Madoka Kaname and Sayaka Miki are regular middle school girls with regular lives, but all that changes when they encounter Kyuubey, a cat-like magical familiar, and Homura Akemi, the new transfer student. Kyuubey offers them a proposition: he will grant any one of their wishes and in exchange, they will each become a magical girl, gaining enough power to fulfill their dreams. However, Homura Akemi, a magical girl herself, urges them not to accept the offer, stating that everything is not what it seems. A story of hope, despair, and friendship, Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica deals with the difficulties of being a magical girl and the price one has to pay to make a dream come true. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica has garnered widespread critical acclaim, particularly in regards to its subversive approach toward the magical girl subgenre. In a 2012 interview, series writer Gen Urobuchi remarked that the original story was influenced by Hidamari Sketch, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, and Le Portrait de Petite Cossette. The series has received various awards and nominations since its release. In 2011, it won the Grand Prize for Animation at the 15th Japan Media Arts Awards; the Television Award at the 16th Animation Kobe Awards; and 12 Newtype awards. In 2012, it won the 43rd Seiun Award for Best Media as well as the Television Award at the 11th Tokyo Anime Awards. Released on Blu-ray and DVD in six volumes in Japan from April 27, 2011 to September 21, 2011, the anime was considered a commercial success, with each volume selling over 50,000 copies. It was also released in the same formats in North America by Aniplex from February 14, 2012 to June 12, 2012, spanning three volumes. The company later released a Blu-ray complete box set on September 27, 2016. The series has received multiple video game adaptations and cameos in other media.