Anime like Once Upon A Time

What is Once Upon A Time about?

Studio: Studio Gallop
Status: Finished

Two pairs of young lovers become embroiled in a war between two rival kingdoms, the primitive but resplendent Isa and the militaristic but undisciplined Paro. Izu and his young wife, Marin , are simple farmers who live in the unassuming village of Saki, which lies directly between Isa and Paro. While Saki does not have the beauty of Isa nor the war machines of Paro, they do possess a magnificent tree known as "Windaria," to which the villagers give their prayers in return for "good memories."

When the war erupts, Izu decides to join Paro's army, enthralled by the fantastic motorbike "given" to him as a bribe. Before he departs, they each take a vow: He will definitely return to her, and until he does, she will wait for him. The other two lovers are Jill, the prince of Paro, and Ahanas, Princess of Isa. They initially want nothing to do with the rapidly escalating conflict, but after Jill's father, Paro's king, dies by his son's hand in an altercation over the war, Jill has little choice but to realize his father's final wish: the taking of Isa.

The only problem is that he had promised his beloved, Ahanas, that he would not become involved. Windaria is a war parable set in a fantasy land of unicorns and ghost ships.

Tags: War , Tragedy , Suicide , Politics , Primarily Adult Cast , Tanks , Ghost , Aviation , Guns , Time Skip , Swimming , Urban , Slapstick , Ships

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No streaming links available

Here is a list of Anime similar to Windaria

Kaze no Tani no Nausicaä

Also known as Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.

Studio: Studio Hibari , Topcraft , Walt Disney Studios , GKids
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Sci-Fi

A thousand years after a global war, a seaside kingdom known as the Valley Of The Wind remains one of only a few areas still populated. Led by the courageous Princess Nausicaä, the people of the Valley are engaged in a constant struggle with powerful insects called ohmu, who guard a poisonous jungle that is spreading across the Earth. Nausicaä and her brave companions, together with the people of the Valley, strive to restore the bond between humanity and the Earth.

Tags: Environmental , Post-Apocalyptic , Female Protagonist , Philosophy , Lost Civilization , War , Aviation , Military , Eco-Horror , Kaiju , Survival , Primarily Adult Cast , Cosmic Horror , Travel , Anachronism , Guns , Politics , Orphan , Tanks , Cult , Nudity , Elderly Protagonist

Where to watch?

Netflix

Max

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Neo Heroic Fantasia: Arion

Also known as Neo Heroic Fantasia Arion.

Studio: Sunrise , Tokuma Shoten
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Fantasy , Supernatural

In a far-flung time when Gods and Men walk the earth together, the child Arion plays in the rolling hills of Thrace. His mother Demeter is troubled by both a curse - blindness - and by the secret of Arion's birth. A mysterious stranger spirits Arion away, and seeks to shape the growing young man into an assassin, a secret weapon to tilt the balance of the war between Zeus and Poseidon. But Arion won't be manipulated easily, nor will he submit quietly to the hands of adversaries like the tenacious Ares, the intelligent and fierce Athena, or the elegant and scheming Apollo. Only his tremendous strength, a forgotten weapon forged by Prometheus, and the love and loyalty of his allies can carry Arion forward. To discover the secret of his destiny, Arion will have to storm Mount Olympus- and face down Zeus himself!

Tags: Gods , Swordplay , Magic , Historical , Anti-Hero , Revenge , Male Protagonist , Mythology , Seinen , Nudity , Gender Bending , Love Triangle

Where to watch?

No streaming links available

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Mononoke-hime

Also known as Princess Mononoke.

Studio: Studio Ghibli , Tokuma Shoten , GKids , Nippon Television Network
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Fantasy

A calm village residing in the mountains comes under attack from a demon-possessed boar one day.

Ashitaka, a young man and prince of the tribe, engages the creature in an attempt to save his village. During the battle, the boar bites him on the arm, leaving it blackened and cursed. Following his village's traditions, Ashitaka is exiled and becomes a wanderer, looking for a solution to the curse before it engulfs him.

Iron Town is a fortress under the leadership of Lady Eboshi. Through the clearing of the surrounding forests, Iron Town produces large amounts of Ironsand, used for gunpowder and other machinery. However, because of the forests destruction, nearby animal clans seek revenge led by a human girl of the Wolf clan called San.

When Ashitaka comes to Iron Town, he discovers the area consumed in battle. Horrified, he attempts to create peace and befriend the Wolf Clan. However, after the forest's eradication and the ongoing war between Human and Beast, will the Spirit of the Forest be forgiving and accept Ashitaka's request to expel his curse?

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Tags: Environmental , Animals , Mythology , Philosophy , Eco-Horror , War , Gods , Demons , Rural , Youkai , Revenge , Female Protagonist , Historical , Primarily Adult Cast , Male Protagonist , Guns , Disability , Travel , Archery , Urban Fantasy , Tomboy , Outdoor , Body Horror , Curses , Gore , Kaiju , Samurai , Slavery , Swordplay

Where to watch?

Netflix

Max

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Genmu Senki Leda

Also known as Leda: The Fantastic Adventure of Yohko.

Studio: Kaname Production
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Mecha , Sci-Fi

Asagiri Yohko is an ordinary high school student, and she is in love with a boy who does not know it. To help things along, she has written a song to explain how she feels but that song has quite a bit more than a couple of good bridges.

Yohko learns that while she is listening to her song, she is transported to Earth's other-dimensional sister world "Ashanti." This song has the potential to open a gateway between Earth and Ashanti wide enough for a conquering force to invade and take over. And it is exactly why it was forbidden eons ago by the legendary warrior Leda who saw this coming.

This Leda warrior's duty now falls to Yohko and some newfound friends to stop the onslaught and return the 2 worlds in balance.

Maybe Yohko is not so ordinary after all.

Tags: Isekai , Female Protagonist , Magic , Real Robot , Lost Civilization , Primarily Female Cast , Memory Manipulation , Animals , Henshin , Swordplay , Anthropomorphism , Super Robot

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No streaming links available

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Ouritsu Uchuugun: Honneamise no Tsubasa

Also known as Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise.

Studio: Gainax , Maiden Japan
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Sci-Fi

"I will not give up. I will realize my dream...even if it means death!"

When cadet Shiro Lhadatt signs up with the Royal Space Force, he encounters ridicule and apathy from manipulative leaders and a cynical public. But a chance encounter with a devout young woman spurs Shiro on towards his destiny: to become the first man in space! While military leaders conspire to use the space program to spark an all-out war, Shiro and a team of aging scientists race against time to complete the first launch.

Tags: Space , Aviation , Military , Male Protagonist , Astronomy , Religion , War , Politics , Primarily Adult Cast , Dystopian , Anti-Hero , Foreign , Environmental , Nudity , Coming of Age

Where to watch?

No streaming links available

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Ariel

Studio: Central Park Media
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Mecha , Sci-Fi

Those incompetent aliens are still plotting to conquer the Earth! The only obstacle in their path is the giant, feminine robot ARIEL! But the young pilots have lives of their own... When Kazumi receives a mysterious love letter from a secret admirer, should she cancel her first date just to save the Earth?

Tags: Aliens , Real Robot , Female Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Kaiju , Primarily Adult Cast

Where to watch?

No streaming links available

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Dream Hunter REM

Studio: Sai Enterprise , Procen Studio , Anime R
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Ecchi , Horror , Mystery , Supernatural

Rem is an ordinary woman in our world, but in the world of dreams, she becomes a dream warrior, defending humanity from the evils there. When dream demons reach the waking world, she fights them with the help of her pets which transform into a tiger and wolf.
Note: This series was originally produced as a single episode OVA, which featured explicit sexual content. After the release of the first episode, the production of the OVA changed and the first episode was re-released with another episode bundled together, while also replacing all the sexual content with new scenes. The second and third episodes followed suite and contains no sexual content either.

Tags: Female Protagonist , Urban Fantasy , Magic , Demons , Henshin , Ghost , Super Power , Gore , Guns , Outdoor , Tennis , Swordplay

Where to watch?

No streaming links available

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