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Puella Magi Tart Magica #5
Puella Magi Tart Magica: The Legend of Jeanne d'Arc, Vol. 5
The magical girls continue their conflicts across the French countryside in this fifth installment of the Tart Magica series!
- GenresMangaFantasyHistorical
180 pages, Paperback
First published April 12, 2017
About the author
Magica Quartet
168 books210 followersA group collaboration consisting of director Akiyuki Shinbou, writer Gen Urobuchi, the original character designer Ume Aoki, and the producer Atsuhiro Iwakami.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 17, 2019
Such a wonderful conclusion to Tart Magica! I loved it.🙂 Sure there was heartbreak and sadness (I mean, come on, we all knew Tart was going to die in the final volume!) but the ending was so so good. I loved that we got a logical explanation for why Tart simply allows herself to be executed, because that had been worrying me. Since she’s a magical girl, I wanted a good reason for why she wouldn’t simply free herself (or heck, her other magical girl friends rescue her). Well we got a logical very good reason and that made me happy. Melissa and Elisa DO come to rescue her but she tells them not to so that she won’t risk becoming a witch. Tart knows her work here is done, so she’s calm and peaceful about her death.
On another note RIZ WHY YOU HAVE TO DIE she was such a good character. Sure we know Riz herself isn’t in hell thank goodness (since we see her at the end with Tart) but STILL. Riz sacrificed herself to defeat Lapin and she gave Tart her magical power oh my gosh it was a very good twist and it suited her personality. When a twist makes you go OH CRAP THAT HAPPENED even when you’re expecting it, you know it’s good. Riz’s sacrifice allowed Tart to become powerful enough to defeat Isabeau.
Isabeau’s defeat and the reveal of why she was the way she was came about in a satisfyingly disturbing and logical way also. It was also interesting to see how an outright villainous terrible person interacted with Kyubey/Cube. (She stabbed him to test if he’d been telling her the truth for one thing...Not that I care about Kyubey lol) Suffice it to say her wish rather reminded me of an evil person’s way of spoiling the Incubators’ plans even though that’s not Isabeau’s goal by making said wish. I mean compare Madoka’s wish from the original series with Isabeau’s. Both girls made well-informed wishes...but Isabeau is a selfish power-hungry person and Madoka is the total opposite.
Seeing the villain magical girls’ wishes and the wording of them was also interesting. It makes the reader realize the exact wording of the wishes in this storyverse REALLY matters. (Again to reference Madoka Magica, remember Homura’s wish? Look at the EXACT wording...) It actually seems like the villain characters in Tart Magica made wishes that were less likely to bite them in the butt later on...if Riz’s wish had not allowed her to basically give Tart one heck of a powerup, Isabeau and Minou would have won, no question about it. To think of it another way, our MC had to become extremely overpowered to defeat Isabeau. Isabeau was once a NORMAL HUMAN GIRL. Isabeau is a horrible person, but she was not stupid.
Now about that ending...OH GOSH I STINKING LOVED THE LAST COUPLE PAGES!!! Tart’s dove flying to meet Ultimate Madoka AND THE LAST PAGE SHE IS BACK WITH HER FRIENDS THAT DIED PREVIOUSLY it was such a sweet happy way to end it when really our MC just died.
I would highly recommend Tart Magica if you enjoyed Madoka Magica! You could read it on its own, but I don’t think it would be nearly as enjoyable. Definitely read or watch Madoka Magica first! (I don’t think you need to experience Rebellion first though.) Because of the sort of storyline I wouldn’t give Tart Magica to younger girls (characters die, there’s violence, certain bits can be sad and disturbing) but don’t be put off by the OT rating of the series if that’s something that concerns you. Definitely check it out! You’ll laugh and cry and want to hug your favorite characters.:)
5 stars.
On another note RIZ WHY YOU HAVE TO DIE she was such a good character. Sure we know Riz herself isn’t in hell thank goodness (since we see her at the end with Tart) but STILL. Riz sacrificed herself to defeat Lapin and she gave Tart her magical power oh my gosh it was a very good twist and it suited her personality. When a twist makes you go OH CRAP THAT HAPPENED even when you’re expecting it, you know it’s good. Riz’s sacrifice allowed Tart to become powerful enough to defeat Isabeau.
Isabeau’s defeat and the reveal of why she was the way she was came about in a satisfyingly disturbing and logical way also. It was also interesting to see how an outright villainous terrible person interacted with Kyubey/Cube. (She stabbed him to test if he’d been telling her the truth for one thing...Not that I care about Kyubey lol) Suffice it to say her wish rather reminded me of an evil person’s way of spoiling the Incubators’ plans even though that’s not Isabeau’s goal by making said wish. I mean compare Madoka’s wish from the original series with Isabeau’s. Both girls made well-informed wishes...but Isabeau is a selfish power-hungry person and Madoka is the total opposite.
Seeing the villain magical girls’ wishes and the wording of them was also interesting. It makes the reader realize the exact wording of the wishes in this storyverse REALLY matters. (Again to reference Madoka Magica, remember Homura’s wish? Look at the EXACT wording...) It actually seems like the villain characters in Tart Magica made wishes that were less likely to bite them in the butt later on...if Riz’s wish had not allowed her to basically give Tart one heck of a powerup, Isabeau and Minou would have won, no question about it. To think of it another way, our MC had to become extremely overpowered to defeat Isabeau. Isabeau was once a NORMAL HUMAN GIRL. Isabeau is a horrible person, but she was not stupid.
Now about that ending...OH GOSH I STINKING LOVED THE LAST COUPLE PAGES!!! Tart’s dove flying to meet Ultimate Madoka AND THE LAST PAGE SHE IS BACK WITH HER FRIENDS THAT DIED PREVIOUSLY it was such a sweet happy way to end it when really our MC just died.
I would highly recommend Tart Magica if you enjoyed Madoka Magica! You could read it on its own, but I don’t think it would be nearly as enjoyable. Definitely read or watch Madoka Magica first! (I don’t think you need to experience Rebellion first though.) Because of the sort of storyline I wouldn’t give Tart Magica to younger girls (characters die, there’s violence, certain bits can be sad and disturbing) but don’t be put off by the OT rating of the series if that’s something that concerns you. Definitely check it out! You’ll laugh and cry and want to hug your favorite characters.:)
5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2017
my favorite saint appearing in the Madoka universe, as a magical girl, of course - it has been a thought-provoking, emotional ride.
the only issue I have is with one small item in this last volume and I'm not sure if it has to do with translation or not. but - Catholics do not believe in the 'rapture' or have anything in our doctrine using that word, so to say that a conviction of relapsed heresy would exempt Jeanne d'Arc from salvation during the rapture according to Catholic doctrine is incorrect. yes, it seems a small thing but is a misrepresentation of our true beliefs. the church was horrific to her, of course, that goes without saying, but this was not part of what they expected her eternal punishment to be.
long live our pucelle.
the only issue I have is with one small item in this last volume and I'm not sure if it has to do with translation or not. but - Catholics do not believe in the 'rapture' or have anything in our doctrine using that word, so to say that a conviction of relapsed heresy would exempt Jeanne d'Arc from salvation during the rapture according to Catholic doctrine is incorrect. yes, it seems a small thing but is a misrepresentation of our true beliefs. the church was horrific to her, of course, that goes without saying, but this was not part of what they expected her eternal punishment to be.
long live our pucelle.
May 13, 2020
First book of the year that had me on the verge of tears
November 24, 2021
Puella Magi Tart Magica is easily the most compelling spinoff of the Madoka Magica franchise. Building off a tidbit from the series, this five-part manga reimagines the Hundred Years' War between England and France as a proxy feud between competing Magical Girls, with young Joan of Arc (or Tart as she's called here) taking center stage. A young peasant girl, Tart watches her sister's murder by freebooters and afterwards contracts with Kyubey (Cube in this telling) to "bring light to France." As an extraordinarily powerful Magical Girl, she liberates large parts of France from the English with the help of an equally magical entourage: Riz Visconti, an Italian girl who becomes devoted to Tart; Melissa, Tart's feisty servant with a hair-trigger temper; and Elisa, a German noblewoman with powers as big as her ego. Dubbed La Pucelle (The Maid), Tart becomes a national hero after liberating Orleans and restoring Charles VII to the throne. But Tart and friends find themselves opposed by a trio of evil Magical Girls, who've sided with the English for reasons of their own. Their battle leads them to an evil bigger villain, who combines otherworldly witchcraft with earthly dynastic politics that put all of Europe in peril.
Credit the creators of this manga (artists Kawazu-ku and Masugitsune) for going far beyond what's strictly necessary from a franchise spinoff. The book is extremely well-researched, as evinced by detailed historical asides, complicated court politics and a lengthy bibliography; only the costumes feel anachronistic, seeming more Victorian than Medieval, but hey, these are Magical Girls. The protagonists are highly likable, even if they sometimes feel like remixes of the Madoka cast (Riz, in particular, is an even more intense Homura); the villains, an animal-themed trio of wicked sisters, make for a fun brood of baddies and even the historical cameos (Charles VII, Gilles de Rais, John Talbot, etc.) are convincingly sketched. There's even a fresh take on Kyubey, who is much more honest and helpful than usual...although the main villain, interestingly, is a contractee who found a way to turn the tables on the incubator system. Tart's story is well-paced, with thrilling, well-drawn action scenes and imaginative witches even more horrific than anything encountered in the main series. Being a Madoka story, it can only end in tragedy, but that tragedy is leavened with triumph as Tart achieves her destiny and delivers peace and happiness. Proof that even a franchise milked to the point of exhaustion can still deliver pleasant surprises.
Credit the creators of this manga (artists Kawazu-ku and Masugitsune) for going far beyond what's strictly necessary from a franchise spinoff. The book is extremely well-researched, as evinced by detailed historical asides, complicated court politics and a lengthy bibliography; only the costumes feel anachronistic, seeming more Victorian than Medieval, but hey, these are Magical Girls. The protagonists are highly likable, even if they sometimes feel like remixes of the Madoka cast (Riz, in particular, is an even more intense Homura); the villains, an animal-themed trio of wicked sisters, make for a fun brood of baddies and even the historical cameos (Charles VII, Gilles de Rais, John Talbot, etc.) are convincingly sketched. There's even a fresh take on Kyubey, who is much more honest and helpful than usual...although the main villain, interestingly, is a contractee who found a way to turn the tables on the incubator system. Tart's story is well-paced, with thrilling, well-drawn action scenes and imaginative witches even more horrific than anything encountered in the main series. Being a Madoka story, it can only end in tragedy, but that tragedy is leavened with triumph as Tart achieves her destiny and delivers peace and happiness. Proof that even a franchise milked to the point of exhaustion can still deliver pleasant surprises.
January 8, 2024
This wasn't a terrible conclusion to this short side series, in my opinion. I feel like it's genuinely the only book in the series in which Jeanne actually has some focus and strong moments independent of the band of magical girls that surround her.
Make no mistake, this book is sad and a touch depressing. There are some plot points left unanswered if you're invested in any way in the story of the "evil" faction of magical girls, and honestly, it feels like there are some plot holes there as well. Additionally, if anyone was hoping at any point in this series for more focus on other historical characters, I think you'll probably be disappointed. Ultimately, this is just another PMMM story with historical set dressing.
I'm glad I gave it a chance, it does feel like it's genuinely more hopeful and suited to my tastes than anything else in the PMMM franchise, but I have no desire to return to this series in the future.
Make no mistake, this book is sad and a touch depressing. There are some plot points left unanswered if you're invested in any way in the story of the "evil" faction of magical girls, and honestly, it feels like there are some plot holes there as well. Additionally, if anyone was hoping at any point in this series for more focus on other historical characters, I think you'll probably be disappointed. Ultimately, this is just another PMMM story with historical set dressing.
I'm glad I gave it a chance, it does feel like it's genuinely more hopeful and suited to my tastes than anything else in the PMMM franchise, but I have no desire to return to this series in the future.
March 19, 2025
A satisfying conclusion to the series.
June 17, 2025
riz 🤝 homura
sentir o amor mais puro pela sua mulher
sentir o amor mais puro pela sua mulher
November 12, 2025
What a beautiful ending
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews