Magical Girl Dandelion, Vol. 1

魔法少女ダンデライオン [Mahou Shoujo Dandelion] #1

by Kaeru Mizuho

Tanpopo Ohanami’s quiet days are interrupted by a life-changing offer to become a magical girl! But she has one big, bad, serrated-toothed secret: Her best friend, Shade, is a fiend in a world where fiends are villains to humankind.

Shade is none too pleased with the idea of Tanpopo joining the ranks, but there’s more than their friendship at stake when Tanpopo’s grandpa falls victim to fiendhood!

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Comics, Contemporary, Young Adult, Paranormal

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 25, 2025

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up enjoying this one a lot more than I anticipated! It’s got a Sailor Moon vibe to it that brings back some nostalgia for me as a millennial. Can’t wait to dive into the next volume.

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIRST IMPRESSION VIDEO HERE: https://youtu.be/eTb-7YIZDVs

Updated Review 3/9/26: I truly hope I never tire of reading this manga! Having got my physical English volume, I can say I adore this story just as much as I did the first two times I read it!

Original Review 6/12/25: I love this manga so much!

This is the second time I’ve read it, and I was blown away just as much as I was the first time! The way that Tanpopo looks up to Shade and feels he IS a hero is so unique and engaging to me! I felt in the beginning that I was excited to see the “bad guy” held in such high esteem, only for Shade to do things that left me terrified for Tanpopo, but truly, seeing how deeply interwoven their lives are was amazing!

For context, I have only read Magical Girl Rayearth so I don’t know if there are other magical girl series where the good and bad guys work together but I loved it so much! I love how Tanpopo really magnifies what it means to be a magical girl and save EVERYONE. No matter how dark things are or seems like nothing can change, Tanpopo believes in all earnestness that people CAN be saved. And that's for the good and bad guys, because tell me why out of the three titles I read my shoujo event on my YouTube channel, it was this one that made me cry this morning?!

I don’t fully remember when this series started serializing on the VIZ app and when we got it but I know it’s when I was playing Twisted Wonderland and wanted more stories that took place with an Alice in Wonderland theme. The later part of this first volume is EXACTLY what I had wanted! The bad guy is awesome and loved seeing their heart, even though their pain really broke and crushed me (no pun intended). Tanpopo’s compassion in those moments really wrapped around me as well as the weight of Tanpopo’s burden that sometimes not everyone CAN be saved, but her resolve is as strong as ever and I’m excited to see that resolve only harden as the series progresses!

HIGHLY recommend it if you're looking for a magical girl manga where the baddies and magical girls work together, some light horror, and deeply stunning art! I love this series so much and continue to only love it more and more!

[Nyx · Rating 4 out of 5]

magical girls, gore, a nice shade, and a great art?? count me in, this has a lot of potential

[ᒚᘿSS ᒍᗩY · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who doesn't love a grumpy x sunshine duo???

I was immediately sold on the dynamic between the two main characters. The bond between them had me kicking my feet.

This series feels like it’s trying to give us a bit of everything; magical girls, darker undertones and a sprinkle of gore 👀

That being said, the pacing for Tanpopo’s progression felt a little too quick, but I can understand the purpose of why this is the case.

I’m also really curious to see if the world-building (especially around the Magical Girls) gets fleshed out more, because right now it feels like we’ve only scratched the surface.

Overall, a solid start with a lot of potential. I’m definitely intrigued enough to keep going.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m pulling for this series because it makes a great first impression, but I want to see it get a little farther along before I wholeheartedly endorse it. Still, it’s a bit of a pip to start with and deliciously readable.

After fiends claim her parents, Tanpopo is saved by a different fiend named Shade who only she can see. He keeps her safe from harm, up until the point where she turns out to be a magical girl-in-waiting.

Now, Tanpopo is not only on the opposite side from her friend, but she’s also being hamstrung by Shade as well, who is eager to keep Tanpopo from ever succeeding at her new calling.

I like that this isn’t afraid to get a little dark, but it stays away from being as hardcore as, say, Puella Magi Madoka Magica or the overly edgelord Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka. It finds a nice balance with its classic genre stylings versus these modern reimaginings.

Beyond Shade and Tanpopo’s friendship, this isn’t terribly new. Tanpopo’s secret skill is actually ‘being plucky’ and that tenacity is definitely a plus for a character in a situation like this. Yet we’ve certainly seen it before.

But, it’s good enough to work. Do your genre well and you can get away without the originality. I absolutely love Tanpopo’s magical girl outfit and bonus points for the umbrella she wields, like the anime version of John Steed (I’m always here for a weaponized umbrella).

Shade is a bit of a mystery at present. We get a little of his backstory, but he ends up being the one good shade for… reasons. Thus far there has been no mention of romance and, honestly, I hope it stays that way (I have thoughts, but we’ll see how it goes).

He’s also trying to protect Tanpopo, but kind of brash. I feel like they were trying to portray it as teasing, but he does come off like an arse at times. Still, even with his reasons, he does acknowledge her abilities eventually and I liked that.

I wish the other cast got more to do. Tanpopo’s friends are kind of fun but only make the briefest of appearances. Magical Girl Peony is the only other one we meet for more than a second and she’s got classic hard-ass attitude, yet moreso, as if Sailor Mars spent her days fighting bears and juicing with anabolic steroids.

Yet the seeds are here. Tanpopo is good, Shade’s okay, and I like the nuts and bolts of it. We haven’t seen a good series of this stripe in a bit and this handles its narrative and its action pretty well.

I was pretty content with the arc that leads to the end of the volume and our cliffhanger. The baddie who occupies this section has a solid gimmick and there’s a leg sweep that’s drawn like a thing of beauty.

So, we’ll see. It has a good beginning and just needs to coalesce a smidgen more and we’ll really have something. Even this isn’t bad, but it could use a tweak or two in terms of its presentation.

3.5 stars - lots of potential here, really, but I’ve been burned before and I want this to really nail it next time before I start singing its praises.

[Sol · Rating 3 out of 5]

"This mess... can't touch you. Anyone but you. You... should be in the light. Away from fear and pain."

Waah, I've been looking forward to reading this for so long, I'm bummed that it didn't quite hit perfect for me!

First of all, I really want to praise this book's original angle to the magical girl genre. Although I definitely felt the influence of Madoka Magica, Cardcaptor Sakura, and other famous magical girl media in this book, I found the relationship between Shade and Tanpopo to be really new and compelling. Especially given the fact that, in this volume, there's no trace of romance between them, but rather multiple assertions that they are best friends. Shade even has a brotherly or fatherly protectiveness over Tanpopo that I just found really refreshing. I do hope that their relationship won't become romantic, because I find it so strong as-is, but that's just me.

Just as well, the character designs are so strong, for the most part. Tanpopo, Shade, and Peony especially have modern classic character designs, and they all fit so well together to immediately help the world take shape. Tanpopo's umbrella weapon and Peony's high-heel knee-high boots are especially eye-catching and awesome. Just as well, Alice, the antagonist we end the volume with, has an INCREDIBLY early 2010s vibe about him, and I IMMEDIATELY stan!! His design reminded me of Peach Pit's early style, in that he reminds me of a bad-egg villain you'd see in Shugo Chara. It was so delightful!

There were a lot of things I enjoyed, but overall the story is what made this book feel off to me. The pacing was my biggest issue -- it felt like we're rushing ahead, when I wanted more time to savor some of these more emotional moments. I wish that this volume had more focused on building the relationship between Shade and Tanpopo instead of rushing ahead into the magical girl monster-of-the-week setup. I think it would have been more powerful if this volume had solely focused on Tanpopo and Shade's past, relationship, and then ended with Tanpopo's blossoming, as opposed to the blossoming happening early in the book, and the rest mostly being action. If we had gotten more time and scenes to understand Tanpopo's heart and Shade's deep care for her, as well as having his actual reason for becoming attached to her laid out, I think that it would have made some of these emotional moments of him wanting to protect her and her wanting to stay with him all the stronger.

As things are, their character motivations and personalities do reach me, but I would have liked more scenes to go deeper with that to build a more solid foundation for the rest of the series. The action scenes didn't really compel me when, in my opinion, the character relationships were much more interesting. Overall, I think that this series has good potential, but this beginning volume is just 'okay'.

[Atrocious Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good first volume, very much enjoyed the art on this one. I like how Shade is somewhat anti-hero coded in a sense, but can’t tell if their relationship will lead to romance or if it’s more like a kinship family dynamic. Either way, very nice start.

[isa]

Oh this made me mad. Absolutely no respect for pacing, demands an insane amount of work from the reader upfront, and is more interested in subversion than actually crafting an interesting story

[Jayla]

pre-read ⋆˚🪄🌼｡
OH SHIT, MAGICAL GIRL DANDELION IS COMING OUT SOON?
please wake me up on march 3rd.

[Charoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice art style, dynamic drawings and a fresh take on the magical girl trope with a lot more darker tones. Ends on a cliffhanger so I will continue this series. :D

[Hisgirl85 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Loads of potential. Cool art, too.

[Cee · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute! There is death though, so it isn't all light-hearted. I wonder how far it'll go.

I enjoyed this and I'm looking forward to the next!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magical Girls but make it dark.
If you loved Madoka you'll enjoy this.

[Eleana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Après avoir été intriguée par des extraits, difficile de ne pas se lancer dans le premier tome de "Magical girl dandelion" ! Dans cet univers magique, des spectres se baladent dans les rues et commettent tout un tas de crimes. Pour remédier à ce problème, des Magical girl, des filles dotées de pouvoirs spécifiques qui suivent un entraînement rigoureux, se lancent à leur poursuite. Pour ce faire, le potentiel magique est analysé dans chaque école, afin de détecter de potentielles candidates prometteuses. C'est exactement ce qui arrive à notre protagoniste principale : elle se fait repérer pour ses capacités magiques remarquables à 16 ans et rejoint les rangs de ces combattantes d'élite dans une école qui leur est réservée (même si elle continue sa scolarité classique en parallèle). Néanmoins, une petite ombre se glisse dans ce joli tableau : Tanpopo est suivie de près par un spectre protecteur, Shade, depuis le meurtre de ses parents quand elle n'était qu'une enfant. Tout le monde parle de spectres destructeurs, pourtant, Tanpopo considère Shade comme son meilleur ami depuis des années car il la protège constamment et il est toujours présent pour elle, parmi les ombres de son quotidien. Cependant, Shade ne se réjouit pas à l'idée que sa protégée devienne une Magical girl. Nous apprenons donc non seulement à connaître notre héroïne, Tanpopo, mais surtout sa relation avec Shade. Ce dernier est un personnage fort intrigant, mystérieux et touchant à la fois, avec un humour grinçant qui nous le rend très rapidement attachant. Son égard envers Tanpopo et la relation qui s'est créée entre eux nous plaît très vite, tant et si bien qu'on a envie de connaître la suite rien que pour suivre l'évolution de leur relation. De ce côté-là, ce premier tome réussit son pari ! De plus, les dessins de Kaeru Mizuho sont vraiment sublimes. Le monde magique des Magical girl nous promet encore bien des surprises et des péripéties... En définitive, c'est vraiment un excellent premier tome et la suite ne viendra jamais assez vite !

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really appreciate a manga with a distinct concept—and this definitely fits that bill!

It’s been a while since I’ve come across a story that feels unique and different. But, we’ve been very fortunate recently to get a couple of series that are reimagining the magical girl. This is one of those series.

Here, we get our standard—SURPRISE—you’re a magical girl storyline—but with a couple twists. We’ve got a pretty gruesome backstory and a snippy and shadowy, fiendish companion for our dandelion girl. It’s a very literal “grumpy x sunshine” pairing—and they have such a compelling relationship right from the start. Nothing weird or goofy.

I’m really impressed with this first volume and I’m looking forward to reading more~

[Vincentimes · Rating 3 out of 5]

[3,5] Je suis hyper mitigé. D’un côté, j’adore les magical girls et je trouve l’univers intéressant avec un fort potentiel mais, de l’autre, les dialogues tombent à plat et j’ai l’impression d’avoir déjà vu et re-re-vu ces arcs narratifs des centaines de fois. Pour l’instant je trouve qu’on reste un peu dans la facilité. On peine aussi un peu à s’attacher aux personnages qui manquent peut-être de profondeur (ou de personnalité-)

Je lirais quand même la suite mais j’en attends plus ! D’ailleurs je me demande bien à qui je vais pouvoir le conseiller puisqu’on a une thématique magical girl mais aussi du dessin un peu « gore » parfois, ce qui moi ne me dérange pas (au contraire !) mais j’ai du mal à cibler le public et la tranche d’âge

PS : c’est quoi cette obsession des mangaka pour Alice au Pays des Merveilles ??? Que ce soit dans le shonen ou le shojo j’ai l’impression que c’est inévitable mdr

[anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75, rounded up

Lotta potential in this one. Being a magical girl enjoyer of its foundational texts (Sailor Moon, Pretty Cure, Puella Magi, among others) made this a primo experience for me, BUT I’m unsure if others would have the same enjoyment without that literacy. The pacing on this was insanely quick; while I figured that this was to the story’s benefit if this was serialized prior to being published in a physical volume, it does feel paced way too fast and that you really have to jump on a moving train to get into the characters and the world. This’ll serve me well in the magical girl focus bend I’m considering developing for a project, I think. Tampopo carries shades (ha) of the most die-hard shōnen protags and honestly good for her, dude

[Domi Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

- Gorgeous art!!
- Enjoyed Tanpopo’s fighting spirit, strong moral compass and sense of justice
- Appreciated the idea of magical girl’s blossoming and being named after flowers
- Love the sunshine girl x grumpy man friendship dynamic, also glad that there doesn’t appear to be any romantic feelings between them
- Pacing felt too quick; wished Tanpopo’s introduction to the magical girl organization was gradual rather than going straight into monster of the week vibes

[Lucille]

Idk why but from all the hype I saw online I was expecting a bit *more* maybe !! It was good though, it reminded me a bit of gokurakugai for the demons/shade thing. I like the mysterious relationship between this girl and this dark force that actually might not be that dark. The art style is great. I’m just hoping the writing gets maybe deeper on the next volumes

Grumpy x sunshine with a magical girl and what’s supposed to be her enemy is a nice twist on the genre !

[Aurakinski · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whenever there's a magical girl series - I must check it out. However, this was not my jam. I didn't care for the dynamic between Dandelion and Shade. I didn't find the comedy funny. I found the story and its execution very generic and bland. It also feels very dated, the way it's written and the tropes it uses. Art was generally average, though there were some amazing looking panels featuring Dandelion.

Not interested in checking out the rest volume.

[Brittney’s Cozy Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best manga I’ve read in a long time with amazing potential. I cannot wait to see where this goes and hopefully it gets the recognition it deserves. The story is amazing, the animation is stunning. Honestly I want an anime adaptation already and this is only the first book. Highly recommend, can’t wait to see what else is to come.

[crowsden · Rating 1 out of 5]

Evocative idea and a pretty interesting subversion of magical girl stories but told in the worst way possible. The pacing in this story is truly awful and really could've used another round of editing or better direction in the storytelling aspect. I could not have connected less to the characters or their relationship. The main character Tanpopo is a complete blank slate, no drive or initiative to be a magical girl and being plagued by an evil entity her entire life hasn't impacted her life negatively at all, so what's the point of making Shade evil besides that it looks cool?

[D.T. Henderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know what to make of this, but it’s intriguing, and I like action shoujo. These are story beats that we’ve all seen before, but it still manages to be charming here.

Also, please don’t pull a Sesshomaru and Rin. I’m telling y’all right now.

[Finley Orion · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY CRAP I AM INVESTED!!! Something about magical girl stories juxtaposed with dark and mature elements just always seems to sit right with me.

[Shawna Fender · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the dynamic between Shade and Tanpopo, and is it weird if I want them to get together? XD

[Chloe Eaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice in Wonderland twist is very fun

[Rizzukuhimdoriya67 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is like if coco from witch hat atelier had a shinigami and was madoka😭

[The_BookAce · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

Yall Shade kinda 🫦

[it's ya boy harv · Rating 5 out of 5]

so good. god I love magical girls. Shade is also great.

[Geertje · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The concept is really fun, so I'm curious to see where that's going, but I will say I find the pacing a bit too high. I would like for Mizuho to give the story a bit more room to breathe.