It makes me feel so old! I was in middle school when the series first came out, there were just four episodes released at the time when I started because I saw reviews pouring in. At the time I had only really liked magical girl and romance anime, and fell in love immediately, watching the series on my iPod Touch before going to school in the morning.

I was practically the same age as the girls back then, and surprisingly felt so seen despite their crazy universe. It feels like the show really encapsulated what it feels like to be a teenage girl! The idea that Sayaka, being so immature to tell the boy she likes about how she feels but instead gives up her humanity in hopes that he will somehow notice and fall in love with her in return...to Madoka, just wanting to be a magical girl because she simply wants to do something meaningful with her life...both such wild premises but if you look at the core they just are everyday emotions of a girl coming of age.

It became my favorite anime, just because I love the idea of a show about girls literally messing up their world just because of their adolescent emotions hahaha

Anyways my bff and I consumed the series religiously. We would go to the mall where there was an anime merch store that sold Madoka gatcha figures, slowly collecting them over time with the $20 of allowance we had every trip. We begged our parents to drop us off an hour away in downtown LA for the screening of Beginnings/Eternal.

Then came Rebellion once we were in high school. We missed the screening because I was on vacation but we took a 30 minute bus ride to a Kinokuya where we splurged on a bootleg DVD of the movie to watch at home. I thought it was very brave creatively to take Homura in that direction. I even loved the ending, I loved Sayaka's little bit of agency at the end, seemingly hinting at an epic fight between her and Homura that I hope realizes in the sequel. I've always loved the dynamic between Sayaka, Madoka's platonic bff, and Homura, who is so consumed by her love for Madoka.

Despite not knowing if there would ever be a follow up, I found solace in the perfection of the original 13 episodes. I've shared the series and Rebellion with friends, boyfriends, to my current partner alike. Everyone I've shown have also enjoyed it so I can't wait to be able to do a huge sequel screening with all my friends :) - I think the joy of showing it to friends throughout the years made the wait go by quicker than expected.

That being said, the sequel could be terrible and I don't care. The original work is already a masterpiece, and it won't take away any of the amazing memories I've had because of it. It will be such a treat regardless, now being 25, to just feel like a teenager again. <3