Thirteen years. That’s how long fans of Puella Magi Madoka Magica have been waiting to find out what happens after the most devastating ending in magical girl history. On August 28, 2026, the wait finally ends — and the brand-new main trailer that just dropped proves Walpurgisnacht: Rising is not messing around.
A Sequel 13 Years in the Making
To understand why this movie is such a big deal, you have to go back to 2013. Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Movie – Rebellion ended with Homura Akemi doing something no one saw coming: she tore reality apart and rewrote the universe just to keep Madoka Kaname by her side. The ending split the fanbase in half — some called it genius, others called it betrayal. And then… silence. For over a decade, the franchise just sat there with that cliffhanger hanging over everything.
Now the sequel, Walpurgisnacht: Rising, picks up directly after Rebellion. Homura’s rewritten world looks peaceful on the surface, but the trailer makes it painfully clear that peace never lasts in Madoka Magica. A new threat connected to Walpurgisnacht itself is rising — and Homura is once again forced to ask how far she’ll go to protect the girl she loves.
The Original Dream Team Is Back
If there was any doubt this sequel would honor the original, the staff list kills it instantly. Studio SHAFT is back on animation, with Akiyuki Shinbo as chief director and Yukihiro Miyamoto directing. Series creator and screenwriter Gen Urobuchi (Nitroplus) returns to write the screenplay — the same man whose brutal storytelling made the original series a modern classic. Tomohiro Furukawa, best known for directing Revue Starlight, joins as storyboard artist.
And the music? Yuki Kajiura, the composer behind the iconic Madoka Magica soundtrack, is back — and the trailer revealed the theme song, “Kanata,” performed by FictionJunction, Kajiura’s own project. The moment that song kicks in during the trailer, you just know this film is going to hurt. In the best way possible.
New Faces, New Questions
The trailer also introduced two brand-new magical girls — and fans are already deep in theory mode. Shichōka, voiced by Shion Wakayama, and Selma Therese, voiced by Tomoyo Kurosawa, are the first new characters revealed for the film. Selma Therese’s design, especially her unusual hair accessories, has sparked wild speculation about a possible connection to Walpurgisnacht itself. Nothing is confirmed yet — but in a franchise this meticulous, details like that are never accidental.
A Release Date Worth the Wait
Getting to August 28, 2026 was a saga in itself. The film was first announced on April 25, 2021, during the franchise’s 10th anniversary event. It was originally slated for winter 2024, then pushed to winter 2025, then delayed again in January 2026 — the production committee said they wanted more time to deliver the best possible film. After all those delays, the new trailer confirms Aniplex and SHAFT are cooking something special.
If you need more anime in your life right now, you’re not alone — August is stacked. Princess Mononoke just got a wild kabuki makeover you can watch from home, and Demon Slayer’s Infinity Castle is now streaming for anyone who wants more big-screen anime energy. But for Madoka fans, one date rules them all: August 28.
What Do You Think?
Are you ready for Homura’s story to continue after 13 years? Do you trust Gen Urobuchi to stick the landing — or are you still not over that Rebellion ending? And what’s your theory about Selma Therese and Walpurgisnacht? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. We’ll be watching them while counting down the days to August 28. (≧◡≦)
