Adapted from the manga of the same name written by A Silent Voice creator Yoshitoki OimaTo Your Eternityis a strange and emotional story about the development of mankind and what it means to be human. A small orb descends to Earth one day that can take on the form of any dead or unmoving object.
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The story essentially follows Fushi encountering new people and then assuming their forms when they die. It allows for tightly-paced, character-driven moments that leave a lasting impact as Fushi learns from each person he then takes on as his new form. Gritty, real, and heartfelt, To Your Eternity is a brilliant tale to watch unfold.
10Vinland Saga
With a similar mix of brutality and hope,Vinland Sagahas a less fantastical lean to its medieval drama. The story takes place in the historical age of Vikings, where an orphaned boy named Thorfinn has lost his empathy in an all-consuming quest for vengeance.
The show does not pull its punches in showing the horrors of war or in claiming the lives of important characters early on. However, as Thorfinn’s story progresses, Vinland Saga reveals a far more optimistic outlook than its early arcs would have you believe.
9Kino’s Journey
Adapted from a light novel series into a tight 13-episode tale, Kino’s Journey has a similar adventure story energy to To Your Eternity. Kino and her talking motorcycle Hermes travel to their strange fantastical world to encounter new people and communities but only remain at any single location for three days.
Through clever world-building and an engaging relationship between its main duo, Kino’s Journey is an exciting travel story with a strong mix of action and character moments.
8A Silent Voice
If you enjoy a story, it’s always a good idea to experience other work by the same creator. A Silent Voice certainly hits a few similar emotional beats found in To Your Eternity, but its story is much more grounded in reality.
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Despite starting out as a cruel bully himself, Shoya Ishida now finds himself drifting alone through high school due to the relentless bullying of his peers. Now, he seeks to make amends with the deaf girl he mistreated. Forgiveness and understanding open the door to friendship and more in this heartwarming high school romance.
7March Comes In Like A Lion
In some ways, March Comes in Like a Lion has more in common with Yoshitoka Oima’s first series than To Your Eternity, but the themes of loss, community, and the importance of moving forward resonate through both stories. Gifted shogi player Rei Kiriyama lost his parents and sister in a terrible accident.
He now struggles to make connections and to understand his place in the world. With the help of the three sisters of the Kawamoto family, he’ll find a way to break out of his shell and grow as both a person and a player.
6Spice And Wolf
A classic travel adventure tale, Spice and Wolf follows wandering merchant Kraft Lawrence who dreams of opening his own shop someday. While traveling, he encounters the wolf god Holo who has grown weary of the small town she serves and wishes to see the world as she journeys back to her homeland.
She takes on the form of a human with wolf ears and a tail, and the pair travel from town to town, encountering new people and challenges while learning to value and respect each other as a romance slowly blossoms.
5Ascendance Of A Bookworm
While To Your Eternity is not technically an isekai show, it has a lot in common with the genre. Ascendance of a Bookworm takes many of the themes found in To Your Eternity and places them in a gripping isekai story of persistence and family.
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Reincarnated as a five-year-old girl in a medieval fantasy world, aspiring librarian Urano Motosu has one desire — books. Peasants in this world can’t access books, so she’ll have to use her wits to gain access or invent a way to make them herself.
4Grave Of The Fireflies
While much of To Your Eternity’s allure is the evolving setting and engaging characters, its premise requires that death and loss be part of the story. Grave of the Fireflies is Studio Ghibli’s seminal work that explores these themes with remarkable care and depth.
The story follows the spirits of two deceased orphans of World War II as they board a ghost train for the afterlife. They retell their story of experiencing the Bombing of Kobe during the war. It’s a truly tragic and heartwrenching story told through beautiful animation.
A true classic in the adventure anime cannon, this 1967 series was adapted a second time in 2019 to bring modern animation techniques to the dark and action-packed tale. Dororo follows the wandering samurai Hyakkimaru who was born without limbs, facial features, or internal organs.
He was saved as a youth by the healing magic of a medicine man. Now gifted with supernatural strength and invulnerability, he will journey throughout the land defeating demons to lift the curse that caused his strange birth and reclaim pieces of his original body.
To Your Eternity was heralded as a truly original story in a medium overwhelmed by formulaic isekai, battle shonen, and harem comedies. Risk-taking and departure from convention are worthy of celebration in anime — especially when it results in a really good show.
Odd Taxi is another such original gem, following the lives of an anthropomorphized walrus taxi driver and the colorful passengers who enter his world through the backseat of his cab. Odd Taxi is a must-watch for anyone who appreciates To Your Eternity’s break from convention.
1Made In Abyss
While it contains moments of beauty, To Your Eternity’s world, is dangerous, brutal, and uncaring. These are all attributes that perfectly describe the enormous whole within the town of Orth, known only as the Abyss. Young orphan girl Riko has become obsessed with the Abyss after her mother never returned from her last adventure exploring its depths.
After encountering a strange robot boy with no past, Riko will begin her own harrowing journey, hoping to explore the secrets of the Abyss while avoiding its many dangers.
