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A review by cyanide_latte
Puella Magi Tart Magica, Vol. 1: The Legend of Jeanne d'Arc by Magica Quartet
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
When I first read this some time ago, I wasn't entirely sure what I was getting into. PMMM isn't for me; I've seen a few episodes of it thanks to my spouse and his brother, and I know a tiny bit about PMMM's world and functions thanks to that osmosis, but it's never been something for me. Perhaps I'm too old school, but making magical girls grimdark feels antithetical and I don't care for it. Not my cup of tea. So it was a bit of a gamble when a friend told me that I should give PMTM a try because I was a fan of the Fate/Stay Night franchise and because I've always loved Joan of Arc. I was willing to give it a shot on that basis, and at the time I first read this, I did enjoy it for all that I don't like PMMM and didn't know what to expect. (The clear love and research that went into the history that this series includes was a huge point in its favor.)
I didn't write a review for any of the volumes at the time, as I was trying to catch up on the few that were out and pre-order the volumes that had yet to release. Eventually I had read the first four volumes but I've dragged my feet for years on the final one. I know enough about PMMM and how Joan of Arc's story ended historically that I wasn't in the right mood or mind space to read something like that. However, I recently looked at the volumes of the series just sitting on my shelves, collecting dust, and decided I want to sell them. I don't need them, and I don't see myself revisiting them. However, I didn't want to do so and not read the final volume or neglect the chance to finally write reviews, so I'm doing a quick re-read to get that done before selling them.
The first volume, aside from the initial chapter starting in mens rea, is largely set-up with a lot of well-researched historical set dressing. Jeanne (called "Tart" here as a nickname due to her poor handwriting when she attempts to sign her name) meets Kyubey (called Cube) and Riz the magical girl, and drags her feet for three years on whether or not she wishes to make a contact to become a magical girl. Riz and Cube leave, disaster strikes, and Jeanne decides to make the contract. She and Riz set off on a mission to find Charles the Dauphin, and along the way we learn that Jeanne is so powerful her soul gem clouds easily (though this seems to be a result of her sheer power rather than because of despair.) So, foreshadowing, set-up, that whole basket.
It isn't bad, and I do feel like it's compulsively readable. I do love a lot of the efforts to keep to the history while still giving it a magical girl spin, even a PMMM one. As far as first volumes go, I think it's solid. (The infodump text walls can be a bit much though.)
I didn't write a review for any of the volumes at the time, as I was trying to catch up on the few that were out and pre-order the volumes that had yet to release. Eventually I had read the first four volumes but I've dragged my feet for years on the final one. I know enough about PMMM and how Joan of Arc's story ended historically that I wasn't in the right mood or mind space to read something like that. However, I recently looked at the volumes of the series just sitting on my shelves, collecting dust, and decided I want to sell them. I don't need them, and I don't see myself revisiting them. However, I didn't want to do so and not read the final volume or neglect the chance to finally write reviews, so I'm doing a quick re-read to get that done before selling them.
The first volume, aside from the initial chapter starting in mens rea, is largely set-up with a lot of well-researched historical set dressing. Jeanne (called "Tart" here as a nickname due to her poor handwriting when she attempts to sign her name) meets Kyubey (called Cube) and Riz the magical girl, and drags her feet for three years on whether or not she wishes to make a contact to become a magical girl. Riz and Cube leave, disaster strikes, and Jeanne decides to make the contract. She and Riz set off on a mission to find Charles the Dauphin, and along the way we learn that Jeanne is so powerful her soul gem clouds easily (though this seems to be a result of her sheer power rather than because of despair.) So, foreshadowing, set-up, that whole basket.
It isn't bad, and I do feel like it's compulsively readable. I do love a lot of the efforts to keep to the history while still giving it a magical girl spin, even a PMMM one. As far as first volumes go, I think it's solid. (The infodump text walls can be a bit much though.)