It often feels as if anime and video games are inextricably linked. I feel as if — in many, but maybe not all cases — the Venn diagram of anime fans to gamers is a perfect circle.
There are also a metric ton of games based on anime — My Hero One’s Justice, One Piece Odyssey, and Dragon Ball FighterZ, to name three. On the flip side, there are even more anime based on games — the recently released Nier Automata adaptation, Persona 5: The Animation, and Doll’s/Girl’s Frontline.
It’s a fool’s errand to say the two media are not connected. But what if we were given an infinite budget and told to name ten characters from anime who would receive their own game? It might seem impossible, lest you consider the wide world of underrated anime out there that are long overdue for some appreciation from the games industry. Let’s talk about them!
Ten anime video games that fans would love
10. Edward Elric — Fullmetal Alchemist
I should clarify something before we truly jump into this list. Some of these characters already have a game. But, in this case, it’s been over ten years since the last Fullmetal Alchemist game, and even then, the last one we received here in the West was Fullmetal Alchemist: Dual Sympathy for the DS.
I feel like, given the proper amount of funding and direction, we could see a truly well-made masterwork that takes the manga/novels and, with some assistance from the anime, does justice to the source. Can you imagine a semi-open world where you can explore Amestris in its entirety? I can.
9. Renton Thurston — Eureka Seven
Again, I know Eureka Seven has had several games, but with the exception of one of them, they don’t cover the events of the main series, nor do they feature the characters from the main series. I would love to see a traditional JRPG where you can use the Gekko to fly around to various locations from the series, using LFOs to engage in brief skirmishes along the way.
8. Juzo Inui — No Guns Life
I shouldn’t have to explain why this would be cool, but I will anyway. Juzo’s head is a gigantic gun. Can you imagine an anime game that’s an FPS crossed with a narrative-driven RPG set in the world of No Guns Life? I could see it manifesting as a lowkey action/adventure where you have to travel through the city, taking care of various extendeds while also uncovering the overarching mystery.
7. Itadori Yuuji / Satoru Gojo — Jujutsu Kaisen
I am fully aware that there is about to be an arena fighter based on Jujutsu Kaisen, but hear me out. I believe that (with some exceptions) we have way too many anime arena fighters, and they need to stop. I would much prefer a side-scrolling fighter set in the Jujutsu Kaisen universe.
Perhaps something in the vein of Guilty Gear or BlazBlue?
6. Ikoma — Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
I don’t know how many readers have seen Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, but it’s practically begging to be adapted into an anime video game. In the most respectful way possible, I would call it the poor man’s Attack on Titan, and that series garnered multiple games, so … what are we waiting for?
I can only imagine how it’d feel to be challenged by a merciless horde of Kabane and the perks and drawbacks you’d incur from having to tap into your Kabaneri abilities. It’d be so cool.
5. Koyomi Araragi — The Monogatari Series
I will preface this with an admittance that this would never in a million years happen. But, I will die on the hill of ‘The Monogatari Series’ needs more love and affection from the general anime — and gaming — populace, and nothing you say can change my mind.
I am going to throw one more impossible request into this entry — what if Platinum Games developed it? How mind-bendingly cool would it be to use Araragi’s half-vampiric abilities to take down other apparitions? I am already losing my mind imagining it, so I might as well move along …
4. Ainz Ooal Gown — Overlord
I think Overlord might be one of my absolute favorite dark fantasy anime, and the fact that it’s only seen a single game adaptation and it was a Metroidvania rather than a tactical RPG is a crying shame. I know it’s probably got something to do with the existing (albeit unrelated) Overlord game and its sequels, but there are obviously ways around that, given the existence of Overlord: Escape from Nazarick.
3. Simon the Digger — Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
It grinds my gears that Gurren Lagann hasn’t gotten more love outside the anime community since its release in 2007. I don’t even think a game based on this series would be unwelcome in today’s climate. If it manifested as a mecha-fighting RPG a la Daemon X Machina or Gundam Versus, it would most certainly be an unstoppable powerhouse.
And, while we’re on that topic … Tengen Toppa Gundam Lagann, anyone?
2. Monkey D. Luffy — One Piece
If you’ve made it this far, you know exactly what’s happening here. One Piece has several adaptations to speak of, but none of them have become known as the ideal One Piece game.
If you were to ask me, I would argue the ideal One Piece anime game would allow you to freely explore the world (with restrictions only where it makes sense in-universe, like no entering or exiting the Grand Line lest you go through Reverse Mountain).
Given that the world is currently dealing with One Piece fever with the manga nearing its end, the anime surpassing 1,000 episodes, and the live-action series breaking the dreaded curse, it’s the perfect time to help this series conquer yet another medium.
1. Denji — Chainsaw Man
I know I already used my one “Platinum Games Get Out of Jail Free Card,” but I am making a counterfeit so I can say the following: an action RPG where you play as Denji (and maybe even Asa) and obliterate a whole catalog of devils, developed by Platinum Games would be one of the greatest anime games ever made.
I know that in this list, I have talked a big game about things I believe to be literally impossible, but if anyone with any amount of power is reading this, make it happen. I believe in you.
