Top Indigenous Cultures Anime Recommendations

ONE PIECE

Also known as ONE PIECE.

Studio: Toei Animation
Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Drama , Fantasy

Gold Roger was known as the Pirate King, the strongest and most infamous being to have sailed the Grand Line. The capture and death of Roger by the World Government brought a change throughout the world. His last words before his death revealed the location of the greatest treasure in the world, One Piece. It was this revelation that brought about the Grand Age of Pirates, men who dreamed of finding One Piece (which promises an unlimited amount of riches and fame), and quite possibly the most coveted of titles for the person who found it, the title of the Pirate King.

Enter Monkey D. Luffy, a 17-year-old boy that defies your standard definition of a pirate. Rather than the popular persona of a wicked, hardened, toothless pirate who ransacks villages for fun, Luffy’s reason for being a pirate is one of pure wonder; the thought of an exciting adventure and meeting new and intriguing people, along with finding One Piece, are his reasons of becoming a pirate. Following in the footsteps of his childhood hero, Luffy and his crew travel across the Grand Line, experiencing crazy adventures, unveiling dark mysteries and battling strong enemies, all in order to reach One Piece.

*This includes the following special episodes:
- Chopperman to the Rescue! Protect the TV Station by the Shore! (Episode 336)
- The Strongest Tag-Team! Luffy and Toriko's Hard Struggle! (Episode 492)
- Team Formation! Save Chopper (Episode 542)
- History's Strongest Collaboration vs. Glutton of the Sea (Episode 590)
- 20th Anniversary! Special Romance Dawn (Episode 907)

Tags: Pirates , Travel , Shounen , Ensemble Cast , Super Power , Found Family , Male Protagonist , Ships , Conspiracy , Tragedy , Slapstick , Prophecy , Politics , Time Skip , Royal Affairs , War , Slavery , Dystopian , Fugitive , Crime , Gods , Lost Civilization , Swordplay , Henshin , Philosophy , Cyborg , Monster Boy , Primarily Adult Cast , Shapeshifting , Anti-Hero , Food , Animals , Robots , Anthropomorphism , Skeleton , Anachronism , Guns , Desert , Medicine , Samurai , Prison , Post-Apocalyptic , Espionage , Indigenous Cultures , Drugs , Marriage , Artificial Intelligence , Kuudere , Monster Girl , Fairy , Revenge , Aromantic , Dragons , Assassins , Battle Royale , Demons , Adoption , Mermaid , Ninja , Time Manipulation , Angels , Kabuki , Dinosaurs , Kaiju , Clone , Zombie , Gender Bending , Arranged Marriage , Blackmail , Trains , Unrequited Love , Human Experimentation , Interspecies , Fake Relationship , Brainwashing

Fumetsu no Anata e

Also known as To Your Eternity.

Studio: Brain's Base
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Psychological , Supernatural

In the beginning, an "orb" is cast unto Earth. "It" can do two things: change into the form of the thing that stimulates "it"; and come back to life after death. "It" morphs from orb to rock, then to wolf, and finally to boy, but roams about like a newborn who knows nothing. As a boy, "it" becomes Fushi.

Through encounters with human kindness, Fushi not only gains survival skills but grows as a "person". But his journey is darkened by the inexplicable and destructive enemy Nokker and cruel partings with the people he loves.



Tags: Shapeshifting , Tragedy , Coming of Age , Travel , Philosophy , Agender , Rural , Ensemble Cast , Survival , Body Horror , Shounen , Medieval , Time Skip , Animals , Yandere , Gore , Orphan , Indigenous Cultures , Afterlife , Zombie , Prison , Language Barrier , Adoption , Historical , Snowscape , Memory Manipulation , CGI , Battle Royale , Demons

Mononoke-hime

Also known as Princess Mononoke.

Studio: Studio Ghibli
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Fantasy

A calm village residing in the mountains comes under attack from a demon-possessed boar one day.

Ashitaka, a young man and prince of the tribe, engages the creature in an attempt to save his village. During the battle, the boar bites him on the arm, leaving it blackened and cursed. Following his village's traditions, Ashitaka is exiled and becomes a wanderer, looking for a solution to the curse before it engulfs him.

Iron Town is a fortress under the leadership of Lady Eboshi. Through the clearing of the surrounding forests, Iron Town produces large amounts of Ironsand, used for gunpowder and other machinery. However, because of the forests destruction, nearby animal clans seek revenge led by a human girl of the Wolf clan called San.

When Ashitaka comes to Iron Town, he discovers the area consumed in battle. Horrified, he attempts to create peace and befriend the Wolf Clan. However, after the forest's eradication and the ongoing war between Human and Beast, will the Spirit of the Forest be forgiving and accept Ashitaka's request to expel his curse?

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Tags: Environmental , Mythology , Animals , Philosophy , War , Eco-Horror , Gods , Exiled , Rural , Youkai , Demons , Revenge , Wilderness , Female Protagonist , Curses , Historical , Male Protagonist , Guns , Primarily Adult Cast , Urban Fantasy , Travel , Samurai , Archery , Disability , Body Horror , Tomboy , Outdoor Activities , Gore , Indigenous Cultures , Swordplay , Kaiju , Slavery

Samurai Champloo

Also known as Samurai Champloo.

Studio: Manglobe
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy

Let's break it down. Mugen's a reckless sword-slinger with a style that's more b-boy than Shaolin. He's got a nasty streak that makes people want to stick a knife in his throat. Then there's Jin, a deadbeat ronin who speaks softly but carries a big blade. He runs game old-school style, but he can make your blood spray with the quickness. When these roughnecks bring the ruckus, it ain't good for anybody, especially them. Enter Fuu, the ditzy waitress who springs her new friends from a deadly jam. All she wants in return is help solving a riddle from her past. She and the boys are tracking the scent, but there's 99 ways to die between them and the sunflower samurai.



Tags: Travel , Swordplay , Samurai , Rural , Assassins , Historical , Martial Arts , Orphan , Female Protagonist , Gore , Anachronism , Episodic , Hip-hop Music , Primarily Adult Cast , Male Protagonist , Anti-Hero , Prostitution , Kuudere , Heterosexual , Calligraphy , Tanned Skin , Religion , Pirates , Ninja , Yakuza , Drugs , Politics , Nudity , Shogi , Language Barrier , Zombie , Baseball , LGBTQ+ Themes , Indigenous Cultures , Guns , Disability

Golden Kamuy

Also known as Golden Kamuy.

Studio: Geno Studio
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy

In the early twentieth century, Russo-Japanese War veteran Saichi “Immortal” Sugimoto scratches out a meager existence during the postwar gold rush in the wilderness of Hokkaido. When he stumbles across a map to a fortune in hidden Ainu gold, he sets off on a treacherous quest to find it. But Sugimoto is not the only interested party, and everyone who knows about the gold will kill to possess it! Faced with the harsh conditions of the northern wilderness, ruthless criminals and rogue Japanese soldiers, Sugimoto will need all his skills and luck—and the help of an Ainu girl named Asirpa—to survive.



Tags: Historical , Snowscape , Seinen , Survival , Outdoor Activities , Military , Ensemble Cast , Indigenous Cultures , Primarily Adult Cast , Food , Guns , Primarily Male Cast , War , Wilderness , Gore , Anti-Hero , Male Protagonist , Educational , Assassins , Crime , Body Horror , LGBTQ+ Themes , Episodic , Gender Bending , CGI , Archery , Twins , Torture , Transgender , Medicine , Oiran

Fumetsu no Anata e Season 2

Also known as To Your Eternity Season 2.

Studio: Drive
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Psychological , Supernatural

After seeing enough death and tragedy, the immortal Fushi secludes himself on an island, defending himself from enemy Nokkers. However, instead of attacking Fushi in isolation, Nokkers begin targeting the settlements outside of his reach in hopes of luring him out. Soon, a group known as the Guardians—led by Hisame, the descendant of the deceased warrior Hayase—finds Fushi.

Inspired by how Fushi protected Janada Island from the Nokkers years ago, the Guardians have grown a considerable following and are recognized throughout the world. Initially reluctant, Fushi allows the Guardians to accompany him to the site of the Nokkers' recent attack. In their village, Fushi meets a few valuable allies, both new and old. But as the conflict with the Nokkers only leads to more loss, Fushi must find the inner strength to face his inevitable sorrow.



Tags: Shapeshifting , War , Time Skip , Found Family , Ensemble Cast , Philosophy , Tragedy , Cult , Ghost , Religion , Body Horror , Yandere , Gore , Medieval , Crossdressing , Shounen , Animals , Gender Bending , Suicide , Historical , Zombie , Agender , Indigenous Cultures

SHAMAN KING (2021)

Also known as SHAMAN KING (2021).

Studio: Bridge
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Supernatural

On a starry night, middle-schooler Manta meets Yoh Asakura, a young shaman who has the ability to talk to spirits, and also has the ability to let them possess him to use their powers. Yoh has a heavy duty on his shoulders: he must become the Shaman King by winning the Shaman Fight, a tournament between shamans that happens only once every 500 years. Joined by his spirit medium fiancée Anna Kyouyama, his personal samurai spirit Amidamaru, and his other friends, Yoh must also face a larger evil: Hao, a powerful man who aims to create a new world with only shamans by becoming the Shaman King himself.



Tags: Ghost , Super Power , Shounen , Mythology , Urban Fantasy , Primarily Teen Cast , Reincarnation , Male Protagonist , Slapstick , Twins , Spearplay , Swordplay , Heterosexual , Religion , Revenge , Samurai , Kuudere , Necromancy , Demons , Afterlife , Youkai , Survival , Gods , Angels , Chibi , Indigenous Cultures

JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken: Steel Ball Run - 1st STAGE

Also known as STEEL BALL RUN JoJo's Bizarre Adventure 1st STAGE.

Studio: david production
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Mystery , Sports , Supernatural

The beginning of the seventh story arc in the long-running JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series.

It’s 1890, in America, the Steel Ball Run — the first horse racing championship across the North American continent — was about to begin. Johnny Joestar, once being hailed as a genius jockey, is now paralysed and lost in despair. He finds hope in the mysterious phenomena caused by Gyro Zeppeli, an outlaw aiming to win the race, and determines to participate in the 4,000 miles of grueling adventure.





Tags: Travel , Super Power , Coming of Age , Cowboys , Male Protagonist , Foreign , Seinen , Disability , Historical , Primarily Adult Cast , Conspiracy , Tragedy , Primarily Male Cast , Philosophy , Religion , Desert , Politics , Alternate Universe , Gore , Urban Fantasy , Indigenous Cultures , Rehabilitation , Heterosexual , Surreal Comedy , Coastal , Torture , Trains , Wilderness

Golden Kamuy 2nd Season

Also known as Golden Kamuy Season 2.

Studio: Geno Studio
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy

The high-stakes search for gold continues in the harsh wilderness of Hokkaido! More and more people seek the treasure map, and the race to find its living pieces is brutal as all get-out. War veteran Sugimoto and his guide to the wilds, Asirpa, are hot on the trail, and as long as they stick together through thick and thin—chitatap and miso—they’ve got a shot at finding that gold.

Tags: Primarily Male Cast , Historical , Seinen , Military , Survival , Ensemble Cast , Primarily Adult Cast , Anti-Hero , Crime , Fugitive , Indigenous Cultures , Guns , Food , Gore , Educational , Animals , LGBTQ+ Themes , Wilderness , Male Protagonist , Prison , Body Horror , Language Barrier , Nudity , Archery , Gender Bending , Transgender , Heterosexual

Wolf's Rain

Also known as Wolf's Rain.

Studio: bones
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Mystery , Sci-Fi

In some distant future, it's common knowledge that all wolves have been extinct for 200 years. However, it seems this is false as wolves have not disappeared but rather have taken human form. Kiba, a lone wolf, wanders into a city, trying to sniff out the Lunar Flowers that are supposed to lead whoever follows the scent to paradise. The source of the smell is Cheza, a girl who sleeps in what appears to be suspended animation in a lab. She and the wolves are drawn to each other, and Kiba hopes to find paradise once he finds the source of the scent of Lunar Flowers. However, once Kiba finds Cheza, she is kidnapped by a mysterious person called Darcia, and his search begins anew. Before he leaves the city, he meets 3 other wolves, Tsume, Hige and Toboe. All four wolves have very different personalities and ideas, and their friendliness towards each other is a little rough around the edges. However, they soon band together to continue to search for paradise.



Tags: Survival , Animals , Primarily Male Cast , Dystopian , Tragedy , Memory Manipulation , Found Family , Werewolf , Snowscape , Post-Apocalyptic , Primarily Adult Cast , Shapeshifting , Tanned Skin , Twins , Indigenous Cultures

Shaman King

Also known as Shaman King.

Studio: Xebec
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Drama , Supernatural

Shamans possess mysterious powers that allow them to commune with gods, spirits, and even the dead…and Manta Oyamada's about to learn all about them, because his class just welcomed a new transfer student: Yoh Asakura, a boy from way off in Izumo…and a shaman in training!



Tags: Shounen , Ghost , Super Power , Male Protagonist , Mythology , Primarily Child Cast , Twins , Reincarnation , Environmental , Primarily Male Cast , Kuudere , Swordplay , Travel , Indigenous Cultures

Golden Kamuy 3rd Season

Also known as Golden Kamuy Season 3.

Studio: Geno Studio
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy

Separated from Sugimoto, Asirpa now travels toward the Russian border, focused on discovering more about her and her father’s involvement with the coded tattoos. But Sugimoto is determined to find and protect Asirpa! Along the way, he’ll discover new people, new cultures rich with history, and an unforgiving terrain. Will Sugimoto and Asirpa survive their journeys and reunite?



Tags: Historical , Seinen , Primarily Adult Cast , Ensemble Cast , Outdoor Activities , Foreign , Indigenous Cultures , Educational , Guns , Military , Primarily Male Cast , Male Protagonist , Anti-Hero , Revenge , Food , Politics , Survival , Language Barrier , Snowscape , Animals , Gore , Crime , Archery , Prison , Swordplay , Samurai , Gender Bending , Circus , Travel

Tenmaku no Jaadugar

Also known as Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia.

Studio: Science SARU
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Drama

After losing her mother and her homeland, Sitara’s despair transforms into determination with the power of knowledge. New possibilities unfold when a family of scholars takes her in, deepening her education. Meanwhile, Genghis Khan’s Mongol Empire conquers nation after nation, nearing Sitara’s new home. After the Fourth Prince of the empire takes her captive, a flame of revenge is ignited.



Tags: Royal Affairs , Female Protagonist , Indigenous Cultures , Historical , Revenge , Politics , Tragedy , War , Slavery , Foreign , Conspiracy , Biographical , Class Struggle , Religion , Time Skip , Kingdom Management , Middle east , Philosophy , Coming of Age , Espionage , Travel , Survival , Josei , Orphan , Arranged Marriage , Suicide , Language Barrier , LGBTQ+ Themes , Archery

Golden Kamuy 4th Season

Also known as Golden Kamuy Season 4.

Studio: Brain's Base
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy

The race to obtain the lost Ainu gold is nearing its peak, as even more formidable ex-prisoners are set on keeping their tattooed skins intact. Saichi "The Immortal" Sugimoto and Asirpa can finally move forward together, but Asirpa's time with Kiroranke and Ogata Hyakunosuke has slightly altered her ambition and strengthened her determination. As their party leaves the Russian territory, they gain a peculiar follower.

Meanwhile, Toshizou Hijikata's crew makes major moves to get invaluable skins, falling into the poisonous trap of a dangerous convict. Although each group possesses a strong advantage over the others, even First Lieutenant Tokushirou Tsurumi—the most powerful and ruthless contender—cannot advance without Asirpa's help. However, his ominous plans for when they will inevitably meet remain a mystery.



Note: On November 7, 2022, it was announced that the seventh episode of the season and beyond would be postponed due to the passing of a main staff member. The season restarted broadcasting from the first episode on April 3, 2023, with the seventh episode released on May 15.

Tags: Military , Gore , Historical , Guns , Survival , Seinen , Primarily Adult Cast , Educational , Outdoor Activities , Travel , Animals , Revenge , Rural , Ensemble Cast , Food , Tanned Skin , Nudity , Swordplay , Detective , Language Barrier , Environmental , Fishing , Archery , Acting , Foreign , Oiran , Indigenous Cultures , Dissociative Identities , Pregnancy , Masturbation

Okinawa de Suki ni Natta Ko ga Hougen Sugite Tsura Sugiru

Also known as OKITSURA: Fell in Love with an Okinawan Girl, but I Just Wish I Know What She's Saying.

Studio: Millepensee
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Romance

When Teruaki Nakamura transfers to laid-back Okinawa, he falls for the lively Kyan-san—but her dialect is a complete mystery to him. With Higa-san translating, Teru’s misunderstanding-filled island life takes off...and subtle hints suggest Higa-san might want his heart too. On this serene island, love flows as freely as the ocean breeze!



Tags: Male Protagonist , Language Barrier , Episodic , Tanned Skin , Educational , Heterosexual , Seinen , Iyashikei , Coastal , Indigenous Cultures , Love Triangle , School , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Food , Slapstick , Gyaru , Primarily Teen Cast , Chibi , Baseball

Golden Kamuy: Saishuushou

Also known as Golden Kamuy Final Season.

Studio: Brain's Base
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy

Ex-convict Keiji Ueji appears in Sapporo, causing all the different factions to travel to the city in hopes of obtaining part of the map to the Ainu gold that is tattooed on his skin. At the same time, a figure who appears to be a copycat of Jack the Ripper terrorizes the streets of Sapporo. Saichi Sugimoto, Asirpa, and Yoshitake Shiraishi—joined by Fusatarou "Boutarou the Pirate" Oosawa and Vasily Pavlichenko—temporarily ally themselves with Toshizou Hijikata, as his faction's motives are somewhat less disturbing than those of Seventh Division's First Lieutenant Tokushirou Tsurumi.

Asirpa attempts to collect all the information needed to tell apart the fake skins from the real ones, but she cannot decipher the map with certainty. Sugimoto swears never to part with Asirpa again, but the commotion around the serial killer allows for new betrayals and Tsurumi's plan for capturing Asirpa to advance. As the hunt for the gold nears its conclusion, the future of the Ainu rests in the hands of those who claim it first.



Tags: Historical , Military , Ensemble Cast , Seinen , Rural , Urban , Female Protagonist , Male Protagonist , Fugitive , Indigenous Cultures , Primarily Adult Cast , Guns , Coastal , Archery , Trains , Ships , Language Barrier , Martial Arts , Educational , Gore

Golden Kamuy OVA

Also known as Golden Kamuy OVA.

Studio: Geno Studio
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure

Bundled with the 15th volume of the Golden Kamuy manga.

"Barato no Yuujinbou" (The Bodyguard of Barato) depicts the battle in Barato. Hijikata and Nagakura sides with the Hidoro clan and get information about the tattoed convicts in the city. On the other hand, Ogata joins Kusuda Umakichi and threatens the police chief to join his cause.



Tags: Primarily Adult Cast , Historical , Guns , Seinen , Primarily Male Cast , Ensemble Cast , Urban , Yakuza , Indigenous Cultures , Anti-Hero , Swordplay

Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori

Also known as Red River.

Studio: Tatsunoko Production
Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Romance

After a mysterious hand drags her beneath a puddle, modern Japanese teenager Yuri awakens in the Hittite Empire of the 14th century BCE. Thrust into a deadly struggle for the throne, she joins Prince Kail to battle assassins, outwit royal conspiracies, and survive a world at war. As her exploits earn her renown as the goddess Ishtar, Yuri must choose between her old life and an uncertain future.



Tags: Female Protagonist , Shoujo , Time Manipulation , Politics , Royal Affairs , Historical , Magic , Isekai , Swordplay , Kingdom Management , Heterosexual , Survival , Tragedy , Indigenous Cultures , Foreign , Torture , Travel , Desert , Language Barrier , Tanned Skin

Golden Kamuy 2nd Season OVA

Studio: Geno Studio
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy

OVAs bundled with the 17th, 19th, and 23rd tankoubon volumes of the Golden Kamuy manga.

Tags: Historical , Primarily Male Cast , Seinen , Guns , Gore , Ensemble Cast , Animals , Primarily Adult Cast , Rural , Archery , Fugitive , Survival , Zoophilia , Indigenous Cultures , Anti-Hero , Crime , Prison , Nun , Military , LGBTQ+ Themes

Sekai no Yami Zukan

Also known as The World YAMIZUKAN.

Studio: ILCA
Status: Finished
Genres: Horror , Supernatural

The anime will be in an omnibus short format that will tell stories of the strange and bizarre in our world, including UFOs, cryptids, curses, ancient civilizations, supernatural powers, spiritual experiences, bizarre cases, different dimensions, and urban legends, told in a picture show style.



Tags: Episodic , Gore , Tragedy , Aliens , Achromatic , Robots , Mixed Media , Indigenous Cultures , Cars , Coastal , Virtual World , Monster Boy