# Magical Girl Raising Project (魔法少女育成計画)
**Magical Girl Raising Project** (魔法少女育成計画, *Mahō Shōjo Ikusei Keikaku*) is a Japanese light novel series written by Asari Endō (遠藤浅蜊) with illustrations by Maruino, published by Takarajimasha since 2012[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=18910). In the story, a social game selects one player in tens of thousands to become a real magical girl, and when the governing administration decrees that the number of magical girls must be cut in half, sixteen girls are thrust into a deadly survival contest[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=18910). The series has spawned a 2016 television anime, multiple manga adaptations, a drama CD, and a new anime scheduled for 2026[2](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=18167) • [3](https://mahoiku.com/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Author / illustrator | Asari Endō (遠藤浅蜊), illustrated by Maruino; publisher Takarajimasha[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=18910) |
| First volume | Debuted 2012-06-08 per Anime News Network; the official chronology lists it under November 2012[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=18910) • [4](https://mahoiku.com/contents/history) |
| Premise | One in tens of thousands of social-game players becomes a real magical girl; an absolute announcement halves their number, forcing sixteen girls into a survival contest[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=18910) |
| 2016 anime | 12 episodes, first aired 2016-10-01, produced by Lerche, directed by Hiroyuki Hashimoto[2](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=18167) • [5](https://mahoiku.jp/about/index.html) |
| English release | Yen On (Yen Press), from June 20, 2017; 10 English volumes against 13 Japanese at the time of tracking[6](https://www.englishlightnovels.com/2017/07/06/magical-girl-raising-project/) |
| Circulation | Over 700,000 copies including digital editions as of April 2022[7](https://anibase.net/en/anime/lyBwY/Magical-Girl-Raising-Project) |
| New anime | TV anime 魔法少女育成計画restart announced September 1, 2025 for 2026 broadcast[3](https://mahoiku.com/) |
## Publication history
The first print volume appeared from Takarajimasha in 2012. [Anime News Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/anime-news-network) dates its debut to June 8, 2012[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=18910), while the series' own official history page renders the same volume under 2012年6月 in one entry and under November 2012 in another, followed by *restart* (前) in November–December 2012 and *episodes* in 2013[4](https://mahoiku.com/contents/history). The two datings have not been reconciled; the June 8, 2012 date is the one carried by the industry database.
The Japanese edition is published under Takarajimasha's Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! Bunko imprint[6](https://www.englishlightnovels.com/2017/07/06/magical-girl-raising-project/). ISFDB catalogs the Japanese run through *Queens* (2016), *episodesΔ* (2019), *Black* (2019), *breakdown* (2021, in two parts), and *White* (白, 2022)[8](https://isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pe.cgi?46363=). A secondary database states that 18 volumes had been published as of November 2023[7](https://anibase.net/en/anime/lyBwY/Magical-Girl-Raising-Project), which does not match ISFDB's numbering through volume 16 in 2022; the total volume count is therefore reported here with that discrepancy noted rather than resolved.
**English release.** [Yen Press](https://www.edgepedia.org/yen-press) publishes the novels in English under its Yen On imprint, translated by Alexander Keller-Nelson[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=18910) • [6](https://www.englishlightnovels.com/2017/07/06/magical-girl-raising-project/). Volume 1 was released June 20, 2017 (ISBN 978-0316558570), followed by *Restart: Part One* (November 14, 2017), *Restart: Part Two* (March 27, 2018), *Episodes* (July 17, 2018), *Limited* I and II (November 13, 2018 and March 19, 2019), *Jokers* (October 29, 2019), *Aces* (March 10, 2020), and *Peaceful Days of 16 Magical Girls* (November 17, 2020)[6](https://www.englishlightnovels.com/2017/07/06/magical-girl-raising-project/). At the time that tracker was written, 13 Japanese volumes stood against 10 English volumes, both series in progress[6](https://www.englishlightnovels.com/2017/07/06/magical-girl-raising-project/).
## Premise and narrative structure
The story begins with a social game: a magical-girl application selects one out of every tens of thousands of players to become a real-life magical girl[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=18910). The 2016 anime's official site describes the turning point as a one-sided notice from the administration that the overgrown number of magical girls must be halved, after which one magical girl per week is stripped of her status[5](https://mahoiku.jp/about/index.html). Sixteen girls are trapped in the resulting contest[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=18910).
The anime's version of the first arc starts as a race to collect more "magical candy" than competitors, but the rules quickly become twisted into a murderous battle for survival[2](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=18167). The official site frames the series as a "chair-taking game" whose appeal lies in the contrast between beautiful, cute character designs and depictions of hardship out of keeping with the usual magical-girl image, together with a story that defies prediction[5](https://mahoiku.jp/about/index.html).
## Adaptations
**2016 television anime.** The TV anime aired 12 half-hour episodes beginning October 1, 2016, adapting the first light novel volume[2](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=18167) • [6](https://www.englishlightnovels.com/2017/07/06/magical-girl-raising-project/). It was directed by Hiroyuki Hashimoto (橋本裕之), director of *Is the Order a Rabbit?*, with character design by Yukiko Aikei (愛敬由紀子), series composition and scripts by Takao Yoshioka (吉岡たかを), and animation production by Lerche[5](https://mahoiku.jp/about/index.html).
**Manga.** Three manga adaptations are documented. The first, illustrated by Pochi Edoya, ran in Monthly Comp Ace from November 2014 to December 2015 and was collected in two volumes; a two-volume English edition was published by Yen Press in September and October 2015, and like the anime it adapts volume 1[6](https://www.englishlightnovels.com/2017/07/06/magical-girl-raising-project/) • [7](https://anibase.net/en/anime/lyBwY/Magical-Girl-Raising-Project). A restart manga by Senbei Nori began in June 2016[7](https://anibase.net/en/anime/lyBwY/Magical-Girl-Raising-Project). The *F2P* manga, illustrated by Ryota Yuzuki, began on Kono Manga ga Sugoi! WEB in August 2016[7](https://anibase.net/en/anime/lyBwY/Magical-Girl-Raising-Project).
**Other media.** A drama CD, 魔法少女育成計画in [Dreamland](https://www.edgepedia.org/dreamland), was released in February 2015 through Toranoana; the first manga volume began in June 2015; and the book 魔法少女育成計画16人の日常 was released in October 2016[4](https://mahoiku.com/contents/history). The official chronology also records the novel *JOKERS* in February 2015 and the TV anime broadcast start in October 2016[4](https://mahoiku.com/contents/history).
## By the numbers
The measurable footprint of the franchise, as documented across the sources, is: a Japanese novel run cataloged through volume 16 in 2022 by ISFDB[8](https://isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pe.cgi?46363=) but reported as 18 volumes by November 2023 in a secondary database[7](https://anibase.net/en/anime/lyBwY/Magical-Girl-Raising-Project); 10 English volumes released by late 2020[6](https://www.englishlightnovels.com/2017/07/06/magical-girl-raising-project/); a 12-episode anime season[2](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=18167); a 16-girl cast in the first arc[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=18910); and cumulative circulation above 700,000 copies including digital editions as of April 2022[7](https://anibase.net/en/anime/lyBwY/Magical-Girl-Raising-Project).
## What has changed since 2023
**New anime.** On September 1, 2025, the official portal announced a TV anime titled 魔法少女育成計画restart for 2026 broadcast, releasing a teaser PV along with staff, cast, theme-song information, and staff comments[3](https://mahoiku.com/). A secondary database describes it as a second season scheduled for October 2026, animated by SynergySP and again directed by Hiroyuki Hashimoto[7](https://anibase.net/en/anime/lyBwY/Magical-Girl-Raising-Project).
**Manga restart.** On December 14, 2024, a project to restart the 魔法少女育成計画 manga (コミック再始動プロジェクト) was announced, and chapters 1 and 2 of 魔法少女育成計画F2P were published around January 17, 2025[3](https://mahoiku.com/). The F2P manga resumed in February 2026 and had four collected volumes as of March 2026[7](https://anibase.net/en/anime/lyBwY/Magical-Girl-Raising-Project).
**Fan events.** On September 17, 2025, the portal announced the Carmina 6th-anniversary fan thank-you event "Carmina BOOST!!～Beyond the limit～", with restart cast members attending[3](https://mahoiku.com/).
## References
1. [Magical Girl Raising Project (light novel), Anime News Network Encyclopedia](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=18910)
2. [Magical Girl Raising Project (TV), Anime News Network Encyclopedia](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=18167)
3. [魔法少女育成計画総合ポータルサイト (official portal)](https://mahoiku.com/)
4. [魔法少女育成計画 総合ポータルサイト – History](https://mahoiku.com/contents/history)
5. [About – TVアニメ「魔法少女育成計画」公式サイト](https://mahoiku.jp/about/index.html)
6. [Magical Girl Raising Project – English Light Novels](https://www.englishlightnovels.com/2017/07/06/magical-girl-raising-project/)
7. [Magical Girl Raising Project – anibase](https://anibase.net/en/anime/lyBwY/Magical-Girl-Raising-Project)
8. [Series: 魔法少女育成計画 (Magical Girl Raising Project), ISFDB](https://isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pe.cgi?46363=)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Literature and written works › Creative written works and worlds › Graphic, illustrated, and Asian-format fiction › Light novels and web novels › Isekai works and format*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license