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- Science SARU
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- Studio Ghibli
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- Geno Studio
The 12 Best Anime Based On Real Wars
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- Studio Ghibli
The War: World War II (1939-1945)
What It's About: Seita and Setsuko are children whose lives have been devastated by the American bombings of Japanese cities. They've lost their parents, their home, and any sense of safety they once had. They travel the countryside in search of food and shelter, all while trying to avoid death from disease, starvation, or other threats.
Why It’s Worth Watching: Grave of the Fireflies might be one of the most famous anime films depicting the fallout from World War II. Seita and Setsuko are innocent children with no power to influence anything in the war. Despite this, they're forced to suffer heavy losses and threats to their survival. The film serves as a painful reminder of the human cost of war.
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- Wit Studio
The War: The Norman Invasion of England (700-1100 CE) and other conflicts
What It's About: Thorfinn was once a child who idolized his father, a former warrior. When his father, who intends to lead a life of pacifism, is tricked into being assassinated, Thorfinn swears revenge on his father's killers. However, he's still just a child and doesn't stand a chance against the people who took down his powerful father. So, he ends up tagging along with them, learning about the brutality of war along the way.
Why It’s Worth Watching: First of all, Vinland Saga offers a relatively accurate look at a time period rarely depicted in anime. Many details, including clothing, customs, weapons, and wartime events, mirror the real deal. The fight scenes are intense and exciting, but the message of the importance of peace still resonates.
Additionally, the story has a really interesting approach to war and violence. Thorfinn starts out desperate for revenge but ultimately learns that the world is a lot more complicated than purely good or purely evil, and that what he once thought was right may not reflect reality. His development, both in his behavior and in how he sees the world, truly carries the story.
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- Studio Ghibli
The War: World War II (1939-1945)
What It's About: Jiro Horikoshi dreams of building planes just like his idol, Giovanni Battista Caproni. As he pursues that dream and achieves further success, he comes to a painful realization - the planes he loves could be used as war machines. Is his dream truly worth the cost?
Why It’s Worth Watching: Everything Studio Ghibli puts out is worth watching - its unique style and humanistic themes make it stand out from the crowd. This particular film does an excellent job of portraying some of Hayao Miyazaki's own anxieties. Like Jiro, Miyazaki is a talented person who made a big impact on his chosen industry but isn't sure whether that mark was negative or positive in the long run. It's clear why Miyazaki chose to create a fictionalized account of this historical figure.
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The Elusive Samurai
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- CloverWorks
The War: Nakasendai War (1335)
What It's About: Tokiyuki Hojo is an eight-year-old boy who is set to become the shogun of Kamakura. He spends most of his time in carefree play until his entire clan is wiped out in a brutal coup. With help from a strange man named Yorishige, he makes his escape in the hopes that one day he can get revenge.
Why It’s Worth Watching: This series isn't a fully accurate biographical depiction of the real Tokiyuki Hojo, but it does a great job of bringing the historical tale to life. The art and animation are among the best CloverWorks has ever produced, and its ability to shift from cheerful and fun to brutal within seconds is truly impressive.
Additionally, the characters are engaging and relatable, even though they are historical figures from hundreds of years ago.
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- Tokyo Movie Shinsha
The War: The French Revolution (1789-1799)
What It's About: Oscar François de Jarjayes is a girl who was raised as a boy so that she could one day inherit her father's title. Though she doesn't especially want to, she ends up working for Princess Marie Antoinette of Austria, who has just been married to the Crown Prince of France, Louis XVI. As Oscar becomes more embroiled in royal politics, she begins to understand how terribly the poor are treated compared to the wealthy - and she becomes increasingly unwilling to tolerate it.
Why It’s Worth Watching: This series is a classic for a reason. It has a unique subject - the French Revolution isn't something Japanese media focuses on very often. Despite its unusual focus, it has had a massive influence on the anime that followed.
Oscar is an iconic character. One of the reasons for this, besides her undeniable charisma, is the fact that she often sides with the working class rather than the royals she works for - an important element of the Revolution.
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- Geno Studio
The War: Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)
What It's About: Saichi Sugimoto is an ex-soldier trying to make enough money to support his deceased comrade's family. He hears about a massive cache of gold that was stolen from a group of Ainu people. However, he isn't the only one who wants to get their hands on the gold. Another is Asirpa, the daughter of one of the Ainu who was killed during the theft, and she wants to reclaim what is rightfully hers. The two decide to combine their skills to find the gold together.
Why It’s Worth Watching: Golden Kamuy is an exciting, action-packed series that takes war seriously while not getting bogged down by its horrors. It has a plot outside of the war, but Sugimoto's previous service and the war's continuing impact are important to the story.
What makes Golden Kamuy truly unique, however, is the presence of the Ainu people. This indigenous group is an important part of Japanese history, but they are rarely depicted or even mentioned in anime. Here, they are front and center.
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- Madhouse
The War: World War II (1939-1945)
What It's About: Gen Nakaoka is a cheerful young boy living in Hiroshima during World War II. The war has resulted in significant economic instability and chaos, but Gen and his family are optimistic about things improving. What they don't realize is that their city is about to be decimated by an atomic bomb sent from America.
Why It’s Worth Watching: The atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki have greatly influenced Japanese media in both metaphorical and literal ways. On the metaphorical side, there are sci-fi concepts like Godzilla and kaiju, as well as anime such as Akira. Other times, it's referenced in a literal sense but not shown as overtly. In This Corner of the World, for example, portrays it in a more subtle way.
None of this is true of Barefoot Gen. Barefoot Gen confronts you with the explicit horror of human bodies melting and disintegrating. It doesn't hold back at all. While this can be disturbing, it's important to reckon with the reality of human suffering.
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- MAPPA
The War: World War II (1939-1945)
What It's About: Originally from Hiroshima, Suzu Urano is trying to get used to her new life in Kure with her husband. At first, her main challenges involve adjusting to life as a bride far from the home she is used to. But soon, World War II makes a major impact on her daily life - both in her hometown and in her current home.
Why It’s Worth Watching: This film initially comes across as an ordinary slice-of-life film. Suzu's concerns are real but mundane, her everyday life just as important to her as any viewer's is to them. That's what makes it so impactful when the war shows up on her doorstep - and ravages her hometown. By that point, viewers know her well and can understand what this massive, painful shift is like for her as an individual.
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- Science SARU
The War: Genpei War (1180-1185)
What It's About: The Taira clan, also known as the Heike, is an immeasurably powerful group that controls Japan. Biwa, a little girl with the ability to see the future, is taken in by the Heike after a disastrous event caused by several of its members. She grows close to the clan members, but it’s not long before she starts to see signs of their imminent collapse.
Why It’s Worth Watching: First of all, the art and animation are stunning. Science SARU is known for creating visual masterpieces, so it's not surprising that their take on this is superb. It also features excellent music - simultaneously haunting and energetic, perfectly fitting the mood of the series.
Finally, its message is both unusual and beautiful. In this series, there are no heroes who save the day. Biwa can't change the future she sees or protect the clan she has come to love. All she can do is bear witness and pass the story along. Sometimes, that's all anyone can do.
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Giovanni's Island
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- Production I.G
The War: World War II (1939-1945)
What It's About: The island of Shikotan once belonged to Japan, but during World War II, its ownership was challenged. For the residents, this means their quiet home is suddenly filled with Russian soldiers and their families. Initially, this is difficult to adjust to - they haven't heard the language and they don't understand the culture. However, for the Japanese and Russian children, coexistence might truly be within reach.
Why It’s Worth Watching: World War II is a common subject in all forms of media, including anime, but Giovanni's Island focuses on a part of the war that is infrequently discussed. For many viewers, this will be the first time they hear of the Shikotan Islands and their Russian occupation. Yet, the film is more than just educational - it also tells an emotionally resonant story about how children respond to change.
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Who's Left Behind?
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- Mushi Production
The War: World War II (1939-1945)
What It's About: Kayoko is a six-year-old girl living a normal life. She loves her older brothers and is looking forward to becoming a big sister soon. She's getting used to being in school but has a hard time because she can be a bit sensitive. World War II begins to encroach on her life - at first slowly, then, in 1945, all at once.
Why It’s Worth Watching: This film is based on the memories of Kayoko Ebina, a Japanese woman who experienced the Tokyo air raids as a child. Ebina was involved in the creation of the film, which gives it an air of true authenticity. It also does a great job of humanizing the victims of the air raids and other wartime events.
By showing the impact on the everyday lives of children, viewers see just how destructive the war could be. All of this is presented with absolutely beautiful background art.
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- Pierrot
The War: The Warring States period (475-221 BCE)
What It's About: Xin and Piao, two enslaved war orphans, have dreams of something much bigger. They both hope to become wartime generals, a position they believe will grant them the respect and power they currently lack. One day, Piao is summoned to the palace to work - an amazing opportunity he can't pass up. Not long after, Piao returns on the verge of death, with an important mission for Xin.
Why It’s Worth Watching: Due to the unusual CGI art and animation in the first season, many people might consider skipping this series. However, the art improves, and even if it didn't, the story would be worth sticking around for. It's extremely well-researched, accurately depicting specific details of the Warring States period.
But it's not just a dry history lesson - the characters are well-rounded, the politics are intriguing, and overall, it's a great show that keeps you guessing.
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