Best Madoka Magica watch order, including all movies and seasons

Madoka Magica is one of the most outstanding and unique magical girl anime series in this history of the medium. It came out of nowhere from anime studio Shaft, deconstructing many of the concepts and ideas from previous shows like Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura.

Anyone looking to get into this ongoing series should check out the best Madoka Magica watch order below, based on our experience as longtime fans of the anime franchise.

Best Madoka Magica watch order: Puella Magi Madoka Magica

It all starts with the 2011 anime series Puella Magi Madoka Magica. This initial series from Shaft spans 12 episodes in total, and fans can check it out on streaming services like Crunchyroll. This is the best place to start, as it introduces the various characters, how the world works, and the twists fans may not see coming.

Alternatively, a different way to check out the first season of the show is to watch the two compilation films. Beginnings, released in 2012, is a two-hour movie that recaps the first half of the show in a rapid fire manner. This was followed up by Eternal later in 2012, which concludes the first season’s recap in movie format.

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Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion

After you finish the first season of the series, it is then time to check out the third film in the series, Rebellion. This movie released in 2013 and should be watched, no matter if you check out the first two movies or not. While the initial films are recap movies, this is an entirely new storyline that acts as a sequel to the original series. It follows up with many of the characters and helps make sense of some of the more confusing parts at the end of the anime.

Magia Record

Once you finish the initial series and its follow-up movie, it is time to move on to the new series: Magia Record. This is an anime adaptation of the spin-off mobile game on Android and iOS. It features some of the returning magical girls from the original, but mainly focuses on a new cast. This three-season series with 25 episodes in total expects fans to know many of the terms, twists, and ideas from the original. As such, it is better to watch this spin-off at this point.

Walpurgisnacht: Rising

Finally for now, there is a fourth movie coming out called Walpurgisnacht: Rising. This is a direct sequel to Rebellion and continues the story of the original set of magical girls. Not much else is known about this movie, as it is still unreleased at the time of writing. That said, fans should watch this after the previous movies and series to best prepare for its story.