Madoka Magica is about to become much easier to watch legally. Aniplex of America announced at New York Comic Con on October 8 that the three original films hit Crunchyroll on November 8 and Netflix on January 2, and that the new sequel film, Walpurgisnacht: Rising, screens in North American theaters January 16-19, 2027. Here is the order to watch everything before it arrives.
Quick answer
The Madoka Magica watch order is: the 2011 TV series (12 episodes, or the recap films Beginnings and Eternal in its place), then Rebellion (2013), then Walpurgisnacht: Rising (2026). The film trilogy streams on Crunchyroll from November 8, 2026 and Netflix from January 2, 2027; Crunchyroll adds Latin American Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese dubs on November 15. Walpurgisnacht: Rising plays North American theaters January 16-19 in sub and dub, with tickets on sale December 11. According to SenpaiRanks, the TV series scores 8.14 and Rebellion 8.12, two of the highest-rated entries in the magical-girl genre.
The watch order
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2011 TV, 12 episodes). The original. If you only have time for one version, this is it.
- Or, instead of the TV run: Movie 1: Beginnings and Movie 2: Eternal (2012). These retell the TV story in two films with some new animation. Same plot, so pick one route, not both.
- Movie 3: Rebellion (2013). The true sequel, and it changes everything after the TV ending. Do not skip it.
- Walpurgisnacht: Rising (2026). The official follow-up to Rebellion.
Spin-offs like Magia Record are optional side stories and do not feed into the main timeline.
Where to watch, by date
- October 15: Ultra HD Blu-ray of all three films with Dolby Atmos and new cover art by Junichirō Taniguchi, via the Crunchyroll Store and MediaOCD.
- November 8: Beginnings, Eternal and Rebellion start streaming on Crunchyroll.
- November 15: Crunchyroll adds Latin American Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese dubs.
- December 11: tickets go on sale for the North American run of Walpurgisnacht: Rising.
- January 2: the trilogy arrives on Netflix.
- January 16-19: Walpurgisnacht: Rising in North American theaters (Aniplex of America and Fathom Entertainment), Japanese with subtitles or English dub.
That schedule is clearly built to funnel new viewers through the trilogy right before the theatrical window.
The new film
Walpurgisnacht: Rising opened in Japan on August 28 and debuted at #1, selling 535,000 tickets and earning about ¥940 million in its first three days. SHAFT animates, with Akiyuki Shinbo as chief director, Yukihiro Miyamoto directing, Gen Urobuchi writing, Ume Aoki on original character designs and Yuki Kajiura scoring. The original cast is back, led by Aoi Yūki (Madoka) and Chiwa Saitō (Homura), and Maaya Sakamoto joins as a mysterious Homura lookalike. We broke down the reception in our Walpurgisnacht: Rising review roundup.
Where Madoka ranks
On SenpaiRanks the TV series (8.14), Rebellion (8.12), Eternal (8.04) and Beginnings (7.96) all sit near the top of the best magical girl anime ranking, and Rebellion is a fixture of our best anime films of the 2010s list. For the genre's other long-runner, see the Sailor Moon watch order; for a darker modern take, Magical Girl Raising Project: Restart.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is the Madoka Magica watch order?
A: Watch the 2011 TV series (or the Beginnings and Eternal recap films instead), then Rebellion (2013), then Walpurgisnacht: Rising (2026).
Q: Do I need to watch the Madoka movies if I saw the TV series?
A: Movies 1 and 2 retell the TV series, so they are optional. Movie 3, Rebellion, is a new story and required before Walpurgisnacht: Rising.
Q: Where can I stream the Madoka Magica movies?
A: The three films stream on Crunchyroll from November 8, 2026 and on Netflix from January 2, 2027.
Q: When does Walpurgisnacht: Rising come to theaters in North America?
A: January 16-19, 2027, in both subtitled and English-dubbed screenings. Tickets go on sale December 11.
Q: Is there a Spanish dub of the Madoka Magica movies?
A: Yes. Crunchyroll adds Latin American Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese dubs on November 15, 2026.
Q: How is Madoka Magica ranked?
A: SenpaiRanks scores the TV series at 8.14 and Rebellion at 8.12, among the top-rated magical-girl anime on the site.