— Just Imagine the Possibilities
Some video games feel like they were made to be anime.
Especially action games — with their kinetic movement, stylized visuals, and dramatic storytelling — they’re practically begging for a full animation treatment.
In this article, we’ve handpicked 5 Japanese action games with international fanbases that have yet to receive a proper anime adaptation (or deserve a much better one).
Here’s why now is the time to bring them to life — frame by frame.
① Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
A legendary spy. A mentor-turned-enemy. A jungle full of secrets and betrayal.
MGS3 is one of the most emotionally complex entries in the series, and arguably the most “anime-ready.”
✅ Why it deserves an anime:
- The question of “Why do we fight?” is deeply human — perfect for narrative-driven anime
- Stealth, close combat, survival… it’s a visual feast when animated with the right studio
- The final battle with The Boss would become a masterpiece of anime storytelling
🎥 Ideal style:
WIT STUDIO or Production I.G, 12-episode serious military drama
Heavy on character expressions, pauses, and silence
② Bayonetta
Gun-slinging, demon-summoning, hair-whipping witch fights angels with a smirk —
Do we even need to explain why Bayonetta would make a killer anime?
✅ Why it deserves an anime:
- Her style, confidence, and absurd action scenes scream for an over-the-top animation treatment
- The choreography, fashion, and lore would shine with a studio like Trigger or Studio Bones
- Could be a mix of hilarious and epic — an animated spectacle
🎥 Ideal style:
Trigger or Kamikaze Douga
13 episodes of nonstop flair and one-liners, loud OP optional
③ Astral Chain
A futuristic police force battles interdimensional threats using chained spirit partners called Legions.
Sounds like an anime already, right?
✅ Why it deserves an anime:
- Twin protagonists, lost family, and a world on the edge of collapse — all classic anime ingredients
- The chained combat system would be a visual standout in animation
- The emotional weight combined with tech designs make this a perfect sci-fi x shonen hybrid
🎥 Ideal style:
A-1 Pictures
Episodic structure: one case per week, deeper arc toward the finale
④ NieR Replicant ver.1.22…
A brother fights to save his sister.
But the more he fights, the more he begins to question what it even means to be “human.”
✅ Why it deserves an anime:
- Characters like Kaine, Emil, and Weiss are rich with inner conflict
- The multiple endings and perspective shifts lend themselves perfectly to seasonal anime structure
- Themes of memory, identity, and sacrifice resonate deeply — perfect for emotional animation
🎥 Ideal style:
CloverWorks or ufotable
24-episode structure, with Insert Songs used for emotional payoff
Routes B–D handled with nonlinear direction
⑤ Ōkami
Play as the sun goddess Amaterasu in wolf form, restoring life to a corrupted world using brush strokes.
Its ink-and-paper art style and folklore storytelling are begging for an animated adaptation.
✅ Why it deserves an anime:
- Imagine a moving sumi-e (ink painting) anime — it would be visually breathtaking
- Taps into Japanese mythology, nature, and the cycle of life — timeless themes for all audiences
- Minimal dialogue, but maximum atmosphere and emotional depth
🎥 Ideal style:
Science SARU or Production I.G
Focus on music, visual storytelling, and quiet beauty over dialogue
🔚 Final Thoughts: Why Now?
Each of these games offers more than just action — they deliver stories of identity, conflict, loss, and connection.
In an age where anime is reaching global audiences more than ever,
it’s time to bring these worlds to the screen — not just to retell their stories,
but to re-experience them through new eyes.
💬 Which Japanese action game would you want to see animated?
Let us know in the comments or send us a DM:
📬 animegamepulse@gmail.com
🐦 @animegamepulse
