Darwin's Game

High school student Kaname Sudou receives an invitation from a classmate to play Darwin's Game, a mobile game he has never heard of. However, as soon as he opens the application, a green snake suddenly pops out from his phone screen and bites his neck, leaving him unconscious. Waking up in the infirmary without any signs of a snake bite, he is told by the school to take the rest of the day off. Although he is puzzled by what has happened, he dismisses the surreal experience as a hallucination and boards the train home.

Unfortunately, his curiosity gets the better of him and he uses the application once again. As the application appears to be just like any other battle game, Kaname breathes out a sigh of relief and decides to start his first match. However, the pleasant surprise is short-lived, as his in-game opponent unexpectedly appears right in front of him and attempts to hunt him down with a knife.

As he desperately runs for his life, Kaname puts two and two together and realizes that Darwin's Game is not an ordinary game, but rather, it's a brutal fight for survival.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Karino, Shuka Main

Ueda, Reina Japanese

Sudou, Kaname Main

Kobayashi, Yuusuke Japanese

Kashiwagi, Rein Main

Oomori, Nichika Japanese

Sui Supporting

Hanamori, Yumiri Japanese

Souta Supporting

Hanamori, Yumiri Japanese

Maesaka, Ryuuji Supporting

Yashiro, Taku Japanese

Liu, Xue Lan Supporting

Kayano, Ai Japanese

Hiiragi, Ichirou Supporting

Koyasu, Takehito Japanese

Banda-kun Supporting

Takemoto, Eiji Japanese

Kyouda, Hiroyuki Supporting

Kobayashi, Chiaki Japanese

Oowada, Tomoyuki Producer

Watase, Shouta Producer

Jinguuji, Manabu Producer

Kitazawa, Shiryuu Producer

Reviews

Jan 18, 2025

AnimeExplorer21

Recommended

Darwin’s Game blew me away—it’s the kind of anime where you sit down to watch one episode, and before you know it, you’re binging the whole series in one night. The story pulls you in immediately and doesn’t let go, throwing you into a world where every move counts, and survival is the ultimate goal.

The plot revolves around Kaname, our main protagonist, who unwittingly gets dragged into this deadly survival game. At first, you think, “Okay, just another death game anime,” but trust me, it’s so much more than that. The stakes are high, the twists keep coming, and every episode leaves you craving the ... next.

One thing that stood out to me is the balance between action, strategy, and even a bit of romance. Kaname’s dynamic with Shuka, the “Undefeated Queen,” is such a refreshing touch. She’s a total badass with her chain weapon, but at the same time, her softer, protective side comes out when she’s with Kaname. It’s not your typical romance—it’s more like a battle-ready prince and princess taking on the world together, and I loved every second of their interactions.

The action scenes are intense, some of them even brutal, but not overly gory or hard to watch. If you’ve seen your fair share of survival or thriller anime, you’ll be fine. What really impressed me was the creativity behind the sigils (special abilities). Each character’s power felt unique and well-thought-out, adding an extra layer of strategy to every battle.

Now, let’s talk about the ending. It’s not one of those neatly tied-up finales—it’s more like, “This is just the beginning.” And honestly, I’m here for it. I couldn’t stop thinking about the plot after the last episode, diving into the manga to answer all the questions buzzing in my head. But even with the manga, I need a Season 2. The potential for this series is massive, and I’m convinced it would be a hit.

If you’re into action, suspense, or survival anime, this is a must-watch. It’s intense, clever, and even manages to sneak in some heartfelt moments. Darwin’s Game is easily one of my favorite anime now, and I’m holding out hope for that second season. Don’t sleep on this one—it’s worth every minute!

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Nov 11, 2024

nitiszaza

Mixed Feelings

To be honest i kinda like overall of these anime, but they not good !
here's the reason

1. These games are not well-setted at all, all the time it just giving like funny sense of reality that go with what the writer wants
2. thiss the one I hated the most, even though it was a fair trade to make the enemy deserve what they this, but the power that MC has and all just unfair, it just making you feel like you didnt actually win, but you got it by cheating, these are just some false anime, but after all it is a fine anime to ... watch.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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Jan 7, 2023

DBX

Not Recommended

During early 2020, everyone found themselves indoors and it’s fair to say that the anime that came out was of the quantity weren’t used to for quite some time. This meant that you were more invested in the shows that were coming out. This was a show I watched with intense.

The story is something we are all too familiar with therefore, I won’t bore you with the details. It’s what sets itself apart from what it doesn’t, that is the interesting bits. What it did do differently I think it did quite well. While the setting was something I was already used to, the ... way it was executed was enough to set itself apart. I enjoyed the pacing of the episodes quite a bit. While the introduction was something familiar, it was the centre part of the anime that I found to be quite enjoyable. I enjoyed those episodes quite a lot. Though I think it leaves a lot to think about when all is said and done.

The art was as about what you would expect. The darker palette and gritty feel to it, added to the overall tone well. The scenery and characters were adapted quite nicely to say the least. The studio I had never heard about before as they lack the portfolio however, what they have done is quite notable and I have watched before. Though what I had watched was from a few years back, so it was nice to see the progression and development in the art style.

The music was quite simply as you would expect from something like this. Not that notable from what I remember as it is not fresh in my mind. Just what it is. The opening I found to be enjoyable and rememberable, but the ending was just fine. My attention was not on the background as it was quite an action heavy anime, so I was therefore more focused on the scenes.

The character design didn’t really help itself. There is far too much anime like this, with the characters. That being the contrast between the two main characters. It didn’t bother me all too much. It was just fine as all. The characters were all likeable, and I enjoyed the main character a bit, it just wasn’t something I was already used to seeing.

The anime was a good watch. I had a good time watching it as the weeks went and I looked forward to every episode. In hindsight, it might have been a bit same as it didn’t set itself apart enough, the areas it did set itself apart from, such what was shown in the centre part of the anime, I quite enjoyed. I get the feeling that this story will get very interesting down the line and that it’s only just begone. I look forward to seeing where the story goes next.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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	Poll: Darwin's Game Episode 11 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ) Stark700 - Mar 20, 2020	200 replies	by blackbladebeats »» Jan 15, 4:19 PM
	Poll: Darwin's Game Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - Jan 3, 2020	340 replies	by Adriotokosama99 »» Oct 18, 2024 12:21 AM
	Why no season 2? kisaragi_eki - Dec 2, 2023	37 replies	by CaliforniaCali2 »» Aug 25, 2024 8:53 PM
	Poll: Darwin's Game Episode 10 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Stark700 - Mar 13, 2020	96 replies	by ToG25thBaam »» Aug 18, 2024 1:14 AM
	Poll: Darwin's Game Episode 4 Discussion ( 1 2 3 ) Stark700 - Jan 24, 2020	110 replies	by Kajurte »» Aug 3, 2024 5:31 PM

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