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And of course, if we could all change into a better version of ourselves or harness magical powers with a simple transformation, who wouldn’t want to be a magical girl? While the genre does have its big names, I’d like to take some time to shine a bit of light on older series that are slightly forgotten but just as worth giving a watch. After all, many of these pre-2000 shows are the blueprint for what the genre would later become.
1) Sally The Witch (1966)
Sally the Witch is one of the oldest magical girl anime to ever be put on the big screen. It first debuted back in 1966, and could also be considered a contender for one of the original shojo anime produced. For that alone, it’s a classic that paved the way for so many series we all likely have watched and enjoyed. Sally the Witch had an original run of over 100 episodes; it had a reboot in the late ’80s that had over 80 episodes in total.
The anime followed the plot of Sally, a witch princess who resides in the Magic Kingdom. Sally’s greatest wish is to visit the mortal realm where humans live— a wish that comes true when she accidentally teleports to Earth. There, Sally saves two schoolgirls from a burglary attempt and, after befriending them, decides to remain on Earth and learn more about this new world. This starts a series of chaotic events with Sally posing as a regular schoolgirl and attempting to hide her powers from her new friends.
2) Princess Knight (1967)
Princess Knight is an older anime that was interesting for its unique portrayal of gender identity. The series first aired in 1967 and had a total of 52 episodes before the show ended. It was produced to compete with shows geared towards a male audience in the hopes of pulling in a larger range of viewers.
The Princess Knight series follows Sapphire, a girl born with both a boy’s blue heart and a girl’s pink heart; this dual nature presents her with different strengths and abilities decided by her heart. Sapphire is born to the ruling king of her realm and must pretend to be a prince in order to inherit the throne after her father passes, to prevent evil forces next in line for the throne from taking over. The story follows Sapphire and her guardian angel, Tink, as they adventure across the lands and encounter numerous enemies and challenges along the way.
3) Hana no Ko Lunlun (1979)
Hana no Ko Lunlun, alternatively translated to Lunlun, the Flower Angel, is an anime that first debuted in 1979, and had a run of 50 episodes before coming to an end. The anime performed well enough that it was translated into English for a handful of episodes, making it one of the first magical girl anime to break into the Western market. Years after its initial run, the series had multiple films made in association with the anime.
In Hana no Ko Lunlun, flowers are a central part of the plot and themes surrounding the show. The lore explains that plant spirits, closely linked to fairies, once lived on Earth before leaving the planet to take residence on the “Flower Star”. Many years after this, two representatives, a talking dog and cat, are sent to Earth to find someone pure of heart that can locate a magical flower that will allow the next ruler of the Flower Star to ascend the throne. This leads them to Lunlun Flower, an orphaned girl living in France whose parents are descendants of the original Flower Star people. Lunlun agrees to travel with them in search of this flower, kick-starting a long adventure across the world.
4) Cutie Honey (1973)
Cutie Honey is recognized for a few contributions: the anime was one of the first to boast a female protagonist and belong to the shonen genre. The series’s first opening theme song also remains one of the most popular openings in anime history, a significant feat considering the time the anime was made and new additions to the genre. Cutie Honey was later classified as a magical girl, but during its initial run, it blended themes of science fiction and fantasy throughout the plot.
The anime follows Honey Kisaragi, a schoolgirl whose father is killed by the infamous Panther Claw Organization. She then finds out her true origin: an android housing a mysterious device that can convert matter from air. This device allows Honey to transform into her alter-ego, Cutie Honey, a superhero-like girl who wields a sword and has unique powers that allow her to combat crime. Despite leading a normal everyday life, Honey now uses her secret identity to hunt down and take revenge on the Panther Claw Organization for murdering her father.
5) Saint Tail (1995)
Saint Tail is a manga that was released around the time the magical girl genre began to truly gain more traction with mainstream audiences. The series first aired in 1995 and had a total of 43 episodes. Saint Tail focused on the concept of “stealing for a better cause” to create the main character’s motive. Because of this, the anime explored themes of justice, morality, and self-discovery as central plot devices.
The anime centers around Meimi Haneoka, the daughter of a once-renowned phantom thief. While Meimi appears to be a regular middle-schooler with an average life, she secretly doubles as a vigilante at night: her prerogative is to take back stolen goods and return them to their owners. Her actions gain Meimi sympathy around town, but also negative attention from the son of the police chief, Asuka Jr., who claims he will be the one to capture the thief. The two begin a game of cat and mouse that also brings them closer and begins a genuine connection that bleeds into their interactions.
