Anime To Watch If You Like Squid Game

Squid Game is not a new concept. That doesn’t mean it is bad. It just means there is other content out there fans can enjoy too. Squid Game can be boiled down to a Battle Royale clone, which was popularized by the titular film of the same name. It took a while for other media to copy the manga and film series. Now there are tons of films, games, and anime to enjoy that are similar.

If viewers enjoyed Squid Game, it is recommended to watch the first Battle Royale movie. It still holds up. The Hunger Games set of books and films is fun too. For anime fans, there are plenty of great shows to check out as well. Some are direct ideas fans of Squid Game can follow while others' recommendations are a bit more abstract.

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Updated January 24, 2025, by Mirza Aaqib Beg: When the first season of Squid Game was released, it received global attention for its commentary on social disparity and human nature, soon becoming Netflix's most-watched series. It went on to win many reputed international awards and influenced numerous works in various media.

The second installment of the dystopian survival series also received positive reviews and has helped consolidate its global influence. This article has been updated with even more anime for lovers of the show to check out, considering the growing demand for shows like Squid Game. The new entries explore similar themes and offer a different perspective on class disparity and human nature.

23 Tomodachi Game

Betrayal, Manipulation, and Survival

Yutori Kokorogi, Yuuichi Katagiri, Shiho Sawaragi, Makoto Shibe, and Tenji Mikasa are five high school students who share a seemingly unbreakable bond of friendship, which has been strengthened by years of shared experiences and mutual support. But when they are kidnapped and isolated from the outside world, after which they are pushed to play against one another in a variety of psychological games, their relationship is tested at every turn.

Tomodachi Game revolves around these five friends as they face the cruel realities of life and the years of pent-up distrust and unresolved conflicts. Like Squid Game, the series explores the dark aspects of human nature and makes viewers think critically about the fragility of trust and the true meaning of friendship.

22 Platinum End

Tsugumi Ohba's Underrated Work

• Release Date: Oct 8, 2021
• Genre(s): Drama, Supernatural, Suspense
• Creator: Tsugumi Ohba
• Studio: Signal.MD
• MyAnimeList Score: 6.03

For as long as Mirai Kakehashi can remember, his life has been filled with despair and hopelessness. Having lost his family in a cruel accident and then being treated unfairly by his relatives, he sees no point in living any longer. But when he takes the leap to end the pain once and for all, Mirai is saved by an angel named Nasse, who blesses him with two powers. He then learns that, along with a few other candidates, he now has the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become the next God.

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By  Jason Boje

Determined not to let this chance of turning his life around slip away, Mirai readily agrees to compete against his rivals, who are willing to go to any lengths to win. Platinum End is a psychologically stimulating anime that will appeal to Squid Game fans who are looking for a show that blends intense competition with ethical dilemmas.

21 Talentless Nana

A Suspenseful Science Fiction Series

Anime fans who wish to stream a suspenseful series that keeps them on the edge of their seats should consider adding Talentless Nana to their watchlist. The show is set in an environment where self-preservation and survival supersede all other values and appearances are often misleading. Talentless Nana keeps viewers guessing with its unpredictable storylines that amalgamate psychological apprehension with moral ambiguity, making it perfect for fans of Squid Game.

20 Classroom of the Elite

Pyschological School Drama

Shougo Kinugasa's Classroom of the Elite revolves around the students of Japan's highly-rated Koudo Ikusei Senior High School. Although the school is considered a utopia by outsiders, the students there are ruthlessly divided into four classes based on merit. While the ones in class A are given special privileges and treated appreciatively, students in the lower classes are not so lucky.

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By  David Heath

With a system designed to pit different classes and students frequently against one another, Koudo Ikusei Senior High School creates a ruthlessly competitive environment that tests students at every turn. Classroom of the Elite is a highly-rated suspense anime that keeps viewers engaged with its intricate mind games, well-written characters, and unanticipated twists.

19 Assassination Classroom

Comedy Action Anime

Assassination Classroom is one of the most unique shows that anyone can check out. The series seems like a run-of-the-mill shonen anime before revealing its true cards as certain mysteries are revealed to the audience.

This results in a spectacular watch with one of the most heartbreaking conclusions to any anime in recent memory. The very Earth is on the line in this series, which definitely makes for higher stakes than the ones present in Squid Game.

18 Kengan Ashura

High-Octane Martial Arts Series

Squid Game essentially pits players against others in brutal and twisted scenarios for the sole purpose of entertaining the rich. A more simplified version of the same concept is present in Kengan Ashura, where fighters are pitted against each other in a modern form of gladiatorial combat.

The series features great action sequences and shows just how corrupt too much money can make anyone. It helps that the main character, Tokita Ohma, is also a pretty fascinating character in his own right.

17 Tower Of God

Dark Fantasy Anime

Tower of God is one of the first manhwa to receive an official animated adaptation, showing just how popular it really is. The titular tower is a monstrous and mysterious construct that inhabitants must ascend to reach higher floors and unlock more challenges.

The entire aspect of ascending the tower is presented as a game, which will be right up the alley of Squid Game fans. While Tower of God might blast through a ton of content in some of its later episodes, it's still worth watching for the intriguing premise alone.

16 Alice In Borderland

An Anime About Playing Survival Games

Most people know Alice in Borderland because of the live-action series that recently released its second season on Netflix. However, what most people might not be aware of is that show is based on a manga that already had an anime adaptation!

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By  Levana Jane Chester-Londt

Alice in Borderland's 3 OVAs do a decent job of telling the series' story, with a bunch of unlucky people being caught in a twisted killing game where death awaits them at every corner. It's a tense series that is fun to watch regardless of whether check out the anime or the live-action adaptation.

15 Btooom!

Survial-Action Series

• Release Date: Oct 4, 2012
• Genre(s): Sci-fi, Action, Suspense
• Studio: Madhouse
• Creator: Junya Inoue

The idea of getting stuck in a violent video game is nightmare fuel for many people. As a result, Btooom! Can actually be a pretty compelling watch for fans of Squid Game, with various characters in the game being forced into a twisted game where their very lives are on the line.

Btooom! Isn't anything special, but it pulls off most of its tropes nicely. The series can get pretty creative at times, leading to some enjoyable moments as long as fans are able to handle the copious amounts of fanservice in this series.

14 Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor

Gambling, Suspense, and Action

An anime that is very much like Squid Game, Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor is a must-watch for any fan of the Korean show. The themes, motifs, and setting of this anime are quite similar to Squid Game. The concept of a killing game is also shown in Kaiji, albeit differently and uniquely. Watching people try their hardest to avoid the punishment of losing in these gambling events is surprisingly engaging.