Top 10 Hip Hop Themed Anime to Watch

Here are the 10 Best Anime with Hip Hop Themes

Hey everyone, and welcome back to BakaBuzz. If you have ever wanted to see anime related to gangs and hip hop, well this is definitely the right article to uncover, because today we’re going to be looking at the world of hip hop and gangs as depicted by anime.

10. Akira

At the start of our list, at number 10 we have Akira. If you’ve seen this anime, you’re probably thinking that it doesn’t belong on this list. Akira is a movie about a boy with psychic powers, set in Japan in 1988, an explosion in Tokyo leads to world war 3.

The story picks up again in 2019, when we follow the main characters in a biker gang.

Why is this related to hip hop? Well, even though there are not any scenes directly related to it, hip hop originally came about around the 1970s in New York, and specifically has a lot of ties to the gangs of the time.

Seeing as this anime starts off the list, I thought it would be good to start off with something that connects with the start of hip hop in general.

9. Michiko & Hatchin

Next up at number 9, we have Michiko & Hatchin. Again, going back to the origin of hip hop from gangs, this anime shows the life of a criminal by the name of Michiko Malandro.

She is on a manhunt for a man from her past, and this news eventually gets to the ears of a criminal syndicate, and this leads to the anticipation of lots of gang violence.

Classified as an action and adventure anime, it was first released in October of 2008, and is 22 episodes long.

8. Tokyo Tribe 2

Before you all ask, no there is no Tokyo Tribe 1, but this anime is also known as either Tokyo Tribes, or Tokyo Tribe 2.

I’m sure you’re seeing a trend now, but we’re still looking at the gang aspect of the origin of hip hop, looking at different clans constantly at war with each other.

This hip hop anime is relatively old, first being released in November of 2006, and falling into categories like action and drama.

7. Tonkatsu DJ Agetarou

Moving on to the actual music side of things, we follow the main character Agetarou who is by chance exposed to the world of DJs and nightclubs.

He goes through the anime developing his DJ skills as well as his already good cooking skills, and aspires to master both aspects of his life.

He tries to forge his own path for his life, while still carrying responsibilities for his family. Originally released in April of 2016, this anime is a comedy generally aimed at younger audiences.

6. Great Pretender

Great Pretender. Moving upwards from the gangs and the violence they bring, we look to a different
class of crime.

In this anime we start looking at the artistry of scams and cons. The main character named Edamame goes through his life scamming people to get money, although it takes a rather unfortunate turn when he is scammed himself.

He tries to maintain his reputation by challenging his rival to see who the better scammer is, however their target is definitely someone you do not want to mess around with.

This anime was released in June of 2020, this year, and is still currently airing and is filled with action, comedy and mystery.

5. Zombieland Saga

Next at number 5 we have Zombieland Saga. This anime follows Sakura Minamoto who has a dream of becoming a famous idol, this however seems out of reach when she abruptly dies.

Does she stay dead though? Of course not. She is resurrected as a zombie, with no recollection of her past life, however she is partnered with other zombie girls to form an idol group eventually named Franchouchou.

Compared to the previously mentioned anime on this hip hop list, there is actually a scene with a rap battle in episode 2 which is literally named “I Love Hip Hop”.

If this doesn’t qualify Zombieland Saga for this position on this list, I don’t know what else to say.

4. Afro Samurai

This is a story about a boy named Afro, who witnesses his father’s murder, and trains and fights to become the greatest samurai.

After he becomes the second greatest samurai he is allowed to challenge number 1, this however doesn’t stop everyone else from challenging him.

Although this anime has a great plot, that isn’t what puts it on this list. The soundtrack of this anime is basically a mix of hip hop with Japanese pop music, and if you haven’t listened to it, I would highly recommend you do.

3. Devilman Crybaby

Coming at number 3, we have Devilman Crybaby. The story of this anime basically follows the main character as he finds himself merged with a demon, granting him the body of a demon and powers that allow him to fight other demons.

However, he has always been a bit of a crybaby, and is very sympathetic in a lot of situations.

But you’re not here to hear about the plot…this anime is, like you probably guessed filled with hip hop scenes.

Although there is only 10 episodes, that started airing in January of 2018, this anime has a few hip hop references that I’m sure viewers would pick up on.

2. Megalo Box

An anime based on boxing, the main character Joe used to throw matches even though he had
tech known as Gear to enhance his fighting abilities.

But all that changes when he is filled with determination to defeat the current champion of the boxing tournament known as Megalonia.

Once again, it is the sound track that has landed this anime in its spot, and the hip hop soundtrack combined with the violence and roughness of the anime creates an amazing atmosphere which put it into categories action, drama and sci-fi.

1. Samurai Champloo

Finally in the number 1 spot we have Samurai Champloo. This anime is by far one of the best anime in terms of incorporating hip hop culture with one of the most recognizable icons of Japan, the samurai.

The story is set in what is known as the Edo Period of Japan from 1603 to about 1870. and beyond the music being reminiscent of hip hop culture, the mannerisms of the characters, their outfits, and even fighting styles all refer to the culture of hip hop.

The first episode was released in May of 2004, and it definitely is an amazing anime.

Check Also: Top 10 Anime with the Best Animation Ever

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Thank you so much for watching and see you in the next one.