Magical Girl Raising Project

Episode 5

With the nasty realities of the game starting to sink in, this episode gives us a pretty good sense of how all the magical girls are dealing with their new situation. Sister Nana is trying to stop all the infighting, even if she has to appeal to the game's mysterious admins to do it. Top Speed seems to think that a truce is in everyone's best interests, but Ripple isn't convinced that coexistence is the best option. While Calamity Mary and Magicaloid 44 pursue their own priorities and Hardgore Alice goes looking for Snow White, it's Cranberry who throws the biggest wrench into the peacemaking process. After picking a fight with Weiss Winterprison, she goes after La Pucelle in what might be a duel to the death.

We've already seen plenty of variety amongst the cast in terms of appearance and personality, but this is the first time we really get a sense of where everyone's moral compass is pointing. It lends this episode a little extra thematic depth, and the wide range of approaches to surviving the game is certainly intriguing. A handful of characters are obviously good or evil, but the ones in between are in the best position to spice up the narrative. By adding some genuine wild cards into the mix, Magical Girl Raising Project is making it easier to pull off the kinds of plot twists that it relies on. When characters are looking out for their own interests instead of fighting for ideals, it's much easier to find a credible motivation for someone to switch sides or betray an ally. If you're here for the intrigue and backstabbing, it's another point in the show's favor.

If anything, it's the “good” magical girls that are the biggest weak point. As much as the story needs someone like Sister Nana to play the peacemaker, her characterization is so narrow that it feels unconvincing. After everything that's already gone down, it's hard to believe that anyone could be quite so gullible; even Snow White has realized that not all of the girls can be trusted. It'd be one thing if Sister Nana and Weiss Winterprison were young and idealistic kids in real life, but they're clearly adults who are closer in age to Ruler than Snow White or La Pucelle. As important as it is to have someone represent the “can't we all just get along” mentality, the desire to talk things out doesn't require a character to be completely naïve. From where I'm standing, I'd much rather see more of Top Speed and Ripple; they seem to be the cagiest of the three “good” duos, and the hints we're given about their potential flaws make them much more interesting.

While there are some issues with the heroines, the antagonists are absolutely on point this week. Cranberry makes a great villain, and she's already dispelled most of the doubts I had about killing Ruler off so early in the game. Where Ruler was a relatively petty character with a “look out for number one” mindset, Cranberry seems like she just wants to watch the world burn. Having a character who finds joy in spreading chaos does a lot to amp up the dramatic tension in the show, and Cranberry does a much better job of selling the idea that the protagonists are in real danger. I'm also starting to like Calamity Mary more as we learn more about her; having a character who just wants to use her powers for profit is interesting from a thematic standpoint, and she represents another legitimate threat to Snow White and friends.

Even as Snow White and La Pucelle continue to play the part of star-crossed lovers, Magical Girl Raising Project has yet to really tug on my heartstrings. The good news is that this is becoming less of a problem as the survival game itself becomes more compelling. Between genuine baddies like Cranberry and Calamity Mary and wild cards like Hardgore Alice and Swim Swim's entourage, the sheer number of variables at play is making me excited to see where the story goes. Keeping all of those moving parts in order will be a challenge, but I'd rather see the show take these risks than play it safe.

Rating: B+

Magical Girl Raising Project is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Paul Jensen is a freelance writer and editor. You can follow more of his anime-related ramblings on Twitter.