Summary
Yakuza is a common theme inanime. Sometimes it’s mentioned briefly, and other times the anime is about it completely. Those animes can be brilliant, and sometimes they take on extremely fun twists, such as a Romeo and Juliet-type love or even babysitting people in different Yakuzas.
There are so many Yakuza anime to choose from, but a few of them end up being incredibly similar. However, a deeper dive will showcase unique Yakuza-themed shows that will blow your socks off. Keep reading to find your next watch.
10The Way Of The Household
House Husband
This is a very cute take on Yakuza, and actually does what a lot of fanswish Sakamoto Days did. The show follows an ex-Yakuza boss who was infamous, feared, and cruel. He retired because he loved his wife more than his love of crime, and became a supportive house husband.
This show really humanizes members of the Yakuza and showcases the lives they could have lived (or still can if they retire). The run-ins with other Yakuza members add excitement, but overall, this is the most wholesome Yakuza anime you’ll be able to find.
9Yakuza Fiancé
A Yakuza Love
If you love the world of Yakuza andprefer romance anime, this is the perfect show for you. Yakuza Fiancé follows Yoshino Somei, a Yakuza heir who travels to a new city to meet the man her family wants her to marry. They don’t originally get along, and she even has surgery to cut out her own kidney just to prove a point.
This anime is full of tumultuous relationships and epic fights well worth watching. It shows the connection between two different Yakuza families and the wide reach that each heir has. It also shows the hierarchy, and how it can both aid and hurt the higher ups.
8Buddy Daddies
A Yakuza Friendship
Buddy Daddies follows two best friend assassins who work together on large assignments and their co-parenting relationship after they adopt a young girl named Miri. While this show doesn’t explicitly say that these men work for the Yakuza, the connection is clear.
There is a ton of organized crime, exciting and dangerous assignments, and because of the cute girl they adopted, it also has great slice-of-life moments.This episodic action-comedyis perfect for fans who love Yakuza but prefer a bit of comedic relief.
7Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor
Kaji: Ultimate Survivor is a bit of a cult classic. Critics feel that the characters can be hard to relate to, but that’s actually the beauty of the show. It gives real insight into how the Yakuza feel and go about things, and how they affect people who are in debt to us.
The more intense moments give us more information on our protagonists. Yes, of course, he’s money-hungry and makes a lot of mistakes, but seeing him push through all that makes the show worthwhile.
6The Yakuza’s Guide To Babysitting
Baby Got Yakuza
This adorable anime is a comedy about a particularly brutal member of the Yakuza. A boss of a large Yakuza family summons him and asks him to be a caretaker for his only daughter. He becomes entwined in her life, and it changes who he is to his core.
This show visualizes how hard it can be in the Yakuza, and how you lose yourself in it. It also showcases that it’s never too late to dig yourself out, and the sweet daughter of his boss is the one that teaches him that.
5Nisekoi: False Love
Student Yakuza
Nisekoi follows Raku Ichijou, a first-year student who is the heir to a vicious Yakuza family. Ten years ago, when he was a child, he made a promise to a friend to give her the key to a pendant that only she could unlock. Through various Yakuza-related moments, he ends up in a forced engagement with a rival yakuza heir.
This is a fun enemies-to-lovers show, and a younger view of how the Yakuza can affect heirs. There are a lot of great side characters, including classmates, siblings, and bodyguards that add further drama. The main theme is how Raku rejects the Yakuza lifestyle.Instead of murderand crimes, he longs to be a normal student.
4Gokusen
Yakuza Granddaughter
Gokusen is a unique anime featuring Kumiko Yamaguchi, the granddaughter of a Yakuza leader. Since both of her parents are dead, she’s the next in line to take over. She dismisses that notion and follows her dream to become a teacher.
Her classmates are considered delinquents, but due to her past she’s the perfect person to teach them. This anime really showcases the strength that the Yakuza can bring, and reveals that even within the complicated family dynamics, dreams can come true.
3Akiba Maid War
Maid Yakuza
At first glance, this seems like a fun little comedy show without a lot of depth. However, it’s anything but that. The more the show goes on, the more complex the storyline becomes. It’s only one season, but it wraps up nicely and, unlike a lot of other one-season anime, it feels very finished.
This show is cutthroat and has epic fight scenes. The main character is young and a bit naive, but is thrown into the world of the maid cafés and how cutthroat it can be, which changes her as a character. The Yakuza is demonstrated through the politics of the cafes.
2Hinamatsuri
Telekinesis
Nitta is a young, smart member of the Yakuza who ends up being used by a young girl with telekinetic powers. He later finds out that she’s from the future, which only leads to more complications when more people from the future come back to kill her.
This is a very unique take on the Yakuza because it’s more about how someone from the Yakuza reacts to strange circumstances. Nitta becomes almost a parent to the young girl, and they work to maintain their new family.
1The Fable
An Underrated Yakuza Anime
Fable is the nickname of a professional killer who’s feared by mobsters and Yakuza alike. He’s forced to pretend to live a normal life in the safety of a Yakuza clan, and learns how to live his life without focusing on killing.
Fans say this show is a breath of fresh air. Many consider it underrated and say that the side characters help make the show even more special. People push it aside because it has a smaller budget with less animation, but don’t let that fool you. It’s a great watch.
