For our ongoing series of articles depicting the best anime, our attention this time turns to bounty hunters. From outer space adventures to wacky buddy-cop series, there’s a good choice to whet your appetite. Of course, if we’ve missed any of your favorites, feel free to comment below and we’ll get them added on!
Vampire Hunter D
Vampire Hunter D offers an incredible dark fantasy setting. Everything from its environments to character designs looks astonishing. The soundtrack meshes well with the locale and gives it its spooky charm. This is definitely an anime to watch if you adore action-packed anime with astounding storytelling. Vampire Hunter D follows D, a human and vampire hybrid bounty hunter who embarks on a quest to save a princess from an evil vampire for a bountiful prize. Unfortunately, D will have to contend with other hunters who are after the same reward. Little do they know, D is not a bounty hunter to mess with. Every character receives an adamant amount of screen time in the anime. Some side characters aren’t visually appealing as D, but their mastery of unique weapons should get a kick out of action fans. There’s a lot of drama in this anime with one episode involving an incredible twist that’s built up wonderfully. If you’re a fan of dramatic mythological stores, then check out Vampire Hunter D.
Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop is a classic sci-fi adventure anime with a strong main cast and interesting storylines. This anime went on to influence many projects in the film and anime industry. With its well-choreographed action scenes and catchy soundtrack, Cowboy Bebop delivers an impeccable and timeless experience. The anime is about the daily quests of the bounty hunter Spike Spiegel and his friend Jet Black. These two travel through space in Jet’s infamous vehicle the Bebop to tackle new missions and collect money. Along the way, they’ll meet new foes and allies, who have intriguing backgrounds that slowly unravel as the series progresses. Cowboy Bebop never fails to deliver with its episodes. While some episodes may feel unimportant, this series has a way of drip-feeding fascinating details sometimes. The music in this series is groovy and soothing. Its tracks never lack spirit as some elevate the tension of certain emotionally-driven scenarios.
Trigun
Trigun is a phenomenal anime that blends hilarity and drama. It offers a complex and well-written protagonist and gun battles that’ll boost anyone’s adrenaline. The series has an episodic feel to it but tells a great narrative overall. Considering this is a product of the late 90s’, some character designs in this anime don’t hold a candle to anime produced nowadays. However, the animation holds up well, especially in scenes where landmarks, structures, and other pieces of architecture are blown to smithereens. The animation done for the gun battles are fluid and stunning, too. Trigun follows the bounty hunter Vash the Stampede, who has made quite a name for himself in his universe. There are all sorts of rumors depicting him as this merciless villain. Some claim he can flatten entire cities while others say he leaves a trail of death and despair wherever he goes. Funnily enough, most of this is false. In reality, Vash is a humble buffoon who doesn’t adore violence. He spends most of his time traveling the wasteland of his planet, Gunsmoke, with his two pals, Meryl and Milly. Unfortunately for Vash, his pacifist endeavours cease when a group of legendary assassins is summoned to take him and his friends down. This will push Vash to his breaking point and reveal elements of his terrifying past life. If you’re curious about Vash being pushed to his limit, check out Trigun.
Gunsmith Cats
Gunsmith Cats is an anime that sticks to its guns and features a fun plot that deters from its source material. This anime features a wonderfully written female cop duo. Their dynamic is one of the anime’s best features as both characters have wonderful personalities and wits about them. Our tale is about a female bounty hunter named Rally Vincent and her friend May Hopkins. They run a gun store and get blackmailed to work on a case by an obnoxious Bureau agent. While Rally’s gun-slinging skills and May’s knowledge of explosions are superb, they’ll need more than experience to solve this task. This anime’s storyline isn’t complex as it falls in line with common buddy-cop films seen today. Yet, the criminals they encounter on their mission offer many challenges and excitement. From street thugs to assassins, Rally and May have a lot to contend with, making for exciting fights and strategic battles.
Desert Punk
What if you were a bounty hunter who lived in a post-apocalyptic setting? Desert Punk is an action-adventure anime that will paint you a possible outcome. With its engaging landscapes, compelling storyline, and remarkable characters, this is an anime you shouldn’t overlook. Our tale follows Sunabouzu (Desert Punk), a masked individual who has made a name for himself in this futuristic wasteland. He’s tackled many formidable foes and completed multiple missions to attain his incredible status. Despite being an unstoppable force, his journey reaches an endearing halt when he meets a girl named Junko Asagiri. Like Sunabouzu, Junko has claimed many fortunes and completed insane tasks, earning herself the alias the Vixen of the Desert. To make matters worse, she knows Sunabouzu’s weakness around women and exploits him. Therefore, this anime delves into the companionship between Desert Punk and Junko as they take on multiple foes and participate in weird activities. Desert Punk is an action and heart-pumping anime with crude humor and splendid music. The humor stems from humorous one-liners to engaging slapstick. There are some sensual jokes thrown in the mix, but the jokes aren’t bothersome or overbearing. Fans looking for a comedic bounty hunter anime with a captivating post-apocalyptic environment should give Desert Punk a shot.
Space Dandy
Space Dandy feels like an over-the-top version of Cowboy Bebop in many ways. This anime takes place in outer space and features a slew of incredible jokes, gags, slapstick, and raunchy humor. Despite its silly nature, the show’s storyline features some great twists and turns that will keep you interested. This action-packed space adventure series follows Dandy, an energetic man that adores exploring space. His hobbies consist of locating new alien species, beating up villains, collecting bounties, making cash, and scoring dates. Alongside Dandy are his two friends QT and Meow. The former is a vacuum cleaner robot while the latter is an anthropomorphic cat. Dandy’s adventures are never bland or interesting. Viewers can expect our heroes to encounter many deadly foes and end up in goofy and bizarre situations. The aliens Dandy and his friends meet during their expedition are well-designed and highly animated. From battling evil scientists to running away from mindless creatures, this anime is an exciting and hilarious thrill ride of epic proportions.
Rage of Bahamut: Genesis
Who doesn’t love a good detective-themed show with an engrossing mystery? Rage of Bahamut: Genesis is a detective and bounty hunter-themed anime with a well-developed plot, rounded characters, and an incredible fantasy setting. Our tale takes place in the fantasy land of Mistarcia, which was once in danger of being destroyed by an ancient dragon called Bahamut. Thankfully, Mistarcia’s gods and demons came together to seal Bahamut away, bringing peace to this mystical world. To prevent him from escaping, these mythological entities sealed him inside a key and proceeded to split the key in half. We flash-forward and set our sights on our series’s bounty hunter protagonist Favaro Leone. Favaro’s living his mixed life. While he enjoys submitting bounties and receiving payment, he’s also on the run from a fellow bounty hunter named Kaisar Lidfard, who swears vengeance upon Favaro for some reason. Things go from bad to worse, when Favaro meets a woman named Amira, who holds half of the key that Bahamut’s sealed inside. With Kaisar and Amira on his back, things don’t look bright for our bounty hunter Favaro as he’ll find himself clashing with gods, demons, and others. Although its storyline starts off simple, it gradually transforms into something gravitating and grand by the anime’s end.
Black Lagoon
An adrenaline-pumping thrill ride that knows no end, Black Lagoon offers a world where the law plays no vital role. With its colorful characters, epic action scenes, and great narrative, this is an anime that packs a powerful punch. Our tale follows Rokurou Okajima, a salaryman who becomes a captive in a business negotiation scheme. His captors are a part of a pirate syndicate called the Lagoon Company. Unfortunately, his managers don’t pay to have him released, forcing Rokurou to join the Lagoon Company. As a member, Rokurou must live amongst them in the corruptive and crime-filled city of Roanapur. To make matters worse, he must learn to live alongside his new gunslinging coworker, Revy. Having to abandon his former life to survive, Rokurou must endure his new position full of high-stress situations to keep his humanity in check. Every character in this anime has a story to tell and a reason as to why they live a life of crime and punishment. Their personalities as slightly over-the-top, but likable. The action scenes are wonderfully animated and the sounds implemented during these scenes elevate each scene’s tension brilliantly. This is a show that allows you to dive into a criminal’s mindset with its bombastic cast. That alone makes Black Lagoon a worthwhile treat for fans looking for action-packed bounty hunter-themed anime.
Hyper Police
If you’re looking for a bounty hunter anime with a goofy and serious tone, Hyper Police begs for your attention. This is an anime from a bygone era, where shows weren’t afraid to feature a level of goofiness in their plot and characters. While it has some profound moments, this anime isn’t afraid to look stupid if it means getting a laugh out of its viewer. Hyper Police takes place in a world where monsters and humans live together. It follows a hybrid bounty hunter named Sasahara Natsuki, who solves cases involving monsters harming or harassing humans. Despite her half-human and half-beast origins, Natsuki tries her best to respect and understand her human and monster brethren while enforcing the law. Natsuki isn’t alone in this endeavour. She is accompanied by two werewolves named Batanen and Tommy and a Kyubi fox demon named Sakura. Batanen has a crush on Natsuki but doesn’t have the courage to confess it to her. Sakura’s plans are more devious as she wants to eat Natsuki to complete her nine-tails ritual to gain magical powers. This is an episodic anime with distinct characters. Each character harbors a different goal, ability, and personality. While the plot is episodic, the anime does a fine job at developing and showing off its characters. The animation for its time is wonderful and the action scenes inserted feel immersive and exhilarating. The soundtrack works wonderfully with the series’s tonal shifts. If you’re looking for a fun anime with hilarious characters, neat fights, and a 90’s anime-era tone, check out Hyper Police.
Outlaw Star
With its endless comedy and lighthearted tone, this 26-episode series will leave you speechless and full of glee. This anime offers a space-like adventure with several western tropes. With its action scenes and memorable characters, Outlaw Star will keep you entertained. Outlaw Star revolves around Gene Starwind, a space traveler who dreams of piloting a vehicle capable of navigating multiple planets and navigating outer space. Currently, he’s completing mundane tasks with his friend James Hawking. Suddenly, Gene and James receive a life-changing opportunity that will allow them to traverse the stars inside a spacecraft known as the Outlaw Star. Gene and James are ordered to protect a mysterious girl named Melfina by a treasure hunter named Rachel Sweet. Although Gene will be able to fulfil a lifelong dream with this task, he’ll also realize that outer space travel is not without dangers and issues. While Gene becomes a grand adventurer by the series’s conclusion he doesn’t start off as an enjoyable protagonist. He appears stubborn and repulsive, often complaining about little things that strike a nerve with him. However, he will develop a change of heart and feel like a shadow of his former self. An amazing world filled with unique creatures and formidable bounty hunters awaits you in this anime. Each world leaves you with a wonderful impression, and the animation studio behind this series did a spectacular job bringing it to life. So, there we have it, our picks for the best anime through the years about bounty hunters! What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
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