Summary
Dungeons and Dragonsis 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,DnDDMs 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 anyanimeDnDfans who want to see a campaignplay out on their screens should check out some intense shows that capture the magic of this tabletop RPG.
Updated May 26, 2025 by Mark Sammut:D&D animeare pretty much unheard of, with only a small handful of series being created. That said, plenty of shows deliver adventures that scratch similar itches, be it a craving for fantasy epics or low-stakes slow-life journeys. Two new anime have been added as recommendations, both of which are airing content in theWinter 2025 season. Click below to jump to these series.
One of the morerecent fantasy animeto come out and keep fans engaged with its unique take on the passage of time, the cozy nature ofFrieren: Beyond Journey’s Endmakes 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 forDnDfans who prioritize character development over all-out action.
This might be the ultimateDnDanimemade to date so far. It features direct inspiration fromDnDlore with characters from distinct classes.Record of Lodoss Waris 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.
ButDnDfans 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.
Most isekai anime are not great picks forD&Dfans since they tend to suffer from main character syndrome, in the sense that only the protagonist is allowed to shine.Handyman Saitou in Another Worldis a clever exceptionthat 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.
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 forDnDfans to get into. Fans who want to get into an isekai anime with a comedic tone will love whatOverlordhas 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.
Delicious in Dungeonis 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 Dungeongreatly 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.
Goblin Slayeris 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, andthe Goblin Slayer has become so powerfulmainly because of the strength he displays against these nightmarish creatures. Shock value aside, fans of DnD can checkGoblin Slayerto see what makes it so special.
While primarily a power fantasy with the occasional bout of darkness,Goblin Slayeremphasizes 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.
Claymoreis 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 waskilled by a horrifying Awakened Beingwho 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 dangerousDnDanime, with many nefarious forces aiming to strike the heroes where they stand.
Log Horizonis another isekai series, making it an easy show to recommend for fans ofDnD. After all, this show takes place in an MMORPG that conforms to most of the traditional rules and stats that had their foundations set byDungeons & Dragons!
It helps that the story ofLog Horizonis 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.
Berserkis 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 ofBerserkis a perfect fit for fans ofDnDwho 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, butBerserk’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.
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 Kamuyshines in its ability to fuse found family motifs with exciting action and characters who, though they might make bad choices, are irresistibly likable.
DnDfans 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.
