When it comes to magical girl anime, series are a dime a dozen. The popularity of Sailor Moon launched a smorgasbord of similar series, and you can take your pick of magical girl anime. The same isn’t true for magical boy anime: though they do exist, this gender subversion is far more sparse.
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It may be argued that the reason is that the equivalent of magical girl anime isn’t magical boy anime, it’s shounen, as it generally stars young male protagonists with magical powers. But if you want magical boy series that play it straight with flashy outfits and transformation scenes, we’ve got you covered.
10
Fairy Ranmaru
Created By Taiga Umatani
- Air Dates: April 8, 2021 – June 24, 2021
- Studio: Studio Comet
Fairy Ranmaru is one of the most straightforward magical boy anime series, and it deserves credit for incorporating contemporary elements. Featuring five fairies whose mission is to heal afflicted hearts, the show portrays modern social issues like cyberbullying.
The character designs are fantastic, and the voice acting talent was closely involved with the entire production, including singing the opening and ending themes. If you want to see sharp-dressed men, this is the magical boy anime for you.
9
Soaring Sky Pretty Cure
Created By Izumi Todo
- Air Dates: February 5, 2023 – January 28, 2024
- Studio: Toei Animation
The Pretty Cure series has been around for over two decades, and is a staple of magical girl anime. It wasn’t until 2023, however, that the show saw its first magical boy character. Tsubasa Yunagi is the first male Cure, bringing much-needed diversity to the series. A hardworking, bird-themed character, he dreams of being able to fly one day.
Though Soaring Sky Pretty Cute is still mainly a magical girl series, it’s worth checking out for the magical boy character as well. Tsubasa features prominently among the four main characters and provides a different take on standard magical girl tropes.
8
Heroman
Created By Stan Lee
- Air Dates: April 1, 2010 – September 23, 2010
- Studio: Bones
Yes, you read that correctly, this anime was created by the Stan Lee, responsible for many iconic Marvel heroes. The creator actually had quite an interest in Japanese media, giving his blessing to Spider-Man’s 1970 manga adaptation and collaborating with rock band X Japan.
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Heroman is the legendary artist’s biggest creative contribution and was animated by Bones. It incorporates elements of the shounen, superhero and even mech anime genres to create a magical boy tale with deep characters and beautiful designs.
7
Kyo Kara Maoh
Created By Tomo Takabayashi
- Air Dates: April 3, 2004 – February 25, 2006
- Studio: Studio Deen
Isekai anime became the dominant genre from the late 2010s onwards, but it was much less common in the 2000s. This allowed for stories like Kyo Kara Maoh to incorporate other genres into their storytelling, though its premise is similar to most isekai, with the protagonist being transported to a world where he is overpowered, it has its distinct identity.
Fusing comedy with magical boy transformations, Kyo Kara Maoh is the story of a teenager trying to get to grips with his new job: being the demon king. At 78 episodes, it’s a long-running series, but one you’ll enjoy watching.
6
Astro Boy
Created By Osamu Tezuka
- Air Dates: April 6, 2003 – March 28, 2004
- Studio: Tezuka Productions
Astro Boy is one of the most iconic retro anime series. In 2003, it received a celebratory remake that provided the old story a fresh coat of paint. The show focuses on the titular Astro Boy, originally a supporting character in a different manga, who ended up becoming an iconic anime mascot.
Though Astro Boy isn’t a magical boy anime in the traditional sense, as it lacks transformation sequences, the art style and storytelling are heavily inspired by magical girl anime. The addition of a male protagonist while keeping the storytelling conventions of magical girl anime results in a show that’s accessible to all audiences.
5
Shugo Chara
Created by Peach-Pit
- Air Dates: October 6, 2007 – September 27, 2008
- Studio: Satelight
For the most part, Shugo Chara is a magical girl anime. However, it features several magical boy characters as well. Due to the anime being comedic in tone, this is often played for laughs, but after a few jokes, the show moves on and gives the magical boys real characterization.
Shugo Chara is a pioneer in this aspect. It featured magical boy characters over a dozen years before Pretty Cure, and its popularity contributed in part to a surge in magical boy series afterwards. It showed that, aside from comedy, gender subversions in anime could be used as a simple storytelling device that made a series more appealing to different demographics.
4
Magical Taruruto
Created By Tatsuya Egawa
- Air Dates: September 2, 1990 – May 10, 1992
- Studio: Toei Animation
Magical Taruruto is something of a parody, and like many magical boy anime, it has fun with flipping the script. Luckily, the satire is borne of sincerity as Magical Taruruto treats itself as a lighthearted comedy, and is easy to watch.
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It also has a refreshingly colourful visual style. Though it’s a bit of a retro anime, it’s still worth watching today. It does go heavy on the fan service, so bear that in mind.
3
DNAngel
Created By Yukiru Sugisaki
- Air Dates: April 3, 2003 – September 25, 2003
- Studio: Xebec
DNAngel is one of the best magical boy anime because, quite simply, it is the most straightforward magical boy anime. Everything about its story is what you’d expect from a magical girl anime, but with the protagonist’s gender changed, right down to the discovery that he inherited a power passed down through his male lineage.
Of course, this series wouldn’t be able to survive on just having a charming premise. Luckily, DNAngel has likeable characters and a fun story. At 26 episodes long, it leaves us wishing for more.
2
Cute High Earth Defense Club Love
Created by Kurari Umatani
- Air Dates: January 6, 2015 – March 24, 2015
- Studio: Diomedea, Studio Comet, Studio Deen
Cute High Earth Defense Club Love was made to fulfill a need. Its creators recognized the dearth of magical boy anime and sought to fix it, the result was a parody that’s still fun to watch.
A lot of the comedy in Cute High Earth Defense Club Love stems from it poking fun at its genre. A lot of magical girl anime tropes are subverted. Luckily, the series does this well enough that it’s charming rather than annoying. The series has changed hands throughout its run, with Studio Deen producing the 2025 iteration.
1
Star Driver
Created By Yoji Enokido
- Air Dates: October 3, 2010 – April 4, 2011
- Studio: Bones
With titles like Galactic Pretty Boy, it’s fairly obvious that Star Driver knows what it’s doing. Though it purports to be more of a shounen and mecha series, the transformations speak for themselves.
Luckily, the lack of genre trappings allows it to tell its story without devolving into parody. This is a show you can watch whether you’re looking for magical boy anime or not, and still enjoy. It’s doubly impressive for not being based on any source material: though not as well-known as some of Bones’ adaptations, this is an original series worth watching.
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