The trend of “If… Was An Anime” is definitely a very fun and popular concept, as can be evidenced by the Google search results that hit around 1,090,000,000 pages as of January 19, 2021. From edits that fans have put together with video clips to full-on animated pieces, there are a lot of different adaptations to sort through.
We’ve pulled together a short list of some of the best “If… Was An Anime” videos out there! In no particular order, let’s dive right into the best of what the internet has to offer.
#1: If The Mandalorian (Star Wars) Was An Anime by Malec
Taking heavy inspiration from the opening of the classic Cowboy Bebop series, If The Mandalorian Was An Anime was created by YouTuber Malec. Posted in October 2020, the video has over 1 million views and does a fantastic job of capturing the Disney+ series in anime fashion. Featuring scenes and characters from the first season of the show, the music rings of Cowboy Bebop’s opening with hints of the Mandalorian’s own theme mixed in throughout.
#2: If Stranger Things was an 80s Anime by Octopie
This particular what-if adaptation definitely made the rounds back in 2019 when it came out. Perfectly capturing the overall 80s vibes from the show itself, this “What If” video was animated by YouTuber Octopie and presents some of the most iconic scenes from the first two seasons of Stranger Things that really ups some of the horror elements. Synth music accompanies the animation, and we get to see the entire cast reimagined as anime characters.
#3: If Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Had An Anime Opening by REST
A ton of animated movies have the potential to be edited into anime openings, and that’s no different for Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. YouTuber REST saw the opportunity and completely rolled with it. Making use of Lonely Go!, one of the Boruto opening songs, this edit takes the vibrant Spider-Man film into anime territory. A stand-out moment comes when Miles Morales puts his headphones on and the music and visuals shift from one universe in the film to another.
#4: If World of Warcraft Had An Anime Opening by Caboose Gaming
It’s been years since I’ve played World of Warcraft at all, but this take on if the popular game had an anime opening is extremely crisp. Using crossing field by LiSA as the opening song, this “What If” uses cinematics from World of Warcraft. It manages to capture a lot of the energy we’ve come to expect in anime openings and presents a take on WOW that could definitely be its own story.
#5: If Game of Thrones Was An Anime by Malec
Setting aside opinions on how the actual show ended, If Game of Thrones Was An Anime is a joy to watch. Taking inspiration from shonen anime, this “What If” was animated by YouTuber Malec. With references and scenes from later seasons (spoiler alert?), this video opens with an energetic song and a classic anime transition of cutting to different main characters. A favorite detail is definitely the background of Arya’s list of people she’s set out to kill in the series.
As with any opinion, this list is going to be subjective, but it’s certainly a good look into the ever expanding space of “What If” videos. It’s always interesting to see what creators can imagine and come up with when turning one media form into another. From TV shows to video games, the possibilities of what something could be like as an anime are endless.
What are some of your favorite What If… Was An Anime videos? Share your thoughts with us in the comments or on Twitter.
