Top 10 Best Magical Girl Anime

By far one of my favorite animes!! It might look innocent and cute, but it's actually really dark and messed up, lol. But it's also super interesting and manages to create a captivating plot within only 12 episodes.

I love this show! This is the show that got my younger brother into anime. We've both watched it at least twice. I saw this on another list on The Top Tens: "Top Ten Worst Magical Girl Shows of All Time." I can't find the list now, but not only was this show on there, it somehow got second place. All I could think was, "Is this a joke?"

Moon is number 1! All the girls in Madoka do is sulk and wait for their looming deaths. The Sailor Guardians all love and support each other. (I like Madoka too, but really, Moon is better.) It should rank above Madoka.

Such a classic - it never gets old or boring. It is an anime I always come back to, with great characters, writing, and humor. I am not a huge fan of the dub, so I watch it in Japanese. In my opinion, it is much better. Well done, Toei!

I like this anime, and I also love their outfits. This is a great anime in my opinion.

While it can get confusing because of all the different Nanoha seasons, series, and storylines in place today (it's a bit like Tenchi Muyo in that respect), MGLN is actually an incredible anime. The artwork and magical powers are stunning to watch (not to mention incredibly powerful), and you'll always be eager to get to the next episode. I highly recommend this anime and manga.

The first three seasons were the best.

ViViD was a big disappointment, which reminds me - I have to start ViViD Strike.

I love how kind and beautiful she is, and I love CLAMP stories. It's probably my favorite magical girl anime, though there are some concerning relationships. But overall, it's amazing.

Impossibly nice, this girl has probably stolen most viewers' hearts because she's the cutest, most powerful, and most positive protagonist ever. Oh... and her outfits are just amazing! That, along with her abilities to solve problems, is really entertaining.

All the characters in Cardcaptor Sakura are cute, especially Sakura. I would recommend this magical girl anime to anyone who is looking for some magical girl anime.

I keep saying over and over how dark this Magical Girl anime is, but I should note that the dark aspect is not done like Madoka Magica. First, it's considered an anime marketed towards kids, so don't expect over-the-top gruesome stuff. It still manages to be dark without the gritty elements. Second, the lives of the characters are entirely based on a fairy tale that is secretly real, giving them terrible fates that are, for the most part, impossible to escape. Even though it's difficult to escape these fates, they attempt to do so. I can't say that things work out well for everyone in the series - just a warning.

I'm not going to go into more detail because I want people to watch the series and experience it for themselves. Please give Princess Tutu a chance. Get over your fragile masculinity and pride because you are seriously missing out.

This show expertly blends the glamour and sparkle that younger kids love with the mature topics and punch-you-in-the-gut feelings that older viewers will enjoy. HPC is brilliant because it's mature in all the right ways. Younger kids will love Tsubomi's shy nature and Erika's spirited personality, while older kids will enjoy Yuri's tragic backstory and Itsuki's quest for self-acceptance.

I adore this anime.

I'm baffled that this isn't in the top ten! It's the second-best anime I've ever watched so far.

This deserves a higher ranking. Commonly referred to as the "Evangelion" of shoujo anime (but that's underselling it, in my opinion), you won't find a more thematically complex, genuinely troubling at times, yet ultimately uplifting Magical Girl anime. The show is also laced with symbolism and is so dense that you can watch it ten times and still find more details to uncover.

Additionally, the artwork is stunning, and the animation, while basic, still holds up considering how old the show is. Seriously, more people need to watch it.

One of the first anime I ever watched. I love the character designs.

I love Kore Wa Zombie Desu Ka! Why is this lower than Yuki Yuna and Utena? In my opinion, they should be in the top ten!

This anime is cute and funny. It doesn't take itself too seriously. It's a fun time.

I really like the art style. It's bright and colorful, with some scenes making great use of lighting effects - it stands out in my opinion. All the characters only have one special attack move, so the fight scenes can seem a bit lame, but it's not really an action-fighting anime.

I voted for this because I think it should be higher up on the list.

LOL, I'm literally listening to the credits while typing this! The credits are the best thing about Tokyo Mew Mew, and I can't stop listening to them!

Amuto is an extra creepy ship, and the scene of Tadase in a skirt is unsettling because of how he's treated.

I loved this anime! I ship Ikuto and Amu.

I'm actually surprised to see this ranked as high as it is. PPGZ is an underrated series that sadly never aired in the US (I had to use inconvenient methods to watch it). Although it was far from perfect, I love it just as much as the original. I hope PPGZ gets a reboot similar to the 2016 reboot (but maybe don't make Blossom such an airhead).

I love this one! I think the reason some people don't like it is that it's aimed at younger children, but that doesn't make it bad!

I love to watch Powerpuff Girls Z right before bedtime! I hope you enjoy watching a good story with your family too! Isn't that sweet?

An anime that makes you care for the filler episodes is a good anime. In this series, the story progression is okay, but the episodes that don't move the story forward are probably your favorite. Imagine slice-of-life with drama and magic. If you like early Disney movies like Bambi, which show a lot of cute stuff and then contrast it with dark moments, this is for you!

For some reason, the merch from this anime is really expensive ($200 for a small plastic wand!?). It's just not higher on the list because 4Kids ruined it.

An awesome anime with a very good story behind it. It's not a conventional magical girl anime. It gets darker and darker as the series progresses. The battles and character designs are amazing!

The songs are amazing, and so are the animations. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a magical girl anime mixed with idol themes!