Hana no Mahoutsukai Marybell

Aired: 1992

An Ashi Production magical girl series broadcast on TV Tokyo, set in a charming fictional Mediterranean-style port town. The story follows the gentle flower fairy Marybell and her cheerful sidekick Tambourine as they help townsfolk through small everyday troubles using kind magic. The show's pastel watercolor palette and soft musical scoring give it a soothing fairy-tale atmosphere that appealed to young girls and adults alike. Michiyo Nakajima's opening and ending themes, with her clear and graceful vocals, perfectly complemented the dreamy world. As Ashi Pro's third magical girl production, the series spawned a theatrical companion film and earned a lasting place in early-90s magical girl anime history.