Magical Girl Dandelion, Vol. 1

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

by Kaeru Mizuho

A fiend who slays his own kind. A magical girl who refuses the script. A tale of light and shadow intertwined.

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, Paranormal, Graphic Novels, Contemporary, Shojo, Comics

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 25, 2025

Reviews

[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!

[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.

[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

[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.

[Jayla ꒰ঌ ໒꒱]

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.

[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~

[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.

[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?

[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.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Cee]

I cannot tell you how excited I am to read this.

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just when you don’t think you will enjoy reading this more than you currently are - the next chapter adds a Wonderland theme. We need the next volume ASAP!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a run of "girl learns a performing art" manga, it looks like we're on a magical girl streak now. I have no complaints!

I wonder to what extent Magical Girl Dandelion could exist without Madoka Magica as a precedent. We don't have a "deal with the devil" setup as there was with Madoka; instead we have "magical girls in the age of surveillance capitalism." Students are tested for their magical aptitude, and if their power is sufficient, they get recruited into an umbrella organization called Butterfly. Novice magical girls are put on a kind of probation period, where if they don't make quota on defeating fiends after three months, they can't stay on (and get paid, presumably).

Portions of this story have a dark cast, with some YA-level body horror and gore. It's revealed early on that fiends--including MC Tanpopo's friend Shade, the fellow on the cover--were once human. In destroying them, magical girls bear the burden of killing people who were helpless to prevent their transformation into destructive monsters.

I suppose that Butterfly, and the other people in this fictional world, weren't bathed in magical girl media for decades before this story started. When Tanpopo comes up with the idea to heal her grandpa who was taken by a fiend gem, rather than killing him, those around her treat it as a novelty, something that hasn't been thought of before. Why ever not? Does Butterfly benefit in some way from killing them rather than saving them?

An interesting question, and not one that's answered in this volume!

There's a lot to like here. The central relationship between Tanpopo and Shade is intriguing. Of course she is a selfless person who thinks solely of staying by his side, rather than wanting him by hers. An important distinction, that also shows her capacity to decide things for herself and act upon them.

And I love Tanpopo's magical girl outfit with its spiky leaf, dandelion flower and seed puff elements. I don't get as strong a floral impression from Peony, her senior coworker (?) in Butterfly. I'm looking forward to seeing if there are other flower-themed magical girls to come, and whether Tanpopo manages to settle the situation at the end of this volume in her own way (as in the spoilers above), rather than Butterfly's. I haven't been reading this story online, so I'll have to wait a little while to find out.

[Mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical Girl Dandelion is a return to form for magical girl manga, where protagonist Tanpopo Ohanami fights fiends who feed on human life force. The catch? Her best friend - Shade - is a fiend who saved her from another fiend long ago, and he's not on board with Tanpopo joining the fight.

Likes:
- Art - Character designs are stylish and action scenes are fairly polished. I look forward to seeing more fiends and magical girls as the series continues.
- Characters - Tanpopo and Shade are introduced quickly and effectively, making me want to root for Tanpopo from the get-go. Shade is snarky but not mean, which is refreshing, since I was worried he would fall into the brooding shadow daddy trope that his character design lends itself to. With those two core characters well established by this first volume, I hope the next will expand the cast.

Dislikes:
- Nothing - This is a solid first volume that sucks me into the story and makes me look forward to the next volume.

Reminds Me Of:
- My Hero Academia - Tanpopo awakening as a magical girl after putting herself in danger to try and save another person reminds me of how Deku started his journey as a hero. Her resolve to save people reminds me a lot of MHA's Deku.

Other Thoughts:
- Shade and Tanpopo are like an older brother and younger sister in how he looks after her but still teases her, while Tanpopo looks up to him. I hope they do not become a romantic pairing given their age gap and Shade's caring for Tanpopo as a child.

Conclusion:
I greatly enjoyed this first volume of Magical Girl Dandelion and look forward to continuing the series!

[Jack Goff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always love a good magical girl story! My first anime ever, like a lot of people, was Sailor Moon so I always get super nostalgic whenever I get to read a magical girl manga. This one takes place in a world where magical girls are known by the population and are managed by a large group. Our main character was given a magical aptitude test before and scored low, but suddenly awakens to her full potential and becomes a full fledged magical girl! The only problem is that the best friend she’s had since childhood is a fiend, one of the creatures that magical girls are sworn to defeat.

First of all, cover? Gorgeous. The character designs are what drew me to the manga first. I love a good shadow wielding character, especially when they are paired with a character with a bright, sunny palette. The story is fun, the characters are great. I think my only complaint is that while the two main characters are very fleshed out, the side characters kind of fall by the wayside a little. There’s one scene where our heroine is protecting her friends from a threat and during the course of the scene that follows, I forgot her friends were even there until later when it was brought up again.

That being said, this is just the first volume. I’m sure the other characters will get a bit more fleshing out as the story goes on. I was really excited to get the DRC for this one. I was reading the free chapters as they were coming out for a while there, and I immediately requested this one when I saw it pop up. Thanks to Netgalley and VIZ Media for the DRC!!

[Frank Chillura (OhYouRead) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okayyyyyyyyy!!! Now we’re talking magical girls!!! But not only that, this is gearing up to be a beautiful starcrossed lovers romance as well.

Tanpopo has had a savior all of her life. Shade is a fiend who looks out for her after the death of both of her parents by a fiend. He kills any monsters who try to hurt her and slinks back into the shadows after he’s done. He is made of shadows though, so it makes that portion a lot easier. No one can see him but her, unless they have a lot of magical power inside of them, which really only leaves magical girls.

When she arrives to school one day, she’s called into the principals office where she’s told that she may bloom into a magical girl very soon, which comes as a surprise to her. With what we learn while reading the story though, only magical girls can see Shade, so it makes perfect sense. And then when she sees a man getting attacked by a fiend, her powers bloom and she becomes Magical Girl Dandelion.

I imagined that after that, they would become a crime fighting duo, which is definitely what she thought as well, but Shade doesn’t want her to fight fiends. He wants to be the one to save her. Why? That’s yet to be revealed.

This was a cute adventure-esque story that has left us with many more questions than answers. I did really want another cutesy book to read, so the art style and plot really hit the mark on what I was looking for.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my gifted eARC.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical Girl Dandelion, Vol. 1 by Kaeru Mizuho offers a darker twist on the classic magical-girl story. The manga follows Tanpopo Ohanami, a cheerful girl who is given the chance to become a magical girl—but her closest friend and protector, Shade, is actually a fiend from the very species magical girls are meant to fight. As Tanpopo begins her new role, the story quickly introduces moral gray areas, especially when she learns that some “monsters” were once human.

The first volume balances action, supernatural mystery, and surprisingly tender moments between characters. Mizuho’s art leans dark and atmospheric, giving the series a moodier tone than many magical-girl stories while still keeping the emotional core centered on loyalty and friendship. Overall, it’s an intriguing start to a series that mixes classic genre elements with deeper questions about what really separates heroes from monsters.

[liz gopsill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to start by thanking NetGalley, Kaeru Mizuho and VIZ Media for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Magical Girl Dandelion 1 will be out March 03, 2026!

I found this super cute and lighthearted, bringing back a classic magical girl story focused on positivity, platonic love and believing in yourself. One thing about a power up manga, the MC just wants to stand by your side. I’m interested to see this more fully developed as nothing really stood out to me or deepened the story were presented with, leaving it a bit flat and two dimensional in my opinion especially as it felt like the main conflict in this volume was quite sudden and didn’t really effect the MC outside of posing a slight challenge which was quickly undone.

Interested to see how Kaeru expands on this first volume, not my favorite but it’s a quick and cute read and I think would be a well-received anime if adapted.

[♡ zuly ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This pleasantly surprised me. Tanpopo is a girl who was saved by a fiend in her childhood, that has since continued to watch over her. The only issue is, now that she's older, she's grown into a magical girl, whose main objective is to defeat said fiends. I expected this to read a bit more traditionally shoujo, and was surprised by how dark it got at points (I'm not upset about it though!). I really enjoyed the art direction and storytelling, and am looking forward to continuing to watch the complicated relationship between these two develop.
Thank you to Netgalley and Viz for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Fraaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Netgalley and Viz for this advanced copy.

I've been targeting this manga for a while after I saw it on Pinterest. This manga feels like bringing me back to the glorious era of 19s or early 20s magical girl manga. But this one is a bit different. Magical Girl Dandelion portrayed not just black and white moral, but also the grey area, with the villain, Shade being a protector of the main character, Tanpopo, but also is a cunning one.

The art style is also shoujo-ish but not shoujo-ish at the same time, when we get the fight scene and action scene. I really love this one. One of the best manga I've read this year (so far).

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cool concept! This just might be my new favorite manga series! Tanpopo awakens as magical girl Dandelion, but what does that mean? Can she stay friends with a fiend she's known all her life as a friend? Can she learn to fight? The entry volume in a new series, we're introduced to a fun world of friends with different powers and magical girls who fight them. I feel like only a few big events happened in this volume to set up for a larger story arc. With that being said, the plot was well-paced, the storyline was intriguing, and I enjoyed the Alice in Wonderland reference. Shade is a riot and I can't wait to see what else is in store for the series.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember telling a friend at one point I wished there were more Magical Girl series' that are a bit more grown up, but not grimdark. Because it seems like most of them are either designed for little kids or for people who get a kick out of seeing things made for little kids twisted into something horrifically depressing.

Magical Girl Dandelion hits the sweet spot I was looking for! The dangers in it are dark, but overall it has an air of hope and light to it.

The artwork is gorgeous, the characters are funny and interesting, and the story is just gripping. I knew the minute I read it on VizManga that I wanted it on my shelf.

[Aleshia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tanpopo from a young age has always had a fiend named Shade watch over her. Fiends normally attack humans, so he's a bit of a rarity. Magical girls protect humans from fiends. The volume introduces Tanpopo awakening her magical girl powers and joining the force. Shade doesn't think this is such a good idea, as there are some secrets that Tanpopo has yet to discover.

Volume one is really the setup for the story. Shade is the standout as it's hard to tell exactly where his intentions lie, but it's fairly sure that he will protect Tanpopo for some reason. I think it's an interesting take on the magical girl genre, and I am excited to see where it goes.

Thank you to the publisher for providing a free eARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

[Janis Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a world where magical girls are the superstar supernatural protectors of humankind from the terrifying fiends, Tanpopo is best friends with one of them! The art reminds me a little of Cardcaptor Sakura (costumes) and is very approachable while also giving that dark edge -really like it! We're just getting started with the story and I can definitely see the mangaka having some fun with fiend arcs ahead. This was a great start for this series and I'm eager to get my hands on volume 2 :)

Thank you to Netgalley and Viz Media for this ARC! All opinions expressed are my own.

[Aaron Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stoked to have a new magical girl series and this one starts off banging. Quite the turn on the normal story having a fiend and a magical girl as friends and I really love how they interact with each other. Magical girl Peony when I first seen her I was struck at how much she reminds me of one of the girls from Chained Soldier lol. I think this series will end up being a favorite one of mine if it can keep up with the level of art it has and story as well. But, that ending was fire! The look on Dandelion's face was almost evil.

[Jacob Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Viz Media for this ARC!

I really enjoyed this book! It reads like a shonen magical girl story, which I don't know if I've seen before. The art style is beautiful and crisp. The action flows so well from panel to panel, and I never feel confused about what is going on. The more I think about this story, the more I loved it. I for sure will get a copy of this book for my local library!

[Cheyanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It reads like a shonen magical girl story, which is basically made for me. I thought that this was an interesting departure from the same magical girl story that's been made before. The main character having a close relationship with a Shade is a choice that adds complexity to the story. I can't wait for the next installment. I'm excited to see where the story goes next.

[Raaven💖 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a peak first volume!!! I love the art. Tanpopo and Shade are so good together! I don’t know is there’s a romantic element to their relationship, but they are great friends. Shade is so cool. Seeing how fiercely loyal he is to Tanpopo is so cute. For most of her life he’s been by her side and I love seeing dynamics like that. And the magical girl aspect of this is interesting as well. I feel like this is a series I could really enjoy and I’m interested in getting more volumes!