Anime and iGaming- a Match Made in Heaven? Posted Aug 14, 2017
When you think about anime, what comes to mind? Striking, unique, and exaggerated, are all words which could be used to describe the hugely popular cartoons from Japan. Characters have well-defined features, such as large eyes and unnaturally coloured hair, which truly differentiate them from cartoons of other countries. Slot games also have graphics that have to instantly draw the user’s attention, as online casino players find themselves faced with a wealth of options to choose from. For this reason, iGaming developers have found that anime themes in slots work perfectly, and the two things could be a match made in heaven. For that reason, more and more titles based on the Japanese cartoons are cropping up.
The Asian Beauty online slot game at Guts is a prime example of a modern slot which is using the popularity of anime and the stunning visuals associated with it to its advantage. It’s a 5-reel slot from Microgaming, and it is intended to appeal to lovers of oriental culture and the rich imagery that comes with it. Some of the symbols include lotus flowers, silver and gold cups, plum trees, and Asian women. There is also relaxing Asian music playing in the background.
Some slot developers have taken the idea of using anime themes to the next level, and have based their games directly on popular anime series. These include titles such as Manga Girls 25 Line Slots which features unique anime girls with wild coloured hair, and Nine Tailed Ninja, which has Japanese ninjas, large demons and monsters, and changing seasons. One of the most popular slots on the market which has used anime themes recently is Ghost in the Shell. It features characters and animation from the hit series. The recent blockbuster movie has served to boost its playing figures even further as well. With games like this doing so well, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Dragonball Z and Pokémon slots following suit in the future.
In the recent history of anime, there has always been a common theme of crossing between various other mediums. Pokémon set the trend when the GameBoy games of old sparked a huge franchise which spanned a TV series, films, other console games, and playing cards. When the collectible monsters returned last year in Pokémon Go, it proved that there was still a massive audience for anime-based games in popular culture. There are still 65 million monthly active users, and there have been a whopping 750 million downloads since it was introduced to the market in July 2016.
Slot games are now an integral platform for franchises wishing to boost themselves in the best possible way, and popular movies such as Jurassic World and TV series like Game of Thrones have themed slots to increase viewing figures. If more anime series are to follow in the footsteps of Ghost in the Shell and be made into films, it would stand to reason that they too would find representation in the iGaming world. But because the visuals are so impressive in anime, it seems fair to say that many developers will look to continue incorporating them purely because they are so attractive and appealing to slot players.
Pokémon Go and Ghost in the Shell could easily spark more anime in iGaming. Developers will see how well the graphics work on the existing games and seek to produce offerings of a similar standard.
