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Freeze: beyond journey’s end blasted its way onto the anime scene in 2023, becoming an instant classic and skyrocketing to the top of My Anime List’s all-time ranking in the process. Based on the manga by Tsukasa Abe and Kanehito Yamada, Freeze follows the eponymous, nigh-immortal elf as she sets off on a perilous journey north while learning to appreciate the epic journey she once had and failed to appreciate with Himmel the Hero to save the world. Season 2 is currently in the works at Madhouse and is slated to release in January 2026.
But, for some fans, that release date can’t come soon enough. Freeze has developed a devout cult following, who are desperately searching for anime with that similarly indescribable spark that made Freeze so special. While many will agree that the series is one-of-a-kind, there are some anime that hold close similarities to Freeze.
1) Ranking of Kings
Ranking of Kings is another series that blends an emotional, character-driven story with gorgeous and cute art. Unlike Freezewhich frequently subverts the tropes of the fantasy genre, Ranking of Kings follows the fundamental steps of an underdog story in a fantasy setting. But, it does it to such great effect that it evokes the same respect and understanding of the genre as Freeze.
Based on the manga by Sōsuke Tōka, the series follows Boji, a deaf and miniscule prince with dreams of becoming king. Due to his small stature, the people of the kingdom claim he will never be king, but with the help of his best friend, a shadow named Kage, Boji strives to make his dream come true.
2) From the New World
In the later episodes of Freeze: beyond journey’s end Season 1, the series toys with the concept of morality. Fern is presented as a clear-cut protagonist, Ubel is a sadistic character but is still presented as a hero, and Frieren’s morality is also called into question, and she is still a hero. The series doesn’t hold the viewer’s hand; it simply presents the characters and lets viewers decide for themselves who they support.
That’s what fans will appreciate in From the New World. The post-apocalyptic sci-fi series toys with the line between antagonists and protagonists. From the New World also puts its characters at the forefront, letting their personalities and morality drive the story, much like Freeze.
3) Mushi-Shi
Mushi-Shi might be as close as you can get to Freezewhile still providing something different and unique. One of Freeze‘s most engaging elements is its everyday vibe. Amidst the dragons, demons, and magic, much of Freeze is spent following the everyday lives of its characters, as they are presented as grounded people who happen to live in a fantasy setting.
Salty perfects this concept. The slow and meditative series follows Ginke, a “Mushishi,” who ponders the existence of the complex yet basic lifeforms known as Mushi. The odd creatures might hold the key to understanding our very existence. Salty is, at times, a slow burn. But that’s also its biggest strength, as the series is methodical and thought-provoking in its exploration of life itself.
4) Humanity Has Declined
Freeze blended heavy-hitting themes and action with an adorable aesthetic and art style, courtesy of Madhouse animation. Humanity Has Declineddespite its pessimistic title, achieves the same rare feat, blending the post-apocalyptic genre with cute and aloof fairies.
The series follows The Mediator, a young girl who is sent by the UN as an intermediary between the surviving humans and the fairies, who are unintentionally destructive in their pursuit of candy. Behind its adorable art style, Humanity Has Declined is hilarious, thought-provoking, and incredibly cynical.
5) Land of the Lustrous
Freeze: beyond journey’s end wouldn’t be complete without the complex creatures and factions that fill its fantasy world. Land of the Lustrous will appeal to Freeze fans who love worldbuilding while also providing gorgeously fluid animation and an engaging story.
Land of the Lustrous is set in the far future, where mineral creatures known as Gems inhabit a strange planet that has been decimated by meteors. The Gems live peacefully among themselves but are hunted by the Lunarians, a species residing on the moon who hunt them to make jewelry from their bodies.
6) Spice and Wolf
There’s something engrossing about the mundane side of fantasy anime. While many series like to focus on gigantic battles and world-ending catastrophes, Freeze spends much of its time covering the unremarkable, like getting a magic broom fixed.
Spice and Wolf has perfected the art of making the everyday adventure exciting and engaging. The series strips back the trappings of the fantasy genre to follow Kraft Lawrence, a traveling tradesman who ventures from town to town, selling his goods to survive alongside a canine deity, Holo, with some excellent romantic tension to follow.
7) Violet Evergarden
At its core, Freeze: beyond journey’s end is about people embracing life. Frieren’s existential discovery about the passing of time is the very center of the narrative, as the once apathetic elf learns to appreciate her past adventures and the time she will never get back.
Strip away the high fantasy setting, and Violet Evergarden is a very similar story of pain, realization, and hope. Based on the light novels by Kana Akatsuki, the series follows the eponymous heroine after she is discharged from an ongoing war due to injury. After losing her beloved general, Violet is apathetic towards the world, until she lands a job writing letters for people that allow them to connect with their loved ones.
8) Bocchi the Rock!
On the surface, there might not be a lot of throughlines between Freeze and Bocchi the Rock! One is a high fantasy about saving the world, and the other is a music-focused slice-of-life about anxiety and joining a band. But the respectively eponymous protagonists of both series are more alike than you might think.
Bocchi the Rock! follows Hitori Gotoh, known by her friends as Bocchi, whose only dream is to overcome her social anxiety and make enough friends to start a band. Bocchi’s anxiety and Frieren’s apathy run parallel to each other as the reason why each character cannot enjoy life. Across the season, they both learn to open up and grow as characters and we, the audience, grow with them.
9) Kino’s Journey
Kino’s Journey is another anime that revels in unconventionality. Like how Frieren takes a break from her overarching quest to stop off in a city for months at a time, Kino’s Journey explores that same concept on a micro level.
The series follows the titular Kino, a well-traveled sharpshooter who traverses the land with her talking motorcycle, Hermes. Together, they visit various cities, spending three days in each to learn about the people, culture, philosophy, and history.
10) Delicious in Dungeon
Freeze: beyond journey’s end and Delicious in Dungeon are often put on a pedestal together as two of the best fantasy anime of all time, and for good reason. While there are some big differences between the shows, Delicious in Dungeon‘s worldbuilding is akin to, and possibly exceeds, Freeze‘s.
As the title suggests, Delicious in Dungeon follows a group of adventurers who cook anything they eat when exploring dungeons, turning the ugliest of beasts into delicious recipes. At the heart of this is a complex world that facilitates and explains the food chains for each animal, which then affects how they hunt, kill, and taste.
