Summary
- Anime series often delve into mature and grim themes, focusing on the lasting effects of war on the general populace.
- Series like Barefoot Gen and Grave of the Fireflies depict the devastating impact of real-world wars, highlighting the suffering and struggle of those caught in the conflicts.
- Code Geass and Zipang explore alternate worlds where war and occupation play a central role, emphasizing the plight of the Japanese and their resistance to oppressive forces.
Contrary to popular belief, many anime series earnestly tackle mature and grim themes, presenting the raw, bitter reality of this world. Series based on the concept of war are quite common among the anime landscape, yet only a few examine the bloodshed’s long-lasting effects on the general populace.
Be it conflicts set in fictional worlds or real-world inspired wars, these anime focus less on the conflict itself and more on the bitter strife and suffering of those caught in its wake. Since Japan itself has a history of deadly warfare, authors have drawn inspiration from these very conflicts and told the stories of those unheard.
10 Barefoot Gen
Set during the time of the Hiroshima nuclear bombing, Barefoot Gen explores the impact of this grave tragedy on those fortunate enough to survive. This historical film is based on author Keiji Nakazawa’s own experiences as a survivor of the catastrophic Hiroshima bombing.
The horrific scene depicting the atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima and the subsequent destruction still makes rounds among the anime community. While there are multiple anime renditions of this manga series, a total of ten manga volumes exist – each depicting the aftermath and rebuilding of the devastated city.
9 Grave of the Fireflies
Grave of the Fireflies is a heart-wrenching account of two siblings desperately trying to survive the final months of World War II. Seita and Satsuko lose their mother to the war and are forced to fend for themselves. The lack of food rationing during the end of the war results in Satsuko dying from malnourishment, leaving Seita alone with his sister’s ashes.
Eventually Seita also loses his life to starvation, along with several other famished bodies piled up at a train station. Once both siblings die, their souls reunite on a train, and they recollect the events of the war. Grave of the Fireflies is an accurate depiction of the effect of World War II on Japan’s people, a side that is rarely highlighted in mainstream media.
8 Code Geass
Code Geass is set in an alternate world where three powers effectively rule the entire planet, with the Holy Britannian Empire amassing the most power with its vast colonies. Japan eventually succumbs to Britannia and its advanced tech and becomes a colony of the empire. Japanese citizens lose all civilian rights and the country is renamed to Area 11.
Britannia seems to be an allegory of the British Empire as this fictional empire bears the same imperialistic ambitions. While the series incorporates a bit of supernatural elements with the Geass power, the spotlight still remains on the plight of the Japanese and their resistance to the occupation.
7 The Wind Rises
The Wind Rises is one of Studio Ghibli’s most prominent films, and its significance is furthered by its historical accuracy. It serves as a fictionalized biography of Jiro Horikoshi, a famed aircraft designer for the Japanese military during World War II. While the movie itself focuses on Horikoshi’s goal of creating advanced aviation for Japan, the war still plays a pivotal role in the entire story.
Horikoshi is plagued by the thought of his creations being used for warfare, yet his aviation Idol, Giovanni Caproni, appears in his dreams and reassures him of his goal. He eventually becomes successful in creating high-tech planes for the Japanese military, such as the Mitsubishi A5M, yet he remains regretful after the war’s conclusion that his planes were used for such heinous purposes. The Wind Rises highlights the effect of war on those unwillingly embroiled in the conflict, and the resultant guilt of aiding such a catastrophe.
6 Violet Evergarden
While the series' actual premise may not revolve around war itself, the main character’s backstory is largely shaped by the cruelties of war. As a child, Violet was found on an abandoned island by naval soldiers. However, she soon became a victim to war as the soldiers tried to molest her.
Violet was able to kill every single soldier that sexually assaulted her, an act that revealed her prowess in killing people. Soon, she became a military tool as her skills were used to conduct several missions, one of which resulted in her losing both her arms. While Violet eventually resorts to living a normal life, the ghosts from her past continuously haunt her as she tries to make sense of the world.
5 Now and Then, Here and There
While trying to protect a mysterious girl from abductors, Shu gets caught in the aftermath and is taken to an entirely different world. The world Shu gets stuck in is a conflict-laden planet with all belligerents fighting over a scarce resource – water.
Shu’s journey is filled with misery and despair as he becomes a victim to several war crimes. While Now and Then, Here and There comes under the Isekai genre, it features several mature themes, especially with a focus on the by-products of war such as famine, slavery, and sexual assault.
4 Fullmetal Alchemist
Fullmetal Alchemist is set in the country of Amestris, a powerful dictatorship with a fierce grip on its people. While the primary focus remains on the Elric brothers and their journey to undo a failed alchemical reaction, the series still highlights Amestris’ power-hungry policies and war crimes.
The genocide known as the Ishvalan War of Extermination is a primary example of how Fullmetal Alchemist tackles themes such as war and genocide. The Ishvalan war and the resultant refugee camps throughout Amestris serve as an allegory to several real-world events, depicting the aftermath of toppled nations and their stateless people.
3 Attack on Titan
While Attack on Titan doesn’t feature war in its traditional sense, the constant fight between humans and titans has an impact similar to any normal conflict. The Titans are initially presented as non-sentient beings, though it is later revealed that a few characters may be on the opposing side.
The conflict may be unconventional, yet the effects are similar to any other war. Many lost their lives and several became orphans, and those that survived the outer walls were forced to live as refugees within the inner walls. Be it titans or humans, the dread of death and demise remains the same.
2 In This Corner of the World
In This Corner of the World is another anime film depicting the horrors of World War II on the common populace. The film initially focuses on the life of a cheery girl named Suzu, but as the film progresses, the premise starts becoming dark and despair-ridden. Once the war begins, Suzu becomes a victim to the United States air raids of mainland Japan.
She loses her brother and niece to the bombings and eventually loses her hand in an air raid. While Suzu contemplates visiting her hometown of Hiroshima, she gets the news of the atomic bombing. The entire ordeal sends her into depression, yet she’s still forced to ensure her remaining family makes it out alive. The film highlights the grave effects of war on the innocent, along with the countless sacrifices they had to make to survive.
1 Zipang
Zipang takes an interesting approach with the theme of war as it follows the story of an advanced battleship of the Japanese Navy that somehow travels sixty years back to World War II. Realizing that the modern destroyer is now in a primitive era, the crew decides to stay neutral to avoid altering the future timeline. However, the crew is forced to intervene several times to save lives that would have otherwise perished.
Despite knowing the totalitarian nature of Imperial Japan, the ship’s crew finds itself unable to resist the urge of defending their homeland. The story follows an interesting dynamic as they try not to alter the course of the war, yet they can’t sit idly by as innocent civilians lose their lives to the horrid events of this war.