Historical anime
Dashing samurais and the romance of Victorian England are timeless beauties deserving of appreciation even after centuries have passed. Unfortunately, time machines are not a thing yet, so your best alternative is this list of 11 historical anime series that will bring you back to a classier time.
1. Yona of the Dawn (2014)
Image credit: IMDb
Yona of the Dawn is basically the anime version of Mulan.
Image adapted from: Studio Pierrot
Our main heroine is Yona, the princess of the Kouka Kingdom. She had a happy childhood with her close friends Hak and Soo-won.
Image adapted from: Studio Pierrot
However, her tranquil life is overturned when Soo-won murders Yona’s father and usurps the throne to become the king.
Blue Dragon, 1 of the 4 Dragon Warriors
Image credit: IMDb
With the help of Hak, Yona flees the kingdom and begins the life of a fugitive. As she journeys through different villages to rally the help of four powerful Dragon Warriors in order to exact revenge on Soo-won, we get to see the growth in both her physical and emotional strength. Slowly but surely, the affection between Hak and Yona grows too.
Length: 1 season, 24 episodes, 3 OVA
Available on: Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu
2. Black Butler (2008 – Present)
Image credit: IMDb
Set in London during the Victorian era, Black Butler is a story about Ciel, the young Earl of the Phantomhive company, and his demon butler Sebastian Michaelis.
Image adapted from: A-1 Pictures
After the massacre of his family and his subsequent kidnap, Ciel calls upon a demon, whom he later names “Sebastian”, to make a pact. On the surface, Sebastian is Ciel’s capable butler.
Image adapted from: A-1 Pictures
However, behind the scenes, Sebastian uses his supernatural powers to help Ciel to seek revenge against the murderers. In exchange for this, Ciel has pledged his soul to the demon for consumption once his revenge is complete.
Image adapted from: A-1 Pictures
As part of his role as the “Queen’s Dog”, Ciel is also involved in doing the grunt work for the royal family, such as investigating mysteries or bumping off people. The series follows several arcs, and they find themselves embroiled in gruesome schemes such as child abduction and zombie revivals.
Image adapted from: A-1 Pictures
The anime has intricate art that does justice to the beautiful manga panels drawn by Yana Toboso. However, because of its high production quality, you’ll have to wait a bit for new seasons. Season three was aired in 2014, and there has only been an animated film released since then.
Do note that the first 18 episodes of season one follows the manga, while everything else until the end of season two is an anime-original plot. Season three then picks up from episode 18 of the first season.
Length: 3 seasons, 24 (S1), 12 (S2), 10 (S3), 7 OVAs, 1 movie
Available on: Netflix, Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video, Funimation, Hulu
3. Arslan Senki (2015)
Image credit: IMDb
Arslan Senki is loosely based on Amir Arsalan-e Namdar, a famous Persian epic. Set in the fictional kingdom of Pars, which references Persia’s native name, the anime details the heroic tale of Arslan, the Crown Prince of Pars.
Image adapted from: LIDENFILMS
In the year 320, the long-running tension between Pars and Lusitania culminated in the Battle of Atropatene, in which Lusitania conquered Pars. The innocent Prince Arslan, then 14 years old, was saved by his loyal friend Daryun. The duo then had to flee to other territories.
Image adapted from: LIDENFILMS
From then on, they started gathering allies in order to retaliate against Lusitania. Through this journey, Arslan grows from a timid and hesitant boy into a determined man who’s fit to wear the crown.
Video credit: KOEI TECMO AMERICA
Length: 2 seasons, 25 (S1), 8 (S2), 6 OVAs
Available on: Netflix, Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video, Funimation
4. Mushishi (2005 – Present)
Image credit: Funimation
Set in a hazy period of time between the Meiji and Edo period, the world of Mushishi is inhabited by unknown beings called Mushi. These creatures occasionally get into conflicts with humans, and it is up to the experienced Ginko to resolve said conflicts and bring peace to mankind.
Image adapted from: Studio Artland
In the process, he teaches the other characters the importance of connecting with our inner selves and finding harmony within ourselves. These are lessons us viewers should learn, too.
Image adapted from: Studio Artland
A good historical anime doesn’t necessarily have to be about war and politics – Mushishi proves this point by charming its audience with a tranquil atmosphere and slow pacing.
Length: 2 seasons, 26 (S1), 20 (S2), 2 special episodes, 1 short film
Available on: Netflix, Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video, Funimation, Hulu
5. Hakuouki (2010 – 2012)
Image credit: IMDb
Based on the popular otome game series of the same name, Hakuouki is set during a time of unrest between the end of the Edo Period and the beginning of the Meiji period.
Image adapted from: Studio Deen
The story begins with Chizumi Yukimura landing herself in a near-death experience when she comes across zombie-like creature while searching for her father.
Image adapted from: Studio Deen
Fortunately, the members of the Shinsengumi – a special police organisation created by the Tokugawa Shogunate during the Bakumatsu period – slays the monster and saves her life.
Image adapted from: Studio Deen
After talking to her rescuers, Chizumi realises that the Shinsengumi has also been looking for her father, a mysterious doctor who seems to be tangled in conspiracies and secrets. Chizumi stays with the Shinsengumi and finds herself getting increasingly involved in the Shinsengumi’s dealings with other warring factions thereafter.
Image adapted from: Studio Deen
There’s significantly less focus on the romantic aspect in the anime as compared to the game, but you’ll still get a couple of cute moments – particularly between Chizumi and Hijikata.
Length: 3 seasons, 12 (S1), 10 (S2), 12 (S3), 1 OVA series
Available on: Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video
6. Gosick (2011)
Image credit: IMDb
With plenty of mystery solving and a side of romance, Gosick is a hidden gem amongst the anime community. Set in a fictional country named Saubure in 1924, the story revolves around Victorique, a gothic young girl with a wealth of intellect, and Kujo, a Japanese foreign student who has arrived at a school in Saubure to study.
Image adapted from: Studio Bones
Kujo finds Victorique locked away in a mysterious compartment in the school one day, and he soon finds himself embroiled in a series of mystery-solving with the young girl. The mysteries are fairly episodic, with each story taking around 2 episodes to be resolved.
Image adapted from: Studio Bones
However, a bigger plotline is brewing in the background, and it will reveal why Victorique was concealed from mankind in the first place.
Length: 1 season, 24 episodes
Available on: Netflix, Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video, Funimation
7. Mononoke (2007)
Image credit: IMDb
With illustrations resembling traditional Japanese paintings, Mononoke has an art style that sets itself apart from all the other anime on this list.
Image adapted from: Toei Animation
It is a show about exorcising supernatural beings called “mononoke”. These beings morph into fearsome and lethal creatures upon the influence of human emotions.
Image adapted from: Toei Animation
The unnamed protagonist is a medicine seller who has the power to end these supernatural beings. However, it is not done through hardcore combat or intense swordplay – instead, the medicine seller has to understand the stories behind the supernatural creatures’ transformations. Using that knowledge, he attempts to bring resolution to their emotional instability.
Length: 1 season, 12 episodes
Available on: Crunchyroll, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
8. 91 Days (2016)
Image credit: Amazon Prime Video
91 Days is a thrilling anime about the mafia and revenge. Due to a dispute, Angelo’s family was murdered by the Vanetti family, leaving Angelo orphaned. Over the next seven years, he learns to steal and to live off of his street smarts.
Now, in the year 1928, Angelo returns to his home town with a new name, Avilio Bruno. He has only one purpose in mind – to seek revenge against the Vanetti family. But time is limited as he only has 91 days to execute it.
Length: 1 season, 13 episodes
Available on: Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video
9. Dororo (2019)
Image credit: IMDb
One stormy afternoon during the Muromachi Period in the 1470s, a boy was born without eyes, skin, or limbs. This was the result of a gruesome pact that his father – a lord – made with the demons. In exchange for the nation’s prosperity, the infant’s body was sacrificed.
Image adapted from: MAPPA and Tezuka Productions
The boy was abandoned, but luckily, a kind doctor named Jukai found him and named him “Hyakkimaru”. He also gave Hyakkimaru prosthetic limbs and taught him how to wield a sword.
Image adapted from: MAPPA and Tezuka Productions
One day, Hyakkimaru finds out that by defeating the 12 demons that took his body parts, he could regain his limbs. He thus sets off on a journey to do so. Along the way, he rescues a mischievous thief called Dororo, and the two eventually become the best of friends.
Image adapted from: MAPPA and Tezuka Productions
The story is pretty dark, and it doesn’t shy away from portraying unsettling scenes. Nevertheless, you can find specks of warmth in the interactions between Hyakkimaru and Dororo.
Length: 1 season, 24 episodes
Available on: Amazon Prime Video
10. Baccano! (2007)
Image credit: IMDb
In 1930, an immortal elixir was created in Manhattan. It’s then swiftly misplaced and consumed by a motley crue ranging from mafia members to a group of alchemists.
Image credit: IMDb
As you follow these different groups of people and their individual stories, you’ll slowly get to gel the various plotlines into a coherent narrative, as if you’re an omniscient detective solving a case.
Length: 1 season, 16 episodes, 3 special episodes
Available on: Crunchyroll
11. Samurai Champloo (2005)
Image credit: IMDb
Samurai Champloo has a unique style reminiscent of the classic Cowboy Bebop. That’s because the two shows came from the same director, Shinichirō Watanabe.
Image credit: IMDb
Set in the Edo period, the show revolves around a young lady named Fuu, who engages two samurai to help her search for a samurai who “smells like sunflowers”. The two samurai, Mugen and Jin, help Fuu along the way as they encounter various perilous situations. Their friendship also deepens in the process.
Image adapted from: IMDb
Samurai Champloo has many charms. In particular, the characterisation of its main trio is realistic and memorable. The show eschews the usual anime archetypes in favour of creating believable characters that the audience will resonate with.
Moreover, the action scenes remain impressive even though it was released in 2005. The animation is realistic and fluid, without over-the-top shouting or visual effects.
Image adapted from: IMDb
Most importantly, the show has great humour.
Length: 1 season, 26 episodes
Available on: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Historical anime to watch
Step back from modernity and delve into the brutality of war, good-looking samurais, and a rural simplicity with these historical anime series.
For more articles, check out:
- Short anime series
- Post-apocalyptic anime
- Japan travel tips
- Common speech habits in anime to avoid
- Guide to Japan shrines
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