Fantasy that's not isekai

fantasy
16 items
52
favorite_border

I grew up reading books like The Lord of the Rings or Northern Lights/The Golden Compass as a kid and really like such books. However, whenever I look up "fantasy" stuff in Japanese, I have to wade through a ton of recommendations that are falling in the isekai category.

I like some isekai stories, but sometimes I like reading something else. So, here's a list of stuff that are not that.

香君
Book Series
Level 36

Novel by Nahoko Uehashi, a famous fantasy author in Japan. Pretty much all her books are on this list (or similar lists on the internet). People tend to pepper them through their list to increase variety, but I will just put them all in order I enjoyed them. Her novels have very low fantasy elements and more focus on political interactions between different factions. The supernatural element in this one is that the main character can gather "all" informations in her environment through her sense of smell. I found the way that power is used in context fairly creative too.

Novel by Nahoko Uehashi, a famous fantasy author in Japan. Pretty much all her books are on this list (or similar lists on the internet). People tend to pepper them through their list to increase variety, but I will just put them all in order I enjoyed them. Her novels have very low fantasy elements and more focus on political interactions between different factions. The supernatural element in this one is that the main character can gather "all" informations in her environment through her sense of smell. I found the way that power is used in context fairly creative too.

獣の奏者
Book Series
Level 34
Another novel by Nahoko Uehashi. Same as above, but here the fantasy element is around fantastical animals used for war and ways to control them.
Another novel by Nahoko Uehashi. Same as above, but here the fantasy element is around fantastical animals used for war and ways to control them.
鹿の王
Book Series
Level 36
Another novel by Nahoko Uehashi. Same as the first entry but the fantasy element is related to a magical disease (and the story involves attempts to develop a vaccine in a fantasy world).
Another novel by Nahoko Uehashi. Same as the first entry but the fantasy element is related to a magical disease (and the story involves attempts to develop a vaccine in a fantasy world).
狐笛のかなた
Novel
Level 30

Another novel by Nahoko Uehashi. This one feels more like Japanese folklore. It feels also a bit less involved that the other entries, as it is a single stand-alone book.

Another novel by Nahoko Uehashi. This one feels more like Japanese folklore. It feels also a bit less involved that the other entries, as it is a single stand-alone book.

「守り人」シリーズ
Book Series
Level 29
Another entry by Nahoko Uehashi. I haven't read this series myself, but it has been recommended to me many times and I trust the author at this point. One day(tm)
Another entry by Nahoko Uehashi. I haven't read this series myself, but it has been recommended to me many times and I trust the author at this point. One day(tm)
西の善き魔女
Book Series
Level 33

That one felt more like a book aimed at teenagers/young adults than a "general" novel, by which I mean that it gave me Northern Lights/The Golden Compass in terms of writing. I liked the first book a lot and need to get back to it. Same author as レッドデータガール, which I also recommend (but isn't exactly what I would call fantasy, even though it involves supernatural elements).

That one felt more like a book aimed at teenagers/young adults than a "general" novel, by which I mean that it gave me Northern Lights/The Golden Compass in terms of writing. I liked the first book a lot and need to get back to it. Same author as レッドデータガール, which I also recommend (but isn't exactly what I would call fantasy, even though it involves supernatural elements).

伯爵と妖精
Book Series
Level 30

Light novel, very light novel-y, but gave me serious nostalgia for teenage-aimed novels. Set in Victorian England, the main characters are a "fae doctor", meaning that she has expect knowledge about fairies and the like, and the Count who's domain belongs to the fairy world but is otherwise completely human (and thus have fae-related problems). The series quickly grows serious in tone, though.

Light novel, very light novel-y, but gave me serious nostalgia for teenage-aimed novels. Set in Victorian England, the main characters are a "fae doctor", meaning that she has expect knowledge about fairies and the like, and the Count who's domain belongs to the fairy world but is otherwise completely human (and thus have fae-related problems). The series quickly grows serious in tone, though.

グイン・サーガ
Book Series
Level 41
The only thing I know about this series is that it is absurdly long (148 books + 27 extra, according to Wikipedia). Despite the original author's death, the series is still going, and it even received prizes, so I assume that it is good. Another entry that I plan to edit once I know more about it.
The only thing I know about this series is that it is absurdly long (148 books + 27 extra, according to Wikipedia). Despite the original author's death, the series is still going, and it even received prizes, so I assume that it is good. Another entry that I plan to edit once I know more about it.
A light novel set in an Ancient China inspired 後宮, with supernatural elements.
A light novel set in an Ancient China inspired 後宮, with supernatural elements.
DRAGNET MIRAGE
Book Series
Level 35

Set in a fictional version of our world where a gate to a sword & magic fantasy world opened. The story takes place on an island close to the border between world, where the main characters (law enforcement agent from their respective world) have to solve crimes combining both magic and technology.

Set in a fictional version of our world where a gate to a sword & magic fantasy world opened. The story takes place on an island close to the border between world, where the main characters (law enforcement agent from their respective world) have to solve crimes combining both magic and technology.

わたしの幸せな結婚
Book Series
Level 31

Set in a fictional version of the Meiji period where magical powers are extremely rare, but still present in some noble families (as they are hereditary). Following the progresses of science, the intensity of those power has been declining over the years, to the point that the general population doesn't believe in them anymore. Despite that setup, the story starts as a "Cinderella"-like scenario and focuses more on the relation between the main character (mistreated by her family for having no power), the man who falls in love with her, and other noble families (including her own). It's very good, though!

Set in a fictional version of the Meiji period where magical powers are extremely rare, but still present in some noble families (as they are hereditary). Following the progresses of science, the intensity of those power has been declining over the years, to the point that the general population doesn't believe in them anymore. Despite that setup, the story starts as a "Cinderella"-like scenario and focuses more on the relation between the main character (mistreated by her family for having no power), the man who falls in love with her, and other noble families (including her own). It's very good, though!

Not my favorite series, but it was fine, if you are starved for 19th century Japan fantasy.
Not my favorite series, but it was fine, if you are starved for 19th century Japan fantasy.
狼と香辛料 1
Light novel
Level 37
I haven't read this series, but as far as I know, it fits the description and is often recommended.
I haven't read this series, but as far as I know, it fits the description and is often recommended.
I really liked that series. In a way it's more like SF, but it feels like fantasy in many ways, so if you like things in this list, you'll probably like it too.
I really liked that series. In a way it's more like SF, but it feels like fantasy in many ways, so if you like things in this list, you'll probably like it too.
忘らるる物語
Novel
Level 35
Fits the description so I am including it for completeness, but (as my two stars rating suggests) I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book.
Fits the description so I am including it for completeness, but (as my two stars rating suggests) I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book.
竜愛づる騎士の誓約
Book Series
Level 34
I haven't read it myself, but someone mentioned on the forum that it was fantasy (... obviously, considering the title and cover).
I haven't read it myself, but someone mentioned on the forum that it was fantasy (... obviously, considering the title and cover).