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As a medium, anime is undeniably fond of grand, sweeping stories that can be considered epics. As a term describing a narrative genre, an epic is a chronicle of a hero’s extraordinary deeds that usually spans many years, stemming from the tradition of ancient oral poetry. Colloquially, however, any large-scale narrative described as spectacular or monumental is often referred to as an epic.
In anime, epic storytelling appeals to fans due to its high stakes, awe-inspiring grandeur, and sense of wondrous, never-ending adventure. There is a reason why classic epics, from the Epic of Gilgamesh to the Iliad and the Odyssey, have stood the test of time as some of the most impactful narratives in human history, and their modern anime counterparts continue to take viewers’ breath away.
The Heroic Legend of Arslan Features Every Hallmark of a Classic Epic
An often overlooked high fantasy anime that, nonetheless, deserves praise and recognition, The Heroic Legend of Arslan fits the definition of an epic to a T. Its story, inspired by the myths and history of Persia and the culture’s own epic Amir Arsalan-e Namdar, chronicles the adventures of crown prince Arslan of Pars, who journeys to liberate his nation and ascend to its throne.
The only thing that stops The Heroic Legend of Arslan from being considered the best of the best is the anime’s incompleteness. No version of it covers the entire 16-volume novel from which the series originated; to experience Arslan’s epic journey in its entirety, fans would have to read either the original books or their manga adaptation.
Kingdom Turns a Tumultuous Period in Real-World History Into a Brilliant Heroic Tale
Another perfect example of an anime epic, albeit one that’s missing the genre’s classic fantastical elements, is Kingdom – a sweeping tale set during the Warring States era of ancient China that narrates the country’s turbulent path to unification. On top of its commendable dedication to historical accuracy, Kingdom is relentlessly praised for its brilliant balance of character-driven storytelling, thrilling large-scale warfare, and political intrigue.
Nonetheless, the anime version of Kingdom specifically isn’t without its flaws, turning many fans away with the visual inconsistency of its earlier seasons and often jarring implementation of CGI. However, it’s worth overlooking some of Kingdom’s superficial shortcomings to experience an epic of such astounding scale and narrative intricacy.
Berserk Is a Grandiose Classic of Dark Fantasy Anime & Manga
Arguably the most highly acclaimed dark fantasy series of all time, Kentaro Miura’s Berserk follows the grueling, tragic vengeance quest of a swordsman named Guts, set against the backdrop of a vast, complicated, and frightening medieval-inspired fantasy universe. In a lot of ways, Berserk feels equivalent to the great epics of old: from its mature, boundary-pushing nature and focus on personal tragedies of its heroes to the massive scope of its world that combines terrifying fantastical elements and grounded attributes similar to historical fiction.
Unfortunately, in its anime iterations, Berserk suffers from the same problem as The Heroic Legend of Arslan. No anime adaptation of the series comes even close to covering the entire manga, which, in and of itself, remains incomplete.
Mobile Suit Gundam Brings Epic Storytelling to Outer Space
Most revered epics of old used their culture’s mythology as a framework, acting in that sense as the originators of the modern fantasy genre. However, epics have long since moved on to speculating about the grand heroic exploits of the future, with sci-fi and mecha anime being some of the most popular genres for epic storytelling.
The trailblazer of “real robot” mecha, Mobile Suit Gundam is, perhaps, one of the grandest and most extensive epics in anime. Starting with the original Gundam 0079, the franchise has been narrating the various cosmic conflicts within its core Universal Century saga (and many other alternate timelines) for nearly 50 years. Most of its installments, indeed, resemble classic epic narratives in plot structure and themes – just scaled up to galactic proportions.
Vinland Saga Combines Epic Historical Storytelling With Profound Character Drama
A brilliant historical epic set during Europe’s Viking Age, Vinland Saga sets out to chronicle the life of its protagonist, Thorfinn, from a revenge-driven child mercenary all the way to what his historical counterpart, explorer Thorfinn Karlsefni, eventually becomes. As presented in the anime, Thorfinn’s tale is a remarkable exemplar of profound character growth – a subversive transformation one wants from a truly magnificent epic hero’s journey.
Outside of Thorfinn’s personal arc, however, Vinland Saga also keeps with the tradition of epic storytelling. The protagonist’s tale unfolds within a vast, complex world of constantly changing political alliances and brutal warfare, and the anime does an impeccable job conveying the scope of its narrative while never losing its heart.
Attack on Titan Chronicles the Rise & Fall of a Hero in a Cruel Dystopian World
Classic epics often narrate not just the rise of courageous heroes but also their tragic falls from grace; the heroes themselves, in addition to frequently being morally dubious, typically do not live to see the end of their tales. In this sense, the story of Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan is indeed an epic in which heartbreaking cruelty and moral ambiguity do not feel out of place.
In terms of scope, Attack on Titan is also an exemplar of epic storytelling. It begins as a rather confined survival tale, with the people of the Walls opposing mindless, man-eating Titans. However, as the story progresses and more about its world is revealed, Attack on Titan transforms into a large-scale military drama with truly epic conflicts at its center.
Gurren Lagann Is Epic in Every Sense of the Word
If one were to describe Gurren Lagann in a single word, “epic” would likely be the first thing that comes to mind. The tale of Simon the Digger, a timid kid from an underground village, rising to the surface to fight for humanity’s liberation from the oppressive Beastmen is, undeniably, a magnificent spectacle – jovial, over-the-top, and infectiously sincere in its ambitions.
The story of Gurren Lagann, like any great epic, also grows massively in scope over the show’s run. It starts with absurd but localized mecha battles, but by the end of the series, transitions to all-out cosmic showdowns in which galaxies can be used as weapons. However, no matter how exorbitant Gurren Lagann gets at times, it never stops being inspiring and immensely compelling.
Space Battleship Yamato Is One of Anime’s First True Epics
Leiji Matsumoto's monumental space opera Space Battleship Yamato is remarkable not just for being an excellent sci-fi epic. In a sense, Space Battleship Yamato was the medium’s first epic narrative ever produced – an original series with a consecutive, mature storyline that was the first to shift anime towards embracing such a narrative format.
The story of Space Battleship Yamato is also a classic example of an epic, narrating a spaceship’s long voyage to a faraway planet to retrieve a device capable of saving a radiation-poisoned Earth. And, like all timeless epic tales, this immensely influential series remains just as awe-inspiring and exciting today as it was upon its premiere in 1974.
One Piece Astounds Fans With Its Scope & Mastery of Long-Term Storytelling
A series that fits the definition of a modern anime epic the best, One Piece is a massive, astonishingly detailed adventure that countless fans worldwide have been following for close to three decades. Everything about One Piece closely resembles the kinds of grand escapades ancient epics narrate – just merged with modern shonen conventions and set in a fully fantastical world instead of a magical version of existing reality.
Monkey D. Luffy is also an excellent example of an epic hero – a boy with an extraordinary destiny who embarks on a splendid adventure to reach the clear, ambitious goal of sailing to the end of the Grand Line and becoming the next Pirate King. As an expansive journey filled with mind-blowing dangers and wonders, One Piece will remain anime’s most notable and prominent epic tale, even decades from now.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes Is Anime’s Most Ambitious Space Opera
A grand chronicle of a drawn-out cosmic conflict between two interstellar superpower nations with opposing ideologies, Legend of the Galactic Heroes is, without a doubt, the most epic space opera narrative in anime. Its plot, unraveling over the course of 110 episodes, is outstandingly complex and detailed, with hundreds of relevant characters, interconnected storylines, and a sense of scope unlike any other series in the genre.
Unlike more conventional epics, Legend of the Galactic Heroes doesn’t follow the journey of a single protagonist. Instead, it absorbs viewers into a shockingly realistic sci-fi world that grounds cosmic warfare in realistic political intrigues, tactics, and moral dilemmas. Thanks to its ambitious storytelling, narrative intricacy, and excellent long-term storytelling, Legend of the Galactic Heroes established itself as one of the medium’s greatest epic masterpieces.
