The Book of Bantorra - Recommendations

Alt title: Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantorra

If you're looking for anime similar to The Book of Bantorra, you might like these titles.

Baccano!

Baccano!

It's the 1930s, and Mafia groups fight for supremacy in American cities. Young Firo joins the secretive Camorra group; a meek street boy, Jacuzzi, finds himself the leader of a gang of thugs; an alchemist is producing a liquor of immortality, and a homunculus tries to retrieve it; and upbeat thieves Isaac and Miria head to New York after failing to strike gold in California. They ride the novel train, the Flying Pussyfoot, across the continent. However they find themselves embroiled in a ruckus caused by gangs, terrorists, serial killers, and others as multiple stories intertwine and unfold on this fateful ride. All are haunted and hunted by the legendary Rail Tracer...

4 votes

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Reasons you might like Baccano!...

eaper eaper says...

The two things that draw these two series closest to one another are their story telling methods and the violence in each. Both of these series switch characters so rapidly it can get hard to follow what exactly is going on, but all of it manages to fit together quite well in the end. Also, each of these series are fairly graphic in their portrayal of violence.

AirCommodore AirCommodore says...

If you liked the gore and oodles and oodles of characters in Armed Librarians, check out the (far superior) Baccano! It's a fun action romp that doesn't come across as pretentious babble, and the characters are actually likable, developed (considering that there's so many of them in such a short series), and drive the plot instead of being subjected to it's whims.

burn burn says...

Both have really cool stories and characters, a good solid plot/mystery that is fully developed and unfolding however baccano has a better ending in my opinion.  (but it might just be me but I am not crazy about all the demons in my anime lol)!

Iro Iro says...

I usually don't follow recommendations on this site because people on this site usually only recommend anime with similar themes without much regard to quality. Its somewhat annoying because a lot of the times, for example, you'll have one good ninja anime paired with 2 garbage ninja animes. Me? I prefer it if one good ninja anime came recommended with 2 other GOOD action animes rather than be crap and restricted to ninjas.

Anyway where was I? Oh right, if you loved Book of Bantorra you'll love Baccano. They're both top notch animes. Both stand out with their awesome multi-layered characters. They both have stellar, fluid animations, awesome fight scenes and a solid, thrilling plot (imho most important). They both tell their stories in arcs, switching between characters in each, now some people say that's confusing? ....But that's bullshit. You won't have trouble following if you have half a brain. The storytelling from multiple prospectives is a plus not a minus.

I wholeheartedly recommend fans of one to watch the other. You won't be disappointed.

Black Lagoon

Black Lagoon

Rokuro Okajima is a small-time salaryman who is carrying documents for his company, when the ship he's traveling on is attacked by pirates. Kidnapped, he discovers to his dismay that his employers' main concern is to ensure the documents don't get into the wrong hands, even if it means sending the carrier to the bottom of the sea. Now, with his former life ruined and his kidnappers seeming comparatively friendly, "Rock" decides to join their merry band of mercenaries, and sets out with a new career to the shadier corners of the South China Sea.

3 votes

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Reasons you might like Black Lagoon...

valondar valondar says...

I'm not quite sure why I've stuck with Bantora, but the aggressively, murderously psychotic and sexy Acting Director is definitely one of the few big draws this series has. Want to see a similar character much better handled and in a thoroughly more entertaining series? Revy from Black Lagoon will be right up your alley, I'm sure.

eaper eaper says...

Each of these series are rather dark and feature a rather villainous female lead that is always itching for a fight.

Mayank Mayank says...

The Book of Bantorra maybe have a terrible ranking on Anime Planet, but don't judge it from its cover (heh). I personally found it surpisingly entertaining. One big similarity between The Book of Bantorra and Black Lagoon is their badass, immoral, psychopathic and merderous female protagonists. If you love stong women wreaking havoc, Revy, Balalaika, Roberta from Black Lagoon and Hamyuts from Bantorra are the best ladies.Despite being quite different in their genres, both these shows explore similar themes like suffering, struggle between "Just" and morally gray characters and meaning of life in their own way. Needless to say, both shows have a good amount of action and violence.

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

In 2010, the Britannian Empire enslaved Japan using powerful mecha known as Knightmares; in the aftermath Japan was renamed Area 11, and its people began a hard and terrible existence. Lelouch, a Britannian student living in Area 11, has grown up hating the Empire and everything it stands for. One day, in the middle of a terrorist attack, Lelouch meets a mysterious girl who grants him the ability to control minds. Can he use his new power to fight for freedom, or will his hatred twist his good intentions into mindless acts of vengeance?

2 votes

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Reasons you might like Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion...

AirCommodore AirCommodore says...

Code Geass and Armed Librarians are action series with large (ly undeveloped) casts, the main character of each being of questionable moral standing. Each has a bunch of battles and stuff going on and PLOT TWIST!s and are kind of all over the place story and pacing-wise. If you can look past the messy storytelling, though, I guess they're fairly entertaining.

Iro Iro says...

The Book of Bantorra and Code Geass both have excellent thrilling stories with betrayals, plot twists, and well developed characters. Book of Bantorra has better animations and story execution than Code Geass. But Code geass has a better background story and longevity - one of things you want in excellent animes, as you just can't get enough!

The Garden of Sinners Movie 1: Thanatos. (Overlooking View)

The Garden of Sinners Movie 1: Thanatos. (Overlooking View)

When an odd string of suicides begins to occur at a local high rise building, most of the townsfolk treat it as an unfortunate series of events. One girl, however, senses something more sinister at work - especially when a close friend of hers falls mysteriously ill. After witnessing one of the deaths for herself, Shiki begins to realize that a strange connection exists between each of the girls, and predicts a total of eight will die. With seven dead and the accuracy of her prediction unclear, she sets out to put an end to the killings. Yet, as she nears the truth, she finds herself closer and closer to the brink of death; will Shiki become the town's savior, or the next victim?

2 votes

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Reasons you might like The Garden of Sinners Movie 1: Thanatos. (Overlooking View)...

AirCommodore AirCommodore says...

Armed Librarians and Kara no Kyoukai are action series with pretty large casts (many of whom have superpowers) and convoluted plotlines. Though their storytelling is a bit flawed at times, there are tons of really neat ideas in each series, which combined with the rapid pacing makes each rather entertaining. And since Kara no Kyoukai is a series of movies and Armed Librarians is arch-based, they have a pretty similar flow, as well.

eaper eaper says...

Each of these titles have a large cast of magic users and a seemingly disconnected story that can be hard to follow.

Darker than Black

Darker than Black

A giant wall looms over Tokyo, shielding the city from a dangerous otherworld called the 'Hell's Gate'. Within the city, things are no less terrifying because Contractors, psychopathic killers with phenomenal powers, have started to appear. These killers are compelled to pay a price every time they use their powers, often in the form of a meaningless or painful task. As their deadly habits rack up a gruesome death toll, Kirihara Misaki and her team from the Foreign Affairs Public Security struggle to solve the cases and bring the Contractors under control. Their task is further confounded by the interference of a masked individual they title Messier Code BK201, a man with abilities that allow him to fight and defeat the Contractors. Who is this BK201? How can the Contractors be stopped permanently? And what does the appearance of the Hell's Gate mean for the people of Tokyo?

2 votes

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Reasons you might like Darker than Black...

eaper eaper says...

Each of these series are rather action packed and violent, while keeping a huge mystery at the back of the story, revealing the puzzle pieces extremely slowly to a climax that explains and ties together much of the story.

AirCommodore AirCommodore says...

Although I enjoyed Darker Than Black oodles and oodles more than Armed Librarians, they are both arc-based series about a team with slighly unusual super-powers and questionable morality. The action scenes are nice, the final conflict is of stupidly huge scale, and there are tons and tons of characters.

X TV

X TV

Kamui has returned to Tokyo with a traumatizing past, but he is not the only one. Many people are returning to Tokyo for the same reason: they play a part in the End of the World. The Dragons of Earth and the Dragons of Heaven now must fight for the destruction or safety of the world. But is this troubled Kamui really the key to saving the world?

1 vote

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Reasons you might like X TV...

valondar valondar says...

I have little good to say about either series. Both involve ludricously convoluted and somewhat pretentious waffle as an excuse to wallow in anime cliches (including bishonen males, though Bantora skews more towards buxom and moe-moe girls). Neither are good, honestly, but if you like your silly action scenes sprinkled liberally with a smattering of pseudophilosophical nonsense and a side order of Dead Serious Angst, then maybe you're of a mindset that will enjoy these.

The Sacred Blacksmith

The Sacred Blacksmith

Cecily Cambell just wants to be a Knight and protect her home like her father and grandfather before her. There's just one problem: she’s incompetent! During a fight with a crazed swordsman, Cecily’s cherished blade breaks; and just as she’s  about to be cut down, a man named Luke comes to her rescue wielding a katana - a blade unlike any Cecily has seen before. Together they must ensure that the Demon Sword Aria doesn’t fall into the wrong hands, and Cecily alone must prove herself worthy of her very own katana.

1 vote

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Reasons you might like The Sacred Blacksmith...

valondar valondar says...

A faux European setting, in the medieval or early modern era; completely preposterous 'European' names that are likely only impressive to the Japanese audience; bizarre magic powers, posessed swords of evil intent and whole bevvies of girls clad in tight, revealing clothing. Expect much bizarre plotting (or little thereto), and a heavy bucketload of angst. Sacred Blacksmith is definitely the sillier and more ephemeral of the two series, but Bantorra - while more plot driven - isn't bereft of mediocre bizarre-ness either.

The shows are so similar that some plot points got confused in my mind upon viewing them, and I suppose if you like one the other's worth a go.

Xam'd: Lost Memories

Xam'd: Lost Memories

Akiyuki lives on post-war Sentan Island, always rushing between the demands of his separated parents and his friends at school. But his carefree days come abruptly to an end when his school bus suffers an explosion, the first attack to plunge Sentan back into war. Akiyuki lives to find himself turned into a Xam'd, a mysterious creature, by the suspected cause of the explosion. Engulfed by Xam'd, Akiyuki is eventually saved by a red-haired girl, Nakiami, only to find himself torn away from those he loves. Now he must work to control and understand the creature within him, all while searching for his family and friends in a world steeped in the secrets and chaos of war.

1 vote

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Reasons you might like Xam'd: Lost Memories...

loki7ch loki7ch says...

Similar character in a kind of bizarre misterious worlds with some strange power seekng to destroy everything and  a similar feeling and very similar animation style 

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2

Area 11 is still under Britannian rule and the Elevens remain brutally oppressed; what’s more, their saviour, Zero, is nowhere to be found and all of Britannia believes the rebellion is finally over. Elsewhere, having lost the battle, Lelouch sets his sights upon winning the war – but the task is no easier since the Britannian forces have learned some valuable lessons all of their own. Not only have they discovered his identity and captured many of his Black Knights, but they now manipulate the memories of all of his friends. Worst of all, they have taken the most precious thing in his life – his dear sister, Nunnally. With his hatred for the Britannians stronger than ever before, Lelouch must now recuperate his forces and bring their rule of terror to an end.

1 vote

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Reasons you might like Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2...

eaper eaper says...

One of the center characters in each of these series (Lelouch and Hamutz) are rather similar, being somewhat hard to read as both the viewer and for other characters in the series and being anti-heroes. Also, the climax of each of these series are rather twisted, keeping the audience guessing. 

Genocyber

Genocyber

While the nations of the world are trying to abolish warfare and the existence of armies, private companies are creating their own armies. The Kuryu group has been trying to create the perfect weapon; human beings capable of mastering their "mind shadow" named Vajura. They were hoping for an edge, but the experiment seemingly went wrong. However many years later a strange young girl named Elaine escapes the Kuryu research facility. Confronted with hostile gangs, hunted by cybernetic agents, and other strange members of the Kuryu group she is forced to become the Genocyber, the first Vajura. Confronted again and again with the experiments of the Kyuryu group and the inhumanities of mankind, she has no choice but to continue to fight, but at what cost?

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