The Doom franchise is a legendary video game series that has inspired countless other games and  has had a heavy influence on modern pop culture,. When it comes to adaptations of the games however, the results have been less than optimal in the long run.  The 2005 movie was mediocre at best, and id software distanced themselves from the second film. There was also the infamous Doom comic, but that is more well known for its (possibly) unintentional hilarity than anything else. So while there is not any official adaptation that has been successful when it comes to Doom, if we look to other original works, we can see one that has ended up serving as the adaptation we want despite not having any connections to Doom.

Background

Goblin Slayer debuted in 2016 as a light novel series and has since been adapted into manga and anime, and the series has gained a devoted fanbase. The main character is the titular Goblin Slayer, who has devoted himself to destroying the goblin menace, Other figures often wonder why he bothers with what is seen as a minor threat, but the series shows just how needed he is and how much of a threat the goblins can be. What is more interesting though is just how much the series seems to feel like an anime version of Doom.

The way violence is depicted and the necessity of the Goblin Slayer call to mind the most recent Doom games,  with both series featuring a protagonist that is single minded against a specific threat. But with both protagonists,  there is more to them than meets the eye. Goblin Slayer has a fleshed out backstory that explains why he is the way he is, and Doom Slayer is given much more characterization in subtle ways in the new Doom games that make him a well rounded character

Themes

Of course Goblin Slayer himself has been developed more over time, but this and the addition of the a supporting cast,  is due to the story being more fleshed out considering the medium involved. If we look at Goblin Slayer as the unofficial adaptation of the new Doom games, elements do syncs up somewhat and the series does feel like an expanded story. We get to see what the protagonist is like with other characters and with a a backstory. Even with the single minded pursuit of their goals, we have seen how they do have human qualities. Goblin Slayer in his interactions with others, and Doom Slayer with his physical mannerisms and disgust at the situation he finds himself in, along with his saving those he doesn’t have any immediate need to..

Both works touch on themes of the unending fight against an otherworldly menace but also explore the person fighting. It is also interesting to see how both show how the fight changes the person as well.  Goblin Slayer has some issues interacting with others and is trained mainly for goblins, while the Doom Slayer is so consumed by his quest that he has entered a state of rage where he is in fact always calm. Well, calm in the current setting, but Doom Eternal revealed much of the character’s state of mind and we see the trauma he endured, much like Goblin Slayer.

This of course, does not take into account the actual fights and action that call to mind id software’s masterpiece, but I feel the point has been made. In many ways, Goblin Slayer is indeed the Doom adaptation that best captures the spirit of the games, even if it isn’t an official adaptation