10 Intriguing Anime To Watch If You Loved Drifters’ Novelty

Drifters is an intriguing and underrated isekai anime that twists the classic elements of the genre to create a unique and captivating series.

The setting is refreshing, breaking away from the usual fantasy landscapes for a more realistic and stark scenario. The war for survival between different warriors from different historical eras is fascinating, full of action, twists, and turns.

All of these elements combined create a compelling series that will likely leave you wanting more. So if you enjoyed it and are looking for similar anime, we’ve put together a list of the best anime like Drifters. All you need is five minutes to read it.

10. Re: Creators

Re: Creators

Re:Creators and Drifters share an extremely similar plot, but also have some differences.

Re:Creators feature strong warriors from various backgrounds who are recruited to fight in an intense war filled with twists and turns, with the prize being incredible powers for those who can survive.

As you may have noticed, Re: Creators and Drifters have a partically identical plot, but they also have their differences.

In Re:Creators, the setting is less grim and the characters are fictional, as opposed to the real-life warriors in Drifters.

Despite these differences, the two series are strikingly similar in many ways.

9. GATE: Thus the JSDF Fought There

Gate

Gate bears a huge resemblance to Drifters mainly because of its setting, which is realistic and without major fantasy elements.

We are in a modern Tokyo, which one day is shocked by the opening of a mysterious portal from which all kinds of entities emerge, from knights to orcs, and even dragons.

As a countermeasure, Japan decides to send a group of elite soldiers led by Youji Itami to the other side of the portal for a political negotiation, and in case it fails, the use of force.

The anime Gate is an excellent and underrated isekai that we highly recommend on this list due to its courage to take isekai themes and conventions and subvert them, creating something truly unique, much like Drifters.

8. Gantz

Gantz

Yes, we know, Gantz is not even an isekai, unlike Drifters. But hear us out, because they have many similarities.

Gantz is an anime that revolves around Kei Kurono, a boy who is hit by a train and dies, but after his death finds himself in a perfectly healthy body and is forced to participate in a game-like competition.

Kei and other recently deceased people are tasked with hunting down and killing aliens armed with futuristic weapons for their survival.

As you can see, the similarities are striking. In both anime, the survival game concept and an incredibly suffocating dark setting reign supreme.

The only difference is that Gantz has a major focus on Sci-Fi and futuristic themes.

7. Fate/Zero

Fate/Zero

The Fate series has extremely obvious parallels with Drifters, and the presence of important historical warriors and the survival game component are just the beginning.

This anime from 2011 is based on the light novel by Gen Urobuchi and narrates the Fourth Holy Grail War events 10 years before Fate/stay night, serving as a prequel to it.

The Holy Grail War is waged by those seeking to fulfill their wishes by defeating the other participants.

Kiritsugu Emiya, a notorious hitman known as the Magus Killer for his cold methods, is hired by a family seeking to win the war after consecutive losses.

The similarities are gigantic, and adding to those said up here, we also have a similarly dark and suffocating setting.

The only difference, but a big one, is that Fate/Zero is not an isekai.

6. Kingdom

Kingdom

Kingdom is not an isekai either, but it shares other similarities with Drifters.

Set in the year 245 B.C., Kingdom follows the story of Shin and Hyo, two war orphans who dream of a better life.

Reduced to servants, they spend their days daydreaming, until Hyo catches the attention of Shobunkun, adviser to Crown Prince Ei Sei, who takes him to become a servant in the capital city of Kanyou.

But upon Hyo’s return, nothing is as it was before.

Kingdom and Drifters share a focus on war and historical figures as main characters. Shin draws inspiration from the legendary Chinese leader Li Xin, while Shobunkun is based on King Zhao, ruler of the Warring States Period.

However, the two anime differ in terms of plot and setting.

5. Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works

Fate

Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works is an excellent anime to watch after Drifters for the same reasons as Fate/Zero, which we mentioned earlier.

The plot of both anime is quite similar, featuring the Holy Grail War fought between Masters and historical warriors from other eras to gain power and riches.

And as mentioned before, both anime share a dark setting and survival game elements, and the only difference is that Fate is not an isekai.

However, the reason why Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works is recommended over Fate/Zero in this list is that it’s more action-focused and less on psychology, making it closer to Drifters in terms of tone and pacing.

4. Overlord

Overlord

Overlord has a totally different plot and vibes from Drifters, but just as many similarities, such as the anti-hero protagonist and a dark, brooding setting.

Although the initial premise is the same as other anime in the genre, the protagonist Momonga is not reincarnated into a weakling but instead into what is considered the most powerful being in his world.

This will lead him to be in command of a powerless army with which he will slowly conquer everything conquerable in a series of events that are never predictable or trivial.

And that’s exactly what’s unique in this series. The rawness of the actions performed by Momonga are real, as the tangible weight they have on the people of his world.

If you loved the badass protagonist and the dark setting of Drifters, then there is no doubt that you will love Overlord.

3. The Rising of the Shield Hero

The Rising of the Shield Hero

We get pretty far off track here in terms of setting and world-building, but if we’re talking again about badass and anti-hero MCs like in Drifters, then The Rising of the Shield Hero is a perfect recommendation.

Naofumi is just a regular Japanese guy who loves reading fantasy books and light novels. One day, he comes across a mysterious white-page book at the library, which takes him to a fantasy world.

He soon finds out that he’s one of four heroes chosen to save the world and he’s the Shield Hero, the weakest and most discriminated against. And that’s why he even ends up being betrayed in a terrible way.

But he’s determined to rise up and become a strong and respected hero. Here starts his rise.

The Rising of the Shield Hero is much different from Drifters in many ways. The main difference is definitely the setting, totally fantasy and not at all dark, but the plot also has no similarities.

But as already mentioned both protagonists are among the best anti-hero MCs in the isekai genre, so you will like it.

2. Hellsing Ultimate

Hellsing Ultimate

The more informed among you will already know where we are going with this, but the reason it is mandatory to include Hellsing in this list is simple: The respective manga is written by the same brilliant author, Kota Hirano.

The name of the series comes from the homonym secret organization Hellsing, whose duty is to hide the existence of Vampires and to keep the population safe.

The main character Alucard works for Hellsing as a vampire exterminator, being himself a member of the vampire race. He is supported by his new assistant Seras Victoria, a former policewoman who he saved in the past.

But a deep web of mysteries will soon arise.

There is not much to explain this time, because the two works are literally written by the same person.

But you will definitely find the same vibes, style and more in Hellsing as in Drifters, for that matter.

1. Saga of Tanya the Evil

Saga of Tanya the Evil

Saga of Tanya the Evil is one of the best isekai in recent years, which like Drifters goes a long way toward changing the classic canons of the genre.

The protagonist of the story is a cynical salaryman who is killed by an employee he fired.

God himself speaks to him in his final moments, saying that because of his cynicism, he is punished by being sent to a parallel world at war as Tanya Degurechaff, a little girl in an orphanage.

But instead of being desperate and humbled, he decides to be a cynical and selfish ruler in this world too.

You may have already figured it out on your own, but the reason why you’ll love Saga of Tanya the Evil if you are a fan of Drifters is its realistic, war-centered setting in which the protagonists must take part after dying.

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Yorozuya

Passionate about Japanese culture for years, serial devourer of manga, anime, and videogames that have now become part of my routine. My favorite series? Goodnight Punpun and One Piece.

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