Anime has been obsessed with virtual reality for years, but not just for the flashy tech. These shows use VR to talk about friendship, trauma, power, and who you become when your avatar feels more like “you” than your real-life self. If you love full-dive headsets, MMO chaos, and characters trying to balance online and offline lives, here are some of the best anime about virtual reality and what makes each one a hit. Here are five of the best anime about virtual reality.
1. “Sword Art Online”
“Sword Art Online” is the obvious starting point because it turned the “trapped in a game” concept into a global hit. The story begins when 10,000 players log into a new VRMMORPG called “Sword Art Online” using a headset called the NerveGear. They quickly learn they can’t log out. Creator Akihiko Kayaba appears and tells them that if they die in-game—or if anyone removes their NerveGear—they die in real life. Their only path home is to clear all 100 floors of Aincrad, a massive steel castle floating in the sky like a multilevel raid. You can stream “Sword Art Online” on Crunchyroll, Hulu, or Netflix depending on your region.
2. “Accel World”
“Accel World,” created by the same author as Sword Art Online, jumps into a future where VR and AR shape everyday life. Set in 2046, it follows Haruyuki “Haru” Arita, a bullied middle schooler who escapes into the Neuro-Linker network. His life shifts when Kuroyukihime, the school’s mysterious student council vice president, sends him Brain Burst—a secret program that accelerates time and pulls users into a VR fighting game where armored avatars battle for points. You can stream “Accel World” on Crunchyroll and Hulu.
3. “Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense”
If those series lean heavy on danger and drama, “Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, So I’ll Max Out My Defense” is pure VR comfort food. In the anime, Kaede Honjou joins the VRMMORPG “NewWorld Online” because her best friend invites her, but she’s terrified of in-game pain. To protect herself, she invests every stat point into defense and creates a shield user named Maple. She should be slow and ineffective, yet her near-invincibility helps her discover powerful skills, hidden quests, and rare items simply by tanking every attack. “Bofuri” streams on both Hulu and Crunchyroll.
4. “Infinite Dendrogram”
Set in 2043, “Infinite Dendrogram” is a full-dive adventure that includes heavy storylines. The VRMMO launches as the first game to simulate all five senses and promise limitless possibilities. Two years later, college freshman Reiji Mukudori logs in as Ray Starling and meets Nemesis, an Embryo that evolves based on his decisions. Their bond shapes every move he makes in a world where actions have permanent consequences. You can stream “Infinite Dendrogram” on Crunchyroll.
5. “Shangri-La Frontier”
“Shangri-La Frontier” takes place in a near future where full-dive VR games dominate and traditional screen games count as “retro.” The story follows Rakuro Hizutome, a hardcore gamer obsessed with poorly made “trash games” that most players avoid. After suffering through one too many broken titles, he finally tries the popular VRMMORPG “Shangri-La Frontier,” known for its 30 million registered players and a huge open world. He uses his strange trash-game survival instincts to break open a polished universe packed with secrets and challenges. You can stream “Shangri-La Frontier” on Crunchyroll and Hulu.
Which VR anime world would you risk logging into, and why? Comment below!
