We all have regret and nostalgia, we all make wishes and find despair, but can we become our true selves despite this all?

Madoka Magica is a 2011 classic anime from Gen Urobuchi, who also produced such animated greats like Psycho-Pass and Fate/Zero. The seemingly shoujo magical girl anime follows Madoka Kaname and Sayaka Miki as they struggle with what to wish for given the chance to have one desire come true. Following Mami, feuding with Kyoko, and unraveling the mystery of Homura, Madoka and Sayaka are forced to confront their own feelings, as the twisted nature of their dark world comes true, fit to form for Gen Urobuchi. Today, we’ll be looking at this great series to watch in a new philosophical context, and asking if wishes are the human desire to be complete; that is to be our most true and final self. With a psychological examination of the characters, what can we draw from their wishes, regrets, downfalls and more? Should we try to be our true selves, or do we have to live with who the world makes us? Could “magic” really fix it all? While it may be a stretch for anime, I think the series, and its great characters like Sayaka, Homura, Mami, and Kyoko, can give us a good platform for analysis.

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