Masters of the Universe: Revelation's gritty take on the fantasy universe of He-Man has been getting a lot of attention from both fans of the original series and those new to the setting. However, the show has been split into two parts, and it is currently unknown when the conclusion will hit Netflix. So, if you need some more dark fantasy anime to tide you over until Masters of the Universe: Revelation Part 2 is released, here are five fantastic fantasy anime that will scratch that itch.
Garo: The Animation
Inspired and based on the famous tokusatsu meta-series that first debuted in 2005, Garo has five seasons, each with its own self-contained plot. But, the first series, titled Garo: The Carved Seal of Flames, is by far the most exciting.
When the fictional Valiante Kingdom (which resembles an inquisition-era Spain) is plunged into chaos by Mendoza, the villainous usurper to the throne Prince Alfonso, the king's son, must track down the legendary Golden Knight Garo, hoping that he can bring peace back to the kingdom. However, he quickly ends up being plunged into the ancient politics of the Makai Knights and Makai Alchemists, whose history stretches back to the kingdom's early days.
Garo: The Animation is packed full of action, adventure and excitement, and it captures the gritty, fallen kingdom feel of Masters Of The Universe: Revelation. It is currently available to stream on Funimation.
Goblin Slayer
In Goblin Slayer, when a young priestess joins an adventuring party, she quickly learns that the world isn't as safe as she thought. Her whole party is decimated by goblins, leading the priestess to think she is doomed -- until she is saved by the Goblin Slayer, a warrior who, after seeing their loved ones harmed by goblins, has dedicated their life to slaying the creatures by any means necessary. The priestess follows this Goblin Slayer, and together with another group of heroes, they help the guild deal with any goblin-related missions. As time goes on, the priestess learns that the slayer is still haunted by their past.
Goblin Slayer was very controversial when it came out due to its dark themes and brutality. However, if you can look past that, you'll find a surprisingly sincere commentary on the nature of grief and how it can lock people in cycles of violence -- a theme that Masters Of The Universe: Revelation also touches on but in a less dark manner. It is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
The Seven Deadly Sins
The Seven Deadly Sins were a group of powerful knights who protected the fantasy kingdom of Britannia. However, when the group was framed for plotting a coup against the Liones Kingdom, they disbanded. 10 years later, the Holy Knights who incriminated The Seven Deadly Sins have taken over the kingdom and dropped the world into chaos and darkness. Elizabeth Liones, the kingdom's princess, tries to find Meliodas, the former leader of the group, hoping she can reform them and clear their name so they can take the kingdom back from the evil Holy Knights, dealing with monsters, demons and various evil along the way.
Both The Seven Deadly Sins and Masters Of The Universe: Revelation share a very similar feeling of a world that has unraveled and gone very wrong, as well as focus on a group of older heroes trying to pull themselves back from former failures to secure a new future for the world. The Seven Deadly Sins is available to stream on Netflix.
Claymore
If you liked Masters Of The Universe: Revelation's powerful female characters, then you need to look into Claymore, as it is an excellent female-led anime series that is unfortunately overlooked.
The anime is set on a medieval island, the population of which is tormented by evil Yoma. These Yoma feed on humans, and their ability to shape-shift means that they are difficult to spot and even harder to fight. To try and prevent further human casualties, a group called The Organization creates a band of female, half-human half-Yoma hybrids to kill any Yoma that causes trouble. These warriors became known as the Claymores due to the fact they all wield claymore swords. One Claymore is assigned to each of the island's districts, where they spend their time fighting and improving their skills.
The anime series follows a Claymore called Claire as she travels with a young boy she saved from a Yoma only to find that both Yoma and the history of Claymores will affect their journey and futures. A cult-classic series, Claymore really is a must-watch for anyone who enjoys fantasy anime. Previously hard to find, it can now be streamed via Funimation.
Berserk
It is impossible to talk about fantasy anime or manga without discussing Berserk, one of the most popular fantasy series of all time. The series has had three anime adaptations. The first was in 1997, and the 25 episodes covered the Black Swordsman arc and Golden Age arc. The second was a series of three films released in 2012 and 2013, covering the Golden Age arc. Finally, Berserk received a two-season, 24 episode anime adaptation produced by Liden Films in 2016. These seasons covered the Conviction and Falcon of the Millennium Empire arcs. However, no matter which one you pick, you're guaranteed a fantastic experience.
Berserk follows Guts, a warrior who was born from a hanged corpse. Guts quickly got a reputation for being a skilled and dangerous warrior, attracting the attention of several mighty warriors. However, in this harsh world of violence and betrayal, Guts quickly learns to trust no one as he's thrown from horrible situation to horrible situation, and his fleeting happiness is often marked by tragedy.
A powerful meditation on the nature of pain, suffering and violence, Berserk focuses on how harsh life in a fantasy world would be. The 2016 anime is available on Crunchyroll and the movie trilogy is available via Netflix.
