Everything is normal for Madoka and Sayaka until a strange creature Kyuubey comes along and offers them the chance to become magical girls and fulfill one of their wishes. The new student, Homura, tells them not to agree to it because it is not as glorious as it sounds.

There’s no way anyone can say that Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica is not like Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku. It follows the same dream-like wish fulfillment plot followed by a rather eerie nature once that contract has been accepted. Of course, none of the girls know what is going to happen and we won’t spoil it by saying what does, but this anime is one of those magical girl anime that really changed the definition of what it means to be a magical girl. And probably for the better. Is there something that you would give up even your own life for?

Kominato Ruuko is having trouble making friends in her new town. To help Ruuko, her brother gives her a deck of cards for the extremely popular WIXOSS game. Ruuko is surprised when her LRIG card talks to her and suddenly, she finds out that she is a Selector and given the chance at making her wishes come true. However, if she loses three matches against another Selector, Ruuko will lose her chance at fulfilling her wish and become cursed instead.

If you’re looking for a dark theme and some magic, Selector Infected WIXOSS is one card game anime you will want to check out. It starts off rather hopeful but quickly descends into the darkness with the chance of each character being cursed and how that ultimately affects them in their life. Ruuko is going to be playing a desperate game for her life, however, her wins will cost someone else something more.

Takamachi Nanoha happens upon Yuuno, a mage in the form of a ferret who needs Nanoha’s help to collect Jewel Seeds, which he accidentally scattered across Earth. Yuuno gifts Nanoha with the power to become a magical girl to fight monsters and collect the Jewel Seeds, but there will be greater challenges in collecting the Jewel Seeds.

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha is another non-lighthearted approach to the magical girl genre. Each character has their own tragic story. Nanoha is the bright eyed, bushy tailed girl who thinks everything is grand, but what happens when she stumbles upon Fate whose life is not quite as cheery? They both fight for their own reasons, but their fights will bring them together in a life altering experience. While Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha is not as dark as Puella, it still takes on a more serious nature than previous magical girl anime. You’ll find yourself drawn in by the complexities of the characters as you learn just exactly what drives them.