Only 3 fantasy anime are objectively better than Frieren

Few breakout anime of the last decade have generated as much enthusiasm and critical acclaim as Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. Frieren was already a popular manga, but Madhouse's anime adaptation quickly took off after it premiered in 2023. Frieren's story begins where most anime end, telling a moving story about community, grief and human understanding.

With a third season of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End confirmed for October 2027, fans are already counting the days until the subversive fantasy anime's return. What many may not realize, however, is that there are a handful of fantasy anime that explore the genre even more effectively than Frieren, making these titles must-watch series for fans.

Mushoku Tensei Chronicles A Lifetime In An Intricate Fantasy World

There's a fair bit in common between Frieren: Beyond Journey's End and Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, both of which are fantasy anime that get tremendous mileage out of their lengthy timeline. Frieren is arguably the more accessible of the two anime due to its preference for more episodic stories that highlight Frieren's ability to influence others and learn more about humanity in the process.

That being said, Mushoku Tensei manages to reach greater heights through its serialized, long-form storytelling that chronicles Rudeus Greyrat's entire life, from birth to adulthood. While Frieren subverts standard high fantasy adventure expectations, Mushoku Tensei offers one of the more inspired spins on isekai storytelling.

A jobless, reclusive man in his thirties dies and is reincarnated in a fantasy world as Rudeus Greyrat, but he retains all the memories from his past life. Rudeus is determined to avoid the same lonely fate that he had in the real world and proceeds to live a more active life that's without regrets. Rudeus' journey and his ability to push himself out of past comfort zones is incredibly inspirational. At the same time, this isn't an easy process. Mushoku Tensei uses this expansive view of Rudeus' life to highlight plenty of failures and difficulties so that the progress that he makes actually feels earned.

This multi-generational saga includes palpable life-long consequences that evolve the story. Frieren also experiences growth and change, but there's a level of detachment, especially in regard to consequences. Mushoku Tensei's complex character development also extends to the world-building of Rudeus' new fantasy environment and the intricate magic system that governs it.

It's so easy to get lost in Mushoku Tensei's world and the many unique customs, traditions, and barriers that define it. Some isekai fantasies can throw their characters into generic fantasy realms, but Mushoku Tensei is careful to never phone it on or trade in overdone clichés.

The magic system is especially impressive and characters need to study and advance through different tiers that require a deep understanding of magical theory instead of just activating some rune or reciting an incantation. Frieren's magical accomplishments are consistently exciting, but she's presented as a master of her trade who has been using these powers for centuries. Fern, admittedly, is still learning the magical ropes. However, her quest never feels quite so strategic.

The tonal difference between Frieren and Mushoku Tensei leads to most of the schisms between these two modern fantasy classics. Frieren loves to explore melancholy themes, but Mushoku Tensei more directly confronts grief and trauma. As exciting as Frieren is, it ultimately feels like Mushoku Tensei has more to say and a brighter, more original future ahead for itself.

To Your Eternity Is A Painful Look At The Human Condition

To Your Eternity is another fantasy anime from the 2020s that tackles a lot of the same subject matter and themes as Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, albeit in a darker fashion. To Your Eternity, like Frieren, follows an immortal protagonist with a timeline that spans across centuries. To Your Eternity stands out from Frieren and other fantasy peers because the main character, Fushi, begins his journey as an emotionless orb sent to Earth to observe life.

Over time, Fushi gains consciousness and evolves from a rock into a wolf and eventually a young boy. Fushi travels the world, hunted by enigmatic "Nokkers" who wish to steal his memories and erase him. This captivating setup leads to a subversive dark fantasy about identity, trauma and loss that repeatedly exposes Fushi to incredible trauma.

Frieren is a character who isn't exactly stuck in stasis, but her development pales in comparison to Fushi's growing understanding of empathy and humanity. Pain and loss, while heartbreaking, are just as important to Fushi's growth as love and friendship. It's a powerful journey that understands that being human is hardly a painless experience.

Fushi must consistently learn from the harsh lessons that he experiences in order to become stronger and survive against the persistent Nokker strikes. Its exploration of a fantasy world taps into deeper and more emotional territory than Frieren by allowing Fushi to experience such difficult hardships, rather than placating progress through constant victories.

To Your Eternity offers a more thought-provoking examination of immortality that treats it as a curse just as much as a luxury. Fushi's journey will no doubt leave the audience reeling from loss and left to confront uncomfortable truths, but in doing so it puts them through the same profound journey as its protagonist.

Made In Abyss Turns Fantasy Into A Slow-Burn Psychological Horror Experience

Made in Abyss may share a lot of the same visual language as Frieren: Beyond Journey's End. These two fantasy anime head down very different paths with completely different agendas. Part of the reason so many fantasy fans have fallen in love with Frieren is because of its cozy, slice-of-life storytelling. There's still a constant feeling of grief and the depressing passage of time, but these darker thoughts are often conquered by Frieren and company's perseverance and optimism.

Alternatively, Made in Abyss is an extended exercise in endurance that throws its characters into a punishing, nihilistic world where it feels like a happy ending is impossible. It's a grueling story of survival that turns the world itself into an overwhelming threat that's more foreboding than any of Frieren's demons or villains.

Made in Abyss follows Riko, an orphan who dreams of heading down the titular Abyss to find her mother and simultaneously follow in her footsteps. The Abyss contains remarkable wonders, but it carries a deadly curse that makes each deeper level a greater danger. Riko and her robot companion Reg eventually reach a point in which ascending backwards is impossible, and the only path forward is into greater trauma.

Riko is such a lovable character and someone who actually brings Frieren's Fern to mind. It's understandably difficult to see her experience the Abyss' terrifying curses and discover the traumatic secrets that are connected to all this. Made in Abyss takes its time so that the disturbing peril hits even harder. It's a fantasy series that goes beyond traditional genre tropes in order to create a more distinct world that's rich in psychological torture and brutal body horror.

Sacrifice and loss become common occurrences as Riko and Reg descend even deeper. These dangers and the strategic solutions that they require turn Made in Abyss into a more suspenseful experience that keeps the audience on edge. This propulsive momentum is typically absent in Frieren: Beyond Journey's End. It doesn't feel like there are any mysteries to solve or hanging plot threads in Frieren.

It's an approach that makes sense for the story that it's telling, but Made in Abyss can better engage with its fandom by teasing major reveals and twists. There are endless theories that surround the Abyss, its rules, and how Riko and Reg's story will end. It's generated remarkable tension over what's coming next and the severity of the curses that will accompany the Abyss' next level.