Yuuki Yuuna is not Madoka: A Review of Yuuki Yuuna is a Hero

I had come searching for the next Madoka Magica when I found Yuuki Yuuna is a Hero. I was hungering for some suffering. Indeed, it shared some superficial similarities with Madoka, but it proved strong enough to stand independent of its predecessor. Yuuki Yuuna is a Hero is what happens when you take the dark twists of Madoka Magica and combine it with the core themes of a shounen anime- friendship and perseverance. While there are some issues, it turned out to be a fine show.

While the characters themselves aren't anything new, the show does a decent job of developing them. All the girls, outside of Yuuna herself, undergo a simple character arc. Karin becomes more attached to the hero club and forms close bonds with the members. Itsuki becomes more confident in singing. Fuu realizes that the girls do not resent her for recruiting them into the hero club, despite the consequences. Tougo realizes that fighting with her friends to the end is better than all of them perishing together. Unfortunately, Yuuna herself remains as a static character and as a result is the least interesting of the bunch.

My most heartfelt and emotional moment in the show

Just like Madoka Magica, the show really nails its dark twists. The permanence of the disabilities, inability to die and stop being a magical girl, and finally the infinite respawn of the vortexes. The way the characters react to the despair feels real and well done- how Fuu bursts into rage and decides to go after the Taisha for deceiving her, and how Togo would rather perish together with the girls than for all of them to suffer and lose their memories of each other. Their reactions are made all the more believable by fantastic voice acting and accompanied soundtrack. The resolutions to these conflicts are moving too- I shed a tear when Fuu broke down crying when the girls tell her they are glad that they joined the hero club, contrary to all the guilt she feels about dragging them into this.

Was the beach episode really necessary?

For all its great twists and drama, the show is held back by its slow pacing. The first seven episodes are light hearted in tone, with the girls engaging in a lot of slice of life activities- such as holding a birthday party for Karin, helping Itsuki sing, and even going to the beach. While I appreciate that these moments are to develop its characters, it takes a little too long for things to pick up. We're teased with multiple appearances of the death tarot card. Not to mention, everyone who's watching Yuuki Yuuna is here because of Madoka Magica, so we're is waiting for the dark twist where things start to go terribly wrong. Hell, I almost thought that the show was just going to remain the way it was until episode 8 came around.

A seemingly innocuous line from episode 7 foreshadows the ending

The show's second problem is in the controversial ending. Not much is explained, and the viewers are left to their own speculation as to exactly why the girls have their bodily functions returned. While the happy ending was subtly foreshadowed in episode 7's line about offerings being able to be returned, and there are some good explanations for the why it happened, I still think it doesn't feel right. The permanence of the disabilities had been already set up using the character of Sonoko, who is the cruel fate that awaits the girls. The emotional impact of knowing they'd be disabled forever is embodied by the immense anger Fuu feels when she finds out that Itsuki can no longer sing, amongst other things. Finally, the girls come to grips with their fate when they all collectively choose to continue fighting in the finale rather than perishing together. It doesn't feel right to reverse the established arc of the girls struggling and then accepting the price of their powers. It goes against the theme of sacrifice. All said, there is an interesting theory that Yuuna is still continuing to fight as a hero and hence suffer, as some sort of price to pay for the recovery of her friends, but we'll have to see whether that's true in the sequel.

Apparently friendship can break you out of a coma

In conclusion Yuuki Yuuna is a show that I came to watch for the suffering and drama- and it delivered. Despite its slow pace and ending that doesn't sit quite right, it was still entertaining to watch in its second half with its strong twists and character drama. The world building and fate of the girls is left to be desired- but I think that's what the prequel Washio Sumi is a Hero and the Hero's Chapter sequel is for, so I'll be definitely watching those. 7/10.

-GaryMuffuginOak

Edit: I've realized that my experience watching Madoka Magica has led me to expect the "dark twist" in Yuuki Yuuna's story to come quickly and I had judged it unfairly for taking its time. Should I have watched the show blind, I would not have such an expectation. I'd like to retract my criticism on the show's slow pace.