Current Events > are these animes any good

(+) Yeah! (+)

magical girl lyrical nanoha
pretty cure (also if its good where do i start)
symphogear
magical girl raising project
---

@Calwings
---

also recommend good magical girl anime and especially good dark magical girl anime (already seen madoka and yuuki yuuna)
---

AlisLandale posted...

@Calwings

I AM HERE!

</badAllMightimpersonation>

The original Lyrical Nanoha series (and its alternate movie version) starts a bit slow but gets really good by the end. Nanoha A's (and its alternate movie version) is absolutely amazing and is easily the peak of the series. I would personally recommend watching the movie versions rather than the original TV versions. Nanoha StrikerS takes place after a 10 year time skip so the girls are adults now, and while that left a bad taste in some fans' mouths, for most fans the series was still very good and has a ton of great action scenes. Both A's and StrikerS get fairly dark (but not quite Madoka level) at times. Nanoha ViVid (and its spin-off, ViVid Strike) take the focus off of Nanoha herself and onto the new protagonist, her adopted daughter Vivio. Those two are both solid, but not as good as the ones before, and ViVid is also notably more light-hearted and fanservice-y than earlier seasons. There's also the Nanoha Reflection and Detonation movies, but since they're a two-part story, don't bother with those until after Detonation is actually released.

As for Pretty Cure, the various Precure series range from above average to fantastic. The big three that are widely considered the gold standard of the franchise are Heartcatch, Smile, and Go Princess. Start with one of those three or the original Futari Wa Pretty Cure series, which is also very good despite looking a bit dated. Maybe also jump into the currently airing Hugtto Precure as well, since it's been amazing and could end up in that top tier by the time it's all said and done. Save any others you might be interested in for later, but don't feel the need/pressure to watch all of them. Besides Futari Wa and Yes 5 (which each got second seasons) every single Precure series is a standalone and can be watched in isolation without any prior knowledge. Some of them (notably Happiness Charge, Maho Girls, and Kira Kira) were highly polarizing and less well-received, but even the worst Precure series still have their charms that appeal to some fans.

I've never seen either of the other two series you mentioned (and I would never watch MGRP because it's far too gory for me to handle) but I've heard good things about the Symphogear franchise. I've heard that it takes a lot of inspiration from Lyrical Nanoha in how it combines elements of the magical girl and mecha genres into one creative series. But again, I haven't seen it, so I can't attest to the quality of the show itself beyond what I've heard from others and seen in clips/gifs.
---

Also, here's some videos of some notable Nanoha/Precure fight scenes, to see if the action appeals to you. Do keep in mind that some of these may contain story spoilers.

Nanoha Takamachi vs. Fate Testarossa (Lyrical Nanoha, TV version)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDDnGIWTFGk" data-time="

Nanoha Takamachi vs. Book Of Darkness (Lyrical Nanoha A's, movie version)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUIBe9uXbSE" data-time="

Nanoha Takamachi vs. Saint Cradle Airship (Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBArXz3cWos" data-time="

Vivio Takamachi vs. Einhardt Stratos (Lyrical Nanoha ViVid)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvJAaesK6gk" data-time="

Smile Precure vs. Bad End Precure (Smile Pretty Cure)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXzJZdjqNPc" data-time="

Cure Moonlight vs. Dark Precure (Heartcatch Pretty Cure)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b19yWkHELRM" data-time="

Go Princess Precure vs. Zetsuborg (Go Princess Pretty Cure)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSHfSZn3USk" data-time="

Cure Yell and Cure Ange vs. Oshimaidaa (Hugtto Pretty Cure)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK0EosM084g" data-time="
---

Fresh and Splash Star are the Precures I saw and enjoyed the most

Symphogear is great, Symphogear G and Symphogear GX are each a step down in my opinion but they're both still a lot of fun and most people feel G is the best anyways, I haven't seen the fourth season

Thanks calwings
---

Rika_Furude posted...

Thanks calwings

No problem!



If/when you start watching any of them, let me know what you think.
---

Magical Girl raising project is edge overload, but if you are into suffering cute girls it delivers.

Alice best girl.
---

Forgettable posted...

The only magical girl anime you ever need to watch is Madoka Magica

Sailor Moon is the GOAT of magical girl anime though...
---

The phrase "good anime" is an oxymoron.

It seems you like magical girls

Is strike witches any good
---

Rika_Furude posted...

Is strike witches any good

:lennyface:

If you are aiming for that kind of magical girl show, I'm gonna toss in Vividred Operation. 0 subtlety, 0 fucks given.
---

I watched Magical Girl Raising Project ironically because I thought it would be edgy Magical Girl Battle Royale. I wasn't wrong. That IS what it is, but I ended up liking it unironically.
---

Rika_Furude posted...

also recommend good magical girl anime and especially good dark magical girl anime (already seen madoka and yuuki yuuna)

Mai-HiME. The only magical girl anime I've actually enjoyed. Just don't watch it's 'sequel' Mai-Otome though.
---

symphogear is great
---

smoke_break posted...

Forgettable posted...

The only magical girl anime you ever need to watch is Madoka Magica

Sailor Moon is the GOAT of magical girl anime though...

Needs more Cardcaptor Sakura.

Rika_Furude posted...

Is strike witches any good

Strike Witches is good for exactly what it sets out to be: a show that doesn't take itself seriously and has absolutely no shame or subtlety. Pretty much everything about the show is average or slightly above average, nothing's really done bad... but besides the fanservice, it doesn't do anything well enough to really impress. If you do decide to give it a shot, now is a good time to do so, since there are three more future World Witches anime projects announced, coming out over the next three years.
---

I watched a lengthy death scene compilation of Magical Girl Raising Project. It was something.
---

smoke_break posted...

Forgettable posted...

The only magical girl anime you ever need to watch is Madoka Magica

Sailor Moon is the GOAT of magical girl anime though...

I'd say Sailor Moon is my favorite, but not the best. For me it's nostalgia. It hasn't aged all too well imo.

On topic: Revolutionary Girl Utena is a good one, but that might just be my rose tinted glasses again. Also Princess Tutu. That's definitely up there for me.

I also remember getting into WIXOSS. It's not entirely what I'd call a Magical Girl anime. It's more of a card battle show, but there's magical girl elements. The cards are more of a medium for the story.