Feudal Japanwas a time of greatartisticand cultural achievements, but it was also characterized byconstant warfareand political instability. Over the years, many talented animators have brought this era to life in unforgettable ways, capturing the tension, romance, and tragedy of this fascinating period.
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From therise and fall of samuraiand great warriors, to the creation of memorable artworks, that period had it all. There are many great anime series and movies set in feudal Japan on this list, each with its own unique take on the historical era, so get ready to travel back in time to the land of the rising sun.
10Samurai Champloo
Samurai Champloois a great anime taking place in theEdo period, but instead of feeling like a historical drama, it has more of a Tarantino flair with the addition of somegreat hip-hop soundtrack. It follows the story of two completely opposite samurai warriors who somehow end up traveling together.
While Samurai Champloo is a work of fiction, it has lots of references to historical figures. In one episode you meet the famous ukiyo-e painter Hishikawa Moronobu, and in another Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflower painting is being mentioned.
InuYashais set in theSengoku period, when Japan was in the middle of civil wars and military conflicts. You follow the story of a modern-day Tokyo high school student,Kagome, who getstransported to another world. There she meets a half-man and half-dog demon namedInuyasha.
Together the duo sets on a journey where they meet lots of interesting characters, fight dangerous foes, and grow closer to each other.
TheMononokeseries takes place between the end of theEdo period and Meiji era. It is the time in Japan when the samurai ruled over everyone, and merchants belonged to the lowest class. The protagonist is anameless wandering medicine sellerwho travels from place to place.
The story follows his encounters with various characters and battles withvengeful spirits, theMononoke.
7Miss Hokusai
The story ofMiss Hokusaibegins inEdoin 1814 and is based on the life of master artistKatsushika Hokusai’s daughter. He is the creator of the most well-known Japanese painting,The Great Wave of Kanagawa. As not much is known about his daughter,O’Ei, most of the story is fictional.
The movie isbasedonthe same namemangaand depicts the struggles of the young artist trying to live under the shadow of her father. Avisually gorgeous film, handling matters such as drinking, sex, and sickness tells the tale of O’Ei in a poetic and episodic fashion.
6Time Of Shura
Time of Shura, or otherwise known asShura no Toki, revolves around a fictionalmartial artistfamily living in the earlyEdo era. This clan, namedMutsu, uses the invincible unarmed martial art known asMutsu Enmei Ryu, which utilizes incredible speed and strength.
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The anime is full of great fight scenes, where the protagonists fight armed opponents just with their fists and kicks. If you are a fan of martial art’s anime, Time of Shura is definitely worth it to watch.
5Katanagatari
Katanagatariis ananime with great animationand a unique art style. It takes place during theEdo period, and follows the story ofYasuri Shichika, who is a martial artist and uses his body as a sword. He ends up meeting an agent of the Shogunate, named Togame, and they begin a journey together to retrieve the12 Deviant Blades.
While the anime has lots of non-realistic fights, the political side of the battles gives you a glimpse into normal peoples' lives during that period.
Hakuoukiis a great anime based on an otome anddating simulation gameseries with the same name. It follows the story ofChizuru Yukimura, whodisguisesherselfas a manin order to search for hermissing father. She unintentionally becomes a witness to the assassination of a ronin and gets caught between two groups fighting each other.
The anime is a work of fiction, but has been inspired by famous Japanese soldiers, such asIba Hachiro,who fought against Imperial forces as theleader of the Shogunate guerrilla unit.
3House Of Five Leaves
House of Five Leavesis an anime set in the traditional Edo period and following the story ofAkitsu Masanosuke, who is a timid and pushover ronin. While on one of his journeys, he encounters a playboy named Yaichi, who hires him as his bodyguard.
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He soon realizes Yaichi is the leader of a bandit group and becomes reluctant to help them. Throughout the story, he builds a closer relationship with the bandits and learns more about himself in the process.
2Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings
Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kingsis an animebasedonCapcom’s popularvideo gameseries of the same name. The story takes place during theSengoku periodof Japanese history, during which civil wars and social turbulence were a common sight.
You follow the story of famous Japanesewarlords, such as Masamune Date and Sanada Yukimura,joining their forcesin order to overthrow an evil ruler. If you love samurai and ninja fights, war and gore, this is the anime for you.
1Rurouni Kenshin
Undoubtedly one of the best samurai as well as historical romance anime out there,Rurouni Kenshinfollows the story of a legendary warrior.Kenshin Himurahelped depose the Tokugawa shogunate and now seeks to atone for his dark and bloody past.
The anime takes place in theMeijiperiod and isinspired by the story of a real-life samurai,Kawakami Gensai. The story depicts the changes that took place during that period, from samurais' loss of status to the start of ideals of democracy in Japan. With its intriguing characters and realistic and memorable fight scenes, Rurouni Kenshin is amust-seeanime.
