The Past is Prologue
History is a curious thing. It has the word “story” right there in the name. That tells us something about the nature of history. History is not objective truth, but a narrative. History started out as oral retellings that served to anchor a people in their own culture; to give them values and to make sure they did not forget past mistakes. While modern history trades very much in factual dates and events, history is still mainly narrative in nature.
I love historical fiction. Some of my favorite films are period pieces which transport the viewer to another time and place. It’s why I love shows like Downton Abbey or Vikings. It’s not just a good yarn, it’s about as close to a time machine as we’ll ever get.
Here I have put suggestions for what I think are some of the best historical fiction anime titles. I didn’t have any hard rules here, but I did try to avoid titles that were alternative history science fiction. Shows like Gintama are basically excluded here. Of course, many of these shows take serious liberties with history, but stop short of things like “Aliens intervened in World War II”.
Rurouni Kenshin
The Kenshin franchise is mega-popular to this day and is probably the first title to pop up when talking about historical anime. The show is set in the early years of Emperor Meiji’s rule, which marked the end of Japan’s isolation and the introduction of Western technology, such as guns and trains, to traditional Japanese life.
The word “rurouni” is a riff on the word “ronin”, both of which refer to wandering, masterless samurai. Our hero is Himura Kenshin, a bumbling, sweet guy who is nonetheless an absolute monster with his sword. He travels Japan helping people out as he goes.
As he enters the big city he is mistaken for the “manslayer” famed as a peerless assassin during the most recent war. Someone in the city is claiming to be this assassin and claiming to be from a girl named Kaoru’s dojo. After a brief tussle she decides Kenshin can’t be this monstrous warrior after all. It turns out, though, that the guy claiming to be the manslayer IS lying, but that Kenshin is actually the real deal. This is the start of several new friendships as Kenshin shacks up with Kaoru and meets many interesting characters.
Kenshin is not only replete with great characters, it has a fantastic sense of time and place as well. You’ll learn quite a bit of the broad history that goes along with this era too. There are many arcs and subplots over the course of the series, but some excellent villains and deeper conspiracies also come into the mix. If you’re looking to get into historical samurai anime, Kenshin is always going to be at the top of the list.
Samurai Champloo
Unlike Kenshin, Samurai Champloo is set in an alternate interpretation of the samurai era. It’s not a total reimagining, but rather a modern hip-hop lens applied to the peak of samurai culture in Japan. It’s a cool take on what would usually be serious and melodramatic. The major historical events and figures are unchanged in this story, it’s just that the way people speak and their cultural attitudes sometimes have a distinctly modern influence.
The plot is strong and broad. We have two samurai who can’t stand each other. One is a rebel and the other has a stick up his behind. They have to reluctantly team up under the influence of a young woman who needs help finding the samurai who “smells like sunflowers”. It seems that this temporary agreement is the only thing keeping them from trying to kill each other.
Apart from minor tonal liberties with the historical period in question, Samurai Champloo also has a distinctly adult theme. Sex, violence, and drug abuse abound. It is a rollicking good time, but it’s definitely not for the sensitive or young.
The Wind Rises
The Wind Rises is the last film Hayao Miyazaki made before retiring from feature film projects. In my opinion it is also one of his most beautiful films, which is really saying something.
This film tells the story of a real person named Jiro Horikoshi, but it isn’t a biography. It’s a fictionalized account of his major life events. Jiro is known in history as the aviation engineer who designed, among other things, the iconic Japanese Zero fighter. This movie is by no means a documentary. Miyazaki paints Jiro’s life in the broadest, most artistic way imaginable. It fits effortlessly from concrete real life to full-on surrealism. Miyazaki is not so much interested in the facts of Jiro’s life, but the truth of it. Which is not always the same thing.
This film seems to have been very personal to Hayao Miyazaki. It’s not his greatest commercial success and certainly not his film with the most mainstream appeal. It is, however, an incredibly beautiful and sad film that is a fantastic bookend to such a legendary career. Whether you just love Miyazaki or genuinely have an interest in WWII or aviation, The Wind Rises to the occasion. Even if you don’t particularly care for any of those things, this film stands as a masterpiece of animation all by itself. What I’m saying, if it isn’t clear enough, is that this is one you should see.
Grave of the Fireflies
Here we have yet another film animated by Studio Ghibli, but this time directed by another heavyweight, Isao Takahata.
Before I go any further, you should know that this is one heavy movie – the sort of film you need to bring tissues to. The film starts with the death of the main characters, who tell you their story as freaking ghosts.
It’s set at the end of WWII and tells the story of two recently-orphaned children struggling to survive at the end of the war. It’s especially jarring to see children in such a collectivist culture find no help from adults, who are themselves trying to survive. There’s some deeper message in that, but I’ll leave it to your own interpretation.
Grave of the Fireflies is a dark and depressing film, but it’s a depiction of a dark and depressing time in our history. It also shows how the end of a war can be just as devastating as the war itself. Grave of the Fireflies prevents us from forgetting the real human cost of war, but it’s not meant as an anti-war film, by the director’s own admission. So bring the Kleenex, lock the door, and prepare for some soul-searching.
Barefoot Gen
I’m not letting up with the depressing war anime just quite yet. Barefoot Gen has to be one of the most notorious anime to show Japan during the second World War. It’s based on a manga series from the 70s and tells the story of a young boy who survives the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima; bearing witness to the horrors that follow.
Barefoot Gen is a pretty graphic show and doesn’t hold back on the ick factor. It is, however, not a gratuitous show. Rather, the horror serves a purpose and isn’t there just to shock. It also picks up on many complex and intersecting themes about war, power, and Japanese society. You watch Barefoot Gen at your own risk, but if you do take the plunge you can be sure of watching an iconoclastic and powerful piece of television.
Emma: A Victorian Romance
Emma: A Victorian Romance is a true period piece. Set in Victorian England in the late 1800s, it tells the story of a maid named Emma, who falls in love with a man at first sight. Emma has a rough childhood and is almost sold to a brothel, but a benefactor takes her in as a maid.
There is no fantasy or speculative elements to this story. It’s just a great period piece with a massive cult following in Japan. Just as many anime fans are essentially Japanophiles, the author of Emma is an Anglophile by his own admission. It shows in Emma both when it comes to the manga and the animated show. The attention to detail is astonishing, and seeing a (supposedly) familiar culture through the lens of a Japanese admirer can be quite a trip.
This show is a double whammy of both beautiful romance and historical geekery. So if you’ve finished with Downton Abbey, perhaps this should be on the list next.
Heidi, Girl of the Alps
This 1974 animated TV series is obviously too old to be a product of Studio Ghibli, but one glance at the character art should immediately remind you of them. That’s because both Isao Takahashi (of Grave of the Fireflies) and Hayao Miyazaki were involved in the creation of this program. It was made as part of the “World Masterpiece Theater” series, where many classic Western tales were made into anime for the Japanese market.
Heidi tells the story of a young girl who lives in the mountains with her grandfather. It details her adventures, the people she meets, and so on. It’s a child-friendly and endearing tale. Perfect for family viewing.
Apart from being a pretty decent show, it’s notable that Heidi was translated into German, Italian, Afrikaans, and an Indian language in addition to English. In South Africa the show is practically part of almost every Afrikaner adult’s childhood – all without anyone knowing that the show was originally Japanese. Not only is this a historical anime, it’s an important look into the history of anime.
The Rose of Versailles
The Rose of Versailles is notable for being one of the defining and best-known shoujo titles to date. The manga ran from 1972-1973, with the anime series airing in 1979. It remains a popular title today despite its age.
As the title suggests, this anime is set in France. It tells the story of one Oscar Francois de Jarjayes, a girl raised as a boy thanks to her father’s unflinching desire for a son.
Hetalia
This is, I admit, a weird one. Hetalia isn’t a historical anime in the sense that it is about world history. It is not, however, a period piece. Instead, the characters are personifications of various countries during World Wars One and Two. The characters represent the Axis and Allied powers respectively.
It’s a pretty educational show that uses these characters to talk about some pretty heavy issues in a relatable way. It’s certainly been an effective tool to help me remember the major events of the World Wars! The show and manga are both super popular. There are SIX seasons of the TV show, a movie, and a whole bunch of tie-in stuff. Lots to get your teeth sunk into.