One of the greatest things about anime is the variety of stories that are told. The world of anime is filled with hundreds of adventures that pull from various sources such as historical events, national culture, and even mythology and religion. Some of the best anime series are based on myths and legends derived from ancient paganism, which includes Greek mythology.
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 September 18th, 2024 by Jacob Buchalter:Surprisingly, despite Greek Mythology being one of the most well-known and beloved mythos around the world, there aren’t a ton of anime that take inspiration from it. Of course, it makes a bit of sense, given that they have plenty of mythological characters and creatures from their own history and mythology to pull from, but even then one would think they’d get around to Greek Mythology eventually. However, that’s not to say that 0 anime that takes inspiration from Greek Mythology exists, just that there aren’t very many of them. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the well-known anime series that are either based in or take inspiration from Greek Mythology.
2012
Diomedea
1
Campioneis up first, and it’s a pretty unique series. One might think that a series all about a guy who kills the God of War to become a God Slayer is primarily an action series, butCampioneis just as much about the romance as it is the action. Godou Kusanagi, the protagonist of this series, seems to constantly attract all sorts of women with incredibly strong personalities.
All in all,Campioneis a fun series to either read or watch as long as the reader/viewer is okay with harem plotlines and a pretty ridiculous protagonist. The Greek Mythology influence comes into this show in the Gods themselves, as Godou and the other God Slayers are constantly taking down heretical Gods, some of which are part of the Greek Pantheon.
2020
C2C
2
Now technically, this series really shouldn’t be on here, but frankly there just aren’t enough series with direct references to Greek Mythology. And, while it’s barely just been hinted at in season 2 of the anime adaptation forTsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy, there does seem to be some influence of the Greek Godsin this isekai world that Misumi Makoto has been transported to. Not to spoil too much from the light novel source material, but Athena is one of the few gods who is mentioned and/or appears in this series, outside of the Goddess herself and Tsukuyomi.
Athena apparently has some connection to the Goddess of this isekai world and is essentially just as fed up with the Goddess (or maybe even more so) than even Makoto himself is.
2014
Brain’s Base
Curious fans can also find this anime under the English name,Play of the Gods.The franchise debuted with a visual novel game for the PlayStation Portable in 2013, followed by the anime in 2014, and also includes a second game launched in 2016for the PlayStation Portable and Vita.
This is an otome game, in which the player takes the role of the main female character. In this case, she’s a high school student named Yui Kusanagi who also happens to come from a family of Shinto priests. When she touches a magic sword, she’s transported into the presence of Zeus himself, and anime doesn’t get much more Greek mythology than that. As the story progresses, Yui can choose her love interest from an array of gods that include Greek deities along with Roman and Norse ones.
1981
TMS Entertainment
An early Greek mythology anime that was the result of French and Japanese collaboration,Ulysses 31is 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.
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.
2021
Graphinica
Record Of Ragnarokis a recently popular anime that found a home onNetflix.The story isa battle royale event amongst godsand 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 proposes a tournament of gods versus mortals in an epic clash to determine the fate of life on Earth.
Zeus, the impromptu leader, 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 Greek mythology anime.
Studio
Season(s)
Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon?
2015
J.C Staff
5
DanMachiis 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.
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.
1986
Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
N/A (Film)
One example of a mythology anime that time forgot,the recent trend of Greek mythin anime has brought Arion down from the dusty shelf. In the authentic Greek myth, Arionwas the name of a magical black horse, but in the manga and movie from the 1980s, he’s a human child.
Arion is spurred to action when his love interest is captured by Apollo, who has a sinister plan to conquer Olympus and become the ruler of the Titans. The plot might have inspired certain contemporary fantasy titles that also include mortals standing against gods or ROG-themed anime in which the hero has to assemble a team to defeat his foes.
1995
Toei Animation
1 (SuperS is the 4th season of Sailor Moon)
Most ofSailor Moon’s mythology is borrowed from Roman legend, but inSailor 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. However, in this seasonof history’s most popular anime, they’re two different incarnations of the same being.
Other references to Greek mythology in this anime include the Amazon Quartet: a group of female warriors that mirror the Sailor Guardians. The main villain of this arc is Queen Nehelinia, who is obsessed with mirrors, and her arrogant nature and beauty are references to another Greek legend, Narcissus.
Powerhouse Animation Studios & Mua Film
TheBlood of Zeusseries 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, and it’s one of the most recent examples of Greek mythology in anime.
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.
2019
Saint Seiyafollows 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 blessingand 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 Seiyahas multiple iterations, including an ongoing manga that is highly praised as a classic.
