Historical Anime

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Tales include: The Hill of Old Age, which tells of a conspiracy hatched against Japan's unifier, Oda Nobunaga. Seeing the Truth, about the assassin sent to murder Nobunaga's successor leyasu Tokugawa. The broadcast was a part of the Neo Hyper Kids program. (Source: Anime Encyclopedia)

Movie version of the TV series Perrine Monogatari.

Three reporters from the school paper get transported back to the Edo period.

Short patriotic war short film by Hakusan Kimura.

Animated adaptations of traditional and historical Japanese stories. Each episode features 2 different stories. (Source: AniDB)

A Korean animated full-feature film about the gods in ancient Greece. It was created to teach young people about ancient Greece and its myths.

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The 25 minute film tells the tale of an ailing elderly woman named Itako who encounters a fox named Okon. The story opens with Itako lying bedridden, as she has for a long time. Okon enters her home and Itako tells the fox that he is welcome to take anything that he wants, for she has no use for anything anymore. Okon is delighted and in order to return the favour (the act of ongaeshi), Okon performs a magic jyōruri (a ballad with shamisen accompaniment) that heals Itako so that she is fit enough to walk again. Everyone is surprised by Itako's sudden recovery. She then hears of a hunter who has been badly injured and is near death. Itako hides Okon in the back of her shirt and has the fox sing the song while she plays shamisen in order to heal the man. This act of kindness is repeated for others until Itako's good fortune leads some to be suspicious of her. (Source: Nishikata Film Review)

Set mainly in and around the Shanghai Ghetto in Japanese-occupied Shanghai during the Second World War, the film tells the story of three children. Rina and her younger brother Mishalli are Jewish refugees who escaped Europe but are without their parents. A-Gen is a Chinese boy who meets Rina and helps her and her brother to survive. The children form strong friendships and have adventures as they try and fend off the Japanese army occupying the city, and their allies, the Nazis. In the background, the Second Sino-Japanese War takes place, while the children must face the uncertainty that concerns the fate of Rina and Mishalli's parents in Europe. (Source: AniDB)

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A special which tells the story of the development of the japanese Sourai interceptor plane.

A western occupation propaganda film in which a boy repairs a western style doll that comes to life and uses a magic pen to rebuild his bleak and war torn world into a happy place resembling western civilization. (Source: AniDB)

A theatrical edited release of episode 21-26.

Special produced to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Shabake novel series.

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Toei's month long run of fairy tale stories.

Shouwa 19 (1944), summer. Tamaru, a soldier who aspired to be a manga artist, was on Peleliu Island at the end of the Pacific War. The island was a paradise covered with beautiful forests and surrounded by a sea of coral reefs. It was also a battlefield on which 50,000 soldiers from Japan and the United States killed each other. At that time, 40,000 elite US troops invaded in an attempt to seize the airfield, which was touted as the best in East Asia. A garrison of 10,000 Japanese troops was ordered to meet the aggressors and "thoroughly endure" the attack. What did they fight for and what was on their minds on this small island far from their homeland?!? A long-forgotten record of truth from young people who lived in the "war" era! (Source: Hakusensha, translated)

The first film of the Fuku-chan trilogy. Based on a popular newspaper comic strip at the time, Fuku-chan was re-invented for propaganda use.

Chu Kuangsheng, son of Patriarch Chu in the remote Shiyang town in Shenlong Empire, was born weak and unable to train. Due to his cultivation impairment, he is the laughingstock of the entire town. Three years ago, his parents go missing while on official duty. His talented and beautiful sister, Chu Liu'er, is the apparent successor to head the Chu family but she suffers a strange illness. Since then, Chu Kuangsheng's situation gets increasingly difficult. During an ambush, the injured Chu Kuangsheng inherits the ancestral technique of Chu family, rebuilding his damaged meridians. From then on, Chu Kuangsheng's training progresses rapidly. Despite appearing weak and incompetent on the surface, he has another identity — the renowned Kuangzun in the martial world. Chu Kuangsheng discovers the collusion of the Chu clan leader with outsiders may be related to his parents' disappearance. He uses his hidden identity of Kuangzun to secretly make connections with heroes, accumulating strength and gathering information. With one face and two identities, he eliminates the corrupt individuals in the Chu clan, He then leaves the small town for Siling Academy to train while he investigates and traces the clues to his parents' disappearance. Wielding his sword, cutting off the past and battling against heroes in the vast universe, Chu Kuangsheng's name resonates across myriad domains — he becomes the master. [Written by AnastasiaWun]

A music-video style recap OVA. This release covers episode 12-20 and is with classical music entirely except for one song right before the credits. The beginning also has a unique frosted boarder frame around the video that changes designs which was not present in the the first music recap nor in the original anime.

Third season of Zhen Wu Dianfeng.

From Genghis Khan to Thomas Edison, each episode in this series focuses on the life and achievement of two of history's greatest and most important persons. (Source: ANN)

A special boy is born on a day when hurricanes and wicked spirits struck medieval Korea. The citizens and family learn that the infant has super human strength and cunning intelligence. As the boy grows up, he makes a vow to his family, the emperor of Korea, and to the high deities to rid Korea of the chaos and disorder caused by the wicked beings. (Source: IMDB)

Pilot film released on the HIDORI official channel to garner interest for the Kickstarter of the upcoming Hidari stop-motion movie.

A series of animations and quotes depicting the political ideologies of Shinpei Goto, a cabinet member in the Taisho period.

Based on the same-named book by Ooshiro Tatsuhiro. A documentary anime retelling the shipwreck of the freight boat Tsushima Maru, which was carrying a class of schoolchildren home in July 1944 when it was attacked and sunk by an American submarine. Produced by the surviving family members of the Tsushima Maru. A highly realistic and carefully crafted film in which the realism is thrown into contrast by the deformed character designs by Kiyomizu Kazutoshi. (Source: pelleas.net)

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Third season of Jian Yu Feng Yun.

A festival cut/compilation of the animated segments made by Yamamura Kouji for a TV documentary by NHK, Kojiki Girl Travelogue (古事記ガール 日向路を旅する).

A tuberculosis history, awareness, and prevention informative anime.

Based on Ueda Toshiko's shoujo manga.

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Fourth Season of Hua Jianghu: Bu Liang Ren.

A film by Kitayama Kiyotaro, follows a snowman who came to life in a fairytale like setting.

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Meng Qi, a time-traveler who wants to be a dashing swordsman in white, fails in endless extreme missions in the 'reincarnation space'. The wind suddenly changed and he became the world-famous "Thunder Sword Mad Monk". However, all of this turned out to be the treacherous plan of the ancient power. Let’s look at the invincible and funny little monk who is happy in the world and proud of the three worlds. (Source: bilibili)

Stories from Patrick Lafcadio Hearn's book Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things. The Greek-American author was known as Koizumi Yakumo in Japan and is renowned for collecting and publishing stories of Japanese folklore and legends. The shorts were made for a Matsue City tourism promotion, as Hearn taught, lived, and married there. His home is a museum people can visit.

The Neighborhood Community (Tonari-gumi) was the smallest unit of population which was the national mobilization program established by the Japanese government during the World War II. This was to regulate rationing and thought control more efficiently. Each unit was consisted from 5-10 households, and organized to help one another, also to keep eye on any suspicious behavior. The same title song was made to promote this program, became a big hit in Japan with its cheerful melody. (Source: ANIDO)

A CGI short film only shown at Heijokyo History Museum in Nara. It tells the story of Empress Koken in the 8th century.

The Phoenix asks us why humans choose war as a means of solving problems, while it looks back on the history of Kyoto and ponders on the riot at Ikeda-ya by the Shinsengumi in the last days of the Tokugawa regime. The short film was also included on the Osamu Tezuka Sakuhin-shuu: Kyoto Animation Theater-hen DVD released in 2015. (Source: Official Site)

A Chinese prince meets a regular civilian during his travels and quickly falls in love. They marry and have a daughter, but the prince is soon separated from them during a rebellion. Many years later, the prince has become emperor and locates his lost daughter. She comes to live with him, but unfortunately has picked up several unrefined habits during her times as a civilian.

The short movie will be a silent anime depicting behind-the-scene stories of the Nezumikozou Jirokichi: Edo no Maki (Nezumikozou Jirokichi: Chapter of Edo) film directed by Sadao Yamanaka, as well as his effort to produce it. (Source: MAL News)

"Industrious farmer Tasuke makes the necessary sacrifices to advance his station in life from a farmer to a store-owner. Based on a well-known kabuki tale Shiobara Tasuke ichitai-ki (The Life Story of Shiobara Tasuke), this parable about the virtues of hard work is based on a true story." (Source: Mubi)

Film by Okamoto Tadanari, winner of the Ōfuji Noburō Award in 1977 for the 32nd Mainichi Film Awards in recognition of animation excellence. The story of two villages on either side of a river who come together to build a bridge to connect their villages and thereby permit a young couple in love to be joined in marriage.

A short puppet animation movie by Tadahito Mochinaga.

Remaster of the first two seasons of Qin Shi Mingyue.

An educational film about Paghman, Afghanistan showing the simple life and beauty of the region and its regular citizens to juxtapose the War in Afghanistan that stared in real life the year prior.

A Suntory short for their Boss brand canned coffee. It covers the history of Yutaka Nakamura, a businessman who established the Hawaiians Spa Resort in Fukushima at the age of sixty-five. (Source: ANN)

A pseudo-historical movie that follows a modern day elementary schooler as he's tossed back into time to observe Aterui--a real leader of the Emishi who fought against the Imperial Yamato Court.

On the 6th of August, 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima. A young boy, Shigeru, left home for his job as a building excavator that morning, carrying a bento made by his mother, only to never return home again. Before long, his mother managed to find Shigeru's remains, and she noticed the completely black and carbonized bento box next to them. This is an anime adaptation of the original book, "Makkuro na Obentou (The Charred Lunchbox)" written by Kodama Tatsuharu and illustrated by Kitajima Shinpei. The bento box that becomes the focus of the story is actually on display in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. (Source: AniDB)

A summary of the full series aired as a TV specials.

Rennyo was the key figure responsible for the restoration of Shin Buddhism in Japan, in particular the Honganji lineage, during a slump in its fortunes during the Middle Ages. According to legend, his motivation was a pivotal childhood incident at the age of just six when his mother summoned him and informed him of his destiny to revive the fortunes of the Honganji school to which he was the next in line. She then mysteriously disappeared from the temple. Taking her words to heart, from a background of great poverty and hardship, at the age of 16 he set out to spread the word across the land.

On September 26, 1959, Super Typhoon #15 (also known as "T5915", "Vera", or "Isewan Typhoon"), struck the coast of Japan with the maximum wind speed of 305 km/h, causing over 5,000 dead or missing plus over 30,000 injured, the heaviest casualty caused by a single typhoon in Japan in 20th century. This animated movie was produced on the 30th anniversary of the tragedy in order to commemorate the dead and survivors. (Source: AniDB)

Movie version of the TV series Huckleberry no Bouken.

Fourth season of Neko Neko Nihonshi.

Working since before WW2, UEDA Shoji pierced through amateurism, Then, in his picture world he takes, cuts and rearranges photos through his own sensibility, which takes him to the new media that is Ga-nime, encouraged by his friend the actor SANO Shiro, born in the same prefecture. The pictures used for this exhibition are not only from his most famous “Dune Mode” series, but also of many pre/post-war pictures of his birthplace, streetcars running in Tokyo, and traditional scene of Japan, through which a whole culture appears. (Source: Toei-anim.co.jp)

This special focuses on Duanmu Rong. It tells a story happened when she was an apprentice doctor.

We should never forget our manners no matter how much we may excel in martial arts. Learn lessons from Yoshichiro's failure. (Source: Japanese Animated Film Classics)

This is a heartwarming story about a family during the Edo era. The main character, Kuritaro, lives with his father and a stray dog. Despite his mother's death, he continues to live a cheerful life. (Source: AnimeNfo)

A film about the Battle of Okinawa during the last days of World War II. During the World War II island hopping campaign there was a fierce battle on Okinawa that devastated the population and ravaged the land and left a mark on the populace of the Okinawan people forever. After the war Okinawa was under the control of the United Stated Military. Without any goods and extreme scarcity of Natural resources the Okinawans were in a desperate day to day survival for the basic needs of life. The Okinawans however, despite their dire situation used song and dance to lighten their spirit and make the best of the situation. But with the loss of almost everything of value on island due to constant shelling bombing and fighting between the Japanese and American all the regular sanshin (an Okinawan musical instrument and precursor of the Japanese shamisen) had become very scarce and hard to find. The American were supplying the Okinawans with powdered milk among other items to help keep starvation low. And from those cans of food they would find a way to bring music back to the people again. (Source: AniDB)

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NHK undertakes a project to visualize written stories of the A-bomb victims through animation. The experience notes of the A-bomb victims which will be the base for the animation are ones sent to NHK's annual reciting, a program to read and share their experience, which have been running as long as 9 years now. A total of 2,200 notes have been sent to us so far. (Source: Official YouTube channel)

Sixth season of Hua Jianghu: Bu Liang Ren.

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Based on a picture book about a onion-headed samurai named Asatarou.

The life story of Shinran, founder of Joudo Shinshuu.

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Typically brilliant OKAMOTO Tadanari short film, based on a traditional story retold by MATSUTANI Miyoko, with narration by KISHIDA Kyouko. (Source: AnimeDB)

Old Master Q and gang travels to the past.

A fusion of live action and animation to tell the story of Lake Biwa's draining. Lake Biwa Canal has been an economic life giver to Kyoto. Its formation is all due to a young engineer by the name Tanabe Sakuro who tried to incorporate an idealistic and new technology of the time: hydroelectric power. He was able to build Japan's first hydro-electric power station through the construction of the canal (which obviously required the lake the be drained, hence the title of the anime).

Ikkyuu must talk a tomboy into behaving in a more lady-like manner before her habit of calling herself by the boy's name Tsuyumaru and attacking shogun Yoshimitsu Ashikaga with a wooden sword gets her into trouble. (Source: AniDB)

Kamimine Town, located in the eastern part of Saga Prefecture, is a place associated with the legendary military commander Minamoto no Tametomo, who is said to be "Yoshitsune in the east, Tametomo in the west." Here, he called himself "Hachirou Chinzei" and built a castle. Chinzei and his army is said to have defeated 50,000 enemies, and many legends were left behind. A master of bows and a big man, Chinzei had a rough temper and was even called a violent person by nature. But he was also a person with warmth and kindness full of humanity. (Source: Production I.G., translated)

In 1945, American troops land on the island of Okinawa. The Japanese fight a guerrilla war against the invaders, and little Ryuko is forced to leave her grandparents behind and flee with her mother and younger sister, who are eventually killed. Ryuko heads on alone across the war-torn island. Eventually she reaches safety in Japanese-occupied caves, only to witness the Japanese troops committing suicide with hand grenades. Based on a children's book by Akira Aratagawa and Hikuji Norima, itself inspired by real American footage of an Okinawan girl, Tomiko Higa, waving a white flag at the island's surrender. (Source: Anime Encyclopedia)

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Following the previous story, a circus comes to town displaced by the War in Afghanistan. This one has a stronger focus on the actual war affecting the citizens.

A traditional Chinese tale entitled Tu Tze-chun that tells the story of a young man who becomes rich when he finds buried treasure only to lose it all leading a life of extravagance. This version is formally an adaptation of Ryuunosuke Akutagawa's telling of the tale titled Toshishun, he is known as the "father of Japanese short stories" and Japan's premier literary award, the Akutagawa Prize, is named after him. (Source: Google Books)

Woodland animal citizens learn how to extinguish different types of incendiary bombs and help fight back against an enemy air force of wolves.

The 3D CG short film with its unique visual style, which tranquilly depicts Peach Blossom Valley (known to the western culture as Shangri-La), the earthly paradise, in Dong Jin people's mind and their desire to return to happy and harmonic life. (Source: Official site)

The pilot episode of 0-sen Hayato released only on VHS and Betamax. Chronologically it is considered the 1st episode of the franchise.

The second film of the Fuku-chan triology. Based on a popular newspaper comic strip at the time, Fuku-chan was re-invented for propaganda use. In this one Fuku-chan tries to rally up the fighting spirit of the troops.

A short documentary series. Each 5 minute episode aired Monday through Saturday. (Source: AniDB)

A summary of the Makiba no Shoujo Katri full series aired as a TV specials.