Magic is a powerful thing, but not everyone can master it. Even in cartoons, the ability to use magic requires immense study and focus and even more practice. If the magic-user should fail in any of these challenges, they are doomed to falter against more prepared witches and wizards.
With a number of cartoon series that feature magic as an ability, there are some that stand out as the most powerful, while others are left in the dust as failures in magic. Although each of these characters is impressive in their own way, there is a stark difference in each of their abilities. Some failed to wow with their magic. Others never fail to impress.
10 Weakest: Ice King Has Power But Loses In Focus (Adventure Time)
The source of the Ice King's power is his magic crown, but the downside to the headwear is that it drives the user toward complete insanity, as revealed in Adventure Time's Season 5. The Ice King used to be an intelligent professor who could've made for a brilliant wizard if given the chance, but instead, he came across the crown and used it to spare the life of a loved one.
It's because of the power of the crown that the Ice King, otherwise known as Simon, is out of control. With little focus on clever tactics and an inability to take advantage of his incredibly versatile magic, he's always treated like a fool and fails just about everything he tries, which is unfortunately stealing princesses most of the time.
9 Strongest: Frida Is The Most Clever Witch For Her Age (Hilda)
Before she was introduced to magic in Hilda, Frida was already far beyond her years in intellect and maturity. With the right approach to magic, she was able to help her friend Hilda out of trouble on more than one occasion. When the time came for her to apply her skills in magic, she proved to the hidden witches of her hometown how capable she is.
In one episode, Frida and Hilda help the town's local librarian, who's secretly a witch, when she faces trouble with the witch's council. Together they face a series of challenges that the group of women was only able to overcome because of Frida's quick thinking. In the end, she conjures magic powerful enough to save all of their lives and is even welcomed by the committee as a witch-in-training.
8 Weakest: Slime Princess' Slime Isn't Strong Enough Alone (Adventure Time)
Slime Princess was never an apt fighter throughout most of the Adventure Time series, but after learning that she is one of the Elementals, she gained the power to blast strong streams of slime, transform others into slime people, and absorb people. As impressive as these skills are, they are nothing when used by someone as inexperienced as Slime Princess.
With similar powers, Princess Bubblegum could blast candy and transform others into candy people, but her powerful blast proved to have more strength as they could topple buildings. More than that, Bubblegum was also strategic and inventive with her powers, coming up with a number of ways to enhance them. Slime Princess on the other hand wasn't creative with her powers, nor was she prepared for battle, which is why, in the end, she didn't do as much as the other magic-using characters in the series.
7 Strongest: Princess Allura Was Strong Enough To Save Lives On Numerous Occasions (Voltron)
As a member of the Altean race, Allura was already immersed in the ways of magic. After losing her people, save for her advisor and friend Coran, Allura had a lot to prove as an Altean and as a part of the Voltron team. With her magic abilities, she was able to fight against the powerful witch Haggar, overcoming the witch's illusions which had stopped so many before her.
More than skills in offensive magic, Allura has the miraculous ability to control life itself. She not only brought two of her comrades back to life, but she was strong enough to help revive every single reality in the galaxy at the end of the series. Her vast knowledge of alchemy, as well as hand-to-hand combat, makes her a versatile force to be reckoned with.
6 Weakest: Ford Pines Is A Genius But Lacks Practice In Magic (Gravity Falls)
Throughout the series Gravity Falls, the mystery of the supernatural encyclopedia journals, and more pressingly, the author, were running themes until Ford's introduction, brother to Stan Pines and the rightful author of the books. Since he was young, Ford always had a fascination with the bizarre, supernatural findings of the world, and chose to study them in his career.
His studies brought him to Gravity Falls in Oregon, where he wrote about all his magical discoveries. Throughout the series, a lot of Ford's findings, which include using magic, help the heroes overcome their obstacles, and sometimes are what causes the obstacles. That being said, as powerful as all this knowledge is, Ford never proved himself as a powerful magic user, having failed to save the world in the end. Perhaps if he had more time in the real world he could've practiced his skills.
5 Strongest: Gideon Gleeful Mastered His Magic Powers Making Him A Frightful Enemy (Gravity Falls)
Gideon was Gravity Falls' first main antagonist, and under his cute dimples was a menacing sorcerer with powerful abilities. At first, Gideon used his powers to make money off of the people of Gravity Falls, but when the protagonist Dipper approached Gideon about his sister not being interested in him, that's when Gideon showed his true colors.
Gideon was in love with Dipper's sister, Abel, so when Dipper told him that Abel wasn't interested, Gideon didn't believe him and in a fit of rage held Dipper hostage. He revealed his advanced telekinetic abilities and if it wasn't for Abel handling being direct with Gideon about her feelings, he could've very easily ended Dipper.
4 Weakest: Hilda Is Better At Swinging A Sword Than Applying Magic (Hilda)
The series Hilda follows the exciting life of the young adventurer Hilda. With a love of nature and the supernatural, Hilda sets out every day to find her next new exciting adventure, most of the time at the risk of her very life. She's brave and brash, and a lot of the time that's what brings her and her friends into a great deal of trouble.
When Hilda encounters real magic in a library book, she fails to read all the details on the consequences and the responsibility of the magic user, bringing both her mom and one of her friends into danger. She learns to stay away from using magic after learning that she just does not have the mind for it.
3 Strongest: Amity Blight Performs Her Magic To Perfection (Owl House)
As the best student at the Hexside School of Magic and Demonics, Amity was already an impressive witch. As she further improved on her magic in The Owl House, she showed her intellect, poise, and power. Focusing her magical skills in creating beings called abominations, Amity uses these beings for defense and offense.
She's also highly capable of strong fire magic among other magic spells. On the fly, Amity's quick thinking and versatility in magic are what make her a tough witch to beat. She's managed to hold her own against her own parents as well as the King's right-hand man and leader of his coven.
2 Weakest: Pony Head Is Too Distracted By Her Image To Work On Her Magic (Star Vs The Forces Of Evil)
Although she's from a powerful family and does have strong abilities to use magic, Pony Head is relatively useless in Star Vs The Forces Of Evil. She only serves as a crude comic relief throughout the series and doesn't really improve herself in general.
At the start of the series, she's an egotistical, selfish, superficial brat of a princess who takes more time focusing on being popular and chasing after boys to really work on herself. While she is a good friend to Star and warms up to Marco over time, there isn't much more to her character or her magic, which, in a series full of incredible magic users, is a huge disappointment.
1 Strongest: Sypha Belnades Can Be More Terrifying Than The Demonic Creatures (Castlevania)
Sypha was already a beloved character when she was first introduced in Castlevania, but as the stakes rose higher and the enemies became more dangerous, Sypha rose to the challenge as one of the most powerful magic users. As she's a member of the nomadic group, the Seekers, she's well versed in all magic matters, but also has incredible control of her own magic.
What Sypha excels in is elemental magic, focusing on a balance of fire and ice to fight against the demonic creatures that threaten her and those she wishes to protect. Her power goes far beyond changing the temperature; she fires sharpened icicles to impale the enemy, traps the enemy in ice, blasts the enemy with fire, and with the same powerful blasts of fire, she can fly. Her powers and adept fighting skills are strong enough to fight against even the strongest vampires, the legendary Dracula being one that she helped to defeat.