Summary

Sometimes a story is so good that no one wants it to end. Fans yearn to see more adventures, new challenges, and the continued development of beloved characters. And sometimes, their wishes are granted.

Spin-offanimeseries often draw inspiration from various sources, including video games, light novels, and other anime. These spin-offs work to extend the adventures and enrich the stories of the original series. They create fresh perspectives and deeper insights into beloved characters and worlds, ensuring that the excitement and magic of the original narrative continue to thrive and evolve.

10Tales of Luminaria: The Fateful Crossroad

Tales of Luminaria

Tales ofLuminaria: The Fateful Crossroad is based on a mobile game that lasted only eight months. The story is set in a world formed by mana created by the deceased bodies of Primordial Beasts. This world’s population is split into two factions: the Jerle Federation, who worship the Primordial Beasts, and the Gildllan Empire, which views the Primordial Beasts' mana as a power source.

While the Federation and Empire are at odds, a small group of Adventurers take it upon themselves to investigate the true relationship between the Primordial Beasts and their mana.

While the Tales of Luminaria mobile game told its story through the perspective of 21 different characters, the anime focused on the adventures of Federation soldiers Leo Fourcade and Celia Arvier, and Hugo Simon, a former friend who defected to the Empire.

The main story of the game was grand and expansive, intended to unfold over many years.The anime, however, took the released content and narrowed the scope to create a satisfying, cohesive narrative.

9Welcome To The Japari Park

Kemono Friends

Kemono Friends is a media franchise that began with a simple mobile game before it expanded to include additional games, anime, and manga. Welcome to the Japari Park is an anime series set in the world of Kemono Friends, set after the events of the original mobile game. In the world of Kemono Friends, animals have been anthropomorphized into girls, called Friends, by a mysterious Sandstar.

Welcome to the Japari Park follows the adventures of Park Guide Mirai and Friend Serval as they create a series of videos for park guests. These videos showcase their various escapades and provide an engaging way to explore the unique setting of Japari Park. The series highlights the bond between Mirai and Serval as they navigate the park, encounter other Friends, and explore the ins and outs of Japari Park.

8Fairy Tail: 100 Years

Fairy Tail

One year after the conclusion ofFairy Tail, Natsu and his team accept a century-old quest. Their mission: seal the five renegade Dragon Gods, each possessing the power to destroy the world. It’s up to Natsu and the rest of Fairy Tail to defeat the Dragon Gods to save not just Earth-land, but also a parallel universe.

Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest carries over the same charm, quirky humor, and story beats that made the original series beloved. The new arc introduces exciting challenges and deepens the lore of the Fairy Tail universe. The Dragon Gods are formidable antagonists, each with unique abilities and backstories that add depth to the plot.

Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Erza, and Wendy continue to grow as characters, facing new trials that test their strength, friendship, and resolve.

7Pluto

Astro Boy

Pluto is a reimagining of The Greatest Robot on Earth arc from Astro Boy (and the excellent Pluto manga it inspired), transformed into a gritty murder mystery. The story follows Gesicht, a robot detective tasked with investigating a series of brutal murders targeting the seven most advanced robots on Earth and their human allies.

These victims are notable for their support of the International Robot Laws, which grant robots equal rights to humans, despite the evidence suggesting that the killer might be a robot.

In the original Astro Boy story arc, the robot victims were all minor characters, but Pluto takes the opportunity to explore them in greater depth, further developing their personalities, motivations, and connections. This deeper character development enriches the narrative, giving weight to the stakes involved and making the mystery all the more compelling.

6Brotherhood: Final Fantasy 15

Final Fantasy 15

Brotherhood:Final Fantasy 15delves into the backstory of the four Chocobros - Noctis, Prompto, Ignis, and Gladio - showcasing their history together and their motivations in the game. While not critical to Final Fantasy 15’s main story, Brotherhood enriches the universe, adding depth and flavor to the game.

While Brotherhood is based on Final Fantasy 15, it also exists independent of the game, so people who have not played Final Fantasy 15 can still enjoy the series.

It’s easy to get caught up in Noctis’s journey as the Chosen King, so it’s refreshing to take a step back and see where it all began. Brotherhood creates a cohesiveness that the video game did not have the chance to develop, providing context and emotional resonance to the main story.

By exploring the personal histories and bonds of Noctis and his friends, the series allows fans to appreciate the depth of their relationships and the reasons behind their unwavering loyalty to each other.

5The Disappearance Of Nagato Yuki-Chan

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya took the anime fandom by storm with its unique story, out-of-order airing, and its incredibly catchy ending song, Hare Hare Yukai. Given its success, it comes as no surprise that it inspired a spin-off anime, The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-Chan.

The series is set in an alternate reality where Haruhi never forms the SOS Brigade. Yuki, who is a shy girl instead of an alien, is the president of the Literary Club. The series begins as a slice-of-life story until Haruhi comes crashing in, ushering in a slew of crazy antics. Throughout all the ridiculous scenarios, Yuki steels herself to confess her feelings to Keon.

4Pokemon: Origins

Pokemon Red and Blue

Pokemonis a global phenomenon, a franchise that has continued to build momentum even after over 25 years. Pokemon: Origins pays homage to its roots by retelling the story from the original Red and Blue/Green GameBoy games, which follow the adventures of Pokemon trainer Red as he begins his journey to become a Pokemon master.

Pokemon: Origins introduces the idea that Gym Leaders fight with different Pokemon teams of various levels, depending on how many badges their opponent has won. This fixes the ongoing dilemma of why early Gym Leaders are so much weaker than later Gym Leaders.

Rather than depicting every story beat from the games, Origins focuses on the most exciting parts of the story, highlighting key moments such as Red’s first Gym battle against Brock, the eerie exploration of Lavender Town’s Pokemon Tower, and the ongoing rivalry with Professor Oak’s grandson, Blue.

This retelling successfully captured the charm of the original games while providing a fresh, engaging experience for both Veteran and Youngster trainers.

3Isekai Quartet

KonoSuba, Overlord, Re:Zero, And The Saga Of Tanya The Evil, The Rising of the Shield Hero, I’m in Love with the Villainess!

Isekai Quartet is the ultimate cross-over, spin-off anime series. Mysterious buttons appear in the worlds of KonoSuba, Overlord, Re:Zero, and the Saga of Tanya the Evil, which transport the main group of each series into a modern school setting. The chaos doesn’t end there; they are later joined by characters from The Rising of the Shield Hero and I’m in Love with the Villainess!.

Isekai Quartet’s popularity led to a movie, a sequel series, and a video game.

This odd assortment of characters thrown together in a classroom setting to live their best high school lives inevitably leads to chaos and antics. It’s a wild ride where anything can happen, and it often does.

2Rock Lee And His Ninja Pals

Naruto: Shippuden

After Rock Lee was first introduced in Naruto, he quickly became a fan favorite. In Shōnen Jump popularity polls, Rock Lee regularly placed in the top ten most popular Naruto characters and won Best Anime Character in the 2007 NEO Awards. It should be no surprise, then, that Rock Lee was given his own spin-off anime show.

Rock Lee and His Ninja Pals explores slice-of-life scenarios from Rock Lee’s perspective as he deals with ridiculous situations brought about by his antics. Many Naruto characters make cameos, including Yamato, Naruto, and, of course, Tenten and Neji. Rock Lee and His Ninja Pals is a fabulously fun, quirky time when you need a break from life.

This light-hearted series provides a refreshing contrast to the often intense and dramatic narrative of the main Naruto story line, allowing you to enjoy the characters in a more relaxed atmosphere.

1The Cat Returns

Whisper of the Heart

Studio Ghibli’s The Cat Returns focuses on the Baron, a minor character from Whisper of the Heart. Haru Yoshioka, a shy high schooler, has the ability to talk to cats. One day, she rescues a cat from being hit by a truck, unaware that the cat is actually Prince Lune of the Cat Kingdom. As a gesture of gratitude, the citizens of the Cat Kingdom offer Lune’s paw in marriage and mistakenly believe that Haru accepts.

Whisper of the Heart and The Cat Returns are based on manga series of the same name by Aoi Hiiragi.

Trying to get out of the situation, Haru seeks help from the Cat Bureau, where she meets Baron Humbert von Gikkingen and Toto the raven. Together, they embark on a mission to escape the Cat Kingdom and return Haru to the human world. The Cat Returns recaptures the charm and heartfelt storytelling of Whisper of the Heart. While it may not be as well-known as Spirited Away or Howl’s Moving Castle, The Cat Returns holds its own as a beloved Ghibli movie.