Modern Japanese culture has a famous obsession with games. Whether it's video games or the thrill of gambling, Japan has embedded the joys of competition within the comfort of every home. And while video games are a clear target for conversation, Japan's proclivity for board games shouldn't be underestimated.
Within the world of anime, board games have led to intense moments within action series, touching scenes in Slice-of-Life anime, and, when the game is the premise itself, powerful plots that rival the intensity of even mecha and fantasy series. Whether a tabletop fan is looking for a new recommendation or someone wants to learn about Japan's own special brands of Monopoly, there are plenty of board game anime that deserve a good look.
10 Yu-Gi-Oh!
Card game anime may be just a really expensive means of advertising a highly collectible children's toy, but they've truly blossomed into an anime staple within their own right. Leading the genre is none other than Yu-Gi-Oh!. Here, the game isn't just a game, as people's lives, entire futures, and even the fate of the world are constantly put on the line because of a children's card game.
With different iterations, the series has touched on Egyptian battles, card game themed private schools, and somehow even motorcycle races. As extravagant as the series may get, one thing will always remain true: watching this series isn't a good way to learn the actual game.
9 Chihayafuru
It's no secret that board games can bring people together. Why else would so many family game nights be dedicated to them? However, it isn't until watching a series like Chihayafuru does one realize how lifechanging even a card game can be. In this series, three childhood friends bond over karuta, a card game that involves memorizing and matching lines to Japanese poems.
As time tends to do, they begin to grow apart, with the one that helped introduce the bunch to karuta disappearing entirely. Not one to give up, Chihaya Ayase tries to reignite her nostalgic youth by starting her own karuta club in high school.
8 Akagi
Written by the same creator of the gambling-themed thriller, Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor, Akagi relives the same thrills of that series but without the elaborate plots to torture people or have them fall to their deaths. All of the intensity of this series lies in its one game, mahjong. Nangou is a compulsive gambler whose addiction pits his life on the line in a last-ditch mahjong game against the yakuza.
His luck changes, however, when a Shigeru Akagi, a young kid on the run from the police, walks in on their game. Passing his game unto Akagi, Nangou discovers that he may have a world-class gambler in his hands.
7 Saki
Series like Haikyuu!! or Koroko's Basketball may make it seem like more traditional, more physical sports may be at the center of anime high schools, but they don't even scratch the surface of what Japan is willing to compete with. In Saki, the titular Saki Miyanaga has been put off from playing mahjong for years despite having an unusual talent for it.
It isn't until that she comes across her school's competitive mahjong club that her appreciation for the game would blossom again and, even more importantly, that she'd make some great friends. As the story progresses, Saki's relationship with the club grows and the team works hard to compete at the national competition.
6 Hikaru No Go
Some people get into board games because they're fun. Others get into them because they're competitive. And then there are people like Hikaru Shindou who got into go because he got possessed by a spirit from the Heian Era.
The spirit initially just wants to use Hikaru to relive their passion for the game as well as master a technique that they've been trying to perfect, and Hikaru simply goes with the motions. It isn't until that he comes across the go prodigy, Akira Touya, that he'd truly become invested in the game and begin his own journey to master it.
5 Shion No Ou
Shion no Ou spits on the idea that board games were meant to be fun and makes its central game, shogi, the only means for Yasuoka Shion to solve her parents' murder.
On the tragic night, a five-year-old Shion was challenged by the murderer to a game of shougi, losing her voice and memories in the process. With nothing else but shogi to go on, Shion's foray into the game takes her into darker and darker places as she unfolds a greater mystery.
4 Summer Wars
To be fair, Summer Wars wasn't initially about hanafuda and Koi-Koi. The Mamoru Hosoda classic began as an interesting look at the importance of family values and an international battle against a computer virus. However, as the film progresses, the film becomes all about the Japanese card game as it becomes the deciding factor between life and nuclear death.
A lot of the marketing material behind the film even focused on creating special hanafuda decks and a Koi-Koi app game. Whether or not fans actually bought these, there's no denying that Summer Wars got people cheering "Koi-Koi" at the end.
3 Selector Infected WIXOSS
Selector Infected WIXOSS is both an interesting take on the card game anime as well as another tally mark on the increasing number of dark, magical girl series. In this series, Ruuko Kominato finds herself swept up in the latest card game craze within her school. However, when she gets her first deck, she finds a mysterious girl coming out of her avatar card.
This is when she learns that she's now a "Selector" and part of a game between other girls to have their wishes granted. As fun as this might seem, Ruuko slowly discovers the darker intentions behind the game, as the losers and winners alike find themselves worse off.
2 After School Dice Club
After School Dice Club isn't just about one game but has the luxury of getting to be about many of them. Here, Miki Takekasa discovers the wonderful world of board games as she and her newfound friends begin hanging out at a local, board game shop.
Not only does Miki begin to learn about fun and friendship, but the group introduces the audience to a variety of interesting and obscure board games. Whether or not someone likes this series, there's no doubt that anyone watching is leaving with a fun, new idea for their weekend.
1 March Comes In Like A Lion
Studio Shaft's March Comes in Like a Lion isn't just a great way to get into shogi but is a phenomenal drama series within its own right. Adopted for the pure purpose of becoming a competitive shogi player, Rei Kiriyama has always had a hard time relating to people and an even harder time understanding his family.
It isn't until that he comes across the eclectic Kawamoto family that he begins a new lease on life and starts playing the game a little differently. Along his emotional journey, Rei makes some new friends, meets new rivals, and learns just how much a single board game can mean to people.