Anime inspired by fairy tales is a very rare occurrence, but most of the time, the anime, be it a TV series or a movie, exceeds our expectations or at least is worth our time.
I have made this list to talk about anime inspired by fairy tales while adding certain elements to enrich the viewing experience. All while creating its own identity and becoming a timeless classic itself.
So, without further ado, let’s dive right into the list of top 10 anime inspired by fairy tales.
10Saiyuki (TV)
Inspired by: Journey to the West
Saiyuki is a mythological action adventure anime loosely based on the sixteenth-century Classic Chinese Novel Journey to the West, which tells the story of a Buddhist monk’s pilgrimage to India in search of sacred texts.
Saiyuki is a story about humans and demons who lived in harmony until humans were threatened by the awakening of an evil demon. A rogue priest teams up with three demons to stop the awakening to bring back the lost co-existence.
9Belle (Movie)
Inspired by: Beauty and the Beast
Mamoru Hosoda’s directorial Belle is inspired by the French fairy tale Beauty and the Beast by author Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont in 1756. Belle is a modern twist on the 268-year-old fairytale.
Beauty and the Beast emphasizes the importance of beauty inside rather than outside appearance. Similarly, in Belle, the protagonist, Suzu, struggles in real life but becomes a viral sensation by singing on a popular social media platform. Her emotional growth helps her find the balance she seeks.
8Snow White With The Red Hair (TV)
Inspired by: Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs
As you can already tell from the title, the anime is inspired by the fairytale of Snow White And The Seven Dwarves. However, in this anime, there aren’t any dwarves, and the protagonist is a strong female version of Snow White.
The story revolves around Shirayuki, an herbalist, who is forced to become Prince Raji’s concubine but flees to protect her dignity. She’s then rescued by Zen Wistalia, the prince of the neighboring country. To repay their noble deed, Shirayuki aims to become the court herbalist in Zen’s country, Clarines.
7Pandora Hearts (TV)
Inspired by: Alice In Wonderland
Pandora Hearts is probably one of those anime that have almost mirrored the fairytales it has been inspired by. But it would be wrong to say it doesn’t have its identity. Pandora Hearts stands out in the Adventure Fantasy genre and is sadly overlooked by the masses.
Like Alice In Wonderland, Oz Vessalius finds himself trapped in the abyss. While searching for a way out, he comes across Chains, the monstrous dwellers of the abyss. There, Oz forms a contract with a Chain named Alice.
6Princess Tutu (TV)
Inspired by: The Ugly Duckling & Swan Lake
Princess Tutu is inspired by not one but two fairytales; Danish author Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale, The Ugly Duckling, and Russian Composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake.
Princess Tutu tells a fairytale about Ahiru, a duck turned into a human girl with the power to transform into a ballet dancer who can heal the pain of people’s hearts. However, it depends on her determination whether she can find all the shards of the prince’s heart used to seal away an evil raven. Will this fairytale have a happy ending?
5My Happy Marriage (TV)
Inspired by: Cinderella
My Happy Marriage is inspired by the ever-classic fairytale of Cinderella. The historical romance drama is set in the Meiji Era of Japan, with elements of fantasy that enrich the viewing experience for the audience.
However, it brings some changes to the classic tale. In this anime, Miyo’s mother has passed away. Miyo lives with her father and stepmother, while her step-sister treats her as a servant. To get rid of Miyo, her stepmother arranges Miyo’s wedding to a so-called abuser, who turns out to be a gentleman, and love starts blooming.
4Ponyo (Movie)
Inspired by: The Little Mermaid
Ponyo is inspired by the classic fairytale The Little Mermaid, and just like the classic tale, Ponyo has become a classic tale of its own. This Ghibli movie also adds elements from other Japanese mythologies to enrich the story.
The Ghibli Classic is about Ponyo, a goldfish princess who dreams of becoming a human. Eventually, she falls in love with a human named Sousuke. However, her continued absence from the sea, her natural habitat, threatens the ecological balance.
3Fruits Basket (TV)
Inspired by: The Great Race
You must have heard about the zodiac animals on lunar calendars; Fruit Basket’s story revolves around that. Fruit Basket is based on The Great Race, an ancient Chinese fairytale with two variations. The anime is based on the first one, where an animal race takes place, and the first twelve crossing the finishing line will become the lunar calendar’s representative zodiac animals.
After losing her mother, Tohru starts living in a tent outside, not knowing it’s on the Souma family’s property. The Soumas were kind enough to provide her shelter in exchange for doing house chores. One day, Tohru discovers that the members of the Souma family turn into animals of the Chinese zodiac if hugged by the opposite gender.
2Sailor Moon (TV)
Inspired by: Endymion And Selene
Sailor Moon has incorporated elements from several fairytales, but the one fairytale that has noticeably inspired Sailor Moon is Endymion And Selene, a Greek mythology. According to mythology, Selena, the goddess of the Moon, falls in love with a human, Endymion.
Selena loved how Endymion looked when asleep and requested her father, Zeus, to put him in eternal sleep so she could visit him. Zeus grants her request, resulting in the birth of the couple’s 50 daughters.
Sailor Moon is the story of Usagi and her friends, who become the Sailor Guardians and use their magic powers to protect Earth from evil forces.
1The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya (Movie)
Inspired by: The Tale Of The Bamboo Cutter
Studio Ghibli’s The Tale of The Princess Kaguya is based on the 10th-century Japanese folktale The Tale of The Bamboo Cutter. This Isao Takahata directorial is full of emotion and life and stands out among other Ghibli films because of its unique aesthetic and animation style.
The story is about Okina, a bamboo cutter, who finds a small baby inside a glowing bamboo shoot. Okina and her wife, Ouna, decide to take her in. They raise her into a beautiful young woman, attracting suitors. Following this, she begins to struggle with her identity and expectations. It’s a must-watch Ghibli movie.
Final Thoughts
Instead of adding different anime inspired by the same fairytale, I have added one for each so that you can find variety. Anime inspired by fairytales is a match made in heaven, and I would love to see more of such adaptations. So, if you have any fairytales that have yet to influence any anime adaptation, share them in the comment section below.
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