Any anime that is sort of an anti-Sailor Moon?

[Roger Smith (NOT!)]

I'm not thinking of anime that's mostly wailing on Sailor Moon directly, although it might take a few digs here and there. Rather, I'm wondering if there is Magical Girl Warrior anime where the fanservice is ditched (e.g. no upskirts, naked transformation sequences, etc.) and the tone is about as gritty as one might expect for a show where really young people are pressed into combat.

I've already read Sailor Nothing, which is a Westerner's very grim take on the Magical Girl genre, and I was curious if there were Japanese who've done something roughly similar (though not necessarily quite as dark as Sailor Nothing) in actual anime.

[SpectrumWarriorP]

Wedding Peach, (In spades). It also has an abridged series, created by Tokutenshi.

[Roger Smith (NOT!)]

Mar 1, 2009 15:14:36 GMT -4 SpectrumWarriorP said:

Wedding Peach, (In spades). It also has an abridged series, created by Tokutenshi.

Not really the sort of thing I was thinking of, actually, judging from its TV Tropes entry. Certainly doesn't look very gritty.

[natendowii]

I'd say My-HiME in some areas, although I don't know if one would consider it a "Magical Girl" Show.

[Kirin no Rei 77]

My first thought would have to be Excel Saga, here and there, but that show pretty much wails on everything anyways....

[Roger Smith (NOT!)]

Mar 5, 2009 19:30:02 GMT -4 natendowii said:

I'd say My-HiME in some areas

Judging from what I've read on TvTropes, it can get gritty, but this bit from the Girls Read Comics forum is a bit disappointing :

You're... you're talking about Mai HiME, aren't you? Yeah, the fanservice in that show was so depressing. Especially since the head animator is (or... was. sigh.) otherwise one of my favorite artists in terms of drawing sexy-not-sexualized women.

(If you're not talking about Mai HiME, then I apologize, and I'm depressed that there are at least two shows that use "panty-stealing monster" as a plot point.)

Of course, the above is second-hand to me, so feel free to tell me if I should take it with a pinch of salt.

[natendowii]

Well that Panty thing, is only in 1 episode of the show, and that's in the first half. For my Money's Worth, the first half of the show is mostly expostion, with some fanservice and then it drops to nothing after the halfway point. After the halfway point it gets really gritty, there are some parts that even tug at my heartstrings! If you can get past the first half, it's a decent watch, I only wish the ending was better.

Oh and yeah, the character Designs are awesome, Major Props to Mr. Hirokazu Hisayuki!