I'm going to Backlash against the Madoka Backlash

[MithrandirOlorin]

http://jaredmithrandirolorin.blogspot.c ... adoka.html

Lately there's been a backlash against Madoka, one that reminds me of the Backlash against Nolan's Batman films from a few years ago.

Madoka is not an anime I'm certain I consider one of my top favorites, it probably was when I first watched it mainly because there was so much I hadn't seen yet way back then. There are two Anime pretty easy to write off as copying Madoka that I'd now say I like more, Yuki Yuna is a Hero and Wixoss. And there is an older Magical Girl show with some of the same people behind it I would now say I like more, Lyrical Nanoha seasons 1 and 2.

It's partly Rebellion's fault, for playing into a wrong perspective of the show. People constantly saying it was Dark for the sake of being Dark, or 'Tragedy Porn"

I now somewhat more strongly agree with those who say it's not a Deconstruction. My post on the subject from late 2015 was kind of a bait and switch to begin with, ending by calling it a Reconstruction.

What's really interesting to remember is ow SFDebris.com in his reviews of the original series said he didn't even find the show that dark.

I still haven't seen Raising Project yet, from what I've heard it's more like what people keep writing off Madoka as.

I of course cited Madoka as an example in my The Night is Darkest Just Before The Dawn post. And Mentioned Madoka in my Yuki Kajiura post.

The Show hasn't been at the top of my radar as much as I've discovered more Anime to watch. But every time I look back on it I remember it fondly. The characters were pretty well developed, not as one note as Digibro tries to write them off as. And it's 12 episodes were perfectly structured to tell their story.

Much of the Backlash comes from my fellow Feminists. The show isn't seeking to send a Feminist Message in the same way Sailor Moon is. But the perception that it is rejecting the empowering Magical Girl message is tied to the wrong perception that it's a Deconstruction. I have trouble being critical of Magical Girl shows on Feminist grounds since the least of them I still feel does better then Western Superhero Comics, even female lead ones. Maybe it's just because Japan's gender issues are different so they quite unintentionally give Western Feminists what we're looking for, but I'll still take it.

[PerrySimm]

Personally, I've only seen the first run that Chuck reviewed, none of the add-ons or films. But I was left with the distinct impression that Madoka was more than just another show - it was a landmark in anime history.

[MithrandirOlorin]

Yes it was, which is part of why there is a Backlash, hardcore Otaku often resent what's popular with the Normies.

[Admiral X]

Part of the reason I like to make fun of them, personally. I especially liked the reaction they had to Panty & Stocking With Garter Belt.

I honestly compare that lot with TOS purists.

[SuccubusYuri]

I can't say I've seen anyone argue against Madoka as a feminist....but if they do it must be in that very misguided "strong female characters means dominance in their lives" (where we got Crazypants Janeway). Like the people who complain about Harley Quinn and the fact Joker abuses her. It does make her (arguably) personally weak, but she's a strong character because she does have dimensions; she has a fatal flaw for the Joker's affection, even though we see over and over, in multiple mediums, she is far more capable than he in mind, and sometimes body. And rationally sees her error. Though even saying an abuse victim is inherently a weak person is problematic in and of itself which most people who spout it are completely oblivious to.

Madoka does let its characters run the spectrum. As Chuck pointed out, Madoka is timid, but by no means weak, demonstrated by her actions throughout the series. She is brave and she dives head first into all this magical girl shit despite being a normal human being, when Kyubey "offered" her several outs that he would leave forever. All she had to do was throw her hands up once, but her sense of duty forbade that. And to say the girls are all dumb because they are 12 and get manipulated by a Lovecraftian dimension shifting alien with science so powerful it looks like magic to our eyes is expecting a LOT out of them, I think we can all agree. It's feminist because it doesn't box its women based on perceived notions of what they should be, be that traditionally feminine, or they should be UN-traditionally feminine because "we need to balance the scales".

Now boxing them into anime archetypes, that's a whole new matter xD But it's still the definitive series that set the tone for the decade. You can't even count all the shows that have pulled from it since. Not even counting the copycats like Wixoss and Raising Project.

[MithrandirOlorin]

I think the people who resent it also resent it's influence.

[CareerKnight]

I'm not surprised there is some backlash to it, such things are inevitable though I find it strange that a lot of the time they seem to wait till the series or franchise in question stumbles a bit (or a large enough group of people feel it has). You saw a lot more criticism of Nolan's Batman movies after the Dark Night Rises and some of the criticism directed at Monsters University seemed to be coming from people who had just been waiting to bash on Pixar films and felt they could now safely do so after the studio had stumbled a bit with Brave and Cars 2.

As for some Feminists not liking the show I'm not surprised as a fair number of people seem to have far to narrow a view on what a strong character is. I've seen some people argue that if a character ever needs help from someone else they can't be a strong character.

[MithrandirOlorin]

There is an article about Madoka on AnimeFeminist.com, I find it's comments section more interesting then the article itself.

[Admiral X]

Personally I'm a fan of the show.

[Fipse]

Backlash? I can not see any in the usual big anime places.