10 best anime to watch if you like No Game No Life

No Game No Life is an extremely popular anime that follows siblings Sora and Shiro as they get transported to a fantasy world centered around games. Their unbeatable gaming prowess helps them quickly rise to the top in this new world. With its vibrant visuals, captivating story, and focus on outsmarting opponents, this series has won over countless fans.

If you're one of the many people who loved No Game No Life and want something similar to watch next, you're in luck. There are several great anime out there that can provide a viewing experience comparable in one way or another. Below are 10 of the best anime to check out if you liked No Game No Life.

Disclaimer: This list is not ranked in any particular order and reflects the writer's opinions.

Top 10 must-watch anime for No Game No Life fans

1. Death Note

Like No Game No Life, Death Note features a highly skilled protagonist who uses his intellect and cunning mind to overcome challenges. The anime follows Light Yagami, a high schooler who obtains a supernatural notebook that allows him to kill anyone by writing their name in it.

What ensues is a thrilling cat-and-mouse game between Light and a skilled detective known only as 'L' who is attempting to uncover the mysterious deaths. The ongoing battle of wits will appeal to those who enjoy watching characters outsmart their opponents in games and schemes, much like Sora and Shiro.

2. Log Horizon

Log Horizon is another anime where characters get transported into a game-like fantasy world. The protagonist, Shiroe, is a masterful strategist similar to Sora and Shiro, skillfully navigating the game's political and social intricacies to unite its inhabitants and establish order.

Seeing Shiroe and his allies figure out how to thrive in the unfamiliar magical land, learn its intricacies, and devise plans against rivals is greatly entertaining. With thoughtful storylines exploring the setting and characters using their skills, Log Horizon has plenty for No Game No Life fans to appreciate.

3. One Outs

While the gameplay featured in One Outs is baseball instead of a board or fantasy game, it retains the elements of high stakes, outsmarting challenges, and an exceptionally skilled protagonist.

The anime focuses on pitcher Toua Tokuchi, whose concentration and strategic thinking make him amazing at an unusual type of baseball gambling game despite lacking physical skills. Watching Toua achieve overwhelming victories by out-calculating and outmaneuvering opponents is a delight for viewers who liked seeing Sora and Shiro's elite gaming performances.

4. Classroom of the Elite

Classroom of the Elite (Image via Lerche)

Viewers who liked No Game No Life for its focus on the protagonist using his intelligence and manipulating rules may also enjoy Classroom of the Elite. It stars Kiyotaka Ayanokōji, who hides his academic talents and true nature to observe his classmates at an elite yet highly competitive school.

Seeing the clever strategies Kiyotaka devises to quietly come out on top of a challenging school system offers a vicarious thrill for those who relished Sora and Shiro's cunning plans and trickery leading to wins in their world.

5. The World God Only Knows

The World God Only Knows (Image via Manglobe)

This fun anime has a lighthearted, romantic focus. The protagonist, Katsuragi, is skilled at dating simulation games, which causes him to be tasked by a demon to start seducing women in real life. With each relationship challenge being treated like a game level to beat, The World God Only Knows has an enjoyable playful quality similar to No Game No Life.

Viewers will be entertained watching tactics that led to gaming victories get applied to romancing girls. The strategic thinking and rule manipulation aspects retain the most appealing elements of gaming-focused anime.

6. Kakegurui

Kakegurui takes place at an elite academy where students engage in highly skilled gambling matches for social status. Like No Game No Life, the gameplay here is about strategizing and outwitting opponents through cunning observation, bluffing, or deception.

Protagonist Yumeko Jabami has a thrill-seeking love of gambling similar to Sora and Shiro's passion for high-stakes gaming. Seeing her experience the excitement of risk-taking gameplay and using her gambling expertise against rivals should greatly appeal to No Game No Life enthusiasts.

7. Bofuri

For those who most enjoyed the fun fantasy world, vivid color aesthetics, and lighthearted tone of No Game No Life, Bofuri makes for very appealing viewing. It stars Maple, who, despite her inexperience, excels at and creatively customizes her abilities in a fantasy game filled with colorful visual splendor.

Maple and her ally Sally conquer challenges and overcome rivals through unique skill and equipment configurations, which taps into the enjoyment of creative gameplay success similar to Sora and Shiro's flashy victories.

8. Food Wars

Cooking competitions where students develop innovative dishes and tactics to outdo rivals may seem very unlike board and strategy gaming of No Game No Life. However, Food Wars retains a focus on creativity within the rules and using wisdom and nerve to outperform competitors, which should greatly appeal to No Game No Life fans.

Seeing protagonist Soma navigate high-stakes cooking battles by concocting uniquely amazing dishes has a competitive excitement and thrill factor reminiscent of Sora and Shiro's elite gaming performances to overcome challenges.

9. Sword Art Online

Sword Art Online (Image via A-1 Pictures)

It's impossible to leave out this iconic anime about characters getting sucked into virtual reality video games! Like No Game No Life, Sword Art Online depicts a fantasy game realm, thrilling contests, creative play, and the need to strategize around rules.

Kirito navigates challenges by leveraging gaming knowledge, deducing underlying mechanics, and outplanning opponents, which mirrors the mental battles of strategy games depicted in No Game No Life. The ability to see gameplay dramatized while retaining real stakes will be very appealing.

10. Hikaru no Go

For a gaming-focused anime centered around outplaying opponents that No Game No Life fans should greatly enjoy, there is also Hikaru no Go. It follows Hikaru who discovers a supernatural Go board that leads him to become enthralled with the strategy game.

Hikaru rapidly developed his Go skills under the tutelage of the spirit inhabiting his board. His growth from novice player to skilled genius tactician as he outmatches rivals in increasingly high-stakes contests will feel very familiar to viewers who loved watching Sora and Shiro progress from gamers to unbeatable strategists in their world. The smart gameplay makes it very appealing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, No Game No Life has left fans eagerly awaiting the continuation of Sora and Shiro's storylines in the unique game-based fantasy world. While waiting on a possible second season, the anime on this list can help fill the entertainment void. All provide engaging characters using wits, skill, and strategy to overcome creative challenges and rivals, thus encapsulating the most appealing aspects of gaming-centered anime.