# Learn Japanese with Puella Magi Madoka Magica

> How hard its Japanese is, real words from it with kana and romaji, where to watch it, and what to watch before and after.

[Anime by Japanese level](https://ikkimi.app/anime-by-japanese-level/) › [N3 to N2](https://ikkimi.app/anime-by-japanese-level/#n3-to-n2)

**The short answer:** Ikkimi rates **Puella Magi Madoka Magica** N3 to N2 for learning Japanese: school talk that turns to abstract ideas. **Good for a beginner? Not as a first show.** It is harder than most beginner shows. Watch it for fun from the start if you like, but learn your first words from an easier one.

Ikkimi lists Puella Magi Madoka Magica on Crunchyroll and Netflix. What each service carries varies by country. On Crunchyroll, Ikkimi finds a Japanese subtitle file for the episode in Jimaku’s catalogue and lines it up for you. On Netflix, turn on Japanese subtitles and every word becomes clickable.

The Ikkimi web app and Chrome extension come on one plan. The iPhone app is coming soon.

## How hard is the Japanese in Puella Magi Madoka Magica?

Ikkimi rates Puella Magi Madoka Magica at **N3 to N2** (faster talk with more unusual words). What sets its level: school talk that turns to abstract ideas. Of the 192 anime Ikkimi rates by hand, 112 are easier and 53 are harder.

Levels follow the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). They are Ikkimi’s estimate of how hard a show’s Japanese is to follow, from how fast people talk, how many unusual words there are and how clear the voices are. They are not official JLPT ratings.

| Fact | Puella Magi Madoka Magica |
| --- | --- |
| Ikkimi’s level | N3 to N2 (faster talk with more unusual words) |
| Why | school talk that turns to abstract ideas |
| Japanese title | 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ |
| Format | TV series |
| Episodes | 12, about 24 minutes each |
| First aired | 2011 |
| Genres | Action, Drama, Fantasy, Mahou Shoujo, Psychological, Thriller |
| Where to watch | [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/search?q=Puella%20Magi%20Madoka%20Magica), [Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/search?q=Puella%20Magi%20Madoka%20Magica) |

Format, episodes, year and genres are from [AniList’s entry](https://anilist.co/anime/9756), which may cover only the first season.

## The words in the title

The Japanese title, 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ, is a first lesson in itself. Its word, as a dictionary lists it:

| Word | Kana and romaji | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 魔法少女 | まほうしょうじょ mahoushoujo | magical girl (in anime, manga, etc.); girl with magical powers; young witch |

## How to learn Japanese with Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Ikkimi lists Puella Magi Madoka Magica on Crunchyroll and Netflix. What each service carries varies by country. Ikkimi does not stream anything: you watch on your own account, in Chrome on a computer, and Ikkimi adds a Japanese line you can click on top of the player.

### On Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll rarely has Japanese subtitles. On a Crunchyroll episode, Ikkimi looks for a matching Japanese subtitle file in Jimaku’s public catalogue, loads it and lines it up with the episode by itself. If Jimaku has no file for an episode, you can search by hand in the Ikkimi popup or load a subtitle file from your computer.

### On Netflix

On Netflix, turn on Japanese subtitles in the player, where your country’s Netflix has them for this title, and Ikkimi makes the line clickable. If there are none, open the Ikkimi popup, choose Find Japanese subtitles, and search Jimaku’s catalogue or load a file from your computer.

1. Add Ikkimi to Chrome: Get the extension from the [Chrome Web Store](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/ikkimi-%E2%80%94-learn-japanese/kknpmodmojiodjhbgapdgpabdehpnfcb) and sign in.
2. Play an episode: Open Puella Magi Madoka Magica on Crunchyroll or Netflix. The Japanese line appears on top of the video.
3. Click the words you keep hearing: The video pauses and the word opens: kana, romaji, meaning, JLPT level and a recording by a native speaker where one exists (never a computer voice; otherwise the line from the show plays again). At this level, turn on the English line under the Japanese at first, and keep only the words that come back.
4. Review them later: Kept words come back as flashcards on the Ikkimi website, with the scene and the line they came from, just before you would forget them.

## Easier and harder shows

Shows within a level of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, with the most genres in common first.

### Easier

| Show | Level | Why | Where |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **[The Promised Neverland](https://ikkimi.app/anime/the-promised-neverland/)** 約束のネバーランド | N3 | children talking, plans explained step by step | Crunchyroll, Netflix |
| **[ONE PIECE](https://ikkimi.app/anime/one-piece/)** | N3 | loud and clear, pirate words that repeat | Crunchyroll, Netflix |
| **[Naruto](https://ikkimi.app/anime/naruto/)** NARUTO -ナルト- | N3 | clear voices, ninja words that repeat | Crunchyroll, Netflix |

### Also N3 to N2

| Show | Level | Why | Where |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **[Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-](https://ikkimi.app/anime/re-zero-starting-life-in-another-world/)** Re:ゼロから始める異世界生活 | N3 to N2 | fast emotional monologues, fantasy words | Crunchyroll |
| **[Tokyo Ghoul](https://ikkimi.app/anime/tokyo-ghoul/)** 東京喰種トーキョーグール | N3 to N2 | dark inner monologue, invented terms | Crunchyroll, Netflix |
| **[Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind](https://ikkimi.app/anime/nausicaa-of-the-valley-of-the-wind/)** 風の谷のナウシカ | N3 to N2 | a film, formal and old-fashioned speech | Netflix |

### Harder

| Show | Level | Why | Where |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **[PLUTO](https://ikkimi.app/anime/pluto/)** | N2 | police and robot words, serious speech | Netflix |
| **[Attack on Titan](https://ikkimi.app/anime/attack-on-titan/)** 進撃の巨人 | N2 | military words, fast | Crunchyroll |
| **[Demon Slayer](https://ikkimi.app/anime/demon-slayer/)** 鬼滅の刃 | N2 | old-fashioned speech, a lot of shouting | Crunchyroll, Netflix |

See [every N3 to N2 anime](https://ikkimi.app/anime-by-japanese-level/#n3-to-n2) or all 192 [anime by Japanese level](https://ikkimi.app/anime-by-japanese-level/), and read [how to learn Japanese by watching anime](https://ikkimi.app/learn-japanese-with-anime/) from zero.

## Questions

### Is Puella Magi Madoka Magica good for learning Japanese?

Not as a first show. Ikkimi rates it N3 to N2 (faster talk with more unusual words). What sets its level: school talk that turns to abstract ideas. It is harder than most beginner shows. Watch it for fun from the start if you like, but learn your first words from an easier one.

### What Japanese level is Puella Magi Madoka Magica?

N3 to N2, on Ikkimi’s scale from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). Of the 192 anime Ikkimi rates by hand, 112 are easier and 53 are harder. The level is Ikkimi’s estimate, not an official JLPT rating.

### Where can I watch Puella Magi Madoka Magica with Japanese subtitles?

Ikkimi lists Puella Magi Madoka Magica on Crunchyroll and Netflix. What each service carries varies by country. Crunchyroll rarely has Japanese subtitles, so Ikkimi looks for a matching file in Jimaku’s catalogue and lines it up with the episode. On Netflix, turn on Japanese subtitles in the player where they are offered, and Ikkimi makes every word clickable.

### What does the title 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ mean, word by word?

魔法少女 (mahoushoujo) means “magical girl (in anime, manga, etc.); girl with magical powers; young witch”.

### How many episodes does Puella Magi Madoka Magica have?

AniList’s entry lists 12 episodes of about 24 minutes, first aired in 2011. Later seasons may be listed separately.

### What should I watch before Puella Magi Madoka Magica?

Shows a little easier than Puella Magi Madoka Magica, with genres in common: The Promised Neverland (N3), ONE PIECE (N3) and Naruto (N3).

Sources: show details from [AniList](https://anilist.co); meanings from JMdict (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0); readings and word splits from kuromoji.js with IPADIC; JLPT word levels from Jonathan Waller’s unofficial lists. See [Credits](https://ikkimi.app/credits/). Spotted a mistake? Tell us at [hello@ikkimi.app](mailto:hello@ikkimi.app).

Tonight’s episode is a lesson.

Get Ikkimi

---

Source: https://ikkimi.app/anime/puella-magi-madoka-magica/ · Updated 2026-10-30 · Contact: hello@ikkimi.app · More: https://ikkimi.app/llms.txt