Highlights
- The high-fantasy anime genre lacks quality titles due to an overload of repetitive isekai series.
- High-fantasy anime offers a great escape with beautiful visuals and a sense of wonder.
- There are still several great high-fantasy anime series to dive into, such as The Seven Deadly Sins and The Ancient Magus’ Bride.
The high fantasy anime genre is surprisingly lacking when it comes to quality titles. This is mostly due to the genre being overwhelmed by isekai series, which are often repetitive and dull. However, fans looking for a great high-fantasy anime to dive into won’t be disappointed because there are still a number of great high-fantasy anime series out there!
Getting lost in a high fantasy world is one of the best forms of escapism, and that’s especially true when it comes to anime. The beautiful anime visuals enhance the fantasy elements and add to the wondrous nature of the genre. From ancient cities, to adventuring parties, there’s nothing that beats a good high-fantasy anime.
While each show’s MyAnimeList scores are included, they are not the defining metric for the ranking. An anime’s embodiment of high-fantasy themes will be prioritized.
10 The Seven Deadly Sins (2014)
MyAnimeList Score: 7.65
Right off the bat, The Seven Deadly Sins is one of the most popular high-fantasy anime series of all time. Its mainstream success speaks wonders to its quality, as fans can get lost in a deep world filled with humorously entertaining characters in a fantastic fantasy setting. It’s also got some great visuals to boast about.
The Seven Deadly Sins follows a group of knights who each represent one of Dante’s Seven Deadly Sins and takes place in a high-fantasy world heavily inspired by the Middle Ages (it’s even called Britannia). It sometimes places more focus on shōnen and action elements as opposed to fantasy, but it’s still a great world to get lost in.
9 Rokka: Braves Of The Six Flowers (2015)
MyAnimeList Score: 7.27
Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers presents a classic end-of-the-world type fantasy scenario where a band of heroes must group together to stop the Demon God. Even though it doesn’t sound like a very original premise, Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers is a captivating high-fantasy anime that will genuinely have fans on the edge of their seats.
This series essentially turns into a cat-and-mouse chase between the main character, Adlet, and an impostor knight in the group of heroes, which all unfolds in a stunning high-fantasy setting. It’s dark at times, but it mixes serious themes with comedic insights, and let’s not even get started on how cool everything looks!
8 The Ancient Magus’ Bride
MyAnimeList Score: 8.06
Whilst perhaps not a high-fantasy anime in a traditional sense, The Ancient Magus’ Bride genuinely creates a sense of awe and wonder as its story unfolds. This is high-fantasy mixed with drama in a perfect blending of genres. Sure, there’s certainly more drama than high-fantasy, but there are mages and elves, it’s all about magic, and there’s basically everything a fantasy fan needs.
There’s also an interesting blend of reality and fantasy here, as The Ancient Magus’ Bride takes place in a rural England setting, but mixes elements of high-fantasy into this. The story of Chise learning under Elias’ watchful approach is captivating and pairs perfectly with the weird and wonderful creatures that are presented throughout the show.
7 Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? (2015)
MyAnimeList Score: 7.54
Inspired by the simple goal of one day becoming the world’s greatest adventurer, Bell Cranel ventures into a mysterious dungeon that seems to be never-ending. Of course, it’s never as simple as that, and fans who give this show a go will instantly appreciate this humorous Herculean tale of chivalry.
Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? mostly takes place in its titular dungeon setting, but it incorporates a lot of high-fantasy tropes that make it a great watch. There’s danger at every turn in these sparse and mysterious catacombs, but this is also a world where gods and humans live together, and anything at all is truly possible!
6 Granblue Fantasy: The Animation (2017)
MyAnimeList Score: 6.63
Sure, this anime might be slightly lower rated by fans, but it’s a great high-fantasy anime and is worth a watch if that’s the genre viewers are looking for. Not only is this a pure high-fantasy setting, with gorgeous artwork and great characters, but it’s also a fantastic adaptation of the Granblue video games.
Granblue Fantasy: The Animation takes place in a world above the clouds, where islands float and winged lizards roam the skies. There are military governments, factions, and a multitude of races, but at the heart of the adventure is a fantastic high-fantasy adventure that will genuinely captivate viewers with its beauty.
5 Berserk (1997)
MyAnimeList Score: 8.58
Berserk is a dark, grounded fantasy anime series that often contains much more gothic fantasy themes than one would expect from a traditional high-fantasy tale. However, as Berserk progresses with its outstanding character arcs and overall story, the series leans more and more into its high-fantasy roots.
There are always subtle hints that magic exists in the background of the world, yet it’s rarely seen firsthand as this is a show that’s more focused on the main character – Guts – and his struggles. The manga leans more toward high-fantasy than the anime, but it’s still very much there and present in this dark, morbid take on the classic genre.
4 Claymore (2007)
MyAnimeList Score: 7.74
Now comes the “classics” of high-fantasy anime, and Claymore is regarded as such for very good reason. This is a great show with one of the most fleshed-out fantasy worlds in any anime. There are a lot of action sequences throughout the series, and it definitely leans into the shōnen genre at times, but at the heart of the show is a great high-fantasy tale. It’s also got some of the best swordfighting in any anime ever!
Clare, the “Claymore,” is a half-human and half-youma creature who exists for the sole purpose of hunting and destroying demons across the lands. It just so happens that Clare is actually on a vengeful mission, and let’s just say there’s nothing that will stop her from getting what she wants!
3 Slayers (1995)
MyAnimeList Score: 7.73
There’s something about the 1990s anime aesthetic, with its hand-drawn visuals, that merges perfectly with the high-fantasy genre. Slayers, a classic ’90s anime, is a perfect example of this. This is high-fantasy at its purest, with few other anime leaning even further into the genre than this.
The fate of the world is at the hands of an unlikely band of characters, comprised of thieves, bandits, and sorcerers. There’s a serious Dungeons and Dragons vibe to this show which seeps through every single frame. Whilst there is an overarching narrative, some of the episodes function in a more relaxed serial kind of way. It’s super easy to watch and has some of the best fantasy vibes of any anime out there. This is a classic for a good reason!
2 Maoyu (2013)
MyAnimeList Score: 7.24
Maoyu is a special high-fantasy show that builds a beautiful world amidst the chaos of war. The series starts a few years after a vast war between humans and demons and focuses on a hero in search of a demon queen. Unbeknownst to him, said demon queen is in fact a being of beauty.
So begins a gender-bent Beauty and the Beast-esque anime that catalogs the relationship between humans and demons and many metaphors of acceptance and understanding. This is a work of art, part romance and part allegorical tale, which is woven wonderfully.
1 Record Of Lodoss War (1990)
MyAnimeList Score: 7.35
This is as high-fantasy as it gets, and for any fans looking for an anime in the vein of The Lord of the Rings, then Record of Lodoss War is the perfect choice. From dragons to elves and dark elves, there’s no other anime that even attempts to build a high-fantasy world as richly complex and populated as this.
The only downside is that it’s filled with cliché high-fantasy tropes – but it wouldn’t be high-fantasy if they weren’t included! From axe-wielding dwarves to masterful elvish archers, Record of Lodoss War is a must-watch for any fantasy fan and will be regarded as a classic for many years to come.
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