Anime Real Life Locations in the USA: Visiting the Places That Inspired Your Favorite Anime

Anime has a unique ability to transport viewers to fantastical worlds filled with vibrant characters and breathtaking landscapes. However, what many fans may not realize is that some of these locales are inspired by real-life places, even in the United States. From bustling cities to serene countryside settings, the USA is home to several spots that have served as inspiration for beloved anime series. In this blog post, we’ll embark on a journey to explore 12 anime real-life locations scattered across the USA, offering fans a chance to experience a taste of their favorite shows in the real world.

Best Anime Set in the United States

1. Banana Fish
2. Baccano!
3. 91 Days
4. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean
5. Great Pretender
6. Eden of the East
7. Chrono Crusade
8. Gunsmith Cats
9. Digimon Movie 3: The Golden Digimentals
10. Red Garden
11. Kaleido Star
12. Major Season 6
13. Heroman
14. Appare-Ranman! – Los Angeles, California
15. Mad Bull 34
16. Read Or Die
17.  Blood Blockade – New York, New York
18. Soul Eater – “Death City”, Nevada
19. Pet Shop of Horrors
20. Phantom Requiem for a Phantom
21. Space Brothers
22. Michiko and Hatchin
23. Gungrave
24. Takt Op. Destiny
25. Supernatural: The Animation
26. Freedom (Las Vegas)
27. Steins;Gate: Egoistic Poriomania

Banana Fish – New York

Banana Fish is primarily set in New York City, except for a quick visit to Cape Cod, the birthplace of the main character, Ash Lynx. Though he is the head of a small gang in New York City, Ash is thinking well beyond gang combat.

In addition to trying to defend his new friend Eiji from Japan, he is also attempting to unravel the secrets of the drug Banana Fish, which ruined his older brother’s brain, and to get away from the grasp of Dino Golzine, a child predator and mob magnate who once attempted to groom him to be his successor.

Baccano! – New York

Next on the list of Anime Real Life Locations in the USA is Baccano! This anime tells the stories of several characters from a variety of points of view. Even though the show’s primary plot is set in 1930s New York City, viewers are frequently taken to other locations, such as Chicago and Alcatraz.

The main plot revolves around an evil alchemist who needs the immortality elixir that is passed down from one character to another.

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91 Days

Angelo Lagusa leaves the Lawless district and adopts the name Avilio Bruno after losing his family in a mob feud. Despite his best efforts to start over, he returns to the district after reading a note instructing him to exact revenge.

The anime 91 Days, is a crime story set in America during the Prohibition Era. The show’s theme of treachery and retribution draws viewers in the most, even though its historical elements are also fascinating.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean – Florida

The next Anime Real Life Location in the USA is JBA. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is renowned for its many location changes—from Egypt to the USA to Europe. However, the majority of the latest season, Stone Ocean, takes place in and around a prison in Florida. Jolyne Cujoh, the main character of the show, is incarcerated for a crime she did not commit.

She chooses to battle everyone in her path to uncover the sinister scheme that placed her there rather than just sit there and suffer.

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Great Pretender – US

Great Pretender is divided into several cases, each of which is set in a different part of the globe. One of the main protagonists, Makoto, is drawn into the schemes of another con artist, which starts in Los Angeles. Unbeknownst to Makoto, this adversary Laurent persuades him to sell some confectionery to a businessman as a cover for drugs.

From there on, the plot thickens. Every case aims to expose and expose “evil” scam artists. They have the cons tricked. They also have financial interests. Even though they are con artists, this anime also has a lot of heart despite its ridiculous antics.

Eden of the East – Washington, D.C

Next on the list of Anime Real Life Locations in the USA is Eden of the East. One of the most well-known anime series based in the US is Eden of the East. Kenji Kamiyama directed the mystery and thriller anime series, which debuted with 11 episodes in 2009. Two film adaptations of the series were released in 2009 and 2010.

The film shares certain similarities with Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, the director’s best-known work. Eden of the East begins in Washington, D.C., where the protagonist, Akira Takizawa, a Japanese man, loses consciousness and regains it in front of the White House.

He discovers that he is naked and has a revolver and a cell phone with him. He meets Saki Morimi, a university student visiting New York for her graduation.

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Chrono Crusade – Central City/New York

Chrono Crusade is a post-World War I television series set in New York during the Prohibition era just before the stock market crash. The television show follows the Order of Magdalene’s members as they battle invading demons in the US. The show makes extensive use of science driven by religion, such as “Soul Dive” technology and holy water bullets for exorcisms.

Gunsmith Cats – Chicago

The Anime Real Life Location in the USA is Gunsmith cats. Despite just being a three-episode Original Video Animation (OVA), the animation team of Gunsmith Cats put a lot of work into its animation.

There is also a lengthy pursuit scene along the Chicago Turnpike in the anime.

19-year-old Irene Vincent (Rally) and her roommate, May Hopkins (Minnie), run the Gunsmith Cats firearms store and are bounty hunters. Rally is a skilled shooter and driver, but Minnie is a master with explosives.

Bill Collins, an agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Chicago department, runs into the two of them.

Bill can intimidate the pair into helping him with a case because of Rally’s dubious legal status regarding her firearms store.

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Digimon Movie 3: The Golden Digimentals

The majority of Digimon’s stories take place in either the Digital World or Japan, however after the second season, Mimi Tachikawa, one of the protagonists, goes to the United States with her family. She travels to Japan in the actual series, but in Digimon Movie 3: The Golden Digimentals, she is visited by her pals in New York City.

They come across Wendigomon there, who abducts Joe, Mimi, Tai, Matt, Sora, and Izzy. To come to America and save their pals, Davis, Yolei, Cody, and their Digimon are drafted. They encounter Willis, an American Digidestined; may he be connected to Wendigomon? He previously had a Digimon partner who was corrupted by a virus.

Red Garden – New York

Chrono Crusade is a post-World War I television series set in New York during the Prohibition era just before the stock market crash. The television show follows the Order of Magdalene’s members as they battle invading demons in the US. The show makes extensive use of science driven by religion, such as “Soul Dive” technology and holy water bullets for exorcisms. This is one of the Anime Real Life Locations in the USA you ought to visit

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Kaleido Star – California

Sora Naegino has traveled to Cape Mery, California with the sole intention of joining the illustrious circus group Kaleido Stage, of which she has been a fan since she was a young child. Even if the other members first think less of her, Sora tries her hardest to show that she is capable.

In the drama Kaleido Star, a little girl performs in a circus. The story is unquestionably situated in the real state of California, even though the city of Cape Mery is fictitious.

Major Season 6 – US

The next destination to America is Major Season 6. Gorou is at last emerging from his depressive state following the Baseball World Cup results. He recently signed a contract to play pitcher for the Hornets, a legitimate Major League team in America! Gorou meticulously gets ready for his debut game after packing up his belongings and taking a plane to Indiana. Everyone from Japan travels to see Gorou’s major premiere, but it is eclipsed by an amazing turn of events that nobody anticipated.

Baseball is American. What isn’t? To be honest, a lot. These days, basketball and American football are by far the most popular sports. It’s safe to say that, in the meantime, baseball has taken center stage as the most popular national pastime in Japan.

Heroman – California

The story of Heroman takes place in Center City, a made-up American metropolis purportedly in California on the West Coast. The protagonist of the tale is Joey, a typical American child who is the subject of bullies.

He chooses to pick up the toy robot he unintentionally discovered in the trash one day and fix it. The little toy is struck by lightning during a storm, which turns it into a giant robot with amazing powers. But this will draw aliens to Earth, and those must be driven away.

It would be impossible to overlook the fact that this anime involved collaboration with the famous Stan Lee.

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Appare-Ranman! – Los Angeles, California

The next tourist anime location is Appare-Ranman! Appare-Ranman! is a quirky and engaging world where the setting is established in Japan before traveling to the bustling city of Los Angeles on the other side of the Pacific. Appare Sorrano, a clever but socially uncomfortable inventor who lives in a small Japanese town, is the protagonist of the novel.

Their lives take an extraordinary turn when an unanticipated chain of circumstances leaves him and his samurai buddy stranded at sea. After being saved by a steamship, Appare’s voyage takes him deep into a foreign continent and sets off an exciting adventure that deftly combines humor and history.

Mad Bull 34 – New York

Describe the most extravagant anime you have ever watched. That is what Mad Bull 34 is when you multiply that by ten. A few of the more bizarre storylines in the manga are briefly covered in this quick, action-packed OVA.

The comic is a robust series, having run from 1985 to 1991. It centers on a police force that gives every mission its best and is set in New York City. This isn’t appropriate for children. It’s about as mature as an anime gets without falling under that category of tentacle titles.

Simply said, one must witness it to believe it. As one extreme example, it’s difficult to understand why someone would attach grenades to their privates.

Read Or Die – New York

The next real-life anime location in the USA on the list is Read or Die. There were three sections to this one. Due to its success, a full season was finally produced. Like most great American stories, the OVA opens with a wicked takeover of the White House. Along with New York City, other locations in the United States are also investigated.

Yomiko, the series protagonist, can turn paper into a weapon. The majority of the antagonists in the series and the OVA are based on exaggerated representations of real-life historical people. Are they resurrecting from literature? Who is doing this, if so? Yomiko and her agency are responsible for finding out.

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Blood Blockade – New York

A few years ago, the metropolis faced an unexpected extraterrestrial invasion that turned what was once a New York metropolis into Hellsalem’s Lot. Humans and aliens coexist uneasily these days, and little Leonardo is just one of the many millions living in this metropolis.

Leo, though, is curious about his sister’s fate when an alien appears to them. The program tracks him as he works toward his objective.

Soul Eater – Death City, Nevada

Were you aware that Soul Eater took place in Nevada? Soul Eater’s setting isn’t a major component of the anime, unlike all the other choices. Nevertheless, the author decided to put it, particularly in the United States.

In the fantastical world of Death Weapon Meister Academy, students train to become Death Scythes, powerful weapons used by Meisters to eliminate Kishin, souls consumed by madness. Meet Maka Albarn, a determined Meister, and Soul Eater Evans, a nonchalant soul weapon transforming into a scythe.

Together, they embark on a journey to collect 99 Kishin souls and one witch soul, aiming to transform Soul into a Death Scythe and Maka into a Death Scythe Meister.

Pet Shop of Horrors – Chinatown, Los Angeles

Another Anime Real Life Location in the USA to check out is the Pet Shop of Horrors location. A man only known as Count D owns an enigmatic pet store somewhere in Chinatown, Los Angeles. He makes the outrageous claim to own a wide variety of animals, both legendary and supernatural.

Count D can give his customers any pet they choose, provided they sign a waiver relieving him of any liability for the conduct of such pets. It’s also essential to do what he says; failing could be fatal.

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Phantom Requiem for a Phantom – US

While visiting America, young Reiji, a typical adolescent, just so happens to see one of Phantom’s murders. We are discussing an unidentified and feared assassin from the group known as Inferno.

The murderer has been using his horrible deeds to incite fear for a long time. Reiji is the only person who has ever seen him, seen what he did, and survived to tell the story.

After being taken prisoner by the group, the child must decide whether to kill himself right away or join the group as an assassin.

As a result, the youngster will have committed multiple sins against his will and given up on the path of virtue.

This anime has a wide range of settings. The movie opens in America’s notorious mafia areas, but it will eventually take place in Japan thanks to a plot twist involving an international mafia struggle.

Space Brothers – US

The next real-life anime location in the USA is Space Brother. If you’re looking for something less violent, Space Brothers might be of interest. People will be inspired by this anime to follow their greatest passions despite all the obstacles in their way. Through the endearing relationships between its people and the world they live in, it captures the essence of adventure.

The two brothers Mutta and Nanba, the protagonists of this story, aspire to be professional astronauts. Numerous challenges along the way will require them to work hard and maintain their resolve.

Sometimes Mutta and Nanba face their challenges with tremendous adversity, while other times they will feel forlorn. The animation effectively illustrates the value of forming close relationships by showing Nanba and Mutta’s support for one another.

Michiko and Hatchin – South America

Take a thrilling and emotional trip through a dynamic world with influences from South America with Michiko and Hatchin. The protagonist of the tale is a free-spirited, rebellious woman named Michiko Malandro who escapes from prison.

While looking for the man she once loved, she finds young Hana and rescues her from her terrible foster home. As they overcome numerous obstacles together, their friendship gets stronger.

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Gungrave – US

Harry MacDowel and Brandon Heat led lives characterized by utter hedonism and a total lack of responsibility. But when they joined the notorious Millennion mafia, everything changed.

Although they began at the bottom, their objectives were different. Keeping everyone happy was Brandon’s goal, chief among them being his boss. Harry, on the other hand, wanted to rise to the top, unseat Big Daddy, and take over as Millennion’s new top dog.

Takt Op. Destiny – New York

A ban on music playing was imposed worldwide following the impact of a black meteorite, which was followed by the appearance of mysterious creatures known as D2s that attacked any place music was being played. Conductors collaborate with Musicarts to combat the D2s by using the power of music to kill them and restore world peace.

Takt Op. Destinyanime follows Takt as he travels to New York with his Musicart Destiny to get her unstable condition corrected.

Supernatural: The Animation

Most Supernatural fans may be unaware that the series was adapted into a 22-episode OVA. Nothing is beyond the Winchester brothers’ power to destroy, even werewolves, shapeshifters, and vampires.

Because the OVA adheres to the straightforward “monster of the week” tale style, it doesn’t contribute anything new to the already-existing SPN universe. The brothers have suffered significant personal tragedy, though, and they have a particular beast in mind to pursue.

Freedom – Las Vegas

The six-episode animation was a commercial series for Nissin food cup noodles, but despite that, it included some entertaining material. The plot of Freedom is clear-cut, uncomplicated, and contains enigmatic components.

The narrative opens with Takeru, the primary character, starting in modest circumstances and following his adventures.

Takeru is a troubled youngster who has figured out this world’s secret. Republic Eden has a new administration in place after humanity first settled on the Moon more than 160 years ago.

To be accepted into society, youngsters have to finish a program. Takeru chooses to take part in one of these races.

But the car he drives is a homemade one, and it crashes in the middle of the road. He will now perform ten hours of community service.

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All of the Future Gadget Laboratory members have received invitations from Faris to accompany her to Los Angeles. While she’s taking part in the Rai-Net battle event, the party chooses to enjoy themselves in America.

The gang’s problems start as soon as they get to the airport. The worst part is that Kurisu Makise questions Okabe about her missing memories, forcing the party to spend the night at a terrible motel and nearly leading to Okabe’s detention.

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Anime has a remarkable ability to transport viewers to imaginative worlds filled with captivating characters and breathtaking landscapes. However, as we’ve discovered, some of these locales are inspired by real-life places, even in the United States. From the bustling streets of New York City to the serene beauty of Texas, anime fans can explore a wide range of real-life locations that serve as the inspiration for their favorite shows. So why not embark on a journey to discover these fascinating spots and experience a taste of anime in the real world?