Looking at the most popular video games of 2026, many FPS titles ranked high on the list. Counter Strike 2 and Battlefield 6 to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and brave. The high-stakes action and spectacular gunplay are addictive, and immersing players in a crazy, violent world is one of the genre's main selling points. There are plenty of action movies that try to replicate the feel of first-person shooters, and there are also plenty of anime series that feature shootouts and fast-paced combat similar to those found in this popular gaming genre.
Ranking the 10 Best Action Anime of the 2020s (So Far)
The 2020s is full of epic battles, so let's highlight some of the best action anime of the decade so far.
Some FPS matches are more serious. Players can take on strangers and wipe each other out, capture flags, or accomplish other goals that can only be achieved through shedding blood. Other gatherings are more casual, such as friends getting together and playing friendly games, joking through headsets and causing chaos around the map. No matter which experience you prefer, at least one of these animated series will be a perfect watch for any discerning FPS fan.
We would have liked to have included more series on this list, but many of them are currently not streaming on major platforms. Honorable mentions that you won't get unless you buy a physical copy include: Jormungand, Grenadier: Beautiful Warrior, 91 Days, Gangster, Gunsmith Cat.
Gungrave
More than a decade after being murdered by his best friend Harry MacDowell, Brandon Heat is ready for revenge. After coming back to life through necrosis, he chooses a new name: Beyond the Grave. For 26 episodes, Gungrave It tells the story of the two's falling out, their sordid past as members of a criminal organization, and the future that awaits Beyond the Grave after eliminating the organization that took so much from them.
This is a work by director Toshiyuki Tsuru, known for various hit films. Continuous experiment Lain, cowboy bebopand naruto shippuden, Gungrave It's action-packed, and both fans and critics praise its characters and animation. Those who enjoy the supernatural thriller series will enjoy the PlayStation 2 title of the same name released in 2002 and its sequel. Gungrave: OverdoseIt was released in 2004. Both third-person shooters received praise for their skills and missions, and the new Gungrave They say the game is in progress.
licorice recoil
At first glance, it may not seem like a series that FPS fans would choose, but licorice recoil It's a Girls with Guns series with a few elements of life thrown in for good measure. The 2022 series tells the story of two orphaned teenage girls, Chisato and Takina, who are recruited by a mysterious organization to carry out political assassinations. The two people who grace the cover work at a local cafe, and other than their work, they lead the lives of teenage girls. Chisato has the ability to dodge bullets at close range, and Takina's serious and confident demeanor translates to her rifle skills.
licorice recoil It was an incredible success upon launch. metal gear Series creator Hideo Kojima also praised the series on social media. While the narrative and animation enthralled audiences, the action scenes also captured the hearts of many. The mood changes from comical to serious in an instant, and fans of FPS games shouldn't miss this brutal gunfight.
black lagoon
While on a business trip, Rokuro Okajima is captured by a group of pirate mercenaries. This proved to be exactly the change he was looking for, and he decided to join the villains and become a powerful criminal himself. As the group's negotiator, he helps the gang navigate dangerous missions, often filled with police raids, extreme violence, and various illegal activities. The exaggerated battle scenes are the biggest attraction, but the gritty world and likable characters certainly add to the charm.
8 Best Action Anime You've Probably Never Heard Of
Action and animation are virtually inseparable, but for whatever reason, this great animation hasn't gotten the attention it deserves.
team behind black lagoon The famous studio Madhouse (trigun, death note) is directed by Sunao Katabuchi, with whom he previously worked. Kiki's Delivery Service He served as assistant director with beloved film director Hayao Miyazaki. Fans of fast-paced action animation and copious violence won't be disappointed by this classic, and FPS players will be able to see themselves in its characters. After all, series creator Rei Hiroe has stated that Tarantino films have had a major influence on his work.
trigun
If you're a long-time anime fan, this will be familiar to you. trigun. Post-apocalyptic space westerns have been a staple of Adult Swim's early days, and protagonist Vash the Stampede has been a cosplay staple since he first appeared on the scene. The 1998 anime adaptation of Yasuhiro Nightow's manga series remains beloved to this day and tells the story of a famous gunslinger and his efforts to escape bounty hunters who seek to place a huge price on his head. The depth of the characters and the overall underlying morality theme, along with the heart-stopping gunplay, have helped it stand the test of time.
Rearranges covers into correct US release order.
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Rearranges covers into correct US release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Difficult (10)
I think even those who have already seen the original series will want to watch it. trigun stampede. An adaptation and sequel that reinterprets the cartoon series that first aired in 2023. Trigun StargazeStarting in January 2026. This work, produced by Studio Orange, received favorable reviews from some fans for its completely different art style utilizing 3DCG animation. Some say that the original series from the 90s was more heartbreaking, and that gunfights were more satisfying when traditional animation was used.
gunslinger girl
The character design is gunslinger girl This may be misleading. The main female cast may look cute, but these girls are deadly cybernetic creations controlled by men who use them as assassins for government operations. Set in modern-day Italy, the series received rave reviews for its powerful story filled with dark themes and intense gunplay. The animation isn't the most amazing overall, but the action scenes don't disappoint, but it would have been nice to see more of them.
For your information, the 2003 13-episode series was directed by Morio Asaka, who directed major hits such as: card captor sakura, galaxy angeland ChobitsAnd continued the work later. Chihayafuru and my love story. The soundtrack is also noteworthy in that it was composed by Toshihiko Sahashi, who was in charge of the music for . Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, Hunter × Hunterand masked rider Tokusatsu series. gunslinger girls It also inspired several video games, but unfortunately it was only released in Japan.
Phantom: Requiem for a Phantom
Based on the 2003 visual novel Ghost of Inferno, Phantom: Requiem for a Phantom It tells the story of a man who witnesses an assassination while visiting the United States and is then kidnapped by an assassination group called Inferno. The criminal organization is attempting to unite the world's underworld into one conglomerate, and is using brainwashed assassins to carry out the task. The man in question takes on the name Zwei after his memory is erased, and on the scene he meets Ain, a strange amnesiac girl with a deadly goal.
An anime called a hidden gem by many anime fans. Phantom: Requiem for a Phantom It received particular praise for maintaining its fast-paced action sequences more than 15 years after its release. Director Koichi Massimo has been involved in gaming for decades and is responsible for popular series such as: noir, .hack//signature, MadlaxAnd many more. Visual novels are also worth playing, but it's worth noting that they are considered adult games.
Upotte!!
Seishou Academy is not your typical school. The students here are not ordinary people, but the personification of guns, studying hard to one day become useful weapons. Elementary schools were equipped with submachine guns, middle schools were equipped with assault rifles and shotguns, and high schools were equipped with combat rifles and sniper rifles. These girls can pull the weapons they represent out of the air and are all trained to shoot targets with real ammunition. In episode 10 Upote It's a quick binge, and it's worth doing so for its over-the-top antics and downright ridiculous premise.
If you are an FPS fan with a deeper interest in guns, Upote It offers a surprisingly in-depth look at featured guns, frequently sharing gun-related facts along with silly character interactions. This short show contains a lot of combat, and the cute characters and smooth animation may give it some extra appeal for some anime fans.
