The kingdom of Metallicana is just the latest kingdom to be imperiled by the Four Lords of Havoc. They seemingly desire only destruction and no power can stand against them. Desperate to save the kingdom, High Priest Geo reveals that he sealed their once-leader of destruction, the lord Dark Schneider into a boy, who can only be awakened by a ritual performed by his daughter. Unleashing Dark Schneider is a risk, but his power can stand against this mighty threat.
Of all the 80’s OVA series that could have gotten resurrected, this was probably the most hilarious. Best not to take Bastard too seriously, and it can be a lot of fun. If you are looking for more anime recommendations like Bastard, then head on down below.
Anime Series Like Bastard!!
For Fans of Dark Fantasy Settings
Berserk
Gutts has been a mercenary for as long as he can remember, caring for nothing but moving to the next battle. One fateful battle puts him at odds with the rapidly rising mercenary group, the Band of the Hawk. Their charismatic, idealistic leader Griffith soon makes him join by force, but the bond he forms with the Band of the Hawk may very well mean the end of the world.
Both series are dark fantasy in which they take place in a medieval world capable of both physical combat and magical combat, though Berserk takes a bit to get to the magic part. While Berserk focuses on plot, it isn’t afraid of the full frontal view of both men and women.
Guin Saga
The kingdom of Parros has been invaded. The king and queen have been slain, but their twin children have been spirited away by a strange device in the palace. Lost in the Roodwood, they are rescued from invading soldiers by a strange amnesiac leopard-headed man named Guin.
Both series are resurrections of manga series from an older time where the whole swords and sorcery plot wasn’t quite so played out yet. Whereas Bastard can be outlandish and comically sexy, Guin Saga is very serious about the plot that it follows.
Drifters
While forming the rear guard for his uncle’s escape, Toyohisa Shimazu manages to mortally wound Ii Naomasa, but is critically wounded himself in the process. While trying to limp back home, he finds himself transported from the field to a hallway lined with doors. There a mysterious man sends him spiraling into another world. Dragged into the forest by two young elves, Toyohisa is patched up by two others from the Land of the Rising Sun that turn out to be Yoichi Suketaka Nasu and Oda Nobunaga. From there, Toyohisa and his fellow historical figures, named “drifters” must save (or conquer) their new world.
What Bastard and Drifters have most in common is the characters are set or sent to a fantasy land, and some of them just decide to conquer that land. Not much plot really beyond that. It is just setting up for the next battle between a variety of interesting and lightly psychotic characters.
Record of Lodoss War
After the last great battle between gods, the land and kingdoms of Lodoss were created. While they endured years of warfare between the kingdoms, things have finally quieted to peace until an ancient witch begins to stir. Bent on preserving peace, a party of young champions led by the warrior Parn stand up against the darkness.
Bastard is old school swords and sorcery, but with its evil anti-hero twist. Record of Lodoss War is that same old school setting, but with the storytelling played more straight forward. While Record of Lodoss War has yet to be beautified with a remake, it still tells an excellent fantasy story.
For Fans of Power Sealed Away
Inuyasha
Kagome’s normal life came to an end one day when a demon dragged her down into a well at the shrine where she lived. When she next woke, Kagome finds herself 500 years in the past in Japan’s feudal era, a time in history fraught with both war and, apparently, demons. It is there she learns that she is a reincarnation of a priestess tasked with guarding the Shikon Jewel, a jewel she died with. With the jewel returned to the world with her, Kagome must fight off the demons that want to gain its power, including Inuyasha, a half-demon that was once a lover of her past self right up until she sealed him to a tree.
While Inuyasha is a distinctly lighter series in terms of content, one can easily see the similarities between Dark Schneider and Inuyasha. White hair, sharp teeth, sharp attitude, and firmly under the thumb of a woman. Furthermore, Inuyasha as has that element of the titular character’s powers being sealed in various ways.
Hellsing Ultimate
In this world, there are monsters that lurk in the darkness. Ones waiting to devour everything you are and hold dear. To stem the tide of this darkness is the Hellsing Organization. Commanded by Integra Hellsing, the organization’s powerful military force dedicate their lives to fighting monsters. However, their most powerful weapon is the vampire, Alucard, who turned against his own kind in service to Hellsing. Now with his new vampire assistant Seres at his side, he must battle not only monsters, but anyone that stands in Hellsing’s way.
Of all the series on this list, Hellsing is perhaps the most similar to Bastard. It takes place in a different setting, but it has a similar plot. Both series follow cocky and incredibly powerful main characters that are bound to a person and have their powers sealed by them. While Dark Schneider tends to obey out of affection, that isn’t so immediately obvious in Hellsing. Furthermore, both original creators got their start in hentai, so the female characters tend to have pretty notable “features” to them.
Utawarerumono
One day, a girl from a small village finds a mysterious man in the woods. With no knowledge of his past and a mask on his face, her family still welcomes him in. However, not long after, a revolution against the tyrannical emperor that rules the land begins and conflict find its way to their home.
Both series follow characters who appear suddenly and immediately become saviors of the kingdom they ended up in. However, whereas Dark Schneider is an unwilling anti-hero, Utawarerumono is more about the main character discovering his past and why he wears a mask that can’t be removed.
Saiyuki
Long ago, humans and demons lived side by side peacefully, but when the demons began to attack, that peace was thoroughly shattered. Soon it was discovered that they were trying to unleash Gyumao, a powerful demon that has been imprisoned for thousands of years. Now rogue priest Genjo Sanzo and the demons Goku, Gojyo, and Hakkai must go on a perilous journey west in order to stop the resurrection.
Both series are older style anime series that feature the old style of anime art. Furthermore, they both follow characters who have their power sealed as well as their priest caretakers who make sure the seal remains as they fight evil with interestingly varied powers.
Maria the Virgin Witch
Maria is a powerful young witch living in France during the Hundred Year War with her two familiars. After watching countless innocents swept away in the chaos, she attempts to use her magic to bring peace. Unfortunately, this attracts the attention of the heavens and they declare that her powers will be taken away if she loses her virginity or if she continues to intervene.
Bastard does tend to have a love affair with the concept of virginity, and so, too, does Maria the Virgin Witch. In both shows, there are characters that will lose their powers if they lose their virginity. This seems easy enough, except Bastard can be quite rape-y and Maria is under constant threat of falling in love.
For Fans of Manly Men and Stacked Women
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
In 1868, English nobleman George Joestar had his life saved by Dario Brando. When Dario passes away, George repays the favor he owed by taking in Dario’s son, Dio. However, unsatisfied with his life, Dio soon moves to take control of the Joestar house with the help of an Aztec stone mask that grants him supernatural powers. In his quest to destroy George and his son Jonathan, it sets off a chain of events that will echo through the decades, including half a century later when Jonathan’s grandson, Joseph, discovers his family’s legacy.
If you like your men ultra manly, then 80’s manga really is the genre for you. Both of these series have that in spades, though Jojo is really most focused on showing off the men. However, what women there are in the series are stacked as well. Regardless, both series feature a handful of absolutely indomitable men fighting each other for a wide variety of reasons.
Terra Formars
After sending cockroaches and algae to terraform Mars as a second home for the now-overcrowded Earth, their efforts are coming back to bite them years in the future. Not only is an alien disease ravaging humanity on Earth, but the cockroaches evolved in murderous giants with a vendetta against humanity on Mars. Determining the disease came from Mars, a team of genetically-modified heroes from around the world are sent to the red planet and must fight in order to gather samples that will help create a cure.
Both Bastard and Terra Formars technically have plots, but they like to do other things rather than follow them. In Bastard’s case, it is sexy vignettes and flashy magic battles. In Terra Formars, it is just flashy battles between superhumans and superhuman cockroaches.
Record of Ragnarok
Every 1,000 years, all gods from every religion are convened to decide the fate of humanity. Due to their abuses against each other and the planet, the gods are about to unanimously vote for ending humanity. However, just as it is about to pass, Brunhild, a Valkyrie, puts forth a proposal. Humans are given a chance to have 13 warriors from throughout history fight against gods in a one-on-one tournament style battle that will ultimately decide their fate.
You have to respect both of these shows for the bare bones of what they are. They are both about fights between big dudes with big egos and have the occasional boobilious girl thrown in there to keep the balance. If you like violence and muscle, Record of Ragnarok is for you, but it isn’t quite as sexy as Bastard.
Do you have more anime recommendations like Bastard? Let fans know in the comments section below.
