Organized crime is a subject that's been tackled in many forms of media, and anime and manga are no exception, whether it's the American mafia or the Japanese yakuza.
The most memorable mafia stories center around compelling antiheroes, cold-blooded violence, and emphasis on the themes of family, honor, and the allure of a high-rolling life of crime. Whether it ends in tragedy or victory, it's sure to be a thrilling ride. Fans of The Godfather, Goodfellas, and Yakuza looking to get into anime may want to check out these titles.
Baccano! - Not Currently Available To Stream
Prohibition in America is in full swing and organized crime is in its golden age. All three of the anime's storylines involve the mafia: in 1930, Firo Prochainezo is being inducted into the Camorra, 1931 sees the Russo family holding a transcontinental train hostage for ransom, and in 1932, Eve Genoard seeks an audience with the Runorata and Gandor families concerning the whereabouts of her missing brother, Dallas.
Each story features a different mafia family. The Martillo family is a surrogate family to their members, especially Firo. The Gandor and Runorata are gentlemen but willing to be utterly ruthless when crossed. And what Ladd Russo does for his family is best summed up in the title of the episode, "Ladd Russo Enjoys Talking a Lot and Slaughtering a Lot."
91 Days - Stream On HBO Max
As a child, Angelo Lagusa saw his parents and brother murdered by the Vanetti family and barely escaped with his life. Now, assuming the name Avilio Bruno, he has returned home in search of revenge. He befriends Nero, the Vanetti family's eldest son, and in gaining his trust, he gets closer and closer to his goal of burning the entire family to the ground.
Intrigue, corruption, and betrayal are staples of mafia shows and movies, and 91 Days is a prime example of such a story done well. Angelo's willingness to do anything he has to in order to avenge his family leads him to become more and more like the mafiosos he hates, murdering innocents and betraying friends to stay close to Nero. Nero believes Angelo to be an invaluable friend and unknowingly seals his own fate by continuing to vouch for the wrong man.
Gangsta. - Stream On Hulu
Sometimes there are jobs that mafia hitmen aren't fit for. Sometimes, a mobster just needs some handymen. Worick Arcangelo and Nicolas Brown are mercenaries that carry out such jobs, leading one of the best anti-hero anime that's a bit like Death Note. They have many customers from all walks of the city Ergastulum, from cops to criminals.
Much of Ergastulum is controlled by four powerful mafia families. For instance, the Monroe family holds a considerable amount of sway over the city's laws and commerce, and the Cristiano family delivers lifesaving drugs to the severely marginalized Twilights and offers shelter to those in need. Stability in the chaotic city largely relies on the mob.
Banana Fish - Stream On Amazon Prime
At only 17 years old, gang leader Ash Lynx is infamous among New York City's criminals for his terrifying strength. Eiji Okumura, a Japanese journalist visiting America to research street gangs, is in awe of him when they meet. When both boys are pulled into a citywide conspiracy, it will take everything they've got just to survive.
This show makes no efforts to romanticize the mob: the gangsters Ash contends with are vicious and brutal, especially Dino Golzine, the mafia don who groomed and abused him as a child. It also brings up how important mafia protection could be to immigrants who couldn't rely on police or government support, as Shorter Wong bitterly reminds Lee Yut-Lung in the episode "The Rich Boy" after his trust in the Lee family is broken.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind - Stream On Netflix
The fourth part of the long-running hit show and the fifth adaptation of the original manga, Golden Wind takes viewers to Naples, Italy, to follow Giorno Giovanna. Giovanna infiltrates the organization Passione, seeking to end corruption in the Italian mafia from within. Joining capo Bruno Bucciarati's team, Giovanna must fight through increasingly stronger opponents to become the powerful Gang-Star he dreams of being.
Boasting some of the best characters in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Golden Wind is a far cry from the black and white heroes and villains of Phantom Blood. Giovanna inherited both the ruthlessness of the Brando bloodline and the nobility of the Joestar, so though his ultimate goal is to use the mafia's power to protect the innocent, he has no compunctions about being utterly merciless in the pursuit. He and his friends embody the moral grayness often seen in mafia-centric media.
Durarara!! - Stream On Hulu
From the creator of Baccano!, Durarara!! takes the mayhem and intricacies of organized crime into the modern-day. Mild-mannered Mikado Ryuugamine moves to Ikebukuro in search of excitement. His best friend, Kida, is happy to introduce him to the area, but warns him to be careful: the district is rife with vicious gangs and unsavory characters.
Durarara!! is one anime that should be watched twice to understand, as its cast is so colorful and the ways their plot threads intertwine is so complex. The gang warfare between the Yellow Scarves, Blue Squares, and mysterious Dollars is just one aspect of the many conflicts rocking Ikebukuro, to the point that when the actual yakuza appear, they're only part of another character's side plot.
Black Lagoon - Stream On Hulu
In both the corporate and criminal worlds, life is cheap. Rokuro Okajima learns this the hard way when he is kidnapped by mercenaries and left to die by his company to protect their dirty secrets. Furious, Rokuro joins the group that kidnapped him instead. Fans of Cowboy Bebop will definitely enjoy this show as well for its depiction of outcast antiheroes contending with many criminal elements.
The Lagoon Company deals with several different customers, including the Chinese and Russian mafia. Balalaika, head of the group Hotel Moscow, is considered the most dangerous woman in the world, and Chang of the Kan Yi Fan Triad is both a powerful boss and the show's best gunfighter. The latter half of The Second Barrage also revolves around a war between two yakuza clans, in which Rokuro is caught in the middle.
Bungou Stray Dogs - Stream On HBO Max
Bungou Stray Dogs is another show depicting the clashes between several powerful groups, and by far, the most vicious of them is the Port Mafia. Operating out of Yokohama's harbor, they take full advantage of the legal loophole they were given by the Special Division for Unusual Powers and have their hands in human trafficking, arms dealing, collecting protection money from businesses, and more.
Their members are as vicious as they come, a standout example being Ryuunosuke Akutagawa, whose destructive power is so great that Atsushi is ordered to run away the second he sees him in the field. Any good the Mafia do is largely out of pragmatism: it's impossible to run a business in a destroyed city, after all.
Nisekoi - Stream On Funimation
A gang war between an established yakuza family and American newcomers threatens to tear the territory apart. The only thing staying their hands is the romance blooming between the leaders' teenage children, Raku and Chitoge. The problem? The two despise each other and are faking their relationship through gritted teeth.
The tone of the show is much more lighthearted than standard mafia or yakuza fare, with Raku and Chitoge's fathers and the many hardened criminals at their command often played for laughs. However, it does touch on how isolated both kids have been growing up under the shadow of their family business, always finding it difficult to make friends.
The Way Of The Househusband - Stream On Netflix
"The Immortal Tatsu" was once the most feared yakuza in Japan, strong and indestructible. Cops and criminals alike shuddered at the sound of his name. He was set to be the greatest of all time ... until he vanished. Years later, he resurfaces, but not to resume his old career. Tatsu has settled down and is determined to be the best househusband possible.
Tatsu may have left a life of crime behind, but he still tackles his everyday tasks with the bravado and intensity of a yakuza enforcer. Even when his former fellow thugs come back to challenge him, they are still his top priority. He is utterly devoted to his wife Miku, who he calls "boss."