One of the most prominent Bronx locations in Banana Fish is Morris Heights, where Ash Lynx’s gang operates. This neighborhood is depicted as a lawless area controlled by criminal factions, filled with abandoned buildings and rundown streets. While Morris Heights, like much of the Bronx in the late 20th century, experienced economic struggles and crime, the show intensifies these elements for dramatic effect. In reality, Morris Heights has long been a working-class neighborhood with a strong sense of community, something that is rarely reflected in the anime’s narrative.

The South Bronx is another area referenced throughout the series. Often used as a shorthand for danger and poverty, the South Bronx in Banana Fish is depicted as a nearly unlivable war zone, dominated by gangsters and corrupt officials. This portrayal echoes real struggles faced by the borough in the 1970s and 1980s, when arson, economic decline, and neglect plagued the area. However, by the time the anime was released in 2018, the Bronx had undergone significant revitalization. The anime does not acknowledge the resilience of the people who worked to rebuild their neighborhoods, reinforcing an outdated perception of the borough.

While Banana Fish successfully captures the atmosphere of a crime thriller, its representation of the Bronx remains unbalanced. It highlights the borough’s struggles without showing its cultural richness or the efforts of its residents to improve their communities. The anime ultimately presents a selective and dramatized version of the Bronx, prioritizing narrative intensity over historical accuracy.