Best Anime Inspired By Western Comics

Summary

• Anime and Western comics blend storytelling and visual styles, showcasing how the superhero trope transcends borders.
• Series like Trigun and Black Lagoon draw inspiration from classic Western comic themes, creating unique narratives.
• Shows like Samurai Flamenco and My Hero Academia pay homage to Western comics, blending elements in their storytelling.

Anime and Western comics may seem like different modes of entertainment but, over the years, the two have influenced one another in surprising ways. While a good deal of anime borrow storytelling methods and styles from comics, some take direct inspiration from classic superhero tropes, adapting their story into Japanese animation.

This mix of anime and Western comic styles also proves that a superhero story is a universal trope that transcends borders and can evolve in different ways. Whether through official collaborations or reinterpretations, these series always show a fusion can exist between the stories of the East and West.

10

Trigun

Based On The Classic Pacifist Hero Trope

At first sight, the comedy-sci-fi animated series Trigun feels like a spaghetti Western in an anime setting. However, its themes of justice, redemption, and outlaws roaming a lawless land are straight out of classic American comics.

The anime’s protagonist, Vash the Stampede, with his flashy red coat and pacifist principles, mirrors the reluctant hero archetype in characters like Spider-Man, who is powerful but unwilling to take lives. Moreover, the creator, Yasuhiro Nightow, has openly cited his love for Western stories, an influence evident in all of his productions.

9

Black Lagoon

Feels Like A Lara Croft Comic By Quentin Tarantino

If Black Lagoon was a Western graphic novel, it wouldn’t feel out of place. The series takes heavy inspiration from crime comics, action films, and antihero-driven plots.

With a cast of mercenaries, smugglers, and killers, it welcomes the same lawless energy seen in the works of creators like Quentin Tarantino. Revy, the gun-slinging lead, feels like an anime counterpart to a badass comic book lady, much like Lara Croft. On top of that, the show’s hyper-violent action and dark storytelling tell you how much it was influenced by Western media.

8

Samurai Flamenco

Starts Off As A Grounded Story And Ends Up Spiraling Out

Heavily influenced by the Tokusatsu genre, a Japanese studio created a brilliant superhero show called the Samurai Flamenco back in 2013. This series starts as a grounded story about a model who wants to be a superhero without having any powers, only for him to get spiraled into an unexpected adventure.

The show’s protagonist, Masayoshi Hazama, is clearly inspired by Western masked vigilantes like Batman and Daredevil, though the show itself constantly subverts expectations. What begins as a street-level hero story slowly turns into a crime adventure with giant monsters, secret organizations, and even government conspiracies.

7

The Big O

Mecha-Noir Anime Which Feels Like A Batman Spin-off

Blending noir detective stories with giant robots, The Big O feels like Batman: The Animated Series reimagined as an anime. The show is set in a dystopian city named Paradigm City, where people have lost their memories.

The anime’s protagonist, Roger Smith, is a suave negotiator who works as a mech pilot. His black suit, calm personality, and underground dealings scream classic comic book heroes. The show’s heavy shadows and Art Deco cityscapes are clear nods to Western animation, particularly Bruce Timm’s Gotham, making it one of the most interesting crossovers between anime and Western comic book aesthetics.

6

Tiger & Bunny

When Heroism Meets The Television

Superheroes being sponsored by corporations is a satire of the Western comics that The Boys made popular in recent years, but long before that, Tiger & Bunny did it first. The anime follows Kotetsu T. Kaburagi, aka Wild Tiger, a veteran hero struggling to stay relevant in a world where crime-fighting is a televised spectacle.

While the series respects the Western superhero tropes, it also deconstructs them, questioning what happens when heroism is treated as entertainment. Due to a perfect balance of comic book action and a character-driven story, the series was such a hit that even a Hollywood live-action show was later announced.

5

One-Punch Man

One Has An Obsession With Superhero Comics

Like all of One’s productions, One-Punch Man also uses the Western superhero formula. Unlike traditional hero stories, who struggle against their rivals, Saitama defeats every opponent with a single punch, turning classic comic book tropes into a satire story.

Creator ONE has acknowledged the influence of American superheroes, like Superman, but One-Punch Man takes a more comical approach to poke fun at power scaling and the existential boredom of being too strong. Despite being a parody, the series still delivers incredible action pieces that rival anything seen in Western superhero media.

4

Cowboy Bebop

A Space-Western Inspired By Western Tropes

A space-western with a jazz-fueled soundtrack, Cowboy Bebop draws its inspiration from Western media such as classic noir films, spaghetti Westerns, and comic books.

The show follows the story of bounty hunters who travel through space in hopes of a better payday. The episodic nature of bounty hunting, perfectly balanced by incredible action and complex characters, feels like Western storytelling. Spike Spiegel’s confident but smart personality reminds us of Arsène Lupin, a classic comic book rogue, while the series’ world-building looks very much like Blade Runner and Moebius’ art.

3

Astro Boy

The Series That Brought Anime To The World

First published in 1952 by the God of Manga, Osamu Tezuka himself, Astro Boy became one of the most influential anime series, as it laid the foundations of the style that we know about anime today. The story centers around Astro Boy, a robot with incredible strength and flight abilities, who fights to protect the world against crime.

His design, with large eyes and a heroic stance, really shows how much it was inspired by the Western comics. The series became such a hit, that over the years, Astro Boy has gone on to influence both anime and global pop culture.

2

Heroman

Action-Packed Fusion Of Comics & Anime

Created by the legendary Stan Lee, the classical anime series Heroman is perhaps the most direct fusion of American comics and Japanese animation. The story follows an orphaned boy named Joey, who discovers a broken toy. But, upon being struck by a thunderbolt, it turns into a robot Heroman, making it the ultimate human savior against dark forces.

The series is packed with high-energy action sequences that will remind you of the superhero stories, combined with the emotional storytelling anime is known for. Though it never reached the heights of Lee’s Marvel creations, Heroman will remain a fascinating project, reminding us how comics have influenced anime.

1

My Hero Academia

A Perfect Homage To The Superhero Genre

Kohei Horikoshi has always been known for the love of American superheroes and My Hero Academia reflects this admiration in every way. The series is set in a world where people are either heroes or villains, as they possess unusual powers called Quirks.

The influence of Western comics in the show is everywhere, from the presence of a quintessential Superman-like character, All Might, to the over-the-top hero names and their costumes. Moreover, Horikoshi has even talked about his admiration for Spider-Man, which is evident in Deku’s underdog storyline. The show, though rooted in shōnen traditions, will always give you the vibes of a classic superhero comic.