A post-release/”currently screening” trailer and third key visual for Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Walpurgisnacht Rising have been released, revealing yet more surprises from the new Madoka Magica film. It was also revealed that Maaya Sakamoto, recently heard in The Ghost in the Shell TV anime as Motoko Kusanagi, has a role in the movie.
International fans who aren’t wary of spoilers can find the new promotional material below:
Image source: @madoka_magica
Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Walpurgisnacht Rising began screening in Japanese theaters, including in IMAX, on August 28. It is the sequel to the 2013 film Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Rebellion, a follow-up to the 2011 dark magical girl TV anime Puella Magi Madoka Magica that ended with an unexpected turn of events. The general setting of Puella Magi Madoka Magica sees young girls making contracts with the enigmatic creature Kyubey, becoming magical girls to fight frightening Witches in exchange for having a wish fulfilled, while unaware of the dark truths involved.
The new movie drew 900 thousand moviegoers and made over 1.53 billion yen (~US$9.9 million) in its first ten days, with 1 billion yen coming from the first four days. Rebellion, which opened in fewer locations, made a total of 2 billion yen (unadjusted for inflation) and drew 1.5 million moviegoers.
Among the staff of the SHAFT production are returning names like chief director Akiyuki Shimbo, director: Yukihiro Miyamoto, screenwriter Gen Urobuchi (from Nitroplus), character designer Junichiro Taniguchi (previously a co-credit until Rebellion), and parallel world designer Gekidan Inu Curry (Walpurgisnacht Rising specifically names the doroinu half of the duo). Revue Starlight director Tomohiro Furukawa is the storyboard artist, visual and concept designer.
Walpurgisnacht Rising was announced in April 2021 and previously missed two release windows, one in winter 2024 and the other in winter 2025. No international release date has been announced yet, but Aniplex of America and Aniplus Asia say that it is coming soon.
The Puella Magi Madoka Magica franchise includes the now-defunct Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story gacha game, its 2025 successor Madoka Magica: Magia Exedra, and a Magia Record TV anime.
Production credits (reprising from the series and Rebellion unless stated otherwise)
• Chief director: Akiyuki Shimbo
• Director: Yukihiro Miyamoto
• Screenwriter: Nitroplus’ Gen Urobuchi
• Character designer: Junichiro Taniguchi
• Original character designer: aokiume
• Parallel world designer: Gekidan Inu Curry (doroinu)
• Storyboard artist, visual and concept designer: Tomohiro Furukawa
• Visual and concept designer: Kazuki Kawata (RWBY: Ice Queendom and Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story Season 2 -The Eve of Awakening- co-main animator)
• Color designer: Hitoshi Hibino (reprising)
• Background art: Ken Naito (background art director since the first compilation movie)
• Background art: Shuichi Kusamori (Psycho-Pass: The Movie background art director)
• Compositing director: Takayuki Aizu (Bakemonogatari, Madoka Magica: Magia Exedra opening animation)
• Music composer: Yuki Kajiura
• Animation production: SHAFT
Cast
• Aoi Yuki as Madoka Kaname
• Chiwa Saito as Homura Akemi
• Kaori Mizuhashi as Mami Tomoe
• Eri Kitamura as Sayaka Miki
• Ai Nonaka as Kyoko Sakura
• Kana Asumi as Nagisa Momoe
• Emiri Kato as Kyubey
• Shion Wakayama as Shichoka
• Tomoyo Kurosawa as Selma Therese
Source: Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Walpurgisnacht Rising website
