The anime and video game community just seem to go hand in hand. For those looking for an escape from reality and into fantastical worlds of laughter, drama and overall quirkiness, these mediums worked together to protect and challenge their fans. When the two come together, the result is often mixed between lazy anime adaptations and even lazier video game adaptations.
The two do, however, find a surprising middle ground within one medium: visual novels. Within what are essentially comic books that require electricity, visual novels have offered fun and accessible stories to various video game fans that have seen far easier entryways into the anime medium than their video game contemporaries. This list will be looking at some of the best, as it runs done a few anime based on visual novels.
10 Ace Attorney
Phoenix Wright has been a video game icon since his inception in the early 2000s. With the arrival of the Ace Attorney games, visual novels went from books that people would have to click through to exciting mysteries and courtroom dramas that people would have to click through.
It would make sense that given its legacy and easy propensity for excitement and drama that the boy in the blue suit would eventually find time to scream "Objection!" in anime form. And while the reception to his new home has been mixed, it's still a fun addition for those wanting more of Phoenix's courtroom antics.
9 Little Busters!
The story of Riki Naoe is one of tragedy and heartfelt friendship. Devastated by the death of his parents at an early age, the only ones that could save Riki from his depression was a group of eccentric figures that went by the "Little Busters."
Heroes of justice and a friendly hand to Riki, they would eventually bring him out of his slump and help him traverse the adventures of high school and one interesting baseball game. Don't be fooled, however. As the romance and Slice-of-Life drama goes on, Riki slowly uncovers the secrets of a hidden world.
8 Ef: A Tale of Memories
ef is a beloved visual novel known for its intertwining adventurers of different lovers across town. Its story focuses on a simple purse snatching on Christmas Eve that soon turns into a heated love triangle, and a fateful meeting on a train station that has a young Renji Asou help an amnesiac Chihiro Shindou fulfill her dream of writing a novel.
Produced by Studio Shaft, the eclectic studio responsible for Arakawa Under the Bridge and the Monogatari series, ef: A Tale of Memories is an early addition to the studio's growing list of unique love stories.
7 The Fruit of Grisaia
With an incredibly distinct setting to grab viewers from the start, The Fruit of Grisaia focuses on the mysterious Mihama Academy as it gets its first and only male student, Yuji Kazami. Infamous for its prison-like qualities, this academy has taken in five different girls who all struggle with their own circumstances, each leading them to Mihama.
Yuji is the same, though it is made clear to him that he has no obligation to get involved with the situations of the girls. Is Yuji capable of doing so? Will he be enraptured by his fellow classmates? Is his own dilemma that led him to Mihama too great to bring to anyone? It's a deeply exciting game that fans were excited to see become an anime.
6 Kanon (2006)
From Kyoto Animation, a studio very well known for its drama and stories about cute girls, comes the anime adaptation of one of the best selling visual novels in Japanese history, Kanon. Its story focuses on Yuichi Aizawa, a high schooler who returns to a certain town after 7 years.
He apparently has no memories of the time he was there but slowly finds them again and their paranormal circumstances as he meets and connects with five other girls. With the peak level of mystery, romance, and twists that have made visual novels famous, Kanon is a standout series that is sure to delight anyone with that hunger for pure drama.
5 Danganronpa
Moving away from the typical romances and harems, Danganronpa really shakes up the visual novel format by connecting with its Ace Attorney roots and throwing in plenty of murder and despair into the mix. Several students have become trapped in the acclaimed Hope's Peak Academy after mysterious circumstances left each unconscious.
When they awaken, they are forced into a death game that requires one person to secretly get away with the murder of another student. They must do so until no students are left or until they have been found out in a trial by the other students. With several exciting mystery and horror elements to grab people's attention, both the game and anime are standout pieces within the wake of Battle Royale.
4 When They Cry
Still tired of lovey-dovey visual novels? Then buckle up for the horror/psychological icon that is When They Cry. Infamous for its dark tones, character writing, and horrific scenes, When They Cry is a small town mystery done with exceptional tension. Keiichi Maebara and his family move to Hinamizawa for a fresh start.
While there, Keiichi becomes close friends with a group of local girls and begins a close bond with them. However, as the Watanagashi Festival draws near, no one seems to be safe as its mysterious traditions have left various mysterious murders and disappearances within its wake. None of that is mentioned by the realtor, but it probably should.
3 Clannad
To take a break from all the blood and gore of the previous two entries, Clannad is a masterclass among all romance/drama series. Often relegated as one of the saddest anime of all time, its story focuses on two high schoolers who help push each other past their pasts and weaknesses and work together to survive the trials and tribulations of high school, such resolving a gang war, helping a ghost girl, and solving the mysterious circumstances of the death of the scientist parents of one of their classmates.
Clannad's is a story that uses the personality of its characters and the spectacle of its situations to bring out the peak of its emotions and drama.
2 Steins;Gate
Not a series to be outdone in high concept shenanigans, Steins;Gate is one of the most critically acclaimed and deeply challenging, sci-fi anime around. Its story focuses on a group of scientists who unlock a method to time travel and must now deal with the consequences of its knowledge, changes, and the various people coming after them.
Its more serious and psychological elements are only given more weight by its lovable cast of characters that can break the tension as much as they can add further stakes to their adventure.
1 The Fate Series
Standing at the top of this list is a series that can't get recommended enough. The Fate series has been a beloved addition to the growing number of franchises within the anime industry. Starting as an erotic visual novel, studios like ufotable have taken Fate to its heights and allowed it to be the philosophical, psychological, action-packed fantasy series that it could have always been and more.
If the epic battle for the Holy Grail wasn't enough, there are also various spin-offs of Fate to feed all varieties of fans, such as a Slice-of-Life comedy, a magical girl series, and even a cooking anime. For those wanting a game with plenty of content and an anime that never ceases to give to its fans, Fate is here to serve.