"Music that makes you glad you encountered it" — Yuki Kajiura's thoughts poured into the theme song and soundtrack [Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Walpurgisnacht: Rising- Interview]

—By the way, which specific scenes did you agonize over?

Kajiura: It was the scene near the end where Homura is encouraged by everyone and chases after Madoka. I actually thought it would be better to firmly establish the direction with the music there, so I asked them which way we should take it. Just when I was wondering if it should be a bit more somber, the director told me, "Give it bright, energetic music." Knowing it was okay to hype it up, I attached a track with a strong rhythm.

—I'd also love to ask about the theme song for this movie, "Kanata." In your comments when the theme song was announced, you mentioned you didn't want it to be a song that provides all the answers, but rather one that gives the girls a glamorous send-off.

Kajiura: (While composing the music) I made the decision early on that I shouldn't play a song at the end that simply explains the work.

If 10 people watch this movie, I think all 10 of them will have different impressions after it's over. If I were to play music that heavily leaned on my own interpretation of the work, it could mislead everyone and guide them to a conclusion different from what they had been thinking. Therefore, I intentionally wanted to use a brighter, forward-looking song, like a piece of send-off music.

To be completely honest, when I first read the script, I was quite shocked, and I racked my brain trying to figure out what kind of song to play at the end. The conclusion I reached was not to offer a single correct answer, but rather to end with a song of blessing—a blessing for the fans who had been waiting for Madoka Magica, and a blessing for the girls (the characters).

I wanted to play music that would make people listen to the song and think, "I'm so glad I encountered Madoka Magica, I'm so glad I met these girls."

—So it doesn't directly snuggle up to the narrative, but it stays close to Madoka and the others.

Kajiura: They are really good girls, aren't they? When I was watching the TV series, I thought they were the greatest charm of this story. All sorts of things happen in a very bizarre world, but their feelings are entirely understandable. That's why I'm emotionally invested in them; I can sympathize with their sorrow, and I want them to be saved. I just wanted to properly bless them and bring it to a close.

—I can deeply relate to that. Madoka Magica is a work that became widely known even outside of anime fans, and the charm of the characters is a major factor in that, isn't it?

Kajiura: I think whether people who don't usually watch anime get hooked on one largely depends on whether they can empathize with the characters' feelings. If you only look at the setting, Madoka Magica is a very niche, geeky work, isn't it? But even ordinary adults can easily understand the girls' underlying behavioral principles. Even if the lore is complex, I secretly believe people understood what they were saying and doing.

Of course, there are many elements to get hooked on, like the wonderful art and backgrounds, but I think the fact that these girls were so charming—including the dialogue written in the script and the voice actors' performances—really got across to a lot of different people.

—It's true that while you can enjoy theorizing about the world-building as a story, the characters' words and actions remain deeply relatable.

Kajiura: Exactly. So the people who want to theorize will theorize, but I think you can still enjoy it even if you don't. Even if you're saying, "What on earth is the Law of Cycles?", you can still feel deeply for Madoka. Even if they don't understand the stuff about gods and demons, I'm sure there are plenty of people who just love Homura. I think that's what it all comes down to in the end.

Watching the film with the knowledge of the thoughts and intentions Yuki Kajiura poured into the music that colors it will surely lead to new discoveries and realizations.

Text / kato
(C)Magica Quartet/Aniplex,Madoka Project

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