Summary
In a time whenfantasy anime are a dime a dozen,Frieren: Beyond Journey’s Endsuccessfully rises above the rest. Its compelling storytelling, quirky characters, and numerous heartwarming moments make this series stand out as one of the best, if not the best, fantasy anime of 2024.
While the originalmangais certainly amazing, a decent chunk ofFrieren’ssuccess should also be attributed to the studio that adapted this series to the screen, the iconicStudio Madhouse. With titles likeOverlord, Hunter x Hunter,andClaymoreunder its belt, it’s clear that Madhouse is an expert at telling a fantasy story. With that in mind, let’s take a look atother fantasy manga that Madhouse should adapt after their success withFrieren. Needless to say, none of these manga have ever been adapted, or even announced for adaptation, into an anime series.
7Multi-Mind Mayhem
An Isekai Protagonist With Three Souls In One Body
In a typical isekai story,a person from the modern world is usually transported or reincarnated into a new fantastical world. InMulti-Mind Mayhem, however, two souls are reincarnated into one body. The first one is the soul of an old samurai named Okasanai Sadatoshi. The second is the soul of a high school otaku named Masaharu Oka. Both of them are reincarnated into the body of Bard Cornelius, the son of a noble from the Mauricia Kingdom. Bard now holds three souls in his body, including his own soul.
As the body’s original owner, Bard’s soul retains complete physical control, but he can still use the other two souls' skills, knowledge, and memories to his advantage. With Sadatoshi’s skills in swordsmanship and military tactics, and Masaharu’s knowledge of business and technology, it doesn’t take long for Bard to distinguish himself as a successful merchant and a fearsome fighter.
6Old Knight In The Frontier: Bard Roehn
The Epic Journey Of A Battle-Hardened Old Knight
After decades of service as the Undefeated Knight of House Tertia,the 58-year-old Bard Roehnfinally decides that the time has come for him to retire. It’s time for the younger generation to take over his duties. Now that he’s free, Bard sets out on a journey. Little does he know that this is be the beginning of a great adventure that will be told for many generations to come.
For the most part, Bard’s journey is wholesome and relaxing. He gets to see wonderful landscapes, visit different towns, and meet all kinds of people. But occasionally, he will face enemies in the form of monsters and humans alike. In a way, Bard’s adventure is quite similar to Frieren’s journey.
5Touge Oni: Primal Gods In Ancient Times
An Epic Journey to Meet the Gods of the Land
Long before even the distant past, when the nation of Japan was simply known as the Land of Wa,the Gods ruled over everything.Touge Oniis the story of a young girl named Miyo who is supposed to be sacrificed to the Gods in order for her people to prosper.
Fortunately for her, an infamous ascetic monk named En visits her village. One thing leads to another, and Miyo finds herself defying the God of the land and becoming En’s apprentice. This is the beginning of a remarkable journey that will take this humble village girl to meet, and sometimes fight, the Gods that reside in and rule over the Land of Wa.
4High Elf With A Long Life
The Tale Of A High Elf Who Journeys Through The Ages
Aesir has been alive for 120 years. Though it may seem like a long time, that number is nothingfor a high elf like him,a race that supposedly can live for thousands of years. Bored of living in the holy forest for such a long time, Aesir decides to explore the world, which his people consider ridiculous.
Similar to Frieren, Aesir sees time differently than other races, especially those with a short lifespan, like humans. That’s why he can afford to learn swordsmanship for a decade or study as a blacksmith under a renowned dwarf for nearly a century. Seeing the world moving on while he remains the same is both heartwarming and saddening at the same time.
3Tower Dungeon
An Unlikely Challenger To The Bizarre Tower
Yuva is a regular young man born and raised in a poor village. When a wicked necromancer kidnaps the princess and takes her intothe mythical Dragon Tower that hovers atop the nearby mountain range,the Kingdom quickly asks nearby villages to send out their best men, and Yuva volunteers. When the young man arrives at his destination, most of the knights of the Kingdom look down on him. However, what they don’t know is that underneath his meek appearance, Yuva possesses inhuman strength.
The tower is a dangerous place where everything from the ruined stone walls and staircases to the bizarre creatures can, and will, kill anybody who dares to enter. That’s why the knights have a hard time climbing the tower. Unbeknownst to them, Yuva’s arrival actually marks the beginning of humanity’s first true effort to save the princess and conquer the mystifying Dragon Tower.
2Ran And The Gray World
A Mischievous Tale Of Ran’s Everyday Magic
Magic is one of the most exciting parts of a fantasy story. After all, there’s something undeniably impressive about mages and sorcerers unleashing fire and ice spells on their foes. However, there’s more to magic than simply being a tool for combat. As we’ve seen inFrieren,simple, everyday magic—such as spells that instantly clean clothes or create a flower bed—can be just as fascinating. That is the whole premise ofRan and the Gray World.
As the children of a powerful sorcerer, Ran and his older brother, Jin, can also use magic. While the calm and composed Jin prefers to live like a normal high schooler in Japan, the mischievous Ran loves to use her magic whenever she can. From using spells to clean up her room to turning into an adult version of herself whenever she puts on her favorite sneakers, there’s no end to Ran’s magical mischief.
1Magus Of The Library
Frieren Crossed With The Ascendance Of A Bookworm
As the name suggests,Magus of the Libraryisa story about books, libraries, and the people who love them.It’s a story about a book-loving half-elf boy named Theo who encounters a group of people known as the Kafna. The Kafna is a special group of librarians tasked with everything from repairing books in a small library to hunting for rare grimoires. Their interaction may be short, but it’s enough to inspire Theo to attempt to be a Kafna in the future. Little does he know that he will become the Kafna who fights so that the world can live on.
Magus of the Libraryevokes the same feelings and atmosphere asFrieren.It is a calm and heartwarming story that dives deep into the character’s psyche and offers wonderful worldbuilding with deep lore. Magic also plays a big part in both series. However, whileFrierenfocuses more on combat,Magus of the Librarycenters on books. Think of it as a combination ofFrieren: Beyond Journey’s EndandAscendance of a Bookworm.For viewers who like those two series, they will agree that Madhouse needs to create an anime adaptation ofMagus of the Library.
