Playing poker makes you a strategist, where you need to think 10 steps ahead of your opponent. If you are already thinking at a very high level due to the poker game you play, then shouldn’t the rest of your entertainment be at that same level? Certain types of anime movies can scratch that strategic itch for many people, and here are some of the best ones.
Poker isn’t just a game about luck. It is a game about skill. There are over 2,598,960 hands in poker. All of these hands are equally likely when you are dealt 5 cards. Knowing how to do the math in your head will give you an advantage not to at least make one of the most common poker mistakes of beginners. The same advantage that the best poker players in the world have.
When you watch some of the world’s top poker players. They are constantly working the math in their heads. Every turn of a card gives them new information for the entire game. These top poker players might like these anime movies because they feature protagonists who get by on those very same wits!
Detective Conan: Strategy Above the Depths
While it only made 2.15 billion yen against the budget, this 2005 movie is the 9th in the Detective Conan franchise. It sees the titular detective dealing with the launch of a new cruise ship, the destruction of an older cruise ship that happened 15 years ago, and the murders that connect the two events.
A good mystery will test the strategic mind of everyone as we all try to guess whodunnit. This movie has action and suspense, and you will be following along with Detective Conan as he tries to catch the killer.
Ghost In The Shell
Sometimes the greatest bout of strategy is simply discovering who you are. In Ghost In The Shell, humankind is so connected to cybernetics that many people don’t know the answer to that question. As a series of high-profile murders rock New Port City, a police officer, and a hacker work to understand what is going on.
As they do so, they learn more about what truly makes a human. This strategic movie might have you thinking about the plot for a while, but at the end of the day, it is the deeper questions that will confound the real top thinkers among us.
One Piece Film: Gold
Even if you haven’t seen the 1,000+ preceding episodes of this long-running anime, One Piece Film: Gold is a great film. It’s an epic heist movie, where the Straw Hat pirate crew finds themselves on a massive floating casino. As they gamble and win big, they quickly discover that the owner of the casino doesn’t play fair, and soon are forced into a risky heist to save one of their own.
One Piece Film: Gold features all the powers and martial arts that the series is known for by this point. But it is also a deeper film that talks about freedom, the power of money, and never giving up on your dreams. Plus, it can be really fun to watch the casino scenes as a poker player, especially when the pirates win big!
Paprika
This 2006 film will have even the mightiest thinkers quaking in their boots. The film is all about dreams, very similar to movies like Inception. When a device that allows a doctor to enter people’s dreams is stolen and used for evil, the main characters have to deal with the fallout. They also need to handle the horrifying realization that we aren’t safe when we sleep.
This movie has several twists and turns that will keep your mind guessing. The most interesting theme of the movie is the commentary on dreams. Dreams can have some real power over us, and they also reveal secrets and desires that our waking minds will never act on.
Just make sure you can still fall asleep after you have watched this movie! You might get a brand new respect for your dreams, or you might try to interpret them a bit more seriously the next time you can remember one!
Anime Can Be Strategic Too
So, most anime movies are about strong characters who solve problems with their fists and aren’t afraid to punch their way through every problem they see. However, there are plenty of anime with deeper stories and a more strategic bent. These shows see heroes and villains outwitting one another through deception and trickery, and it can be really fun to follow along.
Don’t be afraid to watch these movies and test your mind against the writers and characters of the films. You might find that these anime are interesting and will have a permanent place in your movie night playlist!
