The List

7 Anime Set in America

The settings for anime are, understandably, usually in Japan. Those that aren't, like this season's Outbreak Company, I couldn't become a hero, so I reluctantly decided to get a job., and Magi opt for fictional fantasy settings. Even less common is a series that takes place entirely overseas whether in Europe, or in this week's list case, The United States.

7. Heroman (Center City) It shouldn't be a surprise that Heroman, a joint project between Marvel's Stan Lee and BONES takes place in the U.S. Series' star, Joey, is a kid living in Central City which in turn is loosely based off Los Angeles. The manga was brought over in English but Vertical, but oddly enough the anime hasn't made it stateside outside of streaming despite plans for a TV broadcast.

6. Freedom (Las Vegas, various) Freedom started out as a sci-fi show with humble beginnings. The six-episode series was really a big celebration for Nissin Food's Cup Noodles but managed to pull in Akira's Katsuhiro Ōtomo, BONES writer Dai Satō (who is writing scripts for Space Dandy), and InuYasha writer Katsuhiko Chiba. The story follows Takeru, a citizen in a post-climate change moon colony with his sights set on returning to Earth. The government won't allow it, but Takeru heads out anyway and lands in Las Vegas before trekking across America.

5. Pet Shop of Horrors (Chinatown, LA) Count D, the proprietor of all things strange, sells his wares in Los Angeles' Chinatown district. There he sells unusual pets to customers looking for something unique as long as they sign a contract. If they break it, they bought it and the store won't be held accountable for any ill side-effects from the purchase.

4. Red Garden (New York) Gonzo's musical zombie story takes place in a private school on Roosevelt Island in New York. The series shows many popular New York landmarks as well as fashionably dressed undead school girl zombie fighters. The series was one of the last Gonzo produced before restructuring in 2009 and bears some stylistically similarities to The Count of Monte Cristo.

3. Chrono Crusade (New York) The post World War I era series Chrono Crusade takes place in New York during the prohibition era and prior to the stock market crash. The series follows the members of the Order of Magdalene as they fight encroaching demons in the United States. The series employs a lot of religion-fueled science, like holy water bullets and "Soul Dive" technology to perform exorcisms.

2. Gunsmith Cats (Chicago) The well-researched original anime video series based on Kenichi Sonoda's manga follows young bounty hunter Rally Vincent and her sidekick "Minnie" May Hopkins. The series must have had an impressive budget, as the animation team went to Chicago several times to research the setting, including visits to a police academy and gunshop. A long chase scene following the Chicago turnpike is one example of research that went into the series' creation.

1. Baccano! (New York/Alcatraz/Chicago) The intertwining stories of the Baccano! cast converge first in New York City after an immortality elixir continually switches hands in the 1930s. The beginning of the series sees multiple characters drinking from the elixir in New York, causing havoc, and getting arrested. Ladd Russo, Firo, and Isaac find themselves imprisoned in California's notorious Alcatraz Island prison while others make their way to Chicago. The anime's art director, Satoshi Itō, visited New York locations like Grand Central Station, Hell's Kitchen, China Town, Little Italy, and more to accurately portray the series' locale.

The new poll: Which of the following anime series that premiered in 2013 is your favorite? Vote for the best series that premiered this year. Next week we'll have a poll on anime movies.




The old poll: The last poll asked which character is your favorite super dad? Here's the full results:

1. Kotetsu T. Kaburagi (Tiger & Bunny) 26.4%
   
2. Goku (DBZ) 11.9%
   
3. Minato Namikaze (Naruto) 10.1%
   
4. King Phil (Slayers) 9.6%
   
5. Edward Newgate/Whitebeard (One Piece) 8.37%
   
6. Yosho/Katsuhito Masaki (Tenchi Muyo!) 6.6%
   
7. Genma Satome (Ranma 1/2) 6.2%
   
8. Lordgenome (Gurren Lagann) 6.2%
   
9. Shirō Fujimoto (Blue Exorcist) 5.3%
   
10. Isshin Kurosaki (Bleach) 4.4%
    
11. Forbesii (Shuffle!) 2.6%
    
12. King Endymion (Sailor Moon) 1.8%
    
13. Eustoma (Shuffle!) 0.9%
    
14. Bardock (DBZ) 0%
    
    

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When she isn't compiling lists of tropes, topics, and characters, Lynzee works as Associate Editor for Anime News Network, blogs about women and LBGT topics in anime and manga on her blog Engendered Dilemma, and posts pictures of her son on Twitter @ANN_Lynzee.