Line #71 Main/MagicalGirlAU


1	[[quoteright:1000:[[Magazine/{{Animage}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/image_121_0.jpg]] ]]
2	[[caption-width-right:1000:''Magazine/{{Animage}}''[='=]s guide on how to be a MagicalGirl]]
3	The MagicalGirl genre is one of the staple genres of anime and manga. It has existed in one form or another since almost the beginning of modern day anime[[note]]''Manga/HimitsuNoAkkochan'' and ''Manga/SallyTheWitch'' date to the 1960s[[/note]] and has continued to be popular throughout the decades. It's gotten to the point where many non-Japanese works, such as ''ComicBook/{{WITCH}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'', are based on Magical Girls.
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5	As a result of the success of the genre, spinoff works or skits aren't rare where characters are turned into magical girls. Even if they're boys, they [[{{Crossdresser}} turn into]] [[SuperGenderBender magical girls]].[[note]]Though not always, if they're going for a ''[[Anime/CuteHighEarthDefenseClubLove Cute High]]''-esque spoof.[[/note]] Maybe it's AllJustADream, maybe it's an outright AlternateUniverse, but for whatever reason the characters in a work are suddenly transformed into magical girls.
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7	Most of these [=AUs=] are very tongue-in-cheek or are outright magical girl parodies. Magical Girl tropes are usually exaggerated as a result. The protagonist will become a PinkHeroine in FrillsOfJustice who [[CallingYourAttacks screams out her attacks]] and fights against a MonsterOfTheWeek. Though most magical girl [=AUs=] are light and comedic, some works do take it seriously. [[SmallReferencePools Many take inspiration from either]] ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' or ''Anime/PrettyCure'', though more obscure references and nondescript pastiches of magical works are also commonplace.
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9	If this AU appears in non-Japanese works, expect it to be a parody (often a ShallowParody) of ''Anime/SailorMoon''; hence the SailorSenshiSendUp trope. Though numerous magical girl anime have been dubbed outside of Japan, the only one to strike out of the GirlShowGhetto and become mainstream was the 1990s ''Sailor Moon'' anime. As a result, any magical girl anime tends to be called a "''Sailor Moon'' ripoff" by non-magical girl fans and especially non-anime fans.
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11	Subtrope to AlternateUniverse and super-trope to FukuFic. Compare to SuperFic, for fics about characters becoming Western superheroes instead of magical girls, and HighSchoolAU.
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13	----
14	!!Examples:
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16	[[foldercontrol]]
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18	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
19	* ''Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei'' had a bit where characters turned into Lily Cure and Itoshiki was the BigBad.
20	* There is a ''Manga/{{Nisekoi}}'' Magical Girl spinoff called ''Magical Patissier Kosaki-chan'', written and illustrated by Tsutsui Taishi, the author behind ''Manga/WeNeverLearn''. It stars Kosaki, Chitoge, and Marika as magical girls.
21	* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' is the once-removed MorePopularSpinoff of an adult visual novel called ''VisualNovel/TriangleHeart3SweetSongsForever'':
22	** In the original [=VN=], Nanoha appeared as a minor character, being the AdorablyPrecociousChild little sister of protagonist Kyouya Takamachi. The accompanying fandisc ''Lyrical Toybox'' would give her ADayInTheLimelight, making her the star of a short {{Parody}} scenario called [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_RBghAfiW8 "Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha"]] where she received MagicalGirl powers from a [[FairyCompanion fairy]] called Lindy in order to fight a boy named Chrono.
23	** This story would later be adapted into the anime ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', which changed many things heavily (including Nanoha's original MagicalGirl outfit becoming her school uniform, and Lindy and Chrono becoming human members of the [[SpacePolice Time-Space Administration Bureau]] who [[AdaptationalHeroism assist her]]). Most characters from ''Triangle Heart'' are reduced to MythologyGag cameos with no supernatural elements and fade into the background quickly, while the role of [[AsianFoxSpirit Kuon]] is [[DecompositeCharacter split into a pair of new characters]], Yuuno and Arf. Partway through development, it was noted that Nanoha's sleeves looked like something out of ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'', and thus was born a {{Magitek}} MagicalGirlWarrior series with [[ReferenceOverdosed gratuitous references]] to automobiles and ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars''. Weirdly, the story actually drops back out of the MagicalGirl genre as time goes on, with [[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikerS the third season]] having Nanoha grow up and command a unit of military wizards in another dimension.
24	* ''Manga/BlackLagoon'' had an OVA AlternateUniverse that turned Revy into a magical girl called "Radical Girl Revy-Chan". She [[HeroicComedicSociopath solves all her problems with guns]] before returning to the magical land of [[Creator/CharltonHeston Hestonworld]]. This gets Rock arrested.
25	* One of the ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' [=OVAs=] had Rika transform into a magical girl. The OVA is noticeably LighterAndSofter, DenserAndWackier, and more fanservicey than the normally dark and bloody series.
26	* Sasami has her Pretty Sammy persona in the ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'' franchise:
27	** The ''Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-ohki CD Special 1 (Creation of the Universe Journey Across Space-Time)'' audio drama has Washu's Dimensional Controller glitching and making several alternate universes. One of which is the Pretty Sammy universe.
28	** This was adapted into one of the episodes in the "Time and Space Adventures" arc of ''Anime/TenchiUniverse''.
29	** Was spun off into the ''Anime/PrettySammy'' [=OVA=] and TV series and the later ''Anime/SasamiMagicalGirlsClub'' series.
30	* ''Manga/FateKaleidLinerPrismaIllya'' is a spinoff of ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' that turns Illyasviel von Einzbern into a magical girl that uses card-based transformations to gain the powers of Heroic Spirits. ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' had a fourth route for Illya that was scrapped in development, with its remaining elements being folded into Part 3. While ''Prisma Illya'' is an AlternateUniverse story and [[DenserAndWackier often silly]], it [[CerebusSyndrome gradually introduces elements]] that directly continue on from the themes at the end of the original story, and [[WordOfGod Kinoko Nasu has even said in interviews]] that it ''is'' the Illya route.
31	* In ''Anime/PowerpuffGirlsZ'', the titular girls from ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998'' are given counterparts who are {{Magical Girl}}s. It's a variant as the Z Powerpuff Girls aren't exactly the same characters, but able to transform into a form resembling the original Powerpuff Girls. The original ''Powerpuff Girls'' was a magical girl (and superhero) parody but the anime version plays the genre straight.
32	* ''Anime/{{Symphogear}}'' has the [[ShowWithinAShow in-universe magical girl series]] ''Kaiketsu*Utazukin!'' (a parody of ''Manga/AkazukinChacha'') created to [[FictionAsCoverUp cover up the heroes' activities]], with its protagonist implied to be based on [[{{Tsundere}} Chris]]. While Symphogear itself [[GenreBusting only skirts the edges]] of MagicalGirlWarrior (the protagonists being teenage and early-20s government agents in PoweredArmor), ''Utazukin'' is presented as an old-school CuteWitch story, albeit one with a bizarre plot.
33	* Parodied in ''Manga/MyMonsterSecret''. [[{{Troll}} Akane]] created the ShowWithinAShow ''The Middle Aged Magical Girl, Magical Akalyn'', basing it on OldMaid Akari's inability to get any guys. Akari isn't really pleased when she found out.
34	* ''Anime/SuperDollLiccaChan'' is for all essences a MagicalGirl AnimatedAdaptation of the ''Toys/LiccaChan'' toy line. In it, Licca is actually royalty. She uses three magical dolls to thwart the main villain.
35	* ''Anime/CutieHoneyFlash'' is essentially the Magical Girl AU for ''Anime/CuteyHoney'', with Honey becoming a human girl with a TransformationTrinket collar rather than a high-tech android with form-changing nanomachines.
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38	[[folder:Comic Books]]
39	* ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'' has an alternate universe called the Luna Zone where Sally and Amy's counterparts dress like [[Franchise/SailorMoon Sailor Scouts]] and there's a version of Knuckles who dresses like Tuxedo Mask. There's also mention of a version of Eggman who acts like Queen Beryl.
40	* ''ComicBook/WonderWomanAndTheStarRiders'' was a short-lived comic that had ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' in a team of {{Magical Girl Warrior}}s.
41	* There was a ''ComicBook/Gen13'' miniseries called ''Magical Drama Queen Roxy'' which had Freefall as a parody of magical girls. It turned out to be AllJustADream.
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44	[[folder:Fan Works]]
45	* ''Fanfic/DolphinRiderKoishi'' is a HighSchoolAU ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' {{Fanfic}} starring a human version of Koishi Komeiji as a magical girl [[ArtifactTitle who rides a dolphin approximately once]]. Notable for not being a {{Parody}} or DarkerAndEdgier but played completely straight, being an [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism idealistic]] story about Koishi helping the WoobieOfTheWeek to [[WarriorTherapist get over deep-seated psychological issues]].
46	* ''Fanfic/FriendshipIsMagicalGirls'' is a HighSchoolAU of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' featuring human versions of the characters living in a fictional stand-in of Japan, with the Mane Six being chosen as MagicalGirl heroines.
47	* ''Fanfic/LuxUmbraMagnaAuguratricis'' serves as one of this for [[WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse The Loud House]]. In it, the Loud sisters are turned into magical girl warriors in order to combat evil creatures simply known as Shadows.
48	* B K Willis's ''[[http://www.ttrarchive.com/sailorwho.html Sailor Who]]'' is a MetaFic with ''Doctor Who'' companions (Susan, Leela, Zoe and Nyssa) plus the author's genderswapped avatar trying, and failing, to keep in character as Sailor Scouts.
49	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
50	** ''Fanfic/FullLifeWoSagashite'' revolves around Lisa Simpson becoming a MagicIdolSinger in the vein of [[Manga/FullMoon Mitsuki Kōyama]].
51	** ''Fanfic/SimpsonMoon'' is a ScriptFic based on ''Manga/SailorMoon'', where Lisa, Allison Taylor, Jessica Lovejoy, and Laura Powers all become the Sailor Scouts.
52	* ''Fanfic/FallingIsLikeFlying'', based on both ''VideoGame/{{A3}}'' and ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', is a Magical [[SpearCounterpart Boy]] AU. The incubators seem to only focus on male characters in this universe. And although Izumi also has powers, her situation is...strange.
53	* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'':
54	** ''Fanfic/QuirkMagicalGirlMascot'', where Izuku's quirk can turn him and others into a MagicalGirlWarrior. So far the magical girls include: Katsuki, Inko, Ochaco, Tsuyu, [[spoiler: Shoto, Tenya, Toru, Melissa and All Might.]]
55	** ''Fanfic/MagicalHeroAcademia'', though in a ''very'' loose sense of the trope. Rather than everybody being a magical girl, Midoriya can "preet" with people to become something like a magical girl, amplifying their powers in the process.
56	** ''Fanfic/ICantBeAMagicalGirlYouAMagicalGirlSay'': [[PointOfDivergence Instead of being saved from the Sludge Villain by All Might]], Izuku is saved by a MentorMascot called Handyman--and through the contract formed when Handyman saves his life, Izuku becomes a MagicalGirlWarrior and learns to fight [[OutsideContextProblem mysterious creatures nicknamed Gray Men]], who have started invading Japan.
57	* ''Fanfic/MapleSugarPrettyCure'' is a ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'' fic based on ''Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure'' involving Mei and her friend group becoming the first generation of Pretty Cure.
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60	[[folder:Literature]]
61	* In the HighSchoolAU of ''Literature/KinosJourney'', ''Literature/GakuenKino'', Kino becomes a magical girl at one point.
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63	[[folder:Magazines]]
64	* The August 1986 issue of ''Magazine/{{Animage}}'' had a guide on "how to be a magical girl". The end result was a {{Moe}} girl in a frilly dress holding a wand shaped like a circle above a cross (♀).
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66	[[folder:Video Games]]
67	* The Star Guardian skins of ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends''. It first started with Lux and was treated as just a parody of Franchise/SailorMoon. It wasn't until skins of Jinx, Poppy, Janna, and Lulu came out that a backstory was established for the group.
68	* ''VideoGame/HeroesOfTheStorm'' gives [[VideoGame/DiabloIII Li-Ming]] a skin inspired by ''Sailor Moon'', "Star Princess Li-Ming". There's also a spray that depicts [[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft Chromie]] as a CuteWitch-style magical girl.
69	* ''VideoGame/HonkaiImpact3rd'': Theresa (as one of her "Valkyrie Suits", Sakuno Rondo) has a magical girl-inspired alternate costume, as well as a special rare weapon that goes with it, designed like a MagicStaff (but is still used like the mechanical crosses she usually uses). The FlavorText for said weapon is a ShoutOut to ''Manga/FateKaleidLinerPrismaIllya'', too.
70	* ''VideoGame/TheIdolmasterSideM'' has the magical boy show ''Miracle Magic: Nozomira Melody'', though it's less of a Warrior show and more of a [[CuteWitch Cute Wizard]] type. While it is an in-universe anime, the boys are shown to be [[InkSuitActor Ink-Suit Actors]] for the main cast and are treated as such. Kanon, Shiro, and Nao are the magical boys, while Jirou, Rui, and Michio serve as their {{Mentor Mascot}}s. A sequel "series" launched two years later, with all of Cafe Parade taking the main roles instead.
71	[[/folder]]
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73	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
74	* The ''VisualNovel/GrisaiaSeries'' has a spinoff called ''Idol Mahou Shoujo: Chiruchiru Michiru'' where Michiru is a MagicIdolSinger.
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77	[[folder:Webcomics]]
78	* ''Webcomic/KiwiBlitz'': A piece of official [[https://www.kiwiblitz.com/comic/track-12-bonus-nonsense bonus artwork]] depicts the two main characters Steffi and Benzene as the magical girls Pop Blitz and Rock Blitz. Funnily enough, the author would later end up working on the magical girl series ''Webcomic/SleeplessDomain'', and she took the opportunity to sneak in a CrossoverCameo appearance from Pop Blitz and her friends.
79	* Many of the alternate universes in Webcomic/GeneralProtectionFault play GenreRoulette so, inevitably, there's one where Ki, Patty, Trish and Sharon are the [[https://www.gpf-comics.com/archive/2018/08/06 Ultra Cyber Power Warriors GPF!]], a team of internet-themed Magical Girl Warriors. Since the other three are the main versions taking on their counterparts' roles, Ki is the only one where we get [[https://www.gpf-comics.com/archive/2018/08/03 the full transformation sequence]]. And Nick joins them [[https://www.gpf-comics.com/archive/2018/08/10 dressed as the Linux penguin]]. Yes, he's Tux in a Mask.
80	[[/folder]]

Context Main / MagicalGirlAU