Bundled together with the DVD and BD releases of Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie 3: The Rebellion Story last month, the soundtrack of the film is an excellent example of how melodies evoke sincere emotions in those who listen. Almost the entire track is comprised of sombre themes, matching the overall mood of the film quite well. While the film isn’t necessarily an uplifting addition to the series, and by extension it’s soundtrack, the sounds that it manages to convey are not only presented at a high standard, but are also highly emotive.
Anyone remotely familiar with the series understands that, although the plot centres on magical girls, it is by no means a childish or joyful series. Instead, it takes a dark and grim approach to the traditional magical girl genre, creating a more meaningful story than anyone could have imagined. The new film, The Rebellion Story, is a worthy addition to the franchise, and it’s OST certainly doesn’t fail to keep up with the tone of the series.
Yuki Kajiura’s work on the soundtrack is simply amazing – each of the tracks composed by her are coherent, relatable and most importantly: genuine. It’s no surprise that her experience in working with other anime soundtracks have led her to create such a refined OST, and I’m glad that she managed to keep true to the heart of the story. The pieces that feature orchestral sounds are by far my favourites, but by no means are her other tracks less than stellar. Her tracks encapsulate chaos, disorder and the death of hope, acting as the basis of the entire film.
I first got notice of the soundtrack when they were uploaded onto media sharing websites a few days ago. A few friends and I were, as expected, thrilled to be able to hear the music from the film. Now proudly close to the top of my phone’s playlist, I’ve been replaying the more sadder songs of the OST simply because they’re emotionally powerful. Although the film’s ending wasn’t exactly what I had hoped for in the storyline of Puella Magi, I have zero complaints about the soundtrack.
Songs to look out for:
- Holly Quintet
- One For All
- Something, Everything Is Wrong
- Noi!
- Theater Of A Witch
- I Was Waiting For This Moment