Perfect fantasy shows can be difficult to find, though there are a few standouts in the genre — and many have one thing in common, proving a harsh reality. Although shows like Game of Thrones and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are almost 10/10 additions to the fantasy category, many of these series have low points or glaring mistakes that prevent them from fully reaching perfection.

They’re leagues ahead of other modern fantasy projects, which are often canceled before they even get the chance to see their stories through. Series like The Wheel of Time and Shadow and Bone could have had great legacies, but they were barely given the opportunity to thrive.

Fortunately, there are still a handful of incredible, 10/10 fantasy TV shows that have graced our screens over time. A couple, like His Dark Materials and The Good Place, are live-action series that still manage to shine. However, a good chunk of perfect fantasy projects have one important similarity: they’re animated.

Perfect Fantasy Shows Are Rare, But Many 10/10 Series In The Genre Are Animated

Avatar: The Last Airbender, Arcane, & Anime Are All Great Examples

When looking back at the best fantasy shows that have come out over the years, there’s a trend towards animation — especially looking at the projects that have had full runs and no bad seasons. Avatar: The Last Airbender is a great example, with many fans of the genre viewing the Nickelodeon series as a masterpiece, even years later.

Arcane is a more recent 10/10 hit. And sure, it’s a easier to maintain the momentum for just two seasons, but Arcane really drives home what the genre is capable of. Everything from Arcane‘s stunning soundtrack to its visuals and character writing is top-tier. That’s not to mention the fantasy elements, as Arcane‘s lore and setting firmly place it among the greats.

Anime are also among fantasy’s perfect hits; Attack on Titan and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood leave little to complain about, with both series delivering masterful storytelling from start to finish.

The Number Of Incredible Animated Fantasy Shows Suggests It’s The Best Medium For The Genre

Streamers Are Struggling To Bring Live-Action Fantasy Stories To Life

Considering how many animated fantasy shows achieve a 10/10 status — and there are many more, like Castlevania, that get close — it might be time to accept a harsh reality about the genre. While there are great live-action series in the category, very few of them reach the heights of their animated counterparts. And many don’t even see their plans through.

This suggests that animation might be the best medium for fantasy storytelling, at least for the time being. It’s no secret that streaming is struggling in its approach to the genre, and that’s clear from the most recent live-action shows. Even author Brandon Sanderson called this out, suggesting that many post-Game of Thrones projects aren’t living up to their full potential.

Perhaps this will change as shows like House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power get further along, though both will still be impacted by their early seasons’ controversies. But even titles with huge potential, like The Witcher, The Wheel of Time, and Shadow and Bone, are struggling or canceled. (And it’s worth noting that some of The Witcher‘s best spinoffs have been animated.)

Why Live-Action Fantasy Shows Can Be Difficult To Get Right

The Medium Often Has More Constraints

While animation won’t be the best choice for every fantasy project — and some of the genre’s flops have bigger problems than being live-action — there’s no denying that live-action shows have constraints that don’t always work for the genre. For one, some stories are just difficult to depict in this medium.

Live-action Titans might be scarier than those shown in the anime, but they don’t hold a candle to the artwork of the original Attack on Titan. And it’s taken years for technology to reach a point where Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s bending actually looks decent in live-action.

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7 Fantasy TV Shows That Changed The Genre Forever

There have been many great fantasy TV shows that pushed the genre forward, but these series are considered benchmarks for all other fantasy shows.

Sprawling fantasy settings and magic also require hefty budgets, which streamers and networks aren’t always willing to dedicate to a series, especially without proven viewership. This results in shows like The Wheel of Time having shoddy effects early on, hurting their chances of continuing long enough to become a 10/10 series.

These are just some of the challenges facing live-action fantasy projects, and they aren’t always alleviated by animation. Projects like Arcane are also expensive, though animated shows tend to be less so than their live-action counterparts. Seasons of an animated series can also be spread out over time without worrying about actors aging too quickly — a concern Netflix’s Stranger Things and One Piece must grapple with.

Needless to say, there are a lot of reasons that animation should be considered for many fantasy shows. It looks better in many cases, and it can make more sense logistically. Unfortunately, there is another harsh reality: that animated projects are sometimes looked upon as “less than.” But creating more perfect hits could erase that stigma, all while giving us more great fantasy titles.