There are a lot of things that can inspire a creative person. One of these things is history, and the reasoning may vary. Some are deeply enamored with certain fashion choices, others want to deeply explore the cultural aspects by putting their characters through specific events. Some are fueled by the general feeling that a certain era gives them, others want to give widely known historical events a little modern twist. Anime is full of stories like that, and we've got a list of shows based on actual historical events or time periods.
Kingdom
This show takes place in the Chinese period of Warring States, with the main character, Shin, being from the state of Qin. Shin wants to become the greatest warrior and general on Earth and embarks on a quest to get that title. A lot of characters are inspired by actual historical figures, but that's not the main selling point of the series. It's the battles; brutal, full of smart (and sometimes wrong) tactical choices, betrayal, and blood. It's an interesting way to learn about how the wars worked back then and in this specific part of the world and what logic the generals used.
This anime climbed the charts because it's a good story that covers topics of fatherhood, finding oneself, growing up in very uncertain times, of war and politics surrounding it. The events of Vinland Saga unravel in Denmark during and after the Viking's invasion of England — not a very popular period in mass media. It's epic, both in scale and in the quality of production, and the focus on a Nordic country provides a breath of fresh air.
This is a weird choice for this list, but hey, nothing about Gintama is normal. The series is technically set in the 1860s in Japan, but shows an alternate path of history — one that was jumbled by the alien invasion that brought rapid progress to some of the industries while others stayed the same. This mix of old and new creates a unique narrative for Gintama: the swords don't feel obsolete near bazookas and laser guns, and skyscrapers look fine towering over traditional Japanese homes and gravel roads. Bonus point: the majority of Gintama's main cast is a spoof of actual historical figures and some of the arcs follow the historical events, but with a special twist.
How about mixing the Edo period with hip-hop culture? Sounds silly, but it worked in Samurai Champloo, and worked flawlessly. It's not the most historically accurate show, but it's exactly one of those that borrows the aesthetics of the specific period, adapts modern concepts to this era, and loosely incorporates real historical events into the narrative. This blend feels surprisingly balanced, telling a cohesive and interesting story that masterfully blends the overarching plot of the adventure with some episodic parts — and always does it in style.
The anime adaptation of the light novel doesn't feature many events, but that doesn't make it boring. The story of the roaring 20s in America is full of chaotic shenanigans, sometimes confusing, but never boring. It's a wild ride, and the narrative may seem jumbled, but by the end all the plotlines get connected, and the world built in the series feels vivid and alive.
Set in the early 20th century after the conclusion of the Russo-Japanese War, Golden Kamuy shines a light not only on the specific era of Japanese history, but on a vast region of Hokkaido — the largest prefecture of Japan. The main storyline with the characters looking for treasure is purely fictional, but the cultural aspects of this historical period are depicted in a quite realistic way. It explores not only the specifics of the life of the indigenous people of Hokkaido, Ainu, but also the effects of war — but never forgets to add a bit of humor.
World War II was a devastating event for the whole planet, and Japan often focuses on depicting it in its own way. Every country grieves differently; every family has its own way of mourning and dealing with loss, and Ghibli's approach to the story about the ending of the war focuses mostly on the deeply personal tragedy of its little protagonists. The time period and the events that transpire are a huge part of the whole narrative, but the main concern is problems that are quite often forgotten in conflicts like these.
Rainbow
This show is set in 1955 Japan, at a time when the country was rebuilding itself from the war. The main characters, delinquents, are put into a disciplinary school, and that alone is a warning that the narrative would be focused on the darker parts of this time period, filled with corruption, distrust, general dissatisfaction, and emptiness that people feel alongside the need to dominate over those who are deemed lesser.
A brief history lesson in an animated format.
There are a lot of things that can inspire a creative person. One of these things is history, and the reasoning may vary. Some are deeply enamored with certain fashion choices, others want to deeply explore the cultural aspects by putting their characters through specific events. Some are fueled by the general feeling that a certain era gives them, others want to give widely known historical events a little modern twist. Anime is full of stories like that, and we've got a list of shows based on actual historical events or time periods.
Kingdom
This show takes place in the Chinese period of Warring States, with the main character, Shin, being from the state of Qin. Shin wants to become the greatest warrior and general on Earth and embarks on a quest to get that title. A lot of characters are inspired by actual historical figures, but that's not the main selling point of the series. It's the battles; brutal, full of smart (and sometimes wrong) tactical choices, betrayal, and blood. It's an interesting way to learn about how the wars worked back then and in this specific part of the world and what logic the generals used.
This anime climbed the charts because it's a good story that covers topics of fatherhood, finding oneself, growing up in very uncertain times, of war and politics surrounding it. The events of Vinland Saga unravel in Denmark during and after the Viking's invasion of England — not a very popular period in mass media. It's epic, both in scale and in the quality of production, and the focus on a Nordic country provides a breath of fresh air.
This is a weird choice for this list, but hey, nothing about Gintama is normal. The series is technically set in the 1860s in Japan, but shows an alternate path of history — one that was jumbled by the alien invasion that brought rapid progress to some of the industries while others stayed the same. This mix of old and new creates a unique narrative for Gintama: the swords don't feel obsolete near bazookas and laser guns, and skyscrapers look fine towering over traditional Japanese homes and gravel roads. Bonus point: the majority of Gintama's main cast is a spoof of actual historical figures and some of the arcs follow the historical events, but with a special twist.
How about mixing the Edo period with hip-hop culture? Sounds silly, but it worked in Samurai Champloo, and worked flawlessly. It's not the most historically accurate show, but it's exactly one of those that borrows the aesthetics of the specific period, adapts modern concepts to this era, and loosely incorporates real historical events into the narrative. This blend feels surprisingly balanced, telling a cohesive and interesting story that masterfully blends the overarching plot of the adventure with some episodic parts — and always does it in style.
The anime adaptation of the light novel doesn't feature many events, but that doesn't make it boring. The story of the roaring 20s in America is full of chaotic shenanigans, sometimes confusing, but never boring. It's a wild ride, and the narrative may seem jumbled, but by the end all the plotlines get connected, and the world built in the series feels vivid and alive.
Set in the early 20th century after the conclusion of the Russo-Japanese War, Golden Kamuy shines a light not only on the specific era of Japanese history, but on a vast region of Hokkaido — the largest prefecture of Japan. The main storyline with the characters looking for treasure is purely fictional, but the cultural aspects of this historical period are depicted in a quite realistic way. It explores not only the specifics of the life of the indigenous people of Hokkaido, Ainu, but also the effects of war — but never forgets to add a bit of humor.
World War II was a devastating event for the whole planet, and Japan often focuses on depicting it in its own way. Every country grieves differently; every family has its own way of mourning and dealing with loss, and Ghibli's approach to the story about the ending of the war focuses mostly on the deeply personal tragedy of its little protagonists. The time period and the events that transpire are a huge part of the whole narrative, but the main concern is problems that are quite often forgotten in conflicts like these.
Rainbow
This show is set in 1955 Japan, at a time when the country was rebuilding itself from the war. The main characters, delinquents, are put into a disciplinary school, and that alone is a warning that the narrative would be focused on the darker parts of this time period, filled with corruption, distrust, general dissatisfaction, and emptiness that people feel alongside the need to dominate over those who are deemed lesser.
