Anime And Dungeons & Dragons are probably two of the most popular geek hobbies right now and the only thing that could be better for fans of both is when they overlap. Anime (especially shounen anime) is known for its high action and fantasy setting, making the appeal pretty obvious to D&D fans. Since D&D has had a huge impact on the RPG genre in general, and many fantasy anime implement RPG elements into their storytelling, a lot of anime has their existence thanks to more tablet games. What fans can expect. Classes, skills, and stats – it all ultimately comes back to D&D.
There are a lot of anime that are actually inspired by tablet games like Dungeons & Dragons. There are also many anime series that, while not directly inspired, have a lot in common with a regular D&D campaign, in terms of story structure and how characters behave. That applies to both very serious settings and more humorous settings, which many D&D campaigns have developed. Here are 10 great examples of both funny and serious anime that resemble D&D.
10 goblin assassins
Goblin Slayer is a very dark and serious anime series directly inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, and D&D fans will no doubt notice references to the popular tabletop game scattered throughout. there. Series author Kagyu Kumo even said much of the same in the original Light Novel. The series follows Goblin Slayer, an unnamed Warrior whose sole mission in this world is to destroy goblins, regardless of the whims of the gods who control the world. It’s quite short, currently only 12 episodes and a movie, but its popularity has ensured a second season of Goblin Slayer will premiere in October 2023.
9 Records of the Lodoss War
The original story of Record of Lodoss War actually dates back to 1986, when it was first published as a D&D “Replay” in a Japanese magazine. It was later adapted into a novel by Dungeon Master, and eventually became a full 13-episode anime OVA series in 1990. The story of Record of Lodoss War follows the young son of a fallen knight named Parn, the wind manipulator became the leader of a group of adventurers that roamed the earth. Of course, this will lead to a larger conspiracy, with the fate of the world at stake, as D&D campaigns often do. There is also a 27-episode anime adaptation from 1998 that has a slightly different plot.
8 Rise of the Shield Hero
The Isekai genre that The Rising of the Shield Hero belongs to is very much D&D, and this series is no exception. As an Isekai, the plot naturally begins with an Otaku from Japan named Naofumi being summoned to another world as a hero. The original idea was that for Naofumi, it wasn’t an escapist fantasy, as despite being given a legendary shield, he was mocked, protested, and quickly ran out of town for a crime. evil he did not commit. Naofumi ends up working with a bird monster named Filo and a tanuki girl named Raphtalia, who was once a slave, and still has to deal with the problems of this world, despite the way he and his friends His companions were treated. The series is also scheduled to premiere its third season in October 2023.
7 demon assassins
While Demon Slayer isn’t directly inspired by a D&D campaign like some of the others on this list, it’s still the kind of anime that fans of the tabletop game will enjoy. After his family is massacred except for his sister, who is instead turned into a demon, Tanjiro sets out to avenge his family and restore his sister to normal. It’s a quest worthy of any campaign, and of course the stakes will continue to rise as Tanjiro learns more about demons and becomes a Demon Hunter. Tanjiro forms a group of young Demon Hunters, with occasional help from the more experienced Hashira, and together fight the demon-possessed world.
6 assassins
Slayers is possibly one of the anime that resembles a true D&D campaign, mixing humor and farce with deadly serious “save the world” plots. The story follows Lina Inverse, a sorceress of great power who is primarily interested in learning magic and making money, but often ends up bearing the fate of the world on her shoulders. Her companions are like a typical D&D party: the ultra-legitimate Amelia, the stupid warrior Gourry, and the secret-obsessed priest Xellos. Slayers has been around for a long time, with 5 seasons released throughout the 1990s and 2000s, so the style may vary slightly, but either way it’s still a fun experience. and attractive.
5 KonoSuba
Another comedic series, KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World is an Isekai that follows Kazuma Satou, a Japanese NEET reincarnated in a parallel fantasy world that runs on RPG-style mechanics after dying in a bad way as tigerish as possible. Kazuma ends up with the useless goddess who reincarnated him, Aqua, the masochistic warrior Darkness, and a young explosion-loving mage named Megumin. The party is about to get as dysfunctional as possible, leading to all kinds of hilarious antics.
4 That time I was reincarnated as a Slime
Like KonoSuba, That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime is an Isekai set in a world that runs on RPG mechanics, with the main character Rimuru having been reincarnated as a mere slime…albeit with some technicalities. Incredibly unique capabilities. Rimuru strikes a deal with a trapped Storm Dragon, receives great power from him, and begins making the world a better place for monsters, starting with a village of goblins. Slime is somewhat involved in war and action, but it is more politically inclined than most Isekai, focusing primarily on nation-building.
3 Created from the abyss
Made in Abyss is set in a magical world centered on a giant seemingly bottomless pit, from which magical artifacts are recovered. The Cave Raiders are greatly admired by Riko, a young girl with the same goal as Cave Raider’s mother. She embarks on a quest with a robot boy named Reg, but the depths of the Abyss are afflicted by a deadly curse, the deeper they go, the worse it gets. Despite featuring children, Made in Abyss pulls no punches in its storytelling, showing just how dangerous and deadly a D&D-style adventure environment would actually be in a dungeon. The world’s worst nightmare.
Fullmetal Alchemist is not set in a typical fantasy world but one based in the early 1900s, featuring a unique “magic” system in the form of Alchemy, which follows very strict rules similar to magic. D&D art. Following the Elric brothers, whose goal is to restore their bodies to normal after a disastrous attempt at resurrecting the dead, there are few plots better suited to the tabletop campaign. Naturally, this quest turns out to be tied to the fate of the world, and it is no coincidence that the Elrics are involved. While both the 2003 version of Fullmetal Alchemist and Brotherhood are great watches, Brotherhood’s broader scope makes it the better recommendation for D&D fans.
1 Samurai Champloo
Set in an alternate version of Edo-period Japan, Samurai Champloo stars as a young girl, Fu, on a quest to find “the samurai who smells of sunflowers,” and to accomplish this goal, she must two masterless samurai must attack. escort her on this mission, promising them that they can continue the duel upon success. It’s a long and strange mission across changing Japan, facing all manner of enemies and one-off encounters, giving the film a war-like structure. D&D translation. While Samurai Champloo’s story remains largely a personal one, the party dynamics between the three main characters will certainly feel familiar to experienced players.
There are many other anime series out there that follow D&D, especially the Isekai genre which is very fond of RPGs and mechanics. While not all of these series feature a classic fantasy setting, every D&D or tabletop campaign does, and that doesn’t make them any less suited to the tastes of the average gamer. . Interference between cartoon And Dungeons & Dragons is a surprisingly large film, for both anime creators and its fans, and that has resulted in some really great novels being produced.