TheDragon Questseries has been going strong since 1986 in Japan. It has never reached the heights ofFinal Fantasyin the West. However, slowly but surely the franchise is getting bigger outside of Japan. The fans are niche now butDragon Quest 12may change things as it is supposed to be a drastic departure.
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While fans wait for that, they may wish to get into some more manga that has the same vibes asDragon Quest. An easy one to recommend isDragon Ballsince Akira Toriyama, the creator also does art for theDragon Questseries. There have also been some anime and manga adaptations based onDragon Quest. Besides the variousDragon Questanime spinoffs andDragon Ball, what other manga and anime are out there with fantasy themes and stories about globe-trotting adventures?
8One Piece
One PiecereplacedDragon Ballas one of the most important anime in Japan. It’s the perfect fit for anyDragon Questfan as it’s all about exploring the world and going on adventures. It’s been going since 1997 and has a staggering number of manga volumes just past one hundred.
The anime is over a thousand episodes so there is enough content here for months if not years. The plot followsMonkey D. Luffyand his pirate crew around the world as they search for treasure. There’s more to it than that including super-powered fruit but that’s the basic gist.
7Seven Deadly Sins
The7 Deadly Sinsin real life are marked with a warning. Do not break these sins or else hell is in the future for you. This manga and anime seriespaints these knights, branded as the titular 7 Deadly Sins, as villains and traitors before it is revealed they are the good guys.
They’ll fight both angels and demons to save the kingdom no matter what. Now is the perfect time to get into this fantasy series since the manga ended in 2020 and the anime finished up in 2021. Binging isn’t a sin technically so it’s time to watch these misunderstood knights.
6Fullmetal Alchemist
Fullmetal Alchemistand its first anime adaptation differed wildly in their plots. That’s whyFullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodwas created as a way to reboot the anime and stick closer to the manga. This was a wise decision as the manga’s original story is much better.
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The manga finished ages ago and is a quick read. It follows Edward and Alphonse ontheir alchemic journeyto get their original bodies back as they lost them in an alchemy accident. It’s a steampunk fantasy world that would fit right in with many RPG games likeDragon Quest. Square Enix published the manga in Japan.
5Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusadersis the second series in this long-running franchise. Everything began withJonathan Joestar’s familyadopting a child, Dio, who turned into a little monster over the years. He became a literal monster when a mask turned him into a vampire. The series follows the Joestar family through the ages as they attempt to stop Dio or cults that arose from his ashes.
Starting from the beginning is recommended althoughStardust Crusadersdoes go better withDragon Quest’sthemes since it is a global adventure. The manga is still ongoing along with its many anime adaptations.
4Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Magi: The Labyrinth of Magicis like the Japanese take on theArabian Nightstales. It follows Alibaba who is trying to make a name for himself by exploring one of the many treasure towers that have appeared in his world. His excavation leads him to a young boy, Aladdin, who is gifted with magical powers like a Genie. Together they vow to rid the land of corruption all while exploring and looking for even more treasure.
The series ended in 2017 and got two anime seasons plus a spinoff. The anime shows never finished the story, so of the two options, the manga is a better way to go.
3Dr. Stone
Dr. Stoneis a post-apocalyptic manga but there is a twist to this cliched scenario. One day everyone in the world turned to stone but they didn’t die.The main character, Senku, wakes up from thousands of years of sleep to find the planet thriving.
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He figured out ways to revive other humans from their stone prisons along with other inventions like cellphones. It’s an inspiring series that shows how far one man is willing to go to bring science back to society. The manga just ended earlier in 2022 and there is also an anime with two seasons with a planned third on the way.
2Ranking Of Kings
Ranking of Kingsis an ongoing manga series about a cursed child, Boji, and his journey to becoming a king. The first season of the anime wrapped up not long ago in 2022 and gave fans an idea of where the series is going. It’s another great fit forDragon Questfans since it is a fantasy series with knights, magic, terrible monsters, and a lot of silliness as well.
Don’t be fooled by the kid-like nature of the drawings, this is a dark series that might even make readers, or viewers, cry. The most basic way to describe Japan’s take onGame of Thrones, but in a broad sense.
1Beet The Vandel Buster
Beet the Vandel Busterhas a storied history since the manga began in 2002. It went strong until 2006 when it went on a ten-year hiatus. It picked back up in 2016, was off again until 2018, and is now back in full production. There was a two-season anime adaptation around when the manga first began but nothing has been made since.
It’s themost RPG-like mangaon the list as the main character, Beet, levels up by defeating monsters and getting tattoos to signify how strong he is. It won’t take long to get caught up since there are only sixteen bound volumes.
