Magical girl (Japanese: 魔法少女, Hepburn: mahō shōjo) is a subgenre of primarily Japanese fantasy media (including anime, manga, light novels, and live-action media) centered on young girls who possess magical abilities, which they typically use through an ideal alter ego into which they can transform.[1][2]
The genre emerged in 1962 with the manga Himitsu no Akko-chan, followed by Sally the Witch in 1966.[3] A wave of similar anime produced in the 1970s led to majokko (魔女っ子, lit. "little witch") being used as a common term for the genre. In the 1980s, the term was largely replaced by "magical girl", reflecting the new popularity of shows produced by other studios, including Magical Princess Minky Momo and Creamy Mami, the Magic Angel.
In the 1990s, Sailor Moon introduced the concept of a "transforming heroine" who fights against forces of evil[citation needed], a synthesis of elements from tokusatsu hero shows that became a staple for magical girl series that followed. The growth of late-night anime in the early 2000s led to a demographic shift for the genre, where series with more mature themes such as Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha (2004) were created and marketed towards an older male audience.
- ^ Sugawa, Akiko (February 26, 2015). "Children of Sailor Moon: The Evolution of Magical Girls in Japanese Anime". Nippon Communications Foundation. Archived from the original on April 1, 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
- ^ Ekens, Gabriella (May 27, 2016). "What Makes Magical Girls So Popular?". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
- ^ Funimation (February 4, 2020). "A Guide to Magical Girls, From Cute to Grim". Funimation. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2020.