The Very Soil: An Unauthorized Critical Study of Puella Magi Madoka Magica

"Don't forget.
Always, somewhere, someone is fighting for you.
As long as you remember her, you are not alone."

The 2011 anime series Puella Magi Madoka Magica rapidly became one of the smash hits of the genre, and a mere four years later is well on its way to becoming a classic. In a mere twelve episodes, this series explored themes of hope, despair, cosmic destiny, and individual fate, all against the backdrop of a magical-girl retelling of Faust.

Now this new book studies precisely what the ...