Get to Know your Magical Girls: The Watch List

It’s time to get your mahō shōjo on with us! “How do I do that,” you ask? And just who are these “Magical Girls” we’re obsessing over?

Here’s a quick run down of some of the classics and who to watch where.

CARDCAPTOR SAKURA (AKA CARDCAPTORS)

My personal favorite! Sakura discovers she has magical powers after accidentally releasing the Clow cards from the ancient book they’d been sealed in. With the help of Kero (Cerberus), the guardian of the book, Sakura sets out to retrieve all the cards before disaster strikes.  If you have friends that have never seen any anime before, this is a brilliant gateway anime as it effortlessly blends in shonen elelments and focuses on emotions and a-typical relationships, making for  a lot of intrigue. Speaking of emotions, check out the fan-made trailer below and get ready to feel a bunch. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjrPlvt1qlk]   Available on: Anime Season 

KILL LA KILL

The most naked magical girl. The dark and dirty rebel of the bunch. This scissor-blade wielding badass is out to avenge her father and you don’t want to get in her way. She will cut  a b… Goku Uniforms be damned. Cutesy this ain’t. (Heck, it may not be the safest thing to watch at work.) [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ClQ7zkHtXY] Available on: NETFLIX

MAGIC KNIGHT RAYEARTH

Three girls from three different schools are summoned to a magical land where they must become that magic knights that defend it before they’re allowed to return home. I’m seriously hoping Sailor Moon Crystal has sparked a trend and Rayearth follows with a reboot of it’s own. A beautiful anime in need of a facelift; and a way better English dub than the atrocity it has now. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB0BKIP0IHg] Available on: Hulu

MADOKA MAGICA

Aside from being an incredibly dark series disguised as a cute one on the outset, trippy visuals featuring collaged together battle grounds and enemies set this anime apart. If you’ve ever wondered what going to art school while on shrooms or dropping acid was like, the battle sequences say it all. Umm… I’m assuming…. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLzlHZTfGeI] Available on : Hulu (sub), Netflix (sub & dub), Crunchyroll

REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA

Why end up with a prince when you can just be the prince? Genius. A magical girl for the tomboy. Watch her champion her way through duel after sword duel. Talk about empowering. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEnY1kdqbFU&w=420&h=315] Available on: Hulu

SAILOR MOON

As if this needed explanation? Even guys know Sailor Moon (probably because it once aired back to back with Dragon Ball Z). For many of us, Sailor Moon is the definitive MG anime. Whether she was fighting evil by moonlight, or winning love by daylight… we were with her every step of the way. Now she’s back and better than ever in this “Crystal” reboot, and we’ve launched magical girl month in honor of it’s release. Magical Girls: in the name of the moon, we will celebrate you! [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUiewJt80eQ] Available on: Hulu   Have a favorite Magical Girl? Did we miss her on this list? Share the deets in the comments!