Japanese Role-Playing Games, or JRPGs, and anime have a lot in common, given their shared Japanese origins. Many common storytelling elements from anime appear in JRPGs, and JRPG gameplay has actually inspired certain types of anime. Despite this strong connection, JRPGs aren’t adapted into anime series or movies as frequently as you might think.
As a huge JRPG fan, it’s always exciting when one gets turned into an anime, but honestly, the results are so hit or miss. It really feels like some studios genuinely try to do the game justice, while others just see a popular title and want a quick profit. I think we all dream of seeing our favorite JRPGs beautifully adapted into anime, but there are so many games with amazing stories that deserve a chance to be told in a new way, don’t you think?
9. Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale
Perfect for Slice-of-Life
Released in Japan in 2007 and brought to the West in 2010, Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale is a fondly remembered indie game. It holds the distinction of being the first independent Japanese game available on Steam, and it uniquely blends JRPG elements with business simulation gameplay. While not as widely known as some other titles, it deserves consideration for an anime adaptation.
The story of Recettear – a young woman running a shop in a fantasy town to avoid losing her home – is ideally suited for an ongoing series. We could follow her as she learns how to manage the store, meets the town’s guilds and adventurers, and slowly pays off her debts. This format would be similar to many original fantasy anime that premiere each season.
It would be great to see this beloved indie game get renewed attention. Many popular indie games are expanding into other media, like the recent anime based on Needy Streamer Overload, so a comeback isn’t far-fetched.
8. Live A Live
A Multi-Genre Anthology
Live A Live is a JRPG that’s either completely unknown or deeply loved by those who’ve played it. It marked the first directing role for Takashi Tokita, who later created popular games like Chrono Trigger and Parasite Eve. Its music also heavily influenced Toby Fox, the creator of Undertale and Deltarune. With such a strong creative background, and its structure built around multiple separate stories, Live A Live is perfectly suited for an anime adaptation that tells different tales within a single series.
Similar to the Star Wars Visions approach, a Live A Live anime could use different animation studios and art styles for each of its eight stories, highlighting the unique feel and strengths of each one. The Near-Future story, for instance, is heavily inspired by classic anime, especially giant robot shows, making it a natural fit for adaptation. Conversely, the Wild West story is more reserved and would likely be enhanced by a rougher, more weathered visual style.
The biggest challenge I foresee with this project is the number of episodes. If each storyline gets at least two episodes, plus one for the finale, we’re looking at seventeen episodes total. That’s too many for a single season, but not quite enough to split into two parts. We could either shorten things and give each storyline just one episode, or make each episode longer than usual.
7. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth
A More Nuanced Take on Digimon
Digimon has been a popular part of the anime world for almost as long as Pokémon. Similar to Pokémon, the Digimon anime series usually focus on the overall Digimon concept or the original virtual pet toys, rather than specific video games. This feels like a missed chance, considering how engaging games like Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth can be.
Unlike many stories about kids online, Cyber Sleuth focuses on young adults using virtual technology in the not-so-distant future. They encounter Digimon, which are already somewhat known digital creatures. The mystery of EDEN Syndrome and the dangerous ‘Eaters’ who cause it create a sense of urgency and a compelling reason to investigate, making it perfect for a continuing story.
An anime based on Cyber Sleuth would feel quite similar to the recent Digimon anime, Beatbreak, as both explore how people interact with technology and feature a central mystery involving harm to others. While adapting Cyber Sleuth might be a bit repetitive given Beatbreak, the story Time Stranger could be another option.
6. Metaphor: ReFantazio
Can’t be Any Worse than the Manga
As of today, a manga adaptation of Metaphor: ReFantazio is being published in V Jump, but it’s not a great adaptation. The story and characters have been significantly changed, making it hard to recognize the original. While there are a few enjoyable moments that develop the characters of Will and his friends, it’s disappointing because Metaphor is a standout JRPG from Atlus and deserves a more faithful adaptation.
As a huge fan of the Persona 4 anime, I think anyone adapting Metaphor would have to make some cuts from the game – that’s just a given. But what the Persona 4 team brilliantly showed us is that you can change things around and still keep all the important emotional beats. They proved you can be creative with the story without losing what makes those key moments – like the Human fights and when everyone unlocks their Archetypes – so powerful. Seriously, we need that same team working on a Metaphor anime to make sure it feels just as impactful as it did when we played the game!
It would be fantastic to see Humans and Archetypes brought to life with detailed 2D or 3D animation, rather than just still images. If we go with 3D, though, it needs to be high quality – we don’t want it to look as rushed as the 2016 Berserk anime.
5. Tales of Berseria
What We Should’ve Gotten Instead of Zestiria
The 2016 anime adaptation of Tales of Zestiria, called Tales of Zestiria the X, didn’t receive positive reviews. It felt rushed and poorly edited, cutting out important character development and humor. Interestingly, the only episodes I enjoyed focused on Tales of Berseria, which were originally meant to lead into the Zestiria storyline. Honestly, that Berseria arc would have made a much better show on its own.
While I personally prefer Berseria’s story and characters to Zestiria’s, it also has a more mature and somber tone, which is what the final product ended up being anyway. If the creators wanted a darker narrative, they would have been better off adapting Berseria directly instead of attempting to awkwardly combine it with elements from Zestiria.
It would be great to see more Tales games adapted into full anime series. While some games like Tales of Eternia and Tales of the Abyss have gotten full series adaptations, most have only received OVAs or short specials. I’d love to see a complete adaptation of one of the Tales games that really captures the series’ blend of both lighthearted and serious moments, and is done well.
4. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
The Adventures of Yangus and The Guv
Dragon Quest is incredibly popular in Japan – it’s a cultural icon! Many common fantasy tropes you see in anime today, like the hero battling an evil lord, actually originated with Dragon Quest. Despite its influence, the series hasn’t had many anime adaptations. There was a loose adaptation of Dragon Quest III, a movie based on Dragon Quest V, and an anime series based on the separate ‘Adventure of Dai’ manga, but that’s about it.
If we were to adapt a Dragon Quest game into an anime, Dragon Quest VIII would be the perfect choice. It’s a fan favorite with a compelling story, fantastic characters, and plenty of unexpected surprises.
If an anime adaptation of this ever happened, getting the original English voice actors back would be amazing. I know I’d be thrilled – and so would a lot of other fans – to hear Yangus’ distinctive cockney accent addressing “The Guv” once more. And for the record, the main character is called “The Guv,” and that’s final.
3. Chrono Trigger
Complete the Cutscenes
When it comes to games with art by Akira Toriyama, Chrono Trigger is a prime candidate for an anime series. The game’s characters and story are truly iconic, and Toriyama’s work played a huge role in making it so memorable.
While Chrono Trigger has had a few small connections to anime – the PlayStation version included animated cutscenes, and a short anime OVA featuring the game’s monsters came out in 1996 – fans are really hoping for a complete adaptation with full voice acting. It feels like a missed opportunity that such a popular cast of characters has never been given the chance to speak in an animated series or film.
Subscribe for deeper JRPG-to-anime adaptation insights
Okay, so I’m really excited about the possibility of a Chrono Trigger anime, but I’m also a little worried. The biggest thing is that Akira Toriyama, the amazing artist behind Dragon Quest and Dragon Ball, sadly passed away. His style was so unique, and I’m scared a new anime just wouldn’t feel right without his touch. But, if Toei Animation can keep making new Dragon Ball content with other talented artists, I guess a Chrono Trigger anime isn’t totally out of the question, which gives me hope!
2. Shin Megami Tensei IV
A Straightforward Story, More or Less
I really enjoy the core Shin Megami Tensei games, but turning one into an anime presents some serious difficulties. Games like Shin Megami Tensei III and V have complex, philosophical stories that are great for a video game format, but I’m not convinced they’d work as well in an anime. To make a successful SMT anime, we’d need a game with a simpler, more focused story. In my opinion, Shin Megami Tensei IV would be the best choice.
The main story of Shin Megami Tensei IV – a medieval world existing above a demon-destroyed Tokyo – is fairly straightforward. It still explores the classic themes of order versus chaos, but in a way that would work well as an episodic TV show. By removing the extra side quests and dungeon exploration, the series could focus on the core narrative of the Mikado Samurai’s adventures and fights without sacrificing the overall story.
The characters in Shin Megami Tensei IV are strong fighters, so the game doesn’t need to focus heavily on collecting and managing demons. Just give the four main characters a few demons each and let them battle it out.
1. Final Fantasy IX
The Most Theatrical Story
Final Fantasy is incredibly popular and defines the JRPG genre, but surprisingly, there haven’t been many anime adaptations. Aside from movies and short series, there’s only been one full anime series, Final Fantasy: Unlimited, and it wasn’t well-received. Adapting these games to anime is tricky – the older titles can be simple, while the newer ones are very complex. However, Final Fantasy IX feels like the perfect balance and would make a great anime series.
Final Fantasy IX starts with a straightforward story: a princess escapes her scheming mother and joins a group of thieves disguised as actors. This setup is simple enough for an ongoing story, but it’s also complex enough to be much more interesting than a typical ‘heroes versus villain’ plot.
Final Fantasy IX has a lighter, more playful tone than many other games in the series, like Final Fantasy VII, VIII, and X. I believe this unique charm is what makes it special. It feels less like a standard Final Fantasy adventure and more like a stage play, which could be exactly the kind of energy an anime adaptation needs.
Read More
- How to Complete the Behemoth Guardian Project in Infinity Nikki
- Marvel Studios’ 3rd Saga Will Expand the MCU’s Magic Side Across 4 Major Franchises
- Red Dead Redemption 2 dev shares insider info on the game’s final mysterious secret
- Pokemon Legends: Z-A Is Giving Away A Very Big Charizard
- The Housewives are Murdering The Traitors
- Chimp Mad. Kids Dead.
- ‘John Wick’s Scott Adkins Returns to Action Comedy in First Look at ‘Reckless’
- Meet Sonya Krueger, Genshin’s Voice for Jahoda
- The King of Wakanda Meets [Spoiler] in Avengers: Doomsday’s 4th Teaser
- How to Destroy Buildings in StarRupture
2026-01-15 23:12