Organized crime often features a lot in thriller stories, and no criminal organization is more utilized than the mafia, particularly the organizations that originated in Italy. Though they are often used as antagonists in most stories, they can also be used as the main characters, such as in the landmark film series The Godfather.
While anime often features yakuza, the Japanese equivalent of the mafia, there are plenty of anime that feature the mafia instead, whether it be historically accurate or entirely fictional. Here are some anime that heavily feature the mafia in their stories.
6 Noir
Two young female assassins, Kirika Yuumura and Mireille Bouquet, meet by coincidence and realize they have a strange connection that neither of them can understand. In order to discover the secrets hidden in their pasts, they start performing jobs under the codename "Noir." They soon begin to realize that there is more to their connection than they thought.
Noir is a thriller series based around two girls' search for their pasts. While the mafia does not make a major appearance in the series, it does play a large role in Mireille's backstory. She was the daughter of a Corsican mafia family, and the massacre of her entire family is the catalyst that sent her on the path of an assassin. It is the story behind the family's murder that drives her to undertake this journey with Kirika.
5 Black Lagoon
Black Lagoon is a series thoroughly concerned with the underworld, so it's not a surprise that an Italian mafia organization would appear here as well. The organization is known as Cosa Nostra, and it is only one of many different criminal organizations trying to assert control in Roanapur.
Cosa Nostra's Thai branch is initially led by Verrocchio, who tried to use the child assassins Hansel and Gretel to kill Balalaika. After his death, he was replaced by Ronnie the Jaws, who is not as brash or impulsive as Verrochio but just as vicious and cruel. Though Ronnie's role in the anime is limited due to how late he appears, he proves his merit as a mafia leader in many of the later manga arcs.
4 Reborn!
Tsunayoshi "Tsuna" Sawada is a wimpy, weak-willed young boy who one day learns that he has been chosen to become the tenth boss of the Vongola Family, as one of his ancestors was the First Vongola boss, who came to Japan after retiring. He is being tutored by the legendary hitman Reborn, who has the appearance of a baby but the skill of an adult. Reborn empowers Tsuna by shooting him with "Dying Will Bullets," which grants him the resolve and determination to carry out his dying wishes.
Reborn!started off as a comedy series, but over time it quickly turned into a supernatural action series full of strange powers and incredible abilities. Despite the change in focus, Reborn! remains a story centered around the Vongola Family and the destiny of its future boss. The Vongola Family may not be a real mafia family, but the series is still fun to watch for fans of shonen action anime.
3 91 Days
In the Lawless district, Angelo Lagusa's entire family is killed by the Vanetti Family. After escaping and living a new life as Avilio Bruno, he is called back to the Lawless district in order to act out his revenge. His plan starts with him infiltrating the Vanetti Family and befriending the Don's son, Nero. Though Avilio is successful in doing this, will he be able to carry out his revenge as he planned?
91 Days is a historical thriller series set in the Prohibition Era, during a time when the Italian Mafia was historically quite strong. While the events of 91 Days are purely fictional, that historical background gives the series a lot of room to tell a thrilling and exciting crime story.
2 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is known for being composed of multiple parts with a different protagonist taking the lead for each part. In the case of Part 5, also known as Golden Wind, the story follows Giorno Giovanna, a young man and son of Dio who lives in Italy. Giorno admires gangsters ever since he was saved by one and one day wants to become a "Gang-star" himself.
After getting into a few altercations with the local mafia, Giorno eventually ends up joining the mafia group Passione. After becoming a subordinate of Bruno Bucciarati, Giorno goes on a journey to bring the boss's daughter to meet him, fighting Stand Users all the way there. Despite the change in locale, JoJo fans can certainly expect more of what they loved about previous parts.
1 Baccano!
Baccano! is an interesting series that spans multiple eras and features a large ensemble cast. Most of the story revolves around an elixir of immortality discovered in the 1930s, and the lengths many of the characters will go to to retrieve it. The cast of characters spans a multitude of backgrounds, including journalists, thieves, and of course, mafia families.
Several mafia families feature in the story of Baccano!, with the Gandor and Martillo families being the most prominent. Other mafia families also make an appearance throughout the series, and other small-time gangs and organizations also make an appearance as well. The mafia families' rivalries with each other and their affiliated businesses help to form the crux of the series' story, though the story's true focus remains on the elixir of immortality.