Magic Knight Rayearth
English title: Magic Knight Rayearth
Japanese title: 魔法騎士（マジックナイト）レイアース
Alternative titles: Mahou Kishi Rayearth
Type: TV
Source: Manga
Episodes: 20
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Oct 17, 1994 to Mar 13, 1995
Broadcast: Mondays at 19:30 (JST)
Duration: 24 min per ep
Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
Studios: Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Producers: Yomiuri Telecasting, Polydor Records
Licensors: Media Blasters, Discotek Media
Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Themes: Isekai, Mecha
Demographics: Shoujo

Hikaru Shidou, Umi Ryuuzaki, and Fuu Hououji are strangers brought together by fate when they meet during a seemingly normal field trip to Tokyo Tower. Accompanied by a great flash of light, they hear a mysterious woman's plea to save "Cephiro," and the junior high heroines are suddenly swept away by a giant flying fish. Afterwards, they arrive in an unknown land, where they encounter a man called Master Mage Clef.

Clef informs the girls that they were summoned by Princess Emeraude to fulfill their destinies as Magic Knights, restoring peace and balance in Cephiro. The formerly lively and peaceful land has been in disarray ever since High Priest Zagato imprisoned the princess, who acted as Cephiro's pillar of stability. The Magic Knights reluctantly accept Clef's words as truth and embark on a journey to save Cephiro from the clutches of evil.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Although the first season is a near-direct adaptation of the first arc of the manga, there are several small additions, including the anime original character Inouva. Magic Knight Rayearth's opening theme song, Yuzurenai Negai, was awarded the "Best Theme Song" at the first ever Animation Kobe Awards in 1996.