Japanese animation has long been a part of popular culture. Anime is loved and hated, watched and judged, but always judged separately from the Western animation tradition. And, of course, there are anime based on video games.
1. Gungrave, 2003-2004
The original action game about a slow-moving dead man with a coffin full of weapons chained to his back never made it to the masses, but became a cult classic for a small number of devoted fans.
The plot of the series expands on what was shown in the game: while in the game Brandon Heat immediately went under the name Grave to avenge his murder, the details of which were revealed in short flashbacks, in the anime the first half is dedicated to the past of the man and his sworn enemy – Harry MacDowell, who was once his best friend.
2. Dragon's Dogma, 2020
The main character Ethan is killed by a dragon, but comes back to life with a hole where his heart should be.
In addition to stealing a vital organ, the dragon managed to do something much darker by killing Ethan's entire family, and now the man is driven by the desire to take revenge on the giant fire-breathing lizard.
Over the course of seven episodes, Ethan finds himself in a number of different adventures. Each episode is a stand-alone short story and focuses on one of the deadly sins: in Lust, for example, the man must battle a succubus, and in the final episode, Pride, meet the same dragon.
A series based on a manga based on a video game that was developed as the fourth installment of the Resident Evil franchise. The plot revolves around half-demon Dante, who does demon hunting jobs to keep his small business afloat.
It's hard to recognize the talkative man from the game in the local Dante, and other characters have undergone significant changes.
But the action remains just as dynamic – Madhouse Studio has, as expected, raised the quality of the animation to a fairly high level, once again creating a high-quality series that looks good even without reference to the original source.
4. Persona 5: The Animation, 2018-2019
Perhaps the most accessible way to experience one of the best RPGs of recent years. The plot remains largely unchanged, with perhaps some noticeable cuts.
Wrongfully convicted of assaulting a prominent politician, Ren Amamiya arrives in Tokyo, where he is on probation for a year.
But during his first days at high school, he not only makes new acquaintances, but also accidentally ends up in the Palace of one of his teachers – a special place that exists in the subconscious, where he learns that he is able to change callous human hearts.
5. Castlevania, 2017-2021
One of the first Netflix anime series based on a video game. Castlevania needs no introduction: Konami's iconic series may not be in its prime, but it is still beloved by gamers around the world.
The beginning of the series is familiar to anyone who has played at least one of the franchises: Dracula is on the loose, threatening to destroy humanity.
One of the Belmonts, armed with a family weapon – a special whip passed down through the clan of vampire hunters – goes to fight him. Other characters come to his aid – the sorceress Sypha and the dhampir Alucard, Dracula's son.
Why play when you can watch anime?
Japanese animation has long been a part of popular culture. Anime is loved and hated, watched and judged, but always judged separately from the Western animation tradition. And, of course, there are anime based on video games.
1. Gungrave, 2003-2004
The original action game about a slow-moving dead man with a coffin full of weapons chained to his back never made it to the masses, but became a cult classic for a small number of devoted fans.
The plot of the series expands on what was shown in the game: while in the game Brandon Heat immediately went under the name Grave to avenge his murder, the details of which were revealed in short flashbacks, in the anime the first half is dedicated to the past of the man and his sworn enemy – Harry MacDowell, who was once his best friend.
2. Dragon's Dogma, 2020
The main character Ethan is killed by a dragon, but comes back to life with a hole where his heart should be.
In addition to stealing a vital organ, the dragon managed to do something much darker by killing Ethan's entire family, and now the man is driven by the desire to take revenge on the giant fire-breathing lizard.
Over the course of seven episodes, Ethan finds himself in a number of different adventures. Each episode is a stand-alone short story and focuses on one of the deadly sins: in Lust, for example, the man must battle a succubus, and in the final episode, Pride, meet the same dragon.
A series based on a manga based on a video game that was developed as the fourth installment of the Resident Evil franchise. The plot revolves around half-demon Dante, who does demon hunting jobs to keep his small business afloat.
It's hard to recognize the talkative man from the game in the local Dante, and other characters have undergone significant changes.
But the action remains just as dynamic – Madhouse Studio has, as expected, raised the quality of the animation to a fairly high level, once again creating a high-quality series that looks good even without reference to the original source.
4. Persona 5: The Animation, 2018-2019
Perhaps the most accessible way to experience one of the best RPGs of recent years. The plot remains largely unchanged, with perhaps some noticeable cuts.
Wrongfully convicted of assaulting a prominent politician, Ren Amamiya arrives in Tokyo, where he is on probation for a year.
But during his first days at high school, he not only makes new acquaintances, but also accidentally ends up in the Palace of one of his teachers – a special place that exists in the subconscious, where he learns that he is able to change callous human hearts.
5. Castlevania, 2017-2021
One of the first Netflix anime series based on a video game. Castlevania needs no introduction: Konami's iconic series may not be in its prime, but it is still beloved by gamers around the world.
The beginning of the series is familiar to anyone who has played at least one of the franchises: Dracula is on the loose, threatening to destroy humanity.
One of the Belmonts, armed with a family weapon – a special whip passed down through the clan of vampire hunters – goes to fight him. Other characters come to his aid – the sorceress Sypha and the dhampir Alucard, Dracula's son.
