With the Elden Ring taking the world by storm, people are clearly hungry for more. So what is there to do after you have completed Elden Ring? Well, you can beat it again, of course, but another thing you might want to consider is sitting back and enjoying a solid anime that can offer elements that might be familiar to fans of FromSoftware’s masterpiece.
While we wonder if there are any anime that are true to the reality of Elden Ring, there are definitely anime that contain an element or two that will resonate with fans of the game. Whether it’s the similar-feeling world or the somber tone, these series are sure to offer FromSoftware fans something to chew on.
10 Re: zero
Tonally, RE:Zero feels nothing like Elden Ring. He is a largely cheerful (albeit still violent and bloody) isekai. However, he does have a quirk that will feel right at home to all Elden Ring fans: he features a hero who dies repeatedly, only to be sent back in time to a previous checkpoint. This ability gives Subaru Natsuki (the protagonist) another chance to move on, against all odds, and reign victorious. What has to sound familiar to all Elden Ring alumni.
This is definitely a left field suggestion, mostly due to tonal differences, but the aspect of continually reviving to try and get the win feels strongly associated with a FromSoftware experience. The fact that the protagonist has several options to avoid these encounters, existing in a more open world, tilts him even more in the direction of the Elden Ring. If you’re looking for something a little more light-hearted, Re:Zero isn’t a bad choice.
9 Dragon’s Dogma
For those in search of an Elden Ring-esque fantasy world, featuring danger around every corner and an array of colossal enemies, Dragon’s Dogma absolutely nails those elements. Makes sense, The Dragon’s Dogma game also has more than a few similarities to Elden Ring. However, the anime seems to skew darker than the game, bringing it more in line with how grim the world of the Elden Ring can be.
The biggest problem here, then, is that the series isn’t exactly stellar. Its animation is clunky and stiff, and the writing is actually passable. Still, some of the fights can be entertaining enough and the setting is quite similar to that of Elden Ring. So it will absolutely work if you are looking for something that can generate similar vibes, but you should consider this a soft recommendation.
8 Akame Ga Kill!
Akame Ga Kill is a deeply cynical anime set in a medieval fantasy world. This is not as sparsely populated as the Elden Ring, but it is nonetheless just as hostile. Humanity hasn’t fallen into decline, but that doesn’t make the world of Akame Ga Kill any more hospitable. In fact, Akame Ga Kill goes to great lengths to reassure you that humans can be just as hideous as the Elden Ring’s most intimidating horror.
Akame Ga Kill is a dark and unwelcoming medieval world, plagued by horrible monsters. For Elden Ring fans looking for a dark fantasy anime that’s tinged with cynicism, Akame Ga Kill isn’t a bad fit.
7 crying devil man
Netflix After Dark Devilman Crybaby
While Elden Ring is a game full of humanoid enemies, it’s also full of hideous abominations. That’s where Devilman Crybaby comes in. This is an anime that isn’t afraid to get a little weird when it comes to the heck of it. The creatures found in Devilman Crybaby are far from standard fare, taking on strange and disturbing forms.
If you are someone who appreciates how supernatural some of the monsters in Elden Ring can get, then this is an anime that will appeal to your sensibilities. It’s also a really interesting, albeit eccentric, watch.
6 attack on titan
Let’s get things out of the way that aren’t directly comparable. There are a lot of people in Attack On Titan. Lots of very normal people. That’s not like Elden Ring. There’s also a lot of political intrigue, especially when you get to the middle of the series. That’s not like Elden Ring either.
However, there are many points of contact. On the one hand, Attack On Titan is absolutely vicious. The way he deals with death is extremely visceral and gives the world a sense of unrelenting brutality. Now what is very elden ring Outside of one or two characters, they all feel extremely vulnerable in Attack On Titan. That vulnerability lends itself to the same sense of dread you experience during every encounter in FromSoftware’s latest masterpiece.
5 Old house
Claymore is part Witcher and part Elden Ring. He features an outcast monster hunter who travels the world taking down Yoma (which are monsters). The series’ protagonist, Clair, is also emotionally detached. Which, when you think about it, is an interesting way to play the silent protagonist of Elden Ring.
Claymore is unquestionably dark, which pairs nicely with its violent and cynical content. This, of course, makes it a great choice for most fans looking to interact with an anime that has some of that Elden Ring flair to it.
4 afro samurai
Afro Samurai features a mostly solitary warrior, only accompanied by a sketchy, seemingly unstable ally, who only appears between battles. The main goal is for Afro to roam the world, engaging in encounters with a variety of enemies wherever he wants him to go. In this sense, everyone feels hostile. Sounds familiar, right?
While the setting isn’t a real match for Elden Ring, it seems to match the pacing of the series quite well. Elden Ring, with its endless supply of minor bosses, wedged in between encounters with groups of enemies, can feel almost like a quasi-boss race experience wedged into an open world. Afro Samurai has a very similar vibe.
3 Vampire Hunter D.
When you think of parallels to the Vampire Hunter D video games, Castlevania is probably the first name that comes to mind. And there are a lot of Castlevania cheats in Vampire Hunter D, but there are also a lot of FromSoftware-esque elements.
It is another anime set in a world seemingly ravaged by monsters. One where it has become extremely dangerous to travel. The protagonist is a lonely figure and an outsider who fights against monstrous hordes. It’s not as gloomy as Elden Ring, but it’s not exactly a sunny series either. It’s interesting to note that Elden Ring apparently has a direct reference to this series in its D Hunter Of The Dead NPC. Clearly, the series was not unknown to the creators of Elden Ring.
While one might think this would be a better anime to watch if you’re looking for a Sekiro parallel, Ninja Scroll is also a good fit for something like Elden Ring. The world of Ninja Scroll is riddled with seemingly endless threats. Jubei’s journey through the countryside regularly sees him come into conflict with demonic warriors.
The few people who are not outwardly hostile are cautious and have their own motivations. And wherever he goes, there seems to be nothing but death. There are no friendly towns or lively cities. Only danger around every corner. For Jubei, it’s one bloody battle after another, each one more dangerous than the last. That certainly feels like something that could be said for Tarnished’s journey in Elden Ring as well.
1 crazed
It’s no secret that Berserk is a huge influence on Miyazaki and the Souls series. That same bleak, dark fantasy world is, of course, present in Elden Ring as well. Berserk is a world that has fallen into the hands of demons. The people left alive are regularly killed and consumed. Guts roams the land hunting demons.
Everything you would expect from a series that has been so influential to FromSoftware is here. The world of Berserk is relentlessly cruel, endlessly dangerous, and inevitably tragic. If you track this one down, check out the 1997 series and go on from there. Be warned though, this series is staggeringly bleak. It can leave you feeling foggy.
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