What is Contemporary Fantasy anime?

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

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Random Contemporary Fantasy Anime You might like

Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu

(Baka & Test - Summon the Beasts)

7.58

Description:

The story centers around Akihisa Yoshii, the "baka" of the title. His academy rigidly divides up the student body into classes based on the results of tests. The prodigies are in the A class with reclining seats complete with air conditioning, but Akihisa is in F class, the lowest rung of the school ladder which is furnished only with low, decrepit tables and worn-out straw tatami mats. A girl named Mizuki Himeji is actually one of the smartest girls in Akihisa's sophomore year, but she had a fever on test day and was pigeonholed into the F class. Besides Mizuki (who Akihisa secretly adores), the F class also has Yuuji Sakamoto, the class president who has been Akihisa's friend and partner-in-crime since the freshman year. The school happens to have developed experiments to summon fantasy creatures, and Akihisa decides to rally F class to take on the higher-tiered classes and seize their perks. The F class uses the summoned creatures in an all-out battle for school supremacy.

Type

Episodes

Ep.Length

24 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2010-01-07

View Anime Like Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu →

Amagi Brilliant Park

(Amagi Brilliant Park)

7.55

Description:

A mysterious but pretty transfer student, Sento Isuzu, asks Kanie Seiya out on a date to an amusement park. That park was Amagi Brilliant Park, featuring worn-down attractions and lackluster service -- the worst in Japan. (Source: Crunchyroll)

Type

Episodes

Ep.Length

24 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2014-10-07

View Anime Like Amagi Brilliant Park →

Ergo Proxy

(Ergo Proxy)

7.84

Description:

Thousands of years after Earth's atmosphere was destroyed, adventure blooms in the strangest of places. The domed city of Romdo is supposed to be perfect, but Re-l Mayer, a young female inspector from the Civilian Intelligence Office, knows better. In this place where humans and robots coexist, she receives a strange message: something is awakening! (Source: Funimation)

Type

Episodes

Ep.Length

25 Min

Rating

Violence, Profanity

Status

finished

Aired

2006-02-25

View Anime Like Ergo Proxy →

Natsume Yuujinchou

(Natsume's Book of Friends)

8.17

Description:

While most fifteen-year-old boys, in one way or another, harbor secrets that are related to girls, Takashi Natsume has a peculiar and terrifying secret involving youkai: for as long as he can remember, he has been constantly chased by these spirits. Natsume soon discovers that his deceased grandmother Reiko had passed on to him the Yuujinchou, or "Book of Friends," which contains the names of the spirits whom she brought under her control. Now in Natsume's possession, the book gives Reiko's grandson this power as well, which is why these enraged beings now haunt him in hopes of somehow attaining their freedom. Without parents and a loving home, and constantly being hunted by hostile, merciless youkai, Natsume is looking for solace—a place where he belongs. However, his only companion is a self-proclaimed bodyguard named Madara. Fondly referred to as Nyanko-sensei, Madara is a mysterious, pint-sized feline spirit who has his own reasons for sticking with the boy. Based on the critically acclaimed manga by Yuki Midorikawa, Natsume Yuujinchou is an unconventional and supernatural slice-of-life series that follows Natsume as he, with his infamous protector Madara, endeavors to free the spirits bound by his grandmother's contract. (Source: MAL Rewrite)

Type

Episodes

Ep.Length

24 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2008-07-08

View Anime Like Natsume Yuujinchou →

Kore wa Zombie Desu ka?

(Is This a Zombie?)

7.41

Description:

Not every zombie is the monstrous, brain-eating type. One night while walking home from the convenience store, regular high school boy Ayumu Aikawa is killed by a serial killer, and is just as suddenly brought back to life by a necromancer named Eucliwood Hellscythe. One small caveat: he's now a zombie. Things get even weirder for him when he accidentally steals a magical girl's uniform, and thus her powers! Haruna, the ex-magical girl, orders him to fight evil creatures known as Megalo in her place until they can figure out a way to get her powers back to her. It seems that life is just going to get stranger and stranger for poor Ayumu from here on out in Kore wa Zombie desu ka?.

Type

Episodes

Ep.Length

25 Min

Rating

17+ (violence & profanity)

Status

finished

Aired

2011-01-11

View Anime Like Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? →

Zetsuen no Tempest

(Blast of Tempest)

7.88

Description:

Yoshino Takigawa, an ordinary teenager, is secretly dating his best friend Mahiro's younger sister. But when his girlfriend Aika mysteriously dies, Mahiro disappears, vowing to find the one responsible and make them pay for murdering his beloved sister. Yoshino continues his life as usual and has not heard from Mahiro in a month—until he is confronted by a strange girl who holds him at gunpoint, and his best friend arrives in the nick of time to save him. Yoshino learns that Mahiro has enlisted the help of a witch named Hakaze Kusaribe to find Aika's killer and of the existence of an entity known as the "Tree of Exodus." The witch's brother selfishly desires to make use of its power, in spite of the impending peril to the world. However, Hakaze is banished to a deserted island, and it is now up to Yoshino and Mahiro to help her save the world, while inching ever closer to the truth behind Aika's death. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Type

Episodes

Ep.Length

24 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2012-10-05

View Anime Like Zetsuen no Tempest →

Bakemono no Ko

(The Boy and the Beast)

8.18

Description:

Bakemono no Ko is the tale of a boy and a beast: both lonely, both stubborn, and both strong. For nine-year-old Ren, things could hardly be worse. His mother has passed away in a traffic accident, his father is nowhere to be found, and his extended family is cold and distant. Desperate, Ren runs away to the mean streets of Shibuya to try and survive on his own. In the beast realm of Shibuten, the fierce warrior Kumatetsu is certainly feared, but not especially liked or respected. When the Lord decides to retire and become a God, Kumatetsu would be a natural candidate to replace him; he and the noble Lord Iouzan are the two strongest in the land. But Kumatetsu is so anti-social he's never even managed to hold on to a disciple. And until he proves he can, he'll never be a serious contender. When Ren gets lost in a maze of alleyways and finds himself in the strange land of Shibuten, fate brings these two stubborn and fierce-willed souls together, and Kumatestu re-names the boy "Kyuuta." Each of them has much they can teach the other, but where these two are concerned, nothing is going to be easy. As Kyuuta adjusts to his new home he finds himself torn between two worlds—two worlds that are far less separate than either the Boy or the Beast realizes.

Type

movie

Episodes

Ep.Length

118 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2015-07-11

View Anime Like Bakemono no Ko →

Sankarea

(Sankarea: Undying Love)

7.32

Description:

Chihiro Furuya likes zombies. There’s something about the shambling corpses and blood that appeals to him on a visual level, and since childhood he longed to enter into a romantic situation with one. He gets his wish when he encounters Rea Sanka—the daughter of the school director—at the abandoned building he uses in an attempt to resurrect Baabu, the family cat, with a resurrection potion. Hoping to escape her awful home life, Rea consumes the potion and falls to her death, only to come back as a zombie?! Could this possibly be Chihiro's dream come true, or will it be a rude awakening?

Type

Episodes

Ep.Length

24 Min

Rating

Mild Nudity

Status

finished

Aired

2012-04-06

View Anime Like Sankarea →

Nekomonogatari: Kuro

(Nekomonogatari Black)

7.96

Description:

After surviving a vampire attack, Koyomi Araragi notices that his friend and savior, Tsubasa Hanekawa, has been acting strange. When he happens to cross paths with her on his way to a bookstore and sees she has a bandage on her face, he knows something must definitely be wrong. Koyomi wants to help her, but Tsubasa assures him that her wound is just something she received at home and that he should not concern himself with it. But when a white cat with no tail is hit and killed by a car, the pair bury the creature and the real trouble begins. When Koyomi later pays a visit to his friend Meme Oshino and recounts the day's events, he is informed what they have buried is actually an apparition, one perfect for Tsubasa in her current state. Tasked with finding his friend to confirm her safety, he discovers that she has attacked her parents, possessed by the "Sawari Neko." Now, it is up to Koyomi to help Tsubasa as she once helped him. (Source: MAL Rewrite)

Type

Episodes

Ep.Length

24 Min

Rating

17+ (violence & profanity)

Status

finished

Aired

2012-12-31

View Anime Like Nekomonogatari: Kuro →

Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou

(Monster Musume: Everyday Life with Monster Girls)

7.08

Description:

With his parents abroad, Kimihito Kurusu lived a quiet, unremarkable life alone until monster girls came crowding in! This alternate reality presents cutting-edge Japan, the first country to promote the integration of non-human species into society. After the incompetence of interspecies exchange coordinator Agent Smith leaves Kimihito as the homestay caretaker of a Lamia named Miia, the newly-minted "Darling" quickly attracts girls of various breeds, resulting in an ever-growing harem flush with eroticism and attraction. Unfortunately for him and the ladies, sexual interactions between species is forbidden by the Interspecies Exchange Act! The only loophole is through an experimental marriage provision. Kimihito's life becomes fraught with an abundance of creature-specific caveats and sensitive interspecies law as the passionate, affectionate, and lusty women hound his every move, seeking his romantic and sexual affections. With new species often appearing and events materializing out of thin air, where Kimihito and his harem go is anyone's guess! [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Type

Episodes

Ep.Length

23 Min

Rating

Mild Nudity

Status

finished

Aired

2015-07-08

View Anime Like Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou →

Strike the Blood

(Strike the Blood)

7.05

Description:

Kojou Akatsuki's days as an ordinary high school student in the Demon District of Itogami Island come to an abrupt end after a fateful encounter leaves him with the remarkable abilities of a vampire. It isn't long before he is thrust into the center of attention when it is discovered that he is the fourth primogenitor, an immensely powerful vampire whom most consider to be merely a legend. Fearing Kojou's destructive potential, the Lion King Organization sends in an apprentice sword-shaman, Yukina Himeragi, to monitor, and should he become a threat, kill the boy deemed the world's most powerful vampire. Forced together by circumstance, the two form an unlikely alliance as Kojou comes to terms with his abilities and they both struggle to protect the city from various emerging chaotic forces. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Type

Episodes

Ep.Length

24 Min

Rating

Mild Nudity

Status

finished

Aired

2013-10-04

View Anime Like Strike the Blood →

Shiki

(Shiki)

7.76

Description:

Fifteen-year-old Megumi Shimizu dreamed of a glamorous life in the big city; however, her unexpected death in the quiet village of Sotoba marks the beginning of what appears to be a ferocious epidemic that turns the hot summer into a season of blood and terror. A young doctor named Toshio Ozaki begins to doubt the nature of the disease and comes to understand that to discover the truth, he must abandon his humanity. Meanwhile, Natsuno Yuuki, an antisocial youth from the city, is haunted by the sudden death of Megumi and must realize the pain of friendship in the face of his own tragedy. Toshio and Natsuno form an unlikely pair as they work together to save Sotoba before it transforms into a ghost town of vampires.Shiki, adapted from the horror novel written by Fuyumi Ono, goes beyond the average vampire story. It tells the tragic tale of survival in a world where one cannot easily distinguish between good and evil. Abandoned by God, the Shiki, as the vampires call themselves, have only their will to live as they clash with the fear of the paranoid/unbelieving villagers. Shiki explores the boundary that separates man from monster. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Type

Episodes

Ep.Length

22 Min

Rating

17+ (violence & profanity)

Status

finished

Aired

2010-07-09

View Anime Like Shiki →

Hellsing

(Hellsing)

7.38

Description:

Decades ago, the legendary Dr. Abraham Van Helsing and his companions defeated Count Dracula, one of the world's deadliest vampires. After this success his name was used in the founding of the Hellsing Organization, a British task force with the duty of eliminating supernatural threats.Hellsing follows the exploits of that very organization. Led by Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, the Hellsing Organization finds its trump card not in the power of man, but in the strength of a monster it has tamed. Alucard, one of the oldest and most powerful vampires in existence, now hunts his fellow monsters at Hellsing's bequest. Alongside new recruit Seras Victoria, Alucard will find that a new threat has arisen, one greater than anything the Hellsing Organization has ever dealt with before.

Type

Episodes

Ep.Length

23 Min

Rating

17+ (violence & profanity)

Status

finished

Aired

2001-10-11

View Anime Like Hellsing →

Mahoutsukai no Yome: Hoshi Matsu Hito

(The Ancient Magus' Bride: Those Awaiting a Star)

8.19

Description:

Chise Hatori, 15 years old. Lost, without hope, and without family, she is bought for money – not by another person, but by a non-human sorcerer named Elias. Though she hesitates, she begins life anew as his apprentice and future wife. She moves on with her new and peaceful life, slowly but surely, until one day, when she finds a Japanese picture book among the many sent to her from London by Angelica. It is a fateful book that discovered her in her younger years, when she was still troubled and lonely. This piece is a prequel to Chise’s encounter with the Thorn Sorcerer. (Source: Crunchyroll)

Type

OVA

Episodes

Ep.Length

23 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2016-08-13

View Anime Like Mahoutsukai no Yome: Hoshi Matsu Hito →

Shakugan no Shana

(Shakugan no Shana: Season I)

7.42

Description:

The world has become a slaughtering ground for the Crimson Denizens, mysterious beings from a parallel universe who thrive on the life energy of humans. These merciless murderers only leave behind scant remainders of souls called "Torches," which are mere residues that will eventually be destroyed, along with the very fact of the victims' existence from the minds of the living. In an ambitious endeavor to put an end to this invisible, hungry massacre, warriors called Flame Hazes relentlessly fight these monsters. One fateful day, Yuuji Sakai ceases to be a regular high schooler—he becomes trapped in a crevice of time and is suddenly attacked by a Denizen. Coming to his rescue just in the nick of time is a nameless hunter who seems no different from an ordinary young girl except for her blazing eyes and burning crimson hair. However, before Yuuji can learn anything more about his situation, he discovers that he has already been reduced to a Torch—merely a scrap of memory waiting to be extinguished. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Type

Episodes

Ep.Length

24 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2005-10-06

View Anime Like Shakugan no Shana →

Paprika

(Paprika)

8.03

Description:

In the real world, she is the renowned and highly intelligent Dr. Atsuko Chiba. In the dream world, she is the spunky redhead Paprika. Thanks to a new technology developed at Chiba’s lab called a DC Mini, Paprika is able to jump into people’s dreams with the ease of a driver switching lanes. The dream machine allows her to see into the dreamers’ deepest thoughts by entering and analyzing their dreams, then using that information to resolve emotional and psychological issues. Even the inventors aren't sure of the true extent of the power of the DC Mini. Just imagine the world of good this kind of technology can do… unless it falls into the wrong hands. A prototype DC Mini has been stolen, and Paprika is on the case. It’s up to this dream detective to track down and stop the thief through the psychedelic backdrop of people’s dreams. Paprika will need to hurry, before the dream machine does some serious damage.

Type

movie

Episodes

Ep.Length

90 Min

Rating

Mild Nudity

Status

finished

Aired

2006-11-25

View Anime Like Paprika →

Mekakucity Actors

(MEKAKUCITY ACTORS)

6.83

Description:

On the hot summer day of August 14, Shintarou Kisaragi is forced to leave his room for the first time in two years. While arguing with the cyber girl Ene who lives in his computer, Shintarou Kisaragi accidentally spills soda all over his keyboard. Though they try to find a replacement online, most stores are closed due to the Obon festival, leaving them with no other choice but to visit the local department store. Venturing outside makes Shintarou extremely anxious, but the thought of living without his computer is even worse. It's just his luck that on the day he finally goes out, he's caught in a terrifying hostage situation. Luckily, a group of teenagers with mysterious eye powers, who call themselves the "Mekakushi Dan," assist Shintarou in resolving the situation. As a result, he is forced to join their group, along with Ene. Their abilities seem to be like pieces of a puzzle, connecting one another, and as each member's past is unveiled, the secret that ties them together is slowly brought to light. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Type

Episodes

Ep.Length

23 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2014-04-13

View Anime Like Mekakucity Actors →

Inu x Boku SS

(Inu X Boku Secret Service)

7.43

Description:

Ririchiyo Shirakiin is the sheltered daughter of a renowned family. With her petite build and wealthy status, Ririchiyo has been a protected and dependent girl her entire life, but now she has decided to change all that. However, there is just one problem—the young girl has a sharp tongue she can't control, and terrible communication skills. With some help from a childhood friend, Ririchiyo takes up residence in Maison de Ayakashi, a secluded high-security apartment complex that, as the unsociable 15-year-old soon discovers, is home to a host of bizarre individuals. Furthermore, their quirky personalities are not the strangest things about them: each inhabitant of the Maison de Ayakashi, including Ririchiyo, is actually half-human, half-youkai. But Ririchiyo's troubles have only just begun. As a requirement of staying in her new home, she must be accompanied by a Secret Service agent. Ririchiyo's new partner, Soushi Miketsukami, is handsome, quiet... but ridiculously clingy and creepily submissive. With Soushi, her new supernatural neighbors, and the beginning of high school, Ririchiyo definitely seems to have a difficult path ahead of her. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Type

Episodes

Ep.Length

24 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2012-01-13

View Anime Like Inu x Boku SS →

Fruits Basket

(Fruits Basket)

7.78

Description:

The Sohma family has been cursed for generations. When a member of the clan is embraced by a person of the opposite sex, they transform into an animal from the Chinese Zodiac! After keeping their secret hidden for years, their unusual household is turned upside down when young Tohru stumbles into their life. She must promise to keep their secret as one of her own—or face the consequences! (Source: FUNimation)

Type

Episodes

Ep.Length

24 Min

Rating

Teens 13 or older

Status

finished

Aired

2001-07-05

View Anime Like Fruits Basket →

Kara no Kyoukai 1: Fukan Fuukei

(the Garden of sinners Chapter 1: Overlooking View)

7.62

Description:

In September 1998, a string of seemingly random suicides leaves Japan baffled and devastated. But a detective agency specializing in paranormal occurrences notices that there are a few glaring, disturbing similarities tying the deceptively unrelated cases together: All the victims are schoolgirls, and all of them have jumped to their deaths from atop the ancient Fujou Building, a skyscraper that is scheduled to be bulldozed soon. To investigate the cause of these disturbing events, the head of the agency, magus Touko Aozaki, dispatches Mikiya Kokutou and Shiki Ryougi. The kind and surprisingly normal Mikiya serves as a stark contrast to the cold and mysterious Shiki, who possesses the "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception": an abnormal ability which allows her to see, and bring, an end to all things. Dark and philosophical in tone, Fukan Fuukei is the first installment in the seven-part movie series Kara no Kyoukai, adapted from the light novels by Kinoko Nasu. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Type

movie

Episodes

Ep.Length

50 Min

Rating

17+ (violence & profanity)

Status

finished

Aired

2007-12-01

View Anime Like Kara no Kyoukai 1: Fukan Fuukei →

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