User blog comment:Derax-Pagani/Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry Movie Review/@comment-7418318-20170518162405/@comment-24039234-20170520102015

WARNING: Madoka spoilers. If you didn't watch that show and want to do it, stay away. :)	I agree with you. As always, everything can be done in a good or a bad way, and when I say I like something, it means that A, I like the qood quality examples, and B, I see the potential in the trope for good storytelling/atmosphere building. And it definitely doesn't mean that I like all examples unconditionally, without criticism. :)

Specifically, with transformation sequences, the Rebellion movie one is perfect. All five girls are unique; different musical cues, dance styles, their personality shines through even in their "final transformation act" (Mami hatches from her human self like a butterfly, Kyouko tears everything appart etc.). It is presented with Shafts unique animation style and Yuki Kajiura's music, which are both godly in their own rights. And the final cherry on top of is that it is not even self-servicing, since it has a place as an early foreshadowing of the bigger plot by contrast(as you've said).

Compare this to the run of the mill Sailor Moon and clones, where an uninteresting bland sequence is there in every episode to pad out the run time. Needless to say, I don't like that.

I'm with you with the Rebellion movies story as well. The ending made perfect sense, both thematically (contrasting Madoka's own ascension in the series) and directly as plot. I have some reservations about how it was presented, though. I believe it was slightly rushed. However, the movie still clocks in almost at two hours, witch is an incredible feat and obiously a limit for animation of this quality, so I don't know how you could've done it better, thus I don't want to press this point as a serious criticism. Just a feeling. :)

However, I don't share your enthusiasm about the concept movie. If anything comes out I'll obviously watch it, and since I'm a sucker for Shafts art style and direct usage of symbolism, I'll most probably even like it on some level. But I think that the story of the series was already complete. The movie was a natural addition and it was already foreshadowed in the after-credits scene of the series, so I could accept is part of the original plan. However, to me, anything more would feel like a forced addition that wants to cash in the popularity of the original. However good the end result turns out, I'd always be a little sore about the origins.

BTW, while I was typing I was struck with a strong sense of deja vu. I'm pretty sure we've had this conversation on this site already. :D