10 best high fantasy anime that you should try

Fantasy anime offer access to spectacular worlds where magic reigns supreme and epic adventures await around every corner. But high fantasy anime take this immersion further by constructing expansive realms with rich lore and complex magic systems that invite viewers to get lost within unknown lands.

If you are longing to be spirited away to a fantasy escape, here are 10 of the best high fantasy anime that you must add to your watchlist. These anime showcase stunning locales ranging from mercurial abyssal pits to kingdoms locked in ancient wars against mankind itself.

10 must-watch high fantasy anime

1. Made in Abyss

Made in Abyss centers on young orphan Riko who lives in a town surrounding the enigmatic Abyss, a colossal pit filled with relics from an ancient civilization. Dreaming of finding her legendary cave raider mother, Riko convinces the robot boy Reg to join her perilous descent into the Abyss.

As Riko and Reg descend deeper within the Abyss’s enchanting vertical environments teeming with lost wildlife and ecosystems, they encounter unfathomable monsters and deadly phenomena that push them to their mental and physical limits.

This high fantasy anime juxtaposes beauty and terror to deliver a sense of adventure and wonder as the pair test the depths of their determination in this fantastical setting, at once alluring and lethal.

2. The Rising of the Shield Hero

The Rising of the Shield Hero (Image via Kinema Citrus)

The Rising of the Shield Hero transports college student Naofumi into a parallel fantasy realm as one of four Cardinal Heroes summoned to battle apocalyptic monster waves. As Shield Hero is locked to defensive abilities, Naofumi faces discrimination until betrayal robs him of almost everything.

Heartbroken, he buys demi-human Raphtalia to act as his sword against enemies and the world itself. As their trauma bonds Raphtalia and Naofumi together, her emerging loyalty and heroism inspire Naofumi to rise above his bitterness as a hero.

The rich game-like magic system makes for clever battles as Naofumi turns the shield’s disadvantages into strategies to protect the oppressed. By overturning isekai tropes, The Rising of the Shield Hero delivers inspiring catharsis.

3. Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan (Image via Wit Studio, MAPPA)

Attack on Titan opens on the last vestiges of humanity cowering behind concentric walls from human-eating Titans.

Tenacious Eren Yeager enlists in the Scout Regiment on a campaign to eliminate the Titans and reclaim mankind’s world. But startling revelations uncover truths about the Titans, the walls built to stop them, and an eldritch history tying certain humans to the Titans themselves.

Its gritty style pushes beloved characters to their emotional and physical limits while government conspiracies unfurl. As former human comrades become literal man-eating monsters, their supernatural origins propel the story into gripping dark fantasy centering on the drive to survive and fight for meaning in an unjust world.

4. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation (Image via Studio Bind)

Mushoku Tensei follows the story of the rebirth of a good-for-nothing Japanese otaku as Rudeus Greyrat, a child prodigy wielding potent magical gifts in a fantasy world rife with beasts and demons. Though born gifted, Rudeus dedicates himself to developing his full potential out of gratitude for this second chance at life.

He sets off on an epic journey, mastering magic, swordplay, and this new world's philosophy to live this second chance to its fullest and protect those he comes to love. This high fantasy anime constructs a detailed fantasy realm filled with distinct races, nations embroiled in political strife, and legendary heroes and villains.

Emerging technologies are also introduced, creating an expansive backdrop primed for adventure. Viewers learn fundamentals alongside Rudeus as he pushes his magical talents to epic limits fit for legend across this rich setting.

5. Fate/Zero

Set before Fate/Stay Night, Fate/Zero chronicles the fourth Holy Grail War, a battle between mages summoning mythic heroes as servants to fight for a wish-granting grail.

Kiritsugu Emiya enters the War, followed by his servant, Saber, the female King Arthur, so he might use the grail to fulfill his dream of world peace, even if it means making ruthless sacrifices.

Beautiful animation and pulse-pounding action sequences bring legendary heroes to life while contrasting their crowning glories against their human flaws and desires. Fate/Zero delivers the spirit and grandeur of the heroic, led by magic and sacrifice towards ambitions threatening to corrupt the souls of all in the crossfire.

6. The Twelve Kingdoms

It begins with high schooler Yoko Nakajima suddenly transported from Japan into a strange realm resembling ancient China. She soon discovers she was brought into a kingdom world consisting of 12 feudal kingdoms, each ruled by an immortal sovereign.

With the help of Keiki, her assigned kirin who serves as both her guide and chief minister, Yoko must accept her destiny as the rightful ruler of Kei, as returning to her ordinary life is not an option. Unlike typical isekai heroes, Yoko arrives with no special powers.

To survive this ruthless magical realm, Yoko must gather allies, learn to govern, and understand Keiki’s kirin laws. From timid teen to wise ruler, she grows with allies like kind-hearted Rakushun, battling political foes and demons. The Twelve Kingdoms provides a refreshing female-centered take on portal fantasy.

7. Berserk

Berserk is set in a dark medieval world blending realism and fantasy horror together as it follows the trials of swordsman Guts. The story chronicles his time with the Band of the Hawk mercenary group led by the enigmatic Griffith, and the devastating betrayal that would later define his journey.

Guts lives in a world plagued by constant war as nobles vie over kingdoms underlain with eldritch magic. Demons, mythical beasts, and fantastical monsters abound for Guts to slay with his massive Dragonslayer sword.

This high fantasy anime draws viewers into its gritty world on the heels of Guts' unrelenting determination to survive pervading hopelessness, as supernatural forces gather to threaten humanity's extinction.

8. No Game, No Life

No Game, No Life drops siblings Sora and Shiro into a fantasy world ruled by games. Summoned by the god Tet to a world where he has forbidden war, Sora and Shiro set their sights on becoming its rulers by facing multiple fantasy races in games of skill, wit, and outrageous odds to emerge victorious.

No Game, No Life switches between vivid color and fantasy allure as Sora and Shiro confront increasingly eccentric opponents, from sirens to powerful beings with their own magical rules. Winning means not just outwitting opponents but deciphering the special, magical rules behind each whimsical game.

With its overpowered protagonists, No Game, No Life makes victories feel clever and earned. Each round raises the stakes, sending Sora and Shiro flying across a magical fantasy realm filled with endless fun.

9. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (Image via 8-bit)

After dying, lonely office worker Mikami Satoru gets reborn as a surprisingly powerful blue slime monster in a fantasy realm straight out of an RPG. While other monsters live simple lives, he uses his human memories and mimic abilities to gain power, befriend dragon royalty, and found a nation open to all races.

With Mikami's driving goal to live freely and enjoyably with friends, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime reworks isekai tropes typically focused on defeating a demon king or world-ending threat. Instead, episodes follow low-stakes exploits as Mikami builds bonds through kind acts like protecting wolf pups or cooking

Slowly, his little adventures unveil backstories of grizzled ogres, shy goblins, and ancient elves still impacting the present. Each makes the story all the more emotionally fulfilling.

10. Record of Lodoss War

Record of Lodoss War follows Parn, a knight in training, on the island continent of Lodoss, which has been fragmented and ravaged by the return of an ancient evil goddess.

To restore peace, Parn teams up with a small party of adventurers from different races across Lodoss, whose rich histories spanning centuries are integral to unraveling how to defeat this looming threat. Hailed as a great high fantasy anime, it showcases archetypal races like high and dark elves, millennia old.

These races stand beside heroes burdened by destiny to fight a resurrected evil threatening the entire world. With its earthy watercolor style, the anime feels like a timeless fable as characters uncover a past shaping Lodoss’s uncertain future

Conclusion

The high fantasy anime explored above depict spectacular worlds where magic reigns supreme, from abyssal monster pits to kingdoms locked in ancient wars against mankind itself.

While some series skew darker, together they encapsulate themes woven through beloved fantasy tales old and new - mysterious magics, legendary heroes struggling against fate, and realms hiding ancient secrets or technologies threatening to unbalance peace.

So prepare to transport yourself to richly built realms brimming with lore just waiting to be discovered. Lose yourself for a time by binge-watching these best high fantasy anime every fan should try at least once.