The fantasy genre in anime is rich and complex, with lots of sub-genres where creators can explore their creativity and express their imagination in an infinite number of ways. As such, fantasy anime is usually coupled with elements from other genres like comedy, horror, romance, and action, giving you many options to choose from.
This list will look at series that digs deep into their fantasy roots and make for an entertaining watch.
1. Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic is set in a world with several labyrinths believed to be built by rare and powerful magicians called Magi and ruled over by the Djinn. These structures hide incredible treasures and thus, naturally attract a fair share of adventurers. The story follows the young boy Aladdin and his Djinn mentor, Ugo, on an epic adventure as they set out on a quest to conquer the nearest labyrinth.
This anime takes a piece from classic tales by borrowing the names of fairy tale characters and bringing a whole new and exciting twist.
Check Out: How To Watch Magi Anime’s In Order
2. Seven Deadly Sins
The Holy Knights of Britannia are a revered organization who use powerful magic to protect Britannia and its kingdoms. Ten years ago, it is believed that a small faction of the knights attempted to overthrow the ruler of Lionels but was defeated by other nights and are now known as the “Seven Deadly Sins.” Now, the Holy Knights have staged a successful coup, and the young princess Elizabeth has to enlist the help of the Seven Deadly Sins if she is to reclaim her kingdom.
This brilliant fantasy series presents strong characters throughout a deep and enthralling storyline. The story’s pacing is just right, and the artwork does an excellent job of explaining Britannia’s colorful fantasy world.
Check Out: 13 Must Watch Anime Like Seven Deadly Sins
3. Fullmetal Alchemist
In a world where alchemy is widely popular, two young brothers Alphonse and Edward Eric attempt a transmutation ritual to bring back their deceased mother. During the procedure, things go wrong, resulting in Edward losing his arm and leg while Alphonse’s soul becomes trapped in a suit of armor. A few years later, Edward is a full-fledged alchemist with metal limbs. Aided by his brother and a few military allies, he seeks the mythical philosopher’s stone that will help them retrieve what they lost.
Fullmetal Alchemist uses the alchemy factor to bring out the fantasy side of things in a fantastic storyline with unforgettable characters that will keep you entertained throughout.
4. Attack on Titan
Humankind has been took the life of to near extinction by monstrous beings known as Titans. The few humans that survived hide behind rings of enormous concentric walls. When the outermost wall falls to an attack by a colossal titan, Eren Yeager witnesses a horrific personal loss. Vowing to wipe these vile creatures from the face of the earth, he joins the Survey Corps, an elite military unit dedicated to fighting Titans.
Attack on Titan may fall more into the shounen category with its action and drama. It explores the mysterious origins of Titans, providing solid fantasy lore that makes for an entertaining watch.
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5. Tokyo Ghoul
Ken Kaneki is a college student in a city where ghouls, creatures who enjoy human flesh, live amongst humans. These ghouls have an uncanny ability to blend in, which misleads Ken Kaneki into an unfortunate encounter with a ghoul. After the incident, he wakes up in a hospital to realize that he has been transformed into some sort of hybrid that is half-human, half-ghoul. How will he adapt to this new existence?
Tokyo Ghoul is a dark fantasy series with a new setting in the modern world. The series promises to be an enjoyable watch utilizing some superb artwork, an exciting cast, and excellent fight scenes mixed with some carnage.
Check Out: 14 Anime To Watch If You Can’t Get Enough Of Tokyo Ghoul
6. Ancient Magus Bride
Aged 15, Chise is sold to a well-known mage, Elias Ainsworth, who recognizes her as a rare mage known as a Sleigh Buggy. He offers to take her under his wing as an apprentice and teach her how of her power in exchange for her eventually becoming his bride.
Ancient Magus Bride is set in an alternate version of London, providing a deep fantasy setting that instantly engulfs its viewers.
7. Fairy Tail
In the land of Flore, magic forms an essential part of everyday human life. There are numerous magic guilds, with the most famous being Fairy Tail. The story follows Lucy Heartfilia during her quest to join Fairy Tail and her adventures with fellow guild members when she’s finally accepted as a member. It tells many stories throughout its many seasons and episodes and packs all the fantasy and adventure you can expect from a series of its length.
Check Out: 22 Of The Best Anime Like Fairy Tail
8. Sword Art Online
In a future where virtual reality is greatly advanced, the newest VR game- Sword Art Online– has attracted a lot of attention. Tens of thousands have signed up, including a young man named Kazuto Kirigaya or “Kirito,” as his friends like to call him. Things take a nasty turn when the players get trapped in the game by the creator and must now complete all the levels to escape. Worse still, if you lose one’s life in the game, you lose one’s life in the real world.
Although it has its flaws, SAO takes this fairly common concept to a whole new level using an enthralling storyline with clever twists and some well-done animations.
Check Out: 30 Animes Like Sword Art Online That Will Transport You To A New World
9. Cardcaptor Sakura
Sakura Kinomoto is your average cheerful fourth-grader; that is until she discovers a mysterious book with a set of cards. Before she can wrap her head around this strange discovery, she triggers a magical wind that scatters the cards all over town. It turns out the cards are potent objects with minds of their own, and now Sakura has to enlist the help of a guardian creature to recapture the cards if the world is to remain safe.
This is a magical girl series with a great plot, unique magic styles, and excellent character development that make for a fun, fantastic watch.
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10. Kyou Kara Maou: King From Now On!
After saving a classmate from bullies,Shibuya turns himself into the new target of mistreatment. While having his head shoved into a toilet bowl,is sucked by a swirling portal into a world resembling medieval Europe. While in this world, the innocent teenager learns that he is destined to become the nextfallen angel King, and there starts his magical adventure to become a good king of a kingdom where he is met with a lot of skepticism.
11. Fate/Zero
The Holy Grail is an incredibly sought-after mystical artifact said to have the ability to grant any wish. So far, the omnipotent Grail has triggered three brutal wars and is on the verge of sparking a fourth one. Believing the vessel to be within grasp, the wealthy Einzbern family has hired the despised mercenary “Magus Killer” Kiritsugu Emiya. Alongside his familiar Saber, he must face off six other participants and their familiars in a new war for the Grail.
A fantasy-heavy installation to the Fate series, Fate/Zero tells a complex and exciting tale that makes for a rewarding experience.
Check Out: 10 of the Best FATE Anime Series of All Time, According to Fans
12. Houseki no Kuni: Land of the Lustrous
A war rages on between crystalline figures known as Gems and the Lunarians who seek to destroy the Gems and use them for decoration in a mysterious world. Phosphophyllite, better known as Phos, is a young Gem wishing to join the war but is deemed too fragile. Therefore, Phos is delegated to compiling an encyclopedia that proves to be a valuable source of information on the Gem people and the mysterious Lunarians over time.
Check Out: 20 Of The Best Underrated Anime You Need To Watch Today
13. Tsubasa Chronicles
Syaoran may be your ordinary young man, but he is friends with princess Sakura. During an excavation of the ruins in Clow Country, he discovers princess Sakura with wings that disperse into feathers. Each feather turns out to be a memory, and as it disappears into a different dimension, the princess loses a memory. Enlisting the mage Fai’s help and an exiled ninja named Kurogane, the duo embark on an adventure across realms to retrieve the memories.
14. Made in Abyss
The Abyss is a bottomless pit with mysterious treasures and creatures hidden in its depths. The nearby city is home to one of the best abyss divers, Lyza. However, she disappears in the Abyss during her latest mission, leaving behind a daughter Riko. Determined to follow in her mother’s footsteps and eventually rescue her, Riko enlists as a diver and soon discovers a mysterious robot boy with missing memories. Together, the duo ventures into the Abyss to retrieve the boy’s missing memories and find her mother.
Check Out: 10 Of The Best Mystery Anime’s You Need To Watch Today
15. Log Horizon
Thirty thousand gamers are instantaneously transported into the world of a popular MMORPG, Elder Tale, after its latest update. Shiroe is one of these unfortunate gamers, and after the initial shock and confusion, sets out to explore this new reality. Being a veteran of the game, he’s soon leading other gamers and negotiating with NPC natives to bring stability to the virtual city.
Overall, Log Horizon is a fun journey with a lot of clever plot points. Showing NPCs’ perspective in a game gives viewers something new to think about and generates interesting moments as different characters try to adapt to the game world.
16. Maoyuu Maou Yuusha: Archenemy and Hero
For fifteen years, a war has been raging between humans and demons. As the human force advances to thefallen angel Realm, the Hero is dissatisfied with the slow progress and quickly advances towards thefallen angel Queen’s castle. When he finally confronts her, he is startled to find that she is a woman of unparalleled beauty who also happens to need his help. After a compelling argument presenting her case, the beautiful queen can eventually convince the hero to join her side.
Humans fighting demons has always been common in Fantasy Anime, but Maoyuu Maou Yuusha presents a narrative with a political twist to this classic narrative.
17. Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon: Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
Kobayashi is a stoic programmer who meets a dragon during one of her escapades to the mountains. After learning that the beast has nowhere to go, she offers the dragon a place to stay in her home. On the following day, she is surprised to find out that the dragon turned into a young girl with a maid outfit overnight. This marks the beginning of Kobayashi’s involvement with mythical creatures turned females, often bringing drama and trouble to her days.
The series mix of dragons, cute characters, and comical situations makes it an incredibly entertaining watch.
18. Fruits Basket
Tohru Honda is an orphaned high school girl. During renovations in her host relative’s house, she moves to a tent in the woods where she meets the Soumas, owners of the land she is staying at. After a landslide destroys her tent, she has to move in with the three Souma males and soon discovers that the trio holds a secret involving the Zodiac animals.
It might not be fantasy-heavy, but Fruits Basket offers just enough slice-of-life fantasy that will keep you hooked from episode one.
19. Re: Creators
By writing stories, humans from around the world have created countless words borne from their imagination. When Souta Mizushino is sucked into one such world, he is shocked to realize that a character from the story, Selesia Yupitilia, has followed him to the real world. Soon, countless other fictional characters appear in the real world, including a mysterious woman in full military uniform.
Souta and Selesia enlist the help of a calm NPC named Meteora Osterreich to get to the bottom of these strange events. With powerful forces blurring the lines of reality and fiction, the creators of the earth are on course to a fateful meeting with the characters they created.
Check Out: 15 Of The Goriest Anime & Manga That Will Turn Your Stomach Upside Down
20.Ookami to Koushinryaou: Spice and Wolf
Said wolf girl was once a revered wolf deity named Holo, but she is reduced to a mere folktale when the people of Pasloe become self-sufficient. When a traveling merchant called Kraft Lawrence passes through the town, he ends up striking a business partnership with Holo, giving her new meaning to her existence.
This series uses its good depth of characters, backstories, and personalities to entertain an exciting mix of fantasy, romance, and economics.
21. One Piece
Gol D. Roger was the “Pirate King,” but his capture and loss of life by the World Government completely changed the world. His last world revealed the existence of One Piece, the greatest treasure in the world, ushering in the Grand Age of the pirates – men who dream of finding One Piece and claiming the unlimited riches and fame that come with the title of Pirate King. The story follows 17-year-old Luffy and his crew on a quest to find One Piece and ultimately become the Pirate King.
This unconventional anime has a promising plot with an engaging cast and lots of fantasy elements that have made it popular over its 1000+-episode length.
Check Out: The Ultimate Guide To One Piece Devil Fruit & Its Users
22. Little Witch Academia
Set in a world where anyone can become a witch, Little Witch Academia follows the story of Atsuko “Akko” Kagari- a young girl who enrolls in a prestigious magical school. Since she comes from a non-magical background and has little magical talent, Akko struggles to fit in. However, her luck changes when she comes into possession of an ancient relic which allows her to compete with other students and betters her chances of becoming a witch.
Not that different from My Hero Academia, Little Witch Academia presents an excellent plot with amusing characters and some great animations that make for an entertaining watch.
23. Overlord
With the imminent shutdown of the virtual reality game Yggdrasil, a player named Momonga decides to spend the last few moments in the game. To his surprise, his in-game avatar isn’t affected by the shutdown, and the NPCs have developed personalities. With their help, Momonga embarks on a mission to investigate this odd phenomenon and take control of this new world, looking to see if there are other players caught in the same predicament.
Overlord’s premise sounds a little bit like Sword Art Online but sets itself apart by giving us a protagonist who loves playing the antagonist’s role. The fight scenes utilize flawless animation except for the excessive blood and carnage that may not appeal to everyone.
Check Out: Best Anime Like Overlord: Anime To Watch If You Can’t Get Over Overlord
24. Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken: The Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime
37- year-old Satoru Mikami leads a somewhat monotonous lifestyle in Tokyo. One day, he receives a fatal knife wound. When he regains consciousness, Satoru is shocked to discover that he has been reincarnated as a goop of slime in an alternate realm. Gifted with the ability to mimic the appearance and powers of anything it devours, Satoru encounters the imprisoned “Storm Dragon” Veldora and promises to help break the seal that is binding the monster.
Following the adventures of Satoru and his antiques in this new world, the fantasy provides a refreshing take of the fantasy genre. It presents a fairly OP character who, instead of constantly fighting against monsters, works with different creatures to build the world.
Check Out: 30 Animes Like That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime
25. Hunter X Hunter
In a fantasy world where hunters take on all kinds of dangerous tasks, twelve-year-old Gon Freecs is determined to join this elite group. During his quest to become the best possible hunter and find his missing father, Goon encounters Leorio, Kurapika, and Killua. If they are to attain their goals, the four must take on the Hunter Exam; a test which very few survive. During their journey, the four friends undergo many hardships as they interact with a plethora and monsters and characters that they meet along the way.
Check Out: 10 Anime You Need To Watch After Hunter x Hunter
26. Magi: Sinbad no Bouken (Magi: Adventure of Sinbad)
In the small village of Tison in the Parthevia Empire, a boy is born to the ex-soldier Badr and his wife, Esra. Named Sinbad, the young boy leads a joyous life until a stranger comes along and shatters his peaceful world. Years later, a talented teenage Sinbad is inspired by his tragic past to explore the world beyond his village. This marks the start of his epic saga, during which he gathers allies and wins hearts en route to becoming the High King of the Seven Seas.
Utilizing an incredible depth of characters, this series tells a brilliant story full of adventures that create a grand feel over 13 enjoyable episodes.
Check Out: How To Watch Magi Anime’s In Order
27. Ao No Exorcist (Blue Exorcist)
Assiah and Gehenna are the home realms of humans and demons, respectively. Trapped in Gehenna, the devil sends his son into Assiah, hoping he grows into a vessel that will allow him to conquer the realm. When an ordinary teenager called Rin Okumura discovers that he is, in fact, this son of Lucifer, he denies his fate. He begins training as an exorcist so he can defend Assiah against his father’s intentions.
Check Out: Top 40 Dark Anime To Watch In 2021
28. The Devil is A Part-Timer
While attempting to conquer Ente Isla’s land, the devil is forced to retreat through a portal and lands in the human world. Powerless, he takes on a part-time job working at MgRonalds to make ends meet and is determined to ascend to the top of the corporate world.
This fantasy anime is short, fun, and comedic. Brace for lots of hilarious scenes that promise to deliver a one-of-a-kind binge.
29. KonoSuba: God’s Blessing On This Wonderful World
High school student Kazuma Satou dies a ridiculous on his way back from buying a game. Luckily, the beautiful goddess Aqua presents him with two options; proceed to the afterlife or get reincarnated in a real fantasy world. Choosing the latter, Kazuma Satou is tasked with defeating afallen angel King. Choosing Aqua as his companion- who also happens to be utterly useless in fighting thefallen angel King- the duo has to figure out a way to survive in this new world.
Check Out: 17 Anime To Watch If You Love Konosuba
30. Darwin’s Game
Kaname Sadou receives an invitation from his classmate to play Darwin’s Game. During his first interaction with the game, a green snake pops out from his phone and bites him. After waking up in the infirmary with no signs of a snake bite, he dismisses this experience as a hallucination and has a second go at the game. He soon discovers that it is not your average mobile game; this is a brutal game for survival that will stop at nothing to end his life.
Over its 11-episodes, this thriller fantasy triggers a sudden adrenaline rush that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
