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Tokyo's 'Magical Girl' Fashion Trend

Every year, a new microtrend floods our feeds— blokette , angelcore , balletcore and whatever '-core' . Blink, and it's gone. Meanwhile, in Japan, globally recognized fashion subcultures like gyaru , lolita and jirai-kei are more long-standing community-based microgenres. Somewhat of a crossover between these fashion paradigms—at least, that's how I see it—Magical Girl is 2025's latest aesthetic buzzword, but it might be more than just that. Inspired by the kitschy but whimsical manga and anime genre, with pastels, plastic charms and metallic sparkle, the look is everywhere, from K-pop stages to runway campaigns. While the world calls it a trend, in Japan, it was never just a phase. After all, Sailor Moon didn't fade—she transformed. Magazines like Nylon have been quick to report on the rise of 'magical girl' aesthetics in fashion, but what exactly is it? Magical Girl (direct translation of mahou shoujo ), is a genre of Japanese anime and manga where ordinary girls transform—often dramatically—into powerful, magical versions of themselves. The genre first took off in the 1960s with shows like Himitsu no Akko-chan and Sally the Witch, but reached international fame in the '90s with Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura and PreCure (No one asked, but Sailor Moon was my favorite haha). The Magical Girl genre is closer to tokusatsu than European fairy tales. Unlike classic fantasy with witches or princesses, the stories were more quotidian, cutesy and comedic. Later, shows like The Powerpuff Girls and Winx Club followed the blueprint, turning it into a global phenomenon. Want to know how the genre evolved—and why it matters so much for gender expression? Beyond the young girls who unironically wore anime-themed outfits, microgenres like yume kawaii , fairy-kei , decora , majo-kei (witch girl), jirai-kei and lolita substyles like sailor lolita or cyber lolita have long incorporated magic girl elements. But in the early to mid-2000s, mahou shoujo-kei (sometimes called mahou-kei ) emerged as a style that took direct inspiration from the anime genre itself. Recently, international brands have started leaning into that same transformation fantasy. Jimmy Choo released a Sailor Moon collection in 2023. Designers like Simone Rocha and Sandy Liang have been channeling coquette anime-girl energy into everyday looks. A major turning point came when Gentle Monster launched a collection featuring bejeweled magical girl eyewear with Y2K vibes. Member Rei especially captured attention, sparking calls from fans for the return of unironically cutesy concepts in K-pop. Courtesy of @LOKTINBEAR via X (April 6, 2025) Yunjin, Gaeul and Rei from IVE performing 'Magic Girl', Courtesy of @YEPinyourheart via X (April 13, 2025) But no one channels the magical girl vibe quite like K-pop. Recently, IVE went viral after covering Orange Caramel's anime-inspired track Magic Girl ( Mabeop Sonyeo / Mahou Shoujo ) with cutesy lolita-inspired outfits with a wand. IVE's Rei in concept photo for 'Switch' Courtesy of Starship Entertainment, @IVEstarship via X IVE's Leeseo in concept photo for 'Switch' Courtesy of Starship Entertainment, @IVEstarship via X IVE's Rei in concept photo for 'Switch' Courtesy of Starship Entertainment, @IVEstarship via X IVE's Leeseo in concept photo for 'Switch' Courtesy of Starship Entertainment, @IVEstarship via X Before the cover, their second Korean-language EP Switch already had magical girl elements. The concept photos featured fantastical, metallic looks—Magical Girl meets fashion editorial, much like Gentle Monster's campaign. The title track 'Accendio' tells a story of the members battling over a magical wand, with dark, mysterious magical girl aesthetics. And with the long-standing popularity of K-pop and Korean youth culture in Japan, it's no surprise that these influences are now inspiring the streets of Tokyo. Tokyo's deeply rooted subculture fashion scene, combined with the reimported international magical girl microtrend, has made 2025 feel like a full-blown renaissance of magical girl fashion. We've seen all the pieces come together to build 2025's big magical girl renaissance—but how can you actually take part in it? What brands should you look out for and who's leading this aesthetic today? Thankfully, Tokyo is the capital of this look—and if you're in Japan, you're in good hands. At the forefront is MIKIOSAKABE. Quintessentially Harajuku: a surreal, yume-kawaii take on femininity that feels both romantic and modern, avant-garde but pastel dreamy streetwear. Jenny Fax, MIKIOSAKABE's sister brand, led by Shueh Jen-Fang, takes that energy even girlier. grounds grounds Sakabe also runs grounds, a legendary shoe label known for its futuristic bubble-soled sneakers. They're chunky, sculptural, and look like something a magical girl would wear to fly. Another pioneer—and a personal favorite of mine—tanakadaisuke leans theatrical and romantic. Less toycore, more European classicism, the brand draws from Baroque and Rococo aesthetics filtered through the lens of Tokyo street fashion. Expect ornate embroidery, sculptural silhouettes and oversized bows. The mood can shift from princess to militaristic, fairytale to mysterious—but it's always dramatic, fantastical and utterly committed to its vision. On the more experimental side is Pays des Fées, a long-standing Tokyo indie label known for constantly reinventing itself. Each season feels like a new crossover episode—magical girl meets Japanese horror, Belle Époque cirque, conceptual mode and so on. Foundry Mews, born in London but now based in Japan, takes a more artsy and minimal Japandi approach. Their shoes feel like essential, everyday footwear for a magical girl. S.F Sukoshi Fushigi 2025 Spring/Summer Collection Photo courtesy of the brand. S.F Sukoshi Fushigi 2025 Autumn/Winter Collection Photo courtesy of the brand. S.F Sukoshi Fushigi 2025 Spring/Summer Collection Photo courtesy of the brand. S.F Sukoshi Fushigi 2025 Autumn/Winter Collection Photo courtesy of the brand. A newer brand, S.F Sukoshi Fushigi, takes a more experimental approach—think gyaru meets magical girl, embracing asymmetry, deconstruction and punk elements. Founded by Fantasista Sakurada, the pieces are sexy yet innocent, mysterious yet pastel—still within the realm of kawaii. You'll also find pieces that align with the magical girl revival at curated boutiques like SHEEP—or just wander around Laforet Harajuku, a compact mall specialized in subculture-driven fashion. For a more affordable entry point, axes femme is a familiar name in shopping malls across Japan. Romantic and maximalist yet wearable, its collections feature lace blouses, corseted dresses and long skirts. Loved by students and subculture fashion fans alike, it's often the casual or everyday way into the vintage magical girl aesthetic. (L) Yuhei's costume design for musical artist YUKKYUN (C) Yuhei's costume design for musical artist YUKKYUN (R) Yuhei's costume design for musical artist YUKKYUN Costume design by Yuhei Provided by Yuhei (@sgmsgmsgm) Yuhei's work for underwear brand GX3 Provided by Yuhei (@sgmsgmsgm) If you're looking for inspiration, look no further than YUHEI—a costume designer active in Tokyo's queer scene. His designs and styling are the epitome of magical girl aesthetics: campy and editorial. The magical girl aesthetic isn't just about fashion—it extends into beauty, nostalgia and online culture. Credit: JILL STUART Beauty Credit: JILL STUART Beauty Jill Stuart Beauty, a J-beauty brand inspired by the coquette American label of the same name, has long been a favorite for packaging that looks like a jeweled tiara. Their products wouldn't look out of place in a transformation scene. Anna Sui Cosmetics, another American fashion brand with a Japanese-owned makeup line, leans darker and more mysterious—think Black Moon Clan from Sailor Moon (IYKYK). Its rose compact mirror was a staple in many Japanese girls' bags through the 2000s. Now discontinued, Ladurée's short-lived makeup line—yes, from the French macaron shop—offered a fairytale version of the magical girl vibe. If Jill Stuart was crystal and silver, Ladurée was gold and rococo. It was especially beloved by the lolita subgenres for its soft, vintage fantasy. Courtesy of Flower Knows Courtesy of Flower Knows While Ladurée Les Merveilleuses is gone, C-beauty brands have stepped in to fill the void. Flower Knows, in particular, ticks every magical girl box with incredible detail. But it's not just for show; the brand is regularly praised in Japan's beauty scene for its innovative formulas and quality that go beyond aesthetics. Not just fashion and beauty—the magical girl renaissance has even reached the aisles of Japanese supermarkets. Let me explain. One reason magical girl style has recently resurfaced beyond its usual subculture circles is the rise of Heisei Joji—literally, 'girls of the Heisei era (1989–2019).' It's an internet buzzword loosely tied to the broader Y2K revival, but Heisei Joji leans more into the toy-like aesthetic of the late '90s and early 2000s—especially the pastel plastic goods once made for elementary school girls. Sebon Star by Kabaya Foods Corporation Magical stick toys at SPINNS , nostalgic wands sold for young adults At the center of it all? Sebon Star—a long-selling chocolate that comes with a toy accessory, kind of like a Japanese Kinder Surprise. But the prize was always plastic jewelry: geometric gems, celestial motifs, princessy pendants. For kids watching Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura or PreCure, opening a Sebon Star felt like a mini transformation moment. Now, with the aesthetic back in the spotlight, a wave of grown-ups are buying them again—nostalgia is a powerful thing. What makes magical girl fashion so special is how it blurs lines—between irony and sincerity, costume and everyday wear, softness and strength. It lets people indulge in the fantasy of anime femininity both ironically and unironically. Where the coquette trend drew backlash for reviving outdated gender roles, magical girl style doesn't erase feminine signifiers in pursuit of neutrality. It reframes them as powerful—especially within queer fashion spaces, where dressing 'like a girl' can mean something entirely new. Gender studies scholars like Jennifer Prough, Mary Grigsby and Samantha Close have highlighted the uniqueness of the Japanese magical girl genre as a model where characters gain agency without abandoning hyper-feminine kawaii signifiers associated with shojo manga and anime. Unlike iconic Wonder Woman, which as an effort of inclusion, positioned female heroes within traditionally masculine aesthetic and ideological frameworks of power. Magical girl narratives carved out an alternative space, where transformation and glittering accessories became sources of strength. And magical girl fashion today isn't just for girls. Like crop tops or low-rise jeans reclaimed under the Y2K umbrella, the aesthetic has become a shared language across genders—something that was far less common in the actual early 2000s. As Kawaii Monster Girls (the brightly dressed staff of Harajuku's now-closed Kawaii Monster Cafe) once said, 'being a girl is a state of mind.' In 2025, that feels especially true. 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