Top Wilderness Anime Recommendations

HIDIVE

Mononoke-hime

Also known as Princess Mononoke.

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

Where to watch?

Max

Tonari no Totoro

Also known as My Neighbor Totoro.

Studio: Studio Ghibli
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Fantasy , Slice of Life , Supernatural

Follow the adventures of Satsuki and her four-year-old sister Mei when they move into a new home in the countryside. To their delight they discover that their new neighbor is a mysterious forest spirit called Totoro who can be seen only through the eyes of a child. Totoro introduces them to extraordinary characters, including a cat that doubles as a bus, takes them on a journey through the wonders of nature.

Tags: Family Life , Primarily Child Cast , Rural , Youkai , Wilderness , Female Protagonist , Urban Fantasy , Kids , Gods , Primarily Female Cast , Iyashikei , Environmental , Horticulture

Where to watch?

Max

Hotarubi no Mori e

Also known as Into the Forest of Fireflies' Light.

Studio: Brain's Base
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy , Romance , Supernatural

The story of Hotarubi no Mori e centers around Hotaru, a little girl who gets lost in an enchanted forest where apparitions reside. A young boy, Gin, appears before Hotaru, but she cannot touch him for fear of making him disappear.

Tags: Coming of Age , Youkai , Ghost , Tragedy , Rural , Urban Fantasy , Male Protagonist , Shoujo , Female Protagonist , Time Skip , Age Gap , Heterosexual , Iyashikei , Wilderness

Where to watch?

Mushishi

Also known as MUSHI-SHI.

Studio: Artland
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Fantasy , Mystery , Psychological , Slice of Life , Supernatural

Neither good nor evil, they are life in its purest form. Vulgar and strange, they have inspired fear in humans since the dawn of time and have, over the ages, come to be known as "mushi." The stories of the Mushi and the people they affect are all linked together by a traveling Mushi-shi, or "Mushi Master," who seeks rare Mushi sightings and uses his shaman-like knowledge of Mushi to help the affected people.

What are the Mushi and what do they want?

Tags: Environmental , Youkai , Mythology , Episodic , Philosophy , Rural , Travel , Male Protagonist , Animals , Iyashikei , Outdoor Activities , Exorcism , Tragedy , Snowscape , Eco-Horror , Seinen , Historical , Wilderness , Coastal , Primarily Adult Cast , Amnesia , Cult , Monster Girl , Suicide

Where to watch?

Hulu

Tubi TV

Sora yori mo Tooi Basho

Also known as A Place Further Than the Universe.

Studio: MADHOUSE
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Comedy , Drama

Mari Tamaki is in her second year of high school and wants to start something. It's then that she meets Shirase, a girl with few friends who's considered weirdo by the rest of the class and nicknamed "Antarctic" since it's all she ever talks about. Unlike her peers, Mari is moved by Shirase's dedication and decides that even though it's unlikely that high school girls will ever go to Antarctica, she's going to try to go with Shirase.

Tags: Travel , Coming of Age , Primarily Female Cast , Ensemble Cast , Female Protagonist , Outdoor Activities , Snowscape , Foreign , Orphan , Family Life , Found Family , Primarily Teen Cast , Tragedy , Wilderness , Work , Educational , Konbini , Ships , School

Where to watch?

Golden Kamuy

Also known as Golden Kamuy.

Studio: Geno Studio
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy

In the early twentieth century, Russo-Japanese War veteran Saichi “Immortal” Sugimoto scratches out a meager existence during the postwar gold rush in the wilderness of Hokkaido. When he stumbles across a map to a fortune in hidden Ainu gold, he sets off on a treacherous quest to find it. But Sugimoto is not the only interested party, and everyone who knows about the gold will kill to possess it! Faced with the harsh conditions of the northern wilderness, ruthless criminals and rogue Japanese soldiers, Sugimoto will need all his skills and luck—and the help of an Ainu girl named Asirpa—to survive.

Tags: Historical , Seinen , Survival , Outdoor Activities , Military , Ensemble Cast , Snowscape , Primarily Adult Cast , Food , Guns , War , Indigenous Cultures , Wilderness , Primarily Male Cast , Gore , Anti-Hero , Male Protagonist , Educational , Assassins , Body Horror , Crime , Gender Bending , Episodic , CGI , LGBTQ+ Themes , Archery , Twins , Transgender , Torture , Medicine , Oiran

Where to watch?

Amazon Prime Video

Sonny Boy

Also known as Sonny Boy.

Studio: MADHOUSE
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mystery , Psychological , Sci-Fi , Supernatural

It’s an ordinary summer vacation...except for the fact that Nagara’s high school has mysteriously drifted into another dimension. As the students begin to develop strange new powers, will they work together to survive the alien environment and find a way home, or will their newly formed factions and rivalries turn on each other?

Note: The first episode received an advance release on YouTube on June 19, 2021. The regular TV broadcast started on July 16, 2021.

Tags: Alternate Universe , Philosophy , Denpa , Super Power , Coming of Age , Survival , Primarily Teen Cast , Travel , Isekai , Meta , Achronological Order , Mixed Media , School , Cosmic Horror , Episodic , Tragedy , Unrequited Love , Gods , Male Protagonist , Animals , Wilderness , Heterosexual , Baseball , Desert , Suicide , Space

Where to watch?

Hulu

iQ

Non Non Biyori

Also known as Non Non Biyori.

Studio: SILVER LINK.
Status: Finished
Genres: Slice of Life

When Hotaru moves from Tokyo to a tiny town in the rural countryside, she’s in for some serious culture shock: the nearest place that sells comics is 20 minutes away, the nearest video store is ten train stations down the line, and there are only three other girls and one boy in her entire school! Even though everything’s so different, there’s something about the laid-back atmosphere that makes her feel strangely comfortable. While she’ll certainly miss parts of her old life, there’s a whole lifetime of experiences waiting to be enjoyed with her new friends Renge, Komari, Natsumi, and Suguru!

Tags: Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Iyashikei , Rural , Female Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Primarily Child Cast , Episodic , Ensemble Cast , Coming of Age , School , Agriculture , Seinen , Achronological Order , Tomboy , Yuri , Kuudere , Wilderness

Where to watch?

HIDIVE

Chiyu Mahou no Machigatta Tsukaikata

Also known as The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic.

Studio: Shin-Ei Animation , Studio Add
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Fantasy

An ordinary walk home from school turns into an epic journey for Usato. After suddenly being dropped into another world with two fellow students, Usato learns he was summoned there by accident. But things turn around when he discovers a unique aptitude for healing magic! Now, he trains beyond human limitations, using his self-healing abilities to gain absurd strength and unrivaled stamina.

Tags: Isekai , Magic , Fitness , Demons , Male Protagonist , War , Cultivation , Creature Taming , Military , Heterosexual , Animals , Kemonomimi , Wilderness , Swordplay , Female Harem

Where to watch?

Mairimashita! Iruma-kun 3

Also known as Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Season 3.

Studio: Bandai Namco Pictures
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Fantasy , Supernatural

The third season of Mairimashita! Iruma-kun.

This time it's the jungle!

Human boy Suzuki Iruma becomes "grandson" to the great demon Sullivan and begins attending demon school where "Grandpa" serves as chairman. Winning friends -- and rising in demon rank, too -- Iruma thrives in his new environment, overcoming the harrowing ordeals thrown his way! In the new season, further challenges await... it's harvest season, and time for the annual test where students wade into the expansive and extremely dangerous (!) jungle to compete for food!! Classmates become rivals, and what erupts is a gargantuan battle of brawn and wits?

Tags: Demons , Primarily Teen Cast , School , Magic , Isekai , Ensemble Cast , Found Family , Monster Girl , Monster Boy , Male Protagonist , Archery , Cultivation , School Club , Creature Taming , Succubus , Crossdressing , Shounen , Butler , Idol , Video Games , Torture , Bullying , Outdoor Activities , Wilderness , Kemonomimi

Where to watch?

Bilibili TV

Golden Kamuy 2nd Season

Also known as Golden Kamuy Season 2.

Studio: Geno Studio
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy

The high-stakes search for gold continues in the harsh wilderness of Hokkaido! More and more people seek the treasure map, and the race to find its living pieces is brutal as all get-out. War veteran Sugimoto and his guide to the wilds, Asirpa, are hot on the trail, and as long as they stick together through thick and thin—chitatap and miso—they’ve got a shot at finding that gold.

Tags: Historical , Seinen , Military , Primarily Adult Cast , Survival , Anti-Hero , Ensemble Cast , Primarily Male Cast , Crime , Guns , Food , Fugitive , Educational , Language Barrier , Gore , LGBTQ+ Themes , Animals , Male Protagonist , Nudity , Indigenous Cultures , Archery , Body Horror , Gender Bending , Transgender , Wilderness , Prison

Where to watch?

Amazon Prime Video

Heion Sedai no Idaten-tachi

Also known as The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace.

Studio: MAPPA
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Fantasy

It has been 800 years since the incredibly fast and powerful gods of battle known as the Idaten had sealed away the demons after an intense battle. Now, that battle is just considered a myth or a fairytale. While the current generation of Idaten who have never even had to fight are enjoying their peaceful lives, someone awakened the demons once again! Armed forces, ingenuity. politics, and intrigue. If you've got it, use everything you can! This three-way battle royale with no rules and no limits is about to begin!!

Tags: Demons , Gods , War , Gore , Super Power , Philosophy , Tragedy , Military , Seinen , Surreal Comedy , Hypersexuality , Anti-Hero , Ensemble Cast , Satire , Body Horror , Memory Manipulation , Time Skip , Religion , Amputation , Fugitive , Wilderness , Slapstick , Nudity , Nun , Torture , Kingdom Management , Masturbation , CGI , Virginity , Sex Toys

Where to watch?

Pocket Monsters: THE ORIGIN

Also known as Pokémon Origins.

Studio: Production I.G , Xebec , OLM
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Fantasy

One day, Red, a boy filled with dreams of going on a Pokémon journey, is called to Professor Okido's lab. There, he and his rival Green are given a Pokédex in order to collect data on all of the Pokémon in the region. As Red works his way to become champion with his Charmander, he meets many people on his journey, including Old Man Fuji, a man who runs the home for abandoned Pokémon, and Reina, a girl who works there. As danger in Red's journey begins to peak, he and his partner Pokémon experience a transformation like never before...

Tags: Kids , Animals , Travel , Proxy Battle , Wilderness , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Henshin , Dragons , Creature Taming , Tokusatsu , Surfing , Fishing

Where to watch?

YouTube

AIR

Also known as Air.

Studio: Kyoto Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance , Slice of Life , Supernatural

Yukito Kunisaki is on a journey in search of the Winged Maiden who was bound to the sky centuries ago, after hearing an old childhood tale from his mother. As Yukito shows his puppet show to people in an attempt to make some money, he finds himself in a small town in which he did not expect to stay very long. However, when he meets an unusual girl named Misuzu, things take a drastic turn as he is invited to stay with her.

By staying in the quaint town, Yukito soon becomes friends with the locals. As he gets to know them better, he learns of their problems and decides to help, putting his search for the Winged Maiden on hold. With his search on hold, and his growing attachment to Misuzu and the small town, will Yukito ever find the Winged Maiden, or is she closer than he thought?

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Note: Includes episode 13, Soushuuhen (Summary).

Tags: Tragedy , Reincarnation , Historical , Magic , Homeless , Family Life , Rural , Cohabitation , Male Protagonist , Amnesia , Achronological Order , Kuudere , Samurai , Primarily Female Cast , Heterosexual , Ensemble Cast , Tsundere , Wilderness , Dinosaurs , Female Harem , Time Skip , Slapstick , Work , Female Protagonist

Where to watch?

No streaming links available

Sounan desu ka?

Also known as Are You Lost?.

Studio: Ezo’la
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Comedy , Ecchi

Because of a plane crash … starting today, we're spending the springtime of our lives on a desert island!! There's nothing here, so we have to make everything!! And eat everything!! (Ugh!) Check out our high-school-girl survival story of courage and knowledge. We're actually doing pretty well! We learn how to eat cicadas, how to build traps, a simple allergy test, how to eat hermit crabs, etc.

Tags: Survival , Primarily Female Cast , Coastal , Educational , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Primarily Teen Cast , Seinen , Nudity , Gyaru , Fishing , Wilderness , Swimming

Where to watch?

Saijaku Tamer wa Gomi Hiroi no Tabi wo Hajimemashita.

Also known as The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash.

Studio: Studio Massket
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Fantasy

Stars are everything, granting abilities to Tamers. So when Ivy was born without one, her village took it as an ill omen! Now banished, she leads a lonely life of salvaging rubbish to survive. That is until she befriends Sora, a weak little slime, in the forest. Together, the delicate duo embarks on a heartwarming journey of survival and discovers there’s more to Ivy than being starless.

Tags: Homeless , Female Protagonist , Travel , Rural , Creature Taming , Iyashikei , Magic , Wilderness , Conspiracy , Crossdressing , Survival , Reincarnation , Isekai , Slavery , Medieval

Where to watch?

Tondemo Skill de Isekai Hourou Meshi 2

Also known as Campfire Cooking in Another World with my Absurd Skill Season 2.

Studio: MAPPA
Status: Releasing
Genres: Adventure , Comedy , Fantasy

The second season of Tondemo Skill de Isekai Hourou Meshi.

When a magical realm looks to summon heroes, they’re sorely disappointed to end up with a mediocre salaryman. Mukoda Tsuyoshi may not be a hero, but this conjuring error has given him a delicious power—Online Grocery. And something about this modern food brings with it unbelievable effects. This easy access paired with his cooking skills will have patrons from across the land coming back for more!

Tags: Iyashikei , Isekai , Food , Work , Male Protagonist , Animals , Gods , Travel , Magic , Economics , Primarily Adult Cast , Creature Taming , Dragons , Elf , Wilderness , Camping , Slapstick , Dungeon , Kuudere , Tsundere

Where to watch?

iQ

Ruri no Houseki

Also known as Ruri Rocks.

Studio: Studio Bind
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Slice of Life

Mineral collecting is like a modern-day treasure hunt!

Ruri, a high school girl who loves jewelry and accessories, gets into the world of mineral collecting, venturing into mountains, rivers, and caves. The first volume features numerous minerals, including quartz, garnet, pyrite, gold sand, and fluorite. The manga is full of fascinating scenes focusing on specialized tools such as a panning dish, hammer, and topographical maps. An authentic scientific adventure based on the author's solid knowledge of mineralogy!

Tags: Outdoor Activities , Primarily Female Cast , Educational , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Female Protagonist , Episodic , Wilderness , Environmental , Seinen , Iyashikei , College , Work , Rural

Where to watch?

Mayonaka Punch

Also known as MAYONAKA PUNCH.

Studio: P.A.WORKS
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Supernatural

Meet Masaki, the now former member of the popular NewTuber group, Harikiri Sisters. After a career setback, aka getting fired unexpectedly via a livestream, she joins forces with Live, a partner with superhuman abilities. Together, they aim to create sensational content and reach 1 million subscribers. Will they reach their content dreams or be hit with the block button?

Tags: Female Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Vampire , Monster Girl , Urban Fantasy , Cohabitation , Yuri , Primarily Adult Cast , Anti-Hero , VTuber , Found Family , Super Power , Surreal Comedy , LGBTQ+ Themes , Shapeshifting , Wilderness , Food , Coastal

Where to watch?