10 best anime to watch if you like Lord of the Rings

The epic fantasy world created by J.R.R. Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and expanded upon in works like The Silmarillion and The Hobbit has enchanted readers for over half a century. Its influence has spread far and wide across mediums, finding expression in film, art, music, and modern fantasy literature.

Fans seeking magical and fantastical realms should explore anime—Japan's globally popular animation style. Several anime bear the influence of Tolkien's works, sharing complex worlds, epic adventures, magical systems, and conflicts of good vs. evil.

For Lord of the Rings fans wanting anime recommendations that can recapture some of what they loved about Tolkien's fantasy epics, here are 10 of the best options to consider.

10 must-watch anime for fans of Lord of the Rings

1) Vinland Saga

Vinland Saga (Image via Wit Studio / MAPPA)

Vinland Saga, a historical fantasy anime, is centered around Thorfinn, a young Viking hellbent on avenging his father’s murder at the hands of the mercenary leader Askeladd.

Thorfinn joins Askeladd's band to challenge him to a duel, beginning a journey across medieval Europe that will change him forever. The epic scope of this anime, as Thorfinn's quest stretches across seas and battlefields, should appeal greatly to Lord of the Rings fans.

Themes of war, honor, and redemption carry emotional weight similar to Tolkien's works. The historical setting also provides a refreshing take compared to traditional high fantasy. Amazingly animated large-scale fight sequences will look familiar to lovers of Lord of the Rings films.

2) Made in Abyss

This adventure anime focuses on young Riko, an orphan girl living in the Belchero Orphanage in the town of Orth. The town surrounds an enormous, otherworldly pit known as the Abyss - a fantastical place filled with strange creatures and relics that adventurers known as Divers travel to seeking fortune and glory.

When Riko discovers a message from her long-lost mother who disappeared into the Abyss, she decides to venture in with the help of a robot boy named Reg to uncover the mysteries surrounding her mother - as well as the Abyss itself.

While more sci-fi leaning than high fantasy, Made in Abyss should greatly appeal to fans of Lord of the Rings owing to its sense of mystery and adventure in an incredibly imaginative setting filled with dangers. The Abyss itself earns apt comparisons to Moria or the ancient forests of Middle-earth, with much unknown and fascinating lore to unravel.

3) Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan (Image via Wit Studio / MAPPA)

This immensely popular anime takes place in a grim world where the remnants of humanity live inside gargantuan walled cities fearfully guarded to protect themselves against man-eating Titans - mysterious giant creatures that have nearly driven humans to extinction.

The story follows hot-headed youth Eren and his friends Mikasa and Armin as they join a desperate fight against the Titans after their hometown is brutally destroyed. While also a historical fantasy and darker in tone than Lord of the Rings, Attack on Titan shares several similarities.

These include an epic fantasy setting, humanity uniting against supernatural threats, high-stakes action, rich world-building, and mysteries. The Scout Regiment that recruits Eren also bears similarities to the Fellowship of the Ring, full of camaraderie and characters demonstrating growth in ability and wisdom over an expansive adventure.

4) Berserk

This classic dark fantasy anime follows the gruesome journey of Guts, a wandering mercenary swordsman forced to battle demons and evil divine beings. Guts travels a cruel medieval world permeated with magic, seeking vengeance against his former friend turned demonic warlord Griffith.

Guts struggles to control the inner darkness threatening to consume him. Harsh and violent yet epic and memorable, Berserk's high fantasy world features supernaturally empowered characters and objectives similar to Lord of the Rings classics like Aragorn leading the fight against Sauron.

Guts himself bears resemblance to Aragorn as a fighter of great skill burdened with a terrible fate. Berserk's fantasy realms and menacing magical antagonists like the Godhand should enthrall viewers seeking fantasy universes on par with Tolkien's creativity.

5) Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation (Image via Studio Bind)

This anime tells the story of a good-for-nothing outcast otaku from modern Japan being reborn into a medieval fantasy realm filled with swords, sorcery, and adventure as Rudeus Greyrat, the child of a fabled warrior.

As Rudeus grows up as a child prodigy blessed with innate magical talent yet cursed with traumatic memories, he undertakes a journey of redemption - making use of his modern knowledge to forge a new life while bettering himself as a person, training to one day venture forth as a hero in his own right.

A story structure centered around exploring themes of redemption and being reborn into unfamiliar realms should resonate soundly with Lord of the Rings fans, as should Mushoku Tensei's dedication to building out an immersive fantasy universe.

6) Record of Lodoss War

Record of Lodoss War (Image via Madhouse)

This classic high fantasy anime builds upon a world originally created for a Japanese tabletop RPG campaign. The story revolves around a company of adventurers out to explore the magical continent Lodoss and restore the balance between warring kingdoms of humans, elves, and dwarves.

Prominent characters include the warrior Parn, elf Deedlit, and young mage Slayn - archetypes clearly inspired by common roles in Western fantasy stories. The Tolkien-esque setting of warring races and besieged human kingdoms should instantly appeal to Lord of the Rings lovers, as should ties to Dungeons and Dragons-style adventuring parties.

Compared to other entries on this list, Record of Lodoss War hews closest to traditional high fantasy with colorful characters on sweeping quests. Those who love Lord of the Rings for its fantasy tropes and world will find much familiarity to embrace here.

7) The Twelve Kingdoms

The Twelve Kingdoms whisks viewers away to a sprawling parallel realm governed by 12 monarchs, where magic and Chinese mythology blend into the fabric of medieval kingdoms populated by humans and supernatural beings like Kirins and Immortals.

The anime begins when high school student Yoko Nakajima meets a mysterious blonde man, Keiki, who transports her to the Twelve Kingdoms. Thrust into a land besieged by political turmoil and supernatural threats, the once-timid Yoko must rise to rule and restore stability.

The transportation of normal teens into a fantasy realm ripe for adventure echoes classics like The Chronicles of Narnia and connects with a core appeal of Lord of the Rings—relatable everymen growing into heroic roles.

8) Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit

Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (Image via Production I.G)

This beautifully animated fantasy anime centers around Balsa, an exceptionally skilled female bodyguard and wanderer hiding regretful secrets tied to her past, who one day saves the life of young Prince Chagum from an attempt on his life.

As plots swirl around Chagum owing to a deadly spiritual curse that has followed him since his birth, Balsa finds herself his appointed protector as they embark on an odyssey that takes them through the fantasy land of the New Yogo Empire. The colorful worldbuilding and courtly intrigue are reminiscent of Tolkien classics.

Balsa is one of anime's most memorable strong female leads, combining spear-wielding prowess with compassionate wisdom, much like Éowyn while maintaining a unique, deep character arc. Their journey, protecting an innocent marked by a greater fate, echoes key themes of Lord of the Rings.

9) Fate/Zero

This critically acclaimed anime serves as a prequel to the Fate series revolving around the fictional Holy Grail War - a secret magical tournament held in Fuyuki City where combatants known as Masters summon mythic heroes of the past as Servants to command in battle for the wish-granting Holy Grail.

Centered around the Fourth Holy Grail War, Fate/Zero illustrates how the ideals and intentions of Masters and mythic Servants destined to clash drive fate toward tragedy amidst an epic struggle for the Grail.

While an unconventional pick, Fate/Zero's exploration of kingship, legacy, and the burden of power resonates with Lord of the Rings's themes of responsibility and the corruption that supernatural power can bring. The Grail's mystery should intrigue fantasy fans, echoing the Silmarils' role in igniting catastrophe.

10) Claymore

Set in a medieval island world plagued by demons disguised as humans that prey on innocents, Claymore follows the titular Claymores - an order of half-demon, half-human hybrid warriors that serve as protectors against demonic forces.

The anime focuses particularly on the Claymore Clare, initially ranked as one of the weakest, and her developing bond with young villager Raki whose family was slaughtered by demons - leading to them journeying together while battling threats an ordinary person could never withstand.

This dark, action-packed supernatural fantasy features several elements that should readily appeal to Lord of the Rings fans—a warrior order sworn to battle demonic monsters, an overarching supernatural threat, a gritty medieval setting, and themes of vengeance and redemption through hardship.

Conclusion

For fans enraptured by the magical realms of knights, wizards, and supernatural evil conjured by the brilliant mind of JRR Tolkien, anime offers access to many more worlds where creativity has given rise to stunning fantasy epics well worth exploring.

The 10 series covered here spotlight only a selection of anime with a strong resemblance to elements that made The Lord of the Rings truly iconic fantasy storytelling - expansive worldbuilding, morally complex themes, camaraderie between characters, creative magical systems, and infectious adventurous spirit.

Anime provides uniquely Japanese takes on sci-fi and fantasy that can refresh the imagination or offer inspired new story angles. By venturing into the realms these series offer, Lord of the Rings lovers can reignite the same sense of wonder and excitement that made their first journey into Middle Earth so magical.