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Hello everyone! Today I’m going to recommend you some of the best mindgame anime I’ve ever watched!! Anime is known for its insane mindgames where characters outsmart each other to the point it is unrealistic and ridiculous. However, it is also a treat to watch someone completely dominate their opponent with just their brains. Here’s my top 10 list of such anime series filled with intellectual warfare.
Top 10 Mindgame Anime Series For You To Watch
10. Monster
Monster is a great anime, but it is an extremely slow paced anime and is not completely about mindgames. That’s why it is at the bottom of this list.
It is truly psychological, and it has the potential to mess with your head. It is not related to any supernatural elements, but it gives the same eerie feeling of the presence of a dangerous super villain. The character development in this anime is also noteworthy.
9. Steins;gate
Stiens;Gate is a time travel anime with a unique time travel concept, unlike any other anime/show/movie in the same genre. And when time travelling is involved, you know it is going to get complicated.
The intellectual MC of this anime wants to build a time machine, which later becomes the very thing he wants to get rid of! The smart ways in which he solves problems makes it a fantastic mindgame anime. However, the character development in this anime is what you’ll enjoy the most! Definitely worth a look!
8. Kakegurui
The show’s insane facial expressions and execution were both excellent and bizarre. Kakegurui will literally show you what compulsive gambling is and how quickly you can lose everything. From school shootings involving horny suicidal female psycho maniacs to ripping one’s fingernails off, it’s got them all. While it may seem too random and bizarre to be added into this list, Kakegurui also features some of the best mindgames in anime.
The main protagonist Jabami Yumeko is a compulsive gambler and she has to outwit every other intellectual rival in their mindgame battle.
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7. Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor
Gambling anime are the best when it comes to mind games. Kaiji is one such anime in which a young man gambles for his life and money with a wealthy, sadistic old man.
This anime series’ story was first published as a manga and then adapted into a Japanese television show. The main character spends the majority of his time gambling and taking risks that could land him in trouble, especially since the majority of his games are illegal. As a result, he must face some adversaries and win a few mindgames in order to continue playing. Excellent show.
6. Detective Conan
In the psychological genre, this anime is severely underappreciated. I mean, the protagonist is far too intellectual, and even the criminals could give L (from Death Note) a run for his money. The plot revolves around a teen detective, Shinchi, who transforms into a small boy due to a drug and must find a way to regain his original body while solving cases ranging from robbery to murder.
5. Moriarty the Patriot
What if Moriarty was the main character and Sherlock was just a sidekick? What if the villain we’ve come to know isn’t as evil as we believe? William Moriarty is a crime consultant who works to expose the heartlessness of nobility in London’s darkest corners. His intentions are noble, but his methods are not.
Moriarty works to right wrongs, particularly those committed by members of the middle class who have been subjected to noble mistreatment. When he meets Sherlock, his life becomes a mindgame of cat and mouse because Moriarty can get away with anything without evidence.
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4. One Outs – Baseball anime with Gambling & Mindgame
While One Outs may seem like a regular sports anime on the outside, that is one thing it is actually not. The anime is more about gambling and how the MC smartly outwits other characters and plays mindgame with them.
And trust me, when it comes to anime with a lot of mind games, nothing beats One Outs. But the overall plot of the anime isn’t as amazing, so I’m not placing it any higer on this list.
One Outs tells the story of a man who strikes a deal with the owner of a baseball league team in which he receives 5,000,000 yen for each out he pitches and loses 50,000,000 yen for each run he allows.
3. Code Geass
When it comes to mindgame, this is one of the best animes ever made. The plot revolves around a boy who gains the ability called “geass” to command anyone. Of course, it has limitations, and he must overcome them with his smarts and make the right moves. His goal? The downfall of a nation and the rise of a new world where his sister could live in peace.
Not to mention, this is one of the few mecha anime out there that is actually loved by non-mecha fans. Code Geass is jam packed with action/fight sequence, mind numbing plot twists,
2. No Game No Life
Two NEETs who are such pro gamers that they are regarded as an urban legend are transported to a new world where everything is determined by games. It is a world ruled by mind games, where only the intellectual wins. The two must conquer the world, beginning with the weakest race, Imanity. After progressing through all 16 races they’ll be able to meet and challenge the God who brought them here.
1. Death note – King of all mindgame anime
What happens if a normal human is given divine power of granting death? They become tainted. Following the discovery of the “death note,” the MC of this anime sets out with a lofty goal: to prevent crime in the world and kill only the most evil humans alive. However, as time passed, he began to use the death note to murder anyone who got in his way. Several good people were killed as a result of his plan to become the world’s god.
Now it is upto the brilliant detective ‘L’ to beat the MC in his cat & mouse game and stop his killing spree.
Bonus Anime with Mindgame:
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 2: Battle Tendency
There are countless JoJo memes about how Joseph Joestar outwits every villain and saves the day. And this is exactly what happens in the anime. While some of them may seem ridiculous and forced, that is exactly what this genre is all about.
So, JoJo (particalurly part 2) is something you’d like to watch if you’re into anime mindgames.
I’m mentioning part 2 specifically because this is where the villains were too overpowered and the MC had no choice but to rely on his wits to survive. In the other parts, the main characters are pretty OP themselves, so they don’t exactly fall into this category.
That’s it for this post! These were the top 10 mindgame anime out there!! Hope you found something interesting to watch.
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See you in the next post~
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