As a fan of RPGs and anime, I'm always on the lookout for a good new series that seamlessly combines my love of both of those things; thankfully, there's a surprising amount of anime that fits neatly in that subgenre. Granted, not every series is actually good. There's something to be said for diving into something trashy from time to time, but if you want to start with a great RPG anime, there are five I recommend that you check out in 2026. And here they are!
Solo Leveling was first released back in 2024, but I didn't start watching it until Season 2 wrapped up last year. I'd heard nothing but good things about the series, starting with IGN's 8 out of 10 review of Season 1, and my only hang-up was that it's only available to stream on Crunchyroll. After biting that bullet, I quickly binged both seasons within a week.
What really makes the story unique and interesting is the world building. The series takes place in a modern society centered around the idea of magical portals (Gates) filled with monsters and individuals (Hunters) with the inherent power to conquer the dungeons inside. Each Hunter is locked at a specific threshold of power, but the main character, Sung Jin-woo, encounters a unique scenario that allows him to essentially level up.
Solo Leveling has RPG elements at its heart while also breaking down barriers between video game mechanics and real life; it's a really fun watch.
Sword Art Online was a revelation for me when I first watched it and kick-started my love for this type of story. It was right around the time that VR was starting to become a thing, and this series helped me imagine what the future of gaming could hold; I loved every minute of it. For reference, the first season premiered back in 2012, which is about seven years before the first Quest VR headset.
The premise of SAO is that in a near-future society, technology has advanced to the point of fully immersive VR. Kirito, who is given the chance to be a beta tester for the new tech, finds himself in a sci-fi fantasy nightmare when he and 10,000 others get trapped in the game. If they die in the game, they die in real life, and the only way to escape is to beat all 100 floors of a floating castle. It's an epic story with high stakes inside and outside of the game's reality.
There are three total seasons of Sword Art Online, multiple theatrical films, and a spin-off series about Gun Gale Online. There are also quite a few SAO video games that have derived from the series, though ironically, none of them utilize VR.
Shangri-La Frontier is a shining example that not every series needs to have high stakes to keep you interested. It has all of the future fully-immersive VR tech of Sword Art Online, but instead focuses on a gamer that just loves to game. Sure, there are epic boss battles and political struggles within the game, but outside of it, the characters are just living normal lives.
The story primarily follows Rakuro Hitzutome, who has a reputation as a masochist for really difficult or buggy games referred to as "trash games." After finishing a particularly awful game, he decides to try out a super popular VR MMO called Shangri-La Frontier; naturally, he's blown away by the experience and uses all of his pro-gamer skills to do things that nobody has ever done before in the game.
This isn't my favorite RPG-style anime series, but it's still a great watch with a refreshing take on the whole VR scenario. There are currently two seasons available with a third on the way for January 2026.
For those of you who really want to go deep into that MMO feeling, Log Horizon is the way to go. The story follows that classic isekai anime formula, with characters who mysteriously get pulled into a popular MMORPG world called Elder Tale with no way out.
Where Log Horizon really shines is in the literal world-building the series has to do. What happens when thousands of people get permanently stuck in a game? Well, they have to build an actual society there to survive. With a focus on game mechanics, this series is the closest on this list to classic MMORPG in anime form.
There are three seasons of Log Horizon available, with the last episodes airing back in 2021. It's unlikely that we'll get a Season 4 due to a lack of source material, but many fans are still holding out hope.
This series really hit all of the right notes for me; it's an odd mix of cooking and fantasy that just seems to work. Amid all of the monster slaying and adventuring that comes with dungeon diving, you've got to eat after all, so if you want a fun and delicious fantasy to binge, this series is an easy recommendation for Netflix subscribers.
The story is reminiscent of classic tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons, but with a focus on a practical means of survival. After a red dragon eats his sister deep in the dungeon, Laios gathers his party on a quest to save her before she gets fully digested. But without any funds left for supplies, the group has to turn to cooking and eating monsters along the way to survive the trip. Thankfully, they quickly encounter a dwarf who knows how to make them taste delicious.
There has only been one season of Delicious in Dungeon so far, but a second season is currently in the works. Even without the tabletop RPG elements, this series is truly one of the best in the fantasy genre.
Jacob Kienlen is a Senior Audience Development Strategist and writer for IGN. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he has considered the Northwest his home for his entire life. With a bachelor's degree in communication and 10 years of professional writing experience, his expertise is spread across a variety of different pop culture topics from TV series to books and the latest Pokémon games.
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