Heike Monogatari

The Heike Story, Heike Monogatari, or more objectively documented in Japanese history books as: The Tale of the Heike. No matter what you call this show, I see it as 3 words: a cult following.

It's so pleasant, fresh and refreshing to watch a historical work like "The Tale of the Heike" which was already very well documented in the history books throughout centuries as an epic account throughout its many translated derivatives, and the well-known 3-person team of director Naoko Yamada, scriptwriter Reiko Yoshida, music composer Kensuke Ushio who were once stationed at KyoAni making "A Silent Voice" and "Liz and the Blue Bird" before ... the well-beloved studio's unfortunate-and-fateful arson tragedy, came together to produce this show being adapted from Hideo Furukawa's 2016 work of the same name, translated into modern Japanese. Which if you read it in context to the series of events, having to see this notable event in animated form, while it will not beat the essence of the original work, at least this show is a statement piece to add to that work.

This 13th-century historical epic depicting the rise and fall of the Taira clan that's set during the Genpei War between 1180-1185, this story comes to us from a 3rd person's POV perspective of Biwa, a young girl and traveling biwa (the instrument) minstrel. And the first thing that you should be aware about Biwa is of the uncommon trope of a character that has heterochromia, which if you have watched shows like Wonder Egg Priority before, you know that there's a legit story to tell behind those pair of differently coloured eyes. And in the case of Biwa, her "origin" story is that she is the daughter of a biwa hoshi (lute priest) who got killed by guards of the Taira clan after she unintentionally insulted them, and she dresses up as a boy in order to avoid detection from the Taira assassins. Biwa is brought into the Taira clan after her blind father got killed through the help of Taira no Shigemori, the next in-line heir to the clan, in the midst of the Genpei War and needing to claim supremacy to spread the Heike name far and wide. Being the eldest son of the monk Kiyomori, the irresponsible and hard-headed leader of the Taira clan, Shigemori is a true taskmaster of what he does to keep his clan alive, no matter the hard tasks and internal strifes between family members (most especially the leader Kiyomori) in concern towards the raging war against their natural enemies, the Genji. Like Biwa, Shigemori is also heterochromic, but as opposed to Biwa foreshadowing the future with her pair of eyes, Shigemori on the other hand, can only see the spirits of the dead. But the two come together because of the fact that they're both heterochromic of seeing the future and who dies in various periods of time, and knowing Biwa's resentment on the Taira Clan for killing her father, this fact is only known in the most secret of secrecy between the two as Biwa is taken into Shigemori's family disguised as the usual orphaned child to be a companion for his wife (Tokuko) and 4 children (Koremori, Sukemori, Kiyotsune and Arimori).

The fact that both Shigemori and Biwa have "merged hands" is just for one sole purpose: to avoid the downfall of the Taira clan (and simultaneously the Heike) and with the amount of foreshadowing done between the two, they make amends to save the people they know that will face death imminent at specific junctures of their lives. But don't forget that as much as Biwa can only do so much to help the loved ones around her, her main role is to serve to chronicle the events of the Taira clan's rise and fall. Playing the biwa as the events are documented through solemn song, Biwa's voice gave some atmospheric pressures thanks to her VA Aoi Yuuki, and the juxtapositions of how both the Taira clan and the Heike are slowly but surely squandered of their control provides a sense of realism for a time period that many of us would've preferred to be in just for a day, and nothing more. Truth be told, I always get goosebumps whenever Biwa plays her lute to depict the winners and losers growing towards the Genpei war, and not just for Aoi Yuuki's distinct vocal performance, but also that Kensuke Ushio's magic for BGM around those periods are the ones that you'll really feel that it hit the hardest as you see people die for glory, valor and especially not to be humiliated by a rival clan like the Genji. Remember, pride back in those days are akin to today's high-standing political positions, only that the olden days have more weight to carry people and moral with them. It's for this reason where the story really shines, and as complex as the Tale of the Heike gets with many characters, locations and motives that you will not understand if you're that type of person who likes to have a fix on the content, but it's meant to tell a much bigger story: a larger than life story that only some like Biwa have the privilege to witness while helping others out of their rut if it's possible. We are also seeing this in a 3rd person perspective, so we're also in Biwa's shoes to really see what'll happen in this epic journey of proportions unimaginable. Your mileage may vary depending on whether it makes or breaks your experience.

Historical work like this, there's bound to have characters which may seem like a lot of actors running around a traditional town going places, and unless you're the type to really analyze what these characters add to the mix (I sure as hell understood), then this will also prove as a miss point to you. I have watched many historical live-action dramas that has the setting be like this (most of it are Chinese-based but it's similar), and can largely understand the adage of "too much cooks spoil the broth". But for a show that's based solely on this time period, you have to understand that there's a lot going on under the hood from royal families to ordinary townsfolk, because every fateful decision will be carried down to the people, and these decisions have serious implications to affect not tens but hundreds and thousands of people, affiliated or not. For example, taking Biwa into context as she journeys and dictates the life of a Heike, there's not one single person that is the sole cause for many to act. It's through meticulous and calculated actions to think for your own people, starting from the top-down royalty, and when pride and ego comes into the mix for characters like Kiyomori, the downfall is just as striking as the rise to fame, even if albeit a short-lived one. Everyone's decision matters, and not one character is wasted because he/she feels redundant to the entire story, which says a lot about character dynamics, especially for one rooted in the historical complex.

Unsurprisingly, you should already know of the 3 names by now: Naoko Yamada, Reiko Yoshida, Kensuke Ushio. These 2 ladies and a man have very prolific portfolios of works to their name, and the departure from KyoAni to Masaaki Yuasa's studio Science SARU marks a brand new chapter where this feels like the old Madhouse standards of Masao Maruyama being flexible with his staff to do what they want to do with creative freedom. Nevertheless, The Heike Story also really glows with vibrancy and colour throughout the entire show, and since "Eizōuken ni wa Te wo Dasu na!" a.k.a "Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!" was a significant mouthpiece for Masaaki Yuasa's studio in 2020, that excellence carries over in this show, and I can never get bored of watching visuals done the same that are made different which gives it a very unique feel of watercolour oozes. It's mouth-droppingly gorgeous, I'd say so myself. Making things better is the OST for the show, part of which I've already covered especially for Biwa's song recital tunes. Hitsuji Bungaku's OP is really good that's not worth even an episode's skip, and agraph feat. ANI's ED "unified perspective"...I don't know if you're feeling this with me, but there's a sense of duality, not just with the black-and-white visuals. It almost seems condescending to have monochrome colours to show Biwa's state of mind, and I guess the two-toned, mostly instrumental song is there to provide context of perspectives that somehow, work really well to give a ghastly vibe.

Does it really hurt for me to say that I want more of the trio's work portfolio, now that The Heike Story is offically added into the list that stands alongside KyoAni's films? Hell yeah, I suppose. The consensus is that you don't just watch shows that are done by well-enough reputable people, entities or even companies, because what concerns us is the real meat of the show and its contents, and for a work that's based on a centuries-old book, The Heike Story is a story worth telling for the many generations to come, and you and I both form the cult that will spread this underrated work that has gone under the radar for time past and present. Let this story not be gone and left in the dust in the future, and I applaud Naoko Yamada, Reiko Yoshida and Kensuke Ushio for the substantial effort for this underrated anime that's one hell of a learning journey through Japanese history.

Heike Monogatari is a beautiful series rich of meaningful emotions that the viewers will come to experience. It feels like a dream that slowly turns into a nightmare. It's a series that feels it has the same spirit Odd Taxi and Sonny Boy had. That being that it's a passion project trying to sincerely write a good series that doesn't use the cheap types of tactics mainstream anime uses to pull in viewers. I love anime that take risks, though they become the highlights of the season, the dedicated viewers have to accept that hardly anyone will watch them or appreciate what they tried to ... do. This series has flaws, but what frustrates me more is the mob of people who have lost touch of what writes even a decent series. Thus, trash like Mushoku Tensei and 86 become the most popular ones; the ones that will be hailed as masterpieces in the years to come, while a series like this, that is significantly better, will fall into obscurity and though appreciated, that group will be small. That is the fate of anime like this and that's an even greater tragedy.

Biwa goes on with the ability to see people's futures. For her it's suffering to see what she has to see, and her frustration goes on as she feels powerless to be able to do anything about what the visions show.

The Heike are filled with loveable and well written characters. They struggle to carry their clan as they travel, look for support, and battle against those that want them to disappear.

As for the flaws, the story was obviously told very fast since the staff only had 11 episodes. Some of the characters I liked the most felt rushed. The music, though I enjoyed it, felt strange in the way it was executed. The opening and the ending are my favorite of the season, however. The fights are sometimes grandiose, and sometimes slideshows.

Despite it's flaws, it's a solid 9/10, and I hope more passion projects with the skill and ambition of this appear soon to relieve me of mainstream anime.

Naoko Yamada (K-ON, A Silent Voice) and Science Saru (Hands Off Eizouken!, Devilman Crybaby) team up to deliver an excellent adaptation of one of Japan's most famous pieces of literature.

STORY

For the record, the "Heike Monogatari" was written in the Middle Ages the is based on historical events preceding and during the Gempei War of late 12th century. The story is sometimes referred to as "Japan's Iliad", and just as how in the West everybody knows how the Trojan War ended, everybody in Japan knows the final fate of the Heike clan. All this to say, "spoilers" are a moot point given you can learn the ... plot with a quick internet search. The crux of the tension in this adaptation of "The Heike Monogatari" is that our main character knows how the story is going to end thanks to her oracular eye- which I find to be an interesting take on the original material. Rather that try to work around the fact that the ending can be found in any Japanese history textbook and surprising the audience is a lost cause, the plot fully embraces that fact by making its audience-surrogate character knowledgeable as well and building the story around that fact instead. That switch-up keeps things fresh without having to take major liberties with the source material.

CHARACTERS

Although Biwa is the "main character" she functions primarily as an audience stand-in. From a meta perspective, she's there so that characters from the original story will have a good reason to explain crucial plot and character details which otherwise they would not need to discuss. Her foreknowledge of the ending and the tension and dramatic irony it provides are also crucial elements of her character. Finally, she serves as a crucial "point of reference" due to the fact that other characters can be expected to pop in and out of overarching plot regularly. Given that there are small hints that she will be re-telling the events of the story long in the future, it is unlikely she will do much beyond the observer role in the anime- with all the characters and plot points in the original work going on there would be little space to fit her into the existing story anyway. It's best to think of her as the character from over whose shoulder you watch the main story.

Keeping up with the rest of the cast can require some foreknowledge of the "Heike Monogatari" or at least a bit of active attention. The various people Biwa interacts with are usually given sufficient characterization and background information for the audience to understand how they all fit into the larger picture, so this anime doesn't suffer from "Continuity lockout" for those those who don't know the source material. Go in expecting something like "Legend of the Galactic Heroes" where there is a large cast with no single main character around which everything revolves and who is supposed to be there for the entire time.

ART & SOUND

Science Saru delivers their unique aesthetic and fluid animation in spades here, perfectly complemented by Naoko Yamada's mastery of stillness and quiet. This anime can move beautifully, but also knows when the story is best served by stopping and taking a breath. I've never been one who can break down precise animation and sound choices in any detail, so if you need somebody who can provide and deep-dive on production values you'll need to look elsewhere. Just that I that think both animation and sound display top-tier talent.

ENJOYMENT

I'm getting older as an anime fan. High school ended for me over a decade ago and even college is now starting to be mentally classified as "A while back". Every now and then I stop and wonder if a point will come when I finally age out of the anime community. But then I find something like this, something that reminds me animation can cover all kinds of stories for all ages, something to invest in even after the high school romcoms and college student in another world stories no longer resonate.

OVERALL

This anime may not be built for explosive mass popularity, it may not slot easily into some easily marketable form, but for those of us who want something different in our anime it's a must watch.

It is definitely a challenging watch, but I am really enjoying this so far. There is a special something about this show, so I strongly recommend giving it a try with an open mind.

I have not read the classical literature that this show is based on, and my knowledge of 12th century Japanese history is minimal. The synopsis provided on the MAL page here should be good enough to get started. Know that it is a centuries-old story of a powerful clan at its peak, the conflicts and political maneuvering it gets tangled up in, and the members of the clan in various moments of ... their lives, in their triumphs and misfortunes.

You absolutely do need to pay attention to follow the story even on a general level. Lots of names of places, people, and factions are dropped at a rapid pace, and often the characters on screen are not introduced, and you learn who they are over multiple scenes. Years pass in a flash without the show drawing attention to it, and character relationships and allegiances sometimes flip without warning. At times I did not fully understand the details of the situation, and I could tell that a lot has been withheld, either as an artistic choice or because prior knowledge is assumed of the Japanese audience. I have to admit that it can be exhausting at times, but I can also appreciate how the show does not get bogged down and expects the viewer to be watching and catching things.

However, I feel you do not even need to understand the whole picture. You as the audience are peeking into the chaotic lives that these characters lived almost a thousand years ago, as they are living them. From these moments, you can still understand on an emotional level what drives them and what they struggle with. I would say you can have a similar experience reading myths and folk tales, where the stories and characters are often bizarre, but you can still feel something from them.

Thankfully, the viewing experience is greatly elevated by the gorgeous art style, animated with a lot of care. The creators are not going for an insane level of detail or complex animation choreography. The colors, shading, and animation are more subdued than its contemporaries, but they still evoke an absorbing atmosphere, as if you're looking at a moving painting from the Middle Ages. The show is just so calming and pleasing to look at.

The music also adds so much to the show. Despite looking like a period drama, there is a lot of piano, electronic, and rock music in the soundtrack, which creates a surreal sensation and somehow enhances the atmosphere. Of course, there is traditional Japanese music as well. Especially memorable are the musical interludes where a character narrates the proceedings in a few lines of song.

If you have a love for shows that pursue unique storytelling and art style, if you have even a passing interest on medieval Japanese history and art, or if you can sometimes enjoy a story that has an evocative atmosphere but is not always easily understood, please give this a try, up to Episode 4. I will be cherishing it and go through the episodes as slowly as I can.

"Tomorrow. The next day. After this. In the future. Far in the future. Even farther. One day. Now I can look up for the future. Good things happen too."

How do we overcome suffering and how stories that have been told over and over again through generations can help us accept the nature of life, it's ups and downs?

The director Naoko Yamada was one of the survivors of the arson at Kyoani studios in 2019 and her first big work after this awful trauma is the retelling of what is arguably the most famous story of Japan, and the way I see it, this has ... everything to do with the events of 2019.

The Tale of the Heike (Heike Monogatari) is a work of historical fiction describing the events of the Genpei War during the end of the 11th century, but these facts are know to anyone nowadays. Just like the main character, we can glance "into the future" and read the future of each one of the characters that is presented to us during the series, so what's the point?

The point, I believe, is the deeper meaning behind the original tale and is expressed in the quote from the anime above, among other scenes. We suffer with the tides of life. Nature teaches us about the impermanence, the mighty fall, those who live happily today might suffer tomorrow. And yet, life goes on. Accepting impermanence as the real truth of life and remembering those we lost not with grief but with gratitude can help us overcome whatever might happen. Just like in the period described at the tale, we too live in a period of rapidly change in society, big historical events happening at our doorstep, and we might see ourselves as victims of chance and the fast changing of tides. But the acceptance of impermanence and the memory of the past can help us endure and acquire wisdow. Just like no power, happiness and good fortune lasts forever (the lesson the Taira clan learned the hard way), so is suffering and pain. After all, good things happen too, and no matter how hard things might be, there should still be a reason to look up for the future.

On a technical level, this work is a masterpiece. The exposition being played by the biwa player singing the respective parts of the original tale reminds you that this is a story that has been told through oral tradition, at the same time, the mixture of modern music makes the quick description of battles and political events more dynamic. Overall, the story chooses to focus more on the characters of the Heike clan than on the battles, which for the most part is a great choice. Special mention to Saori Hayami as Tokuko, which was simply the perfect choice, specially in the last episode where you can really hear the director speaking through the character on the themes I talked above. One small issue is that the events and characters are hard to follow if you never heard of the story before, but nowadays with the internet, an overview of the events is at one click distance, and I don't think the goal of the anime was to give a historically complete description of the events anyway. Also props to Aoi Yuuki's biwa and her singing of the tale. I would totally buy a complete version of the tale singed by her if that ever becomes available.

In short, don't let yourself be discouraged by not knowing about the actual history behind it before watching. If you really get interested, you would be falling into the Heike Monogatari rabbit-hole sooner than you think. Go ahead and enjoy the most beautiful animation of 2021.

13th century tragic epic about the fall of the house of Heike in the Genpei civil war (1180-85), marking the begin of Japan's middle ages and samurai rule. The jaw dropping beautiful images and cinematography focus on the period's flair and character emotions. Think: Shakespeare rather than detailed history lesson.

The camera work is fantastic, Naoko Yamada didn't fall into the trap to give us more of the same such as her trademark leg shots. Her new shticks are asymmetric image composition, super-closeup into faces, and objects (pots, pillars, ...) between the camera and the scene. And the occasional leg shot nevertheless. This comes on top ... of her new employer's (Science SARU) sophisticated CG. Screw you, Mappa and ufotable, this is better. More impressive details include the art direction which resembles the ancient watercolor style (like in Takahata's Kaguya-hime) and highly detailed background images. The latter of course styled after traditional Japanese art from the early middle ages. All combined, this easily results in the visually most impressive show of the year.

The story itself takes place before the Japanese middle ages (before 1185) and was first written down in ca. 1330. Until very recently there was no translation usable for somebody who is not a scholar, and the text fills about 800-1000 pages in print. The social realities we see are as ancient as the language used to describe them, a modern Japanese couldn't read or understand either. This epic can be compared to the raw material of the Canterbury Tales, the Nibelungen Lied or the King Arthur legend. The show dares to cover all 1000 pages, i.e. the story is told from beginning to the bitter end.

Yamada's approach to the heavy lifting of telling this beast of a story works. She is historically correct in all details mentioned, but it's not important for the viewer to pick up everything. It certainly improves the experience to know the historical facts, yet not knowing them doesn't kill the fun. That's because she makes the emotions, internal drivers and characters of the (many) players visible. Just like Shakespeare focuses on that in his many tragedies about the Kings of England. It's drama, it's persons, it's tragedy - not a history lesson. This includes the courage to have time leaps and gaps, an episode may skip details and events of the more boring years of this decades spanning narrative.

What truly helps here is Yamada's ability of "show don't tell", working with body language, and proficiency with camera techniques. For example putting a pillar in front of the scene creates an emotion in the viewer as if they peeked from a hideout. So there is no need to explain that we are witnessing a secret meeting to conspire against the emperor anymore. We intuitively feel it. With compact visual story telling like that, she maxes out the short runtime of only 11 episodes.

Sound and music mix ancient and modern styles. A memorable trip hop ED meets traditional Japanese song accompanied by the biwa. The sound editing is in line with the high production values and supports the powerful images without stealing the show from them.

I consider Heike Monogatari a future classic, and the next step in Naoko Yamada's growth into Japan's most important and gifted anime director alive (RIP, Satoshi Kon). It's been a long way from K-On!'s moe blobs to this epic, and I hope she isn't resting on her fame any time soon.

I fell in love with this anime since the 1st episode. The story is announced from the start: we will follow the downfall of the Heike clan and the fact that we know from the start what will happen at the end does not make the anime less good and on the contrary, rejuvenates more interest in this one. The characters all have unique personalities and the overall atmosphere is very appreciable. The humor is not too much and mixes well with the atmosphere.
I find the story told to be really great and never has a more boring moment and on the contrary have times ... that I find great. The sad moments and the happier moments really make this anime one of my favorites. I find it underrated and hope more people will recognize all of this anime's great qualities.

This show is one I'm not really sure how to recommend, as when I read through the already-written reviews to look for common criticisms and compliments from other people that I can either support or refute, I found that there were 2 main problems people had with Heike Monogatari. Which is that it a. was too confusing, and b. that the protagonist Biwa that was original to this adaptation didn't really add anything and just took away screen time and exacerbated the previous problem.

I personally agree with the second issue, from what I have heard and found online the real Heike Monogatari was quite the ... long tale, with one of the earlier translations spanning 800 pages. There was no damn way they were going to fit all of that stuff into their quaint 11 episodes, and I think this was the main cause of pretty much everybody's problems. The addition of Biwa certainly did not help with this problem in any way. I thought she was a fine character (other than her absurdly round cheeks in that one shot in the OP), but she really doesn't do much of substance in terms of the actual plot, and her individual story isn't really worth cutting out more of the main plot, which was way more interesting. I will say that her being a blind (at the end I guess that's a spoiler but don't get mad at me its in the synopsis) biwa player was a nice touch considering the most widely accepted version of the story was compiled by a blind monk from a bunch of stories passed down by other monks who chanted the tale with the accompaniment of a biwa. Other than that neat little factoid she wasn't really that necessary and was definitely a bit of a detriment to the story as a whole.

The other problem is a bit more of a subjective one. Many people said that Heike Monogatari confused them, even some who had read the original work. The thing is that I personally never got that confused, so I'm not really sure what to say about this one. I can definitely see how it could be a problem, it is a political drama after all, and does have quite a few characters that you need to keep track of, many of which happen to annoyingly have names that all end with -mori. I just personally didn't find it too confusing, but since quite a few people did, I think it is pretty important that anybody planning on watching Heike Monogatari keeps this in mind before and as they do.

Now enough about what I and other people didn't like about Heike Monogatari, what did I like about it?

Quite a bit, I think one of the strongest aspects was definitely the art. The soft color palette was really appealing and nice to look at, and gave everything a nice and natural look. The characters themselves also all had pretty distinct designs, which definitely helped me tell apart my -mori's from one another. There were also a few shots in some of the battle scenes that really reminded me of the style of traditional Japanese artwork, with sprawling scenes with multiple little things all happening at the same time. I think the visuals were fantastic, and really stood out to me.

Despite how it was confusing to many, I also really enjoyed the main plot of Heike Monogatari. I didn't know it but I guess I really like historical political dramas. It also just made me realize how much more awesome and cool history there is out there. Growing up in the US you really just learn about US history and European history, but Heike Monogatari has really strengthened my fascination with how much more history there is out there, and how much more infinitely interesting it can be than Teddy Roosevelt.

Some people knocked the characters of Heike Monogatari for not really being relatable, which yes I can agree with, but I feel that sort of misses the point. This is a historical work, and while some changes can be made in the fine details of these characters, they still are all people from almost 1000 years ago, and really can't be expected to be that relatable to us inhabitants of the 21st century. So instead I think its more fair to base them off of how memorable or interesting they are, and in that aspect I think they do just fine. While I may not remember some of their names (I still haven't got the hang of memorizing foreign names) I clearly remember and probably will remember plenty of them. Some of them were interesting people, and they all were a part of the story of the Heike.

In conclusion I think this has been one of my favorite shows of the Fall 2021 season. It's narrative really gripped me from the start and kept that grip strong the whole way through. It also gave me a deeper appreciation and fascination with traditional Japanese culture and even taught me a bit of history while it was at it. As long as you think you'll be able to keep up with the narrative without getting too confused I can definitely recommend this show, it was a great experience for me and I hope any other future viewers will feel the same.

A SPOILER FREE REVIEW OF HEIKE MONOGATARI BY A JAPANESE STUDIES ACADEMIC
As someone who has studied and read much of the Heike Monogatari, and has a very deep interest in Japanese art, history and culture, I can confidently say that this anime is a celebration of the past thousand years of Japanese art. It is artistically very unique, preferring to be faithfal to traditional arts rather than modern styles of anime that the director, Naoko Yamada, normally does.
Unlike the hard defined outlines of most anime, the character outlines are thin, imitating the styles present in Japaneses crolls. Instead of unique hair, facial, and body design ... present in most anime, the distinguishing trait between characters is their kimono or armor, as was typical in Japanese traditional art. The series continues this traditional artistic motif with the backgrounds having a rough filter looking as if painted onto wood using limited colors, identical to Japanese woodblock prints. Men are depicted with their eboshi hats and strokes of facial hair, while women are depicted with their drawn-on eyebrows, long black hair, and layered kimono. From start to finish, it presents an animated version of Japanese art techniques that is centuries old.
The story is slightly altered but the general themes and plot are all faithfully adapted. Much of the dialogue is identical to what is given in the original work, and any important scenes track with what is present in the text.
Biwa, a character not present in the original, is a wonderful addition. To those who know Heike Monogatari, like many Japanese, Biwa's existence outside of the character drama and clan politics as well as her future vision is an audience stand-in. She is viewing this entire tale from the outside, and she is aware of the ending. She understands that the ego and arrogance of the Taira will be their downfall. To her, these scenes of development and drama between all the characters feel all for naught as she know their fate. We, as the viewer feel the same. To us, like Biwa, there is an intense dramatic irony filled with dread. Their will not last, their anger will not last, their happiness will not last. As it said in the Heike Monogatari's iconic opening poem, “The sound of the Gion Shoja temple bells echoes the impermanence of all things; the color of the sala flowers reveals the truth that to flourish is to fall. The proud do not endure, like a passing dream on a night in spring; the mighty fall at last, to be no more than dust before the wind.”

Heike Monogatari is a 2021 adaptation of a 2016 translation of a 14th century epic account of the 12th century fall of the Heike clan, and it's as epic as that history suggests.

The story can be a little hard to follow, often long blocks of exposition are given about characters we haven’t met. Massive story beats come and go as if inconsequential, and multi-year time skips pass without mention. Each episode feels far longer than its runtime.

This results in a very distant perspective for the audience. This perspective is dry, and loses some emotional impact, but feels a grand, epic, tale.

I can ... say with confidence that there’s no other anime like it. The closest point of comparison I can find is War and Peace.

While the story is presented from a third person POV, our perspective shares major overlap with main character Biwa, a biwa player with the power to see the future who doesn’t appear in the original story. Biwa doesn’t change at all through time skips and major political upheaval. I found myself relating to Biwa, she views the story from as detached a perspective as the audience. Aoi Yuuki portrays her perfectly.

The rest of the cast is strong as well, particularly Shigemori, Tokuko, and Sukemori.

Heike Monogatari is elevated by its fantastic art and animation.The backgrounds are beautiful, resembling classic Japanese paintings, and the animation is consistently good. It is mind blowing when it dips into sakuga.

This is directed by Naoko Yamada, the KyoAni alumnus responsible for directing “K-On!” and “Koe no Katachi”, and the direction is exceptional.

The soundtrack is by “Koe no Katachi” composer Kensuke Ushio, and it’s as beautiful as that resume suggests. The show’s biwa and flute performances are great as well.

The OP features great visuals and a good song, but loses points for slight tonal dissonance from the show.

The ED is one of the best I've ever seen, it's slow and reflective, and beautifully animated and directed. The song transitions from subdued rapping, to a nearly silent passage, before abruptly transitioning into a loud instrumental closing section. I’m not familiar with music terminology, so I can’t explain precisely what's going on here, but I do know that it's amazing.

This anime is currently more overlooked than even Odd Taxi ever was, and is as much of an anime of the year contender.

Heike Monogatari is not for everyone, but I do strongly encourage giving it a shot, especially if you’re into Japanese History, historical epics, or the previous work of Naoko Yamada.

It's hard to give any show a 10, but I find I can't give Heike Monogatari anything but. It's not perfect, but it's just so damn good.

Many shows start well then fizzle; others build to an anticipated climax that goes thud. HM never builds in that way; too much history and too many characters are coming and going for that kind of suspense. But each episode's story is a gem that works to make the too-short series hold together well.

And I imagine rewatching them without the week's delay will make it even better since characters can be better kept in mind.

The ending was amazing. ... It was heart-breaking, and the music underscored the pain. No surprise it reminds me of the ending of Eizouken ni wa Te wo Dasu na! Both came from Science SARU and the director was one of KyoAni's greats. We knew the outcome from episode 2, but that inevitability never seemed to be in place. And then suddenly it was, and all of a sudden, everything clicked and it was just too sad but done not with the usual melodramatic flourishes but subtlety and care.

Science SARU has become one of the best studios around. I cannot wait for what they do next. And in a few weeks, Im going to binge this and I bet it'll be even better. Without a doubt, the show of the year, just pipping Super Cub

Heike Monogatari is a poignant tale that relates the tragedy of the Heike clan, and does so with lavish, effulgent beauty, wreathed in symbolism and saturated in a sense of humanity not usually granted to the Heike in the retelling of their story, that family that flew too close to the sun. This is a magnificent retelling of a classic story rooted in history, resulting in a profoundly moving work of art. The story is the strongest part of this anime, as it is a masterful example of tragic beauty- through the addition of a clairvoyant young girl, you learn ... the fates of the Heike, and even so, the story endears them to you. Even through all their pride and their sin, you are treated to these characters as people, and the Heike as a family. It is flawlessly constructed, and manages to imbue its characters with a rare level of interest, down to the most insignificant storylines. It feels arresting in a classic, theatrical sense, grand and Shakespearean with all the life and color that entails, but somehow more earnest, more grounded and genuine throughout. From the frantic glimpses of coming death, to quiet moments beneath the moon, the heated pitch of battle, or the simple joys of a lighthearted song, it all feels real, it feels like life in all the ways it should. The way the story handles its motifs of impermanence, of grief, of duty and destiny and fulfillment, feels mature and complex in every moment, striking in every symbol it presents. In short, it is totally enthralling, and I cannot possibly heap enough praises upon its construction.

The art is a close second, as it, too, possesses a rare excellence. On the face of it, it looks totally unique, completely unlike anything else I've seen thus far, and that alone is impressive in its own right. It employs the use of a traditional Japanese color palate, as well as soft gradients and a kind of visual texture to everything onscreen so as to invoke the actual works of art which first depicted them. In this way, it feels otherworldly, but also elegant, precise, and in a way, more prescient than if it had gone with a more standard or a more realistic style. It fits this anime perfectly, and acts as a visual medium for many of the symbols and motifs that the story conveys, like delicate flower petals blowing away in the wind, or the focus on water as the source of the Heike's power as well as the implications it has for their ultimate fate. even beyond this ethereal quality, it is also just technically very impressive, especially in the fluidity of its animation, like the choreography of its fight scenes, its portrayal of everyday life, and of course the incredibly detailed emotion that plays on the face of every single character, even down to the most minute creasing of the eyebrows. It's almost more heavy with symbolism and raw emotion than the story itself. One caveat here is that sometimes the faces of certain characters look a little too stylized, resulting in a rather unpleasant face, but these instances are thankfully limited to only a couple of characters, and by no means does this have a notable impact on the art direction as a whole, which is still absolutely stunning.

The sound, too, is very, very strong. The OST is deeply moving, combining the sounds of traditional Japanese music, like the Biwa and the Japanese flute, with deeply emotional elements like a meandering, contemplative piano, and a variety of string instruments. This creates a mystical, almost sacred atmosphere, a space in which the story and its visuals can more deeply affect you than would otherwise be the case. The sounds of life are also rich and detailed, and furthermore the voice work is lively and impassioned, carrying the full weight of emotion that they intend, which hits heavy each and every time, be it a final goodbye or a first hello, or getting to know a character's innermost thoughts and worries- through it all, it often feels like they are speaking directly to you.

Speaking of which, the characters are, like most everything else in this anime, simply incredible. They feel like the movers of the story rather than being subjects moved by it, like everything hangs on their actions, their doubts, their struggles, even when you are treated to a glimpse of the future, and a foreknowledge of where these actions will one day lead, it still feels like these things happen because of them rather than to them. At times, I'll admit, it can be difficult to keep track of all the characters, as the who's who of the story gets pretty crowded, but this doesn't end up detracting from the anime in the end, as the most important characters are ones you are sure to be familiar with throughout the entire show. Of them, my favorites are Biwa and Shigemori. I like Biwa for her unique place in the tale as a tragic storyteller, who can tell the future but do nothing about it, who can merely witness and later relate the story of these people who took her in and raised her. Her reticence to tell the future at all also ties into this, as her abilities conflict with her innate desire for companionship and belonging. She is the perfect addition to this classic story, and I feel is a stroke of narrative genius. Then, Shigemori earns his spot as his namesake implies, 'the conscience of the Heike'. He is a kind, honorable man, who nonetheless does everything in his power to do right by his family, their legacy, and most of all, their wellbeing. He gives everything towards this end, and in a way, blown along by the winds of fate set aloft by his father Kiyomori and his ravenous ambition, he is very much like that girl he took in, Biwa. Even though he can't see the future like her, he in a way feels the same about his family. he knows where it's heading, and he can't stop it. He is the archetypal embodiment of beautiful tragedy, a man of honor at the crossroads of conflicting duties and weighed down beneath the yolk of history. Overall, Heike Monogatari is a true work of art, a dramatic, tragic masterpiece that relates one of Japan's most striking historical periods with a narrative skill and visual mastery rarely seen in the medium. Watch this anime- it is worth every second of your time.

Naoko Yamada never fails to surprise me with delivering projects better than her last ones, it's like everytime she works on something, she levels up.

This time rather than her usual genres, she took on historical genre and gave it a refreshing narrative through a short girl with weird eyes named "Biwa". Heikei Monogatari is a popular story in Japan (which tells the story of the rise and fall of the Taira clan during the Genpei War) due to that the series had very fast pacing like it was intended to skip stuff which would turn out to be unimportant to the whole narrative, which ... makes me sad that even Yoshitsune didn't get much screentime as the story ended.

And I loved the visuals... as always... took 650+ screencaps. The colors were vibrant, the style was consistent and the details were highlighted.

Overall, Heike Monogatari is a worthy watch, it can easily get you invested in the story and maybe motivate you enough to study more about the actual events of the history. Tho I can't say it's for everyone due to being historical/war/drama, but if you like this genre then there are some great live action movies directed by Akira Kurusawa and Masaka Kobayashi which shouldn't be slept on.

I could rate my recommendation of this anime as a 7 and a "Mixed Feelings" but I will give this anime the benefit of the doubt.

Heike Monogatari is another beautiful gem from Science Saru but I feel that I could have gotten better out of the story. I can't blame her for the fact that at times I found myself totally lost in the story, but it's also a fact that this one isn't such an easy anime to watch. Any lapse of attention and you are at the mercy of the story.

Its first 3 minutes are fantastic, it presents an anime splendidly and raises ... its hype to the heights, but I feel that these 3 minutes sell an anime different from the one we will watch over time. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but I, in fact, would like the anime to be the same as its presentation, which was impactful, tragic, suffocating and beautiful. The anime as a whole is light with its characters but dense with information, getting to be boring at certain times.
For those who watched the 11 episodes in a row like me, it is difficult to keep the focus 100% on the story, but for those who watched it weekly or paused, it must have been easier to digest the story.

The anime does have its epic moments, especially in the final episodes, reminiscent of the sensations experienced in the first moments of episode 1. And these moments are enhanced with a great studio production. Animation and soundtrack here are gold. They may cause strangeness but this difference, in my view, is something positive. We need a variety of animations in the anime and here is a full plate for those looking for that.

In addition, I highly recommend this story, as long as you watch it focused and dedicated. It can be quite an experience.

I don't usually write reviews as I'm not that good with words + English is not my first language, but I feel like I need to do it this time bc it's great and need way more recognition.

Heike Monogatari is overall an anime about the Genpei Wars adapted from a japanese folk novel
The first aspect I noticed of this anime was it's artstyle which remembers of the traditional japanese paintings. Lovely landscapes and scenes with vivid colors. Soundwise, it's obvious the presence of the Biwa sound (the protagonist, also called Biwa, is a biwa-playing minstrel) but it also adds a lot of newer more contemporary ... sounds as seen in the ending and some other scenes that breaks with the atmosphere giving it a wild feeling.
I found it a little bit hard to keep up with the names of the characters sometimes bc there's a lot from different clans and backgrounds, but the design is so unique I completely fell in love. It's also great to see how some characters mature over the course of the episodes, while some do not (which also adds to the story)

I quite enjoyed the series. It develops at a great speed but still with a lot of narrative and I know I can't make it justice with just my words so I kindly encourage you to watch it and experience for yourself.

So...this anime literally came right out of nowhere. Announced in September 2021, premiering not even weeks afterward, it caught a lot of people by surprise, especially the staff behind it. Directed by Naoko Yamada, who left KyoAni to join Science SARU which did the animation, with a screenplay by Reiko Yoshida, adapting one of Japan's oldest pieces of literature. I was all in. I mean, one of anime's most beloved female directors working on a show that promised beautiful animation and gripping political intrigue, taking place in the Heian era and starring a female lead? How could I not want to watch it? In an ... endless sea of generic ecchi and bottom-of-the-barrel isekai that get churned out every year, I was damn ecstatic to watch Heike Monogatari. It's no secret that my favorite anime of all time is Shounen Onmyouji, which is also based on literature that takes place during the Heian era and has supernatural leanings (Though Shounen Onmyouji is based on light novels). I was sure I was going to absolutely adore Heike Monogatari. But in case the rating didn't clue you in, I might have set my expectations too high.

Nobody knows who wrote the original Tale of the Heike, though this particular anime is based on the modern Japanese rendition by one Hideo Furukawa, and Heike Monogatari is the first animated adaptation of the epic novel. The anime's story goes as follows: Biwa is a young girl who has the gift of seeing into the future, but is told by her father to hide it. When her father is killed by the Taira clan's personal enforcers, Biwa is left an orphan until a member of the Taira (also known as the Heike), Shigemori, hears of her plight. Taking pity on her and because he himself can see spirits of the dead, therefore seeing in her a kindred spirit, he adopts her and makes her part of his family as a means of atoning for what his family did to her. But Biwa sees visions of the Taira clan meeting a bloody, violent end. Being a child and unable to do anything in her position, she can do naught but watch as the Heike's decisions and desire for power lead to their own downfall.

As much as I want to praise this anime up the wazoo, and believe me, you have no idea how much I want to, I can no longer deny its two biggest flaws. One is that the story Heike Monogatari tells is way too big to fit into a piddly eleven episodes. It's a big, sprawling epic that spans years and years, from the perspectives of a ton of different characters and showing how their actions directly or indirectly lead up to the great Genpei War. A story like this would be better told in, at the very least, 26 episodes, or at most, probably 39 or 52. Remember when anime that had that many episodes were the norm? And not just shounen anime? Because of how compressed the adaptation is, the pacing is very fast, leaving you with very little time to process all the big events that happen back to back to back, like a bunch of entitled soldiers burning a temple because the monks refused to let them use their bath, or Kiso no Yoshinaka razing the capital with his army for all it's worth. That being said, Heike Monogatari hardly leaves a moment for the audience to get bored, so there's always something going on to catch the viewer's interest. But that can also come with its own set of issues.

One of which is Heike Monogatari's second biggest flaw: This anime absolutely expects the viewer to be familiar with the original source material. It just throws a bunch of characters, names, and events at you in huge infodumps and exposition diatribes without much in the way of context, and doesn't even try to make an effort to allow the audience to get familiar with them, or show them in an organic manner. As someone who hasn't read the original novel, I was often very confused by the fact that Heike Monogatari seemed to randomly introduce new characters and situations in every episode at a breakneck pace, and even after several episodes, I could barely keep track of them. It doesn't help that many of the characters were hard to tell apart at times. Like, come on. I dare anyone to tell me they can tell Shigemori and Tokitada apart, especially since the former's left eye is such a subtle color difference from the other that it's still hard to tell who's who! And because of the anime's desire to just throw characters at you a mile a minute, any attempts to flesh them out come off as hollow because show's breakneck pacing doesn't allow itself to really delve into who they are as people, what makes them tick, why we should care about them, or even their states of mind as certain things happen. That being said, I don't want to be a Negative Nancy, and there are some characters who are very well fleshed out, like Biwa, Shigemori, Sukemori, and Tokuko. I found those four to be the most compelling, as we get to see them grow and change over the course of the series, even if I wish several scenes they starred in could have been presented with more focus and importance than they were. For example, Biwa's search for her mother and the end result of it is treated as mundane and an afterthought, and you'd think something like that would be hugely significant considering Biwa's, well, the main character. Koremori in particular was also a victim of this, as he could have been a more central character considering all the pressure he had on his shoulders, but the anime flip-flops between characters every other scene, making it hard to flesh them out in ways they deserve.

This is a more minor flaw, but sometimes the show has cases of pretty severe mood whiplash. For example, in episode 1, when Shigemori first discovers Biwa, she tearfully begs him to kill her...and in the very next scene, his maidservants are cartoonishly gawking at how poorly dressed she is, complete with cutesy music and cartoony expressions. Granted, this only happens twice, but they did feel pretty jarring to me. Of course, that being said, Heike Monogatari does have a lot to offer even with its flaws holding it down. For one, the animation is definitely unlike most anime and it's really a visual marvel. Naoko Yamada has always had a liking for live-action camera techniques, digital tools, and visual symbolism, light leaks, and so on, and a lot of the techniques she uses here really work, like depth of field, bloom lighting, and chromatic aberration. Every shot is packed with detail and used with purpose, from the sleek movement of the characters in motion to the impeccably watercolor/ukiyo-e style backgrounds conveying an almost otherworldly wonder about it. Pack that with a stellar voice cast and an eclectic but still mostly fitting soundtrack and you've got a recipe for greatness in terms of both sight and sound. So yeah, please don't think I hate Heike Monogatari, because I don't. Even though it's plagued by a lot of problems that prevent it from being considered a true masterpiece in every sense of the word, it still does have a lot to offer, and it's clear Yamada-san and her team put a lot of love, care, and effort into it. It didn't quite succeed, as it's short episode length leaves Heike Monogatari unable to live up to the huge story it wanted to tell, but as far as Yamada-san's first foray at Science Saru goes, I still think she hit a home run, and we still have ourselves a relatively good series here. Hell, if I was made to choose between this and the 800 bottom-of-the-barrel isekai that Japan likes to churn out, I'd pick Heike, no contest.

By the way, there is something else I'd like to mention as well: Just because an anime simply depicts problematic material, especially in the context of the setting and time period in which it takes place, that absolutely does not mean the show is promoting or encouraging it. Some dude on MAL gave Heike a low rating because they were under the impression that because it dared to show Tokuko's nine-year-old sister being married off to an adult man, a practice which, while definitely unacceptable in modern times, was considered commonplace back in the Heian era, that somehow the show was glamorizing or encouraging pedophilia. Uh...no. Heike Monogatari is absolutely NOT condoning pedophilia. If it was trying to do so, it would have made Moriko's marriage to an older man out to be a good thing, and there is nothing in the anime that does anything of the like. In fact, the anime subtly shows that Moriko's life turned out terrible when she was forced to marry. Seriously, people need to look more into the time period in which Heike Monogatari takes place. In the Heian era, women and children had absolutely no rights, agency, or autonomy. They had their lives dictated by others, whether it be family members or their husbands, and were forced to be submissive to those in power, even if women had positions of power, and any deviation from the norm would have either branded them as a pariah or gotten them killed, and even Heike Monogatari understands this. As someone who studied Japanese history in college, I can tell you for certain that Heike's depiction of both the time period and the questionable ethics behind marrying off underage girls for the sake of political alliances is fairly accurate. Besides, if that person thinks Heike is actively encouraging pedophilia or sexual assault, they ought to watch shows like Kodomo no Jikan, Daimidaler, every anime that sexualizes teenage girls (Which is about 80% of them, and Heike is not one of them), or pretty much every lolicon-centered hentai ever. Or that one movie called American Beauty, which is about a married, middle-aged man actively lusting over his teenaged daughter's best friend and has uncensored, underage nudity, and the movie outright encouraging his behavior. Make of that what you will.

With that, I think Heike Monogatari can be considered a flawed masterpiece. It really tries to be something good, and it is good, but because of how dense it is, I don't recommend this as baby's first grown-up anime. Not by a long shot.

Heike Monogatari is an anime adaptation of the 13th century historical epic, “The Tale of the Heike”. It is a story that serves as a cultural touchstone to the Japanese as the Bible does in the West. For a text as important as this, an adaptation into animation would seem a very arduous task if one were to attempt a totally faithful adaptation paying attention to the minutiae of the story. However, Naoko Yamada and the staff at Science SARU had something else in mind…

I greatly appreciate the alternate approach that they took to adapting this epic. Their addition to the story, the character of ... Biwa, serves as a fairly ethereal figure who exists outside of the story, as well as inside of it. I find Biwa’s addition to be a very nice touch, as she essentially justifies the fact that this is, frankly, a clearly abridged version of the story. To me, watching Heike Monogatari really does feel as though you’re being told a story by someone who was there, and who knew these characters, that someone being Biwa. This is why there is more time spent giving the characters strong personalities, and showing their relationships, as opposed to depicting battles of a grand scale in meticulous detail. The entire story is viewed through the very subjective lens that is Biwa, which I believe heightens the empathy that is felt for the characters.

Furthermore, it is clear to me that Reiko Yoshida’s screenplay intentionally took liberties with the original story in order to play to the strengths of the creative staff. Heike Monogatari genuinely feels like a work of art, as opposed to a clear and concise story. This is bolstered by the absolutely gorgeous art design that gives it the quality of a classical Japanese screen painting unfolding before your very eyes. This is magnificently tied together by a stunning directorial effort from Naoko Yamada. She continues to develop her style, bringing it to new heights at times, all while refining hallmarks of her directorial work that are as strong as ever. All of this considered, Heike Monogatari serves as an adaptation in the same way that a film such as Akira Kurosawa’s “Ran” does. That being that it prioritises the artistry of the work above all else.

Finally, it is hard not to read into a story depicting a girl powerlessly watching everyone that she loves pass away considering the context of what led to Naoko Yamada leaving Kyoto Animation to direct this. The tragedy that snatched away the lives of over 30 precious individuals will weigh on Yamada for the rest of her life, which is why the final episode of Heike Monogatari is particularly poignant. It serves as a wonderful meditation on life, death, and grieving. The way that it depicts the difficulty of trying to find peace in the wake of true despair is unbelievably touching. The emotional strength and conviction that it must have taken Yamada to convey these themes is immense. I did not think it was possible, but I have gained an even greater respect for Naoko Yamada as an artist, as well as human being.

Heike Monogatari is an incredible work of art that is teeming with the vision and feelings of its creative staff, despite being an adaptation of a historical text. Personally, I find it highly doubtful that there will ever be another anime like this again.

"Heike Monogatari" brilliantly utilizes its artistic visuals, music choice, and story elements to convey a compelling story. As a history enthusiast, it is difficult to find shows that find that balance between the historical and anime elements. My initial hesitation was overshadowed by the show's surprisingly strong personality (For me a show's personality is how all the elements blend together to make it memorable).

If you are familiar with the ultimate result of the Genpei War, then boy oh boy will this tug at your heartstrings. This tragic tale touches on many elements such as loyalty, family, and inner struggle. You see characters deal with ... the consequences of choices and unintentional effects of the war play a toll on them. Its initially positive tone starts to fall apart as you witness events turn dire. I wholeheartedly recommend watching this show and recommend familiarizing yourself with the time period. Just simply search up "The Tale of Heike Monogatari" or watch a 5-minute video on the Genpei War!

Heike Monogatari is the newest work from the iconic duo director Naoko Yamada with music composer Kensuke Ushio, who were most famous for their work on Liz and the Blue Bird and a Silent Voice. Personally, I have loved most of their work together so I was extremely excited to see what was in store for this anime.

This may be the duo's most ambitious project to date. First of all, this is the first historical adaptation of the Tales of Heike Japanese epic. Second of all, the duo is working with studio Science Saru instead of Kyoto Animation. I was even more intrigued by ... what would come from this duo.

Don't be mistaken, this is unmistakably a Yamada Ushio production. From the beautiful musical passages narrating the events of the story sung by the protagonist Biwa to the signature legs shots that Yamada is so well known for, I could tell that there was alot of love that went into the production. The minimalist art style that Yamada used for Liz and the Blue Bird continues here, amping up the details where it counted. While it allowed for more facial expressions and subtle animation to portray the characters, I found the character designs made it difficult to track the many characters that were introduced.

This did not help when the plot progressed at an extremely fast pace. This was an even worse issue when considering the fact that alot of the characters had pretty subdued personalities for anime standards, especially Munemori and Sukemori. While I commend the effort to attempt to make the characters as nuanced and realistic as possible, this is an impossible task in such a short anime that must cover so much plot.

I found it very hard to connect with some of the characters due to the many time skips. The story attempts to tell itself in a slice of life format, once in a while peeking into the lives of the characters in many moments to create a coherent story. While this worked for K-On, which had over 30 episodes to work with, this anime meanders too much for how little time it has. The plot is oversimplified which makes it feel very bare-bones. Nevertheless, the plot was never overly confusing. yes, alot of names are thrown around, but they are never necessary to understand what is going on. I just feel that it hurt alot of the emotional arcs and moments in the show. Still, the symbolism helps a bit to convey the story nonverbally where the pacing might suffer.

Besides these criticisms, I still very much enjoyed this anime. Lady Tokuko feels very much like a Yamada character. I love how she is portrayed as both extremely strong and feminine despite the limited gender roles in Heian Japan. Biwa's arc, while suffering a bit from the pacing, was also quite poignant yet still empowering.

The themes of the story are heavily influenced by Buddhism. I think the story handles them extremely well. It discusses the existentialism of fate yet still doesn't relegate itself to helpless resignation. This theme oozes perfectly from the show, from the direction to the sound direction to the various side and main characters who all thoroughly explore the nuances of these ideas. These ideas culminate into one of my favorite final episodes of an anime series.

If there's one word I'd use to describe this project it would be ambitious. To condense an entire multivolume folk epic into an 11 episode anime is an extremely daunting task. While the anime suffers from this inherent flaw, the direction, sound design, and smart use of characters and story telling all make for a more or less emotionally coherent plot with amazing moments. If you want to learn more about Japanese history or want to see an experimental piece of art I would recommend this show. While it's not for everyone, it definitely has many moments that are extremely rewarding. This show is a 7/10 but it teeters on being an 8.

LIFE IS INDEED LIKE A FALLING AUTUMN LEAF. BEFORE IT CAN TOUCH THE GROUND, IT IS BLOWN AWAY BY THE WIND
... -Heike Monogatari

(MAY CONTAIN MINOR SPOILERS)
A man's glory may last for a lifetime, but it is the deeds of his descendants that truly determine his legacy.

'The Heike Story' or locally known as 'Heike Monogatari' is the studio Science SARU's adaptation of the timeless classic of Japanese literature of the same name.

The story is set is feudal Japan during the late 12th century which is a period known for its cultural transformation, military conflicts and the ever changing political strife. It's set towards the end of Gempei War of 12th century in Heian period when 'Taira Clan' and 'Minamoto Clan' were struggling for dominance over Japan which lead to eventual downfall of 'Taira clan'.
It's a show which reveals its ending even before it found itself a proper footing to build up the introduction to this timeless epic which might not to be that surprising for the Japanese audience who are well versed with this tale cause they can find it in their history textbooks and literature classes but for us, the non Japanese viewers where the majority don't even have a clue on how the feudal Japan impacted the richness of the history of this nation we all love so much.

The main character, Biwa is an anime original who wasn't present in the original novel but in some different versions of the story, overtime some of the biwa players who performed the tale began to refer a character, biwa (a personification of the Japanese instrument biwa used by biwa hoshi to tell tales of past to masses) as travelling bard who sings of the heike's tale of rise and fall which also showed the historical importance of 'Biwa Hoshi' in Japanese culture and in some later versions, she took the mystical spirit form of the epic itself . Biwa acts as a point of reference for the audience for the best as her sole purpose for the majority of the show's runtime is to ask the major plot details and character background of the epic from the secondary characters which might be a good thing for the people who aren't familiar with the story and going in blind. Her foreknowledge of the fate of the Taira Clan makes the ending even more crucial from the fact almost how much it is constantly reminded through her. The very first episode shows how she promises another major character 'Taira no Shigemori' that she would stay with him to act as an observer to view the end of his clan which gives her the role akin to 'the mouthpiece of the creator'. In the story, Biwa at time acted more than just a mere observer which often at times emphasized on the "inevitable predetermined fate" and even got a conclusion to her own story.
Rest of the characters present in the story are bounded by their inevitable fate and the ruin of their clan where they all their part for the best or worst, with will or with reluctance only to accept the rigidness of the fate in their own terms. Remembering all of these characters and their purpose in the story would require a little bit of attention to the plot details.
The show accomplishes in creating characters developed in order to to contribute to the greater role of the story in compelling ways showing their struggles, relationship, triumph, happiness, vulnerabilities and everything that makes these characters similar to real humans.

Studio Science SARU never fails to accomplish its artistic vision whenever they decide to animate something and 'Heike Monogatari' was no exception blending in the subtle details of Japanese culture in this historical epic with its minimalist looking art choice where most cinematic frames skillfully takes advantage of its fluid animation style and Japanese aesthetics complimented by the impeccable direction of Naoko Yamada. Each character has a distinct character designs drawing inspiration from traditional Japanese art.

Heike Monogatari explores a multitude of several themes spanning from the uncontrolled desire for power and ambition to the importance of legacy in the fleeting time of humanity to the transient nature of life which would explain why the original source is considered a timeless classic which resonated through different generation and cultures upholding the never changing human nature and emotions.
The loyalty and betrayal is common recurring theme where characters show shifting loyalties to look out for their own benefit with the changing political control over the territories. The story also shows depicts the complex relationship of the warriors and their lord testing their pride associated with their idea of honor and selfless sacrifice for their masters which showcased one of the very integral concept of Japanese culture.
War forms the integral backbone of the story as all the political strife and dispute eventually lead to an era of tumultuous strife and eventual foreshadowed ending which didn't only affected the Taira clan for the worse but also the common populace.

"Though the powerful may boast of their prowess, it is the weak who truly suffer in times of war."

This show particularly shows an keen understanding of historical context and its making with a bit of flaws here and there which are to be expected from a historical show. It also expresses its character's depth and nuances with traditional style of Japanese poetry.
In all these mess of conflict and emotions, Biwa explores the themes of forgiveness, redemption and kindness as she confronts her past.
There is use of traditional Japanese instruments such as biwa, koto and shamisen which tries to create an authentic sound to describe the fleeting feudal Japan presented in the anime.
It also has melodies that can be considered haunting capturing the melancholy and despair of its characters
Music is used as medium to give emotional depth to its characters

One of the major flaw present in this anime is its expectations. The show expects the viewers to be familiar with the original tale of Heike which won't really pose a real problem as you can still enjoy this show even if you went in blind without any foreknowledge about the source and historical context of this show as it can be solved with a little bit of keen attention on the plot details it will provide you. Unfamiliarity can also make show less appealing for some watchers.
Another major flaw of the show is its extremely short length which is just 11 episodes which makes the show rather fast paced for many people and make it harder to keep up with plot developments which also makes some character undercooked without giving them an ample amount of character development that they deserved.
Also, some nerds might also take issues with historical inaccurate things shown in the anime. Deal with it(uwu).
It also depicts some questionable practices such as 'child marriage' which might offend some viewers but it doesn't mean that the show itself isn't promoting those practices but trying its best to make itself as much historically accurate as possible so that it can depict the questionable power play in that period.

In conclusion, Heike Monogatari is an anime that is result of the appeal of classic literature that has conquered the testament of time and Science SARU's ambitious storytelling bringing this timeless epic to new viewers flawed by its short length and expectations from its viewers which doesn't let it hold itself back from becoming a must watch celebrating the fact that anime is a medium which can bend the all preconceived notions about it with its narration and limitless space for innovation.