Magic, monsters, adventures. The fantasy genre has some of the most creative storytelling and settings of any genre. Anime is one of the best media in which you may explore the genre.
Whether you love the whimsical magic of Harry Potter or the brutal grimness of Game of Thrones, there is a fantasy anime for you.
Without further ado, here are some great fantasy anime you should check out.
10. One Piece
What can be said about One Piece that was not already said before? If you’re unfamiliar with the series, it follows Monkey D Luffy as he goes on an adventure across the seas to try and find the One Piece and become King of the Pirates.
One Piece is a must-watch fantasy anime for so many good reasons. One Piece has one of the most expansive and interesting settings in the fantasy genre. The characters are varied and well-written. The story arcs are some of the best in anime period.
Fair warning, however, One Piece is very, very, very long. As of writing, there are well over 1,100 episodes and counting. If you’re willing to commit, you will be in for a wild ride.
If you love grand, magical worlds that open up more and more, this is a must-watch. You should also watch if you enjoyed the live-action Netflix adaptation.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix
9. Claymore
You know the Witchers from the Witcher franchise? The men who were magically mutated to become monster slayers? Imagine those, but they’re instead called Claymores (named after the type of sword they wield), and they’re all women instead of men.
Claymore follows the story of Clare, a Claymore on a quest to hunt and kill creatures called Yoma. They are monsters who can disguise themselves as humans. This series can be very dark a lot of the time, but it also does an amazing job of reminding us what it means to be human while struggling in a cruel world.
If you like your fantasy media dark but not entirely without hope, this fantasy anime is for you.
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
8. Lord of Mysteries
This tells the story of Zhou Mingrui, a young man whose mind transfers into the body of Klein, a character in a steampunk, Victorian-esque fantasy world. Rather than a traditional fantasy, this is a portal fantasy (or “isekai,” as it is popularly known in anime). Unlike the other entries on this list, Lord of Mysteries is actually a donghua, or Chinese animation, rather than a Japanese animation.
As the title may suggest, this series’s greatest strength is its intrigue. The protagonist is placed in the audience’s position, trying to understand the world and what the former Klein was doing before Mingrui took over.
The first few episodes can be a bit confusing, but you will be in for a wild ride if you choose to continue.
If you love diving headfirst into a completely new world, steampunk aesthetics, and gorgeous, gaw-dropping animation, please check this out.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video
7. Re: Zero – Starting Life in Another World
As the title suggests, this is another portal fantasy/isekai. Following the tale of Naski Subaru, a typical Japanese teenager who, out of nowhere, gets transported to a fantasy world. This may seem fairly standard from some isekai, but with one notable exception. Instead of being given a powerful offensive magic, he can go back in time whenever he dies.
Subaru’s character development is one of the show’s best aspects. Unlike some Isekai shows where it feels as though the entire world is centered around the protagonist, it isn’t. Subaru is not a perfect human being, nor does everyone just do whatever he tells them to. He makes mistakes, he fails constantly, the deaths he faces traumatize him, but he never gives up.
Check out Re: Zero if you enjoy rich character development, with a bit of trauma.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
6. The Girl from the Other Side
A bit more niche than the other anime mentioned, the story follows a girl named Shiva and a creature known as an “Outsidered,” called “Teacher,” who lives in an abandoned village.
This is an absolutely beautiful story, showing the power that found family has on us. The storybook-like art style does an amazing job of capturing that fairy-tale atmosphere while retaining horrific elements. Also, unlike One Piece, there are only three episodes to watch, so you could probably finish it in less than a day.
If you love stories that feel like dark fairy tale stories, look no further.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video.
5. Dorohedoro
Take every traditional fantasy trope and setpiece you can think of and throw them out the window.
Dorohedoro takes place in an urban city called the Hole, where sorcerers torture and experiment on its inhabitants with their magic. The story follows Kaiman, a man with no memory of his past, whose head was turned into that of a lizard. Thankfully, he also becomes immune to magic, which allows him to fight back against the sorcerers and try to find the one who cursed his head.
Yes, this series is as weird as it sounds. It only gets more so as it goes on.
Aside from the unnatural setting, what really brings the story alive are the characters and their relationships with one another. Don’t be misled by the premise; Caiman and his friends may have some heroic actions, but they make many morally questionable decisions. Also, while most of the sorcerer antagonists are cruel, some are not without sympathetic traits.
If you love non-traditional fantasy works or morally gray characters, this one is for you.
With Season 2 just around the corner, this is a must-watch.
Where to Watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll
4. Delicious in Dungeon
Delicious in Dungeon follows the story of an adventurer’s party making their way through the dungeon to rescue their friend. To save funds, they decide to get their meals by cooking the monsters inside the dungeon.
This is your quintessential Dungeons and Dragons-esque story. Every character in the party has such great chemistry with one another. They generally feel like a friend group you can’t help but love.
One of the most interesting aspects of this series is how well thought-out the dungeon’s monsters’ biology and ecology are. All the monsters have their own biology and ways of interacting with other species. Mimics, rather than being just magically possessed chests, are a large crab species that uses chests as a shell.
If you’re a fan of DnD, DnD style shows like Vox Machina, or are interested in fantasy ecology, you should definitely give Delicious in Dungeon a watch.
Where to Watch: Netflix
3. Attack on Titan
Perhaps one of the most famous shows on the list, Attack on Titan, is a must-watch if you haven’t already. The story follows Eren Yeager as he tries to fight for his people, who are under threat from monsters known as titans.
The show does not hold a single punch when it comes to how horrific the world is. Characters will die. Again. And again. As the plot unfolds, we learn that not everything is as it seems. Every new piece of information you learn will keep you guessing and guessing about what is really going on.
If you love the grittiness of Game of Thrones, you may certainly enjoy this.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Hulu
2. Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood
The story follows the Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse. When they were children, they tried to use their magic talent (known to their world as Alchemy) to resurrect their deceased mother, only for it to result in Edward losing his arm and leg, and Alphonse losing his whole body. We follow them as they try to find a way to restore their bodies.
By far one of the most interesting aspects of the series is the magic system. Alchemy by the law of Equivalent Exchange: to create something, you must give up something of equal value. Alchemists must understand materials at the molecular level to deconstruct and reconstruct them into something else. This is used in very interesting and creative ways. That’s not even mentioning the wholesome brotherly bond we see from Ed and Al.
If you are a fan of hard magic systems reminiscent of Brandon Sanderson, this is the anime for you.
You could also watch its predecessor, Full Metal Alchemist, but Brotherhood is considered the better option, as it follows the original manga more closely.
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu
1. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
This series follows the titular character Frieren, an elf mage, after she and the “Hero’s Party” that defeated the Demon King after a ten-year journey. Years later, the Hero, Himmel, dies of old age. Frieren, as an elf, has a much longer lifespan, experiences and consumes time differently, yet is nonetheless sad to feel that she barely spent any time with him. This leads her on a path of self-discovery and learning to appreciate the small parts of life.
This is an absolutely beautiful story. Exploring the quiet moments of what makes life worth living. If series like Attack on Titan explore the worst of humanity, Frieren explores the best. Also, the animation is some of the best the anime industry has to offer.
If you love Tolkien-esque fantasy settings and heartfelt character-driven narratives, you need to watch this.
Where to Watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll, Hulu
