In the wake of the tsunami disaster in Japan, a recent animated series managed to get to its highly-anticipated ending. An ending that everyone had been waiting with bated breath for, even during the wake of such a tragedy. That anime is Mahou Shoujo Magica Madoka, arguably one of the best animated series that Japan has ever had the pleasure of pinching off out of its tentacle-infested, super robot-dilated ring muscle.
I'm not saying it's the best. The series in itself is riddled with quite a few plot holes, dodgy animation, and often awkward characterization. Some scenes important to the plot itself (most especially the stinger at the end about the existence of the magical bastard Kyuubey) tend to wear out their welcome, and a pivotal fight scene (while intense and fun to watch) between two characters is fraught with stock animation recycling.
I can say, however, that it is the Evangelion of this generation. The ending shocked everyone, and it's still being talked about today. Episode 3, Homura's Last Stand, Madoka's final gambit, the series is full of unexpected twists that legitimately surprised even the most jaded of watchers, and pulled them off with such aplomb that you can't help but be carried away by the emotions caused by them. This is that episode in Gundam where Char does something magical with his Zaku. This is that episode in Masked Rider Black where Kuya Robert punches Shadowmoon's fucking face off for breaking Battle Hopper AGAIN. This is that episode where Shinji finally mans up and has a..I don't know, something you do with naked girls, with Asuka and that blue-haired chick.
There will never be another Madoka. Unless Gen puts up a sequel.
What this generally means to cosplayers in general is that if you're going to cosplay a character from this anime, please, please watch the series. It's available on any streaming website you can Google. It's downloadable, somewhere. Buy the Blu-Ray. Don't just look at the character designs at the wiki and pick whoever you want. Know what these fictional 2D characters went through. Know their story. You owe them that. You owe ME that.
...Or just cosplay as Kyoko and Homura and start humping each other, whatever works, really.
