“Log Horizon” is about gamers stuck in a virtual world after a game update. Shiroe, a skilled gamer, becomes a leader and tries to make the best of their new reality. He’s joined by his friends Naotsugu and Akatsuki, who work to bring stability to their virtual city.
The story combines fantasy, adventure, and politics, focusing on strategy. If you enjoy “Log Horizon,” here are some Anime Like Log Horizon with a similar story or a clever main character who’s good at strategy.
Anime Like Log Horizon
1. Overlord
- Episodes: 13 (Season 1)
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Game, Magic
- Studios: Madhouse
In “Overlord,” like Shiroe in “Log Horizon,” the main character, Momonga, is a powerful wizard and strategist. He’s the leader of a dark guild in an online game.
One day, the game is supposed to shut down forever, so Momonga decides to stay until the end. But when the game doesn’t end, he’s stuck in it. Even the game’s characters start acting on their own.
Momonga tells his loyal helpers to explore and understand this strange new world to figure out what’s happening.
2. Hai to Gensou no Grimgar (Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions)
- Episodes: 12 (Season 1)
- Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
- Studios: A-1 Pictures
When all the strong adventurers join forces, those who aren’t as skilled must team up to survive. Manato, a priest, leads this group. Haruhiro is a thinker, Yume is a cheerful hunter, and Shihoru is a shy mage. Mogzo is a kind warrior, and Ranta is a talkative dark knight.
They wake up in a strange place with hazy memories. They have to take a job to survive in this game-like world called Grimgar. Their job is to eliminate anything threatening the peace in Grimgar.
But there’s a catch: if something dies, it can’t come back to life. Now, this group of newbie fighters must work together to stay alive in a world where life and death are just a step away from each other.
3. Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou
- Episodes: 13 (Season 1)
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Harem, Fantasy, Game
- Studio: asread., White Fox
Imagine an everyday guy named Hajime Nagumo, who’s really into anime and video games. His life turns wild when he and his classmates suddenly find themselves in a fantasy world, and they must save humanity from monsters.
Here’s the catch: while his classmates have powerful fighting abilities, Hajime’s skills are weak. He can only transform things, and that’s not very useful in a battle.
Things go from bad to worse when one of his classmates betrays him and drops him into a super-deep pit. But Hajime’s not giving up. He’s determined to survive, find a way back home, and maybe even get some natural powers.
On this crazy journey, he meets a vampire named Yue, and a few others join him, too. Together, they go on adventures and face challenges, and Hajime transforms from an ordinary guy into one of the most powerful heroes in the world.
4. Shoukoku no Altair (Altair: A Record of Battles)
- Episodes: 24 (Season 1)
- Genres: Action, Adventure, Historical
- Studio: MAPPA
While it’s not about a guy trapped in a video game world, Shoukoku no Altair is about an intelligent strategist like Shiroe. His job is to keep his land peaceful and safe.
The story is inspired by a place called the Ottoman Empire. It follows a young leader named Tughril Mahmut. He’s part of a group that helps run the Türkiye Stratocracy, but there’s trouble. War could break out because a powerful Empire is causing problems.
In his group, some people want to fight, and others want peace. Mahmut’s job is to ensure peace, no matter what. As he gets more involved in politics, he makes new friends and enemies, and it’s not easy. But he’s determined to keep his land safe and sound.
5. Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari (The Rising of the Shield Hero)
- Episodes: 25 (Season 1)
- Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
- Studio: Kinema Citrus
There are these four regular folks from modern Japan. They get called to a place called Melromarc to save it. Each of them gets a unique weapon: a sword, a spear, a bow, and a shield to fight against something called the Waves.
One guy, Naofumi, becomes the “Shield Hero.” But he’s not super strong, and people don’t like him because his weapon is just a shield.
He teams up with Malty, who seems to be on his side. But she betrays and spreads lies about him, so everyone hates him. Sad and hurt, Naofumi sets off to get stronger and prove himself.
He buys a half-fox friend named Raphtalia to help him. When the Waves come, they must protect the kingdom and its people from a challenging future.
6. Gate: Jietai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri
- Episodes: 24 (Season 1)
- Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
- Studios: A-1 Pictures
There’s a soldier named Youji, a big anime and manga fan. He’s on his way to an anime convention when something crazy happens. Like a magical doorway, a vast portal appears in the middle of Tokyo. Out of this portal, all kinds of magical creatures and knights from the past come pouring out. They start wrecking the city, hurting people, and causing chaos.
Youji doesn’t just run away; he helps save people. The Japanese Self-Defense Force (JSDF), which is like Japan’s military, fights back against these invaders.
After a few months, Youji gets a special mission. He’s in charge of a team going through the portal and into the other world to see what’s going on and maybe make friends with the people there, especially the enormous empire that rules that world. They want to make peace if they can.
7. Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch
- Episodes: 24 (Season 1), 24 (Season 2)
- Genre: Action, Drama, Mecha, Sci-fi
- Studios: Sunrise
There’s this powerful empire called Britannia, and they took over Japan, renaming it Area 11. Japan isn’t happy about it and wants to be free again.
Now, there’s a guy named Lelouch who’s just a student. But one day, he gets caught up in a fight between Britannia’s soldiers and Japanese rebels. He’s in big trouble, but then this mysterious girl named CC shows up and gives him something called Geass, a superpower.
With this power, Lelouch becomes Zero, a masked fighter who wants revenge on Britannia. He leads attacks against them to try and make Japan accessible again.
8. Akatsuki no Yona (Yona of the Dawn)
- Episodes: 24 (Season 1), 24 (Season 2)
- Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
- Studio: Pierrot
Princess Yona lives a comfy life in the peaceful Kingdom of Kouka. But everything changes when her cousin Su-won kills the king and tries to hurt her. Yona has to run away with her childhood friend and bodyguard, Son Hak.
They discover that Kouka isn’t as perfect as it seems. There’s a lot of poverty and problems there, and getting her throne back won’t be easy.
Akatsuki no Yona is about Yona growing up and facing the harsh reality of her kingdom. An old legend guides her and tries to make Kouka great again. But the new king is after her, and she’s in for an adventure.
9. Berserk: The Golden Arc
- Episodes: 3 Movies
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Supernatural, Seinen
- Studios: Studios 4°C
In the Midland Kingdom, a tough mercenary named Guts prefers battles over peace. He’s really strong and wields a huge sword.
One day, Griffith, the leader of a group of mercenaries called the Band of the Hawk, sees Guts’ fighting skills and wants him to join. Guts refuses, they fight, and Griffith wins, so Guts has to join.
Now, Guts has to help Griffith and his crew fight against the Empire of Chuder to help Midland. But it seems Griffith wants something more than just winning the war.
10. Sword Art Online
- Episodes: 24 (Season 1)
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Game, Romance
- Studios: A-1 Pictures
In 2022, a super advanced virtual reality game called Sword Art Online emerged. Players use a special NerveGear device to control their game characters with their thoughts.
Kirito, a guy known as Kirito, and many others start playing this fantastic medieval fantasy game called Aincrad. But then, something terrible happens. The game creators trap them inside the game, and they can’t get out until they beat all 100 levels.
That’s when Kirito meets Asuna, and their adventure begins. If you haven’t seen it, I suggest watching this anime. It’s about a video game world, and you can check out the order to watch it.
