How Has Her Mindset Shifted While Playing Madoka in the First New Entry in 13 Years? Interview with Aoi Yuki for Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Walpurgisnacht: Rising

Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Walpurgisnacht: Rising will be released on Friday, August 28, 2026. This film serves as the latest entry in the hit Puella Magi Madoka Magica franchise—a massive social phenomenon when it first aired in 2011—and continues the story following Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion, released in 2013.

We interviewed voice actress Aoi Yuki, who reprises her role as protagonist Madoka Kaname in Walpurgisnacht: Rising. Though Madoka became a divine entity known as the "Law of Cycles," Homura Akemi transformed into a demon and rewrote reality, leaving Madoka to live as an ordinary girl once more. We spoke with Yuki about how her mindset and approach to portraying Madoka have evolved over the years.

— It has been 13 years since Rebellion and 15 years since the TV series. Now, a brand-new film is finally coming out.

Yuki: Back when we were recording the TV series, there were things I couldn't quite put into words, but as I've grown up, I've come to understand them... Even though the series is titled Madoka Magica after Madoka, the story's narrator is Homura-chan, a girl who couldn't bring herself to be the protagonist of her own story.

She surrendered her agency to someone else—Madoka—and put Madoka at the center of her life, which is why things turned out the way they did.

I think Madoka wants to return that agency, as if saying, "Your story belongs to you." She's been trying to do that all along.

In truth, Madoka consistently retains control over her own narrative, making her a protagonist in her own right. Realizing that structure made me see that Walpurgisnacht: Rising stays true to that core concept, which gave me a lot to think about.

— The scale of the story is massive, but there's no doubt that the core revolves around these two girls, Madoka and Homura.

Yuki: I felt this story clearly shows Madoka's unwavering determination—how she never backs down from what she believes in. Up through Rebellion, Madoka might have looked like a tragic heroine, but this film makes it crystal clear: "Far from it! She's actually quite a monster" (lol).

Because I felt the story is packed with a divine presence that can captivate even a demon, I decided I should play her as an ordinary girl.