The billion-dollar Japanese animation industry continues to increase its popularity globally, thanks to more streaming programs supporting it. Outside of niche streaming services like Crunchyroll and Funimation, which have a sole focus on distributing anime, big-name companies like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon have also brought more Japanese animated shows to their respective platforms. We now have more options than ever to choose from, which is a good thing, because a wide variety of genres and themed shows have cropped up over the years. And to the delight of gamers, a lot of them involve video games in some way.
There’s no denying the crossover between anime and video game fans. After all, many video games are influenced by anime, having similar plotlines, complete with flashy action sequences and thrilling heroics. We picked some anime that involve video games in creative ways, from going inside the trials and tribulations of a development studio to being transported into an MMORPG and living a different life. Here are our recommendations if you’re looking for the perfect combination of your favorite hobby and the anime asthetic.
New Game!
Most anime reference video games or show characters enjoying the hobby, but New Game! takes you into the world of game development, demonstrating the blood, sweat, and tears that go into the process. The narrative centers on the ambitious and bright-eyed Aoba, who starts her first day as a character designer for an all-female studio called Eagle Jump. Watching the team build a camaraderie as they work to make a sequel to their popular game is endearing, but there’s also something very charming about watching Aoba learn from her superiors and realize that it takes time to master any craft. Equal parts lighthearted and heart-warming, New Game! shows how the littlest details can transform games into something special.
Gamers!
The name (complete with exclamation point) says it all, putting the focus rightfully where it belongs. Gamers! is all about being a gamer and the bonds we build with others through our virtual pastime. The story focuses on a small group of students who are members of a game club at school. Expect trips to the arcade, video game shops, and seeing characters faceoff against each other in real games like fighter Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. Oh, and don’t forget some complicated feelings in the love department. Every good anime needs that type of drama on the side.
Hi-Score Girl
An adorable anime that pays homage to the classic ‘90s games many played at arcades, like Street Fighter II and Virtua Cop, Hi-Score Girl is the ultimate showcase of the competitive spirit and rivalries formed over getting our initials on the top-score display. Obsessed with games and bored with academia, Haruo meets his gaming match in Akira, the rich girl from his school. The two couldn’t be more different, but they both approach games in interesting ways with unique strategies to surpass the competition. Hi-School Girl touches on our gaming pride and accepting the success of others, while also captivating with the burgeoning bond between Haruo and Akira, who may just be exactly what each other needs as they face their own hardships.
.hack//Sign
What if you entered a video game world but couldn’t log out? .hack//Sign is one of the more classic picks on this list, but an essential addition as it set a high bar for anime, especially with how it portrays our relationship with video games in surprising and thoughtful ways. When main character Tsukasa logs into MMORPG The World, he wakes up in a dungeon with short-term memory loss and soon realizes he is unable to exit the game. The suspense coupled with the lure of unraveling the mysteries behind the MMORPG and Tsukasa’s real-world identity keeps you watching, but the larger topics of anxiety, escapism, and acceptance provide substance and meaning. Mostly, .hack//Sign just nails how people often assume certain roles in a virtual world to compensate for something missing in their real life.