Can't make up my mind

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Its no secret that I LOOVE Magical Girls. Heck, just look at my screen name. Here are my top 10 favourite Magical Girl anime.

10. Revolutionary Girl Utena

Lets start with one of the most unique and complex shojo anime and manga series ever. I myself am not sure if this qualifies as an MG anime but I’ve seen many people say it is so its on the list. Anyone who thinks all shojo is the same should watch this show. By the end, you’ll be left wondering if its even a shojo. It starts off fairly lighthearted but by episode 9, it gets serious and the plot starts picking up. Plus, it features some of the most complex characters ever and it touches on some serious subjects like incest and sexual abuse. I must warn you though, its not for everyone because of the reasons I just mentioned. If you’re someone who’s extremely uncomfortable with sexual abuse and incest, I’d recommend you skip this anime.

9. Princess Tutu

Just looking at the title of this anime is enough to send some people running away and judging it. But don’t let the cute name fool you. This is one of the most misleading anime ever. Like Utena, its a shojo but its fairly dark and has some tearjerking moments. But it also has its fairly lighthearted moments and that’s something I like about this anime. The ending is also bittersweet and will leave you wondering how an anime about a duck who becomes a ballerina managed to make you cry.

8. Tokyo Mew Mew

Looking back at this anime, maybe its not exactly the best. Its got its fair share of problems like how the main character, Ichigo, took most of the spotlight. But I still have a soft spot for this anime mainly because its really adorable to watch when you’re feeling sad. And the whole concept of these animal themed Magical Girls sounds interesting. What I love about this anime is how unlike the manga, it fleshed out the other girls as well. We found out a lot about Mint, Zakuro, Lettuce and Pudding and we loved them. I also loved how Ichigo DIDN’T choose the bad boy (Kisshu) over the nice guy (Masaya). In the end, she’s the one who chooses who’s best for her. So, even with all its problems, I have a soft spot for this anime.

7. Shugo Chara

Another anime that does have its fair share of problems but I enjoyed it nonetheless. What I loved most about it was the main character, Amu Hinamori. Some people may use the dreaded M word on her, but I think she’s a wonderfully complex character and one of the most unique Magical Girl leads. I also loved all the Magical Boys (Tadase, Ikuto etc). Though I will say, it didn’t need all that romance drama. I’m one of those people who doesn’t ship Amu with anyone and prefers her as a girl who tries to find herself before going into romance. 

6. Little Witch Academia

Ah yes, one of the most recent anime. I got into it via the OVAs and I watched the anime when the second season was still airing. It was very different from the OVAs but I still loved it. Its animation and art style are amazing and breathtaking to look at and overall, it just feels like a magical experience. The main character, while she might be a typical cheery MG protagonist, is charming in her own way and the amount of growth she undergoes is amazing. In a way,, she kinda reminds me of Doremi Harukaze. Speaking of which…

5. Ojamajo Doremi

This is one of the cutest anime I’ve ever seen . The character designs are all adorable and the transformation is short and simplistic rather than a long, flashy transformation. And while it remains a cute witch anime, it also handles some rather heavy topics like divorce, miscarrige and even cancer. Seriously, a character dies of cancer and she’s only 9! But it still remains a cute show, despite the tearjerking moments. 

4. Cardcaptor Sakura

I recently finished this anime and I loved every moment of it. It is a really cute anime with a simple art style, great animation and amazing characters. It also did a lot of things differently from other Magical Girl shows, like how Sakura doesn’t have a transformation scene and gets all her outfits made by Tomoyo and how there’s no antagonist. Eriol did come close but in the end, he had to do it for Sakura’s own good. What I loved about it most was how it didn’t forget its non magical characters. Tomoyo is obviously important, but Sakura’s other friends all have their own stories and personalities as well. Also, it features one of the cutest couples in anime history. I can’t wait for the new anime to come.

3. Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Yuki Yuna is a Hero

Yep, its a tie. I’ve seen people fight over which of these two is better. Madoka fans claim Yuki Yuna is a ripoff and Yuki Yuna fans list of a million reasons why its so much better than Madoka. Personally, I love both anime. They’re both good in their own rights. Besides they’re similar in a lot of ways. They both have great animation, amazing characters, an interesting and compelling story and many emotional moments. They both have their flaws but all in all, they’re both great. Why can’t people just see that instead of fighting over which is the better dark MG?

2. Pretty Cure

The big Magical Girl powerhouse in Japan. Pretty Cure may be a cash cow franchise made to sell toys but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good. Yes, it has 14 seasons now and that amounts to a lot of characters. But that’s what I like about it. It has a wide range of protagonists. You have sporty protagonists like Nagisa and Hibiki, shy ones like Tsubomi, determined ones like Haruka and smart ones like Mana (much as I don’t like her). They may not all be well developed but with all the wide range of characters, kids will surely find at least one character to relate to. Plus, the series has this special thing that makes me happy, no matter how sad I might be. It just inspires me to someday, make a Magical Girl show of my own. I find this happiness even in some of the weaker seasons like DokiDoki and Happiness Charge. The gif I used is from my favourite season, Go!Princess Pretty Cure. Princess Peach should take lessons in self defence from Cure Flora. 

1. Sailor Moon

I know, I know. Very obvious choice. But like many others, Sailor Moon got me into Magical Girls. Not only that, it got me into other anime as well. It may be cliched now but it still has a special place in my heart. With amazing and strong characters, great storylines and splendid transformation scenes, its no wonder this show had a big impact on the genre. Even with its problems, it is my favourite anime and manga series ever. And yes, that includes Sailor Moon Crystal.

Honourable mention

Mermaid Melody: Pichi Pichi Pitch