Every season marks a fresh start for the anime industry as new shows hit the scene by the dozens. Along with a handful of original stories, most anime are adaptations of manga or light novels; for example, themost popular Fall 2021 anime,Komi Can’t CommunicateandMushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, are based on a manga and light novel respectively.
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A far less common source for anime adaptations are games, especially if visual novels are taken out of the equation. Obviously, exceptions do exist in the form ofPokemon,Devil May Cry, and thePersonaseries, but they are a rare commodity. Nevertheless, there are quite a fewgames set to receive anime adaptationsin the future. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Note:Netflix’sDevil May Cry: The Animated SeriesandCaptain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remixhave not been included since they toe the line between anime and western animation. Still, these shows are exciting prospects as their creator is Adi Shankar ofCastlevaniafame.
Dolls' Frontline
Girls' Frontlinehas already spawned two anime seasons, butDolls' Frontlineis its own thing. The Chinese mobile game debuted in 2016 and went global two years later. Agacha gameabout T-Dolls that are used in war,Girls' Frontlinerevolves around players collecting soldiers who can then engage in automatic battles. The game does have a decent amount of lore, so the anime has storylines to build upon.
While the original anime was primarily a comedy,Dolls' Frontlinelooks set to be a more serious adaptation of the source material.
Fantasia Sango
A Taiwanese RPG series that has not enjoyed much crossover success,Fantasia Sangodebuted in 2003 and has produced five mainline games overall. The series takes place within China’s Three Kingdoms era, a period known for its conflict stemming from various warlords trying to take over the land.
Gensou Sangokushi: Tengen Reishinkiwill probably be the first exposure to this series for most people. The anime is being handled by Geek Toys, the same studio working onDate A Live’s season 4.
Cue!
A Japanese mobile game that debuted in 2019,Cue!is a management sim where players are put in charge of developing voice actors. The game has yet to debut outside of Japan, and that seems unlikely to change consideringCue!has already celebrated its two-year anniversary.
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Yumeta Company and Graphinica are creating the anime, the latter of which has experience adapting games since the studio released theChain Chronicletitles. Yumeta Company has a solid track record when it comes toanime based on visual novels, with theKiniro no Cordabeing their standout franchise.
Deemo: Memorial Keys
Deemois a Taiwanese rhythm game that has enjoyed its fair share of success since debuting in 2013. Originally released on mobile devices, the game eventually made its way to the PS Vita and Nintendo Switch. A 3D remake calledDeemo -REBORN-was even released worldwide for the PS4, PC, mobile, and Nintendo Switch.
Rhythm games might not be typically known for their stories, butDeemois quite impressive in this area. The anime movie’s visual style might take a bit of getting used to, but the story appears set to be quite a moving experience.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
CD Projekt Red’sCyberpunk 2077will be making its way to Netflix in the form of an anime series.Cyberpunk: Edgerunnersfocuses on a street kid who turns to the mercenary life to survive inNight City’s dangerous society.
A 10-episode standalone anime,Cyberpunk: Edgerunnersis being created by Studio Trigger, a company that can be relied upon to, if nothing else, deliver incredible animation. And, just to be clear, Trigger usually delivers much more than just pretty visuals.
The Legend Of The Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steelis the perfect pick for an anime adaptation. Lasting for four entries, the RPG series is story and character-driven, centering around a group of students stuck in a world defined by political tension. Each game offers 50+ hours of content, and the series boasts fantastic world-building.
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The anime will be telling a brand new story set within the same region as the games. As such, this release could be an accessible entry point for newcomers to the franchise. That being said, anyturn-based JRPGfan should put aside the time to tryThe Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel.
Legend Of Mana: The Teardrop Crystal
Not much is currently known about the anime adaptation ofLegend of Mana. EntitledThe Teardrop Crystal, this series was announced in mid-2021 during Square Enix’s 30th-anniversary livestream celebration dedicated to the RPG franchise, and it is also not clear when the anime will debut.
Graphinica will be handling this video game anime adaptation, with Yokohama Animation Lab serving as co-creators. The latter is predominantly known for theMiru TightsONA series.
Disney: Twisted-Wonderland
Disney: Twisted-Wonderlandprovides a bizarre twist on Mickey Mouse’s iconic villains. A mobile game with gacha elements,Disney: Twisted-Wonderlandis an isekai series that teleports players into a school with seven dormitories filled with alternate takes of legendary antagonists.
Tales Of Luminaria: The Fateful Crossroad
In November 2021, Bandai Namco releasedTales of Luminariaon mobile devices, the latest release in theTales offranchise. Whilefar from a perfect game,Tales of Luminariais a respectable entry in the long-running RPG series and features quite an engaging narrative that highlights its strong roster of characters.
Tales of Luminaria: The Fateful Crossroadwill animate one of the most significant moments in the game’s lore. Kamikaze Douga is in charge of the anime, the same studio that handled 2018’sNinja Batman.
