A Semi-Complete History of Magical Girl Anime

[doronjosama]

This is mostly being posted for the benefit of denshousha, so we can get the SAAS meeting planned for this month. But hey, I thought other people might want to see these rare clips also. Watch and enjoy, opening credits for almost all the magical girl anime shows since 1966, in order by year. In the cut, because the list is HUGE.


1966- Mahoutsukai Sally B&W Color
1969- Himitsu no Akko-chan
1970- Mahou no Mako-chan
1971- Fushigi no Melmo (This is one of my favorite Tezuka creations. It's freaking weird!)
1972- Mahoutsukai Chappy
1973- Cutie Honey (Go Nagai, also, the first magical girl who transformed into multiple guises.)
1974- Majokko Megu-chan
1978- Majokko Tickle (Go Nagai again. Also, very weird. And sort of yuri-themed. Hm.)
1979- Flower Girl LunLun
1980- Mahou Shoujo Lalabelle
1982- Magical Princess Minky Momo
1983- Creamy Mami (The first of the classic Studio Pierrot magical girl shows, which followed a strict formula: 1) main character is an elementary school girl who becomes a grown up version of herself, 2) the opening song is always done by a new singer, who also is used as the main character's voice actor, 3) the problems are always rather domestic.)
1983- Nanako SOS (Hideo Azuma creation, can sadly only find the Italian opening. This thing is obscure even in Japan.)
1984- Magical Fairy Persia (or Pelsia)
1985- Magical Emi
1986- Pastel Yumi (ending, openings are only in French or Italian)
1987- Esper Mami (By Fujio Fujiko, creators of Doraemon)
1988- Mahoutsukai Sally (remake)
1988- Himitsu no Akko-chan (remake)
1990- Magical Angel Sweet Mint
1991- Magical Princess Minky Momo (remake)
1992- Flower Witch Mary Bell
1992- Hime-chan's Ribbon
1992- Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon
1993- Miracle Girls
1993- Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon R
1994- Akazukin Cha-Cha
1994- Magic Knight Rayearth
1994- Tonde Buurin (You will believe a pig can fly! This is one of my favorites.)
1994- New Cutie Honey (ova)
1994- Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon S
1995- Galaxy Fraulein Yuna
1995- Magical Girl Pretty Sammy (ova)
1995- Nurse Angel Lilica SOS
1995- Saint Tail (2nd opening, can't find the 1st one)
1995- Wedding Peach
1995- Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon SuperS
1996- Mahoutsukai Tai!
1996- Magical Girl Pretty Sammy (TV)
1996- Sailor Stars
1996- Shamanic Princess
1997- Cutie Honey Flash
1998- Card Captor Sakura
1998- Cyber Team in Akihabara
1998- Fancy LaLa
1998- Himitsu no Akko-chan (remake)
1998- Anime Shuukan DX! Mi Fa Pu (An anthology show that ROCKED, one of the segments every time was Fushigi Mahou Fan Fan Pharmacy, which definitely is a magical girl show. How I forgot this show on the first go round, I do not know, since I was completely addicted to it in 1998 and have plushes from it and everything!)
1999- Corrector Yui
1999- D4 Princess
1999- Jubei-chan (weirdly, this is the one I can't find the opening for...)
1999- Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne
1999- Ojamajo Doremi
2001- Ask Dr. Rin
2001- Magical Play
2001- Pretear
2001- Cosmic Baton Girl Comet-San
2001- Puni Puni Poemi (A parody, and fifteen kinds of wrong.)
2002- Full Moon wo Sagashite
2002- Petite Princess Yucie
2002- Princess Tutu
2002- Tokyo Mew Mew
2003- Guardian Hearts
2003- Mermaid Melody: Pichi Pichi Pitch
2003- Ultra Maniac
2004- Tweeny Witches
2004- Pretty Cure
2004- Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
2004- Re: Cutie Honey
2004- Sweet Valerian
2005- Fushigi-boshi no Futago-hime
2005- Oku-sama wa Mahou Shoujo: Bewitched Agnes (I can't find an OP for this one either, but it sounds rad!)
2005- Onegai My Melody
2005- Sugar Sugar Rune (By Moyocco Anno, who coincidentally, is Hideaki Anno's wife.)
2006- Magical Witch Punie-chan
2006- Eikyuu Alice Rondo
2006- Magikano
2006- Sasami: Magical Girls Club
2007- Shugo Chara (All I can find for this are fan-made versions of the opening song. What the hey?)
2007- Saint October
2007- Kamichama Karin
2007- Getsumento Heiki Mina (Yes, the bunny girl from the opening of the j-drama Densha Otoko has her own anime now. Ah, Japan!)

BONUS ROUND:
Animetal Sailor Moon OP
Tonde Buurin Ending (which is arguably more awesome than the OP)
The first American magical girl show, Jem and the Holograms!


I lean towards liking the stuff from the mid-1990's and earlier when it comes to magical girl shows, but I'm always pleased when I find something newer that's good. Princess Tutu is delightfully surreal and pretty, and no wonder I like it since it's by the guy who made Ojamajo Doremi which I also love. I'm a fan of the Sugar Sugar Rune manga, so will likely try the anime also. Bewitched Agnes sounds completely bonkers (wiki link), and gives nods in the title to the show that started the whole magical girl craze in Japan in the first place: Bewitched. Yes, the Elizabeth Montgomery show! We can blame the magical girlfriend genre of anime on the other American export: I Dream of Jeannie. But that's a whole other post!