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The historical anime genre still has many fans today. While Japan's rich history has served as a great inspiration for several historical anime over the years, there is a lesser-explored category that continues to amaze fans with its captivating portrayal of events that transpired ages ago. This category features anime set outside the borders of Japan.
Historical anime set outside Japan are indeed a fresh take on the genre and offer new perspectives to pre-existing stories and folklore. With that said, let us look at some of the best historical anime set outside of Japan.
Disclaimer: This list is ranked in no particular order and may reflect the writer's opinions. Reader's discretion is advised.
Monster and 7 other historical anime set outside of Japan
1) Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood
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The first nine episodes of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure season 1 are set in the early to late 1880s in England.
The narrative focuses on the origins of the Joestar family and their connection to Dio Brando, who goes on to become a key antagonist of the series. It follows the story of Jonathan Joestar, whose life turns upside down when his father, George Joestar, takes in the orphan son of Dario Brando to pay off a debt he mistakenly thought he owed to the latter.
Dio's arrival in the Joestar family kicks off a chain of reactions that leads to the current events of the popular series.
2) Vinland Saga
Set mostly in England in 1013 AD, Vinland Saga draws elements from historical accounts of the period. It follows the story of Thorfinn, a young Norseman who seeks vengeance against Askeladd, the man who killed his father right in front of him.
Throughout the story, Thorfinn's character progresses a lot as he transforms from a boy who sought nothing but revenge to a man who leaves all his past beliefs behind and vows to become a better person by establishing a peaceful society for people.
3) Banana Fish
This fan-favorite anime is set in the 1980s in New York City and follows the tragic life of Ash Lynx, a 17-year-old street gang leader who gets involved in a conspiracy surrounding a mysterious drug named Banana Fish, which took his brother's life.
In his journey, Ash forms alliances with several characters, including Eiji Nakamura, a Japanese photographer who becomes one of Ash's closest friends.
4) Monster
The entirety of Naoki Urasawa's Monster series takes place in the 80s and 90s Europe - mostly in Germany and the Czech Republic. It revolves around the rivalry between Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a brilliant neurosurgeon working in Germany, and the fearsome 'monster' Johan Liebert.
It all started when Dr. Tenma decided to operate on and save Johan's life when the latter was shot in the head as a kid. However, the former's life took a dark turn following this incident.
Dr. Tenma eventually found himself involved in a complex web of mysterious deaths and conspiracies surrounding Johan, a sociopathic master manipulator who was treated as the embodiment of evil itself.
5) Kingdom
Set in China's Warring States period, the story of the Kingdom anime follows Xin, a young war orphan who dreams of becoming a Great General of the Heavens one day.
Xin trains alongside a fellow slave and his best friend, Piao, who shares the same dream as him. However, the two are separated when Piao is taken away to serve the young king of Qin, and he ends up meeting an untimely end.
As such, Xin becomes determined to fulfill his friend's will and unite China under one ruler.
6) 91 Days
The narrative of 91 Days is set in the United States during the last years of the Prohibition era in 1932. It centers on Angelo Lagusa's dark and bloodstained path to vengeance as he seeks to end the lives of each and every person involved in the murder of his family.
As a child, Angelo had to witness the horrible tragedy of his family being murdered by the Vanetti mafia, following which he abandoned his name and hometown.
Years later, Angelo returns to his hometown after adopting a new name so that he can exact his revenge on the Vanetti family.
7) Hellsing
The story of the Hellsing series takes place in the United Kingdom in 1999. It focuses on a British organization named Hellsing, led by Sir Integra Hellsing, which specializes in eradicating vampires, ghouls, and other supernatural threats.
The series is centered around Alucard, a powerful vampire who serves the Hellsing family. Alongside Integra and their allies, Alucard battles against various supernatural enemies, predominantly vampires, monsters, and creatures of darkness.
8) Black Lagoon
Set in Southeast Asia during the early to mid-1990s, the Black Lagoon series focuses on the adventures of the Japanese salaryman Rokurou Okajima, who becomes involved with a group of infamous mercenaries known as Lagoon Company.
As Okajima becomes an integral part of the group, he progresses from a naive outsider to a skilled and responsible member.
Final Thoughts
Each one of these historical anime series focuses on intricate stories set outside Japan. They offer a fresh look at events happening in different parts of the world, be it several decades or centuries ago.
Related Links:
8 historical anime set in the Edo period
10 anime and manga based on real events
Is Vinland Saga based on a true story? Explained
10 best anime like The Apothecary Diaries
Attack on Titan: 10 references to true historical events
