6 Greatest Anime based on Light Novels to Watch!

anime based on light novels

A huge amount of anime are actually adaptations from mangas or light novels, much like Hollywood uses popular comics or novels to transfer to the big screen.

For the most part, anime uses manga as its starting product. There are countless well-known series based on manga. Who hasn’t heard of Naruto, the young ninja seeking recognition among his villagers while dreaming of becoming the Hokage? 

Light novels, unlike regular novels, have a simpler language and style. The story is aimed at teenagers and young adults. They often include manga-style illustrations. They are usually multi-volume, continuous story streams that make it much easier to adapt to anime series. 

The following are some of the anime based on light novels:

Best Anime Based on Light Novels!

1. Re: Zero – Starting Life In Another World

Anime Based on Light Novels!

Subaru is a completely average gamer teenager who happens just to find himself in the middle of a fantasy world. He is no superhero, but he tries to be one for the sake of his new friends.

He makes a lot of mistakes along the way, but he tries his best. One of the perks of the world he found himself in is that he can come back to life when he gets killed, and coming back to life reverses time.

In the event of his death, his day will resume at some point, giving him the opportunity to prevent a tragedy. As Subaru calls it, Return from Death is basically a Groundhog Day adaptation with, delicately put, a lot of blood. 

2. Gamers!

Anime Based on Light Novels!

Keita Amano, a nerd in high school. He lives a regular student life playing video games. He meets the most beautiful girl in school, Karen Tendou. Karen is secretly a gamer, too, and she’s also a member of the school’s video game club.

She invites Amano to join the club, but when he realizes that the club is about competitive gaming, he rejects her offer. His allegation is that he only plays games for fun. In Tendou’s repeated attempts for him to join the club, she falls in love with him.

This messes with her life and interferes with Amano’s as well, creating a chain of unexpected events. The plot then revolves around misunderstandings all around.

Many question the fact that the prettiest girl has a crush on a plain nerd. What does he have that made her fall for him?

3. Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash

Anime Based on Light Novels!

Grimgar is a beautiful fantasy world. The story follows a group of teenage characters who wake up in an unknown place with no memory of how they got there.

It’s pretty much like the world of fantasy games where monsters live, and people can level up and gain skills, but for these people, it’s the real world. There is one goal: survive!

The characters are simple folk, so much so that they struggle with low-level demons, and they barely make enough money to get by.

Teenage emotions take over sometimes, and the struggle is that much harder. This anime is an excellent mix of RPG fantasy and coming of age analogy. 

4. Fate/Stay Night

Anime Based on Light Novels!

Shiro Emiya survived a huge catastrophe in which many died, and an entire city disappeared from the face of the earth. After the tragedy, he’s left alone. He becomes a warrior in the Holy Grail War.

In the middle of the fight, something unknown is activated in him, and a blonde woman dressed as a knight appears in front of him, calling herself Saber and considering Emiya her master.

He has no idea that he is part of some larger series of events, the War for the Holy Grail, which is repeated periodically throughout history.

In each case, seven mages and their subordinates fight for the reward that allows their heart’s desire to be fulfilled.

5. Log Horizon

Anime Based on Light Novels!

Elder Tale is one of the most popular online role-playing video games. However, an update changes everything – everyone in the game will be transferred to virtual reality.

All 30,000 Japanese players and several thousand players worldwide get trapped in a fantasy world. Among the transferred people is Shiroe, the impressively sharp-witted strategist.

He and his two friends decide to fight the dangers that lie ahead. Noatsugu, a knight who openly admits he’s a pervert, and Akatsuki, a little ninja girl, accept Shiroe as their commander. 

6. From the New World

Anime Based on Light Novels!

The anime flies us a thousand years into the future. It follows the lives of five young people from childhood to adulthood. And the lives of the protagonists growing up in an idyllic setting are not lacking in adventure or quirks.

In this society, children’s personalities are shaped by hypnosis and other mind-altering methods. 

The five friends gradually face the true face of their supposedly peaceful society. They learn about humanity’s past and the nature of their abilities.

They must survive the traps of paranoid adults, preserve their identities through their ever-changing and contradictory memories. The only one they can trust is each other. 

A Word from Us!

Well, these are the six best anime shows based on light novels according to our opinion. Everyone of them has its own merits and worth a watch.

If you have other anime shows in mind that deserves to be on the list, feel free to convey your thoughts through the comment section below.

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Posted by
Rachel

I came to anime and manga late in the game. While I had occasionally dabbled here and there, I really didn't start watching with any conviction until I was older. Suddenly, I had the desire to begin consuming more anime. The good ones and the bad ones. New series and classic series. It didn't matter what it was or it's notoriety, if the synopsis seemed interesting, I was bound to watch.