For sure, you’re here because you feel like you still have a hole in your heart after that bending finale of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and it’s always the usual stunt to look for any other shows with similar magical elements. But the point is, the anime world is really diverse, hence, it’s somehow difficult to find the shows that hit the same sweet spot as Avatar, or those that come surprisingly close to its realm. If you’re drawn to different genres and dramas with a hint of these kinds of concepts, then this blog is definitely for you. 

No spare time to waste? These ten anime series will give you the experience that you need—the same feeling when you first watched Avatar—and make you feel at your own comfort level once again. Below is everything you need to know about these listed anime series, like Avatar, that will most probably just fill that hole in your heart.

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Samurai Champloo

How possible is it when hip-hop styles meet with the Edo period of Japan in this stylish mashup? For some authentic reason, this shouldn’t work—yet in some sense, it still absolutely does. In this fateful story, three unlikely companions are journeying across Japan: Fuu, who is deeply searching for a samurai who smells of sunflowers; Mugen, a wild fighter; and Jin, a serious and deep traditional swordsman. With that, their venture towards the unpredictable began, with their different personalities clashing, and they managed to have their growth together while aiming to find what they needed and seek answers themselves. 

If an anime like Avatar focuses more on the magical elements as the major premise, Samurai Champloo takes more on the balance of both historical fiction and modernism without feeling forced as you watch. Honestly, this anime is an amazing experience. It doesn’t just entertain you, but also leaves you thinking about everything you’ve just watched, which is the best recommendation for you to watch!  

Fairy Tail

In a world where magic is a commonplace, Lucy Heartfilia’s dream comes true when she joins Fairy Tail, a guild filled with powerful wizards who treat each other like family. Alongside fire wizard Natsu, ice-maker Gray, and armored knight Erza, Lucy discovers that her celestial spirit magic makes her an advantageous ally as they tackle increasingly dangerous missions and dark guilds. As they journey towards their daily lives, they not only fight against other enemies, but also for their bonds, often shouting their way through epic battles.

Not gonna lie, though, Fairy Tail is cheesy sometimes, but it wears its heart on its sleeve, meaning, you will love it as you go on with the story. Despite it having a magical action concept, Fairy Tail is still special in the sense that it not only covers the major themes it has, but finds an affinity relationship that will surely hit you hard. Expect more heavily dependent scenes on their friendship, which will feel earned as you watch. 

Magi: The Labyrinth Of Magic

If you’ve already watched the ancient Arabian folklore, Aladdin, Magi will definitely get you to the brink of a magical twist that you’ll like. In a twisted fate, it all follows the story of Aladdin, a powerful flute, who later on teams up with a former slave, Alibaba, and Morgiana, to conquer perilous dungeons holding treasures so rare you would’ve never seen them before. With Magis as the kingmakers who guide rulers to prosperity or even destruction, there always lived political tensions between empires, in which Aladdin, Alibaba, and Morgiana must overcome. 

Magi will seriously surprise you with its depth. If you think Avatar already delves deeper into significant issues, Magi finds ways to have fun dealing with all the stuff. What may start off as a fun, mystical adventure series eventually dives into heavy themes, but never loses its premise—the theme it introduced. This deserves more love than it currently has, though!

Hunter x Hunter

Don’t let the bright colors fool you with this anime series. Beginning the journey, it all follows the story of young Gon Freecss, who aims to become a Hunter to find his missing father. While training for the Hunter Exam, Gon then befriends assassin-in-training Killua, who is a revenge-seeking Kurapika, and medicine-hunter Leorio, forming friendships that will be tested later as they grow and fight together, when they face powerful and incredibly disturbing enemies.

This anime, like Avatar, may begin as light and comedic as you think it is, but it can suddenly shift you to the other side, as you may find yourself in the darkest psychological explorations. What also comes great to this series is the fact that it doesn’t shy away from any darker themes and slow-burn magical action. It builds its world brick by brick, which would absolutely be worth your time.

Naruto

Who wouldn’t know Naruto, right? This has never been out of the reach of anime viewers and has kept fans secure despite its long run. Naruto follows the story of an outcast child who unfortunately has a demon sealed inside him. Despite this sorrowful business of the story, Naruto still dreams of becoming his village’s strongest ninja leader, also known as Hokage, and leans more into achieving it through forming a team, together with rival Sasuke, and his crush, Sakura, under the guidance of the mysterious Kakashi. 

Naruto is likely similar to Avatar, as it has the same worldbuilding elements. Despite its ideal reputation for having filler episodes, Naruto’s core story still delivers a good plot and story, with amazing characters, making it pleasing in the eyes of anime viewers!

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

When soldier Adora discovers a magical sword that transforms her into She-Ra, she slips away from the evil Horde to join the Rebellion against it, leaving behind her best friend Catra. As Adora builds new relationships with the princesses of Etheria, with each having unique elemental powers, her complicated history with her former best friend, Catra, once again evolves and comes back, while she fights to save Etheria from the oppressive Horde. What would possibly happen in this kind of situation?

While technically not an anime series, She-Ra still deserves a recommended inclusion for how brilliantly it conceives a good storyline. The whole narrative is mature, all the characters have depth, and the themes about identity, redemption, and loyalty are well-defined in the story. If you’re an adult, this series may look like a kids’ show to you, but trust me—it’s got heart, and it earns every tear.

Young Justice

When teenage heroes Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad form their own covert ops team, they discover and shed light on different conspiracies reaching the Justice League itself. As the team grows to include Miss Martian, Superboy, and Artemis, these young heroes struggle with proving themselves while trying to dive deeper into an alien invasion conspiracy that threatens Earth. With each season that jumps forward in time, the heroes evolved more from teenagers to adults, witnessing their growth.

Young Justice is arguably better than many live-action superhero shows out there. While it is an American animation series rather than anime, it still has the type of concept that you liked, which can affect your viewing experience despite its production style!

Demon Slayer

With animation that will amaze you to the point of melting your screens, Demon Slayer wastes no time making you care. The story follows Tanjiro, a boy whose family is slaughtered by demons, except for his sister, Nezuko, who, unfortunately, is turned into one. To be able to survive and find justice for his family, he joins the Demon Slayer Corps in hopes of finding a cure and killing the one who hopelessly ended his life, in the most painful way. 

As a matter of fact, ufotable animation with this series never disappoints. Water dragons swirl around Tanjiro’s blade in motions that can blend traditional animation with CGI so good that you’ll find yourself rewatching scenes just to appreciate the overall art from it. But what makes this so hyped is that the deep sibling relationship between Tanjiro and Nezuko is written well, and it was emotionally moving, balancing action, horror, and emotion almost perfectly!

The Dragon Prince

Also created by the minds behind Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Dragon Prince enters into the new world of magic following the story of human princes Callum and Ezran. As they journey together, they decide to join forces with Moonshadow elf assassin, Rayla, to return a stolen dragon egg and prevent war from happening in their lands. 

Truthfully, The Dragon Prince captures ATLA’s balance of animation, adventure, and magical elements while also trying to establish its own identity as a narrative. It is definitely thoughtful without being heavy, and funny without being shallow. This is considered to be one of the best Western animated shows you can watch today.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

After a failed attempt to resurrect their mother using the forbidden alchemy, Edward Elric lost his arms and legs. But the worst came when his brother, Alphonse, was trapped in a suit of armor. To seek answers and restore their bodies, the brothers join the military to find the Philosopher’s Stone, which leads them to an ancient being that manipulates their entire country toward the huge conflict within. 

To be honest, this anime hits hard, and the best anime like Avatar. It is emotional and surprisingly grounded despite its magical fantasy setting; you will learn to love how every character has a role, every arc has a one-way connection, and every scene has that thrilling intensity. If you’re looking for something with the same exact elemental feels as your favorite Avatar series, this is it.

Conclusion

While nothing can be the exact same perfection as the Avatar, these shows still offer similar journeys with deep and complex characters that can still test your taste still. Like Avatar, they appeal to viewers well beyond their fanatic base, proving how great their storytelling is to all viewers. Well, indeed, great stories come in many forms. So, as great storytelling sticks with you, you might as well check this all out to enjoy more of your favorite elements, with each anime bringing its own flavor to the table!