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With the news that Chris Pine would star in a new DnD movie, more people are searching for media to fill that fantasy itch. For inspiration or simply to enjoy with friends, here are some anime DnD fans should watch.
Updated January 20, 2023, by Ritwik Mitra: Dungeons & Dragons is one of the most popular tabletop RPGs of all time, shaping an entire generation with its rulesets and inspiring several games in other mediums. It’s truly one of the most enduring facets of pop culture that is constantly changing to this day, allowing players to embark on amazing adventures with their friends. This sense of wonderment is truly something beautiful to behold, and players who want to experience the same through the medium can certainly enjoy the same courtesy of the following titles.
17 The Rising Of The Shield Hero
Isekai anime have become all the rage in modern times, with The Rising of the Shield Hero being one of the many shows that are capitalizing on this genre’s current popularity. The series takes a look at an unfortunate hero who is transported into a different world, where he instantly reaches rock bottom after a series of unfortunate events.
However, Naofumi slowly comes to realize just how powerful and useful his shield really is. His journey from a reviled hero into a respected one is a joy to witness, and fans can’t wait to see how this adventure will pan out in later seasons!
16 Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer is one of the biggest anime around right now, with fans eagerly awaiting the newest season. The story of Tanjiro and his friends as they get stronger and tackle more powerful demons has all the hallmarks of a traditional DnD adventure with a darker twist.
The different breathing styles can be interpreted as different classes in the show as well, with each character’s breathing style corresponding quite well with their personality. Demon Slayer is clearly not going away anytime soon, even with the manga already reaching its conclusion.
15 Log Horizon
Log Horizon is another isekai series, making it an easy show to recommend for fans of DnD. After all, this show takes place in an MMORPG that conforms to most of the traditional rules and stats that had their foundations set by Dungeons & Dragons!
It helps that the story of Log Horizon is also quite impressive in its own right, with the world-building present in the anime being surprisingly engaging. It might flow a bit too slowly for some people, but viewers who stick through these moments will find themselves enjoying one of the better isekai anime around.
14 Berserk
Berserk is one of the most popular seinen manga of all time, penned by the late great Kentaro Miura. This legendary mangaka has penned some of the most gorgeous manga panels of all time, with the story of Guts and his need for revenge being quite compelling in its own right.
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The fantasy world of Berserk is a perfect fit for fans of DnD who want to check out something dark and interesting. It helps that Guts and his companions are extremely compelling characters that will keep fans hooked regardless of whether they’re checking out the anime or manga!
13 Golden Kamuy
Fans might scratch their heads at this recommendation, given that it is set after the Russo-Japanese War from 1904 - 1905, but the plot is essentially a treasure hunt with a rotating party, and there’s a large focus on food. Golden Kamuy shines in its ability to fuse found family motifs with exciting action and characters who, though they might make bad choices, are irresistibly likable.
DnD fans will most appreciate the show’s ability to imbue every moment with lore. From learning about the Ainu to Abashiri Prison and the characters’ own lives, the anime is full of wonderful details. The show recently started episodes in season three, as well.
12 Grimgar: Ashes And Illusions
On the surface, isekai anime sound like they are made for Dungeons & Dragons fans since they are literally about ordinary people being teleported to fantastical worlds. However, many isekai feature an immediately overpowered protagonist and “chosen one” stories, two things that are generally avoided in DnD.
Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions is an exception. The isekai anime follows a group of teenagers teleported to a cutthroat world based on game logic, and they are notably weak. Simple battles against low-level enemies are fights to the death, and the characters must work cohesively as a party to survive. Unfortunately, the anime is quite short and slow-paced, so it lacks the epic sense of progression found in DnD narratives.
11 Slayers
This is another classic DnD inspired anime that everyone should watch. Though older, it ages well with eye-catching visuals and unique character designs. Slayers can be pretty goofy at times, but that’s part of the fun of DnD campaigns, right?
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This shares the same trait of Golden Kamuy in that, at its heart, it is a treasure hunt. It also makes a great anime to watch with friends, too.
10 Fire Force
Having recently wrapped up its second season with a huge reveal, Fire Force stands out as one the most popular shows on this list for 2020. Each episode seems to reveal another unique fire-related ability or a juicy detail about The Evangelist. Beyond its epic action scenes and great lore, there’s much for DnD fans to enjoy about the show.
All of the characters seem to fall into distinct classes based on their abilities. For instance, Arthur is a self-proclaimed Knight (read: Paladin), while Maki is a “fire witch.” Joker is basically Gambit in terms of powers, and Captain Obi is an OP, unpowered Fighter ready for anything. Though there is so much more to be revealed about the world, the show has created a truly fantastic world full of narrative opportunities.
9 Little Witch Academia
The VR broom racing game was a bit of a non-starter, but this show deserves all the love in the world. Not only is it a fantastic show about all kinds of female characters, but it also establishes hard and fast rules about its magic system early on. Without spoiling too much, there is only a finite amount of magic, so batteries often get used making for a techno-fantastical setting.
But the characters also show off unique talents and skills that could be labeled as classes. For instance, Sucy, one of the main characters, absolutely LOVES poison and mushrooms; she could be a necromancer. Another character, Constanze Amalie von Braunschbank Albrechtsberger, has a touch of engineer or artificer about her. Fans of the show will already know who the Bard is.
8 Konosuba: God’s Blessing On This Wonderful World!
For a party that consists of a goddess, a powerful mage, and a crusader, Konosuba’s heroes sure get into a lot of trouble. A comedy series that essentially parodies isekai tropes, Konosuba is the anime equivalent of a DnD campaign featuring a hilariously dysfunctional party.
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The irreverent Kazuma dies and then revives in a fantasy world. Mostly due to his own doing, the protagonist finds himself saddled with a trio of heroines who are sporadically useful and frequently catastrophic. They go on adventures, make plenty of mistakes, and occasionally take on massive threats.
7 Yu Yu Hakusho
Perhaps as loved as Sailor Moon or Dragon Ball Z, Yu Yu Hakusho follows the spirit detective Yusuke as he trains to fight spirits and demons as a teenager with a single mom (as one does). But there’s precedent for DnD fans already adapting the show’s universe for campaigns and one-offs.
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Between demons like Hiei and Kurama to characters like Jin, who is basically a wind Genasi Fighter, DnD fans will dig the action and appreciate the epic Drips from Team Urameshi.
6 Escaflowne
Though people can watch the film version of this, the anime Visions of Escaflowne has a bit more breathing room for story-telling. The world walks that line between science and magic in the best way possible. It also employs the “fish out of water” trope in that the main character gets plucked from a modern-day setting.
DnD fans will fall in love with the world-building in the show. The main character gets involved in a war for dominance led by the Zaibach Empire, gets caught in a love triangle, and also there’s a big robot made of dragon bones. Swap that out for a Githyanki warrior and his Red Dragon, and that’s a solid foundation for a campaign right there.
5 Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon?
The country of Orario revolves entirely around a dungeon designed to attract guilds and heroes searching for glory. Through commitment, skill, and a whole lot of grinding, these adventures can move up the dungeon’s levels, becoming stronger along the way. Bell wants to be one of these heroes, but he lacks the physical prowess to really shine; at least, that is the case until he gains a power that allows him to level up quicker.
Cheesy title aside, Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? is an enjoyable adventure anime with an earnest lead, a solid supporting cast, and a power system that balances combat mastery with arbitrary stats. While Bell is undoubtedly the protagonist, he does gain a party quite quickly, giving the show a more DnD anime vibe.
4 Magi: The Labyrinth Of Magic
No DnD campaign is complete without some kind of dungeon crawl. This quest is where Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic begins and is inspired by Arabian Nights. The show follows Aladdin and Alibaba as competing groups target them for Aladdin’s genie.
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The classes of the characters, as with other shows on this list, are also clear-cut, like they would be in a campaign. It can be a great source of inspiration for campaigns or character ideas for DMs and players alike.
3 Soul Eater
Atsushi Okubo, who writes and draws Fire Force, also created Soul Eater. It follows weapon meisters who wield weapons to fight evil people trying to devour souls. Also, the weapons are actually people who morph into these weapons, and witches are almost always coded as being villainous.
Though a little more focused on character development, the show still excels at developing unique fighting styles across its cast. It’s a master class in how to create a solid storyline, and it is very entertaining and silly, too.
2 Record Of Lodoss War
This might be the ultimate DnD anime made to date so far. It features direct inspiration from DnD lore with characters from distinct classes. Record of Lodoss War is also just a beautiful, top-tier example of elite animation for the time period. In fact, it looks leagues above some modern anime today due to the way animation and technology have evolved.
But DnD fans will appreciate the not-so-literal translation of classes and monsters into a unique world with its own history. Dragons also feel like gargantuan, mythical beasts in this as well. There is no “Fus-Ro-Dah-ing” a creature compared to whom the player is the size of an amoeba.
1 Legends Of The Galactic Heroes (Original)
This is what Game of Thrones wants to be when it grows up. Legends of the Galactic Heroes is indifferent to a character’s significance to the plot or love level among fans. This is space war business, and it is serious, and also, explosions don’t make noise in space, okay?
In all seriousness, the original series displays almost flawlessly how best to craft characters with distinct and realistic motivations and nuance. The show undoubtedly influenced anime that came after it, so why not mine it for campaign and character ideas?
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