When talking about fighting games, most people probably think of games like Tekken, Mortal Kombat, and Street Fighter.
Though all of those are fantastic games, there are various other fighting games out there that are just as awesome, and among those games lies the anime fighting games. What is an anime fighter?
Well, they come in two forms, one of which is a fighting game with a random anime art style, and the other is a fighter based on an actual already-made anime. It is also possible to classify certain games as both.
From the shonen giants like Naruto to the magical girl genre, there is a lot of fighting in most anime.
The fights seem to be on a radically different level of reality, often with fighters using just a certain percentage of their strength, having distinct forms, and still being able to stand up through the power of friendship.
There are anime fighting games that are very enjoyable. A wide variety of characters and a balanced combat system are what make for a good anime fighting game interesting.
Whether you are a long time fan of anime fighting games, or you just want to give it a try, then this list below will interest you;
10. BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle was created by Arc Systems as a wild crossover between several different series of fighting games. This game also includes the newly introduced animated series RWBY by Rooster Teeth.
Players can select any two characters from 4 different series generated by Arc Systems and fight against opponents in a 2 on 2 battle to gather pieces of a “Keystone” that will return the characters to their respective universes.
Each character is rendered in the BlazBlue art style and has had their finishing moves transformed into Astral Finishes. There are 40 characters available in the game, 20 in the base game, and 20 for DLC.
Despite having a large roster of characters, more characters from 3 other fighting series are said to be included in the upcoming update.
Available on: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, and Arcade
9. Persona 4 Arena
In the Persona series, Persona 4 Arena is the first fighting game. The plot occurs a few months after the Persona 4 events and features most of the Persona 3 main cast, who are now two years older.
The former SEES members and the Investigation Team cross paths as two individuals who look like Rise and Teddie hold a tournament that pushes them to fight one another.
A new character which is a mysterious girl without a Persona is alongside 13 other main characters from both Persona 3 and 4. Each player has power over their own Persona, which performs specific moves. The battle stages are taken from places seen in both Persona 3 and 4 games.
Available on: Arcade, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360
8. Guilty Gear Xrd
Since 1998, the Guilty Gear series has been around, with each series having its unique concept and style. The 5th main title of the series is Guilty Gear Xrd.
To make this franchise the most visually appealing Guilty Gear game so far, the producers made sure the visuals and animations were well-polished.
The game has also been redesigned to make it easier for new players to be included in it, and it also includes an action tutorial mode to further assist newcomers.
The story mode goes deep into the lore of the game and gives a brief introduction to what happened in the past series. The roster includes 20 characters, including classic characters such as I-No, Sol and Millia.
Available on: Arcade, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and Microsoft Windows
7. Under Night In-Birth
Under Night In-Birth is a well-known 2D fighting game, the same as Melty Blood and Dengeki Bonku, and they are all produced by French Bread.
It has been said that for centuries, the “Hollow Night” has given way for dreadful beasts or monsters that feed on a force called “Existence.”
There are people who have the ability to see these creatures called Voids, and there are also those who survive an attack from a Void, then acquire the strength to battle them and become In-Births.
In-Birth has a number of different fighting game mechanics, as with Melty Blood, that give players multiple ways to cancel and also counter the attacks of their opponents. Each character has its own exclusive combinations and special trades.
Available on: Arcade (RingEdge 2), PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Nintendo Switch
6. KILL La KILL – IF
The wild, but epic, anime that is KILL la KILL can be hard to explain in just a few terms. The plot follows Ryuko as she seeks to find the truth behind the death of her father, a truth that seems to be known to Satsuki Kiryuin, the student president of Honnouji Academy.
The game is specifically modelled after the anime’s art style, with their roles being reprised by the same VAs (both Japanese and English).
The combat is fast-paced, and there is a “Bloody Valor” gameplay mechanic where players can ridicule and taunt their opponents to deal additional damage.
Available on: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows
5. One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 Deluxe Edition
One Piece is a shonen anime that has been running for decades and, which is no small feat, is close to hitting 1,000 episodes.
Many video games have tried to catch the charm of Luffy and the Pirate Crew of the Straw Hat, but the games can sometimes be a mixed bag.
The best One Piece game yet is One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 Deluxe Edition. It includes nearly 40 playable characters and addictive gameplay that does justice to the anime series.
Available on: PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, and Nintendo Switch
4. Dragon Ball FighterZ
Without a Dragon Ball game, no list of the finest anime fighting games would be complete. There are plenty of excellent ones, but Dragon Ball FighterZ is the best one that really captures the essence of the franchise.
Arc Systems, the same company behind BlazBlue, produced this game. It uses the same mechanics as most other fighting games, and with a 21 character roster of 3 unlocked from the gameplay, this game is a must-play for any anime-lover or gamer.
With characters like Vegito and Dragon Ball Super’s Android 17 available, it is possible to buy more fighters via DLC. It has an original story mode where the Dragon Balls are used by a new Android, 21, to revive some of the villains of the series and also to seal the power of Earth’s greatest heroes.
Available on: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch
3. My Hero: One’s Justice 2
My Hero Academia is one of the most famous anime on TV at the moment and while the previous fighter One’s Justice is a commendable effort, in every category its new sequel knocks it out of the park.
My Hero: One’s Justice 2 takes from its predecessor what works and then just loads it with more content, whether it’s an expanded style of story and mission or new characters.
The inclusion of destructible environments and distinctive Team Final Smashes makes One’s Justice 2 a great game.
Available on: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows.
2. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4
Naruto, similar to Dragon Ball Z, provides strong content for fighting games. There are a lot of fighting games in the franchise, but none of them could beat Naruto Shippuden: the cinematography of Ultimate Ninja Storm 4, convincing plot, and impressive three-dimensional fights.
Elemental damage was also added, which can impact both clothing and weapons.
What some players and reviewers didn’t like was that the combat system felt too easy, and characters that were more overpowered compared to others were only unlocked through the plot.
Available on: Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch
1. Jump Force
Crossover fighters is a video game subgenre that is becoming more popular thanks to the popularity of titles such as Super Smash Bros.
Jump Force is a very clever concept that takes and throws together characters from the most successful Shonen Jump series into one game.
For a long time, the Jump Ultimate Stars franchise has been one of the most enjoyable game series, but Jump Force is the newest entry, and it brings to the equation a lot of new characters and fun.
There is just something exciting about seeing Naruto, Goku, Luffy, and other anime characters all in battle with each other.
Available on: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Why did you not talk about the gameplay at all