In the current generation of media consumption, video games and anime are two things that cross paths quite often. Either one influences the other or vice versa, solely because of the evident cross-pollination between consumers and creators themselves.
Esports and gaming fans love watching their favorite pro players in tournaments perform at their peak, often referencing historical wins as ‘anime moments’. So naturally, anime shows have to exist to try and capture the spark of passion and thrills of the gaming world.
In the following list, we are going to look at anime that are influenced by video games as a media.
The top anime that are adapted from video games
Log Horizon
Based on the light Novel by Mamare Touno, Log Horizon follows the interesting premise of what one would do if they were trapped in an MMORPG universe for the rest of their life. The show explores how interesting world-building and NPC interactions work in actual MMOs.
The protagonist Shiroe isn’t someone who gets worked up for being put into complete life-changing situations; rather he sets out to explore the rest of the world and gather experience as he now has a newfound home where he has to spend the rest of his life.
.hack//Sign
Produced by studio Bee Train and Bandai Visual, .hack//Sign is probably one of the earliest shows to do a story based around the MMORPG phenomenon back in the early 2000s. Much like other anime that are based around video games, .hack//Sign also finds its main character trapped in the virtual fantasy world with a loss of memory.
.hack//Sign is originally a multimedia franchise spanning several media, including video games as well. It stands out from the rest of the crowd of anime based around MMOs for its depiction of stories woven around the psychological aspects of escapism and relationships, painting interpersonal stories that gamers will relate to.
Hi Score Girl
There are a lot of shows around that depict video games from the modern era, but seldom do we see one that is set around the arcade gaming scene from the 90s and earlier. Hi Score Girl does a great job of showcasing the love and passion gamers had from that era for fighting games like Street Fighter 2
The show follows Haruo, a young kid who is a notorious delinquent to the people around him and has a bloated ego when it comes to competitive fighting games. It all comes crashing down when a silent classmate of his, Akira, turns out to be better at him in these games.
Overlord
Being the strongest character in a video game is no easy feat, but what if a show explores that exact premise? Overlord follows the story of Momonga, who plays the character of a Lich Overlord running one of the strongest clans to ever exist in the DMMORPG called YGGDRASIL.
After twelve years of running, the game’s servers were about to be shut down, so Ainz Ooal Gown and a few other members stayed back one last time. They find out that the game’s world has not disappeared even after the shutdown, and that it has become the new reality with NPCs turning into real living beings.
Ainz Ooal Gown is also often considered one of the more iconic anime protagonists who are pure evil.
Accel World
Based on the first four light novels written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by HIMA with the same name, Accel World tackles themes like body shaming and highschool bullying, with of course the topic of video games at its helm.
Haruyuki Arita is a victim of bullying due to being overweight, so video games act as a medium of escapism for him, but his life changes once he gets bested by one of the student council presidents in a game. Kuroyukihime introduces Reki to “Brain Burst” and asks him to aid her in learning about the mystery behind the creation of Brain Burst and defeating the “Six Kings of Pure Color”.
Sword Art Online
From light novels written by the same author as Accel World and set in the same world, Sword Art Online is the more popular work that fans universally know, and is also the one show that usually comes to everyone’s mind when talking about anime themed around video games and virtual reality.
Sword Art Online is based on VRMMORPGs, where players put on the NerveGear helmet to enter the virtual world known as Aincard. Our protagonist is an experienced gamer named Kirito, who plays the game alone until he comes across Asuna, forming a special bond with her for the rest of the show.
Bofuri
The full title for this show, originally written by light novel author Yuumikan, is Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense. As one might have guessed already by the name, the premise of this show is as comedic as it sounds.
Sometimes, playing games that depend on leveling up stat points, some people often try to make sure to max out certain features of their character so as to never be at a disadvantageous situation. Bofuri follows the story of one such individual named Maple, a shield hero in the VRMMORPG named NewWorld Online.
However, due to her maxing out only defense stats, she is left with absolutely no affinity for magic or other necessary stats.
No Game No Life
What if pro gamers and esports players had more at stake than what is generally conceived in reality, in order for them to be the best in the world, what if their lives were on the line? The No Game No Life light novel by Yuu Kamiya explores just that.
Animated by studio Madhouse in 2014, the show follows the adventures of gamer step-siblings Sora and Shiro. No Game No Life is a fun isekai show in which the God of games, Tet, takes an interest in the incredibly talented duo of gamers, transporting them to a different world where every decision is made through games.
The step-siblings decide to conquer every game they come across in this world and challenge Tet to a game.
16bit Sensation: Another Layer
This anime is our segue from the previous titles on this list, as, unlike the rest, it does not originate from a light novel series that is influenced by video games. The 16bit Sensations: Another Layer is an anime that is sourced from the manga titled 16bit Sensation: The Bishōjo Game Made by All of You and I.
The Show is themed around the main protagonist, Konoha Akisato’s endless love for bishoujo games. A Japanese game genre from the 1980s, technically the precursor to dating simulators. Konoha aspires to be a talented artist and join the race in development for these games.
Unfortunately, the bishoujo genre has been dying in modern times. But several plot circumstances lead to our protagonist getting thrown back in time to get a first-hand experience of the genre’s boom in game development in the year 1992
My love story with Yamada kun at Lv999
My love story with Yamada Kun at Lv999 is quite the mouthful title for an anime, adapted from the manga written and illustrated by Mashiro. But it deserves a spot on this list for being based around massive-multiplayer online games like many of the above.
People often tell tales of finding someone with who they can form an everlasting relationship with in online video games. My love story with Yamada kun at Lv999 follows the love story of two such individuals on an MMORPG called Forest of Savior.
In desperate need of consolation over a real-life breakup, Akane Kinoshita crosses paths with an exceptionally skilled but quiet player in her game’s guild, Akito Yamada. He serves as the figure ready to listen to her problems, leading to both characters getting closer to each other.
