Puella Magi Madoka Magica, or Madoka Magica as fans often call it, is a massively popular franchise. Created by Magica Quartet, which consists of legendary creators Akiyuki Shinbo, Gen Urobuchi, and Ume Aoki the series has become a modern classic. Since the first series landed on screens in 2011, it has mesmerized anime fans and has spawned several spin-offs and sequels. But what’s the best watch order for this massive franchise?
What is Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Puella Magi Madoka Magica is a dark magical girl show that follows Madoka Kaname. Madoka is living a regular life until she encounters a small white cat creature called Kyubey. Kyubey tells the girls they can have any wish their heart desires if they agree to become magical girls and fight evil creatures called witches.
This throws Madoka and her friends into a world they didn’t know existed. A world where magical girls are locked in a never-ending war with powerful witches. And, the more Madoka learns, the more she finds that nothing is as simple as it first looked. And nothing is as it seems.
How to watch Puella Magi Madoka Magica in release order
One of the easiest ways to watch Puella Magi Madoka Magica is to watch it in the order it was released. If you want to do this, you’ll watch the show in the following order:
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica – Episodes 1 – 12
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Beginnings
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Eternal
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion
- Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story Season 1
- Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story Season 2
- Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story: Dawn of a Shallow Dream
Handling the Madoka Movies
It should be noted that while Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie is a trilogy, the first two movies, Beginnings and Eternal, are re-tellings of the story found in the original series but with new animation and voice acting.
This means you can skip these movies if you want. Or watch them rather than the original series depending on your personal tastes. But no matter your choice, you must watch Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion, the third movie in the series, as its all-new content. Plus, it acts as a sequel to the story seen in the original series and the first two movies.
How to watch Puella Magi Madoka Magica in chronological order
Thankfully, watching Puella Magi Madoka Magica in chronological order is also easy, as the chronology isn’t that hard to work out. To watch Puella Magi Madoka Magica in this order, you should watch it in the following order:
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica or Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Beginnings and Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Eternal
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion
- Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story Season 1
- Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story Season 2
- Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story: Dawn of a Shallow Dream
While Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story does feel like it should happen between the movies during the early episodes, it does reference events that occur during Rebellion during later ones. Officially it is considered an alternative continuity and thus it is best to watch it once you’ve finished the original Madoka and its movies.