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MYSTIC'S CAVE

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