Be it in fantasy, historical fiction, or sci-fi, anime has always had a wide assortment of war stories featuring conflicts between people, aliens, robots, or whatever else is in vogue at the time. Anime's predisposition towards the fantastical might make it seem like it isn't quite the medium to express the gritty realism of human conflict, but the reality is that there are a number of shows that do an excellent job of capturing the tragedy, the drama, and the nuance necessary in a great war story.
Notably, many of these entries straddle anime subgenres. The topical diversity of anime means that stories about armed conflict can be found as often in mecha as they can in fantasy, and perhaps even slice-of-life, which provides an excellent opportunity for fans to step outside the genre they would normally prefer.
10 Fang Of The Sun Dougram
Fang Of The Sun Dougram is a 1981 mecha anime about a group of insurgents attempting to liberate their planet from colonial influence and to depose a ruthless dictator who seized power in a coup, with the help of some giant robots, of course. Although that might not sound like a groundbreaking setup, Dougram sets itself apart by the incredible detail and realism with which it portrays that conflict.
It's got giant robots in it, yes, but this is one of the few war anime out there that takes the time and effort to show the audience the multitude of non-combat operations necessary to keep a war effort moving: troop recruitment, public morale, supply and ammunition, and political struggles are all nearly as important to this show as the robot fights are.
9 Violet Evergarden
Although perhaps not a "war anime" in subject matter, Kyoto Animation's Violet Evergarden tells the story of a girl reduced to a tool of warfare by a catastrophic conflict, and how she struggles to overcome that legacy and readjust to civilian life. There are a couple of action sequences here and there, but the main focus of the show is the emotional journey the show's protagonist must undertake to move beyond the (now ended) war.
With memorable character designs and predictably fantastic animation from KyoAni, Violet Evergarden takes on an episodic structure wherein the protagonist, Violet, visits various side characters from episode to episode to learn about them, and hopefully solve their problems. These side stories are interesting in their own right, but it's Violet's internal struggle that makes up the core of the show.
8 Kingdom
A historical war epic set in China's warring states period, a time of social and political tumult, Kingdom is a 2012 anime adaptation of a manga by the same name. A bloody upheaval leaves the political landscape of ancient China uncertain, and the show's protagonist nearly dead, leading him to undertake a mission that will bring him into contact with an ambitious young king.
Those with a taste for historical epics won't want to miss out on Kingdom, because the show does an excellent job of leveraging the intrigue, drama, and spectacular battles associated with the period.
7 Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team
Most Gundam anime are interested in the protagonists of whichever conflict is at play; the actors who shape the course of the war through heroics in space and decisive battles. That's great and all, but it leaves fans wondering what it's like to be an ordinary soldier in such a large conflict.
08th MS Team sets out to answer that question by dropping the ace pilots battling in space for grunts driving slapped together mechs through the mud alongside infantry. The more grounded setting leads to some impressively gritty fight scenes, and establishes a unique atmosphere for the Gundam franchise.
6 Arslan Senki
Arslan Senki is a fantasy story, but rather than swords and sorcery it mainly sets out to tell a more grounded tale about a royal succession in jeopardy, with all the politics, intrigue, and battle that comes with it. A shocking betrayal in the court of the kingdom of Pars leaves the army of prince Arslan in ruins, and his succession blocked. The show follows him and his allies as he attempts to make friends and high places and defeat enemies and villains on the path back to the throne.
Despite the fictional setting, Arslan could more plausibly be classified as a historical war drama, because rather than magic or fantastical strength, it's typically strategy and smart political plays that decide the outcomes of the anime's conflicts.
5 Mobile Suit Gundam
Not just a classic of the mecha genre, but of anime in general, 1979's Mobile Suit Gundam is still one of the most nuanced and compelling portraits of armed conflict in the medium. It broke new ground back in the '70s by its radical approach to the show's robots: these weren't heroic weapons that would beat up aliens and robot monsters, they were tools of warfare piloted by ordinary people.
A compelling cast of characters help sell the themes: playing a part in this setting's conflict are nationalistic ideologues, career opportunists looking to make a name for themselves, ambitious political figures, and regular people simply caught up in the violence trying to stay alive.
4 Sora No Woto
A series of devastating conflicts linger in the background, some more recent than others, and the world, although beautiful, creeps ever closer towards seemingly inevitable ruin on account of the planet's ruined climate. In this environment, it's the prerogative of the show's cast to find hope where there seemingly isn't, and to prevent mankind from plunging itself into another destructive conflagration.
Sora no Woto chooses to adopt a mellow, slice-of-life-esque tone, so don't expect any climactic battles or exhilarating action sequences. This is an anime about people trying to pick up the pieces after the war has ended, and it explores the ways that that conflict impacted the lives of the cast; both those who lived through it and those who didn't.
3 Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War In The Pocket
Most Gundam stories find their protagonists in soldiers; ace pilots who shape the events of the setting's conflict through their actions behind the controls of a Mobile Suit. War in the Pocket breaks from that mold by spending most of its time with civilians, mostly children, as they watch the closing days of the One Year War from the sidelines.
That might not sound quite as thrilling as the explosive Mobile Suit battles of some of the other entries in the franchise, and while it's true that War in the Pocket is a calmer show than its counterparts, it uses that tone to deliver some unpredictable emotional punches, and to tell a story about how war can come to affect even those who aren't directly participating in it.
2 Attack On Titan
Newcomers to Attack on Titan are advised to skip to another entry if they haven't seen this series yet. With that out of the way, although Attack on Titan might present itself as a straightforward horror action show that pits human soldiers against implacable man-eating beasts, everything changes once the basement finally gets unlocked.
From that point on, Attack on Titan becomes a far more complicated story about the power struggle between the setting's various factions. Thematically, the show shifts towards exploring ideas about how historical grievances can inform political struggles in the now, and whether or not it's possible to ever right those wrongs.
1 Legend Of Galactic Heroes
When it comes to strategy, intrigue, and politics, there isn't really anything that comes close to Legend of Galactic Heroes in the world of anime. This 110-episode epic chronicles the lives of several key players in a seemingly endless galactic conflict. Fleets collide, ambitious figures scheme, and alliances are forged and undermined regularly in pursuit of galactic supremacy.
It might be over one hundred episodes long, but Legend rarely lags. Betrayals, character deaths, and unexpected battle outcomes constantly upend the setting's balance of power, making it hard for even veteran anime fans to predict where the show is going.
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June 16, 2021 at 12:00AM
