Anime
Anime refers to movies and television shows in the Japanese animation style, which has achieved worldwide popularity. While anime encompasses a broad range of genres, many of the best-known examples are "shonen," shows aimed at young men focusing on action, battles, and games, and "shojo," targeting young women with themes of romance, relationships, and slice-of-life stories. Anime-inspired tabletop roleplaying games often have vibrant tones, heightened, even melodramatic emotions, and a thematic focus on teamwork, friendship, and growth. The works of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, action shows like Naruto and Dragonball Z, and magical girl adventures like Sailor Moon are frequently cited as inspirations for anime RPGs. Mecha anime featuring giant robots, like Gundam and Neon Genesis Evangelion, have even inspired entire subgenres of TTRPG! The relatively recent genre of isekai anime, in which the protagonist is transported to a fantasy world, is actually inspired by RPGs!
Popular Anime RPGs
Fabula Ultima
Fabula Ultima is a Tabletop Roleplaying Game inspired by Japanese-style console RPGs, or JRPGs. In Fabula Ultima, you and your friends will tell epic stories of would-be heroes and fearsome villains, set in fantasy worlds brimming with magic, wondrous locations, and uniquely bizarre monsters! This is a game about larger-than-life heroes and tragic antagonists. There is no predetermined plot, scenario, or "adventure", and the heroes' actions, motivations, and objectives will drive the story forward while the Game Master reacts to their choices and places obstacles on their path, often in the form of powerful villains with their own devious agendas, which will change time and time again as the protagonists manage (or fail) to thwart their plans.
Frequently asked questions about Anime
Blog links about Anime
Anime Reviews and Actual Plays
Dicebreaker Plays Animon Story
An actual play inspired by Pokémon and Digimon played with its designer.
The Lost Colony: Lancer Actual Play
Spellbook Gaming plays Lancer, a mecha-inspired tabletop roleplaying game.
Glitter Hearts at Indie Showcase 2020
Roll20's Indie Showcase highlights Glitter Hearts, a TTRPG inspired by magical girl anime like Sailor Moon.