Whether people were obsessing over it or shredding it during its latter years, Game of Thrones was a mastodon among the television ranks as an exciting and pivotal piece of media. Never before have viewers seen a medieval fantasy given such scale, let alone have said production value be given sincere levels of depth and complexity.
For fans of good character writing and gore alike, Game of Thrones amassed a cult following that tied all communities together for dozens of fun Sunday evenings. With the television series unfortunately over, there is a massive gap left in the schedule of its most faithful fans. Fortunately enough, there are plenty of anime that can fill the void.
Updated by Lauren Turner on January 20, 2023: Game of Thrones is a wildly popular fantasy television show. With the recent release of the prequel series House of the Dragon, anime fans might want to watch a series that gives them those Westerosi vibes. As such, we've revamped this list with even more information.
10 Akame Ga Kill!
24 Episodes
For those wanting a little companionship in a dreary, battle-torn world, Akame ga Kill! is a prime candidate. One of the most defining elements of Game of Thrones is the fact that it traps the viewer into loving characters that would suddenly and tragically be killed off, something also exhibited frequently in HotD.
Such narrative betrayal of the fans' hearts is exactly what Akame ga Kill! is about. Each character has a defined past and quirks that guide and support one another to beat an oppressive regime, yet that force manages to overwhelm and take its members seemingly one by one.
9 Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works
25 Episodes
For GoT fans really excited about the series' competing factions and alliances, the Fate series has an addictive formula for that down pat. In Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works, The Holy Grail is an actual item that requires a single winner in a grand battle royale to claim it. Every so often, talented magi and the descendants of long-running magic and religious families compete to take the holy item.
Fate's magicians summon legendary figures from history and fiction alike called "Servants," who fight in their proxy. With epic fights, reinterpretations of history, and large questions about morality and religion, the Fate series is an obsession all fantasy fans should get into.
8 Attack On Titan
87 Episodes
Attack on Titan is another series that screams, "Don't get too attached." Attack on Titan is a fantasy drama that brings its high stakes to the unique world of Titans. In a historical timeline shifted by the advent of giant, zombie-like humanoids, humans are forced to reside within a kingdom surrounded by massive walls.
However, when the Titans begin to invade past those walls, humanity must now rely on their soldiers to fight back, using grappling hooks, swords, and all manner of guns to take on their giant foes. If the fights and horrifying monsters weren't enough to scratch the GoT bug, this series is also full of plenty of political drama and conspiracies to fuel theory pages for decades. Some viewers claim HotD is even more political than GoT, which is really saying something.
7 The Rising Of The Shield Hero
38 Episodes
A huge part of Game of Thrones' storytelling is its tragic sense of betrayal and unfair politics. In a world where everyone is struggling to find their way to the top, someone around the corner already has an agenda in place to trip them up. In The Rising of the Shield Hero, Naofumi is one such hero who must deal with the various obstacles presented to him by a cruel regime.
Summoned into a fantastical war that he didn't even volunteer for, Naofumi must represent the most reviled hero of them all, as he struggles to amass followers and just do his job as various competing parties try to sabotage him. With inspiring perseverance, Shield Hero is an underdog story that anyone can get behind.
6 Berserk (1997)
25 Episodes
Game of Thrones is the type of series that would worry school teachers everywhere when they heard their young students talk about it. It's not exactly family programming, and it revels in all of its violence and exploitation. For those whose base urges are still hungry for more, Berserk is the medieval adventure that doesn't struggle to shock its fans.
In a world plagued by barbaric humans and hungry demons, the titular berserker, Guts, is on a rampage to take vengeance on the man who sacrificed him and his comrades to become an actual god. With his seething wrath and massive blade, Guts fights through all manner of surreal, horrifying monsters that can give most Biblical art nightmares.
5 Saga Of Tanya The Evil
12 Episodes
The epic scale of Game of Thrones isn't just for show. Its large map houses an intricate battle whose pieces are comprised of various armies, obstacles, and special interest groups. For those interested in the more cerebral, macro nature of Game of Thrones, Saga of Tanya the Evil is the perfect show.
A unique isekai anime, its main character, Tanya, has been challenged by a mischievous god who places them in an alternate version of World War I that utilizes magic in addition to gunpowder. Using her historical knowledge of World War I to her advantage, Tanya launches an entire campaign to expedite the war and bring victory to the German Empire.
4 Death Note
37 Episodes
Game of Thrones is well-revered for its pacing and complex writing, and HotD is a worthy successor. While it's full of gritty battles with swords and axes, there's a sense of intelligence and brevity to every move that helps keep the conflict tangible for the audience. In an industry chock-full of martial arts battles and explosions, Death Note brings new brilliance to the pack with a battle that doesn't feature any actual fighting.
This series focuses on a supernatural battle of wits between a genius high schooler who has gained the ability to kill anyone on the planet with a whim and a masterclass detective who has to somehow capture him. With a unique scenario and logic testing that somehow stays grounded while going outside the box, Death Note has no issues staying exciting.
3 Code Geass: Lelouch Of The Rebellion
50 Episodes
Code Geass is a well-written, well-paced, and well-produced sci-fi opera that examines the competing interests between an oppressive British regime and its oppressed, rebelling Japanese citizens. Lelouch vi Brittania is a discarded noble who seeks to exact revenge on the nobility that betrayed him.
When Lelouch gets his hand on a mysterious ability to mind control people, he takes hold of the world's underground rebelling forces and leads them on a fast campaign to the countries' heads. In an epic of robot battles, intricate war, and varying political and moral interests, Code Geass is more than just a recommendation but a rival to Game of Thrones' legacy as a kingpin.
2 Log Horizon
62 Episodes
For GoT and HotD fans interested in a smarter fantasy drama, Log Horizon focuses on the tactful adventures of Shiroe when he becomes trapped within his favorite RPG. The isekai genre doesn't have a great rap for its intelligence and sense of political awareness. Dropping its characters into a fantasy world, the goal is typically to just fight through a week-by-week series of villains.
Log Horizon takes a much more complex route that has its main characters juggle a variety of economic, political, and military interests to bring genuine change to its land, embracing the underappreciated element of gaming known as micromanagement.
1 Vinland Saga
24 Episodes
Much like Game of Thrones, Vinland Saga was the period piece that took its communities by storm. Using Studio Wit's high-octane animation and its own detailed knowledge of Norse conflicts, Vinland Saga focuses on Thorfinn, a young warrior who tries to work his way up a bandit camp to exact vengeance on the man who killed his father.
Thorfinn's camp explores the changing tides of Viking battles as they either ride through the various Viking battles or take the reins as leading conspirators for a changing regime. With fans eagerly anticipating Season 2, which just began airing in January 2023, Vinland Saga is sure to impress any GoT lovers.