Anime like Princess Tutu

Shoujo Kakumei Utena

Also known as Revolutionary Girl Utena.

Studio: J.C.STAFF , TV Tokyo , The Right Stuf International , Central Park Media , Yomiuri Advertising , SoftX
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy , Mystery , Psychological , Romance

Just after Utena's parents died, she was consoled by a prince who gave her a ring with a rose crest on it. Utena was so impressed by the Prince that she vowed to become one herself one day. A few years later, Utena is attending Ohtori Academy where she gives all the teachers headaches because she dresses in a boy's uniform so she can be like the prince she met long ago.

After Utena's friend is insulted by a member of the Student Council, Utena fights in a duel for her friend's honor. Utena's rose crest allows her to enter the dueling arena, where Utena wins the duel and becomes engaged to the Rose Bride. Unknowingly, Utena is pulled into a series of duels with other members of the Student Council for the possession of the Rose Bride. As she becomes fond of Anthy, the Rose Bride, she must fight to keep her friend safe and to discover the horrifying secret behind Ohtori Academy.



Tags: Coming of Age , Female Protagonist , Philosophy , Fairy Tale , LGBTQ+ Themes , Tomboy , Ensemble Cast , Primarily Teen Cast , Incest , Swordplay , Yuri , Tragedy , Psychosexual , Bisexual , Surreal Comedy , Age Gap , Witch , School , Conspiracy , Memory Manipulation , Ojou-sama , Meta , Henshin , Love Triangle , Fencing , Episodic , Crossdressing , Magic , Time Loop , Bullying , Kuudere , Boarding School , Cheating , Twins , Suicide , Boys' Love , Astronomy , Aliens , Athletics , Body Swapping , Politics

Cardcaptor Sakura

Also known as Cardcaptor Sakura.

Studio: MADHOUSE , NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan , NHK , Kodansha , Sogo Vision , YTV , NHK Enterprises , NIS America Inc.
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Romance

One day, Kinomoto Sakura, a 4th grader stumbles upon the mysterious book of Clow. Upon opening it and reading the name of The Windy aloud, Sakura scatters the cards to the winds. Sakura is elected and appointed by Keroberos, Guardian of the Cards to capture the remaining cards. With her friend Tomoyo and rival Syaoran, Sakura begins an adventure that will forever change her.

Tags: Magic , Shoujo , Female Protagonist , Urban Fantasy , Primarily Child Cast , Coming of Age , Episodic , Family Life , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Henshin , School , Dissociative Identities , Reincarnation , Love Triangle , LGBTQ+ Themes , Fashion , Unrequited Love , Heterosexual , Tsundere , Bisexual , Age Gap , Agender , Martial Arts , Boys' Love , Fairy , Amnesia , Time Manipulation , Kaiju , Time Skip , Transgender

Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica

Also known as Puella Magi Madoka Magica.

Studio: Aniplex , Shaft , Mainichi Broadcasting System , Movic , Nitroplus , Aniplex of America , Madoka Partners , Houbunsha , Manga Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Psychological , Thriller

One night, 14-year-old Madoka Kaname has a terrible nightmare - against the backdrop of a devastated city, she witnesses a girl fight a losing battle against a dreadful being lingering above, while a cat-like magical creature tells Madoka the only way to change such tragic outcome is for her to make a contract with him and become a magical girl.

The next day, the teen's dream seemingly becomes reality as the girl she saw in her dream - Homura - arrives at Mitakihara Middle School as a transfer student, mysteriously warning Madoka to stay just the way she is; but when later on she and her best friend Sayaka encounter the same cat-like magical creature from her dream - who introduces himself as Kyubey - the pair discovers that magical girls are real, and what's more, they can choose to become one. All they must do is sign a contract with Kyubey and agree to take on the duty to fight abstract beings called 'witches' that spread despair to the human world, and in return, each one of them will be granted any single wish they desire. However, as Homura's omen suggests, there might be far more to becoming a magical girl than Madoka and Sayaka realize...

Notes:
Due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the broadcasts of episodes 11 and 12 were delayed and were later aired as a double feature on April 21, 2011.

Tags: Magic , Tragedy , Female Protagonist , Witch , Primarily Female Cast , Time Manipulation , Urban Fantasy , Philosophy , Alternate Universe , Primarily Teen Cast , Time Loop , Kuudere , Coming of Age , Henshin , Survival , Aliens , Urban , Primarily Child Cast , Ensemble Cast , Gods , Anti-Hero , Spearplay , Suicide , Achronological Order , Love Triangle , Guns , Archery , Heterosexual , LGBTQ+ Themes , Mixed Media , School , Tomboy , Anthropomorphism

Shoujo☆Kageki Revue Starlight

Also known as Revue Starlight.

Studio: Kinema Citrus , Pony Canyon , OVERLAP , APDREAM , TBS , Sound Team Don Juan , Nelke Planning , Bushiroad , Sentai Filmworks
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Music , Psychological

The franchise centers on "Starlight" — the song and dance revue troupe loved throughout the world. Karen and Hikari make a promise with each other when they're young that one day they'll stand on that stage together. Time passes, and now the girls are 16 years old. Karen is very enthusiastic about the lessons she takes every day, holding her promise close to her heart. Hikari has transferred schools and is now away from Karen. But the cogs of fate turn, and the two are destined to meet again. The girls and other "Stage Girls" will compete in a mysterious audition process to gain acceptance into the revue.



Tags: Musical Theater , Primarily Female Cast , Ensemble Cast , Primarily Teen Cast , Acting , Female Protagonist , Meta , Fairy Tale , Battle Royale , Unrequited Love , Philosophy , Animals , Yuri , School , Time Loop , Coming of Age , Boarding School , Henshin , Swordplay , Time Manipulation , Dancing , LGBTQ+ Themes , Foreign , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Revenge , Tomboy , Archery , Love Triangle , Urban , Writing , Baseball , Motorcycles

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon

Also known as Sailor Moon.

Studio: Toei Animation , TV Asahi , Madman Entertainment , Viz Media
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Romance

Usagi Tsukino is an average student and crybaby klutz who constantly scores low on her tests. Unexpectedly, her humdrum life is turned upside down when she saves a cat with a crescent moon on its head from danger. The cat, named Luna, later reveals that their meeting was not an accident: Usagi is destined to become Sailor Moon, a planetary guardian with the power to protect the Earth. Given a special brooch that allows her to transform, she must use her new powers to save the city from evil energy-stealing monsters sent by the malevolent Queen Beryl of the Dark Kingdom.

But getting accustomed to her powers and fighting villains are not the only things she has to worry about. She must find the lost princess of the Moon Kingdom, the other Sailor Guardians, and the Legendary Silver Crystal in order to save the planet from destruction.



Tags: Magic , Shoujo , Female Protagonist , Henshin , Primarily Female Cast , Urban Fantasy , Superhero , Slapstick , Super Power , Demons , Found Family , Heterosexual , Ensemble Cast , Reincarnation , Coming of Age , Amnesia , Animals , Fairy Tale , School , Space , Primarily Teen Cast , Tragedy , Episodic , War , Dissociative Identities , Urban , Revenge , Aliens , Tokusatsu , Age Gap , LGBTQ+ Themes , Mythology , Shrine Maiden , Unrequited Love , Time Manipulation , Body Horror , Suicide , Makeup , Boys' Love

Kaleido Star

Also known as Kaleido Star.

Studio: GONZO , Production I.G , TV Tokyo , Hal Film Maker , ADV Films , Funimation , G&G Entertainment , Horipro , MediaNet
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Sports , Supernatural

Sora, a young girl from Japan, comes to America in search of her dream. She wants, with all her heart, to be a member of the Kaleido Stage, a world famous circus, with a combination of musicals, acrobatics and magical effects. With the help of her friends, she struggles to make this dream come true.

Tags: Circus , Female Protagonist , Foreign , Acting , Coming of Age , Acrobatics , Work , Fairy Tale , Ghost , Dancing , Animals , Primarily Teen Cast , Musical Theater , Idol , Police , Cosplay

Ojamajo Doremi

Also known as Magical DoReMi.

Studio: Toei Animation , 4Kids Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Slice of Life

Doremi Harukaze, 3rd grade student at Misora Elementary School, claims to be the world's unluckiest pretty girl. Fascinated by witchcraft, she is drawn into a mysterious shop where she meets Majo Rika and is able to deduce that this lady is in fact a real witch. Being exposed by a human triggers a curse that transforms witches into magical frogs. To regain her original body, Rika must turn Doremi into a witch by teaching her how to use magic. Thrilled by this odd development, Harukaze becomes a witch apprentice. Unfortunately, her two best friends, Hazuki Fujiwara and Aiko Senoo, discover that Doremi has become a magic user. Afraid that Harukaze might become a magical frog too, Majo Rika recruits both Hazuki and Aiko and makes them witch apprentices too. The trio has lots of adventures as they try to triumph the necessary trials to become real witches.



Tags: Magic , Witch , Primarily Female Cast , Female Protagonist , Primarily Child Cast , Henshin , Kids , Episodic , Chibi , Coming of Age , School , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Family Life , Ojou-sama , Fairy , Idol , Acting , Urban Fantasy

Mawaru Penguindrum

Also known as Penguindrum.

Studio: Brain's Base , Mainichi Broadcasting System , Sentai Filmworks
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mystery , Psychological , Supernatural

Once you make a decision, does the universe conspire to make it happen? Is destiny a matter of chance, a matter of choice or the complex outcome of thousands of warring strands of fate? All twins Kanba and Shoma know is that when their terminally ill sister Himari collapses at the aquarium, her death is somehow temporarily reversed by the penguin hat that she had asked for. It's a provisional resurrection, however, and it comes at a price: to keep Himari alive they need to find the mysterious Penguin Drum. In order to do that, they must first find the links to a complex interlocking chain of riddles that has wrapped around their entire existence, and unravel the knots that tie them to mystifying diary and a baffling string of strangers and semi-acquaintances who all have their own secrets, agendas and "survival strategies." And in order for Himari to live, someone else's chosen destiny will have to change. It's a story of love, fate, life, death... and Penguins!



Tags: Philosophy , Found Family , Family Life , Tragedy , Coming of Age , Ensemble Cast , Terrorism , Meta , Parody , Denpa , Inseki , Trains , Henshin , Surreal Comedy , Heterosexual , Crime , Memory Manipulation , Magic , Satire , Cult , Ghost , Fairy Tale , Primarily Teen Cast , Tsundere , Twins , Love Triangle , Achronological Order , Incest , Age Gap , Psychosexual , LGBTQ+ Themes

Shin Shirayuki-hime Densetsu Pretear

Also known as Prétear: The New Legend of Snow White.

Studio: Hal Film Maker , ADV Films , Funimation , Kadokawa Shoten , Rondo Robe
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Romance

A sixteen year old girl is struggling to adjust to a new step-family when seven guys appear on the scene revealing that she possesses a special magical power. Shying away from the strange group, she later joins them when a monster places her friend's life in jeopardy. Without training, she must prove herself capable to take up the sacred duty of the Pretear. They must resolve their differences and work together to defeat the evil princess intent on destruction.



Tags: Magic , Henshin , Shoujo , Family Life , Primarily Male Cast , Unrequited Love , Fairy Tale , Male Harem , Female Protagonist , Tsundere , Tragedy , Maids , Heterosexual , Ojou-sama , Love Triangle , Swordplay , Denpa , Dancing

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon SuperS

Also known as Sailor Moon SuperS.

Studio: Toei Animation , TV Asahi , Viz Media , Madman Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Romance

SuperS centers heavily on Chibi-usa and the Sailor Team. A new enemy, the Dead Moon Circus, has now appeared. Their motive is to find the Golden Dream Mirror that would be used to rule the world. To do this, the enemy attacks innocent victims for their Dream Mirrors and test their energy. Chibi-usa also has a new ally on her side, Pegasus. This season also sees the Sailor Senshi obtaining new powers.

Tags: Shoujo , Primarily Female Cast , Female Protagonist , Magic , Henshin , Revenge , Found Family , Coming of Age , Superhero , Super Power , Slapstick , Tragedy , Circus , Crime , Fairy Tale , Ensemble Cast , Mythology , Philosophy , Urban Fantasy , Heterosexual , Demons , Aliens , Rehabilitation , Femboy , Bar , Space , Crossdressing , Animals , Body Swapping , Age Gap , Primarily Teen Cast , Urban , Tokusatsu , Kuudere , LGBTQ+ Themes , Shrine Maiden , Age Regression , Body Horror , Educational , Episodic , Writing