The 11 Best Anime Set in Modern-Day Tokyo

Tokyo is Japan’s capital city and it’s very frequent to see it as the main setting of a lot of anime. While some of them prefer futuristic scenarios, this article will examine the best anime set in modern-day Tokyo.

The rankings in this article are based on how we think the anime is relevant to the setting and how well they deal with representations. For this reason, don’t consider it as a general ranking of the series and movies mentioned in this list.

11. Persona 5 The Animation

The anime is based on the globally successful videogame Persona 5, a JRPG made by Atlus.

The main cast can summon Personas in a fictional world called Metaverse. These beings are their masks and allow them to use several powers to bring justice.

We recommend you play Persona 5 Royal, currently available for PlayStation 4 and on Steam, Game Pass and PlayStation 5 from October 21. You can use this adaptation as a benchmark to understand if you like the vibe, but we are sure you will.

Persona 5 shows a lot of Tokyo locations, such as Shibuya and Shinjuku. For this reason, we recommend you the videogame as it’s way more immersive.

10. Bubble

The most recent anime on this list, Bubble is a movie released on April 28, 2022.

The story is set in Tokyo after strange bubbles rained down on the world, breaking the laws of gravity.

Cut off from the outside world, the city has become a kind of playground where kids engage in various challenges. One day the protagonist will meet Uta, a girl with mysterious powers, beginning the events.

An anime that is unconcealed makes aesthetics its strong point, with breathtaking and extremely atmospheric settings. This comes at the expense of the plot, not one of the best.

9. Your Name

A real media phenomenon, hated by some but loved by many more. We are talking about Your Name, one of the most famous Makoto Shinkai movies.

Mitsuha is a high school student living in a rural town nestled in the mountains who dreams of life in Tokyo.

Taki is a student living in downtown Tokyo in its hustle and bustle. One day, they both dream of being in each other’s bodies. But is it really just a dream?

Your Name features a beautiful setting between city and countryside while boasting solid and fluid animations.

Speaking of which, Your Name depicts the Hida Furukawa Station and the staircases at the end of the movie are next to Suga Shrine in Yotsuya District.

8. Tokyo Revengers

One of the most acclaimed anime in recent years, quickly becoming many fans’ favorite.

Takemichi is a 26-year-old loser who one day learns that his middle school sweetheart, Hinata Tachibana, has died involved in an accident with the Toman, the town’s mafia association.

But it is with great determination when he finds himself sent back to the past in his junior high school days after being pushed under a train that he decides to prevent this event at all costs.

The story is set in 2005, as that’s a period the author is most familiar with, as stated in an interview.

Shibuya and Yamashita Park are just two examples of what you will see in Tokyo Revengers.

7. Terror in Resonance

A captivating anime released in 2014 which consists of only 11 episodes, with an extremely fascinating thriller and detective component.

Tokyo is under attack, and a group calling itself Sphinx has begun planting explosive devices around the city and posing riddles via the Internet daring the police to solve them or the bomb will explode.

But who are these Sphinx, why do they act this way, and will the police be able to keep them at bay? To answer these questions, you need only embark on this watching.

Its main merit is that it has a very high pace given its short duration, not even giving you time to realize it.

Terror in Resonance features the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Shinjuku, and Shibuya, as well as many other locations.

6. Ikebukuro West Gate Park

A recent anime, released in 2020 punctuated in just 12 episodes.

The story centers on Makoto Majima, the son of a fruit vendor, known to all as “The Problem Solver of Ikebukuro”. In fact, the boy helps everyone from his friends to street thugs solve their troubles by always receiving new assignments.

An anime that through solving these self-contained assignments deals with heavy and edgy topics such as racism and immigration.

As the name implies Ikebukuro West Gate Park is set in the famous Ikebukuro district, one of the top 3 most dangerous areas of Tokyo according to their Police Department in 2019.

5. Death Note

You should already know Death Note, one of the most popular and famous anime ever.

The long and compelling war of wits between Light, owner of the Death Note, and Detective L will always be one of the best rivalries and mental battles ever.

Death Note features a lot of real-life Tokyo spots, such as the Imperial Hotel and the famous Shibuya district. This is one of those cult anime that also has references to real places.

4. Jujutsu Kaisen

One of the modern fighting anime that is making the most success. Jujutsu Kaisen was born from the manga by Gege Akutami and is currently receiving an anime adaptation.

Its success is definitely due to its excellent story that runs smoothly, but without a shadow of doubt also due to the wonderful animations by the Mappa studio.

The protagonist is Yuji Itadori, a young boy with off-kilter physical abilities who never misses a chance to help his friends to abide by his philosophy of life.

Following an accident at his school, he will find himself a receptacle for the most powerful dark spirit ever, Sukuna, eating one of its 20 fingers. But enemies will not think twice about trying to get their hands on the boy.

Jujutsu Kaisen depicts a fictional Tokyo setting with some references to reality. Harajuku Station and Roppongi Hills are just two examples.

3. Tokyo Godfathers

Among his masterpieces that have earned him the name of one of the best directors in the field in history Satoshi Kon also packed Tokyo Godfathers, a film released in 2003.

Three homeless men find on Christmas Eve a baby abandoned in the garbage. After some discussion, they decide to return him directly to his mother without going through the police.

With a few clues, the search begins and the protagonists will end up confronting their pasts, reflecting on the life they have now lost while still maintaining happiness in their hearts.

A very touching and introspective film, dealing with the theme of the importance of family.

Tokyo Godfathers shows Ginza and other Tokyo neighborhoods.

2. Steins;Gate

Steins;Gate is an animated adaptation of the visual novel of the same name, which is part of the Science Adventure universe.

The plot follows Rintaro Okabe, a boy who with his two childhood friends runs the so-called “Futuristic Gadget Laboratory.”

Okabe, who is also a big fan of time travel, happens to be at a conference on it one day. It is here that he will find the dead body of Makise Kurisu, and from which everything will begin.

Steins;Gate contains several references to other series such as JoJo and Dragon Ball and can boast one of the best Tokyo representations out there.

Some examples include Radio Kaikan, Akihabara, and Yanagimori Shrine, major locations in the plot.

1. Durarara!!

Durarara!!! is based on Ryōgo Narita’s light novel of the same name, which was also later transposed into a manga.

The story is set in the Ikebukuro district where the protagonist Ryugamine Mikado moves to. Here he will be warned about the various criminal gangs that infest the area, especially the Dollars.

As soon as he arrives, he will also come across a Dullahan in the guise of a headless motorcyclist riding a motorcycle with headlights off.

The strong point of the series is the storytelling, very strange for first-time watchers as there is no main character. You may be left wondering if some of them will be relevant to the story.

One of the most important places in the anime is Sunshine 60 Street, one of the most central places in the Ikebukuro district. Some of the shops mentioned in Durarara!! exist but had their names changed.