Three Cs

As long as I can remember, I have enjoyed good stories in all forms. Whether it’s a book, movie, or TV show, if it has relatable characters and a good plot, I like it. When my husband and I first started dating, he introduced me to anime. For those of you who aren’t familiar, anime are Japanese animated shows. At first, I was skeptical, but the more I watched, the more I found that many anime really are great stories.

Anime are nothing like American cartoons. Honestly, we don’t really have anything I would call equivalent. Anime episodes are typically 20 to 25 minutes long. Some anime have only 12 episodes while others have more than 1,000. There are also a wide variety of genres and styles. In this post, I’d like to share my favorite adventure/fantasy anime with you.

1. Naruto and Naruto Shippuden

Technically, these are two separate anime, but since they are two parts of the same story, I lump them together. They are probably my favorite anime of any genre. In Naruto, we watch the title character become a ninja and bond with his teammates and mentor. In Shippuden, Naruto is several years older, and we we see him overcome many obstacles as he pursues his dreams.

Naruto and Naruto Shippuden tell a compelling adventure story that tugs on the heartstrings, but before you start watching it, you should be aware that together these anime contain over 600 episodes. If you’re looking for a story you can finish in a week or two, this anime is not for you.

2. One Piece

The first time I tried to watch One Piece a couple years ago, I couldn’t get into it. The drawing style and characters just seemed a little too outlandish to me. A few months ago, I decided to give it another chance, and I’m very glad I did. One Piece tells the story of Monkey D. Luffy, a young man whose goal is to find the legendary “One Piece” treasure and become king of the pirates. Over the course of the show, Luffy recruits a number of interesting crew members and goes on a lot of adventures.

One Piece currently has over 900 episodes, and it’s still going strong. Because it has such a long story line, I’d say it took me at least 20 to 30 episodes to get hooked on it. Once I did, I couldn’t stop watching. One Piece is an adventure-filled story, but it’s the friendships and bonds that truly captivate me. I can’t wait to see what happens to Luffy and his crew next!

3. My Hero Academia

Though it took me a few episodes to get used to the drawing style, My Hero Academia is an awesome superhero anime that is still coming out with new episodes. It tells the story of Midoriya Izuku, a teenage boy who is attending a high school where he will learn to become a hero. My Hero Academia is a riveting and unique portrayal of a superhero society and one boy’s journey as he attempts to become its greatest hero.

4. Hunter x Hunter

The tone of Hunter x Hunter, especially in certain arcs, is a bit darker than the previous two anime I mentioned, but it’s still very good. It focuses on a young boy named Gon’s journey to earn his highly specialized Hunter license so that he can find his long lost father. Along the way, he meets a group of interesting friends and faces incredible danger. This anime has around 150 episodes, so while it is by no means short, it’s not as much of a commitment as Naruto and One Piece.

5. Yu Yu Hakusho

Yu Yu Hakusho originally aired in the 90s. Because of that, the drawing style is different from more modern anime, but the story is still exceptional. It follows the journeys Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage boy who finds himself with the job of “spirit detective.” With the help of his teammates, Yusuke helps protect the human world from the many dangerous entities in the spirit world. This anime has just over 100 episodes.

6. Inuyasha

In Inuyasha, a young girl from modern-day Japan named Kagome, unexpectedly finds herself in Feudal Japan. There, she meets a half-demon named Inuyasha, and together, they set out to find the shattered pieces of a sacred jewel. Along the way, they meet a few friends who join them in their mission. Inuyasha has almost 200 episodes filled with magic battles, friendship, and a bit of romance. What’s not to like?

*Note: I typically don’t like shows that include demons, but the ones in Inuyasha and Yu Yu Hakusho are Japanese-style demons that, to me, seem more like what we in America would call monsters.*

7. The Rising of the Shield Hero

This anime premiered this year and currently only has one season. In this anime, a young man named Naofumi is summoned to another world to become one of their legendary heroes. Unfortunately for him, the Shield Hero is not held in high regard in the country where he is summoned. Naofumi must overcome incredible hardship if he is going to save this world and somehow return to his own.

8. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

This anime also premiered this year and was very popular. In the first episode, the main character dies in our world and is reincarnated as a slime in another world…but not your average, weak slime. The power that reincarnated him took some of his requests into account, giving him a lot of unexpected abilities. Overall, this anime is an adventure that manages to touch on some deep topics while keeping the tone of the show lighthearted.

9. Sword Art Online

In this anime, often referred to as SAO, a teenage boy named Kirito is trapped in a full-immersion video game where dying in the game means death in the real world as well. The first season of this anime is phenomenal, and the subsequent seasons are enjoyable as well. Recently, SAO: The Alicization was released, and so far, I haven’t been impressed. You can easily enjoy the earlier seasons without watching it, though.

10. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

There are two anime with the name Fullmetal Alchemist. The second one, Brotherhood, is my favorite because I think the story is a lot better, and it follows the original plot from the manga (kind of like a graphic novel). The original series follows the manga until around episode 26. When I rewatch the series, I plan to begin by watching the original series until that point and then switch to watching Brotherhood from them on. If you choose to only watch Brotherhood, you will see an abbreviated version of the beginning of the story, which I find a bit rushed.

Fullmetal Alchemist tells the story of Edward and Alphonse, brothers who attempted a forbidden alchemy. As a result, Edward lost his leg, and Alphonse lost his entire body. To save his brother, Edward sacrificed his right arm, allowing Alphonse’s spirit to remain and be attached to a suit of armor. After that, the two boys go on a quest to get their bodies back. Like Hunter x Hunter, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has a darker tone than most of the other anime on this list, but it is still a touching story of brotherly love and redemption.

Those are my ten favorite adventure/fantasy anime. Next week, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite anime from other genres. What adventure/fantasy anime are in your top ten? Let me know in the comments. If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to see more like it.