27 Fantastic Anime Set Outside of Japan

Set in South Korea, Solo Leveling follows Jinwoo as he goes from the weakest hunter in the world to the strongest of all time. These hunters take on the responsibility to protect humans from magical monsters infiltrating Earth. 

Despite Jinwoo being infamous for his low ranking status as a hunter, his fate suddenly changes when a mysterious “Quest Log” suddenly appears and gives him the opportunity to rise to the top.

Why You Should Watch It: This anime is an adaptation of a heavily beloved modern manhwa. Solo Leveling quickly gained popularity for its solid character development and engaging plot twists and turns. This is one fantasy series that is definitely worth the hype.

Black Butler follows Sebastian Michaelis, a demon who makes a deal with the 13-year-old head of the Phantomhive family, Ciel. According to the deal, Sebastian must serve and protect Ciel until he finds out who killed his parents and gets his revenge. Sebastian’s reward? Ciel’s soul.

The series is set in 19th-century England, making it a must-see for fans of Pride and Prejudice… or maybe fans of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Why You Should Watch It: While the concept is a dark one, the show has a ton of humor, too. You get a demon who wants to devour a little boy’s soul, but you also get a subplot where said demon has to teach the servants how to clean properly.

Also, the end theme, "I’m Alive" by BECCA, will be stuck in your head for the next three years. This is a good thing. 

In a world where "Death Scythes" are trained from an early age to collect evil souls and protect the world from supernatural threats, Soul Eater follows the students of Death Weapon Meister Academy. The school is located in a fictional, reimagined version of Las Vegas, Nevada called Death City. In order to become a Death Scythe - the most powerful weapon used by the school's headmaster Shinigami - humans with the ability to transform into soul-slaying weapons and their wielders (called "meisters") must collect the evil souls of 99 humans and one witch. 

Why You Should Watch It: It's a popular shonen series with great world-building, plenty of exciting action, and a colorful cast. The setting matches the show's imaginative, vibrant story with its death-themed coffee shops (i.e. Deathbucks) and creepy, anthropomorphic sun and moon. If you're in need of a fun, supernatural shonen anime, Soul Eater won't disappoint. 

Set in 19th century Paris, The Case Study of Vanitas tells the story of one vampire and one human who are connected by a magical grimoire called the Book of Vanitas. Noé Archiviste is a vampire who is searching for the fabled book. It's owned by Vanitas, a human doctor who inherited both the book and his name from his vampiric master. Vanitas hopes to use it to cure vampires from a strange sickness that plagues them, but it won't be easy for him to earn the vampire community's trust. 

Why You Should Watch It: If you liked Pandora Hearts, this is an anime you shouldn't miss. The manga was created by Pandora Hearts illustrator Jun Mochizuki. Like the former series, it blends beautiful, dark imagery and themes with lighthearted and silly moments. While the tonal shift can occasionally be jarring, there are other times when it works quite well. 

Hellsing is centered around the Royal Order of Protestant Knights, an organization led by Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, which is dedicated to eliminating ghouls, ghosts, vampires, and other supernatural creatures. Helping this organization is Alucard, a vampire who has sworn allegiance to the Hellsing family. So it’s kind of like Ghostbusters, but with a lot more blood.

Why You Should Watch It: Because who doesn’t want to watch a John Lennon-glasses-wearing vampire murder neo-Nazis?

Roanapur, Thailand: a place untouched by the law. In the world of Black Lagoon, the most dangerous convicts and degenerates alike call this small island their home. Whether its Hotel Moscow, the Hong Kong Triad, or the Rip-Off Church (AKA Church of Violence), the Lagoon Company always have their hands full with deadly odd-jobs that the local crime syndicates give them. 

This fuel-driven action series offers a look into a life filled with shady organizations, crazy assassins, and rogue pirates. 

Why You Should Watch It: Strong, hilarious female characters? Gun-wielding nuns? An assassin maid? What more do you need? If you mixed John Woo's Hong Kong action films with Quentin Tarantino, you would get Black Lagoon. This anime has some of the most diverse casts as well with Rock being the only Japanese character.