5 Enchanting Magical Girl Anime Series

In the name of the moon, we challenge you to watch these five enchanting magical girl anime series. These cute girls (and sometimes guys) will leave your heart feeling doki-doki, and their bewitching charm will have you squealing, “Kawaii~~”

If you aren’t familiar with the magical girl trope, then it’s time you got the lowdown. The subgenre largely began in the early 1950s after Princess Knight was first published. Following the series’ success, manga and anime enthusiasts flocked to similar stories which featured cute characters, frilly costumes, and convenient magic.

Here at ComicBook.com, we’ve listed five magical anime series that both beginners and long-time fans will enjoy. But, please, don’t be fooled! While some of these shows look pretty and fluffy on the outside, they might be anything but once you start binging.

Cardcaptor Sakura

If you are looking for a prototypical shojo anime, then Cardcaptor Sakura is the show for you. The winsome series tells the story of a girl named Sakura Kinomoto after she accidentally unleashes a set of powerful, magical cards into the world. Armed with her friends and a chibi sidekick called Kero, Sakura must recollect the deck and fight off baddies who’d like the cards for themselves.

Amongst magical girl series, Cardcaptor Sakura is praised for its ability to intrigued audiences of all ages. The show’s balance of magical quests and pre-teen drama is just enough to make viewers interested in Sakura for more than just her frilly costume changes. The adorably awkward heroine is one that millions of viewers have fallen for, and Sakura will soon live on as CLAMP recently announced a new anime is in the works. 

Shugo Chara!

A launching pad for magical girl adventures can be found in Shugo Chara! The series originated as manga by the creator duo Peach-Pit. It was then adapted into a 51-episode anime that hones in on friendship, self-confidence, and finding your dreams.

The series follows a young girl named Amu Hinamori during her time at Seiyo Elementary. While the heroine appears outgoing and chic, Amu is really a shy, anxiety-ridden student who wishes she could be herself. She wishes one night that she could just be her true self and then wakes up to find she has been gifted with three bubbly Guardians. The sprites are sent to help Amu discover her inner-self, and to do that, the girl will need to undergo some mystcal transformations.

Is This A Zombie?

Is This A Zombie? doesn’t look like any magical girl anime, and that is its deadliest charm. The satirical series pokes all sorts of fun at the lauded subgenre and inverts many of its tropes. For instance, the show deviates from its contemporaries in a big way because its protagonist is definitely not a girl.

The show follows a high school student named Ayuma Aikawa. The boy is killed by a serial killer only to then be resurrected by a necromancer named Eucliwood Hellscythe. Transformed into a zombie, the ressurrected hero then runs into a magical girl named Haruna and winds up siphoning off her magical powers. The run-in results in Ayuma gaining her gifts, forcing him to become a crossdressing magical girl-slash-boy in her stead to fight an incoming hoard of demons. 

Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Do not let the poster for Puella Magi Madoka Magica fool you. The show may look like a fun, mystical romp with friends, but the anime is anything but. The fan-favorite series turns the magical girl subgenre on its head and explores the real – and often dangerous – consequences that heroines suffer through. Oh, and it’s super violent; Just so you know.

The anime follows a group of girls who attend middle school together. The protagonist, Madoka Kaname, is approached by a talking cat named Kyubey who offers to grant her any wish should she agree to become a magical girl. A fellow classmate of hers tries to warn Madoka about the contract’s downfalls, but the latter ultimately chooses to become a magical girl. And, sooner than later, Madoka discovers how violent and soul-crushing the job really is. 

Sailor Moon

Most magical girls only have to worry about saving their world, but Sailor Moon isn’t like them. The iconic heroine has the weight of the entire Solar System on her shoulders, and she carries it with poise. Well, mostly.

Today, Sailor Moon ranks as one of the most important magical girl anime series of all-time. The show revived the dying subgenre when it debuted in the 1990s, and it focused more on female empowerment than kawaii queens. The series follows a clumsy girl named Usagi Tsukino after she encounters an abandoned cat who she adopts. Named Luna, the kitty is actually an extraterrestrial guardian sent to look over a group of girls known as the Sailor Scouts – and Usagi turns out to be their leader. Together, Usagi/Sailor Moon works with Luna to find the rest of her squad and protects the universe against otherworldly villains.