Top Mahou Shoujo Anime Recommendations

Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica

Also known as Puella Magi Madoka Magica.

Studio: Shaft
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 , Yuri , 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

Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica: Hangyaku no Monogatari

Also known as Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part III: Rebellion.

Studio: Shaft
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Mystery , Psychological , Thriller

Were all the magical girls truly saved from despair? Now, the great "Law of Cycles" leads the magical girls to their new fate. Madoka Kaname, a girl who once led an ordinary life, sacrificed her very existence to set every magical girl free from their cruel destiny. Homura Akemi, another magical girl who was unable to keep her promise with Madoka, continues to fight in the world in which Madoka left her behind.
"I dream of the day when I can finally see your dear smile again."
Madoka Kaname has changed the world. In this new world, is what the magical girls see a world of hope... or despair?



Tags: Anti-Hero , Alternate Universe , Memory Manipulation , Magic , Tragedy , Witch , Cosmic Horror , Female Protagonist , Philosophy , Primarily Female Cast , Gods , Curses , Henshin , Yandere , LGBTQ+ Themes , Urban Fantasy , Time Manipulation , Aliens , Yuri , Demons , Guns , Urban , Kuudere , Mythology , Mixed Media , School

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon

Also known as Sailor Moon.

Studio: Toei Animation
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

Cardcaptor Sakura

Also known as Cardcaptor Sakura.

Studio: MADHOUSE
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 Site

Also known as MAGICAL GIRL SITE.

Studio: production doA
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Horror , Mahou Shoujo , Psychological , Supernatural

Asagiri Aya is a young girl who has fallen victim to bullies at her school. Looking for a way to escape her troubles, she looks to the internet for distraction, when a mysterious website called "Magical Girl Site" appears. Simply viewing the page is all it takes to hurtle Aya headlong into the deadly world of the Magical Girl Apocalypse. There, it’s fight or die, against a seemingly endless array of savagely adorable, frilly-skirted killing machines, each armed with magical powers and an unquenchable thirst for blood and chaos.



Tags: Magic , Female Protagonist , Bullying , Primarily Female Cast , Tragedy , Witch , Battle Royale , Revenge , Urban Fantasy , Gore , Primarily Teen Cast , Ensemble Cast , School , Time Manipulation , Nudity , Shounen , Body Horror , Idol , LGBTQ+ Themes , Transgender

Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya

Also known as Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya.

Studio: SILVER LINK.
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Ecchi , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo

Illyasviel von Einzbern’s normal life is suddenly halted by the Kaleidostick Ruby, a magical wand on the run from her former master, who instantly decides that little Illya has all the right stuff to become the next great magical girl. However, Ruby’s previous owner Rin Tohsaka isn’t exactly thrilled to be de-wanded, especially since she’s just accepted an assignment to collect the seven legendary Class Cards. It seems the only solution is for Illya to take up the task and learn the ropes under Rin’s supervision. Meanwhile, a girl named Miyu has been chosen by the Kaleidostick Sapphire as HER new master, much to the irritation of Sapphire’s previous master, Rin’s arch rival Luviagelita Edelfelt! Exactly what kind of plan are the wands conjuring up?



Note: The show streamed in advance on Niconico Live on July 6, 2013 in Japan. The regular TV broadcast started on July 13, 2013.

Tags: Magic , Primarily Female Cast , Female Protagonist , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Henshin , Anthropomorphism , Mythology , Urban , Spearplay , Archery , Swordplay , Body Swapping , Dissociative Identities , Shounen , Adoption , Butler , Urban Fantasy , Ojou-sama , Kuudere , Nudity , Nekomimi , School , Isekai , Maids , Meta

Flip Flappers

Also known as FLIP FLAPPERS.

Studio: Studio 3Hz
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Psychological , Sci-Fi

As a middle school student, Cocona has been trying to decide what to do with her life. Magical Girl, however, wasn’t a career path that she’d ever considered. When suddenly a strange girl named Papika thrusts her into a secret organization called Flip Flap, Cocona’s outlook does a radical flip-flop. Her views start to change when she is dragged into an alternate dimension called Pure Illusion where she’s charged with gathering crystal shards and fighting strange creatures. Now, between running missions and facing off against a rival organization, Cocona doesn’t have much time to consider alternate career choices. What are these shards, and why is gathering them so important? There’s a mystery to be solved and multiple worlds to be saved in FLIP FLAPPERS!



Tags: Coming of Age , Female Protagonist , Henshin , LGBTQ+ Themes , Meta , Yuri , Magic , Kemonomimi , Desert , Archery , Guns , Urban , Urban Fantasy , Swordplay , Robots , Primarily Female Cast , Surreal Comedy , Memory Manipulation , Super Power , Dissociative Identities , Cult , Time Manipulation , Episodic , Age Regression , Isekai , Tragedy , Twins , Surfing , School , Love Triangle , Tsundere , Super Robot , Parody , Yandere , Heterosexual

Mahou Shoujo ni Akogarete

Also known as Gushing Over Magical Girls.

Studio: Asahi Production
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Ecchi , Mahou Shoujo , Slice of Life

Hiiragi Utena is a major fangirl of the magical girls protecting her city, so when she has the chance to become one herself, she leaps at the chance to join their technicolor ranks… but when she transforms, she learns she isn’t fated to be a daring do-gooder, but rather a villain on the side of evil! At first she tries to quit her new gig as the leader of the local baddies, but she quickly realizes she enjoys it and is a total natural at tormenting the magical girls she loves so much. With both a bang and a whimper, Hiragi’s journey as a magical-girl-tormenting sadist has begun!



Tags: Female Protagonist , Sadism , Primarily Female Cast , Yuri , Anti-Hero , Magic , Nudity , Henshin , Masochism , Primarily Teen Cast , Bondage , Parody , Urban Fantasy , LGBTQ+ Themes , Meta , Villainess , Spearplay , Swordplay , Kemonomimi , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Seinen , Yandere , Exhibitionism , Terrorism , Handjob , Shapeshifting , Guns , School , Tentacles , Threesome , Age Regression

Machikado Mazoku

Also known as The Demon Girl Next Door.

Studio: J.C.STAFF
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Slice of Life

When Yuuko Yoshida wakes up one morning to discover that she’s sprouted horns and a tail, she learns something that her mother has been meaning to tell her. You know that battle between the Light and Dark that’s been going on since the dawn of time? Well, Yuuko’s family are the bad guys.

So now, Yuuko has to defeat a local magical girl to win back some of her family’s vanquished power so they can afford to go to the all-you-can-eat pancake restaurant. And, of course, it turns out that the Magical Girl goes to Yuuko’s school, but Momo’s really nice and keeps rescuing Yuuko, which is pretty embarrassing and leaves Yuuko rather conflicted… but… all you can eat pancakes?



Tags: Slapstick , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Female Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Demons , Magic , Parody , Urban Fantasy , Meta , Kuudere , Primarily Teen Cast , Henshin , Surreal Comedy , Super Power , Seinen , Urban , Tsundere , Iyashikei , Monster Girl , LGBTQ+ Themes , School , Family Life , Food , Coming of Age

Magia Record: Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica Gaiden

Also known as Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story.

Studio: Shaft
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mahou Shoujo , Mystery , Psychological , Thriller

In exchange for the fulfillment of a wish, Magical Girls keep fighting, unbeknownst to the rest of the world. But Iroha Tamaki can’t seem to remember her wish. A rumor begins to spread among Magical Girls. “Magical Girls can be saved if they go to Kamihama.” Kamihama City, the city where Magical Girls and Uwasa are gathering. The story of Iroha Tamaki, in search for her lost wish, begins…



Tags: Magic , Urban Fantasy , Primarily Female Cast , Female Protagonist , Henshin , Alternate Universe , Witch , Tragedy , Primarily Teen Cast , Cult , Memory Manipulation , Twins , Artificial Intelligence , Trains

Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica: Hajimari no Monogatari

Also known as Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part I: Beginnings.

Studio: Shaft
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Psychological , Thriller

The first movie in the Madoka trilogy; a recap of the first eight episodes of the series.

Tags: Magic , Tragedy , Primarily Female Cast , Female Protagonist , Philosophy , Henshin , Urban Fantasy , Aliens , Witch , Primarily Child Cast , Urban , Mixed Media , Time Manipulation , School , Kuudere

Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica: Eien no Monogatari

Also known as Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part II: Eternal.

Studio: Shaft
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Psychological , Thriller

The second movie in the Madoka trilogy. It is a recap of the last four episodes of the series.

Tags: Magic , Tragedy , Time Manipulation , Female Protagonist , Philosophy , Primarily Female Cast , Coming of Age , Primarily Child Cast , Henshin , Cosmic Horror , Urban Fantasy , Witch , Aliens , Gods , Urban , Guns , Mixed Media , Kuudere , Anti-Hero , School

Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru

Also known as Yuki Yuna is a Hero.

Studio: Studio Gokumi
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Psychological , Slice of Life

Yuuna Yuuki is an ordinary second-year middle school student. She gets up in the morning, gets ready for school, goes to classes, participates in club activities, and has fun with her friends. But there is one extraordinary thing about Yuuki — she belongs to the “Brave Hero Club.” What does the Brave Hero Club do? Who is the mysterious being called “Vertex?” Yuuki Yuuna and her friends’ story takes place in Year 300, Era of the Gods.



Tags: Super Power , Primarily Teen Cast , Female Protagonist , Cosmic Horror , Magic , Henshin , Primarily Female Cast , Gods , Tragedy , Philosophy , School Club , Disability , Cult , Ensemble Cast , Urban , Chuunibyou , Coastal , Superhero , Religion , Kaiju , Isekai , Fairy , Post-Apocalyptic , Amnesia , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Memory Manipulation , Suicide , Swordplay , Guns , Conspiracy , School , Primarily Child Cast , Tsundere , CGI , Language Barrier , Yuri

Senki Zesshou Symphogear

Also known as Symphogear.

Studio: Satelight , Encourage Films , Studio Pastoral
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Mahou Shoujo , Music , Sci-Fi

With the coming of spring, Hibiki Tachibana and Miku Kohinata start their first year in high school school at the prestigious Lydian Music Academy. That their idol, the singer Tsubasa Kazanari, also attends Lydian is just an added bonus. Neither of them know that their lives are about to change forever. Neither of them know that the first, awakening beat is almost upon them.



Tags: Henshin , Primarily Female Cast , Female Protagonist , Super Power , Primarily Teen Cast , Conspiracy , Guns , Urban , Mythology , Tragedy , Idol , Dancing , Tsundere , School , Swordplay , Spearplay , Superhero , Gore , Drugs , Military , Motorcycles , Orphan , Nudity , Yuri

Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku

Also known as Magical Girl Raising Project.

Studio: Lerche
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Fantasy , Horror , Mahou Shoujo , Psychological , Thriller

A social game called The Magical Girl Raising Project allows one in tens of thousands of people to be a "magical girl" — possessing extraordinary physical capabilities and looks, as well as special magical powers that set them apart from the rest of the human race. But one day, in a district containing 16 magical girls, the administration announces that it must halve the number of magical girls to solve the problem of magical energy.



Tags: Magic , Battle Royale , Death Game , Tragedy , Primarily Female Cast , Urban Fantasy , Kuudere , Witch , Robots , Swordplay , Urban , Video Games , Spearplay , Elf , Tsundere , Revenge , Super Power , Superhero , Chibi , Henshin , Female Protagonist , Gore , Angels , Primarily Teen Cast , Suicide , Guns , Nun , Twins , LGBTQ+ Themes , Yuri , Crime , Gender Bending , Transgender , Isekai , Ensemble Cast , Bullying , Tomboy

Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya 2wei!

Also known as Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya 2wei!.

Studio: SILVER LINK.
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Ecchi , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo

The second season of Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya.

With great powers come great responsibilities, and that includes cleaning up the aftermath of your previous adventures. Which means that, instead of getting a break after saving the world, newly changed magical girls Illya and Miyu have to help deal with the side-effects caused by the sealing of the Ley Cards. Still, that shouldn't be too hard, right? Wrong! Not only are the ley lines failing, but to make matters worse, Illya somehow ends up with a magical clone… and that sinister clone has plans of her own! Worse yet, since the "dark" version of herself is drawing its power from the same source as our heroine, Illya's own powers are being reduced proportionately. These are definitely not the kind of problems that the average girl should have to deal with.



Tags: Magic , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Henshin , Female Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Urban , Urban Fantasy , Archery , Swordplay , Butler , Primarily Child Cast , Mythology , Anthropomorphism , School , Maids , Tanned Skin , Female Harem , Shounen , Kuudere , Isekai , Ojou-sama , Nudity

Princess Tutu

Also known as Princess Tutu.

Studio: Hal Film Maker
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Mystery , Psychological , Romance

In a fairy tale come to life, the clumsy, sweet, and gentle Ahiru (Japanese for 'duck') seems like an unlikely protagonist. In reality, Ahiru is just as magical as the talking cats and crocodiles that inhabit her town - for Ahiru really is a duck! Transformed by the mysterious Drosselmeyer into a human girl, Ahiru soon learns the reason for her existence. Using her magical egg-shaped pendant, Ahiru can transform into Princess Tutu - a beautiful and talented ballet dancer whose dances relieve people of the turmoil in their hearts. With her newfound ability, Ahiru accepts the challenge of collecting the lost shards of her prince's heart, for long ago he had shattered it in order to seal an evil raven away for all eternity.

Princess Tutu is a tale of heroes and their struggle against fate. Their beliefs, their feelings, and ultimately their actions will determine whether this fairy tale can reach its "happily ever after."

Princess Tutu aired in two parts. The first part included 13 25-minute-long episodes, while the second part consisted of 24 12-minute-long episodes with a 25-minute-long final episode for a total of 38 episodes.

Tags: Fairy Tale , Dancing , Meta , Henshin , Writing , Female Protagonist , Boarding School , Surreal Comedy , Kuudere , Philosophy , Tragedy , Anthropomorphism , Magic , Heterosexual , Love Triangle , Animals , Episodic , Unrequited Love , Shapeshifting , Foreign , School , Tsundere , Reincarnation , Dissociative Identities , Necromancy , Super Power , Ghost , Swordplay

Choujigen Game Neptune THE ANIMATION

Also known as Hyperdimension Neptunia.

Studio: David Production
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Ecchi , Mahou Shoujo , Sci-Fi , Supernatural

Welcome to Gamindustri, a fantastical world where all your favorite video game consoles come to life! Neptune and her fellow Goddesses rule the four kingdoms of Lastation, Leanbox, Lowee, and Planeptune – but their royal duties often take a backseat to their obsession with gaming. When their button-mashing shenanigans are interrupted by rampaging monsters, hacker attacks, and killer eggplants, the goddesses must transform into stronger, sexier versions of themselves and fight for their right to game! The bosses get tougher as the game goes on, and the girls will have to work together in order to defeat a bewitching goddess of piracy, an anonymous master hacker, and an evil CPU hell-bent on destroying everything in her path – using any cheat code necessary!



Tags: Video Games , Female Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Henshin , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Parody , Gods , Meta , Kuudere , Memory Manipulation , Alternate Universe , Time Skip

Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya 2wei Herz!

Also known as Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya 2wei! Herz!.

Studio: SILVER LINK.
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Ecchi , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo

The second part of Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya 2wei!.

Illyasviel von Einzbern's life has become ridiculously complicated since the Kaleidostick Ruby convinced her to become a magical girl and join the quest for collecting the seven Class Cards. Since then, almost every day has brought a new surprise, from gaining new friends and partners like Miyu Edelfelt, to encountering her own magical twin! One would think Illya deserves a little time off, right? No such luck: a trip to the beach quickly turns into a magical quest, and Illya finds herself caught in a string of magical feuds, encounters with love potions, an excursion into the world of "boys love" comics (plus the women who read them), and half a dozen other delirious diversions. However, that's only the warm-up for what might be her final mission: recovering the long-lost Eighth Card!



Tags: Magic , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Female Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Urban , Urban Fantasy , Butler , Maids , Swordplay , Archery , Nun , Gods , Henshin , Ojou-sama , Shounen , Kuudere , Nudity , Isekai , Mythology , Anthropomorphism , Tanned Skin , Otaku Culture , Female Harem , Primarily Child Cast

Shugo Chara!

Also known as Shugo Chara!.

Studio: Satelight
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Mahou Shoujo , Romance

Amu Hinamori is a 5th grade transfer student who is fashionably cool, tough and independent. Despite this, she is also a girl who seems unapproachable, both at home and at school. In reality, the "Cool and Spicy" role she plays is just a facade that she unconsciously plays. With her guardian characters, she fights the Easter Company who is extracting people's eggs to create X Eggs & X Characters in search of a special egg called the Embryo.



Tags: Primarily Child Cast , Magic , Shoujo , Female Protagonist , Henshin , School , Chibi , Fairy , Coming of Age , Tsundere , Anti-Hero , Rehabilitation , Philosophy , Super Power , Urban Fantasy , Kuudere , School Club , Dissociative Identities , Nekomimi , Male Harem , Heterosexual , Crossdressing , Fashion , Fairy Tale , Estranged Family , Family Life , Astronomy , Slapstick , Tomboy , Teacher , Age Gap , Snowscape , Idol , Incest , Ojou-sama