You already know how this ends. That's the point. The show builds toward tragedy you've seen before, and it makes you watch anyway, knowing exactly what each girl is about to lose. The soundtrack doesn't let you look away. By the time the transformation sequences hit in episode five, you're not watching a prequel, you're watching a countdown, and every smile hurts because you know what comes after.

Three elementary school girls, Sumi Washio, Sonoko Nogi and Gin Minowa, are chosen by Shinju-sama, the divine tree guarding Shikoku, to fight the hostile Vertex. Shikoku is the last habitable place left in the world. When a Vertex first appears, the girls barely win, and they resolve to fix their teamwork and grow stronger. As enemies keep coming and demand ever greater power, using their magic may change them in ways that cannot be undone. Set two years before Yuki Yuna is a Hero, this prequel pairs magical girl action with psychological drama.