The culture of Ancient Egypt includes a pantheon of gods that are recognized by their distinctive posture and an animal's head. The gods that adorned temple walls and guarded the doors of tombs live again in anime, which has plenty to choose from when it comes to shows and movies that include Egyptian mythology.
Some of the following anime are based entirely on Egyptian mythology, using portions of the legends, setting the plot along the banks of the Nile, or featuring the gods themselves. Others integrate certain characters or features unique to ancient Egypt as part of a larger story.
6 Dragon Ball Super (2013-2018)
Beerus is the God of Destruction, so when he wakes up, there's going to be trouble. He had already been featured as an antagonist in two of the movies in the franchise, Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods and Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection, and his motive this time was to maintain the balance of the universe by destroying planets.
The Egyptian clothing and big ears remind the viewer of Anubis, the Egyptian god of the dead, who is often depicted with the head of a jackal. The truth is the design of this character was inspired by a Cornish Rex that lived with series creator Akira Toriyama while he was making the series.
5 Oh, Suddenly Egyptian God (2020-2021)
A comedy that features the Egyptian gods and their mundane daily struggles, this unique anime also uses details like stone interiors and a hieroglyphic-like animation style. The title is literal, describing the main characters in a basic but accurate way.
All of the major gods are represented, including Thoth, Anubis, and even Ra himself. They seem to live in an ancient setting but encounter modern problems, like their day jobs and pizza. The character designs are drawn by yuka and appear on a variety of merchandise and artwork outside of the show.
4 Kamigami No Asobi (2014)
Kamigami No Asobi is also known as Ludere Deorum, which is a combination of Japanese and Latin that means "Play of Gods." It started as a visual novel for the Playstation Portable before it became an anime series and belongs in the romance, fantasy, and reverse harem genres, which means the main character is a female surrounded by a "harem" of males.
The story begins with references to Greek mythology in the form of Zeus but evolves to bring in mythological references from several times, including Egypt. Anubis and Thoth are part of the supporting cast which also includes Hades and Loki.
3 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (2014-2015)
Not all of Jo Jo's Bizarre Adventure is based on Egyptian mythology, but any fantasy anime with a long history like this one is bound to have some references somewhere. The second part of Stardust Crusaders, a two-part episode or movie depending on where you watch it, sees our heroes barely escape High Priestess, and the Egypt Nine Glory Gods are summoned to find and fight our heroes who have emerged on the shores of the Nile.
This group acts as the key antagonists in the rest of Stardust Crusaders, trying to stop our protagonists as they draw ever closer to Dio's headquarters in Cairo. Not all of them are gods, with only Anubis with his usual name and snarling jackal face, but everyone represents an Egyptian deity. Pet Shop, with the falcon head, is Horus, and Mariah with her cat-ear-hate represents Bastet.
2 Yu-Gi-Oh! (1988-Present)
There are plenty of references to ancient mythology throughout the extensive Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise, which includes anime, movies, video games, and various wearable merch, in addition to a whole lot of toys and cards. Egyptian mythology is one of the most prominent types of ancient legend in the series, which includes a character named Pharoh Atem. As the title infers, he was the son of the King of Egypt, the heir to the throne, and likely named from an obscure Egyptian deity called Atum.
The main character of Yu-Gi-Oh! is Yugi Mutou, and to give away how these two characters are connected would require a whole host of spoilers. Let's just say that Atem was locked in the Millenium Puzzle, an object which was owned by Yugi Mutou. Once Yugi was able to solve the puzzle, he was able to commune with the spirit of the young Pharoh, which was also known as Yami Yugi.
1 Kamigami no Ki (2016-2017)
Viewers who enjoyed Oh, Suddenly Egyptian God with its comical premise and avant-garde animation style will also appreciate Kamigami no Ki. In English, this can be translated as Chronicles of the Gods, and although it sounds like a serious title, the show is a comedy about the hair-brained schemes of the god Bastet, her fellow gods, and her caretakers.
The show is set on the verdant banks of the Nile 3000 years ago, and the Egyptian gods and their favorite humans live in relative harmony. The episodes are short and sweet, lasting only two minutes each, and poke fun at the interactions between the Egyptian gods and their mortal counterparts.