15 Best Western Anime of All Time to Shock You

In the realm of storytelling and cinema, the Western genre is often associated with narratives set during the latter part of the 19th century and early 20th century in the American West, a period sometimes referred to as the “Old West” or the “Wild West.” However, this definition has broadened over time, and the genre isn’t confined strictly to that era. Several anime series exemplify this flexibility, serving as our list of the 15 best Western-themed anime of all time.

15. CLAYMORE

Original Run: April 4, 2007 – September 26, 2007
Number of Episodes: 26

Claymores are unique warriors who possess both human and demonic traits. They’re summoned by villages to ward off threats like demons. Known for their silver eyes and the massive swords they bear on their backs, humans often refer to them as “silver-eyed witches” or “Claymore,” after the kind of sword they wield. Claire is one such Claymore warrior.

She was summoned to a village to eradicate demons that were terrorizing and consuming its inhabitants. After slaying the second-to-last member of a nearly wiped-out family who had transformed into a beast, only one survivor remained – Raki. Alone, he chose to join her on her murderous escapades, taking up the role of a cook. Over time, he uncovers the mysteries and tragic fates surrounding these unique women.

14. Neon Genesis Evangelion

Original Run: October 4, 1995 – March 27, 1996
Number of Episodes: 26

2000 saw a massive explosion in Antarctica, which was officially attributed to an asteroid’s fall. This catastrophe led to a significant rise in sea levels and caused widespread destruction across the globe, resulting in the loss of approximately 2 billion lives and instigating another global conflict.

After a span of fifteen years, humanity has managed to recover from the catastrophic occurrence known as the “Second Impact”. However, enigmatic colossal beings, the Angels, emerge and try to devastate Tokyo-3, the modern fortified city that serves as the new capital of Japan.

In response to this threat, the clandestine group known as NERV has engineered colossal humanoids with a mechanical appearance, which they call “Evangelions” or “EVAs”. Unaware of his role, 14-year-old Shinji Ikari is summoned by his long-absent father, the head of NERV in Tokyo-3. Without realizing it, he’s been brought there to pilot an EVA and engage in combat against the “Third Angel”.

13. El Cazador de la Bruja

Original Run: April 2, 2007 – September 24, 2007
Number of Episodes: 26

A seasoned tracker named Nadie has been assigned to locate Ellis, a youthful girl whose reward for capture has been set. As for Ellis, she’s a young girl struggling with amnesia and a tumultuous past, currently under the care of a fortune teller. She appears to possess unusual abilities.

Following the discovery of Ellis, Nadie is tasked with her care, and together they make a hasty escape towards the southern region. A pack of bounty hunters pursues them closely, but the only clue they have to guide them is an Incan gem and the cryptic phrase: “Wiñay Marca”.

12. Coyote Ragtime Show

Original Run: July 3, 2006 – September 18, 2006
Number of Episodes: 12

In a dramatic turn of events, the notorious space pirate captain known as Bruce met his end at the hands of Madame Marciano, leader of the intergalactic criminal syndicate. His last testament revealed that his teenage daughter, Franca Dockley, inherits a staggering ten billion dollars, secretly stored in an intricate safe within the planet Graceland. Unfortunately, Graceland is currently embroiled in civil unrest as the president of the Milky Way Federation has issued a chilling warning: he plans to destroy the planet within a week’s time.

In a nutshell, Mister – a well-known space pirate – along with his associates Bishop and Katana, as well as his age-old adversary Swamp, must collaborate with Franca to secure her inheritance ahead of Madame Marciano (who commands a dozen deadly androids) or the private detective Angelica Burns. The objective is to prevent Graceland from being destroyed in the process.

11. The Big O

Original Run: October 13, 1999 – March 23, 2003
Number of Episodes: 26

During an enigmatic occurrence, later dubbed “the incident”, every resident of Paradigm City experienced a memory loss. This event effectively wiped out the recollections of past atrocities associated with wars for everyone. However, it’s important to note that the incident didn’t affect everyone equally – robots from the past have started reappearing, these being ancient war machines primed to stir up chaos once more.

In times of need, it’s only Roger Smith, a versatile negotiator, who stands as the guardian for his people. Should challenges arise, he has access to an incredibly potent resource: The Big O, a colossal robot, an ancient artifact hailing from the bygone days of Paradigm City.

10. GUN×SWORD

Original Run: July 4, 2005 – December 26, 2005
Number of Episodes: 26

In the tale titled “GUN×SWORD“, there’s a solitary protagonist named Van, who embarks on a relentless pursuit of a shrouded figure, possessing an artificial hand adorned with talons. This figure tragically murdered his bride-to-be on the day they were to be wed. Simultaneously, “GUN×SWORD” is the narrative of Wendy, a young girl introduced at the outset of the series who falls victim to ruffians. As the story unfolds, Wendy’s search for her missing brother becomes increasingly intertwined with Van’s quest, as we later discover that this brother has gone astray in the company of the man Van is tracking down.

9. Ghost in the Shell

Original Run: November 18, 1995 – present
Number of Episodes: Numerous series and movies

In simpler terms, “Ghost in the Shell” is a manga series with a futuristic cyberpunk feel, taking place roughly around the year 2030. The primary character is Major Motoko Kusanagi, who happens to be a cyborg, and she belongs to an elite law enforcement unit known as Section 9, tasked with combating crime in this advanced world.

In both the original manga and subsequent movie, the central plot follows the pursuit of a villainous hacker infamously called “The Puppet Master”. This mastermind manipulates individuals’ digital souls or “ghosts” within the Global Digital Network, which serves as the advanced version of the Internet in this fictional world.

As the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that the perpetrator isn’t a living individual, but rather an immaterial artificial intelligence entity, marking its first instance of self-awareness worldwide.

8. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

Original Run: October 6, 2012 – present
Number of Episodes: 164 + 17 OVA + 1 film

The narrative revolves around the Joestar clan, a powerful family of British descent who possess the ability to battle supernatural evils through their acquired powers. The story spans across multiple generations of this lineage, with each part featuring a new descendant as the main character. The journey begins in the year 1880 with Jonathan Joestar.

1 to 6 sections follow a single, flowing narrative, while 7 and 8 occur in an entirely different reality. The title’s “JoJo” is a clever portmanteau of the main characters’ names from each part, which can be shortened to “Jojo” as a nickname.

7. Hellsing Ultimate

Original Run: October 10, 2001 – January 16, 2002
Number of Episodes: 13 (+10 OVA episodes)

As a passionate cinephile, I’ve always found myself drawn to the enigmatic Royal Knights of Protestant Order, a venerable family residing in the heart of London. Headed by the esteemed Abraham Van Helsing, these knights have carried on an age-old tradition of confronting entities that typically remain hidden from the ordinary eye – creatures such as vampires, ghouls, and any other non-human beings often referred to as “monsters”.

The Organization maintains its activities under heavy secrecy and has functioned as a covert military group serving under her Majesty for quite some time. Heading this organization is Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, a lineal descendant of the original Lord Hellsing. Despite her young age, she finds herself thrust into leadership of the Order at an early stage.

In a weakened state, nearing his end, Arthur, her father, instructs her that if she ever senses danger, she should head towards the basement of the mansion, as it contains something capable of providing protection for her.

6. RWBY

Original Run: July 18, 2013 – present
Number of Episodes: 106

The story unfolds in the imaginary realm of Remnant, where young people learn to combat supernatural beings known as Grimms at Beacon Academy. According to ancient lore, humans stumbled upon a powerful resource called Dust during their struggle against their adversaries. This energy source enables them to create weapons and cast spells capable of defeating Grimm creatures. Since then, Dust has been crucial in shaping the progress of Humans on Remnant.

The story unfolds around team RWBY, a group of four young girls who are hunter trainees at Beacon Academy. Each girl’s initial forms their team name: Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long. Their allies include the JNPR, SSSN, CRDL, and CFVY teams, as well as other students from the academy. The narrative starts when Ruby Rose comes to the town of Vale to attend school there.

5. Desert Punk

Original Run: October 4, 2004 – March 28, 2005
Number of Episodes: 24

The Earth bears the scars of an ancient battle, with the vast Kanto Desert now under control of looters and lawlessness. A renowned bounty hunter known as Sunabozu, or “the Demon of the Desert,” roams this area. He’s hailed as the best in his field and is skilled in various gadgets. Despite being small, cruel, stingy, and petty, Sunabozu has a moral compass that guides him through the savage world he inhabits.

4. Gungrave

Original Run: October 7, 2003 – March 30, 2004
Number of Episodes: 26

The narrative unfolds as a truck is encompassed by creatures resembling humans, yet they’re far from ordinary. Inside this predicament are a scientist and a young girl. They find themselves in a precarious predicament. Luckily, the scientist manages to rouse Brandon, a formidable figure who, with his two colossal weapons (Cerberus), swiftly eliminates the horde of monsters. However, the question remains: why were they attacked? What are the backstories of our main characters? And who is Brandon, alias “Beyond the Grave”? These mysteries gradually unravel as we delve into a lengthy flashback detailing the lives of two young men navigating their way through the crime-ridden underworld that governs their town.

3. Outlaw Star

Original Run: January 8, 1998 – June 25, 1998
Episodes: 26

In the epoch known as the Stellar Age, numerous solar systems became accessible to interstellar travel. Among the wandering communities, there’s a niche group that has chosen a life of bounty hunting – apprehending criminals for substantial rewards. I, along with my partner Jim Hawking, are part of this elite group, and we find ourselves on a mission to safeguard Captain Hilda, who is accompanied by an android.

Melfina is the sole pilot of a spaceship known as “XGP-15A II”, later famously called “Outlaw Star”. This spacecraft has attracted the attention of the ruthless Kei Pirates too. Following Hilda’s demise, Melfina will be joined by Aisha Clanclan – a cat-eared adventurer, and Suzuka – a deadly samurai known as “Twilight”, who also become space hunters with her.

2. Trigun

Original Run: April 1, 1998 – September 30, 1998
Number of Episodes: 26

In the far-off future, humanity has depleted Earth’s natural resources completely, leaving us no choice but to relocate to a fiercely inhospitable planet that’s constantly bathed in the light of two stars.

In this television series, the setting and lifestyle depicted reflect the time when the Western frontier was being conquered. Remnants of sophisticated technology, remnants from a previous age, stand in stark contrast to the simple way of life of the people. As new discoveries are made, a name linked to the devastation of a city with over a million inhabitants, known as July, stirs fear and whispers among everyone.

It hails from Vash the Stampede, a being often likened to a human-like hurricane due to the devastation it leaves in its wake. Its true nature and intent remain a mystery to all.

1. Cowboy Bebop

Original Run: April 3, 1998 – June 26, 1998
Number of Episodes: 26

By the year 2071, the team aboard spaceship Bebop journeys through our solar system, chasing rewards for capturing fugitives. In the vernacular of that era, these bounty hunters were known as “cowboys”. Each episode typically centers around a reward, but the narrative primarily delves into each character’s history and broader ancient events that gradually intertwine as the series unfolds.

As a cinephile, I find myself drawn to the captivating narrative of Spike Spiegel, once an associate of the criminal syndicate known as the Red Dragons. A haunting love triangle from his past with my old comrade in arms, Vicious, and the enigmatic Julia continues to echo within me, casting a long shadow over this ex-convict’s life.

2025-06-06 19:47