The Top 15 Anime To Watch If You Like Black Lagoon

Black Lagoon is an excellent and incredibly popular action/crime anime that has garnered a large fanbase over the years.

And we know damn well that if you are part of this group, you are looking for other anime that can give you the same vibes.

We have created this list of the best anime like Black Lagoon just for you, to fill that void.

15. Akame Ga Kill!

And what about a Black Lagoon with fantasy elements and superpowers?

If your answer is and you’re even askin’?, then let us introduce you to Akame ga Kill!

Both anime focus on a group of criminals and have dark atmospheres, with the premise of a civilian protagonist getting involved in the underworld.

If these premises have piqued your interest, go ahead and add it to your watchlist.

Akame ga Kill! is a dark and politically-driven story that follows a young boy named Tatsumi, who joins the Night Raid, a covert assassination branch of the Revolutionary Army fighting to overthrow the corrupted Prime Minister.

14. Gunsmit Cats

Female MCs? Check. Action, chases, and gunfights? Check. Outlaw characters and heart-pounding scenes? You know it.

These are the ingredients that constitute Gunsmith Cats, a vintage gem that we think you’ll enjoy if you’re a fan of Black Lagoon.

Rally and May work in the Gunsmith Cats armory, based in Chicago, but the two also have a second job: bounty hunters.

Rally is skilled in the use of guns and is an expert pilot, while May is an expert with explosives.

Follow the fortunes of this explosive couple in their adventures.

13. Samurai Champloo

Ok, stay with us. How about an anime similar to Black Lagoon, but set in the past and in feudal Japan?

These are the premises of Samurai Champloo, an anime that’s less dark than Black Lagoon, but deals with themes of crime and the underworld, with katanas instead of guns.

Intriguing, right?

The work stars Mugen and Jin, two samurai warriors with opposing characters, and Kasumi, a girl who has hired the two warriors to search for the “samurai who smells like sunflowers.”

The story revolves around their adventures, and they are often self-contained, generally with a few elements present that drive forward the overall plot of the whole.

12. Great Pretender

The Great Pretender anime started in 2020 and is arguably one of the best anime about the mafia and the criminal underworld released recently, along with Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.

It’s much less dark than Black Lagoon and features lively atmospheres and animations, yet it still centers around the criminal underworld with plenty of action.

The protagonist Makoto Edamura is a criminal who, along with his partner Kudo, attempts to swindle a Frenchman in Asakusa.

But their scheme takes an unexpected turn when they realize that the Frenchman is none other than Laurent Thierry, a dangerous mobster who is not inclined to let them off easily.

11. Hellsing Ultimate

Yes, Hellsing Ultimate has a completely different plot from Black Lagoon, but everything else is incredibly similar.

When it comes to themes like great gunfights, badass moments, dark atmospheres, and morally ambiguous main characters, it has quite few rivals.

The name of the series comes from the homonym secret organization Hellsing, whose duty is to hide the existence of Vampires and to keep the population safe.

The main character Alucard works for Hellsing as a vampire exterminator, being himself a member of the vampire race. He is supported by his new assistant Seras Victoria, a former policewoman who he saved in the past.

But a deep web of mysteries will soon arise.

10. Outlaw Star

You probably already know this since it’s an incredibly popular anime, but Outlaw Star is one of the best series when it comes to outlaw protagonists, gunfights, action, and more.

It’s basically Black Lagoon in space, so don’t miss out and go add it to your watchlist ASAP.

We are in the future called the Towards Stars Era in which many star systems have been opened to space traffic. Gene Starwind and James Hawking run a small, unassuming handyman agency to make a living.

One day they are hired to protect Captain Hilda, who is piloting a spaceship, the XGP-15A II, also nicknamed Outlaw Star, in search of a legendary location that holds immense treasure.

But as usual, evil-doers lurk in every corner ready to take advantage at any time, and this situation is no exception.

9. Michiko and Hatchin

Michiko and Hatchin is centered entirely around action, guns, mafia, chases, and outlaws, featuring two female main characters, similar to Revy from Black Lagoon.

For these reasons, you should definitely give it a chance if you ask for our opinion.

The story is set in a fictional Latin American country named Diamandra and revolves around two girls.

Michiko, who has just escaped from a maximum-security penitentiary prison, and Hatchin, an orphan girl adopted by the family of a local clergy member. The tranquility of the two isn’t destined to last though.

8. Banana Fish

Would you like to watch an anime centered around the mafia and underworld like Black Lagoon, but from the perspective of the good guy? Try Banana Fish.

If this , along with a mix of mystery and investigation interests you, then you’ve found your pick.

Set within the backdrop of New York City, the narrative revolves around a series of enigmatic deaths that have captured the attention of the police, all of which are intertwined by the cryptic words Banana Fish.

The true nature of this mystery is what Ash, the central protagonist, embarks on discovering.

7. Jormungand

Jormungand is a 2012 anime that has striking similarities to Black Lagoon, making it a highly recommended watch.

Both series focus on criminal underworlds and groups of outlaws, featuring similar characters and the premise of an outsider being drawn into a life of crime.

If you’re a fan of Black Lagoon, it’s almost certain you’ll enjoy it.

The story is based on organized crime, and stars an illegal arms dealer and his accomplices. Not exactly the archetypal good guys, let’s say.

But the plot will begin and shift with the arrival of a young boy who apparently hates guns and has a dark past.

6. Baccano!

Looking for a less dark version of Black Lagoon with an episodic plot but still centered around the criminal underworld, gunfights, and action?

Then you should definitely watch Baccano!, an anime released in 2007 that we consider a hidden gem, that also features an incredible jazz soundtrack.

Baccano! features a non-linear plot with a cast interconnected by solving mysteries and crimes.

The plot is set in the US during the 1930s. It involves a war that breaks out between various mafia gangs in America during the Prohibition Era.

5. Trigun

If we’re talking about gunfights, probably few anime can compete with Trigun.

Add in some great outlaw characters, tons of action and plot twists, along with excellent music, and you’ve found a must-watch anime for fans of Black Lagoon.

The story revolves around Vash the Stampede, an infamous outlaw who leaves a trail of destruction in every town and village he visits.

To put an end to the chaos and save their failing insurance companies, two agents are sent to apprehend him. But upon encountering Vash, they discover that he is a kind and generous individual.

4. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is along with Great Pretender, one of the best anime about outlaws, criminals, and mafia to come out in recent years.

It also has the added edge of having dark scenes and atmospheres, which are quite lacking in Great Pretender, and features a primarily Sci-Fi and cyberpunk theme.

There is therefore very little doubt in saying that it’s a must-watch series for every fan of Black Lagoon.

As a prequel to the game Cyberpunk 2077, this anime follows the story of David Martinez.

In Night City, a futuristic metropolis, David attends Arasaka Academy to fulfill his mother’s dream of reaching the top of the world’s leading security corporation.

But things changed when a street gang incident left him devastated.

He then implanted Sandevistan cyberware for superhuman speed and strength, to get revenge on his enemies.

Witness his journey as he fights to survive the dangerous, corrupt system while never backing down from any fight.

3. Gangsta.

Gangsta. is one of the top anime you can find in the world of crime and the underworld, making it a perfect follow-up to Black Lagoon.

With its rich blend of mystery, action, and much more, it’s clear that this is a series you don’t want to miss.

Nicholas Brown and Worick Arcangelo are known in the city of Ergastalum as the Handymen. They gained this nickname by accepting any kind of job from any kind of group, ranging from mob syndicates to crooked police.

One day they are tasked with taking out a local pimp and they do that without hesitation but they also decide to save the prostitute called Alex Benedetto.

As the story continues the city of Ergastulum will face changes that will threaten to tip over the power balance and this will likely end up in a furious conflict.

2. Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom

Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom is another anime you can’t go wrong with if you enjoyed Black Lagoon.

They both focus on the underworld and outlaws, with a similar premise of a civilian getting involved in the criminal underworld.

Both are also rich in dark atmospheres and packed with action and gunfights.

Reiji is a normal teenager who just happens to witness one of the murders of Phantom while he is in America. We are talking about an unknown and feared killer from the organization known as Inferno.

The killer has long been spreading panic with his heinous actions. No one has ever seen him, witnessed his actions, or lived to tell the tale except Reiji.

Captured by members of the organization, the boy is forced to make a choice: immediate death or become an assassin in the service of the organization.

The boy will be guilty against his will of several crimes, abandoning the path of good. In the process, his memory will be erased and the mystery component of the series consists of him trying to recover his lost memories.

1. Cowboy Bebop

The main features of Cowboy Bebop include an incredible plot, a group of outlaws and their adventures, gun fights, and deep characters with troubled pasts. Does it ring a bell?

Cowboy Bebop is basically Black Lagoon in space. You can’t go wrong with it.

Set in a not-too-distant future where inter-spatial travel is the norm and Mars is a vital part of human life, the show follows a group of bounty hunters, or cowboys, as they chase down intergalactic outlaws.

Meet Spike Spiegel, a bounty hunter, in the year 2071, and witness Spike’s many talents and abilities in hand-to-hand combat and martial arts, garnering a reputation as one of the strongest fighters in the universe.

He chases criminals with his partner, Jet Black, and together they team up with a con artist, a child hacker, and a Welsh Corgi to form a bizarre family.

But when an old enemy comes back into Spike’s life, he must now choose between his past and his newfound family.