30 Best Anime About Video Games Every Gamer Needs to Watch
Gamers, get ready to experience the ultimate crossover between your love for anime and video games. From epic battles in virtual worlds to the struggles of professional gamers, these anime series are sure to satisfy your gaming cravings. From well-known classics to lesser-known gems, we’ve compiled a list of the best anime about video games that every gamer needs to watch.
Whether you’re a fan of action, comedy, or drama, there’s something for everyone on this list. So grab your controller, sit back, and get ready to dive into the world of anime and gaming.
Overlord
As the final hour of the renowned virtual reality game Yggdrasil approaches, one player, Momonga, a powerful wizard and leader of the dark guild Ainz Ooal Gown, chooses to spend his remaining time in the game as the servers begin to shut down. To his amazement, he discovers that he is still fully conscious as his character and the non-player characters, who have always been mere automatons, have now developed personalities of their own.
Faced with this unexpected turn of events, Momonga commands his loyal servants to assist him in investigating and taking control of this new world, in the hopes of uncovering the cause of this development and determining if there are others in a similar situation
Gamers!
Keita Amano is a typical high school student, leading an average and uneventful life, with gaming as his only escape. His life takes an unexpected turn when he has an accidental encounter with the most popular girl in school, Karen Tendou, who is regarded as the school’s idol.
Tendou discovers Amano’s passion for gaming and becomes determined to recruit him into the school’s game club. Amano reluctantly joins the club and is soon introduced to a side of gaming that is vastly different from what he is used to. Tendou’s interest in him starts to change his once dull life, filling it with unexpected moments, awkward encounters and a bit of chaos. Amano struggles to adapt to these wild changes, which leads to comical situations and a daily battle for his sanity.
Seiyu’s Life!
Seiyu’s Life! is a heartwarming anime about a young girl named Futaba Ichinose who has always dreamed of becoming a voice actress. She works hard to achieve her goal and finally lands her first role as a minor character in an anime.
Despite her initial success, Futaba struggles to find more work and maintain her passion for voice acting. With the help of her fellow voice actors and mentors, she learns to embrace her unique voice and finds her place in the industry. Along the way, she discovers the joys and challenges of the voice acting profession, and the importance of perseverance and self-confidence in achieving her dreams.
As Futaba continues to grow as an actress, she learns to appreciate the beauty of the industry, and the deep connection that voice actors have with their characters. The anime showcases the hard work and dedication it takes to pursue a career in voice acting, while also highlighting the importance of supporting one another in pursuing their dreams.
D-Frag!
The Kazama Family, a group of three friends who aspire to be delinquents and are led by Kenji Kazama, are trying to establish a reputation at Fujou Academy. On the first day of school, the group unexpectedly finds themselves putting out a fire in the Game Development Club. Instead of thanking them, the eccentric club members attack and knock out Kenji’s two friends, leaving him to fight for his life. Unable to escape, Kenji is forced to join the Game Development Club.
As he becomes familiar with the club, Kenji gets to know the four girls who are responsible for his involuntary membership – Chitose Karasuyama, the student council president and leader of the club, Sakura Mizukami, a spirited tomboy, Minami Oosawa, the negligent club advisor, and Roka Shibasaki, the school’s infamous shadow leader. Despite his initial reluctance, Kenji begins to enjoy the club’s activities and starts to realize that he may be having fun. He struggles with the idea of leaving the club while being constantly pulled back by the club’s constant hijinks.
.Hack//Sign
An MMORPG called The World is where a young wavemaster, known only by the alias Tsukasa, finds himself, with little memory of what has happened before. He is unsure of his past actions and is confused about his present situation. In The World, the Crimson Knights suspect him of being a hacker as he was seen accompanying a character that has been modified to look like a cat. He is unable to log out of the game, so he sets out to look for answers, avoiding the knights and other players he comes across.
As Tsukasa explores The World, he comes across a mysterious item that takes the form of a “guardian,” which promises to protect him from all harm. Subaru, the leader of the Crimson Knights, along with other players who have met Tsukasa, set out to investigate why he is unable to log out and attempt to uncover the problem before it gets out of control. They all work together to help Tsukasa regain his memory and figure out the truth of his situation.
And you thought there is never a girl online?
Naive otaku Hideki “Rusian” Nishimura is devastated when the girl he proposed to in an online game flat-out rejects him. To make matters worse, she reveals that she is actually an older man in real life. With his dreams crushed and his heart broken, Rusian comes to an abrupt decision in the midst of his rage: he will never trust another girl in an online game again.
Years later, Rusian is now a member of a guild with three other players, one of whom possesses a female avatar by the name of Ako. Ako is deeply in love with Rusian and wants to marry him. Although he entertains the possibility that she might be a guy, Rusian accepts her proposal, claiming that her gender does not matter as long as she is cute in-game. However, after a discussion between the guild members that led to all of them having an offline meeting, Rusian finds out that Ako, along with the other members, is not just a girl but also his schoolmate. The revelation shatters Rusian’s previous belief and makes him realize that real-life and online relationships are not that different.
New Game!
Aoba Suzukaze has been a fan of the Fairies Story game series since childhood, particularly drawn to the character designs. So when she graduates from high school, it comes as no surprise that she applies to work at Eagle Jump, the company responsible for creating her favorite video game. On her first day, she is thrilled to learn that she will be working on a new installment of the series: Fairies Story 3 – and even more excited to be working under Kou Yagami, the lead character designer.
In the department, Aoba finds herself surrounded by people who share her passion for games. There’s Yun Iijima, who specializes in designing monsters; the shy Hifumi Takimoto, who prefers to communicate through instant messaging; Hajime Shinoda, an animation team member with an impressive figurine collection; Rin Tooyama, the orderly art director; Shizuku Hazuki, the game director who brings her cat to work; and Umiko Ahagon, the short-tempered head programmer.
New Game! follows Aoba and her colleagues as they navigate the challenges and triumphs of creating a game, from perfecting character designs to addressing the inevitable errors that arise during the development process. It highlights the passion, dedication and hard work that goes into creating a video game.
The King’s Avatar
Ye Xiu is a professional player of the online multiplayer game Glory, who is widely regarded as a trailblazer and top-tier player, earning him the nickname “Battle God” for his skills and contributions over the years. However, when he is forced to retire from his team and leave his gaming career behind, he takes up a job at an internet café. When Glory launches its tenth server, he jumps into the game once again using a new character named “Lord Grim.”
Ye Xiu’s early accomplishments on the new server immediately capture the attention of many players and big guilds, leaving them wondering about the identity of this exceptional player. However, starting anew with no sponsors or team in a game that has changed over the years presents numerous challenges. With the help of new talented comrades, Ye Xiu once again dedicates himself to climbing to the top of the Glory mountain.
Chihayafuru
As a child, Chihaya Ayase’s only dream was to see her elder sister Chitose become Japan’s most successful model. However, when she defends her ostracized classmate Arata Wataya from his bully, her childhood friend Taichi Mashima, she discovers the world of competitive karuta and becomes enamoured with the sport.
This card game, based on the Ogura Hundred Poets anthology, requires excellent memory, agility, and tremendous endurance from the players. Filled with hope, Chihaya joins the Shiranami Society with Arata and Taichi, embarking on a journey to become the top-ranked female player, known as the Queen of Karuta.
Since middle school, Chihaya grew distant from a disinterested Taichi and separated from Arata. However, in order to improve her skills, Chihaya decides to create a karuta club in her high school. With the help of Taichi, another veteran player, and a few enthusiastic newcomers, Chihaya’s newly-formed Mizusawa Karuta Club aims for victory in the Omi Shrine’s national championship.
Kaiji
Apathetic bum Kaiji Itou is pressured by loan sharks to repay a large sum of money that one of his colleagues failed to repay. Kaiji, who has little money and no future prospects, is unable to return the debt. In order to settle this financial burden, Kaiji is offered a chance to board the luxurious ship Espoir, where it is said that “one night aboard the ship, and all of your debts will be paid.”
What starts off as a simple night of gambling quickly turns into a game of strategy and betrayal. With the losers of the tournament facing a lifetime of indebted servitude, Kaiji must be careful in choosing his actions and allies. However, this is only the beginning of a series of gambles that will put Kaiji’s life on the line, testing his wit and will to survive.
Girlish Number
As she enters the adult world, college student Chitose Karasuma is determined not to lead a boring life. With this in mind, she barges into a facility that trains aspiring voice actors and actresses, and somehow lands a job at “Number One Produce,” a seiyuu agency run by her older brother, Gojou.
Chitose believes that she is destined for greatness, but soon discovers that she is only getting minor roles. As she struggles with other girls in the agency, including a cunning airhead and a girl with a Kansai accent, Chitose realizes that the road to success in this competitive industry is not as easy as she thought.
Hikaru No Go
While searching through his grandfather’s attic, Hikaru Shindou discovers an old go board. As he touches it, he is greeted by a mysterious voice, and soon after loses consciousness. When he wakes up, he finds that the voice belongs to Fujiwara no Sai, the spirit of an ancient go expert. Sai, who was a go instructor for the Japanese Emperor in the Heian Era, has a passion for the game that transcends time and space, allowing him to continue playing as a ghostly entity. His ultimate goal is to master a divine go technique that no player has achieved so far, and he seeks to accomplish this by playing through Hikaru.
Despite having no interest in board games, Hikaru agrees to play, executing moves as instructed by Sai. As he encounters the young go prodigy Akira Touya, his passion for the game is slowly ignited. He becomes inspired by his newfound rival and begins his journey into the world of go.
3-Gatsu No Lion
Rei Kiriyama is a young professional in the world of shogi, having reached professional status in middle school. However, this level of success comes with a significant amount of pressure from both the shogi community and his adoptive family. In order to gain independence from his stressful home life, Rei moves into an apartment in Tokyo. As a 17-year-old living on his own, Rei struggles to take care of himself and his reclusive personality causes him to be isolated from his peers in school and at the shogi hall.
However, soon after moving to Tokyo, Rei meets Akari, Hinata, and Momo Kawamoto, a trio of sisters living with their grandfather who owns a traditional wagashi shop. Akari, the eldest of the sisters, is determined to help Rei with his loneliness and poor lifestyle with her motherly hospitality. The Kawamoto sisters, who are also dealing with past tragedies, share with Rei a unique familial bond that he has lacked for most of his life. As he struggles to maintain himself both physically and mentally through his shogi career, Rei must learn how to interact with others and understand his own complex emotions.
Sword Art Online
With the release of the revolutionary NerveGear, gamers from around the world have been given the opportunity to experience a completely immersive virtual reality. One of the most recent games on the console, Sword Art Online (SAO), offers players a gateway into the wondrous world of Aincrad, a vivid medieval landscape where anything is possible within the limits of imagination. But this idyllic fantasy quickly turns into a nightmare when the game’s creator traps thousands of players inside, removing the option to log out and making in-game death permanent.
Kazuto “Kirito” Kirigaya, a beta tester for the game, quickly discovers that despite his advantages, he cannot overcome SAO’s challenges alone. He teams up with Asuna Yuuki and other talented players to face the seemingly insurmountable trials, but they are met with difficult bosses and threatening dark cults. With each obstacle, Kirito realizes that the task of beating the game and freeing themselves is much easier said than done.
High Score Girl
In 1991, arcade video games are the latest craze and becoming a professional gamer is a far-fetched dream in an industry that has yet to spread its influence. But for sixth-grader Haruo Yaguchi, it is a path he wants to pursue. He has earned respect in local arcades and has confidence and pride in his skills, but all of that is shattered when fellow classmate Akira Oono easily defeats him in Street Fighter 2.
Akira is rich, pretty, and smart— the perfect girl in Haruo’s eyes. He has never cared about these things, as his superiority in video games was, in his mind, undisputed. But now that someone has appeared who can rival him, part of Haruo cannot help but loathe her. But another part of him itches for somebody who can compete with him on equal terms, and Akira is more than capable.
Death Parade
After death, most humans go to either Heaven or Hell. But for a select few, death brings them to Quindecim, a mysterious bar where only pairs of people who die at the same time can enter. The bar is run by an enigmatic figure known as Decim, who acts as the arbiter, passing judgment on the souls who enter by challenging them to life-threatening games. The outcome of these games determine whether the patron’s soul will reincarnate into a new life or be sent into the void, never to be seen again.
The games at Quindecim range from darts and bowling to fighting games, and through these games the true nature of each patron is revealed. But when a black-haired amnesiac appears at the bar, Decim’s methods are called into question and he begins to reevaluate his own rulings.
OreImo
Kyosuke Kosaka, a typical 17-year-old high school student living in Chiba, has had a strained relationship with his younger sister Kirino for years. They have grown distant and Kirino has always ignored him, looking at him with disdain.
Kyosuke has resigned himself to the idea that their relationship will always be this way. But one day, while going through his house, he discovers a DVD case of a magical girl anime series that had been left at the entrance.
Kakegurui
Hyakkaou Private Academy is not your typical school. While it may appear to be a normal educational institution during the day, at night it transforms into a gambling den where students are taught the art of manipulating money and people. The students, who are mostly the children of the wealthiest individuals in the world, compete in high-stakes games to determine their place in the school’s hierarchy.
Enter Yumeko Jabami, a beautiful and seemingly innocent transfer student who has a passion for gambling. Unlike her classmates, she doesn’t play to win, but for the thrill of the gamble. Her unorthodox approach to gambling quickly shakes up the status quo at the academy, and her presence threatens to turn the established order on its head. As she takes on the school’s elite, it becomes clear that her methods may be too much for some to handle.
Yu-Gi-Oh!
After a lifetime of being bullied, Yuugi Mutou has grown used to being an easy target. But with the support of his childhood friend Anzu Mazaki and the unlikely companionship of Katsuya Jonouchi and Hiroto Honda, he’s determined to stand up for himself. Yuugi’s one true passion is his Millennium Puzzle, an ancient Egyptian artifact that holds the key to unlocking a new, powerful personality within him.
As he works to solve the puzzle, he discovers the emergence of Yami Yuugi, a dark, twisted, and strong version of himself. With Yami Yuugi by his side, Yuugi is able to confront bullies and injustices head-on through Shadow Games, where the stakes are high and the opponents are forced to confront their own darkness. Yuugi finally finds the strength and support he needs to stand up for himself and make true friends along the way.
Recovery of an MMO Junkie
Moriko Morioka, a 30-year-old woman, is unemployed and thrilled to spend her days playing the online game Fruits de Mer. She creates a new persona, the male hero “Hayashi,” and quickly becomes friends with another player, the kind and adorable healer “Lily.” As she becomes more and more engrossed in her virtual life, Moriko begins to adopt a reclusive lifestyle, venturing out of her apartment only when necessary.
Meanwhile, Yuuta Sakurai, a 28-year-old corporate worker, also begins playing Fruits de Mer from the other side of town. Fate brings the two players together in a chance encounter at a convenience store, but they write it off as just another awkward meeting with a stranger. However, their paths will cross again in the virtual world of the game, where they will have to navigate their growing feelings for each other in a world where real-life identities are hidden behind avatars.
Hai tou Gensou no Grimgar
Thrown into a strange and dangerous land with nothing but hazy memories and the knowledge of their name, a group of strangers must come together to survive. In this game-like world known as Grimgar, their only option is to accept a role as soldiers in the Reserve Army and eliminate any threats to the peace.
Led by Manato, a charismatic leader and priest, the group includes Haruhiro, a nervous thief, Yume, a cheerful hunter, Shihoru, a shy mage, Moguzo, a kind warrior, and Ranta, a rowdy dark knight. But this is no game, there are no redos or respawns, it is kill or be killed. Together, they must learn to survive in a world where the line between life and death is thin.
Log Horizon
In the world of Elder Tale, a popular MMORPG, thirty thousand players are suddenly transported into the game after its latest update, unable to log out. Shiroe, a socially awkward college student and veteran player, quickly sets out to explore this new reality. He must navigate the virtual city of Akihabara, leading other players and negotiating with NPC “natives” to establish stability in the game.
With the help of his friend Naotsugu, who also found himself trapped in the game, and the fierce assassin Akatsuki, who sees Shiroe as her master, they embark on a journey of fantasy, adventure, and politics in this perplexing new world.
Btooom!
Ryouta Sakamoto is a man with no job, no ambition and nothing to his name except for being the top player of a popular online video game, Btooom! However, his life takes a dramatic turn when he wakes up on an uninhabited island with a green crystal embedded in his hand and no memory of how he got there. He soon realizes that he is trapped in a twisted version of the game he loves, where the stakes are life and death.
To survive and escape the island, Ryouta must fight against other players armed with unique bombs called “BIM” and collect their green crystals. Initially, Ryouta is reluctant to resort to violence, but as he encounters hostile players who will stop at nothing to win, he realizes he must fight to survive. Alongside a fellow Btooom! player, Himiko, they set out on a journey to uncover the truth behind the deadly game and find a way home.
Summer Wars
OZ, a virtual world connected to the internet, has become an integral part of people’s lives worldwide. From playing sports to shopping, people can engage in a wide variety of activities through avatars they create and customize. OZ boasts a high level of security and encryption, ensuring that any personal data transmitted through the network is kept safe.
However, this security is put to the test when Kenji Koiso, a 17-year-old math genius and part-time OZ moderator, is challenged to solve a mysterious coded message. Unknowingly, Kenji’s math expertise leads to a dangerous situation that threatens the safety of the Earth.
Welcome to the N.H.K.
Riddled with conspiracy theories and a deep-seated fear of society, Tatsuhiro Satou has become a hikikomori, a person who has withdrawn from social life for an extended period. Believing that the Nihon Hikikomori Kyokai (NHK), an evil organization, is responsible for his current state, Tatsuhiro is determined to break free from his self-imposed isolation.
However, his plans for change are put to the test when he meets Misaki Nakahara, a mysterious young woman who offers him a chance at a new life. Despite his initial reluctance, Tatsuhiro begins to open himself up to the idea of leaving his apartment and facing the world once again. But as he takes small steps towards recovery, he soon realizes that breaking free from the prison of hikikomori is a long and difficult journey filled with many challenges.
Magic of Stella
As Tamaki delves deeper into the world of game development, she quickly realizes that creating a game is not as easy as it seems. From coming up with creative ideas to overcoming technical difficulties, the SNS Club faces a variety of challenges. However, Tamaki is determined to bring their game to completion, driven by her passion for illustration and her desire to see her work come to life.
As the club works tirelessly to finish their game, Tamaki forms a close bond with her fellow club members. Together, they navigate the ups and downs of game development, learning valuable lessons about teamwork and perseverance. Despite the obstacles they face, Tamaki and the SNS Club are determined to see their dream become a reality.
No Game No Life
In a world called Disboard, ruled by the powerful being known as Tet, sixteen sentient races live and compete with one another through games. Among them, the humans of Imanity, a race with no innate magical abilities, struggle to survive. That is until two outsiders, Sora and Shiro, are transported to this world.
These stepsiblings, known as Blank in the online gaming community, are experts at dominating various games and see life as just another dull game. However, as they learn about the absolute rules of Disboard, they decide to help Stephanie Dola, an emotional girl who is desperately trying to reclaim her father’s throne in the human kingdom of Elkia. With their help, Stephanie aims to restore Elkia and ultimately become the rulers of this mysterious world.
Accel World
Riddled with insecurities and constantly bullied, Haruyuki Arita finds solace in the virtual world of online gaming. But his life takes a sudden turn when he is introduced to “Brain Burst,” an augmented reality fighting game that allows its users to accelerate their brain waves to the point where time seems to stop. The catch? Users must win duels against other players to gain points and advance in the game, and if they lose all their points, they lose access to Brain Burst forever.
Kuroyukihime, the popular vice president of the student council and the one who introduces Haruyuki to the game, reveals that she needs his help in her quest to meet the creator of Brain Burst and uncover the reason behind its creation. To do so, they must defeat the “Six Kings of Pure Color,” powerful faction leaders within the game and reach level 10, the highest level attainable. Haruyuki, inspired by Kuroyukihime’s determination and with her help in overcoming his own bullies, joins her in their fight to reach the top of the virtual world.
BOFURI: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense.
After joining the virtual reality game New World Online at the urging of a friend, Kaede Honjou, also known by her in-game alias Maple, quickly discovers her unique strength as a player. Despite her lack of experience in gaming, Maple allocates all her stat points into vitality, allowing her character to have exceptionally high defense.
This results in her acquiring overpowered skills such as Total Defense, Poison Immunity and Devour, making her nearly unbeatable in battle. However, as she explores the virtual world and meets new players, she must navigate the game’s challenges and level up her character to reach new heights and uncover the secrets of the game.
Eroge! H mo Game mo Kaihatsu Zanmai
Flower, a small game development studio, is on the brink of collapse after the disappointment of their first game release. Desperate to save their company and complete their next project on time, the all-female team hires Tomoya Mochizuki, an expert in the field of erotic games, as a consultant.
Despite his lack of artistic or programming skills, Tomoya’s vast experience in the industry proves valuable as he helps the team gain a deeper understanding of creating realistic and engaging sexual content. With his guidance, the team embarks on a journey of self-discovery and exploration to improve their skills and save their company from financial ruin.
