Love them or hate them, amusement parks have become a unique and iconic experience for citizens and tourists alike. Accordingly, theme parks have made their way into modern media, and there are many series out there that feature amusement park settings. They're often used for family-based or romantic-based plots in anime, but they've also been used as dystopian backdrops in anime with darker themes or as battlegrounds in action anime.
There's a multitude of anime that feature amusement park episodes for different reasons, including climactic battles, family outings, romantic dates, and even comedy skits. Many of these episodes tend to be heartwarming, but some are disturbingly violent and disconcerting.
10 The Straw Hat Pirates Visited Sabaody Park & Had A Blast (One Piece)
During the Sabaody Archipelago Arc in One Piece, Luffy and the rest of his crew came across Camie, a merfolk who the Straw Hat Pirates saved and befriended. Part of their travels together included a stop at Sabaody Park, an amusement park located in the Sabaody Archipelago. Although they were supposed to be looking for a mechanic to outfit Luffy's ship with the special resin, the group instead took advantage of the park's attractions, fulfilling Camie's childhood dream of attending the park safely.
9 Yuki & Yuno Used An Amusement Park Date To Lure Out Minene (Future Diary)
Surviving the elimination game between diary users in Future Diary is each diary user's primary goal, but there was a fair amount of cooperation between some of them. Yukiteru and Yuno's alliance comes to mind first and foremost, but Keigo Kurusu was also an important cooperative figure early on in the series. In Episode 3, Kurusu convinces Yuki and Yuno to go on an amusement park date to lure out Minene Uryu, a dangerous terrorist. The date allowed Yuki to see the cute, girly side of Yuno.
8 Amusement Park Fun Got Canceled When Yukko Lost Her Wallet (Nichijou)
Nichijou is an episodic, skit-based parody anime without much continuity, so there wasn't any major reason why Mio and Yukko went to a theme park. An amusement park was just a good backdrop for a gag. During the trip, Yukko asks Mio to hold on to her wallet... but Mio loses it.
Yukko is initially emotionless about the loss due to shock, but she calms down once they check the lost and found, which did have her wallet... but her 4,016 yen was missing. Her day was completely ruined.
7 The Sailor Scouts Visited An Amusement Park For Work (Sailor Moon)
Following rumors of people disappearing at a local theme park in Sailor Moon, Usagi, Rei, Ami, and Luna find themselves at Dream Land to solve the mystery. But Usagi got way too distracted with the colorful rides, food, and attractions, much to Rei's annoyance. Notably, this episode did not occur in the manga, making it an anime filler episode, so it doesn't really add anything to the main story. Nevertheless, the Sailor Scouts' trip through Dream Land was a fun episode with an equally fun setting.
6 Ash & Company Stumbled Across An Amusement Park With Giant Pokémon (Pokémon)
Notably, Pokémon's Ash, Misty, and Brock didn't know they were at a theme park... and neither did their Pokémon, who'd been separated from their trainers. This episode is known for its subtitles used for the lost Pokémon, whose conversations aren't in human language. The characters find themselves on a seemingly deserted island after escaping from some violent Gyarados and are subsequently surprised by various giant Pokémon who don't respond when spoken to. It turns out the whole island is a theme park run by Team Rocket's Giovanni and the giant Pokémon were only animatronics.
5 Anzu Invited Yugi To An Amusement Park Date To Lure Out Atem (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Many long-time Yu-Gi-Oh! fans likely remember Anzu's ever-so-slightly annoying crush on Atem, Yugi's "other self" that was also referred to as Dark Yugi. And these same fans likely remember the early amusement park episode in Yu-Gi-Oh! Season 0, where Anzu invited Yugi on a date with the grand scheme of getting Atem's attention. Anzu wanted to expose herself to danger so Atem would appear to save her, but her plan didn't exactly work out. Atem still appeared, however, when a dangerous bomber appeared and threatened Anzu's life.
4 Hirotaka Asked Narumi Out On A Non-Otaku Amusement Park Date (Wotakoi)
Realizing that he and Narumi are interacting the same they always have since childhood in Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku prompted Hirotaka to wonder what kind of relationship they have. As a test, he set up a "non-otaku" date where both of them went somewhere "normal" (i.e., an amusement park) and weren't allowed to make any otaku jokes without a penalty.
It's a cute episode that reinforces Hirotaka and Narumi's attraction to one another and allows them to grow closer as lovers.
3 Singing At NiaLand's Main Stage Was Vivy's Mission (Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song)
As the first autonomous AI, Diva – nicknamed "Vivy" later on – had a singular mission to "sing from her heart" in Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song. She's a songstress whose ultimate goal was to take the amusement park NiaLand's main stage and make people smile with her music. Since Vivy was made to be used in a theme park, there are a handful of episodes including NiaLand and its patrons. But not all episodes with NiaLand are happy ones, making it a bit different than typical anime amusement park episodes.
2 Spike Encounters A Dangerous Criminal At An Abandoned Amusement Park (Cowboy Bebop)
Unlike many amusement park episodes in anime, which tend to be humorous or romantic events, the amusement park episode in Cowboy Bebop is dystopian and spooky. Spike ends up crossing paths with Mad Pierrot, a dangerous murderer who was experimented on until he lost his mind and escaped the research facility where he was being held. Mad Pierrot kills anyone who sees him, so he invited Spike to a "party" at the deserted theme park Space Land. The fight makes use of Space Land's deserted attractions, making for an atmospheric, eerie battle.
1 Kanna Begged Kobayashi For An Amusement Park Outing (Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid S)
Being a young dragon who's curious about the human world has its perks, and Kanna knows this well. After all, Kobayashi agreed to take everyone on an amusement park outing when Kanna asked in Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S. Kobayashi was pretty inexperienced with theme parks herself, however, as it was also her own very first time visiting one. Nevertheless, Kobayashi tried her best to describe what was fun about the amusement park to Tohru while Kanna, Ilulu, and Saikawa enjoyed the food and attractions.