The fantasy genre is having a big moment in anime over the last few years, with large productions gathering quite a lot of attention and accolades. Whether you want to expand your fantasy anime horizons or are just looking to get into the genre, it’s about time IGN published its own list of the very best fantasy anime series. These are shows that impacted the genre and set standards – shows that charmed us, delighted us, and amazed us.
To pick only 10 shows from across the history of fantasy anime was a challenge, but a panel of anime experts across IGN pulled their heads together to pick the very best. It’s important to note that this list only took into consideration shows that are exclusively fantasy in its purest form, with fantastical creatures, magic, swords, elves, and a time period setting, if not outright set on an entirely different world. That means shonen anime with a genre-bending story, regardless of having fantasy elements, were not considered (sorry, Hunter x Hunter). Likewise, though indebted to the fantasy genre, we generally stayed away from isekai shows with notable exceptions; that genre is just big enough to warrant its own specific list, so we decided to focus on strict fantasy.
Before we get to our top 10, let’s take a quick look at some of the many, many other shows that were considered, but ultimately didn’t make our list. Our honorable mentions include the early 2000s gem Inuyasha, which made a generation fall in love with a half-dog demon. Likewise, The Ancient Magus’ Bride is a delightful coming-of-age story and an emotional rollercoaster. Then there’s Yona of the Dawn, a uniquely East Asian-inspired fantasy that deserved more than one season.
And now… our top 10 best fantasy anime series of all time!
Berserk
First of all, this is exclusively about the 1997 adaptation by studio OLM. Sure, this is an extremely incomplete adaptation, but the show turns this into a feature rather than a bug, with the series building up to an ending that’s even bleaker and more heart-wrenching because of how abrupt it is. And in spite of that, Berserk does manage to tell a complete story – a beautifully tragic tale of friendship, vengeance, violence, and love. This is dark fantasy by way of Clive Barker, and a hugely influential story whose legacy can still be felt today across multiple media. The relationship between Guts and Griffith not only drives the narrative forward, but serves as an elaborate and compelling tale of friendship in and of itself, and it also has an epic payoff. Even if this show doesn’t get to cover the more fantastical arcs of the manga, it still features a fully fleshed-out fantasy world where darkness lurks in every corner.
Delicious in Dungeon
Most fantasy shows and movies focus on fighting big monsters, and less so on the minutiae of surviving in the wild. That’s not Delicious in Dungeon, a show that’s equal parts epic fantasy and a cooking show with some of the best-looking animated food outside of a Ghibli film. The show balances comedy, action, and even horror seamlessly, turning them into a delicious stew clearly inspired by tabletop fantasy RPGs. But don’t let the funny title trick you – halfway through the first season, the show changes tone to reveal a compelling fantasy epic with many moving parts, intriguing mysteries, and some of the best visual storytelling and world-building in all of anime.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
What if Lord of the Rings was somehow even more melancholic than it already is? That’s how you get Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, a show that’s as exciting as it is emotional. This is a beautifully animated show, not just in its exquisite action, but in the slower, quieter moments where character takes center stage. No show has quite as big a sense of time and scale as Frieren; it builds a world that’s composed of countless stories that are forgotten and rediscovered while grounding its grand story in an unforgettable trio of well-developed characters.
Mushi-Shi
Yes, Mushi-Shi technically takes place in our world, but it is set in an alternate timeline in a distant enough past to be considered fantasy. It also doesn’t hurt that this is a show filled with spirits and magic. Like Frieren, it focuses on building a rich world full of stories so expansive, the audience is barely scratching the surface. The slower pace allows the world to benefit from an increased focus, creating a unique atmosphere that feels like reading a storybook of a faraway land in a time full of magic.
Ranking of Kings
The anime equivalent of not judging a book by its cover, Wit Studio’s adaptation of Ranking of Kings employs a very simplistic, colorful, kid-friendly art style that looks like a ’70s Isao Takahata anime. That approach, however, hides a morally complex, surprisingly gruesome story set in a gritty fantasy world that has more in common with Game of Thrones than with My Neighbor Totoro. Likewise, the show uses fairytale character tropes in order to subvert them at every turn, with a cast of characters with astonishing emotional complexity. This is especially true of the young king and one of the best anime characters in modern times, the endlessly lovable Bojji – think Paddington if he was also a badass swordsman. This show is a triumph of animation, and a fairytale for the ages; long live Bojji!
Record of Lodoss War
Before The Legend of Vox Machina turned a Dungeons & Dragons campaign into a popular animated series, there was Record of Lodoss War. Similarly, this show was based on transcripts from a campaign, and you can feel the game mechanics in the way the characters work; additionally, veteran D&D players might recognize elements from early editions of the game. A fairly standard fantasy adventure is elevated by a hyperviolent and grounded art style as well as distinct designs for the creatures and characters; one in particular, Deedlit, would go on to influence how elves look in Japanese media for decades. All of this gives the show a beautiful and unique visual identity that feels like the closest we’ll get to a proper Legend of Zelda anime.
Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World
Re:Zero stands out from other isekai thanks to its complex world-building and interesting takes on fantasy tropes, memorable characters, and compelling villains. The show knows how to properly escalate a fantasy story, introducing bigger elements to create epic stakes while still keeping the story grounded in the main character. It balances moments of intense darkness with a sense of hope, making the main hero earn moments of levity through great suffering.
The Slayers
Despite being one of the biggest anime of the 1990s, it might be easy to overlook The Slayers in favor of shows like Dragon Ball Z or Sailor Moon, but that’d mean missing out on one of the best fantasy journeys in animation. The show is set in an elaborate world of gods and demons, and features different types of magic and creatures. This Dungeons & Dragons-inspired high fantasy adventure mixes epic action with very ’90s slapstick comedy, balancing the high stakes with plenty of funny moments. In a way, this show is a predecessor to the likes of both Delicious in Dungeon and even Fullmetal Alchemist.
Somali and the Forest Spirit
One of the unfortunate victims of 2020 being packed with high-profile anime is this underseen yet quite spectacular fantasy anime. Somali and the Forest Spirit is set in a world of goblins and spirits where humans are actually an endangered species. The show follows the recent trend of series with Lone Wolf and Cub-type protagonists; here they are a golem and a young human girl. The show is visually striking, thanks in no small part to beautiful background art. The story can get quite dark and surprisingly emotional at times, making it a journey worth taking.
The Twelve Kingdoms
Studio Pierrot’s adaptation of The Twelve Kingdoms novel series might have been eclipsed by another show they released back in 2002 – Naruto – but it nevertheless remains a must-watch fantasy story. The show features incredible character development and stunning world-building that the series continuously expands throughout its run. Though the show didn’t get to adapt all of the novels, it does tell a complete story of its protagonist as she navigates a world plagued by disaster that’s heavily inspired by ancient China.
What are YOUR picks for the best fantasy anime series of all time? Vote in our poll or tell us in the comments!
source https://www.ign.com/articles/best-fantasy-anime-series-of-all-time