Action-fantasy anime often deliver thrilling fights with sword clashes, magic duels, and supernatural showdowns, often with jaw-dropping animation. Not to mention, the fantasy setting not only allows room for a captivating storyline, but it also fits in a unique worldbuilding. Yuki Tabata’s Black Clover is one such series that gained massive popularity in recent years. The story is set in a world where magic is everything, and every person knows how to use some level of magic, regardless of how strong or weak they may be.
However, there’s one exception to the natural order as Asta, a young boy from an orphanage in a small village, who grew up without having any mana. On the contrary, another boy from the same orphanage, Yuno, is considered a rare prodigy. Despite having different abilities, the boys set their sights on becoming the Wizard King, a title granted to the strongest Magic Knight in the Kingdom. Black Clover’s anime debuted in 2017 and aired till 2021 before taking a long hiatus until the recent confirmation of Season 2. After over four years, Studio Pierrot confirmed a sequel, but the release date has yet to be revealed. While you wait for the anime’s return, here’s a list of 10 action-fantasy anime to watch if you like Black Clover.
1) Wistoria: Wand and Sword
The protagonists of both Black Clover and Wistoria share clear common ground, since they both have no magic despite being born in a world where magic determines their social status. However, they make up for their lack of power using a sword, immense physical strength, and sheer willpower. Wistoria: Wand and Sword centers around Will Serfort, who plans to become a Magia Vander, a title given to the five most gifted magicians in the kingdom, not unlike Asta’s ambitions of becoming the Wizard King in Black Clover.
Despite not having any magic, he has set his sights on the impossible goal in hopes of reuniting with his childhood sweetheart. The anime currently has only one season, while the second season is scheduled to be released next year, although the release window hasn’t been confirmed yet.
2) Mashle: Magic & Muscles
If we are talking about an underdog protagonist who lives as the only magicless person in the world, then another series that comes to mind is the hilarious action-fantasy, Mashle: Magic & Muscles. The story is set in a world where those born with magic have unique marks on their faces as proof of their power. Those who don’t have any mana are disposed of in order to maintain the strength of the kingdom.
Mash Burndead is an aloof young boy with superhuman abilities, but he lives as a recluse with his adoptive father to hide himself from the public. His peaceful life is disrupted when his secret is out. In order to save himself and his father, Mash must attend the Magic Academy and become a Divine Visionary, a title sought out by all the mages in the kingdom. The series has currently released two seasons, and a sequel has been officially confirmed.
3) Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
This underrated gem deserves a lot more attention than it got. Based on Shinobu Ohtaka’s award-winning manga, the story centers around Aladdin, a young Magi wandering the world in hopes of finding his true self. Magi is a title granted only to those magicians whose powers are so immense that they can shape the world. Most Magi even hold significant influence, which they use to choose a worthy candidate to become a king.
The Magic then guides the candidate and even helps them conquer dangerous labyrinths called Dungeons, where lie the powers of mythical djinns. Accompanied by Ugo, a djinn Aladdin can summon using a flute, he sets out on his journey and meets Alibaba Saluja. Aladdin decides to help him conquer a nearby Dungeon, and the two hit it off almost immediately. The duo then begins their epic journey as more secrets about Aladdin’s lineage and his role in the world come to light.
4) Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
One of the most highly rated anime series of all time, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, is set in a beautiful world where mages, elves, dwarves, demons, and all kinds of creatures exist. The story centers around an elven mage, Frieren, who traveled for a decade with the hero’s party, including Himmel the hero, Heiter the priest, and Eisen the dwarf. The four of them defeated the Demon King, bringing peace to the nation. The party disbanded after a decade-long journey, but Himmel’s death finally gave Frieren the inspiration she desperately needed to understand humans better.
She sets out on a journey after being guided by Eisen’s words and brings along a companion to fulfill Heiter’s final wish. She sets out to travel the land where the souls of the dead reside in hopes of meeting Himmel and trying to understand him better, which she never did in his lifetime. While not a 1:1 comparison to Black Clover, their mutual tendencies toward spectacular fantasy action and endearing friendships help sell each as individual experiences, with both anime being definitively popular fantasy anime in their own right. The anime series currently has only one season, which includes 28 episodes after running for two cours. The second season is scheduled to be released in January 2026.
5) Fairy Tail
Another anime set in a magical world on our list is Hiro Mashima’s Fairy Tail. Although the series frequently courts controversy because of the fan service, it’s still significantly popular. The story centers around Lucy Heartfilia, a Celestial Wizard who dreams of joining the Fairy Tail guild, the best guild for wizards in the entire kingdom. Some of the kingdom’s best wizards belong to that guild, which attracts many young wizards to begin their careers in that place; certainly more akin to Black Clover’s Golden Dawn in prestige terms than the Black bulls.
While trying to find a way to join the guild, she gets fooled by a fraud who is posing as the Salamander, a nickname given to a famous fire wizard in the guild. However, what Lucy didn’t realize was that the ordinary-looking boy and a blue talking cat she met earlier would not only save her but also turn out to be the Salamander and his companion. The main story has been fully adapted into a beloved anime, with even its filler having wildly entertaining moments. Mashima even began a sequel series titled Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest, which released its first anime season in Summer 2024 and has yet to announce Season 2.
6) D.Gray-man
This dark fantasy series may not have a magical fantasy setting, but the world of D. Gray-man is notably similar to Black Clover since it’s also driven by a protagonist with unique powers and demonic antagonists. D.Gray-man is set in a world where, thousands of years ago, a chosen few had the divine power to wield the “Innocence,” sacred relics capable of purging artificial monsters called Akuma created by the Millennium Earl. In hopes of locating all the Innocence in the world and the people who can wield them, a Black Order was created, which is still functioning to this day, for the sole purpose of defeating the Earl.
In the late 19th century, a young boy, Allen Walker, with the power to see the souls of the Akuma, joined the Order. Wielding a unique Innocence that’s been imbued in his left arm, Allen lives in a world much more horrifying than others, as he can see those souls suffering because of the Earl. He swears to stop the villain, but his quest leads him to the powerful Noah Clan affiliated with the Earl. As the story continues, Allen meets more exorcists like him and gets closer to the truth about the Earl and the Noah Clan. The anime series debuted in 2006, airing 103 episodes till 2008 before discontinuing for eight years. A sequel, titled D.Gray-man: Hallow, was released in 2016 with 13 episodes, but has yet to announce a continuation.
7) Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World
Re:Zero is considered one of the best Isekai anime, and for obvious reasons. Subaru Natsuki, an ordinary teenager, leaves the convenience store one evening and suddenly gets transported into another world. With no way of knowing how to go back, Subaru is bewildered after suddenly arriving in an unfamiliar world. He keeps getting in trouble with the local thugs, but he finally sees a glimmer of hope when he meets Satella, a mysterious and beautiful girl who is in search of something important stolen from her.
As a way of thanking her for saving him, he tries to help her find the lost item. The duo learn a little bit more about each other until they finally arrive at the thief’s house. However, they step into the house without knowing that something much darker is awaiting them. After being brutally killed along with Satella, Subaru discovers he has the ability to revert to a previous point in time after his death, retaining his memories of the previous timeline. The anime series currently has three seasons and a prequel film. The fourth season is expected to be released next year.
8) Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer is one of the biggest franchises in recent times. The story is much darker compared to Black Clover, with each series having different charms in its respective fantasy world. The story centers around Tanjiro Kamado, a young boy whose entire family was killed overnight. The only surviving member is his younger sister, Nezuko Kamado, who has been turned into a demon. Determined to take her to a doctor, he struggles to carry her on a snowy path until he comes across a Demon Slayer, Giyu Tomioka, who is set on killing Nezuko.
However, it doesn’t take long for Giyu to realize that Nezuko is far different from any demon he has come across. Moved by Tanjiro’s dedication to protect his sister, Giyu leads the boy on a path to become a Demon Slayer. Along with his demon sister, Tanjiro sets out on a quest to defeat the one responsible for the tragedy as well as find a cure for his sister and turn her back into a human. The anime is currently in its final stretch as it’s set to adapt the manga’s final arc in a trilogy film. The first part of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has been released in Japan, and it will hit the U.S. theaters on September 12th, 2025.
9) K
This hidden gem is a modern fantasy set in an alternate Japan, where the country is ruled by seven powerful Kings, each possessing unique supernatural abilities and their own clans, with whom they share their powers. The plot focuses on Yashiro Isana, a bright and kind high school student who suddenly becomes the target of a nationwide manhunt after being falsely accused of murdering a high-ranking member of the Red Clan, HOMRA. What’s worse is that Yashiro has no memory of what took place that would brand him as a murderer.
With both HOMRA and the Blue Clan, Scepter 4 on his tail, Yashiro is saved by a mysterious swordsman, Kuroh Yatogami. He initially plans to kill the fabled “Colorless King,” a dangerous being, but then joins Yashiro’s side to investigate the murder of the Red Clan member. Accompanied by Neko, a shape-shifting girl, the trio uncovers a larger conspiracy involving the power of the Kings as Yashiro’s true identity comes to light.
10) Naruto
Almost every anime enthusiast has watched or at least heard about this shonen classic. Naruto is a cross-generational Weekly Shonen Jump hit, which has stood the test of time despite the main story ending several years ago. However, the similarities between Naruto and Black Clover aren’t often talked about in good faith. Just like Asta, Naruto Uzumaki is an orphan with no innate talent, but dreams of grandeur, in Naruto’s case, becoming Hokage, the village leader, to earn recognition from those around him. The true powers of both protagonists stem from mysterious and powerful beings, lending further to their mutual common appeal for fans.
The story of Naruto is set in a Hidden Leaf Village where the young ninja, against all odds, strives to achieve his goal. After becoming a Genin, he takes the first step towards becoming a Hokage. Naruto is assigned to Team 7, along with Sasuke Uchiha, a gloomy and mysterious prodigy, and Sakura Haruno, a cheerful Kunoichi who has eyes for no one but Sasuke. The team works under Kakashi Hatake as they undertake missions, witness harrowing tragedies and war, and see their bonds strain between epic battles and emotional struggles as Naruto begins to uncover his true identity and the mysterious power sealed within him.
