Fantasy anime has been a trend in the community for nearly a decade, with even older titles like Danmachi, receiving new seasons despite their already long run time. One such popular title in the genre is The Rising Of The Shield Hero, an anime that just recently wrapped up its second season.
Thankfully, even with the end (for now) of the popular series, there are many like it that have both transpired in the past or were aired after it. Many of these similar anime have captured the hearts of fans over the world for their creative stories and tantalizing characters.
Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? (2015 - )
Stream On Hidive
Otherwise, known as Danmachi, Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? was a title released in early 2015. The story follows Bell Cranel, a boy who wants to become a hero, and through this, viewers learn of the many god-owned factions as the protagonist uncovers the mysteries behind the Tower of Babel, a tower that births monsters within its floors.
Like The Rising Of The Shield Hero, the initial novelty of a fantasy world full of monsters and magic surprisingly doesn't become the focal point of the series. Instead, it is the relationship between the beings in the world that spurred many of the conflicts.
KonoSuba: God's Blessing On This Wonderful World! (2016 - )
Stream On Crunchyroll
As one of the funniest isekai anime ever, Konosuba presents a slew of lovable and memorable characters who, for the most part, make the journey what it is. Satou Kazuma, a normal Japanese student, one day met his end in an accident. Then he was tasked with defeating the Demon King that terrorized another world. Though things didn't go as expected when the goddess who gave him the mission was transported with him.
In Rising Of The Shield Hero, the heroes are summoned to battle against the Waves of Calamity. And like in KonoSuba, the protagonist isn't the only hero summoned to deal with the Demon King's threat against mankind. Though it seems every hero other than him is a little more competent in that regard.
Arifureta: From Common Place To World's Strongest (2019 - )
Stream On Crunchyroll & Hulu
The title pretty much says it all. Hajime Nagumo's everyday life was disturbed when he and his classmates were suddenly summoned to another world. From there the people of that world beg them to become their heroes and slay the Demons terrorizing them. Though there's one problem, Hajime himself happens to have the weakest class out of all the heroes.
The concept of being the weakest out of all the heroes is no strange concept in The Rising Of The Shield Hero, in fact, it's what propels the main character forward. In both stories, viewers watch on as the weakest become the strongest.
No Game No Life (2014 - 2014)
Stream On Hulu
No Game No Life is an interesting anime that has made fans holler for a second season for years, and it's not exactly hard to see why. Sora and Shiro, the best gamers in their world, were summoned into a new world after finding their old one boring. But there's one catch, everything in the new world is determined by games, even the lives of other living beings.
Similarly to The Rising Of A Shield Hero, the protagonists of No Game No Life must abide by a rule set by the world. And while it's not as harsh as being limited to wielding one weapon type, the limitation of everything being decided by games provides room for interesting solutions and plots unfound in other anime.
Re:Zero - Starting Life In Another World (2016 - )
Stream On Crunchyroll & Funimation
While featuring what many of the viewers considered one of the most hard to like protagonists in anime, Re:Zero has a more realistic spin on the isekai and fantasy genre. Natsuki Subaru is randomly transported to another world while shopping. But there was one problem, he was just a normal human from Earth.
Like in The Rising Of The Shield Hero, the protagonist comes to a realization. And that realization is just because they are from another world, they aren't exactly special. They can be weak, they can be loathed, and they could even be hated.
Ascendance Of A Bookworm (2019 - )
Stream On Crunchyroll
Ascendance Of A Bookworm is completely unique in that it isn't a story of adventures or fighting an evil Demon Lord. But even then it could be easily considered one of the best fantasy shoujo anime. Myne, originally a bookworm from Japan, awakens in the body of a young dying girl in another world. Though that isn't her biggest concern, in fact, her biggest concern was being a commoner in a world where only nobles could be able to afford books.
As a transmigrator from another world, Myne has the privilege of using her former knowledge in a seemingly medieval setting. Something the protagonist does in The Rising Of The Shield Hero when thinking of how he can strengthen himself in an unfamiliar world.
That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime (2018 - )
Stream On Crunchyroll
While the title is pretty self-explanatory, this series follows a different trend in its genre than most. Satoru Mikami, a former Japanese salaryman, was killed and reincarnated as one of the weakest beings in his new world. Though he happens to have obtained a system capable of strengthening him to ridiculous levels, leading to him becoming one of the strongest beings in his world and even making a kingdom of his own.
Similarly to The Rising Of The Shield Hero, the protagonist builds themselves up from nothing. Along the way, they gain friends and powerful allies, something they didn't have in their previous world. And often sooner than later, both protagonists become something to awe at in their respective worlds.
Bofuri: I Don't Want To Get Hurt Anymore So I'll Max Out My Defense (2020 - )
Stream On Crunchyroll
Other than the trend of having a ridiculously long name, Bofuri is one of the more recent series to spawn out of the popularity of MMO-related isekai anime. As the name suggests, the protagonist, Kaede Honjou, tries out a newly launched MMO at the behest of her friend. The problem was she didn't like taking damage.
When it comes to making sure a player has a high defense in a video game, often time they'll equip themselves with a shield. And that so happens to be what the protagonist of Bofuri does. Like in The Rising Of The Shield Hero, both protagonist only equip themselves with a shield. Though that often means they both leave dealing damage to their allies.
Overlord (2015 - )
Stream On Hulu, Funimation, & Crunchyroll
the best anime villains of all time. Which is a bit off-putting when the protagonist before awakening into his in game character was just a normal Japanese middle-aged worker. Though in his new undead body, he tends to act cold and calculating, seeing human life as having nothing of value unless they were pieces on his board.
What Overlord and The Rising Of The Shield Hero have in common is the transformation of their main characters. As Naofumi, the protagonist of the latter series, becomes cruel and unforgiving in comparison to his positive and bright outlook before he was betrayed. Just like how in Overlord the protagonist is forced to act inhuman because of his new body.
Saga Of Tanya The Evil (2017 - )
Stream On Crunchyroll & Funimation
Saga Of Tanya The Evil takes place in during the early 1900s, basically in World War II. Though there's one difference, developments in technology has led to the abuse of magically-talented individuals as weapons in the war. The protagonist in particular, a man from the modern era, was transported into such a war-torn world after disrespecting a self-proclaimed god.
Like in The Rising Of The Shield Hero, the protagonist of Saga Of Tanya The Evil is begrudgingly dragged into another world without either of their inputs. Immediately, each of them is forced to act upon another being's wishes before their own, lest they suffer.