Name: Top 10 Most Historically Accurate Anime
Uploaded: 2026-01-22T16:58:15.000Z
Duration: 10 min 50 s
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Relative clauses (Restrictive vs. nonrestrictive)

Welcome to watchmojo and today we're counting down our picks for the anime that excel the most at historical accuracy.

Originally a 70s manga, it was then animated in 1979, instantly becoming a classic of historical anime.

It's set around the French Revolution, telling the story of Marie Antoinette.

It also adds fictional characters like Oscar Francois, who was born a woman but raised a man.

It addresses the era's struggles like the widespread poverty and chaos of the government.

Author Ryoko Ikeda was semi inspired by the revolution's ideals, which come through strongest here.

She researched and won AD for two years before writing.

It was thankfully greenlit, but her editors barely cared.

Despite this, it stood the test of time, still loved over half a century after the manga's first release.

Number 9 Kingdom the Warring States Period was an era of immense turmoil in the Chinese region.

For just over two centuries it was ruled by the seven warring States.

This is the period wonderfully recreated by kingdom, an almost 20 year old manga which has also been adapted into a long running anime.

It stays relatively true to the period, focusing on the era most important states.

Unfortunately, it was so long that historical records are scarce as such creative liberties have to be taken, but

it still feels faithful to the period, recreating ancient China to a captivating degree.

Anne Frank is one of the most well known victims of the Holocaust.

Her family spent two years in hiding during the war, which she wrote about extensively in her diary.

Tragically, she was eventually captured and then perished in a concentration camp only weeks before the war ended.

Two years later, her diary was published by her father.

This tragic tale was adapted into a Japanese animated movie in 1995, providing a fascinating lens into the war's greatest horrors.

Just make sure you bring tissues since it's one of history's most sorrowful tales.

7 Golden Kamui the Meiji period saw Japan industrialize with astounding speed, going from a feudal power in 1868 to beating the Russians in 1905.

The first Asian empire to defeat a Western colonialist nation.

Golden Kamui is set just after this war on the snowy island of Hokkaido.

It does a remarkable job at depicting the Ainu indigenous ethnic group.

Alongside this, it also impressively recreates life in the late Meiji period.

From the technology to the street performers, it's an immersive lens into the era, making it a must watch for any fan of historical anime.

Barefoot Gen this might be one of the most traumatizing animated movies ever made.

It's based on A manga with the same name written by Keiji Nakazawa, a survivor of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

Based on his account of the destruction, the film tells the tale of a young boy surviving one of history's least humane actions.

This makes it one of the most accurate lenses into the horrors of war.

It's an especially important story since Japan and the US used to heavily censor information about the bomb's effects.

As such, artwork like Barefoot Gen is historically crucial and will remain that way for centuries to come.

Vinland saga starting in 2005, the manga for Vinland Saga features some of the most poignant commentary on the cycle of violence.

It rivals equally introspective tales like Vagabond and Berserk in its message.

In 2019, the anime's first season was released, instantly becoming one of the best Viking shows ever.

While the action is classically over the top, the setting is magnificently recreated.

It's a story about slavery, violence, and maintaining hope despite it all.

Currently, about half the manga is animated, making now a great time to catch up.

Just don't expect something light hearted.

Grave of the Fireflies Next up, we have a Ghibli classic released in 1988.

Based on a 1967 short story, it's setting in 1945 during World War II's final months, focusing on two war orphans, Seita and Setsuko.

The movie was directed by Isao Takahata, as opposed to Miyazaki, Ghibli's most famous director.

It was instantly critically acclaimed, gaining a reputation as one of the best war films ever.

From the get go, you can tell it's not going to end happily.

It's even more tragic when you learn the story it's based on is semi autobiographical, making it one of the most heartbreaking war movies.

Number 3, Emma our next entry is set in Victorian London, telling the tale of the titular housemaid who falls for a nobleman.

It's unique for being set in Victorian Britain without a single supernatural element.

Alongside this, they also hired historical consultant Riko Murakami to maximize accuracy.

It's so accurate that they published the Emma Victorian Guide to provide extra historical context for readers.

The show recreates locations from the period remarkably, featuring places like King's Cross and Covent Garden.

This attention to detail makes it a must watch for fans of both anime and Victorian England.

Number two Hyogemono Oda Nobunaga is one of the most famous figures in Japanese history.

He was responsible for unifying a huge portion of Japan in the late Sengoku period.

If you are into this era, then Hyogemono will be a gold mine for you.

It explores the era through the eyes of Futara Sasuke, a vassal of Oda Nobunaga.

It's so accurate they even speak an authentic, archaic form of Japanese.

It's unusual in the sense that there's no clear main character.

Instead, it focuses on a plethora of characters and events.

It makes you feel like a fly on the wall during one of Japan's most historically crucial period.

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One in this corner of the world, taking the top spot is another World War II movie, this time produced by Mappa.

The producers did extensive research on everyday life in 1940s Japan, so while the main characters are fictional, the surrounding locations and events are remarkably well researched.

It's also set around Hiroshima, focusing on how everyday people coped with both the war and the bombing.

It features realistic depictions of wartime struggles, from food shortages to air raids.

While it doesn't focus on the atomic bombs directly, it captures their effects to a horrifying degree.

As such, it is one of the most authentic portrayals of Japan at war.

Which anime do you think most beautifully recreates a historical period?