Whether it's a hero, villain, or both, we love anime crime characters.
Especially when they come together as an organization.
From the internal psychological machinations of the lowest grumbling to the bureaucratic processes hanging over the activities of the gang. All of these can be found in the anime.
Here we are looking at a morally complex and hype anime that focuses on Yakuza members and crazy gang stories. Buckle up guys!
18. Gangsta
This anime is about Nicholas Brown and Vorik Arcangelo, mercenary laborers in a seedy European environment.
The 2015 anime adaptation of the Manglobe manga received mixed reception upon completion. Mainly because of the ending, which had almost no conclusions... even if there is material in the end of the manga!
Maybe someday we'll have a second season.
But for now, we are left with a short but pleasant look at the brotherhood and mafia socio-political control.
Plus, that opening song is still fireworks to this day.
17. Beasts
Studio Orange nowkill him using anime CGI.
Their brilliant "Land of the Glorious" was followed by an even more magnificent school drama set in the world of anthropomorphism.
Legoshi and Haru are our main characters - a tall but timid wolf and an insecure but intimate rabbit. And this is romance.
So why is he on this list?
Well, much of the first (and so far only) season of Beastars features and stars the Yakuza syndicate, with the plot's climax even set around that part of the world.
Also, many of the characters introduced in this arc will appear in later seasons. As soon as we receive them.
It is much more interconnected than one might think at first glance!
16.91 days
Oh! This one probably eluded your radar.
Released by the relatively unknown Studio Shuka in 2016, the revenge anime 91 Days.
Watching his family get killed by the Vanetti Mafia, Angelo Lagusa vows revenge.
Seven years have passed, and Lagusa lives under a new name - Avilio Bruno. And he returns to his hometown to infiltrate the Vanetti and kill them one by one.
This series is stylishly unique. And it's a fantastic effort for a relatively inexperienced studio (their only other property is the features further down this list!)
15. Golden Kamuy
Geno Studio's 2018-2020 Golden Kamuy show was just as impressive as Studio Shuka's, given their rookie status.
Follow this absurd testosterone-filled adventure at every turn.
Our MC Saichi Sugimoto is an Immortal and his gang traverses the north of Japan during the Meiji era as they face Yakuza and outlaws in a dangerous treasure hunt for hidden gold. Breathtaking!
Bears, leather cards, lots of little things with food and honor.Honor!
The third season is right around the corner like this letter and I'm hyped.
14. Kemonozume
Looking for a mix of Romeo and Juliet, Parasite, Tokyo Ghoul and The Godfather?
Okay, now add some energetic animation and art style from OG director Masaaki Yuasa.
Guess who else liked the idea: Studio Madhouse in 2006 when they released Kemonozume.
Yuka Kamitsuki is a blonde by day, a predatory monster by night.
Toshihiko Momota is an honorary member of the Kiffuken dojo, sworn to protect people from such monsters and oddities.
Now add to the family strife: Kiffuken and Shokujinki have been at war for centuries. The family battle got even more complicated when Kamitsuki and Momota fell in love.
A real Romeo and Juliet, except... not this one.
13. Hinamatsuri
With humor reminiscent of Gintama, Sakamoto-san and Nichijo put together, Hinamatsuri's cult manga tookstorm anime communitythanks to adaptations by Studio Feel in 2018.
Yoshifumi Nitta is a materialistic member of the Yakuza. He lives day by day for himself and his family.
That is, until one day a blue-haired girl falls into his living room (literally).
She reveals her name, Hina, before exploding. I think she's capable of incredible telekinetic stunts or something? Trust me, you will be sucked in from the start.
Nitta decided to take this girl under his wing.
And not just because her powers could benefit his illegal position… No, of course not. Of course, that's not the reason...
12. K
The fate of the world depends on the feud between seven clans in a small Japanese town.
Each clan is led by a King, in this case a man with supernatural powers.
We follow the red king Mikoto Suoh as he becomes involved in the affairs of Yashiro's mysterious student Isana.
This student was accused of killing someone from his clan. Let's start deep!
GoHands studio alreadyalmost ten years releases K-content for cultists who yearn for it.
But the 13-episode first season is definitely something to start with.
11. Great Teacher Onizuka
The late Grand Master Onizuka… well, great.
He's two decades old, but he's still capable of splitting your sides and taking no punches when he wants to turn you into a bunch of sobbing god knows what.
Eikichi Onizuka is 22 years old and wants to put his biker past behind him, all in favor of teaching in high school.
True, initially not for piquant reasons.
But Onizuka will soon learn how to bring past experiences into his training, becoming the character that will go down as one of the greatest anime characters.
10. Baccano!
Brain's Base has unveiled Ryohgo Narita's Magnum light novel Baccano! on screen in 2007.
And it is still on the list of favorites of many people!
His unusual method of disjointed but intricate narratives really keeps you hooked. In addition, a wide selection of funny characters resonates with many viewers.
Set in 1930s Chicago aboard a transcontinental train, many fast-paced storylines race through its tracks before reaching its final destination.
And trust me; comes with clear and satisfying output!
Mafia wars, cute thieves, eager shooters, weary scientists; bicentennial quest for immortality!
Baccano! this is a strange adventure that you will never forget!!! Enough exclamation marks?
9. Black Lagoon
Damn it, Studio Madhouse, back to the toon killer!
Talk outdated meme... What year is it again? Oh, 2006? Big!
Then we can look at the Black Lagoon with fresh eyes.
It's action packed, no throttle back for Cowboy Bebop!
We follow Rokuro Okajima (Rock), a normal Japanese businessman whose boring life takes a dramatic turn when he joins Revy, Dutch and Benny from the Black Lagoon.
This is the name of a group of mercenaries engaged in shady dealings and acts of violence.
Virtues and morality are pushed to the limit with each episode. We watch as The Rock and his crew descend deeper and deeper into a grim life of murder and chaos.
8. Durarara!!
I think exclamation marks are not enough!!
Because Studio Brain's Base (and the previously elusive Studio Shuka) really wanted to adapt Ryoho Narita's other crime novel with Durarara!!
There are many unusual and deceptive characters to be found on the streets of Ikebukuro, from the ruthless Izaya and Shizuo, to the supernatural Celty and Anri, to the completely normal, boring and completely uncomplicated Mikado!!
Kill chains link several characters in the first season. But this thread gradually develops into clan wars and strange chaos!! Okay, enough exclamations, right?
7. Dorohedoro
MAPP released one of the most unique anime of all time in early 2020 with the wonderfully dark Dorohedoro.
The action takes place in the region of the Hole, an abandoned place where the poor and weak die, and where powerful sorcerers run rampant.
Our protagonist Caiman is looking for the magician who turned him into a lizard man.
Hellishly designed, fluidly animated and with an amazing soundtrack, Dorohedoro is a fresh take on outdated genres.
When the search for the Cayman sees that hedirectly facing with thug En's family in costume, freaky blows up a few steps before blowing up at the climax, begging for a second season.
Good bloody show. Very worth a look.
6. Kaiji
So we've looked at the anime from the perspective of a gangster, but what about the civilians they deal with?
Kaiji is a slacker with a meaningless life. Worse yet, he is tricked into accumulating a large debt beyond what he can repay.
He hosts an illegal gambling cruise, and it is from this gate that Kaiji's perilous feat into the dark underworld of yakuza gambling and deceit begins.
Mind games, torture, financial torment; they all become secondary as Kaiji sinks deeper and deeper into debt and greed, fueled by threats from gangsters who mean what they say.
The stakes are high for this Madhouse masterpiece and I'm dying for a third season.
Any bets on when that might be? Any? You are welcome?
5. Hunter x Hunter (2011)
Once again, Studio Madhouse in an incredible adaptation. I hope most of you have already seen it!
Hunter x Hunter is a wonderful, vibrant fantasy world rich in personality and variety.
Our main characters - Gon, Killua, Kurapika and Leorio - all travel around this world.
And with every encounter, they face a whole new genre to push the overhanging plot forward.
One such arc, the YorkNew Phantom Troupe arc, is longer than many of the anime on this list.by her own . But the characters they met stick around until the very last chapters of the manga, so it really holds your attention.
The Phantom Troupe is a notorious gang of thieves and assassins with Class A bounties on their heads. They call themselves the Spiders.
Kurapika goes above and beyond in this arc, seeking to avenge the genocide of his people. But he's not the only one with a reason to fight.
The Phantom Troupe are some of the most iconic villains in anime, and this mafia battle arc really cemented them. But Chrollo is the best boy.
4.Technolyze
Three radically different factions fight for control of Lux City, an underground metropolis riddled with filth, decay and violence.
The anime starts with Ichise, Lux's orphan and famous ring fighter. After having his arm and leg torn from his body and replaced with prosthetics, his life is definitely different from most people's lives.
Ichise and a few allies realize that the city is on the verge oftotal destruction and war , and they are perhaps the only ones who are able to draw a somewhat pleasing conclusion.
Texhnolyze - moreone masterpiece by Studio Madhouse (here I sense a pattern…). It tells a gripping existential story rich in philosophy and tragedy.
Not for the faint of heart, but worth a look.
3. Akira
Anime defines a generation, resurrects anime as a cinematic property, and inspires animation for decades to come.
What starts out as a gang war on the streets of Japan quickly transitions into a stunning horror horror world.
Hand-drawn and beautifully animated, Akira takes place in Neo-Tokyo, a city rife with organized crime and terrorism.
It follows two boys - Shutaro Kaneda and Tetsuo Shima - as they become the epitome of a grander and grotesque plot.
The criminal past of the characters and the city makes it possible to delve into the socio-political history. I would say that itfundamentally for the aesthetics and history of Neo-Tokyo.
To be honest, I could talk about Akira for hours, so just check it out. This is a masterpiece and you will love it.
2. Cowboy Bebop
It seemed to me that the "gang" was not so far from the "little family of space bounty hunters" and the vile jazz atmosphere.
There is gambling, theft, dark conversations in dilapidated alleys, gunfights, betrayals, shady dealings, and all other kinds of illegal activities.
And our main characters are not entirely innocent.
Studio Sunrise set a precedent with Cowboy Bebop. And they aimed to keep up with the animation and choreography in this anime for life. Wonderful series.
1. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure V: Golden Wind
If there's one thing we've learned from other anime, it's that the characters have the spirit of gang-based anime on their shoulders.
It's always about people, their relationships and connections.
JoJo's fifth installment takes these themes to the clouds, emphasizing family more than ever before.
Follow Giorno Giovanna and several other members of the mafia from Passione, a corrupt syndicate that deals in drugs and injustice on the streets of Naples. All this time they are trying to dismantle the organization.
Justice, determination, determination and camaraderie are the driving forces behind this epic meme machine.
King Crimson. Metallica. Aerosmith. Sex Pistols. Links are fast, complex, and consistently interesting.
The care and love that David Productions put into this rollercoaster adaptation of Araki's manga cannot be overstated.
