Who doesn't love an amazing fantasy story? From serious tales like Lord of the Rings to lighter-hearted romps like My Princess Bride, the genre has allowed many, many people to escape from reality, me included. Few forms of fiction have told more fantasy stories than anime, and with countless good fantasy series available, you might find it difficult to decide which ones to prioritize.
Throughout the decades, the industry has produced hundreds of brilliant shows that either take place in fantastical settings or blend the mundane with the extraordinary. Certain stories stand out above the rest as anime that no fan should go through life without watching. Let's take a look at best fantasy anime of all time, or at least ones that serve as great places to start before jumping into the genre's more obscure releases.
As they have their own article, isekai anime will be excluded. Also, "fantasy" is quite a general term, so the article will prioritize shows set in unquestionably fantastical realms.
Updated June 22, 2025 by Mark Sammut: The Summer 2025 season is almost here, and it comes packed to the brim with fantasy goodness. I cannot wait to visit some new worlds.
Exciting Upcoming Summer 2025 Fantasy Anime
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Gachiakuta Clevatess Secrets of the Silent Witch New Saga Release Date 2025-07-06 2025-07-02 2025-07-04 2025-07-02 Genres Drama, Animation, Action, Fantasy, Anime Action, Fantasy, Anime Adventure, Fantasy Action, Adventure, Fantasy Studio Bones Film Lay-duce Studio Gokumi Sotsu, Studio Clutch Based On Manga Manga Light Novel Light Novel Creator(s) Kei Urana Yūji Iwahara Matsuri Isora Masayuki Abe Streaming Service(s) Crunchyroll Crunchyroll Crunchyroll Crunchyroll
Spring 2025 was a good season overall, but I have to be honest, its successor looks far better on paper. Summer 2025 has almost too many big sequels and exciting newcomers, and every genre has some representation. Dandadan, Kaiju No. 8, My Dress-Up Darling, Call of the Night, Sakamoto Days, and Dr. Stone will hog quite a bit of the attention, and they all have the potential to produce their best season to date. Do you want something new? Well, The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity, The Summer Hikaru Died, City The Animation, and Nyaight of the Living Cat are just a handful of series that should be great (or, at least, fun).
Where To Watch The Summer 2025 Anime Lineup (Crunchyroll, HULU, Netflix, & More)
My Dress-Up Darling, Dandadan, Kaiju No, 8, and Sakamoto Days are part of the Summer 2025 anime lineup, and here is where you can stream them.
How about fantasy specifically? In terms of returning names, I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince and The Rising of Shield Hero are pretty huge in their own right, as long as you enjoy reincarnation and isekai stories, respectively. More importantly, Summer 2025 has plenty of exciting new fantasy anime. The season seems to be specifically interested in dark fantasy. Let's check out a few of them.
- Gachiakuta – A popular shonen manga that has been building up steam over the last few years, Gachiakuta seems set to be one of Summer 2025's biggest newcomers of any genre. The story brings to life a fascinating world built on class discrimination, with the protagonist, Rudo, going on a revenge mission against the elites who sent him to his death. This should be fun.
- Clevatess – Now, this has the potential to be pretty awesome. The seinen manga follows a hero and a monster who have to work together to protect a baby, and the journey has more than a few surprisingly dark and vicious moments. Lay-duce is not extremely well-known, but the studio has had successes, especially O Maidens in Your Savage Season and Tomochan Is a Girl!
- Secrets of the Silent Witch – Over the last few years, shy protagonists have started to become quite common, and Secrets of the Silent Witch presents a fantasy twist. Monica is a very capable witch who is known to cast magic without chanting, an incredible achievement. However, what most people do not know is that she went down this route because she is scared of speaking.
- New Saga – Almost leaning into isekai territory, New Saga tells a time-travel story where Kyle finds himself in the past after defeating the demon lord. The light novel and manga had fairly long runs, and both of them are finished by this point.
Now, here are the best fantasy anime of all time...
20 Humanity Has Declined
MyAnimeList: 7.71
Humanity Has Declined
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2012 - 2011
- Streaming Service(s)
As this anime's title suggests, Humanity has Declined finds mankind at a low point in its history. It looks like humans are on their way out, with fairies taking their place as the planet's new dominant inhabitants. As the latter are driven nearly entirely by impulse, they need some guidance, which is provided by an unnamed woman with a realistic disposition.
Humanity Has Declined delivers a blend of surreal comedy, vibrant visuals, and cynicism. It presents a fantasy world that is caught in the middle between two eras, sparking plenty of misunderstandings and bizarre happenings.
19 Undead Murder Farce
MyAnimeList: 7.87
Undead Murder Farce
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- July 6, 2023
- Japanese Title
- Undead Girl Murder Farce
- Studio
- Lapin Track
- Number of Episodes
- 13
- Based On
- Novel
- Creator
- Yugo Aosaki
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
One of Summer 2023's nicest surprises, Undead Murder Farce is delightfully macabre. Set in an alternative version of Meiji era Japan, the anime follows a bodyless immortal woman, her battle-hardened maid, and an ogre/human hybrid as they investigate cases dealing with the supernatural.
Blending history with fiction, Undead Murder Farce envisions a timeline where humans live alongside demons, vampires, and other monsters, although this coexistence is hardly without its detractors or issues. The leads are nuanced and world-weary, and the same can be said for side characters who feature in the cases.
18 Solo Leveling (Season 1)
MyAnimeList: 8.27
Solo Leveling
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2024 - 2025-00-00
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Based On
- Manhwa
- Creator
- Chugong
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Hype can be a curse. The more highly anticipated a show, the quicker it needs to achieve greatness to avoid being labeled as “overrated.” Chainsaw Man and Hell's Paradise are two recent anime that garnered some criticism for being just good rather than instant masterpieces, and Solo Leveling could go down this route in the future. Undoubtedly, the most famous manhwa of all time, the source material's success sparked a rise in popularity for the medium as a whole, along with spawning plenty of imitators. The anime has big shoes to fill.
Best Winter 2024 Anime, Ranked
Solo Leveling, The Dangers in My Heart, and Classroom of the Elite are all contenders for the best Winter 2024 anime.
In an alternative version of Earth where gates to dungeons have randomly opened, some humans have developed abilities that allow them to work as hunters. Sung Jin-Woo is considered the weakest member of the organization, and he is generally only allowed to take part in the easiest hunts. However, during an average operation, the hunters find a secret passage that leads to a chamber that is well beyond their capabilities. Faced with death, Jin-Woo receives a unique offer that might not only save his life but also grant him a significant power boost.
The anime's season 1 was generally great, as long as expectations are kept relatively realistic. The source material is largely loved for its fight sequences and art, both of which were adapted well by A-1 Pictures. Jin-Woo's transformation into the ultimate powerhouse might be divisive depending on someone's tolerance for OP protagonists; however, Solo Leveling chronicles his growth slowly, rather than just going from 0 to 100 in the space of an episode. Season 2 is far better than its predecessor, at least when it comes to pure action sequences. The sequel arguably set a new bar for that genre, even if it is ultimately a fairly ordinary fantasy series.
17 From the New World
MyAnimeList: 8.25
From the New World
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2012 - 2013
- Directors
- Satoshi Kon
- Writers
- Seishi Minakami, Satoshi Kon
- Japanese Title
- Shinsekai yori
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Based On
- Novel
- Creator
- Yusuke Kishi
- Number of Episodes
- 25
From the New World takes a while to reveal its brilliance, and its first few episodes can be a bit rough to get through. However, once the story picks up steam and gets into the main crux of its themes and conflict, the anime barely sets a foot wrong as it marches towards arguably one of the fantasy genre's best final episodes. In a nice change of pace, From the New World is a psychological thriller that dives fairly deep into its characters, all the while exploring the social and political climate of its setting.
The world is fascinating. Technically, it is post-apocalyptic, although this evolution's mechanics are refreshing and unique for this type of story. The anime is very character-driven, with both the heroes and villains being presented as ambiguous throughout most of the journey.
16 Magi
MyAnimeList: 8.01 (Season 1)
Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- October 7, 2012
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Number of Episodes
- 49
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Shinobu Ohtaka
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Funimation
Spanning two seasons, The Labyrinth of Magic and The Kingdom of Magic, and a spin-off series, Adventure of Sinbad, Magi takes inspiration from Arabian Nights' classic stories. Figures like Aladdin, Sinbad, Ali Baba, and Morgana serve as the protagonists of this fantasy anime.
Magi begins quite unassuming in its first season as it revolves around Aladdin and Ali Baba entering massive towers in search of treasure, but the show expands significantly as it progresses. The Kingdom of Magic is especially enthralling as it explores this world's political and social climate more closely. The spin-off series is also a lot of fun and perhaps even better than the main show.
15 Slayers
MyAnimeList: 7.72 (Season 1)
Slayers
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 1995 - 2009
- Network
- TV Tokyo
- Directors
- Takashi Watanabe, Seiji Mizushima
- Studio
- E&G Films, J.C. Staff
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Creator(s)
- Hajime Kanzaka, Rui Araizumi
- Number of Episodes
- 104
A classic fantasy anime, Slayers is arguably among the genre's funniest efforts, especially the first season. Almost coming across as a parody at times, the series revolves around the misadventures of Lina Inverse and her dysfunctional party, with the latter being generally driven by greed (while still being, overall, a good person).
The anime released 5 seasons and more than 100 episodes over the span of roughly 15 years, along with a few movies and OVAs. While the '90s seasons are generally more highly regarded than the 2000s entries, Slayers is never anything less than entertaining, and Lina has stood the test of time as one of the fantasy genre's greatest female protagonists. If somebody is specifically looking for a comedy, they will struggle to find something better than this series.
14 Violet Evergarden
MyAnimeList: 8.68
Violet Evergarden
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2018 - 2018
WHERE TO WATCH
- Studio
- Kyoto Animation
- Number of Episodes
- 13
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Creator
- Kana Akatsuki
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
Based on Kana Akatsuki's light novel series, Violet Evergarden is named after an Auto Memory Doll designed specifically for war. Once that conflict subsided, Violet found herself working as a messenger, a role that caused the doll to gain direct experience with human emotions.
Violet Evergarden follows an episodic format as most entries revolve around one of the protagonist's missions. While the fantasy anime is a bit inconsistent at times, at its best, Violet Evergarden is harrowing, moving, and unforgettable. The movie is also fantastic and well worth seeking out, even by those who are not especially huge fans of the series.
13 Mushi-Shi
MyAnimeList: 8.65 (Season 1)
Mushi-Shi
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2005 - 2014-00-00
- Studio
- Artland
- Number of Episodes
- 46
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Yuki Urushibara
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
"Fantasy" is such a loosely defined concept that it expands to include hundreds upon hundreds of shows; however, generally speaking, fantasy anime tend to take place in unique worlds and have a decent amount of action. Mushishi opts for something different.
Adding fantastical touches to a familiar world, Mushishi centers around Ginko, a guy who travels around Japan searching for Mushi – magical creatures usually found in nature. Largely consisting of self-contained stories, Mushishi is a calming and beautiful show, a fantasy anime that blends the extraordinary with the mundane.
12 InuYasha
MyAnimeList: 7.86
Inuyasha
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2000 - 2004-00-00
WHERE TO WATCH
- Studio
- Sunrise
- Number of Episodes
- 193
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Rumiko Takahashi
- Streaming Service(s)
- Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, The Roku Channel, Tubi
It's hard to deny how much InuYasha fever spread after it first aired in the United States back in 2002 after already having massive popularity in Japan. Heck, it was so well-liked that it even spawned a trading card game. The series spanned over 160 episodes following the story of Kagome and Inuyasha trying to reunite the shards of the Shikon Jewel.
InuYasha is a beloved classic for a reason and any anime fans who have still somehow not seen it should change that as quickly as they can.
11 Attack On Titan
MyAnimeList: 8.54 (Season 1)
Attack On Titan
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2013 - 2022-00-00
- Japanese Title
- Shingeki no Kyojin
- Studio
- Wit Studio, MAPPA
- Number of Episodes
- 94
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Hajime Isayama
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu, Crunchyroll, Adult Swim
Launching in 2013, Attack on Titan was arguably the most popular anime of the last decade. In its gripping opening episode, AoT establishes that humanity has been reduced to cowering behind huge walls designed to keep out Titans, massive humanoid creatures with big appetites.
After witnessing the death of his mother, Eren Jaeger sets out to wipe the Titans. That's just the first episode and things get very complicated from there. AoT has gone from strength to strength since its debut season, culminating in a gripping final season that is almost nothing like the first. For anyone searching for a darker-than-average fantasy anime, AoT is the benchmark.