The best anime adaptations of light novels in 2024 offer fans something new to appreciate about their favorite titles. Great light novel anime adaptations put to motion epic scenes fans fell in love with in ways their imagination can’t. Other adaptations expand on light novels for a richer story, or rearrange events to present information in a logical way.

Best Completed Fantasy Light Novels You Should Read featured image
10 Best Completed Fantasy Light Novels You Should Read

These are the best completed light novels of the fantasy genre readers should check out.

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Note that this list covers Winter 2024 until August 15. It also only covers adaptations on their first season, so while heavyweights like Mushoku Tensei have new seasons, shows that started before the 2024 anime season won’t be on the list. New titles will be added to the list as the year progresses and more light novel adaptations finish airing.

10 I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince So I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability

Magic Freak Ignores Harem For Studies

I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability Tensei Shitara Dai Nana Oji Datta no de Ki

Publisher/Licensor

  • Kodansha USA (manga)
  • Crunchyroll (English anime dub & sub)
  • Muse Communication (SEA/SA English sub)

Genre(s)

Mystery

Japanese Name

  • Reincarnation (not isekai)
  • Fantasy
  • Magic Academy

Volumes In Japanese

7

Lloyd was tortured to death by an aristrocrat, but that wasn’t what truly upset him. What made him sad was that he didn’t have time or power to do what he loved best: study magic. But reincarnating as the seventh prince of the kingdom means this total magic freak can truly explore the mystic arts.

Notably, Lloyd looks markedly different from I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability’s illustrations. Even the manga version has more fanservice by the ten-year-old protagonist. Still, the anime captures 7th Prince’s surprisingly detailed magic system. 7th Prince als poured all its budget into high-octane, visually-impressive fight sequences that made logical use of the aforementioned magic system.

9 Shoshimin Series

Trying To Be A Normie Despite Mysterious Events

Shoshimin Series Mystery novel

Publisher/Licensor

  • Crunchyroll (English anime subs)
  • Medialink (SEA/SA English sub)

Genre(s)

Mystery

Japanese Name

  • 〈小市民〉シリーズ
  • (Shoshimin) Shirizu

Volumes In Japanese

5

Shoshimin Series follows Jogoro and Yuki, two teens who’d love to be as mundane as their classmates. However, Jogoro’s intellect and skills, plus Yuki’s troubled past, along with extraordinary events, threaten their attempt at having a slice-of-life.

Shoshimin Series is technically a novel series, which means it’s longer than the average light novel series, and with slower and more complex writing. This complexity translates into Osanai and Kobato’s lavishly animated struggle to be normal, and its languid pacing that may alienate viewers used to gratification of any kind every few minutes.

Studio Lapin Track also has a track record of tackling adult themes with quirky presentations, having previously worked on Sarazanmai, Re:cycle of the Penguindrum, and Undead Girl Murder Farce. Shoshimin’s geneology is apparent with its animation and sense of unease always lurking in the background.

8 7th Time Loop

Breaking The Time Loop & Having A Happy Marriage

7th Time Loop Reincarnation not isekai Fantasy Romantic Comedy Loop 7-kaime no Akuyaku Reijo wa

Publisher/Licensor

Seven Seas Entertainment

Genre(s)

  • Reincarnation (not isekai)
  • Fantasy
  • Romantic Comedy

Japanese Name

  • ループ7回目の悪役令嬢は、元敵国で自由気ままな花嫁生活を満喫する
  • Loop 7-kaime no Akuyaku Reijo wa, Moto Tekikoku de Jiyu Kimamana Hanayome Seikatsu o Mankitsu Suru

Volumes In English

  • 5 (as of July 2024)
  • 6 (6th to be released in September 2024)

At a glance, Rishe Weitzner doesn’t seem exceptional. She’s but a noble engaged Crown Prince Dietrich, who condemns her to exile for a suite of crimes. Little does everyone know that this is Rishe’s seventh time trying to escape her death loop, and that this is the first time she’s ever caught the eye of a neighboring kingdom’s crown prince.

Best Reincarnation Manhwa With Protagonists Reborn As Weird Creatures
Best Reincarnation Manhwa With Protagonists Reborn As Weird Creatures

These reincarnaton stories are anything but ordinary, as the main characters take on unexpected new forms.

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7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys A Carefree Life Married To Her Worst Enemy! Skips details covered by the light novel in exchange for shining an even bigger light on Rishe. 7th TIme Loop is a wish-fulfillment anime for female-identifying folk who want to watch girls instead of boys pull off cool gambits, except with a pretty solid story.

7 The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic

He's A Healer, But He'll Shoot (Healing Magic) At Guys

The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic Chiyu Maho no Machigatta Tsukai-kata Isekai Fantasy

Publisher/Licensor

One Peace Books

Genre(s)

  • Isekai
  • Fantasy
  • Adventure

Japanese Name

  • 治癒魔法の間違った使い方 ~戦場を駆ける回復要員~
  • Chiyu Maho no Machigatta Tsukai-kata: Senjo o Kakeru Kaifuku Yoin

Volumes In English

4 (as of May 2024)

The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic is as unexpectedly funny as Ken Usato finds new ways to (mis)use his healing magic. Not that Ken has a choice, as his trainer Rose hones him into becoming an overpowered warrior by using his healing magic the wrong way.

While Healing Magic appears to be a generic isekai, the setting and its isekai trio have quirks that make the anime fun to watch. Its use of healing magic and its place in the world Ken and co. Are summoned to is unique and touches on ideas seldom fully explored in other works.

6 The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash

Girl Travels As Boy & Makes Sense Of Monster Taming Powers

The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash Saijaku Teima wa Gomihiroi no Tabi o Hajimemashita Monster Taming

Publisher/Licensor

Seven Seas Entertainment

Genre(s)

  • Isekai
  • Fantasy
  • Adventure
  • Monster Taming

Japanese Name

  • 最弱テイマーはゴミ拾いの旅を始めました。
  • Saijaku Teima wa Gomihiroi no Tabi o Hajimemashita

Volumes In English

  • 6 (as of July 2024)
  • (7th to be released in August 2024)
  • (8th to be released in December 2024)

The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash is undoubtedly cute, but it bears heavy topics and a dark emotional past for its protagonist. Ivy was classified as starless, a big enough taboo that she was used as a scapegoat by her town’s corrupt leaders for their misfortune. Only a child, she was forced to run away on threat of death.

The anime greatly amplifies Ivy’s emotional journey and relief at finding people who want her to live. Although it only covers the first part of her journey, the anime also does a great job conveying the light novels’ heavy slice-of-life feeling.

5 Yatagarasu

Historical Fantasy With Crows & Political Intrigue

Yatagarasu Historical fantasy novel Seinen

Publisher/Licensor

  • Kodansha USA (manga)
  • Crunchyroll (English anime sub)

Genre(s)

  • Historical fantasy
  • Seinen

Japanese Name

八咫烏

Volumes In Japanese

  • 10
  • 2 side stories

Yatagarasu: The Crow Does Not Choose the Lord follows three characters in the court serving the Mountain God. Wakamiya, second son to a concubine, faces threats as he is selected to become heir instead of more legitimate heirs. Asebi discovers cruelty as she competes with three other court ladies to become Wakamiya’s wife. And in the periphery is Yukiya, one of many people able to transform into crows, bumped up from his country bumpkin life to Wakamiya’s side.

Like Shoshimin Series, Yatagarasu is also a novel series, which means their anime adaptations are the most accessible form of these stories. Fortunately, Yatagarasu’s anime illustrates the court drama and fantastic elements that made this fantasy-history series popular enough to sell over a million copies in Japan.

4 Too Many Losing Heroines!

What If The Background Character Gets A Harem

Too Many Losing Heroines Make Hiroin ga Osugiru high school tan lines genki megane tsundere dandere

Publisher/Licensor

Seven Seas Entertainment

Genre(s)

  • Romantic Comedy
  • Slice of life

Japanese Name

  • 負けヒロインが多すぎる!
  • Make Hiroin ga Osugiru!

Volumes In English

  • 1 (as of July 2024)
  • 7 (Japanese volumes)
  • (One side story volume)

What happens if too many high-class, slice-of-life and romance heroines get rejected? According to Too Many Losing Heroines!, these heroines gravitate towards a total nobody. That total nobody happens to be Kazuhiko Nukumizu, who just wants to wallow in his romance novels.

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Shockingly enough, Too Many Losing Heroines! Focuses on the friendship formed by the three girls and Kazuhiko. He also bears witness to the girls still pining for their crushes even after their failed confessions. Kazuhiko almost feels like a vessel for viewers to see the girls’ life post-rejection, but when the cute-girls-doing-cute-things anime is well-animated, it’s worth the minutes.

3 Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian

Half-Russian Half-Japanese Girl Acts Tsundere Over Protag

Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian Tokidoki Bosotto Roshiago de Dereru Tonari no Arya-san

Publisher/Licensor

Yen Press

Genre(s)

  • Slice of life
  • Romantic comedy

Japanese Name

  • 時々ボソッとロシア語でデレる隣のアーリャさん
  • Tokidoki Bosotto Roshiago de Dereru Tonari no Arya-san

Volumes In English

  • 4.5 (as of July 2024)
  • (5th to be released in August 2024)
  • (6th to be released in December 2024)

Alisa Mikhailovna Kujou, or Alya, doesn’t think her classmate and puppy crush Masachika Kuze understands Russian. Unfortunately for her, Masachika can understand Russian, and all her thoughts and doting thoughts of him. And so goes Alya and Masahika’s schooldays, when Alya’s not busy with student council duties and Masahika’s not wrapped up with shenanigans.

Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian’s charm lies with Alya’s charm and Masahika’s narration of their daily life. This translates to the anime’s portrayal of Alya’s problems with self-expression and the wacky hijinks Masahika gets into. Romcom fans may want to try a few episodes for a quick shot of fluff, humor, and good tsundere action.

2 Spice and Wolf (2024)

Classic Franchise Returns With Updated Look

Spice and Wolf 2024 Okami to Koshinryo myuri holo kraft lawrence

Publisher/Licensor

Yen Press

Genre(s)

  • Economics
  • Slice of life
  • Romance
  • Fantasy
  • Adventure

Japanese Name

  • 狼と香辛料
  • Okami to Koshinryo

Volumes In English

24

Considered a classic by light novel and anime enthusiasts, Spice and Wolf is back with an updated look. Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf takes on the same light novel premise right down to its meticulous presentation of economics, trade, and emotional trauma. Holo and Kraft still have the same great chemistry that partly made Spice and Wolf such an enduring work.

Spice and Wolf has long since concluded and has volumes out in English. For fans who want more of the world, Kraft and Holo’s child Myuri has her own series. Wolf & Parchment: New Theory Spice & Wolf tracks her stowing away on the same boat as Tote Col, a young boy who worked for Kraft and Holo, as he ventures to join the clergy.

1 Solo Leveling

Weakest Hunter Chosen For Overpowered Powers

Solo Leveling Na Honjaman Rebeleop edgelord revenge power fantasy
Solo Leveling
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Release Date
January 7, 2024
Studio
A-1 Pictures
Based On
Manhwa
Creator
Chugong
Number of Episodes
25
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll
MyAnimeList Score
8.28 (Season 1); 8.86 (Season 2)

Solo Leveling started as a web novel but gained worldwide attention through its webtoon form. As an anime, it lives up to the high-octane action that captured millions of readers online. When a scene has budget, the animation is more than rapid teleportation, random blood splatters, and blade flashes. There’s action choreography, cool creature animation, and satisfying death sequences.

Although quite serious, the portal fantasy series is unintentionally hilarious at times, thanks to its edgy revenge plot and Sung Jin-Woo’s personality. Because the alternate world fantasy series is already complete, fans will have a lot of action, and astronomical escalation, to look forward to.

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