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There have been a couple of anime PUBG collaborations over the years. This article ranks the collaborations from least to most controversial.
In the ever-evolving world of battle royale games, PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds) has managed to stay relevant by partnering with popular anime franchises. These anime PUBG collaborations have given players unique skins, weapons, and emotes inspired by their favorite anime characters.
But not everyone has been as excited about these partnerships. Some have started discussions in both the gaming and anime communities, while others have been embraced enthusiastically. This article ranks these collaborations from the least to the most controversial.
8. Hunter X Hunter
The Hunter x Hunter collaboration is perhaps the smoothest and least controversial of all the anime PUBG collaborations. This partnership brought the world of professional hunters into the battleground with minimal friction. Players could drop into matches as either Gon, Killua, or Kurapika. The other notable item in the crate was the Magician’s Melody skin for the AWM with Hisoka’s face on it.
In another separate draw, Leorio makes his entrance to the game. There was also a vehicle skin, an exclusive avatar, and a frame. All these rewards were available through a lucky draw that cost UCs (in-game currency). What made this collaboration particularly successful was how naturally the Hunter x Hunter aesthetic blended with PUBG’s world. The character designs were detailed yet subtle enough to maintain the game’s semi-realistic visual style.
Fan reception was overwhelmingly positive, with both PUBG players and Hunter x Hunter enthusiasts praising the attention to detail. The collaboration even attracted new players to the game who were primarily anime fans but had never tried PUBG before.
7. Dragon Ball
The Dragon Ball collaboration ranks as the second least controversial partnership in PUBG’s history with anime franchises. The collaboration brings new areas, weapons, skills, items, vehicles, outfits, and more for fans. There were two separate events for this collaboration. The first was Dragon Ball Super Themed Mode, and the second was Battle Royale: Dragon Ball Super.
In the Dragon Ball Super Themed Mode, players are tasked with finding the seven Dragon Balls and summoning Shenron. New locations like Dragon Ball Village and Tenkaichi Budokai, Kame House, and Karin Tower were introduced. Special gameplays like collecting Senzu Beans to get Ki, which increases mobility, allow players to levitate around the map and use Kamehameha. The second event brings iconic characters like Son Goku, Ultimate Gohan, Piccolo, Frieza, and Vegeta into the battle royale game.
These characters came with the option to use their unique main skills to battle. Furthermore, updrafts and teleportation ports were made available to the players. New anime-style maps were also introduced.
Fans responded enthusiastically to this collaboration, appreciating how it honored the spirit of Dragon Ball without compromising PUBG’s core gameplay. There were certain complaints like Piccolo not looking green enough and Shenron looking a little weird. But overall, the Dragon Ball collaboration demonstrated how anime PUBG collaborations could satisfy fans of both franchises without stirring significant controversy.
6. Neon Genesis Evangelion
This partnership brought the high-tech robotic aesthetic of Neon Genesis Evangelion to the front line. This includes character skins for Shinji, Rei, Asuka, Mari, and Kaworu, plus weapon skins and vehicles based on the EVA mechs. The 6th Angel, from the Rebuild of Evangelion movies, arrived on a mission, and it was up to EVA-01 to stop it. Players who were on the Chinese version were also able to collect items like the themed armor and plugsuits from the anime.
The event brought a new game mode called Core Circle, which was about players assisting EVA-01 to destroy an Angel. As players spawn in special Blue Zones, they have to find the EVA Unit-01 spawn point by following the path of the Angel’s destruction.
Fan reception was mixed but generally positive. It left some players saying the event robbed some of the fun from a classic Battle Royale title. Some players complained that this made the straight-up battle royale experience different, while others found it to be a welcome change of pace. PUBG’s more casual player base was divided, with some relishing the new mechanics and others claiming that the psychological horror of Evangelion did not fit the military shooting roots of PUBG.
5. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Midway through our controversy ranking is The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya collaboration. This partnership was not something that was expected. Unlike action-packed anime series, Haruhi Suzumiya takes a light-hearted approach to everyday life with elements of the supernatural. This made it feel a little out of place when it was paired with a battle royale game.
The collaboration featured the SOS Brigade members as playable skins. Characters like Nagato Yuki, Suzumiya Haruhi, and Asahina Mikuru were made available for players to get from crates. These crates could be obtained by playing Squad in the Classic game mode. Voice cards for Haruhi, Kyon, Nagato, Mikuru, and Koizumi were also included for logging in to the game during the event. There were rewards for participation during the campaign period. The winners were selected randomly, but 17 people were to be chosen.
This event was only for Japanese and Korean servers, which forced many players to use a VPN. Fan reception was notably split along lines of familiarity with the anime. Those who appreciate the show generally liked the collab, although there were a couple of dislikes for how some of the characters looked in-game.
However, PUBG players unfamiliar with the series found the collaboration confusing and the characters out of place in a military-style shooter. Despite the mixed reception, the collaboration deserves credit for its usage of such a nostalgic anime.
4. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
The Frieren collaboration marks our entry into the more controversial anime PUBG collaborations. As a newer anime with a different tone than typical battle royale fare, bringing Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End into PUBG created some significant divisions in the player base. The collaboration featured character skins for Frieren, Fern, Stark, and Himmel, along with backpacks with mimic motifs. It also features some voice cards of the aforementioned characters.
The event started on April 1, 2025, and is to last for the entire month. The poster art looks good with Frieren holding a Level 3 helmet. Many fans felt that a collaboration with Fortnite might have been better for an anime like Frieren. They believed that a game like PUBG would not do justice to the collaboration.
The collaboration has only been announced for Japan, but some fans hope that it comes for the global version. The initial reactions to this collaboration were mixed. Most fans of the show did not appreciate this collab, as PUBG and Frieren have two contrasting themes. But some fans appreciated the contrasting themes. The idea of seeing Frieren holding a gun and attacking other people seemed enjoyable. This collaboration revealed the challenges of merging philosophically different properties.
3. Higurashi: When They Cry
The Higurashi: When They Cry collaboration ranks high on our controversy scale. The collaboration was announced when the TV animation of the show ended in Japan. This partnership brought characters from the cursed village of Hinamizawa into the battle royale format. During the run of the event, the voice cards of Keiichi Maebara, Rena Ryugu, and Satoko Hojo were made available for players.
The event was open to those in Japan and ran from September 30 to October 28, 2021. By logging in to the game while the event was ongoing, players received voice cards of characters that appeared in the collaboration. A more interesting part of this collaboration was that by using melee weapons to kill opponents (like Rena), players received a ticket to spin a crate that contained special items from the collaboration.
This collaboration was highly controversial due to its horror elements and mature themes being incorporated into PUBG. Some fans felt that there was no reason or rhyme to this collaboration. While some highlighted the similarities between Higurashi and the movie Battle Royale as a reason for this collab, the general acceptance was low. The Higurashi partnership remains one of the most contentious anime PUBG collaborations to date.
2. Jujutsu Kaisen
The Jujutsu Kaisen collaboration claims the second spot on our controversy ranking, generating significant debate within both the gaming and anime communities. On paper, this partnership seemed like a natural fit—an action-packed supernatural battle anime crossing over with a battle royale game. The collab introduced a new game mode and new skins for characters, weapons, and vehicles, to name a few.
Players could dress as Megumi Fushiguro, Nobara Kugisaki, Satoru Gojo, and Yuji Itadori. But to get these characters temporarily, exploration points, which could be obtained from the new game mode, were needed. The game mode involved finding Sealed Sukuna Fingers from Cursed Object Crates. Cursed Corpse Grenades were also introduced. This grenade summoned a Boss Cursed Corpse that, if defeated, drops a lot of loot.
Fan reception quickly soured despite initial enthusiasm. Some people were glad that Jujutsu Kaisen was getting more recognition but felt sad that it was with PUBG. Many people felt that Jujutsu Kaisen was making a bad choice by collaborating with a game like PUBG and felt that games like Fortnite or Apex Legends were better choices.
Some players decided to download just to collect the characters, not for the sake of playing. The event that was done for this collaboration did not improve things. People complained about how the time they used to prepare the collab did not match the result presented.
1. Spy X Family
Topping our list as the most controversial anime PUBG collaboration is the Spy x Family partnership. What might have seemed like an unusual but harmless crossover between a family-focused spy comedy and a battle royale shooter quickly became the center of heated debates that extended beyond gaming circles into broader cultural discussions.
The event came with new characters like Loid Forger in his spy suit and Yor in her assassin outfit. It also added themed items like the Bond glider, ornaments, parachute, vehicle skins, and Anya’s hairstyle. The event involved completing special missions to earn points and increase their level on the Prize Path. At a certain level, players have to make a choice between the two characters. The other character could be unlocked by getting it in the event shop or buying it with UC.
Fans called PUBG out on the way the characters looked. Many comments were made about how the characters look like they were created with AI. Loid, in particular, faced heavy scrutiny. People called the character out for looking “feminine” and lacking the physicality that he has in the anime. While the collaboration faced serious criticism, it was praised for not featuring Anya, a child character, in a violent combat game.
Conclusion
Anime PUBG collaborations have ranged from brilliantly executed partnerships that enhance both franchises to those that make fans question the franchises’ decision-making. The most successful collaborations, like Hunter x Hunter and Dragon Ball, succeeded by finding natural thematic connections and implementing features that respect the game’s core mechanics. The most controversial, like Spy x Family and Jujutsu Kaisen, stumbled due to certain things that alienated fans of both properties.
With PUBG’s evolution and expansion into new avenues, these previous collaborations provide valuable reminders of the need to honor both the original material and the title’s established identity. The best anime PUBG collaborations take the gaming experience to the next level, adding depth without really changing what makes PUBG great to begin with. Finding this balance will be crucial for future collaborations to ensure they don’t stir controversy while still providing the type of crossover thrills fans want.
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