What is this genre all about? Magical girls (also known both in Japan and in the West as mahou shoujo, and in Japan as majokko) are young girls with superhuman abilities of magical nature. In the early years, magical girls usually used magic to solve everyday problems and often transformed into idols; nowadays, however, the term is most often used to refer to with girls who fight evil using magical powers, and, although transformations are still common, they tend to be more along the lines of a change of costume.
We present you the list of Magical Girl anime you should watch right now.
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Top 20 Magical Girl anime you should watch right now. [2026 List]
- 20. Mahou Shoujo ni Akogarete
- 19. Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica
- 18. Kimi to Idol Precure♪
- 17. Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica: Walpurgis no Kaiten
- 16. Cardcaptor Sakura
- 15. Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Movie 3: Hangyaku no Monogatari
- 14. Princess Tutu
- 13. Tokyo Mew Mew
- 12. Kore wa Zombie Desu ka?
- 11. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon R
- 10. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon
- 9. Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku
- 8. Katsute Mahou Shoujo to Aku wa Tekitai Shite Ita.
- 7. Magic Knight Rayearth II
- 6. Magic Knight Rayearth
- 5. Banjjagbanjjag Catch! Tiniping
- 4. Mahou Shoujo Site
- 3. Sasaki to Pi-chan
- 2. Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? OVA
- 1. Heartcatch Precure!
20. Mahou Shoujo ni Akogarete
Hiragi 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!
Gushing over Magical Girls has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: 魔法少女にあこがれて, I Admire Magical Girls, and..., Mahoako
19. Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica
Madoka Kaname and Sayaka Miki are regular middle school girls with regular lives, but all that changes when they encounter Kyuubey, a cat-like magical familiar, and Homura Akemi, the new transfer student.
Kyuubey offers them a proposition: he will grant one of their wishes and in exchange, they will each become a magical girl, gaining enough power to fulfill their dreams. However Homura, a magical girl herself, urges them not to accept the offer since everything is not what it seems.
A story of hope, despair, and friendship, Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica deals with the difficulties of being a magical girl and the price one has to pay to make a dream come true.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 魔法少女まどか★マギカ, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika, Magical Girl Madoka Magica
18. Kimi to Idol Precure♪
The main character, Sakura Uta, is a second-year middle school student who loves to sing. One day, she meets the fairy Purirun that has come to search for the Legendary Protectors, Idol Precure! Purirun's hometown, KirakiLand has been plunged into total darkness by Darkine, the boss of the Chokkiri Gang. Meanwhile, the sparkles of the townspeople are being stolen by the Chokkiri Gang... it's a huge pinch!
"I want to make it sparkle sparkly! Here is my song!" - With this determination, Uta transforms into the Legendary Protector, Cure Idol! She sings, dances, and gives fan service, making it sparkle no matter how pitch-black it is!
You and Idol Precure♪ is currently airing and will have 49 Episodes. It is also Known as: キミとアイドルプリキュア♪, Kimi to Idol Precure♪
17. Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica: Walpurgis no Kaiten
The 10th anniversary online event for the Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica anime revealed on Sunday that the franchise is getting a new anime film titled Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica: Walpurgis no Kaiten. The film will be an official sequel to the Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica: Hangyaku no Monogatari film that opened in October 2013. The tagline on the new film's visual reads, "Now, let's continue the story."
Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie -Walpurgisnacht: Rising- has not yet aired. It will air on February 28, 2026. It is also Known as: 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ 〈ワルプルギスの廻天〉, Magical Girl Madoka Magica Movie 4, Puella Magi Madoka Magica Movie 4
16. Cardcaptor Sakura
Sakura Kinomoto is your garden-variety ten-year-old fourth grader, until one day, she stumbles upon a mysterious book containing a set of cards. Unfortunately, she has little time to divine what the cards mean because she accidentally stirs up a magical gust of wind and unintentionally scatters the cards all over the world. Suddenly awakened from the book, the Beast of the Seal, Keroberos (nicknamed Kero-chan), tells Sakura that she has released the mystical Clow Cards created by the sorcerer Clow Reed. The Cards are no ordinary playthings. Each of them possesses incredible powers, and because they like acting independently, Clow sealed all the Cards within a book. Now that the Cards are set free, they pose a grave danger upon the world, and it is up to Sakura to prevent the Cards from causing a catastrophe!
Appointing Sakura the title of "the Cardcaptor" and granting her the Sealed Key, Keroberos tasks her with finding and recapturing all the Cards. Alongside her best friend Tomoyo Daidouji, and with Kero-chan's guidance, Sakura must learn to balance her new secret duty with the everyday troubles of a young girl involving love, family, and school, all while she takes flight on her magical adventures as Sakura the Cardcaptor.
Cardcaptor Sakura has finished airing and it has 70 Episodes. It is also Known as: カードキャプターさくら, CCS, Cardcaptors, Card Captor Sakura
15. Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Movie 3: Hangyaku no Monogatari
The young girls of Mitakihara happily live their lives, occasionally fighting off evil, but otherwise going about their peaceful, everyday routines. However, Homura Akemi feels that something is wrong with this unusually pleasant atmosphere—though the others remain oblivious, she can't help but suspect that there is more to what is going on than meets the eye: someone who should not exist is currently present to join in on their activities.Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica Movie 3: Hangyaku no Monogatari follows Homura in her struggle to uncover the painful truth behind the mysterious circumstances, as she selfishly and desperately fights for the sake of her undying love in this despair-ridden conclusion to the story of five magical girls.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: 劇場版 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ 叛逆の物語, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika Movie 3, Magical Girl Madoka Magica Movie 3
14. Princess Tutu
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."
Note: Princess Tutu aired in two parts. The first part included 13 25-minute episodes, while the second part consisted of 24 12-minute episodes with a 25-minute final episode.
Princess Tutu has finished airing and it has 38 Episodes. It is also Known as: プリンセスチュチュ, Princess Tutu
13. Tokyo Mew Mew
The story of Tokyo Mew Mew begins when the main protagonist, Ichigo Momomiya, attends an endangered species exhibit with her crush (and hopefully future boyfriend) Masaya Aoyama. Their peaceful day takes a turn towards drastic when an earthquake strikes and Ichigo, as well as four other girls, are enveloped in a mysterious light. The next day, Ichigo begins to behave like a cat and learns from two scientists that her DNA has been combined with that of an iriomote cat as part of Project μ, which aims to protect the world from alien invaders!
Aliens have come to reclaim Earth in the name of their ancestors who inhabited the planet three million years ago. To get rid of the humans now inhabiting the planet, the aliens have released parasites that infect animals and turn them into monsters. With the DNA of the iriomote cat now inside her, Ichigo can transform into Mew Ichigo and use her powers to fight off the invaders. Ichigo will not have to fight alone, as the four other Mew Mews take to the stage and join in the battle to protect Earth.
Tokyo Mew Mew has finished airing and it has 52 Episodes. It is also Known as: 東京ミュウミュウ, Mew Mew Power
12. Kore wa Zombie Desu ka?
Not every zombie is the monstrous, brain-eating type.
One night while walking home from the convenience store, regular high school boy Ayumu Aikawa is killed by a serial killer, and is just as suddenly brought back to life by a necromancer named Eucliwood Hellscythe. One small caveat: he's now a zombie. Things get even weirder for him when he accidentally steals a magical girl's uniform, and thus her powers! Haruna, the ex-magical girl, orders him to fight evil creatures known as Megalo in her place until they can figure out a way to get her powers back to her.
It seems that life is just going to get stranger and stranger for poor Ayumu from here on out in Kore wa Zombie desu ka?.
Is This a Zombie? has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: これはゾンビですか?, Koreha Zombie Desuka?, Kore ha Zombie Desu ka?, Kore wa Zombie Desuka?
11. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon R
The season is divided into two arcs: One arc being an anime filler (to give Takeuchi Naoko time to make the next manga), and the other arc being the actual Black Moon plot.
The first arc shows Usagi and Co. having their memories restored from the first season. Their enemies are a pair of aliens, Ail and Ann, who are seeking human energy to restore their life tree. Mamoru had yet to recover his memories and he appeared as the Moonlight Knight rather than Tuxedo Kamen. This arc only lasted for 13 episodes.
The second arc introduces Chibi-Usa, a little girl from the future who is searching for the Silver Crystal. The new enemies are the Black Moon Clan, comprising of the Ayakashi sisters (Cooan, Beruche, Karaberas, and Petz), Rubeus, Safir, Esmeraude, Prince Demando, and Wiseman. They too want the Silver Crystal so that they can take over the future. The Sailor Senshi's adventure continues...
Sailor Moon R has finished airing and it has 43 Episodes. It is also Known as: 美少女戦士セーラームーン R, Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon R
10. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon
Tsukino Usagi is a 14-year-old girl in junior high. She's ditzy, whiny, and a crybaby. She often flunks her tests, and she is always scolded by her family. However after a bad day, Usagi is surprised to encounter a black cat that can talk! The cat, Luna, grants Usagi the power to transform into Sailor Moon, a fighter who is to save the world against the Dark Kingdom and its evil ruler, Queen Beryl.
Of course, Usagi can't do it alone, and there are others who will help her on the way...
Sailor Moon has finished airing and it has 46 Episodes. It is also Known as: 美少女戦士セーラームーン, Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon
9. Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku
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. At first, the 16 magical girls race to collect more "magical candy" than their competitors, but the rules quickly become twisted, and it quickly becomes a murderous battle for survival among them.
Magical Girl Raising Project has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 魔法少女育成計画, MahouIku
8. Katsute Mahou Shoujo to Aku wa Tekitai Shite Ita.
The story centers on Mira, the clever brains behind an evil organization that invades and destroys everything in its path. One day, a magical girl named Byakuya Mimori decides to stand up to the organization, and Mira falls in love with her at first sight.
The Magical Girl and The Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: かつて魔法少女と悪は敵対していた。, This is the first, and probably final, loose hostile relation.
7. Magic Knight Rayearth II
Soon after Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu return to Tokyo, the three of them meet at Tokyo Tower to talk. Hikaru says that she wishes they could return to Cephiro and do something good for the land that Princess Emeraude protected so dearly. Umi and Fuu agree. Suddenly, a light appears in the sky and they are transported to Cephiro. Clef explains to them that with no Pillar to keep Cephiro peaceful, it has fallen into chaos. Monsters are multiplying and the land is becoming desolate. All the remaining inhabitants of Cephiro have moved into a magical castle. Clef also tells the girls some alarming news; three other countries, Chizeta, Fahren, and Autozam are trying to invade Cephiro and take over the Pillar system for their own purposes. The girls must stop the invaders as well as the mysterious and evil Lady Debonair, who believes she is the rightful Pillar, all the while desperately hoping and searching for a new Pillar to make Cephiro into the beautiful land it once was.
Magic Knight Rayearth II has finished airing and it has 29 Episodes. It is also Known as: 魔法騎士（マジックナイト）レイアース II, Mahou Kishi Rayearth II
6. Magic Knight Rayearth
Three young girls, Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu, are transported to a magical world called Cephiro during a field trip to Tokyo Tower. They are soon greeted by Master Mage Clef, who explains to them that they have been summoned to become the Legendary Magic Knights and save Cephiro. The girls are less than enthusiastic about this idea, and only want to return home. Clef further explains that they must seek out the three Rune Gods to help them fight. He bestows armor and magical powers to each of them. They learn from Clef that High Priest Zagato has kidnapped the Pillar of Cephiro, Princess Emeraude. The Pillar of Cephiro has the sole responsibility of keeping Cephiro alive and in balance with her prayers. Without Princess Emeraude, Cephiro would fall into ruin. Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu must fight off Zagato's henchman and find the Rune Gods if they ever want to get back home. They soon learn that friendship and loyalty are the only things they can rely on in the crumbling Cephiro.
Magic Knight Rayearth has finished airing and it has 20 Episodes. It is also Known as: 魔法騎士（マジックナイト）レイアース, Mahou Kishi Rayearth
5. Banjjagbanjjag Catch! Tiniping
The residents of Jewel Forest, Jewel Teeniepings suddenly disappeared. Joahping, Teeheeping, and Trustping, who also are Jewel Teeniepings, the students of Royal Teenieping Academy, and the candidates of next Royal Teeniepings, head to Earth to save their friends… Now, Romi and Heartsping have to team up with Joahping, Teeheeping, and Trustping, three immature Royal Teeniepings. Will Romi be able to find 15 lost Jewel Teeniepings and catch?
Twinkle Catch! Teenieping has finished airing and it has 26 Episodes. It is also Known as: Banjjagbanjjag Catch! Tiniping
4. Mahou Shoujo Site
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.
Magical Girl Site has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 魔法少女サイト, Magical Girl Site
3. Sasaki to Pi-chan
Tired and unfulfilled by his dead-end job, Sasaki decides to adopt Peeps, an adorable pet Java sparrow. Peeps, however, is really Piercarlo, a powerful sage from another world! After Peeps bestows Sasaki with magic and the ability to cross worlds, the two decide to export household items for profit in pursuit of a leisurely lifestyle. But when Sasaki’s new magic gets him mixed up in a whole other kind of supernatural struggle back in Japan, will it destroy his chances at realizing the relaxing life of his dreams?
Sasaki and Peeps has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 佐々木とピーちゃん, Sasaki to Pi-chan
2. Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? OVA
Two OVAs released with the 8th and 10th volumes of the original novel. They fall chronologically between the first and second seasons.
Is This a Zombie? OVA has finished airing and it has 2 Episodes. It is also Known as: これはゾンビですか? OVA, Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? Episode 13, Koreha Zombie Desuka? OVA, Kore ha Zombie Desu ka? OVA, Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? of the Dead Episode 0, Ee, Kore ga Saishuukai Desuka?, Hai, Encore Arigatou Gozaimasu
1. Heartcatch Precure!
2nd year middle school student Tsubomi Hanasaki has just moved with her family to the town of Kibougahana to live with her grandma. She is shy and introverted, but is determined to start off her new school life at Myoudou Academy as confidently as possible.
Lately she has been having the same mysterious dream again and again, of Cure Moonlight's defeat at the Great Heart Tree. She wonders what it all means. Then suddenly, two fairies from the dream appear to her, and before she knows it, she is transformed into the legendary Pretty Cure, Cure Blossom!
Later joined by her high energy classmate and new friend Erika Kurumi as Cure Marine, the two girls vow work hard to protect everyone's Heart Flowers from the evil gang, The Desert Messengers.
Heartcatch Precure! has finished airing and it has 49 Episodes. It is also Known as: ハートキャッチプリキュア!, Heartcatch Pretty Cure!
