Anime has taken over the world, and one of its most-watched genres is fantasy and adventure. There’s something about fantasy anime that catches our attention quite oddly. An amazing introduction to Chinese fantasy-based anime: Dragon Raja, also commonly known as Long Zu.
The anime is a wonderful take on a world filled with magic and fantasy and other things our minds cannot imagine of. Dragon Raja is a story about a lucky college student named Lu Mingfei at Cassell College, Chicago. I bet Lu Mingfei never expected his life to turn so extraordinarily.
The world takes unexpected turns as the story progresses. We see the existence of dragons and other ancient mystical creatures that seem to have been existing since time immemorial. Lu Mingfei is as shocked as us, as these creatures and humans have been living in constant feuds, whether to protect these dragons or to control them.
Lu finds himself caught in this war revolving around the dragons. He meets incredible people along the way as he sets on to discover the other extraordinary secrets the world has to offer. In the meantime, he faces quite a number of struggles and obstacles.
As the main protagonist, he seems a bit overpowered, but we can’t say that throughout the show since he’s seen defeat. Despite a few defeats, Lu Mingfei doesn’t lose hope and picks himself up again on the right track to uncover the secrets of the existence of dragons. He eventually aims to slay all dragons, or will he protect them instead? Watch the anime to find out more!
- Produced by: Tencent Penguin Pictures
- Studio: Garden Culture
- IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Magic
- Release Date: August 19, 2022
- Where to watch: N/A
Also read: 50 Best Fantasy Anime Of All Time – Ranked By Fans
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Commonly known as “Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken,” the anime series is an absolutely fantastic blend of action, comedy, and fantasy.
The series follows the journey of a 37-year-old man named Satoru Mikami, who happens to work at a corporate, but due to sudden death, he is reincarnated to the fantasy world. With the hopes of getting reincarnated as a mighty warrior or magician, he has instead revived into the body of a slime.
The slime, who goes by the name Rimuru Tempest, seems to have some magical powers and is somewhat considered overpowered by most fans worldwide. Trapped in a slime’s body is a bit difficult to imagine, but considering it is a fantasy world, nothing really seems out of the ordinary.
One of the first encounters with antagonists is the one with a powerful and sly dragon named Veldora. He then goes on to defeat these mischievous villainous creatures and eventually sets up a heavenly abode for all monsters and otherworldly creatures named, Tempest. He is also commonly referred to as the Great Demon Lord.
As the episodes progress, the story seems to be revealing an important secret of the world, which is somewhat related to the cause of death and reincarnation of Satoru Mikami as Rimuru Tempest. As Rimuru goes on to build a utopian world of his own, the secrets seem to be haunting and, at some point, even threatening Rimuru and Tempest’s existence and safety.
- Directed by: Yasuhito Kikuchi (#1–24), Atsushi Nakayama (#25–)
- Studio: 8bit
- IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Isekai
- Release Date: October 2, 2018
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Also read: Anime Similar To That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime
Fairy Tail
Created by Hiro Mashima, this series used to be one of the most-watched fantasy-based anime shows across Japan and the world. It gained recognition mostly in the early 2010s, along with the One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach series. This is, by far, one of the best Shounen fantasy-packed anime series out there.
The series follows the story of our protagonist, who goes by the name of Natsu Dragneel, and his guild. He is one of the most powerful wizards in the Fairy Tail world and has quite some OP skills up his sleeves- one of them being an excellent fire dragon slayer.
He seeks to find his long-lost father in hopes of getting a family and being accepted into one. But this somewhat blinds him into thinking he has no family and that the world is full of crap. He slowly realizes that he is surrounded by so many friendly and caring guild members.
The series sheds light on the power of true friendship, which is what most fans agree with and sympathize with Natsu.
The power of friendship can defeat evil in this world. This is what most of the fights in Fairy Tail base their logic on, which is similar to the other top shounen anime of the early 2000s and 2010s, namely Naruto and One Piece.
The anime has quite a few interesting plot twists here and there but is mostly filled with epic battles centered on life-saving friendship morale and funny gag scenes.
- Directed by: Shinji Ishihira
- Studio: A-1 Pictures, Satelight (#1–175), Bridge (#176–328), CloverWorks (#278–328)
- IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Shounen
- Release Date: October 12, 2009
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Also read: 20 Interesting Fairy Tail Facts You Did Not Know
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
A very light-hearted series but centered on the fantasy world of dragons. Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid is beautifully written, focusing on the slice-of-life genre and based on a fantasy world of dragons, but it has some frightening and thrilling scenes of epic battles between dragons.
One of the main protagonists of the series is Miss Kobayashi herself, who has a carefree attitude towards life and thus doesn’t really feel suspicious and accepts a dragon maid named Tohru, who unexpectedly meets her at her doorway.
Kobayashi doesn’t want to make a big deal out of it as she tries to ignore Tohru and the existence of dragons but slowly believes in dragons and the power they hold as more and more dragons cross paths with Kobayashi.
Towards the end, we see a significant change in Kobayashi’s attitude as she begins to help Tohru fight other demon creatures.
Being the only human among the group of dragons, she shares her beautiful and thought-provoking beliefs and ideas about the co-existence of humans and dragons and why peace is a beautiful concept to have in this world.
The series may seem boring initially, but once you go past the first few episodes, it’s a good shot at fantasy slice-of-life with surprising action scenes, and for more, I recommend you to watch.
- Directed by: Yasuhiro Takemoto
- Studio: Kyoto Animation
- IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
- Genre: Fantasy, Slice of Life, Yuri
- Release Date: January 12, 2017
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Also read: Anime Like Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid That You Don’t Want To Miss!
KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!
A fans’ favorite- KonoSuba. The series is another isekai genre that became a hit among fans, especially across the seas. The plot is simple- a comedic bunch of people grouped together with massive magic and strength powers are set for adventure and mysterious paths ahead.
One of the most lucrative features of the anime is its laid-back energy and gorgeous fan service. The main protagonists, Megumin, Darkness, and Aqua, have been the most debated waifu characters among the female cast, while the star hero Kazuma Sato is the fan’s favorite and most relatable character in the series.
Kazuma, in the mortal world, meets with an accident and dies but immediately gets transported to another world. He is welcomed by a useless water goddess Aqua as soon as he opens his eyes. He is later joined by a masochistic warrior Darkness and a short-tempered magician Megumin.
The female trio doesn’t help Kazuma at all besides giving him headaches and our entertainment. Kazuma still has to finish his missions and complete this journey so he can have a smooth life in this fantasy world after having died in embarrassment back on Earth.
- Directed by: Takaomi Kanasaki, Yujiro Abe (season 3)
- Studio: Studio Deen (seasons 1–2), Drive (season 3)
- IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
- Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Isekai
- Release Date: January 14, 2016
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll
The Rising of the Shield Hero
Another up on the list of great fantasy isekai anime series- The Rising of the Shield Hero. This series revolves around the weak and timid protagonist Naofumi Iwatani. Like other isekai anime series, this also starts off with Naofumi living his life on earth but unexpectedly gets transported to another parallel universe that is completely different from what he was familiar with.
Naofumi is actually reincarnated as the Shield Hero, which is commonly known as the weakest hero. Among all the other heroes, he is seen to be facing quite a lot of struggles and prejudice from society.
But what gets him through the tough nights and the dry days is his intelligence and sheer unwavering self-esteem. Even after having been discriminated against, Naofumi doesn’t lose hope, and he manages to get by every day as he uses his brain.
Naofumi is the smartest hero, if not the strongest. The series focuses on Naofumi and his methods of overcoming the stigma of being a weak hero, and instead, he devises plans and goes on a seemingly reckless journey of becoming more than just a Shield Hero.
For a fantasy isekai, this series has fared decently among fans from Japan and the rest of the world, which could be partly because of the intricate and relatable lowkey main protagonist character design.
- Directed by: Takao Abo (season 1), Masato Jinbo (season 2), Hitoshi Haga (season 3)
- Studio: Kinema Citrus, DR Movie (season 2)
- IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
- Genre: Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Drama, Adventure, Isekai
- Release Date: January 9, 2019
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Also read: The Rising Of The Shield Hero: Guardian Beasts Explained
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
The series, also commonly known as DanMachi, is based on a Japanese light novel of the same name. The plot is based on a fantasy world where gods and humans coexist in peace and harmony.
As any other young protagonist, Bell Cranel is a promising adventurer who is very determined and disciplined, but he tends to go out of his way to impress his crush, Ais Wallenstein.
As Bell Cranel sets on a journey in hopes of getting Ais’ attention, he slowly finds himself trapped between dungeons and various adversaries.
With the sheer determination to survive and prove his worth, he forms reliable bonds with others and tries to escape the dungeons and the underlying secrets these dungeons hold.
There’s an interesting new character known as Hestia, who is a powerful and beautiful goddess and has taken a liking to Bell and his notorious smart plans.
The series offers such epic battles and intense close-combat fights that the animation and graphics would leave you craving for more. The character designs are amazingly drawn and written.
The Bell and Ais might have been a loving duo, but we see great and perfectly timed chemistry between Bell and Hestia instead; they are a great comedic relief to the action-filled fantasy anime series.
- Directed by: Yoshiki Yamakawa (I), Hideki Tachibana (II-IV)
- Studio: J.C.Staff
- IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
- Release Date: April 4, 2015
- Where to watch: HIDIVE
Also read: Who Does Bell Cranel End up with in ‘Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon’?
Fate/Zero
Based on a fantasy light novel franchise, the series closely follows the Holy Grail War, where individuals fight against each other to obtain the precious and most sought-after Holy Grail.
As intriguing as it may sound, the series has left several fans confused and unable to pinpoint the chronology of events taking place in the Fate/Zero universe.
Seven such mortals have been chosen to fight for Holy Grail along with their heroic spirits. The series takes on bit mature themes such as rage, redemption, and betrayal. The characters shown in the series are neither morally good nor bad.
This is where it gets interesting. The series, as I mentioned before, has left fans confused, and the reason is due to the constant psychological play among the characters.
A grip into reality: the Fate series( Fate/Zero, Lord El-Melloi II’s Case Files, Fate/Stay Night) is a nightmare to some fans considering how complex and sophisticated the plot has developed. It talks about various philosophical concepts and social constructs and questions the viewers on what is good and what is bad.
If you are an avid reader of crime, this is a must-watch! Besides dealing with death and life, the heroic spirits are the ones you should focus on while watching the series; the fantasy universe of the Fate series has no bounds.
- Directed by: Ei Aoki
- Studio: Ufotable
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Genre: Action, Fantasy, Supernatural
- Release Date: October 1, 2011
- Where to watch: Netflix, Funimation, Crunchyroll
Also read: Fate/Stay Night-Unlimited Blade Works Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Made in Abyss
A story about two individuals who seem to be lost in the mysterious and impenetrable abyss- Riko and her humanoid robot named Reg. It’s a heart-warming and a bit tragic story that shows how desperate children can become when they are separated from their parents.
Riko and Reg go on a very difficult journey to find their long-lost mother in the abyss. The abyss isn’t just what it seems like in the beginning. There’s more to it. Riko’s mother was a renowned adventurer and well-respected in society.
Why did she go missing? Where could she be? Is she dead? Is there a chance she may still be alive? What’s in the abyss that’s lurking around and gives chills down our spine? What’s the secret of the abyss? How many more creatures do they have to fight as they go deeper into the abyss?
These are some of the questions that come to our minds as the series progresses. To find answers to these, you must definitely give this series a try; it’s an excellent blend of mystery and fantasy surrounding adventurous tales.
As intriguing as it may seem, the plot is simple, though; two individuals are on a search for their missing mother in the abyss. Another special feature of the series is that, just like Fate/Zero mentioned before, it deals with mature themes and graphic visuals, which may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
- Directed by: Masayuki Kojima
- Studio: Kinema Citrus
- IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
- Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Seinen, Science-fiction
- Release Date: July 7, 2017
- Where to watch: N/A
Also read: Made In Abyss Watch Order: Anime, Movies & Fillers
Burn the Witch
If I were to choose one solid movie that has elements of action, fantasy, and supernatural, Burn the Witch would definitely cross my mind right away.
Set in the Bleach universe (yes, you read that right), the main protagonists, Ninny Spangcole and Noel Niihashi, are two different witches with incredible magic powers.
In reality, there are no dragons in their world, but in a mirror world, they are part of an organization that aims to protect the common mass from these dragons.
The movie is as short as 63 minutes. Despite its length, the movie has encapsulated fans and dragged them more into this Bleach universe that focuses on the dragon-slaying adventures of Ninny and Noel.
In a short span of time, the directors have done well in giving the audience a precise background narrative of each character. The premise of the show is done extremely well and has precisely captured various elements like comedy, action, and fantasy.
In the meantime, the animation and graphic visuals are beautiful and seem pretty expensive to have been covered. Nonetheless, the story is well-written and offers all that a fantasy anime could.
It’s been very entertaining, and fans hope to see more of it, especially considering that it’s set in a Bleach universe and it is perhaps the best Tite Kubo movie.
- Directed by: Tatsuro Kawano
- Studio: Studio Colorido
- IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
- Genre: Action, Fantasy, Shounen
- Release Date: October 2, 2020
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll
A Herbivorous Dragon of 5,000 Years Gets Unfairly Villainized
A confusing anime to begin with- A Herbivorous Dragon of 5,000 Years Gets Unfairly Villainized, and so is the name. But the plot is amazingly written, although the anime series has a rather slow pace which gets viewers disinterested.
The story starts off with our beloved protagonist creature trying to escape from humans, a dragon named Lyngle who has seen the world for about 5,000 years now.
As the safety of humans is threatened, the dragon goes into hiding for a long while since humans are out on a hunt for Lyngle. Lyngle feels helpless because of the false accusations and nonsense prejudice. There’s nothing that can be done but hide.
He eventually comes across creatures of all kinds: both humans and mystical creatures. He begins to show remorse towards the human because of the misunderstandings they’ve created, but he slowly begins to accept them and their viewpoint.
He also tries his best to be a friendly dragon towards the humans so they can clear the misconception of dragons.
The show has done quite decently in terms of premise, and with just 12 episodes, it has shown a remarkable and heart-warming story and struggles of an outsider (here, dragon Lyngle) who wants to be accepted by the other party (here, humans).
The show has shed light on how communities of different kinds can live together in peace and harmony if and only if they come together to understand each other more and better.
- Directed by: Liu Siwen
- Studio: Studio LAN
- IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
- Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
- Release Date: July 30, 2022
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Also read: 8 Best Action-Fantasy Anime To Watch Like Knight’s & Magic This Year.
