Anime lends to a lot of freedom in storytelling. After all, it's much easier to pull off fantastical imagery through hand drawn depictions than it is in live action.
And speaking of fantastical, anime is never more exciting to me than when it is telling a fantasy tale.
There are so many wonderful anime, and such a breadth of different subgenres, styles, and tones. And while I love a fun urban anime like My Hero Academia, it's the high fantasy stories that end up being my favorites.
From heart-wrenching family sagas to tragic fights for survival, here are eight of the very best fantasy anime you can watch tonight.
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
This is perhaps my favorite fantasy anime of all time. At the very least, it's the most beautiful art I've ever seen.
After an adventuring party achieves peace by slaying the Demon King, the mage of the group—an elf named Frieren—has a much longer life ahead of her than her companions. Finding new meaning in her life through the people she comes to care for with shorter life spans, she travels throughout the land with a new appreciation for things.
But peace doesn't last forever.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
After demons attack a family in the mountains, there are only two survivors—Tanjuro and his sister, Nezuko. Unfortunately, Nezuko does not make it out of the ordeal unscathed, and has herself transformed into a demon.
Though those who know her true nature typically despise her, she is an exceptional case. Fueled by the love of her family, she is a demon that refuses to consume human flesh.
As Tanjiro journeys out to become a demon slayer, Nezuko breaks the norm and fights her own kind at his side. Together they fight to keep peace and find a cure.
Berserk
An oldie but a goodie, this 1997 is so beloved I even have a friend with a cat named after the main character.
A traveling mercenary named Guts becomes a fearsome warrior in a group known as the Band of the Hawk. Fighting for the kingdom of Midland, the group finds themselves in trouble when a series of events leads to the awakening of a dark relic.
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood
If given the choice between the original Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, always go with the latter. It's more faithful to the source material and ultimately told with a bit more nuance.
Two young brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric try to use alchemy to revive their deceased mother, leaving them in damaged form. While Edward sacrifices an arm and a leg, Alphonse's body is entirely lost, and his spirit is bound to a suit of armor.
They forge ahead and become State Alchemists in the hopes of one day restoring their bodies with the legendary Philosopher's Stone.
Goblin Slayer
A group of amateur adventurers is ambushed by goblins, leaving a single young Priestess unscathed. Rescued by a skilled Goblin Slayer, the Priestess learns vital goblin killing tactics.
The priestess decides to be the Goblin Slayer's traveling companion, and together they face many dangerous encounters.
Claymore
An island of humans is plagued by violent creatures known as Yoma, humanoid shapeshifters that feed on humans. To combat this evil, female warriors known as Claymores—human-Yoma hybrids—have been created.
One such Claymore is Clare, who leads the series with gripping emotional depth.
Delicious in Dungeon
I was surprised by how much I love this series. It's so funny and pleasant—until it takes a quick turn to completely ruin your life.
It's incredible.
Adventurers Laios, Marcille, and Chilchuk travel through dangerous levels of a dungeon in search of Laios' sister. Besides ferocious monsters, their biggest enemy is their hunger.
Luckily, they meet Senshi, a dwarf who makes remarkable food out of unconventional ingredients…
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
Bell Cranel wants to be the best adventurer there ever was. With the help of the goddess Hestia—who helps him focus his dreams on something a bit more grounded—he journeys through remarkable quests through a dangerous, labyrinthine dungeon.
As cringey as the title may seem, it's more than a bit misleading. While romance does play a role, this is not the harem or ecchi series it seems, but a story of growing into being a hero.
