NoBadPicks

Anime Like Drifters

If you loved Drifters's Animation and Sci-Fi & Fantasy storytelling, these anime deliver a similar experience — selected for art style, narrative depth, and emotional impact. Each includes where to stream it now.

Top Picks

TSUKIMICHI -Moonlit Fantasy-
8.4

TSUKIMICHI -Moonlit Fantasy-

2021

Makoto Misumi is just an ordinary high school student living a regular life, but all of a sudden gets summoned to the other world to become a "hero." The goddess of the other world, however, insults him for being different and strips his "hero" title, before casting him off to the wilderness at the edge of the world. As he wanders the wilderness, Makoto encounters dragons, spiders, orcs, dwarves, and all sorts of non-human tribes. Because Makoto comes from a different world, he is able to unleash unimaginable magical powers and combat skills. But just how will he handle his encounters with various species and survive in his new environment. In this fantasy, Makoto tries to transform the other world into a better place despite the humans and gods having turned their backs on him.

The Heroic Legend of Arslan
7.0

The Heroic Legend of Arslan

2015

Arslan is the heir apparent of Pars, a strong nation that sits at the hear of the trade route connecting the East and the West. When the pagan nation of Lusitania begins an invasion of Pars, the timid Arslan is confronted with battle for the first time. His worst anxieties are realized the Parsian army falls for a Lusitanian stratagem and are routed. He barely escapes with his life, thanks to the loyal and indomitable warrior Daryun. Together they will stand against the invasion and the cruelties of fate that are about to blow down on Pars.

Yasuke
7.3

Yasuke

2021

A peaceful boatman once known as the Black Samurai is pulled back into conflict when he takes a little girl with mysterious powers under his wing.

Berserk
7.4

Berserk

2016

Spurred by the flame raging in his heart, the Black Swordsman Guts continues his seemingly endless quest for revenge. Standing in his path are heinous outlaws, delusional evil spirits, and a devout child of god. Even as it chips away at his life, Guts continues to fight his enemies, who wield repulsive and inhumane power, with nary but his body and sword—his strength as a human.

InuYasha
8.6

InuYasha

2000

Kagome Higurashi is a modern day young girl who lives with her family by the old Higure shrine. Unbeknownst to Kagome, she is the reincarnation of priestess Kikyo and posseses the "Jewel of Four Souls" (the Shikon jewel). One ill-fated day, Kagome locates an ancient well near her home and is abruptly transported through the well and into a feudal Japan, inhabited by demons. There, she encounters Inuyasha, son of a powerful demon father and a human mother, who is pinned to a tree by an enchanted arrow.

Golden Kamuy
7.5

Golden Kamuy

2018

A Russo-Japanese War veteran partners with an Ainu girl to find a treasure stolen from her people, but they’re not the only ones pursuing the gold.

Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious
8.2

Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious

2019

Goddess Ristarte summons Seiya Ryuuguuin, an OVERLY cautious hero to save the world of Gaeabrande. Seiya is obsessed with muscle training and buying extra armor to deal with low level creatures. It’s simply one cautious mission at-a-time for this hero!

Stigma of the Wind
7.0

Stigma of the Wind

2007

Four years ago, Kazuma Kannagi was defeated by his cousin Ayano Kannagi for the right to be the successor of Enraiha, a sword passed down in the Kannagi family. His defeat, along with his lack of talent for En-Jutsu, the fire arts, the Kannagis' specialty, resulted in his banishment from the family. Now, Kazuma returns as Kazuma Yagami, a skilled master of Fū-Jutsu, the wind arts.

More Anime Like Drifters

The Faraway Paladin
6.9

The Faraway Paladin

2021

In a city of the dead, long since ruined and far from human civilization, lives a single human child. His name is Will, and he's being raised by three undead: the hearty skeletal warrior, Blood; the graceful mummified priestess, Mary; and the crotchety spectral sorcerer, Gus. The three pour love into the boy, and teach him all they know. But one day, Will starts to wonder: "Who am I?" Will must unravel the mysteries of this faraway dead man's land, and unearth the secret pasts of the undead. He must learn the love and mercy of the good gods, and the bigotry and madness of the bad. And when he knows it all, the boy will take his first step on the path to becoming a Paladin.

Blade of the Immortal
7.2

Blade of the Immortal

2019

Manji is a crass, violent samurai with a special ability: he cannot die. Cursed with immortality by the nun Yobikuni as punishment for his ruthless deeds, he has grown weary of his ageless life. The only way to lift the curse is to slay 1,000 evil men. So Manji wanders Japan, shedding the blood of the wicked on his quest to finally die.

Handyman Saitou in Another World
7.0

Handyman Saitou in Another World

2023

Handyman Saito has never been anyone special. All his life, he’s had average grades, ordinary athletic skill, a commonplace job… But his unremarkable path takes a turn when he wakes up in another world. Here, warriors, wizards, and elves accompany him on quests delving deep into dungeons, and Saito realizes for the first time what it’s like to be needed. After all, who other than the handyman could be trusted to open locked treasure chests or repair his allies’ equipment? Beginning with a simple “thank you,” this is the story of an ordinary person’s fulfilling life.

Lord Marksman and Vanadis
6.8

Lord Marksman and Vanadis

2014

Tigrevurmud Vorn, the young lord of a remote region far from the kingdom's center, is commanded by the king to go fight the war against a neighboring country. The leader of the enemy is Eleonora Viltaria, one of the seven Vanadis given supernatural arms from a dragon. The moment when an archer boy and the silver-haired beautiful war maiden meet, it is the beginning for the legend of a hero that will be told for generations to come.

In the Land of Leadale
7.2

In the Land of Leadale

2022

Due to a terrible accident, Keina Kagami is forced to live on life support in order to survive. The only way for her to be free is within the VRMMORPG "Leadale." One day, her life support stops functioning, and Keina loses her life. But when she wakes up, she finds herself in the world of Leadale 200 years in the future. She is now the half-elf Cayna, who possesses lost skills and OP statuses and becomes closer to the other inhabitants of this world. But among those inhabitants happen to be the "children" she made in character creation?!

Black Clover
8.5

Black Clover

2017

Asta and Yuno are two orphans who want the same thing: to become the Wizard King. Locked in a friendly rivalry, they work hard towards their goal. While Yuno excels at magic, Asta has a problem uncommon in this world: he has no powers! But, on the day they receive their grimoires, they surprise everyone. To reach their goal, they’ll each find their own path to greatness—with or without magic.

Uglymug, Epicfighter
7.7

Uglymug, Epicfighter

2025

After a false accusation, Shigeru Yoshioka becomes an unemployed recluse. By choosing to remain ugly in another world, Shigeru gains higher status. He begins his second life as an absolute god with cheat-level stats. At first, Shigeru tags along with Seika, Seiji, and Leeds, but due to a weakness caused by direct contact with a girl, he considers breaking away from the party. However…

The Sacred Blacksmith
6.9

The Sacred Blacksmith

2009

Cecily's a blushing knight in shining armor. Unfortunately, it seems most battles end with her as the damsel in distress. Her lack of skill and distaste for violence make her an unlikely heroine - until the brooding blacksmith Luke comes to her aid, using his powerful magic to forge blades of supernatural strength. Cecily wields this sacred steel and charges forth to face a dangerous new threat. A cloaked fiend is unleashing demons upon the land, and though he lurks in shadows, the villain is much closer than Cecily can imagine.

Samurai Girls
6.4

Samurai Girls

2010

The story takes place in Japan in the early 21st century, in an alternate reality where the Tokugawa Shogunate has remained in power. In this reality, student councils are tasked with oppressing schools. Yagyuu Muneakira is a high school student who rebels against his student council with the help of girls who've had the names of famous samurai heroes passed on to them.

Record of Grancrest War
8.2

Record of Grancrest War

2018

On a continent ruled by chaos, the Lords have the power of a holy seal that can calm the chaos and protect the people. However, before anyone realizes it, the rulers cast aside their creed of purifying the chaos, and instead start to fight each other for each other's holy seals to gain dominion over one another. Siluca, an isolated mage who scorns the Lords for abandoning their creed, and a wandering knight named Theo, who is on a journey to train to one day liberate his hometown, make an everlasting oath to work together to reform this continent dominated by wars and chaos.

From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman
7.5

From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman

2025

Beryl Gardenant, a middle-aged swordsman running a dojo in the backwaters, lives a quiet life, until Allucia, former student and Commander of the Royal Order of Knights, appears! Beryl’s life is about to change dramatically! City life. Old students. New friends and formidable foes. It’s all too much. But after years of training, he has mad skills, and he’s been dubbed “the backwater swordmaster.”

Reincarnated as a Sword
7.4

Reincarnated as a Sword

2022

Reincarnated as a sentient weapon with memories of his past life, but not his name, a magical sword saves a young beastgirl from a life of slavery. Fran, the cat-eared girl, becomes his wielder, and wants only to grow stronger, while the sword wants to know why he is here. Together, the strange duo's journey has only just begun!

Why These Anime Are Similar

These recommendations share core qualities with Drifters (2016): Animation and Sci-Fi & Fantasy themes, comparable animation style, and similar narrative pacing. NoBadPicks uses TMDB collaborative filtering, genre matching, and AI analysis to surface anime most likely to resonate with fans of Drifters.

See full details for Drifters (2016)

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