10 More School & Magical-Themed Tales!
Little Witch Academia is a cheerful anime that’ll warm your heart. It features some great magical elements, excellent humor, and likable characters. To some extent, it feels like Studio Trigger’s answer to Harry Potter. It revolves around a young girl named Atsuko Kagari who dreams of becoming a wonderful witch like her idol Shiny Chariot.
To reach her dreams she enrolls in a prestigious wizarding school called Luna Nova Academy. She befriends Lotte Yansson and Sucy Manbavaran and finds Chariot’s wand called the Shiny Rod. We examine Atsuko’s life at Luna Nova that’ll bring her nothing but joy, laughter, and discovery.
Fear not if you’re having trouble finding anime similar to Little Witch Academia! We’ve discovered 10 alternate shows that’ll give you a similar experience as Little Witch Academia.
Additionally, for each anime we’ve reviewed, we’ve included a link that allows you to view our full thoughts about the series to see if it’s worth your time.
So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet your appetite when you’ve finished streaming Little Witch Academia!
My Hero Academia
Similarities – School-Setting & Characters
My Hero Academia is another anime about school students training to become formidable beings. My Hero Academia’s more action-centric than Little Witch Academia and focuses more on superhumans than magic. However, those who enjoyed the character dynamics and magical setting established in Little Witch Academia will enjoy what My Hero Academia offers.
In it, we examine the life of Izuku. He’s born into a world where superheroes fight supervillains to protect humanity. Unfortunately, Izuku’s born without powers. However, after performing a heroic act in front of the world’s number one hero, All Might, he earns himself a ticket into the world of heroism.
My Hero Academia evokes similar joyous energy as Little Witch Academia. While both works can have some dark implications, My Hero Academia contains more of them. This anime also features a larger cast and gives some enough time to stand out. If you’re looking for a superhero-themed anime that’s currently ongoing, check out My Hero Academia.
Kill La Kill
Similarities – Fantasy, Art Style, Characters
Kill La Kill is an anime series with personality, charm, and beautiful animation. Its art style is strikingly similar to Little Witch Academia and its protagonist Ryuko undergoes a similar underdog path as Atsuko. Both characters start off naive but gradually grow into better fighters and wielders of their craft by the series’s conclusion.
Both series introduce their true antagonist near the end. They’re threatening and well-written individuals who post a great threat to our heroines. Throughout the narrative, Atsuko and Ryuko will make many friends. These friends will stick with them toward the end and have interesting personalities and backgrounds.
Kill La Kill can feel a bit overly sexual at times. Characters often lose a piece of their clothing or make dirty jokes to get a chuckle from fans. If you’re okay with this then you’ll find yourself enjoying Kill La Kill.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Similarities – Magic & Characters
Puella Magi Madoka Magica (Madoka Magica) is another series revolving around young girls and magic. Unlike Little Witch Academia, this anime carries darker themes and imagery. From death to depression, the characters in Madoka Magica are never free from harm. Our show follows Madoka and her friend Sayaka. They meet a strange cat-like creature named Kyubey.
Kyubey offers them a chance to become magical girls. Upon doing so, they’ll receive one wish. The girls accept Kyubey’s offer and fight bizarre creatures as magical girls. Little do they know of the consequences that come from accepting Kyubey’s offer. Madoka Magica is a mature anime that’s not afraid to make you feel pain for its cast.
You’ll be praying for their lives as they contend with the beasts who threaten their world. Despite being in a depressing situation, Madoka and her allies get into some joyous activities. These don’t happen often, but it allows the series to avoid feeling too dreadful. If you’re looking for a dark fantasy anime involving young magical protagonists, Madoka Magica’s a must-watch.
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Similarities – Characters & Wizardry
For something a little brighter, we have Kiki’s Delivery Service. People who love fantasy, magic, and romance will adore this Studio Ghibli classic. Its female protagonist Kiki is a bundle of sunshine like Atsuko. She may not be as comical as her, but she performs actions that will warm your heart and make you smile.
Our tale follows Kiki, a witch-in-training who lives alone for a year. She’s accompanied by her cat Jiji and eventually flees to Kokiri Town to continue her training. She struggles to adapt to her environment and has nowhere to stay. A kind person named Osono spots Kiki and offers her work and shelter.
After completing tasks for Osono, Kiki opens up a courier service to earn her independence and responsibility. This anime is a wonderful show to watch for those looking to relax. Give it a watch when you find some free time.
K-On
Similarities – Characters & Tone
This series is known for kick-starting the craze for moe-themed work. This is a genre all about cute girls doing cute things. Like Little Witch Academia, it revolves around a group of friends participating in several activities that’ll help them grow.
It gives viewers an optimistic perspective on life and tackles themes like friendship and family values. K-On has little to no sense of dread or sorrow. This is a cozy show with the goal of helping viewers relax after a stressful day. The female protagonists in this show get roped into all sorts of activities from completing homework to performing soothing music.
That said, K-On has a tighter emphasis on music. It doesn’t feature anything fantastical, mysterious, or dark. Therefore, if you enjoyed the calming moments of Little Witch Academia’s narrative the most, you’ll love K-On!
Cardcaptor Sakura
Similarities – Magic, Characters, Tone
Cardcaptor Sakura is a wholesome magical girl anime. While its narrative can feel dark at times, it’s very minimal. The story chooses to be a heartwarming endeavor that never ceases to make its audience smile and giggle. Its comedy isn’t as hysterical as Little Witch Academia, but it features some great situational bits that will entice you to chuckle.
This anime revolves around a girl named Sakura. She heads into her family’s basement and finds a mysterious book. Upon opening it, several Clow Cards flee out of it and a mystical chimera named Keroberos exits the book. He tells Sakura that she must become a Cardcaptor and use Clow’s sealed key to send the cards back into the book.
Along with help from several friends, Sakura must recapture every Clow Card before they can destroy the world. The Clow Cards harbor a range of abilities from strong winds to summing massive flames. Fans will adore the series of minor action scenes and see how Sakura impacts others’ lives. If you’re looking for a fun-filled adventure anime with cheerful vibes, check this out.
Sailor Moon
Similarities – Magic, Story, Characters
Sailor Moon is a magical girl anime featuring several superheroines defending the world from evil. It’s one of those Toonami darlings like Dragon Ball and Inuyasha that held a strong impact on fans in the 90s era. From its quirky protagonist Usagi to its attractive male hero, Tuxedo Mask, Sailor Moon is a bundle of joy every anime fan needs to experience.
Its cast boasts strong chemistry like Atsuko and her friends. You’ll adore seeing their personalities clash and come together. Each character plays a vital role in the plot and makes the show’s adventurous aspects feel grand in retrospect. Like Atsuko, it takes time for Usagi to form tight bonds with her comrades. This allows her bonds with them to feel more genuine.
Furthermore, the show contains some stellar drama and romantic aspects. If you’re looking for a fun magical girl series with a strong female cast and great battles, check out Sailor Moon.
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Similarities – Themes, Art Style, Characters
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is an incredible sci-fi anime. It features stylish animation, nerve-wracking moments, and characters fans will grow to appreciate. It follows two friends named Simon and Kamina. They find an abandoned robot called Lagann and use it to travel to the surface world. On the surface, they learn that’s it being run by an evil warlord named Lord Genome.
They team up with a girl named Yoko to put an end to Genome’s reign. This anime elicits strong emotions from viewers due to placing its cast in devastating situations. Many will be faced with outcomes where they must cope with loss and defeat. You’ll cry for them when they’re down but cheer for them when they overcome these hurdles.
That said, Gurren Lagann offers better action scenes than Little Witch Academia. Characters appear more stylized during these scenarios and their facial expressions will convince viewers to cheer and shout. Give this anime a shot if you’re on the hunt for something more dramatic and action-heavy.
BNA: Brand New Animal
Similarities – Characters & Story
This anime delivers a vibrant neon setting with fun supernatural aspects. The characters have likable personalities and nice traits. Unfortunately, BNA: Brand New Animal’s supernatural aesthetics and characters are never fully realized. They don’t leave a lasting impact on audiences and characters don’t grow out of their given traits.
The anime’s storyline can feel overly wholesome too. There are many times in the anime where you’ll wish the series opted for a grittier atmosphere. The slice-of-life moments are fine, allowing audiences to feel welcomed in our character’s setting. The animation is solid and you’ll enjoy seeing our characters move and interact in this colorful setting.
Everything from its buildings to lit streets looks vivid and lively. It gives the world some great depth and makes following the show’s storyline tolerable. Although it’s not a perfect series, BNA: Brand New Animal gives viewers a fun world to immerse themselves in for 12 episodes. Give it a shot if you loved Little Witch Academia.
You can read our thoughts on BNA: Brand New Animal in our full-season review here!
Alice & Zouroku
Similarities – Magical World & Story
Alice to Zouroku presents viewers with a magical setting filled with beautiful storytelling and great characters. In it, we examine the life of a laboratory test subject named Sana. She’s a girl with the power to create anything from her imagination. She’s never experienced the outside world before, but that all changes when she meets a florist named Zouroku.
He offers Sana shelter from those chasing her down. Therefore, we examine Zouroku and Sana’s lives as they attempt to avoid these horrible people and become closer as a result. Viewers will adore learning more about the cast’s pasts and seeing how they triumph over the hurdles that stand in their way.
Visually, Alice to Zouroku looks stunning. Fans will enjoy seeing our characters administer realistic hand gestures and hold genuine conversations about life, magic, and other things. Viewers will enjoy the show’s soundtrack as it plays a key role in making scenes feel more lively and entertaining. If you adored Little Witch Academia’s magical world and characters, you’ll love Alice to Zouroku.
So there we have it, our 10 anime/TV show alternatives to watch when you’ve caught up with Little Witch Academia!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!