6 Anime Similar to Frieren: Beautiful Fantasy Worlds, Curses, and Thoughtful Main Characters
Dive into anime like Frieren with powerful leads, heartfelt themes, and beautifully crafted fantasy settings
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End came out in 2023 and it really caught people by surprise. Some were thinking it’s just another fantasy story with magic and demons. But then it turned out more than that... something quiet, soft but kind of powerful. Frieren isn’t the usual hero. She’s silent, thoughtful, and dealing with long pain. It’s not big showy anime, but it stays in your heart.
If you already finished it and now you don’t know what to watch, don’t be worried. There are some other anime that give a similar kind of feeling. Maybe it’s not exactly like Frieren, but it touches the same emotion. Some of these are old ones, some pretty recent. All of them have something deep inside.
6. Snow White with the Red Hair – Kind of Fairy Tale but Not Really
At first glance, it feels like a fairytale. The title sound like it’s about a girl who sleeps until the prince kiss her. But this one doesn't do that. Shirayuki, the girl, she’s smart and serious.
She works as a herbalist and studies plant medicine. The romance part, it goes very slow and nice. Also like Frieren, she got her own life and passion. There’s also mentorship, which feels kind of familiar.
5. The Ancient Magus' Bride – Magic School but Also Emotional Mess
Chise, the main girl, has a difficult past. Then Elias buys her. He’s a strange man, like monster with a skull face. He wants to teach her magic and also, somehow, marry her. Strange setup.
But the story is more about how Chise learns to survive. If she don’t control her powers, they kill her. Lot of magical creatures appear. The tone is sometimes romantic, sometimes sad. It’s got that same studying and learning vibe like Frieren, but also more weirdly personal.
4. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind – When Understanding is More Powerful Than Fighting
People really don’t talk enough about this movie, maybe because it is old. But Nausicaä is very unique. She's a princess, but not the spoiled kind. She explores a dangerous jungle where nobody wants to go.
Some people just think destroying everything is the only solution. But she wants to find out how it works. It reminds a bit of Frieren, where kindness and thinking deeply is what saves people. Not fists or shouting.
3. Princess Mononoke – Big Demons, Bigger Problems, and a Lot of Fighting
This film is wild. Starts with a fight against a horrible demon boar and the prince gets cursed. He has to leave his village or the curse eats him.
He goes into a world full of conflict—nature vs human. Then there’s San, the girl who lives with wolves. She is angry, wild. The demons don’t pretend to be nice like Frieren’s ones. They just attack. But still, it has that same message—peace is hard, but needed.
2. The Girl from the Other Side – Fairy Tale But Also Kind of a Nightmare
It’s very short but full of meaning. Little Shiva is trapped in a cursed world. Everyone she touch might turn into a demon. She stays with a big creature called Teacher.
The story’s quiet, and lot of stuff is not explained. The drawing look like it’s from an old children’s book. It’s not scary in a loud way, but it feels cold and sad. It gives the same lonely atmosphere like Frieren sometimes does.
1. Delicious in Dungeon – Cooking Monsters While Dealing With Grief
Yes, the name sounds silly. But the show is not only about eating weird things. The people in it are trying to save someone. They keep walking through dangerous place and cook to survive.
It actually shows a lot of care. About how people help each other, or fight, or joke, but still got sadness behind. Like Frieren, it’s about growing slowly and seeing meaning in small things. Also the monster designs, really fun to see.
Also Read : Solo Leveling vs. Other Isekai Anime: What Makes It Stand Out?
So no, these shows are not same as Frieren in story or style exactly. But they carry something in common.
They tell us how quiet stories can be strong. How people deal with memory, loss, and strange magic. These anime don’t need to yell. They just... stay with you. And maybe, in their own way, help you feel a little less alone after finishing Frieren.
Written By “Sujoy Bhowmik - India Today Gaming”
