Magical girl anime is a huge genre within the anime community, and for good reason— despite the association of perhaps being lighthearted, frilly, and without substance, often magical girl shows are the exact opposite. They explore the power of friendship, self-discovery, and drive home the idea that even ordinary people can hide great potential to change the world. Some of the titles most commonly associated with the genre are Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura, and Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Chances are you’ve seen of or at least heard of one; the fan bases for magical girl anime tend to be loudly supportive of a genre that can sometimes be looked down on by those who don’t understand what it’s all about.
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And of course, if we could all change into a better version of ourselves or harness magical powers with a simple transformation, who wouldn’t want to be a magical girl? While the genre does have its big names, I’d like to take some time to shine a bit of light on older series that are slightly forgotten but just as worth giving a watch. After all, many of these pre-2000 shows are the blueprint for what the genre would later become.
1) Sally The Witch (1966)
Sally the Witch is one of the oldest magical girl anime to ever be put on the big screen. It first debuted back in 1966, and could also be considered a contender for one of the original shojo anime produced. For that alone, it’s a classic that paved the way for so many series we all likely have watched and enjoyed. Sally the Witch had an original run of over 100 episodes; it had a reboot in the late ’80s that had over 80 episodes in total.
The anime followed the plot of Sally, a witch princess who resides in the Magic Kingdom. Sally’s greatest wish is to visit the mortal realm where humans live— a wish that comes true when she accidentally teleports to Earth. There, Sally saves two schoolgirls from a burglary attempt and, after befriending them, decides to remain on Earth and learn more about this new world. This starts a series of chaotic events with Sally posing as a regular schoolgirl and attempting to hide her powers from her new friends.
2) Princess Knight (1967)
Princess Knight is an older anime that was interesting for its unique portrayal of gender identity. The series first aired in 1967 and had a total of 52 episodes before the show ended. It was produced to compete with shows geared towards a male audience in the hopes of pulling in a larger range of viewers.
The Princess Knight series follows Sapphire, a girl born with both a boy’s blue heart and a girl’s pink heart; this dual nature presents her with different strengths and abilities decided by her heart. Sapphire is born to the ruling king of her realm and must pretend to be a prince in order to inherit the throne after her father passes, to prevent evil forces next in line for the throne from taking over. The story follows Sapphire and her guardian angel, Tink, as they adventure across the lands and encounter numerous enemies and challenges along the way.
3) Hana no Ko Lunlun (1979)
Hana no Ko Lunlun, alternatively translated to Lunlun, the Flower Angel, is an anime that first debuted in 1979, and had a run of 50 episodes before coming to an end. The anime performed well enough that it was translated into English for a handful of episodes, making it one of the first magical girl anime to break into the Western market. Years after its initial run, the series had multiple films made in association with the anime.
In Hana no Ko Lunlun, flowers are a central part of the plot and themes surrounding the show. The lore explains that plant spirits, closely linked to fairies, once lived on Earth before leaving the planet to take residence on the “Flower Star”. Many years after this, two representatives, a talking dog and cat, are sent to Earth to find someone pure of heart that can locate a magical flower that will allow the next ruler of the Flower Star to ascend the throne. This leads them to Lunlun Flower, an orphaned girl living in France whose parents are descendants of the original Flower Star people. Lunlun agrees to travel with them in search of this flower, kick-starting a long adventure across the world.
4) Cutie Honey (1973)
Cutie Honey is recognized for a few contributions: the anime was one of the first to boast a female protagonist and belong to the shonen genre. The series’s first opening theme song also remains one of the most popular openings in anime history, a significant feat considering the time the anime was made and new additions to the genre. Cutie Honey was later classified as a magical girl, but during its initial run, it blended themes of science fiction and fantasy throughout the plot.
The anime follows Honey Kisaragi, a schoolgirl whose father is killed by the infamous Panther Claw Organization. She then finds out her true origin: an android housing a mysterious device that can convert matter from air. This device allows Honey to transform into her alter-ego, Cutie Honey, a superhero-like girl who wields a sword and has unique powers that allow her to combat crime. Despite leading a normal everyday life, Honey now uses her secret identity to hunt down and take revenge on the Panther Claw Organization for murdering her father.
5) Saint Tail (1995)
Saint Tail is a manga that was released around the time the magical girl genre began to truly gain more traction with mainstream audiences. The series first aired in 1995 and had a total of 43 episodes. Saint Tail focused on the concept of “stealing for a better cause” to create the main character’s motive. Because of this, the anime explored themes of justice, morality, and self-discovery as central plot devices.
The anime centers around Meimi Haneoka, the daughter of a once-renowned phantom thief. While Meimi appears to be a regular middle-schooler with an average life, she secretly doubles as a vigilante at night: her prerogative is to take back stolen goods and return them to their owners. Her actions gain Meimi sympathy around town, but also negative attention from the son of the police chief, Asuka Jr., who claims he will be the one to capture the thief. The two begin a game of cat and mouse that also brings them closer and begins a genuine connection that bleeds into their interactions.
6) Wedding Peach (1995)
Wedding Peach was a magical girl anime known for its episodic formula and lighthearted, humorous tone. The series was released in 1995 and had a run of 51 episodes with two bonus episodes airing after its initial end. Wedding Peach focused on a team of three magical girls who fought numerous monsters while experiencing their own romance storylines. Themes explored in the show center around the wedding motif that drives the plot and power system: good versus evil, love, and the strength of friendship.
The anime follows Momoko Hanasaki, Yuri Tanima, and Hinagiku Tamano, a group of friends who have all joined the newspaper club together. Their regular life is interrupted when the girls are attacked by a devil on their way home from school. This attack is only stopped when an angel from the Angel World descends to give Momoko a compact; she’s then told her destiny as a Love Angel, legendary warriors, from the goddess Aphrodite. Momoko and her friends take on their new roles as Love Angels and fight the forces of the Devil World to protect humanity and those they love.
7) Hime-Chan’s Ribbon (1992)
Hime-Chan’s Ribbon takes the aspect of changing into someone else that is so common in the magical girl genre and expands upon it. The anime came out in 1992 and had a total of 61 episodes before the show’s end. It explored coming-of-age themes that can be tied to magical girl series, but also had intriguing takes on personal growth, self-identity, and discovery, and accepting yourself as you are.
Hime-Chan’s Ribbon is the story of Himeko Nonohara, a young teenage girl who is secretly sensitive about her general persona of a tomboy and how it affects her chances of approaching her school crush. When Himeko is home, she encounters a girl who is nearly identical to her; Himeko learns that the girl, Erika, is the princess of the Magical Kingdom and her counterpart. Erika imparts a ribbon to Himeko that will allow her to transform into anyone around her for an hour at a time. This allows Himeko the chance to change in and out of lives and experience stories different from her own while keeping the ribbon’s secret.
8) Tonde Burin (1994)
Tonde Burin is a great example of a slight subversion of the magical girl genre. This show came out in 1994, with a total of 51 episodes in the original run. Tonde Burin flipped the idea of cute magical girl transformations on its head and instead focused on themes of self-acceptance, the burden of responsibility, and the true definition of a hero.
In the series, our protagonist is Karin Kokubu, a young girl who is a fan of the magical girl genre and idolizes the heroes from her stories. One day, Karin comes across an injured pig that she helps by feeding it an apple; later, the pig comes back and gives Karin a Dream Tonpact, a magical compact that will allow her to transform into a pink pig. Karin is told if she collects a certain number of magical pearls through the act of good deeds, she can gain the ability to become a true magical girl like she dreams.
9) Phantom Thief Jeanne (1999)
Phantom Thief Jeanne combines the magical girl genre with fantasy, heist action, and supernatural elements. It came out in 1999 and had a run of 44 episodes before ending. The series explored themes such as the relationship between good and evil, morality, religion, and justice. It’s one of the few magical girl anime to focus on the main character being given her gifts from God to combat demonic forces.
In Phantom Thief Jeanne, the story follows Maron Kusukabe, a teenage gymnast who is visited by an angel with a startling message. Maron has been chosen by God to collect the scattered remains of divine power hidden by demons— if the pieces aren’t gathered within a certain time, God will die. Maron must become the reincarnated form of Joan of Arc to hunt down the demons holding the pieces of power, who are hiding in various pieces of artwork. Her new job is to seal the demons and reclaim the power, effectively making her an infamous phantom thief as she travels to complete her quest.
10) Shamanic Princess (1996)
Shamanic Princess is an interesting offer on this list because of the intriguing way in which the OVA mini-series was produced. The first episode of the anime came out in 1996, with a total of six episodes released over two years. These episodes were all of the show released, giving it a strange chronology to follow in regards to the actual plot and story development. Despite this, the anime gained a following because of the deconstructive nature of the series in the exploration of the genre, using darker themes to convey its message.
In Shamanic Princess, the plot revolves around the concept of the Guardian World— a place where those who dwell there are in charge of guarding and protecting against magical forces. Tiara, the main character, is sent to Earth to find the Guardian World’s stolen power source, the Throne of Yord. Her plan to retrieve the source using her own magical powers is stalled when Tiara realizes her past love is the culprit of the crime.
Have you seen any of these magical girl anime? Tell us more about your favorite magical girl series in the comments below.
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