In spite of how the show ended, Game of Thrones will forever be seen as the standard-bearer for the fantasy genre, for how globally renowned and beloved the series became. Game of Thrones was epic in many ways, from the scale of its world-building and the countless characters that were explored, to the massive battles, shocking twists, and persistent sense of dread that lingered throughout.
Very few fantasy series have come close to recapturing that epic feeling that Game of Thrones had, but there are some exceptions in the world of anime. Anime has the luxury of going overboard with its creativity, which naturally allows fantastical ideas to take on a life of their own in the most exaggerated ways. While there are plenty of fantasy anime that can't quite compare to Game of Thrones in how epic or grand they are, there are still some huge anime franchises that are able to compete with and even surpass Game of Thrones.
10 Fate/Zero
Fate is always going to be a heavily talked-about franchise in the world of anime, mainly in disputes over the correct watch order. However, Fate/Zero will always be singled out as one of the best, for its slick fight scenes and animation above all else.
From Saber to Gilgamesh, the Fate roster is always stacked full of interesting characters, and the various interactions that arise are especially intriguing, something that Game of Thrones also excels in. Fate/Zero follows the Fourth Holy Grail War, keeping up the action and intensity for all 25 episodes, cementing itself as an anime epic, with a dark edge to it that will appear to almost any lover of fantasy.
9 Dragon Ball
When talking about fantasy across all media, there are few shows more epic than Dragon Ball, specifically Dragon Ball Z. Goku's true capabilities and how outrageously powerful Super Saiyans can be are only two of many aspects of Dragon Ball Z that have stuck with fans for years. Ever since Goku's first Super Saiyan transformation, the phenomenon has always lived on as the true symbol of power in the world of anime.
Dragon Ball Z itself got many people into anime during childhood, and it still holds up as an epic fantasy anime. The animation may not be as crisp or fluid as modern-day anime, but old-school Dragon Ball is still at the very top of the action-adventure fantasy.
8 Naruto
Naruto is often seen as one of the best and most accessible gateways into anime, and it is easy to see why it is so popular. Naruto has over 700 episodes between the original and Shippuden, giving plenty of time to explore Naruto and the various other characters, their motivations, and their fighting capabilities. As Naruto and the others grow and gain more power, the world unlocks and opens up around them, as this anime pushes the boundaries of martial arts and fantasy.
Just as Game of Thrones sits atop the pile of fantasy television series in general popularity, there are very few die-hard anime fans who haven't seen Naruto. While Boruto never quite hit the mark, Naruto will always be remembered for its exciting action and fight scenes.
7 Jujutsu Kaisen
The Jujutsu Kaisen anime only debuted in 2021 but has already become one of the most popular series out there. Jujutsu Kaisen reaches to more supernatural themes than Game of Thrones ever ventured towards, other than with the White Walkers, but provides an excellent dark fantasy experience all the same. Jujutsu Kaisen doesn't hold back in killing off major characters, going all in with gore and dark themes, while the overpowered characters interact in extraordinary ways that naturally generate some incredible fights.
This all even relates to how Game of Thrones gained such a formidable reputation in the first place through such bold decisions. Jujutsu Kaisen also operates on an epic scale which is naturally why so many people gravitate towards it as one of the best new anime of the past 10 years.
6 Black Clover
Fighting through adversity and against the odds to achieve one's dreams is always a solid premise for an anime, as long as the world is fleshed out around this idea in a unique manner—and Black Clover does just that. Black Clover follows Asta and Yuno as they pursue the same goal of becoming the Wizard King. The path to achieving this is long and arduous, especially for Asta as he has to adapt to not being able to wield magic.
This only serves to fuel Asta's rise as a true underdog story, a perfect trope to get an audience behind a show's protagonist. Black Clover may be surprisingly polarizing in terms of overall opinions and reviews, but it is still undeniably epic in its fight scenes and presentation of the world. Black Clover is as enjoyable as any other fantasy anime when it comes to these fundamentals of the genre.
5 Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer is easily one of the most popular anime around, but it continues to justify that popularity and enormous fan base by consistently putting on a spectacle. Demon Slayer follows Tanjiro and his Demon sister Nezuko as they journey around to fulfill his destiny as a Demon Slayer and to restore her humanity. Demon Slayer packs every fight scene with incredible animation and vibrancy, with the colors and movements making every strike count in some way.
Demon Slayer is undeniably epic, from the difficulty of Tanjiro's task at hand and how he goes about accomplishing his goals, to every new character introduced with something to prove or some other agenda. Demon Slayer is easily a Game of Thrones equivalent in the world of anime as far as epic scale and general stakes go but is nowhere near as polarizing in popular opinion.
4 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood continues to defend its title at the very top of anime, both in terms of critic ratings and popularity, and it is easy to see why it is still held in such high regard. Despite the main focus lying on Alphonse and Edward Elric and their quest to right their past wrongs, FMAB introduces a huge cast of characters and makes them impact the story in various ways.
Very few characters feel insignificant in the grand scheme of FMAB's, with every moving piece having a part to play. FMAB's story is intense and emotional, but the fight scenes are also always on point. FMAB is 64 episodes of incredible storytelling, taking things to an epic level that didn't seem possible in the opening episodes.
3 Hunter X Hunter
There are few anime better than Hunter X Hunter at capturing true emotion with engaging storytelling that has an audience on the edge of their seats throughout. Hunter X Hunter follows Gon Freecss on his quest to follow in his father's footsteps in becoming a Hunter and traveling the world. He meets Kurapika, Killua, and Leorio, three unique individuals with their own intriguing personalities and motives.
Hunter X Hunter does a great job of building up countless characters around Gon, making the audience care about them, and then giving them serious thought and consideration. Hunter X Hunter excels not just with its intense storytelling, but with its fight scenes and the breakdown of powers, or Nen. The 2011 Hunter X Hunter will always be seen as one of the very best anime of all time, with 148 episodes of pure epic brilliance.
2 Attack On Titan
Attack on Titan is about as dark fantasy as anime can get. What starts as a straightforward fight for humanity's survival against the dastardly Titans looking to pierce their walls and decimate their numbers, gradually gets severely blurred lines as politics and a whole new part of the world are opened up and explored. Attack on Titan thrives on introducing and building up characters only to kill them off or at least put them through hell, something that Game of Thrones also loved doing.
What Attack on Titan has managed best of all, however, is creating and maintaining a persisting sense of dread that lingers through every single minute of every single episode. The stakes always feel so high in Attack on Titan, which is one of many reasons why it is so popular and simply one of the best, most epic anime ever made.
1 One Piece
One Piece will always be one of the biggest names in anime and manga. The recent Netflix live-action series based on the manga has also brought a newfound sense of hype to this already beloved franchise, as even more people now cannot get enough of this fantastical world that Eiichiro Oda has created. From Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates to the countless enemies they fight, One Piece is undeniably epic in its fights and sheer scale.
Devil Fruit powers and a focus on dreams fuel the characters' actions and ambitions in One Piece, but there is plenty of scheming and backstabbing on the show, just like in Game of Thrones. One Piece is hardly the most Game of Thrones-like anime out there in terms of style and themes, but there are some undeniable similarities.