10 Games That Need Anime Adaptations (and Who Should Make Them)

Gaming Is Already Halfway to Anime

Let’s be honest—some games are practically begging to be turned into anime. The sprawling narratives, larger-than-life bosses, tragic heroes, and wild special attacks already feel like they belong on the small screen. We’ve seen it work before (Castlevania, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, even Pokémon). When the right studio gets the right property, magic happens.

So why stop there? There’s a backlog of games with anime DNA built into their code. Here are 10 games that deserve anime adaptations right now—and the studios who could actually do them justice.

1. Final Fantasy VI

Studio Pick: ufotable (Demon Slayer, Fate/Stay Night)

Square Enix’s Final Fantasy franchise has flirted with anime before—OVA projects, CG films, shorts—but shockingly, Final Fantasy VI has never gotten the full treatment. And it should. Kefka is one of the most chaotic villains in gaming history, and his descent into godhood is pure anime fuel.

With its massive ensemble cast (Terra, Celes, Locke, Shadow, Edgar—the list goes on), FFVI is a character-driven epic begging for ufotable’s emotional storytelling and insane action sequences. If they can make every battle in Demon Slayer feel like a life-or-death opera, imagine what they’d do with Kefka’s tower.

2. Hollow Knight

Studio Pick: Studio SHAFT (Monogatari, Madoka Magica)

On the surface, Hollow Knight is a quiet indie platformer. But the deeper you dig, the more you realize how layered, eerie, and tragic its world really is. Hallownest is practically dripping with mystery, loneliness, and surreal beauty.

That’s exactly why SHAFT would be the perfect match. Their offbeat visuals and haunting surrealism would elevate Hollow Knight’s silent storytelling into something unforgettable. Think cryptic dialogue framed like Madoka Magica’s descent into despair, mixed with breathtaking bug-sized battle choreography.

The Knight vs. Hornet fight alone would break anime Twitter.

3. Bloodborne

Studio Pick: MAPPA (Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man)

Blood, beasts, and eldritch nightmares—that’s Bloodborne. No other game captures gothic horror quite like it, and no other anime studio is as equipped for its grotesque, relentless brutality as MAPPA.

MAPPA thrives on chaos and horror. They’ve made curses in Jujutsu Kaisen look terrifying and made Chainsaw Man’s gore into an art form. Now imagine Father Gascoigne’s transformation in their hands. Or Lady Maria’s duel, dripping with elegance and blood. MAPPA could take Yharnam’s descent into madness and make it feel like a fever dream anime fans would never wake from.

4. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

Studio Pick: Kyoto Animation (Vivy, Clannad)

We’ve seen Zelda-inspired shows before, but never one that embraced the series’ darker, stranger side. Majora’s Mask is arguably the weirdest entry in the franchise, with its time-loop mechanics, creepy moon, and heavy themes of grief and loss.

Kyoto Animation could bring out the quiet sadness lurking beneath every mask. They’re masters at turning small, human emotions into something profound. Link comforting Anju before the final hours? Skull Kid’s loneliness? KyoAni would break us in half emotionally before giving us a bittersweet finale worthy of this cult classic. Honestly, anything Zelda.

5. Nier: Automata

Studio Pick: Wit Studio (Attack on Titan, Ranking of Kings)

Yes, Nier: Automata already got an anime adaptation in 2023. But let’s be real—it didn’t land the way it should have. A game this emotionally devastating and philosophically ambitious needs a studio with Wit’s mastery of spectacle and intimacy.

Wit could capture the existential dread of the androids’ endless war while also nailing the gravity of battles like 2B vs. A2. They have the range to animate both hauntingly quiet moments (9S crying in the ruins) and explosive set pieces (Attack on Titan-level titan fights, but with mechs).

Done right, a Wit-powered Nier anime could sit alongside Evangelion as one of anime’s greatest sci-fi tragedies.

6. Chrono Trigger

Studio Pick: Toei Animation (Dragon Ball, One Piece)

Akira Toriyama designed the characters. Time travel drives the plot. The game literally plays like a Saturday morning anime adventure. How has Chrono Trigger not gotten the full Toei treatment yet?

Toei excels at sprawling, decades-spanning epics. Dragon Ball and One Piece both built universes that feel timeless, and Chrono Trigger’s world-hopping cast of heroes—Crono, Frog, Lucca, Robo, Magus—would thrive under their guidance. Done right, this could be Dragon Ball Z meets Steins;Gate in the best way.

7. Elden Ring

Studio Pick: Bones (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Mob Psycho 100)

Elden Ring isn’t just a game—it’s a mythology. A fractured world of gods, demigods, and tarnished warriors fighting for the fate of The Lands Between. That level of high fantasy requires a studio that can balance insane action with layered storytelling. Enter Bones.

Bones brought Fullmetal Alchemist’s sprawling lore to life while still keeping the emotional core of the Elric brothers intact. They could do the same for Elden Ring—blending the grandeur of Radahn’s festival with the quiet tragedy of Ranni’s path. And let’s be honest, anime Godrick the Grafted would trend for weeks.

8. Persona 5 Royal

Studio Pick: CloverWorks (Horimiya, The Promised Neverland)

Yes, Persona 5 already has an anime adaptation—but it missed the mark. The pacing was rushed, the animation uneven, and it just didn’t capture the game’s stylish soul.

CloverWorks could fix all of that. They’re excellent at character-driven dramas with emotional weight, and they have the visual flair to match Persona’s bold aesthetic. Imagine the Phantom Thieves’ calling cards animated with Promised Neverland’s tension or the social links handled with Horimiya’s warmth. A reboot could finally give Joker and his crew the adaptation they deserve.

9. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Studio Pick: Madhouse (Hunter x Hunter, Death Note)

Few games embody samurai tragedy like Sekiro. It’s a story about honor, revenge, and the toll of immortality. Madhouse, with its ability to animate brutal duels and psychological breakdowns, could take this already cinematic game to another level.

Picture Sekiro’s battle with Genichiro, lightning clashing across Ashina Castle, or the grotesque nightmare of the Guardian Ape fight. With Madhouse’s attention to detail and flair for intensity, Sekiro’s journey would feel like a lost Kurosawa film crossed with anime horror.

10. Mass Effect Trilogy

Studio Pick: Sunrise (Cowboy Bebop, Mobile Suit Gundam)

This one might surprise people—after all, Mass Effect is a Western RPG. But anime has always had a soft spot for space operas, and Sunrise is the king of the genre. Shepard’s galaxy-spanning battle against the Reapers is basically Gundam-level drama already.

Imagine the Normandy crew animated with Cowboy Bebop’s stylish grit: Garrus as the sharp-eyed sharpshooter, Tali’s vulnerability, Liara’s mystery. And when the Reapers descend, Sunrise could deliver a finale as operatic and devastating as any Gundam war.

Conclusion: Gaming Worlds Deserve the Anime Spotlight

Anime and video games have always shared DNA. From Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie to Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, we’ve seen the potential. But these 10 titles? They’re long overdue for anime adaptations that could become cultural milestones.

With the right studio, the line between gaming and anime could blur completely—and honestly, that’s the future we want.