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 Her best friend, Shade, is a fiend in a world where fiends are villains to humankind.

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Paranormal, Shojo, Comics, Contemporary

Kindle Edition

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.

[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'.

[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!

[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~

[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

[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.

[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😭

[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.

[Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this magna in a Goodreads giveaway, and I’m SO glad that I did! I used to be an avid manga reader a few years back but fell out of the hobby, and this might just be the one that drags me back.

Let me say that character dynamics are one of the most important things in any story to me, and I absolutely adore how the main characters interact! Their dynamic feels very natural and I LOVE that things aren’t romantic between the MCs (and I hope it stays that way lol)! I also really like everyone’s personalities so far. The main character, Tanpopo, is a refreshing take on a magical girl protagonist and I really like how she’s shaping up to her role. Shade is really fun too, and it’s refreshing for his personality to be more lowkey than edgy.

I love the art too! I feel like it suits the story, and it also just looks good in general. I really like the writing too! The translation is smooth and so far I enjoy the story.

I will say the only issue I had was the pacing, just because it felt a lil rushed, but honestly I’m so out of the magna scene that I don’t know if that’s standard or not for a first issue. Regardless, if you’re a fan of grumpy/sunshine characters (literally lol) and magical girl stories, you should absolutely give this manga a try!

[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.

[Tala · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found out about this manga through Twitter. The first chapter went viral and I decided to check it out. Magical girls and fiends? Hell yea!

This manga series has a very dark undertone that’s occasionally addressed. It’s pretty tragic. The world is strange. Magical girls are like local celebrities/superheroes who go out and to fight fiends. Everyone is measured each year for their magical levels to detect a potential magical girl. If the levels are high enough, they can then bloom into their magical girl self!

If you’re a fan of Cardcaptor Sakura, Sailor Moon, Magic Knight Rayearth, or even Tokyo Mew Mew then you’d enjoy this series. It’s magical girl with a dark twist, cute outfits, transformations, and a kinda sorta romance relationship.

[♡ 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.