When Banana Fish was airing I was loving it (until the ending happened). I’m loved the different vibe that it gave off from other animes of that season, even if I had a few problem with some of the writing. Studio MAPPA is always picking up different and unique shows to animate, even if doing something like that could be a risky move. But the story isn’t the only thing that's unique about this anime, it’s also the setting that is unique and different.

Banana Fish is an anime set in America. Now I’m not saying that America is a unique location that no other anime has done before, it’s just few and far between. They really used the American setting to their advantage, to the locations they travel, the sense of fashion, and the characters they introduce. America is the best setting to use if you want to have a diverse cast of characters when it comes to race.

Japanese

White

Black

Chinese

Now it’s not a bad thing that most anime is set in Japan because...it’s made in Japan. Most American shows is set in America. And being set in America doesn’t make the writing for the show any better or the characters more interesting, it’s just an aesthetic that’s cool to see in anime from time to time. But I do believe the setting of a show can make the things around it more interesting.

Do you enjoy when anime is set in America? Would you like to see more animes set in America? Can a setting improve a show? Tell us in the comments below.