- Updated on: July 27, 2022
- by Ernie
Japan is a weird place for many reasons. Somehow this country manages to give us the cutest of the cutest Hello Kitty franchise and also the most dangerous and the biggest crime syndicate in the world!
Japanese people are often stereotyped as being very polite and having a pacifist nature, but pre-WW2 era Japan was a whole different animal. The history nerds would know, for those who don’t I’ll sum up it in a few lines.
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Japan was an authoritarian state where the emperor was worshipped like a god. Once the world war ended and the Emperor was stripped of his throne, and Japan became democratic. After a couple of years of stability, many gangs started popping up throughout the island nation.
They identified as the Yakuza. Yakuza is a term similar to the term ‘Mafia’, it isn’t a single gang, but a bunch of gangs/clans grouped together who carry out organized crime. Though some may argue the Yakuza were good for the poor, they still were involved in mass shootings, drug trafficking, and many more dirty deeds.
Though the Yakuza doesn’t have the influence it had once, the Japanese culture had already been intertwined with this mafia culture. To date, many anime, TV shows, movies, and games have been made inspired form the Yakuza in Japan. Gang wars make for great movie plots and the p[opulace loves watching them, and so do you.
So we decided to make a list that will consist of the best anime about gangs, the Yakuza, mafia, and thugs. The anime which we think are the best will be ranked higher, but that doesn’t mean the shows at the bottom are not worth watching, so make sure to read the entire list so that you don’t miss out on any show.
35. Accel World
We start off our list with a much-underrated sci-fi anime, Accel World! Though this list is about Gangster anime in general, there are many anime where the gangster part of the story is used as a subgenre.
The same is true for the accel world. In the future, augmented games let players increase their mental capabilities, leading to various powerful abilities. Now the players in the world of accel world must survive from other gangs and legions, whilst making their name. It is a must-watch series indeed!
34. Beelzebub
This one is an underrated gem as well, not many have heard about this show. The show mainly centered around a delinquent who finds a baby in a stream. Just like you, he’s flabbergasted as well, so he wants to pass on the responsibility of the baby to someone in his school.
This leads him to fight against other and stronger delinquents, most of whom belong to serious gangs, so they’re not to be messed with.
33. Nisekoi
You might’ve heard various stories in which the love between two characters leads to a truce between their rival gangs or clans. Well, this story is the polar opposite of that. In this anime, the two main lead characters have to stay with each other despite their dislikes for each other just so the gangs they belong to remain at peace.
It is an interesting plot nonetheless and you should watch it at least once. We don’t get love stories with such interesting and thrilling plots more often.
32. Kemonozume
Creatures known as Shokujinki plague the world of Kemonozume. These beastly creatures have adapted their features to the extent that they look and behave like humans. But only one nasty trait is what sets them apart from humans. These creatures can transform into Shokujinki at any time and devour an entire human in a single gulp.
To fight off this force of evil, a secretive faction known as Kifu Ken has risen for the human’s side. They are the last line of defense against these monsters. The story is much like two clans going against each other, beauty here one side is trying to devour the other!
31. Air Gear
Air treks, a new form of the original inline skates, have seen a recent popularity boom in Japan. Our main character, who is also a delinquent, wants to claim the title of the wind king. But what does this have to do with gangs?
Well, to claim the title he has to form a gang which he names Kogarasumaru with other local skaters. The anime is fun to watch and has many great moments.
30. Dogs: Bullets And Carnage
The anime is set sometime in the future in the European continent where society seems dystopian to say the least. The show shows an alternate version of how Europe might turn out. The main plot takes place in a city that extends underground, leading to various other tunnels.
The show has many interesting characters out of which Mahia was once a member of the Mafia, but he was thrown out. The show only has 4 episodes so it will be a quick watch, and if you like what you see you can jump onto the manga.
29. Texhnolyze
Texhnolyze takes place in the underground city of Lux. The city was completely created by men but due to neglect of the higher-ups and no genuine interests in keeping the city functioning, chaos is rife in the city!
In such hard times, organizations take over certain parts of the city. The Organao, the salvation unit, and the Racan are the three factions that fight for control over the city. The anime has really great moments and is worth watching, especially if you’re into science-fiction.
28. Kaiji
To repay a massive debt that only keeps compounding, Kaiji, our main character in this anime, decides he would go on an illegal gambling cruise to try his luck and win good fortune. Kaiji had always been good at gambling and hoped he could repay the debt.
But all hell breaks loose when he realizes humans are nasty creatures who would go to any lengths to survive. Kaiji has to face deceit, cheating, and a lot of mind games so that he doesn’t get killed at the hands of the people who loaned his friend the money!
27. 91 Days
91 days is a hidden gem, not many people think about this show when they think of gangster anime. But this is a great show, though not many have seen it yet, it still has a considerable fan base.
You don’t know what’s going to happen right until the last moment of the last episode. The entire anime serves as a journey in this world where gangs wage war on each other and cause bloodshed. This anime will satisfy your thirst for some good old shooting anime.
26. Tokyo Tribes
This anime deals with an alternate version of Japan. In this version of Japan, many love hip-hop and dress up like hip-hop artists. You can’t overlook the 90s hip-hop influence this anime has.
The two gangs, Wu-Ronz, and Musashino Saru are thirsty for each other’s blood, and many are killed in their conflict, fueling an even more deadly gang war. The cities are consumed by gang violence and peace seems impossible. It is a must-watch, especially for hip-hop lovers!
25. Cuticle Detective Inaba
The anime takes place in a world where half-human, half-animal chimeras exist. These creatures have abilities of both the human and animal sides of their body composition. In this zootopia-like society, our main character, a half-wolf, Inaba tries solving mysteries with his sharp nose.
His ultimate mission is bringing down the mafia boss, Don Valentino, for this he is willing to go to any lengths. The nature of the shows makes it a fun watch whilst being thrilling and mysterious.
24. Beastars
Netflix is upping its anime library, by releasing and producing original anime. Beastars is one of these shows. Though the show isn’t all about mafia and gangs, a good chunk of the first and the only season has a lot of gang-related stories.
The humanoid animals in this anime are surprisingly great to watch, there isn’t a single time in the anime where the story drags. It is paced well; and if you have a Netflix subscription, this anime should be on your watch list.
23. K: Return of Kings
K is a show which is synonymous with using bright colors for its main character. This leads to many fun character designs which you’d love for sure.
In the universe of this show, humanity is guided by seven kings that rule over the entire world. The show has many intertwined plots which work together seamlessly to provide you a great experience.
22. Golden Kamuy
Just after the Russo-Japanese war comes to a halt, our main character, Saichi, tirelessly loans for gold. He had made a promise to one of his close friends who unfortunately died in action. He promised to support his family by providing gold which his friend had hidden somewhere.
The only way to find the treasure is by decoding a tattoo which his friend had tattooed on his cellmates. Will he succeed in this venture of his?
21. Heatguy J
Following the death of his father, Claire has inherited the leadership of the notorious mafia syndicate known as Vampire. With these newfound powers of his, Claire has to run the organization like a tyrant so that the work goes smoothly.
But his plans come to a screeching halt when the city ups its game to stop crime. Claire, being inexperienced, has to find a way around this so that his father’s legacy doesn’t vanish. The anime deals with a lot of issues a gang leader will face.
20. Arcana Famiglia
A group of supernatural beings hold all the power on the island of Regalo! These humans have incredible abilities, so they decided to get together and use their powers for the greater good. But they are nothing more than a petty mafia organization who deal with all the gang-related crimes.
The show is about finding out who will inherit the title of “Papa,” the leader of the mafia. The show has a great combination of high-octane fights and wholesome moments. A full package it is, so make sure to give it a watch.
19. Jormungand
If you love stories that have a massive scale to them, then Jormungan is the show for you. It’s unlike any other show on this list as the characters in this show strive for world peace!
It’s great to see anime bringing in more serious real-world conflicts in the medium. Our story shows Jonah, a pacifist who wants nothing to do with weaponry thrown into a situation where he has to use weapons to save the idealistic Koko. Jonah’s idealogy was shaped due to his harsh upbringing, he was raised in an environment plagued with violence and bloodshed.
The anime does a very good job at presenting the world of Jormungand as real, a feat many anime fail to achieve.
18. Gungrave
The show’s title has guns in it, what can you expect from such a show? Gungrave is the perfect combination of high-octane action scenes and a thrilling plot that keeps the viewers always engaged in the story, which is a feat only some action anime manage to accomplish.
The anime is based on a third-person shooter with the same name. Our main character, who goes by the name Grave, fights the various henchmen of the Millennium organization to defeat their main leader.
17. Baccano
The show’s title has guns in it, what can you expect from such a show? Gungrave is the perfect combination of high-octane action scenes and a thrilling plot that keeps the viewers always engaged in the story, which is a feat only some action anime manage to accomplish.
The anime is based on a third-person shooter with the same name. Our main character, who goes by the name Grave, fights the various henchmen of the Millennium organization to defeat their main leader.
16. Trigun
Vash is a simple dude, who has a strange liking for donuts and acts like a total clown. But somehow he’s managed to become the most wanted man with a bounty of $60,000,000,000 on his head!
That is no small number, but what made people or governments so pissed that they are giving away the entire worth of a country’s money to catch this guy?
Well to know that you’ll have to watch the show, which according to some sci-fi nerds is one of the best sci-fi anime out there!
15. Hinamatsuri
We love shows which have concepts that are beyond our comprehension, stuff that makes us imagine our version of the story, stuff that makes us come up with our theories. And Hinamatsuri does all those.
A yakuza member is flabbergasted when a capsule-like object pops up right above his head. When he opens it, he finds a pretty girl in it. But to his amazement, the girl has great abilities, abilities beyond his comprehension. Not so long after, the girl goes out of control, wreaking havoc.
Now it is the job of this Yakuza member to take care of her. The show has an interesting concept and is worth watching.
14. Psycho-Pass
Psycho-pass has rightfully earned its spot on this list, though it may not have a Mafia-centered plot, we still get to see the dark underbelly of Tokyo through the eyes of the police officers.
In the 22nd century, law and justice have got a new definition. Now you can get arrested even for thinking about some criminal activities. Now it doesn’t take a genius to guess how wrong this system is. The higher-ups can get rid of their opposition by using this mechanism, which is known as psycho-pass.
Eventually, one of the officers realizes this and becomes fully committed to uncovering the secrets behind it. You as a viewer will never feel bored through the entire run of the show. Every episode has a great impact on the story, which keeps you hooked
13. Dorohedoro
Hole is a district that ticks all the boxes which makes a place dystopian. There is rampant corruption, no sense of law and order, murders are normal events and psychopaths roam the streets freely. This has given rise to an anarchist system in the city of the dark.
The citizens of this district have learned to live as second-class citizens for a long time now. The one with the most power, rules the entire city, due to this, there are constant conflicts.
The anime is the perfect amalgamation of all things good; it has the right amount of comedy and wholesomeness and the right amount of death and gore.
If this sounds interesting to you, definitely give it a try.
12. Akira
Akira is a timeless classic and many anime fans already have watched it, if not, here’s a short description that will let you know what it is about.
Akira is set in a city called Neo-Tokyo, where gangs go berserk! However, more chaos erupts when a guy named Tetsuo awakens his psychic powers after being in an accident. Due to this, many rival gangs start fighting causing a widespread riot-like situation in the city!
11. Banana Fish
Banana fish follows the classic Mafia storyline. Ash Lynx; our main character, was a runaway in the streets of New York. He was miserable, but he was given shelter by an unlikely ally.
Dino Golzine is an infamous don in the states and some even call him the godfather. At 17, Ash has already become the leader of his gang, doing all sorts of dirty crimes to rise to the top.
Banana fish is set in a classic-noir city where the police are corrupted, making it a safe heaven for all things dirty. Follow the adventures of Ash, as he stets on a mission to uncover the secret behind Banana Fish!
10. Durarara!
Durarara shows us a world where the city of Ikebukuro is plagued with many rivaling gangs; these gangs have taken a weird liking to name their gangs after colors for some reason. This leads to many gang names such as yellow scarves or blue squares.
Though the show seems to cringe due to this childish nature of the gangs, a new colorless gang emerges and starts taking over all the territory which once belonged to the color-coated gangs. The story is more intricate than this simple description, you need to watch it to know how great it is!
9. Phantom: requiem of the phantom
The mafia has taken over the streets and the elite of America, they have caused a rife of murders and killings. But these assassinations can’t be carried out by a normal human. For these tasks, certain more powerful beings are required.
Phantoms are human weapons that are being used by a company called Inferno. The story is great and the characters are nicely written, it is a great series you can binge-watch!
8. Bungou Stray Dogs
Atsushi, an eighteen-year-old orphan, who’s been kicked out of an orphanage after the committee concludes that he’s the one behind the weird events.
Atsushi was seeing a mystical tiger in the orphanage and he knew it was the one causing trouble, but no one believed him. Now he’s on his own, in the outside world where he meets a supernatural investigator. From there, his life completely changes!
7. Black Lagoon
Black lagoon is a one-of-kind show where the main lead is a badass female character who kicks butt!
The anime features high-octane action, crazy good fistfights, and mind-blowing gunfights. The anime is the definition of action-packed thrillers. If you love watching hardcore movies and you haven’t watched Black Lagoon yet, just do yourself a favor and start it right now!
6. Great Teacher Onizuka
Eikichi Onizuka is a 22-year-old former bike gang member who wants to leave his past behind and move on towards a better and most importantly a sober and clean life.
He somehow manages to bring in his real-life experiences to the classroom. Where his class of students adore him, well some not so much, but the point is he strives to make the kids better and that’s what matters.
His character is one of the most creative and relatable in anime, and hence, his sheer popularity!
5. Darker Than Black
Well, the show gets dark fast, and hence the name. In the universe created by this anime, the world has a lot of gifted people known as Contractors!
These contractors have special abilities which help them to carry out their client’s dirty deeds. These contractors are hired by rival gangs of the city, which leads to a pretty interesting plot. A must-watch anime for sure!
4. Katekyo Hitman Reborn
What will you do when an unknown hitman from Italy wants to train you so that you become the next big shot in the underworld crime scene?
Well, this show sums it up pretty nicely for you. The anime has all the aspects of a great mafia story whilst being pretty wholesome at moments!
3. Gangsta
With a name like Gangsta, it isn’t hard to predict what the show is about. The show is set in the city of Ergastulum which is a breeding ground for many Mafia families. The city is plagued with drugs, prostitution brothels, and all the other criminal stuff you’d expect from a gangster movie.
Our main characters don’t belong to any mafia family though, they’re specialists who take jobs from both the police and the criminals. They’re in it, only for the money!
2. Cowboy Beebop
Spike is trying to run away from his past, though it soon catches up to him. But before it catches up to him, we have a lot of gut-wrenching action, where guns are shot, rival gang members engage in thrilling fistfights, car chases in space, and a lot more crazy stuff all the while smooth jazz music plays in the background.
The first couple of episodes have their plot foreshadow to it which is restricted to one episode only. But midway through the season, we realize there is something more going on behind the scenes. Spike’s past is coming back to haunt him, which is bad for Spike, but a ton of fun for us!
I would also like to mention, Faye Valentine exists in this show, and she is the best waifu of all time, there’s no arguing about it, alright!
1. Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure V: Golden Wind
Who doesn’t love Jojo’s bizarre adventures? It has all the action you want, great characters, and most importantly great story-driven episodes!
The fifth part of the story follows Giorno Giovanna and a few other members of the mafioso. The story takes place in Naples as our main character dives into almost every aspect of the underground crime syndicates that are known to have control. The show is one of the best out there, and a deserving number on this list!
