Squid Game is not a new concept. That doesn’t mean it is bad. It just means there is other content out there fans can enjoy too. Squid Game can be boiled down to a Battle Royale clone, which was popularized by the titular film of the same name. It took a while for other media to copy the manga and film series. Now there are tons of films, games, and anime to enjoy that are similar.

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If viewers enjoyed Squid Game, it is recommended to watch the first Battle Royale movie. It still holds up. The Hunger Games set of books and films is fun too. For anime fans, there are plenty of great shows to check out as well. Some are direct ideas fans of Squid Game can follow while others' recommendations are a bit more abstract.

Updated January 18, 2023 by Ritwik Mitra: Even after all this time, Squid Game still stands strong as one of the most popular Korean shows of all time. The twisted games that take place in this show are truly hard to watch, with the memorable cast of characters making events all the more engaging and exciting.

As a result, Squid Game can genuinely feel like a pretty unique show that might not have too many similarities with other titles, but that couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, the following anime are perfect for fans of Squid Game who want to see more twisted shows!

19 Assassination Classroom

Korosensei and students in Assassination Classroom

Assassination Classroom is one of the most unique shows that anyone can check out. The series seems like a run-of-the-mill shonen anime before revealing its true cards as certain mysteries are revealed to the audience.

This results in a spectacular watch with one of the most heartbreaking conclusions to any anime in recent memory. The very Earth is on the line in this series, which definitely makes for higher stakes than the ones present in Squid Game.

18 Kengan Ashura

ouma in a fighting stance

Squid Game essentially pits players against others in brutal and twisted scenarios for the sole purpose of entertaining the rich. A more simplified version of the same concept is present in Kengan Ashura, where fighters are pitted against each other in a modern form of gladiatorial combat.

The series features great action sequences and shows just how corrupt too much money can make anyone. It helps that the main character, Tokita Ohma, is also a pretty fascinating character in his own right.

17 Tower Of God

Tower Of God

Tower of God is one of the first manhwa to receive an official animated adaptation, showing just how popular it really is. The titular tower is a monstrous and mysterious construct that inhabitants must ascend to reach higher floors and unlock more challenges.

The entire aspect of ascending the tower is presented as a game, which will be right up the alley of Squid Game fans. While Tower of God might blast through a ton of content in some of its later episodes, it's still worth watching for the intriguing premise alone.

16 Alice In Borderland

Alice In Borderland

Most people know Alice in Borderland because of the live-action series that recently released its second season on Netflix. However, what most people might not be aware of is that show is based on a manga that already had an anime adaptation!

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Alice in Borderland's 3 OVAs do a decent job of telling the series' story, with a bunch of unlucky people being caught in a twisted killing game where death awaits them at every corner. It's a tense series that is fun to watch regardless of whether check out the anime or the live-action adaptation.

15 Btooom!

BTOOOM! Main Characters Looking Back While Heading Towards A Helicopter

The idea of getting stuck in a violent video game is nightmare fuel for many people. As a result, Btooom! can actually be a pretty compelling watch for fans of Squid Game, with various characters in the game being forced into a twisted game where their very lives are on the line.

Btooom! isn't anything special, but it pulls off most of its tropes nicely. The series can get pretty creative at times, leading to some enjoyable moments as long as fans are able to handle the copious amounts of fanservice in this series.

14 Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor

kaiji anime - Kaiji in desperate situation

An anime that is very much like Squid Game, Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor is a must-watch for any fan of the Korean show. The themes, motifs, and setting of this anime are quite similar to Squid Game. The concept of a killing game is also shown in Kaiji, albeit differently and uniquely. Watching people try their hardest to avoid the punishment of losing in these gambling events is surprisingly engaging.

13 Gantz

red black and white wallpaper with the cast of the anime gantz

Gantz is one of the most brutal and heartwrenching anime out there. The series doesn't shy away from showing some gory scenes while also playing at the heartstrings of viewers who have become invested in the anime's brilliant characters.

Watching all the characters fight to gain a second shot at life is oddly saddening. Of course, as the dynamics of the series change, the points that players accrue in this game end up being used for completely different things altogether.

12 Deadman Wonderland

deadman wonderland heroes

The concept of Deadman Wonderland is easily one of its biggest strengths. The idea of a prison doubling as a twisted theme park is a ludicrous premise, but credit must be given to Deadman Wonderland for making this premise one of the best parts of the show.

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The battles and games present in this show are extremely engrossing, all the way to the very end. Fans of Squid Game will definitely gain a ton of enjoyment from watching Deadman Wonderland.

11 Darwin's Game

Darwin's Game

Just like Squid Game, Darwin's Game also places people in a life-or-death situation as they get through the game and uncover the truth. It's a short and great show that any anime fan would find to be a decent watch.

Watching people try and survive in these high-stakes battles is drearily entertaining. Kaname, the protagonist of the tale, makes for one of the best parts of the show as he tries to figure out the identity of the Game Master who runs things behind the scenes.

10 High-Rise Invasion

High-Rise Invasion

Another anime that places people in another world where they need to fight to survive is High-Rise Invasion. It's a simple yet intriguing anime that any fan of the medium will enjoy.

Just like Darwin's Game, this anime is also pretty short and makes for an entertaining watch. Uncovering the mystery of the world that Yuri and her friends find themselves in makes this anime all the more engaging.

9 Future Diary

Yukiteru and Yuno from Future Diary

Future Diary is about a god wishing to retire. He chooses a bunch of mortals who he thinks will make good replacements. This god gives them each a cell phone with powers such as predicting enemy movements in the future.

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The last man or woman standing will then become the next god. It is a nail-biting experience that is hard to predict what will happen next thanks to excellent twists and turns that bold up from the core mystery.

8 Danganronpa

A scene featuring characters from Danganronpa

Danganronpa started as a visual novel game for the PSP. Since then the original has been remade, ported, and received multiple sequels and spinoffs. There are a couple of anime adaptations as well based on these games. The core concept sees a bunch of high schoolers being thrown into a deadly game of murder against their will.

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The anime shows follow the plots pretty closely to the games but viewers of the anime will lose out on some character building. Every anime adaptation is recommended, as are the games.

7 Sword Art Online

Kirito and Asuna from Sword Art Online

Sword Art Online is a bit looser of a connection to Squid Game and the genre as a whole. The first season of the anime is about a fantasy MMO that traps its players in the game. If people die in the MMO, then they die in real life.

Is there an escape? Do some even want to escape or do they wish to spend an eternity in a fantasy world? The first season is action-packed with a good mystery and love story behind it. The following seasons get weird but the first should still be sought out. It's also an Isekai.

6 God Of High School

Jin from God Of High School

God of High School is set around a fighting tournament. The winner gets a boatload of cash. It’s a brutal competition where seemingly anything goes and only the toughest of the toughs will get to the top. There is a lot of action but there is also comedy Involved as well in the small downtime in-between matches. This is a perfect fit for Squid Game as this too is South Korean and not Japanese in origin.

5 Death Parade

Decim from Death Parade

Death Parade is as heartbreaking as some of the betrayals toward the latter half of Squid Game. There is a bar where some lucky lost souls are sent to in death. This applies to couples that die together. They must play a game to determine who gets sent to heaven and who gets sent to hell.

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The games include typical bar activities like darts and pool. Most episodes are one-offs, but some do tie together with other characters besides the core cast of would-be reapers.

4 The World Ends With You

Neku from The World Ends With You

The World Ends With You started as a video game in 2007 in Japan. In 2021, it finally got a game sequel, Neo: The World Ends With You, along with an anime adaptation of the original. It follows Neku who died and lands in another version of Japan.

He is forced to partner up with various other players throughout the series. It’s a game of death that lasts seven days. If players can manage to win, they get to wish for anything they want. There is much more to it than that and the mystery will slowly unfold itself.

3 Deca-Dence

Natsume from Deca-Dence

Deca-Dence has one of the most surprising twists in an anime in recent history. It was advertised as a show about the last remaining bastion of humanity living inside a movable city. The planet has been overrun with bugs and only an elite group of soldiers can fight them off.

The twist comes at the end of the first episode so it’s not a huge spoiler to say that the world above is a simulation. It’s a game played with real people via underground mutants. The humans have no idea they are pawns either.

2 Akudama Drive

Promo art featuring characters from Akudama Drive

Akudama Drive is a cyberpunk anime where criminals run rampant. One night a young girl gets caught up in a race to see who can heist a certain object faster.

It eventually ends when everyone involved gets an explosive collar strapped to their throat and are then forced to keep the heist train moving. It sounds darker than it is but overall it’s a more comedic show. Fans of Squid Game should still be able to enjoy it though.

1 Redline

A racing scene from Redline

Redline is also a racing anime but in this case, it involves cars. It’s a film rather than an anime show. It’s an obscure one from a while ago that deserves more attention. It’s like a more modern and mature version of Speed Racer, except it is interplanetary.

The animation is top-notch and the races are thrilling. It doesn’t involve any sort of death game, but there is certainly a huge prize at the end and fatalities do occur.

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