The visual novel motif has been around in video games for about as long as developers have been able to put characters on a screen. It’s a style that’s shown up in adventure games, RPGs, action games, and pretty much any genre that encompasses the world of video games. Since video games and anime are essentially neighbors when it comes to Japanese media, it’s no surprise that games that utilize the visual novel format are a prime candidate for being adapted into anime. There’s a wide variety of visual novel adaptations to choose from. Let’s take a look at 10 anime that you might be familiar with, and some you may not have been aware originated from this kind of video game. The Science Adventure Series RELATED: Tatsuya Matsubara on the Making of STEINS;GATE and What He's Doing Next To be honest, most of the Science Adventure games ( STEINS;GATE , Steins;Gate 0 , Robotics;Notes , CHAOS;CHILD and Chaos;HEAd ) have been adapted. While the STEINS;GATE games are perhaps the most well-known out of the bunch, the others are certainly well worth your time if you vibe with the storytelling and characters of STEINS;GATE . The STEINS;GATE games also have the unique distinction of going from a video game to an anime, and then having the anime be used for another version of the game with the Elite versions. Given all of the wild twists and turns and science fiction shenanigans, you can’t go wrong with this franchise as a whole. The Fate Series RELATED: Fate Series Creator Kinoko Nasu and Honkai: Star Rail Producer David Jiang on the Art and Business of Game Creation Over 20 years ago, in 2004, Type-Moon released Fate/stay night . Since then, the Fate series has blown up into one of the biggest franchises in video games, anime, light novels, and manga. From Fate/Zero to Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] and more recent anime releases like Fate/strange Fake or Fate/stay night [Heaven's Feel] , this is another series, like the Science Adventure franchise, where you could have an entire article about just this series. It didn’t take long for the original Fate game to be adapted into an anime. In 2006, the adaptation aired, and then everything was off to the races in terms of spin-offs, OVAs, manga, and new additions to the series. Getting into the Fate series can seem daunting with how much of it there is now, but if you want to go back to the beginning, Fate/stay night is the place to start your journey. GNOSIA RELATED: GNOSIA Anime Reveals Cast and Staff, October 2025 Release GNOSIA is the newest entry on here that’s received an anime adaptation. In its game form, it provided a new take on the classic werewolf/mafia game by making it a single-player experience, rather than the traditional multiplayer way of playing the game. As a human, you’ve got to stop the Gnosia, and if you’re a Gnosia, in order to win, you’ll need to take out all of the human players. You’ll have to watch and see if you can figure out who the Gnosia are in each anime episode as each time loop will have you getting closer and closer to the truth. ATRI -My Dear Moments- RELATED: ATRI -My Dear Moments- Anime Shares Creditless Opening Video ATRI -My Dear Moments- is another newer game to be featured, as the game came out in 2020, with its anime adaptation airing in 2024. Fans of the Grisaia series will certainly find some familiarity here as this was created by the same team that made those games. While you can only play the PC version of this sci-fi story outside of Japan, the 13-episode anime also has you covered as a way to see what the game is about. If you like the Science Adventure games mentioned earlier, this is most likely going to be within your wheelhouse of something to check out. Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~ RELATED: 7 Anime Series That Take Place in England If you’ve never played an otome game, here’s the easiest way to understand them: a lot of dudes want to date you while a wild story plays out at the same time. Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~ utilizes these aspects by surrounding the player character with men from famous pieces of literature in a steampunk version of London. Instead of showcasing all the routes, the anime focuses on the “canon” route with Arsene Lupin, but you’re still able to witness the core story that is full of twists, turns, and chaos that’ll keep you glued to your screen the whole time. It’s also fun just to see these new interpretations of classic characters you might already be familiar with. Hakuoki ~Demon of the Fleeting Blossom~ RELATED: Anne Shirley and Other Anime Based on Novels We’ve got another otome game here for you with Hakuoki ~Demon of the Fleeting Blossom~ . This time, you’re heading back to Japan’s Edo period to date some boys with swords (and also fight a few demons along the way). Not only does this series have plenty of mainline games, but it also has a prequel and numerous spin-offs. If you’re interested in just watching the anime, you’ve also got a lot of content in front of you between three seasons of a television series, multiple OVAs, movies and even a live-action drama . With all of this content, you’re certainly spoiled for choice if you’re interested in dating some dudes or just want to engross yourself in some historical fiction with a lot of twists and turns. Kanon RELATED: Why Did It Take Me So Long to Watch Kanon (2006)? Before Clannad , there was Kanon , Air’s first game developed as a team back in 1999 on PC. It has since been re-released on a bevy of platforms, including a Switch port in 2025. The game pioneered what would become Air’s formula of a highly emotional romance game that is sure to leave you, at times, with tears streaming down your face. The game was so popular in the 2000s that it received not one, but two anime adaptations, including the second one being one of Kyoto Animation’s early productions. It’s a game that was certainly revolutionary at the time, and its anime adaptations are no slouch either. Gakuen Handsome RELATED: What’s Your Role in the Twilight Out of Focus Film Club? When compiling this list, I was well aware of the anime of Gakuen Handsome and its over-the-top comedy stylings, but was surprised to learn that it was originally a game. Created as a BL parody game, it looks as you’d expect if you’ve seen the anime. Not only does it have the same kind of absurdness, but it has even spawned a few spin-offs. At only three minutes an episode, the anime is also a very easy watch. While the games have not been released outside of Japan, you can enjoy the anime to see why this has become such a beloved series and what makes these boys (and their very pointy chins) so memorable. Higurashi: When They Cry RELATED: 10 Anime Like Silent Hill to Stir Your Restless Dreams With the recent release of Silent Hill f , there’s been a new call to look at the works of Ryukishi07, which includes Higurashi: When They Cry . Ever since their release in 2002, this series of horror games has become a revolutionary force within this style of video games and is also one of the most popular series to utilize the visual novel format. Given the immense fan support these titles have, it’s no surprise that we eventually got an anime adaptation. The 2006/07 Higurashi anime looks at the main game in the series. There were also a few OVAs, and we also got Higurashi: When They Cry – GOU and SOTSU fairly recently. As there are plenty of ways to experience it, if you’ve yet to check out Higurashi , then there’s no better time than now to see what makes this series one of the best out there. Muv-Luv Alternative RELATED: A Breakdown of the Gundam Timeline So Far Another series with plenty of releases and spin-offs, Muv-Luv has been around since 2003, with its sequel series, Muv-Luv Alternative , releasing in 2006. Despite being a top seller in Japan around its release, it wasn’t until 2021 that any anime adaptation of Muv-Luv was released with the Muv-Luv Alternative anime that aired for two seasons. This is the series to look for if you want some romance smashed together with some sci-fi and a little bit of mechs sprinkled in. It also puts it in an interesting spot as it's only the sequel series getting an adaptation and not the original (though there is also Schwarzes Marken , the anime adaptation of the light novels that are based on the original Muv-Luv ). Perhaps by the time you’re done watching both series, you’ll not only be caught up, but maybe the third game in the series will be closer to release as well. MORE ANIME RECOMMENDATIONS Anime to Watch If You Like Overpowered Protagonists 9 Anime We Were Waiting for When Dreamcast Launched on 9/9/99 5 Anime That Tackle Childcare in Fantasy Worlds Enemies to Lovers Anime on Crunchyroll 10 Anime That Tackle the Exhaustion of Burnout 10 Supernatural Anime That Highlight How Unique the Genre Is 6 Cyberpunk Anime to Watch if You Like Metallic Rouge 15 Essential 2010s Anime on Crunchyroll from Black Clover to Death Parade
