Metal Gear Solid, is a widely popular video game franchise by Hideo Kojima, published by Konami. Arriving in the year 1987, MGS has stayed for over 3 decades. However, it caught attention in 1998 when the third series arrived on Sony's PlayStation. Since then multiple spin-offs, OVAs of the game have come out. Back in 2016, the exit of Hideo Kojima from MGS marked the end of an era. But that didn't stop the resolve at Konami. Post Kojima, MGS is as fantastic as ever.
One of the things that MGS gave gamers is an anime-ish video game with unique gameplay and uber-cool villains. Set against the backdrop of the Cold War, the game provided a whole new meaning to nuclear non-proliferation and world order. If you loved the game, here are a couple of anime based on a somewhat similar premise.
10 KINGDOM
Action, history, military: these aspects of Kingdom converge very well with MGS. The story is based on China's warring time where a dragon has burnt cities to the ground. As warring factions race for domination, seven powerful states emerge. A war-orphan Piao is recruited by the king to fight in his battles. As a result, he parts ways with his fellow Li Xin. After the King is overthrown and Piao is killed, Li takes the grand scheme of things head-on.
Warring times and power struggles are constant in MGS and Kingdom, both.
9 ARGENTO SOMA
Argento Soma is an underrated hidden gem of an anime. Riddled heavily with Robots, it draws a similarity with MGS in that respect.
The story revolves around a lab manufactured bio-engineered alien Frank. In an invasion on the lab, Frank accidentally comes to life, he destroys the lab and everyone in his wake. Meanwhile, Takuto, the boy who chiefly assisted in creating Frank is paid a mysterious visit by Mr. X in the hospital.
High on emotions of vengeance, Takuto accepts X's offer to reclaim a new identity as Ryu Soma.
8 ARSLAN SENKI
Both MGS and Arslan Senki are riddled with themes of political warfare.
Arslan's father, King Andragoras III is dethroned by a warring neighbor and his army is wiped out. The prince is on the run with his trusted general Daryun. The story of Arslan Senki is a pretty generic one. He comes of age and builds his support from the shambles. Arslan is on a quest to reclaim what's taken from him.
7 MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM
Military, sci-fi and action, you'll find these similarities in both MGS and MSG! Both the franchises talk about the ugly side of a war.
The anime is a long-drawn battle between humanity and space cluster named Principality of Zeon. Zeon uses mobile suits, powerful mecha robots to advance their causes. Those living on the Earth, call themselves as Earth Federation, develop their own suit called Gundam to respond back. As the attacks intensify, a young boy named Amuro helms the battle on behalf of the Earth Federation.
6 CODE GEASS
The Metal Gear Solid 4 specifically resonates with Code Geass. For starters, an ongoing uprising against the government is shown in both. The other similar elements are the horrors of war and mass genocide. The underlying theme in both being: absolute powers corrupts absolutely.
Code Geass is the story of a boy Lelouch Lamperouge. He lives in the era of Japan's resistance against the conquering Empire of Britannia. Incidentally caught in the crossfire between the resistance and Britannia, he is saved by a mystery woman C.C. The woman bestows upon him the 'Power of Kings'. With this power, Lelouch responds to his true calling, to free Japan from the occupying outsiders.
5 BLACK LAGOON
Black Lagoon does full justice to action and Seinen. It tells the tale of Rokurou Okajima, a worker for a Japanese corporation. He breaks bad on an official trip to Thailand. As a bunch of pirates take Rokurou hostage, he realizes the true meaning of being alive. Rokurou breaks out of his shell and finds freedom in the pirate life.
In both MGS and Black Lagoon, the protagonists face mercs, assassins and crime syndicates. You will encounter endless gunfights everywhere. Not to mention, the common Russian angle in both.
4 NEON GENESIS EVANGELION
Psychological, drama and action, that's how Neon Genesis Evangelion overlaps with MGS. Not to mention war, abuse of power and political gimmicks.
Neon Genesis Evangelion is a hot topic anime since it came out in 1995. Directed by Hideaki Anno, the plot kicks off when a 14-year-old Shinji Ikari is reluctantly summoned to join the NERV by his overbearing father Ritsuko. The primary responsibility of NERV is to defend Tokyo-3 against monsters called Angels. As Shinji pilots the titular Evangelion, a gigantic robotic machine and he chooses duty over everything else.
3 TRIGUN
A $60,000,000,000 bounty on some donut loving buffoons head? Trigun reminds not to judge a book by its cover. Meet Vash, the anime protagonist who is synonymous with 'The Humanoid Typhoon'. He lays a trial of death everywhere he goes. As Vash travels across No Man's land Gunsmoke, his insurance agents Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson try to minimize the damage.
Trigun and MGS are similar in two respects: intense gun battles, similar story arcs.
2 COWBOY BEBOP
Bounty hunters, genius Corgis, and criminals: welcome to Cowboy Bebop. The anime is set in 2071, where humankind are reduced to colonizers of planets and satellites, alike. The might of colonizers rests on The Inter Solar System Police. Aiding the police are bounty hunters known as Cowboys, aboard their spaceship Bebop. The ragtag team of five in their space ship hunt for criminals that may pose a threat to peace.
Cowboy Bebop is truly exceptional on account of many things. Although it borrows heavily from Western pop-culture, all of that can be overlooked on account of its audiovisuals and style.
1 GHOST IN THE SHELL
Ghost In The Shell anime resembles MGS the most. Set against a similar backdrop: an over-arching government, optical camouflage, cyber brains, hacking and ethics and most of all, what differentiates humans from the rest. Other similarities between the two are heavy state policing and mind-blowing action.
Ghost in the Shell is a futuristic anime that tells the tale of Niihama City where technology has overtaken almost every aspect of life. Citizens are able to replace their limbs with robotics parts and whatnot. In a global world order, a mysterious hacker hacks into the minds of men and erases their memories. It leaves you heavy-hearted, thinking about existentialism and the fundamentals of human life. A true masterpiece in every sense of the word.