Vinland’s main character is based on the real-life Thorfin Karlsefni, who is one of the most famous explorers from the Norse region around the time the series takes place. Thorfin wrote a series of stories about his travels, which is what the series draws from.

Thorfinn’s father, Thors, is an anime-only character and does not appear to fight any conquests, at least at the time the series is set. A character inspires Thors in Norse Legends, known as Thord Horsehead. However, his name was shortened to Thors. 

Leif is based on the historical Leif Erickson, an explorer credited in modern times with discovering the North American continent where Vinland is located.

Askeladd, the leader of the Vikings, is based on inspired by a Norse folklore character called Askelladden. But it's believed that Askellad was purely designed to act as a mentor character for Thorfinn. As a half-welsh, half-dane warrior, Askellad is meant to hint at the intermingling that happens from Viking raids. 

Canute’s real-life equivalent was an actual Danish king. When initially introduced, Canute was mistaken as a woman, which reflects the real-life Canute who was meant to have beautiful looks. Cabyte is also known as one of the first Viking rulers to support Christianity, which plays a large part in the series. Canute was an exceptionally strong person, unlike what we have seen from the character so far. 

Thorkell is probably one of the most accurately depicted characters in the series. Known in real life as Thorkell the tall, he was a feared warrior who defected to the English and fought against Canute before returning to his side and becoming one of his strongest generals. The only place where he falls short is his personality; the real Throkell was meant to be much more measured and calculating than the battle-hungry version seen in the series.

Rising of the Shield hero isn’t for the faint of heart. It drops you right into the horrific reality of this fantasy world. Don’t get me wrong; this fantasy world is filled with magic, giant birds, and animal people. But it hits you where it hurts as you see the protagonist Naofumi Iwatani struggle to make it through this fantasy world. 

So this might be one of the few entries on this list with a fully adapted story. With four excellent seasons and two movies (and a third on the way), Nanatsu no Taizai takes you to a world of giants, fairies, demons and angels while bringing you the action and magic you crave from a show like this. The first season is centred on Meliodas, Elisabeth and Hawk as they search for Meliodas’ Holy Knight group, the Seven Deadly Sins. Then once you finish with that, you can read the follow-up manga, the Four Knights of the Apocalypse.   

Mushoku Tensei is another Isekai, where our protagonist reincarnates into the body of Rudeus Greyrat, a spellcasting protege. Despite its controversies, Mushoku Tensei builds a massive and textured world that we, viewers, only get a taste of. Mushoku Tensei treats its worldbuilding like a labour of love, with a layered history, fanatical detail to the different kinds of magic and fighting styles and clues to a history I want to see more of. 

Demon Slayer is one of the few entries on this list that isn’t set in a fantasy world of dragons and magic. Demon Slayer is a story set in an almost pre-industrial era of Japan, where the magic of the old is at odds with the future technology. Demon Slayer is set in a world where blood-sucking demons plague the world, and Tanjiro Kamado is one of the people tasked to exterminate these demons. With films like Mugen Train and stunning animation, Demon Slayer has skyrocketed in popularity and is perfect for someone looking for an action-filled story with a great cast of characters.

Bofuri is a cheat on this list; it brings us a story set in the world of an MMORPG. The protagonist, Maple, is a charmingly oblivious character who begins her journey into the game world by maxing out her defence and quickly becomes one of the most powerful characters in the game world. Bofuri is a comedic adventure into overpowered characters and just how crazy they can become. 

Overlord is an Isekai with a twist. Our protagonist, Ainz Ooal Gown, reincarnates into a new world with the tomb of Nazarick, a dungeon filled with an army of completely loyal NPCs. But one of the biggest twists with Overlord is that it brings you the story of the world, told from the perspective of the people living in it. The second season of Overlord is told from the perspective of a tribe of lizardmen. Overlord works hard to present a world faced with the danger of a new powerful force. Overlord doesn’t shy away from the dark side either, the forces of Nazarick are truly evil while being directed by the titular Overlord.

Black Clover is a shonen that puts the magicless Asta in a world of action and adventure. We see Asta take on a cast of magical characters to reach his goal of becoming the Wizard King. It's a standard shonen story that brings you characters with unique personalities and magic. I’d recommend Black Clover to anyone looking for a new shonen to invest in. 

Attack on Titan is another story with a fairly unique setting, with a pre-modern level of technology where our protagonists take on giant beings known as titans with cannons and 3D manoeuvre gear. Attack on Titan brings us a world of mystery and politics, paired with action-filled scenes of people sailing through the air and taking on threats bigger than themselves. Attack on Titan has four seasons, with the final part of the series being released in 2023. 

Coming from the world of Isekai, That Time I got reincarnated as slime is a light-hearted adventure where the protagonist Rimuru, goes from salaryman to slime. With a cast of goblins, oni, dwarves and demon lords, That Time I got reincarnated as a slime brings you a charming adventure in a sorcery world. Don’t expect Rimuru to struggle through every fight, but That Time I got reincarnated as a Slime brings us a beautiful and lively world framed in an entertaining premise.

Full Metal Alchemist is a world that beautifully mixes magic and technology. The story follows Edward Elric and his brother Alphonse trying to find the philosopher’s stone. The world of Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood brings us a world with a magical force called Alchemy, which lets people transform one thing into another of equivalent value; this is mixed with the world's technology, like Automail, which is a mechanical prosthetic.