Anime is such a diverse, creative medium and even though there are certain tropes that apply to the various genres of anime, it’s still exciting to see how shows are able to break away from the norm. Anime often takes many unexpected turns and even shows that seem conventional can inevitably throw audiences for a loop. Fantasy is a major genre for anime that seems to only be taking more risks with the direction of its content.
Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a formative piece of literature that anime sometimes riffs on with its fantasy series. Accordingly, here are 10 anime to watch if you loved Alice in Wonderland.
10 Pandora Hearts
Pandora Hearts is a series that's reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, but it flips the perspective and tone in some drastic ways. The anime focuses on Oz, an heir to greatness that's suddenly thrown into a prison. It's here where his adventure really begins, as he's rescued by Alice, otherwise known as Blood-Stained Black Rabbit, a scythe-wielding animal.
Pandora Hearts gives the Alice character a lot more agency and turns her into the savior rather than a clueless heroine. There are tons of references to Wonderland in the anime, but the dark makeover helps it stand apart.
9 Are You Alice?
Are You Alice? is like if Alice in Wonderland and Battle Royale got mashed together. The typical "fish out of water" fantasy element applies as a man appears in a new world known as Wonderland with no memory of who he is. He's told that he's "Alice," and is soon thrust into a murderous game by the Queen of Hearts to take out the White Rabbit.
It's very effective to turn the Alice in Wonderland narrative into more of a mystery with action elements, while still retaining all of the core concepts and characters of the source material.
8 Spirited Away
All of the works of Hayao Miyazaki are animated masterpieces, but Spirited Away definitely conjures a vibe that's very similar to Alice in Wonderland. Young Chihiro finds herself in a supernatural resort for spirits and is stuck working off her parents' debt to reclaim their freedom. Chihiro's struggles to learn the lay of the land and the fantastical figures that she encounters feel very reminiscent of Carroll, but in a much wilder fashion. It’s a fulfilling take on a familiar idea while some of the most beautiful work from Miyazaki’s career.
7 Black Butler
Black Butler is an entertaining fantasy anime that plays with a lot of the usual conventions that turn up more in the action-adventure series that involve demons. Black Butler centers around a cursed agreement where Ciel employs the services of Sebastian, a demon, to be his butler and kill those who wronged him. Once Sebastian helps Ciel complete his goal, he'll let him consume his soul. A surprising, genuine bond forms between these two contrasting characters. The evolution of their relationship and the places that they venture to is one of Black Butler's greatest strengths.
6 Serial Experiments Lain
Serial Experiments Lain is one of the bigger head-trip anime to come out of the '90s and it's still a very dense show to unpack even now. It's a heavy psychological thriller that tackles questions of identity and reality, but these ideas are expressed by the meek Lain's journey into a technological world known as the Wired. In Lain, this fantasy world is both a paradise and a prison and while it may be a looser take on Alice in Wonderland, there's still some of the same DNA present.
5 Vision Of Escaflowne
The Vision of Escaflowne was a rare series to get localized during the beginning of the anime boom in the '90s, but it's a story with a lot of depth, which gets somewhat lost in the dub. The Vision of Escaflowne sees normal high school student, Hitomi, transported to the planet of Gaea where she becomes a crucial figure in a brutal war between nations. Escaflowne impressively infuses the fantasy genre with mecha and political elements. It's a series that tackles a lot, while still touching on the familiar Alice in Wonderland concept.
4 The Ancient Magus’ Bride’
The Ancient Magus' Bride features the familiar premise of a neglected girl being whisked away to another world where she is better appreciated– but then it takes some very risky turns. Chise Hatori's life in normal society is absolutely terrible and the escape the Elias, the titular magus, promises her is invaluable. However, this comes at the cost of Chise being destined to become Elias' bride. Despite some of the problematic territory, the series does empower Chise more than anything else as it wades through some interesting moral territory along the way.
3 Tweeny Witches
Tweeny Witches is like Alice in Wonderland, but with witchcraft. Arusu is obsessed with witches, only to one day get transported into a magical world that's full of them. Arusu becomes a witch apprentice and slowly acclimates to this new world, but what's so impressive about Tweeny Witches is how it portrays a much darker world beneath all of the beauty. The more time that Arusu spends in this "Wonderland," the more she learns about the grueling war between witches and warlocks, not to mention the deplorable treatment that's done to fairies.
2 Alice In Cyberland
Alice in Cyberland is an OVA effort that's also seen some success as a video game, & it's such an exaggerated take on the Alice in Wonderland narrative that it's gained an audience over time. Alice and her crew enter Cyberland, a digital environment where crime is rampant. Alice and her friends become a team of Power Ranger-esque heroes in this new world and while it's all very cheesy, it's still a fun ride. For those that have found themselves ever wishing that Alice in Wonderland was more like The Matrix, then this is the anime to watch.
1 Magic Knight Rayearth
Magic Knight Rayearth has built a strong reputation for itself in anime, manga, and video games, but it kind of provides the perfect spin on the Alice in Wonderland story. Three young girls are transported to a magical world where they become instrumental figures in rescuing the nation's princess and warding off evil. Magic Knight Rayearth turns the hapless girls into courageous heroes and it brings a lot of mecha sensibilities to the fantasy genre in a way that was even more innovative during the '90s.