28 Anime Like Bastard!!

TV (25 eps)
1997 - 1998

Born beneath the gallows tree from which his dead mother hung, Guts has always existed on the boundary between life and death. After enduring a terrible childhood, he spends his adulthood in brutal combat, pitting his strength against others in order to build his own. Life is simple enough for Guts until he meets Griffith, the inspirational, ambitious, and beautiful leader of the mercenaries, the Band of the Hawks. When Guts loses to Griffith in a duel, he is forced to join the group, and, despite himself, finds a sense of camaraderie and belonging amongst them. However, as Griffith leads his soldiers from victory to victory, the bloody wars and underhanded politics reveal a side to him that nobody quite expected. Can Guts, a simple warrior, defend those who have come to mean the most to him, all the while struggling not to lose to the darkness he has carried with him his entire life?

Tags

15 votes

I agree

Reasons you might like Berserk...

lamentation says...

Blood, sweat, and a big ass sword. The characters of Berserk, like Bastard, are very deep and well-developed. Action-packed episodes will have you coming back for more. If you liked Bastard, check out Berserk!

j0f00 says...

Berserk is a much more serious, much darker version of Bastard! While Gatts in Berserk is much more human, he is just as powerful a warrior, and he's not a douche like Dark Schneider!

shalist says...

Nothing like having all the firepower centered around a single individual. While in Bastard, it's a poweful wizard, and in Berserk, a powerful warrior, it's still fun to watch them tear into the masses. Note that Berserk is considerably darker and more violent than Bastard though.

kamirura says...

Fighting.... Blood... is that what you want? You should really check out Berserk. I would say Bastard is abit of a parody on Berserk. Cause Bastard i s not really serious, but Berserk is. I really enjoyed both of the shows and I think they have alot in common. So be sure to check it out

nextolast says...

With strangely unpleasent, but likeable main characters, gritty animation, and lots and lots of blood, it is not wonder what is a like in these two. You will find similar dark atmosphere and edgy mood that drives the plot forward.

miaka says...

If you did like Bastard then you should see Berserk. Berserk is very much alike Bastard it just that Berserk is more serious. both got this mucels dudes that runs around an fights.

Akuma says...

These two shows, Bastard!! and Berserk, are an excellent pair of Medieval-style animes. Swords and Wizards, demons and grand castles. There are loads of action and violence in both. But Berserk is a bit longer, with a more involved plot, and excellent character development. Berserk holds one of my highest recommendations to any anime fan.

freakzilla says...

Both set in the same time period, both contain bloody goryness. The only difference is that in Berserk it happens with a sword, in Bastard with magic. If you liked this one, you have to see the other!

Tomte says...

Both series have the same kind of dark mideval feeling to them. Knights battle it out in great epic war campanges and characters haveing set their aims and dreams high in life.

sothis says...

Bastard has a lot more ecchiness/random comedy bits thrown in, but both have a very similar feel (and even similar look, for some characters). Medevil swordsmanship, monsters, maidens, the whole 9 yards.

MachineLock says...

Both of these anime seem like they were made for the same people. They have similar settings and share a common atmosphere and animation style. Both are very violent and adult oriented. Both share an importance on character relation. Bastard!! however is a bit more comedic and Berserk is a little bit more serious. Oh also, worst of all, neither series was completed... so if you don't want to feel left hanging, you'll have to take a look at the mangas.

katana100 says...

Swords.. Check, Medieval setting... Check, Blood and Death... Check, Main characters that can wipe the floor with anything that is placed in front of them and still look cool... Very much check. Along with this they both have a simialr feel in why the fights are run along with the simliarities in settings. Bastard is the comic little brother in sense of Berserk and worth watch if you have just finished the end of the Berserk series and want a pick me up

jackic23 says...

They are very similar in several aspects. To be honest I didn't get very far in either of them but from what I saw, I didn't like them for the same reasons. The art style, the senseless gore, etc. If you liked one of them, I'm pretty sure you've watched/should watch the other.

VivisQueen says...

If you enjoyed Bastard, you'll adore Berserk since they have a very similar world concept, fantasy archetypes, and an unbridled macho approach. Moreover, their stories are surprisingly good despite how braindead their animation and premise makes them seem. Keep in mind, though, Berserk is far more serious and epic, whilst Bastard feels like an introduction to what is a spoofy but still plot-driven franchise.

eaper says...

If you enjoyed the over the top violence and overpowered lead in Bastard!!, you'll definitely like Berserk. Each series is very dark and have borderline ridiculous voilence.

TV (26 eps)
1995

Meet Lina Inverse, a mighty sorceress who fights evil in the name of... greed, gluttony and black magic?! When she meets Gourry, a swordsman whose skill with the blade is rivaled only by his stupidity, Zelgadis, a grumpy sorceror who's been turned into a golem, and Rezo, a priest known for his benevolence (with a dark secret), you know her adventures are just beginning!

Tags

5 votes

I agree

Reasons you might like Slayers...

Devilbunny says...

Combine the humor, magic, and swordfighting you've got in Bastard, remove any trace of seriousness - oh, and make the major characters women - and you've got Slayers. It's a bit more light-hearted than Bastard, and stresses the comedy aspects. Fits squarely in the swords & sorcery genre with a good dose of humor.

freakzilla says...

A loud mouth feared extremely powerful magician (that was a mouthful) battling forces of evil. Bastard! has much more gore, but the concept is the same.

MalteseFalcon says...

As a D&D player, I can't help but be reminded of some of my own gaming sessions while watching both Bastard!! and Slayers. The humor, the battles, the occasional crazy ability, all are present in both series. While Bastard!! is darker and occasionally more serious than Slayers you should be sure to enjoy one if you found yourself laughing along with the other.

KiraRin says...

Both set in "ye olde times", Bastard!! and Slayers are a role players wet dream. Swordsmen, Magicians and summoners all play a significant part in each tale, though don't expect anything too serious from either series!

Action, adventure and a sprinkling of ecchi make these both two very popular and likable series.

eaper says...

These series both combine swordfighting, magic, superpowerful legendary type characters, and an ability to realize how over the top they are and make fun of this fact.

OVA (13 eps x 25 min)
1990

In an ancient time of swords and sorcery,the struggle to rule the cursed land of Lodoss rages on, spilling the blood of monsters and men. With the threat of dragons and dark powers hellbent on destroying it, the only hope for Lodoss is a young swordsman named Parn and his comrades. Armed with determinination and sheer strength, the band of friends must join the forces of kings and elves to overcome the dark sorcerer Ashram and his mistress Pirotess, as the ultimate battle of good versus evil begins!

Tags

4 votes

I agree

Reasons you might like Record of Lodoss War...