When they're not taking place in unique fantasy worlds all of their own making, most anime and manga generally take place in Japan. This isn't too much of a surprise; most manga and anime creators are Japanese, so it's not too strange that they would want to set their story in the country that they live in.
Some anime, however, take the leap over the sea to the United States, where it has an entirely different culture and background. There can be some difficulty in properly capturing the essence of a character raised in America from the perspective of a Japanese person, but there are cases when it has been done very well. Here are some great anime that take place in the United States.
10 Kaleido Star
Sora Naegino travels to Cape Mery, California for the sake of one goal: to become a part of Kaleido Stage, a legendary circus troupe that she has been a fan of since she was a child. While she is looked down upon by the other members initially, Sora does her best to prove she has what it takes.
Kaleido Star is a drama about a young girl working as a circus performer. While the city of Cape Mery is fictional, the story is still definitively set within the real California.
9 Red Garden
Four girls at a private school - Kate, Rachel, Rose, and Claire - all wake up one day unable to remember the events of last night. In addition, they find out that their mutual friend Lise has mysteriously died. As they unravel the mystery behind their friend's death and their missing memories, they learn that they have become undead immortals, and must use their new supernatural abilities to fight off monsters.
Red Garden is a supernatural thriller that takes place in New York City, specifically Roosevelt Island. The series is dark and philosophical, with the main characters worrying about the fact that they are no longer human.
8 Takt Op. Destiny
After a black meteorite struck the Earth, mysterious monsters called D2s began attacking wherever music was being played, forcing the world to put a ban on playing music. To destroy the D2s and bring back peace to the world, Conductors work with Musicarts to fight them using the power of music.
Takt Op. Destiny is an anime based on an upcoming mobile game with its own unique story. The anime follows Takt as he takes his Musicart Destiny across the United States to New York so that her unstable condition can be fixed.
7 Gunsmith Cats
19-year-old Irene "Rally" Vincent works as a gun shop owner with her friend "Minnie" May Hopkins. However, this is only a front: Rally and Minnie are actually bounty hunters, with Rally being a crack shot and skilled driver while Minnie is an explosives expert.
Gunsmith Cats is a classic "girls with guns" anime from the 90s, taking place in the city of Chicago. Rally and Minnie's adventures often feature them fighting against runaway fugitives and violent crime organizations.
6 91 Days
After losing his family in a mafia dispute, Angelo Lagusa abandons the Lawless district and changes his name to Avilio Bruno. Though he tries to live a new life, he decides to return to the district when he receives a note telling him to get his revenge.
91 Days is an anime centered around a crime drama, taking place during Prohibition Era America. While the historical aspect of the series is certainly interesting, the most appealing aspect of the series is its story of revenge and betrayal.
5 Chrono Crusade
Demons and Devils swarm the world, and it's the job of the Order of Magdelene to exorcise them. Rosette Christopher is one such exorcist, and carries out her job with her trusty partner Chrono, though he is a demon himself. Together they search for Rosette's missing brother Joshua, who was taken by the Sinner Aion.
Chrono Crusade is a supernatural action seriesset in the United States during the Roaring Twenties. Despite being set in a historical period, Chrono Crusade focuses less on those aspects and more on the supernatural elements of devils and demons.
4 Pet Shop Of Horrors
In Los Angeles' Chinatown, there is a strange pet shop owned by the mysterious Count D. While many are attracted to the bizarre pets sold in this shop, they are rarely prepared for the consequences of owning such strange creatures.
Pet Shop of Horrors is a classic horror anime from the 90s. It is episodic in nature, with each story centered around a particular customer and the pet they are drawn to. Being a horror anime, it is normal to expect most of these stories to have bad endings.
3 Banana Fish
Seventeen-year-old Ash Lynx is a young gang leader struggling to take care of his older brother Griffin, who is in a vegetative state. One night, Ash encounters a man who tells him to "seek banana fish" before dying. Intrigued by the course of events that led him to this bizarre phrase, Ash begins to investigate "banana fish," not realizing the maelstrom of crime and conspiracy he has stepped into.
Banana Fish is a classic crime drama from the 80s, taking place in New York City, one of the biggest cities in the United States. The series is evocative of many similar crime dramas with the same setting, though it has many aspects that also set it apart.
2 Baccano!
In 1930, an alchemist manages to create an immortality elixir, only to have it stolen. The existence of the elixir begins to spur people of multiple factions to action, with mafia gangs, journalists, thieves, and more joining the fray to get their hands on eternal life.
Baccano! is one of the most eclectic anime series, featuring a variety of ensemble characters living in a variety of different eras. While it jumps from location to location, the meat of the story mostly takes place in the United States.
1 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean
The sixth part of the incredibly popular JoJo's Bizarre Adventure follows the daughter of Jotaro Kujo, Jolyne, as she is wrongfully imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit. As she adjusts to prison life and survives with her newly-acquired Stand powers, Jolyne stumbles on a conspiracy that could change the fate of the world itself.
Stone Ocean takes place in Green Dolphin Street Prison, which is located in Florida. Stone Ocean is actually the second JoJo part to take place in America: Part 2 featured Joseph Joestar spending time in America as well, though he soon moved to other parts of the world.