Video games and anime have quite a bit of overlap: dynamic characters who grow more powerful over time, fascinating settings in vibrant worlds, and tremendous amounts of flair. They even influence one another in that many video games use the anime art style and many anime series incorporate leveling up and upgrades seen in games.
One franchise that does this the most is Final Fantasy. As a series that stems from Japan, like all true anime, there are likely cultural influences that were considered besides the popularity of certain animated TV shows and movies, although it cannot be denied that anime was a great factor in Final Fantasy's aesthetics. Due to this, many fans of this legendary gaming series grew to love anime as well, as there are many fantasy shows that scratch that itch for awesome weapons, cool creatures, and heartfelt stories. However, some stand out as more appealing for their excellent execution of these facets.
10 Mononoke
Not to be confused with the Studio Ghibli movie Princess Mononoke, this anime series follows an enigmatic 'medicine seller' on his bizarre journeys. At first, the medicine seller seems like a traveling salesman, however, it is soon revealed that he is actually a mystical swordsman on the hunt for monsters called 'mononoke.'
The medicine man slays these fiends with his powerful exorcism sword, although he can only call it forth after identifying the form, truth, and reason for a mononoke's appearance, meaning that he must investigate and get dangerously close to the monsters before he can take them down. The incredibly colorful world, intriguing story, and awesome sword-wielding exorcisms in Mononoke will have many Final Fantasy fans hooked.
9 The Heroic Legend Of Arslan
Those desiring the majesty found in many of the Final Fantasy games will find many regal aspects to The Heroic Legend of Arslan. This show depicts the life of a young and kind prince, named Arslan, who gets caught up in a political upheaval that threatens not only to destroy his homeland but take his life as well.
Arslan, and his most trust general Daryun, are forced to flee their kingdom following a deep betrayal and the routing of their army during a war with a neighboring kingdom. The two outcasts must now travel the lands to acquire the strength to retake their home from their foes, all while forcing Arslan to grow up to be a capable king through a crucible of many challenges encountered on the road.
8 Fairy Tail
Magic of all kinds abounds in Fairy Tail, where mage guilds all over the continent of Fiore deal with countless mystical occurrences. Lucy Heartfilia, a youthful mage searching for special keys that pertain to her specific type of magic, one day bumps into Natsu Dragneel, a fire mage and the son of a dragon who is a member of the eponymous Fairy Tail guild.
After some crazy happenings, Lucy joins up with the Fairy Tail guild and goes on many adventures with Natsu and the other mages she becomes friends with. Each episode of this show feels like a party in an RPG going on a quest, but persisting through these episodes are fascinating stories for each character that immerses one in a land full of mythical creatures, epic battles, and strong friendships.
7 Samurai Champloo
In a small restaurant, a waitress named Fuu accidentally spills a drink upon a samurai. The samurai and his comrades get annoyed and begin harassing her. In desperation, she seeks the aid of other swordsmen in the restaurant: a rogue named Mugen and the honorable Jin. Together, this duo saves Fuu, but in the process kills a magistrate's son, which earns them a death sentence.
Fuu, grateful for their aid, saves them from the gallows and hires these two as her bodyguards on a seemingly inane task of finding a samurai who smells like sunflowers. Together, the three vastly different people set forth on an adventure in an alternate Japan set during the Edo period. Samurai Champloo stands out for its unique brand of comedy and its awesomely original hip-hop ingrained soundtrack.
6 Cowboy Bebop
Gamers who like the sci-fi elements in some Final Fantasy titles should consider checking out this charismatic space Western. Cowboy Bebop follows the bounty hunters Spike Spiegel and Jet Black upon their spaceship, the Bebop, as they hunt down criminals across the galaxy for profit.
During their spacefaring adventures, they meet a cast of cool characters and have many action-packed encounters with their prey. Gunfights and high-speed chases accompanied by light-hearted comedy and dramatically driven situations make this show one of the most balanced anime series to ever be produced.
5 Toriko
Fans of the increasing focus on food and cooking in the newer Final Fantasy games will be sure to appreciate the combination of gourmet elements and martial arts action in Toriko. This show is very much a fighting anime where the dynamic cast progressively get stronger, though their growth heavily depends on the food that they ingest.
The world in Toriko is brimming with the natural appearance of edible terrain like colossal vegetables, organic sauces that spew from volcanos, and delectable desserts sometimes borne from deserts. But not all such magnificent ingredients are easily harvestable. Some are titanic and fierce animals that need to be hunted and butchered before their delicious meat can be devoured. Follow the young and naive chef Komatsu as he and his ingredient-hunting friends search the world for the best resources to make the best dishes.
4 The Seven Deadly Sins
In a diverse world full of many powerful factions, The Seven Deadly Sins depicts the trials and tribulations of a group of heroic warriors who seek to protect their homeland while making peace with their pasts. Each member is from a different faction, yet they all stand together behind their surprisingly mighty leader, Meliodas.
For the most part, this show is light-hearted and includes much comedy while introducing the varied and vibrant cast. However, things get deeper and darker as more of each character's past gets revealed, which further pulls viewers into a land of fascinating fantasy battles among demons, fairies, and a plethora of magic.
3 InuYasha
With tons of sword-swinging fantasy battles, hordes of uniquely designed demons, and a cheerful comradery, InuYasha is very much the kind of anime that Final Fantasy fans who enjoy stories with soul will love. The protagonist, a high-schooler named Kagome finds a way to travel back in time via a magical well and her life becomes infinitely more complex because of it.
She learns that she is the reincarnation of a priestess and feels her connection to ancient Japan. Because of this she eventually teams up with half-demon Inuyasha (and a few other interesting characters) in order to help save the land of the rising sun from demons who seek to abuse the power of a sacred jewel.
2 Sword Art Online
For a rabbit hole of influences that loop back on itself, behold Sword Art Online. Fans of open-world Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs), much like Final Fantasy 14 will highly relate to this anime set within such a fantasy world where weapon-wielding is king.
This tale shows Kirito as he ventures into the Virtual Reality video game "Sword Art Online," though soon it is revealed that those who enter this game are trapped in this digital dimension. Kirito must live his life in this video game as if it is his real world, for that is what it becomes. Undaunted, he makes the most of it by honing his swordsmanship, meeting new friends, and even falling in love.
1 The Vision Of Escaflowne
There are very few anime series that can pull off the science-fantasy genre as well as Final Fantasy does in the video game world. The Vision of Escaflowne is at the pinnacle of this steep mountain of content for its incredible balance of features — ones that stem from the anime series itself, as this is one show that was created separately from its manga counterparts; neither of which were nearly as well-received as the anime.
Hitomi Kanzaki, a high school student training for track and field, one day finds that her pendant opens a portal to another world which lets in a monstrous two-legged dragon and a swordsman hellbent on slaying it as a right of passage to become his homeland's rightful king. As the warrior gets pulled back into his world, Hitomi is drawn in alongside him to a medieval land full of magically powered mechs, flying steampunk castles, as well as sinister sorcerers obsessed with destiny and dimension travel. All of this is blended in such a unique and organic way that viewers won't be able to stop watching.