Fantasy Recommendation List
Sometimes it's hard to find media with fantasy settings that I really like. This list will contain books, anime, movies and games which I think scratch the right itches. This list will focus mainly on so-called "high fantasy", and fantasy drawing from European folklore and fairytales. At some point I might add stories with animals too, like Redwall or Ghost of a Tale
Firstly, there are some criteria for inclusion in this list. If something doesn't meet all criteria, it will be at the bottom of each category.
- 1. The worlds/setting must be rich and exciting.
- 2. The fantastical elements must be stronger than "historical setting + magic".
- 3. Anything listed here should be high quality or fun/enjoyable.
- 4. Show above telling. Meticulous (and boring) 'lore' is not enough on its own.
- 5. The setting is not in the modern world or the future.
Games
This is a bit of a tough category. There are lots of fantasy games, but I find their execution of the genre to be a bit bland. For example, the Legend of Zelda series had a certain magic in the first few games, that's just lost after The Wind Waker, where the setting becomes "gamey". Games from the main list are excluded.
- Orcs and Elves (DS)
- The Warlock of Firetop Mountain (DS)
- The King of Dragons
- The Legend of Zelda (all games up to The Wind Waker)
- Dragon's Dogma
Movies
I would love for this section to be longer.
- The Neverending Story (first movie only)
- Labyrinth
- The Dark Crystal
- Going Postal
- Willow
Books
Sadly, I haven't read much since I was a kid, hence all of these are kids books.
- The Neverending Story
- Alice Through The Looking Glass
- Fighting Fantasy series (esp. Forest of Doom and The Warlock of Firetop Mountain)
- The Hobbit
- The Chronicles of Narnia
- Tales from the Edge of the World
- Discworld novels
- The Spiderwick Chronicles
- Earthsea Trilogy
- The Enchanted Woods (and other Faraway Tree stories)
Anime
While there is no shortage of fantasy anime, a lot of them are...well, anime. Konosuba is just too silly to list here.
- Record of Lodoss War
- Spirited Away
- Ruin Explorers
- Berserk