Media based on a shared world past are in their own category; historicals come in many forms like movies, novels, or mini-series. We notice when history inspires Anime and Manga, the most infamous series come about. At their height of popularity shows like Lady Oscar and Inuyasha inadvertently peaked peoples interest into their own planets past.

Inuyasha, written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi is also known as ”the Feudal Fairy Tale”. The Manga strip ran as a weekly series in a magazine called Shōnen Sunday. This adaptation lasted over 12 years from 1996 to 2008 and followed the adventures of a young girl as she was swept back to the Sengoku Era of Japan. The fantasy aspect of the Anime and Manga at times made reference to Japanese history and brought many things to light besides mythology. One episode in particular talks of Oda Nobunaga aka Demon King who was the first individual to attempt to unify Japan at the end of the Warring States period. The comedic part is the main male character of Inuyasha, is a mythological hanyu (half demon) himself. Although the Oda Nobunaga in the series was never relative to the real one, we do hear about the one that actually existed in several scenes. In fact it is the other female lead, Kagomewho is very impressed with the Nobunaga she meets and tells her friends all about the other legendary Nobunaga.

The irony comes in to play when we realize one supporting character in the series is a monk named Miroku. Miroku was probably part of a Buddhist sect that Nobunaga, in real life, was responsible for obliterating. The destruction of the Buddhist monastery of Mt. Hiei was a strategic move, on the generals part… but if Miroku was real most likely he would have had a very untimely demise since every single Hiei monk was hunted down and slaughtered regardless of their age or innocence. Although the real Nobunaga’s ultimate goal to unify Japan under one sword (tenka-fubu )  was never reached his life affected his present-day and the future of Japan. His status was obtained though much strife and he rose via ruthless ambition to become one of the most powerful leaders Japan ever had.  His use of power was unforgiving though and in the end he was assassinated.

We go from feudal Japan to cross-dressing French men (or women). Le Chevalier D’Eon (D’Eon the Knight) an Anime based on a historical fantasy novel, of the same name, ran for two dozen episodes. The series is about a young knight of Versailles, who loses his twin sister and in during times of danger he becomes his sisters avenging spirit. Based on the real person who actually lived in the between 1728-1810. Charles-Geneviève-Louis-Auguste-André-Timothée d’Éon de Beaumont aka Chevalier d’Éon, was a French diplomat in the later 17th century whom also had several other callings as a spy, a soldier and Freemason. We do not know exactly why she lived the first half of her life as a man and the second half as a woman but it could have been due to french law that said only sons could inherit their families estate. What we do know is that she inspired more than one Animated series.

The Rose of Versailles (Berusaiyu no Bara) known world wide as the Anime Lady Oscar had its original run in the late 70s. The shōjo title is one of the better know historicals created by Riyoko Ikeda. The lead is the fictional Oscar-François de Jarjayes, a french aristocratic girl who was raised to live as a man due to her father having only six daughters. As the commander of the Royal Guards she becomes her father’s successor and then the French Revolution begins.   The plight of the French revolution is covered from all sides. Included with historical accuracy the Affair between Marie Antoinette and the Swedish Count Axel von Fersen, The Scandal of the Diamond Necklace and the July 14, 1789 Taking of the Bastille.

War time is a mainstay of many Historical adaptations and has its own set of inspired Manga and Anime media. The Manga called “Adolf” centers on three men all named Adolf (one being Hitler) in Germany during 1936. The three men name Adolf’s lives intertwine as we follow a murder mystery set around the sad events leading up to WWII. In the very depressing movie Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no Haka) a young pair of siblings trying to survive wartime Japan after their mother is killed in an air raid. It is a very upsetting fact that it’s actually a semi-autobiography of the author who lost his younger sister to starvation. The Anti-war premise comes from the attention on the personal tragedies that wars give rise to.

Other Historical Anime’s are not as serious but do take a lot of serious parts of History. The fun Samurai Champloopoked fun at the EDO periods involvement with discovering sexual consciousness and homosexuality. In Code Geass we play a game of ”what if?” Benjamin Franklin switched sides and helped the UK instead of the USA. There are many others and these are just a few of successful Anime mediums that have taking the parts of history and built worlds. Worlds that make Anime watchers interested in more than what is going on in fiction.