10 Best Chess Anime: Everyone loves a good story that involves using our brains. In anime, there are often instances where the main character is forced to use his intellect and strategy to outsmart the opponent. This often results in a very exciting match of the minds between two characters like that of a chess match. However, there are also instances in anime where one character plays the role of the Chess-master to manipulate scenes and create outcomes that fall under their control.
These exciting scenes make the viewers sit on the edge of their seats and are often favorites among the fans. So let’s take a look at a list of the best chess anime series of all time.
Death Note
The anime series that kept the viewers on their toes the most is Death Note. The main character is the first ranker on the National Tests in Japan, along with his nemesis, an international detective, L. Light is forced to use his intellect in a battle of mind games with L to ensure that L doesn’t suspect Light’s identity as Kira. Both the characters even played chess once on-screen as they talked. The anime shows their mind games in a clash of blue and red, which makes the experience worth it.
Code Geass
Lelouch from the anime Code Geass is a Chess-master through and through. Although he is the 17th in line to the throne of Holy Britannia, he hates the regime. Being a boy of high intelligence, he is often bored with his academic studies. In fact, in the first few minutes of the series, we see Lelouch shows off his chess skills. After he gains the power of Geass, he starts his true Chessmaster role by putting political plans into place. He aims to start a revolution and fight Britannia.
Best Chess Anime: No Game No Life
In the anime series, No Game No Life, fans see the first appearance of chess when the siblings receive a mysterious link that takes them to a chess match. Shiro knew all the moves possible in a game of chess; however, she struggled because of the human factor. That is where Sora steps in to tell her which moves might be fake or not. So Shiro and Sora together are the ultimate combination for a Chess-master. Where Shiro can use her logic, Sora uses his knowledge of humans.
Haikyuu!
Haikyuu! Seems to be a pleasant, sporty, slice-of-life anime, so what is it doing in this list? Despite the appearance of Haikyuu as a classic shounen, Haikyuu has put a great deal of thought into volleyball strategies. Although volleyball is not a majorly brainy game like chess, it involves the use of quick perception, fast decision making, counter-attacks, and strategy formation. The way the main character’s volleyball team creates their plans and moves based on their opponent is a good glimpse of Chess strategies in a classic sports anime.
Best Chess Anime: Naruto
There are a lot of elements in Naruto, from the supernatural to shinobi to romance. However, a few characters have displayed their keen intelligence in manipulating almost everything. The biggest Chessmaster is, of course, Black Zetsu, who organized almost all events that came to play for the end of the series. However, on a lighter note, Shikamaru also is a great strategist. His Chuunin exam, in particular, was about him reading his opponents and misdirecting them.
Black Butler
Black Butler is an interesting anime with a mix of humor, Victorian references, and mystery. Notably, the main character is a 12-year-old boy, Ciel Phantomhive. And he is the Chessmaster of our discussion. Ciel has only one aim in his life: to take revenge on the people who wronged him. To achieve that end, and as the Queens Guard Dog, Ciel makes a lot of tactical moves, like a game of chess. Although he did say that life is not a game of chess, the young master surely seems to treat it so.
Kakegurui
If there is an anime among the more recent ones that make the viewer keep at the edge of their chairs, it is Kakegurui. Although the anime series is mostly about gambling, and one might argue that gambling is mostly about luck, that is actually not the case. In this elite school where you can cheat until you are caught, Yumeko Jabami brings a keen intellect that she uses to compete with the other students on games with high stakes. In contrast with several others, she engages in a battle of wits, luck, and cheating to eventually become the winner.
Bungou Stray Dogs
Although the anime series Bungou Stray Dogs has a completely different subject matter, it has one important Chessmaster. Osamu Dazai may seem like a suicidal maniac who is good at solving supernatural crimes, but he is also more than that. He began planning things around Atsushi ever since he met him. As an additional piece of information, his encounters with Fyodor Dostoevsky happen with chess boards around them in the manga series.
Best Chess Anime: Durarara!!
There is one character who fits the role of a Chessmaster in Durarara!! That is Izaya. Izaya is very manipulative and, at one point, has manipulated almost everyone in the series. He often focuses on one person and manipulates them to cause utter chaos for absolutely no reason. There are motifs of board games and, very often, chess whenever he is around.
Similar: Who Is The Smartest Anime Character Of All Time? Is It Senku?
Moriarty The Patriot
It should be no surprise to see Moriarty The Patriot on this list. The main character, William James Moriarty, who goes on to become the nemesis of Sherlock Holmes, always has a plan. He is the lord of a criminal organization, and he always ensures he has a backup plan. In many of the promotional activities for the anime series, Moriarty and Sherlock are shown holding chess pieces. Their every interaction is like that of a chess game, and Moriarty is The Chessmaster.
This is where we conclude our list. Have we missed out on any Chess or Chessmaster anime series? Which series are you going to check out next? Let us know in the comment section! Keep an eye this page for more trivia like this.
