Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is HBO’s newest installment in the Game of Thrones TV franchise, and fans of the most famous television series in the world have noticed something quite different. This new series isn’t as bleak, bloody, or dark as the other adaptations of George R.R. Martin’s world of bastards, dragons, and undead armies. That, however, is what readers have loved about the Tales of Dunk & Egg.
Knight of the Seven Kingdoms carries a much more lighthearted and wholesome tone, which has been a rising trend in recent fantasy anime. Although there are numerous anime that can match the heartbreak, tragedy, and violence of Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon, there are just as many brand-new fantasy series that walk hand-in-hand with Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and its brighter, more hopeful themes and messages.
Beryl Gardenant & Ser Duncan the Tall are Cut from the Same Cloth
A collage of Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman main charctersImage by Yéred García
Those who are in love with Dunk’s commitment to honor and integrity in Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will enjoy 2025’s From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman. The main protagonist, Beryl Gardenant, is a humble swordfighting teacher who places no value on fame and glory. Like Dunk, Beryl is content with living a simple life and being the good man he wants to be. However, he rises to greatness because of the impact he’s had on the students he taught.
Master Swordsman is about a man who champions humility in the face of ambition, as Beryl never truly wishes to be anything more than what he already is despite having the skill and — most importantly — the heart to deserve far more. He’s aware of the heaviness of every blade he’s ever placed in a student’s hand, and that awareness and sense of responsibility is what makes him such a likeable protagonist.
Beryl comes from humble beginnings and is good to the point of being unbelievable, something that fans of George R.R. Martin appreciate about the great “Ser Duncan the Tall” despite how much it stands out in the world that Game of Thrones set up. Beryl’s dedication to modesty makes every one of his fights feel like a victory against pride and greed, proving that knowing the worth and weight of one’s own skill and blade is far more important than the money and power that comes with glamorous titles.
Secrets of the Silent Witch Mirrors Dunk’s Lesson on Perseverance
Monica from Secrets of the Silent Witch casts a spellImage via Studio Gokumi
Studio Gokumi’s Secrets of the Silent Witch, released in summer 2025, isn’t a typical adventure centralized around the ideals of knighthood, but it falls into the same vein of the heartwarming fantasy that Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is. The heroine, Monica Everett, is a shy and introverted — yet astoundingly talented — witch. And though she was content with living a quiet life, her duty as one of the Seven Sages calls her to a purpose greater than herself.
Monica’s life has been plagued with crippling social anxiety, and so her journey is one that places importance on conquering the unknown and making connections that will last a lifetime. With every new territory of life she steps into, she grows braver and finds that there is more to life than honing her talent with magic and numbers. Although she still has to deal with the lies and deceit that come with being involved in royal politics, her kindhearted nature resonates deeply with every person she meets.
Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is loved for its more gentle and intimate storyline as well as its good-natured (albeit painfully naive) protagonist. Monica may start her story fumbling her way through higher society, but, like Dunk, she learns and develops the will to keep going. Not everyone is willing to step out of their comfort zone at first, but Secrets of the Silent Witch proves that expanding your horizons is always worth the effort.
Game of Thrones’ Dragons Would be Meat on the Grill in Delicious in Dungeon
Party with vegetables in Delicious in Dungeon.Image via Studio Trigger
Studio Trigger’s Delicious in Dungeon is one of the coziest, most character-driven fantasy anime of 2024. It focuses on otherworldly delicacies and explores how deep the bonds between adventurers can go when they share in the solace of a warm meal. With Knight of the Seven Kingdoms being a “palate cleanser” after its grimdark predecessors, Delicious Dungeon serves a similar purpose in the rise of all the gritty and action-packed anime like Jujutsu Kaisen and Solo Leveling.
Overall, Delicious in Dungeon is a relaxed and mostly episodic kind of series that showcases some surprisingly enticing dishes made from fantasy monsters. The dynamic between its characters also makes for a few good laughs every episode. Laios has an obsession with monster meat. Marcille is high-strung. Chilchuck possesses a world-weary snark. And Senshi is simply too perfect. There is much more to each of them than meets the eye, but there is a warm pleasantness in the ease in which they enjoy each other’s company despite all their differences.
Despite its generally lighter tone, Knight of the Seven Kingdoms does dip its toes into brutality and violence every once in a while. After all, the story does still take place in Westeros. So, fans wouldn’t be too shocked by the occasional interruptions to Delicious in Dungeon‘s sweeter and more comedy-driven atmosphere, such as the gory scenes of monsters crushing men beneath their feet or the possibility of accidental cannibalism that racks the mind of a truly purehearted character.
Sentenced to Be a Hero Brings Back Game of Thrones Dark Tone
Knight of the Seven Kingdoms follows a character who’s all about honor and being a true hero to those in need. Studio KAI’s newest entry to the fantasy genre, Sentenced to Be a Hero, puts a different spin on the word “hero” and turns it into an insult. Those who’ve committed capital-level crimes are punished by becoming the frontliners in humanity’s never-ending effort against a demonic army and are thus called “Penal Heroes,” a title of great shame.
Protagonist Xylo Forbartz is a hero who can single-handedly take down an entire unit of the demon army’s infected horde, saving countless holy knights in the process. Yet, he is still spat upon solely for the fact that being a hero means being a criminal. Still, he presses on because he has no choice. Xylo and his comrades are forced to fight under the threat of a torturous death and an even more painful and costly resurrection.
Sentenced to Be a Hero is more similar to the original Game of Thrones series than it is to Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. The anime has all the bleakness and bloody action that fans loved about Game of Thrones, which fans are missing given Knight of the Seven Kingdom’s aversion to that familiar brutality. However, Sentenced to Be a Hero has the goddess Teorritta, a persistently charming child who softens the battle-hardened hero’s heart — an excellent mirror to the wise-beyond-his-years Egg and his immediate attachment to Dunk.
Frieren & Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Practically Share the Same Universe
2023’s Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is the perfect lighthearted and relaxing anime to watch side-by-side with Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Although it offers a much prettier and cleaner aesthetic than hedge knights pooping in trees, Madhouse’s biggest anime has the same “sleeping under the stars” vibe. Frieren’s story is all about reveling in life’s simple pleasures and cherishing the bonds that have been formed along the way.
Frieren is a low-stakes adventure drama about a virtually immortal elven mage traveling the world after the hero who saved it from the Demon King died of old age. The series is famous for exploring classic fantasy tropes through a refreshingly unique perspective, while still maintaining the wonder and deadliness of magic as well as upholding the standard of a true hero. And though it doesn’t move at a breakneck pace, Frieren absolutely nails every action scene it has.
Fans who love the fun and wholesome dynamic between Knight of the Seven Kingdom’s Dunk and Egg will come to adore the relationship between every character in Frieren, who all have their own distinct flavor of on-screen charisma. The titular character especially has a charm about her that never grows old despite how ageless the character is. Plus, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is known to have one of the most touching yet tragic fantasy romances in anime history.
