Anime often allows audiences to experience intense emotions and wildly dangerous situations that would render the average person catatonic from pure fear. Through the eyes of the main characters, fans can travel to fantastical lands and fight against imposing monsters or witness battles to the death between some of the most powerful anime characters in history.
As such, it’s no surprise that the concept of a high-stakes game in which a player’s life is at risk is so interesting to viewers. Death Games as a genre has been vastly popular among anime fans, with several new series being released each year. Among seemingly countless entries, there are some that have taken the genre to an entirely new level, pushing the envelope of what these stories can be.
9
High-Rise Invasion Is a Great Series With Few But Alarming Flaws
Trapped in a strange and dangerous dimension where the only way to traverse is through massive skyscrapers, Yuri ventures forward looking for her missing brother. While investigating her temporary new home, she comes across several masked assassins, all armed and ready to eliminate anyone they come across. Armed with nothing but her bravery and the few tools she can find along the way, the heroine must try to find her brother and get back home.
High-Rise Invasion caused a lot of hype among anime fans a few years ago, largely due to its unique take on the survival game genre. By stripping away any comfort or safety from its characters and forcing them into a sterile and difficult-to-traverse environment, the action and anxiety are increased tenfold. Unfortunately, the story often feels lacking, and the fan service goes too far in several scenes.
8
Btooom! Has a Fantastical Yet Realistic Setting
For most of his adult life, Ryota Sakamoto has been considered a shut-in failure who spends his entire day playing his favorite battle royale video game, Btooom! One day, he wakes up alone on an island and with no memories of how he got there, only to be attacked with explosives by several other people in the same condition. He quickly discovers that he has been sent to a real-life version of his favorite game, and must now use his knowledge to survive.
A series that takes the Death Game genre into a much more strategic and psychological battle, Btooom! uses the traits innate to the genre to study the darkness of humanity. Despite its fantastical premise, the show tries to remain as realistic as possible, allowing the characters to experience the fear, anxiety, and desperation that comes from a battle to survive. While some episodes can feel somewhat bland, with no real plot progression, the series finds a way to keep audiences engaged.
7
Deadman Wonderland Has Some Amazing Battle Scenes
Framed for the murder of his entire class, Ganta is sent to a maximum security prison for people with supernatural abilities over blood, known as Deadmen. This place was created to make the most violent of criminals have to fight for their lives, as the collars they wear slowly kill them via a powerful poison. With no other choice left, the boy must use his abilities to fight for the antidote, while trying to find a way out.
Known for being one of the most twisted anime in history, Deadman Wonderland transports audiences to an unforgiving reality in which corrupt elites can force people to fight to the death for their entertainment. Its power system is quite unique, and each character’s personal abilities help the battles feel fresh each time. Lamentably, the show was canceled after one season, a fact that still hurts to this day.
6
Future Diary Is One of the Most Famous Examples of the Genre
Yuki’s life was as normal as it could get for a lonesome boy whose main hobby was to write about his day on his cellphone—at least until his imaginary friends revealed themselves to be the God of Time and Space and his assistant. They turn out to not only be the rulers of all known universes, but also commence a game to the death between several candidates to find who could become the deity’s successor. Yuki’s only hope is Yuno, a sweet but ruthless killer who is obsessively in love with him.
Arguably one of the most popular and effective anime for beginners, Future Diary is a story that shaped the genre for future generations to come. Although the story has several glaring flaws, they are not enough to overshadow the genuine enjoyment that the over-the-top action of this series provides. It also has a memorable and charming cast that millions of fans still love to this day.
5
Danganronpa: The Animation Excellently Blends Two Genres
Naegi’s dreams came true the day he gained a scholarship to Hope’s Peak Academy, the most prestigious and exclusive school in the world. This institution is known for only accepting the most talented students, referred to as Ultimates, for excelling in their fields. This dream quickly becomes a nightmare when Naegi wakes up in the gymnasium, surrounded by his classmates, only to be sent into a fight for survival by a sinister bear named Monokuma.
Danganronpa is a series that expertly blends the high-stakes action of a Death Game series and the intense thriller of a murder mystery. The story has several mind-blowing plot twists that help retain audiences’ attention, preventing its repetitive formula from feeling dull. While some characters can quickly become tedious and there are several plot points that are not as well-written as the rest of the story, the series has remained a beloved classic for a reason.
4
Death Parade Delves Deep Into Human Nature
Decim, a newly appointed afterlife arbiter, works at the Quindecim Bar, a place where souls go to be judged. The subjects always arrive in pairs, with no memories of who they were or how they died, and are told that they need to play a game, different for each new couple, to determine their fates. Through these trials, the owners of the bar can see the true nature of each soul, to later decide if they should be punished or given a new chance at life.
Death Parade is an amazing study of the human psyche, both the benevolent and malignant sides present in everyone. The games, while simple in nature, are designed to test how far someone is willing to go to obtain a reward. Whether the souls play fair and accept the inevitability of their fates or cheat to try and go against destiny, audiences will be fascinated by the consequences of the character’s actions.
3
Fate/Stay Night Was the Beginning of a Complex and Beloved Franchise
After losing his adoptive father, a kind man who saved him from his burning city as a child, Shirou Emiya tries to go through life helping others and doing his best to make the world a better place. Things get out of hand quickly after he gets entangled in a battle between Mages, people with magical abilities, and their Servants, historical figures brought to fight by their side. He is saved by a blonde girl named Saber, who bonds with him to help him partake in the war for the Holy Grail.
Undoubtedly one of the most complex anime out there, with a guide being needed for most fans to understand its rich lore, Fate/Stay Night is an exciting and thrilling adventure full of epic fights and memorable characters. By following Shirou’s journey from a kind yet weak boy to a skillful warrior, fans will learn more about this intriguing world, in which every corner can hide a deadly and ruthless opponent.
2
Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor Serves As a Masterful Social Critic
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Image via Madhouse. -
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Left with massive debt after helping a friend ask for a loan he never paid back, Kaiji finds himself desperate to find a solution. He finds a glimmer of hope when the loan shark hunting him down offers him the opportunity to not only repay his debt, but also gain a massive fortune. The protagonist enrolls in a deadly game where his skill and wit will be the only things preventing him from suffering a painful death.
Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor is an enthralling show that uses the tropes typical of the Death Game genre to tell a deeply human story full of social commentary. The series features a realistic and flawed hero who uses his desperation to survive to overcome even the biggest obstacles. The villains represent the worst of humanity, being rich elites who utilize the suffering of those in need to entertain themselves.
Rearrange the covers into the correct Japanese release order.
1
Alice in Borderland’s Challenges Do Not Rely Solely on Physical Strength
After a meteor crashes into Tokyo, the reclusive gamer Arisu and his friends find themselves standing in a desert version of their home city. They are quickly pulled into a deadly game, threatened by the fact that they will be killed if they refuse to participate. This event commences what will be a traumatic experience for Arisu, as he will have to push his brain past its limit to survive the many games in which he will be trapped.
The world of Alice in Borderland is one where every single decision carries devastating consequences for the characters, as each new game will put not only their skills but humanity to the test. The show does not simply rely on its characters’ physical abilities, instead forcing them to utilize their brains to figure out how they can survive the challenges ahead. Although the anime does not cover the entirety of the story, it more than excels with the material it had to work with.
