'm so moved. At first, I thought this theatrical film would at best be worth watching, even if it wasn't just a cash grab. I never expected it to reach such a high quality. I have to admit, Old Thief Lin's deceptive marketing is despicable, but he really poured his heart into the animation production."
"Old Thief Lin claimed the ending would be beautiful and that this film was made to make up for the TV series' regrets. After watching it, I don't think it's beautiful at all. But the film itself is so good that I'll forgive him for that."
"Worth watching multiple times, even three times. Once the DVD comes out, I'll buy it to rewatch slowly. The details in this film are so rich and it's just so good."
"The quality is completely on par with the TV series. For theatrical anime films like this, I just want to say: please make more!"
"The best late-night anime film in history. The quality is superb, I love it so much."
"In a way, it really does make up for the TV series' regrets. Not only can Homura Akemi be with Madoka now, but Kyubey's miserable end was so satisfying to watch. In the TV series, I was so disappointed that Kyubey never faced any punishment. I never expected the film to finally deal with him—it's perfect!"
Unlike the TV series, the theatrical anime film was a single installment. Once released, its quality was immediately clear—good was good, and bad was bad. While there was a slim chance for a reversal in critical reception, it was highly unlikely that a film with poor initial reviews would suddenly improve after a few days.
With the vast majority of viewers giving it positive reviews, the film's critical standing was essentially secured.
Shiga Taka first scanned the reviews from other users before quickly posting a lengthy positive review of Rebellion Story on his favorite review site using his account:
"The script and production are both top-tier, as many have already pointed out, so I won't dwell on that. I'll simply share my personal feelings.
When I first started watching this theatrical film, I was genuinely confused. So many parts contradicted the TV series.
But as the truth was revealed, everything clicked into place, and I was stunned by how brilliant it was.
Homura Akemi was willing to become a Witch and destroy herself to protect Madoka and thwart Kyubey's scheme. It was deeply moving. The climax, where Madoka, Mami, Sayaka, Kyoko, and Bebe team up to fight the Witch Homura had become, was absolutely spectacular."
Without the final twenty minutes or so, this would have been a good story: Homura Akemi, consumed by her longing for Madoka, is corrupted by the curse, becomes a Witch, and is then saved by the Law of Cycles. But with that final chapter, Homura transforms into a demon and forcibly extracts Madoka's human essence from the Law of Cycles—that's simply god-tier.
Unexpected, yet upon reflection, it makes perfect sense.
Looking back, Homura was likely setting her plan in motion during the TV series' finale when she told Kyubey about Witches. Otherwise, there would have been no reason to explain it to him. While others might not have understood, Homura, with her full memories, knew Kyubey's true nature and the extent of his crimes. She knew his actions weren't malicious, so there was no need to tell him.
Poor Kyubey, who thought he could use Homura to control the Law of Cycles, ended up being the one hunted. In the end, Homura was the true master hunter.
The title Rebellion Story also foreshadows that Homura would not meekly follow the Law of Cycles or become part of it.
In short, this theatrical film is truly exceptional, easily qualifying as the strongest theatrical anime film of all time.
After posting his long review, Shiga Taka returned to the forum.
In the animation section, many users were discussing the theatrical anime film Rebellion Story.
Some users bashed Lin Zhiyan, calling him "Old Thief Lin" for his deceptive marketing and for putting Homura Akemi through even more suffering than Demon Homura, suggesting he should be renamed "Demon Hayashi" or "Demon Hiko."
However, others felt the film wasn't as brutal as they'd feared, far less so than the TV series. Instead of Madoka God taking Homura away, the ending showed Homura extracting Madoka's human side, allowing Sayaka to live a normal life and Senior Mami to be reunited with Bebe.
With no one else injured and Kyubey getting his comeuppance, this ending was quite satisfying. The suffering was only temporary, and Old Thief Lin hadn't lied about the happy ending after all.
Views varied, but thankfully, the discussion didn't devolve into a heated argument.
What most fascinated users was the film's intricate details. Posts analyzing these details flooded the forum, nearly overwhelming it.
Shiga Taka skimmed through the posts before quickly joining the discussion on the film's details.
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