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Monday, 31 May 2021

10 Best Not-So-Scary Horror Anime For Genre Beginners

Almost every anime viewer out there can appreciate slice-of-life shows that add some color to even the gloomiest of days. But every once in a while, viewers desire shows that are bereft of any feel-good vibes and are a little heavy on the stomach. Fortunately, for days like these, there's a long list of horror anime to choose from.

Since anime is different from other mediums of storytelling, some of its horror-themed shows may not befit the taste of newbie viewers. So, for the ones looking forward to taking a small step into some unique offerings of the genre, the list of gateway horror anime below might come in handy.

10 Ghost Stories

There are glaring differences between the subbed and dubbed versions of Ghost Stories. So for viewers looking for a blend of horror and humor, the dubbed version is more relevant. On the other hand, the ones expecting a serious-toned horror anime should stick to the original subbed version.

Ghost Stories revolves around two siblings who move to a new town and learn about the ghastly rumors surrounding their school. Although they initially brush them off, they soon learn that the rumors are true and the old school building accommodates ghosts that are after them. The animation style of the series may seem a bit dated, but it still manages to redeem itself with its well-written characters and their developments.

9 Petshop Of Horrors

According to several reviews, the Petshop of Horrors anime pales out compared to its source. Moreover, even its animation quality hasn't stood the test of time. But despite its shortcomings and limited budget, the four-episode OVA does a reasonably good job at scaring viewers with effective storytelling.

At the center of its premise is a pet shop owner named Count D, who sells rare and mysterious pets to people. Each pet comes with a contract the owners must conform to for if they fail to do so, they must prepare for dire consequences.

8 High School Of The Dead

For viewers who are easily turned off by fan service, High School of the Dead may not fit the bill. However, for others who are looking for an anime that seamlessly combines the fan service brand of comedy with action and zombie horror, it is among the best out there.

Its plot revolves around a group of high schoolers who narrowly survive a zombie apocalypse. Determined to figure out what caused the pandemic in the first place, they set out on a journey to unravel the secrets around it and find their loved ones.

7 Ayakashi: Samurai Classic Horror

In its 11-episode runtime, Ayakashi narrates three classic Japanese horror stories. Due to its involvement of many local cultural references, the series may not engage all viewers. However, once a viewer is well-versed with the show's symbolism and imagery, its experimental art style and storytelling pay off well.

Instead of heavily relying on cheap jump scares, Ayakashi builds a grim atmosphere with its music and detailed background imagery. Along with that, it also sheds some light on the common issues that people faced during the Edo period. So if not for its offbeat approach towards horror, many viewers will find it intriguing for its historical and cultural explorations.

6 Junji Ito Collection

With an Uzumaki adaptation underway, now would be a good time to catch up with Junji Ito's other cosmic horror tales. For those who are too scared to delve into the world of Ito's unparalleled horrors, this anime could serve as a perfect gateway.

Although several reviews suggest that the series tries to cram way too many Junji Ito tales in its 12-episode runtime and its pacing is all over the place, the anime makes up for its flaws by capturing the very essence of Ito's trademarks.

5 Parasyte: The Maxim

The science fiction genre is replete with stories of body-snatching aliens. So conceptually, Parasyte brings nothing new to the table. It unfolds in a world where alien parasites burrow into human brains and acquire complete control of their bodies. What makes the series stand out though is the psychological explorations and subtle developments of its main character, Shinichi.

Like other humans, Shinichi, too, becomes a victim of a parasite. But instead of hacking into his brain, the alien rests in his right arm and gives him the ability to battle others. From being an ordinary school kid, Shuichi turns into a warrior who is often weighed down by his own expectations.

4 Dorohedoro

Dorohedoro is one of a kind. With a dark dystopian world in its backdrop, it follows the adventures—and misadventures—of a reptile-headed man who's determined to find the sorcerer who cursed him. His adventures lead him to the ghastly underbelly of his world where sorcerers rule and nothing is as it seems.

Although CGI animation has a bad rep in the anime circle, Dorohedoro breaks the norm by recreating an almost flawless CGI adaptation of its source. Its gothic-cyberpunk aesthetic feels visceral, and its fascinating world-building and characters never leave a dull moment.

3 Tokyo Ghoul

Since its release, Tokyo Ghoul has divided viewers. While some appreciate it for its gripping plot points and stellar production, others remain dissatisfied by the inconsistencies and underdeveloped storyline elements. Regardless of one's opinion about it, it cannot be denied that the series instills some genuine chills and thrills.

As many reviews suggest, it may be lackluster compared to the psychological depth of its original manga. However, when it comes to its action, the show has enough gore and intensity to keep most horror fans hooked.

2 The Promised Neverland

The first season of The Promise Neverland took the world of anime by storm. Both shounen and non-shounen fans united to appreciate its hard-hitting opening, impressive graphics, and brilliant storytelling. Although its second season failed to impress most viewers, newbie horror fans can definitely check out its season 1 to get well-versed with the high standards of quality horror anime.

Set in a dream-like orphanage, the show revolves around three orphans who have the time of their lives under the protective eye of their "Mama," Isabella. However, their ideal perception of the orphanage is soon shattered when they learn that there's a lot more to their Mama than meets the eye.

1 Deadman Wonderland

As the title itself suggests, Deadman Wonderland promises a lot of violence, intriguing characters, and plot developments that rarely require any emotional investment. And for the most part, it does deliver everything it promises but offers nothing more than that.

Its setup is all about the nightmarish adventures of a young boy who gets falsely convicted for mass murder and gets sent to a prison amusement park called Deadman Wonderland. To survive he must find a friend among other sadistic inmates imprisoned there and win deathly games he's forced to play for the entertainment of onlookers.

NEXT: 5 Anime That Are Great For Beginners (& 5 For The More Seasoned Viewer)

10 Ways Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Is The Best Franchise Game For New Players

BioWare recently released the long-awaited Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, a compendium of the original trilogy, with all of its bonus material included (minus a few absentees) in one easy-to-handle package. It may not be the ground-up remaster many fans were hoping for, especially following the ill-fated release of Mass Effect: Andromeda, but it's certainly a major upgrade in terms of graphical fidelity, gameplay tweaks, and other goodies.

Gamers who have never had the chance to play Mass Effect before now have the perfect opportunity to jump right in and experience this amazing story for all it has to offer. There are many reasons why Legendary Edition just became the prime package for new and existing Mass Effect fans to get back into the action.

10 Updated Graphics & Visuals

This is one of the biggest draws of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, and for good reason. Those old games simply haven't aged all that well (particularly the first in the franchise), and a new coat of paint goes a long way to selling a classic series to a new audience. Yes, gamers can mod the original titles with HD texture packs, but not all of them are so eager to get out of their comfort zone and learn how.

By beefing up the visuals, Mass Effect gets a technical bump that incentivizes new audiences to give it a shot. It may not make up for the simplistic level design and décor of the games, especially in the current age, but looks sell, and that's true for old games as well as new ones. 4K resolutions and HDR are also possible, along with ultra-widescreen support.

9 Three Games + All DLC In One Package

Having all three titles under one package is a great way to experience Mass Effect for the first time, particularly considering that every single DLC pack (minus one that sadly cannot be retrieved), is there to play. This is the definitive way to play Mass Effect from start to finish, without missing any of the content in the process. This is some of the best DLC content around and definitely adds to the storyline in a big way.

Mass Effect 3 was particularly notorious for its fragmented and expensive DLC packs. Those days are over, and gamers can now fire up one executable and play to their heart's content.

8 Better Character Creation

The ability to customize Commander Shepard in the original games was a big draw for many players, but the world has moved on. Today's character creation systems are far more advanced and robust by comparison. BioWare decided to overhaul the character creation system for Legendary Edition to give players more flexibility when it comes to crafting looks.

It's not perfect, and it still betrays the game's age, but it's a decent enough bump in quality to warrant a nod. Here's to hoping that the modding community rips the game apart and figures out a way to expand on the character creation engine altogether.

7 Gameplay Tweaks & Balancing

BioWare made it a point to go back and tweak the gameplay mechanics of the Mass Effect games in order to bring them closer in line with 2021 standards. This means that new gamers will be spared the irritations and annoyances that plagued the original titles, specifically the first in the series.

One of the most obvious examples of gameplay tweaking is the Mako, which has been drastically overhauled for better planetary exploration. No longer does it feel like it's made out of airbags and marshmallows, and it finally hits its targets properly. This is just one of many examples of buffed-up gameplay.

6 Better Controls

Control schemes were quite different 10 years ago than they are today, and many newer gamers are used to modern setups. It may not necessarily be a deal-breaker to endure an older control scheme, but any refinement helps. Luckily, Legendary Edition has taken that into account.

Many of the changes will be unnoticeable to new players, but they include such things as reduced sniper rifle sway, better button mapping, and consistent headshot damage. This allows players to react tactically, without the game handicapping their strategy.

5 Changed/Extra Content

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition might seem like a straight port, and that's kind of the idea, but there's more to it than that. BioWare has gone in to clean up a few problem areas in order to make it easier on gamers. Environments have been tweaked for better pathing, and enemy encounters are now different, as well.

BioWare recently showed off a video that highlighted a battle with a Thresher Maw from inside the Mako. In contrast to the original game, the Thresher Maw now leaves a trail to indicate its direction, similar to the Tremors horror movie monster, and can also attack the player with tentacles that must be shot down to prevent damage.

4 Better Loading Times

Computer hardware has advanced by leaps and bounds since the original Mass Effect came out. BioWare capitalized on technological advancements for Legendary Edition by speeding up loading times right across the board, which was a big complaint from previous releases.

A great example are the elevators on the Citadel, which used to take around 50 seconds of wait time while the game loaded. BioWare tweaked the game to load up new areas in around 15 seconds, with an option to skip elevator chatter altogether. It may not seem like much, but it's one less hurdle for new gamers to deal with.

3 Better Sound Mix

One of Mass Effect's biggest draws was its incredible audio and music. This was an awe-inspiring soundscape through which gamers could get lost in, but BioWare decided to amp it all up for Legendary Edition, and that's a wise move. The overall mix is much clearer, wider, and more powerful than ever before.

Battles get this treatment the best, with weapons fire shaking the walls. Indeed, it's almost a little too loud, but those who love massive explosions and tooth-rattling gunshots will be in audiophilic heaven. The music is just as lovely as ever, and it's amazing in 5.1 surround. New gamers are getting spoiled with this release.

2 A Better Modding Platform

It didn't take long for the modding community, best known for its amazing Skyrim mods, to start fiddling with Legendary Edition, with the first few mods going up almost simultaneous to the game's launch. Currently, the Nexus Mods page list about 95 mods for Legendary Edition, with hopefully more on the way.

Mods are important not just for extra or enhanced content, but as workaround solutions for common bugs and irritations. For instance, ultra-widescreen gamers are subjected to black pillar boxes on the left and right sides of each in-game cutscene, which are highly annoying. Luckily, the latest edition of the Flawless Widescreen app includes a built-in injector fix to remedy this problem.

1 Gaming On A Modern Platform

It's getting harder and harder to run Mass Effect games these days. Console versions are obsolete at this point, and PC versions will continue to run into problems with newer hardware. Eventually, it will suffer the same fate as many older games that cannot run natively on the Windows 10 platform without some serious fiddling.

Whatever the case, having Mass Effect in updated fashion for the newest consoles and PC hardware guarantees longevity moving forward, especially given the paradigm shift in gaming technology. This ensures that it'll be around in updated form for years to come.

NEXT: The 10 Biggest Video Game Bosses Of All Time

Grey's Anatomy: 10 Favorite Storylines, According To Reddit

Few TV dramas are on the air as long as Grey's Anatomy and fans have seen beloved characters experience growth and change, fall in love, advance in their medical careers, and in many cases, leave. Although the premise of the show is serious, the storylines range from light-hearted and romantic to dramatic and twisty, and most of them are very memorable.

Every Grey's Anatomy fan has a favorite character and many have favorite storylines, too. In several Reddit threads, fans of the hospital drama talked about the plotlines that they love the most, from some of the most shocking episodes to sweet moments between the characters.

10 A Patient Had A Bomb Inside Of Them

In season 2, the bomb squad came to the hospital as the doctors were faced with a very unique situation: a patient had a bomb inside of them.

Fans enjoyed watching this scary and thrilling two-part episode and shared on Reddit that it's a favorite storyline. It's true that with 17 seasons, the show isn't quite as shocking anymore, as that's inevitable, but the first few seasons had many fast-paced storylines that featured the doctors in terrifying situations.

9 The Hospital Shooting Was Powerful

Sometimes a favorite storyline on Grey's Anatomy involves some tragedy, and Meredith almost passed away in many instances, including when someone came into the hospital with a gun.

Many fans shared on Reddit that they think the hospital shooting storyline is one of the most well-done, poignant ones. In the season 6 finale "Death and All His Friends," Gary Clark wanted to avenge his wife, who died at the hospital. Several characters almost lost their lives here, including Derek and Cristina. Grey's Anatomy is often surprising and emotional, and this was one of those times.

8 Owen Living With PTSD

Owen and Cristina had a very emotional and difficult romance on Grey's Anatomy. While they loved each other, they disagreed about having children and Owen also lived with PTSD, which was devastating and heartbreaking for Cristina to witness.

A fan posted on Reddit that they thought Owen's PTSD storyline was well-done. While it was sad to see, it did allow fans to learn more about Owen, and it gave him a solid character arc that bridged his past with his present and future.

7 Arizona And Callie Fighting For Custody

There are many characters Callie could have dated, especially since Callie and Arizona had such a sad ending to their relationship.

Some fans shared on Reddit that they liked watching Callie and Arizona fight for custody of their daughter. This was definitely a Grey's Anatomy storyline that was both heartbreaking and hard to stop watching. They both wanted what was best for their child, but they also couldn't help but bring their hurt and pain into the situation, too. It was hard to know how it was going to end, but now that both characters have left the series, it was implied that they got back together.

6 Cristina Leaving The Hospital Behind For A Dream Job

A fan posted on Reddit that while it was sad to see Cristina leave, her goodbye storyline was a great one.

The fan wrote that they loved Cristina's character arc: "seeing Cristina go from the arrogant intern she was to a passionate, completely patient-focused Dr., it just always amazes me." It was very moving when Cristina was offered a huge job running a hospital in Switzerland. She knew that this was an incredible chance and while it was painful to leave Meredith, she took the risk and moved away.

5 Maggie Saying Goodbye To Her Mom

Maggie has some scenes on the show that stand out, especially when she talked about the COVID-19 pandemic. She's so intelligent and perceptive, and fans welcome when she is given meaningful storylines and has to face something in her personal life.

It was heartbreaking when Maggie learned that her mom had cancer, and she had to say goodbye to such a beloved and important person in her life. A fan posted in a Reddit thread that this is a great and "underrated" storyline.

4 When Meredith Almost Drowned

In the season 3 episode "Drowning On Dry Land," Meredith came super close to drowning, and there were several scenes of her going deeper and deeper inside the water. It wasn't clear if she would make it and it was definitely scary to see.

A fan shared on Reddit that Meredith's drowning is a must-watch storyline. This was very impactful and prove that Meredith often couldn't catch a break. It seemed like she kept experiencing pain and sadness and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

3 Arizona's Leg Getting Amputated After The Plane Crash

A fan pointed out that Arizona's storyline where she lost her leg was another well-crafted one.

The doctors all struggled after they got into a horrible plane crash, and Arizona had trouble adjusting when she lost her leg. This was a huge moment for the character, as she had always been there for her patients, helping children through the worst moments of their lives. Now she was at a crossroads and she leaned on Callie for support but also had a hard time figuring out her new reality.

2 Meredith Telling Derek To Choose Her Over Addison

One of Meredith and Derek's most famous moments is when Meredith asked him to choose her over Addison. In a season 2 episode, she said, "Your choice, it's simple. Her or me." She shared all the reasons why she loved him and continued, "So pick me. Choose me. Love me."

A fan shared in a Reddit thread that they loved this scene, and it's easy to see why, as it was super romantic, moving, and emotional.

1 Cristina Told Everyone That Izzie Had Cancer

Cristina learned that Izzie had cancer and she told the other doctors. This is a great Grey's Anatomy storyline that a fan mentioned on Reddit.

While many Izzie plotlines are confusing, this one allowed fans to see a sensitive and emotional side to Cristina, who knew that she and Izzie both needed help and support in this tragic situation. The viewer pointed out on Reddit that this scene was so heartwarming: "I love how all the residents come together at the end of the episode to admit her. It's what the show is all about for me. Standing together, being close, great friends."

NEXT: Grey's Anatomy: The Funniest Characters, Ranked

Star Wars: Ahsoka Tano's 10 Best Friendships | ScreenRant

Since her debut in The Clone Wars movie in 2008, Ahsoka Tano has been on one of the greatest journeys in Star Wars, going so quickly from a hated character to one of the most beloved and most fleshed out in the franchise. She is always a welcome sight for fans, and as well as being a badass in her own right with a plethora of fantastic moments and stories, she has many great character dynamics.

Through her time as a Jedi, an aid to the rebels, a lost soul in the Galaxy, and an unaligned Force user fighting for good, Ahsoka comes across many people and forms several friendships that have stood out to fans.

10 Lux Bonteri

One of the most interesting layers to Ahsoka's character in The Clone Wars is her romance with Lux Bonteri. It is teased on a couple of occasions and made abundantly clear Ahsoka is harboring feelings for him which she does not act on but struggles to deal with.

Though the two never act on their feelings, they do have a good friendship. Bonteri crucially gives Ahsoka insight into the other side of the war and lets her see it is not as black and white as it once seemed since there are good people on the Separatists' side. Through the liberation of Onderon and their time facing off against Death Watch, the two have some great moments together.

9 Bo-Katan Kryze

It looks like there is far more to the Bo-Katan/Ahsoka Tano story to see in canon, as indicated by Bo-Katan sending Din Djarin to find Ahsoka in The Mandalorian. It seems as though the two kept up contact after the events of the Siege of Mandalore.

When fans do get more of an insight into their relationship through other content, Bo-Katan will likely rise higher on this list. The last time they were together, though, with Ahsoka leaving Mandalore in Bo-Katan's good hands, was enough to put this relationship here, and these two badass women look sure to make for more great content in the future.

8 Yoda

Despite the mistakes he may have made with the rest of the Jedi High Council, Yoda remains one of the most likable Jedi in Star Wars, and he had a good relationship with Padawan Tano before her trial.

Of course, that hurt their relationship. But in their hologram conversation on Mandalore, Yoda still refers to her as Padawan. In Rebels, he comes to her on the Jedi Temple and it is clear he does care for the former Jedi, which is reciprocated by Ahsoka. No matter how hurt she may have been, she still respected Jedi like Yoda.

7 Plo Koon

Like Yoda, and like the next entry, Ahsoka was still disgusted with the Jedi Council, not just for their dismissal of her innocence, but for the way they were using Anakin to spy on the Chancellor.

Before all that, though, Plo Koon and little 'Soka had one of the most underrated Clone Wars friendships. Plo brought Ahsoka to the Jedi Order, and he proved himself a great friend over the years. They had a unique greeting and Ahsoka refused to leave him behind when other Jedi told her and Anakin to. Their bond was great until the later parts of the show, that is.

6 Obi-Wan Kenobi

After the events of season 5, there is no doubt the relationship between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka was severely damaged. Obi-Wan made a minimal effort in fighting for Ahsoka, siding with the Jedi Council almost with ease.

Ahsoka, in season 7, clearly never forgot or fully forgave Obi-Wan for this, with her opinion only lowered by what the Council was making Anakin do. But before this, the two do have a good friendship, and incredible respect for one another; Ahsoka revered Obi-Wan, and Obi-Wan trusted her, as shown in his telling her of Anakin's past. It took a while, but in the end, it seems as though Obi-Wan accepted that the Jedi Council was at least partially responsible for Ahsoka leaving the Jedi Order and was sorry. Nonetheless, Ahsoka's friendships with Yoda, with Plo Koon, and with Obi-Wan were all hurt by the entire ordeal of the trial and their treatment of Anakin.

5 The Ghost Crew

After being a highlight and the main character of The Clone Wars for, at that time, six seasons, Ahsoka returned to animation post-Clone Wars cancellation in Rebels and became another standout character of that show.

When debuting at the end of the first season, she quickly formed a good bond with the Ghost crew. She already had a rapport with Hera as Fulcrum, and in season 2, formed a close relationship with Ezra and Kanan, saving them from the Inquisitorius, from Maul, and Vader, and helping them on their journeys. Now it looks like Ahsoka is on the hunt for Ezra, likely with Sabine, which will only improve their friendship.

4 R2-D2

Arguably Ahsoka Tano's most underrated friendship alongside Plo Koon is that with Artoo. While Anakin was obviously his best friend of that era, Artoo still had a close bond with Ahsoka.

Like Anakin, Ahsoka saw him as more than just a replaceable droid and would never want to leave him behind. Ahsoka and Artooie were even reunited in the Ahsoka novel, and shared an embrace, both visibly happy to see one another. It is a sweet, pure friendship that led to some great moments.

3 Padmé Amidala

Like Lux Bonteri, Padmé Amidala was a crucial part of Ahsoka's understanding of war and how it was not all black and white. Outside of that, the two proved to have a really caring, wonderful friendship.

Unlike Jedi mentioned above, Padmé wholeheartedly believed in Ahsoka's innocence and fought for it in the Republic trial, proving her friendship and admiration for Ahsoka. The two unfortunately never saw each other again. But, throughout that era, they formed a close bond, with Ahsoka even knowing, but keeping secret, Padmé's relationship with Anakin as seen in Forces Of Destiny.

2 Captain Rex

Rex and Ahsoka have one of the most beautiful friendships in Star Wars, as well as one of the most surprisingly emotional, first meeting in The Clone Wars movie, and over the years, becoming extremely close.

The two seemed to go their separate ways after burying the clones in "Victory and Death." Still, their emotional reunion in Rebels, Rex's reaction when he thought she was dead, and then, of course, pretty much everything that happened through The Clone Wars showed just how much the two cared for one another. Hopefully, the two share a screen together again soon.

1 Anakin Skywalker

Given the fact neither one of Ahsoka or Rex falls to the dark side, becomes a powerful Sith Lord, and tries to kill the other, there is an argument that Rex should get the number one spot, and really these two are interchangeable.

The bond between Ahsoka and Anakin is unmatched, though. Even over Luke and Leia, these two have the best brother-sister dynamic in Star Wars, partly because they never kiss and partly because they go through so much together, teach each other so much, and constantly display their care for one another. Anakin supported Ahsoka's innocence; Ahsoka spoke highly of him in Rebels, and even in their duel on Malachor, Ahsoka refused to leave him behind again. It is a beautiful, heartbreaking friendship.

NEXT: Star Wars: Anakin Skywalkers 5 Best Friendships (& His 5 Best Rivalries)

10 Best Dorky Anime | ScreenRant

Sprawling adventures, high stakes action, and a whole lot of drama — video games have all the right ingredients to traverse into the anime medium. This explains why not only are so many anime directly adapted from video games, but many are also inspired by gaming, its culture, and the storytelling tropes surrounding it.

Among these, a few creatively manage to merge the existing gaming archetypes with upbeat drama, comedy, and even romance. So, anime fans who have had their share of direct game adaptations can now switch to lighthearted game-centric anime that can be enjoyed by both gamers and non-gamers.

10 No Game No Life

Unfolding as a typical isekai, No Game No Life focuses on two shut-in siblings who get summoned to an otherworldly gaming realm. Going by the username "Blank," the two were known to be legendary gamers. However, in their new world, they must elevate their gaming skills and put everything on the line because gaming now isn't just a hobby, but a high-stakes war.

Replete with fanservice, comedy, and a whole lot of worldbuilding, No Game No Life is as dorky as a gaming anime gets. While it does include some common tropes of the genre, it never fails to entertain viewers with its upbeat characters and bright color scheme.

9 Gamers!

With a quintessential high school setup in its backdrop, Gamers! follows the life of Keita Amano. For a long time, he is nothing but ordinary. However, when the school's renowned idol, Karen, takes a liking to him because of their shared interest in gaming, his previously monotonous life turns upside down.

For the most part, Gamers! focuses less on gaming and more on slice-of-life drama. Even so, its hilariously awkward otaku characters and delightful rom-com moments make it a fun anime that almost anyone can enjoy.

8 New Game!

New Game! centers on Aoba Suzukaze, who eagerly joins a video game company after graduation and gets the opportunity to work on the new installment of her favorite Fairies Story series. Although she faces her share of ups and downs during the process, she eventually finds her place among other passionate game developers.

Without getting too preachy, the anime balances both comic and serious plotlines to shed new light on the struggles faced by those in the gaming industry. Not to mention, its CGDCT (Cute Girls Doing Cute Things) style of animation perfectly befits its themes.

7 High Score Girl

With titles like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat rising in the ranks, the '90s took arcade gaming to a whole new level. Set in the same era, High Score Girl features the heartwarming tale of Haruo Yaguchi and Akira Oono. Jealous of Akira's impressive gaming skills, Haruo initially sees her as his nemesis.

However, with time, he begins to appreciate her more than he'd like to admit and learns to embrace how Akira is the only person who gives him some tough competition. If not for the adorable chemistry of the show's main characters, most viewers will find themselves bingeing High Score Girl because of its warm, nostalgic '90s aesthetic.

6 And You Thought There Is Never A Girl Online?

In the fantastical world of an MMO, Hideki "Rusian" Nishimura learns the hard way that no one can be trusted. But as fate would have it, his skepticism gets tested when he ends up in a guild of three girls where one wants to marry him. To his surprise, not only are his guild members actually girls, but they are also his schoolmates.

From a storyline standpoint, the anime isn't any different from most high school-centric harem anime. It does, however, stand out by involving intriguing game dynamics, absurd humor, and fanservice in its otherwise generic rom-com setup.

5 D-Frag

D-Frag isn't the kind of anime that pleases viewers with its narrative depth. Instead, it keeps its premise simple and only entertains with its refreshing gags and gimmicky characters. At its fore is a misunderstood wannabe delinquent, Kenji Kazama, who gets forced into joining his school's Game Development Club.

At first, he despises everything about the club and tries his best to leave. However, he soon begins to find his place among the four leading girls of the club and learns to have fun with his new friends. Throughout its runtime, D-Frag throws gag-after-gag at viewers, and while some of its punchlines don't land too well, others leave viewers with tears of joy.

4 Recovery Of An MMO Junkie

Defying the typical norm of anime that features high school romance, Recovery Of An MMO Junkie portrays the complex romantic tale of two middle-aged characters who meet in an online RPG. Switching back and forth between the RPG's fantasy and the real world, the anime slowly removes the tapestry around their personalities and shows how one is a hikikomori, while the other is struggling to deal with the perils of adulthood.

Hilariously dorky at times and surprisingly poignant during others, Recovery Of An MMO Junkie never leaves a dull moment and proves that reality can often be stranger than fiction.

3 Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, So I'll Max Out My Defense

Most anime with VRMMO settings are not grounded in reality. They feature Isekai fantasies where characters face high stakes and insurmountable odds in the gaming world. Bofuri, on the other hand, does not shy away from the real MMO experience and keeps things interesting by depicting the perception of a newbie gamer.

Its protagonist, Kaede Honjou, decides to give a popular VRMMO a shot and instead of equally distributing her stat points, she invests all of them in vitality. To her surprise, her newbie approach makes her one of the highest-ranking players on the game's server. With what follows, her initial reluctance towards the game turns into a newfound passion and it further inspires her to keep leveling up.

2 KonoSuba: God's Blessing On This Wonderful World!

On the surface, KonoSuba is no different from most RPG harem anime. However, everything, from its game references to characters tropes is so over-the-top that viewers just can't take it seriously, which is exactly what makes it so entertaining. The show involves every imaginable Isekai trope out there, but presents them in such a way that it all comes off as a hilarious parody of the existing archetypes.

Kazuma Satou, its main character, is a recluse who gets reincarnated in a fantasy game after dying. But to his dismay, the gaming world turns out to be far more challenging than he had anticipated and brims with hysterical misfortunes and dilemmas.

1 Accel World

Akin to Sword Art Online, Accel World is set in a world where gamers use advanced technology to connect to an integrated gaming network. Using the same, middle schooler Haruyuki Arita escapes into the gaming world to forget about his everyday angst and insecurities. Little does he realize that the same medium of escapism will not only help him fight his bullies but also make him join forces with his school's most popular girl.

While most of its in-game elements share parallels with Sword Art Online, it gets a slight edge because of its seemingly humane characters. There are no high-stakes life or death situations in its gameplay, but every new challenge reflects the inner workings of its teenage characters.

NEXT: 10 Anime To Watch If You Enjoy Strategy and Intrigue