Wars are something everyone is scared of. The reason behind this is simple: it brings the death of the innocent—the ones who neither started the war nor had a say in it. The end of innocent people in masses, the death of soldiers, destruction of assists, starvation, and violation of humanity accompanies. No one wanted it to start. Even the leaders are afraid to spark it and aspire to diminish it. The bloodiest war that affected the entire globe was the world wars. Two such great wars affected society with a death blow and taught us that we should never be involved in such wars again. The anime world also comprises many such stories related to the wars. Some of them talk about the aftermath, or some have an indirect relation with it. Here, we will talk about the top 10 most famous Japanese anime that features the effect of world war.
1. Grave Of The Fireflies
Grave of the Fireflies is a worthwhile piece made under the direction of the infamous Isao Takahata under the iconic Ghibli films. The movie is a wrenching story of two siblings regarding the wartime struggle in Japan. It's an emotionally charged piece that specifically talks about the effect of war on children and their childhood. It realistically follows the events that occur when the dwelling of characters is destroyed by an air raid and the harsh realities they face while they struggle to survive.
2. Barefoot Gen
Barefoot Gen is a manga adaptation by the infamous Keiji Nakazawa that circles the experiences of Hiroshima survivors. The anime is more about survival and the human spirit in wartime. The climax features a heinous bombing that has been shown in detailed graphics. As the name suggests, the anime is about Gen and his wartime struggles with realistic descriptions of events one would have experienced in those days.
3. The Wind Rises
The Wind Rises is another creative piece discussing the complexities of war weapons. The anime follows the story of Jiro Horikoshi, a designer of the infamous fighter plane. The anime perfectly blends an incredible storyline, beautiful animation, and compelling storytelling. It is a fictional biography of an aeronautical engineer of World War II, including a romantic subplot.
4. Night Raid 1931
Night Raid is different. It is about the historical events that led to the devasting World War II. The anime is about the agents of Shanghai in the early 1930s. The movie received mixed reviews due to the inclusion of historical events and settings. The title movie is the name of the team of the agents, The Night Raid. The agents here are seen with different miraculous powers, such as telekinesis.
5. Joker Game
Joker Game is a fictionalized version of D-agency, an intelligence agency that the Japanese government gave a different undercover mission before World War II. Each episode is power-packed with varying tasks around the globe. The portrayal of the pre-war era is appreciable with certain major historical events. The anime is of thriller genre and is well-crafted to showcase the aspects of espionage.
6. Kantai Collection- KanColle
The anime is inspired by the infamous Battle of Midway and is portrayed as likable by the audience. The anime talks about an alternate history where the battle is described against Abyssal. Here, the struggle is against the sea creatures that threaten humanity. The story circles the ship girls and their base and perfectly commingles fantasy, action, and life. They also discuss several real-life events by twisting them to match the plot.
7. Zipang
Zipang is a district concept about an event where modern-day warships are teleported to wartime into an infamous battle called Midway. The crew members are bound to decide whether to intervene in the war because it might change the course of the event, giving birth to a very different present. The anime talks about time travel and the outcomes of changing the past, including a pinch of ethical dilemmas.
8. Flag
The Flag is an indifferent piece of anime that speaks of the reality of challenges faced by media in war zones. The anime talks about a war-torn country where several members are to investigate and document civil war. A war photographer and a military officer play vital roles. Other characters are there to provide different viewpoints on wars. Flag brought a fresh concept of documentary-style anime that was worth applause.
9. Giovanni's Island
Giovanni's Island, a war-torn island in Japan, is the story of a Japanese local living on the Island when the Soviet Union occupied it. The story begins with two siblings who were the residents and how the locals living there were disrupted by intervention. It is an admirable hand-drawn anime that is worth applause. The piece has brought light to lesser-known aspects of wartime. The anime is a perfect mix of loss, misunderstanding, the aftermath of war, and cultural clashes during the event. The central focus is the siblings and their living, which was interrupted by the events on the Island.
10. In This Corner Of The World
The anime provides an intimate look into people living in war zones. The main character is Suzu, and in the anime, one learns how the introduction of war changes her life. Suzu was residing in a small town near Hiroshima before the World War. As the story proceeds, her life is caught in a mist of air raids and the harsh reality of war. The anime highlights the pains taken by commoners of that era. The anime is about the journey of Suzu and her utterly war-torn relationships. The anime received positive responses for its accuracy and mind-blowing animation.
