15Goblin Slayer
Goblins are frequently depicted as the main evil villainous hench-monsters for heroes to kill in Western fantasy stories. Goblin Slayer is one of the most successful of a whole new wave of anime based on western fantasy.
This series is a love letter to the fantasy genre. Characters have such names as Dwarf Shaman, Priestess, and the titular Goblin Slayer. There is even dice rolling. There are amazing battles that captivate everything that is great about high fantasy, but ultimately, Goblin Slayer is just as great at subverting fantasy tropes as giving fans all the best parts of the genre.
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14 Maria The Virgin Witch
Set against the backdrop of the Hundred Years War between France and England, Maria the Virgin Witch follows a witch using her magic to try to force both armies to stop fighting. There is a good bit of comedy surrounding Maria’s virginal status, especially as she has an incubus and a succubus serving her as familiars.
The battles are incredible and this anime has some of the most accurate medieval martial combat ever depicted with cutthroat mercenaries and knights in full plate clashing in the din of melee. Maria is a fun character who gives heart to the series, adding magic and joy to a world beset by grim violence and tragedy.
13 Inuyasha
This is an older series that many may already have seen, but anyone who has missed it should go back and watch it now. Set in Sengoku Era Japan, this series follows a time-displaced girl from the present named Kagome and the half-demon Inuyasha as they battle various supernatural horrors.
With an oversized sword made from the fang of a giant demon, a resurrected priestess, and a short illusion-casting fox spirit there is no short of fantasy fun in this plot based around the hunt for shards of a magical gemstone.
12 Death Note
Death Note is a great example of contemporary fantasy at its best. The story follows protagonist Light Yagami, a brilliant high school boy who acquires a magical journal known as a Death Note. If he knows a person’s name and what they look like, Light can write that person's name in the book, which will result in their death.
Light begins to kill criminals with his new powers, using the name Kira as he tries to kill his way to creating a better world. A police task force forms to stop him, headed by a mysterious genius known as L, someone every bit as smart as Light. This story is a game of cat and mouse, filled with dark magic and death gods, all set in modern-day Tokyo.
11 Berserk
Berserk is widely celebrated as one of the greatest manga series ever made. While the most recent 2017 anime series is a bit of a mess, the original '90s anime is a beautiful adaptation of the “Golden Age” arc of Kentaro Miura’s manga. The three Berserk: Golden Age films are also excellent.
This series follows Guts, a scarred fearsome mercenary captain of the Band of the Hawk. While fighting in the frontlines with his massive sword, the Hawks encounter unspeakable demons— and human enemies who are every bit as deadly. While the fight scenes are spectacular, Berserk’s truly unforgettable because of its amazing characters and philosophical explorations.
10 Fruits Basket
A series of tragic and unfortunate events force Tohru to set camp in the forest as she finds herself without a home. A great secret is revealed to her when she serendipitously finds her way to a house that happens to be home to the most popular boy in school.
Fruits Basket is one of those adorable contemporary fantasy series that will always bring a smile on your face. Although the story takes place in a high-school setting, it doesn't feel too young or childish and brilliantly takes on some pretty heaving subjects such as loss, self-doubt, and bullying. Season two is coming out in a few weeks so now is the perfect time to give this a try!
9 Fullmetal Alchemist
This next anime is hands down one of the most popular anime out there regardless of genre, but in case you're new to the otaku life or have pulled a Patrick Star and have been living under a rock, here's a little synopsis of this absolute must-watch:
In a world where humans have mastered the art of alchemy, based on the concept of equivalent exchange, a forbidden experiment gone terribly wrong cost a boy his body, forcing him to live with his soul attached to a suit of armor, while his older brother gave up a leg and arm. The two swear to find a way to get their bodies back and join the army hoping to use their funds to fuel their research, only to discover that a menace is growing with roots far bigger than anyone could have imagined.
8 Ancient Magus Bride
In an alternate version of London, England, a young woman named Chise allows herself to be sold as a slave at an auction after growing up an orphan and homeless. An ancient and well-known mage named Elias Ainsworth recognizes her to be a rare sort of mage called a Sleigh Buggy. This reveal turns the tables for Chise who is now worth more than she would have hoped. Elias offers Chise the opportunity to become his apprentice and grow into her power with the only counterpart that she will one day become his bride.
7 Somali And The Forest Spirit
In a world filled with spirits, goblins, and a great many other strange creatures, human beings are hunted to the point of near extinction. A serendipitous meeting brings a golem and a young human girl together. A bond immediately forms between this unlikely duo and they set up on a quest to travel this strange and dangerous world in search of the remaining human beings.
The series premiered on Crunchyroll earlier this year and is showing great promise.
6 Natsume Yuujinchou (Natsume’s Book Of Friends)
Natsume was always a peculiar child and grew up with the ability to see spirits which has not always been easy on him and it only seems to get worse.
When the story starts, Natsume learns that his recently deceased grandmother had spent her life trapping spirits in her Book of Friends which she has passed down to Natsume. With the help of a cat-looking spirit called Madara, Natsume makes a vow to free all the spirits trapped in the Book of Friends, no matter how dangerous that may be.
5 Little Witch Academia
Atsuko "Akko" Kagari is a young girl fascinated by magic. Despite the fact that magic is now considered to be outdated, she enrolls in a prestigious magical school for young girls called Luna Nova Magical Academy.
No matter how hard she tries, Akko still struggles to fit in as she comes from a non-magical background and has very little magical talent. Luckily, Akko came into possession of an ancient magical relic that once belonged to a powerful witch before she gave up on her dream of becoming a witch herself. Thanks to this relic, she can now compete against the other students and work towards her dream.
4 Made In Abyss
A city built around the Abyss, a seemingly bottomless pit in which treasures and mysterious creatures can be found, is home to one of the best Divers; Lyza. To everyone's surprise, her latest mission goes horribly wrong and she disappears within the abyss, leaving behind her a daughter: Riko.
Determined to find her mother, Riko aspires to climb up the ranks of White Whistle and dive into the Abyss herself. During her first mission, she encounters a strange robot boy suffering from amnesia and the two of them venture deep into the Abyss. Despite its colorful and adorable design, Made in Abyss hides a pretty dark story with the promise of a thrilling and fascinating adventure.
3 Tokyo Ghoul
In a world where ghouls, human flesh-eating creatures, live among humans, a college student named Ken Kaneki miraculously survives an encounter one of those creatures. Upon waking up at the hospital, Ken learns that the surgery he underwent transformed him into a half-ghoul.
The story follows him as he learns to live with his new condition and come to terms with this new reality. Because Ken is now neither ghoul nor human, he struggles to find a place to fit in. Tokyo Ghoul is but one of the many dark fantasy/horror anime you should watch!
2 Kobayashi-San Chi No Maid Dragon
One drunken night out in the city, Kobayashi crosses paths with a strange girl named Tooru and offers to share her apartment with her. To her surprise, the Tooru that shows up at her doorstep the following day is not quite the person she remembers and she finds herself greeted by a dragon on her way out to work.
Tooru offers to work as a maid for Kobayashi to repay her for her kindness, however, Tooru's unorthodox methods often bring more chaos than actual help.
1 Magi
Hidden around the world are several labyrinths called "Dungeons" that people attempt to find in hopes of uncovering some valuable treasures. Despite being total strangers, Aladdin, a young magician, and Alibaba decide to go in search of one of those Dungeons together in order to pay for the damage they have done to a rich merchant's supply cart. To their surprise, what was supposed to be a simple quest for treasures turns out to be life-changing for both of them.