10 Anime That Deserve Their Own Video Game
Turn these anime into video games!
The world of video games based on anime is much like that of movies based on video games: a few shining examples amidst a pile of mostly ‘meh’.
The ferocity, tension, world building, character development, sleek animation, and amazing musical scores are just part of what makes anime so special.
Sometimes, when you’re sitting down watching an episode of your favourite anime, or experiencing a new one all together, you might think, “this would make a fantastic game”. At least, I do – all too often.
After seeing the announcement for the game based on One Punch Man, I started thinking about more anime series and films I’d like to see converted into the gaming world. Here’s are 10 anime I’d love to see brought into the video game world.
Hellsing: Ultimate
Genre: Action
Created and released after the culmination of the original Hellsing anime, Hellsing: Ultimate more closely follows the storyline of the manga. This show follows the battle between the undead, and those who control them, fighting against Hellsing, a powerful organisation headed by Integra. Utilising her all-powerful weapon Alucard, a vampire who fights against his own, she is determined to demolish this threat to mankind.
With over-the-top action, striking dialogue, beautiful setpieces, and a tremendous score, Hellsing: Ultimate would translate into a fantastic action game. Whether you play through mission-by-mission, or let the player have a semi-open world in which to find quests, progress the story, or practice their skills, a game set in this universe has the potential to be flashy, engaging, and all-together exciting.
FLCL
Genre: Story-driven adventure with a dash of action
The original FLCL, along with its follow-ups FLCL Progressive and FLCL Alternative, tell a wonderfully wacky story surrounding the happenings of Haruko Haruhara and the people she comes into contact with.
Though FLCL does have some stellar action in it, I don’t see it being the core of the game. A beautiful, story-driven adventure game with some action thrown in now and then would do well to capture the series. The trademark humour and science-fiction aspects of the show could be shown off and displayed in great detail through a genre such as that. Being able to explore this vibrant, strange, and wonderful series through your system of choice would be a lovely experience.
Kuromukuro
Genre: Mecha-brawler
Kuromukuro follows the battle between alien forces, known as the Efy Dolgh, and the people of Japan. Long before the start of the show, a young samurai and the young heir to the Washiba clan, whom he is sworn to protect, fight back the alien invasion with a stolen Efy Dolgh which they name Kuromukuro. Fast forward to the present, and Yukina Shirahane, daughter of the director of a UN facility, reawakens this mecha on accident, which in turn awakens the samurai, Kennosuke, from cryostasis. From then on, the two form a bond and co-pilot the giant mecha together to fight back the alien onslaught.
There are plenty of mecha fighters out there, but I really enjoyed this show and found the story to be intriguing and the world wonderfully detailed. An action-packed mecha brawler that allows players to handcraft their own mechs from top-to-bottom would be great, alongside a potential for a co-operative story mode that allows players to attack the story of the show together.
Death Parade
Genre: Point-and-click puzzle game (with multiplayer elements?)
Death Parade caught me completely off-guard. The upbeat, rhythmic intro belies a darker, deeper show than one might expect. At the Quindecim Bar, situated between the world of the living and the world of the dead, the aptly-named bartender Decim works as an arbiter who judges souls who enter his bar. After meeting a woman who he grows an attachment to – something forbidden for arbiters – he starts to learn more about humans and their capability for empathy, care, love, and more. Decim continues putting new arrivals through games to decide which souls are pure and deserve resurrection, and which are impure, and will be sent away.
A game situated around this world has many possibilities. Do you make a game in which you control Decim, trying to correctly judge those who enter? Or, do you make somewhat of a multiplayer experience, where your actions during the games affect how the arbiter judges you, turning the rebirth or damnation gambit into a sort of win/loss scenario?
Ergo Proxy
Genre: Psychological thriller with survival elements
In a future world that has become desolate after a massive ecological disaster, humans and robots, known as AutoReivs coexist in domed cities. Humans are under constant surveillance and management, until the so-called Cogito virus breaks out, making the AutoReivs self-aware and then going on murderous rampages. To combat these robots, the government crafts Proxies, which are humanoid life forms capable of defeating them. Ergo Proxy follows a handful of characters as they try and piece together what is going on and who should be trusted.
Part cyberpunk, part psychological thriller, and part philosophical, Ergo Proxy feels like it would mould well into a psychological adventure game. Hunt down AutoReivs, explore the mystery of the Proxies, and strive for survival in a crumbling world. Sounds just desolate and hopeless enough to make one hell of a game!
Deadman Wonderland
Genre: Battle royale, with a twist
Deadman Wonderland follows Ganta, a young schoolboy who is a survivor of a catastrophic event that sinks a majority of Tokyo into the ocean. With no recollection of the event, he lives his life as normal until his school is attacked by a mysterious man covered in blood. Ganta is spared, but put on trial as a suspect and eventually sentenced to Deadman Wonderland, a prison that also functions as an amusement park.
As Ganta begins participating in the deathmatch-style games at the prison, he befriends a woman named Shiro and begins to develop the power to control his own blood, which derives from the red crystal the man at his school embeds into him. With poison constantly running through his veins and the only antidote being a candy that is awarded for completing these deathmatches, Ganta goes on a wild ride.
A game built off this show could easily be melded into the battle royale genre, but with a twist. A group of, say, 30 or so players can drop into a game and be split amongst various mini-games. Only the top performers move on until eventually only two survive, which then triggers a 1v1 deathmatch. Players could craft their own blood-controlling powers, create characters, and more!
Air Gear
Genre: Sports
I never really envisioned myself watching Air Gear, but I gave it a go after a recommendation, and turns out it’s pretty dang good. The story follows Itsuki Minami and his friends as they try to become Storm Riders – people who are proficient in the use of Air Gears. It’s an over-the-top action-sport that is gritty, unforgiving, and damn cool.
Transitioning Air Gear into a game seems like an easy, no-brainer to me. You can easily break the game down into standard arcade-style race modes that reward the best tricks and stunts, and all-out brawl modes that incorporate racing on top of aggressive, rider vs. rider action. Race against friends, or online, craft your own Storm Rider, customise your Air Gear, and maybe even allow for player created tracks. Maybe even a progression system similar to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games that allow you to become more skilled in certain areas. I’m game for that.
Blood Blockade Battlefront
Genre: Multiplayer action-RPG
In the former New York City, now known as Hellsalem’s Lot, an organisation known as Libra fights to keep the horrible monsters, crime, and magic from leaking into the outside world after a portal to the “Beyond” decimated New York City. Visually striking animation, amazing fight scenes, and a colourful cast of characters help bring a lot of punch and charm to Blood Blockade Battlefront.
When there’s an organisation of gifted individuals at hand, why not dive into the multiplayer world? Hellsalem’s Lot can be a sprawling open world filled with quests, side-missions, civilians to rescue, and much more. Team up with three other players, select your preferred member of the Libra organisation and go out to rid the streets of Hellsalem’s Lot of crime and monsters. Expand your abilities through unique and individual skill trees, team-up with a buddy for over-the-top combos, and become a crime-fighting, world-saving hero.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Genre: Story-driven adventure
It’s pretty much impossible to discuss anime in any way and leave out anything from Studio Ghibli. Though released before the creation of Studio Ghibli itself, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind remains a Studio Ghibli classic to most. Weaving together an absolutely stunning world with a breathtaking story of hope, redemption, and heroism, alongside a simply stellar character arc from Nausicaä, this film is downright magnificent in every manner.
I don’t think you’d need to do anything flashy or crazy with a game adaptation here. Follow the story, let us explore the world, and breathe that same magic into it as Miyazaki did. That’s a tall order, I know. Most likely unattainable. But I can dream.
Shiki
Genre: Survival horror
Set in the town of Sotoba, Shiki centres around a young man and young doctor who come together by chance during an epidemic that is turning villagers into bloodthirsty vampires. The two work together to unravel the mystery of this epidemic and save the town before it’s completely overrun. Diving deep into the psychology of what makes a human and what makes a monster, this anime is more than just vampires and gore. It’s an intelligently crafted show that deals with morale, philosophical, and emotional issues while everyday people are fighting for their survival.
I would love to see a dark, gritty, unforgiving horror universe derived from this fantastic medium. Part survival, part mystery, the game would throw you into a relentlessly dark and brooding world full of questions, dangers, and the need to survive.
