WotC What anime franchises could be adapted into D&D?

FarBeyondC

Explorer
Goblin Slayer's definitely the closest thing that's recent, to the point that turning it into one is trivial.

Rather than any specific franchise though, I'd rather see more isekai anime adopt an official dnd setting as the other world their main characters go to.
 

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MNblockhead

A Title Much Cooler Than Anything on the Old Site
I could see this working with a starter-set box game containing some setting fluff and the basic rules with some additional theme-specific mechanics, magic, and equipment. A hard-cover setting-style book would be better, especially if you want to run a longer campaign, but hard-covers generally would appeal to people who already play D&D AND are fans of the other IP. I think a box in the USD 20-30 range is likely to do better at attracting fans of the anime property who are not already playing D&D.

Also, I would think many of these IPs would rather just release their own game using engines that are better suited for their setting and which do not require sharing money with Hasbro. Unless part of a bigger deal where there are toy sets and other other products for that IP being sold by Hasbro, I'm not it makes sense for an Anime property to use the D&D 5e engine.

That said, I'll throw in my votes:

1. Attack on Titan
2. Death Note (though I would rather see this using more shadow-run style rules)
3. Delicious in Dungeon (does manga count if no anime?)
 

Thanks for your answers and participation.

Vampire Hunter D was adapted into Pathfinder.

The world of "Record of Lodoss War" had got its own RPG.

Attack on Titan are awesome monsters, but a campaign with only those monsters would be boring.

The famous 80's D&D cartoon was ikesai, and we could say there is an canon ikesai in D&D. The children from Odiare, a dark domain in Ravenloft, are from Italy, but the setting "the mask of the red death". Urban Arcana was practically a reverse ikesai. Onyx Path wants to publish "Legendlore", a "Western ikesai".

Full Metal Alchemist could be a great source of inspiration, but those alchemist would need their own base clase, maybe something like the Vanguard from Starfinder.

My Hero Academy is superheroes, and this needs a special book, like the project d20 Spectaculars. I have said in the past WotC wishes to can publish its own version of d20 superheroes, to make money with the licence of those famous franchises.

Legend of Korra is practically XX century technology, and closer to wuxia subgenre. It would be easier to start from zero to can be adapted later.

A starter set of Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest is possible, but it wouldn't be for D&D fandom but otaku collectors.

The mythology of Bleach and Tokyo Ghoul could be added to your D&D worlds, but they are more urban fantasy than gothic horror. Sometimes I wonder about the demiplane of dread (Ravenloft) to be too small to include all the monsters from famous horror franchises.

The shinigami from Death Note can be interesting monster for a couple of adventures, but not for long campaigns. Usually horror D&D is "the week monster".

* Yes, manga also can count, and even Korean webtoons.
 



Minigiant

Legend
Supporter
My family game has elements of several anime to prevent metagaming. Dragon Ball, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Naruto, Full Metal Alchemist. Sweet sweet anti meta tactics.

When the party gets to the setting's Fake-England, I'm straight up doing Phantom Blood because I'm lazy and the monk PC's brother is a Sun Soul.

I replaced all the D&D demon princes with anime villains and fighting game bosses as well. You don't want to gate to the Abyss. Also the main CG outsiders of the setting are literally called Isekai.

But on topic, Anime has been on a medieval fantasy fad for the last 20 years. You could probably adapt 50% of the top anime, manga, and manhua with the fantasy tag.

Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers would be super interesting as a D&D setting if you take out the main plot.
 

Tales and Chronicles

Jewel of the North, formerly know as vincegetorix
Other ideas I had last night:

- dot. Hack, would be interesting for its genre. Would require stats for huge chainsaw weapon, tho :p

- Shin Megami Tensei, the Buddhist limbo world where you transform into demons with powers when initiative is rolled. You would ''Devour'' your enemies after the battle to gain eat there essence and gain XP.
 

Tales and Chronicles

Jewel of the North, formerly know as vincegetorix
I replaced all the D&D demon princes with anime villains and fighting game bosses as well. You don't want to gate to the Abyss. Also the main CG outsiders of the setting are literally called Isekai.

That's really cool!

Since my orcs are now more pig-men monstrosities, I added Ganon from LoZ as the demonlord responsible for their abhorrent creation. He as a half-orc form (as seen in Ganondorf) to blend while walking the world, and he travels with his two adopted mothers Night Hags riding animated Staff of Fire and Staff of Ice.
 


Danzauker

Adventurer
There are lots of medieval/fantasy anime, but they are generally too little known in the USA to warrant a crossover.

Berserk and Bastard! are the first two that come to my mind.

Also Inu Yasha and Ushio & Tora

But also any of the many recent and old samurai/ninja themed anime:

Rurouni Kenshin
Ninpu Kamui Gaiden
Dororo (great for horror themes)
Sasuke
Sabu & Ichi

and many others
 

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