The pretty guardian in a sailor suit, Sailor Moon, has had an enormous impact on just about every millennial ever. Naoko Takeuchi’s magical girl series became one of the mainstays for children’s entertainment of the 1990s and set the precedent for just about everything I look for in my action anime today. From gorgeous transformation sequences, flashy attacks, touching character moments, and inspiring teamwork, Sailor Moon was full of the tropes and themes that I enjoy in the magical girl genre to this day. To that end, plenty of anime have been released in the 30-plus years (pause for existential crisis) since Sailor Moon first came out that have filled those niches. From magical girl stories like Tokyo Mew Mew to more symbolic adventures like Revolutionary Girl Utena or Princess Tutu , we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to magical girl anime. If you’re looking for the best anime that capture the same vibes as Sailor Moon , whether it’s a classic shojo adventure or an anime outside the box with the same kind of vibes, check out our recommendations! PreCure franchise RELATED: How to Watch the Main Pretty Cure Anime Series in Order Fans of Sailor Moon probably aren’t surprised to see this on the list. For more magical girl anime than you’d know what to do with, look no further than the PreCure franchise. Having started in 2004 with Futari wa Pretty Cure (or Precure ), this series has been ongoing with annual new installments. Similar to Kamen Rider and Super Sentai , a new PreCure series is released with new themes, storylines and characters. But every show is the same at its core; a group of young girls ( and the occasional boy ) are granted magical powers that they use to save the world from evil. Much like the Sailor Moon anime, PreCure can go from being lighthearted to more serious at a moment’s notice. With more than 20 years of content and a new series basically coming out every year, there’s no shortage of magical girl action to be had with PreCure . Puella Magi Madoka Magica RELATED: 15 Pink-Haired Anime Characters to Brighten Your Day This unique take on the magical girl formula became one of the most influential anime of the 2010s. In Puella Magi Madoka Magica , the titular Madoka Kaname is approached by an adorable cat-like creature named Kyubey with an offer to become a magical girl via a contract. While she’s initially interested in becoming one, Madoka quickly learns from other magical girls (Homura Akemi, in particular) that entering this contract comes at a cost. This one is a must-watch, but be sure to bring Kleenex, as this anime series is known for its heartbreaking moments. Cardcaptor Sakura RELATED: How to Watch Cardcaptor Sakura in Order As another classic magical girl anime from the 1990s with a main character as memorable as Usagi Tsukino, Cardcaptor Sakura remains a beloved magical girl staple that holds up well to this day. When rollerskating schoolgirl Sakura Kinomoto discovers a book of magical cards (known as Clow Cards) hidden in her basement, she unknowingly scatters them all across her hometown. Using her newly awakened magical abilities, she is tasked with finding and capturing all of the cards as they cause mischief in her neighborhood. Bonus? Cardcaptor Sakura is a cosplayer’s dream thanks to her best friend, Tomoyo Daidouji, providing fantastic outfits with every magical battle. Magical Girl Ore RELATED: What Kind of Magical Girl Would You Be? Magical girls run in the family in Magical Girl Ore and is perfect for fans looking for a cute little comedy to watch. Amidst her unsuccessful career as a pop idol, young Saki Uno learns that her mother used to be a magical girl. She passes the role on to Saki, who transforms into a magical girl herself to fight evil. Through some twist of fate, however, her transformed state is that of a large, muscly man. Magic Knight Rayearth RELATED: Turn of the Century: The Classic Anime Getting Modern Makeovers We return to the world of CLAMP for another series that combines the best of magical girls and mecha action. In Magic Knight Rayearth , middle schoolers Hikaru Shidou, Umi Ryuuzaki, and Fuu Hououji form an unlikely trio after they are transported from modern-day Japan to a fantasy realm of magic and monsters known as Cephiro. The three of them must learn to work together with their newly-granted abilities to rescue a princess and restore peace in Cephiro, all while trying to get back home. Shugo Chara RELATED: 17 Essential Magical Girl Anime on Crunchyroll Nothing beats a magical girl coming-of-age story, and Shugo Chara encompasses that perfectly. Despite her “cool and spicy” exterior, elementary schooler Amu Hinamori is shy and socially awkward. She longs to reach out to people and make new friends, but her anxiety often prevents her from doing so. As she wishes for more courage to become her true self, she produces three magical fairies known as Shugo Chara: guardians who help her embody the type of person she wants to be. She soon encounters other kids with Shugo Chara and becomes part of the effort to purify people’s dreams and aspirations. FUUTO PI Magical girl shows aren’t the only anime that embody the spirit of Sailor Moon . Just ask Shotaro Hidari and Philip in FUUTO PI . As a sequel to the 2009 series, Kamen Rider Double , this anime continues the adventure as Shotaro and Philip solve ongoing mysteries in their beloved city of Fuuto. When the job gets too dangerous, the two of them transform into a single Kamen Rider to fight evil. In their latest case, they encounter a mysterious amnesiac woman named Tokime and discover that she’s linked to the next evolution of Gaia Memories that continue to plague Fuuto. Mobile Suit Gundam the Witch from Mercury RELATED: A Breakdown of the Gundam Timeline So Far Mobile Suit Gundam the Witch from Mercury is a history-making Gundam series that features the first female main protagonist. In this captivating and resonant story about class warfare and politics, society has advanced into space thanks to the GUND interface. Because of this, humanity has been divided into “Spacians” and “Earthians,” and several megacorporations work to maintain a stark economic split between the two factions. Amidst this political crisis, Suletta Mercury transfers to the Asticassia School of Technology, which is owned by the Benerit Group megacorporation. Here, she accidentally becomes involved in the school’s series of mobile suit duels. Through these duels, students fight to marry Miorine Rembran, the daughter of Benerit Group president Delling Rembran. As Suletta fights to survive in school using her Gundam Aerial, she works closely with Miorine, who longs to be free from her father’s corporate dealings. SSSS.GRIDMAN RELATED: Kaiju No. 8 And The Legacy of Kaiju In Anime Adapted from the 1993 tokusatsu series, SSSS.GRIDMAN features a unique blend of giant mech action and romantic drama that Sailor Moon would be proud of. High school student Yuta Hibiki suffers from amnesia, quickly making friends with classmates Rikka Takarada and Sho Utsumi, who wish to help him regain his memory. While trying to unravel these mysteries, they find an old computer in Rikka’s basement with a robotic being named Gridman residing in it. After a Kaiju suddenly appears in their city, Yuta becomes the gateway for Gridman to enter reality and stop the monster from destroying everything. From then on, Yuta, Rikka, and Sho team up with Gridman to battle Kaiju and discover the secret behind their appearance. SSSS.DYNAZENON SSSS.DYNAZENON , a direct sequel to GRIDMAN , follows a new set of teens as they take on more powerful Kaiju in their combined mech. One day, Yomogi Asanaka has a chance encounter with Gauma, a self-proclaimed Kaiju user. When a Kaiju attacks the city, Yomogi and Gauma band together along with classmate Yume Minami and NEET Koyomi Yamanaka to pilot Dynazenon and defeat it. As this unlikely group learns to work together, they take on Gauma’s former companions, fellow Kaiju users who seek to destroy the city. Star Driver Star Driver is a flashy mecha anime featuring plenty of overt magical girl elements to keep Sailor Moon fans satiated. On the isolated Southern Cross Isle, Takuto Tsunashi mysteriously washes up on shore and enrolls in Southern Cross High School. While the school itself seems normal on the surface, some of the students are part of the Glittering Crux Brigade. This secret organization trains to pilot Cybodies, large mechanical giants that can only operate in a dimension called “Zero Time.” Their goal is to rule the world by breaking the four seals on the island so that Cybodies can operate outside of Zero Time. However, Takuto fights to keep them at bay. As the Galactic Pretty Boy, he pilots his own Cybody named Tauburn to fight Glittering Crux and protect the outside world. WITCH WATCH If you’re in the mood for magical girl wholesomeness and laugh-out-loud antics, WITCH WATCH has got you covered. Nico Wakatsuki is a teenage witch who returns to the human realm after completing some level of magical training. She is placed in the care of her childhood friend Morihito Otogi, an oni of near limitless physical strength and stamina. Nico strives to use her magic to help people, though her lack of skill often leads to her spells going awry. Meanwhile, Morihito seeks to protect Nico from a prophesied calamity meant to befall her. ZOMBIE LAND SAGA RELATED: How Watching Anime Became a Way to Explore My Mental Health This idol group is looking to knock you undead. After Sakura Minamoto is suddenly killed by a speeding truck, she is resuscitated as a zombie and reawakens a decade later. In ZOMBIE LAND SAGA , she, along with six other deceased girls from different time periods, is recruited by an eccentric manager named Kotaro Tatsumi to become the idol group Franchouchou. Brought together by the most unfortunate circumstances imaginable, these girls learn how to become a real unit and prove that death makes for some catchy dance numbers. ZENSHU RELATED: If You've Ever Written Fanfic, ZENSHU is For You MAPPA delivers a refreshing and beautiful take on the isekai genre with this short anime. In ZENSHU , prodigal animator Natsuko Hirose struggles to produce her next big project. While trying to get over her slump, she unexpectedly dies of food poisoning and wakes up in the plot of A Tale of Perishing , her favorite childhood anime film. Knowing that her favorite characters are fast approaching a tragic ending, Natsuko uses her skills as an animator to literally draw better conclusions for the story. Kill la Kill RELATED: 10 Revenge Anime That Have Reached the Breaking Point Few magical girl anime can claim to be as bombastic as Trigger’s modern classic, Kill la Kill . Here, the Japanese island of Honno City is ruled with an iron fist by the student council of Honnouji Academy. The students at this school wear Goku Uniforms, which grant their wearers untold powers and abilities. Naturally, the student council wears the most powerful Uniforms. However, transfer student Ryuko Matoi arrives at Honnouji in search of her father’s killer. She is led to Satsuki Kiryuin, leader of the Student Council, who bests her in combat. Thankfully, Ryuko comes across her own sentient Uniform of unknown origin, which grants her the power to fight the student council on equal footing. Using her new Uniform, Ryuko seeks to defeat the student council and uncover the conspiracy behind her father’s murder. Not every anime on this list is strictly a part of the magical girl genre, but each of them represents some of the best and most notable tropes that Sailor Moon helped establish for millennial media. Whenever you’re done rewatching episodes of Sailor Moon , rereading the manga, or are in the mood for magical superhero stories, these shows will most certainly fulfill that same niche for you. 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