That's So Magical Girl Coded: Cartoons That Feel Like a Magical Girl Anime

Have you ever watched a show that reminds you of magical girl anime? You know, the ones with cool transformations, fun adventures, and villains you can’t help but love to hate. A lot of cartoons follow this magical girl formula, so let’s talk about them. Here are some cartoons that are definitely magical girl-coded.

1. Totally Spies

Totally Spies follows three high schoolers, Alex, Sam, and Clover, as they balance school and saving the world as spies. They don’t have magical powers, but their gadgets and Jerry’s help make the show feel like a magical girl adventure. Every episode is a blast, and their outfits were the ones I always wanted as a kid. Even though it’s inspired by Charlie’s Angels, it also brings to mind Tokyo Mew Mew or Cardcaptor Sakura. These three super spies are definitely magical girl-coded.

2. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

I know some of you might be thinking, “Lo, where are you going with this?” or “The pony show, really?” But hear me out—MLP is very magical girl-coded. The story is about a unicorn whose mentor sends her to Ponyville to learn about friendship, and she eventually becomes a princess (total Usagi vibes). She faces magical threats, solves friendship problems, and protects the kingdom with the Elements of Harmony (again, very Sailor Moon). I get that the brony fandom turned some people away, but if you watch these six ponies learn about “the power of friendship,” you’ll see that MLP is definitely magical girl-coded.

3. Trollz

If you grew up in the early 2000s, you probably remember Trollz! It’s clearly magical girl-coded, but here’s why. The show is about a group of girls with wild hair and magical belly button gems who use their powers to deal with school issues, teen drama, and villains. That’s classic magical girl material! They even have unique pets that match their personalities (shoutout to Ya Ya), and each girl has her own journey of self-discovery. Trollz really feels like a magical girl anime turned into a cartoon.

4. Winx Club

This one is pretty obvious. When people think of cartoons that feel like magical girl anime, Winx Club is usually the first that comes to mind. The show follows Bloom and her friends as they handle school, relationships, and all sorts of villains. The transformation scenes and theme music are iconic! The emotional moments these girls experience had us all in tears. Every episode felt so much like an anime that I had to remind myself it was actually a cartoon, just like with ATLA. Even though it’s not technically an anime, Winx Club truly deserves its reputation as one of the most magical girl-coded shows of its time.

5. W.I.T.C.H.

This show is super addictive, and the theme song is even catchier. W.I.T.C.H. is about five girls with elemental powers who serve as Guardians of the Veil. They have to keep their identities secret, manage school, and deal with boy drama. In many ways, W.I.T.C.H. feels like Sailor Moon, with girls from different backgrounds coming together to protect their world from evil. It would have been awesome if their pets, like Taranee’s cat Napoleon, were magical like Luna, but even without that, the show still gives off strong magical girl anime vibes.

Honorable Mentions