The holiday season is upon us, which means it’s time to get ready to enter worlds of magic, myth and imagination – the top 5 fantasy anime of December 2023 have arrived! From long-awaited adaptations of beloved manga to original tales of supernatural adventure, this month’s slate transports viewers to incredible realms filled with heroes, monsters and epic quests galore.
This top 5 collection has something to awaken the inner child and sense of wonder in every anime fan. Prepare to journey alongside powerful sorcerers, mystical shrine maidens, sword-wielding warriors and champions with enchanted weapons as they battle demonic foes and unravel magical mysteries.
1) Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
- Watch: Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime
If you’re on the lookout for a fantasy anime that’s not just about epic battles and magical realms, but also delves into the profound aspects of life, then look no further than Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. This gem of a series isn’t just the best fantasy anime 2023 could offer; it’s a timeless tale that transcends the typical fantasy narrative.
Elf mage Frieren and her courageous fellow adventurers have defeated the Demon King and brought peace to the land. But Frieren will long outlive the rest of her former party. How will she come to understand what life means to the people around her? Decades after their victory, the funeral of one her friends confronts Frieren with her own near immortality. Frieren sets out to fulfill the last wishes of her comrades and finds herself beginning a new adventure…
Frieren packs some emotional punches while delivering that sweet, sweet fantasy adventure. The thoughtful themes paired with the top-notch magical worldbuilding cements why this anime should be every fantasy fan’s must-watch series for December and why it earns the top spot on our list!
2) Hell’s Paradise
- Watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix
If demonic villains and moral quandaries are your jam, then the grim fantastical feast of Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku will satiate your cravings this December.
At surface level, Hell’s Paradise dishes out savage swordplay and stealth kills akin to Demon Slayer or Attack on Titan. But underneath the gory delights simmers profound ruminations on the value of life when facing one’s mortality.
Our band of death-row convicts turned questers wrestle not just with lethal traps and sadistic warriors guarding the secret to immortality. Inner turmoil clashes with the external peril as traumatic pasts and philosophical questions of ethical costs plague each character’s conscience.
Veteran manga author Yuji Kaku meticulously crafts a sprawling lore, elevated by a Netflix-caliber production. Jigokuraku drenches scenes in atmosphere, from tranquil forests to creepy castles to dynamic battles accentuated by the exceptional soundtrack.
So, while brutal, high-octane action rightfully takes center stage, equal care is poured into the psychological drama that gives profound weight to each life lost. With poignant themes wrapped in stylistic violence, Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku is definitely one of the top 5 fantasy anime of this season!
3) Undead Unluck
- Watch: Hulu
Undead Unluck mashes up explosive shonen action with a cleverly twisted fantasy premise – crafting a neon-pop pulp adventure that no anime fan should miss this December.
Beyond the adrenaline-filled animation lies an intriguing fantasy lore inverted from typical supernatural tropes. Instead of hunting down special powers, “Nullifiers” are now the minority persecuted for their reality-warping abilities in a world suspicious of magic.
Leads Andy and Fuko make for an endearing odd couple – the unkillable optimist and a cynical girl saddled with misfortune. Their chemistry drives the show, along with bombastic battles where Andy weaponizes his own mangled body in gleefully gory ways. Here’s what the official synopsis says:
After reading the conclusion of her favorite manga series, Fuuko Izumo finally feels ready to end her existence. For the past 10 years, Fuuko has been afflicted by a condition that brings extreme misfortune to anyone who touches her. This has had a drastic effect on her surroundings, even inadvertently resulting in the deaths of those around her—including her parents.
As she stands on a bridge above train tracks, Fuuko is touched by a strange man, causing the footing underneath him to break and dropping him in front of an oncoming train. However, when Fuuko finds the man’s corpse, she discovers that his body is regenerating and that he is coming back to life.
The man, whom Fuuko names Andy, is immortal—and like her, he also wishes for death. Initially dismissive, Fuuko eventually decides to team up with Andy to give him the best death possible; but a mysterious organization lurks in the shadows, hoping to take advantage of the duo’s bizarre abilities.
Some eye-rolling fanservice and a “shut off your brain” style of storytelling won’t be for everyone. But fans thirsty for inventive, rule-breaking shonen with visual pizzazz will feast well on Undead Unluck.
So, if you’re hungry for fresh spins on tried-and-true anime formulas, Undead Unluck delivers a rare reimagining that peeks beyond trope deconstructions into the creative unknown.
4) The Apothecary Diaries
- Watch: Crunchyroll
Looking for a fresh fantasy anime that blends history, mystery, and medicine into one intriguing elixir? The Apothecary Diaries has all the ingredients you need this December.
Don’t be fooled by its gorgeous traditional watercolor visuals – The Apothecary Diaries crafts a wholly unique and intoxicating blend of palace intrigue, investigative escapades, eccentric humor, and an unconventional heroine who simmers at its core.
Fiercely intelligent apothecary Maomao captivates with her razor wit and mastery of botanical concoctions that she wields to solve mysteries and cure ails around the imperial palace. Yet an even more potent mixture bubbles beneath the surface – a tangled web of conspiracy and secrets that threatens the entire kingdom.
Part Sherlock Holmes-esque sleuthing, part tense political drama, The Apothecary Diaries coats real historical details with compelling fiction for an adventure that gripped fans of the source manga. Artfully balancing its case-of-the-week poisonings with an escalating overarching threat, Maomao’s trials weave an addictive tale spanning all corners of the empire.
So, for a refreshing elixir blending mystery, fantasy, comedy, and drama against an Edo Japan backdrop, The Apothecary Diaries delivers a wholly intoxicating interplay of genres tied together by one unforgettable heroine. It’s the perfect prescription for fantasy fans thirsty for something outside the usual tropes this December.
5) Heavenly Delusion
If you’re hungry for fantasy anime that deftly blends mystery, drama, and apocalyptic adventure – look no further than the sleeper hit of the season, Heavenly Delusion.
What begins as a slice-of-life marred by unsettling omens slowly unfurls into a conspiracy thriller steeped in the supernatural. Yet at its core lie the endearing bonds between Kiruko and Maru – two friends whose disparate personalities and values complement one another amidst the escalating chaos.
Fifteen years ago, disaster struck human civilization, and now dangerous man-eating monsters roam the ravaged lands, posing an existential threat to the remaining survivors. Amid this turmoil, an isolated facility shelters children and nurtures them in peace. However, as a few among them find out about the world beyond the narrow periphery of their nursery’s walls, their curiosity about it slowly grows.
Meanwhile, in the outside world, young survivors Maru and Kiruko band together to search for a special place called Heaven, each for their own reasons. Carrying past burdens and tragic secrets, the two hope to find answers to the cruelty they have experienced in their lives and in the world, which still remains in tatters.
Veteran director Seiji Mizushima, known for sculpting tension in classics like Fullmetal Alchemist, works his magic here as well. And while initial comparisons to touchstones like Sonny Boy and The Promised Neverland ring true, Heavenly Delusion quickly charts its own apocalyptic vision by Episode 3. There’s a meticulously crafted ecosystem of secrets where each cryptic revelation only unearths more questions about the true nature of this shattered reality. So while it might not be as popular as the rest of the series on this list, Heavenly Delusion is definitely one of the top 5 fantasy anime of December 2023.
Conclusion:
Whether you crave outrageous action, mind-bending magic systems, or philosophically profound plots, this December offers a bountiful harvest for fantasy fans.
And these suggestions are merely a taste of the creative riches awaiting fantasy devotees as another stacked anime season draws to an action-packed close. So, leave your assumptions at the door, embrace the unexpected wonders, and let your imagination run wild across the genre-blurring offerings before the year concludes. Trust me – with this thrillingly diverse fantasy slate, your anime watching schedule will overflow with magical surprises aplenty.
