10 best anime to watch if you like Baccano!

Baccano! is a popular, cult-classic anime series set in Prohibition-era America that has garnered a dedicated fanbase over the years. With its non-linear storyline, an ensemble cast of immortals, gangsters, and thieves, along with a blend of comedy, action, and suspense, the series has become a cult favorite among anime fans.

The show grabs viewers' attention right from the start by throwing them into the middle of events as they unfold aboard a train hijacked by gangsters in 1930s America. If you're a fan of Baccano!, here are 10 other great anime series to watch next that should appeal to you.

Top 10 must-watch anime similar to Baccano!

1. Durarara!!

Durarara!! shares a very similar style and feel to Baccano!, which makes sense as they were both adapted from light novels written by Ryohgo Narita and feature some crossover characters. The story follows Mikado Ryuugamine, a young man who longs for something special in his life.

Shortly after moving to Ikebukuro, Mikado is pulled into the world of Ikebukuro's finest where he befriends some very unusual people, including a headless rider who rides a motorcycle. It has a quirky cast, supernatural elements, action, mystery, and an excellent soundtrack.

2. Cowboy Bebop

For fans who enjoy dynamic storytelling and character development, Cowboy Bebop is another great choice. This classic anime has a similar retro-futuristic atmosphere, blending science fiction with a distinctive noir style.

It follows a ragtag crew of bounty hunters aboard the spaceship Bebop as they hunt down dangerous criminals across the galaxy. Cowboy Bebop features stylish animation, engaging fight scenes, intriguing characters with mysterious backstories, and a killer jazz and blues soundtrack.

While it has a more serious overall tone than Baccano!, it still balances drama and comedy extremely well from episode to episode.

3. Bungo Stray Dogs

Set in Yokohama, the story follows Atsushi Nakajima, a young man who joins the "Armed Detective Agency" comprised of individuals gifted with superhuman abilities. Together, they take on missions involving dangerous ability users and criminal organizations.

Like in Baccano!, Bungo Stray Dogs features a large ensemble cast with interesting backstories and relationships. It has a mix of action, mystery, drama, and comedy with some lighthearted moments contrasting serious conflicts. The supernatural powers keep fights exciting and unpredictable.

Overall, viewers who were drawn into Baccano!'s character dynamics should find something to love here too.

4. 91 Days

91 Days is a historical crime drama anime with a revenge story spanning 91 days. Set during the Prohibition era, it follows Angelo Lagusa as he seeks to avenge his murdered family by infiltrating the Vanetti mafia family.

Fans of the Prohibition-era setting and mafia undertones will feel right at home with the mature tone and themes of revenge and moral ambiguity in 91 Days. This meticulous attention to historical detail immerses viewers in a world that feels real, much like how Baccano! brought its unique setting to life.

Additionally, both series build tension extremely well, with ever-present threats of betrayal and sudden violence around every corner.

5. Gangsta.

Gangsta. offers a gritty crime drama focusing on two mobsters named Worick and Nicolas operating in the city of Ergastulum. It's a tough town filled with gangs, crooked cops, and criminals hiring hitmen.

Like the immortals and mafiosos in Baccano!, the Handymen take on dangerous jobs for influential people attempting to increase their standing and territory. Gangsta. also shares a mature tone by tackling heavy themes involving drugs, abuse, violence, and murder.

The show also portrays the different fighting gangs and criminal organizations in the city, so fans who enjoy the urban organized crime aspects should consider giving Gangsta. a watch.

6. Great Pretender

Great Pretender is a fun, fast-paced anime focused on various heists and scams across the globe. Edamura Masato is an ambitious swindler who gets tricked by an infamous French con man named Laurent Thierry into joining his crew of expert scammers.

Each arc involves complex cons with clever plots to outwit their wealthy marks. Fans of Baccano! will likely enjoy Great Pretender's entertaining spectacle as the endearing crew of thieves carries out elaborate schemes full of twists and witty banter.

Great Pretender also features gorgeous overseas backdrops, ranging from Los Angeles to Singapore, as the settings for different stories. It balances drama and comedy well, boasting very stylish animation and an excellent jazz soundtrack.

7. Drifters

Drifters (Image via Hoods Drifters Studio)

Drifters is an action fantasy anime with a creative premise - it brings together famous historical warriors and military leaders from different eras and lands them in a fantasy world on the verge of war.

Some examples include Oda Nobunaga, Nasu no Yoichi, and Scipio Africanus. Transported against their will, these "Drifters" must now fight together alongside magicians and elves in this strange new land.

Like Baccano!, Drifters assembles a colorful cast of characters with very strong personalities and unique fighting abilities. It depicts their clashes with humor and over-the-top violence as they struggle to turn the tide of battle. The animation is stylish with dark tones, while also delivering exciting action sequences.

8. Joker Game

Joker Game is a historical spy thriller set before World War II in 1937 Imperial Japan. The "D Agency" consists of a group of specially-trained spies proficient in espionage, sabotage, and all manner of covert operations.

Each episode focuses on a different spy working behind enemy lines to complete dangerous missions critical to Japan's interests, while Joker Game also captures the 1930s aesthetic beautifully through its character designs, architecture, technology, and fashion.

Fans of Baccano! who enjoyed the historical setting and seeing characters use their individual talents should find plenty to like in Joker Game's tense stories of subterfuge and deception.

9. Dororo

Dororo (Image via MAPPA/Tezuka Productions)

Dororo is an action-packed samurai anime focused on supernatural conflicts and swordplay in feudal Japan.

It follows a skilled young swordsman, Hyakkimaru, who roams the countryside slaying demons as he searches for the 48 body parts that were stolen from him at birth by devils. He is accompanied by a plucky thief boy named Dororo.

Along with plenty of intense fight scenes, Dororo weaves thought-provoking themes by examining the moral complexities behind Hyakkimaru's path of vengeance similar to Baccano!. The anime also boasts a unique style with striking visuals and landscapes.

10. Baccano! Specials

Baccano! Specials (Image via Brain's Base)

As one final recommendation, don't forget about the Baccano! specials! These three bonus episodes provide additional stories and insights into various characters after the main events of Baccano!.

The first special, 1933 The Slash - Cloudy to Rainy, centers on Huey Laforet's backstory, which shaped him into the calculating and eccentric villain seen in the main series.

The second episode, 1931 The Grand Punk Railroad, gives more screen time to Jacuzzi, Nice, and Nick as they work to protect their close-knit gang of delinquents.

Finally, 1931 Winter - Manchester in the Middle of Night shows what happens to Firo, Luck, and the others shortly after the climactic showdown aboard the Flying Pussyfoot train.

These specials act as an extended epilogue, providing closure while also connecting events and characters more clearly. Baccano! fans should not miss them!

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, these recommendations will give the fans some great anime series to check out next if they enjoyed Baccano! and its captivating style. Let us know your favorites! There are many other shows featuring exciting ensemble casts, historical settings, supernatural elements, and criminal underworlds waiting to be discovered by fans of this classic anime.