5 Popular Anime That Should Be Adapted Into AAA Games

Anime is a medium full of unforgettable stories and quirky concepts. It’s no surprise, then, that numerous video game adaptations of anime series like One Piece, My Hero Academia, and Dragon Ball have been created. However, these adaptations are usually generic beat-’em-ups or fighting games at best. 

There’s a lot of potential in a full-fledged AAA anime game adaptation if it’s based on the right series. The goal of this list is to bring to you anime that are best suited for such an endeavor. But not only that, this list also dives into what type of game said anime should be and how that’s possible. So, from a psychological interactive thriller like Detroit: Become Human to an anime that can follow in the footsteps of Devil May Cry, here are popular anime that are the best contenders for a video game. 

1) Psycho-Pass – A Detective Style Thriller Like The Wolf Among Us & Detroit

Psycho-Pass is set in a cyberpunk world where a program measures people’s Crime Coefficient. If it’s too high, either those people are terminated or turned into enforcers to serve under the police department. In Psycho-Pass: Season 1, we’re introduced to the main police force, its enforcers, and their search for an enigmatic serial killer who has never been caught on tape. If that doesn’t sound like the perfect premise for an interactive thriller video game, then nothing else will.

A Psycho-Pass game like Quantic Dream’s Detroit: Become Human or Heavy Rain is the way to go. A Psycho-Pass game doesn’t necessarily need to be a copy of the anime’s storyline. It can be something new since the Psycho-Pass universe has no shortage of dark and gritty stories. And if you add choices and consequences, such as character deaths and multiple endings, to the equation, one could argue it’ll be a banger. Alternatively, the style of The Wolf Among Us is also a match made in heaven for Psycho-Pass. An episodic adventure with a predetermined storyline, detective work set pieces, and high-octane shooting gameplay.

2) Baki & Kegan Ashura – A Fighting Game Like UFC 5

Baki and Kengan Ashura are two of the sickest fighting anime of all time. They have a cast of tough and unique characters. However, what’s special about both anime is that they have a strong martial arts foundation for their action. Fighters in the anime aren’t just winging it. Each fighter of the Baki and Kengan Ashura universes has a different fighting style. One is a Muay Thai champion, another a kickboxer, and another an MMA fighter.

Now, how that would transition into a great video game adaptation would be in a fighting game. Not a fighting game like Dragon Ball FighterZ. That’s too generic. Instead, UFC 5 is what a potential video game adaptation should draw inspiration from. You can control each limb individually in UFC 5. High kicks, low kicks, hooks, uppercuts, clinching, takedowns, and submissions, absolutely everything a fight fan can dream of is in UFC 5. An anime game adaptation like that would do wonders for the fighting game community. And what better anime could there be to use other than Baki or Kengan Ashura?

3) Solo Leveling – In The Footsteps of Devil May Cry 5

Devil May Cry is a video game series known for its fast-paced combat, stylish characters, and incredible storylines. There’s only one anime that fits the bill for something similar: Solo Leveling. Solo Leveling follows the exploits of hunter Sung Jin-woo as he clears dungeons, gains new abilities, and ranks up in the hierarchy of the real world. There’s a really complex dynamic present in Solo Leveling. Dozens of overpowered characters take the stage, and intense battles soon follow.

The reason a game adaptation fits into this is because of Solo Leveling’s world. Jin-woo possesses a diverse arsenal of offense. He can summon a shadow army, move at super speed, use different weapons, and cast magic. In short, Jin-woo is a total badass like Dante, and his skillet is ideal to replicate Devil May Cry’s fast-paced combat system. 

Moreover, the dungeons are just the right backdrop for everything from awesome boss fights to breathtaking sights. Several Solo Leveling games are out, but they are small in scale and not true single-player action games. If a massive single-player Solo Leveling game were to happen, then that would be one of the biggest anime video game adaptations of all time.

4) Berserk – A Mix of Dark Souls & God of War

Berserk is a revenge story with supernatural elements. The main character, Guts, undergoes unimaginable trauma, gains superhuman strength, and fights hordes of monsters one after the other. Guts is also emotionally complex and has boiling rage. Storytelling-wise, that sounds awfully familiar to God of War’s Greek saga, and to some extent, Berserk is. At the same time, Guts is always up against insurmountable odds, and there’s the cue for taking Dark Souls as an inspiration.

A linear, or semi-open world game would best suit Berserk. This way, a tight-knit story can be told with excruciating boss fights at every corner. A combat system similar to God of War should work well, too, since Guts’ Dragon Slayer sword is a solid replacement for Kratos’ Leviathan Axe weapon. Imagine the combos you could do with it. Secondly, Guts also has a Berserker Armor transformation similar to Kratos’ Rage mode. That opens up more possibilities to lay down the foundation for what could be a fantastic anime action game.

5) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood – An Open-World Adventure Like Zelda

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is the perfect contender for an open-world anime video game adaptation. The sheer scale of its universe is massive. Hundreds of memorable characters inhabit its world, and the storylines are nearly endless. There’s already a map of the world made beforehand, which makes its case for a video game adaptation stronger.

Powers like super strength, fire incantations, combining objects, and world-altering abilities all exist within FMAB’s realm. All these things closely resemble how the recent The Legend of Zelda games play, especially Tears of the Kingdom. Fullmetal Alchemist essentially has all the necessary foundations for a good video game. The only thing it lacks is a developer just as good to pick it up and make it into an unforgettable adaptation.