Best Anime For DnD Fans

Key Takeaways

• Craft unique characters with diverse races and backgrounds in Dungeons & Dragons for an immersive experience.
• Enjoy engaging stories of group heroism against evil, mirrored in various anime inspired by DnD.
• Dive into a world full of fantasy and adventure in DnD-inspired shows like Overlord and Goblin Slayer.

Dungeons and Dragons is perhaps the most ubiquitous story-telling medium that everyone can use. People can craft unique characters from dozens of races, moral alignments, and backgrounds. Beyond that, DnD DMs can create wholly immersive journeys or choose from pre-made stories that everyone will enjoy. The sheer impact this tabletop RPG has had is truly immense, inspiring many quality video games and defining a generation of people who loved getting lost in these rich fantasy worlds.

The idea of adventuring as a group of heroes to fight against a great evil is a simple yet engaging concept that can be present in a myriad of unique ways with this game. It’s a wonderful time that people can spend with their friends, and any anime DnD fans who want to see a campaign play out on their screens should check out some intense shows that capture the magic of this tabletop RPG.

Updated November 19, 2024 by Mark Sammut: D&D anime are rare, and that is not counting just series based on the tabletop game. While plenty of fantasy shows introduce parties, dungeons, or exploration, they do not usually combine their elements in a way that screams “Dungeons and Dragons,” especially since most series do not focus on a party or let one character handle nearly everything. The Fall 2024 anime season mostly consists of these types of stories, and there are no very obvious recommendations (except for DanMachi). That said, the following shows warrant a mention:

• The Healer Who Was Banished From His Party, Is, in Fact, the Strongest – Offering an OK mix of action and adventuring, this series is mostly serviceable fluff. While filled with class archetypes, the main party primarily consists of just two members, which is a bit limiting.
• The Most Notorious “Talker” Runs the World’s Greatest Clan – An edgy fantasy that goes to some pretty dark places, Talker is pretty entertaining in a turn-of-your-brain type of way. Although Noel is very much the main character, he generally focuses on support skills that enhance his companions.
• Let This Grieving Soul Retire – A fantasy comedy about a guild leader who is far weaker than everyone else thinks, this anime is relaxing, lighthearted, and stupidly amusing. While lacking a great sense of adventure, the story emphasizes group dynamics quite a bit.

The above anime are all entertaining in their own right, even if none of them are likely to go down as all-time greats in any genre.

Also, a Summer 2024 anime has been added as a recommendation.

1 Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

Features All The Hallmarks Of A D&D Campaign, Including An Elven Mage, A Gang Of Heroes, And A Demon Lord

One of the more recent fantasy anime to come out and keep fans engaged with its unique take on the passage of time, the cozy nature of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End makes it incredibly memorable.

Frieren is an elf with a lengthy lifespan, and watching the party of heroes around her slowly age and pass away while she watches her friends outgrow her is a sobering moment that shows how a lengthy lifespan is both a boon and a curse. It’s a surprisingly thought-provoking anime perfect for DnD fans who prioritize character development over all-out action.

2 Record Of Lodoss War

Directly Inspired By The Worldbuilding And Lore Present In DnD

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 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.

Check out
Record of Grancrest War
too.

3 Handyman Saitou In Another World

Everyone Has A Part To Play

Most isekai anime are not great picks for D&D fans since they tend to suffer from main character syndrome, in the sense that only the protagonist is allowed to shine. Handyman Saitou in Another World is a clever exception that very much follows a tabletop-style adventure where every member of the party is presented as important, and they all get detailed backstories that tie nicely into the overall narrative.

The title is not a bluff: Saitou is genuinely just a handyman. He has some minor affinity for magic, but his main contributions revolve around unlocking doors and chests. The remaining characters are slight twists on role-playing tropes, and they are a delight.

4 Overlord

A Hilarious Isekai Where The Solitary Human Player Is Stuck In The Game As A Fearsome Lich

Isekai anime have become all the rage in modern times, and the fact that the majority of these anime take place within games makes them perfect for DnD fans to get into. Fans who want to get into an isekai anime with a comedic tone will love what Overlord has to offer.

The main character is the only human in a virtual world where the various races inhabiting the land are slowly destabilizing. This character appears as a powerful lich with fearsome powers, making for a fun situation where he’s thrust into hilarious circumstances that almost parody his strength, with one notable instance being when he spends an inordinately long amount of time buffing himself up before a battle.

5 Delicious In Dungeon

The Heroes Must Save Their Friend From Digestion And Gain Sustenance By Killing And Eating Monsters

Delicious in Dungeon is a manga that many people desperately wanted an adaptation for. The premise of the show involves a group of adventurers who must make up for their lack of supplies in a dungeon by killing and eating the monsters that stand in their way.

The reason why these heroes are facing such a time constraint is that a party member was devoured by a monster in a dungeon. This makes for a race against the clock as they make headway in a labyrinth full of tough beasts and ingest them to make up for the lack of preparation they had to contend with before delving into the dungeon in a last-ditch rescue attempt.

Along with featuring a traditional but still creative take on a fantasy setting, Delicious in Dungeon greatly emphasizes the party’s dynamic, goals, and teamwork. They regularly have to come up with smart tactics to take down threats, and they all have specific roles to fulfill. While initially comedic, the anime gradually ramps up the intensity and drama.

6 Goblin Slayer

A Dark Fantasy Show With Many Adventurers Who Have Varied Abilities

Goblin Slayer is a show that became very popular in no small part because of the controversy surrounding its opening episode. The show takes a rather bold approach on how to portray its titular monsters in the game. Goblins truly are heinous creatures, and the Goblin Slayer has become so powerful mainly because of the strength he displays against these nightmarish creatures. Shock value aside, fans of DnD can check Goblin Slayer to see what makes it so special.

While primarily a power fantasy with the occasional bout of darkness, Goblin Slayer emphasizes the importance of having a well-balanced party filled with members who know their roles and can work well together. The characters are even mostly called by their classes.

7 Claymore

A Dark Fantasy Anime With Sword-Wielding Heroines

Claymore is a dark fantasy series with a pretty unique setting, featuring a group of blonde heroines who have the skills required to hunt down and defeat many tough yoma who are terrorizing the land. The protagonist of this series is Clare, one of the weakest Claymores, who aims to avenge a close friend who was killed by a horrifying Awakened Being who is pretty powerful.

It’s a shame that the anime ended with an original conclusion instead of adapting the full series, but fans can always read the manga if they’re invested in the storyline. It’s a great series that feels like a dark and dangerous DnD anime, with many nefarious forces aiming to strike the heroes where they stand.

8 Log Horizon

An Isekai Anime Where Characters Focus On Different Classes

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.

9 Berserk

A Dark Fantasy Anime With Numerous Iconic Moments That Have Shaped The Genre

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.

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!

This goes for nearly every mentioned anime, but
Berserk
‘s manga is by far the definitive way to experience this story. The 1997 adaptation is decent, as is the movie trilogy; however, the 2016 continuation is notoriously rough, particularly its animation.

10 Golden Kamuy

Focuses On A Treasure Hunt With A Rotating Party

Fans might scratch their heads at this recommendation, given that it is set after the Russo-Japanese War from 1904 to 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.

11 Grimgar: Ashes And Illusions

An Isekai Anime Focused On Set Rules That Make Every Battle A Dance Of Death

On the surface, isekai anime sounds 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.

12 Slayers

A Treasure Hunt With A Wide Cast Of Memorable Characters

A cult classic that was particularly popular during the ’90s, Slayers is a laugh-a-minute fantasy anime that seems ripped right out of D&D, albeit with a tendency to parody tropes associated with the tabletop game. With over 100 episodes, the show goes through its share of changes; however, at its core, the story follows a group of bumbling adventurers as they seek treasure and try not to get killed.

While not devoid of action or the occasional major arc, Slayers rarely takes itself seriously and mostly is happy to just follow its party as they goof off and make enemies. Also, Lina Inverse is an all-time great female lead.

13 Konosuba: God’s Blessing On This Wonderful World!

A Hilarious Isekai Anime With Characters Comfortably Falling Under Certain Classes

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.

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.

14 Escaflowne

Excellent World-Building Where Magic And Science Work In Tandem

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.

15 Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon?

Dungeon Crawling With A Generous Helping Of Fantastic Action

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 shine. At least, that is the case until he gains a power that allows him to level up quickly.

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. That said, the anime sticks to the traditional light novel formula of focusing on a different girl per arc, resulting in a rotating cast.

Seasons 1 and 4 are particularly great picks for
DnD
fans since they focus specifically on
DanMachi
‘s dungeon.

16 Magi: The Labyrinth Of Magic

Characters With Clear-Cut Abilities In A Show That Focuses On Dungeon Crawling

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.

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.

17 Suicide Squad Isekai

Silly Fun And Nothing More

OK, Suicide Squad Isekai was a bit of a disappointment. Such an outlandish concept being handled by the writer behind Re:Zero should have produced something absurdly beautiful or, at the very least, novel; unfortunately, this anime plays things pretty safe, throwing out very few surprises throughout its 10 episodes. As portals to another world have appeared, Amanda Waller sends the Suicide Squad (Harley Quinn, Peacemaker, Deadshot, Clayface, and King Shark) to investigate, all while they have bombs strapped to their necks. Naturally, they get dragged into a war and end up facing off against other DC characters. It is mostly forgettable fluff.

That said, Suicide Squad Isekai does have a certain one-shot charm to it. Sure, D&D is associated with extensive campaigns that can last months or years, but there is also space for quick custom adventures that can be completed in a session or two. This series kind of feels like one of those short but amusing stories that groups put together as a palette cleanser between more substantial journeys. The characters also work together to take on most challenges, including a pretty great fight sequence involving a dragon.

18 Dungeon People

A Behind-The-Scenes Look At Dungeon Management

Dungeons have quietly become anime staples. For example, Summer 2024’s Wistoria: Wand and Sword features a dungeon that the protagonist uses for training. Failure Frame, A Journey Through Another World, and A Nobody’s Way Up to an Exploration Hero also include trips to dungeons, and they are all fine series in the grand scheme of things (Wistoria is great, actually). As entertaining as these shows are, they do not provide a particularly fresh look at dungeons, so they might not stand out too much in that area; conversely, Dungeon People takes a wildly different approach to this concept.

While exploring the local dungeon, Clay accidentally breaks a wall during a fight with a minotaur, revealing a bedroom that belongs to the final boss (Belle). In reality, the latter is essentially a dungeon master who is in charge of ensuring that each level is stocked with monsters to challenge adventurers and treasures to reward them. Long story short, Belle recruits Clay to help run the dungeon, allowing the thief to get an inside look into the mechanisms that keep things running smoothly.

Although not that amazing of a show, Dungeon People has a fun premise that is executed relatively well. Clay and Belle are relatively likable, and it is fun to learn about the different species that work at the dungeon.