Tsukikage is an intelligence agency started in order to protect people. Momo Minamoto is a seemingly average high-school girl who is secretly a part of this group. She may be new to the team, but she, like her colleagues, desires to keep the peace of their home Sorasaki. Momo radiates positivity and cheerfulness, though she is determined to follow through with her strong sense of justice. She is not entirely confident she can do so, and relies on her teammates to teach her about their world, especially in the early stages. Momo and the rest of Tsukikage truly love their city and the people within, doing everything in their power to protect it. Yet even within their group of close friends, not everything is as it seems, as there is a traitor hiding in the midst…

Like Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka, Release the Spyce revolves around a group of young girls trying to protect humanity. Both anime also showcase realistic emotions in their characters, particularly between Asuka and Momo, who we get to know much better than the others along the way. These two protagonists also share a struggle with their desired station in life, though they end up on opposite ends of the spectrum, as Asuka wants only to live a normal life while Momo wants to defend justice and order like her father.

It is Kazuya Aoi’s first day at the West Genetics military academy. He wants only to join the fight against the invading alien Novas with the other superhuman men and women at the academy, called “Limiters” and “Pandoras” respectively. But when he happens to run into Satellizer el Bridget and mistakes her for his deceased sister, Kazuya embraces her, something this powerful Pandora has never had happen. Kazuya costs Satellizer her match, but she decides to take him on as her Limiter. Not only will the two have to last against battles with the Novas – the upperclassmen at the academy also want to tear them apart! Will their partnership hold up against all this conflict?

Freezing focuses more on the fan-service aspects than Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka. That being said, the brunt of the former’s story plot still closely aligns with the latter’s, especially in the supernatural aspect. Both series revolve around a group of girls setting out to defend their world from alien invasions of a sort. Like Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka, Freezing is made for a more mature audience, though in Freezing’s case it is due to the fan-service throughout. Asuka and her friends also can embrace some fanservice moments, yet balance it with a darker, more serious substance to the story. Despite this, the two different groups of women would undoubtedly get along!

The Fourth Holy Grail War is about to begin, and it promises to be more fruitful than it has in the past for the contenders. Though the past three wars have never had a victor, this year the Einzberns are confident they will be victorious, since they have the mage killer Kiritsugu Emiya contracted into marriage with their daughter Irisviel. But Kiritsugu will not have an easy win. Though he has contracted one of the most powerful servants Saber, the other opponents in this war will not go down without a fierce battle of wits and strength. Yet only one party can stand victorious in the end. Watch as these events unfold, 10 years before those of Fate/stay night!

Both Fate/Zero and Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka have a realistic magic system. While there are some limitations for magic in both series, the world is able to contain such supernatural powers in a way that makes sense. The characters from both anime are also dealing with real traumas. In each of these cases, the trauma stems from wars, either past or current. And both series are dealing with real stakes if they lose, especially with the main characters seeking to protect their loved ones. While many anime that deal with magic use it in a fun or silly way, Fate/Zero and Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka are great examples of anime which incorporate it seriously. These are both gruesome and violent series which do not shy away from the tough topics.

Madoka Kaname is just your average middle school girl! One day, a magical familiar named Kyuubey appears to offer her a choice: he will grant one of her wishes, and she will become a magical girl. But the transfer student Homura Akemi warns Madoka, saying that this offer is not as it seems. There is a price to pay in order to make such dreams come true. And being a magical girl is not as easy or as lighthearted as it initially seems! These girls, entwined in their fate, will have their lives changed forever… Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica deals with real human relationships and issues in a dark manner that has made it a staple for the genre even as it was out of its norm when it aired.

Madoka Magica is often considered the initial “dark” magical girl anime, with other magical girl anime following its trend not long after. The genre in this regard has been oversaturated with anime of this kind now. Tokushusen Asuka is also a dark take on the magical girl genre, though it differs a bit from Madoka Magica by providing a more militaristic view. Nonetheless, the two share a depth of characterization and dark plot in the magical girl genre, making Madoka Magica a must-see if you enjoy Tokushusen Asuka!

Maria believes in using her powerful gifts to prevent further conflict as the Hundred Years’ War rages around her. However, her interference in the chaos soon attracts the attention of the divine realm! The archangel Michael confronts her, stating that she cannot continue to use her powers. If Maria loses her virginity, her magic will be taken from her forever! Maria refuses to head the warning and continues to fight against the war engulfing the nation. But with Church plotting against her in the background, Maria may be up against more than she bargained for… Will she be able to end the fighting for good?

Maria is extremely powerful and wields a lot of different strengths, yet she stands against fighting. Asuka is the same way in many regards, desiring peace after a long time of conflict. Maria and her comrades manage to walk the line between serious and comedic moments. The characters in Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka also embrace this, balancing violence with slice-of-life everyday scenes. These are both anime that developed into something far better than they were expected to be, by surpassing some of the tropes of their genres. Like Asuka, Maria uses her gifted abilities to fight for the good of humanity. The detailed art from Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka even looks similar to that in Junketsu no Maria!

Koyuki Himekawa is one of a few selected to become a magical girl! It is through a video game called the Magical Girl Raising Project that these girls are able to live out their dreams. However, the magical girls soon find themselves in a competition against one another, to see who gets to continue as a magical girl. The girls think this is all in good fun until the first girl to drop out suffers a real-life tragedy… As the contest continues, the girls will begin to fight for not only their magical abilities but their very lives! The only way out is to win, but that means pushing comrades aside on your way to the top. Will Koyuki and her friends all survive to the end?

Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku is yet another magical girl anime focusing on darker subjects. The added element of incorporating the magical abilities from a mobile game is what gives this anime a little more of a unique spin on the genre, though not by much. Though there are a few small differences with Tokushusen Asuka because of this, the two anime channel much of the same aspects, including the level of violence and basic magical girl elements. Overall, if you want another magical girl anime to enjoy, Ikusei Keikaku is a great option!