10 Best Anime to Watch If You Love The Odyssey (#4 Is a Near-Perfect Masterpiece)

Image: Universal Pictures

At its heart, the tale attributed to Homer is a profound meditation on the longing for home. Odysseus, a hero defined by his cunning, finds his ten-year voyage home to Ithaca dictated by the whims of fate and divine interference. The narrative remains timeless because of its exploration of the tension between human agency and inevitable destiny, populated by a menagerie of gods, mythical beasts, and moral dilemmas.

While the Odyssey has seen relatively few direct anime adaptations, the medium is rich with stories that mirror its epic scope and thematic depth. From high-stakes mythological confrontations to gritty odysseys of personal growth, there is no shortage of anime that capture the spirit of Homer’s classic. Here are 10 recommendations for viewers captivated by the legendary journey of Odysseus.

1 Ulysses 31

Image: DIC Audiovisuel/Tokyo Movie Shinsha

Ulysses 31 reimagines the ancient myth through a daring science-fiction lens. Here, the hero traverses the cosmos aboard the starship Odyssey, his path cursed by the Olympians after he defies their authority. Tasked with reaching the elusive Kingdom of Hades to awaken his frozen crew, Ulysses encounters futuristic versions of classic trials—where Lotus-Eaters manifest as alien entities and Sirens become deceptive cosmic shadows. It is a masterful fusion of classical storytelling and space-age wonder.

2 Record of Ragnarok

Though it leans heavily into tournament-style action, Record of Ragnarok shares the Odyssey’s preoccupation with the volatile relationship between humanity and the divine. When the Gods’ Council determines that mankind’s history of destruction warrants extinction, a Valkyrie intervenes, demanding a chance for mortals to prove their worth through combat. It is an exploration of human intellect and defiance, demonstrating that even when dwarfed by god-like power, the human spirit is a force that cannot be easily extinguished.

3 One Piece

To call the odyssey of the Straw Hat pirates “eventful” would be a gross understatement, yet One Piece stands as a modern peer to the scale and adventure of Homer’s work. Eiichiro Oda’s epic weaves together folklore and world-building to create a grand narrative about inherited will, the corruption of authority, and the bonds of camaraderie. With subtle nods to classic mythology—such as the Gorgon-esque motifs surrounding Boa Hancock—the series captures the same adventurous spirit and philosophical depth found in the greatest epics of history.

4 Vinland Saga

Image: Wit Studio

While Vinland Saga begins as a classic tale of Viking vengeance, it evolves into an existential journey defined by pacifism and self-discovery. Thorfinn’s maturation from a boy fueled by rage to a man seeking a land of true freedom mirrors the long, transformative road of a classic hero. His expedition to Vinland is less about conquest and more about finding a home untainted by the cycles of violence, giving the series a poignant, mythic resonance.

5 Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water

Before his genre-defining work on Evangelion, Hideaki Anno contributed to this vibrant steampunk odyssey. Set in an alternate 1889, the story follows Nadia and an inventive young Jean as they navigate a globe-spanning adventure aboard the legendary submarine, the Nautilus. Much like the Odyssey, this series is a multi-layered journey where the physical peril of their surroundings is matched only by their underlying quest to return home and uncover the secrets of their own origins.

6 Made in Abyss

On the surface, Made in Abyss appears to be a treasure-hunting adventure, but it quickly descends into a harrowing descent into the unknown. Riko and her mechanical companion Reg venture into a colossal, cursed chasm—an inverse voyage where the danger increases with every step toward the depths. It captures the essence of the “Hero’s Journey,” stripping away innocence and forcing the protagonists to grapple with the hypnotic, often fatal, call of discovery and the high price of truth.

7 Rage of Bahamut: Genesis

Anchored by a charismatic, morally grey protagonist, Rage of Bahamut: Genesis is an exhilarating high-fantasy adventure. The story takes place in a world where gods and demons teeter on the edge of a cataclysmic awakening, forcing an unlikely crew together on a voyage filled with danger and divine intervention. It is a testament to how an expertly told adventure can turn even the most conventional fantasy tropes into a sweeping, memorable epic.

8 Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet

When young pilot Ledo is thrust into a foreign world after falling through a wormhole, he must navigate an existence that is entirely alien to his military upbringing. Residing on the massive oceanic fleet of Gargantia, Ledo’s journey is a profound study in adaptation and character growth. With his AI-piloted mech acting as an Athena-like guide, Ledo learns to reconcile his past as a soldier with a present that demands empathy, mirroring the classic homecoming arc of a warrior finding his place in a strange land.

9 Berserk

Kentaro Miura’s Berserk is perhaps the ultimate example of the “dark journey.” Following the lone warrior Guts as he traverses a world teeming with supernatural horrors, the series focuses on the burden of fate and the futility of blind vengeance. Though Guts is rarely granted the peace of a true homecoming, his struggle to protect the few people he holds dear provides a necessary, fragile light in a world that seems built to break him.

10 Drifting Dragons

Drifting Dragons captures the essence of the journey itself rather than just the destination. The crew of the airship Quin Zaza braves the treacherous skies to hunt dragons, creating a bond built on shared adversity and skill. Where the crew of the Odyssey suffered tragedy, the crew of the Quin Zaza thrives through camaraderie. It is a whimsical yet grounded portrayal of what it means to live for the sake of adventure, proving that the most courageous lives are those lived in pursuit of the unknown.

Source: Polygon