What is this genre all about? Contemporary fantasy, also known as modern fantasy or indigenous fantasy, is a sub-genre of fantasy, set in the present day. It is perhaps most popular for its sub-genre, urban fantasy.These terms are used to describe stories set in the putative real world (often referred to as consensus reality) in contemporary times, in which magic and magical creatures exist, either living in the interstices of our world or leaking over from alternate worlds. It thus has much in common with, and sometimes overlaps with secret history; a work of fantasy in which the magic could not remain secret or does not have any known relationship to known history would not fit into this subgenre. Occasionally certain contemporary fantasy novels will make reference to pop culture.Novels in which modern characters travel into alternate worlds, and all the magical action takes place there (except for the portal required to transport them), are not considered contemporary fantasy. Thus, C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, where all fantasy events take place in the land of Narnia which is reached via a magic wardrobe, would not count as contemporary fantasy; on the other hand, the part of The Magician's Nephew, where the Empress Jadis gets to London, tries to take over the Earth and clashes with police and a crowd of cockneys, would qualify as such.Contemporary fantasy is also to be distinguished from horror fiction, which also often has contemporary settings. When encountering magical events and creatures, the protagonist of a horror novel is horrified, while the protagonist of a fantasy novel (contemporary or otherwise) is filled with a sense of joy and wonder. Horrifying events may happen, but the fundamental distinction is vital.In his preface to That Hideous Strength, one of the earlier works falling within this sub-genre, C.S. Lewis explained why, when writing a tale about "magicians, devils, pantomime animals and planetary angels", he chose to start it with a detailed depiction of narrow-minded academic politics at a provincial English university and the schemes of crooked real estate developers: "I am following the traditional fairy-tale. We do not always notice its method, because the cottages, castles, woodcutters and petty kings with which a fairy tale opens have become for us as remote as the witches and ogres to which it proceeds. But they were not remote at all to the men who first made and enjoyed the tales". The same is true for many of the later works in the genre, which often begin with a seemingly normal scene of modern daily life to then disclose supernatural and magical beings and events hidden behind the scenes.Source: wiki
We present you the list of Contemporary Fantasy anime you should watch right now.
Try our anime quiz: Anime Characters Guessing Quiz/Game
Top 19 Contemporary Fantasy anime you should watch right now. [2024 List]
- 19. BLEACH: Sennen Kessen-hen - Soukoku-tan
- 18. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- 17. Jujutsu Kaisen
- 16. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2
- 15. BLEACH
- 14. BLEACH: Sennen Kessen-hen - Ketsubetsu-tan
- 13. Ao no Exorcist
- 12. Noragami
- 11. BLEACH: Sennen Kessen-hen
- 10. InuYasha
- 9. Noragami Aragoto
- 8. Fate/Zero
- 7. Fruits Basket (2019)
- 6. Mirai Nikki (TV)
- 5. Yuu☆Yuu☆Hakusho
- 4. Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica
- 3. Bakemonogatari
- 2. Elf-san wa Yaserarenai.
- 1. High School DxD
19. BLEACH: Sennen Kessen-hen - Soukoku-tan
With Uryu and the Royal Guards at his side, Yhwach successfully breaks past the Soul Shield Membrane barrier and finally sets foot into the sacred realm of the Royal Palace. But the Quincies’ advance seemingly ends after facing Squad Zero, who use their awesome powers to defeat Yhwach and the rest of the uninvited guests. However, the real battle and despair have yet to start…
Soul Reapers and Quincies. Ichigo and Uryu. Beliefs and Resolve. The never-ending conflict between light and dark clashes above the dark-blue heavens.
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 - The Conflict is currently airing and will have 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: BLEACH 千年血戦篇-相剋譚-, BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Conflict -, BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3, BLEACH 千年血戦篇 3クール
18. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
"In order for something to be obtained, something of equal value must be lost."
Alchemy is bound by this Law of Equivalent Exchange—something the young brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric only realize after attempting human transmutation: the one forbidden act of alchemy. They pay a terrible price for their transgression—Edward loses his left leg, Alphonse his physical body. It is only by the desperate sacrifice of Edward's right arm that he is able to affix Alphonse's soul to a suit of armor. Devastated and alone, it is the hope that they would both eventually return to their original bodies that gives Edward the inspiration to obtain metal limbs called "automail" and become a state alchemist, the Fullmetal Alchemist.
Three years of searching later, the brothers seek the Philosopher's Stone, a mythical relic that allows an alchemist to overcome the Law of Equivalent Exchange. Even with military allies Colonel Roy Mustang, Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, and Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes on their side, the brothers find themselves caught up in a nationwide conspiracy that leads them not only to the true nature of the elusive Philosopher's Stone, but their country's murky history as well. In between finding a serial killer and racing against time, Edward and Alphonse must ask themselves if what they are doing will make them human again... or take away their humanity.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has finished airing and it has 64 Episodes. It is also Known as: Hagane no Renkinjutsushi: Fullmetal Alchemist, 鋼の錬金術師 FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST, Hagane no Renkinjutsushi (2009), Fullmetal Alchemist (2009), FMA, Hagane no Renkinjutsushi: Fullmetal Alchemist, Hagaren
17. Jujutsu Kaisen
Yuji Itadori is a boy with tremendous physical strength, though he lives a completely ordinary high school life. One day, to save a classmate who has been attacked by curses, he eats the finger of Ryomen Sukuna, taking the curse into his own soul. From then on, he shares one body with Ryomen Sukuna. Guided by the most powerful of sorcerers, Satoru Gojo, Itadori is admitted to Tokyo Jujutsu High School, an organization that fights the curses... and thus begins the heroic tale of a boy who became a curse to exorcise a curse, a life from which he could never turn back.
Jujutsu Kaisen has finished airing and it has 24 Episodes. It is also Known as: 呪術廻戦, Sorcery Fight
16. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2
The past comes to light when second-year students Satoru Gojou and Suguru Getou are tasked with escorting young Riko Amanai to Master Tengen. But when a non-sorcerer user tries to kill them, their mission to protect the Star Plasma Vessel threatens to turn them into bitter enemies and cement their destinies—one as the world’s strongest sorcerer, and the other its most twisted curse user!
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 has finished airing and it has 23 Episodes. It is also Known as: 呪術廻戦 第2期, JJK2, Jujutsu Kaisen 2nd Season, Jujutsu Kaisen: Kaigyoku Gyokusetsu / Shibuya Jihen, Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory / Premature Death, Jujutsu Kaisen: Shibuya Incident
15. BLEACH
Ichigo Kurosaki is an ordinary high schooler—until his family is attacked by a Hollow, a corrupt spirit that seeks to devour human souls. It is then that he meets a Soul Reaper named Rukia Kuchiki, who gets injured while protecting Ichigo's family from the assailant. To save his family, Ichigo accepts Rukia's offer of taking her powers and becomes a Soul Reaper as a result.
However, as Rukia is unable to regain her powers, Ichigo is given the daunting task of hunting down the Hollows that plague their town. However, he is not alone in his fight, as he is later joined by his friends—classmates Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, and Uryuu Ishida—who each have their own unique abilities. As Ichigo and his comrades get used to their new duties and support each other on and off the battlefield, the young Soul Reaper soon learns that the Hollows are not the only real threat to the human world.
Bleach has finished airing and it has 366 Episodes. It is also Known as: BLEACH - ブリーチ -, BLEACH
14. BLEACH: Sennen Kessen-hen - Ketsubetsu-tan
With the secrets of his past and power finally revealed to him, Ichigo has reforged his Zanpakuto, and can now continue his training under the Squad Zero. However, time is not on his side; Yhwach and his assembled Sternritter are on the warpath once more, ready to finish their destruction of Soul Society and complete their millennium-long vengeance. What's more, their ranks have grown, with Uryu Ishida joining his fellow Quincy in their blood war. When the fates of every soul in the universe are at stake, Ichigo must find the strength to take on his own friend.
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 - The Separation has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: BLEACH 千年血戦篇-訣別譚-, BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Separation -, BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2, BLEACH 千年血戦篇 2クール
13. Ao no Exorcist
Humans and demons are two sides of the same coin, as are Assiah and Gehenna, their respective worlds. The only way to travel between the realms is by the means of possession, like in ghost stories. However, Satan, the ruler of Gehenna, cannot find a suitable host to possess and therefore, remains imprisoned in his world. In a desperate attempt to conquer Assiah, he sends his son instead, intending for him to eventually grow into a vessel capable of possession by the demon king.Ao no Exorcist follows Rin Okumura who appears to be an ordinary, somewhat troublesome teenager—that is until one day he is ambushed by demons. His world turns upside down when he discovers that he is in fact the very son of Satan and that his demon father wishes for him to return so they can conquer Assiah together. Not wanting to join the king of Gehenna, Rin decides to begin training to become an exorcist so that he can fight to defend Assiah alongside his brother Yukio.
Blue Exorcist has finished airing and it has 25 Episodes. It is also Known as: 青の祓魔師(エクソシスト), Ao no Futsumashi
12. Noragami
In times of need, if you look in the right place, you just may see a strange telephone number scrawled in red. If you call this number, you will hear a young man introduce himself as the Yato God.
Yato is a minor deity and a self-proclaimed "Delivery God," who dreams of having millions of worshippers. Without a single shrine dedicated to his name, however, his goals are far from being realized. He spends his days doing odd jobs for five yen apiece, until his weapon partner becomes fed up with her useless master and deserts him.
Just as things seem to be looking grim for the god, his fortune changes when a middle school girl, Hiyori Iki, supposedly saves Yato from a car accident, taking the hit for him. Remarkably, she survives, but the event has caused her soul to become loose and hence able to leave her body. Hiyori demands that Yato return her to normal, but upon learning that he needs a new partner to do so, reluctantly agrees to help him find one. And with Hiyori's help, Yato's luck may finally be turning around.
Noragami has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: ノラガミ, Stray God
11. BLEACH: Sennen Kessen-hen
Was it all just a coincidence, or was it inevitable?
Ichigo Kurosaki gained the powers of a Soul Reaper through a chance encounter. As a Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo became caught in the turmoil of the Soul Society, a place where deceased souls gather. But with help from his friends, Ichigo overcame every challenge to become even stronger.
When new Soul Reapers and a new enemy appear in his hometown of Karakura, Ichigo jumps back into the battlefield with his Zanpakuto to help those in need.
Meanwhile, the Soul Society is observing a sudden surge in the number of Hollows being destroyed in the World of the Living. They also receive separate reports of residents in the Rukon District having gone missing. Finally, the Seireitei, home of the Soul Reapers, come under attack by a group calling themselves the Wandenreich.
Led by Yhwach, the father of all Quincies, the Wandenreich declare war against the Soul Reapers with the following message:
“Five days from now, the Soul Society will be annihilated by the Wandenreich.”
The history and truth kept hidden by the Soul Reapers for a thousand long years are finally brought to light.
All things must come to an end—as Ichigo Kurosaki’s final battle begins!
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: BLEACH 千年血戦篇, BLEACH: The Blood Warfare, BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 1 - The Blood Warfare
10. InuYasha
Based on the Shogakukan award-winning manga of the same name, InuYasha follows Kagome Higurashi, a fifteen-year-old girl whose normal life ends when a demon drags her into a cursed well on the grounds of her family's Shinto shrine. Instead of hitting the bottom of the well, Kagome ends up 500 years in the past during Japan's violent Sengoku period with the demon's true target, a wish-granting jewel called the Shikon Jewel, reborn inside of her.
After a battle with a revived demon accidentally causes the sacred jewel to shatter, Kagome enlists the help of a young hybrid dog-demon/human named Inuyasha to help her collect the shards and prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. Joining Kagome and Inuyasha on their quest are the orphan fox-demon Shippo, the intelligent monk Miroku, and the lethal demon slayer Sango. Together, they must set aside their differences and work together to find the power granting shards spread across feudal Japan and deal with the threats that arise.
InuYasha has finished airing and it has 167 Episodes. It is also Known as: 犬夜叉, Inu Yasha
9. Noragami Aragoto
Yato and Yukine have finally mended their relationship as god and Regalia, and everyone has returned to their daily life. Yato remains a minor and unknown deity who continues taking odd jobs for five yen apiece in the hopes of one day having millions of worshippers and his own grand shrine. Hiyori Iki has yet to have her loose soul fixed by Yato, but she enjoys life and prepares to attend high school nonetheless.
Taking place immediately after the first season, Noragami Aragoto delves into the complicated past between Yato and the god of war Bishamon. The female god holds a mysterious grudge against Yato, which often results in violent clashes between them. It doesn't help that Bishamon's most trusted and beloved Regalia, Kazuma, appears to be indebted to Yato. When lives are on the line, unraveling these mysteries and others may be the only way to correct past mistakes.
Noragami Aragoto has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: ノラガミ ARAGOTO, Noragami Aragoto
8. Fate/Zero
With the promise of granting any wish, the omnipotent Holy Grail triggered three wars in the past, each too cruel and fierce to leave a victor. In spite of that, the wealthy Einzbern family is confident that the Fourth Holy Grail War will be different; namely, with a vessel of the Holy Grail now in their grasp. Solely for this reason, the much hated "Magus Killer" Kiritsugu Emiya is hired by the Einzberns, with marriage to their only daughter Irisviel as binding contract.
Kiritsugu now stands at the center of a cutthroat game of survival, facing off against six other participants, each armed with an ancient familiar, and fueled by unique desires and ideals. Accompanied by his own familiar, Saber, the notorious mercenary soon finds his greatest opponent in Kirei Kotomine, a priest who seeks salvation from the emptiness within himself in pursuit of Kiritsugu.
Based on the light novel written by Gen Urobuchi, Fate/Zero depicts the events of the Fourth Holy Grail War—10 years prior to Fate/stay night. Witness a battle royale in which no one is guaranteed to survive.
Fate/Zero has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: フェイト/ゼロ, Fate/Zero
7. Fruits Basket (2019)
High school student Tohru Honda begins living alone in a tent after she loses her mother, who was her only remaining family member.
However, it turns out that the land she pitches her tent on is part of the distinguished Sohma family estate!
When Shigure Sohma sees the value of her housekeeping skills, Tohru ends up living with Yuki Sohma, who is essentially the prince of her school, and Kyo Sohma, who regards Yuki as the enemy.
Still, there’s something Tohru doesn’t know yet: the Sohma family has been bound for centuries by a horrible curse…
Fruits Basket (2019) has finished airing and it has 25 Episodes. It is also Known as: フルーツバスケット, Furuba, Fruits Basket (Zenpen)
6. Mirai Nikki (TV)
Lonely high school student, Yukiteru Amano, spends his days writing a diary on his cellphone, while conversing with his two seemingly imaginary friends Deus Ex Machina, who is the god of time and space, and Murmur, the god's servant. Revealing himself to be an actual entity, Deus grants Yukiteru a "Random Diary," which shows highly descriptive entries based on the future and forces him into a bloody battle royale with 11 other holders of similarly powerful future diaries.
With the last person standing designated as the new god of time and space, Yukiteru must find and kill the other 11 in order to survive. He reluctantly teams up with his obsessive stalker Yuno Gasai (who also possesses such a diary), and she takes it upon herself to ensure his safety. But there's more to the girl than meets the eye, as she might have other plans for her unrequited love...4
The Future Diary has finished airing and it has 26 Episodes. It is also Known as: 未来日記, Mirai Nikki, Mirai Nikki (2011)
5. Yuu☆Yuu☆Hakusho
One fateful day, Yuusuke Urameshi, a 14-year-old delinquent with a dim future, gets a miraculous chance to turn it all around when he throws himself in front of a moving car to save a young boy. His ultimate sacrifice is so out of character that the authorities of the spirit realm are not yet prepared to let him pass on. Koenma, heir to the throne of the spirit realm, offers Yuusuke an opportunity to regain his life through completion of a series of tasks. With the guidance of the death god Botan, he is to thwart evil presences on Earth as a Spirit Detective.
To help him on his venture, Yuusuke enlists ex-rival Kazuma Kuwabara, and two demons, Hiei and Kurama, who have criminal pasts. Together, they train and battle against enemies who would threaten humanity's very existence.
Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files has finished airing and it has 112 Episodes. It is also Known as: 幽☆遊☆白書, Yu Yu Hakusho, Ghost Fighter, Poltergeist Report, YuYu Hakusho, Yuu Yuu Hakusho
4. Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica
Madoka Kaname and Sayaka Miki are regular middle school girls with regular lives, but all that changes when they encounter Kyuubey, a cat-like magical familiar, and Homura Akemi, the new transfer student.
Kyuubey offers them a proposition: he will grant one of their wishes and in exchange, they will each become a magical girl, gaining enough power to fulfill their dreams. However Homura, a magical girl herself, urges them not to accept the offer since everything is not what it seems.
A story of hope, despair, and friendship, Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica deals with the difficulties of being a magical girl and the price one has to pay to make a dream come true.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 魔法少女まどか★マギカ, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika, Magical Girl Madoka Magica
3. Bakemonogatari
Koyomi Araragi, a third-year high school student, manages to survive a vampire attack with the help of Meme Oshino, a strange man residing in an abandoned building. Though being saved from vampirism and now a human again, several side effects such as superhuman healing abilities and enhanced vision still remain. Regardless, Araragi tries to live the life of a normal student, with the help of his friend and the class president, Tsubasa Hanekawa.
When fellow classmate Hitagi Senjougahara falls down the stairs and is caught by Araragi, the boy realizes that the girl is unnaturally weightless. Despite Senjougahara's protests, Araragi insists he help her, deciding to enlist the aid of Oshino, the very man who had once helped him with his own predicament.
Through several tales involving demons and gods, Bakemonogatari follows Araragi as he attempts to help those who suffer from supernatural maladies.
Bakemonogatari has finished airing and it has 15 Episodes. It is also Known as: 化物語, Ghostory
2. Elf-san wa Yaserarenai.
Naoe-kun, a massage therapist, is about to head home for the day when he's saddled with a rather strange patient. This lovely lady has emerald eyes, pointy ears, and grew up in the forest—everything about her screams "elf," except for one thing: her bodacious body. It turns out she left her world but loves junk food in this one, and now her obsession has caught up with her. Can Naoe-kun help this loveable elf girl lose the weight—and keep it off?
Plus-Sized Elf has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: エルフさんは痩せられない。, Elf can't on a diet, Miss Elf Can't Lose Weight
1. High School DxD
High school student Issei Hyoudou is your run-of-the-mill pervert who does nothing productive with his life, peeping on women and dreaming of having his own harem one day. Things seem to be looking up for Issei when a beautiful girl asks him out on a date, although she turns out to be a fallen angel who brutally kills him! However, he gets a second chance at life when beautiful senior student Rias Gremory, who is a top-class devil, revives him as her servant, recruiting Issei into the ranks of the school's Occult Research club.
Slowly adjusting to his new life, Issei must train and fight in order to survive in the violent world of angels and devils. Each new adventure leads to many hilarious (and risqué) moments with his new comrades, all the while keeping his new life a secret from his friends and family in High School DxD!
High School DxD has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: ハイスクールD×D, Highschool DxD
