War remains one of the priciest pastimes the human race has devised. Even Anime that features conflict frequently has expensive issues.
Because it is expensive to animate large-scale action, it is impossible to make an Anime about combat without cutting corners.
As a result, that’s probably one of the reasons why there aren’t many war Anime.
They are uncommon, at least in comparison to other genres that don’t demand as many action scenes and spectacular moments. Because of this, war Anime must be treasured and admired whenever they emerge.
But one will want to start with the very finest. These suggestions will definitely quench the viewer’s thirst for action, strategy, and violence.
In this article, you’ll learn about WW1 Anime and its influence on Anime.
What do you think of the anime war theme?
Nothing beats massive explosions and even greater armies fighting for domination in a high-tension, dramatic atmosphere that may rip your heart out or move you to tears.
If you’re looking for a historically accurate look at the Wars from a military standpoint, there aren’t many options. Given that Japan’s military history is extremely taboo and still carries many political difficulties.
Having said that, there are a few dramatic works set during the war portraying civilian life in Japan, such as Grave of the Fireflies, Barefoot Gen, and In This Corner of the World. These are all about the sufferings that civilians face as a result of the allied campaigns’ destruction.
Who are the greatest warriors in Anime history?
I’ve seen a lot of good action anime, including tournament arcs, life-or-death duels, and monster slaying.
But what about all-out war?
Will you be able to locate a TV show about a large-scale war between two parties, or simply the life of a soldier? Or how about a great anime film about a war-torn country?
Who knows, but I’m confident this list will be great! But first, a couple of honorable mentions.
- Naruto Shippuden – War Arc
- Chimera Ant Arc – Hunter x Hunter
- Senjou no Valkyria – Valkyria Chronicles
Is there any WW1 Anime?
Sadly, there isn’t much Anime that provide a historically accurate view of the War’s military aspects.
There won’t be many (if any; save early propaganda pieces) stories that focus on Japan’s involvement in the fight because of how forbidden it is and how much political baggage it still bears.
However, there are also a number of dramatic works, such as In This Corner of the World, Grave of the Fireflies, and Barefoot Gen, that are set during the war and focus on civilian life in Japan.
These themes center on the struggles endured by civilians after the destruction caused by the allied campaigns.
One commenter suggested Yjo Senki (The Saga of Tanya the Evil), which is set during World War I, for a more fantastical interpretation of it.
Izetta the Last Witch is a fantasy interpretation of World War II that is set in a fictional composite of Austria that is attempting to fend off a fictional composite of Germany.
It is another work of fantasy/alternate history. A few other significant players, like the USA, England, and others, are also dramatized.
Since this is a fantasy with magic, as I already indicated, there are some fighting sequences interspersed with character development but the show doesn’t follow the entire duration of the conflict.
What is the best War Anime?
Here’s a list of war Anime:
- Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings
- Jormungand
- Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
- Macross Frontier
- Full Metal Panic!
- Zipang
- Kingdom
- Altair: A Record Of Battles
- The Saga Of Tanya The Evil
- The Paramount War (One Piece)
| War Anime | Synopsis |
| Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings | Epic war tales from Japan’s Warring States period abound. Oda Nobunaga is the most well-known warlord among them; his struggle to rule over all of Japan with an iron grip is nothing short of violent. Samurai Kings depicts such in its glorified version. |
| Jormungand | Jormungand addresses a lot of contentious issues related to today’s society. Former child soldier Jonah, the main character, is forced to work as a bodyguard for a visionary mercenary commander and illegal arms dealer who seeks to establish world peace. |
| Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann | Gainax, the same studio that created Neon Genesis Evangelion, developed it, so any fan would know they take their work seriously. Gurren Lagann tells its incredibly epic sci-fi battle drama without holding back and in full force. Its plot revolves around an oppressed and enslaved Earth population rising up against an extraterrestrial race that has taken control. |
| Macross Frontier | Similar to Gurren Lagann, but with a Mobile Suit Gundam twist, is Macros Frontier. In it, after an alien civilization conquers Earth, humans are compelled to live in manufactured spaceship cities known as the Macross Frontier. An enormous peril lurks over the horizon as the humans take comfort in the relative tranquility given about by their distance from their wrecked home. |
| Full Metal Panic! | Despite being a mecha Anime, Full Metal Panic! takes a more restrained and nuanced approach to war. because uses espionage to tell its story largely. Young veteran mech pilot Sousuke Sagara was charged with impersonating a high school student in order to safeguard Kaname Chidori. |
| Zipang | Naturally, as there is a war Anime covering World War 1, there is one featuring World War 2. In the battleship war epic Zipang, a modern destroyer and its crew are inexplicably transported to the Battle of Midway, which took place in 1942 between the US and Imperial Japan. |
| Kingdom | Those hoping for a recreation of China’s Three Kingdoms period will have to seek elsewhere. Kingdom focuses on a more recent (but still violent) era of China’s vast history (circa 476 BC to 221 BC). Nevertheless, it remains one of the most dramatic times in the country since it resulted in the temporary unification of China. |
| Altair: A Record Of Battles | Speaking of historical Anime, history enthusiasts will like Altair: A Record of Battles. It is a war epic based on the Ottoman Empire, which existed from around 1300 to 1922 CE and is now Turkey in the modern world. Although there is a broad time frame, the Anime chooses the medieval end of it. |
| The Saga Of Tanya The Evil | The Saga of Tanya the Evil, which takes place during World War 1, is an Isekai and war Anime. It starts off with a contemporary guy challenging a divine creature to a match of wits. Naturally, the male loses, and as retribution, he is reborn as a young woman from World War 1. |
| The Paramount War (One Piece) | One Piece is well-known in the Shounen ranks for its vibrant, youthful style. Underneath all the showmanship, the pirate forces, particularly those within the governing body attempting to control them, have gravity. The Paramount War is when this is most obvious. Whitebeard recruits the assistance of all of his former allies to attack Marineford as the Marines attempt to make a spectacle out of the execution of Portgas D. Ace. |
Does Anime exist because of WW2?
First, Manga—rather than Anime—is the mainstay of Japanese visual culture (Japanese comic books).
Animated TV programs created in the same manner as Manga are simply what we westerners refer to as Anime.
Although many people believe that Anime is huge in Japan, it is actually a minor byproduct of the country’s massive Manga industry, whose peak sales in the 1990s were 15 times greater than those of novels assessed by the number of volumes sold and 13 times greater than those of cinema tickets.
Yes, Anime is the largest animation industry in the world, but Manga is still roughly ten times larger.
I believe that American influences from the post-war occupation were the primary source of World War II’s influence on Manga.
Japanese popular culture has been influenced by the West ever since the late 19th century. In fact, Manga first emerged in the late 19th century and was already a significant industry before World War II.
Though animation developed a few years after the spectacular growth of Manga from 1950 to 1970 (for instance, Miyazaki’s career as an animation director in the 1970s began with his work on the adaptation of Lupin the Third, a Manga from the 1960s).
However, the American occupation transformed Japan’s constitution into a liberal democracy, enabling economic prosperity and the freedom of expression that allowed Japan’s visual culture to develop to a level that was before impossible.
Additionally, between the late 1940s and the beginning of the 1950s, American soldiers stationed in Japan frequently read American comic books, which encouraged more Japanese to consider comics as a kind of art for adults as well as children.
As a result, it undoubtedly contributed to the growth of the adult Manga industry, which started to take off in the late 1950s with the Gekiga comics and they’re much more realistic than usual art.
Regarding the styles utilized in Manga and Anime, there isn’t any proof that American visual culture had any special influence on them.
The importation of comics (sequential art) from the West undoubtedly had a significant impact on Western culture, although Japanese comics from the 1950s didn’t look particularly American in comparison to Belgian or French comics, for example.
Japanese comics and illustrations from the 1930s resemble contemporary Manga much more than anything created in the United States.
Conclusion
- Few Anime depict the military facets of the Wars in a historically accurate manner.
- Because it is illegal and because Japan still has a lot of political baggage, there won’t be many tales about it (if any; aside from early propaganda pieces).
- In a fictionalized version of Austria that is battling a fictionalized version of Germany, Izetta the Last Witch is a fantastical depiction of World War II. It is another piece of alternate history or fiction.
- For a more imaginative take, check out the World War I-set Manga Yjo Senki (The Saga of Tanya the Evil).
- Some of the most famous war Anime include Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings, The Saga Of Tanya The Evil, and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.