par Eric Price
Our Favourite Anime Board Games Of 2022 So Far
It’s no secret that anime is woven into the very fabric of modern pop culture. With multiple series releasing year after year, it’s no wonder that so many anime lovers also find themselves interested in other aspects of Japanese culture and entertainment. In addition to many other facets of popular media like video games, manga, and music, there are also a number of amazing anime board games available on the market today. Whether you’re an adventurous anime enthusiast looking to delve further into the worlds you already know and love, or a board game fan wanting to add new games to your collection, we guarantee there’s a game out there you’ll enjoy. So keep reading and come with us as we journey through five different board games inspired by beloved anime series and fan-favorite characters. The Best Anime Board Games to Bring People Together Attack on Titan: The Last Stand If you’ve ever browsed the anime section on Netflix, then you’ll probably recognize this title. In Attack on Titan: The Last Stand, players take on the role of their favorite Scout — either Eren, Levi, Conny, or Hange — to defend the city of Trost, the last remaining human city in existence, against the wrath of the Titans. The Titan and castle walls create a vertical playing surface, so strategic positioning is key in this game. Players must tactically move their characters around to avoid attacks and deliver devastating blows to weaken the Titan and bring it down once and for all. We enjoyed the various tactical options and combinations within this game. The gameplay itself pairs well with the thematic world of Attack on Titan, so if you’re a fan of the anime series — or just strategic gameplay in general — then you’ll love what this game brings to the table. BESM 4th Edition If you’re already a hardcore anime fan — or a Japanimaniac, as we like to call ourselves — you’ll want to check out the 4th edition of Big Eyes, Small Mouth! Set in the vast world of anime and manga, this innovative roleplay game lets you create and play as your own anime character, delve into the depths of dungeons, tame wild creatures, and explore the realms of your own imagination. We love the freedom of RPGs, but recognize how overwhelming they can be when you’re just getting started. Thankfully, this volume is a complete system that includes everything that you need to play, so you can dive right into the world of anime and BESM with ease. With over 100 gorgeous illustrations spread out across its 352 full-color pages, this game is a dream for any and all anime enthusiasts, regardless of their experience level or expertise. Kamigami Battles: Rise of the Old Ones Kamigami Battles: Rise of the Old Ones is a deck-building game for 2-6 players. You play as one of the Great Old Ones, recruiting Warriors and Disciples to assist you in your battles against the gods who wish to conquer your domain. The game is playable in two distinct modes: Team Match and Free-For-All. In Team Match mode, players partner up with one another to defeat their opponents. In Free-For-All mode, everyone battles each other at once. Regardless of the mode you play in, the goal of this game is simple: destroy all opposing gods by reducing them to zero energy, or by being the first to reach 25 energy. To accomplish this feat, you must draw cards from your deck to boost your stats, or attack an enemy god directly. You can also use your Powers — special abilities that give you an edge over the other players during battle; and Domain Cards — which give you access to more abilities based on the domains they control. We really enjoyed the versatility of Rise of the Old Ones and its compatibility with other games in the Kamigami Battles franchise. Picking up some expansion packs will give you more options within the base game itself — and help you take your gameplay to the next level! Heart of Crown: Fairy Garden Fairy Garden is a standalone expansion for the original Heart of Crown deck-building game. You can play it on its own or combine it with any of your favorite Heart of Crown sets. Like other games in the Heart of Crown franchise, you serve as a powerful figure in a conflict-ridden empire, and must nominate a princess and garner the support of your subjects to claim the throne and reunite the kingdom. To do this, you’ll first need to build your personal deck through strategic card play and collection — earning you Succession Points along the way. These points represent the support of your community and other influential figures in the empire. The first player to obtain 20 Succession Points wins the game! We enjoyed the multiple card combos, exhilarating gameplay, and range of strategies that Fairy Garden has to offer. If you’re looking for a fresh and exciting deck-building game, but still want to enjoy the familiarity of the Heart of Crown base game, then you’ll want to check this one out on our store! Mangaka: The Fast & Furious Game of Drawing Comics Mangaka: The Fast & Furious Game of Drawing Comics is a creative and fast-paced card game where you play as an aspiring mangaka: a manga artist. The game begins with 4-8 players pulling Theme Cards, which represent their character’s artistic passions. Over the span of 4 timed rounds, players earn points called ‘Fame’ by drawing comic stories that reflect these themes and trends. The player with the most Fame at the end of round 4 wins the game! We love this game because it’s fun for all ages — even parents can enjoy playing it with their kids since there are no complicated rules or mechanics involved. We also like how fast-paced it is — there’s never any downtime between turns because everyone has something important they need to do during the next play! As an added bonus, this game comes with 64 comic pages, and features beautiful anime-style art on each and every card — so it’s a must-have for every home collection! Closing Considerations We hope you had fun exploring our favorite anime board games — and if you want to learn more about any of these titles, be sure to check them out on our website! Our goal is to create an exhaustive guide for fans who want an immersive experience with their favorite series and characters, and we’re always looking for new and exciting games to add to the Japanime selection. So if there’s a game that you think deserves mentioning, please let us know! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Japanime Games Brings Japan To You For over a decade Japanime Games has been dedicated to bringing you the finest games from Japan and beyond! We're committed to uniting the wonderful world of anime with the classic comfort of tabletop games — a fusion that brings the best of Japanese culture right to your table. Become a Japanimaniac to get behind-the-scenes details on all our ongoing projects, our upcoming releases, access to our private discord channels, a monthly gift card for 10% off all purchases, free shipping over $50, one-of-a-kind variant covers, promo packs, and much more! Did you enjoy this article? Good news - it was just Act 1. For more tabletop wisdom, roll a D6: 1-2: The Best Anime Board Games To Play With Friends 3-4: Japanime Games, Crunchyroll & ZU Studios Partner on ZU Tiles and Fruits Basket 5-6: The Domina Anthology 2: Now on Kickstarter!