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There is an endless list of series to enjoy that involve a cataclysmic dispute between ancient gods and mortals who rebel. Some stories include descendants of gods or even powerful individuals who can summon gods from an alternate age. There is a show for every kind of anime fan who wishes to explore the mythic tales of heroes, gods, and monsters of history.
Updated December 28, 2022, by Kristy Ambrose: Greek mythology always was and continues to be one of humanity’s greatest inspirations, and that includes the world of anime. It’s not a new trend, either, as anime has used images, characters, and references from ancient Greece since the earliest days of animation. It’s not always anime with Greek gods that are featured either, but heroes and soldiers of yore who accomplished what their fellow mortals thought was impossible.
10 Ulysses 31 (1981)
An early Greek mythology anime that was the result of French and Japanese collaboration, Ulysses 31 is better known across the pond and is often seen as a European cartoon. It’s a modern retelling of the myth of Odysseus, that Greek hero who is sometimes known by the Latin version of his name.
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Instead of a dangerous seafaring voyage in an ancient time, it’s the 31st century, and Ulysses travels through an unchartered part of space with his crew and son at his side. Telemachus is one of the main characters and one of their shipmates is Themis, the Greek god of justice.
9 Record of Ragnarok (2021-present)
Record Of Ragnarok is a recently popular anime that found a home on Netflix. The story is a battle royale event amongst Gods and some of the strongest humans in existence. Brunhilde is a Valkyrie of the gods, and upon their decision to wipe out humanity, she stands her ground and purposes a tournament of Gods versus mortals in an epic clash to determine the fate of life on Earth.
Zeus, the impromptu leader of the gods, agrees, finding a trace of excitement in the challenge. Brunhilde pulls from history the most incredible humans to ever exist in the hope of making an impact and possibly defeating the all-powerful gods of the cosmos. Gods such as Zeus, Poseidon, Shiva, and even Thor make appearances in this series in this action-packed show.
8 Danmachi / Is It Wrong To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? (2015 - present)
DanMachi is set in a world where everyday races such as humans, elves, and demi-humans live amongst gods that have come down from the heavens to walk the Earth. Gods pick the mightiest individuals and induct them into their groups called Familias, guilds that venture into dangerous dungeons to reach the reward at the end.
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Many of the most powerful gods that walk the Earth are pulled from Greek mythology, such as Apollo, Ares, and Zeus. Is It Wrong to pick up Girls in a Dungeon? follows a young boy who happens to be the grandson of the once-great god Zeus, and his journey to becoming a stronger adventurer.
7 Sailor Moon SuperS (1995-1996)
Most of Sailor Moon’s mythology is borrowed from Roman legend, but in Sailor Moon SuperS, which is Season 4 of the anime, viewers are introduced to the characters Pegasus and Helios. In the actual mythology, the two characters aren’t connected, in this season of history’s most popular anime, they’re two different incarnations of the same being.
6 Blood Of Zeus (2020)
The Blood of Zeus series is directly focused on accurately telling the divine drama of the Greek Gods Zeus and Hera. It’s a visual spectacle that follows the history left behind by Greek historians as accurately as possible while still dramatizing events for enjoyment.
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Heron is the story’s hero, and as a bastard son of the father of the gods, Zeus’ infidelity prompts Hera’s jealousy. Heron’s existence starts a civil war between the gods that crosses over into the world of man and nearly overtakes the nation in chaos.
5 Knights Of The Zodiac: Saint Seiya (2019 - present)
Saint Seiya follows a group of mighty mystical warriors that are chosen to face off against even more powerful foes to protect the world. These warriors fight insurmountable odds in hopes of receiving Athena’s blessing and becoming her Knights, and overall this is one of the best-known examples of Greek mythology anime.
The series follows Seiya, who is inducted into this group of warriors and utilizes his newfound power as a Pegasus knight to defeat evil and search for his missing sister. Saint Seiya has multiple iterations, including an ongoing manga that is highly praised as a classic.
4 Fate/ Grand Order: Absolute Demon Front Babylonia (2019-2020)
The Fate franchise pulls from nearly every source of mythology and religion, taking characters from legends, history, and folklore to serve as heroes in a magical war over a historical relic known as the Holy Grail. Mages summon these heroes to fight in their stead and the strength and notoriety of the hero summoned are based on the mage’s magical power.
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While the mainstay heroes of the series have focused on Arthurian legend, many have come from Greek mythology and history, including names like Leonidas and Achilles. Heroes shine as incredible forces of nature that command much respect even from those who summon them.
3 Unico (1983)
Even if the name Unico doesn’t sound familiar, the adorable image of this endearing little unicorn will ring some old bells. One of the first anime movies to reach the shores of North America, it not only based the storyline on Greek myth but also introduced the whole concept of “kawaii” or endearing cuteness that certain types of anime exploit.
The main character is borrowed from medieval European legend since unicorns aren’t from Greece, but the setting and aesthetic of the movie are references to Greek legend. The premise of the story is that Unico is banished by the gods for bringing too much joy to humans just by being his adorable self. They command Zephyr, the West Wind, to banish him and teach everyone a lesson about earning happiness through hard work.
2 Rage of Bahamut (2017)
The Rage of Bahamut series is a twelve-episode journey set in a world where demons, humans, and gods all exist on the same plane. The global threat to the world is the black-winged dragon Bahamut who was sealed away by gods, humans, and demons working together for the good of the many.
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The key to this seal has split apart with a piece given to each group. Now, Bahamut is at risk of being released as secret factions now wish to revive the apocalypse beast and see the world turned to cinder. A young girl named Amira, along with two ne’er-do-well bounty hunters must prevent the seals from being reunited.
1 Yu-Gi-Oh! (1998-2004)
Not many anime series have reached the level of global impact that the Yu-Gi-Oh series has accomplished. From its original release in the US, Yu-Gi-Oh spawned a phenomenon that took the TCG world by storm and is cemented forever in the tabletop community.
Each Yu-Gi-Oh series is filled with callbacks to folklore, religion, and mythology. Countless cards that have appeared in the several iterations of the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise are mock-ups or homages to Greek gods. There are even complete archetypes dedicated to the Gods of Olympus with breathtaking art and powerful effects.
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