Anime is one of the most creative mediums for storytelling, and few stories are as fascinating as reality. History is rife with stories of human endurance, strange occurrences, and catastrophic disasters that shook the world to its core. In many notable instances, anime uses historical settings to tell its stories, whether they're exaggerated for dramatic effect or are presented as honest portrayals of the period.
It's important to remember that historical accuracy is only one part of storytelling. Being historically authentic is about more than just portraying facts correctly — it's about humanizing the characters no matter how fantastical the story gets.
Updated on July 9, 2023, by Kennedy King: Historically themed series continue to be a major part of the anime medium. With each passing year, new shows utilize historical settings as the backdrop for their narratives. Accordingly, this list has been updated with more anime that deserve to be recognized for their contributions to the genre.
15 Rurouni Kenshin (1996)
3 Seasons, 95 Episodes
As one of the most popular anime of the 1990s, Rurouni Kenshin's impact on the medium is still felt to this day. The samurai-themed series follows Himura Kenshin as he travels throughout Meiji-period Japan, helping those in need as atonement for his actions as an assassin-for-hire.
Rurouni Kenshin isn't based on any specific historical narrative, but it's a wonderful exploration of feudal Japan and the life of Ronin samurai. With its 2023 reboot officially underway, the franchise will shed even more light on the connotations surrounding mid-19th century Japan.
14 The Rose Of Versailles (1979)
1 Season, 40 Episodes
The Rose of Versailles manga was released in 1972, and unlike many historically themed series, the shojo manga isn't just written about a historical period — it was serialized during one as well. The manga's author, Riyoko Ikeda, wrote the story at the tail-end of a string of radical revolutions that defined Japan's political sphere in the 1960s.
Given the context of its creation, The Rose of Versailles' setting — France during the French Revolution — feels very appropriate. The series' main characters spend significant time reflecting on the ramifications of their political structure, and it was a major reason the shojo genre's target audience slowly transitioned away from children to adolescents.
13 The Wind Rises (2013)
126 Minutes
Another feather in legendary director Hayao Miyazaki's cap, The Wind Rises is an award-winning anime film set in Japan during the decades between World War I & II. The movie serves as a fictionalized autobiography of Jiro Horikoshi, the chief engineer behind many of Japan's best fighter plane designs from the time period.
Studio Ghibli's influence can be felt throughout The Wind Rises, and its aviation-themed story provides the perfect backdrop for a variety of gorgeous scenes. This, coupled with The Wind Rises' historical relevancy, make it one of the best films in the production studio's massive library.
12 Kingdom (2012)
4 Seasons, 129 Episodes
Produced by studio Pierrot, Kingdom explores China's Warring States period through the eyes of Li Xin, a historical figure who played a major role in the establishment of the Qin Dynasty. After beginning the series as a young orphan, Xin works his way up the military ranks of his kingdom. Eventually, he earns the right to lead one-thousand men for his efforts.
China's rich history goes back several millennia, so considering its geographic proximity to Japan, it's shocking that the medium doesn't feature more stories that take place in the area.Kingdom isn't the most popular anime of its genre, but it's a great exploration of one of Asia's most interesting historical periods.
11 Black Butler (2008)
2 Seasons, 36 Episodes
Black Butler is best remembered for its supernatural elements. However, that doesn't stop the series from being a fun exploration of Victorian-era England. Set in London during the late 19th century, Black Butler follows Ciel Phantomhive as he uses his newly acquired demonic powers to investigate mysterious happenings in the city.
While most historically themed anime opt for realism, Black Butler uses supernatural elements to add a fun twist to its historical setting. With Gothic horror tropes and elements of English society featured in folds as well, the adventures of Ciel Phantomhive are unique in the shonen genre.
10 Vinland Saga (2019)
2 Seasons, 48 Episodes
Vinland Saga is a historical epic that follows the journey of Thorfinn, a young Viking who seeks revenge against the man who killed his father. Along the way, he finds himself caught in the midst of a power struggle between the various factions vying for control of England. Fans of Norse lore in their anime will find plenty to enjoy in this historical epic.
While it is loosely based on the Saga of the Greenlanders and the Saga of Eric the Red, Vinland Saga stands on its own as a fictional historical epic. While several details are dramatized, there is historical evidence that characters such as Leif Erikson and Thorfinn Karlsefni were indeed real people.
9 Emma (2005)
2 Seasons, 24 Episodes
Emma is a romantic drama set in Victorian England, where Emma, a young maid, falls in love with William, a member of the gentry. However, their different social classes create obstacles to their relationship. It's a fantastic period piece that faithfully recreates the Victorian period in all of its beauty and ugliness. Emma also features a strong female lead.
Emma isn't about any real maid named Emma. It's a classic romance that just so happens to take historical authenticity very seriously. The Victorian setting is beautifully realized, and everything from the location to the culture is well-researched, giving the entire story a strong sense of reality.
8 Heike Monogatari (2022)
1 Season, 11 Episodes
Heike Monogatari is a historical anime that is based on the classic Japanese epic of the same name. The anime is set during the Genpei War, a conflict that took place in medieval Japan between the Taira and Minamoto clans. The war lasted for decades and brought an end to one of Japan's most influential clans.
Heike Monogatari is a tragic tale of the shifting tides of history. Just as the rise of the Taira clan was awe-inspiring, so too was their inevitable fall. The decision to make the main perspective a child is also a clever way for the viewer to learn about the world organically.
7 Golden Kamuy (2018)
4 Seasons, 49 Episodes
Golden Kamuy is a historical adventure set in Hokkaido, Japan, in the aftermath of the Russo-Japanese War. The story follows Saichi Sugimoto, a former soldier who becomes involved in a search for a hidden stash of gold that was stolen from the Ainu people.
Golden Kamuy may relish in its cool gunfights, but it never claims to be a historical account. Regardless, the creators went out of their way to showcase the culture and history of the Ainu people in a positive light, an outright rarity in Japanese media. While it may love cool setpieces, Golden Kamuy also respects the history of the people involved in it.
6 Miss Hokusai (2015)
93 Minutes
Miss Hokusai is a biographical drama set in the early 19th century in Japan, a time when art was flourishing, and artists were highly respected in society. The story showcases the life of O-Ei, the daughter of the famous Japanese artist Hokusai. The anime showcases her struggles as an artist, her relationships with her family, and the societal constraints placed on women during the Edo period.
Misogyny is an unfortunate and ugly truth for many historical accounts. Women simply weren’t treated as well as men due to their gender, regardless of whatever skills they possessed. Miss Hokusai explores misogyny in the very specific context of Edo Japan, as well as tackling themes of familial shame and jealousy.
5 Samurai Champloo (2004)
1 Season, 26 Episodes
A fusion of hip-hop and historical fiction, Samurai Champloo follows the journey of Mugen and Jin, two swordsmen with vastly different personalities who are forced to team up with a young girl named Fuu to find the samurai with the scent of sunflowers. Together, they come across an anachronistic version of Japan's Edo period.
There's no universe where Samurai Champloo could be considered a historical textbook. That said, the core of its premise is founded in tragic truth. Fuu's father was a part of the Hidden Christians, followers of Christ who were being prosecuted in their own homeland of Japan. Everything from imprisonment to death were real dangers the Hidden Christians had to face.
4 Grave Of The Fireflies (1988)
89 Minutes
Grave of the Fireflies is a critically acclaimed anime film that was directed by Isao Takahata and released in 1988. The movie is based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka and depicts the tragic aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima in World War II.
Grave of the Fireflies, much like works such as Barefoot Gen, depicts how children dealt with the horrifying effects of World War II. Even as humanity tries to find structure and sense, war is a vicious beast that devours everything it touches. It makes no apologies for the horrors it depicts, and that's what makes it so terrifying.
3 Millennium Actress (2001)
87 Minutes
A surrealistic drama that tells the story of Chiyoko, Millennium Actress follows a retired actress who recounts her life story to a filmmaker. The anime combines Chiyoko's memories with scenes from her films, blurring the lines between the reality and fiction of the roaring '20s of Japan, with all the trauma that comes packaged with it.
Millennium Actress depicts a part of Japan that often goes overlooked in popular media. The strange in-between time right after World War 1 and years before World War 2. Japan was in a dynamic state of mass culture and consumerism, with quickly rising levels of nationalism to boot. It's a fascinating facet of history told in director Satoshi Kon's brilliantly unorthodox style.
2 Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju (2016)
2 Seasons, 25 Episodes
Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju is a period drama set in different eras, each focusing on the state of rakugo and its performers at the time. The anime explores the art of Rakugo, a traditional form of Japanese storytelling, as well as the struggles of the performers to preserve it in a rapidly changing world.
Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju takes place across the vastness of the Showa period, a time of great cultural shifts for the nation of Japan. Losing a world war, the boom of the industry, and the looming economic crash of 1991 had unforeseen consequences on the humble performers of Rakugo, one that the anime deftly explores.
1 In This Corner Of The World (2016)
129 Minutes
In This Corner Of The World is a poignant period drama that tells the story of a young woman named Suzu, who lives in Hiroshima during World War II. The film follows her life as she navigates the difficulties of daily life during wartime, and how it slowly destroys the peaceful existence she once had.
Unlike Grave of the Fireflies, which is an intimate and heartbreaking story about two siblings, In This Corner Of The World zooms out and depicts the daily lives of an entire community. Suzu may be the main character, but she is also a lens through which the viewer sees how quickly idyllic life can be destroyed by the reality of war.
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