Little Witch Academia

For young witches everywhere, the world-renowned witch Shiny Chariot reigns as the most revered and celebrated role model. But as the girls age, so do their opinions of her—now just the mention of Chariot would get a witch labeled a child. However, undeterred in her blind admiration for Chariot, ordinary girl Atsuko Kagari enrolls into Luna Nova Magical Academy, hoping to someday become just as mesmerizing as her idol. However, the witch academy isn't all the fun and games Atsuko thought it would be: boring lectures, strict teachers, and students who mock Chariot plague the campus. Coupled with her own ineptness in magic, she's seen as little more than a rebel student. But when a chance finally presents itself to prove herself to her peers and teachers, she takes it, and now it's up to her to stop a rampaging dragon before it flattens the entire academy. Little Witch Academia is one of the four anime works that each received 38 million yen (about US$480,000) from the "2012 Young Animator Training Project." Just like in 2010 and 2011, the animation labor group received 214.5 million yen (US$2.65 million) from the Japanese government's Agency for Cultural Affairs, and it distributed most of those funds to studios who train young animators on-the-job. Positive response to the movie led Studio Trigger to run a Kickstarter funding a sequel, which surpassed its funding goal.

Magical DoReMi

Doremi Harukaze, 3rd grade student at Misora Elementary School, claims to be the world's unluckiest pretty girl. Fascinated by witchcraft, she is drawn into a mysterious shop where she meets Majo Rika and is able to deduce that this lady is in fact a real witch. Being exposed by a human triggers a curse that transforms witches into magical frogs. To regain her original body, Rika must turn Doremi into a witch by teaching her how to use magic. Thrilled by this odd development, Harukaze becomes a witch apprentice. Unfortunately, her two best friends, Hazuki Fujiwara and Aiko Senoo, discover that Doremi has become a magic user. Afraid that Harukaze might become a magical frog too, Majo Rika recruits both Hazuki and Aiko and makes them witch apprentices too. The trio has lots of adventures as they try to triumph the necessary trials to become real witches. (Source: Anime News Network)

Witchy Precure!

Mirai Asahina, a 13-year-old girl who's going into her second year of middle school, witnesses a mysterious object fall in to the park. Excitedly, she brings her stuffed bear Mofurun with her to see what it was. When she gets there she sees a girl named Riko flying on a broom. Mirai has a lot of questions, and Riko explains that she's searching for something. The two of them are wearing similar pendants. Then Batti, an ally of the dark magic user Dokurokushi, appears before them and demands the "Link Stone Emerald." Batti creates a monster called a "Yokubaru" and drives them into a corner. Mirai, Riko, and Mofurun join hands and speak the magic words "Cure-Up Rapapa," their pendants glow, and they become the legendary Precure. (Source: Anime News Network)

Mary and The Witch's Flower

Young Mary follows a mysterious cat into the nearby forest and discovers an old broomstick and a strange flower, a rare plant that blossoms once every seven years. Together, the flower and the broomstick whisk Mary above the clouds, and far away to Endor College – a school of magic run by headmistress Madam Mumblechook and the brilliant Doctor Dee. But there are terrible things happening at the school, and when Mary tells a lie, she must risk her life to try and set things right. (Source: Altitude Film Entertainment)

The Stories of Girls Who Couldn't Be Magicians

At Rettoran Magic Academy, two unlikely friends share one dream: to become magicians. Kurumi is an average girl who’s a bit naive, while Yuzu is the distinguished daughter of a noble magician family. They need to get into a special magician training class, but they fail the entrance exam! All hope seems lost until mysterious homeroom teacher Minami Suzuki arrives, and their luck takes a sudden turn. (Source: Crunchyroll)

Kiki's Delivery Service

Kiki is an enterprising young girl who must follow tradition to become a full-fledged witch. Venturing out with only her chatty black cat, Jiji, Kiki flies off for the adventure of a lifetime. Landing in a far-off city, she sets up a high-flying delivery service and begins a wonderful experience of independence and responsibility as she finds her place in the world. (Source: Disney)