Momomiya Ichigo was on a date with her crush, Aoyama Masaya when she fell asleep after seeing a vision of a cat entering her body. The next day, Ichigo starts to display erratic, cat-like behaviours and when Masaya is attacked by a monster, Ichigo realises that she can transform into the cat-eared magical girl, Mew Ichigo. After she saves her crush, Ichigo is approached by two researchers who reveal that they injected her with Iriomote Cat DNA in order to create a magical girl who could save the world from aliens. With the fate of the world on her shoulders, Ichigo feels the pressure; however when she finds out that there are other girls just like her, she sets out to find them before the aliens take over.

Tokyo Mew Mew is a quintessential magical girl anime and in many ways we see Sailor Moon’s influence on the title. Ichigo and her fellow Mews have their own special set of abilities and it is through their teamwork that they thwart evil, although it takes Ichigo a short while to actually find everyone. The early 2000s character designs and animation style serves as a healthy blast from the past and the nostalgia one gets from catching a show like this is undeniable.

Takigawa Yoshino is a regular teenager hiding a big secret from his best friend, Fuwa Mahiro. He is in a relationship with Mahiro’s younger sister and never says a word about it, so when Yoshino’s girlfriend, Aika, dies under mysterious circumstances, Mahiro sets out to find the one responsible. Mahiro disappears and Yoshino’s life returns to a sense of normalcy. With no contact from Mahiro for a month, things change when Yoshino is held at gunpoint and the one who comes to his aid is none other than his best friend. Yoshino learns that Mahiro has found help in his search for his sister’s killer in the form of a witch named Kusaribe Hakaze, as well as the location of a magical entity known as the “Tree of Exodus”. Hakaze’s brother wishes to use the Tree’s power in order to realise his own dark ambitions and Hakaze is banished to a deserted island. It’s now up to Yoshino and Mahiro to help Hakaze save the world while trying to find answers for Aika’s death.

With a set up that leads to some intense plot twists, Zetsuen no Tempest is an interesting magic anime which boasts some awesome fights, a great story and some interesting characters. The magic used is that of a grand scale and eventually our two protagonists are drawn into a magical conflict that will decide the fate of the very world. To top it off, the anime draws heavy thematic inspiration from Shakespeare’s Hamlet and The Tempest, and watching it with that in mind adds another dimension to the experience.

Kagari Atsuko, or “Akko” has always admired the famous witch Shiny Chariot since a performance she watched several years ago. Even now, Akko aspires to become a witch like Shiny Chariot, despite her non-magical background. Enrolling in Luna Nova Magical Academy, Akko sets out to achieve her dream, but just getting to school proves to be a difficult task. On her way there, she meets Lotte Yansson and Sucy Manbavaran, two students who end up as her roommates, as well as Shiny Chariot’s legendary wand, the Shiny Rod. Akko’s life at Luna Nova proves to be more difficult than she could have imagined with her poor magical ability; however, she is determined to catch up to her peers and learn what it means to be a witch.

Cute but also wildly enchanting due to the familiar yet refreshing determination of the main character, Akko. Little Witch Academia catches your attention from the beginning, almost placing you in the same position Akko was when she saw her idol live. The art style is somewhat different to most other shows on this list and sets the tone for the type of story to follow – an inspiring story of a girl on a mission to achieving a childhood dream.

In this world, magic has stopped being the topic of fairy tales and imagination and become a case of human ingenuity, where magic is a systemized technology which is taught as a skill. First High School classes its students based on the results of their entrance exams. Those who attained high scores are assigned to the First Course and called “Blooms”, while low-scoring individuals are placed into the Second Course and called “Weeds”. Shiba Miyuki and Tatsuya are siblings who enrol at First High but are placed in different courses, with Tatsuya being relegated to Weed status. However, despite his low scores and magical ineptitude, Tatsuya possesses unbelievable technical knowledge, combat ability and a keen mind, making him the irregular at a magical high school.

The Irregular at Magic High School is a pretty interesting take on the conception of magic and it’s quite interesting seeing how magic is both idealised and limited within the story, as well as by the characters themselves. Somewhat infamous for the sheer level of ability Shiba Tatsuya has, the anime is still a fresh take on the tried and tested “magical high school” trope in anime and well worth the watch.

After a psychokinesis outbreak in less than a percentage of the world’s population, things began to change. The power gave those with a propensity towards violence the upper hand against the powerless, which created a period of chaos characterised by oppressive regimes. This led to the eventual isolation of the psychic society, which became a different world with complex rules. Kamisu 66 is a town where 12-year-old Watanabe Saki has recently awakened her powers and can finally join her friends at Sage Academy, a school for psychics. However, Saki starts to question what happens to those in society who are unable to awaken their powers and she and her friends soon find themselves involved in secret matters, including those pertaining to the abduction of children by the Tainted Cats. Saki and her friends grow into their roles in society but also grow increasingly aware of the darkness hidden by the world in which they live.

Shinsekai Yori is not particularly an anime focused on magic as we’d normally conceive it, but more of an anime which represents a special human ability venerated in the same way it would be in other magical anime titles. The focal point of this show is definitely the darkness of society, particularly the inclination to segregate and subjugate; however, the psychic abilities are the basis upon which these themes are expressed. A heavier title to digest than the others, but just as amazing.

The land of Ente Isla falls under attack from the Demon Lord Satan and his armies. His brutal conquest of the continent is foiled by the hero Emilia, who forces him to retreat but the inter-dimensional portal he opens sends Satan and his aide, Alsiel, tumbling down into the streets of modern-day Tokyo. Powerless in this world without magic, Satan attempts to blend in with human society by becoming Maou Sadou and working at the local MgRonald’s fast food restaurant to earn a living. His conquering of Ente Isla takes a backseat to his desire to climb the corporate ladder and eventually become ruler of Earth! Now living a mundane life as a human being (and enjoying it), the vicious Demon Lord learns more about human life.

Hataraku Maou-sama is a hilarious take on the Isekai anime trope which sees main characters whisked off to alternative worlds where they will have to learn how to live in a world to which they are foreign. In this case, we see Satan himself living life as a human being, being the exact opposite of the type of individual he was in Ente Isla. The contrast between the life he knows and the one he must adapt to creates some of the funniest situations but the anime also produces some great serious scenes which bring out the magical element to the show, and a soundtrack to match!

In an era akin to the European Middle Ages, the Holy Knights of the Britannia of the Kingdom of Liones use powerful magic to maintain order and protect the region. Despite this, a small squadron of Knights turned their blades towards the kingdom in an attempt to overthrow the ruler of their country, Liones. This treason was subdued by the Holy Knights, but rumours of their, of the “Seven Deadly Sins”’ survival. Ten years later, the Holy Knights staged an insurgence of their own, becoming the new tyrannical rulers of Britannia. Elizabeth, the third princess of Britannia embarks on a personal mission to find the Seven Deadly Sins and ask for their help in order to take back her kingdom from the Holy Knights.

Seven Deadly Sins is an intense anime filled with awesome combat, interesting characters with equally interesting designs and the kind of lore you could just get lost in. The animation is also pretty decent and the way they explore the massive world and the characters is brilliant. Magic in Seven Deadly Sins is also broad as each character has a unique way of using their magic powers and the various races in the world have different affinities and natural abilities so things get very interesting, very quickly.

The Holy Grail is a relic which is said to be able to grant any wish. As a result, three great wars were waged in the past, each ending with no victor. Despite the terrible track record, the Einzbern family is fairly confident that the Fourth Holy Grail War will be different due to their possession of a vessel of the Grail. They hire Emiya Kiritsugu, the “Magus Killer” and marry him to their only daughter to seal the contract. Kiritsugu now finds himself in a battle royale against six others, each armed with an ancient familiar and their own set of goals. With his own familiar, Saber, Kiritsugu finds his greatest adversary in Kotomine Kirei, a priest seeking salvation from himself. The Fourth Holy War, another iteration in a series of conflicts no one is guaranteed to survive.

With each contestant in the Holy Grail War having magic familiars who are archetypes passed on from war to war, the magical element to Fate/Zero is integral to the core story. The magic allows for some brilliant fight scenes, deep-running storylines and characters, making Fate/Zero a must-watch magic anime for anyone interested in the genre. Not to mention the animation is great too. Holy Grail in anime form? You decide.

Hatori Chise is a 15-year-old girl sold for 5 million pounds at an auction to a tall masked man. Having been abandoned at a young age, she has nothing going for her and was willing to give herself away to any buyer if it meant having somewhere to go. Chained, her buyer leads her to a study where he reveals his identity. Elias Ainsworth, a magus who lives in rural England who wants Chise to be his apprentice and eventually… his bride.

This anime is beautiful. There is no other summation for what the experience of watching The Ancient Magus’s Bride. From the art style, to the animation, to soundtrack, the anime is quite a surreal watch, especially if you enjoy shows with fantasy and slice of life elements to them. The magic quickly becomes a part of Chise’s life as Ainsworth is an incredibly capable user of magic himself and seeing Chise grow into her new life where she is accepted is heartwarming, to say the least.

Around the world are several labyrinths said to be hiding incredible treasures within. These labyrinths, or “Dungeons” are the work of the Magi, a rare class of magician who help people establish their empires by guiding them to Djinns, supernatural entities which rule over the Dungeons. They are capable of granting Dungeon conquerors incredible power, choosing conquerors as potential candidates to rule the world. Aladdin is a young magician who lived hidden away who is eager to explore the world around him, accompanied by Ugo, his master and the resident Djinn in his flute. After an accident he causes, Aladdin meets and befriends Alibaba Saluja, who offers to help him cover the costs of the damage by attempting to conquer the nearby dungeon. This decision changes both of their lives forever.

Magi is really addictive due to the sheer size of the world in which the story takes place. There is an intense level of lore that Magi boasts and it is great in tandem with the awesome individual storylines which drive individual characters, as well as the obvious inspiration from stories from One Thousand and One Nights, a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales known best for the Aladdin story and the Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor, who coincidentally is a powerful leader and conqueror of several dungeons. The magic in magic is dazzling and creates awesome fight scenes and abilities which greatly reflect the personalities of their users.

Slayers primarily follows the greedy and powerful sorceress Lina Inverse, who strikes fear in just about everyone for her reckless power. One day, when she’s about to bash in some bandits, a knight swoops in, thinking she’s a damsel in distress, devastates the thieves himself, and then proclaims himself her guardian. Well, she decides to keep him around as she wants his Sword of Light, but as they romp around the universe avoiding they find themselves being followed by a pair of mysterious individuals.

Before there was Louise from Zero No Tsukaima and before there was Megumin from Konosuba, there was Lina from Slayers. She was and still is the master of explosions, chaos, and destruction. She actually destroyed entire worlds in her time. She also set the premise for ridiculous and zany protagonists whose objective was to make you laugh first and foremost. It’s tough to beat the mix between blowing things up and comedic gold that E&G Films incorporated into the show.

Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu throws us into a medieval world of magic and swords. However, there are certain people who have such mastery over magic due to the possession of the Alpha Stigma, or cursed eyes to most people, which allow for extreme forms of magic. One such person is Ryner Lute, who has been imprisoned for numerous years. However with his childhood friend now king, Ryner is sent out into the world, accompanied by the powerful warrior Ferris Eris, in order to discover magical relics and help the world achieve peace.

Admittedly Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu, suffers from a plot that verges on the incomprehensible by the end. You’ll have to do quite a bit of piecing together for the last few episodes, but up to that point it really is one of the most enjoyable magic shows out there. Ryner and his relationships with the various people he meets consistently provide comedic moments. Then there’s the depiction of the overwhelming power of the Alpha Stigma users, from Ryner who can copy any magic he’s seen to Tiir who can physically consume magical powers/attacks for power. It’s exciting and action packed with a fair amount of underhanded politics to balance out the lighter aspects.

If you haven’t watched Konosuba then just stop reading this and go watch it now. It’s one of the best shows this year has had to offer in terms of comedy. It takes a young shut in, has him die, and then gives him a chance to continue life in a fantasy world. He likes this opportunity, but truly despises the goddess who is offering him the deal. Thus, when she says he can take something with him into the new world, he says her. The higher ups approve and we have two, rather helpless, beings in a dangerous fantasy world.

Konosuba does a lot of things right. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, it provides a more realistic portrait of the adventures a normal person would have if thrown into medieval world full of monsters and magic, and it has a solid cast of inept characters. One character who joins Kazuma and the goddess Aqua is an archwizard of the Crimson Mazoku, Megumin. Between her and Aqua, magical moments of explosions and destruction can be viewed on an episodic basis. Now, Megumin’s explosion magic might be more impressive than Aqua’s water (fountain) magic, but both have their moments of awesomeness and hilarity.

Yggdrasil, an extremely popular virtual reality game, is finally come to and end. Taking in every last second of the game is the player Momonga, a powerful wizard and master of the massive guild Ainz Ooal Gown. However, Momonga is surprised to find out that even when the clock has hit midnight that the game is not only still on, but that he’s stuck as Momonga and all the NPCs have taken on personalities of their own.

Momonga literally decimates practically anyone and everyone that gets in his way. He also can take a hit like no other. When humans rain down the power of heaven and light on him, he doesn’t even flinch. He laughs it off and then plows on. He is the King of Undead for a reason, and Madhouse did not hold back any punches when showing flair to his power. Even when he isn’t blasting things to smolder, he’s impossibly strong. Clementine sets an explosion off inside his skull, he’s a skeleton for those unaware, and he’s unaffected.

Little Witch Academia follows Atsuko Kagari as she decides to become a witch and begins classes at the renowned Witch Academy, where her idol, Shiny Chariot, graduated from. However, she realizes two things really quickly. She doesn’t quite fit in, and Shiny Chariot is looked down upon by most magicians as a hack. Thus we follow Atsuko as she tries to fit in with her new surroundings without losing her passion for magic.

Little Witch Academia accomplished what few shows in this day and age could have done: brought back the magical girl without it seeming cliché. A major reason why this animation was so successful is because of Studio Trigger and their incredible artwork. It had that certain texture, color, and flair that you generally only expect from big companies like Studio Ghibli or Disney. This helped viewers really buy into the world and enjoy the entire ride with its displays of magical prowess.

Two things are at the center of Academic City: technology and psychic abilities. Considering that 75% of the city’s population are perfecting their esper abilities, it really isn’t surprising that this city is about 30 years ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to technology. It’s within this this city that a student gains the ire of a dangerous organization after meeting a girl capable of memorizing all of the forbidden grimoires.

Everyone in this city has some kind of magical ability, which provides for constant excitement. Battles are consistent and draw you in quickly thanks to awesome character designs/personalities as well as gorgeous animation by J.C.Staff. Whenever Accelerator hits the scene, the quote on quote overpowered badass of the series, you know things are about to get crazy, and they do.

Dungeons, deadly mazes that hold magical treasures beyond the imagination, are spread across the world. Djinns rule over these Dungeons and they will grant their power to those who finish the maze. In gaining the power and riches of a dungeon a person can easily become king. Now, Alibaba has dreams of becoming a king and has in eyes set on a dungeon. Luckily for him, he runs into a young magician by the name of Aladdin who has the power to help him beat the dungeon.

Magi is one of those shows that simply has a perfect mix of adventure, magic, conspiracy, and just about every story element imaginable. It has a massive world filled with incredible warriors, who have attained incredible magical power. It also helps that each character is actually extremely interesting and fully developed rather than just being run of the mill characters whose main trait is their power. This makes every battle twice as exiting, because we’re extremely invested in the outcome.

The battle for the Holy Grail takes place between seven magicians who summon renowned heroes from different ages to their side. The events of Fate/stay night cover the fifth Holy Grail War and in particular the actions of the young magicians Rin Toosaka and Emiya Shirou as they try to stay alive in this bloody battle.

One of the strongest aspects of Fate/stay night is its premise: magicians summoning the incredibly powerful spirits of heroes across time. In doing so, ufotable sets itself up to coordinate absolutely mesmerizing battles as well as give shout outs to mythology and history buffs. Truly, watching the battles between people like Arturia and Gilgamesh will blow your mind. There’s just so much to take in and this happens on an episodic basis. Fate/stay night is simply one of those shows that incorporates so many different things into its narrative (and it does it well) that almost each moment of the show has something for you to get excited about or ponder.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica follows the events that transpire after a pair of middle school girls, Madoka and Sayaka, are offered an unbelievable deal by Kyuubey, a mysterious cat-like creature. The deal? He will grant them one wish and in return they will have to act as magical girls and receive tremendous powers. It sounds like a sweet deal, but then why is the mysterious transfer student, Homura, a magical girl herself, so determined to ensure that they don’t accept the offer?

Madoka Magica is a masterpiece because of how powerfully it turns the idea of magical girls on its head. This isn’t some light and fantastic show, with minor conflicts that you know will be resolved by the end. No, this show takes a dark turn by episode three and never turns back towards the light. It delves into the costs that people make to achieve their dreams and how such costs ripple throughout those closest to them. It also has powerful action scenes as the girls take on witches, incredible and unique animation, as well as a strong story that grips you the entire time.