Anime became popular in the West in the 90s, and the terms “manga” and “anime” were used to replace “Japanimation.” Shows like Sailor Moon and Dragonball Z took America by storm, and since then, fans have been getting their anime fixes through comic books.
But TV series and books aren’t the only ways fans connect with their favorite anime characters. There are also video game adaptations of some of the most popular anime TV series in the world. With that being said, here are four games that were originally anime shows.
1. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
So, what is the most popular game in the world? As of 2023, Minecraft was one of the ultimate-selling games with 300 million copies sold. But are there any popular anime titles? The release of JOJO’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R was released in early fall 2022. Here’s how this game became a popular title.
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure was originally a manga or comic book series written by Hirohiko Araki and was first released in the 80s. Fast forward to 1993, the manga series third part called Stardust Crusaders became a 13-episode original animation series produced by APPP.
The popular anime series now has around five seasons and 190 episodes for fans to enjoy. On December 1, 1998, Capcom Games created an arcade fighting-style game adapted from the anime series and it was titled in the West as Jojo’s Adventure.
On the other hand, the new JOJO’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R is a remastered game with added content and improved graphics and features.
2. Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Z was originally a manga series, but the TV show was adapted from the final 342 chapters of the comic. The show premiered in Japan on April 26, 1989, and ended on January 31, 1996.
The first ever Dragon Ball Z video game was released in September 1987 and was titled Dragon Ball: Dragon’s Great Exploration. In the game, players take on the role of Goku, who destroys his enemies while riding on the Nimbus.
Several other Dragon Ball Z games were released after the first title, like Dragon Ball: Shenlong no Nazo and Dragon Ball 3: Goku Den. In total, there are around 154 Dragon Ball Z titles. But the latest game, Dragon Ball FighterZ, sold over 8 million copies after its release in 2018.
Dragon Ball FighterZ is a 2.5D fighting game where you can become one of your favorite characters in the series. It was released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo users.
3. Bleach
Bleach is one of the most popular anime TV series, along with Death Note and Fullmetal Alchemist. The TV series was released in Japan on October 5, 2004, and premiered on TV Tokyo and ran until March 2012.
In the series, it follows the story of a high school student named Ichigo Kurosaki, who can see ghosts. Ichigo gains what is called soul reaper powers from a character named Rukia Kuchiki, and his mission is to use his newfound abilities to save the world.
The very first Bleach game was released just a year after the TV series premiered and was titled Bleach: Heat the Soul. There are now 23 Bleach games that don’t include crossover titles like Jump Ultimate Stars or Jump Super Stars.
Bleach: The Blade of Fate was also one of the popular games in the DS series. It’s a 2D fighting game that allows players to immerse themselves into the lives of their favorite Bleach characters.
4. Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan is one of the newer anime series that premiered in Japan on April 7, 2013. In the show, humans try to protect themselves from giant creatures called Titans by building walls. There are currently four seasons of Attack on Titan for fans to enjoy.
Three years later, an Attack on Titan game was released with the title Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom. It’s basically a hack-and-slash game where you fight your enemies using a sword. If you’re a huge fan of the manga series, you’ll notice that the game follows chapters 1 to 33 of the comic book.
Final Thoughts
The anime games have the same style of animation as the TV series they’re derived from. What’s more, there are titles to suit everyone’s preference. So, if you enjoy fighting games, you may want to play Dragon Ball FighterZ. If you like adventure games, then Attack on Titans will be the perfect game for you.