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Anime has never been the same since Usagi Tsukino first transformed into her sailor-suited modified ego, building a template that numerous series would copy, subvert, and reimagine. Sailor Moon opened up endless possibilities for the magical girl genre with its themes of friendship, epic transformations, and heroic missions.
These ten series deliver everything needed in a magical adventure.
1. Revolutionary Girl Utena
Seasons: 1 season (39 episodes)
Studio: J.C.Staff
Revolutionary Girl Utena is a spiritual successor to Sailor Moon, following Utena Tenjou as she enters sword dueling tournaments to win the mysterious "Rose Bride" Anthy Himemiya. Created by former Sailor Moon director Kunihiko Ikuhara, this anime takes familiar magical girl hooks and amplifies them into a complex narration. Revolutionary Girl Utena builds a darker yet equally interesting magical girl experience.
2. Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Seasons: 1 season (12 episodes) + movie trilogy
Studio: Shaft
Puella Magi Madoka Magica follows a band of girls who fight "witches" after attaining magical powers from supernatural contracts that grant one wish. Originally advertised as a typical magical girl anime where friendship prevails, this series quickly subverts expectations with its psychological horror elements and philosophical themes.
Through its analysis of magical girl tropes, Madoka Magica became one of the most intriguing, captivating, and even philosophical anime series ever created. The series maintains its visual appeal through magical transformations and colorful battles.
3. Magic Knight Rayearth
Seasons: 2 seasons (49 episodes total)
Studio: TMS Entertainment
Magic Knight Rayearth dispatches three regular schoolgirls—Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu—to the enchanted world of Cephiro, where they must become legendary Magic Knights to protect the realm. The series features stunning character innovations, detailed magical armor transformations, and a higher-level fantasy world that surpasses typical magical girl settings. The series also introduces romantic subplots and complex moral difficulties.
4. Cardcaptor Sakura
Seasons: 3 seasons (70 episodes + Clear Card arc)
Studio: Madhouse
Cardcaptor Sakura is all about Sakura Kinomoto, a young girl who uncovers her supernatural abilities and is assigned to recover mystifying Clow Cards after unknowingly freeing them. This anime exemplifies the magical girl genre with its charming protagonist, intricate animation, and engaging narrative. The series incorporates daily school life with a magical venture.
The anime's focus on costume design, magical card battles, and gentle romantic components elevates an enchanting viewing experience.
5. Tokyo Mew Mew
Seasons: 1 season (52 episodes) + Tokyo Mew Mew New (12 episodes)
Studio: Pierrot (original)
Tokyo Mew Mew was a staple of many anime fans' childhoods, helping to showcase the magical girl genre alongside other classics. The series is about Ichigo Momomiya and four other girls who achieve animal DNA powers to become Mew Mews, guardians of Earth against outworld invaders.
The series features colorful character designs, a catchy transformation sequence, and romantic subplots that rev up Sailor Moon's winning formula. The heroines fight to defend both humanity and the planet's ecosystem.
6. Yuki Yuna is a Hero
Seasons: 3 seasons (38 episodes total)
Studio: Studio Gokumi
Yuki Yuna is a Hero illuminates a similar take on the magical girl genre by medling on middle school students who become Heroes to protect their world from mysterious creatures called Vertices. The series initially appears lighthearted with its school club backgrounds and cheerful protagonist Yuki Yuna, but gradually reveals darker aspects.
The anime features beautiful flower-themed transformations and unique fighting styles that set it apart from traditional magical girl series.
7. Little Witch Academia
Seasons: 1 season (25 episodes) + 2 movies
Studio: Studio Trigger
Little Witch Academia presents Akko Kagari, an energetic girl who enrolls at Luna Nova Magical Academy to become a witch like her model, Shiny Chariot. This anime features a magical girl in a school setting, just like Harry Potter. The series showcases the power of goals, determination, and friendship through Akko's journey to become a well-renowned witch. Akko’s cheerful spirit and passion for magic reflect Usagi’s deep dedication as Sailor Moon.
8. Tropical-Rouge! Pretty Cure
Seasons: 1 season (46 episodes)
Studio: Toei Animation
Tropical-Rouge! Pretty Cure gets the long-running Pretty Cure franchise into a beach-themed adventure, observing Manatsu Natsuumi and her friends as they become Pretty Cure soldiers. The series seamlessly blends the franchise's signature battle sequences with tropical aesthetics, creating a vibrant and lively viewing experience. The anime focuses on inspiration and self-improvement, with the Pretty Cure battling adversaries who steal people's drive and ambitions.
9. Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch
Seasons: 2 seasons (91 episodes total)
Studio: SynergySP (Actas)
Mermaid Melody follows Lucia, a mermaid princess from the North Pacific, on her quest to find the boy she rescued years ago. The series incorporates magical girl elements with musical versions, as the mermaid princesses utilize their singing voices as a form of defense against dark forces.
The medley of underwater fantasy, musical battles, and romantic drama develops a distinct viewing experience that appeals to fans of both magical girl anime and musical storytelling.
10. Kill La Kill
Seasons: 1 season (24 episodes)
Studio: Studio Trigger
Trending
Kill La Kill takes magical girl shift concepts and boosts them into an over-the-top action spectacle following Ryuko Matoi's quest for vengeance at Honnouji Academy. While being significantly more mature and action-oriented than typical magical girl series, Kill La Kill retains the core aspects of transformation sequences, special attacks, and fighting for justice.
These anime suggestions demonstrate that the magical girl formula perfected by Sailor Moon continues to develop in alluring directions. These shows capture the key elements that make transformation-driven stories so exciting and captivating. The magic lives on via new generation.
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