For many anime fans, gaming is also a big hobby. Gaming and anime have gone hand in hand from the start. With the rising popularity of gaming, this has only increased.
It's no surprise then that anime has adopted gaming into its stories. Many beloved characters are gamers, just like their audience. Some anime use gaming as a side plot while others make it the main focus. Game anime are gaining more fans every year. Though many take the form of an isekai series, plenty focus on real-world games. From video games to card games and anything in-between, game anime are a big hit for fans.
10 Gamers! Is A Rom-Com Story Centered Around Gaming
In the series Gamers!, Keito Amano is the typical loner protagonist and loves gaming. His world changes when he joins the Gaming Club at his school. The story centers around Keito and the other club members as they get to know one another.
While their blossoming relationships take center stage, the series focuses on gaming and the pure enjoyment of playing together. Even though it does not play a role in the main plot, it still plays an important part as the characters come together through their love of games.
9 Kakegurui Brings An Interesting Twist To The Game Anime Genre
Kakegurui begins at the prestigious Hyakkaou Private Academy, where high-class and wealthy students learn to make it in an affluent society. By day, the Academy is like any other school. By night, it transforms into a gambling den where students learn the art of manipulation.
Yumeko Jabami is different from the other students at the Academy. She plays for the thrill gambling brings rather than with the intent to win. Because of this, she takes more risks than anyone around her. Her thrills create an interesting dynamic that is rarely seen in the genre, making Kakegurui stand out from other game anime.
8 D-Frag! Is A Slice-Of-Life That Celebrates The Fun Of Gaming
Gang leader Kenji Kazama joins the Game Development Club by force in D-Frag!, flipping his life upside down. After helping the club extinguish a fire, a crazy series of events reel him in.
As Kenji tries his best to escape the clutches of the club, he slowly gets to know each of his fellow members. He and the girls bond together through gaming. Before long, Kenji realizes he enjoys being a part of the club. The series is a cute slice-of-life that uses the love of games to bring people together.
7 Chihayafuru Features A Unique Japanese Card Game
The series Chihayafuru centers around the Japanese card game, Karuta. Protagonist Chihaya falls in love with the game at a young age. She practices every day, improving her skill until she is a master of Karuta by high school. When she begins her first year, she aims to start a Karuta club and take her playing to the national level.
With her dream of becoming a national champion within her reach, she seeks out members for her new club. Unfortunately, finding students with as great of love for Karuta as her is a difficult task. The series follows Chihaya's journey to achieve her dreams while teaching viewers a traditional game few know.
6 Hi-Score Girl Is A Fun Look At Rivalry In Gaming
Set in the '90s, Hi-Score Girl is a series with a focus on arcade games. Haruo Yaguchi is a master arcade gamer who aims to take his skills to a professional level. He makes a name for himself around the local arcades. No one can match him. That is until he meets Akira Oono, a girl with just as much arcade skill as Haruo.
After Akira serves him a crushing defeat, Haruo vows to make her his rival in gaming. The series follows the two as they compete and get to know more about each other through their rivalry.
5 New Game! Goes Behind The Scenes Of Game Development
Fans get a taste of what the game development industry is all about in New Game! as Aoba Suzukaze strives to make it in this tough field of work. After college, Aoba lands her first job at the development company Eagle Jump. It is a dream come true for the newbie developer, as they are the creators of her favorite game series, Fairies Story.
She is ecstatic to learn she will be on the development team for the next installment of the series. It is a cute series that allows fans to see the industry through Aoba's eyes as she gets to know her team and works to make the perfect game.
4 March Comes In Like A Lion Is A Unique Look At The Game Shogi
Rei Kiriyama is a very young professional Shogi player in March Comes in Like a Lion. Despite his promising career, the pressure becomes too much for him as he begins to withdraw from everyone. Once he meets Akari, Momo, and Hinata, this all changes.
Through their friendship, he overcomes his emotions and his struggles. He finally opens up to others and continues a more healthy career. The series focuses on emotion and relationships while giving viewers an insight into a game rarely featured in anime.
3 Welcome To The NHK Tackles Tough Subjects While Focusing On Game Creation
Hikikomori and college dropout Tatsuhiro Satou has isolated himself and become paranoid as a result, believing his lot in life to be part of a conspiracy. He winds up working with his friend, Kaoru Yamazaki, and the two delve into the world of game development together.
The show goes into game creation with great detail and the struggles that game developers face. All the while, it tackles dark subject matter such as feelings of low self-esteem and psychological issues as Tatsuhiro strives to improve his life.
2 Hikaru No Go Is A Game Anime Classic
Despite being one of the oldest, Hikaru no Go is one of the biggest game anime and a true classic that saw great popularity in its time. The series follows Hikaru Shindou as he discovers an old Go board one fateful day. Sealed in the board is the spirit of Sai, a Go player whose love for the game is so strong it conquers even death.
With the help of Hikaru, Sai aims to master a divine technique that no other Go player has ever achieved. A rivalry sparks between Hikaru and genius player Akira Touya that ignites a passion in him. This passion grows as he and Sai start their journey to master the game.
1 Yu-Gi-Oh! Is Still One Of The Best Game Series Out There
Yu-Gi-Oh! is one of the biggest and most popular series on games to exist. It has expanded from the original series and become a franchise of its own. It centers around the game Duel Monsters. The original series follows Yugi Muto, who comes into the possession of a treasure known as the Millennium Puzzle. This artifact contains the spirit of an ancient Pharoah who lends his skills to Yugi when faced by opponents.
With the Pharoah's spirits residing within him, Yugi must unlock the secrets of the Millennium Items while earning the title of King of Games. The first series has sparked a phenomenon, making Yu-Gi-Oh! a household name among game anime and turning Duel Monsters into a popular real-life card game.