When you think of kid-friendly anime, mahou shoujo (translated as “magical girl”) shows are probably pretty high on the list. They’re all about young girls conquering evil with sparkly magic and the power of friendship, right? Well, not so much anymore.

Mahou shoujo anime in the classic style still exist, of course, but the staggering impact of shows like Princess Tutu (2002) and Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica (2011), among others, has blown the door wide open for deconstructing the typical tropes and expectations of what once was once viewed as a genre strictly for young girls. In this two-part series, we’ll explore how mahou shoujo grew and changed over time, and how certain influential shows turned the entire genre on its head.

This article was written for Honey’s Anime, so please read it on their site.