The 16 Best Anime Like Black Lagoon, Ranked
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- Gangsta
- Manglobe
Similar Themes:
- Portrays a cruel and lawless underworld similar to Black Lagoon's setting.
- Centers on characters doing dirty jobs for both the criminal elements and corrupt authorities.
Gangsta depicts the same cruel and lawless world of Black Lagoon, but in a modern city environment. Nicholas Brown and Worick Arcangelo, known best as the "Handymen," perform dirty jobs for the criminal underworld and the crooked police force. After killing a local pimp, the Handymen recruit a prostitute named Alex Benedetto to protect her from those hellbent on shooting a bullet through her head.
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Jormungand
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Similar Themes:
- Features strong, gun-wielding female protagonists.
- Dark and gritty storyline involving mercenaries and arms dealing.
Jormungand follows the same footsteps of Black Lagoon in a lot of ways. They both star two sharp, psychotic women who won't hesitate to pull the trigger when necessary. Both shows are dark, rely heavily on gunfire, and feature a crew of incredible mercenaries. The difference in Jormungan is the unique partnership between arms dealer Koko Hekmatyar and the child soldier name Jonathan Mar, who hates weapons and those who sell them.
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Similar Themes:
- Magnificent gunfights and action sequences.
- Cool characters with complex, dark backstories
It's impossible not to recommend Cowboy Bebop whenever someone asks for another high-adrenaline anime shooter. Both Black Lagoon and Cowboy Bebop feature magnificent gunfights from episode to episode, while also having cool characters with dark backgrounds. Cowboy Bebop is especially perfect for any anime newbies with its Western appeal and episodic storytelling.
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Similar Themes:
- Amoral, badass protagonists with impressive combat abilities.
- Over-the-top violence and supernatural elements, blending gunfights with fantasy.
For some supernatural spice, Hellsing Ultimate is the anime gunslinger for you. Black Lagoon and Hellsing Ultimate both feature amoral, badass protagonists with wicked gun skills. The vampiric Alucard and his vampire servant, Seras Victoria, unleash unbelievable carnage towards any human or supernatural threat.
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Michiko to Hatchin
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Similar Themes:
- Features strong female leads in action-packed scenarios.
- Set in a South American environment, offering a unique cultural backdrop akin to Black Lagoon's Southeast Asian scenery.
Michiko to Hatchin is a good followup to Black Lagoon, as they both feature strong leading women who know how to kick ass. Another similarity are the Spanish settings, as Black Lagoon takes place in Southeast Asia, while Michiko to Hatchin takes place in South America. Michiko to Hatchin is more optimistic, as the series follows escaped convict Michiko Malandro on the road with a young girl named Hana Morenos, whom she saves from an abusive family.
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Similar Themes:
- Dark themes involving characters thrust into the criminal underworld.
- Centers on assassins and the concept of brainwashing to create skilled killers.
If you're looking for another dark anime series with more over-the-top gun action, then you'll want to check out Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom. It shares the same "average joe gets thrown into the criminal underworld" setup as Black Lagoon. A Japanese tourist in America is captured and brainwashed into a killer, after witnessing a murder by the mysterious company called Inferno and their star assassin "Phantom."
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Similar Themes:
- Blends gun-slinging action with a wild west-like setting.
- Protagonist with a notorious reputation and hidden depth, similar to characters in Black Lagoon.
Trigun is a must-see for Black Lagoon fans and anime fans in general. It's a sci-fi western about a gunslinger with the largest bounty on his head. Vash the Stampede doesn't seem to be anything more than a goofy pacifist, but when innocent lives are at risk, he becomes the Diablo himself. If you loved all the gun fights in Black Lagoon, then you're gonna love Trigun.
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Similar Themes:
- Action-oriented anime with a female lead proficient in firearms.
- Involves a conspiracy and threat on a global scale, akin to some of Black Lagoon's story arcs.
Want more anime about badass women with guns? Then give Canaan a try. It has a lot of great action scenes like Black Lagoon, but features a fascinating storyline about a shadowy organization planning to infect the world with a deadly virus. A Japanese reporter and photographer are nearly killed by the unknown criminals in Shanghai, China, but are saved by a longtime friend and mercenary named Canaan.
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Similar Themes:
- Mature themes with a gritty atmosphere.
- Elements of mystery and psychological suspense, paired with supernatural abilities.
Another gritty anime series Black Lagoon fans should watch is Speed Grapher. Speed Grapher carries the same mature vibe as Black Lagoon, but pushes it even further with its depiction of fetishized sex and graphic violence. The suspenseful story of Hibara Ginza, a former war photographer, caught in a seedy mystery with Kagura Tennouzu, a woman with mysterious powers, carries a realistic, yet, supernatural tone. The series isn't gun heavy like Black Lagoon, but creative powers like Saiga's ability to kill with his camera offers unforgettable action.
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Gunsmith Cats
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Similar Themes:
- Focus on a partnership dynamic within a bounty-hunting context.
- Contains run-and-gun action and nods to classic Hollywood films.
Gunsmith Cats is a classic anime series that anyone should watch, but Black Lagoon fans will get the biggest kick out of it. The partnership between bounty hunter Irene Vincent and bomb specialist May Hopkins leads to loads of fun adventures of the run-and-gun variety. Black Lagoon fans will love Gunsmith Cats for its amazing heroines and clever shoutouts to Hollywood movies.
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Similar Themes:
- Centers around themes of organized crime, revenge, and moral ambiguity, much like the criminal intrigue in Black Lagoon.
- The story takes place during Prohibition, adding a historical element to the gritty underworld setting.
91 Days is an intense journey into the dark realm of organized crime during the Prohibition era, capturing the merciless spirit of revenge and moral complexity that's central to Black Lagoon. Similar to Black Lagoon's seedy port town of Roanapur, 91 Days immerses viewers in a grim historical backdrop fraught with violence and lawlessness. Both series focus on a protagonist deeply affected by past trauma, who becomes embroiled in a life of crime and vengeance.
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Princess Principal
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Similar Themes:
- Action-packed espionage with a team of skillful female leads.
- Divided city setting with political and war-related themes.
Black Lagoon fans will get a kick out of Princess Principal. It's an action-packed espionage starring an elite team of women infiltrating a fictionalized London that's been divided - literally and figuratively - by war. A great show for anyone wanting more badass anime girls, but with some British flair.
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El Cazador de la Bruja
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Similar Themes:
- "Girls with guns" theme with main characters on a journey, often featuring gun battles.
- Mexican setting and a story that unravels into a larger, more surreal mystery.
El Cazador de la Bruja is another "girls with guns" anime that should please avid watchers of Black Lagoon. It starts off simply with a female bounty hunter named Nadie apprehending a young girl, Ellis, who's suspected of killing a famous scientist. However, the adventure becomes bigger and more surreal when Nadia agrees to take Ellis to Wiñay Marka, in the hopes of reawakening her lost memories. It's an entertaining show that stands out for its Mexican surroundings; a setting you don't see a lot in anime.
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Similar Themes:
- Girls with guns genre, not as serious in tone but still action-centric.
- Set in a crime-ridden, futuristic Tokyo where a group of female mercenaries deals with various threats.
Burst Angel doesn't take itself as seriously as Black Lagoon, but it still offers plenty of girls with gun fun. In a world dominated by danger, a promising chef is hired by four female mercenaries who make a living cleaning up the crime-ridden city of Tokyo. Sexy fun for all.
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Similar Themes:
- Non-linear storytelling that revolves around immortality, gangsters, and a multitude of diverse characters intertwining within a historical setting.
- It has a similar level of violence and action sequences, along with a dark and mature atmosphere.
If you loved Black Lagoon's tales of gunfights and criminal endeavors, Baccano! also features immortal beings and gangsters in a scenario rich with violent encounters. The series' mature and dark atmosphere aligns it with Black Lagoon's aesthetic, complete with a similarly brutal and unabashed approach to its action sequences. Both anime excel in delivering complex characters whose motivations and allegiances develop and shift throughout the story, drawing viewers into their respective worlds of organized crime.
The 13 Best Anime Like Baccano!, RankedSee all
- 1Durarara!!118 Votes
- 2Bungo Stray Dogs113 Votes
- 3Cowboy Bebop87 Votes
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Similar Themes:
- Features a group of operatives with supernatural abilities known as Contractors, blending action with supernatural elements similar to some of the anime on the list.
- The series delves into the morally grey world of espionage and secret organizations, echoing the dark, complex narratives found in Black Lagoon.
Darker than Black shares the covert world of espionage and the existence of characters with special abilities, akin to the extraordinary skill sets of mercenaries in Black Lagoon. The series portrays a morally ambiguous universe where operatives, known as Contractors, undertake dangerous missions, reminiscent of the action-packed assignments undertaken by the Lagoon Company. With its blend of supernatural and action elements, Darker than Black mirrors the thrilling combat and complex, dark storylines we love about Black Lagoon.
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