Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Vol. 1 by Magica Quartet

A single wish puts these young girls at the heart of demise, struggling to fight the despair in the world in order to save others. The idea of 'magical girls' has obviously been done before, but never like this. Starting with the story, I found it extremely original. I honestly read all 12 chapters/3 volumes in one sitting.

I will have you know that Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica is the only manga I have ever read continuously without stopping. Waiting a few months, maybe read a few more chapters, drop them again. I am notorious for picking up manga, reading halfway, and then dropping them. I wish everyone could take the time and just read through these 12 chapters, because it is worth it. I love the anime and the manga and in no way is this review intended to bash or criticize the anime in any way, really, I enjoy both of them so much. They have different art styles and the action scenes sometimes in the manga may seem a little hard to understand (you are still able to get the general gist of everything don't worry!), so the anime I think clears up any confusion after reading. If you have not watched the anime yet, I actually really suggest reading this before because they are different enough to the point where the story is not a boring repeat as some anime/manga adaptions are. The facial expressions that the characters make when they are in pain and are suffering are so much more powerful than they are in the anime, they really bring a whole new level of emotion to the story of Madoka and without them I feel like maybe I wouldn't have felt as strongly about the story and as strongly for the characters as I do now. The facial expressions are really I think what makes this so special.

The art is INCREDIBLE and it never wavers throughout the entire 12 chapters. towards the end of the manga, like the very last chapter is just, it really leaves off and wraps the story up into a pretty little package compared to the anime ending. I think they just add this little touch that makes things so much more powerful, especially

There are some scenes (minor things, nothing too big) that were added into the manga that aren't in the anime that REALLY makes me wish that everyone would take the time to read this, even if they have already seen the anime. Let me just start off by saying that I read this before watching the anime which isn't what a lot of people did (since the anime came first before the manga) so my heart lies with the manga rather than the anime (though I do love both)

Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Vol. 1 by Magica Quartet