England has always been one of the most popular settings for anime that take place in Europe. The focus is not on the United Kingdom but just on England, one country.
The most common era is the Victorian and it’s pretty hard to find a modern English setting.
Similar to France, the capital is often the most frequent city featured in many shows, in this case, London.
So let’s see what are the best anime set in England!
Table of Contents
15. Count and Fairy / The Earl and Fairy
An show with lighter, fairy-tale tones that makes it one of the best anime set in the Victorian era.
Lydia Carlton, a 17-year-old Victorian-era English girl, is an out-of-the-ordinary beauty, who works as a fairy doctor. She uses her gift of being able to see magical creatures and communicate with them to help them solve their problems.
One day she will encounter Edgar Ashenbert, who will ask for her help under mysterious and enigmatic circumstances.
An anime that presents a fantasy and colored atmosphere, enlightened by the love between the two, which will be born warming your heart.
14. The Mystic Archives of Dantalian
A distinctive anime, combining action and fantasy with historical elements on the side. Released in 2011, it adapts into 12 episodes the story of the homonymous light novel.
The story is based on the Dantalian archive, which contains books of demonic wisdom that many want to get their hands on.
Huey, the main character, inherits an old, musty property from his grandfather that contains this collection.
The setting this time is England in the early postwar period, with the appropriate references that make it a fantastic anime set in the 1920s.
The Mystic Archives of Dantalian is extremely introspective, consider watching it if you like deep series rather than action-packed ones.
13. Unbreakable Machine-Doll
From the light novel of the same name is adapted the anime of Unbreakable Machine-Doll, a series packed with action, combat, and fantasy traits.
At the dawn of the 20th century, scientists developed a sophisticated magical art called Makinot. It involves the creation of electrical circuits through spells to bring objects to life.
Akabane Raishin, a young Japanese man who makes use of this technique, leaves for England to study at Walpurgis Royal Academy and become the best puppeteer in the world.
Set in a version of a London with magical and steampunk elements it encapsulates several elements, from action to classic school and love subplots.
12. The Empire of Corpses
The Empire of Corpses is a fascinating movie released in 2015 that spans the horror, historical, action, and mystery genres.
The story is set in a steampunk version of London with horror overtones, where Frankensteins, reanimated corpses created to aid human beings, were invented.
The main character, John Watson, is a young scientist who is tasked with becoming a secret agent and sent on a mission to retrieve some critical notes of a Russian scientist.
The Empire of Corpses is an excellent movie, with beautiful animation and an engaging plot full of mystery.
However, what truly makes this movie worth watching is its outstanding setting in an atmospheric London that feels oppressive due to the horror elements.
11. Black Butler
A fairly well-known anime consisting of multiple seasons and a large number of episodes. Sebastian Michaelis is the protagonist, a butler of the ancient and powerful London house of the Phantomhive.
He can boast such qualities as a perfect education, good manners, knowledge of martial arts and other talents in every other area imaginable.
He will be placed in the employ of Ciel Phantomhive, a wayward boy who nonetheless harbors a great secret as will be evident from the succession of strange events that occur.
The anime is set in a very atmospheric alternate Victorian London with dark fantasy elements.
10. Burn the Witch
Burn the Witch is a mini-opera by Tite Kubo, author of Bleach, which he devoted himself to after the latter ended and which received a short adaptation recently in 2020.
The protagonists are Noel Nihashi and Nini Spangle, 2 witches at the Natural Dragon Management Agency in Reverse London, an alternative London with magical elements.
Those who live there can see supernatural creatures. Noel and Nini are tasked with promoting coexistence between certain creatures and humans, but they are also sometimes forced to kill evil beings.
An anime with an excellent technical part, with amazing and very enjoyable animations.
The settings are also excellent, with a magical and alternative London that winks, if you will, at Harry Potter.
9. K-On! Movie
The K-On! Movie was released in 2011 and serves as a direct continuation of the events depicted in the animated series.
For obvious reasons, it’s strongly recommended to watch the movie only if you have already seen the main series or otherwise, it might not make much sense.
The movie assumes that you are already familiar with the characters, their dynamics, and their relationships, so without the context, much of it may be quite challenging to understand.
Time has passed and now, and with graduation and the end of high school approaching for the four girls in the music club, there’s only a short time left.
What better way to commemorate their friendship and the time they’ve spent together than with a group trip? Their destination? London!
8. Emma: A Victorian Romance
An anime released in 2005, adapted from a seinen manga, in one of the best historical romance ever made.
The story is set in late 19th-century London and tells the story of Emma, a young maid employed at the home of Mrs. Stowner, a now-retired governess. In addition to narrating her daily life her love life will also be examined.
But don’t be fooled by the plot, which may sound like a classic romantic story. Emma: A Victorian Romance tells a very enjoyable story, filled with twists and turns and rendered technically very well, both visually and aurally.
7. The Seven Deadly Sins
A fighting anime that has enjoyed a fair amount of success in recent years while also making waves for several reasons including the animation of recent seasons.
Elizabeth, daughter of the King, sets out on a journey to find the Seven Deadly Sins, intending to recruit them and take back her recently fallen kingdom due to a coup.
The 7 are extremely powerful warriors, capable of great things if brought together.
Set in Britain with fantasy elements, The Seven Deadly Sins shows us an ancient and magical side of the country.
6. Steamboy
From the genius of Katsuhiro Otomo came Steamboy in 2004, one of the best steampunk productions and one of the best anime set during the industrial revolutions ever made.
The plot is set in an alternate Victorian England of 1866 starring young Ray Steam, the son of a famous inventor. One day, Ray receives a metal orb from his grandfather for unspecified use.
For that, he is pursued by the Ohara Foundation, which kidnaps him and takes him to London.
A movie that has a lot to offer, both visually and in terms of mystery and plot twists.
The steampunk London sceneries are amazing and represent quite well the contrasting themes of the movie, such as the conflict between science and soul.
5. D.Gray-Man
One of the works serialized in the legendary Weekly Shonen Jump magazine but certainly not one of the best known even though it has much to offer.
The Millennium Count is an evil entity that aspires to destroy the world using Akuma, biomechanical weapons consisting of a core placed inside a human body and powered by the souls of the dead.
To defeat him, the protagonist Allen Walker, in possession of an anti-Akuma weapon in place of his left arm, joins the Dark Order as an exorcist.
Its setting of 16th-century England mixed with fantasy and science fiction elements is ideal if you want to watch something more oriented toward Sci-Fi.
4. Vinland Saga
Vinland Saga is one of the most interesting and followed works in recent years, animated in two seasons by Wit Studio and based on the manga of the same name by Makoto Yukimura.
The plot follows the life of the warrior Thorfinn, in a stunning Viking world inspired by real historical events.
Thorfinn is a boy who became a warrior to avenge the death of his father Thors, who was killed by the pirate Askeladd on behalf of the King because he had deserted years earlier to retire to a quiet life.
Vinland Saga is one of the best anime released in recent years, and there’s no debate about it.
Its story, centered around revenge and personal growth, is simply perfect, as are the characters in this series, both main and secondary.
Interestingly, not many are aware that the story’s outset is in E
3. Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure – Phantom Blood
The first part of the huge and legendary anime Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure, known as one of the best fighting anime ever.
The setting is Victorian period England with dark elements, where Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando, two adopted brothers, live.
Although Phantom Blood is just an introduction to the better titles that come after it’s necessary to watch it to understand the entire JoJo universe.
2. Moriarty the Patriot
If you are a fan of the adventures of Sherlock Holmes, then you have found your bread and butter.
Indeed, Moriarty the Patriot tells the story of the most famous detective ever from the point of view of James Moriarty, his legendary archrival. The story starts from his origins to the moment when he established himself as Sherlock’s nemesis.
As all fans will already know regarding the settings, this anime is also no exception. Its setting is an evocative 19th-century London, where inequality is commonplace.
1. Hellsing Ultimate
Here we are dealing with another work recognized as a masterpiece by the fan imagination. We are talking about Hellsing Ultimate, the main work of Kota Hirano.
The anime tells the story of the bloody war between the English Hellsing association and the forces of evil. Among the ranks of the first faction, we find the vampire Alucard, the protagonist of the story.
The complex but effective plot and the high-level confrontations are definitely the highlights of the anime.
The haunted and dark London that serves as the setting of the story enhances the splatter and is coherent with the themes of Hellsing Ultimate, one of the best anime set in Europe we can recommend you.
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