Because the mafia isn't exactly an active crime syndicate in Japan, anime featuring the mob as Westerners know it isn't exactly the most popular kind of anime. But there are a handful of truly spectacular shows that are worth checking out whether you're a mobster aficionado or just someone looking for a good time. From the mafia boss to lowly henchman, these anime series feature all aspects of the mafioso underbelly.
Want to watch something classic? Try Baccano! which is about both gangsters and the quest for immortality. Want something a little bit newer? Try Banana Fish, which will make you sob like a baby, or Great Pretender, which is a feast for the eyes. Looking for something silly? There's always Cuticle Detective Inaba, which is about a wolf hybrid who solves chimera related crimes and also has a hair fetish. Want something more serious? Check out Darker Than Black and watch Hei as he uncovers the secrets of the Syndicate.
No matter what your tastes are, there's a mafia anime you'll probably really enjoy.
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- Bungo Stray Dogs
- Bones
After Atsushi Nakajima's orphanage kicks him out because of his ability to transform into a terrifying tiger, he finds refuge with the Armed Detective Agency, a group of people who solve mysteries and deal with problems caused by organizations like the Port Mafia. The members, who are all named after Japanese literary figures, each possess unique supernatural powers, making Atsushi a useful addition.
But the skittish and peace-loving Atsushi isn't exactly thrilled with the prospect, and has to be pretty much forced into joining. It ends up being the best decision of his life - or maybe the worst one, depending on your perspective.
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- 91 Days
- Shuka
When the Vanetti mafia family annihilates Angelo Lagusa's parents and brother, Angelo decides to get revenge. He changes his name and leave his hometown, and waits for his chance. He returns home at the behest of a mysterious letter, and ends up befriending the son of the family, Nero.
Through his connection with Nero, he hopes to take down every last member of the Vanetti family.
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- Gangsta
- Manglobe
Unfortunately, Gangsta never really concluded, but it had a promising start. Nicholas Brown and Worick Arcangelo are mercenaries who perform dangerous tasks for the mafia and for the police - whoever has the money to pay them. Their everyday life is shaken up when their city - which was once a safe haven for superhuman beings called Twilights - turns against them.
This is a big problem for Nicholas, who is a Twilight. But they also have to deal with protecting Alex, a young woman they rescued from a pimp and are now protecting from a whole network of forces who want her destroyed.
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- Durarara!!
- Brain's Base
In the city of Ikebukuro, all kinds of wild things are happening at once. Whether it's the clash of the color gangs or the dullahan trying to get her head back, the city is an absolute minefield for utter chaos.
That's why the seemingly ordinary Ryuugamine Mikado wants to be there - and how he'll end up in major trouble.
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- Baccano!
- Brain's Base
Baccano! is a widely acclaimed anime that's worth watching whether you're into mafia stories or not. Set during America's prohibition era, it tells multiple concurrent stories of thieves, gang members and alchemists who have all boarded the same train in order to get their hands on an immortality elixir.
Some of the characters are terrifying, like the murderous Ladd Russo, while others like Isaac and Miria are like a1930s version of Team Rocket. It's a fabulous show.
Mafioso greatness?The 13 Best Anime Like Baccano!, RankedSee all
- 1Durarara!!118 Votes
- 2Bungo Stray Dogs113 Votes
- 3Cowboy Bebop87 Votes
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- Black Lagoon
- Madhouse
While on a business trip in Thailand, salaryman Rokurou Okajima is kidnapped by a gang of pirate mercenaries called the Lagoon Company. When his company refuses to pay the ransom, he decides to change his allegiances and ask to join his kidnappers.
Rokurou is used to high stress in the world of business, but the constant gang warfare in the city of Roanapur takes some getting used to. Getting along with his former kidnappers is no easy task either. But if he wants to survive, he has no choice but to figure it out.
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- Darker Than Black
- Bones
During the ten years since the Heaven's Gate appeared in South America and Hell's Gate appeared in Japan, the world has become overrun with Contractors - that is, people who gained supernatural powers in exchange for their humanity.
Hei, also known as the Black Reaper, is a well-known Contractor who takes jobs for the Syndicate, a sinister mafia organization. As he takes on jobs, he tries to get to the bottom of what the Syndicate is doing, and the threats targeting Contractors all over the world.
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Kings are supernaturally gifted individuals whose powers include the ability to recruit clansmen who can help bolster the strength of their team. But in return for their service, the King is supposed to protect them. So when a member of a clan passes away under suspicious circumstances, the clans go wild.
When Yashiro Isana is accused of doing the deed, he decides to try and prove his innocence by figuring out what's really going on. Red King Mikoto Suou also wants to uncover the mystery - because if he can't figure it out, he's in huge trouble. Can they unravel the conspiracy before it's too late?
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- Jormungand
- White Fox
After a rough childhood as a soldier, Jonathan "Jonah" Mar hates weapons of all kinds, and those who use them. But he'll have to discard his principles when he's recruited to work as one of Koko Hekmatyar's bodyguards.
Koko is an international arms dealer who hopes to use her extremely illegal work to create world peace. Jonah and the other body guards have to risk their lives to protect her from criminals and police alike.
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JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind
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- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind
- David Production
Not every iteration of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure involves the mafia, but the protagonist of Golden Wind, Giorno Giovanna, has made it his mission to infiltrate the gang Passione in order to destroy it from the inside.
Just as you'd expect from any part of JoJo, Giorno has to face enemies with some of the craziest powers in anime history - Stands.
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- La storia della Arcana Famiglia
- J.C.Staff
The island of Regalo is protected by a mafia group called the Arcana Famiglia. Members of the group gain powers by contracting with tarot cards, allowing them to do things like enhance their strength, turn invisible, and even look into other peoples' hearts.
When Mondo, the “Papa” of the family, announces his retirement, he also announces that he'll be holding a magical tournament for the card that gives him his power, a wish of their choosing, and his daughter Felicità's hand in marriage. The thing is, Felicità hasn't agreed to that. In fact, she'd much rather enter the tournament herself to inherit the family and avoid marrying any of these people.
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- Banana Fish
- MAPPA
Fair warning - this anime will almost definitely make you cry.
After barely surviving a traumatic childhood, Ash Lynx finds himself under the care of Dino Golzine, a mafia boss who wants him to inherit his empire - but only if he'll submit to him sexually. Ash is in no mood to give into Golzine, so he tries to distance himself from him by starting his own gang.
Gang conflicts dominate his life until he meets Eiji Okumura, an ex-pole vaulter from Japan who he falls in love with almost immediately. His desire to protect Eiji clashes with his desire to live the normal, happy life that Eiji made him believe is possible.
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- Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom
- Bee Train
In a world where a mafioso organization called Inferno has taken over the USA, assassinations are a constant occurrence. Inferno's number one weapon is Phantom, a nearly invincible person who can take down almost anyone.
When a Japanese tourist accidentally witnesses one of her jobs, he flees in terror. But he doesn't get very far before he's kidnapped, brainwashed, and forced to work for Inferno. All he wants now is to recover his memories and find an existence that doesn't put him mortal danger.
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- Gungrave
- Madhouse
If you liked the first person shooter game Gungrave, you may want to check out its anime adaptation. Brandon Heat and Harry MacDowel once spent their days hanging out, getting into fights, and flirting with women. One day, something happens that blows their everyday lives out of the water.
They end up working for Millennion, a massive mafia syndicate. Harry wants to climb the ranks of the syndicate, but all Brandon wants to is support Harry and try to help the woman the syndicate leader has pretty much kidnapped. Their differing priorities put the two friends at odd.
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- Reborn!
- Artland
Things aren't going well for middle schooler Tsunayoshi Sawada. He doesn't seem to be good at anything, be it sports or studying, and the girl he likes is completely out of his league.
His sad life takes a unexpected turn when a baby who is also a hitman associated with the Vongola mafia family of Italy appears. Apparently, Tsunayoshi is supposed to inherit the whole organization when the current leader passes away. Tsunayoshi is nowhere near ready, but the baby - named Reborn - is here to train him to be the greatest leader that he can possibly be.
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- Great Pretender
- Wit Studio
If you're looking for a mafia anime with amazing art and animation, look no further than Great Pretender. Besides being visually stunning, it also has a great story.
Makoto "Edamame" Edamura is a thief and a scammer who is usually pretty successful - but one day, he picks on the wrong guy. The person he thought was an ordinary tourist is actually a conman named Laurent Thierry who turns the tables on him. Desperate to retain his self-proclaimed position as “Japan's Greatest Swindler," Makoto challenges Laurent to a competition. Laurent agrees, and tasks him with taking down an American West Coast mafia boss. Makoto is in for a much tougher time than he bargained for.
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- Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens
- Satelight
Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens tells the story of an unlikely team - a crossdressing hitman named Xianming Lin who is getting fed up with his employer's failure to pay him, and Zenji Banba, the detective trying to take down those same employers.
When Lin is commissioned to take down Banba, he takes the job, but instead of ending him, he asks Banba to team up. What exactly does he want from the detective? And what kind of exciting or dangerous things will happen if Banba says yes?
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- Cuticle Detective Inaba
- Zexcs
In the world of Cuticle Detective Inaba, half-human, half-animal chimeras exist alongside regular humans. Usually, that existence is peaceful, but just as you'd expect from any group, there are a few criminals in the bunch. But because these are chimeras, the evidence they leave behind isn't exactly what the regular cops are used to. Detective Hiroshi Inaba, who is part wolf, is uniquely equipped to figure out these cases by tasting the animal hair left behind. As a result, he ended up liking the hair a little too much.
That's odd, but at least it doesn't cause any problems as the habits of his mortal enemy, crime boss Don Valentino. Don Valentino, who is half goat, eats paper money.
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