Organized Crime Being Silly: 7 Anime About Yakuza

Yakuza are quite complex. On the one hand, they're criminals. On the other hand, they had some positive impact on society, quite often donning the vigilante mantle and, by being an organized crime structure, dealing with unorganized crime, thus making it easier for police. Sure thing, they still terrorized citizens, because, well, they still are criminals. But even criminals can have dramatic and interesting stories. And some of these stories can be even heightened to the comedy level. Because a mix of violence and comedy is one of the most trusty combinations in the world of anime and manga, especially in the shounen category. So here we got a list of seven shows that feature yakuza.

The Way of the Househusband

Tatsu was a ruthless, violent yakuza, aptly nicknamed The Immortal Dragon. Then he fell in love and decided to leave his yakuza life to support his hardworking wife. But that life still clings to him — it can be seen in his actions, in his acquaintances, in the situations he puts himself in because he's conditioned to react in a specific way. That, of course, leads to hilarity. The anime is based on a manga series of the same name, and there's also a live-action adaptation that was released even before the anime — and both are funny and wholesome at the same time. True love can change a lot of things, after all.

Gokusen

Yamaguchi Kumiko is the heiress of a huge Yakuza clan — a granddaughter of a boss who ended up leading the family to success. But she always dreamed of being a teacher instead of having a life full of crime — so she landed a job in a school while trying to balance two lives. She was entrusted with a class of delinquents in a boys' school, but she's quite skilled in ordering the men around and teaching them life lessons. Gokusen is a wonderful and heartwarming comedy about finding your place in life, finding your inner strength, finding trust and friends, and following your dreams. Sure, it's a comedy, but it has a big heart covered under the jokes. This one also has a live-action adaptation aside from the anime and manga.

Great Teacher Onizuka

Onizuka Eikichi was the leader of a biker gang, but he always dreamed of being the world's best teacher. So he quit the life of crime and got a job in a school. He, like Yankumi in Gokusen, ends up with a class of delinquents and mostly teaches them not his subject, but life lessons. His methods are sometimes questionable and even illegal, but they work, and the kids that were entrusted to him were able to deal with their problems with his guidance. Though sometimes this guidance led to more problems, but still. This show, like the previous two, is based on a manga and has a live-action version. The anime series was released during the production of the manga so the story may seem unfinished.

Gokudolls (Back Street Girls)

This show is a weird mix of genres, combining comedic violence with idol culture. Three yakuza members disappointed their boss, and he decided to exploit them in a quite unorthodox way: he forced them to undergo a sex change operation and become an idol unit, one that would bring in the money that they lost. Gokudolls shows that the entertainment business is not that far from the organized crime scene, but some ideological differences still create a lot of hilarious moments. The original story is a seinen manga, and there's also a live-action version of the story.

Nisekoi

It's a romantic comedy, one that explores the trope of initial hatred between those who are forced to be together. In this case, Ichigo Raku is the heir of one yakuza clan, while Kirisaki Chitoge is the daughter of the leader of the other gang. And in order to strengthen the partnership between them, the leaders use their children for an arranged marriage. But they hate each other, and they already have people they actually love! The hilarity lies in the main characters faking their relationship in front of their families and in the day-to-day yakuza-related shenanigans. A surprisingly wholesome shounen romance that is based on the manga of the same title.

Hinamatsuri

A girl named Hina literally fell on Nitta's head. Hina is a being with supernatural powers, while Nitta is an ordinary yakuza member — though he's very devoted to his clan, and after realizing that Hina's abilities can help his family strengthen its presence, he decides to keep her. Comedy comes from the interactions not only with the yakuza but also other people interested in Hina's power, and also from the fact that Hina has to use her abilities regularly in order to not to go berserk. That doesn't stop Nitta and Hina from forming a wonderful friendship, though. This one is oriented at the older audience, as the original manga was published in a seinen magazine.

Beastars

You would be surprised if you haven't watched Beastars and thought it was just a show with anthropomorphic animals as its main characters trying to showcase the hyperbolized societal issues that we actually face in our reality. But the first season of the anime devoted a lot of time to a certain yakuza syndicate, full of action and drama and some relatable moments. Though not funny, this take on yakuza is still very interesting. And the manga is already finished.