Ten Modern Masterpieces: How Dungeons & Dragons Shapes Today's Pop Culture
Ella Bryant
Updated on May 17, 2026
By Published Apr 25, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT Dani Kessel Odom (they/them) is an autistic lead writer and TV critic who frequently covers sci-fi shows like Doctor Who and Pluribus, fantasy shows like The Magicians and Percy Jackson, horror, and superheroes. Their specialty is onscreen book adaptations. Their TV reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.
They have covered events, such as the Denver Fan Expo. Professionals in the field, such as Damien Leone and Lucy Hale, have shared their articles. Their review for Ponies was quoted in the show's TV trailer.
In university, they majored in English Writing with a minor in psychology. They have always had a passion for analyzing TV and movies, even taking filmography and scriptwriting classes in university. They also studied and participated in onstage and onscreen acting extensively from the ages of 7 to 18.
Aside from working at Screen Rant, Dani has worked as a freelance editor and writer over the past decade, often in a ghostwriting capacity. Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap
has had a profound influence on media, and ten TV shows and movies stand above the rest as the best modern D&D-influenced stories. The game became a mainstream phenomenon in the 1980s, heralding a wave of D&D-inspired entertainment. Classic shows like the , SlayerS, and Record of the Lodoss War are still beloved decades later.
However, pop culture is experiencing a modern D&D Renaissance, which began with the in 2014. As a Dungeons & Dragons player who has loved the franchise for almost two decades, I'm excited to see how popular it's becoming again. The catalog of great D&D-inspired TV shows and movies is growing. What's more, the game is so impactful that it influences stories without creators even realizing it. D&D influences one creation, which in turn influences another, which in turn influences another.
These ten movies and TV shows are the best modern D&D-inspired stories. They don’t all have a direct connection to the TTRPG game. However, those that aren’t part of the franchise have undeniable parallels or are inspired by , such as Japanese CRPGs and Wizardry.
10 Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon?
A Monster Hunter & Adventurer Unknowingly Attracts Mortal & Immortal Women In A Dungeon
The harem anime Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, also called DanMachi, has five seasons under its belt with a sixth on the way. Although it’s technically not D&D-related, the show is so beloved by the TTRPG fandom that fans have created DanMachi D&D Campaign Guides (via ). The D&D online platform even has a DanMachi D&D group that has been running for over 3 years.
Rather than relying on clichés, DanMachi subverts expectations of the harem anime subgenre. The story is also refreshing in that the masculine lead is the damsel in distress, flipping gender stereotypes.
DanMachi's characters are so well-developed that they’ve received critical recognition. Bell Crane was nominated for Boy of the Year in 2026, 2026, and 2026 at the Anime Trending Awards. The adventuring parties’ dynamics are extremely entertaining. On top of that, the monster encounters are well-choreographed and fun to watch.
That said, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? falls at the lower end of the best D&D-inspired shows because the animation is not always high-quality, and the show went through a serious Sophomore slump.
9 That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime
An Ordinary Man Gets Murdered & Reincarnated As A Powerful Slime
That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime is a really entertaining anime, and it aligns with D&D surprisingly often. The ranking system and leveling up feel true to the TTRPG, even if the latter happens faster than D&D. The named monsters are more powerful, just like in the game.
Also, contrary to popular belief, powerful slimes have existed since the start of D&D, and they weren't always just low-intelligence creatures. e1 even featured a chaotic evil demon lord slime named Juiblex, and it's even listed on . As such, this anime feels like a nice callback to early D&D, with Rimuru Tempest's powers.
Ultimately, That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime is the perfect D&D-inspired show for anyone who enjoys the diplomacy side of a quest. The show definitely includes some brutal battles, but they are mixed in with kingdom-building and politics. The only significant downside is that it can move a little slowly, which will appeal to some but be a detriment for others.
8 Dimension 20
An Actual Play Show With Improv Comedians
I grappled with whether to include any actual-play D&D shows, since they are more like game shows, and the episodes last longer than traditional movies. Because of this, I opted to limit actual-play shows on this list to one. It came down to Critical Role and Dimension 20.
The wins out because it’s more accessible and an easier entry point to actual-plays. The episodes are shorter, averaging 2 to 4 hours per episode instead of Critical Role's 3 to 5 hours. The pace is much faster. The character choices have a stronger impact on the story, and the comedy is top-notch because the cast is made up of comedians with top-notch improv skills.
D20 episodes also feature high production values, with miniatures serving as a helpful visual reference point. This makes it more entertaining to watch, while Critical Role works well as a podcast. For all its strengths, though, Dimension 20 is still on the lower side of the best D&D-inspired shows and movies because it isn’t necessarily going to appeal to casual franchise fans.
7 Guardians of the Galaxy
An Unlikely Group Of Misfits Go On The Run Through Space With A Magical Artifact
Guardians of the Galaxy seems the most out of place among Dungeons & Dragons-inspired shows because there's no proof that the show has any connection to the franchise or anything inspired by it. However, this is an example where D&D must have influenced pop culture, unintentionally affecting a piece of media, because Guardians of the Galaxy is infused with D&D DNA.
Every character fits neatly into a D&D class, and they’re an unexpected group. Their problem-solving is as chaotic as any campaign I've been a part of. The story has low rolls, like Star-Lord dropping the orb, and it has critical hits, like him successfully distracting Ronan by singing and dancing to "Ooh Child." You cannot convince me he didn't have to roll a 20 for that.
It’s such a good movie that it ranks above other D&D-inspired works. It only falls below other titles because the world feels a little too distant from fantasy. The show doesn’t give us the species or monsters that make the D&D world feel rich.
6 Onward
Two Teen Elf Brothers Go On A Quest To Bring Their Dead Father Back Permanently
, and it’s perfect for D&D lovers. Between the character species and the magic, the world has obvious parallels to Dungeons & Dragons. Even the names Ian and Barley Lightfoot sound like they walked out of a campaign.
It’s incredibly refreshing that Ian Lightfoot isn’t automatically a master of magic. He has to level up over time, just like in D&D. Magical artifacts play an integral role in the story. Barley and Ian come across a gelatinous cube, one of the best monsters. On top of that, the animation rises to the level expected of any other Pixar project.
Ultimately, Onward lands squarely in the middle of the best D&D-inspired movies and TV shows. The worldbuilding is absolutely incredible, far exceeding Guardians of the Galaxy, Reincarnated as a Slime, and DanMachi. The themes of family love and the grieving process also give Onward a more important message than many D&D-inspired shows.
The reason Onward falls just short of the top 5 is not its failures, but the incredible successes of those ranked higher.
5 Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
An Immortal Elf Continues On After Her Adventure Ends
Most D&D-inspired shows focus on the adventures and quests that parties go on. However, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is possibly the most distinctive story in that it zooms in instead on life long after the quest ended. Frieren and her friends defeated the Demon King after a 10-year quest, bringing peace. However, their story continues on.
The story shows how the long quest impacts Frieren 50 years later. She might not experience time the same way as others because she is immortal, but it still affects her emotionally. She has nostalgia for what she lost and wanderlust for everything she wants to do. It’s a beautiful exploration of death and change.
Truly, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End captures the spirit of a D&D campaign and the emotions afterward better than Chaos Dragon, which actually adapts a real TTRPG game. It's one of the new . That being said, it doesn’t quite rise to the level of other shows in terms of Dungeons & Dragons mechanics or the spirit of chaos.
4 Honor Among Thieves
A Bard & His Party Go On A Quest To Steal A Magical Artifact
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves struggled at the box office, grossing only $208 million against an estimated $150 million budget. It wasn’t a failure, but it wasn’t nearly successful enough to warrant a sequel. That said, Honor Among Thieves is everything good about D&D all wrapped up in a single movie.
Directors Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley are D&D fans, and it is so obvious. The story is chaotic and fun. The perfectly captured the spirit of their classes, especially Michelle Rodriguez as a barbarian, and Sophia Lillis as a tiefling druid. It’s the most obvious and accurate depiction of the skill points and dice rolling.
The movie is so fantastic that Dungeons & Dragons fans, myself included, are still begging for a sequel three years later. The top three D&D-inspired TV shows and movies only beat Honor Among Thieves because they are either near-masterpieces or complete masterpieces.
3 The Legend Of Vox Machina
A Group Of 8 Misfit Adventurers Go On A Quest To Save Exandria
Vox Machina and the number one modern D&D-inspired TV show are unique in that they’re real-life campaigns adapted into animated formats, rather than stories specifically written for TV. The show has a clear reverence for the tabletop game. The characters have extremely developed backstories and narrative arcs.
The top 3 modern D&D-inspired TV shows all have a 100% Tomatometer score on .
The animation and storytelling , and there are no truly bad episodes. The voice acting is perfect because the Critical Role players voice their respective animated characters. Plus, the show is delightfully queer.
However, Vox Machina is only a near-masterpiece for two reasons. Firstly, there are a little too many poop and fart jokes. Whether viewers like this will obviously vary from person to person. Secondly, the animation in the first season is slightly lower quality. That said, the strengths are good enough to rank above almost everything else.
2 Delicious in Dungeon
Adventurers Survive On Dungeon Monster Delicacies As They Quest To Save Their Friend
Netflix’s masterpiece, Delicious in Dungeon, is a wonderful representation of D&D, even though it’s based on games that are based on D&D rather than beingdirectly connected. The show takes place in a megadungeon, paying close attention to the flora and fauna. These elements of the dungeon have gained more attention in recent versions of the TTRPG.
The monsters in Delicious in Dungeon have varying skill levels, making them different in terms of threat. The party actually loses to them at times. The inciting incident is Falin losing to a Red Dragon. This makes it feel like the characters are rolling dice as they fight.
The anime series features fantastic storytelling and excellent character development. Laois’s party has a strong bond, and they have plenty of moments where they just joke around. However, the levity doesn’t mean there isn’t darkness to the story. Delicious in Dungeon also features bloodmagic, a mad mage, and death.
1 The Mighty Nein
A Group Of Criminals & Outcasts Work Together To Save The Realm & Take Back An Artifact
The Mighty Nein is the absolute best modern D&D-inspired movie or TV show, shining above the rest. Prime Video’s Dungeons & Dragons show knocked it out of the ballpark from the start. The series has more consistent pacing and tone than Vox Machina, and it isn’t packed with poop jokes.
The Mighty Nein is on the same level as Delicious in Dungeon in terms of worldbuilding and character development. The animation in both shows is absolutely spectacular. The voice actors do an incredible job. However, the Critical Role animated show has one key difference that places it above the Netflix series.
Delicious in Dungeon’s characters can exist in any environment. That specific megadungeon doesn’t actually matter to the story, just the Red Dragon. feel fully connected to the environment instead of just existing in it. Their connection to Wildemount gives the story higher stakes. Ultimately, the party's success or failure matters on a deeper level, which is one element in The Mighty Nein that truly sets the Prime Video series apart from every other modern D&D-inspired show.
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