25 Historical Anime That Will Take You Back in Time

1. Kingdom

China’s Warring States period, a raging dragon that would raze the land for 500 years, saw many kingdoms rise and fall, making way for the next generation of kings and generals to fight for supremacy. Eventually, seven powerful states emerged from the endless cycle of warfare.

In the kingdom of Qin, Xin, a war-orphaned slave, trains vigorously with his fellow slave and best friend, Piao, who shares his proud dream of one day becoming a Great General of the Heavens. However, the two are suddenly forced to part ways when Piao is recruited to work in the royal palace by a retainer of the King.

After a fierce coup d’état unfolds, Piao returns to Xin, half dead, with a mission that will lead him to a meeting with China’s young King, Ying Zheng, who bears a striking resemblance to Piao. Kingdom follows Xin as he takes his first steps into the great blood-soaked pages of China’s history. He must carve his own path to glory on his long quest to become a Great General of the historic Seven Warring States.

• The 3D CGI art of Kingdom may put some off, however, it enhances the sense of Chinese war. Seemingly unique, this animation style helps flesh out historical events more
• The soundtracks of Kingdom are amazing, from its uplifting melodies which stoke the flames of revolution within you to stoic tunes to engulf you in that war setting
• Each character is developed incredibly and uniquely. No character’s story is slow and undeveloped

2. Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan

In the final years of the Bakumatsu era lived a legendary assassin known as Hitokiri Battousai. Feared as a merciless killer, he was unmatched throughout the country, but mysteriously disappeared at the peak of the Japanese Revolution. It has been ten peaceful years since then, but the very mention of Battousai still strikes terror into the hearts of war veterans.

Unbeknownst to them, Battousai has abandoned his bloodstained lifestyle in an effort to repent for his sins, now living as Kenshin Himura, a wandering swordsman with a cheerful attitude and a strong will. Vowing never to kill again, Kenshin dedicates himself to protecting the weak. One day, he stumbles across Kaoru Kamiya at her kendo dojo, which is being threatened by an impostor claiming to be Battousai. After receiving help from Kenshin, Kaoru allows him to stay at the dojo, and so the former assassin temporarily ceases his travels.

Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan tells the story of Kenshin as he strives to save those in need of saving. However, as enemies from both past and present begin to emerge, will the reformed killer be able to uphold his new ideals?

• The animation was amazing for its time and is still a treat to look at now. From well-put lighting effects to camera angles, every scene is fresh and not lacking
• Characters are dynamic, in which they are always changing intrinsically. This shows the author’s skill in writing great subplots for characters
• The soundtracks are a great blast from the past. OP and ED are well-strung together to make it stick in your head

3. Angolmois: Genkou Kassenki

The story takes place in the battle of Tsushima, the front line during the “Genko”, the greatest crisis that struck Japan in the middle of the Kamakura period (1185-1333).

The Mongol Empire, which was the largest empire in the world at that time, was later associated with “Angol More, the great king who destroys the world”. In 1274, the Mongol Empire invaded Japan with an overwhelming military force, leading to the “Mongol Invasion”, the greatest incident in Japanese history.

Just before the Mongol Invasion, Kuchii Jinzaburo and his men were exiled to Tsushima on the charge of treason, and they were informed of the Mongol invasion by Teruhi-hime, the daughter of the So clan that ruled Tsushima. In response to Princess Teruhi-hime’s plea to “die for Tsushima,” Jinzaburo and his men must face the greatest despair of all, “Angolmois,” to protect Tsushima and, by extension, Japan.

• The animations/art were executed well by the studio. From the fluid fight scenes between the Mongols and samurais, to the designs of the characters, every visual is expertly crafted to enhance your viewing experience
• From a music standpoint, the composers did a great job at using music to inject a sense of tension in every scene. The OP and ED are beautifully constructed to engulf the audience with ancient Japan’s setting
• The pacing of the plot and characters develops well over the course of the anime, and gives the viewer a lot to learn about how samurais lived their lives

4. Vinland Saga

Young Thorfinn grew up listening to the stories of old sailors that had traveled the ocean and reached the place of legend, Vinland. It’s said to be warm and fertile, a place where there would be no need for fighting—not at all like the frozen village in Iceland where he was born, and certainly not like his current life as a mercenary.

War is his home now. Though his father once told him, “You have no enemies, nobody does. There is nobody who it’s okay to hurt,” as he grew, Thorfinn knew that nothing was further from the truth.

The war between England and the Danes grows worse with each passing year. Death has become commonplace, and the Viking mercenaries are loving every moment of it. Allying with either side will cause a massive swing in the balance of power, and the Vikings are happy to make names for themselves and take any spoils they earn along the way.

Among the chaos, Thorfinn must take his revenge and kill Askeladd, the man who murdered his father. The only paradise for the Vikings, it seems, is the era of war and death that rages on.

• WIT Studio, what more can we say. The animations used help flesh out Viking combat and lifestyle explicitly
• The music is historically accurate and sets the medieval tone quite well for the viewer to be enveloped in
• The characters no matter what small role they have, all impact the MC in many ways, leading to the MC being a character who is constantly growing with realistic limits

5. Nobunaga Concerto

The original story of Nobunaga Concerto is a manga by Ayumi Ishii. It won the 57th Shogakukan Manga Award in the Juvenile Division.

Saburo, a high school boy living in the present day, accidentally travels back in time to the 18th year of the Sengoku Period (1549). In Sengoku-era Japan, Saburo meets Nobunaga Oda, a man with a face identical to his own. Nobunaga, who is sickly and frail, unlike the legends of history, asks Saburo to switch places with him and live as Nobunaga Oda.

At first, Saburo does not accept the idea of taking Oda Nobunaga’s place. However, Saburo skillfully survived the Warring States period with his bold words, actions, and ideas.

• The storytelling is brilliant – no cliches, no harems, no love triangles, it’s all about Oda Nobunaga and his quest to unite all of Japan
• The sound is amazing too (listening to the ED as I write this), making you cry at times – from sadness and happiness alike
• Character development is subtle yet clear, you might even end up cheering for the once-disgusting guy

6. Hakuouki

In 1864 Japan, a young woman named Chizuru Yukimura is searching for her missing father, Koudou, a doctor by trade whose work often takes him far from home. But with no word from him in months, Chizuru disguises herself as a man and heads to Kyoto in search of him.

Attracting the attention of ronin, she tries to hide and ends up witnessing a horrifying sight: the ronin being brutally murdered by crazed white-haired men. In a startling turn of events, members of the Shinsengumi arrive to dispatch the creatures. But Chizuru’s safety doesn’t last long, as this group of men tie her up and take her back to their headquarters, unsure of whether to let her live or silence her permanently.

However, once she reveals the name of her father, the Shinsengumi decide to keep her safe, as they too have been searching for him. But Koudou is more connected to the Shinsengumi than they let on, and soon Chizuru finds herself embroiled in a conflict between the Shinsengumi and their enemies, as well as political tension in Kyoto.

• Music in slice-of-life scenes had a serene, calming flow that worked very nicely in the background, which intensified in plot twists or confrontations, enhancing drama in every occasion
• Female lead character
• Deep yet simple cultural explanations whenever new concepts are brought up

7. Hyouge Mono

The story of Hyouge Mono is based upon true historical recordings that take place in the final stage of the Sengoku period, the Azuchi-Momoyama period from 1573 to 1603: it is at the peak of Oda Nobunaga’s power.

The anime is a very character-driven story, focussing on multiple characters where Furuta Oribe could be seen as the main protagonist. It is a very accurate historical representation of that time, using the obscured historical records to interpret the gaps and whole scope of those decades, and very convincingly so. For viewers familiar and not with the setting, may find themselves pleasantly surprised in discovering all the finer details.

The main character is Furuta Oribe, who served Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Oribe has an unlimited appetite for beautiful things. The “wabi no bi” (the beauty of simplicity) advocated by Sen no Rikyu came to an end with his death. Then, Hideyoshi Toyotomi ordered Furuta Oribe to create a new beauty to replace “Wabi-no-bi”.

• The main themes of various anime are simple and straightforward.  Hyouge Mono is about beauty, aesthetics, arts, and perspectives
• Characters are not one-dimensional, not even two-dimensional. They have multiple sides about them
• Delves deeper into the more socio-psychological effects of pre-united Japan and portrays a Japan that is not often shown in common media mediums

8. Drifters

At the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Toyohisa Shimazu is the rearguard for his retreating troops, and is critically wounded when he suddenly finds himself in a modern, gleaming white hallway. Faced with only a stoic man named Murasaki and hundreds of doors on both sides, Toyohisa is pulled into the nearest door and into a world completely unlike his own.

The strange land is populated by all manner of fantastical creatures, as well as warriors from different eras of Toyohisa’s world who were thought to be dead. Quickly befriending the infamous warlord Nobunaga Oda and the ancient archer Yoichi Suketaka Nasu, Toyohisa learns of the political unrest tearing through the continent. Furthermore, they have been summoned as “Drifters” to fight against the “Ends,” people who are responsible for the creation of the Orte Empire and are trying to annihilate the Drifters. 

As the Ends grow more powerful, so does the Empire’s persecution of elves and other demi-humans. It is up to Toyohisa and his group of unconventional heroes to battle in a brand-new world war to help the Empire’s subjects while protecting the land to claim for themselves and challenging the Ends.

• Drifters shows us more about its characters’ background. And while some of Drifters do have regrets, they are still ready to go on and it is very exciting
• Drifters uses American historical figures, Japanese historical figures, French historical figures, Russian historical figures, and others
• If you fancy a fantasy story about extraordinary individuals coming together, then Drifters will be quite a treat

9. Onihei

On one side of a brittle, canvas Shoji, lies a group of bandits—found in all shapes and sizes, though all donning the same, uniform black garments. Whispering to themselves in memorization the code of a true thief: to never kill, to never rape, and to never, ever steal from the poor whose earnings come from good work.

More meaningless muttering occurs throughout the mob as they neatly organize their arsenal of tools; small daggers, picks for a lock, and of course their sharpened Katana—they don’t dare be spotted without one. On the other side of that same, brittle, canvas Shoji, lies a concealed troop of Samurais, all taking one deep, collective breath, in preparation for the Chief of the Arson Control, the “Onihei” himself, to swiftly kick down this same, brittle, canvas Shoji.

“This is Heizo Hasegawa of Arson Theft Control!” the chief bellows, with his two hands now grasped tightly around his own Katana in position to fight, with that brittle, canvas Shoji now in pieces beneath his foot, over the soft tatami mat.

• An anime geared toward a mature audience with many explicit themes
• Onihei has some very emotionally involved stories that may possibly bring you to tears based upon your life experiences
• The show has a great balance of humor, action, and great storytelling. A great spin on the classic Shonen formula

10. Ninja Girl & Samurai Master

Rescued from nearly drowning in a river, a young Chidori yearns to pay back her savior’s kindness. Though her cute and innocent appearance might not show it, she is actually a highly skilled ninja, so years later, Chidori and her friend Sukezou come to serve under the man who saved her—the ambitious warlord, Nobunaga Oda.

As Nobunaga fights off invading forces and sets his sights upon neighboring lands, Chidori is assigned vital tasks to assure victory, such as gathering information or assassinating key figures. Between taking on these important missions and dealing with the colorful cast of Nobunaga’s family and servants, the young ninja is always ready to do her best to lead her master toward greatness.

• The episodes are short yet sweet, those who are familiar with the Sengoku era will appreciate the stories portrayed here
• Characters are in chibi style and as such, it is comedic in nature and viewers should not expect serious historical accuracy in the series
• Recommended if you if need a casual anime to kick back and relax to

11. Master Keaton

Taichi Hiraga Keaton is a half-Japanese half-British Archaeologist, part-time lecturer, Ex SAS, historian, and Insurance agent. He is humble, intelligent, and simple. While you may think Keaton is made to be a “Jack of all trades” kind of character, which he is kind of, he is actually used as a conduit to tell various short stories.

Hence in most episodes, the stories and the characters involved take the center stage instead of him. There are also a few episodes devoted to Keaton’s past, since we are also interested in our protagonist as well no doubt.

Most stories take place in Europe & few places in Japan as well, and despite the short duration the episodic stories are well constructed with mature, usually relatable characters.

• An episodic series, therefore, you feel refreshed with each episode and character
• Some of the sensibilities the show displays are quite simple at times, such as the mostly black-and-white morality, or the importance of bonds or friendship
• Its greatest strength, though, is its simple yet charming personality, and the staggering variety of stories that it tells

12. Shigurui

Contrary to popular belief, Japan’s Tokugawa (or Edo) period wasn’t all about fancy clothes and fairy tales at all. It was a time when honor and loyalty ruled in a man’s world. Where women were treated as mere objects and held rather little to no power. And being formal with your enemies was as common as wielding a blade. This story basically follows the trials and tribulations of two warring clans rife with sex, lies, and deceit.

At the beginning of the Edo Era, when people enjoyed a time of peace, Lord Tokugawa Tadanaga held a fighting tournament. In the past, matches were fought with wooden swords. This time, real swords will be used.

One-armed Fujiki Gennosuke and blind Irako Seigen will fight each other in this match. Both are disciples of Iwamoto Kogan, who is known as Japan’s greatest swordsman. Each of them are determined to prove himself the successor of Iwamoto’s school. However, there can only be one champion.

So begins a story of intertwining fates, conflict, and strange destinies.

• The music used is very explicit to Japanese opera and sets the mood perfectly for this show
• The voice acting for this anime is filled with a lot of passion and emotion that it helps bring out the undertones of scenes
• Madhouse is the studio behind the animation/art for this anime. It simply can be defined as “blessed”

13. Intrigue in the Bakumatsu: Irohanihoheto

In the final years of the Bakumatsu, wandering mercenary Youjirou Akizuki travels the length and breadth of Japan. And while he employs his sword in the usual fashion, he also uses it to help him locate supernatural items which he pursues with single-minded determination, often with bloody results. 

In the course of his quest, he crosses paths with a traveling theater group whose members have their own dark agenda. Is it a chance meeting or the result of some, as yet, undiscovered conspiracy?

• It is a re-telling of what Japan went through in the final years of the Edo period, when the Samurai, Ronins, Citizens, and Military forces from Japan and foreign countries, fought for control of the country
• The Art for the series is good. It suits the story and its timeline perfectly, and is solid for all 26 episodes
• Interesting battles, real-life tales of betrayal and backstabbing are retold with a hint of the supernatural element. Which although seemingly far fetched, does hold more than a hint of realism

14. The Rose of Versailles

In a time of class stratification and rising tensions amongst the impoverished population, the Austrian Empire sends Princess Marie Antoinette to France to be wed to Crown Prince Louis XVI. The political marriage is arranged to strengthen the alliance between both countries, but the future queen is deeply unsatisfied with her fate being decided for her. Upon arrival in the country, Marie Antoinette is acquainted with Oscar Fançois de Jarjayes—Commander of the Royal Guard.

Due to her father’s desire for a son, Oscar is raised as a boy with an expectation to inherit his title as The Commander. Though she is revered by both men and women alike, Oscar cannot help but desire to live life as a woman instead of masquerading as a man.

As Oscar reluctantly serves the young, spoiled queen, the growing resentment and suffering of the poor become harder for her to ignore—especially when Marie Antoinette frivolously spends her wealth.

• Very classic Shoujo Manga
• The storyline describes the French Revolution far more interesting than a history teacher. It’s accurate in events, but has some original characters to add to the plot
• The story progresses with time adding detail, and though it is a drama, the pacing is perfect

15. Sarusuberi: Miss Hokusai

Katsushika Hokusai was a famous ukiyo-e artist of the Edo period. The story revolves around Katsushika Hokusai, his daughter Oei, and his housemate Zenjiro, who live in a rundown tenement house. Each of them has their own problems and struggles to live their daily life, but what is the answer that they come to…?

Decades later, Europe was going to discover the immense talent of Tetsuzo. He was to become best known by one of his many names: Katsushika Hokusai. He would mesmerize Renoir and van Gogh, Monet, and Klimt.

However, very few today are even aware of the woman who assisted him all his life, and greatly contributed to his art while remaining uncredited. This is the untold story of O-Ei, Master Hokusai’s daughter: a lively portrayal of a free-spirited woman overshadowed by her larger-than-life father, unfolding through the changing seasons.

• Sarusuberi has neither a main conflict nor a linear narrative, instead made up of a handful of shorter stories that are loosely held together by O-Ei, the film’s central character
• The film makes use of a more traditional orchestral soundtrack, with sections using traditional Japanese music, and, strangely, in a couple of scenes, electric guitar riffs
• It is a beautiful, subtle, intelligent film that doesn’t try too hard to be any of those three, which is what, I believe, makes it so excellent

16. Chouyaku Hyakuninisshu: Uta Koi.

Uta Koi tells the “super-liberal interpretation” of the Hyakuninisshu anthology compiled during Japan’s Heian period of 100 romantic poems from 100 different poets such as The Tale of Genji’s Murasaki Shikibu.

The characters include aristocrats Sei Shonagon and Murasaki Shikibu, whose names you may have seen in textbooks. Most of the stories are complete, and you can immerse yourself in the delicate and realistic love stories that were unique to that period.

• If you watched Chihayafuru you will definitely appreciate this show in a whole different way, but you can just watch it in all its glory without knowing anything about the 100 poems too
• The poems portrayed aid the viewer in understanding what life REALLY was like for Japanese aristocrats/royals
• Its nice, its fun for its 13 episodes, and the morals that they share in this anime are such that we can relate with them, from metaphoric or conceptual grounds anyway

17. Buddha: The Great Departure

The story takes place about 2,500 years ago in India. Siddhartha, a prince of Shakha, had doubts about the caste system. Then he meets a young man named Chapra, who is called the bravest man in Kosala. 

This is the story of Siddhartha, who later became enlightened and was called “Buddha”, and the brave Chapra.

• Produced by Tezuka productions, and animated by Toei Animations, both compliment each other creative styles
• Dives deep into the teachings of Buddha and portrays it in an easy to understand method
• Plays with your emotions and morals as a human being

18. Kochoki

The young Oda Nobunaga, who later became a military commander who would go on to become a brilliant leader of the Warring States period, spent his days waving his baby brother, Ikeda Tsuneoki, around with his eccentric and unrestrained behavior.

Nobunaga was so eccentric and unrestrained that he was called the “Great Utsuke of Owari,”(The Great Fool of Owari) but he survived the war-torn world armed with his intellectual curiosity, originality, and dependable companions.

• Historically accurate with a creative twist
• Introduces the viewer to a side of Oda Nobunaga’s life that is not commonly covered
• Some BL for those who dabble in it

19. Beyond the Heavens

Two thousand years ago, during the Age of the Herdsmen, three men were born in different lands who would eventually make a great impact on history.

The grandson of a eunuch was Cao Cao, who later became the first emperor of the Wei Dynasty. Cao Cao, “the hero who showed the most interest in people,” greedily sought out human resources and set his sights on the world with unprecedented methods that no one had ever thought of before.

The story of Cao Cao’s dynamic highroads begins, with a bold new arrangement that takes a different angle from the authentic history.

• Beyond the Heavens does not merely tell a Chinese tale; it tells a Chinese tale using some elements of Chinese storytelling techniques, mixed with modern film techniques
• There is a fair amount of violence and brutality, along with social critique, the main purpose of which is to explain the main character Cao Cao
• Based off Luo Guanzhong’s 14th century Romance of the 3 kingdom novel, which is considered one of the ‘Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature’, it’s one of the most well known and most adapted stories in China

20. Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings

In the Warring States period, famous warlords from all over the country revolt against each other: Masamune Date, the leader of the Oshu clan, with his six swords, shouting “Let’s parry”, and Yukimura Sanada, the brave and hot-blooded “Tenha Zetsuri”. 

The encounter between these two long-time rivals of the “Blue and Red” warriors opens the curtain on a fierce and unconventional battle for supremacy between the great warriors of the Warring States period.

Their goal is to conquer the world, and the “Sixth Demon King”, Nobunaga Oda, is in their sights!

• Interesting presentation of the Warring States period. If you know a thing or two about the period, you’re likely to squeeze more enjoyment out of it (unless historical inaccuracies put you off)
• Animations are fluid and details on characters are fleshed out well
• Historically accurate with a creative twist