Quote:
Originally Posted by Classified Info
Ye well, i'm a 20y male, and i don't really get how i should be able to enjoy magical girl animes; i mean, being a boy, i tend to empathize with the protagonist, but if it's a girl, it's obviously impossible; add to that that the entire cast is 99.98% of the times made of other girls...
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Who told you that? Because that is one of the most blatantly false things I've heard in my life. Boys can relate to a female protagonist, and girls can relate to a male protagonist. Many, many experiences in life, more yay than nay, are independent of one's gender. Like Madoka, we've all been uncertain about what to do, we've all had to come face to face with big decisions where we risk ourselves for others. Not universe-defining big, but important to us. The human experience is universal, and that relates to the rest of the cast, too.
I find it in me to agree with Sayaka, for example. Her mission of justice may not have had the right methods, but I support her cause. Doing the right thing to do the right thing (and maybe for a bit of glory) is a cause behind many heroes. As for what made Madoka in particular work?
It's not just about story. It's about the complete package. The visuals, the music, and most importantly, the characters. Even if you can guess Homura's plight early on, seeing it play out in episode 10 should make you understand the depths, the trials she went through in order to become the person she is today. Add to that the surrealistic art in the witch's mazes, and the idea that this is only one part of a small story, and you have something that captivates people. Looking at the plot is only looking at one element. (As for the character designs, it's Ume Aoki's style. If you don't like it, that is your own decision, but when she uses it in
Hidamari Sketch, it gives the series some of the charm it's known for.)
This whole thing seems to stem from you sticking too close to stereotypical gender roles. It's okay to like things with girls or girly elements in them. Hell, I'm one of this board's most vocal fans of
Smile Precure, and that's aimed at a far younger audience than Madoka. What do I like about it? A lot of the same things I listed above. The character interaction, the idea of seeing girls kicking ass against... giant clown-things (this can apply to both series, in fact) and the fact that it is, at heart, a superhero story. A frillier one, but a superhero story nonetheless.
The most recent
Smile had Yayoi/Cure Peace engage in a brilliant fight sequence against a MotW in the rain, with her using her signature thunder attack with dignity for the first time at the end of it. It was the only memory of her father she had. The way the scene was composed... male or female, young or old, quality is something that doesn't care what your gender is. Whether it's Kyouko sacrificing herself to save Sayaka or Yayoi electrocuting a paper fox back to its memento form, it plucks the heartstrings in just the right way.
So while the entire premise of your argument appears flawed, I'm more than willing to show you why exploring more magical girl series is something you should do. They're really not that different from some of the things you may already like.