Writing a dark fantasy masterpiece that deconstructs an entire genre isn’t something that can be done twice the same way. After the anticipated cinema release of the film Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Walpurgisnacht Rising, legendary screenwriter Gen Urobuchi took a moment to reflect on the franchise’s impact and made an honest revelation: he doesn’t think he could write a story like the original in today’s times.

The acclaimed creator from Nitroplus explained that when he wrote the 2011 TV series, he could deeply empathize with the magical girls’ suffering, fears, and anxieties. However, over the years, not only has he aged, but society has changed drastically. Urobuchi noted that with the massive shift to smartphones and social media, it’s now very difficult for him to understand what truly brings joy or suffering to the new generations.

During the interview, the screenwriter recalled that tackling the original series marked his debut writing an original story for animation and his first foray into the magical girls genre. Coming from the visual novel world, he admitted he wasn’t sure how to approach the project at first, but he let himself be guided by the spirit of adventure and curiosity to try something completely outside his comfort zone. To get a handle on the genre’s structure during development, the production showed him reference titles like Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha and Le Portrait de Petit Cossette.

Although the author feels this generational gap, his return to write the script for this new direct sequel to the 2013 Rebellion film proves his dark touch is more alive than ever, closing a cycle of nearly thirteen years of waiting for the audience who grew up with Madoka and Homura’s tragedy.

Originally released in 2011, Puella Magi Madoka Magica is an original anime written by Gen Urobuchi and produced by Shaft studios. The story revolutionized the industry by taking the usual conventions of the magical girls genre and turning them into a psychological dark fantasy thriller. The plot follows Madoka Kaname and Sayaka Miki, two high school students who are offered any wish in exchange for signing a contract to fight horrible creatures known as witches, only to discover too late the devastating cost of their powers.

Do you think Madoka Magica’s psychological impact would work just as well if it had premiered today?