These past years, illusions cartoon has been dominated by the isekai genre. Whether swords, slimes, vending machines, or just better versions of themselves, the theme of reincarnation into another world has been a long-standing trend in fantasy anime. While there are worthy isekai anime, the genre seems relatively crowded.
Fantasy is already one of the most imaginative genres, so there are still plenty of ways to tell interesting non-isekai stories. Not every fantasy world needs to introduce a reincarnated character from the real world. From high fantasy epics to fun satires of the genre, there are plenty of worthwhile fantasy anime that aren’t isekai.
10 Druaga Tower
Druaga/Gonzo Tower.
Based on an extremely difficult 1980s Japanese arcade game and inspired by ancient Mesopotamian myths like the Epic of Gilgamesh, The Tower of Druaga is not a direct adaptation. Instead, it borrows a lot of names and concepts, applying these concepts to a Fantasy world with a Middle Eastern aesthetic. For the most part, The Tower of Druaga is a quirky comedy. The first episode, about main character Jil’s dream after being hit in the head, is one of the funniest, most brilliant satires of fantasy anime’s self-awareness to date. From there, the series maintains a comedic tone, although there are moments of real dramatic tension and emotional weight throughout.
9 Records of the Lodoss War
Record of the Lodoss/AIC war
Originally written as a compendium of tabletop RPG sessions by author Ryo Mizuno, Record of Lodoss War naturally feels like an anime version of Dungeons & Dragons. Record of Lodoss War and the subsequent series Chronicles of the Heroic Knight present high fantasy stories about doomed heroes, evil kings, magic, monsters and legendary dragons completely straight frankly.
While this may make the series feel generic and outdated, it is important to place Record of Lodoss War in its context as it is almost thirty years old and one of the first Fantasy anime became popular in North America. Record of Lodoss War is almost as generic as it is unoriginal; in fact, it helped shape the genre.
8 fairy tails
Adapted from the popular manga series, Fairy Tail creates a typical fantasy world by turning the entire cast into witches. Although every main character uses magic, the series’ greatest strength in world-building is the novel, unique ways each character uses his or her magic. Revolving around the activities of the wizarding guild of the same name, Fairy Tail is a fantasy comedy adventure that balances a comedic tone with serious action and emotionally powerful scenes. contact.
7 Claymores
Feeling like a cross between Berserk and The Witcher, Claymore is a gritty and dark fantasy anime that follows swordswoman Clare, one of the eponymous Claymores, an all-female group of monster hunters, named after the giant swords that their super strength allows them to wield. The monster designs are fit for a nightmare, and the fight scenes are brutal and intense, aided by the superhuman strength the Claymores have.
6 Heroic Legend of Arslan
Inspired by the medieval Persian epic poem The Shahnameh with some influences from the Crusades, Arslan’s Heroic Legend is a sprawling tale of war and political intrigue that resembles Game of Thrones. The story is driven by exiled prince Arslan’s fight to regain his rightful throne and his personal journey to become a capable leader and ruler. The non-European inspired setting helps The Heroic Legend of Arslan stand out from other Fantasy series in terms of its aesthetics as well as its world-building. The series can also rely on the strength of its narrative and action sequences.
5 demon assassins
Set in a stylized version of Taisho-era Japan haunted by monsters and demons as well as the super-powered sword warriors who fight them, Demon Slayer makes the most of its historical setting by drawing on many traditional Japanese visual and musical arts for background music and art. direction. These unique stylistic choices compliment the intense action of the fight scenes to create some truly unforgettable visuals and action scenes. Powered by these great aesthetic choices, the compelling storytelling has helped Demon Slayer become one of the most popular shounen series in recent years.
4 Spice and Wolf
The story of Lawrence, a traveling merchant, and Holo, an ancient wolf goddess forgotten by the community that once worshiped her, Spice and Wolf doesn’t have much action but makes up for it with plenty of drama. While Lawrence tries to navigate business dealings while dealing with corrupt government figures, Holo tries to navigate a world that has abandoned the ancient gods she represents in favor of a new morality. New news destroys old ways of life. The series has some pretty profound insights into human nature and religious institutions and beliefs, and is a surprisingly informative introduction to the finer points of medieval economics neck. While all of this is present in the original light novel series, the anime has the added benefit of a beautiful Celtic-inspired soundtrack.
3 Granblue Illusions
Granblue Fantasy the Animation/A-1 Pictures.
Based on a popular web-based game, Granblue Fantasy is set in a world of islands in the sky. Gran’s peaceful village life is interrupted by the mysterious girl Lyria who falls from the sky while trying to escape from the Erste Empire. From there, Gran, Lyria, Gran’s dragon companion Vyrn, and Lyria’s bodyguard Katalina set out to avoid capture by the Empire and reach the legendary Isle of Astrals. Granblue Fantasy’s biggest strength is its unique world-building, combining fairly typical Fantasy elements, cues taken from real-world mythology, some Sci-Fi aspects in a fictional setting. The world island floats in the sky to create a unique and memorable scene.
2 assassins
Originally a light novel series, Slayers was adapted into a three-season anime in the 1990s and was revived for two seasons in 2008, as well as several films and specials. Taking place in a fairly typical Dungeons & Dragons-inspired fantasy world, Slayers sets itself apart with its relentlessly humorous tone. Starring the self-centered but ultimately heroic sorceress Lina Inverse, Slayers demonstrates what happens when a cast full of eccentrics are called upon to save the world. The film combines realistic and tense action with a flamboyant cast, all of whom work together perfectly, satirizing the tropes of the fantasy genre.
Is it wrong to try to pick up girls in a dungeon?
Based on a series of light novels, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up a Girl in a Dungeon? takes real-world mythology as its central premise. In the ancient past, gods came down to earth to live among mortals. For the most part, this took the form of gods becoming patrons of mortal adventuring guilds known as Familia. The series focuses on novice adventurer Bell, the first mortal to join the Family of the goddess Hestia. Much of the series’ humor comes from the fact that while Bell only has a romantic interest in the swordswoman Ais, Bell is such a kind and caring person that he accidentally takes over. the heart of every female character he meets.
Although it feels like recent fantasy anime has been dominated by isekai, there are still plenty of traditional fantasy anime for fans to try. From ’90s classics to newer shows, there are still plenty of interesting anime that don’t require the main character to be reincarnated into a new world.