Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade is a gem of Japanese animation produced by the genius Mamoru Oshii.
It combines an alternate history/Sci-Fi setting with a plot rich in moral undertones, serving as a strong critique of war, its consequences and the people who perpetrate it.
While we know that replicating such a high-quality mix isn’t easy, we’ve put together a list of the best anime like Jin-Roh for you to add to your watchlist.
Table of Contents
10. Grave of the Fireflies
Grave of the Fireflies is an anime movie without action, but it’s still a great recommendation for fans of Jin-Roh for one reason: it’s entirely centered on the theme of war, its horrors, and its terrible consequences.
This is a key theme in Jin-Roh as well, so you might want to consider adding it to your watchlist.
Grave of the Fireflies begins with the ending, directly from the death of the protagonist: it’s 1945, at Kobe Station, and a boy is starving to death amid the indifference of passersby.
The only thing he possesses is a small tin box containing bones, which an attendant will throw away. Here the ghost of the little girl appears and picks it up, soon followed by her dead brother’s spirit.
We then move 3 months earlier, still in Kobe, and we can witness the story of the main characters from the beginning.
9. Pluto
Pluto is a great anime to watch after Jin-Roh thanks to the similarities in their themes.
While their storylines differ, both anime feature plenty of action and complex topics like war, its consequences, and the darker aspects of humanity.
The central character is Detective Gesicht, tasked with probing the enigmatic murder of the robot Montblanc, celebrated for its exemplary military service in the Asiatic War.
Little does Gesicht know that a colossal and dangerous conspiracy awaits him just around the corner…
8. Armored Trooper Votoms
Armored Trooper Votoms will give you similar vibes to Jin-Roh, but with one key difference: it falls under the Hard Sci-Fi genre, unlike Jin-Roh, which is an alternate history with some light Sci-Fi elements.
But who knows if this aspect might be exactly what makes you love it even more.
After getting caught up in an illegal operation and being betrayed, the armored soldier Chirico Cuvie finds himself on the run.
That’s how Chirico ends up in Uoodo City, a haven for criminals and refugees, where he will need all his skills to survive.
7. The Big O
The Big O is basically Jin-Roh, but with the addition of mecha.
Both series explore themes of war and its consequences, morality with a touch of mystery mixed with a social critique, while The Big O has the plus of mecha battles.
If this mix intrigues you, don’t miss out on it.
Set 40 years after an incident known as The Event, which wiped out the city of Paradigm and erased its citizens’ memories.
The story follows Roger Smith, the city’s protector who uses the giant robot Big O. But as he keeps Paradigm safe, a complex web of mysteries emerges, reaching back to events from four decades ago.
6. Spriggan
Spriggan is an anime similar to Jin-Roh, but much more action-packed and fast-paced.
Both focus on themes of war, military, and terrorism, but while Jin-Roh takes its time to unfold the story, Spriggan delivers its story in a more dynamic and thrilling manner.
The narrative kicks off with the discovery of an archaeological artifact, leading to the demise of its uncoverers due to an unidentified explosion.
The Spriggans, an elite cadre of fighters affiliated with Arcam, a Japanese multinational corporation, are tasked with the responsibility of either locating these artifacts or eliminating them.
At the forefront of the story is Yu Ominae, a high school student and Spriggan possessing extraordinary fighting abilities, assigned to confront the enigma surrounding the mysterious artifact.
5. Texnolyze
Texhnolyze is a dark sci-fi anime that you will love if you are a fan of Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, without much doubt.
Both series tell dark stories with a significant focus on morality and the darker side of human nature, while they also share a slow pacing that takes its time to unfold events, making Texhnolyze a solid pick on this list.
The story takes place in the crumbling underground city of Lux, marked by a harsh conflict between 3 factions.
The conflict revolves around Raffia, a rare substance that can only be found in this dreaded city and it allows for the texhnolyze transplant of any limb with a prosthetic and more powerful one.
Ichise is at the center of the story and is an orphan boy who has become a bounty hunter by circumstances.
He was mutilated and left without a leg and arm, for them to be replaced by advanced inhuman, yet powerful technological prosthetics.
4. Mobile Suit Gundam
If you enjoyed the themes of war and its horrific consequences in Jin-Roh, you will be hard-pressed to find a series that handles these topics better than Gundam.
And yes, while we’re listing the first series for convenience, we’re actually recommending the entire franchise.
The only reason it’s not in the top 3 is because, as you already know, it has a predominant mecha component, which Jin-Roh lacks.
It has been half a century since humanity, due to overpopulation, began relocating to space colonies.
In the year 0079 of the Universal Century, Side 3, the farthest group of colonies from Earth declared themselves the Principality of Zeon and fought for independence, seeking to subdue all other space colonies.
That’s the beginning of a devastating war, that will forever alter the course of history in the universe.
3. Akira
Akira is another iconic series that is a perfect follow-up to Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, so if you are among the few who haven’t watched it yet, this might be your chance.
Despite subtle differences in plot and setting, both address similar themes such as war, its consequences, and dark moments that delve into the corruption within humanity.
In the ’80s, the city of Tokyo has been destroyed by a boy with mysterious psychic powers, and the government is forced to take him into custody as World War III rages on.
In 2019 the Japanese capital was rebuilt into a new city called Neo-Tokyo and it is riddled with crime, violence and acts of terrorism.
Tetsuo Shima, a member of a criminal gang is starting to develop weird abilities after a mysterious encounter so the government seeks to capture him to prevent another apocalypse.
2. Patlabor Movies
The Patlabor movie series is another major work by Mamoru Oshii (most of it, at least), much like Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, so it’s impossible not to recommend it.
Both series have a slow pacing that takes its time to unfold events, and their plots focus on political intrigue, warfare, and morality, so this makes it a perfect pick for Jin Roh’s fans.
Tokyo is undergoing a huge redevelopment program that involves old suburbs being demolished and human-made islands being constructed in Tokyo Bay under the Babylon Project.
This Project is known for utilizing Labors, robots created for the express purpose of doing work, giving the architects and construction crews the possibility to more efficiently progress development.
But the whole thing starts soon to go sideways when a key figure in the Project’s conception is found dead after committing suicide under mysterious circumstances.
1. Ghost in the Shell
Ghost in the Shell is for many reasons the perfect anime to watch after Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, if not the best one overall.
Firstly, it’s directed by Mamoru Oshii, the same genius behind Jin-Roh, and is arguably his most significant work.
So as expected, they share similar themes and genres, such as a Sci-Fi setting and a plot revolving around special forces working within a complex political landscape, questioning the morality of their actions.
This movie follows Major Motoko Kusanagi, a member of Public Security Section 9, in the year 2029, and an incredibly skilled agent and fighter.
She is tasked with investigating a case involving a powerful hacker, the Puppet Master, who leaves victims without memories. But as she delves deeper into the case, things get more complicated with other factions getting involved.
Along the way, Motoko is forced to confront some deep philosophical questions about her existence. As she learns more about the Puppet Master, she realizes that they hold the answers she’s been searching for.
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