Although it’s an American concept, the Wild West themes of lawless lands, bounty hunters, and cowboy elements are something that has been adapted by many other mediums, including anime. While Japan has no direct equivalent to the Old West, the anime industry has reimagined its rugged landscapes and characters in creative ways over the years.
Few series lean towards classic cowboy tropes, while others adapt the Western aesthetic with genres like sci-fi, fantasy, and even steampunk. Set in lawless lands, these anime take the concept of the Wild West and just make it their own. Consider Cowboy Bebop, a classic example of a near-perfect western-inspired story that has further inspired a lot of series over the years.
10 Grenadier
Pacifistic Take On The Cowboy Genre
Grenadier may just be like an average action-adventure show, but once you sit down to watch it, it really captures your attention. The story s Rushuna Tendo, a sharpshooter who, with her pacifist philosophy, chooses to fight her enemies with kindness rather than bullets, though she’s more than capable of handling a fight when needed.
The anime takes clear inspiration from classic Westerns, with dusty towns and wandering cowboys clearly visible in its background. What makes the show even better is Rushuna’s philosophy of nonviolence, where he finds a way to solve his problems without needless bloodshed.
9 Wild Arms: Twilight Venom
Wild West Adaption Of A Game Series
Animated by Bee Train Studios in 1999 to be aired on the WOWOW network, Twilight Venom was directly adapted from the Wild Arms video game series. For this series, the show’s creators fully acknowledge the Western aesthetic, with those classic shootouts that are like the cherry on top.
The series s the story of Sheyenne Rainstorm, a guy in search of his true identity. The anime perfectly pairs magic with technology while staying true to its fantastical Wild West setting. In short, Twilight Venom delivers everything you’d want from a Western-themed anime.
8 Gun Frontier
The Adventures Of Harlock And Tochiro
Adapted from the original manga of the same name written by Leiji Matsumoto, the anime series Gun Frontier is a gritty, classic Western with a Japanese animation style.
Being a spin-off tale of an already established character, Captain Harlock, Gun Frontier retells the adventures of Harlock as he travels with his best friend, Tochiro, across the Old West frontier in search of a lost Japanese immigrant clan. To make its plot different from the usual Western-inspired anime, the show’s creators kept the animation similar to an old-school spaghetti Western, but in anime form.
7 El Cazador De La Bruja
Studio Bee Train’s Western Road Trip Adventure
The Hunter of the Witch, better known as El Cazador de la Bruja, might just be Studio Bee Train’s spiritual successor to the anime series Noir and Madlax. El Cazador de la Bruja is a road-trip adventure that s Nadie, a bounty hunter, and Ellis, a mysterious girl with supernatural abilities, both travelling across Mexico to learn more about Ellis’s past.
While they travel through the country, the show’s cinematography delivers a beautiful Western feel with its barren lands belonging to bounty hunters and fugitives. All episodes are produced at a pace much slower than traditional Western shows, which makes you enjoy the story as it develops.
6 Gun X Sword
A Space-Western Tale Of Revenge
West Wilds is known for revenge stories, and Gun X Sword delivers just exactly that. The story s Van, a swordsman who is out there to hunt down the man who murdered his fiancé.
Set on the Planet of Endless Illusion, a home to outlaws, the show’s worldbuilding makes it feel ripped straight from a classic Western, but sci-fi elements such as its space setting balance it with their futuristic touch. On top of that, Van’s revenge filled with violence and betrayals makes you want to sit with a packet of popcorn to enjoy the plot.
5 Desert Punk
Misadventures Of the Cowboy, Desert Punk
Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, Desert Punk feels like an anime reimagining of Mad Max with Western influences. The show s Kanta Mizuno, aka Desert Punk, a mercenary traveling through the harsh terrain of the Great Kanto Desert, taking on odd jobs for his survival.
Unlike traditional cowboy heroes, Kanta is self-serving and a bit of a scoundrel, making him a very different protagonist in this Western world. His misadventures are both hilarious and action-fused and, while he isn’t the most noble cowboy, he’s certainly one of the most entertaining.
4 Outlaw Star
Space Opera Meets Japanese Animation
Space and the Wild West might seem like two concepts that are way different from one another, but Takehiko Itō’s Outlaw Star pairs them quite well. The show s Gene Starwind, a rogue who stumbles into a cosmic treasure hunt with his crew of bounty hunters on an intergalactic ship called the Outlaw Star.
The show introduces its characters and setting with Wild West’s themes of freedom and the struggle against oppression, yet it also adds a traditional Japanese twist to it. Gene himself wears the shoot-first cowboy trope, but his character development throughout the series makes him a very well-written character.
3 Baccano!
An Interconnected Wild West Anime For Criminals
Though it leans more toward Prohibition-era America than the traditional Wild West, Baccano still has the themes of western badlands. The series s multiple intersecting storylines of gangsters, thieves, and alchemists all connected by some grand event.
The series over the years has gathered a lot of praise due to its non-linear storytelling and a constantly changing point of view. However, Baccano also fits into the Western mold due to its chaotic pacing and morally ambiguous characters, as there are no clear-cut heroes, just criminals and thieves trying to survive.
2 Trigun
Tale Of A Pacifist Outlaw In The Old West
Few anime come close to Trigun in terms of its Wild West setting and worldbuilding. Set on the desert planet of Gunsmoke, the story s Vash the Stampede, a legendary outlaw with a bounty so high that entire towns tremble at his name.
Although he has such a terrible reputation, Vash is a pacifist who avoids killing at all costs, making him look like an odd fit in the Western world. The anime’s attempt to give its viewers an action ride with deep philosophical themes about violence and redemption makes it a must-watch for any Western fan.
1 Cowboy Bebop
A Near-Perfect Cowboy Anime Show
Cowboy Bebop may take place in space, but at its core, the show is pure Western. The series s a crew of bounty hunters led by Spike Spiegel, a former member of a criminal syndicate constantly running from his past.
The show borrows heavily from classic Westerns, be its chases, dusty space saloons and even shootouts that wouldn’t feel out of place in a Clint Eastwood movie, all supported by a beautiful Jazz soundtrack. Every character, especially Spike, fits right into the Old West, making Cowboy Bebop one of the finest attempts at anime and cowboy storytelling.
