Mahou no Shimai Lulutto Lilly

It’s so frustrating to me that no one picked up Lulutto Lilly for streaming, but Crunchyroll is happy to offer us seasonal incest or harem slop ad nauseum. This is one of my favorite recent mahou shoujos. It’s very simple, yet has a surprisingly emotionally resonant story about two sisters who’ve drifted apart and want to restore the bond they once had. I think it’s a timeless and relatable story that many people will be able to empathize with. Fuu and Rui are very endearing characters and their insecurities and struggles feel real. They might mask them with their dual lives as idols, but it ... doesn’t solve the problems.

It’s hard to evaluate the story too much since it’s not over yet and is split cour, but in the 12 episodes we got so far, even though they’re somewhat episodic, we see the girls developing as individuals, idols and slowly but surely bridging the gap that’s existed in their sisterly relationship. So there’s a good amount of growth and overarching theme from one episode to the next. It’s just not quite like precure or the other mahou shoujo where there’s a big bad you’re working towards beating. If anything, the big bad is within the girls themselves, it’s battling the interior forces preventing them from following their dreams and being close. Again, I really like that because it’s more relatable for audiences. You do have some surprisingly intense moments in this show like the infamous possessed stuffed animals episode, so it’s a little all over the place, but I really enjoyed it.

The artistic direction of this show is so beautiful. It’s so bright and cheery, which is a contrast for how depressing some of these episodes can feel, but I’ll never get sick of appreciating how beautiful this show is. The voice acting is good, music is good AND we got 5th gen leaders ILLIT on the OP, HELLO?? It’s a very well produced anime for how under the radar it’s gone. More people need to get their eyes on this.

If you’re a mahou shoujo fan, this is a must watch in my opinion, it’s also part of one of the most iconic mahou shoujo franchises in history, so that makes the fact it wasn’t licensed even more bizarre, but you’ll be in for a surprisingly well done treat with this one. Love Fuu and Rui so much like they’re my own little sisters, Sena and Touko as well. Can’t wait for the second cour

Lulutto Lily gets 8 out of 10.

Magical Sisters Lulutto Lilly is a refreshing return to form for Studio Pierrot, the legendary studio behind classics like Magical Angel Creamy Mami and Fancy Lala. Premiering in April 2026, the series successfully blends 1980s "magical idol" nostalgia with vibrant, modern Reiwa-era production.

Plot & Concept

The story follows two sisters, Fū (an energetic elementary schooler) and Rui (a reserved middle schooler), who have recently grown distant. After a chance encounter with a mysterious spaceship, both gain the ability to transform into the adult versions of their dream selves. The catch? They can only use magic for one year, and they must keep it a secret from ... everyone—including each other. Unaware of the other's double life, both sisters begin rising to fame as idols: Fū as Compato Lilly and Rui as Mashu Lulu.

Why You Should Watch It

A "Comfy" Vibe with a Hint of Mystery: Unlike many modern magical girl shows that lean into dark "deconstruction," Lulutto Lilly feels like a "successful visualization of childlike wonder". It’s cute, comforting, and focuses on the emotional growth of the sisters, though there may be a slight underlying mystery regarding the origin of their powers.

Top-Tier Visual Direction: The show is visually striking, featuring a bold "Shibuya-kei" aesthetic and brilliant use of color by designer Saori Gouda. The series shines in moments like Fū’s covert transformation within a changing booth or the surreal physical metamorphosis of the 'Shibuya106' building into a stage—sequences that masterfully balance technical precision with whimsical wonder.

Idol Performances & Music: The series leans heavily into its idol theme. The opening theme, "Bubee," is performed by the K-pop group ILLIT, adding a contemporary pop flair that contrasts beautifully with the retro-inspired premise.

Natural Sister Dynamic: At its core, the show is driven by the relationship between Fū and Rui, which serves as its emotional anchor. Their interactions feel grounded and sincere, making the "secret identity" trope more emotionally impactful as they navigate their distancing bond.

Summary

Lulutto Lilly is a "displaced in time" masterpiece that feels like a love letter to the magical girl genre's origins. It avoids the grim-dark tropes common in the post-Madoka era, opting instead for a bright, high-energy story about dreams and family.

What a weird concept, and I'm still watching it. To be honest, I wanted to watch this to take a stance. You know why? Pierrot and Bandai collaborated on YouTube to release this anime. Yes, you heard that correctly. This is the very first time a company has released its own anime on its own channel. Wild? It was wild. Then you remember that Akane-banashi also did the same. 😂

Anyway, the reason I watched this is that I wanted to support them. Who knows! They might start releasing even more anime on their channel. That would be great! The convenience of watching anime would be ... better, and piracy would decrease!

How did I find this?
Somehow, someway, the YouTube algorithm brought me to this anime. Then I saw it (subtitled in 20+ languages), and I was like, "NO WAY! Another provider like Muse Asia and/or Anione Asia?" I was surprised! The channel was an official Pierrot and Bandai Namco channel. It was a weird feeling because I know Japan doesn't like to give out free stuff like this. They monetize everything, and yet they gave this away for free.

Wild!

Appealing (Why did I get into the anime?)
I want to make sure this project is a success. Could you imagine getting to watch every studio's work without the hassle of paying for Crunchyroll, Netflix, etc., all in one place?

That would be a dream come true, man!

Platform
Anime Box (Spain), Bahamut Anime Crazy (Taiwan), and Bandai/Pierrot official YouTube channel.

The review:
Plot/Story
Imagine this!

A minor was given magical power and was let loose.
No, you heard me correctly. A MINOR/10-year-old uses magic and makes the world as she wishes. It's a wild concept for a magical girl story.
Not only that, this kid has the guts to join an idol company without her parents' consent. I know I said this before. It's just entertainment; there is no need to be concerned. But man, I just can't!

The amount of rage bait caused by Yuu is making my blood boil. She is NOT worthy of holding that magic item. She is too dangerous. Thank goodness her big sis was there too. Rui was so reasonable, composed, and understood her place. She understood that people would get whiplash from her magic.

Character
Because we are focused on Yuu's character development, and the episodes were episodic, Yuu's character seemed meh. Her character doesn't feel like it develops in each episode. While her sister, Rui, does, it was significant.

No joke, I was surprised that Yuu was getting all the spotlight, but somehow Rui got all the development. Yuu did have development, but if you think about it, Rui was the one who got most of it. Not only did she get inspired and move forward, but she also reversed all of Yuu's wrongdoings. She is a little angel!

OST/SFX
I can't lie. The OP and ED were cute and fun to listen to.

Even the OST and SFX in the anime itself were fun to listen to. They did great here!

Animation
The studio that people always say takes shortcuts, yet still manages to create truly great animation. Talk about a glow-up. 😂
Pierrot was very well known for their animation in Naruto/Boruto and Black Clover — they both had their lowest moments, and those are the things that people always talk about.

I wish I were kidding. It's actually a pretty decent animation. Better than OPM Season 3.

VA
Two thumbs up!

The conclusion:
Enjoyable
No. I actually got angry every episode because of Yuu. But the thing is, I needed to endure it. I want this anime to succeed so that other anime can follow suit.

Worthable
Yes! Please, make this real! Make Bandai air more of their anime on YouTube.

Delivery
Pretty great.

OG Sauce
This is an original series. There is no original source for this.

Gratitude
Thanks, Pierrot and Bandai! Never thought I would give my gratitude after what you (Bandai specifically) did to OPM. That was unforgivable. I'm still livid.

Overall: 6.1/10
A so-so anime. I watched it to make the dream come true. If you want it to happen too, let's help them make this anime popular (even though the story wasn't the greatest).