Anime series adapted from games have been a thing for decades and are seeing a resurgence in recent years with titles like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Arcane, and NieR, among many others.
We’ve got you covered if you’re looking for your next watch. Let’s look at the various anime series adapted from games below, and make sure to add these titles to your watch list!
Steins; Gate
Most have found it apt that a visual novel gets adapted into an animated series, and Steins; Gate is a prime example of that. This animated series ran for 24 episodes and was relatively faithful to its source material. Steins; Gate is widely considered one of the best animes released in the 2010s.
Its character development and themes of time travel, gender identity, and PTSD are superbly well done. If you can’t get enough, there are currently four OVAs and one film released following its anime. Furthermore, there’s an anime adaptation of Steins; Gate: 0, the sequel to the original video game.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Dubbed a prequel to the chaotic mess that is Cyberpunk 2077, we have Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. Set in a cyberpunk world of cybernetics and futuristic tech, we follow a street kid turned edgerunner as he attempts to survive the ruthless world. An edgerunner is a mercenary and an outlaw, also known as a cyberpunk.
With body modifications as a norm and a stark divide between the rich and the poor, it’s a dog-eat-dog world in this dystopia. Note that similar to the game, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners has some mature and adult content that is not suitable for underage viewing.
Castlevania
As a beloved video game that has spawned all sorts of media and a whole other genre of games, it would be remiss if Castlevania did not end up as an animated series. So together, we follow along this animated dark medieval fantasy with Trevor Belmont as he tries to save Eastern Europe from the reign of Vlad Dracula Tepes’ legion of vampires.
He is paired with Sypha Belnades and Alucard, the son of Dracula himself. We see the world of Wallachia in its more horrendous state, razed by demons and creatures of the night. Castlevania has four seasons, each as riveting and gory as the next. It has been wrapped up, so if you’re in the mood for a good binge-watch, this is it!
4. Ace Attorney
The first season of Ace Attorney stays true to its video games, adapting the events of the franchises’ two video games into an animated series. The second season sees the adaptation of the third game. Hence, if you have a preference for which game you enjoy playing and can’t get enough of, you can choose between the seasons or episodes.
The animated series has been criticized for not having the same feel and impact as their video game counterpart, especially regarding the character’s intricacies in making decisions. However, the series is a relatively faithful representation of video game events. Not much was embellished or changed. It’s definitely worth a shot if you’re a fan.
Street Fighter Ii V
Truthfully, there are more Street Fighter films than there are anime. There are about eight films in total, and only one animated series aired back in 1995, titled Street Fighter II V. This animated series is loosely based on Super Street Fighter II Turbo revolving around Ryu and Ken.
As Guile defeats Ryu and Ken, they go on a journey to improve their skills and, in turn, are met with more recognizable characters from the Street Fighter franchise, like Chun-Li, Fei Long, Sagat, and Dhalsim. They find themselves in a tangle with agents of the Shadowlaw.
It is worth noting that this series features revamped models of the characters, and many changes were made that did not adhere to the source material.
Inazuma Eleven
Another hot anime series adapted from games is Inazuma Eleven, which aired for three seasons. It’s a football role-playing video game by Level-5, and its anime closely follows the game’s original story, characters, and plotline.
In a way, it can’t get more real than this. You get to truly see the characters you’ve been playing and embodying come to life, fleshed out with their own personalities and quirks. In addition, the franchise has spawned numerous sequels to its video games, the latest being the upcoming Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road of Heroes, set to release sometime in 2023.
7. Pokemon
Naturally, one of the most beloved video game franchises of all time would have an anime series adapted from it. Pokémon has spawned up to nine generations, its anime series releasing over 1,000 episodes, and is still an ongoing adaptation to the latest generation of Pokémon.
Some generations have grown up with Pokémon. Recently, Ash Ketchum has finally received his title as the Pokémon World Champion, officially defeating every trainer and being the best there ever was. But no worries, there will still be more Pokémon anime in the future, focusing on other characters instead this time.
Pokémon is one of the infinite anime series adapted from games. No one sees an end to it anytime soon. This is especially true as more Pokémon and Pokémon video games continue to be made yearly.
Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai
Following Pokémon, we have another video game franchise operating for nearly as long – Dragon Quest. So, of course, it has been transported into various forms of media, from manga to films and animated series. It is said that fans of the anime Dragon Ball would find comfort in Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai, as they do have some parts in common.
The animated series was focused on the events of the first ten volumes of the manga and aired up to 46 episodes before ending due to some scheduling issues with the network. No worries, though. A proper ending was given to the anime, and three films were made based on the series.
Nier: Automata VER1.1A
The latest anime series adapted from games, we have NieR Automata Ver1.1a! The anime has just started airing in January 2023 and is currently ongoing. However, it is presently being delayed after the release of three episodes. This has been attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is still an ongoing issue globally.
The anime is made to commemorate the game’s sixth anniversary, sticking faithfully to its original concept. From what we know, the story follows the android soldier 2B on a deadly mission that turns into a war between alien-created machines and human-made androids.
If done right, NieR Automata Ver1.1a would go down as one of the greats, so let’s hope production resumes soon. While we wait, Yoko Taro has released a puppet show for us all to watch in anticipation.
Virtua Fighter
Released way back in 1995, the Virtua Fighter animated series is said to take place before the first video game in the franchise, making it a prequel to the game. There are altogether 35 episodes released in just one season.
Virtua Fighter sees Akira Yuki in his quest to see the eight stars of heaven and all the miscellaneous things that happen in between. One of them was a kidnapping by a robotics scientist of one of his friends. There are some differences in Akira’s character compared to the video game version, which we see later on, but that can be attributed to him being younger in the anime.
Definitely worth a shot if you enjoy old-school anime with a shounen theme.
Digimon Adventure
Digimon is just one of those anime that many of us grew up with, similar to Pokémon. But, if anything, it was an alternative to Pokémon. Digimon Adventure was based on the Digimon Monster virtual pets released way back in 1997.
Multiple films and anime were produced based on Digimon, the latest being a modern reboot of the original Digimon Adventure anime that aired in 2020-2021. The story follows seven children transported into a digital world where they befriend some Digimon. These Digimon can evolve and be used to battle enemies as the kids try to find a way home.
Each Digimon has its own abilities and moves, and if you enjoyed Pokémon, you’d definitely enjoy this. Plus, it’s shorter and a great watch for those with kids. Digimon Adventure is an anime series adapted from games done for the young ones, for sure!
Persona 4
Adapted completely from the Persona 4 game, we are brought into the life of Yu Narukami as he moves to a new town where a string of murders occurs. Yu ends up acquiring a mysterious power known as Persona, which allows him and his friends to investigate the ongoing murders.
So far, a condensed film of the anime and video game has been released. In addition, there is also a second anime series based on the game’s PS Vita port titled Persona 4: The Golden Animation. Each adaptation has garnered favorable reviews so far, so it is safe to say that if you’re a fan of the Persona games, you might also want to tune in to the anime.
13. Danganronpa
A game where your classmates get killed off one by one sounds like a great anime concept, so it is no wonder the Danganronpa animated series was made. The animated series was quite short, staying relatively faithful to the original video games. There are only 13 episodes released, with a sequel of only 24 episodes.
The sequel was split into three parts with varying storylines. The first part is Future Side which tells the story of the events after Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair. The second part is the Despair Side detailing the events before Trigger Happy Havoc. The final part is the conclusion of the two parts mentioned.
The Danganronpa animated series is an excellent watch if you want to understand more about the franchise’s plot and characters’ backgrounds.
Megaman Nt Warrior
This is the English adaptation of the Rockman EXE series released in Japan for American viewing. MegaMan NT Warrior is aimed at children viewing, so a ton of censorship and name changes were done to make the series suitable for viewing in the United States.
In a way, this does make it a classic watch for nostalgia, as most people would have watched MegaMan as kids. Perhaps this time you could bring your own kids to watch MegaMan as well. Four sequels followed the original MegaMan NT Warrior, spanning about 209 episodes.
The series mainly follows Lan and his NetNavi MegaMan.EXE as they deal with threats from NetCrime organizations. The storyline mainly follows the Mega Man Battle Network video game plotline.
DOTA: Dragon’s Blood
As one of the biggest MOBA games out there, DOTA is bound to create an animated series for one of its games. DOTA: Dragon’s Blood is an epic fantasy anime based on Dota 2. The series premiered on Netflix and has now seen its third and final season. Ripe for binging!
We follow the Dragon Knight Davion in a battle between demons and dragons. As he merges his soul with the dragon Slyrak, he becomes increasingly powerful. Davion then embarks on a journey to stop Terrorblade, a demon hunting down dragons to devour their souls. He is joined by the sun princess Mirana on his journey.
From all the reviews, DOTA: Dragon’s Blood is a hit among fans and non-fans. Do check it out if you’re interested in epic fantasy adventures.
Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works
A great example of anime surpassing video games in terms of popularity is Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works. The anime is adapted from the visual novel Fate/Stay Night and follows its actual storyline. We are introduced to Shirou Emiya, a high school student and amateur magus who gets roped into the Fifth Holy Grail War, a tournament between seven participants.
Each participant is the reincarnated personification of legendary historical heroes. Fate/Stay Night released two animated series adapted from the video game, four films, and one OVA. The production and quality of the series are excellent, so if you would like more action beyond the game, this is a good anime to start.
Arcane: League of Legends
One of the more recent hits regarding anime series adapted from games is Arcane: League of Legends. The first season dropped towards the end of 2021 and topped the Netflix charts for over 50 countries. Safe to say everyone was pumped for this edgy steampunk action adventure.
This first season of Arcane focuses on the two sisters Vi and Jinx, set in the League of Legends universe. The two sisters find themselves on opposite sides amid a conflict between arcane technologies and their own convictions. Since this is the first season, we’re looking forward to seeing what Arcane has in store. Season 2 is still in production!
Angels of Death
We don’t tend to see much anime from the horror genre, so Angels of Death is a great welcome. There are 16 episodes adapted from the indie psychological horror game, which was made by an RPG Maker. The anime itself sticks to the original plotline and twists, although the pacing has been criticized as rather slow.
Even if it is supposed to be a horror anime, it does lack scares. Instead, the fear comes from building suspense as you continue watching to figure out the truth behind the characters you have come to care for. For those interested in the plot of this indie title, there are also manga adaptations, one being the prequel to the game itself.
Devil May Cry
The Devil May Cry animated series has a total of 12 episodes that are set in between the first and second Devil May Cry games. The plotline and events are taken directly from the franchise’s manga and novel volumes released beforehand.
We watch as Dante runs his devil-hunting business while struggling financially. We are also introduced to two new characters to strengthen the anime plot further. Overall, there are mixed reviews regarding the anime’s release. Some commented that Dante’s character could be more fleshed out, while others enjoyed what he had to offer.
God Eater
Only one season of God Eater has been released, with 13 episodes based on the action RPG of the same name. However, the animated series has received favorable reviews, and fans are still awaiting the arrival of a second season from the studio.
This first season depicts a post-apocalyptic world ruled by the Aragami. The Aragami can only be defeated by using special blades known as God Arcs. The characters that wield these divine weapons are known as God Eaters. The story centers around a boy who sets out to become a God Eater to avenge his family that the Aragami ravaged.
Wrapping Up
You’ve made it to the end of the list! Hopefully, one of these fantastic titles manages to pique your interest and made it to your watch list. Most of them are worth the time, especially if you’ve played any of their video games beforehand. Happy watching!
