7 anime series Perfect for fans of Walking Sim games

In the world of video games, walking simulators don't always have the best reputation. Gamers looking for action and adventure tend to gravitate towards titles with rich combat, intricate storylines, and specific quests that reward skill and dedication. Walking sims, on the other hand, focus on exploration, puzzles, and more linear storytelling, often eschewing combat or the concept of victory. These may not suit everyone, but for those looking for an escape from the daily grind, they can be the perfect and quick cure for burnout. For anime fans, there are also plenty of series that contain the same vibes and have the ability to evoke the same emotions as some of these titles.

Walking simulators don't necessarily fit into one particular genre, some have horror elements while others rely on cozy and wholesome atmospheric storytelling. For this list, we've selected seven anime series that don't ask too much of the viewer, instead inviting them to simply sit back, relax, and go on an adventure without stress or worry. Dramatic elements are either few and far between, or more muted, with combat receding or non-existent. Pick up one of these series while you wait for the next big walking sim to hit PC or console.

Series on this list are available to watch on Crunchyroll unless otherwise noted.

Spice and Wolf

Spice and Wolf follows Kraft Lawrence, a young traveling salesman who travels from town to town to sell his wares. His goals are not particularly lofty, with his dream simply to start his own business and live a quiet life. One night a strange creature appears in his wagon. His name is Holo, and he is a 600-year-old wolf deity who has kept the local town bountiful for many long years. Unfortunately, as times have changed, people have begun to forget her, and because of this betrayal, Holo wishes to return to her homeland. Meanwhile, however, she accompanies Kraft on his own quest, helping him increase his profits and slowly growing closer to the silver-haired man.

While the original series aired in 2008, the new Spice and Wolf anime series aired in 2024 to celebrate the light novel's 15th anniversary, with another season currently in development. Critics and audiences alike applauded the work's unique approach to fantasy, as it focuses more on the economy and the relationship between the two main characters while discarding basics like magic and warfare. Holo and Kraft's journey is slow and steady and well worth the long trip.

Encouragement to climb

A soothing slice-of-life adventure series Encouragement to climb tells the story of Aoi, a quiet girl who prefers to stay indoors as much as possible and who hates heights. One day, he reunites with his childhood friend Hinata, who is the complete opposite and enjoys mountain climbing and anything to do with nature. Hinata successfully convinces Aoi to climb to the top of a nearby mountain so they can see the sunrise together, and soon after they meet some new friends who are also eager to climb as many mountains as possible across Japan.

Fear of heights is a common phobia, and even if it's not a particular viewer's problem, watching a character overcome their fears and thrive can be cathartic. Encouragement to climb it contains a love of adventure that is almost contagious, enough to convince its viewers to step outside on their own quest. Treating life as a game makes every day a little more fun, and this is one anime that feels like a walking sim in the most positive sense of the word. It's also quite lengthy at 61 episodes.

Encouragement of Climb is currently available to watch on HIDIVE.

Barakamon

Seishu Handa is already a professional calligrapher at the age of 23, but despite his impressive title, this young man has a lot to learn when it comes to regulating his emotions. After punching an exhibition curator for his nasty comments about his work, Seishu's father sends him to live on the island of Goto in southern Japan to focus on his work and get to know the locals. Here he meets the energetic Naru, a little girl who lives nearby and comes to play every day.

Barakamon it's not about the physical journey, per se, although Seishu's initial journey to the small island of Goto may mean something. Instead, like many walking sims, the series follows the emotional journey and mental growth of the main character. Over time, the protagonist's anxious personality transforms into something gentler, thanks to Naru's antics and unwitting support. This series is heartwarming, combining comedy with more moving segments meant to have a serious impact.

Daydreamers

Remarkably subtle in its storytelling, a 12-part fantasy anime series Daydreamers follows Yume, a high school student from Iwate Prefecture who travels to Tokyo to study magic. After being apprenticed to the impressive wizard Masami Oyamada, Yume faces many obstacles as she tries to graduate as a successful witch, though the series never feels heavy-handed or angsty. Hailing from the countryside, Yume is overwhelmed by what Tokyo has to offer, and while his past is marked by pain, Masami faces his future head on without complaint.

Perhaps the most obscure entry on this list, hitchhiking Daydreamers in 2026 it may be difficult, but it is worth doing. With a deliberately slow pace and relatable characters, it's the perfect choice for those who want to step away from more action-packed content and simply enjoy a hot cup of tea and a moment in a world both similar and unlike our own. The soundtrack is also particularly memorable, using traditional instruments to create a sense of sudden, punchy nostalgia.

Unfortunately, Someday's Dreamers is currently not available for streaming on any major platform.

Cinema's Journey

Cinema's Journey is the ultimate travel series, perfect for anyone with a sense of wanderlust and a desire to visit anywhere and everywhere. The main character, Kino, spends her time exploring different countries in a mystical world, accompanied only by her talking motorcycle Hermes. She only spends three days and two nights in each city she visits, and says it gives her plenty of time to understand the local culture while leaving plenty of time to explore new places. After all, he can't risk wanting to settle down when there's so much more to see. Some locations have a more sci-fi character, while others, on the contrary, seem more story-like and magical.

The original version of Kino's Journey, released in 2003, is available for viewing on HIDIVE. The 2017 remake is streaming on Crunchyroll.

Ryutaro Nakamura, the director of the anime series, explained this Cinema's Journey it portrays a “radical sense of beauty” in that while kindness and compassion are aspirational traits, things like loneliness and tragedy often exist alongside them. Both the original series and its remake are more of a “riding simulator” than a “walking simulator” thanks to Hermes, and are worth checking out because the sheer sense of adventure they convey remains unmatched in the anime realm to this day.

Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens

A 13-episode romantic comedy anime from another world that originally aired in 2008. Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens it has remained a cult classic, although getting to it in 2026 may not be an easy task. The main character, Nagi, is a mischievous goddess determined to cleanse the world of impurities, but since her sacred tree was unceremoniously cut down, her powers have weakened. According to her, her other persona Kannagi is more serious with the mission. Jin, a student who uses part of a fallen sacred tree for a school art project, allows Nagi to stay at his house and does what he can to help her on her quest.

Loaded with comedy, the overall message Kannagi still manages strike a chord and Nagi's journey to complete her mission makes the series feel like it could be a successful game in its own right. Enchanting in its delivery and packed with just enough supernatural elements to make it not just another rom-com, the characters of this oft-forgotten series are what make it so memorable, and it's easy to get carried away with the desire to return Nagi to her true form.

Kannagi isn't currently available for streaming, but fans are hopeful that at least a Blu-ray release is on the way.

Comfortable camp

Since the first season of the anime debut in 2018, it has been almost impossible to avoid Comfortable campwith the iyashikei adventure series becoming a destination for fans who want a subtle escape. The series follows Rin, a young camping enthusiast who joins her high school's camping club after meeting the energetic Nadeshiko Kagamihara. The group spends their free time traveling around Japan and finding cozy camping spots while enjoying their daily lives to the fullest. Exhibited places in Comfortable camp are real, and the series also delves into the ins and outs of camping, proving to be more of an educational watch for those interested in a more outdoor lifestyle.

Many walking sims task the player with simply exploring different locations, looking for clues, or in some cases simply exploring the landscape. Comfortable camp it does away with petty drama or romance and instead focuses solely on friendship, the difficulties of cultivating a new hobby, and what it's like to go on some relaxing adventures with friends.