Obviously, we can’t have a list of magic anime without mentioning the Fate/stay night franchise. Sadly for us, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma is the only Fate/ series that has OVAs (except for Fate/Prototype and Fate/stay night’s summary OVAs). We can live with that, especially for those of us who enjoy ecchi and kawaii girls at the onsen.

Yes, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya 2wei! OVA is just another one of the countless special episodes in anime that are set in a hot spring facility. Clearly, we don’t get the constant display of magic we’d like to see, but we do get to enjoy Rin, Illyasviel and the rest of the cute and sexy girls just chilling for a while. Of course, they also get into trouble and they even end up wandering into a dark forest where they use their magic to make a great discovery!

Strike Witches: Operation Victory Arrow is a three-part OVA series that takes place between after the events that take place in the anime and before what happens in the 2012 movie. Basically, Operation Victory Arrow follows the lives of the group’s members upon returning home. The first OVA provides a short recap of prior events, so if you haven’t watched Strike Witches at least you’ll have an idea of what’s going on.

Each of these 30-minute long OVAs focuses on different girls on different adventures. Obviously, we’re getting a lot of shooting, high-caliber guns and cannons, all sorts of artillery and the most fascinating combination of sci-fi military technology and magic. That’s what’s so great about Strike Witches, guns and magic combine to provide a colorful display of straightforward action.

Tales of Symphonia The Animation: Sylvarant-hen is the first of three arcs that make the Tales of Symphonia series. This is the story of two worlds which are linked by magic and fate in such way that for one world to prosper, the other world has to perish (pretty much like Harry’s and Voldemort’s relationship). A young girl from Sylvarant, Colette Brunel sets out on a journey with her friends Lloyd Irving and Genis Sage to save her world.

The Tales of Symphonia series presents us with a world (two worlds actually) filled with magic, adventure, all kinds of warriors and wizards, great dangers and more enemies than you can imagine. Join the lovely Colette on her journey to rise as an angel and discover the mysteries behind these fantastic worlds. If you’re into high quality shows, the Tales of Symphonia series won’t let you down. All three arcs are just seven episodes long, so go ahead and give it a try!

Mahou Sensei Negima! Mou Hitotsu no Sekai is a four-part OVA series that picks up where the previous Ala Alba OVA series left off. This time, the story takes the Ala Alba group into the magic world, where they find clues about Negi’s father. Negi, along with Asuna, Setsuna, Nodoka, Evangeline and the rest of the guys will have to face endless adventures, challenges and difficulties.

Mahou Sensei Negima! Mou Hitotsu no Sekai takes us into a magic world full of dangers. Powerful magics, fierce competitions, slavery, power and mysteries are some of the things that Mahou Sensei Negima brings on this OVA series. It’s surely going to be one heck of a ride!

R.O.D. OVA is the story of Yomiko Readman, a secret agent for the British Library Special Operations Division who’s working undercover as a substitute teacher at a Japanese high school. Yomiko has the very original ability of manipulating paper to transform it into anything she wants, from tools and lock-picks to any kind of weapon you can imagine. That’s some badass origami indeed.

With this handy ability, Yomiko has to fight reincarnated historical figures and prevent them from taking over the world. Watch Yomiko as she tries to unfold (get it?) the mystery behind the Great Historical Figure Army. R.O.D. is as fantastic and exciting as its name suggests.

Magi: Sinbad no Bouken is a four episode OVA series telling the adventures of the legendary sailor, Sinbad. These OVAs follow a young Sinbad, before he was known as the conqueror of the seven seas, setting out on a journey that will change the world. Mysterious towers known as dungeons have been appearing all over the world, and different armies have tried to explore them, all in vain.

Sinbad meets a strange traveler named Yunan who will join him on his quest to conquer these dungeons and attain the “power of the king”. Their journey is obviously full of dangers, mysteries, adventures and fantastic creatures. Magi: Sinbad no Bouken takes us into an astounding world of fantasy where things and people may not be what they look like.

We were initially going to include Strike the Blood: Valkyria no Oukoku-hen in our list (which is a pretty good OVA you’ll surely enjoy anyway) but that was before the new OVA series was released. Strike the Blood II is out now and it’s everything this show’s fans have been waiting for. Strike the Blood II takes up the story shortly after the events of Strike the Blood.

Kojou Akatsuki is a young boy with the powers of a legendary vampire, which attracts the attention of a few sexy girls around him but also of evil forces. Kojou has to use his vampire abilities to protect Itogami Island. Of course, he also counts with the aid of sword-shaman Yukina Himeragi and a set of gorgeous girls with magic powers and handy abilities. Strike the Blood II is an OVA series you may want to start watching, it’s just an episode per month and it will definitely worth it.

These two OVAs are an absolute treat for Tsubasa fans, especially to those who have read the manga. The Tsubasa anime series does not cover all manga chapters, so there are a few missing parts between what happens in the TV anime and what happens in these OVAs. That’s why it is highly recommended that you read the manga (at least the missing in-betweens) before watching Tsubasa: Shunraiki, which starts off at the end of the Celes arc and covers the Nihon arc.

If you’re more or less aware of the setting in which these events take place, then you can enjoy Tsubasa’s wonderful storyline and all of its fantastic elements. Tsubasa: Shunraiki starts off in the middle of the action, with Fai using his magic to evacuate Syaoran and Sakura from Celes world, and Kurogane chopping his own arm off to help Fai escape too. There are vampires, clones and dream worlds after that, so you won’t be disappointed.

Mahoutsukai no Yome: Hoshi Matsu Hito is a new OVA series of just three episodes. It tells the story of Chise Hatori, a young girl who can see what other people can’t see. Unfortunately for Chise, what makes her special is also what drives common people away from her. Now, Chise has found her place in the world living with Elias Ainsworth (a man with a ram skull head) as his magic apprentice.

The Ancient Magus’ Bride looks like a very promising show (there are still two episodes to be released yet) as it presents a compelling storyline and intriguing characters. On The Ancient Magus’ Bride we’ll find a black grim (yes, just like Sirius Black), a psycho-looking blonde fairy who does house chores, tiny mermaid fairies, a lot of ugly monsters and all sorts of magic. These OVAs are surely going to be something big.

Little Witch Academia is a fantastic and delightful all-girls version of Harry Potter. Some may say it’s a rip-off, but let’s be honest. Who cares? Little Witch Academia presents a school of magic set in a giant castle with huge dungeons full of traps, dangers and invaluable treasures, as well as little girls attending different magic classes and learning how to ride their brooms. How can we not like that!?

Little Witch Academia follows Akko, who was so astonished as a child by a Shiny Chariot magic show that she decided she would one day become a witch herself. Now she has enrolled into a witch academy to pursue her dream. Along with her friends Sucy and Lotte, she has to overcome all sorts of challenges and difficulties, including rival witches, minotaurs and huge dragons. After this OVA’s huge success, a 50 minute film was released in 2015 and an anime series is scheduled to start airing on January 2017. We’re certainly looking forward to that.