Anime You Need To Watch If You Like Yakuza

Fans of Yakuza enjoyed the "insider's view" of life from the perspective of Japan's infamous gangsters. The series offers a slightly exaggerated take on the yakuza story, inspired heavily by yakuza films and crime drama. However, aside from over-the-top action, Yakuza perhaps shines the most with its compelling story. After all, a game series that explores the life of a reformed gangster isn't exactly a common find.

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A lot of Yakuza fans might clamor for this game series to get an action/slice-of-life anime. After all, what better way to watch Kazuma Kiryu's story than with the action and wackiness of modern anime? However, fans might be surprised to learn that anime similar to Yakuza already exists. Some of these anime might even be up their alley.

Updated on September 24, 2024, by Rhenn Taguiam: With a live-action Yakuza series about to make its way to Amazon Prime Video in October 2024, fans of Kazuma Kiryu and his companions might be interested how this live-action entry will translate his adventures to television. However, fans who can’t wait to see this Yakuza series might instead want to check out some anime that have a similar Yakuza flavor — either featuring gangs, Yakuza themselves, or gang-like setups with a hint of shenanigans in between. Such anime include a mystery series involving a small town embroiled in conflict, and the brutal hijinks among competing maid cafes, which are just a couple of examples of the series that have been added to this list in its latest update.

31 Kaze No Yojimbo

Witness An Accident Drag A Man Into A Turf War

When Jyouji “George” Kodama arrives in the small town of Kimujuku, his search for a Genzo Araki will put him in the crosshairs of two rival gangs. In the story of Kaze no Yojimbo, his investigation into the whereabouts of Araki will attract the interest of two factions — the Yakuza of the Ginzame clan, and the well-off Tanokura family. When Jyouji quickly realizes that things are amiss, he deliberately starts pitting the two factions against each other to unravel whatever mysteries the town actually holds.

While Jyouji is by no means an actual member of a Yakuza family, his interactions with both factions will instead reveal a more intellectual individual hiding beneath his rather perplexing exterior. The main story of the anime explores just what exactly happened to Kimujuku more than a decade ago, making all the present-day interactions between characters all the more interesting to unravel.

Kaze No Yojimbo: How Similar Is It To Yakuza?

Although Kaze no Yojimbo isn’t a hardcore Yakuza anime, its crime thriller approach certainly paints the genre in an interesting light. Seeing how the Yakuza can influence a small town is a change of pace, especially when this reveals how the Yakuza operates separate from other traditional powers at play in small-scale hamlets, such as rich families and, in the case of Jyouji, unexpected visitors.

30 Akiba Maid War

Maid Culture Is More Cutthroat Than Fans Anticipate

When Nagomi Wahira begins her new job as a maid in a pig-themed cafe, Akiba Maid War reveals a 1999 maid cafe scene rife with intense competition between rival maid cafes. An errand will give Nagomi her first taste of these “fights” in the form of maids using guns and knives just to get ahead of each other. This is just a “taste,” the rest of Akiba Maid War turns the crazy dial up to 100 — and this is simplifying things.

While there’s no “immediate” plot in Akiba Maid War, just watching every episode to see what absurdity Nagomi and her comrades are up to is a treat. The anime doesn’t expect viewers to take it seriously, and the maid cafe factions tend to be over the top, following in the footsteps of how traditional Yakuza stories often exaggerate their portrayal of the institution for the sake of driving the story forward (and, oftentimes, shock value).

Akiba Maid War: How Similar Is It To Yakuza?

While certainly more of an introspective and satirical take on maid cafe culture in Japan, Akiba Maid War certainly allows viewers to analyze its underlying themes from the lens of a hilarious “turf war” between rival cafes. Although not necessarily Yakuza-like in nature, the quirky way the anime frames maid cafes as separate “factions” competing for fame and customers can resemble the same day-in-the-life shenanigans that Kiryu and his pals encounter throughout the Yakuza games.

29 High School Jingi

An Older Take On The Gangster Teacher Concept

When former Yakuza member Aki Jouji is sent by his boss to become a teacher at Gokuraku Private High School, the High School Jingi initially found it difficult to adjust to his more youthful students. Such is Jingi’s initial apprehension at the idea that he often acts out of character as a teacher, resorting to stereotypical gangster behavior such as pulling out his guns when he doesn’t get his way.

However, his students often appreciate his antics, especially when he removes his sunglasses and reveals his cutesy “kewpie” eyes underneath. So affecting are his eyes’ innate charm that people often call him “Kewpie From Hell” — one of the many running gags in the series. Central to the anime’s comedy is Reiko Shiratori, Jingi’s crush and someone he desperately doesn’t want to find out about his gangster past.

High School Jingi: How Similar Is It To Yakuza?

Others may criticize High School Jingi for its lack of depth and focus on effective comedy scenarios, especially when taking into account its older animation and dry humor. While these elements have led Jingi to be compared to counterparts such as Gokusen and GTO, this classic OVA is one of the few instances of a gangster-turned-teacher story that revolves around an ordinary Yakuza member and not a Yakuza-adjacent protagonist. Similar to Yakuza, the story of Jingi adds slice-of-life elements that break convention from the tendencies of Yakuza stories that can become excessively violent.

28 Naniwa Yuukyouden (OVA)

A Classic Story Of Yakuza Hijinks

Also known as Osaka Tough Guys, Naniwa Spirit, the story of Naniwa Yuukyouden revolves around the hijinks of the Kinshu Group, whose leadership, under the watchful gaze of Taido Kaimon, often gets them in trouble with law enforcement, the ladies, and even with each other. Its Yakuza story comes with mild nudity, which was a common sight in older adult-oriented anime.

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Its mature subjects aside, Naniwa Yuukyouden provides an interesting perspective on the stories tackled by older Yakuza media. This is especially prevalent with Naniwa Yuuykouden’s portrayal of Yakuza members as either cunning leaders, violent enforcers, and even comedic heartthrob-wannabes.

Naniwa Yuukyouden: How Similar Is It To Yakuza?

Despite its mature themes, the comedic focus of Naniwa Yuukyouden can give players more context to a potentially more “mature” dimension of stories set in the Yakuza universe. While Naniwa Yuukyouden’s approach to comedy can be questionable given its age, one can appreciate the OVA not only for its contribution to the evolution of Yakuza stories, but for how far the genre has come in telling more compelling stories with the backdrop of organized crime without becoming too hyper-violent.

27 Emblem Take 2

A Yakuza Story With A Time Travel Twist

Contrary to naming conventions, Emblem Take 2 isn’t the first part of an “Emblem Take” story, but rather is “Take Two” due to its premise: Kaeda Yakuza member Akutsu Jouji is given a second chance in life. When a fateful brawl with university students in 1983 caused his life to be miserable for the next decade, Jouji seemed to have no choice but to take his own life when his close friend was tasked with killing him. As such, when a dying Jouji in 1993 finds himself ten years in the past, he decides to live his life to the fullest with his newfound knowledge.

It’s not all the time that a Yakuza story gets a sci-fi spin with philosophical undertones, especially when it’s seen from the perspective of a protagonist like Akutsu Jouji, who is portrayed like a stereotypical gangster. While mature imagery is still present in Emblem Take 2, its attempt to tackle a subject like second chances with more depth can be a breath of fresh air.

Emblem Take 2: How Similar Is It To Yakuza?

While the Yakuza franchise has had its fair share of crazy stories, Emblem Take 2 is a decent take on a potential gangster story with lowkey sci-fi elements. The idea of Jouji going back in time to potentially correct his life’s mistakes makes for a decent reflection on how not all Yakuza members live their lives by choice, adding more nuance to Kiryu and his friends’ actions, motivations, and eventual fates throughout the Yakuza franchise.

26 Sanctuary

Friends Become Fierce Rivals

Best friends becoming rivals is a trope common in many shonen and seinen stories, and this narrative setup is also adapted by Sanctuary: Khmer Rouge massacre survivors Asami and Houjou travel to Japan from Cambodia to bring meaning back into their lives, a “sanctuary” to call their own, even if they had to build it for themselves. To achieve this desire, they take separate paths: one becomes a politician, the other becomes a gangster.

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Taking these separate vocations will eventually put Houjou and Asami in each other’s crosshairs, especially when their goals to keep their positions and rise through the ranks will inevitably have them oppose each other. At a time when Yakuza gangs have had a complicated relationship with the Japanese government, and alongside the backdrop of the horrific Khmer Rouge massacre, Sanctuary adds a lot of depth to the Yakuza story.

Sanctuary: How Similar Is It To Yakuza?

The cop versus gangster trope isn’t anything new to the organized crime genre, and Sanctuary gives an older take on the narrative that is reminiscent of Yakuza stories set in the 80s and 90s. Seeing two friends eventually having to confront each other as members of law enforcement and the Yakuza might be a predictable part of the storyline. However, seeing their vigor and ambition lead to their survival makes their journey towards the confrontation a more fruitful and interesting experience.

25 Spy x Family

A Telepathic Adopted Daughter With Two Undercover Parents

The story of Spy x Family centers around Loid Forger, a supposedly-ordinary husband who is the secret agent Twilight. As an agent working for the nation of Westalia, he maintains peace between Westalia and its rival Ostania by spying on the latter’s Donovan Desmond, whose reclusive nature only lets others see him in his children’s private school.

After donning his new persona, Loid marries Yor Briar and adopts a child named Anya to infiltrate said school. Unbeknownst to Loid, Yor is actually a professional assassin and Anya is a telepath. Despite the hilarity of this triple deception, Spy x Family is a neat break from Yakuza with its secret agent focus. However, seeing how the likes of Yor and Loid interact with other unsavory factions while keeping their objectives is something players may notice in Yakuza as well.

Spy x Family: How Is It Similar To Yakuza?

The light family dramedy moments of Spy x Family will make Like A Dragon fans feel right at home, especially when the unlikely pairing of Loid and Yor Forger have to protect their seemingly-innocent adoptive daughter Anya. While factions in Spy x Family are nowhere near the Japanese Yakuza, the anime’s Western-inspired criminal elements may be a welcome breath of fresh air for fans of the acclaimed game series.

24 Buddy Daddies

Assassins Tasked To Take Care Of A Child

For fans of Yakuza who want an alternate take on the weird family dynamic Buddy Daddies, an anime revolving around assassins Kazuki Kurusu and Rei Suwa as they care for the child Miri Unasaka while managing their missions is a great option. With Miri’s father being the pair’s recent assassination target, the Buddy Daddies protagonists took it upon themselves to care for the child after what they’d done.

The backstory of someone in the criminal world caring for a youngster is reminiscent of Yakuza's Kazuma Kiryu eventually establishing Sunshine Orphanage throughout the series. It’s also interesting for viewers to get to know the dynamic between bubbly but info-savvy Kazuki and non-smiling but combat-intensive Rei as well as how they ended up being friends in the first place.

Buddy Daddies: How Is It Similar To Yakuza?

The criminal duo of Kazuki and Rei of Buddy Daddies may give fans some recollections of the relationship between Kazuma Kiryu and his former partner Akira Nishikiyama, although this time the two anime assassins have a child to take care of. Juggling assassination errands while taking care of a child is similar to the life of a Yakuza always calling Kiryu while he helps with the Morning Glory Orphanage. While not prominently featuring the Yakuza, seeing Kazuki and Rei manage day-to-day life as contractors is reminiscent of Kiryu’s early days.

23 The Millionaire Detective — Balance: UNLIMITED

A Hilarious Police Story Involving Two Detective

It’s not always that an anime focuses on the activities of the modern police, with The Millionaire Detective — Balance: UNLIMITED tackling the misadventures of the comedic duo Daisuke and Haru. The story begins when extremely wealthy detective Daisuke Kambe is assigned to the Modern Crime Prevention Headquarters, the designation of officers who often cause trouble. Set as his partner is hot-headed Haru Kato, whose disdain for Daisuke’s penchant for bribing leads to hilarious exchanges.

Despite not immediately dealing with the Yakuza, The Millionaire Detective makes for an interesting watch due to its tackling of the Yakuza lifestyle’s immediate opposite: the authorities. The anime gives a fresh take on the activities of the police, providing a perspective on what it may be like on their end to chase the likes of Yakuza protagonists Kazuma Kiryu and Ichiban Kasuga.

The Millionaire Detective — Balance: How Is It Similar To Yakuza?

The buddy-cop duo of Daisuke Kambe and Haru Katou of The Millionaire Detective — Balance: UNLIMITED gives a more “official” take on why Kiryu may have been a secret agent for the police and not the enigmatic Daidoji Faction. Likewise, the Modern Crime Prevention Headquarters may resemble the Ministry Intelligence Agency in the Like A Dragon games, this time giving viewers the perspective of detectives solving crimes and chasing criminals instead of Kiryu running away from them.

22 Bungo Stray Dogs

A Crime Story With Super Powers

An alternate take on exploring what investigators may think when chasing the Yakuza could be seen in Bungo Stray Dogs, this time revolving around the affairs of the Armed Detective Agency. Comprised of investigators with superhuman powers, protagonist Atsushi Nakajima and his partner Osamu Dazai eventually get involved in the affairs of other supernaturally-invested groups.

While not directly dealing with the Yakuza, Bungo Stray Dogs offers an exciting take on the detective concept from the perspective of power users. Organizations outside the Agency such as the Port Mafia, the Fellowship of the Guild, and the Decay of Angels also seem Yakuza-esque with their many activities that border on the illegal.

Bungo Stray Dogs: How Is It Similar To Yakuza?

The illicit affairs depicted between Like a Dragon’s Yakuza families and organizations like the Ministry Intelligence Agency prove that groups at odds often find themselves walking thin lines to maintain balance. This is eventually revealed in Bungo Stray Dogs, where the protagonist’s Armed Detective Agency is just one of the three-part Tripartite Framework that manages Ability Users in their world, alongside the Military Police and the Port Mafia. Fans who appreciated the interplay between factions in Like a Dragon may appreciate Bungo Stray Dogs’s take on their factions.