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[[quoteright:300:[[Franchise/LyricalNanoha http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mgln_rune_attack_366.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:300:Young, magical, and [[MemeticMutation in the process]] [[DefeatMeansFriendship of making friends]] with [[MoreDakka MAXIMUM POWER]].]]

The intersection of MagicalGirl with SuperHero(ine).

In Japan, the extended growth-to-maturity metaphor MagicalGirl archetype can mean a variety of things; some do more than use their powers to improve or complicate their lives. Some go out and battle [[BigBad Dramatic Evil]], usually with a lot of mystic firepower and weird outfits (usually a [[PimpedOutDress glammed-up]] MiniDressOfPower) and [[CallingYourAttacks called attacks]]. This is not magic for magic's sake; the character rarely finds this enjoyable but gets morally cowed into it.

The action-oriented {{Magical Girl Warrior}}s have the extra bonus of appeal to male demographics, so they can be very lucrative; in this case they often resemble {{Distaff Counterpart}}s of Japanese {{superhero}}es, particularly {{Sentai}} and other HenshinHero characters. Importers of MagicalGirl series to the West tend to favor these characters, so {{Magical Girl Warrior}}s tends to become the established trope over {{Cute Witch}}es.

They are very prone to KickingAssInAllHerFinery.

The DarkMagicalGirl mostly appears in MagicalGirlWarrior series. Not to be confused with the unrelated MagicKnight.
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!!'''Examples:'''

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]
* [[UrExample The earliest prototype]] was GoNagai's ''CuteyHoney'' franchise, which slowly mutated and grew to have an unexpected female fanbase whenever the {{Fanservice}} level fluctuated heavily.
* [[TropeCodifier Pretty much cemented]] by the enormous popularity of ''Manga/SailorMoon'', which introduced the {{Sentai}} elements to the genre.
* Currently, the most popular show of this type in Japan appears to be ''Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure'' and [[Anime/PrettyCure its sequels/spin-offs]].
** [[DarkerAndEdgier Taken to the extreme in]] ''Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure''. The battles looks like something straight out of ''Manga/SaintSeiya'' (in fact, character designer Yoshihiko Umakoshi went on to work on ''SaintSeiyaOmega'').
* Parodied in the {{seinen}} series ''Anime/PrettySammy''.
* Parodied also within the {{shojo}} demographic with ''Anime/AiToYuukiNoPigGirlTondeBuurin'' about a girl who transforms into a superpowered.... [[MessyPig pig]].
* ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'' particularly embodies the "growing up as a struggle" metaphor, with the added bonus of Gnostic metaphor thrown in for good measure. This was emphasized way more in the anime than in the manga, however.
* ''Manga/WeddingPeach''
* ''Manga/TokyoMewMew''
* ''[[LyricalNanoha Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]]'' is a {{Seinen}} example that starts as a standard MagicalGirlWarrior anime then takes a more militaristic bent after its first season. Contrary to the trope description, Nanoha thoroughly enjoys using her magical abilities to [[DefeatMeansFriendship befriend the living hell out of people]].
** In the ''[[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikerS StrikerS]]'' season, the girls are in a military, so they are literal magical girl warriors.
* ''Manga/MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch'' is a cross of this and ''MagicIdolSinger''.
* ''ShikabaneHime'' is a rather dark variant - the magical girls are undead corpses who must kill OneHundredAndEight other corpses in order to get into Heaven. Also, [[TheGunslinger they use guns]].
* ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' has many examples.
** The ShowWithinAShow ''Magical Girl Biblion'' is a parody of this, complete with in-universe {{Rule 34}} {{doujinshi}} that typically follows these character types. Since [[PlayfulHacker Chisame]] [[CosplayOtakuGirl cosplays]] the characters featured there, her Pactio Card turned her into one with a cyberspace theme.
* ''{{Anime/Mai-HiME}}'' and ''{{Anime/Mai-Otome}}''. Both have strong elements of {{Deconstruction}}.
* ''CyberTeamInAkihabara''
* ''Anime/BlackRockShooter''
* ''DevilHunterYohko''
* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' A famously great tragedy that thoroughly celebrates and subverts the meat of its subgenre.
* ''KamichamaKarin''
* ''Manga/NurseAngelRirikaSOS'', considered a forerunner to ''Nanoha''.
* ''SweetValerian'' features three girls who transform into superpowered monster-fighting bunny rabbits.
* ''LightNovel/{{Kampfer}}'' adds a GenderBender twist - main character Natsuru turns into a girl whenever he transforms.
* ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura'' has elements of this; Sakura's mission is to capture all Clow Cards, sometimes using direct combat, sometimes by using other means. In later seasons after she capture all cards, she must turn the cards into her own cards, by applicating it in various task, often involving some kind of combat.
* ''{{Manga/Shugo Chara}}''
* ''{{Corrector Yui}}''
* ''{{Manga/Magic Knight Rayearth}}'' crosses this with SwordsAndSorcery.
* Invoked in ''Anime/{{Mao-chan}}'', where aliens Earth is being invaded by aliens so [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter cute]] that fighting them is viewed as bullying, forcing the heads of Japan's defense forces to have their [[{{Moe}} cute]] granddaughters fight the aliens.
* ''MakerunaMakendo'' adds a kendo theme.
* ''HyperSpeedGranDoll'' is a very close follower of ''SailorMoon'', except with more of a sci-fi feel.
* ''DreamHunterRem'' is one of the earliest examples.
* ''{{Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angel}}''
* ''FateKaleidLinerPrismaIllya'' comes courtesy of the {{Nasuverse}}.
* ''MagicalCanan'' actually uses this term to describe their magical girls (Mahou Senshi.)
* ''Anime/FushigiboshiNoFutagohime'' starts of as a CuteWitch series before becoming this.
* ''Anime/SenkiZesshouSymphogear'' follows in the footsteps of ''MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch'' by crossing this MagicIdolSinger.
* Himiko, and Kosumo via organ donation, in ''TowaKamoShirenai''.
* ''Anime/HappySeven''
* ''Anime/SaintOctober''
* ''Anime/RakugoTennyoOyui''
* ''Anime/UmiMonogatari'' takes this type of show and tweaks it; among other things, the revelation of what the Big Bad ''really'' is allows for a conclusion that's more true to life than most shows of this nature.
* Every single woman in ''HorizonInTheMiddleOfNowhere''; however, how much "mage" or "warrior" there is depends on the person and their abilities.
* SenranKagura: big-breasted ninja girls with magical clothes and transformation sequences !
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Comic Books]]
* Possibly [[UrExample originated]] with comic book superheroine [[{{Shazam}} Mary Marvel]] in 1942.
* ''Comicbook/{{WITCH}}'', with less SailorMoon-esque cutesiness.
* WonderWoman has resembled with ''at times'', with her magic origins, TransformationSequence and such.
* {{Zatanna}}, especially in recent years, has become more like this.
* ComicBook/AmethystPrincessofGemworld counts as well.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fanfiction]]
* In ''Fanfic/KyonBigDamnHero'', Nonoko temporarily acts as one, equipped with Kyon's {{Badass|Longcoat}} [[ClothesMakeTheSuperman Longcoat]] and {{Morph Weapon}}s.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Literature]]
* Most mages from ''{{Avalon Web Of Magic}}'', but Adriane (the designated 'warrior mage') especially.
* Keeah of ''Literature/TheSecretsOfDroon''.
* Sophie of ''SophieAndTheShadowWoods''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: TabletopGames]]
* In HighSchoolGirlsRPG, you have the MagicalGirl extension allowing you to play just that type of character.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Video Games]]
* If you think about it, ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2'' presents a VideoGame example.
* Mystica from ''FadingHearts''. Ryou meets her in the forest while he is fighting shadow monsters.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'': In the later comics [[spoiler:Elliot]] gains a super-heroine spell after already having the ability to shapeshift into virtually any conceivable female human form including transformation of clothes.
* ''LastRes0rt'' includes a faction known as the Galaxy Girl Scouts, which seem to be a cross between Sailor Moon and the Green Lantern Corps (i.e. alien girls in whatever the alien version of "schoolgirl" happens to be).
** The title is passed down to a new girl per planet every few years or so, which means a complex "legacy" can build up over time -- for example, at one point Daisy Archanis is accused of being a "rogue" Scout Arael 25 years ago, and ends up fighting for her life against four of the current scouts (one of which is the current Scout Arael, who protests when she finds out the other girls intended on killing Daisy instead of just fighting her)!
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Web Original]]
* Fey of the WhateleyUniverse. Down to the backstory, the ancient Faerie who rides along in her head, her ability to summon armor magically, and a magical battle in Boston in which she and The Necromancer spent most of the fight trying to intimidate each other by calling their attacks.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/PrincessGwenevereAndTheJewelRiders''
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls''
* ''WesternAnimation/TenkoAndTheGuardiansOfTheMagic's'' Tenko and her friends.
* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower'' is an early one, and many fans argue that her brother ''WesternAnimation/{{He-Man| and the Masters of the Universe}}'' is a RareMaleExample.
* ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' is an ''academy'' of this.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' is essentially Magical Filly Warrior Ponies, but outside the season premieres and finales it ignores most of the warrior aspects and mostly it's MagicalGirl SliceOfLife. [[RecycledInSpace With ponies]]!
[[/folder]]

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