Average business man Rokurou Okajima found his life turned upside down when he was captured and held hostage by a mercenary group in Thailand called Black Lagoon. After learning how disposable his life was to his company, he decides to quit the salaryman life and join the very group of mercenaries that held him hostage. While he finds himself unexpectedly good at their various work, his ideals about the world vastly clash with those of his companions.
Action anime tends to fall into immature pitfalls, but not Black Lagoon. Mature and like a fine vintage of action movie, this series is a rare gem. If you are looking for the rest of those treasures, check out these other anime recommendations like Black Lagoon.
Anime Like Black Lagoon
For Fans of Strong Women
Jormungand
After being raised in a conflict area and living as a child soldier Jonah hates weapons, but when he takes a job as a bodyguard to the arms dealer Koko, he is left with no choice in the matter. Alongside a number of other skilled bodyguards, Jonah must protect Koko and her idealistic goal of world peace in a vicious world.
Probably the most similar series to Black Lagoon on this list, Jormungand follows an arms dealer that is also a badass woman. This story, like Black Lagoon, is also told from the point of view of a newbie to her crew. She is the star of the show, but her story is told from an outside perspective.
Michiko and Hatchin
For the fourth time, hardened criminal Michiko breaks out of a South American prison in order to search for a man from her past. This search leads her to the young Hana, a girl trapped under the thumb of her abusive foster family and daughter of the man Michiko is looking for. Breaking her out to lure out her father, the unlikely pair set off on their search, only to be embroiled in everything from betrayal to gang warfare.
If you like Revy because she is rude, takes no shit, and is tough as nails in booty shorts, then you will love Michiko. Really that’s all that needs to be said, but Black Lagoon and Michiko and Hatchin have a lawless landscape and good gun fighting in common too. The only real difference is the target of the plot.
Canaan
Journalist Mino and photographer Maria are currently working in Shanghai documenting strange events at a festival. However, when a battle erupts there between two masked men and a mysterious white haired girl, they get caught in the cross fire and are saved by Maria’s old friend, Canaan. However, the mystery deepens even still when a virus breaks out and Canaan must confront her past to stop it and the sinister plot surrounding it.
Both series are filled with gunfights, intrigue, and strong female characters leading the charge. One might even call them badasses. Of course, there are far more women in Canaan and it does have an element of supernatural to it.
For Fans of Gunfights
Cowboy Bebop
In the distant future, humanity has, for the most part, abandoned Earth and colonized several different planets in the solar system. In order to keep peace in the galaxy, the Inter Solar System police was established, but they often rely on the aid of bounty hunters, referred to as “cowboys,” to bring criminals on the run to justice. This is the story of Spike Spiegel and Jet Black, a pair of cowboys that end up with a rag-tag crew of other misfits as they travel the galaxy trying to keep food on the table and their own dark pasts at bay.
While Black Lagoon is relatively well known, it never reached the same levels of popularity that Cowboy Bebop did. Despite that, they are about similar things. Both follow mercenaries that travel around and take jobs, but of course, Cowboy Bebop takes place in space.
Speed Grapher
Tatsumi Saiga was once a war photographer, but now does investigative photography. When investigating a club for exploiting a young girl, he discovers this girl named Kagura and her saliva grant powers. After he is caught and about to be killed, Kagura kisses him. This gives him the power to destroy anything he photographs and begins a game of cat and mouse between him and the organization trying to capture them both.
Both of these shows highlight great gunfights, but do so with a serious and dramatic story. However, the weapons they are shooting are not quite the same. It is also worth noting that Speed Grapher does have more of a sexual element to it.
Baccano
In the early 1930s, the transcontinental train, Flying Pussyfoot, starts a legendary journey across the country that will leave behind a trail of blood. During this same period, the ambitious scientist Szilarf and his unwilling assistant Ennis investigate missing bottles of immortality elixir in New York. This can be traced back to 1711 where the alchemists creating this elixir learn the real price of being immortal. Among these mysterious events, a Mafia war heats up. Follow this intricate tale of alchemy, immortality, and survival as it weaves together many seemingly unrelated events.
While Baccano has a touch of the supernatural to it, ignoring that plot line of it, it is a serious action show. Like Black Lagoon, it brings an intensity to the action, but also isn’t afraid to be playful either.
For Fans of Lawless Landscapes
Gangsta
Nicholas Brown and Worick Arcangelo work as handymen, mercenaries that will do anything for the right price. Working for the mob and police alike, they delve into the underbelly of the city, a place that was once haven for Twilights, people who were augmented by a special drug.
Both Gangsta and Black Lagoon tell the story of criminals in an area that seems to be ruled solely by them. As one demands, the main character criminals are smooth, cool, and won’t shy away from a badass fight. Interestingly enough, they also highlight more rare characters in anime, like people of color or with disabilities.
Gungrave
Brandon Heat and Harry MacDowel grew up on the streets together and both turned to crime in order to get by. However, when their activities are noticed by the eyes of the expansive Millennion mafia syndicate, the pair find themselves brought under their wings and rising through the ranks. Things go well until one fateful day that changes it all. Years later, Brandon Heat is brought back from the dead to fight Millennion and its new leader, Harry MacDowel.
Both series take place in an area where the law just doesn’t seem to exist. Criminals rule the streets and violence is a daily matter. That being said, the plots are innately different. Gungrave is a tale of betrayal and revenge in concentrated form. Black Lagoon has many more themes to it.
Trigun
Vash the Stampede is a heinous criminal with a huge bounty on his head after destroying an entire city. Known as the “Human Typhoon,” he brings destruction wherever he goes. However, when two insurance agents finally meet him, they find out that Vash is not quite the villain that the bounty paints him as. Instead, they find a silly buffoon who tries his best to avoid killing while looking for his brother, despite trouble constantly finding him.
While Trigun has more of a sci-fi wild west theme, both series ooze lawlessness. The characters have their serious moments and their playful ones, but when it comes down to gunslinging, it is an art. However, Trigun does fall into some of those immature action tropes.
Do you have any more anime recommendations similar to Black Lagoon? Let fans know in the comments section below.
