Top Wilderness Anime Recommendations

Made in Abyss

Also known as Made in Abyss.

Studio: Kinema Citrus
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Horror , Mystery , Sci-Fi

The "Abyss" is the last unexplored place in the world. Strange and wonderful creatures roam within, and it is full of precious relics that present humans can't recreate. Those that dare to explore the depths are known as "Cave Raiders." An orphan girl named Riko lives on the rim. Her dream is to become a Cave Raider like her mother and solve the mysteries of the cave system. One day, Riko starts exploring the caves and discovers a robot who resembles a human boy.



Note: The last episode aired with a runtime of ~48 minutes as opposed to the standard 24 minute long episode.

Tags: Survival , Primarily Child Cast , Environmental , Travel , Chibi , Body Horror , Tragedy , Lost Civilization , Outdoor Activities , Dungeon , Philosophy , Seinen , Cosmic Horror , Female Protagonist , Curses , Gore , Amnesia , Wilderness , Robots , Male Protagonist , Steampunk , Anthropomorphism , Orphan , Food , Tanned Skin , School , Agender , Crossdressing , Religion , Rehabilitation , Dissociative Identities , Maids , Femboy , Time Manipulation , Amputation , Nudity

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

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

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 , Shoujo , Female Protagonist , Time Skip , Age Gap , Iyashikei , Wilderness , Heterosexual , Male Protagonist

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 , Seinen , Historical , Wilderness , Coastal , Primarily Adult Cast , Amnesia , Cult , Monster Girl , Suicide

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: Ensemble Cast , Travel , Coming of Age , Primarily Female Cast , Female Protagonist , Outdoor Activities , Snowscape , Foreign , Orphan , Family Life , Found Family , Primarily Teen Cast , Tragedy , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Wilderness , Iyashikei , Work , Konbini , Educational , Ships , School , Mahjong

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 , Kuudere , Wilderness

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 , School , Cosmic Horror , Episodic , Tragedy , Mixed Media , Male Protagonist , Gods , Animals , Heterosexual , Baseball , Suicide , Desert , Unrequited Love , Wilderness , Space

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

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 , Succubus , Crossdressing , Shounen , Butler , Idol , Video Games , Torture , Bullying , Outdoor Activities , Wilderness

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 , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Henshin , Dragons , Wilderness , Tokusatsu , Creature Taming , Surfing , Fishing

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

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 , Swimming , Wilderness

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 , Iyashikei , Magic , Crossdressing , Survival , Creature Taming , Conspiracy , Reincarnation , Isekai , Wilderness , Slavery

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: Primarily Female Cast , Female Protagonist , Vampire , Monster Girl , Urban Fantasy , Cohabitation , Primarily Adult Cast , Anti-Hero , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Found Family , Super Power , Surreal Comedy , LGBTQ+ Themes , VTuber , Wilderness

Pokémon Generations

Studio: OLM , Signal.MD , WIT STUDIO , Production I.G , domerica
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Fantasy

Pokémon Generations looks back at each generation of the Pokémon video game series, diving into the stories of the games more deeply and getting to know characters and Pokémon better. Visit each region, from Kanto to Kalos, to relive the world of Pokémon like never before!

Tags: Episodic , Proxy Battle , Creature Taming , Animals , Video Games , Ensemble Cast , Wilderness , Detective

Pocket Monsters: Kimi ni Kimeta!

Also known as Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!.

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

The film's plot tells the story of how Satoshi (Ash) and Pikachu came to know each other. On the day they set out from Masara Town (Pallet Town), both of them saw a Ho-oh flying and made a vow to someday meet it.



Tags: Animals , Travel , Proxy Battle , Wilderness , Primarily Child Cast , Male Protagonist , Kids , CGI , Alternate Universe

Shika no Ou: Yuna to Yakusoku no Tabi

Also known as The Deer King.

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

In the aftermath of a brutal war, former soldier Van toils in a mine controlled by the ruling empire. One day, his solitary existence is upended when a pack of wild dogs carrying a deadly and incurable disease attack, leaving only Van and a young girl named Yuna as survivors. Finally free, the pair seek out a simple existence in the countryside but are pursued by nefarious forces. Intent on protecting Yuna at all costs, Van must uncover the true cause of the plague ravaging the kingdom—and its possible cure.



Note: The film received an early premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 14, 2021.

Tags: Fugitive , Adoption , Pandemic , Male Protagonist , Slavery , Found Family , Wilderness , Politics , Medicine , War , Conspiracy , Agriculture , Tragedy , Orphan

Tondemo Skill de Isekai Hourou Meshi 2nd Season

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

The second season of Tondemo Skill de Isekai Hourou Meshi.

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

Pocket Monsters: Coco

Also known as Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle.

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

The story is set in Okoya Forest, a Pokémon paradise protected by strict rules that forbid outsiders from setting foot inside. The film centers on Coco, a boy who was raised by Pokémon and also considers himself as one, treating the Mythical Pokémon Zarude as his father. Ash and Pikachu encounter Coco during an adventure. The film focuses on the theme of a "human raised by Pokémon," instead of the previous films' focus of the "bond between a human trainer and their Pokémon."



Tags: Animals , Adoption , Environmental , Language Barrier , Proxy Battle , Wilderness , Kids , Tragedy , Agriculture , Male Protagonist , Parenthood