Looking for TRUE “hero-from-scratch” medieval fantasy (NOT regressors, NOT reincarnation, NOT revenge antiheroes)

Nov 15, 10:28 AM

Offline

Feb 2021

So I’ve been binge-watching a lot of villainess and isekai fantasy anime lately, and something weird struck me:

We get endless subversions of medieval fantasy hero tropes — evil heroes, good demonlords, assassins stronger than heroes, nobodies who become godlike, revenge antiheroes, regressors, reincarnators —

But almost zero stories that follow the actual original trope they claim to be subverting:

a normal hero, in a medieval fantasy world, who starts life as himself, grows through trials, and eventually faces the world’s evils.

The standard “good hero vs evil threat” story barely exists anymore in anime/manga/manhwa/LNs.

Everything is a twist on a template that’s practically vanished.

And even the ones that try often rely on:

time loops

regressing to the past

reincarnation

cheat advantages

meta knowledge

I’m looking for works that don’t do that.

The only examples for these that I have seen:-

Stellar Swordsman (manhwa): MC is a heroic, upright person who rises to challenges naturally with no loops, cheats, reincarnation, etc. One of the best examples of what I’m looking for!

Frieren: Himmel is the BEST depiction of a true heroic ideal in modern anime — but he is only shown in flashbacks

The Rising of the Shield Hero: Naofumi does have an underdog beginning, but he is still a real hero saving the world; I mean, it definitely has the tone of classical heroism.

New Saga: still a time regression, and the MC is kinda...evilish? But its still very close to the sincere hero fantasy I want

What I want:

Recommendations for medieval fantasy where the protagonist:

· is not reincarnated

· is not regressed in time

· has no time loops

· has no meta-game knowledge

· has no cheat system

· is not an antihero or revenge-driven

starts as a normal person in their original life

and grows into a true hero, facing real threats and rising through effort, not shortcuts

Basically:

A sincere heroic journey in a medieval fantasy world — the kind that almost doesn’t exist anymore.

If you know anything that fits this super-specific niche, please throw it at me. I’m desperate for more examples of this dying breed of fantasy. 🙏

PS: 🚫 What I’m absolutely not looking for:

btw, I asked for such a sincere hero fantasy earlier, and some recommended me these:

i. Arifureta: MC is a betrayed underdog who surpasses the classic hero — enjoyable, but not the pure hero arc I’m searching for

ii. One Punch Man: this is a superhero parody, NOT medieval fantasy, so it sadly doesn’t qualify

Nov 15, 12:40 PM

Lucifrost

Offline

Feb 2016

15407

https://myanimelist.net/anime/1826/Deltora_Quest
https://myanimelist.net/anime/4651/Yume_no_Crayon_Oukoku
https://myanimelist.net/anime/3765/Pygmalio

Note that Crayon Kingdom is significantly more lighthearted than my other suggestions.
I also recommend anime and manga by CLAMP, even though they do not fit your criteria.

その目だれの目？

Nov 15, 4:24 PM

mo_lave

Online

Jan 2022

1649

Fullmetal Alchemist

One Piece

Naruto and Naruto Shippuden

Nov 15, 4:52 PM

Retro8bit

Nostalgia Rules!

Offline

Jun 2008

15186

https://myanimelist.net/anime/1164/Mahou_Senshi_Louie

Nov 15, 5:54 PM

blessofcurse

Offline

Jun 2014

4715

Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu
Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Sorcerous Stabber Orphen
Tales of the Abyss
Ousama Ranking
Scrapped Princess

Nov 16, 5:19 AM

Stanis150

Offline

Apr 2023

325

This is probably fit your conditions - https://myanimelist.net/anime/207/Lodoss-tou_Senki?q=Loddos&cat=anime

Nov 16, 3:25 PM

thorin001

Offline

Jul 2020

106

There is always Princess Mononoke. A movie instead of a series, and non-western, but should be what you are looking for.

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Looking for TRUE “hero-from-scratch” medieval fantasy (NOT regressors, NOT reincarnation, NOT revenge antiheroes)

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