Fantasy has been a crowd-pleasing part of pop culture, no matter which way you slice it. The genre is full of enduring franchises like "Harry Potter," "The Lord of the Rings" and "Game of Thrones," to name but a few.
In the age of streaming, it feels like all the best streaming services want to try and have their own big swords and/or sorcery hit: Max is continuing to pump out "Game of Thrones" spinoffs, Prime Video's got two tentpole fantasy sagas on the go as we speak. And Netflix is no different.
If you love shows with magic, want to be transported to a fantastical new world, get wrapped up in some dense new mythology, or be whisked away on an epic new quest, Netflix has got you covered. Here are some of the very best fantasy shows you can stream on Netflix right now.
'Arcane'
"Arcane" is a genuinely stunning "science-fantasy" series that earned a ton of (well-earned) praise when it arrived on the scene in 2021. It's a compelling, beautifully animated, emotional story, and in my eyes, it's still one of the very best Netflix shows that the streamer's ever put out.
It spins a tale set within Riot Games' League of Legends universe, one which charts the origins of several of the hit game's most famous Champions. Chiefly, it's concerned with two orphaned sisters, Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Powder/Jinx (Ella Purnell).
The pair find themselves on opposite sides of a brewing civil war between the rich, utopian city of Piltover, and its oppressed underground counterpart, Zaun. As magical and technological developments spring up on either side of the divide, the rivalry finally boils over. Violence breaks out, and bonds are broken. Roll on, "Arcane" season 2.
Watch on Netflix
'Avatar: The Last Airbender'
One of Netflix's most surprising releases of the year was a remake of the cherished Nickelodeon animated series, "Avatar: The Last Airbender." Just like its predecessor, this series follows the exploits of Aang (Gordon Cormier, a young boy with an awful lot of pressure on his shoulders.
See, he's the latest incarnation of the Avatar, the only person capable of mastering all four "bending arts" (Water, Earth, Fire, and Air), and he has to scramble to learn to wield those powers to defeat the warmongering Fire Nation and bring peace to the world all over again.
It's not quite the strongest live-action adaptation Netflix has ever put out (I think that honor belongs to another entry lower on this list), but this is an earnest remake that has a clear appreciation for the original tale, and one bolstered by thoroughly entertaining turns from its main cast and some impressive visual work.
Don't fret if you'd prefer to watch the show in its original form, though: Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko's beloved cartoon (and its successor, "The Legend of Korra") are both available to binge in full on Netflix, too.
Watch on Netflix
'Delicious in Dungeon'
"Delicious in Dungeon" is a hilarious, heady mix of classic fantasy dungeon-delving fun and ... gourmet cooking.
Based on the manga series penned by Ryoko Kui and brought to life by Trigger, "Delicious in Dungeon" takes us to a high fantasy world wherein adventuring parties delve into dungeons and take on fearsome monsters. In particular, the series throws us in with an entertaining trio comprised of human knight and party leader, Laois, elven magician Marcille, and halfling rogue Chilchuck.
After a failed expedition ends in tragedy, Laois and his companions race back through the dungeon in an effort to rescue Falin, a fallen party member (who also happens to be Laois' sister) before she's digested by the red dragon that gobbled her up. The problem is, they're out of money, and so they're forced to feast on the fearsome flora and fauna they take on inside the dungeon, instead. Thankfully, dwarven warrior (and expert cook), Senshi, crosses their path and lends them his aid as they continue their quest.
Watch on Netflix
'One Piece'
"One Piece" is an adaptation of Eiichiro Oda's hugely popular manga and anime saga. And yes, this is the top-tier live-action Netflix adaptation I was hinting at earlier.
For the uninitiated, "One Piece" is a spirited, nautical tale about Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy), an uber-enthusiastic young pirate captain who dreams of one day tracking down the mythical, titular treasure and being crowned the King of the Pirates. Oh, and having consumed a "Devil Fruit," he packs a punch and is capable of stretching and contorting his body like rubber.
To realize his dream, he needs to lay claim to a ship of his own, and assemble a crew, and sets out to do just that. This being the Golden Age of Pirates, though, Luffy's far from the only sailor with that selfsame ambition, and he's thrown into conflict with plenty more sailors with amazing abilities on his quest.
Watch on Netflix
'Shadow & Bone'
"Shadow and Bone" is a two-season adaptation of Leigh Bardugo's popular YA fantasy novels which all take place in "The Grishaverse," so-called because its world holds grisha — people who have the ability to practice the Small Science (magic).
Chiefly, the story centers on Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li), a cartographer who grew up in the nation of Ravka and who discovers that she is a powerful Grisha known as the "Sun Summoner" with the ability to wield the power of light.
This means Alina's the only one capable of dispelling the Shadow Fold, a dark region home to terrifying monsters that has split Ravka in half for centuries. She's got to rapidly get to grips with her newfound powers; after all, suddenly emerging as a powerful being threatens to make her a key player in the ongoing war, and she's soon targeted by nefarious forces.
Watch on Netflix
'The Sandman'
Netflix's take on Neil Gaiman's DC Comics saga is a faithful take on the source material and a thoroughly entertaining watch. The dark fantasy series follows Morpheus/Dream (Tom Sturridge), the personification of Dreams and ruler of "the Dreaming".
It's an engrossing saga, one that makes the most of The Sandman's rich mythology to the fullest effect. We pick up with Morpheus being imprisoned for over a century. Following his escape, he embarks on a quest to recover his powerful artifacts and to restore order to his realm, a mission that spans human history and brings him into contact (and conflict) with some of the most powerful beings in the Multiverse.
Watch on Netflix
'The Witcher'
A roundup of the best fantasy shows on Netflix wouldn't be complete without one of the streamer's most prominent originals: "The Witcher."
Drawing from Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski's hugely popular fantasy novel cycle, "The Witcher" sees us following no-nonsense, mutated monster-hunter-for-hire, Geralt of Rivia (formerly portrayed by Henry Cavill, now played by Liam Hemsworth) on his travels across a fantasy realm.
Although he typically refuses to be drawn into the political machinations of the world around him, Geralt's destiny is soon entangled with that of a young princess. He becomes her protector and puts his skills to work defending her from the various forces that would seek to use her and her powers for their own gain in the conflicts raging across the land.
If you fall in love with the streamer's version of events, there's plenty more "Witcher" content to binge, too, including the prequel series, "Blood Origin," and an animated movie (with a second one coming to the service soon).
Watch on Netflix
