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Top 18 Best Anime

About Mafia, Yakuza
& Gangsters
BY KAFKA CHAMPIN
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Whether they’re hero, villain, or a little of

both, we love anime featuring criminal
characters.

Especially when they band together

working as an organization.

From inner psychological machinations of

the lower grunt, to the bureaucratic
processes that overhang the gang’s
operations. It’s all found in anime.

Here we’re looking at some morally

challenging & hype as all hell anime, all
focused on yakuza members and crazy
gang stories. Strap in, folks!

18. Gangsta

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This anime follows Nicholas Brown and

Worick Arcangelo, handyman mercenaries
in a seedy European setting.

Manglobe’s 2015 anime adaptation of the

manga received mixed reception once it
wrapped up. Mostly due to the ending that
oNered a real lack of any conclusion…
even when material exists in the manga’s
ending!

Someday we may get a season two,

maybe.

But for now we’re left with a short yet

sweet take on brotherhood and maPa-
socio-political-control.

Also, that opening theme song is still a

banger.

17. Beastars

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Studio Orange are killing it with CGI

anime at the moment.

Their brilliant Land of the Illustrious was

followed up by an even more gorgeous
school drama set in a world of
anthropomorphism.

Legoshi and Haru are our protagonists – a

tall yet timid wolf, and an insecure yet
intimate rabbit. And it’s a romance.

So why is it on this list, right?

Well, a large part of the Prst (and currently

only) season of Beastars features & stars a
Yakuza syndicate, with the action-packed
climax of the story even revolving around
that part of the world.

Also many characters introduced in that

arc will appear in later seasons. Once we
get them.

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It’s much more connected than one would

assume at a glance!

16. 91 Days

Ah! This one probably slipped under your

radar.

Released by the relatively unknown Studio

Shuka in 2016, 91 Days is an anime
centred on revenge.

Witnessing the slaughter of his family by

the Vanetti maPa, Angelo Lagusa vows
revenge.

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Seven years pass and Lagusa is living with

a new name – Avilio Bruno. And he returns
to his hometown to inPltrate Vanetti and
murder them one by one.

This series is stylishly unique. And it’s a

fantastic eNort from a relatively
unexperienced studio (their only other
property is features later on this list!)

15. Golden Kamuy

Geno Studio’s 2018-2020 run of Golden

Kamuy has been as impressive as Studio
Shuka, given their newcomer status.

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Follow this absurdist testosterone-fueled

adventure every step of the way.

Our MC Saichi Sugimoto is the Immortal,

and his gang goes across the North of
Japan in the Meiji era, as they face Yakuza
and criminals in a dangerous treasure
hunt for a hidden stash of gold. Exciting!

Bears, maps made of skin, plenty of food

trivia, and honor. Honor!

The third season is right around the

corner as of this writing, and I’m hyped.

14. Kemonozume

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Looking for a mixture of Romeo and Juliet,

Parasyte, Tokyo Ghoul, and The
Godfather?

OK, now throw in the energetic animation

& artstyle of OG director Masaaki Yuasa.

Well guess who else loved this idea: Studio

Madhouse in 2006 when they released
Kemonozume.

Yuka Kamitsuki is a blonde lady by day,

ravenous monster by night.

Toshihiko Momota is an honorable

member of the KiNuken dojo, sworn to
protect humans from such monsters &
oddities.

Now add in family strife: the KiNuken and

Shokujinki have been at war for centuries.
A battle of families made all the more
complicated when Kamitsuki and Momota
fall in love.

A real Romeo & Juliet, except… not that.

13. Hinamatsuri

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With humor reminiscent of Gintama,

Sakamoto-san, and Nichijou put together,
the cult manga Hinamatsuri took the
anime community by storm with the
Studio Feel adaptation in 2018.

Yoshifumi Nitta is a materialistic member

of the yakuza. He’s living day by day for
himself and his family.

That is, until one day when a blue-haired

girl falls into his living room (literally).

She reveals her name, Hina, before

proceeding to explode. I guess she’s
capable of incredible telekinetic feats or
something? Trust me, you’ll get sucked on
right from the beginning.

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Nitta decided to take this girl under his

wing.

And not just because her powers might

benePt his unlawful position… No, of
course not. That’s certainly not the
reason…

12. K

The fate of the world relies on the feud

between seven clans in a small Japanese
city.

Each clan is led by a King – which in this

case is an individual with supernatural
abilities.

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We follow the Red King Mikoto Suoh as he

becomes wrapped up in the aNairs of a
mysterious student, Yashiro Isana.

This student has has been accused of

murdering someone in his clan. Starting
oN deep!

Studio GoHands has been pumping out K

content for nearly a decade now for the
cult loyalists out there eager for it.

But the Prst 13-episode season is

dePnitely the place to start.

11. Great Teacher Onizuka

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The late great Great Teacher Onizuka is…

well, great.

Two decades old, yet still able to split your

sides and not hold any punches when it
wants to break you down into a sobbing
heap of God knows what.

Eikichi Onizuka is 22 and eager to leave

behind a biker gang past, all in favor of
high school teaching.

Though, not initially for savoury reasons.

But Onizuka soon learns how to bring past

experiences to his teaching, becoming a
character that will go down as one of
anime’s greatest.

10. Baccano!

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