Magic Knight Rayearth has been a major hit and a classic due to its perfect blend of isekai, mecha, fantasy, and majokko elements.
If you’re seeking something similar to this vintage CLAMP isekai gem, we have prepared a list of the best possible recommendations.
Many of the anime on this list share similar themes, character development, plotlines, or even just vibes.
So, let’s not waste any more time and delve into this fascinating list of the best anime like Magic Knight Rayearth.
Table of Contents
12. Fushigi Yuugi
Fushigi Yuugi is one of the best isekai anime released around the 2000s, like Magic Knight Rayearth, so it shares several similarities.
Miaka Yuuki and her friend Yui Hongo stumble upon a mysterious book at the national library which transports them to a fantasy world set in ancient China.
Upon their arrival, they encounter the emperor, Hotohori, who believes Miaka is the foretold priestess of the kingdom’s protector god, Suzaku.
She’s tasked with finding the seven Celestial Warriors to summon Suzaku and have all her wishes granted.
The similarities, as well as the differences, are obvious. Both anime have female protagonists who end up in an alternate world that they must save with their powers, and they share the same light atmosphere.
However, Fushigi Yuugi relies much more on a romantic component than Rayearth, which is based more on adventure, and has no mecha at all.
11. Destiny of the Shrine Maiden
Destiny of the Shrine Maiden is a soft yuri anime with two female leads that integrate magic and mecha, sharing many similarities with Magic Knight Rayearth.
Himeko and Chikane are two girls who live peacefully in the village of Mahoroba. They love each other and believe that their happy life will continue forever.
However, on their birthday, the sun suddenly goes dark and a robot demon appears to kill them.
It’s then that they discover that they’re respectively the priestess of the sun and moon, and their struggle to prevent the awakening of an ancient demon begins.
Both series have female protagonists with magical powers who must fight evil.
They also both feature mecha and have a strong fantasy atmosphere, even though Destiny of the Shrine Maiden is not an isekai.
10. Code Geass
We know, Code Geass is completely different from Magic Knight Rayearth in every aspect, from the plot to the setting and even the genre.
But there is one reason we still recommend it: the character design is made by CLAMP, the same creators of Magic Knight Rayearth, so you’ll feel a great sense of similarity.
In Code Geass, Japan has become a colony of the British Empire and is now known as Area 11. The main character is Lelouch, who receives the power of Geass from C.C., a mysterious girl.
This power enables him to have absolute control over others by simply making direct eye contact and manipulating their minds. With this newfound ability, he seeks revenge against the British Empire, sparking a terrible war between the two factions.
The only similarity, albeit a generic one, other than the character design is the presence of mecha. But if you’re in the mood for something different, Code Geass is a great choice.
9. Record of Lodoss War
With its exquisite vintage flair, the OVA series adapting the light novel Record of Lodoss War was released in the 1990s and has a suggestive fantasy atmosphere that is perfect for this list.
Years earlier, the gods descended into war, decreeing the end of the era of the gods. After countless battles, the last two remaining goddesses, Marpha and Kardis, destroyed each other, generating a small cursed island: Lodoss.
Years later, Parn decided to leave his small home village to investigate strange events that were happening on the island, along with some allies. That’s where a trail of mysteries begins.
Divine disputes, the eternal struggle between light and darkness, female protagonists, and some fantastic fantasy vibes are just some of the striking similarities between Record of Lodoss War and Magic Knight Rayearth.
Not to mention that both are some of the best early isekai you can find.
8. Mai-HiMe
Mai-HiMe is a 2004 anime that, although set in a different world than Magic Knight Rayearth and not an isekai, shares many similarities with the latter.
After winning a scholarship, Mai and her brother Takumi enroll in the prestigious Fuka Institute.
However, soon after their arrival, Mai discovers that she’s a Hime, a special girl with unique powers. She must then team up with the other Hime to fight against the Orphans, a mysterious enemy that threatens the world.
Like Magic Knight Rayearth, Mai-HiMe is a gritty anime that blends majokko elements with mecha and plenty of action, despite not being an isekai as we already told you.
The vibes and animation are also quite similar, with both anime being released in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
7. Aim to the Top! Gunbuster
Gunbuster is one of Hideaki Anno’s early works, the same director known for creating the iconic anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. And although Gunbuster has a completely different setting and plot with not even a hint of a fantasy element, we still feel like recommending it.
Set in the near future, Earth is threatened by an alien race, and Noriko Takaya, a girl living by the sea in Okinawa, enrolls in a military training school for robot pilots to combat this threat.
However, becoming a pilot is no easy task, and the anime follows Noriko’s rigorous training, with the help of her Coach Ota.
While Gunbuster is vastly different from Magic Knight Rayearth in terms of setting and tone, it still shares the theme of girls saving the day through their friendship and teamwork, as well as featuring mecha battles.
So if that’s what you loved about Rayearth, then you simply can’t miss this anime.
6. The Vision of Escaflowne
The Vision of Escaflowne is another excellent vintage isekai that, although having a slightly different plot from Rayearth, we are sure you will love.
The main character, Hitomi Kanzaki, is a typical high school girl with two passions: running and tarot cards. One day, through her tarot readings, she has a vision of being transported to an unknown world.
Initially dismissing it as a dream, she realizes it’s real when a dragon and a swordsman named Van Fanel appear before her during a training session.
Van saves Hitomi by defeating the dragon, and they’re mysteriously transported to the war-torn planet Gaia, where a battle against the Zaibach empire is raging.
As you may have noticed, the setting and vibes are very similar, and both feature a fantasy setting and especially mechas, which are essential for comparison.
This anime is recommended by default, especially if you like vintage shows like us.
5. Slayers
Slayers is a sword-and-magic anime with a fantasy setting and vintage style, similar to Rayearth.
Even though there are no robots, you will get to see a united group of friends with magical powers and a good fantasy setting. Now imagine all of this under a much more on comedy and lighthearted light.
The protagonist, Lina Inverse, is a young sorceress who is greedy for treasure and has a hot temper, which after her latest heist goes wrong, she’s attacked by the surviving gang members.
But just as she’s about to effortlessly defeat them with her powerful spells, a skilled swordsman appears and routs the rogues in an instant.
To impress him, Lina pretends to be a helpless maiden, but she soon realizes that the swordsman is a handsome fellow who is just as skilled with a sword as he is clueless.
Drifters is an excellent choice if you want to maintain the fantasy and vintage feel of Rayearth while transitioning to a more humorous and lighthearted series.
4. Pretear
Pretear is a fantastic and underrated fantasy anime that draws inspiration from the Snow White fairy tale and shares many elements with Rayearth.
The story follows the protagonist, Himeno Awayuki, a 16-year-old girl who is struggling to lead a normal life after losing her mother. Meanwhile, the Princess of Disasters, Saihi, is sending seeds of evil to Earth to drain the life energy of all living creatures.
To save the world, the Riphe Knights, seven warriors of elemental powers, search for the Pretear, a princess with magical powers who is the only one capable of stopping the threat. And to their surprise, the Pretear turns out to be Himeno.
As you may have noticed, there are glaring similarities between Pretear and Rayearth, beginning with the beautiful fantasy setting and the classic struggle against evil. Additionally, both anime feature excellent female protagonists.
The main differences between the two anime instead are the absence of mecha and the fact that Pretear is not an isekai. However, the recommendation to watch Pretear is still worthwhile.
3. Symphogear
Symphogear is a captivating anime that combines elements of Majokko and music with the addition of mechanical power suits, making it quite similar to Rayearth, even though it’s not an isekai and has way fewer fantasy elements.
The story centers around Hibiki Tachibana, who attends a concert by her favorite singers, the Zwei Wing duo consisting of Kanade Amou and Tsubasa Kazanari.
During the concert, the auditorium is attacked by mysterious beings that cause death and destruction, while Kanade and Tsubasa fight back using special armor that harnesses the power of music.
Two years later, Hibiki discovers that she too possesses these powers and joins the fight against the enemy.
The female cast, the mechas, and the classic good against evil trope make Symphogear similar to Magic Knight Rayearth, despite the setting being quite different. It’s a great change of perspective and worth checking out.
2. Cardcaptor Sakura
Cardcaptor Sakura is highly ranked for a reason and could even claim the top spot if Sailor Moon wasn’t already there as one of the best magical girl anime of all time.
Created by CLAMP, the same team behind Magic Knight Rayearth, it’s another exceptional majokko/fantasy anime.
The story follows Sakura, a young girl who accidentally releases a book of magical cards, which grants her magical powers.
As she sets out to retrieve the lost cards, she discovers new magical abilities and forms close bonds with those around her.
Cardcaptor Sakura is undoubtedly one of the best fusions of majokko, romance, and fantasy ever created, just like Rayearth. And although it lacks mecha, it’s still a must-watch if you enjoyed Rayearth.
1. Sailor Moon
And as previously announced, the rightful first position belongs to Sailor Moon, which is probably the best majokko anime ever created and certainly the most popular.
Sailor Moon is simply the best choice for whoever loves Magic Knight Rayearth, even though many of you know have probably watched it already.
Usagi Tsukino is an ordinary eighth-grade student who encounters a talking cat named Luna during her daily routine.
To her surprise, Luna reveals that Usagi is a Sailor warrior who must team up with other allies to protect the Earth from the imminent arrival of evil.
Both anime have a close-knit cast that fights evil and a mysterious supernatural enemy, and if you enjoy heroines and justice, Sailor Moon is the best pick for you.
They both share the themes of self-discovery and girl power, even though Sailor Moon is less serious and more focused on magic. It also lacks mechas and has a different setting, which is a perfect blend of realism and fantasy.