Who would have thought that music could have magical powers? Based on a visual novel, this story revolves around the unlikely relationship between musician Tatara Phoron and Corticarte Apa Lagranges. Phoron has the ability to summon spirits with the power of his music and is gifted enough to make a contract with no one less than the infamous Corticarte. This show tells the story of them traveling on the open road, enjoying music together and engrossing in new adventures. The premise of this anime might sound a little bit weird and tacky at first with all the music, motorcycles, romance and spirits. But if you allow the story to unfold you will realize that there is a lot more to this show than you might expect at first. Here, the magical abilities and all the action don’t solely focus on Phoron, but rather on the teamwork between him and Corticarte. Their relationship or rather partnerships is a main element of this show and makes it stand out from similar anime.

Some things are just written in your DNA. For Daisuke, his whole future might depend on his heritage. The teenage boy is troubled by love and finally builds up the courage to confess his feelings to his long-time crush. He gets turned down pretty fast and gives up on love completely. Everything changes on the day of his fourteenth birthday when the thought of his crush has a weird effect on his body - he turns into a phantom thief known as Dark, a fate that has been running in his family for the longest of times. His new life isn’t a quiet one, because a fight between Dark and Light is about to begin. Even though this show might be a little bit old and the characters have a dated feel to them, this anime is still praised by many fans. Of course you have the cute hero who turns into a dark-winged phantom of the night, but on top of that romance plays a major role in the storyline. So all fans of innocent and pure relationships, likeable characters and an ongoing fight between a hero and his nemesis, definitely check out D.N.Angel.

Now it’s time for a great school-related anime that is also part of the current Fall 2015 line-up. Gakusen Toshi Asterisk has a futuristic setting featuring lots of new technologies and weapons. Our magical boy for this show, Amagiri Ayato, is part of the so-called “Starpulse Generation” which has gained super-human abilities due to a meteor hitting earth. Together with other students of his generation he enrolls in in an academy that at the same time serves as a battleground for the teenagers. Be prepared for a school battle entertainment you have never seen before. As a more recent anime, Gakusen Toshi Asterisk has hands down one of the best animation styles on this list, especially during all the action-filled fighting scenes. While it has a similar vibe to shows like The Irregular at Magic High School (another anime fans of Magic Boys could check out), it is still unique and promises great things for the finale of this season.

Magical abilities don’t always have to revolve around wands and spells - sometimes they come in the form of Sci Fi and Mecha. This story is set on the Southern Cross Isle, to be more specific at the high school located on this isolated green island. One day, teenager Takuto Tsunashi washes up on the shore and quickly becomes part of the local community. He is enjoying his new high school life, but soon he has to realize that there is a secret surrounding the island and its student - and he is about to become part of it. Star Driver will throw you back to old-school Mecha shows while still keeping a great animation style of modern days. At this point you might ask why we chose to include a Sci Fi show on a Magical Boy anime list. While it is true that there are more robots than there are wizards in this show, it still has typical Magical Boy elements like short transformation sequences, action-filled fights and lots of teamwork. So if you can enjoy a good Mecha show Star Driver will definitely not disappoint.

You cannot get enough of magical schools and knights in shining armor? We have one more show for all fans of action, comedy, school life and also a little bit of ecchi. Magic in this show comes in the form of weapons converted from the souls of magic-users known as Magic Knights. These students enroll at the same school and are known to fight for honor and prestige. But there is one exception to the rule: Ikki Kurogane is the “Failed Knight” who doesn’t show any magical skills. How will he survive his school days? Chivalry of a Failed Knight is another anime from the Fall 2015 season and has already gained a big fan base due to its action, comedy and romance. Even though it has many well-known elements, like school life and ecchi, it still adds its own unique touch to them. Especially fans of sword fights combined with magical powers will enjoy this one.

We have a boy transforming into a girl, busty angels falling from the sky and a group of friends that will make you laugh like no other. Get ready for a crazy adventure with Sora no Otoshimono! Sakurai Tomoki has a recurring dream of meeting a beautiful angel. However, the boy with the life motto “peace and quiet are the best” lives a simple and laid-back life he wouldn’t want to change. But as it is often the case in anime, Tomoki’s life gets turned upside down when an angel actually does fall from the sky and claims to be his servant. This show has surprised many viewers by turning from a generic ecchi/comedy show into a fun and heart-warming adventure. It is true that the only magic pervert Tomoki uses is transforming into a girl in order to slip into the girl’s locker room. Still, you will see magical action, fight scenes and lots and lots of humor with this little gem. This is definitely a must-watch for fans of ecchi and harem elements.

Next up is a show for everyone who wants school and romance added to their Magical Boy anime. Mahou Sensei Negima revolves around soon-to-be wizard Negi Springfield who only has to pass one more test in order to become a Master Wizard. This test, however, turns out to be much different from what he expected. Despite his young age he has to enroll as a teacher in an all-girls school and has to help the students pass exams and improve their grades while at the same time fighting evil powers. Mahou Sensei Negima! combines school and fantasy elements as well as all types of different characters from vampires to robots and time travelers. What makes this story more like a Magical Boy anime than just a fantasy anime is the fact that it really focuses on how Negi uses magic to fight new enemies in every episode. The show is a little bit weird, the animation is kind of old-school, but somehow it grabs your attention and makes you want to continue watching.

Turning the Magical Girl genre into a Magical Boy genre is already crazy enough, but now imagine the protagonist also turning back into a woman. What? Kämpfer is the unique story of Natsuru Senou, a high school student who one day finds himself trapped inside the body of a woman. Not only that, but he is also told that he isn’t just a normal girl, but a human with supernatural powers known as Kämpfer. His job is to find other Kämpfer girls and fight them, while trying to continue his normal life as a student. Will he succeed? This show is definitely a top recommendation for all fans of gender-bender stories. While our hero carries out all of his fights in female form, he still has to continue living his everyday life as a guy. Like most Magical Girl or Magical Boy anime you will see lots of fantastic fights as well as transformation sequences, on top of funny moments revolving around Natsuru’s two identities.

If there is one show you will stumble upon on your search for Magical Boy anime then it’s this one. Binan, as the show is called for short, is your must-watch parody of the Magical Girl genre. Get ready to meet five unlikely heroes who get together to form the “Earth Defense Club” at their local high school. In every episode they fight new and vicious monsters with their unique set of skills and, more importantly, with the power of love. This show is a hot mess of cute high school boys, wacky outfits, magic, school club atmosphere and a pink alien that looks like the offspring of a wombat and a koala. But is it a bad show? No, I would say, since you should enjoy each episode with a pinch of salt. Watch it as a parody and you will appreciate the great animation, the creative enemies and the effort that was put into the interaction between the characters. Let’s see if these boys are able to defend earth.

Picture a high school boy who gets killed, only to come back as a zombie and to earn some magical powers. Too crazy, you would say? Not for Kore wa Zombie Desu ka, a fantasy anime with harem and romance elements. Aikawa Ayumu leads an uneventful life until the day he dies by the hands of a serial killer and gets resurrected by necromancer Eucliwood Hellscythe. The duty of his new existence is to serve the girl as a guard while she fights enemies with her magical girl powers. This should have been easy enough, but Ayumu ends up absorbing her skills and taking her place as a hybrid between a magical boy and a zombie. We have to be exact here and mention that Kore wa Zombie Desu ka is actually listed as a Magical Girl anime. However, this show is the closest you will get to a good Magical Boy anime that doesn’t take itself too serious. You could even see it as a parody that combines zombies with magic and crazy outfit changes, only to top everything off with amazing humor. Kore wa Zombie Desu ka doesn’t take itself serious while still remaining entertaining and that’s what makes it our top choice for this list.