Netflix's adaption of Castlevania may have helped to bring video game anime into the mainstream, but anime adaptations of video game series have been around for almost as long as home video games themselves. There have been hundreds of them since the late eighties, many of which have gone on to garner huge fanbases.
Castlevania's success has, however, paved the way for adaptations of some of the more niche video game series. A Dragon's Dogma anime premiered on Netflix just last year, and a Shenmue anime is currently in production too. This shows that anime adaptations are no longer reserved for best sellers or visual novel games; which can only be a good thing for both gamers and anime fans alike.
Updated April 30, 2021, by Thomas Bowen: Anime has been around in Japan for decades now, but it's only in recent years that it has become popular in the west. Part of this is down to sites like Crunchyroll and Hulu which have made the medium far more accessible than it once was. The rest, however, is down to the growing number of anime adaptations of popular video game franchises. What many might not realize though is that there are countless excellent adaptations like these just waiting to be discovered, some of which are arguably even better than the games on which they are based.
15 Street Fighter - 7.06
Much like each and every entry in the video game franchise, there have been quite a few different Street Fighter anime series over the years. The pick of the bunch, however, is perhaps Street Fighter II V. It currently holds a 7.06 rating on MyAnimeList based on scores from over 12 thousand users and beats out the competition by some margin.
Despite first broadcasting more than a quarter of a century ago, it still looks pretty good and features many of the series' most iconic characters. The main narrative centers around long-time rivals Ryu and Ken and their quest to become better fighters; a journey which eventually leads them to the villainous M. Bison and the mysterious Shadowlaw organization.
14 Virtua Fighter - 7.11
Considered by many to be one of the most influential fighting game series of all time, it's perhaps not too surprising that Virtua Fighter got its own anime. It consists of 35 episodes and aired between 1995 and 1996. Sadly though, it didn't quite perform well enough to earn itself a second season.
The story centers around series protagonist Akira Yuki, who served as the inspiration for Ryo Hazuki from the Shenmue games. Like Ryo, Akira leaves home to fulfill his destiny, but soon comes up against an evil scientist named Eva whose only goal is to create the perfect robotic soldier.
13 Mega Man - 7.16
There are quite a number of anime series based on Capcom's Mega Man, but the most successful is Rockman.EXE Axess. Airing between October 2003 and September 2004, the series consists of 51 episodes and holds a rating of 7.16 based on more than 6,500 user ratings.
The show features a fantastic techno-inspired soundtrack and some wonderful battle scenes. As with most shows, the story has its ups and downs, but there are definitely more highs than there are lows. It's a great watch, although a lack of consistency in the animation and voice acting perhaps hold it back a little.
12 Professor Layton - 7.25
A puzzle-based series might not seem like the best candidate for an anime adaptation, but the Professor Layton anime works surprisingly well. 2018's Layton Mystery Tanteisha: Katri no Nazotoki File represents the best that it has to offer, and holds an impressive 7.25 rating on MyAnimeList.
Fans responded well to the story as well as the art-style, which remained faithful to the original games. The series might not quite be up to the high standards set by Detective Conan, but its charm makes it a show worth investigating.
11 God Eater - 7.27
Based on the popular video game series of the same name, God Eater first aired between 2015 and 2016. Despite solid ratings and reviews, however, a second season has yet to arrive. That hasn't stopped fans from requesting one though and many remain hopeful that Bandai Visual will someday oblige.
The first season is set in a dystopian future in which humanity is on the brink of extinction. The planet's new rulers, the Aragami, can only be defeated with specially designed blades known as God Arcs and, much like the games, those who wield them are known as God Eaters. The anime tells the story of a teenage boy named Lenka who sets out to become a God Eater after his family are eaten by Aragami.
10 Tales - 7.48
The Tales series has almost as many anime adaptations as it does games, with the best of the bunch being Tales of Symphonia The Animation: Sekai Tougou-hen. Serving as the third and final OVA in the series, animation studio Ufotable definitely saved the best for last.
The animation is fantastic throughout, and, after a slight blip in the second OVA, the music is once again top-notch. Most importantly, it wraps the story up perfectly and gives each of the show's characters a satisfying conclusion.
9 Danganronpa - 7.53
Danganronpa never really took off in the West as it did in Japan, which is a real shame. The series blends together multiple genres to create a wholly unique experience. It's perhaps this mish-mash of genres that lead to the decision to adapt it for television. Danganronpa 3: The End of Kibougamine Gakuen - Zetsubou-hen is undoubtedly the best that Danganronpa anime has to offer.
It serves as something of a prequel, filling in a lot of gaps and answering some of the questions posed by the games that preceded it. It's always great to see an anime expand on a series' lore rather than simply retreading old ground, but this does mean that only those who've played the games will be able to fully appreciate it.
8 Persona - 7.54
It took quite a while for the Persona series to really gain traction in the West, but, after nearly a quarter of a century, the series is finally getting the recognition it deserves. As well as a host of great games for new fans to go back and enjoy, there are plenty of anime adaptations that are worth checking out.
The highest-rated of the Persona anime is Persona 4 the Animation, which currently holds a 7.54 rating after nearly 100,000 user ratings. The series is incredibly faithful to the game on which it's based, although this can at times be to its detriment. Pacing issues aside though, all of the main characters are well written, and the last few episodes are of the very highest quality.
7 Inazuma Eleven - 7.58
Sports anime are surprisingly popular in Japan, and Inazuma Eleven is one of the better examples of it. Based on the video game series of the same name, the story is surprisingly deep for a series that's primarily about soccer. Mamoru, Shuuya, and Yuuto are all great characters, and their interactions with some of the supporting cast provide some of the series' best moments.
The art-style is endearing, and the use of vibrant colors really helps to give the series its own distinct style. Where it really excels, though, is in its depiction of the soccer games themselves. The visuals and the use of cuts help to give the scenes a frantic feeling which will keep viewers on the edges of their seats right through to the final whistle.
6 Valkyria Chronicles - 7.64
Senjou no Valkyria was made up of two cours and did a fantastic job of capturing the essence of Sega's classic game. It's a bit of a slow burner, but, once the first few episodes are out of the way, it's an enjoyable watch with a story that tries its best to stick to the one laid out in the source material.
The art-style matches the one found in the game surprisingly well and the characters each have their own distinct personalities. A lot of the series' humor is lost as the series progresses, but, given that this is a story about war, this was perhaps to be expected.
5 Dragon Quest - 7.65
Dragon Quest is one of the longest-running video game series of all time, with the first game releasing way back in 1986. Since then, the series has been adapted into pretty much every format imaginable, with manga, anime, and a few movies to boot. The best of the anime came in the form of 1991's Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibouken.
Produced by Toei Animation, the studio responsible for the Dragon Ball anime, many regard the series as being the studio's best work. The art-style and pacing will feel comfortingly familiar to Dragon Ball fans, while the story and fantastic character development it cultivates will keep viewers engaged until the very end.
4 Pokemon - 7.65
Pokemon took Japan by storm when it first released back in 1996, and it did not take long for its influence to spread across the globe. The team at Game Freak wasted no time securing an anime adaptation. In fact, the first series aired in Japan long before the games had even made their way to North American shores.
Given the anime has been running for 23 years now, there's plenty of series to choose from. They're all fairly well-rated, but it's Pokemon XY&Z that holds the crown as the best Pokémon series. It fixed a lot of the problems found in the X&Y series that came before it and introduced plenty of likable new characters and Pokemon.
3 Final Fantasy 7.99
Many consider the Final Fantasy series to be one of the very best franchises in gaming. With 15 main series games and countless spin-offs, it should come as no surprise that there have been many attempts at adapting the series into anime form. They haven't always hit the mark, but there are plenty of great adaptions out there.
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete is the pick of the bunch and expands upon the theatrical release in a number of areas. It offers a more extensive look at some of the characters' origins and an extended version of the fight scene between Cloud and Sephiroth. For anybody with even a passing interest in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, this OVA is a must-watch.
2 Fate/Stay Night - 8.21
The Fate series has expanded into many different mediums over the years, but the bulk of its success has come through its numerous anime series, specials and movies. Some of the movies are pushing a nine rating on MyAnimeList, but the most successful multi-episode series is Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works.
It holds an 8.21 rating based on almost half a million user scores and first aired in late 2014. Consisting of a single 12-episode cour, it tells the story of the Holy Grail War and a magi named Rin who takes part. Together with her servant Archer and her classmate Amiya, she must defeat a series of increasingly powerful opponents in order to get her hands on the ultimate prize.
1 Steins;Gate - 9.11
The Steins;Gate series has arguably found a lot more success through anime than it ever did through gaming, although given the style of the games, it's perhaps unsurprising that it was able to make the transition so seamlessly. There have been multiple anime adaptations over the years and they've all been pretty successful, but none more so than the original series, Steins;Gate.
Made up of two 12-episode cours, the show first aired in Japan throughout 2011 and, like the games, focuses on the antics of self-proclaimed mad scientist Rintarou Okabe. Visually speaking, it's incredibly similar to the games and features a solid voice cast to boot. It's been rated highly by more than one million users as a result, making it one of the most popular anime on MyAnimeList.